Martial Sage from the Vajra Skill

"Brother Xu, congratulations on your cultivation breakthrough to Gang Qi Minor Achievement!"

As Xu Yang was leaving the dining hall one day, he heard a voice tinged with a smile.

He looked up to see a smiling Shen Liang, with An Ping and two others by his side.

The three of them looked rather awkward, a mixture of shock and regret.

They were all Dragon Ascending Disciples from the previous year, yet none had achieved Gang Qi Minor Achievement. That spoke volumes about their talent and potential.

Now, Xu Yang had come from behind to surpass them, his cultivation exceeding theirs. And though they came from better backgrounds, they were now the ones who had to curry favor with him.

Unfortunately, they had already squandered even this opportunity to get on his good side. The five of them hadn’t gathered for drinks in almost two months.

"My cultivation breakthrough only brought me a wave of ridicule. Might as well not have broken through at all," Xu Yang laughed.

He didn’t particularly dislike Shen Liang, but he saw him as nothing more than a casual acquaintance to chat with, just like Zhang Yong and Jiang Ping.

He had seen how Shen Liang acted that day in the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. He understood why Shen Liang ultimately chose to remain silent, but understanding was not the same as forgiveness.

’A person who stops to weigh the pros and cons when you’re in trouble isn’t someone worth getting close to.’

Shen Liang laughed. "They’re all just ignorant. They don’t know how hard it is to reach Gang Qi Minor Achievement. Since we’ve run into each other, how about us brothers get together?"

Guo Huai smiled. "It’s my treat today. I hope Brother Xu will do us the honor."

In his eyes, a Xu Yang who had reached Gang Qi Minor Achievement was entirely different from the one who couldn’t. If Xu Yang were to suggest becoming sworn brothers now, Guo Huai would accept without a second thought.

"Yes, everyone’s been so busy with cultivation, it’s rare that we run into each other. Let’s get together tonight," Tang Xiao added.

It had been An Ping, not him, who had stopped Shen Liang from helping Xu Yang, so Tang Xiao felt comfortable adding his own encouragement.

An Ping remained silent, but his eager expression revealed his hope of mending his relationship with Xu Yang.

To reach Gang Qi Minor Achievement so quickly meant that reaching Gang Qi Great Success was a sure thing. It wasn’t even out of the question that he could undergo Marrow Cleansing and become an Inner Sect Disciple. Who wouldn’t want to be on good terms with a person like that?

Especially for people like them, who came from some background, they knew the importance of connections. A powerful connection could one day save their life.

An Ping had assumed Xu Yang wasn’t coming back; he never expected him to return safely.

Xu Yang smiled. "I won’t impose. I’ve already eaten."

With that, he turned and left.

"We really misjudged him," Guo Huai sighed.

Xu Yang’s rejection meant he no longer wanted anything to do with them. They might have some connections, but in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t much.

Before, they could still feel superior to Xu Yang. But now that his cultivation had surpassed theirs, that sense of superiority had vanished without a trace.

Martial Dao resources were important, of course, but talent couldn’t be ignored. They’d been in the sect for three years and had used far more resources than Xu Yang, yet they still hadn’t reached Minor Achievement. Resources weren’t omnipotent.

"What’s he so smug about? It’s not like we have to beg him for anything," An Ping said indignantly.

Xu Yang had actually refused their olive branch? An Ping was overcome with shame and anger. ’We already lowered ourselves, and you dare to disrespect us like that?’

Shen Liang barked, "Shut your mouth! If it wasn’t for you that day, would things between us and him have come to this?"

Guo Huai added coldly, "Watch your mouth. If word of this gets back to him, he could crush you like an ant the moment you step outside the sect gates."

An Ping’s face flushed red. ’Didn’t we all agree to distance ourselves from Xu Yang? How did this suddenly become all my fault?’

...

’Is their Alliance still around? Or did those two just get together?’

Not long after leaving the dining hall, Xu Yang saw Qin Ze and Liu Qian walking out of a restaurant together.

This was the very same restaurant where their group had formed its Alliance, back when he was still a member.

The pair froze when they saw Xu Yang approaching.

Qin Ze was the first to speak, cupping his fists. "Brother Xu, congratulations."

His expression was incredibly complex.

When he first created the Alliance and invited Xu Yang, Xu Yang had the weakest background of them all. But he had been willing to form an alliance with him because of his potential.

But then the incident with Xiao Hua happened. Persuaded by Yue Gui, the remaining members had unilaterally kicked Xu Yang out of the Alliance.

This decision led to the eventual deaths of Yue Gui and Chen Jiang.

Now, he and Liu Qian were still struggling at the Gang Qi Entry Level, while Xu Yang had already reached Gang Qi Minor Achievement. His cultivation had surpassed theirs, and he was now a Ten Heroes Genius.

If the Alliance were still intact, they could have shared in the glory of a Ten Heroes Genius.

Xu Yang wasn’t the type to make a scene. Even though he had once considered killing these two, he still smiled. "Just a lucky breakthrough."

Liu Qian was also feeling a whirlwind of emotions. "Brother Xu," she began softly, "back then..."

She wanted to explain why they had kicked Xu Yang out of the Alliance, but as she opened her mouth, she found she couldn’t come up with a single word of defense.

They hadn’t even bothered to discuss it with Xu Yang, let alone notify him. Their actions had been too final.

"I’ll be taking my leave."

Xu Yang had no interest in hearing Liu Qian’s excuses about the past. He was only being civil because they were in the Purple Sun Sect; if they had met in the wild, his blade would have likely already been drawn.

Whether they were genuinely trying to apologize or were just afraid of retaliation now that he’d reached Gang Qi Minor Achievement, only the two of them truly knew.

"There’s no going back!"

Watching Xu Yang’s retreating figure, Liu Qian was filled with emotion. When the five of them had first formed their alliance, she and Xu Yang had been the closest, the ones who trusted each other most.

Because he had once served her Liu Family as a Tributor, she could sense that Xu Yang had always felt a certain gratitude toward her.

But now, Xu Yang couldn’t even be bothered to listen to a few words from her.

"Maybe we were wrong back then," Qin Ze said.

Cutting ties with Xu Yang hadn’t brought them a single benefit. Instead, it had indirectly led to the deaths of Yue Gui and Chen Jiang. Now, they had also lost the friendship of a Ten Heroes Genius and had likely earned his enmity.