The main hall of the Purple Heaven Sect was silent, save for the cold, dismissive voice of an Elder. "Essentially, what we are saying is you are no longer welcome in the sect since you can no longer cultivate."
The words were directed at a young man of about eighteen. This was Lin Feng, once a genius revered by all, now a cripple after a mysterious injury and a hidden conspiracy had shattered his dantian, severing his connection to the spiritual qi of the world.
"You consumed a mountain of the sect's resources and wasted them into nothing. You're just a loser, forever stuck in the Qi Refinement stage," sneered an arrogant youth standing beside the Elder.
This was Nangong Yu, the new Young Sect Master and the sect's current rising star. He had been deeply involved in the conspiracy that brought Lin Feng low.
As Lin Feng's eyes scanned the room, his heart sank. His most cherished Junior Sister, Lingxue, was nowhere to be seen. She had always been by his side, but now her absence was a gaping wound.
Nangong Yu noticed his searching gaze and a cruel smirk bloomed on his face. "Awwww, are you looking for Junior Sister Lingxue? Don't worry, she will be here soon."
A cold dread settled in Lin Feng's stomach. Right on cue, a gentle-looking girl with delicate features walked into the hall. She moved with a familiar grace but walked directly past Lin Feng without a glance, taking her place beside Nangong Yu.
"Lingxue, I'm glad you're here," Lin Feng said, his voice barely a whisper, still expecting the warmth she had shown him just months before.
It was hard to believe that only a month ago, he had found her leaving his room, eyes flushed red, clothes disheveled, and walking unsteadily. Now, she stood across from him, her gaze cold.
"Hahahahaha... I see," Lin Feng laughed, a bitter, broken sound. "Pulling up the plank after crossing the river. After all I have done for you even giving you all my monthly allowance, this is what it leads to?"
"Shut up!" she snapped, her gentle facade cracking into a disdainful sneer. "Now that you are a cripple, there is no need for us to know each other. Brother Nangong Yu is far more charismatic and powerful than you could ever be."
"Enough chatter," the Elder interjected, his tone final. "Return to your room and pack your belongings. Leave your sect token and spatial ring behind." It was not a request, but an order.
Dejected and listless, Lin Feng walked back to his room with his head hung low. He pushed the door open, and a flood of memories assailed him—happy times, bittersweet moments of training and promise. Now, he had never felt more alone.
But before he could even collect his bearings, the door was violently kicked open. Nangong Yu and his entourage swaggered in, having followed him to ensure his compliance and to savor his humiliation.
"Why are you taking so long? You look so lost," Nangong Yu mocked, striding in and casually taking a seat on a chair. "I need to move into this room. This entire peak will be mine. Be quick about it."
"I am already leaving the sect. Why are you here?" Lin Feng asked, moving toward the inner room to gather his meager possessions.
"Are you talking back to me?" Nangong Yu's face twisted in disgust. "Grab him! I need to teach this trash a lesson and ensure he never disrespects the Purple Heaven Sect again."
Two lackeys moved to seize Lin Feng, who fought back with desperate, weakened struggles. Enraged, Nangong Yu stood up. His body glowed with power as he activated the Lion Mountain Fire Fist. A burst of fiery qi shot through the air, striking Lin Feng square in the chest.
Lin Feng was thrown backward with tremendous force, crashing through a wooden table and landing with a sickening thud. He coughed, a mouthful of blood splattering on the floor.
Gritting his teeth, Lin Feng forced himself to his feet. He desperately tried to condense the faint wisps of qi left in his body, his fists clenched, ready to fight back.
"Hahahaha! Look at this dog! What do you think you can do? Fight back?" Nangong Yu laughed, his expression one of pure delight. His aura exploded outwards, radiating the formidable pressure of the 5th Stage of Qi Condensation.
In an instant, he took a running stance. A burst of qi erupted behind him as he became a blur of motion. He closed the distance in a flash, delivering a devastating blow Lin Feng could not hope to defend against.
The force of the impact sent Lin Feng flying out of the room and into the courtyard. He landed hard on the cobblestones, coughing up yet another mouthful of blood. He was the perfect embodiment of the ancient saying: to have stones dropped down on him after he had already fallen into the well.