Chapter 0074

Chapter 74: If This Is Love, Then It’s Too Twisted

Tang Qi swung his hand for a slap, his face filled with excitement: [I’ve wanted to do this for so long. I never had the chance, but today is perfect. How could I let it slip?]

He sneered in his heart: [Just a cripple. Let’s see how you escape my palm this time.]

He struck without mercy, planning to crush the other side’s dignity so completely that the man would fear him forever.

A crisp smack rang out.

Tang Qi froze. His eyes went blank as he clutched his cheek like he had been hit by lightning. He had been struck. Before he could move, Lian Han Xing, moving as Zhou Tong, was even faster and had already given him a slap.

His cheek barely hurt. His heart did.

Realizing what happened, Tang Qi’s eyes went blood-red. Being beaten to the punch by a cripple was not very damaging, but it was unbearably humiliating.

He roared, killing intent pouring out as he forced it toward Zhou Tong: “I want you dead!”

The pressure did almost nothing, and the answer it got was cold and firm. Zhou Tong did not budge, and Tang Qi even caught a faint hint of mockery on his face. It made Tang Qi’s heart jump: [What gives him the nerve to act like this? He has no cultivation. He’s not even as strong as a normal person. Where does this confidence come from? Is he just bluffing?]

What Tang Qi did not know was that the person in front of him could crush him with one hand. The reason he could not sense the other’s level was simple: his own realm was too low.

In a blur, Lian Han Xing struck again. Her palm pressed through Tang Qi’s showy aura and split the air with ease, ready to repeat what just happened.

Tang Qi ground his teeth and tried to leap out of range: “Don’t even think about it!”

But reality turned strange. The palm looked slow, so slow even a child could dodge it, yet he could not. Another sharp smack sounded. Tang Qi knew he had been humiliated again.

This time he had no space for anger, because the pain was real and brutal. It felt like a spiked wagon wheel rolled over his face. The force pierced bone, his brain buzzed, and his limbs and organs shook hard.

He screamed without control. The voice ripped upward and could be heard far away. It hurt so much he wanted to die.

Only then did he sense something was wrong: [How can a cripple hit me this hard? Did he never lose his cultivation at all?]

He shouted in his mind to the soul living in the Signet Ring: “Teacher, what is going on?”

The old voice answered with calm certainty: “I can confirm this boy truly has no cultivation. Perhaps he is using some other means.”

Neither of them knew Lian Han Xing was wearing Qian Miao Yu’s secret treasure, which perfectly hid her aura. Unless one’s spirit had reached the Emperor Realm, no one could see through her disguise.

Tang Qi dropped the act, his eyes cold with killing intent: “Lend me your power. I’ll kill him right now!”

At that moment, two figures hurried over, clearly drawn by the noise. Chen Ling’er and Xia Hong Xiu called out as they arrived: “What are you doing?”

Lian Han Xing’s body gave a small tremble. He slumped softly by the wall and slid to the ground, a line of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

Tang Qi stared, stunned by the familiar sight. His scalp tingled as he realized what it was: this was the same trick he used to pull, and somehow he had not reacted in time.

He jabbed a finger at Zhou Tong, his face like he had seen a ghost: “You…”

Chen Ling’er’s anger broke free as she snapped at Tang Qi: “Stop it. What do you think you’re doing!”

From her view, Tang Qi was in total control and bullying Zhou Tong. She scolded without mercy: “Seventh junior brother, you’ve got some nerve, daring to attack Zhou Tong while we were gone. Did your upbringing go to the dogs?”

Tang Qi’s face turned pale. He cursed inside and chose the fastest, roughest way to end this: he triggered the Love Gu at once.

But it barely worked. Chen Ling’er’s expression shifted several times, then she steadied herself and resisted the bug’s pull. Tang Qi’s heart lurched. This had never happened before. He thought in panic: [Is it because of Zhou Tong? It feels like when she stands near him, her resistance to the Gu jumps many times over. Don’t tell me she’s fallen for Zhou Tong so hard she can ignore the Love Gu? That’s impossible. I know exactly how she treated him before. If that’s love, it’s way too twisted.]

He tried to defend himself: “Senior sister, you misunderstand. He hit me first. I never laid a finger on him.”

His words earned two looks of open disdain. Even Xia Hong Xiu did not buy it. She thought coldly: [A cultivator about to step into the Heaven-Slaying Realm got slapped by a cripple? Do you think we’re fools?]

Tang Qi grew frantic and pointed to the cheek that had been struck: “If you don’t believe me, look at my face.”

But there was not a single handprint. Lian Han Xing’s control was exact. She hurt bone and organs without breaking skin. Even if she wrecked someone’s insides, nothing showed on the surface.

Xia Hong Xiu frowned and spoke with disgust: “Junior brother, you’re overacting.”

“Why won’t you believe me?” Tang Qi cried.

Lying on the ground, Lian Han Xing spoke in a faint, broken tone: “Please don’t fight over me. I’m just a cripple. This is what I deserve.”

He lifted his head, full of self-pity and despair, as if he had lost hope in everything.

Tears poured down Chen Ling’er’s face as she rushed closer: “No, you can’t think like that!”

She reached out to hug Zhou Tong and comfort him, but she did not dare touch him, afraid he might break.

She promised, voice firm: “If someone bullied you, say it. Your senior sister will fight for you even if it costs my life.”

Lian Han Xing shook his head and spoke quickly: “No. Just think I’m weak and hurt myself. Don’t blame seventh junior brother. This has nothing to do with him.”

As he spoke, he rubbed his cheek. It was already bright red, as if someone had slapped him.

Chen Ling’er’s eyes reddened with fury as she stepped up to Tang Qi: “Apologize.”

Tang Qi stared like he could not believe it: “You want me to apologize to him?”

Chen Ling’er’s voice was ice: “This is what you should do.”

Tang Qi snapped: “No. I didn’t even touch him. Why should I apologize? He should apologize to me!”

Chen Ling’er’s restraint shattered. She swung with full strength and slapped him hard.