Chapter 0202

Chapter 202: Tang Qi: Rise, My Dignity!

A loud slap rang out as Zhou Tong struck without hesitation, his palm landing hard on the old geezer’s face.

The old man’s head snapped sideways, a front tooth spun through the air, yet his face showed no anger as he crowed: “Hahaha, brat, now you know what happens if you dare touch me!”

He felt certain Zhou Tong had suffered backlash. Looking closely, Zhou Tong’s face was indeed bright red, which he took as a sign of rebound.

Zhou Tong spoke with a stiff look, acting tough: “Hmph, that’s all you’ve got.”

“Still mouthing off, little brat? Looks like you don’t understand the methods of the Heaven Gu Clan,” the old geezer grew even more arrogant, tapping his own cheek as he taunted: “Go on then, try me a few more times. Let’s see if I don’t finish you off!”

Zhou Tong laughed inside as he rolled his arm in a wide circle: [You said it yourself.]

Another crisp smack landed. The old man shuddered like he’d been struck by lightning, his eyes dazed as if his life choices were in doubt. He peered at Zhou Tong and sneered when he saw Zhou Tong’s face turn even redder: “Brat, how does that feel now?”

“Great,” Zhou Tong blurted, which only made the old man’s cold smile deepen.

“Keep pretending. If you’ve got the guts, do it again.”

Smack.

“Heh, you can take a hit, kid. Dare to go again?”

“Old geezer, watch my Lightning Whirlwind Chop,” Zhou Tong said with mock solemnity.

Smack, smack, smack, smack… He was completely hooked now. His arm swung so fast it left afterimages, and in a blink he delivered a hundred rapid-fire slaps.

“Ahhh!” the old geezer screamed. His whole face burned bright red, and his brain felt fuzzy from the beating. “Stop! You little beast, stop!”

At last he realized what was happening. He struggled wildly and finally broke free from Zhou Tong’s slap Hell.

“You really do have tricks, old ghost,” Zhou Tong mocked with a shake of his stinging hand: “Your face is so thick that my palm hurts.”

Laughter rose from below, a wave of jeers that made the old man’s shame turn to fury.

“How dare you humiliate me. Die for it!” he roared, unleashing his full power at the Ninth Layer and throwing a punch at Zhou Tong.

But in the next instant, the Power of Laws surged down and pressed him flat.

With a wet cough the old geezer spat blood, his aura collapsing in an instant. “Impossible!” he gasped. He had thought Zhou Tong would suffer backlash and the laws would be useless, but they only crushed him instead.

“Little beast, I’ve memorized your face!” he trembled as he was helped up, his features a mask of blood and torn flesh, yet he still spat venom: “I, Zhong Feng, swear to the heavens that I will tear you into pieces!”

“What did you say your name was?” Zhou Tong frowned.

“I am Zhong Feng. Afraid now?” he snapped back.

Before he finished, a gourd appeared in Zhou Tong’s hand, its mouth already open.

“What is that?” Zhong Feng asked, startled.

A beam of dazzling light shot from the gourd’s mouth and wrapped him up.

“Ahhh!” Caught off guard, the old man was sucked straight into the gourd.

“My good grandson, stay in there and cultivate your temper,” Zhou Tong said with a smile.

The Heaven Gu Clan onlookers gaped. They had kicked a steel wall.

“Run! Go find the grand elder and avenge us!” someone shouted, and in the next heartbeat the Heaven Gu Clan scattered like startled birds.

“You got off easy,” Zhou Tong said coolly. With the laws suppressing everyone, he chose not to slaughter; it was the steady move.

The group stepped into the city. A flash of light passed, and a huge stream of information poured into each person’s mind.

These were the rules of the city. Everyone had to obey.

The second level was split into two regions. Inside the city was a safe zone: except for the natives here, no one was allowed to harm others. If you attacked, the laws would strike you. Outside the city was the frontier zone: killing was allowed, and many ruins and powerful strange creatures would appear there.

Exploring could earn lots of lumina coins and other chances. All of this could be traded for treasures in the safe zone.

The safe zone had eight main shops at the eight directions of the city. Each sold different goods: Bloodline, Body, Energy, Information, Laws, Strong Strike, Treasure, and Ultimate Arts.

They claimed that if you could pay enough, there was nothing you could not buy.

As the message finished, everyone looked amazed. This world truly was mysterious.

“Successor of the Mountain Ghost Clan, you have finally come,” a small globe of light floated before Zhou Tong.

“What are you?” Zhou Tong asked warily.

“I am not a thing,” the light said kindly. “As a successor of the Four Symbols Pool, once you arrive here, you get one reward. Pick one of the eight shops and receive a random gift.”

“I pick Laws,” Zhou Tong answered without hesitation.

A globe of light fell from the sky into his hands.

“Edict: Revered Deity,” he read, eyes lighting up. It was indeed a law. Its effect: as long as someone kneels to him in sincere worship, he gains a strand of their faith and life force, and gains suppressive power over them.

It looked a bit niche, but Zhou Tong was the grand elder of the Joyous Union Sect and could create his own supreme arts. [I won’t lack worshippers.] With this law he could level up fast in the Reincarnation Realm.

“Let’s go browse the city,” he said.

…

At that moment, Tang Qi, who had escaped with his pride in pieces thanks to Zhou Tong’s blow, also reached the safe zone.

He raced straight to the Body shop and paid a huge sum for the part he had dreamed about.

“Rise again, my dignity!” he cried.

A bright light shone from his lower half, and in a blink he was whole again.

“Perfect,” he said with deep satisfaction. He felt bold and untouchable. “One good piece beats six bad ones. Quality crushes quantity.”

But after the celebration, his face turned dark, hatred filling his chest as Zhou Tong’s image rose in his mind. “I’ll make sure you die without a grave.”

In a heartbeat he reached the Ultimate Arts shop.

“Do you have a technique that can curse someone to death at a distance?” he asked bluntly.

“We do. The Seven Arrows Cursing Rite. Ten thousand lumina coins,” the shopkeeper said, handing him a light orb with the method inside.

After paying, Tang Qi peeked at it and smiled. “This really is good.”

The method said: carve the target’s image and write their name. Then kneel in devout worship for forty-nine days, and the target’s soul will scatter.

“It’s good, but the time is too long,” Tang Qi grumbled.

“For three thousand more, I’ll tell you a trick,” the shopkeeper said, eyes sly.

Tang Qi agreed in the end.

“Lean in,” the shopkeeper whispered. “If you knock your head on the floor ten thousand times a day to that image, it will work within two days.”

“Great. I’ll start today,” Tang Qi said, thrilled. He couldn’t stand for Zhou Tong to live even one more second.