Across the vast expanse of the Tianwu Continent, humans, demons, ghosts, and monsters roamed freely. The region where Ye Tian found himself was a remote place, yet it was home to countless sects and clans.
Ye Tian tried to sort out the chaotic thoughts in his mind.
He had been drained by Chu Mengyao until he was practically crippled, and try as he might, he could not fathom why she had done such a thing.
"System, what are your functions?"
Ding, ding, ding...
[System]: This system is omnipotent!
"Since you're omnipotent, I want to upgrade my cultivation. Just give me the cultivation level of a Martial Sovereign, how about that?" Ye Tian demanded with a shameless and commanding tone.
Ding, ding, ding...
[System]: Host, do not be greedy. Your next check-in will bring a mysterious grand gift package.
"You're still as arrogant as ever," Ye Tian muttered in contempt. For a system, it completely lacked any sense of respect for its superior.
After that, no matter how much he called out, the system seemed to have vanished into thin air.
Soon growing tired of shouting, he sat cross-legged to cultivate. As the [Lunhui Jue] began to circulate, its overwhelming domineering force seemed to suck in all the surrounding spiritual energy, causing his entire body to burst forth with a brilliant radiance.
Night passed.
"Bitch, just wait until my cultivation recovers and I'll see how I deal with you," Ye Tian cursed once more.
He got off the bed, stretched lazily, and with a creak, pushed open the door.
Because his dwelling was situated in a relatively secluded and quiet area, there were very few people around.
The blazing sun hung high in the sky. Ye Tian strolled along, but he hadn't walked far before he overheard some gossip.
"Have you heard? Ye Tian dropped all the way from Peak Martial Disciple to the Body Tempering Realm 3rd Layer."
"Word has it that it was even leaked by his own dao companion, Chu Mengyao. She said he's practically a cripple and unworthy of a proud daughter of heaven like her, so she dumped him."
"It's spread all over the outer sect."
"The heavens really have eyes! I couldn't stand him anyway, hogging the outer sect's number one beauty and looking down on the rest of us."
"What goes around comes around. Retribution is finally here!"
Hearing this, a few words flashed through Ye Tian's mind once again.
"Bitch...!"
Today was the monthly distribution day for spirit stones. As the chatter grew louder in his ears, he arrived at a grand hall.
"Elder, I'm here to collect this month's spirit stones!" Ye Tian announced.
An elderly man sitting before him, dozing off with snowy white hair and beard, lazily tossed out three spirit stones. They were crystal-clear and enveloped in a faint aura.
Ye Tian frowned and asked, "Why are only three?"
Outer sect disciples were supposed to receive five lower-grade spirit stones a month. Two of them had actually been deducted!
Spirit stones were classified into upper, middle, and lower grades, each containing a different amount of energy.
"Disciple, you have already fallen to the Body Tempering Realm 3rd Layer. This is your final collection!" Hearing Ye Tian's tone, Elder Fang immediately wore a displeased expression. So what if he used to be a genius?
Genius or not, a genius who failed to grow up was no different from ordinary folk!
Unable to refute the reality that when a wall is about to collapse everyone gives it a push, Ye Tian could only accept it.
"Well, well, if it isn't our great genius Ye!"
"Look at you! Just a few days ago you were lording it over everyone, and now you're nothing more than trash!"
Just as he walked a few steps further, several disciples wearing outer sect garments blocked his path.
"That's still better than you spending eight years in the outer sect. It's pretty obvious who the real trash is!" Ye Tian retorted coolly, completely unfazed.
"Ye Tian, you're nothing but trash now, and you still dare to act arrogant?"
"Cripple him!" Li Cheng's face instantly darkened, murder in his eyes.
Those eight years in the outer sect were a constant thorn in his side!
Now he was a Peak Martial Disciple, and in his eyes, Ye Tian was nothing more than an ant.
"Brat, how dare you show disrespect to Senior Brother Li? You're courting death!" Zhang Li's expression turned freezing cold.
A fierce aura burst from his entire body like a rabid dog as he stepped forward, closing in step by step.
Although Ye Tian felt solemn on the inside, he remained calm on the surface. His opponent was at the Martial Disciple 1st Layer.
Even though he possessed the ability to fight opponents above his level, they had strength in numbers!
Boom!
Like a cheetah pouncing on its prey, Zhang Li unleashed a burst of internal energy from his palm, whistling sharply as it struck straight at Ye Tian!
Yet Ye Tian moved like a ghost, sidestepping gracefully to dodge the blow!
"Still trying to dodge? Let's see how I cripple you!" Furious that his first strike had missed, Zhang Li charged forward like a rabid wolf.
"Shattering Rock Palm!"
Radiance burst from Ye Tian's body as spiritual energy gathered in his palm. He unleashed a fierce, peerless martial technique that kicked up a cloud of dust from the ground.
This was a Yellow-tier martial technique. Although it was of low grade, he had mastered it to the state of Great Perfection!
Martial techniques were graded into Yellow, Xuan, Earth, and Heaven...
Each rank was further divided into Low, Middle, and High grades!
Bang!
The two forces collided like massive boulders, producing a crisp, shattering crash.
A wave of numbing pain shot through Ye Tian's hand as he staggered back several steps.
Right now, he was relying purely on his physical body to withstand the blow, and even so, it was more than he could handle.
Zhang Li's hand also went completely numb from the shock. He had never expected Ye Tian's physical strength to be so formidable!
"Well?"
"Zhang Li, what are you doing? It's taking you this long to take down a piece of trash?!"
Li Cheng shouted from the side, deeply dissatisfied. Relatively speaking, a piece of trash wasn't even worth his own effort.
"Trash Ye, watch how I finish you off!"
At that moment, figures closed in from all directions. Prowling like lions with intimidating pressure, they all launched their attacks at Ye Tian!
Boom!
The whistling air tore through the ears as their power struck like giant boulders. Ye Tian hurriedly dodged, but two fists could not fight four hands!
Thud!
Zhang Li's palm, as broad as a winnowing basket, slammed heavily into Ye Tian's chest!
Puff...
Ye Tian coughed up a mouthful of blood that stained his clothes red, and he was sent flying backward to crash against the bluestone steps.
Under normal circumstances, he could have wiped out these people with a single finger!
Yet right now, the amount of spiritual energy he could mobilize was pitifully small. Even though he had awakened the Pure Yang Dao Body, lacking spiritual energy was always a disadvantage.
"Isn't that Ye Tian?"
"It's him. Word is he got dumped and his cultivation even regressed!"
"He and Li Cheng have quite a bit of bad blood between them."
The surrounding disciples pointed and whispered. They were all outer sect disciples, but not a single one stepped forward to help; Li Cheng's fierce reputation had long since spread throughout the entire outer sect.
Besides, Li Cheng was a Peak Martial Disciple, just a single step away from promotion to the inner sect.
As long as internal sect conflicts didn't result in death, the elders generally turned a blind eye.
Unless you were someone special!
Cough, cough...!
Ye Tian coughed up blood, his face turning deathly pale.
"System, get out here!"
Ding, ding, ding...
[System]: Unable to help!
Ye Tian cursed inwardly. Why was he getting the short end of every stick? As a transmigrator with a system, the benefits were practically negligible!
"I'll fight you to the death!"
With a roar, Ye Tian's eyes turned bloodshot. Channeling every ounce of his remaining strength, he charged forward!
"Heh, you're nothing more than trash now!"
Zhao Li and the four other disciples sneered in disdain. In unison, each of them unleashed a chilling surge of internal energy.
Bang!
It shattered Ye Tian's palm print and slammed viciously into his body!
Pfft!
Though Ye Tian managed to block a portion of the force, he was still struck head-on. He was sent flying through the air before crashing heavily into the ground, blasting out a massive crater.
Ye Tian's vision blurred. A searing, burning pain tore through him; several of his ribs were broken, and his meridians were completely displaced!
Swish!
At that moment, Li Cheng stepped forward and planted his foot squarely on Ye Tian's face, grinding it ruthlessly against the dirt as he said coldly, "This is what you get for going against me!"
"You go too far!"
Flames of fury blazed in Ye Tian's eyes, his anger soaring to the heavens. When had he ever suffered such humiliation? His mouth was full of dirt from the ground.
Thud!
Just as he tried to get up, Li Cheng kicked him flat onto the ground again, making it impossible for him to crawl back up.
"Ye Tian's about to be crippled!"
Discussions erupted all around. No one stepped in to help; within the sect, as long as you didn't kill someone, you could do whatever you pleased!
"Great Genius Ye, starting today, you will live as a piece of qiang!" A ruthless glint flashed in Li Cheng's eyes as power gathered in his palm, causing the space around it to tremble.
"Stop right there!"
Just as Ye Tian was frantically racking his brains for a way out, a crisp, melodious, and ethereal voice rang out!