Drunk

The door flung open and Scar, the bigger and meaner enforcer walked into the room. Lin Feng quickly threw his hand behind him, desperately willing for the dim light to go off.

Scar stared at Feng in a suspicious manner. "What's that light on your skin, freak?"

Lin Feng mumbled something, but Scar was either too tired or too dumb to care, he simply grabbed Lin Feng by the collar, raising him up. He looked into his eyes.

"Matron wants you up by dawn. No tricks."

He turned around, walked out of the shed and shut the door behind him.

Lin Feng dropped to the floor, breathing heavily. This was starting to get annoying.

***

Morning had come, and Scar was eager to pick on Lin Feng again. He opened the door to the shed, ready to kick Feng if he was still sleeping. However, to his disappointment, Lin Feng was already up, and was waiting patiently.

Scar gave him a disapproving look and grunted. "Come on out, Freak."

Lin Feng followed him quietly, walking to where the Matron was waiting.

The Matron gestured to a pile of wood on the floor. "Get to work already, chop the woods, fetch water from the wells and get to scrubbing the martial hall, no food until you are done with that."

Lin Feng felt an odd calmness as he stared at the Matron, then he nodded his head and went over to pick the axe.

The Matron walked away, one of the enforcers following her. Scar stood there for a moment, staring at Lin Feng. The boy didn't seem to be hurting, and it was annoying him.

After everything that happened yesterday, Lin Feng seemed just find, there were just tiny bruises on his body, and he seemed to be able to carry on just fine.

Meanwhile, Scar was still in pains from the single push that Lin Feng had given him. Shortly after, Scar shook his head and followed the Matron.

Lin Feng held the axe with his right hand, then he took a deep breath. He muttered to himself, "let's do this again."

As if hearing him, the tattoo glowed softly again, and Lin Feng clearly felt the power surging within him. He piled up three chunks of wood together, and with a single swing, he cut all of them together, in one single swipe of the axe.

Lin Feng was wowed, even by his own prowess. Too bad he didn't have a spirit vein.

A single thought hit him and he paused. The sweat on his forehead glimmering over the hot rays of the sun. The old man's words flashed through his mind.

He could resurrect his crippled spirit vein now, this was forbidden arts...

The image of the cultivator turning into dust flashed into his mind again, reminding him that he was thinking about something too dangerous.

Lin Feng shook his head as he continued chopping at the wood.

He was going to find the old man, the old man would teach him how to do it. He had already made up his mind. He had nothing to lose.

Jet was already doing well by now, his boundless talent bringing him fame across the entire village and even beyond, Into the great cities and even other kingdoms.

It was even rumoured that the Duke was planning to make him his successor.

Jet was an orphan, even though he had attained royalty status as a result of his extreme talents, he was still an orphan. That wasn't going to change.

Lin Feng was done with all the work in a very short time, but he wasn't tired, he was breathing a bit heavily though.

He wanted to go into the martial hall, but if he did that, then Scar and the Matron could still find him and disturb him. Instead, he was going in search of the old man.

But just where was he to begin the search?

Lin Feng took in a deep breath as he started walking towards the gate of the orphanage home. However, Scar saw him and he quickly started making trouble again.

"Hey, Freak! Where are you going! Are you done with the work?! Get back here, you little rat!"

Lin Feng moved smoothly, slipping away through the gate and hastening up, acting like he didn't see Scar.

Scar was enraged. "Hey! Stop there! I know you can hear me!"

Scar ran out of the gate but his adversary was no where to be found. Scar furrowed his brows even more, finding it even more suspicious.

Lin Feng took a deep breath as he kept on moving, he had to ignore these people from now, he now had a little chance at forging his path, and he was going to do everything in his power to rise to the peak.

Lin Feng pulled the hoodie he was wearing over his face, blending with the slightly dark bush path. He walked briskly, deciding to head for the forest first, there, he could explore his powers even better without hindrance.

*Bump!*

A man who was staggering bumped into Lin Feng, clearly drunk.

Lin Feng bowed his head slightly, choosing to apologize. "I'm sorry."

"Heeeyyyoo! The drunken man said, his words slurred from his intoxication. Better watch where you are going!"

Lin Feng bowed again and made to leave. However, the man pulled him back, and then he peered into his eyes.

Lin Feng was hit with a slight wave of panic as he remembered the man. It was the same man from yesterday. And today, his friend wasn't with him.

Clearly, the man recognised him too.

"Hey! It's you again!!" The man's annoyance was clear. Even though this time, he was the one who had bumped into Lin Feng.

"Thank the good heavens I met you again, let me teach you a lesson!"

Lin Feng stepped back a little. He was unsure of what to do, if this man was a cultivator, then things were certainly going to get awry here.

The drunken man rolled his sleeves up. He was certainly ready for some action this afternoon. He slowly raised his palm, clenching it into a fist.

Spirit Vein primal technique..

"Iron Palm!"