NOVEL NEXT Chapter 30: Ch30- One-Sided Dilemma
"As for tonight… you'll have to hold back your anger first!"
The young man glanced at Yogan, a slight smirk playing on his lips. The calm, silent demeanor of the boy in front of him irritated him. He had expected to sense anger or fear, but instead, there was only composure.
Just then, the young man noticed something. Yogan had raised his head, his expression calm but his eyes sharp and focused.
"Only three of you, right?" Yogan asked, his voice steady. He was clearly trying to assess whether there were any other hidden threats.
The young man's eyes narrowed at the question. He had an instinct that the kid opposite him had noticed something. With a cold glare, he snapped back, "Boy, do you really want to do this?"
In the world of martial arts, the strong are revered, and in this chaotic wilderness, that rule was even more strictly followed. How dare a mere high school student provoke him?
The young man frowned, staring at Yogan with a menacing glare. The look of a seasoned warrior was evident—there was a real fierceness, a murderous intent behind his gaze.
Chen Quan, who had been standing off to the side, immediately felt the oppressive aura. He could feel the pressure in the air, unlike anything he had experienced before. The presence of a high-level warrior was unmistakable. It wasn't just intimidation—it was a force that could strike fear into the hearts of lesser warriors, even causing them to die with just a glance.
Seeing this, Chen Quan panicked and looked toward Yogan, but Yogan was unfazed. Yogan reached out and gave Chen Quan a reassuring pat on the shoulder, signaling him to move into the valley.
"Go inside, quickly. Don't speak any more," Yogan said calmly.
Chen Quan hesitated, clearly reluctant to leave Yogan behind. "Brother Yogan, there's really no need..." he protested, looking worried. He knew Yogan was strong enough to deal with a peak-level beast, but this was a real second-level warrior. It was a different matter altogether.
Yogan waved him off, his expression unreadable. "Go. Don't waste time."
Seeing no other option, Chen Quan reluctantly turned and sprinted toward the valley, his heart heavy with worry.
"What's the matter? Afraid your classmates will see you get beaten to death?" the young man taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance. He continued to approach Yogan with slow, deliberate steps.
But the next moment, something changed.
A faint light flickered around Yogan's body. For a brief instant, the young man felt an overwhelming sense of danger. His instincts flared, and for the first time, he gave Yogan a serious look. His eyes widened slightly as he recognized something—this wasn't an ordinary high school student.
"A high school student who's reached the second level?" The young man's voice held a note of genuine surprise. "That's… unexpected."
Yogan remained silent, his expression unchanged.
The young man, still processing the shock, swiftly extended his arm, his fingers forming into eagle-like claws. In an instant, a wave of power surged toward Yogan, surrounding him with a palpable aura.
Yogan didn't flinch. He stepped forward, and with a rapid motion, he punched the incoming force. His punch was a blur of motion, and as his fist collided with the young man's palm, the resulting sound was like the clash of fine iron.
Bang!
The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the area, knocking down the surrounding trees and shaking the earth. Despite the intensity of the collision, neither combatant was pushed back.
The young man staggered slightly, a look of surprise flashing across his face. He hadn't expected Yogan to withstand his blow so easily.
Just as he was about to launch another attack, he noticed something in Yogan's eyes—a faint trace of disappointment. There was no joy or sadness in those eyes, just a cool, detached look that seemed to convey that Yogan had expected more from him.
The young man's expression twisted in frustration. His veins bulged as he growled, "Boy, I haven't been disrespected like this in a long time."
His patience snapped. He opened his arms wide, as if preparing to pounce like a mad eagle.
...
Meanwhile, Chen Quan had already entered the valley, his face grim. He gripped his shield tightly, hoping that the others would manage to deal with the beast quickly.
The sounds of the fierce battle had died down, suggesting that Jiang Qiuran and the others had taken down the beast. With the combined efforts of Jiang Jie, Ling Fei, and Huo Yu, the young man should be forced to retreat.
"I just hope Brother Yogan can hold on a little longer," Chen Quan thought as he rushed toward the waterfall. He was about to call for reinforcements when, suddenly, he froze.
Standing beside the dead beast, Ling Fei was supported by his companions, clutching his chest and staring fiercely at something ahead. Huo Yu was pale, breathing heavily as he lowered his head. Jiang Qiuran leaned on the ground, her knife at her side, her face cold and unyielding.
"Let go of Li Dan!" Huo Yu's voice rang out, filled with fury.
Chen Quan followed their gaze and saw two figures standing atop the massive corpse of the beast. A boy and a girl, casually watching them with amused expressions.
The boy wore earrings and held Li Dan by the collar with one hand, lifting him effortlessly as though he were nothing more than a ragdoll. The girl, petite and with a teardrop-shaped mole under her left cheek, looked at them with a mocking smile.
"Little brother, don't be so angry," the girl cooed playfully. "As long as you promise that all the Qi-accumulating fruits in the valley belong to us, we'll let him go."
Her voice was light and teasing, but the words struck like a blow. As she spoke, she covered her chest with one hand and looked at Jiang Qiuran with exaggerated, playful mockery. "Little sister, don't look at me like that, I'll be scared~"
The sarcasm and the exaggerated postures made everyone's blood boil. The air grew tense as anger surged through the group.
Jiang Qiuran's hand tightened around the hilt of her knife, the blade flashing with a deadly gleam. "Why should we give it to you?" she demanded coldly. "We found this valley and fought hard to kill the beast. Why should we hand it over to you?"
Her words struck a chord with the others. Ling Fei and Huo Yu lifted their heads, their faces flushed with anger. They all stood together, united by their fury and their sense of injustice.
...
The tension in the air was palpable. The group was cornered, but their determination was unwavering. Despite the overwhelming odds, they were not going to back down.
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This version maintains the clarity and flow of the story, adjusts the grammar, and includes the requested name changes. The content has been expanded slightly to improve readability and to fit the target word count.
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