From Death To Dominion

The fat student grinned as he snatched one of the pouches from the fallen boy before roughly pushing him away. Then, grabbing the second pouch from the other student, he jingled the contents in his hand, his face lighting up with greed. The crisp clinking of Ki Stones was music to his ears.

"Now these are your protection fees," he declared with a smug grin. "If you run into any trouble, you can come to me—hahaha!"

The two victims could only force out awkward smiles and nod weakly, their shoulders slumping in silent defeat. They had no choice but to comply.

"And don't even think about spreading rumors, or things will get much worse for you," the fat student added, his gaze turning sharp.

"We won't!" both students hurriedly shook their heads, their faces pale with fear.

The two boys stared at him in horror, their clenched fists trembling at their sides, but their bodies refused to resist. This wasn't the first time they had been forced to pay "protection fees," and it likely wouldn't be the last.

Just as the gang of five was about to leave, one of them suddenly stiffened, eyes widening as he caught sight of something—or rather, someone.

A young man stood at the edge of the clearing, leaning lazily against the trunk of a tree, arms crossed over his chest. He watched them with an expression of quiet amusement, his head slightly tilted as if he had been enjoying the show.

Ye Xian.

The chubby leader's brow furrowed as he recognized the newcomer. A flicker of wariness crossed his face, but it was quickly masked by a sneer.

"Ye Xian, what are you doing here?" he asked, stepping forward.

The only path leading away from the clearing was now blocked by Ye Xian, making his presence impossible to ignore.

Ye Xian smirked. "Oh, nothing much… Just here to collect a protection fee."

The fat student blinked in confusion. "Protection fee? For what? And for whom?"

Ye Xian chuckled, his gaze sweeping over the gang. "Obviously, for your protection. You and your little friends." His eyes gleamed with mischief as he tapped a finger against his chin. "Hand over all the Ki Stones you just collected, and I'll make sure you all stay… safe."

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, the chubby student burst into laughter, and his followers quickly joined in, their raucous laughter echoing through the secluded grove.

"Ye Xian, you sure know how to tell a joke!" the fat student wheezed, wiping away a fake tear. "Get out of the way. We won't show you mercy just because you're from the Ye Clan. Everyone knows you're trash! ! Even your so-called 'genius' younger half-brother wants nothing to do with you! You think you can do whatever you want just because you're a Ye? You have no backing!"

Ye Xian's expression remained unfazed. "Idiot. Hand over the Ki Stones," he said, his voice turning cold. "I won't warn you again."

The fat student's face twisted with anger. "You bastard! You dare threatening me?Don't test my patience. Scram!"

Ye Xian chuckled, completely unfazed.He tapped his chin thoughtfully before shaking his head.

"Just hand over the protection fee, and you'll be safe."

His voice was light, almost playful. Then, his tone dropped, turning cold.

"Otherwise..."

"Hah! You're just an initiate in the Ki Refining Realm!" Fatty snorted.His voice was full of disdain. He took another step forward, his aura flaring slightly.

"I'm already at the Third Stage, and I have my brothers with me. But honestly, I don't even need them. I alone am enough to crush you!"

His gang chuckled.

Ye Xian sighed, shaking his head.

"Such an idiot." His eyes flickered with cold amusement. "It seems there's no brain here… only fat."

Fatty's face twisted in fury at Ye Xian's words. His patience had run dry, and humiliation burned within him.

"You arrogant bastard!. I'll beat you to a pulp!" Fatty roared, his voice trembling with rage.

In the next moment—

His rage surged as he rushed toward Ye Xian, his bulky frame moving faster than expected. Among his group, he was the strongest—at the third stage of the ki Refining Realm, while the rest of his followers were at the first stage or still in the Mortal Realm.

This gang usually preyed on Earth and Yellow Class juniors, those weaker than them, ensuring they never faced a real challenge.

Unfortunately for them, today, they had picked the wrong opponent.

Without waiting for a response, he charged forward like an enraged bull. His hefty body moved with surprising speed for someone of his size, and his clenched fist whistled through the air, aiming straight for Ye Xian's face. The sheer force behind the punch was enough to crack bones—if it landed.

Yet, to Fatty's shock, Ye Xian casually stepped to the side.

His movement was effortless, like a breeze flowing through the trees. Fatty's punch struck nothing but air, his momentum throwing him off balance. Before he could recover, Ye Xian's eyes flashed coldly, and his body flickered forward using Limit Release.

In the blink of an eye, Ye Xian closes the distance.

Smack!

A thunderous slap resounded through the secluded clearing.

Fatty's head twisted violently, his entire body lifting off the ground. His overweight frame spun midair—flipping a full 360 degrees—before slamming onto the ground with a heavy thud.

The remaining gang members stood rooted to the spot, their mouths agape, eyes filled with shock and terror. None of them had expected their leader—who had always been the one instilling fear in others—to be sent flying like a ragdoll.

Fatty lay motionless for several seconds, his mind blank from the sheer force of the blow. When he finally stirred, his limbs trembled as he struggled to push himself up. His right ear was ringing painfully, and he could barely hear anything from it.

Shaking his head in a daze, he turned toward Ye Xian with bloodshot eyes, his rage only intensifying.

"You… you dare hit me?! I'll kill you!" he bellowed, his voice laced with madness.

Summoning all his strength, he lunged at Ye Xian again, his massive fist swinging down like a hammer.

Ye Xian, however, remained utterly calm.

Just as the punch was about to land, he sidestepped once more, his movements fluid and precise. At the same time, he grabbed Fatty's wrist with a firm grip.

"You're too slow."

Fatty barely had time to process what was happening before Ye Xian twisted his arm behind his back in a single, brutal motion.

Crack!

"AAAAHHHH!"

A piercing scream echoed through the clearing. Fatty's face contorted in agony as he felt a sharp pain shoot through his arm. His knees buckled, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"I give up! I give up! Please! Take the Ki Stones!" he cried out desperately, his earlier arrogance completely shattered.

His gang members, witnessing their leader reduced to a sobbing mess, were struck with terror. Without hesitation, they turned tail and ran, abandoning him without a second thought.

Even the two bullied students—who had been victimized just moments ago—felt an overwhelming fear towards Ye Xian.

They, too, fled.

Ye Xian chuckled, his gaze sweeping over the now-empty clearing. He shook his head in amusement before looking down at the whimpering Fatty, who was still clutching his injured arm.

"Looks like your so-called brothers abandoned you the moment things got tough," Ye Xian said, his voice laced with mockery. "So much for loyalty, huh?"

Fatty's face twisted in humiliation. He had always prided himself on leading his little gang, believing that they would stand by him no matter what. Yet, when faced with true danger, they had fled without hesitation, leaving him to suffer alone.

Ye Xian crouched down beside him, his smirk deepening. "Tell me, how does it feel? To be left behind? To be discarded like worthless trash?" He tapped Fatty's swollen cheek lightly, making him flinch. "Hurts, doesn't it? But don't worry—you'll get used to it."

Fatty gritted his teeth, his breath ragged, but he couldn't muster a response. His so-called followers had vanished the moment things turned against them, proving they had only ever been with him out of fear, not loyalty.

Ye Xian rose to his feet, dusting off his robes. "You should reflect on this moment," he continued lazily. "Maybe next time, you'll think twice before throwing your weight around. Or better yet—maybe you'll finally understand that strength isn't just about having numbers on your side."

Fatty, though whimpering in pain, suddenly sneered through his tears.

"You… you have no idea what you've done," he stammered. "These Ki Stones aren't just mine. They belong to students from the Sky Class. When they find out, you'll be in serious trouble! Hahaha!"

Ye Xian's eyes turned ice-cold.

"You dare to threaten me?"

Before Fatty could react, Ye Xian raised his free hand and delivered another ruthless slap across the other side of his face.

Smack!

The sound echoed like a thunderclap. Fatty's head jerked sideways, and a buzzing sensation filled his skull as his vision blurred.

He felt like his brain had just been rattled.

Ye Xian then grabbed Fatty's storage pouch and emptied its contents into his own. His eyes gleamed as he counted the 420 Ki Stones.

"Not bad. Looks like you've robbed plenty of students already."

Fatty grimaced, biting down his anger and grief, knowing full well that resisting would only bring him more pain.

Satisfied, Ye Xian gave him a final kick to the side, sending him tumbling away.

"Consider this a taste of your own medicine—or rather, a fair collection of the 'protection fee' you love so much." Ye Xian said. " Next time, don't bite off more than you can chew."

With that, he stored the Ki Stones in his space pouch and walked off leisurely, leaving Fatty groaning in the dirt.