Chengping Square, Jishi Medical Hall, Rear Courtyard.

In a simple yet clean room, sunlight filtered through the paper-paned window, casting a faint yellow glow upon the floor.

Lin Yue lay on the bed, staring at the canopy overhead embroidered with a scrolling lotus pattern. He felt a dull, aching pain that seemed to seep into his very bones.

He had spent nearly the entire past month confined to this bed. The days were as dull as stagnant water, an agonizing ordeal that made him feel like he was better off dead.

’When had he ever been subjected to such an indignity?’

Every day after training at the Martial Arts Hall, he would be inundated with invitations from friends. If they weren’t drinking at Jufu Pavilion, they were listening to music and watching dancers at Wind Listening Pavilion. The lively festivities never ceased.

But now, he had to be careful just to turn over. The slightest effort sent a tearing pain through his chest.

It was his ribs, broken by Li Mengchao, which had yet to heal.

Just yesterday, Hall Master Zhang Dong of Jishi Medical Hall had said he’d need to recuperate for at least another half a month before he could even try to get out of bed and walk slowly. As for recovering enough to practice martial arts again, that would likely take half a year.

At this thought, Lin Yue’s expression turned grim, and he ground his teeth together. The hatred in his heart for Li Mengchao grew like a poisonous vine.

’If it weren’t for that bastard who threw his family’s weight around, how could I have ended up like this?’

But he also knew that the Li Family was one of the six great families of Yuhe County. They had been entrenched here for over a century, with a Huajin Martial Artist in their ranks and a web of intricate connections within the government. Their power was as immovable as a mountain, far beyond what an ordinary disciple from a Martial Arts Hall like him could ever hope to challenge.

Even his master had to give the Li Family a wide berth, not daring to provoke them.

This sense of powerlessness led him to direct some of his resentment toward his master.

’Master is too much of a coward!’ he couldn’t help but complain to himself.

’I was brutally beaten by Li Mengchao and left here half-dead, and he doesn’t even have the guts to go to the Li Family and demand an explanation. He doesn’t dare make a peep!’

What made Lin Yue even more resentful was that for the past half-month, his master had been visiting him less and less, often stopping by only once every two or three days.

’Jishi Medical Hall is just a street away from our Martial Arts Hall, only a moment’s walk. Why can’t he come by more often?’

’He could at least send Senior Sister Ning Xiang to come and talk with me.’

And to make matters worse, the last time his master visited, he took back his Exotic Beast Pavilion Token.

His master had once told him he was the most talented disciple in the Martial Arts Hall and had specially given him the Token. He told him to make good use of it, as it allowed him to collect twenty-two pounds of high-grade Exotic Beast Meat from the Exotic Beast Pavilion in the Inner City every month.

It was safe to say that this Token was a major reason his progress on the Martial Dao far outstripped that of his peers. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

’But now?’

’I’ve just suffered this devastating injury, and instead of giving me more Healing Elixirs to make up for it, my master takes the Exotic Beast Pavilion Token back.’

Lying in bed, the more Lin Yue thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt. Even the wound in his chest seemed to throb with greater intensity.

He had always held himself in high regard, believing he was the most valued disciple in the Martial Arts Hall. But his master’s action had shattered that pride to pieces.

And yet, because it was his master who had asked for it back, he could only swallow his indignation, not daring to utter a single word of protest.

These thoughts swirled in his mind, and Lin Yue’s resentment toward his master swelled like the tide. Even the pot of orchids his master had brought a few days ago now seemed like an eyesore.

Just then, the sound of footsteps approached from outside, accompanied by the faint, melodious voice of a woman. It was a clear and pleasant sound, and it sounded a bit like...

Lin Yue’s heart leaped. He grew excited in an instant, his breathing quickening.

’Could it be Master? And did he bring Senior Sister Ning Xiang with him?’

He hadn’t seen Senior Sister Ning Xiang in almost a month.

The mere thought of Senior Sister Ning Xiang’s smiling eyes and her gentle voice stirred an inexplicable restlessness in Lin Yue’s heart. His earlier gloom and resentment seemed to fade away.

He quickly adjusted his position, trying to make himself look less pathetic as he fixed his gaze on the doorway.

The footsteps drew nearer, now seemingly right outside the door. Lin Yue’s heart pounded so hard it felt like it would leap out of his throat.

The door curtain was gently pushed aside, and one figure entered, followed by two more.

Lin Yue’s gaze was locked on the doorway. But when he saw who had arrived, the hopeful warmth in his chest instantly went cold.

It was Xu Hong, Zhao Wenzheng, and Qi Yun.

Although Qi Yun was also quite beautiful, with a graceful figure, in Lin Yue’s eyes, her looks couldn’t compare to Sun Ningxiang’s gentle and captivating charm, to say nothing of the comforting warmth she exuded.

Seeing it was the three of them, he felt a pang of disappointment.

"Junior Brother Lin, we’ve come to see you," Xu Hong said first, his tone warm.

Zhao Wenzheng nodded in agreement. "Junior Brother Lin, we haven’t been by in a few days. We wanted to see how you’re recovering."

Qi Yun stepped forward as well, her eyes landing on Lin Yue.

Lin Yue was frustrated, but he couldn’t let it show. He forced the corners of his mouth into a weak smile and chuckled lightly. "Senior Brothers, Senior Sister, please, sit down."

The three of them pulled chairs from the corner of the room and sat down by his bed.

"How are you feeling now, Junior Brother Lin?" Zhao Wenzheng asked, his gaze falling on the bandages wrapped around Lin Yue’s chest.

Lin Yue leaned against the headboard. He shifted slightly, which pulled at his wound, and he couldn’t help but frown. He shook his head. "What’s there to say? It is what it is. Hall Master Zhang says it’s slowly getting better, but to make a full recovery—enough to train like I used to—it’ll probably be half a year, if not more."