Chapter 2: The Aftermath of a Slap

The training ground, usually filled with grunts, yells, and the occasional cry of a disciple realizing they absolutely suck at combat, had gone completely still.

Every single person present was frozen in shock, their eyes locked onto Yang Kai, the so-called weakest disciple in the sect, who had just done the unthinkable.

He had slapped Zhao Ling, a powerful inner sect disciple, across the face.

And not just a casual slap. No, this was the kind of slap that rearranges a man's destiny. The kind that echoes through history. If Zhao Ling's ancestors could see him right now, they'd be shaking their heads in disappointment.

Even Yang Kai himself was a little surprised. He slowly looked down at his palm, as if it had just unlocked divine powers.

"Did I really just slap him? Me? The same guy who once lost a fight to a stray chicken?"

He clenched and unclenched his fist.

"No, but seriously… since when do my hands work this well?"

And then—

Ding!

"Host has completed the first task. 500 cultivation points earned."

"System reward: +10 Strength, +10 Agility."

"Cultivation increased: Qi Condensation 1 → Qi Condensation 2."

A warm surge of power rushed through his body.

His arms no longer felt like wet noodles. His legs? More stable than his childhood friendships. His mind? Sharper than Zhao Ling's chances of ever recovering from this humiliation.

Yang Kai felt different. Stronger. Faster. Smarter.

And then—

"YANG KAI, YOU BASTARD!"

Oh, right. There was still a very angry Zhao Ling standing in front of him.

Zhao Ling's entire face was glowing red, a perfect palm print seared into his cheek. He looked stunned, humiliated… and absolutely furious. His fists clenched at his sides, and his spiritual energy flared with violent intensity.

"You dare slap me?!" Zhao Ling bellowed, his voice shaking with rage.

Yang Kai tilted his head. "Huh? Oh, that was supposed to be a rhetorical question? My bad, let me clarify—yes, I dared. Next question?"

The nearby disciples gasped. Some even choked on air.

"Did he just… double down?"

"This man has a death wish."

Zhao Ling's veins bulged, his entire body trembling.

"You… I'll kill you!" he roared. His palm ignited with fiery Qi, and he lunged forward, aiming straight for Yang Kai's face.

"Ah, here comes the 'Try To Kill The MC' moment."

Yang Kai's instincts screamed at him to move, but this time, he actually could. His new agility kicked in, and before he even realized it—

WHOOSH!

He twisted to the side, barely dodging the fiery attack.

BOOM!

Zhao Ling's palm strike hit the ground, blowing up a crater. Dust exploded into the air, and disciples staggered back in shock.

Yang Kai landed a few feet away, completely unharmed. He blinked. "Wait… did I just dodge?"

Zhao Ling's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?! You dodged?!"

Yang Kai dusted off his robes, pretending to examine his hands. "Huh. Guess I'm not completely useless after all. This is great news for me, bad news for you."

The surrounding disciples exchanged nervous glances.

"Since when could Yang Kai move like that?"

"Is this even the same guy?"

"What did he eat this morning?"

Zhao Ling was losing his mind. His face twisted in rage, his spiritual energy flaring even stronger.

"You think this is funny?! Let's see if you're still laughing when I—"

"ENOUGH!"

A thunderous voice boomed through the training ground, instantly silencing everyone.

An immense pressure settled over the area. Disciples staggered back, their faces turning pale. Even Zhao Ling's spiritual energy immediately retracted, like a dog caught chewing on furniture.

A tall, middle-aged man stepped forward, his expression stern and filled with authority. His inner sect elder robes flowed around him as he walked, each step heavy with presence.

Elder Mo.

One of the sect's instructors, known for his strict discipline and absolute intolerance for nonsense.

Yang Kai sighed dramatically. "Ah, and here comes the 'MC Gets In Trouble With Authority' moment."

Elder Mo's cold gaze swept over Yang Kai and Zhao Ling. "What is the meaning of this? Why are inner sect disciples brawling like common thugs?"

Zhao Ling, sensing an opportunity, immediately straightened up. "Elder Mo! That trash Yang Kai attacked me out of nowhere! He humiliated me in front of everyone!"

Yang Kai raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, wow. What a wild reinterpretation of events. Are you planning to publish this as fiction, or is this just how you naturally see the world?"

The disciples snickered. Some actually covered their mouths to hold in their laughter.

Elder Mo turned to Yang Kai. "Is this true?"

Yang Kai stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm… let's see. Did I attack him out of nowhere? No. Did I humiliate him? Oh, absolutely. I mean, look at him—" He gestured toward Zhao Ling's still-glowing red face. "That slap was heard across dimensions."

Some disciples lost it right there. A few coughed violently, and even Elder Mo's eyelid twitched.

Ding!

"New optional task completed: Publicly humiliate Zhao Ling in front of an authority figure. +300 cultivation points."

Yang Kai felt another surge of energy, his cultivation base stabilizing further within the second stage of Qi Condensation.

Zhao Ling was shaking with rage.

"You little—!"

Elder Mo sighed heavily. "Enough. Both of you, disperse. There will be no more fighting outside official duels. Zhao Ling, return to your training."

"But Elder—!"

"That's an order."

Zhao Ling looked ready to explode, but he had no choice but to grit his teeth and storm away.

The crowd gradually dispersed, though many disciples were still whispering about what had just happened.

Elder Mo, meanwhile, studied Yang Kai carefully. His gaze was sharp, as if trying to figure something out.

"You… seem different today," Elder Mo finally said. "Your movements, your energy—it's not the same as before."

Yang Kai smiled.

"Maybe I just woke up and realized I could do better."

Elder Mo narrowed his eyes but said nothing more. With a final nod, he turned and walked away.

As soon as he was gone, Yang Kai stretched his arms, feeling stronger than ever.

This system… is insane.

Just yesterday, he was barely scraping by, constantly mocked and beaten down.

Today?

He slapped an inner sect disciple, humiliated him in front of the entire sect, and walked away stronger than ever.

And this was only the beginning.