Martial Hero Rebirth

Chapter 29: Strong-armed

"Do they even care about their reputation? Even a top hundred has appeared?! I recognize that bearlike husky fellow; he's called Zhang Xiong, one of the lower courtyard top hundred, ranked hundredth!"

"F*ck this. This is taking it too far! After repelling a wave, comes another, there's no end to it."

"How unsightly, for shame! Even a hundred ranked has shown up, it seems they are determined to crush us to death!"

"Although this Zhang Xiong is ranked hundredth, he is the lower courtyard's ranked tenth Shangguan Yun's henchman. This much is known by all the senior disciples, finally we have discovered the mastermind behind those despicable senior disciples! It's this Shangguan!"

"Shangguan Yun? He's too motherf**king sinister, utterly shameless!"

"It is said that this Shangguan Yun is a pervert; he especially enjoys the suppression of promising junior disciples. In the last batch, and the one before that, there were no talented people who were spared from suppression!"

The junior disciples were enraged, every one of them burned in anger, they began to uproariously voice they fury while shouting Shangguan Yun's name. None masked their indignation.

They were all so fumed that they exploded!

The extent, of which the enemy stooped, far surpassed their expectations.

When Zhang Xiong entered the top hundred junior disciples courtyard with a crowd trailing behind him, he did not mind. He has always been the insensitive sort, all he cared about was the task given by his Senior Brother Sangguan.

Just as he walked into the top hundred courtyard, he suddenly froze.

As more and more junior disciples who heard the news came to band together, their faces radiating anger, began to berate Shangguan Yun's name in a cacophony of frenzied yelling!

What is going on?

Why are so many people criticizing Senior Brother Shangguan?

Zhang Xiong scratched his head in thought, yet all he felt was a tingling migraine, exhausted, he settled down and thought no further about the matter.

This was a bad habit of his, every time he started using his head, all he felt was a headache.

This was also why he rarely ponders over anything.

Any problems he faced, world be completely forgotten in the blink of an eye.

As he walked towards the number one courtyard, he carefully counted the other courtyards to make sure he was in the right place, after arriving, he nodded.

"This should be it, the number one courtyard, the ranked first courtyard!"

In fact, many have long since flocked to the gates of the number one courtyard and have been patiently waiting. Yet even this escaped his notice, it was either that or he didn't really cared.

After confirming that he was exactly where he intended to be, he faced the courtyard doors and roared: "Get out here Lin Yi, you offended Senior Brother Shangguan and now he wants me to teach you a lesson proper."

His voice was as loud as thunder, so boisterous that it was scary. The shocking rumbling of his voice spread throughout the entire top hundred junior disciples courtyard.

Upon hearing his words, all the senior disciples wore cheeky expressions; in contrast, all the junior disciples were fuming with bloodshot eyes.

Among the crowds were spies arranged by Shangguan Yun. When they heard those words, their foreheads darkened and collectively facepalmed.

Oh Zhang Xiong, Zhang Xiong!

Aren't you a little too honest and straightforward?

How could you spill out Senior Brother Shangguan's name?

Although everyone pretty much knew that he was the culprit behind all this, should you really go about announcing that fact to everyone? Is this really okay?

Towards Zhang Xiong, all the spies arranged by Shangguan Yun were too exasperated to offer any words of explanation. They began to shuffle away from ZhangXiong, pretending not to know such a person.

"How rampant, how overtly arrogant!"

"He truly has discarded all dignity, to so blatantly have someone announce his name; he simply doesn't give a damn about us junior disciples!"

"That's taking it too far!"

All the junior disciples were pissed.

As to the reactions of the masses, Zhang Xiong seemed completely oblivious; it was almost like he was deaf to the loud cursings of the junior disciples and blind to the senior disciples laughing in ridicule. Upon seeing that the courtyard doors has yet to open, he roared once again: "Lin Yi you better come out, I, Zhang Xiong have a lesson to teach you today, once I'm done, I'll be out of your hair."

Zhang Xiong's doltish words left the junior disciples speechless.

Not a single one uttered a word.

All of them were stuck between laughter and anger.

But the thought that this seemingly simple and honest looking fellow, was a genuine lower courtyard top hundred, gave their hearts a jolt, filling them with anxiety.

Can Senior Brother Lin Yi win this time?

This Zhang Xiong before their eyes was actually the top hundredth of the lower courtyard!

A true ranked top hundred!

Their strength is unquestionable, among the tens of thousands of lower courtyard disciples, they are the top hundred.

Would Senior Brother Lin Yi still be as fortunate as the first two times?

It's probably better for everyone not to watch, as this time's challenger is one of the lower courtyard top hundred!

The lower courtyard top hundred was a gold standard, which alone left people shocked more than anything.

Squeak

The doors of the number one courtyard opened, and out came a youth. With one hand on his hips and another pointing at Zhang Xiong's nose, he spat: "The heck are you yelling for? You're louder than a howling dog, how noisy!"

This youth was Jiang Xiaoyu.

Here he was in the number one courtyard listening to a lecture from Lin Yi, receiving guidance on the knacks and intricacies of Martial Insight. Just when he was enthralled in blissfulness and seemingly on the verge of floating away, came a blasting roar like crashing thunder, splitting his ears!  

It gave him such a jolt that his legs turned to jelly; it almost made him collapse to the ground.

His blissful feelings were gone, that wondrous air of euphoria that could perpetually lift him up, vanished.

He was even greeted with a laughing fit by Yu Hai.

This made him fuming mad!

Just when he was about to state a comeback at Yu Hai, the thunderous voice came again, splitting his ears once more.

This time, he was so startled that he fell flat on the ground.

He was laughed at so hard by Yu Hai that he wanted to hide himself.

Filled with blazing anger, with nowhere to vent it, he rushed out of the courtyard like a madman, opened the gates wide to find the culprit and proceeded to open a can of verbal abuse.

After he was done berating, he began to be size-up the culprit.

What greeted him was the sight of a hulking bearlike figure.

Standing in front of this figure, felt like facing a savage grizzly, baring its fangs right at him.

Facing such an air of savagery caused him such terror that it made his innards rattle.

Oh mother!

Jiang Xiaoyu was so scared that his legs almost gave way under him; he was an inch away from turning to flee.

Upon recalling that Senior Brother Lin Yi and that spiteful twerp Yu Hai were behind him observing, he managed, with great difficulty to suppress his impulse to go scurrying in retreat.

"Eh, who are you? What are you doing here yelling?"

Though his questioning words were pressing, his tone was remarkably meek.

The truth was, the moment he saw the huge clump of people, many whom were senior disciples behind that hulking bear-like figure, he understood.

They came for Senior Brother Lin Yi!

Not for me!

Jiang Xiaoyu secretly sighed in relief, yet immediately he chastised himself for having such thoughts.

Are my actions worthy of what Senior Brother Lin Yi expects of me?

Running the second trouble came calling!

"I'm called Zhang Xiong, who are you? Could you be Lin Yi? Senior Brother Shangguan told me to teach you a lesson!" Though hulking in stature, his way with words seemed to carry an air of foolishness.

Jiang Xiaoyu shook his head, so it turns out to be a simple minded doofus; you sure had this young master worried.

"I'm not!" shaking his head, he turned to the approaching Lin Yi and Yu Hai: "Senior Brother Lin Yi, it's for you!"

"Zhang Xiong?" without waiting for Lin Yi's answer, Yu Hai who was standing behind Lin Yi rushed forward with a look of distress pointing at Zhang Xiong, he said: "Isn't this fellow one of the lower courtyard top hundred?"

"What an outrage, for shame!" Yu Hai could not help but burst into a spout of anger before turning to face Lin Yi saying: "Senior Brother Lin Yi, this Zhang Xiong is one of the lower courtyard top hundred, ranked hundredth. A practitioner of Huashan Fist Arts that has reached the realm of transcendence, naturally gifted with godlike strength, capable of immense power. As for this Senior Brother Shangguan he mentioned, if I am not mistaken, it is that Shangguan Yun ranked tenth in the lower courtyard top hundred."

"I heard that this Shangguan Yun is insidious and conniving, incomparably brazen and a nasty pervert who delights in beating promising newcomers into submission! I never thought that the senior disciples we came across were actually sent by him. Turns out this Shangguan Yun is the puppeteer behind this string of incidents!"

Yu Hai clenched his fists, just mentioning Shangguan Yun's name seemed to cause him to gnash his teeth. The mere thought of the provocations and insults instigated by the senior disciples these recent days and the mastermind Shangguan Yun behind it, made his teeth itch in rancor.

Towards a pervert that had a fetish for suppressing newcomers, how could Yu Hai not detest such a person?

He was a man who had aspirations of charging into the ranks of the lower courtyard top hundred.

He absolutely would not permit such a person to shatter his spirit!

"Shangguan Yun? So it was him!"

After listening to Yu Hai's words, Lin Yi flashed with comprehension. Unexpectedly, the considerate person who has tirelessly been gifting him combat experience points turned out to be Shangguan Yun.

This Shangguan Yun, even in the game, he had more or less heard of such a person.

One of the more well-known characters that was frequently mentioned by the players.

He was the general of Huashan Head Representative Linghu Feng, in the chaotic wars of the underground martial world, during the confrontations with the Demons, with merely the abilities of a second-rate expert, utilizing cunning traps, ensnared numerous Demonic Chapel Leaders who were first-class experts, there was even a Demonic Cult Elder with the strength of a pinnacle-class expert.

In that one war, his reputation resounded far and wide.

Countless Demonic Cult followers were left in jaw-clenching resentment.

They even issued a bounty, a top quality Core Arts manual more precious than aurum gold grade as a Quest Reward, in exchange for his head.

This caused many Demonic Cult players to attempt his assassination.

Even then, after countless player casualties, Shangguan Yun was still alive and well.

Shangguan was exceedingly astute, knowing that he was targeted by the Demonic Cult as a prime candidate for assassination; he assumed a low profile position behind Linghu Feng.

He would follow Linghu Feng like a shadow, refusing to distance himself by even half a step.

Huashan Head Disciple Linghu Feng practiced Violet Dawn God Arts and Solitary Nine Swords, both Grand Pinnacle God Arts, alongside such a pinnacle-class expert, who could possibly snuff him out?  

At the time, although Lin Yi was unaffiliated with any factions, choosing to remain as a neutral party, he could be considered part of the righteous factions.

That was the main reason he did not target Shangguan Yun, even though at the time he only had the strength of a second-class expert, he was still quite enticed by the prospect of receiving top quality Core Arts exceeding aurum gold grade, but he was simply refrained from undertaking the quest.

However, this incident with Shangguan Yun still resulted in hysterical debate on the Forums; it became one of the hottest topics.

By cross referencing the current situation and his experiences from the game, Lin Yi's understanding of Shangguan Yun far exceeded anyone in the lower courtyard.

"I sure didn't expect that during the time he spent in the lower courtyard, this Shangguan Yun was such a fan of suppressing newcomers, and to such a brazen extent to boot. Could he be terrified of anyone threatening his chances of entering the upper courtyard? If that was the case, then it sure does clearly explain why he would spare no expense in sending people out, especially one of the top hundred just to crush a mere junior disciple! "

Having ascertained of Sangguan Yun's line of reasoning, the corners of Lin Yi's mouth slightly lifted, seemingly with a trace of a smile, yet his eyes revealed an unmistakable air of assertion: "No matter what grand schemes your Shangguan Yun plans to enact, as long as you dare stand in my path, I will sweep you away like the dust that line the annals of history! "

"No one can stop me! Not even your Shangguan Yun is able!"

Although Lin Yi had an ounce of admiration for Shangguan Yun, capable of laying effective traps with merely the capabilities of a second-class expert, ensnaring numerous first-class experts and even a pinnacle-class expert. But in the path of deciding the seat of head disciple, no matter whom it may be, all who obstructed will be kicked to the curb!

Whether it be Shangguan Yun, or the currently destined legacy disciple Linghu Feng.