Cult of the Sacred Runes

Chapter 46 – One Point Six Million

Master Yi swung his arm hard and fast. A heavy slam landed on Du Yuan Ming’s cheek and sent him flying. The patriarch then landed heavily on the ground.

Three teeth were knocked out of his mouth when he was hit; his mouth was leaking blood and his cheek was swollen to the size of a mandarin. Du Yuan Ming was shaking, but that did not stop him trying to negotiate for his family members’ lives. “Mashter Yea thish ish not phare!” It was a chilling scene. Just moments ago he was the bully, and now the Du Patriarch was a convincing victim.

Another swing, this time on the other cheek. The patriarch took flight once again after a loud clap resounded.

“Argoh aoh Ii…” His speech was no longer audible, nor was his face recognisable as it covered in tears, snot, and blood.

Zhou Wu could see Master Yi was about to lose his temper and deliver the killing blow so he threw himself in front of Du Yuan Ming and begged, “Master Yi! Please show us mercy?! Please give us a reason!”

“Why don’t I show you mercy? The real question is why didn’t you show mercy?” Master Yi answered calmly. He flicked his sleeve at Zhou Wu, and knocked him to the ground where he belonged.

He would not reason with the unreasonable.

Zhou Wu refused to stay on the floor waiting to be slaughtered. He climbed back up and kneeled towards Master Yi again while both Du Yuan Ming and Dong Ho were rolling on the ground, dazed and confused.

“Master Yi, please listen to me!” It was hard to tell what emotions Zhou Wu was experiencing from his facial expression considering how swollen he was. His trembling voice, though, gave it away.

“You have ten seconds, use it well.” Master Yi had complete control over life and death for the moment.

Zhou Wu was just blowing air more than he spoke. “Killing us won’t benefit you or the Ye family! We understand our wrongdoings, and we will do anything to help out the Ye family if you let us live. We have learned our lesson! Furthermore, ending our lives here will anger other branches of the Du family, and cause more bloodshed and hatred. It would not be worth the hassle!”

Master Yi raised an eyebrow, and it took him a few seconds to register the logic coming out of Zhou Wu’s comedically swollen face.

Zhou Wu felt that his speech hit the right note therefore he continued: “We promise, if you let us leave this arena alive, we will never bother the Ye family again. We will help and protect them whenever they need us!”

Master Yi was waiting for a declaration like that. He still looked cold, but it was all an act. He knew being ruthless wouldn’t help the situation, and he did not plan to kill anybody, not today, not any other day. He did what he did because examples needed to be set, and words needed to spread: do not touch the Ye’s. He had experiences with hatred, revenge, and their consequences.

The Runemaster then looked to Ye Zheng Qing, “Patriarch, what do you think?”

Ye Patriarch glared hatefully at Du Yuan Ming, who would need months to recover from the injuries the Runemaster inflicted and said, “It’s up to you Master Yi.”

“If you want satisfaction, I have no problems killing these guys for you, but consider the consequences!” Master Yi said solemnly. He kept his act up as he wanted Ye Zheng Qing to come to the right conclusion by himself.

“Well, looks like they’ve learned their lesson. I will let this go!” The patriarch replied after a long sigh. Though he was glad his family got through this crisis and realised revenge doesn’t solve anything, but he was still heartbroken for Ye Zhong’s sufferings.

‘They better pray for cousin Zhong, If he doesn’t wake up I will still make them pay!’ Ye Wei clenched his fists. He understood and respected his grandfather’s noble decision, though still clouded by anger he was ready to let it go for now and focus on reviving Ye Zhong.

Master Yi coldly glared at everyone in the Du camp then grunted. “I will let you live, but compensation is in order! For all mess you’ve made!”

The Du’s were slightly relieved knowing they would live to see another day. This was one of the best outcomes they could wish for now that someone who could easily eradicate them was involved.

“So, the Du family is going to pay a million silver to the Ye family, and I expect Dong Ho and Zhou Wu to pay the Ye’s three hundred thousand silver each!” Master Yi calmly said, without any hesitation.

Upon hearing the request the trio went from relieved to shocked.

The Ye family was worth around three hundred thousand silver whereas the Du family was worth roughly two million silver. Although the Du’s were richer but to gather that much money would not be an easy task. They would need to sell half of the family’s assets! And as for Zhou Wu and Dong Ho, three hundred thousand was about three-quarters of their assets.

“Mashter Yee…” Du Yuan Ming’s could barely speak, with a sincere look he wanted to ask for a reduction, but the Runemaster’s mind was made.

“May I remind you that you hurt my legacy apprentice? You’d normally have to pay with your lives!” Master Yi stared at Du Yuan Ming and said with an angry voice before the patriarch could finish his sentence.

Although the request was outrageous, they were in no position to refuse. They just had to swallow their unwillingness and be grateful for Master Yi’s harsh mercy.

“You have three days to deliver the full amount, or else!” Master Yi grunted then turned his face back towards the Ye’s.

Master Yi’s angry face was branded onto Du Yuan Ming’s face. He was not sure if he would be able to come up with that much money on such short notice, but he didn’t talk back because of the stress and having a huge headache was better than dying.

The damage done was not what money could compensate, but money talks. The Ye Patriarch was smart enough to know the family would benefit more from the money than from the rest of the Du family from every corner of the land looking for revenge. He took a deep breath and thought, ‘I can probably buy some Welkin Leaves for little Zhong with that money!’

“Are you satisfied with this arrangement?” Master Yi asked Ye Zheng Qing.

The Ye Patriarch nodded and said: “Thank you Master Yi! If it wasn’t for you, not only wouldn’t we get compensation, the Ye family would not be here right now.”

“We will be on our way now!” The Du family no longer had business here, they bid farewell and headed back.

“This is over only for now! If my cousin does not recover, I will see you again!” Ye Wei shouted, he was just a student but his words were not to be taken lightly. The Du’s trembled and left the arena, nobody dared look back.

It wasn’t long ago Du Yuan Ming wanted Ye Zhong dead, now, however, the tables had turned, and he was praying for Ye Zhong instead. “One day we will have satisfaction! You better hope Master Yi does not die before I do…” With each of his arm over a youngster’s shoulder, the Du Patriarch mumbled while limping away from the arena.

Back inside the arena, Ye Wei was fighting his resentment. He was calming down slowly, but anger could still be seen in his fiery eyes. Lin Zi Yan gently pat his back after noticing this and said in a soft, comforting voice: “Don’t worry, we will find a way to wake him up!”

“Yea!” To Ye Wei, Lin Zi Yan’s voice seemed to have a mysterious soothing effect.

The audience left the arena soon after the Du family’s departure.

Within days, the news regarding Master Yi’s newly acquired legacy apprentice spread between the martial families, some of them sent gifts and medical supplies to the Ye mansion. Weeks after, most citizens of Green Moon City would learn and reposition the Ye family in their hearts.