Chapter 26: Knocking Someone Out

## Chapter 26: The Silent Cudgel

"Elder, you're awake." Ye Chen, having finished his practice, turned around to find Zhang Fengnian staring at him with an expression of utter disbelief.

"You..." Zhang Fengnian's lips parted, but the words caught in his throat.

He had once been an elder of the Hengyue Sect, and he knew the ferocity of that fiery whip. Even with spirit medicine, it would typically take at least half a month to recover. Yet, just yesterday, he had carried back a battered and bloodied Ye Chen, only to find him today not only free of wounds but brimming with life, as if nothing had happened.

Anyone who saw this would be shocked.

Seeing Zhang Fengnian's astonishment, Ye Chen smiled faintly. "Elder, you saved me once again."

"Your injuries..."

"All healed. As they say, I have a thick skin and tough hide."

"That's good, that's good." Zhang Fengnian was clearly overjoyed. He considered Ye Chen family, and seeing him unharmed lifted a heavy burden from his heart.

"Come, take this." In his excitement, Zhang Fengnian's aged hand reached into his embrace and tremblingly produced a palm-sized brocade bag, which he pressed into Ye Chen's hand.

Ye Chen was momentarily puzzled but accepted the bag.

Upon opening it, he found only a spirit talisman within. Dense talismans were etched upon it, along with two prominent characters: Heaven Spirit.

"Heaven Spirit Charm?" Ye Chen's gaze snapped to Zhang Fengnian.

Zhang Fengnian nodded with a smile. He knew Ye Chen had provoked many in recent days and hoped this talisman would offer a lifeline in a critical moment.

"Senior, this gift is too precious. This junior cannot accept it." Ye Chen, well aware of the value of the Heaven Spirit Charm, was about to return the brocade bag, but Zhang Fengnian gently pushed it back.

"The Heaven Spirit Charm requires true qi to activate. It is useless to me now," Zhang Fengnian sighed.

Ye Chen fell silent, a warm current flowing through him.

The Heaven Spirit Charm was one of the three great charms of the Hengyue Sect, capable of temporarily sealing a cultivator's true qi. Its value was immeasurable. Zhang Fengnian had guarded it for so long, endured countless humiliations, yet had never parted with it. Now, he had given it to him.

"Thank you for the generous gift, Senior."

"Young man, just strive to do your best," Zhang Fengnian patted Ye Chen's shoulder and walked away, a smile gracing his lips.

After Zhang Fengnian left, Ye Chen took out the Heaven Spirit Charm.

It was simply a yellow talisman, its paper of secondary importance. What mattered were the talismans etched upon it, incredibly complex and emanating a strange power.

"Capable of temporarily sealing a person's true qi, truly a good item." Ye Chen carefully placed the Heaven Spirit Charm back into the brocade bag. Was this thing precious?

After a simple breakfast, Ye Chen changed into clean clothes and hoisted the heavy Tianque sword onto his back.

"Young man, you..." Zhang Fengnian hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself. He knew Ye Chen was headed to the mountain to settle scores, and his clouded eyes were filled with worry.

"Big Brother, don't go up." Even Huwa understood, lowering his head, his small hands twisting his clothes. He knew Ye Chen's departure this time might lead to serious injury, or even worse, his not returning.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Ye Chen offered a casual smile.

Stepping out of the small spirit garden, Ye Chen donned a black robe, covering himself completely so that his appearance was obscured.

He ascended the spiritual mountain of the Hengyue Sect in one breath, heading directly to the back mountain.

Finding a secluded spot, Ye Chen stashed the massive Tianque heavy sword into his storage bag. He then smeared mud on his face from the ground and messed up his hair. Even his clothes were torn and ragged.

In this state, he looked like a beggar at first glance, making it very difficult to recognize him as Ye Chen.

Having completed his transformation, Ye Chen concealed himself amongst the lush weeds, suppressing his aura. The dense forest and his hidden presence meant that many disciples who came to the back mountain to gather spirit grasses failed to notice the person hiding nearby.

"You all play dirty, this old man will play along," Ye Chen sneered in the grass patch.

As he spoke, Ye Chen did not forget to pull out a black stick from his storage bag.

His purpose in doing all of this was clear: it was a classic 'waiting by the stump for the rabbit' strategy. He was guarding this spot, waiting for disciples from Diyang Peak to appear, and then he would unleash a surprise attack with his silent cudgel.

Soon, his first target appeared.

It was a disciple of Diyang Peak wearing a white robe. His cultivation was around the fifth layer of Qi Condensation, yet he was arrogant.

"You, and all of you, go elsewhere. The spirit grasses in this area belong to my Diyang Peak," this person declared as soon as he arrived, scolding the weaker disciples.

"Look, keep looking, are you looking for death?"

"Hurry up and scram!"

Not all outer sect disciples of the Hengyue Sect belonged to the three main peaks; there were also some weaker, abandoned disciples. Because of Diyang Peak, most dared to be angry but not speak.

Soon, the disciples in the area were driven away, and the white-robed disciple from Diyang Peak arrogantly occupied the spot.

Just then, Ye Chen suddenly rushed out, reaching the white-robed disciple's back in two quick steps.

Feeling a cold wind from behind, the disciple's brows furrowed.

"Who?" His body instinctively turned, but before he could fully face around, a black iron stick descended from the sky, landing squarely on the back of his head.

Instantly, the white-robed disciple was knocked unconscious, collapsing to the ground in a heap. He never even saw who had sneak-attacked him.

"First one." Ye Chen waved his hand and retrieved the white-robed disciple's storage bag. Then, with nimble hands, he consciously took anything of value from the disciple's body.

After his plundering was complete, Ye Chen kicked the white-robed disciple into the lush weeds, then left to seek his next target.

Ah...!

Not long after, a pig-like shriek of agony echoed from a corner of the back mountain of the Hengyue Sect.

Another disciple from Diyang Peak had fallen. When people heard the sound and rushed over, their mouths twitched involuntarily, for the Diyang Peak disciple was stripped naked except for his trousers.

"Who did this! So ruthless!"

"Even the hair was taken! So clean and thorough!"

"They deserve it, let Diyang Peak bully people again."

Ah...!

Not long after, from the depths of the back mountain, another agonized cry rang out, attracting more disciples to gather and observe.

This day, the back mountain of the Hengyue Sect was far from peaceful. Shrieks of misery came one after another. When the disciples who were gathering spirit grasses rushed over, they were met with similar scenes repeatedly: people beaten unconscious and their valuables stolen.

Moreover, without exception, those who were silently cudgelled were disciples from Diyang Peak.

As night fell, the disciples who had been gathering spirit grasses finally emerged from the back mountain, their conversations filled with discussions about the strange events that had occurred there that day.

"All of them are disciples from Diyang Peak. What's going on?"

"Could it be the other two peaks?"

"Who knows."

"But it's definitely not Ye Chen. He was beaten to a pulp yesterday. It's questionable if he can even stand up."

()