"Zhang Ergou, can't you slow down a bit?" Lin Yichen said, dusting himself off as he walked up to Zhang Ergou.
"Tell me what happened. You guys are quite badly injured."
As Lin Yichen and Wang Teng approached, Zhang Ergou noticed that both of them were bruised and battered, covered in wounds.
"Oh, don't even mention it!" Lin Yichen said with a pained expression, giving Zhang Ergou a glare.
"It's all your fault, you brat. Those Jiang Tian, Zhuge Wen, Zuo Tian, and the others couldn't find you. So they took their anger out on us. Since our cultivation isn't as good as theirs, we could only get beaten."
"Didn't you say that private fights between disciples are forbidden in the sect? How could they be so reckless?" Zhang Ergou asked, confused.
"Those are the rules for the outer sect. The inner sect is completely different. Inner sect elders even encourage disciples to fight each other, saying it's to improve the inner sect disciples' survival abilities." Wang Teng explained, seeing that Zhang Ergou didn't know some of the inner sect's rules.
"There are such rules? Then wouldn't that be very disadvantageous for us new inner sect disciples?" Zhang Ergou said, his face solemn. This was the first time he had heard of such rules in the inner sect.
"Naturally. However, various associations have been formed within the inner sect, and new disciples can join these associations for protection. This way, those existing inner sect disciples won't dare to attack us casually." Lin Yichen and Wang Teng explained their recent experiences in the inner sect, taking turns to speak.
"Then why didn't you join an association for protection?" Zhang Ergou asked, looking at the two bruised and swollen faces, trying hard not to laugh.
"It's all because of you!" Lin Yichen and Wang Teng said in unison again.
"Why is it because of me again?" Zhang Ergou was completely bewildered. He understood being beaten by Jiang Tian and others, as they said. But how could not joining an association have anything to do with him?
"Of course, it's because of you! I don't know who spread a list saying that among the new inner sect disciples, there are those who are close to you, Zhang Ergou." Lin Yichen said, his anger visibly rising. "Me, Wang Teng, Xiao Qingyu, Lin Yueru, and Yu Lin are all on that list."
"What's wrong with being close to me? Does being close to me mean I can't join an association?" Zhang Ergou's confusion grew.
"The leaders of those associations are all true disciples from the various peaks of the inner sect. When they heard about what you did in the Beast Forest, they all unanimously decided that you're a complete troublemaker." Lin Yichen said, a hint of schadenfreude on his face.
"Those associations tacitly issued a rule, prohibiting Zhang Ergou from joining any association. In the end, we were implicated too." After speaking, he looked at the dumbfounded Zhang Ergou. Lin Yichen and Wang Teng exchanged glances, clearly having suffered enough these past few days.
"Damn it, no way!" Zhang Ergou exclaimed after a long pause. He had never imagined that his actions in the Beast Forest had put him at odds with the true disciples of the major peaks in the inner sect.
"You've been talking for so long, and it all comes down to me getting beaten. Who actually beat you guys?" Since those guys wouldn't let him join their associations, Zhang Ergou decided not to dwell on it. Looking at their bruised and swollen faces, Zhang Ergou felt it was necessary to make those inner sect disciples "re-acquaint" themselves with him. He had already completely forgotten the promise he made to Chi Yu when he descended the mountain.
"Zhuge Wen!" When mentioning who beat them, Lin Yichen's face became even more furious, and he gritted his teeth as he spoke.
"Zhuge Wen?" Zhang Ergou blinked. "I'm not saying this to you guys, but Zhuge Wen is a genuine early-stage Golden Core cultivator. Didn't you know to avoid him?" Zhang Ergou patted their shoulders, his tone somewhat heavy. In the Beast Forest, he had managed to defeat three early-stage Golden Core cultivators with the help of the black mist egg he bought from Wu Dafei of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. If it were based on his own cultivation, he would have died countless times. Zhang Ergou didn't know whether to feel fortunate or pitiful for the two of them.
"What are you saying?" Wang Teng retorted angrily. "Do you think we deliberately went there to get beaten?"
"It's all because of that Zhuge Wen. He couldn't find you, so he's been lurking around this area every day. Coincidentally, Yi Chen and I were planning to go to Lingyu Peak to find you. We didn't expect to run into that guy, and then we got beaten." Wang Teng felt bitter. He had no grievance with Zhuge Wen whatsoever, yet he was beaten for no reason. Who knew how much resentment he held?
Seeing their angry expressions, Zhang Ergou's eyes darted around. "Do you guys want to get revenge on Zhuge Wen?"
As soon as Zhang Ergou finished speaking, a person limped out from the trees. The three of them were startled and looked closer. It was Xiao Qingyu! Xiao Qingyu was carrying his signature great hammers, but his head was drooping, and he looked dejected. The three of them saw that Xiao Qingyu was in no better condition than Lin Yichen and Wang Teng. There were obvious wounds on his somewhat rough face, his clothes were torn, and he was covered in dirt, clearly having been beaten.
"You were beaten too?" Zhang Ergou quickly asked as he saw Xiao Qingyu approaching.
"Nonsense! If I wasn't beaten, would I look like this?" Xiao Qingyu said, his face flushed red. "That scoundrel Jiang Tian clearly said he wanted a one-on-one fight with me, but he tricked me."
"Jiang Tian?" The three of them exclaimed in surprise simultaneously. They had thought Xiao Qingyu was beaten by Zhuge Wen too. From his words, it seemed Jiang Tian was heavily involved. Moreover, Zhuge Wen, Jiang Tian, and the others were all people with past grudges against Zhang Ergou. It seemed like they were all targeting Zhang Ergou. The four of them exchanged glances, and Zhang Ergou said, "Brothers, since these inner sect disciples are acting so recklessly and don't take us new disciples seriously."
"Then we have no need to hold back anymore. Let those sons of bitches taste our power."
"That's right, let's go beat them up!" The other three said almost in unison.
"I've been waiting for this day for a long time. Zhang Ergou, tell us what to do, we'll listen to you." Faintly, Zhang Ergou had become the center of attention. Even Lin Yichen, who was previously the top disciple of the outer sect, naturally looked to Zhang Ergou.
Zhang Ergou didn't humble himself. The four of them huddled together. "So, like this, and then like that..." A secret plan was hatched on the spot.