"As the saying goes, knowledge gained from books alone feels superficial. Now that the theory is finished, let’s begin the actual combat."
Chen Ye shifted the direction of his speech, pointing to a side hall off the main hall,
"Just talking without practicing is worthless. Now, I will start calling names one by one. Those who are called will follow me into the side hall for individual guidance. I will point out your fatal weaknesses based on each of your characteristics."
After speaking, he walked directly into the side hall, the door wide open, inside dark like a gaping maw.
"First, Zhao Yuanyuan."
Chen Ye’s voice resonated in the spacious hall.
Zhao Yuanyuan, who had just been gossiping with Zhang Chuxi, was stunned, her cheeks puffed up with indignation: "That guy, why is he calling me..."
Her bright eyes and slightly chubby cheeks made her a charming girl, quite popular.
Some comforted her: "Junior Sister Zhao, if he bullies you, tell Senior Brother!"
"Hmph, I doubt he has the guts!"
Zhao Yuanyuan stuck out her tongue, reluctantly walking out, under the varied gazes of the crowd, and entered the side hall with hesitant steps.
"Bang!"
The door to the side hall slammed shut.
The main hall fell silent, and the disciples who had been whispering quieted down.
Zhang Chuxi shrank her neck, a foreboding feeling rising within her.
This Chen Ye... wouldn’t take this opportunity for personal revenge, would he?
Only she knew Chen Ye’s true nature!
Could he really dare to vent his beastly desires within the sect?!
Soon, there were faint sounds from within the heavy doors.
Being closest, and with the highest cultivation, Zhang Chuxi intentionally listened in, hearing clearly.
"Ah! What are you doing!"
Zhao Yuanyuan’s voice was incredulous, with a hint of fear.
Immediately following was a crisp "snap," like a whip striking somewhere, accompanied by the thud of a heavy object hitting the ground.
"Wuwuwu... Stop! I’m wrong! Instructor, I’m wrong!"
"Is this your actual combat? Too slow!" Chen Ye’s indifferent voice vaguely echoed, "If it were a Demon Cultivator, that claw just now would have emptied your heart! Stand up! Continue!"
"No... Not there... Ah!"
Damn it!
What exactly is he doing?
Could he be using the guise of actual combat to bully the female disciples?
Zhang Chuxi’s eyelashes trembled slightly, this guy really is beyond saving!
She knew it!
This man dared to toss her into a barrel in Black Cliff City, now in this closed side hall, facing a cute junior sister like Zhao Yuanyuan, how could he possibly hold back?
He must be taking advantage of the guise of guidance to... to do those disgraceful things!
Recalling Chen Ye’s beastly behavior in the past, the girl’s slender legs secretly trembled.
She... she would never want to be humiliated by such a beast in human form in front of her peers!
Approximately a stick of incense’s time later.
"Squeak——"
The heavy door reopened.
All eyes instantly focused.
Zhao Yuanyuan emerged, holding onto the door frame.
Her previously neat hair was now completely disheveled, and her exquisite disciple uniform had become crumpled, stained with dust.
Her chubby little face was flushed, covered in sweat and tear marks, her gaze unfocused, while her legs continued to tremble uncontrollably.
"Junior Sister Zhao, are you... are you okay?"
Someone summoned the courage to ask.
Upon hearing the voice, Zhao Yuanyuan suddenly lifted her head, sobbing: "That bastard dared to hit me! I’m going to tell my father!"
She covered her face, stumbling back to the end of the line, curling up trembling, already beginning to take out her transmission Jade Pendant, ready to send a message.
Just as Zhao Yuanyuan’s trembling hand was about to activate the transmission Jade Pendant to complain to her father, who was the influential Peak Master, an elderly voice, like a great bell and a ringing gong, exploded by everyone’s ears.
"Put the Jade Pendant down for now!"
Zhao Yuanyuan’s hand shook, the Jade Pendant falling to the ground with a soft thud.
She turned back in terror, only to see Xu Henshan emerge from the shadows deep in the hall, leaning on a cane.
"Xu... Xu Peak Master?"
Zhao Yuanyuan was so frightened she forgot to cry, trembling like a quail.
"Xu Peak Master, you must stand up for us!" Another disciple, emboldened by family background, called out bravely, "This new instructor is reckless, daring to harm Junior Sister Zhao so viciously, it’s simply..."
"Silence!"
Xu Henshan’s cane heavily struck the ground, causing it to tremble thrice.
He surveyed the group of pampered, noble disciples, his eyes flashing with a hint of frustration:
"Viciously harm? If it were a real Demon Cultivator, Zhao Yuanyuan’s head would be hanging from a flagpole right now! Would she still have the chance to cry here?"
The entire hall fell into dead silence.
Xu Henshan walked up to Zhao Yuanyuan, looking at her coldly:
"You want to send a message to your father? No need. This matter was approved by your father, along with the Peak Masters, even the Sect Master himself!"
"Wha... what?"
Zhao Yuanyuan’s eyes widened, looking at Xu Henshan in disbelief as if hearing a bizarre tale.
Her father cherished her the most, how could he agree to let her be beaten like this?
"Do you think the sect specifically invited Guardian Chen to act as the actual combat instructor for no reason?"
Xu Henshan sighed heavily, his voice turning extremely solemn,
"You’ve all heard about the recent battles. Our Lingyin Sect was shattered, disciples suffered heavy losses! Among those fallen disciples were those with deep cultivation and extraordinary talent on usual days. Why? Because they hadn’t experienced true life-and-death combat! Because they only knew how to stop at the point in a ring!"
His gaze swept over each young face, finally landing on the pale Zhang Chuxi: