C8 Friends!

"It's settled then. Since Junior Brother Ye Feng has acknowledged his error, I see no need to hold a grudge. You're free to go now."

As Ye Feng trembled with rage, Zhao Danhua barked, "Get lost, now!"

Ye Feng shuddered, suddenly looking up at Zhao Danhua. "Great... Great Master Zhao, my Cold Heart Pill..."

"The nerve to mention the Cold Heart Pill!"

Zhao Danhua glared fiercely. "You had the audacity to strike Mr. Lin, and now you ask for the Cold Heart Pill? Let me make it clear—your Cold Heart Pill is gone! And your Absolute Cold Grass too! Consider them compensation for Mr. Lin!"

Ye Feng's face twisted in anger, but Zhao Danhua's voice turned icy, "What? Thinking of attacking me now?"

Ye Feng bit down hard on his teeth, finally bowing his head. "I wouldn't dare."

Ye Feng was well aware that Zhao Danhua, an elder of the Pill Tower, was not someone even the Celestial Dragon Sect's Inner Sect members would dare cross. As a mere scion of the Ye family, how could he presume to challenge Zhao Danhua?

"Don't dare? Then leave!" Zhao Danhua commanded, his voice rising. "Dawdle any longer, and I might just end you myself!"

With fists clenched, Ye Feng bit back any further words and hastily departed amid the crowd's jeers.

Once out of sight, Ye Feng's pace halted abruptly, and he stood in a narrow alleyway.

His eyes seethed with blood-red fury, and waves of murderous intent rolled off him as he growled, "Lin Tian... Lin Tian! You'll pay for this humiliation and for the loss of my Absolute Cold Grass! This isn't over! I'll make sure you repay me soon—your life included!"

With a final glare at the Pill Tower's entrance, Ye Feng stormed off.

Meanwhile, Zhao Danhua turned to Lin Tian with a courteous tone, "Mr. Lin, should you require my assistance in the future, simply send word. I'll lend my support wherever possible."

Lin Tian returned the smile, looking at Zhao Danhua. "Thank you, Great Master Zhao. Since you consider me a friend, I'll certainly reciprocate. Rest assured, I won't hesitate to reach out should I encounter any difficulties."

"That's fantastic!"

Zhao Danhua's spirits immediately lifted, and Lin Tian smiled and gave another nod. "Alright, I'll spare you any further talk. I'm heading back now. Master Zhao, please carry on with your work."

With that, Lin Tian turned on his heel and briskly walked away.

The onlookers watched the scene unfold, their expressions shifting as they firmly etched the name Lin Tian into their memories.

No one knew where Lin Tian had emerged from, but it was clear to all that if he could command such courtesy from Zhao Danhua, his background was not to be underestimated.

Zhao Danhua signaled to Liu Muer with a glance, prompting her to nod and hastily follow him.

As they walked, Zhao Danhua spoke in a stern tone, "Before you officially become my apprentice, let me warn you! From this moment forward, show Mr. Lin the proper respect! Otherwise, don't fault me for disciplining you, regardless of my relationship with your father!"

Liu Muer's demeanor became solemn as she quickly agreed, "Rest assured, Master Zhao! I will take your words to heart!"

Satisfied with her response, Zhao Danhua simply nodded and said no more. Meanwhile, Liu Muer was inwardly stunned. She couldn't fathom how Lin Tian, previously scorned by Ye Feng as a foolhardy nobody, had earned such high regard from Master Zhao, to the point where Zhao himself seemed almost deferential in Lin Tian's presence.

"Ten Qi Cultivating Pills and an Absolute Cold Grass in hand. Not too shabby. Though I'm still short on some herbs, striving for perfection now is unrealistic. After all, I'm too weak. The priority is to enhance my physical condition."

Lin Tian mulled over his plans as he continued on his way.

He was aware that returning to his humble thatched hut was out of the question at this juncture. With the animosity he had incurred from the Ye Family, who wielded significant influence within the Celestial Dragon Sect, any confrontation would interfere with his regimen of consuming the medicinal pills. He needed to find a secluded spot.

"Yes, Dragon Martial Peak will do. The base of the peak serves as a training ground for the Outer Sect disciples of the Celestial Dragon Sect, dotted with numerous caves. It's always tranquil there. I'll find a cave to take the pills in peace."

Resolved, Lin Tian made his way deeper into the Celestial Dragon Mountain, arriving at the foot of a towering peak.

The Celestial Dragon Mountain marked the beginning of a mountain range. Towering behind it lay a series of endless peaks, among which Dragon Martial Peak stood as the tallest, nestled closest to the Celestial Dragon Sect's domain.

Upon reaching this area, Lin Tian was greeted by the lush forests blanketing the mountain and the small streams cascading down from its heights. In the streams' reflections, he caught sight of numerous Celestial Dragon Sect disciples.

These disciples were engaged in various activities: some honed their martial arts, others sparred in friendly competition, and a few gathered in small groups, sharing wine and laughter, their youthful exuberance palpable in the air.

Absorbing this energy, Lin Tian silently approved. It was clear to him that the Celestial Dragon Sect truly deserved its reputation as a premier institution within the Celestial Dragon Country. The vibrancy of its young members was invaluable.

After observing for a moment longer, Lin Tian shifted his attention, intending to find a secluded cave for cultivation. But before he could settle on a spot, a mocking laugh pierced the air.

"Hehe, if it isn't Junior Brother Lin Tian. I heard about your little scuffle with the Ye family—slaying Ye Ku and gouging out Ye Hu's eyes? Tsk tsk, quite the hardliner, aren't you? But you see, your actions have put me in quite the spot. Ye Hu was a friend of mine. By blinding him, you've shown me great disrespect."

The voice was followed by a group of teenagers, about fifteen or sixteen years old, emerging from a nearby cave and quickly encircling Lin Tian.

The ringleader, clad in a pale yellow robe with a round face and thinly pursed lips, exuded an air of severity.

Lin Tian's gaze sharpened as he recognized the figure: Zhang Zhong, scion of the Zhang family, a known associate of Ye Ku and Ye Hu, notorious for their collective bullying of fellow sect members. Zhang Zhong had been the one egging Ye Ku on in his scheme to take Lin Tian's sister.

"What do you think you are? You're asking me what I think you are?" Lin Tian retorted with a sly grin, "I consider Ye Ku and Ye Hu nothing more than trash. Since you've been in their company day in and day out, in my eyes, you're no different."

"What did you say!"

Zhang Zhong's gaze grew icy as the youths by his side erupted in fury, shouting, "Lin Tian, have you lost your mind?! How dare you insult Senior Brother Zhang like this!"

"Do you really think you can strut around Senior Brother Zhang just because you handled Ye Ku and Ye Hu? You're sorely mistaken!"

"Enough with the bluster."

Lin Tian shook his head, a cold smile on his lips. "So, you want a fight? Then let's get on with it!"

"What did you say? Fine! Then we'll just..."

"Stop right there!"

As Zhang Zhong's companions tensed to strike, a commanding shout cut through the air. A young man and woman dashed over, quickly joining Lin Tian within the encircling crowd.

At that moment, many disciples from Dragon Martial Peak took notice and began to cluster around, murmuring among themselves.

Zhang Zhong's eyes chilled further, yet he sneered, "Zhao Hai, Kong Ling? You two are looking for a beating as well? Heh, perfect! I'll take this chance to utterly defeat all of you!"

"Zhang Zhong! Don't get ahead of yourself! We're at the Celestial Dragon Sect's Dragon Martial Peak! Private brawls between disciples are forbidden! If you lay a hand on us here, the sect's rules will not let you off lightly!"

Zhao Hai, the young man now identified, retorted with a steely look in his eyes, his presence overwhelmingly assertive, causing Zhang Zhong's followers to falter.

With his opponents visibly shaken, Zhao Hai quickly turned to Lin Tian, "Mr. Lin, there's no need to worry! We had no idea Ye Ku would dare to make a move on you while we were away. If Junior Sister Kong and I had known, we never would have allowed it to happen!"

"Absolutely! Mr. Lin, we were in the wrong last time. We never imagined Ye Ku would have the audacity to target you just because we were in the city for a few days! Thankfully, you're unharmed. Otherwise, we'd be filled with remorse!"

Kong Ling, the young woman, chimed in, her eyes reflecting genuine remorse, her sincerity clear.

A flicker passed through Lin Tian's eyes as a flood of memories washed over him.

He knew Kong Ling and Zhao Hai were his best friends; they had grown up playing together, sharing a bond that was truly close-knit.

Their parents, who were also Outer Sect Elders, had their lives saved by Lin Tian's parents once upon a time. Because of this, they had always looked after him and his sister with great care.

Yet, ever since his parents' death, Lin Tian had been single-mindedly focused on advancing to the next level of cultivation, neglecting the two friends he used to be so close with. He had let the distance grow between them, assuming they had no desire to associate with someone they saw as a failure. To his surprise, however, they were now racing to his side.

A surge of warmth filled Lin Tian's heart at the sight.

Zhang Zhong's gaze was icy as he sneered, "Sect laws? What a joke! In your presence, I am the law! Attack! Don't worry about a thing—if there's trouble, I've got your back!"

The disciples following Zhang Zhong were visibly invigorated. In an instant, they unleashed their power and charged at Lin Tian and his companions.

Each of these disciples was a Martial Apprentice Level Three, placing them among the elite of the Outer Sect. Their strikes were fierce and intimidating.

Zhao Hai and Kong Ling's faces fell as they sensed the impending threat. They too released their power in a burst and darted towards the attacking disciples, positioning themselves to shield Lin Tian.

"Mr. Lin, you get out of here. We'll handle this!"

"Hmph, such loyalty!" Zhang Zhong mocked. "But if you two can't even protect yourselves, how do you expect to protect him? Dream on! Down you go!"

With a contemptuous snort, Zhang Zhong lunged forward, his palm striking Zhao Hai's with a force that only someone at the peak of Martial Apprentice Level Four with an awakened earth Spirit Body could muster. Zhao Hai, at the peak of Martial Apprentice Level Three, was no match. The impact sent him stumbling backward, blood spurting from his mouth.

Lin Tian's eyes narrowed at the sight, ready to intervene, but just then, two figures burst forth with their power aimed at him.

"Mr. Lin, dodge it!"

In the nick of time, Kong Ling appeared beside Lin Tian, her palms striking out at the two disciples targeting him.

Bang! Bang!

The dull thuds were followed by Kong Ling's face going deathly pale as blood trickled from her mouth and nose.

"Haha, dodge? How's he going to manage that? You really think your paltry skills are a match for us?" Zhang Zhong cackled, oozing smugness from every pore.

"Seeking your own demise!"

Lin Tian's gaze turned icy as he abruptly channeled his Inner Strength and stepped right in front of them!

"Looking for death!"

A disciple bellowed, swinging his palm towards Lin Tian's forehead!

The other two disciples launched their assault simultaneously, one with a punch and the other with a kick, targeting Lin Tian's chest and right leg respectively!

Their attacks were brutally powerful, slicing through the air with a menacing hiss. If Lin Tian were to be struck, he would undoubtedly suffer grievous injuries, spewing blood from his mouth!

"Big Brother Lin!"

Zhao Hai and Kong Ling exclaimed in shock, eager to lend aid but lacking the power.

"Destroy!"

Lin Tian roared back, his head snapping to the side to evade Zhang Zhong's strike. His body contorted, bones popping loudly, as he twisted into a bizarre stance, reminiscent of an ancient tree's gnarled roots, narrowly avoiding the other two assailants' blows!