My Path To The Supreme Peak

Chapter 4: Should Shen Yuan Calm Down?

By sunrise, Shen Yuan had returned to the Shen Clan.

His clothes were torn, his face was smudged with dirt, and the smell of blood clung to him. The storage pouch hidden inside his robe contained five spirit stones, a medicinal pill, and a beast core.

Not bad for someone the clan had practically declared useless yesterday.

He glanced at the grand entrance.

"Good morning," he muttered. "I hope everyone has prepared their faces for a surprise."

Unfortunately, the first person he encountered was Shen Hao.

The young man stood beside the training ground, surrounded by several disciples. A fresh bandage wrapped around his knuckles, a reminder of the punch Shen Yuan had managed to land during their fight.

When Shen Hao noticed him, his expression immediately darkened.

"You're still alive?"

Shen Yuan looked down at himself. "Apparently. I apologize if that ruins your morning."

Several disciples exchanged glances.

Had Shen Yuan always possessed such a mouth, or had the forest finally driven him mad?

Shen Hao stepped forward. "You dare mock me?"

"Not at all. I wouldn't dare." Shen Yuan paused. "I'm simply stating a fact. You're standing here, and I'm standing here. Although you seem considerably more upset about it."

A few disciples snorted before quickly disguising their laughter as coughs.

Shen Hao's face twisted.

"Yesterday, you were lucky. Today, I'll break every bone in your body!"

Shen Yuan sighed.

The fellow had apparently learned nothing from yesterday except how to threaten people more loudly.

"Shall we?" Shen Yuan asked.

Shen Hao blinked. "What?"

"You want to fight. I have somewhere to be. Let's save each other some time."

The surrounding disciples stared at him.

Was this the same Shen Yuan who had been beaten until he could barely stand?

Shen Hao's spiritual energy surged. "You're courting death!"

He lunged forward, his right palm sweeping toward Shen Yuan's chest.

Shen Yuan's expression sharpened.

He remembered their previous fight. Shen Hao favored his right arm, throwing his weight behind each strike. Even when he missed, he rarely adjusted his stance before attacking again.

Yesterday, Shen Yuan hadn't been strong enough to exploit that flaw.

Today was different.

[Insight Activated.]

[Target: Shen Hao.]

[Current Cultivation: Body Tempering, Fourth Layer.]

[Weakness Detected: Overreliance on right-arm attacks. Left-side defense compromised during forward strikes.]

A faint smile touched Shen Yuan's lips.

So his observation had been correct.

He waited until Shen Hao's palm was almost upon him before shifting sideways.

His hand struck Shen Hao's elbow.

The sudden impact disrupted the flow of spiritual energy through his opponent's arm.

Before Shen Hao could recover, Shen Yuan swept his leg.

THUD!

Shen Hao crashed onto the ground.

Silence swallowed the training ground.

Shen Yuan looked down at him. "Are you all right?"

Shen Hao's eyes bulged. "YOU—!"

"Good. You can still speak."

Laughter erupted around them.

Shen Hao scrambled up, humiliation burning across his face. He gathered spiritual energy into his palm and attacked again.

This time, Shen Yuan didn't retreat.

He stepped inside the strike, drove his shoulder into Shen Hao's chest, and struck the same weak point beneath his ribs.

Shen Hao stumbled backward.

Shen Yuan followed with a swift kick that sent him sprawling into the dust.

The entire exchange lasted only a few breaths.

The disciples stared as though they had witnessed a ghost defeat a living person.

Shen Hao struggled to rise.

"Impossible! You're only at the first layer!"

Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"Then perhaps you should stop losing to people at the first layer."

Someone burst out laughing.

Shen Hao's expression became murderous.

He reached for his sword.

"Enough!"

An elder's voice thundered across the training ground.

The First Elder strode toward them, his robes fluttering behind him. Two guards followed at his heels.

His gaze moved from Shen Hao to Shen Yuan.

"What is the meaning of this disturbance?"

Shen Hao immediately pointed at Shen Yuan.

"He attacked me without provocation!"

Shen Yuan stared at him.

For a moment, he genuinely admired the man's courage. Losing twice in front of witnesses and still managing to lie with such confidence required a special kind of talent.

"Interesting," Shen Yuan said.

The First Elder's eyes narrowed. "What is interesting?"

"Nothing, Elder. I was merely wondering whether the training ground has rules against falling down."

Several disciples lowered their heads, their shoulders shaking.

The First Elder's expression darkened.

"Shen Yuan, you have already disgraced yourself enough. Do not make matters worse."

Shen Yuan's smile faded.

"Then let us speak about yesterday's assessment. My monthly allowance was revoked because I failed to advance. But if I have made progress, surely the decision deserves reconsideration."

The First Elder studied him.

"Progress? You?"

He released his spiritual sense, examining Shen Yuan.

His expression changed.

"Third layer of Body Tempering?"

The words escaped him before he could stop himself.

The surrounding disciples erupted.

"Third layer?"