Chapter 68: CRYING TO HIS MASTER FOR REVENGE

Elder Shen’s expression grew colder as he listened to Li Yan recount their agreement. Instead of acknowledging what had happened, he completely denied ever promising any compensation, insisting that Li Yan had misunderstood his words and was now deliberately causing trouble in the middle of the Battle Arts Department.

"I have already told you that I never agreed to compensate you. You were accused of cheating, and I merely allowed the matter to be investigated. When did I ever promise you anything?"

Li Yan’s fingers curled slightly at his side as he listened to the elder calmly distort what had happened. He remembered the examination clearly, including the conversation that had taken place after his results were proven legitimate, yet Elder Shen was now speaking as though none of it had ever happened.

Several disciples exchanged glances before gradually siding with the elder. To them, Elder Shen was an established figure within the sect, while Li Yan was merely a newly admitted outer disciple who had caused a disturbance in their training ground.

"Elder Shen has no reason to lie about something like this."

"That is right. Why would an elder go back on his word over a few resources?"

"Junior Brother Li should probably stop arguing. You may have misunderstood what Elder Shen meant."

Li Yan’s expression became increasingly unpleasant as more voices joined the discussion. None of those disciples had been present when the agreement was made, yet they were already certain that he was the one mistaken simply because Elder Shen held a higher position.

The more Elder Shen denied it, the more irritated Li Yan became. It was not merely the refusal to hand over his compensation that angered him, but the elder’s complete confidence while saying things that Li Yan knew were false.

Before the dispute could escalate further, the inner disciple who had approached Li Yan earlier stepped forward again. He raised one hand toward the surrounding disciples, signaling them to quiet down before turning his attention toward Li Yan.

"Junior Brother Li, there is no need to continue this here. If Elder Shen truly consented to the compensation, then he would remember it himself, and there would be no reason for you to remind him."

His tone was gentle and reasonable, which immediately caused several disciples nearby to nod in agreement. The atmosphere gradually settled as they accepted his words as though he had provided the obvious solution to the entire dispute.

Li Yan looked at the young man for several breaths as he considered what he had just heard. This disciple was Chu Qiao, one of the top inner disciples in the Battle Arts Department, and his reputation for being kind and considerate was clearly well established, judging from the approving expressions of the surrounding disciples.

Yet Li Yan could see something beneath that pleasant exterior. Chu Qiao’s expression was friendly, but his eyes did not contain the concern his words suggested, and his intervention seemed less about helping Li Yan than about presenting himself as the calm and reasonable senior disciple who could resolve a conflict in front of everyone.

Li Yan had no intention of exposing him because there was nothing to gain from arguing with someone who had already chosen the side he wanted to stand on. He merely gave Chu Qiao a respectful bow before deciding that leaving was better than wasting more time.

"Thank you for your advice, Senior Brother Chu. I will be taking my leave now."

Chu Qiao returned the gesture with a faint smile, seemingly satisfied with the way the situation had ended. Li Yan did not say anything else as he turned away from the training ground and made his way toward the department’s exit.

The moment he began walking away, the whispers behind him started again, with some disciples criticizing him for being arrogant while others suggested that obtaining first place in the written examination had made him too proud to recognize his position as a new outer disciple.

Li Yan ignored every remark and continued along the path until the noise of the training ground gradually faded behind him.

Although the encounter had left him irritated, he had no intention of arguing with every person who had decided to take Elder Shen’s side without knowing what had actually happened.

Xiaoxiao remained quiet for a while before finally speaking through their connection. She had clearly been listening to everything from the beginning, but she seemed curious about what Li Yan intended to do now that his attempt to collect the compensation had ended in such an unpleasant manner.

"What are you going to do now?"

Li Yan continued walking along the quieter path while considering his options. Elder Shen had chosen to deny their agreement because he believed his position would be enough to make everyone accept his version of events. Still, Li Yan was no longer the same person who had entered the sect without anyone supporting him.

He now had a master, and that changed the situation considerably. If Elder Shen wanted to behave shamelessly and refuse to honour his own promise, Li Yan could simply find someone who had enough authority to make the elder take him seriously.

A faint smile gradually appeared on his face as he thought about it. He had already suffered enough humiliation for one day, so there was no reason for him to personally fight with an elder when he had a perfectly good master who could do the fighting for him.

"I have a master now. I am going to cry to him so he can avenge me."

Li Yan didn’t waste any more time and hurried back to the apothecary department.

Pinching and biting himself so he could force some tears out.

He needed to look pitiful to get a rise out of his master. The man was way too calm.

Xiaoxiao laughed to herself, enjoying the scene. "You little trickster..."

Li Yan didn’t answer; he was too busy forcing out some tears and trying not to look crazy as he headed to the Apothecary department.

When he got close enough that he was audible, he added some tiny wails.

That alone was enough to make Fu Hanzheng appear by his side.

"Yan Yan? What happened? Who dared to hurt my lovely disciple and thought they could get away with it..."