Chapter 28: Extortion at the Herb Pavilion — Knocked Them All Down Bare-Handed
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
You can buy coins here to unlock advanced chapters: https://gravitytales.com/coins-purchase-page/
Yu Xian secretly let out a sigh of relief. He took out a storage pouch and respectfully said, “Senior, I want to sell a hundred pieces.”
“Oh? Why so few this time?” Yue Pingfeng chuckled. “You used to sell four or five hundred at a time.”
Yu Xian’s face turned slightly red. “I can’t always be that lucky… sometimes more, sometimes less.”
“Hahaha! A hundred is still plenty,” Yue Pingfeng laughed. He took the pouch, gave it a glance, and extracted the Lieyang Spirit Stones.
He then placed fifteen mid-grade spirit stones inside and handed it back to Yu Xian. “Another nice haul.”
Yu Xian accepted it with a modest expression and bowed. “Many thanks, Senior.”
“Mm. Go ahead. If you ever tire of wasting time mining, come to the Artifact Forging Hall. I think you’re a promising seedling—don’t waste your future chasing short-term profits.”
Yue Pingfeng waved his hand like an elder giving heartfelt advice.
“I shall remember your words, Hall Master,” Yu Xian replied with another bow before turning to leave.
Yue Pingfeng watched his back and sighed. “What a pity. A good seedling—wasting his potential over a few spirit stones. Still, if he changes his mind within a year, I’ll still take him in…”
—
Once Yu Xian stepped out of the hall, his expression returned to calm as he sighed lightly.
He had indeed been tempted.
With a Foundation Establishment Hall Master like Yue Pingfeng as his teacher, he would undoubtedly soar in the path of artifact forging. Even entering the Inner Sect’s Forging Division wouldn’t be out of reach.
But…
Yu Xian didn’t trust him.
The cultivation world was perilous, and human hearts even more so. He couldn’t afford to trust people lightly—not if he wanted to stay alive.
He would wait and observe. If Yue Pingfeng showed no signs of coveting his ore-finding method, then maybe he’d take him as a master.
But if he tried to seize or manipulate him, he would surely show his true colors before long.
—
Having exchanged for more spirit stones, Yu Xian headed straight to the Herb Pavilion. He had run out of Bloodburst Pills and needed to buy more herbs to refine them.
Once again, he arrived at Lu Chunchun’s counter.
Over the past few months, Yu Xian had bought so many herbs from her that she had profited over three thousand spirit stones from his business alone. As such, her attitude toward him was extremely favorable.
When she saw Yu Xian approaching, she lit up with joy, waving enthusiastically. “Junior Brother Yu! You’re back? Did you use up all eighty sets already?”
Yu Xian nodded. “All used. Give me another thirty sets of herbs for Bloodburst Pills.”
“Sure thing! Just wait a moment!”
Beaming, Lu Chunchun rushed off toward the herb garden, not even bothering to collect a deposit. She knew from experience how generous Yu Xian was.
Nearby, a few other women looked on coldly, their eyes filled with envy.
They too had tried to win Yu Xian over, hoping he would buy herbs from their counters. Some had even offered other kinds of “benefits.”
But Yu Xian hated complications. He had always bought from Lu Chunchun, and that consistency had made her the envy of them all.
Among them, Zhang Quluo looked especially venomous. Every time Yu Xian came by, her eyes seemed ready to devour him whole.
Today, however, there was a strange gleam of satisfaction in her gaze, as if she were waiting for something to happen.
—
Sure enough, several more disciples entered the Herb Pavilion. They looked like they had come to buy herbs—but they headed straight for Yu Xian.
He didn’t think much of it. Plenty of people bought herbs from Lu Chunchun, after all.
But when he noticed they were all wearing robes of the Pill Hall, his alertness rose. The group stopped around him, forming a loose circle.
Yu Xian’s expression darkened as he asked calmly, “Do we know each other? What’s the meaning of this?”
“We don’t know each other,” one of them said coldly. “But someone reported you for reselling Herb Pavilion goods—disrupting the Pill Hall’s supply of herbs. You need to come with us for questioning.”
“Reselling herbs?”
Yu Xian narrowed his eyes, scanning the group. “I buy herbs through official channels. How does that qualify as reselling? You’ve got the wrong person.”
“Wrong person?” the lead one sneered. “You’ve been buying dozens of sets every month for three straight months. Don’t tell me you’re just ‘practicing pill refining’ and using that many up!”
At that moment, Zhang Quluo stepped out from behind and called out maliciously, “No need to listen to his excuses, Senior Brother Gao. He’s clearly reselling the herbs—and Lu Chunchun’s in on it too! They’re selling to rogue cultivators outside!”
“Hear that? Still not going to cooperate?” Senior Brother Gao sneered, pressure radiating from his stance. “You’d better come with us to the Pill Hall for a formal investigation.”
Yu Xian remained calm, completely unfazed.
He looked at them with indifferent eyes. “I told you. You’ve got the wrong person. And even if I were reselling herbs, that would be a matter for the Judicial Hall. You people have no authority to arrest me.”
His words stunned the five of them.
But then rage surged in their eyes.
This little brat—what nerve! Talking back to them like this?
“You saying we’re not qualified?” Senior Brother Gao roared and suddenly threw a punch at Yu Xian’s chest. “You damn brat—looking for death!?”
It was clearly a show of power, a practiced move. Gao had likely done this more than once.
He wants to hit me?
A flash of killing intent flickered in Yu Xian’s eyes. He raised his hand to meet the blow.
For the past three months, he had consumed over a hundred Bloodburst Pills. His physical strength had been tempered to terrifying levels.
At the last moment, his fist met Gao’s mid-air—and boom!
Crack!
A clear sound of bone breaking rang out.
Gao’s face flushed red, then turned purple. He howled, clutching his hand and staggering backward. “AHHH!! My hand! Damn you—sneak-attacked me!? Beat him to death! Beat him!!”
The other four were momentarily stunned but quickly rushed forward with angry shouts.
Fighting among outer sect disciples wasn’t unusual—but in public, using spells was strictly forbidden by sect law.
So they went for fists and kicks.
Five grown men surrounding a fifteen-year-old boy should’ve been an easy beatdown.
But…
They were utterly unprepared for the ferocity of Yu Xian’s counterattack.
With a cold expression, he ignored the flanking punches and grabbed the collar of the man closest to him.
His strength was monstrous.
The man couldn’t even struggle before Yu Xian’s fist slammed twice into his face—blood spurted, stars swam before his eyes, and he collapsed unconscious.
Yu Xian spun, ignoring the blows landing on him, and smashed headfirst into another man’s chest.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Crash! Crack!
Chairs shattered. Flesh met flesh.
The surrounding female disciples were stunned, too shocked to react.
In mere seconds, Yu Xian stood panting slightly, face bruised but eyes cold.
Four men lay groaning on the floor, all of them bloodied and beaten.
Senior Brother Gao stood frozen, forgetting even the pain of his broken hand.
They… they were all beaten down by this kid?
With just fists!?
“You still want to fight?” Yu Xian asked coldly, his breath now steady. “If so—I’m happy to oblige. If not, then… get lost.”
Senior Brother Gao snapped out of it and turned to flee. “Fine! Just wait! You’re finished! Selling sect herbs and assaulting Pill Hall disciples—you’re dead meat!!”
The other four scrambled to their feet, limping out behind him.
The Herb Pavilion fell into dead silence.
Even the women behind the counters held their breath.
Yu Xian turned his head and looked at Zhang Quluo.
That cold gaze made her shudder involuntarily. She turned away quickly and kept her head down.
—
After a while, Lu Chunchun returned with the herbs. Her eyes widened when she saw Yu Xian’s bruised face.
“Y-Yu Shidi, what happened to you!?”
She’d only been gone for two incense sticks’ worth of time. How had things gotten this bad!?
“It’s nothing,” Yu Xian said coolly, tossing her the storage pouch. “Give me the herbs.”
“O-okay.” She nodded quickly and began packing the herbs.
—
Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from the front of the hall.
Eight figures entered.
“That’s him!” Senior Brother Gao pointed and roared with a twisted expression. “Senior Brother Zhou! That’s the brat! He’s the one who resold the herbs—and he attacked all five of us!”
Yu Xian turned and narrowed his eyes.
What a slanderous reversal—sharp enough to cut stone!
Three disciples from the Judicial Hall stepped forward, with Gao and the other four trailing behind them, marching toward Yu Xian.
