The Stubborn Disciple
Then— Bang!!
After the punch, the sandbag hanging in front of her exploded on the spot.
The thick training sandbag burst apart as though struck by a cannonball. Cloth shredded into pieces. Sand sprayed through the air in a violent cloud before scattering across the training ground floor.
The explosion echoed through the courtyard.
Even the nearby Tyson Family guards instinctively turned their heads toward the sound.
Julian D’Aurelius spat out all the tea in his mouth.
"Pffft—"
Tea sprayed across the ground.
His golden eyes widened.
For the first ti in a while, he looked genuinely shocked.
The training courtyard suddenly fell silent.
Dust floated through the afternoon sunlight.
Yana Tyson stood frozen in place.
Her long black hair fluttered lightly in the lingering shockwave from her punch.
The remains of the sandbag swayed from the broken chain overhead.
Julian stared at her.
Then at the destroyed sandbag.
Then back at her.
"...What the hell?"
Even he couldn’t help muttering.
Although that punch didn’t reach the Perfect Realm of the "Mountain Flip Hand Strike," it was already close to the Mastery Stage.
The four levels of Old Martial Arts were Foundation Stage, Proficient Stage, Mastery Stage, and Perfect Realm.
Most martial artists spent years stuck at the Foundation Stage.
Talented geniuses could reach the Proficient Stage.
Those who reached the Mastery Stage were already considered elites among their generation.
As for the Perfect Realm...
Most people would never touch it during their entire lives.
Julian had only reached the Perfect Realm because he possessed the Tyrant System.
That thing was basically cheating.
But Yana?
She had only started learning the Mountain Flip Hand Strike a few days ago.
A few days.
That wasn’t talent anymore.
That was absurd.
His gaze landed on Yana again.
Sothing felt wrong.
The excitent on her face that should have appeared after making such a breakthrough wasn’t there.
Instead—
Her face suddenly turned pale.
Sweat dripped down her forehead.
The arm she had punched with hung limply at her side.
Her body trembled slightly.
Julian imdiately noticed the problem.
His expression changed.
He focused his vision.
With his current cultivation and perception, it only took a mont to see what had happened.
Tiny cracks had already spread through the bones in her arm.
The force she had unleashed exceeded what her body could currently withstand.
Her arm was fractured.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Julian quickly put down his tea and walked over with concern.
His steps were much faster than before.
Despite all his teasing, he genuinely didn’t want anything bad to happen to her.
Especially when the injury was caused while learning sothing he taught.
As he approached, Yana heard the familiar voice inside her head.
[This silly girl has so talent.]
Her eyelashes trembled slightly.
Even while enduring pain, she listened.
[But why rush?]
A complicated emotion appeared in her bright orange eyes.
Then ca the next thought.
[If she just called Master and learned properly, nothing would have happened. Why bring this on herself?]
[Now her arm is fractured, and she’ll have to use her left hand for everything.]
Julian genuinely sounded concerned.
But sohow...
That only made Yana angrier.
Her cheeks puffed slightly.
What did he an by that?
Why did everything always return to that ridiculous Master business?
Initially, Julian’s concern had touched her.
The pain in her arm was real.
And seeing him rush over imdiately had made her feel a little warm inside.
Only a little.
But then he ruined it.
As usual.
Her temper instantly flared.
She stepped backward.
One step.
Two steps.
Keeping distance between them.
Her expression beca cold.
"No need to worry."
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
The kind of calm that usually appeared right before a storm.
"After all, I’m just a novice in the Silver Realm."
"How could I compare to a peerless expert like Young Master Julian?"
The sarcasm was so thick it could practically be touched.
Julian blinked.
"Huh?"
He genuinely didn’t understand why she was suddenly angry.
Again.
"It’s good that you have this awareness."
Julian nodded seriously.
"But don’t rush things."
Then he smiled.
"Co, let Master take a look."
Yana’s eye twitched violently.
Master.
Again.
Master!
This bastard really wasn’t letting it go.
"I said no, so no! Get lost!"
Her orange eyes were slightly red.
Whether from pain or anger, even she wasn’t sure anymore.
She felt like Julian was bullying her.
Back during the fight against Steffan, he had hidden his true strength.
She had been worried sick.
Ready to fight beside him.
Ready to risk her life.
Yet he never told her anything.
Then later, while teaching her martial arts, he kept demanding she call him Master.
And now he was acting like everything was perfectly normal.
What’s so great about him?
So what if he was talented?
So what if he was stronger?
So what if he was handso?
So what if—
Yana abruptly stopped her thoughts.
Her face reddened slightly.
No.
That wasn’t the point.
The point was that he was annoying.
Very annoying.
She could study on her own.
Who needed his help?
Julian looked at her for several seconds.
Then glanced at her injured arm.
Then back at her stubborn expression.
He sighed.
Won were truly impossible to understand.
"Really don’t want it?"
"No."
Her answer ca imdiately.
Without hesitation.
Without room for negotiation.
Julian rubbed his chin.
"Then I’ll leave?"
He lifted one foot slightly.
Yana crossed her arms.
Though the motion made her fractured arm hurt again.
She winced.
But refused to show weakness.
"Go away."
She was annoyed just looking at him.
Julian stared at her.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Then he shrugged.
"Alright."
If she didn’t want help, what else could he do?
He wasn’t going to force her.
Turning around, he casually walked back toward the table.
Yana secretly waited.
Maybe he’d stop.
Maybe he’d insist.
Maybe he’d apologize.
Maybe—
Instead, Julian calmly picked up the tea cup.
Took a sip.
Finished the remaining tea.
Then stretched lazily.
"Not bad."
He looked refreshed.
As if nothing had happened.
Then he simply turned around and walked out of the training room.
His footsteps gradually faded.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Until finally—
Silence.
After Julian left.
Yana’s eyes unconsciously followed him.
Even after he disappeared through the doorway.
She kept staring.
The empty doorway suddenly felt irritating.
The quiet room felt irritating.
The broken sandbag felt irritating.
Everything felt irritating.
Especially Julian.
A few monts later, realization hit her.
He really left.
Just like that.
No persuasion.
No concern.
Nothing.
A strange ache suddenly appeared inside her chest.
It wasn’t the injury.
It wasn’t the pain in her arm.
It was sothing else.
Sothing she couldn’t explain.
Sothing that made her feel even worse.
Her lips trembled slightly.
Then she sat down heavily on the ground.
The shattered sand scattered around her feet.
The afternoon sunlight shone across the courtyard.
Yet she felt strangely lonely.
Her injured arm throbbed painfully.
Her eyes beca increasingly red.
Then she grabbed a handful of sand and threw it toward the broken sandbag.
"Stupid Julian."
The words ca out quietly.
Then another.
"Bastard Julian."
Another handful of sand flew.
"Ugly Julian."
Even as she said it, she knew it wasn’t true.
That only made her angrier.
"I hate you."
The final words ca out softer than before.
Much softer.
The anger in her voice gradually weakened.
The more she cursed, the less convincing it sounded.
Eventually her voice beca nothing more than a small murmur.
The tears she had been holding back finally gathered in her eyes.
One drop.
Then another.
Slowly rolling down her cheeks.
Yana lowered her head.
Her long black hair fell around her face.
She just felt really wronged, though she didn’t know why.
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