You're Not Leaving Until You Take My Punch

In the small clearing within the stronghold.

Hua Kai Jian Hong and several other players were all looking around with great interest. When they saw the short sabers and hand axes held by Central Plains Man and the others, envy showed on their faces.

It was only the second day of the game's closed beta.

Many of them had not merely failed to obtain weapons—they could not even get hold of a kitchen knife.

Yet Central Plains Man and the others, who had only joined Black Wind Stronghold yesterday, were now carrying short sabers and hand axes, dressed in imposing bandit outfits with their chests bared and lapels open. They truly looked the part.

"Hehehe, brothers, we'll soon all be family. What we have now, you'll have soon enough. Stick with Black Wind Stronghold, and your future will be bright."

A player named Triangle Muscle laughed heartily, boasting before the newcomers with a face full of pride.

Though Hua Kai Jian Hong and the other newcomers grumbled inwardly, smiles appeared on their faces as well.

No matter what, joining Black Wind Stronghold at this stage was indeed the best choice.

After all, having spawned in a tiny place like Mengyin County, they were already fortunate to find a respectable faction to join.

There had originally been the Hu Family Martial Arts School.

But unfortunately, even the head instructor of the Hu Family Martial Arts School had been beaten to death by Black Wind Stronghold's Great Mountain Lord.

Naturally, their only choice now was to join the strongest Black Wind Stronghold.

Just then, two bandits came over and called for everyone to enter and meet the Stronghold Master.

The players immediately perked up and began reminding Hua Kai Jian Hong and the other newcomers.

"The Stronghold Master doesn't have a good temper. You newcomers had better be sharp and perform well."

"In a moment, shout with us: 'Black Wind Stronghold is mighty and domineering! The Stronghold Master is brave and peerless!'"

The newcomers followed a group of people who considered themselves veterans, though they were actually nervous themselves, as they approached the courtyard.

Hua Kai Jian Hong calmly observed the surrounding buildings.

He discovered that the layout of Black Wind Stronghold was far from simple.

Though it was a mountain stronghold, it had many entrances and complex paths. Bandits bearing an air of vigilance could be seen everywhere.

At several elevated positions, even crossbows—contraband forbidden by the imperial court—had been specially installed. The stronghold seemed to have no small backing.

Hua Kai Jian Hong committed everything he saw to memory, and soon arrived with the group at a square courtyard.

Even through the courtyard wall, they could smell the aroma of roasting lamb.

Once inside, they saw that tables and chairs had already been arranged in a circle around the yard.

A bonfire burned in the open space at the center. Beside it, a fat, bald-headed bandit was turning a whole lamb over the flames, sweat pouring down him like rain.

The lamb had already roasted to a golden brown, hot oil sizzling from it as it gave off a rich fragrance that left the players drooling.

But the players immediately noticed the two big shots seated beside the tables.

Especially Jiang Dali, whose name was so green it had nearly turned purple. He was broad-backed and powerfully built, his whole body emanating a frightening pressure. Sitting there, he resembled a small mountain, his towering presence giving one the feeling that even a carriage would be wrecked if it crashed into him.

By comparison, Xiong Ba, seated beside him, seemed utterly overshadowed—old and somewhat feeble.

What a terrifying figure, this Black Wind Stronghold Master. He's probably truly the strongest Great BOSS in this entire county. I wonder what martial arts I might be able to learn from him?

Maintaining a respectful expression, Hua Kai Jian Hong copied the other players in bowing to Jiang Dali and Xiong Ba, all while pondering inwardly.

At that moment.

Jiang Dali had already received the applications from this group of new players to join the stronghold.

There were four new recruits in total, and one of their names caught his attention.

"Hua Kai Jian Hong?"

Jiang Dali's gaze casually swept over one of the disheveled players.

Hua Kai Jian Hong instantly felt a chill run through his entire body. It was as though he had been targeted by a tiger; an inexplicable panic gripped his heart, and his legs even went a little weak.

But Jiang Dali soon looked away.

He still had some impression of the name Hua Kai Jian Hong.

He remembered that in his previous life, this person seemed to have been an expert player of the Ming Cult. He had not expected to scoop him up in this life.

Outwardly, however, Jiang Dali did not make much of it.

He had been an expert in his previous life, but now Jiang Dali had thrust a pole in early and planted him in his own vegetable patch. Whether he would still become an expert depended on how he was cultivated. For now, there was no need to view him too differently.

He casually accepted this batch of players.

Among them, four old players were considered to have completed their mission, and they happily received rewards of Cultivation Points and Potential Points.

Jiang Dali also gained 40 Cultivation Points and Potential Points as a result.

He could not help sighing inwardly. Recruiting more players really was better.

With these players serving as cultivation accelerators, what great undertaking could he possibly fail to achieve in the future?

What Nine Yang Divine Skill being easy to learn but hard to master, what Nine Yin Manual being convoluted and difficult to practice—none of that was a problem. Many hands make light work; Great Strength Creates Miracles.

"You newcomers, work hard. Contribute bricks and tiles to the stronghold's construction, and I will..."

Jiang Dali was in the middle of some polite pleasantries when, before he could finish, his eyes suddenly blazed with a sharp gleam like a guandao being drawn from its sheath, making the players who had been happily nodding tighten their bladders in fright.

Almost at the same time, he slammed a palm down on the table. His feet stomped with such force that the ground seemed to sink, and he shot out like a great wildcat.

Bang!

The instant he sprang away, a whistle tore through the air. With a single flash, several projectiles struck the tabletop with a rapid "thud thud thud."

Four or five throwing darts were suddenly embedded in the table.

"Bold indeed!!"

Jiang Dali sprang again. Though his body was powerfully built, he moved as nimbly as a flying cicada, reaching the wall ten meters away in the blink of an eye.

As he leaped aside, another dart flashed toward him like a cold star. Its spiraling tip drilled into the wall, instantly cracking the surrounding surface.

Had it struck his body, Jiang Dali would likely have had no choice but to use his Iron Cloth Skill if he wanted to avoid being pierced through by a single dart.

There was more than one assassin.

Whoosh!

Amid the crowd's cries of alarm, Jiang Dali had only just steadied himself when another dart tore through the air toward him.

It gave him virtually no time to evade or even catch his breath, pressing him step by step.

Jiang Dali snorted coldly. In an instant, the skin and flesh all over his body turned a sheet of bluish-black. His face twisted into the fierce visage of a door god or yaksha, while his towering frame abruptly grew two feet taller and his muscles swelled.

Clang—

The dart struck his body as though it had hit an iron plate mounted on springs, and was sent flying straight back.

A tiny green "-1" slowly and laboriously floated up from above Jiang Dali's head under the stunned gazes of the players. The long, despair-inducing remainder of his health bar made their scalps tingle.

"What an incredible Iron Cloth Skill!"

A figure in a tree beyond the courtyard wall cried out in shock. Before he could dodge, Jiang Dali snorted, and a willow-leaf dart in his hand shot forth like lightning.

Flying Star Spreading Hatred!

A muffled groan immediately sounded from behind the swaying tree shadow. A figure fell from the tree and tried to flee.

"Think you can get away?"

Jiang Dali barked coldly, then slammed straight through the courtyard wall like a savage beast. Amid clods of dirt and shattered stones that sprayed out like bullets, he charged brutally at the fleeing figure and threw a punch!

At once, an aura as vicious as a tiger descending the mountain surged forth, terrifying beyond measure!

"Take one of my punches before you leave!"