"What were you doing yesterday?"
Yang Lang's tone was cold and accusatory the moment he walked in.
It was enough to thoroughly annoy Yang Xiao.
He ignored Yang Lang, instead choosing an outfit and leisurely getting dressed.
"You!"
Yang Lang was furious.
He was already angry from the loss of face he'd suffered at Yang Xiao's hands yesterday.
If he hadn't restrained himself, he probably would have attacked.
He never expected this brat's attitude to be even more arrogant today.
"I already know what you did at Juhua Studio yesterday. Aren't you going to explain yourself?"
Yang Lang suppressed his rage and spoke to Yang Xiao, his face a mask of cold arrogance.
"Explain myself? You're a guard. What is there for me to explain to you?"
Yang Xiao was taken aback.
'This guy is ridiculous.'
'I'm the Young Master of the Yang Family, and he's just a guard. Why should I have to explain myself to him?'
"What did you say? A guard! Are you looking to die?"
Yang Lang was enraged.
He could no longer contain his fury.
'This good-for-nothing has gone too far.'
"Am I wrong? Father sent you to protect me. If you're not a guard, what are you? Do you really think you're qualified to call yourself my brother?"
Yang Xiao didn't even have much respect for Elder Yao, deep down.
After all, his station had been incomparably noble in both his first and second lives.
So why would he care about this paltry Innate Grand Martial Master, Yang Lang?
'This guy is especially arrogant. He barges into my bedroom and interrogates me—I've had enough.'
'He's forgotten his place.'
"Fine, you're right. We were sent by our adoptive father, but not to be your guards. A good-for-nothing like you, do you think you're worthy of us guarding you? How ridiculous. Just hand over the Gang Transformation Pill, the Kunling Pill, and the Red Flame Dragon Fruit, and come with us to Medicine Peak to make amends. Otherwise, when Adoptive Father returns, I will report this matter to him exactly as it happened."
"Go to Medicine Peak and apologize?"
Yang Xiao's expression changed in an instant.
Previously, his dissatisfaction with Yang Lang had been limited to his arrogance, his conceit, and his disrespect.
But now, this guy was telling him to go apologize to Medicine Peak? He was actually capable of such a treacherous act, siding with outsiders against his own family?
"That's right. Because of you, Adoptive Father has already offended the Law Enforcement Hall. The only reason he can survive in the Purple Sun Sect is because of our good relationship with Medicine Peak. But now you've even dared to lay a hand on the nephew of Medicine Peak's leader. Are you trying to make it impossible for him to survive in the Purple Sun Sect?"
Yang Lang spoke with righteous conviction, as if Yang Xiao had committed some heinous, unforgivable crime.
In reality, however, Yang Xiao could see the lack of conviction behind his words.
"You're the one who's scared, aren't you?"
"What did you say?"
Yang Lang's expression changed.
"Father's current status wasn't achieved by clinging to anyone; it was earned through his own strength. As long as he has his strength, it won't matter if I offend the nephew of the Medicine Peak leader. Even if I offended the Sect Leader himself, he might not necessarily move against our Yang Family."
"And another thing, you say our relationship with Medicine Peak is good? Hmph, 'good' indeed. Over the years, because of my condition, how many expensive gifts has Father sent to those Great Pharmacists on Medicine Peak? And what were the results? Liu Junyi treats Father like a fool. And that Wang Qianhe, hmph, whenever he needs some hard-to-get Spirit Medicine, he comes straight to my father. Think of how much they've taken advantage of our family!"
"Father doesn't say anything because he wants to cure my condition. As his adopted son, do you really not know this?"
Yang Xiao finished speaking coldly.
He couldn't even be bothered to spare him another glance.
'A guy as dumb as an ox... I really don't know why Father's other adopted sons call him clever.'
'Maybe he has some petty cunning, I suppose.'
"It doesn't matter what fanciful stories you spin. Today, you are handing over the Red Flame Dragon Fruit, the Kunling Pill, and the Gang Transformation Pill! Or else..."
"Or else what?"
A day and a night ago, it would have taken Yang Xiao considerable effort to deal with this insubordinate ingrate; he might not even have been able to win.
But now.
Things were different.
"Since you insist on being stubborn, then today, I, Yang Lang, will overstep my bounds. When Adoptive Father returns, whether he scolds or beats me, I will accept it. But today, I must teach you a lesson, lest your arrogance and ignorance bring ruin to the Yang Family!"
With a cold sneer, Yang Lang attacked.
He raised his hand, and from the Laogong Acupoint in his palm, an earthy-yellow brilliance shone out—Innate True Qi.
This time, Yang Lang had learned his lesson. He didn't use his physical palm, but instead used the Innate True Qi in his body to manifest a giant, earthy-yellow hand that lunged for Yang Xiao.
Cyan Wolf Claw!
This was an Earth Tier, Upper Grade martial art.
Quite extraordinary.
It was Yang Lang's signature skill.
Unfortunately, against Yang Xiao, it was far from enough.
"Gathering Essence Finger!"
Yang Xiao once again thrust out a finger.
This time, unlike before when it was merely Fire Elemental Power condensed at his fingertip, clusters of crimson flame now materialized around it.
BANG!
It utterly shattered the earthy-yellow hand formed from Innate True Qi.
Yang Lang stumbled back in shock and disbelief.
"You... you broke through to the Innate Realm? No, that's not right. I don't sense the slightest aura of Innate True Qi from you. It's an Evil Skill! The same Evil Skill from yesterday!"
Yang Lang was both shocked and enraged.
"Evil Skill? Yang Lang, you truly are an ignorant frog in a well. This isn't an Evil Skill; it's a Secret Skill. A Divine Power Secret Skill, understand?"
Yang Xiao chuckled lightly.
His success in a single strike wasn't because his Gathering Essence Finger was truly that powerful—stronger even than Yang Lang's Innate True Qi.
It was because he had struck the weak point of Yang Lang's Innate True Qi.
Anything manifested from True Qi, and even physical objects, had weak points. Others couldn't see this, but Yang Xiao, whose Spiritual Power had already reached the Observing Micro Threshold, could see it with ease.
That was why a single, light tap was all it took to shatter Yang Lang's Innate True Qi construct.
He was in such a good mood that he even bothered to explain it to the guy.
'It made Yang Xiao feel like he was a truly magnanimous master.'
"A Divine Power Secret Skill? A Divine Power Secret Skill that surpasses even Saint-grade Techniques? Adoptive Father even gave a technique that powerful to you!"
A flash of jealous hatred crossed Yang Lang's eyes.
In the cultivation of the Martial Dao, one's technique is paramount.
In this world, Martial Arts Skills were divided into four tiers: Basic, Human, Earth, and Heaven. Each tier was further divided into Upper, Middle, and Lower grades, for a total of twelve ranks.
Above the Heaven Tier were Saint Grade Martial Arts. In all of the Celestial Cloud Mountain Range and the Nine Sects and Sixteen Kingdoms, only the Upper Three Sects possessed such techniques.
However, some ancient texts recorded that above Saint-grade Techniques, there were also Divine Techniques.
They were called Divine Power Secret Skills.
'And this good-for-nothing has actually learned one.'
'In the end, Adoptive Father dotes on his own son more. He not only exhausted every method to cure his Innate Disease, but he even taught him a Secret Skill like this... and not me, Yang Lang! Ah, damn it all!'
Yang Lang's face tightened, flushing crimson. His eyes bulged, threaded with blood, as if he were about to fly into a rampage.
He stared at Yang Xiao as if he wanted to eat him alive.
At that moment, Yang Xiao's own expression shifted.
He could feel the killing intent.
Killing intent from Yang Lang!
'This guy really is an ungrateful wolf; you can never tame him!'