The sun had just risen over the mountains when Ye Tian approached the gates of Azure Sky Sect once again.
His robes were still torn. His face, pale. But there was something different in his eyes—a quiet fire that hadn't been there before.
Two outer sect disciples stood at the gate. One of them yawned, the other looked up and squinted his eyes.
"Is that... Ye Tian?" one muttered.
"No way. That cripple survived?" the other laughed.
Ye Tian kept walking. Step by step.
"Oi! Trash!" one guard called out. "You didn't die? Didn't you get thrown out already? Or did the dogs forget to eat you?"
[System Message]Mockery detected. Face-slap potential: High.Slap counter unlocked. First face-slap mission available.
Come on, host. A cheek is begging to be slapped you're not gonna refuse that, are you? They're literally asking for it.
Ye Tian stopped in front of them. His eyes met theirs but his were calm, unreadable.
"I'm here to collect my belongings from the outer disciple quarters," he said evenly. "I'll be gone after getting it."
The guards laughed again.
"You still think you're a disciple?" one said, stepping forward. "Maybe you need another fall down the mountain to remind you of your place—"
CRACK!
The slap was so loud that even the birds flew off nearby trees.
One second, the disciple had been smirking. The next second, he was lying flat on the ground, a red handprint glistening on his cheek.
"Wha—"
Ye Tian raised his hand again.
"You wanna try too?" he asked, voice calm as still water.
The second guard backed up instantly. "Y-You hit him?! You dare?!"
[System Notification]Face-Slap Delivered: 1+10 SP GainedBonus Objective Complete – Skill Slot UnlockedNew Skill Available: Heaven's Echo Palm
Nice one. That was quite crisp than I expected. You got skills, kid.
Ye Tian turned without another word and walked into the sect.
Nobody stopped him.
Inside the outer disciple quarters, things hadn't changed. The same old training yard. The same broken bamboo fences. And the same faces—some shocked, some disgusted—as they saw him walk in.
He didn't look at them. He didn't need to.
He gathered his small bundle of items: an old robe, a cracked sword, and a wooden token with his name printed into it.
As he was about to leave, a familiar voice echoed across the yard.
"Well, well... look which dog has walked in."
Wei Long, an arrogant disciple who had always hated him. Back then, Ye Tian always ignored him.
Not anymore.
Wei Long walked over with his little gang of lackeys. "Didn't you fall off a cliff or something? What are you doing here? Begging for food?" and he laughed loudly.
Ooooh, another crisp cheek. Want me to tag this fool for slapping too?
Ye Tian didn't get angry. He simply held the cracked sword in his hand and looked Wei Long in the eye.
"I came to take back what's mine."
"Oh? And what's that?"
"My name."
Wei Long laughed. "Your name? Please. You're nothing—"
CRACK.
Another slap. This time even faster and louder.
Wei Long's smug face twisted mid-word his nose met his ear, and he crashed into the wall behind him.
Gasps spread like fire through the crowd.
"Did he just—?"
"He slapped Wei Long?!"
"He's... different."
[System Message]Face-Slap Delivered: 2Skill 'Heaven's Echo Palm' – Initial Form UnlockedSP: 20 | Skill Slot: 1/5
Ye Tian turned around and walked away.
This time, no one dared to laugh.