True Martial World Chapter 5: Lian Chengyu

Yi Yun's slender and weak frame stood even shorter than Jiang Xiaorou. Though he resembled a child, in Jiang Xiaorou's heart, Yi Yun remained the man of the house, the one destined to uphold the family going forward!

As Yi Yun grasped Jiang Xiaorou's hands, he detected her turmoil from the warmth in her palm and the faint quiver in her fingers. With death looming over them and the tribe's injustice glaring, Jiang Xiaorou never hoped for anyone else to defend her. She had no choice but to step up herself—a fifteen-year-old girl challenging a group of burly men.

Silence fell over the scene momentarily as all present stared blankly at Yi Yun and Jiang Xiaorou. Moments later, several grain distributors burst into roaring laughter.

“He is your household’s man? Hahahaha!”

“Young lass, have you not seen a man before? Do you want me to show you what it means to be a man?” one man said with a lecherous grin.

“A kid who doesn’t even need to shave, a skinny monkey like that. Hey kid, how many days has it been since you ditched your diapers?”

The men erupted in guffaws, while Jiang Xiaorou flushed crimson with shame, her fists clenched hard. Not one soul behind her dared to back her up.

The tribe's elite consisted of mighty warriors and laborers. Since the feeble stood no chance against the powerful, folks focused on their own food struggles and ignored the rest.

“Eh, I recall something. Didn’t this brat die a few days ago?”

In such a tiny tribe, fatalities happened often. Yi Yun, with no status whatsoever, saw his passing go unnoticed by all.

“That’s right. I know him. He’s riddled with sickness. His frame is so frail, a mere breeze could topple him,” another chimed in.

“Who said my brother has died!” Jiang Xiaorou glared at the man like a fierce leopardess. Their sizes mismatched wildly, a tiny sparrow facing a massive vulture. Still, she bared her teeth and held firm, her eyes blazing with beastly killing intent.

It seemed unbelievable that such a delicate girl could unleash that fierce gaze. Gripped tightly behind her back was a slender pole-like object she'd concealed—a single arrow stashed secretly for protection!

The man's brow furrowed under Jiang Xiaorou's fierce stare, fueling his rage. As a tribe deacon and warrior reserve member, he held lofty status. This felt like a mighty tiger cornered by a pesky kitten.

“You foolish lass, what are you staring at? I’ll dig out your eyes if you keep staring!” he bellowed furiously, yet Jiang Xiaorou kept her teeth gritted, refusing to yield. Without rations today, they'd perish. Her grip on the hidden arrow tightened, nearly pulling it free!

“This lass is interesting!” From a spotless elevated home, a youth in gleaming silver armor watched the clash between Jiang Xiaorou and the man through the window, a smirk playing on his lips.

This silver-armored youth exuded an overwhelming aura. His shining attire starkly highlighted the gap between him and the wretched masses below.

“She’s still concealing an arrow. Every bit of arrow-making stock got tallied, yet even flawed ones had to be gathered. No idea how this girl snuck it away, but she looks ready to wield it in attack.”

“If she attacks, she’ll end up in dire straits for sure,” noted the elder beside the silver-armored youth with deference.

“That’s right. But without attacking, she’d likely starve to death,” the silver-armored youth remarked casually. “Tell me more about the girl.”

Bowing deeply, the elder replied, “Replying to Young Master, she’s Jiang Xiaorou, from the lowest class in our Lian tribal clan. She and her brother weren’t originally Lian tribesfolk. They were refugees who scraped by here. Years back, Yi Yun’s mother died, orphaning the pair. Most figured the kids without a mom would perish, but young Jiang Xiaorou astonishingly supported both herself and her brother, surviving several years.”

Utterly courteous, the elder knew the ins and outs of every one of the thousand souls in the Lian tribal clan.

Large tribes rarely accepted refugees; only small ones did. This helped tiny tribes bolster numbers, though refugees always ranked far below locals.

“She’s actually from outside.” The youth murmured to himself, a slow smirk forming.

From what he had observed earlier, he sensed that Jiang Xiaorou possessed an indescribable aura unlike that of a child from a destitute family. Moreover, her features were graceful and refined. In a struggling small tribe, a girl as stunning as her was truly uncommon. This alluring beauty with her rebellious spirit and mysterious background sparked Lian Chengyu's curiosity.

“Young master, has she caught your interest?” the elder ventured to inquire. After all, Young Master Lian Chengyu commanded immense respect within the tribe!

The Lian tribal clan boasted few warriors overall, but when counting true elites, there were merely three. One was the Patriarch, the yellow-robed elder; another was Yao Yuan, the coach of the warrior preparation camp; and the last was Lian Chengyu. As the grandnephew of the yellow-robed elder, Lian Chengyu was just seventeen while the Patriarch was already in his sixties, paving a promising future for him. He was clearly destined to become the next Patriarch and had the greatest potential to achieve “Purple Blood Warrior” status.

Given Lian Chengyu’s noble background, he typically wouldn’t wed someone of such humble origins from outside the clan.

“So what if she has? This tiny Lian tribe won’t hold me back for long. I’ll venture into the boundless wilderness for epic exploits! Do you plan to bind me with the Lian tribal clan rules?”

Though Lian Chengyu spoke evenly, his icy tone sent chills through the elder, who quickly replied, “I was only jesting, Young Master. I overstepped; please overlook it!”

As he spoke, the elder nearly struck his own face, knowing full well that despite its size, the Lian tribal clan enforced its rules with ironclad severity!

In the brutal wilderness where might makes right, nations enforced martial law, and in tribes, warriors dominated, making tribal regulations harshly rigid no matter the statutes!

The mighty grasped the lives of the feeble in their palms. As the tribe’s top powerhouse, Lian Chengyu wielded total power over anyone’s destiny.

Furthermore, Lian Chengyu offered no quarter. From youth, he had endured countless hardships and savage internal conflicts even within the tribe.

Upon seeing the elder poised to self-punish, Lian Chengyu remarked indifferently, “Enough. Cease your performance before me. The girl is still young; I’d take her merely as a servant or concubine. No need for concern—this won’t breach tribal rules.”

“Yes... thank you for your mercy, Young Master,” the elder bowed his head eagerly.

“Now... tell me this. Why does Jiang Xiaorou bear a different surname from her brother?” Lian Chengyu squinted, observing the field below. He noted Jiang Xiaorou’s fierce protectiveness toward her brother, a frail, sickly weakling, yet she regarded him with evident pride.

“Well... rumor has it that when Jiang Xiaorou faced hardships, Yi Yun’s mother took her in. Out of deep gratitude, Jiang Xiaorou treats Yi Yun like family too.”

“I see...” Lian Chengyu furrowed his brow and rose to his feet.

“Scram already!” Enraged by Jiang Xiaorou’s stubborn stance, the man advanced and raised his hand to strike her!

Against the man’s burly frame, the delicate Jiang Xiaorou stood no chance. That blow would hurl her airborne!

As Jiang Xiaorou reached for her arrow, her hand was firmly held down. Yi Yun urgently whispered, “Don’t act impulsively!”

With a swift motion, Yi Yun positioned himself before Jiang Xiaorou.

“Wait!” Yi Yun called out, palms upraised.

“Who do you think you are?” The man fumed; this scrawny runt dared interfere—he’d knock him away too!

Yi Yun itched to boot the man’s groin, but wisdom prevailed—a wise man knows when to retreat. Drawing from two lifetimes, he stayed composed, aware rashness here spelled doom.

“True men don’t strike women. Besides, as a warrior preparation camp member, you’re mighty—how could you hit a mere girl? That’d make you the laughingstock!” Speaking rapidly yet distinctly amid the tension, Yi Yun ensured all heard, eyes alert to the man’s aggression.

The man paused, eyeing the boy oddly.

Wouldn’t a typical twelve-year-old charge in cursing or foolishly shield his sister and get flung aside?

Yet this kid stepped forward with clever words—a sharp, potent jab that froze the man’s hand mid-swing, leaving him wavering.

The man felt as if he were striking at thin air. After all, as someone from the warrior preparation camp, beating up two children wouldn’t bring him any honor in the eyes of others. On top of that, rivalries existed between the warrior preparation camp and regular townsfolk, making it all too easy for sharp words to humiliate him.

This brute might act rashly, yet he had no wish to be gossiped about behind his back.

“Hmph, at least you know your place!” the man snorted, lowering his hand while glaring at the siblings. “I’m in a good mood today, so I won’t waste time arguing with you. Now scram!”

“Yun-er!” Jiang Xiaorou called out, tugging at Yi Yun’s hand. Helplessness filled her, for she knew clashing with the man would yield nothing good. But walking away empty-handed meant they’d go hungry.

“Sis Xiaorou... don’t worry,” Yi Yun reassured her, clasping Jiang Xiaorou’s hand and motioning for her to stay calm. “So, I’ll be off now, but first, this little one has something to ask you...”