Kevin stepped out of his shack with a massive headache pounding behind his eyes, and irritation churned in his gut like acid. Just why the fuck couldn't this idiot wait a day to come find him? One day. That was all he needed to figure out what the hell he'd gotten himself into, to understand this inheritance and to plan his next move.
But no. Wei Shen was here now.
The moment Kevin stepped outside, he saw that his shack was surrounded. Labor disciples crowded the area in a loose circle, their faces a mix of curiosity and wariness, and standing at the head of the crowd looking self-important was Wei Shen himself. Three lackeys flanked him—Zhao Ming on his left, a wiry man with a permanent sneer, Liu Fang on his right, broad-shouldered and dull-eyed, and Ma Jun standing slightly behind them, younger and more eager than the other two.
Kevin stared at Wei Shen, and rage surged through his body like a wildfire, so strong and sudden that dizziness washed over him. It wasn't entirely his rage, and he knew that. It was Xiao Feng's lingering emotions, the fury of a boy who'd been beaten and humiliated until he died.
Everyone gasped.
Wei Shen's eyebrow rose slowly, and murmurs rippled through the crowd like wind through grass.
"When did trash Feng look so... different?"
"His complexion is clearer. There's actually color in his face now."
"Look at his eyes. They weren't this sharp before."
"Something has changed about him. What could have happened?"
The whispers grew louder, and Kevin realized they were staring at him with something close to shock. The skin replacement from his breakthrough must have changed his appearance slightly, and he was slightly interested to know how he looked now.
Wei Shen's expression darkened, and his lips curled into a sneer. "What trick did you use to survive, trash Feng?" His voice was loud and mocking, designed to carry across the crowd. "I made sure you were dead. How are you still standing?"
Zhao Ming laughed sharply. "Senior Brother Wei, this trash must have crawled to the medicine hall and begged for scraps!"
Liu Fang nodded eagerly. "Or perhaps he stole healing pills from another disciple's quarters earlier. Trash like him would do anything to cling to life."
Ma Jun stepped forward with a sneer. "Senior Brother Wei is too merciful. If it were me, I would have made sure trash Feng couldn't even crawl, much less stand here looking so arrogant!"
Kevin stared at them with cold indifference as their insults washed over him without effect. He was actually impressed by their bootlicking skills. They were professionals at this, the way they played off Wei Shen's words and amplified his mockery. In his old life, Kevin had seen corporate ass-kissers, but these three took it to an art form.
Still, he understood why Wei Shen had such standing here despite his terrible reputation.
Even though Wei Shen was a labor disciple, he'd made others do his work for him since the very beginning. The reason Wei Shen was so arrogant came down to two people—his uncle and his cousin brother. His uncle was Manager Feng Hu of the Labor Division, and the over two thousand labor disciples in the Snow Sect were managed by Feng Hu personally. On the other hand, his cousin brother was an outer court disciple named Wei Long.
With these two people as his backing, Wei Shen could be unbridled within the Outer Grounds where the labor disciples lived, meaning he looked down on everyone.
But not me, Kevin thought while his jaw tightened. I've been reborn and I'm not taking this shit.
He took a deep breath and met Wei Shen's eyes directly. "What do you want?"
The crowd gasped again, louder this time.
Wei Shen frowned, and his eyes narrowed with suspicion. Zhao Ming stepped forward with his face twisted in outrage.
"How dare you speak to Senior Brother Wei like that?" Zhao Ming's voice rose to a shout. "You must have lost your mind from the beating! Someone needs to teach you a lesson about respect!"
He took a step toward Kevin and raised his hand for a slap, but Kevin moved.
His hand shot out and caught Zhao Ming's wrist mid-swing, and Zhao Ming's eyes went wide with shock. The crowd went silent. Kevin stared at Zhao Ming's unsightly face while flashes of this person beating Xiao Feng surged through his memories—kicks, punches and laughter while Xiao Feng coughed up blood.
Kevin gave him a punch to the chest.
The blow connected with a solid thump, and Zhao Ming flew backward. He sailed through the air for several meters before hitting the ground hard and rolling to a stop. The crowd erupted in shocked murmurs.
Kevin stared at his own fist with wide eyes. He did that. He'd actually sent someone flying with one punch.
But then satisfaction flared in his chest, hot and fierce. Kevin let it wash over him and realized he didn't care. Having strength, no matter how small, felt good. Really good.
He wondered if this was going to be the face-slapping moment that protagonists in cultivation novels always had. If this was it, it felt absolutely fantastic.
"You've achieved the first stage of a cultivator," Wei Shen said slowly while his eyes fixed on Kevin with calculating intensity. "Body Tempering Realm."
The crowd exploded into excited chatter.
"He actually stepped into the body tempering realm?"
"Impossible! His dantian was shattered!"
"How is this possible? Cripples cannot cultivate!"
"Trash Feng has begun the path of a cultivator…?"
"Even so, Wei Shen will not forgive this insult. His death is certain."
Liu Fang and Ma Jun glanced at each other with hesitation clear on their faces. They'd watched Zhao Ming get sent flying, and neither of them looked eager to be next.
Kevin noticed their hesitation, and a cold thought crossed his mind. Hell no. He wasn't letting them off that easy.
He moved.
Kevin threw himself at Liu Fang first and slammed his fist into the man's gut. Liu Fang doubled over with a wheeze, and Kevin followed up with a knee to his face that sent him sprawling. Ma Jun tried to run, but Kevin was faster. He grabbed the younger man by the collar, yanked him back, and delivered a series of rapid punches to his ribs and face.
Soon enough, their yells of pain filled the area, and Kevin made sure he beat them up thoroughly. Every punch carried Xiao Feng's rage, every kick repaid a humiliation, and by the time Kevin stepped back, all three of Wei Shen's lackeys were groaning on the ground.
Wei Shen started laughing.
The sound was ugly and sharp, full of rage barely contained beneath a veneer of amusement. Kevin turned to see Wei Shen laughing while his face flushed red and veins bulged on his forehead.
"You dare?" Wei Shen's eyes were bloodshot while he pointed at Kevin with a trembling finger. "Have you forgotten who my backings are? My uncle is Manager Feng Hu! My cousin is Outer Court Disciple Wei Long! You think reaching the first stage of the Mortal Realm makes you qualified to offend me?"
Kevin smirked at him, and the words came out before he could stop them. "I know exactly who you are, Wei Shen. You're a piece of shit who beats cripples because you're too weak to fight anyone who can fight back. Your uncle is Manager Feng Hu, your cousin is Wei Long, and neither of them are here right now."
Wei Shen's face turned an even deeper shade of red.
Kevin continued, his voice cutting and cold. "You talk about backing like it's a shield, but all I see is a coward hiding behind his family's name. If you're so strong, why do you need three lackeys to fight for you? Why do you need to brag about your uncle? Can't you stand on your own two feet?"
The crowd reacted immediately. Whispers spread through them like wildfire, and some labor disciples couldn't hide the smiles tugging at their lips even as they kept their faces carefully neutral. They'd all suffered under Wei Shen at some point, watched him strut around the Outer Grounds like he owned the place, seen him humiliate their fellow disciples without consequence.
Now someone was actually cursing at him to his face.
They all knew Xiao Feng was signing his own death warrant. Wei Shen's backing was real—his uncle managed the entire Labor Division, his cousin was an outer court disciple. The revenge would be brutal, probably lethal.
But for this one moment, someone had stood up to Wei Shen, and the labor disciples watching couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction, even if they'd never admit it out loud.
Wei Shen's laughter cut off abruptly, and his expression turned righteous. "You dare attack fellow disciples unprovoked? You dare insult your betters? I, Wei Shen, will enact justice here today!"
Kevin's eyes widened in shock and confusion as Wei Shen continued speaking.
"These three disciples came to check on you out of concern for a fellow laborer," Wei Shen said loudly while gesturing to his beaten lackeys. "And you repaid their kindness with violence! You attacked them without cause, injured them severely, and then insulted me when I tried to intervene peacefully!"
Kevin stared at him while shock and grudging admiration warred in his chest. The shamelessness was incredible. Wei Shen had just rewritten reality in front of everyone's eyes, painted himself as the righteous one and Kevin as the villain, and he'd done it so smoothly that Kevin almost wanted to applaud.
Now Kevin understood why protagonists in cultivation novels were always making rash decisions. Look at this load of crap. This was enough to send anyone into a fit of rage.
But Kevin had a good temper, or at least he liked to think he did. He took a breath and forced himself to stay calm. "Come on, then. Stop talking bullshit and let's get this over with."
Wei Shen smiled, and he bounded forward.
So fast!
Kevin barely had time to raise his arms before Wei Shen's fist crashed into his guard and sent him flying backward. He slammed into the wall of his shack with enough force to crack the wood, and pain exploded through his back and shoulders.
Kevin stood up slowly while he tried to process what the fuck just happened. This was not supposed to happen. This was supposed to be his face-slapping moment. Why was he the one getting punched?
Wei Shen smiled at him from across the courtyard. "Did you think I was weak? Did you think reaching the first stage of the mortal realm made you my equal?" He laughed and spread his arms wide. "I've been hiding my strength, trash Feng. I'm at the second stage of the Body tempering realm."