"That's right, he pinpointed my heritage with a single glance."
Long Yingying nodded.
"That can't be possible," the elder frowned. "Your Battle Clan is an exceptionally rare race to begin with. Never mind the people of the Great Qin Empire, even the ancient veterans among the great sects and clans of the Eastern Region might not be able to see through your origins at first sight. This Ye Yunfei, I heard from Elder Du, is just a young master from a minor family in Yuanyue City. Yet he saw through your heritage with a single glance. That is truly bizarre."
"It seems we'll have to keep a close eye on this lad," the elder said.
"Grandfather, I want to enter that Tianying Small World too," Long Yingying declared.
"In a few days, the Heaven Ascension Ladder will open. If you want to secure a spot to enter the Tianying Small World, just participate in the Ladder Climbing Competition," the old man replied.
"Don't worry, Grandfather. I will absolutely get first place in this Ladder Climbing Competition. Among the disciples of the entire Tianyuan Sect, no one could possibly possess greater natural talent than me," Long Yingying stated confidently.
"You're not wrong about that," the elder smiled, looking at Long Yingying with an appreciative gaze. "Your veins flow with the bloodline of the Battle Clan. Back in ancient times, your clan was a great power that dominated the world. It's said that among the ancestors of the Battle Clan, there was once even a Grand Emperor."
"Of course," Long Yingying lifted her pretty face, looking very pleased with herself.
***
Meanwhile, back on Jin Peak.
In the dormitory area for ordinary disciples on Jin Peak, most ordinary disciples had single rooms. Only core disciples could possess their own small pavilion.
Standing in front of a row of single-room dormitories were over ten young men wearing arrogant expressions.
"Which one is A Niu? Get your ass out here now!" one of them shouted at the top of his lungs.
"They're Water Peak disciples. Why have they come to our Jin Peak to look for someone?"
"Could it be that A Niu offended Water Peak disciples? That can't be right. A Niu has always been timid and cowardly, used to keeping his tail between his legs. What gall would he have to go offend Water Peak disciples?"
"Regardless, these Water Peak disciples are far too arrogant, coming so brazenly to our Jin Peak's dormitory area looking for someone. They don't hold any respect for us Jin Peak people at all."
"Shh! Keep your voice down, do you want to die? In our Tianyuan Sect, who doesn't know that Water Peak disciples are mighty and have always been arrogant? If they hear you, we'll be in trouble!"
...
In the distance, many Jin Peak disciples had gathered, whispering among themselves. After all, the commotion raised by these dozen-plus Water Peak disciples was significant. They were shouting and yelling in this dense dormitory area, disturbing many people.
Soon, the door to one shabby dormitory room creaked open, and A Niu walked out.
"I-I am A Niu. Might I ask you Senior Brothers what you need from me?" A Niu asked, looking at the dozen Water Peak disciples with a face full of confusion. It must be understood that A Niu's strength was weak, his status low. In his few years in the Tianyuan Sect, he hadn't even made a handful of friends. Within the sect, he was practically a character no one paid attention to. No one was even willing to bother bullying such an insignificant character. So who would possibly be looking for him?
"Cut the crap, come with us!" The Water Peak disciples couldn't even be bothered speaking with A Niu. One of the youths walked forward, grabbed A Niu like picking up a chick, and began dragging him away.
"What are you doing?! Let go!" A Niu shouted in desperation.
"You trash, shut your mouth!" the youth said, raising his hand and delivering a series of over ten heavy slaps to A Niu's face.
Immediately, both sides of A Niu's face began to swell up grotesquely.
This youth possessed the strength of the mid-stage Earth Realm. In front of him, A Niu was far too weak.
"Who are you people?! Why are you grabbing me?! Why are you hitting me?!" A Niu yelled in defiance, struggling desperately.
"You damned low-life, you dare not cooperate? Fine, I'll break your arms and legs first, then see how you struggle," the youth gave a sinister smile. Then, his right leg shot out like lightning, kicking towards A Niu.
Crack, crack, crack, crack!
Four sharp snaps of breaking bone sounded simultaneously.
A Niu's four limbs were shattered in an instant!
A Niu screamed out in agony.
"See that? This kind of low-life needs a lesson like this to be effective," the youth said smugly to the other Water Peak disciples. "Let's go, we're heading back."
"Haha, the people of Jin Peak really are useless. We can come whenever we want, leave whenever we want, and no one dares step in to stop us."
"Of the five peaks in the Tianyuan Sect, our Water Peak is the best. Of course no one dares mess with us."
"That's right. Wherever we Water Peak disciples go, who would dare say half a word of 'no'?"
...
The dozen-plus Water Peak disciples, dragging A Niu with them, swaggered ostentatiously as they departed. One by one, they looked triumphant, laughing and talking loudly with unrestrained arrogance, casting contemptuous gazes at the surrounding Jin Peak spectators.
"This is infuriating! These Water Peak people are way too arrogant!"
"Yes, they don't place us Jin Peak people in their eyes at all!"
The surrounding Jin Peak disciples who were watching heard the Water Peak disciples' words loud and clear, and each one was seething with anger. However, over these years, within the Tianyuan Sect, the strength of Water Peak had indeed been the strongest. Disciples from the other peaks generally didn't want to offend Water Peak disciples casually.
"I can't swallow this anger! Come, let's go find Senior Brother Ling Tianyu! Have him stand up for our Jin Peak!" Some Jin Peak disciples thought of Ling Tianyu.
"Do you want to die?! Senior Brother Ling Tianyu has already announced he's going into seclusion for quiet cultivation these next few days, preparing for the upcoming Ladder Climbing Competition. Whatever you do, don't disturb him!" someone immediately cautioned beside them.
"Wait, I've thought of a way to put these Water Peak disciples in their place!" Suddenly, one disciple within the dormitory area spoke up.
"What method?" The gazes of the other surrounding disciples turned towards him.
"Have you all forgotten? A Niu seems to be on good terms with Ye Yunfei. Last time, Zhou Tong slapped A Niu once. In the end, Ye Yunfei, to avenge A Niu, slapped Zhou Tong a hundred times! Now that A Niu has been captured, I feel Ye Yunfei will definitely take action!"
"That's right! How could we have forgotten that?! Come on, let's tell Ye Yunfei about this immediately!" The other Jin Peak disciples had a sudden realization.
Soon after, a group of Jin Peak disciples gathered their courage and arrived before Ye Yunfei's small pavilion. They spoke up carefully, requesting an audience.
"What do you need from me?" Ye Yunfei came out, frowning as he asked.
"Senior Brother Yunfei, A Niu has been taken by Water Peak people," one disciple stepped forward and recounted to Ye Yunfei the events that had just transpired in the ordinary disciples' dormitory area.
Upon hearing this, Ye Yunfei instantly understood what was happening.
A few days ago, in the Back Mountain, he had killed over ten Water Peak disciples, one of whom was named Li Yichen and seemed to have considerable background. At the time, A Niu had accompanied him to the Back Mountain.
Now, A Niu's capture was definitely related to this incident.
"Why didn't you stop them? Why let them take A Niu away just like that?" Ye Yunfei frowned.
"Senior Brother Yunfei, you might not know. In our Tianyuan Sect, Water Peak's strength is the greatest. We Jin Peak disciples simply don't dare provoke Water Peak disciples. Otherwise, our days here will become difficult," one disciple whispered.
"I see," Ye Yunfei said. "Actually, Water Peak disciples are nothing to fear. Right now, I'll go to Water Peak and demand his release. Are you willing to come with me?"
Hearing Ye Yunfei's words, the Jin Peak disciples around him looked at each other hesitantly.
"Don't worry, as long as I'm here, there's nothing to fear. Aren't the Water Peak disciples known for their arrogance? Let's just charge right over there and beat them into submission. That way, they won't dare look down on us Jin Peak disciples in the future," Ye Yunfei stated.
Since Water Peak disciples had come swaggering onto Jin Peak to seize A Niu, Ye Yunfei decided he might as well make it a bigger affair. He would lead a group of Jin Peak disciples, storm up Water Peak, and bring A Niu back.
"Anyone who comes with me will be rewarded with one Second-Grade True Spirit Pill each upon our return," Ye Yunfei added.
"True Spirit Pills!" Upon hearing this, the eyes of those Jin Peak disciples couldn't help but light up.
For these ordinary disciples, a single Second-Grade True Spirit Pill was already considered precious. After all, the sect normally only distributed one True Spirit Pill per month.
"Senior Brother Yunfei... you really have that many True Spirit Pills?" one disciple asked cautiously.
"As many as needed," Ye Yunfei immediately took out several dozen bottles of True Spirit Pills from his spatial ring and placed them on a stone table beside him. Each bottle contained ten pills.
Hissssss!
Upon seeing this, those Jin Peak disciples couldn't help but inhale sharply in disbelief. There had to be at least several hundred True Spirit Pills here!
"Alright! Senior Brother Yunfei, we'll go with you! Those Water Peak people are far too arrogant! It's time we showed them that we Jin Peak disciples aren't easy to push around either!"
Gritting their teeth, the Jin Peak disciples all nodded, one after another.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go! To Water Peak!"
Ye Yunfei put away those dozens of bottles, waved his hand, and led these Jin Peak disciples as they headed towards Water Peak.