Martial Peak - Rise Of The Human Emperor-Chapter 76-Jealousy.

As the three made their way back toward the larger group, a sudden and violent fluctuation of Yuan Qi swept through the area like a tidal wave.

Startled, they stopped in their tracks and instinctively looked up. Rays of light pierced through the forest canopy, followed by the distant echoes of shouting—fierce cries of "Kill!" accompanied by the furious roar of a beast so powerful it seemed to shake the earth beneath their feet.

Their expressions turned ashen.

"A Monster Beast?" Du Yishuang whispered, her voice tense.

"And not just any one... this sounds like a war," Lan Chudie muttered.

Nie Yong and Zuo An burst out from the undergrowth just then, their faces pale and breath ragged. It was clear they'd also heard the monstrous roar.

Du Yishuang immediately took a step back, frowning with visible disdain as her eyes locked on Nie Yong. He pretended not to notice.

Lan Chudie, maintaining her composure, turned to Zuo An. "What do you make of it?"

Zuo An's face was grim. "There's a massive group ahead—at least a hundred disciples by the sound of it. But that beast..." His brows creased. "Its roar carries immense power. It's a Sixth Realm Monster Beast."

A chill ran down everyone's spine.

A Sixth Realm Monster Beast was equivalent to an Immortal Ascension Boundary cultivator. None of them here, not even the strongest, had reached beyond the True Element Boundary. Even a hundred disciples stood little chance against such a creature.

Zuo An continued after a brief pause, "Still... it sounds weaker than a fully awakened Sixth Realm Beast. My guess is it was sealed before, and has only just regained consciousness."

That did little to ease their fears, but Lan Chudie's gaze turned thoughtful. After a few moments of contemplation, she looked at the others. "This is dangerous, but we should go. There might be people from our schools among those fighting, and we can't ignore it. I won't force anyone—decide for yourselves."

Everyone eventually nodded. With tense faces, they cautiously made their way toward the commotion.

As they neared the battlefield, voices became clearer—especially one filled with defiance.

"Fang Ziji! Do you and your Storm House think we're weak enough to be bullied? Do you really believe you can push us around without consequences?!"

Nie Yong's eyes lit up as he recognized the voice. "Wu Fellow Apprentice!"

"What did you just say?" Wu Tiao's voice responded coldly.

Fang Ziji scoffed, "Only Su Yan from your High Heaven Pavilion is worthy of being my opponent."

Wu Tiao sneered, "Then try me."

"If you insist. But I'd rather not humiliate you in front of your fellow disciples."

Though Wu Tiao knew he wasn't a match for Fang Ziji right now, the pride of High Heaven Pavilion was at stake. Just as he was about to attack, Nie Yong sprang from the undergrowth.

"Wu Fellow Apprentice!" he called out.

Wu Tiao turned and instantly broke into a grin. "Nie Yong! You're alive! Good to see you, brother!"

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Nie Yong hurried to rejoin his comrades, leaving the rest of the group behind.

Lan Chudie and Zuo An stayed where they were—outsiders to High Heaven Pavilion. Du Yishuang and Yang Kai paused, glancing at each other.

After a moment of silence, Du Yishuang turned to Yang Kai, her tone soft and sincere. "Thank you... for everything. I don't know what I would've done without you these past few days. I'm sorry we must part ways now."

Yang Kai gave a small, understanding smile. "It's alright. I understand. Just... stay safe."

He leaned in gently and gave her a light kiss on the cheek—a soft, fleeting gesture filled with quiet emotion. Then, without another word, he reached into his robes and slipped a small jade ring onto her finger.

"Keep this," he said, voice low and calm. "It's not much, but it'll help you remember you're not alone out here."

Du Yishuang's lips parted slightly, caught off-guard. She didn't stop him, though. A faint pink flushed her cheeks as she watched him step away.

Before he left, Yang Kai leaned in one last time and whispered into her ear, "Take care of yourself."

Then he turned and walked off without looking back.

Du Yishuang stood silently, fingers brushing the ring, a swirl of emotions playing across her face. She wasn't sure what she felt—gratitude, admiration... maybe something more. It wasn't love. Not yet. But something had begun to grow.

Behind her, Lan Chudie watched everything unfold with narrowed eyes. She didn't say a word, but a strange feeling bubbled within her—one she hadn't expected.

Jealousy.

She scoffed inwardly and turned away, brushing the thought aside.

-------------------------------------------------------

When Nie Yong arrived, his presence injected a wave of energy into the gathered disciples. Without missing a beat, he moved through the crowd like a fish in water, slipping between familiar faces, clasping hands, and laughing heartily. His tone was cheerful, almost exaggeratedly so, as he exchanged boisterous greetings with each disciple he came across.

"Haha! Senior Liu, still alive, I see!"

"You too, Brother Qian! I thought that last beast would've taken your leg off!"

There was a ripple of laughter, a chorus of warm chuckles, and the occasional slap on the back. Clearly, Nie Yong was well-acquainted with most of the group. He was the type of person who thrived on being seen, being liked, and—most of all—being needed. His arrival felt almost theatrical, and it was hard to tell if his friendliness was genuine or just part of his habit of currying favor.

After completing his round of greetings and basking in the warmth of group camaraderie, Nie Yong's tone shifted. His smile faded into something thinner—more calculated—and he veered sharply toward Xie Hongchen. With barely a glance at anyone else, he reached his senior brother and leaned in, his voice dropping low as he whispered something meant only for Xie Hongchen's ears.

Whatever he said, it wasn't casual. It wasn't friendly.

Xie Hongchen's already stern features turned grim. His jaw clenched, and the muscles around his eyes tensed as if trying to suppress a sudden storm of emotions. Slowly, his eyes drifted across the group and locked onto one person standing alone—Yang Kai.

From roughly sixty metres away, Xie Hongchen's gaze was like a blade. Cold. Sharp. Unyielding.

There was no effort to mask his disdain. To him, Yang Kai wasn't a fellow disciple. He wasn't even an opponent. He was an irritant. A blotch. Something filthy clinging to the edge of propriety.

It was in that frozen moment that Fang Ziji stepped forward, unaware of the boiling tension beneath the surface.

"Xie Hongchen," Fang called out, breaking the silence with his firm voice. "Since you're not making a move, how about we cooperate to kill that Monster Beast? I spotted it lurking not far from here. We can split the rewards evenly."

His words were reasonable—practical, even. But they were mistimed.

Xie Hongchen turned his head slowly to Fang Ziji and offered a tight-lipped smile that didn't even attempt to reach his eyes. "Let's talk about that later," he said coolly. "I have something else to handle first."

Fang frowned but said nothing more. Something in Xie Hongchen's tone told him not to push the issue.

Xie Hongchen's gaze shifted again—this time, it softened. Or at least, pretended to. He turned toward Lan Chudie, who stood near Yang Kai with a tense expression, her brow slightly furrowed as if already sensing that this reunion would be far from pleasant.

"Sister Lan," Xie Hongchen said warmly, his voice suddenly coated in gentle concern. "You've worked hard to reach us. You must have faced many dangers along the way. But worry no more. Now that you're with us, there's nothing to fear. We'll keep you safe."

Lan Chudie offered a delicate nod in return. She didn't smile. She didn't speak. Her expression was unreadable.

Instead, she turned slightly and tugged at Yang Kai's sleeve. A subtle, wordless gesture meant to coax him forward.

But Yang Kai didn't budge.

He stood like an unmoved mountain, face blank, eyes calm, arms at his sides. It was as if her touch hadn't even registered.

A small frown tugged at Lan Chudie's lips, and she let go of his sleeve without a word. Her gaze flicked between Xie Hongchen and Yang Kai, uncertainty shadowing her eyes.

Seeing this, Xie Hongchen's smile turned dazzling—as fake as gold paint on rusted iron.

"Yang Kai!" he called out, spreading his arms with exaggerated hospitality. "My dear fellow apprentice! Since we all hail from the same school, it's only proper that I look after you. There's strength in unity, after all. Come, join us!"

Every word was delivered loudly, deliberately. The tone, the expression, the body language—it all screamed performance. A show for the audience. A trap wrapped in courtesy.

Before Yang Kai could respond, an angry voice rang out behind Xie Hongchen.

"Senior Xie!" Nie Yong barked. "Have you forgotten what he did? He insulted you! He humiliated you in front of everyone! Why would we let someone like him join us?!"

The crowd shifted slightly, murmurs passing between disciples. Some turned to Yang Kai with furrowed brows. Others looked toward Xie Hongchen, curious to see how he'd react to the reminder.

Xie Hongchen's face twitched.

Of course he hadn't forgotten. That day still burned like a brand in his memory. He had been trying to enforce discipline, to uphold the honor of High Heaven Pavilion, when she appeared—Su Yan, radiant and cold like a snow-covered lotus. She had stepped forward and, with a single motion, held Yang Kai's hand.

That one gesture had turned all eyes on him—not with admiration, but with pity.

He had been made a fool.

The memory gnawed at his pride, carved away at his dignity. Every time he saw Yang Kai's face, it clawed its way back to the surface like a wound that refused to heal.

Xie Hongchen inhaled sharply, swallowing his bitterness and rage like poison. Then he pasted on another smile, this one shakier than the last.

"Back then," he said slowly, "Yang Kai was still young. Naive. He didn't understand the rules, the structure, the expectations placed on him. But I'm sure he's changed since then." His smile widened into a crescent. "Haven't you?"

Though his words were laced with politeness, his eyes betrayed him. Cold and piercing, they drilled into Yang Kai, silently daring him to respond. This wasn't an invitation. It was a warning.

Yet to the onlookers, it was a masterclass in restraint.

"So gracious!"

"To think Senior Xie would forgive such a thing... how noble!"

"Such magnanimity... I wouldn't be able to stomach it."

The crowd buzzed with admiration, fooled by the performance.