Barehanded Tiger Slaying, Donghe Commandery's Richest Man

Roar!

In Evil Fiend Forest, a tiger's roar rang out.

Xu Yan had already pounced onto the Red-Eyed Tiger's back. His blood and qi surged, his strength exploded, and he drove a fierce punch into the Red-Eyed Tiger's head.

Bang!

The Red-Eyed Tiger had just risen, ready to fly into a rage, when the punch left it dazed. Its limbs went weak, and it collapsed again.

Roar!

The Red-Eyed Tiger's ferocity was provoked. It let out a roar, shaking its head as it tried to roll over and throw Xu Yan off. Its tiger claws were poised to strike.

Having landed his blow, Xu Yan naturally would not stop there. One hand gripped the Red-Eyed Tiger by the scruff of its neck, while his other fist smashed into its head again.

Once more, he struck the Red-Eyed Tiger flat to the ground.

"The Red-Eyed Tiger truly deserves to be called the King of Tigers. It can still struggle after taking two of my punches!"

Xu Yan was greatly shocked.

Though he had not yet forged Golden Bone, he had surpassed the limits of Copper Bone. His body was so strong that blades and swords could scarcely harm it.

When his blood and qi erupted, splitting steles and shattering stones came as easily as turning his hand.

Yet such a terrifying punch had failed to kill the Red-Eyed Tiger. Its toughness was plain to see.

"Die!"

Xu Yan threw another punch at the Red-Eyed Tiger's head.

Boom!

This punch drove the Red-Eyed Tiger's head straight into the earth!

The Red-Eyed Tiger clawed frantically at the ground, trying to struggle back up. Its tail swept wildly about with snapping slaps. An ordinary person struck even once would likely be unable to get back up for half a day.

"So you can take a beating, huh?"

Xu Yan shouted. At that moment, his blood and qi seemed to erupt at their very limit. He felt a mass of blood and qi wrapping around his fist, and could vaguely see that his fist had grown a full size larger.

"Die!"

This punch smashed viciously into the back of the Red-Eyed Tiger's neck.

Crack!

A crisp crack sounded—the sound of bone breaking.

Roar!

The Red-Eyed Tiger let out a pained howl. Its head drooped into the dirt, unable to rise again. Its limbs twitched as though all strength had left them.

Xu Yan's punch had directly broken the Red-Eyed Tiger's neck bone!

"That should kill it, right?"

Though he had only thrown a few punches, every one had been powered by an eruption of blood and qi. Especially the final blow, which had pushed his blood and qi to the utmost limit.

Xu Yan wiped the sweat from his brow and climbed off the tiger, panting.

At that moment, the Red-Eyed Tiger gave a low growl. Its whole body convulsed, and it was clearly not going to survive!

"I killed the King of Tigers with my bare hands!"

Xu Yan raised both fists, his eyes blazing with fervor.

He felt as though he had not yet had his fill.

"The King of Tigers is nothing special!"

"This is true martial arts. And I have yet to even enter the gate, yet I already possess such strength. Once I do enter, how powerful will I become?

"Beasts as fierce as the Red-Eyed Tiger could probably be blown apart with a single punch, right?"

At this moment, Xu Yan's martial heart grew ever firmer. His eyes burned with fervor and longing!

He picked up his sword and hung it at his waist. The Red-Eyed Tiger had already breathed its last, so he hoisted it directly onto his shoulder and strode away.

"I'll deal with it in town, then race back to Donghe Commandery. I'll have the apothecaries prepare it with Precious Medicine and brew it, strengthening its nourishing medicinal effects!"

Xu Yan's face was full of excitement. He would surely forge Golden Bone, stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ancient Prodigy, and never disappoint his master!

Donghe Commandery was one of the Qi Kingdom's twenty-six commanderies.

When it came to the matter most eagerly discussed in the streets and alleys of Donghe Commandery City, it was none other than the young master of the Xu Family, the richest family in Donghe Commandery. From high-ranking officials and nobles to common folk, even beggars by the roadside—who did not know that the richest man's son was a martial arts fanatic?

Not only was he a martial arts fanatic, he was also a fool.

After reading storybooks and biographies, he had come to firmly believe that Reclusive Masters existed in the world. He wanted to find one, take him as his master, and learn true martial arts.

There had even been brazen fools who impersonated masters to deceive him. Once exposed, they were beaten severely and thrown into prison. Over time, no one dared impersonate masters to swindle him anymore.

Yet the richest man's son refused to give up. He began wandering everywhere, claiming that he would find a master and learn supreme martial arts.

Last month, the richest man's son had his engagement called off.

The entire city had been shaken. Countless people mocked him, believing the engagement had been rightfully broken.

The woman was no ordinary daughter of a common household. She was the daughter of Jiang Pingshan, Great General of Donghe of the Qi Kingdom. For the Xu Family, the match had been reaching above their station.

This marriage agreement had been arranged by Xu Yan's maternal grandfather and the Great General of Donghe.

Speaking of legendary figures in Donghe Commandery, Xu Junhe, the richest man, was certainly among them. Born into an ordinary family, he possessed remarkable talent for business. Most astonishing of all, he had married the daughter of Guo Rongshan, the former Commandery Governor of Donghe Commandery and current Minister of Personnel.

With that connection, combined with Xu Junhe's business skill, he had swiftly become the richest man in Donghe Commandery.

Yet his only son had failed to live up to expectations.

Not only did he lack any talent for business, his head was filled with martial arts. He could not even preserve his engagement with Donghe General's Manor.

Rumor had it that when the young lady of Donghe General's Manor came to break off the engagement, that young master of the Xu Family had even boasted that one day, he would make her regret it beyond measure and become someone she could never hope to reach!

The moment those words spread, they became the laughingstock of Donghe Commandery.

A mere merchant family had already been extraordinarily fortunate to marry into the general's manor, yet he had actually boasted that he would become someone the general's daughter could never hope to reach?

Had the Xu Family not had Minister of Personnel Guo Rongshan behind them, Great General Donghe would likely have come to confiscate their household the moment he heard those words.

And it was precisely because of Guo Rongshan's connection that Xu Junhe, bearing lavish gifts, could apologize in person and soothe Jiang Pingshan's fury.

A horse pulled a flatbed cart down East City Street, drawing many gazes.

The goods on the cart were wrapped in coarse cloth, concealing what lay beneath. Yet the people on the street were not watching the cargo, but the youth driving the cart.

"Xu Junhe is quite the man. How did he end up with such a son?"

"With the Xu Family's vast fortune, there is no one to inherit it."

"Not necessarily. Xu Junhe is still young. If his son is no good, perhaps his grandson will be."

"If he had married the general's daughter, that might have worked. But now? Hard to say."

Many people on the street discussed it animatedly.

Some sighed, while others took delight in his misfortune.

There were also those who looked down on him.

Xu Yan turned a deaf ear. These discussions had not started only a day or two ago. In the past, he would have been furious, but now he dismissed them with scorn.

They were merely frogs at the bottom of a well.

How could they know the vastness of heaven and earth, or the might of martial arts?

Once I attain greatness in martial arts, not to mention these mere merchants and commoners—even those emperors who sit high above all will not be worthy of my regard!

So what if the general's daughter is impressive?

Once I attain greatness in martial arts, even an imperial princess will not be worthy of my regard!

If I say I will become someone she can never hope to reach, then I will certainly become someone she can never hope to reach!

At that moment, Xu Yan's gaze was proud and his eyes resolute. He believed that day would not be far off!

This Red-Eyed Tiger, the King of Tigers, would be enough to help him forge Golden Bone quickly.

To stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ancient Prodigy!

Donghe Commandery's richest Xu Family was located on East City Street, near the commandery government offices. It was a lavish grand residence.

There were no fewer than a hundred servants and guards.

Among the guards were quite a few martial arts experts, capable of leaping over eaves and walking on walls, splitting steles and shattering stones with ease.

At this moment, however, in the Xu Family's inner courtyard, the mistress of the Xu Family—the daughter of the current Minister of Personnel and Xu Yan's mother—wore a face full of sorrow. Her foolish son had been unheard from for an entire month...

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