Chapter Seventeen: Solar Thunder

“He can still stand?” Seeing Zhang Chulan climb back to his feet, Ye Yan couldn’t help but let out a quiet exclamation. This kid was rather intriguing; after all, the punch just now hadn’t been gentle.

“How pitiful,” Feng Yaya muttered softly nearby, and even Chen Guo couldn’t resist nodding in agreement.

“Isn’t he going to get beaten to death?” Feng Yaya glanced at Ye Yan, a hint of worry flickering across her face. She hadn’t forgotten that Feng Zhenghao’s orders were to bring Zhang Chulan back with them.

If he died here, the mission would be ruined.

“He won’t, don’t worry.” Ye Yan patted her head with a smile, “That little Daoist may be sharp-tongued, but he’s not murderous. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have held back with his punch just now. We can just watch.”

“Is that so?” Feng Yaya remained half-convinced.

Ye Yan didn’t bother to explain further.

“Zhang Chulan, don’t get up again.” While their group watched calmly, it was Ji Yun and Xingye, the two Daoists, who started to panic.

But Zhang Chulan seemed unfazed by their warnings, his eyes fixed solely on Zhang Lingyu.

Again and again, he was knocked down.

Again and again, he climbed back up, almost frenzied.

“Brother Ye, maybe we should help him? If nothing else, maybe try to talk some sense into him?” Feng Yaya, a kind-hearted girl who’d been well-protected all her life, couldn’t bear to watch any longer.

But Ye Yan simply shook his head. He couldn’t recall every detail of the story, but he vaguely remembered that Zhang Chulan still had a trump card up his sleeve.

Knocked down, climbing back up, over and over.

Gradually, Zhang Lingyu’s patience seemed to wear thin. The golden light around him transformed into a pair of massive hands, lifting Zhang Chulan high into the air and gripping him tightly. The golden glow around Zhang Chulan shattered once more…

This time, Zhang Chulan couldn’t rise again.

“Let’s go.” Zhang Lingyu flicked his sleeve, his eyes regarding Zhang Chulan like a dying ant, all interest lost.

“But, little uncle…” Xingye seemed about to protest.

They hadn’t meant any harm—just to bring Zhang Chulan back to Dragon-Tiger Mountain for the upcoming Luo Tian Grand Assembly in a month. How had things come to this?

The two of them simply couldn’t fathom it.

Watching Zhang Chulan fail to get up, Ye Yan finally spoke. Cigarette dangling from his lips, eyes narrowed, he looked at Zhang Lingyu. “That was a bit much, wasn’t it?”

“Are you going to interfere?” Zhang Lingyu glanced over, some wariness in his eyes.

“I’m not inclined to meddle, but this land belongs to the World Society. If you kill someone here, it’s going to be hard for me to explain.”

“The World Society?” Zhang Lingyu’s expression was disdainful. “Just a small civilian organization. Besides, this is an internal matter for Dragon-Tiger Mountain. The World Society has no reason to get involved.”

“But I am curious to see if the so-called Watchmen live up to their reputation.”

Now, Zhang Lingyu found Ye Yan far more interesting than Zhang Chulan. He wanted to see for himself the skills of someone whose fame was second only to his master, a man reputed to stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Lu Jin and Dingjima An.

The golden light around Zhang Lingyu flared more intensely than before, his fighting spirit surging.

Ye Yan simply smiled, but banners bearing demonic sigils silently drifted out, circling him as black qi enveloped his form.

The atmosphere tensed instantly.

It seemed as if a fight might erupt at any moment.

Chen Guo quietly pulled Feng Yaya backward, out of range of any potential fallout.

“Sto… stop.” But just then, Zhang Chulan, sprawled on the ground, forced himself up once again. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, looking like a beast cornered.

He ignored everyone else, speaking only to himself. “I’ve… had enough of lying down. For all these years, my grandfather made me hide my power.”

“He told me to keep my head down. My whole life, I’ve been lying low, because to normal people, I’m a freak. I’ve hidden myself for so long, and it’s exhausting.”

In the darkness, his eyes grew fiercer.

“To be honest, when Xu San told me about you all, I was actually happy. I thought maybe I wouldn’t have to keep hiding in the shadows anymore.”

“…”

“Come on, keep going. Aren’t you so strong? Come on!”

He shouted hoarsely, almost hysterical.

“If this continues, I might not be able to stop myself from crippling you,” Zhang Lingyu frowned, looking at Zhang Chulan in surprise—he’d never seen him like this before.

But Zhang Chulan looked up in despair, a trace of bitterness in his eyes. “Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad after all.”

“If that’s your resolve, then I understand.” Zhang Lingyu took a few steps forward, a new seriousness in his gaze.

“Interesting,” Ye Yan chuckled. As expected of the protagonist.

Just as Zhang Chulan steeled his resolve, another voice rang out.

“Zhang Chulan, don’t be afraid of him…”

With the appearance of the voice, a woman in a blue-and-white striped nightgown, her hair falling loose, walked over.

Feng Shayan was with her.

“Sis, you’re done?” Feng Yaya’s sharp eyes spotted Feng Shayan first.

“Mhm, I went to meet someone,” Feng Shayan replied softly. But as she spoke, her gaze lingered on Ye Yan—or more accurately, on the demonic banners hovering at his side.

“Got into a fight?” Feng Shayan looked him over.

“No, but it was close,” Ye Yan replied with his usual smile, hiding nothing.

“Why don’t you give this a try…” As they spoke, a new development unfolded: the golden glow around Zhang Chulan began to turn white, growing more solid and emitting arcs of lightning.

A surge of confidence returned to his face.

“So he did have an ace up his sleeve,” Ye Yan mused, entirely unsurprised.

“What is that?” Feng Yaya gasped softly, eyes full of curiosity at the dazzling white light, immediately asking.

“Thunder Technique…” Feng Shayan answered.

Ye Yan nodded, “No wonder he attracted the attention of Dragon-Tiger Mountain.”

“This is getting interesting.” Ye Yan found the situation more and more entertaining.

White lightning crackled as it clashed against Zhang Lingyu’s golden glow. With the power of the Thunder Technique unleashed, Zhang Chulan’s strength soared, and for a moment, he fought evenly with Zhang Lingyu.

Zhang Chulan seemed to rediscover his confidence, his attacks growing fiercer and more courageous.

White lightning flashed in the air, even threatening to overwhelm Zhang Lingyu.

As the thunder threatened to engulf him, Zhang Lingyu suddenly erupted with an even more intense burst of lightning.

The light was pure white, slicing through the air as two bolts of solar thunder collided, evenly matched.

“He can use it too?” Zhang Chulan was stunned, bewilderment plain on his face.

Zhang Lingyu’s eyes shone with pride as he laughed coldly, “I don’t know how you learned it, but when it comes to the Thunder Technique, you’re still far behind.”