Reinforcements

After exchanging blows, Jiang Che ran without looking back.

Within the same realm, Qi-Blood further divided practitioners into four stages: early, mid, late, and peak.

That servant from before, now that he thought about it, had only been at the Early-Stage Stone Skin Realm.

This Flower-Plucking Thief's Qi-Blood was clearly far more vigorous than that servant's, yet it had not reached the point of making Jiang Che feel oppressed.

Therefore, he judged that this man was probably at the Mid-Stage Stone Skin Realm.

Of course, that was still far beyond what Jiang Che could contend against.

Regret stirred in his heart. He had still underestimated this Flower-Plucking Thief! He had to find reinforcements quickly!

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But that man did not fare well either. A hole had somehow been pierced through his palm, and blood was continuously pouring out.

Looking at Jiang Che again, a section of iron spike protruded from between his clenched fingers, glimmering with a faint green light!

It turned out that when they exchanged punches, Jiang Che had already gripped the hand spike in his palm.

By now, Jiang Che had grown used to using the hand spike.

For one thing, compared to other weapons, the hand spike was highly concealable and difficult to notice, making it easier to achieve its effect.

After all, although sabers and swords were more lethal, opponents would be more guarded against them, making it harder to injure them instead.

For another, the hand spike was naturally suited for fist techniques. Unlike sabers or swords, it did not require him to learn additional matching martial arts.

Finally, the hand spike could be coated in poison. This was also a good method for defeating the strong with the weak.

If not for the poison, Jiang Che would never have been able to defeat that servant from Li Estate.

Young Master Zhang turned pale in shock. How could he not realize that the iron spike had been poisoned?!

"Boy, you and I have neither grievance nor grudge. Why are you trying to harm me?! Hand over the antidote, and I will spare your life!"

Young Master Zhang was both anxious and enraged, and he chased after him again.

But before he had run far, he discovered that Jiang Che had led him out of the small grove. Ahead lay Fireworks Street.

Young Master Zhang hesitated, then gritted his teeth and turned to retreat.

Under the suppression of his powerful Qi-Blood, the poison at the wound had not spread too quickly. He was confident he could return soon enough to find someone to detoxify him.

Yet Jiang Che turned around and chased after him again! At the same time, he kept throwing stones at him!

"What exactly are you trying to do?!"

Young Master Zhang was beside himself with rage. His hair was disheveled and his face twisted savagely—where was the image of a refined young gentleman now?

He had killed quite a few Martial Artists at the Stone Skin Realm. This was the first time he had been toyed with by a brat at the Ox-Hide Realm!

"Good, good, good... Since you want to play like this, I'll indulge you!"

Young Master Zhang's aura abruptly changed. The Qi-Blood throughout his body surged wildly, and he vaguely broke through into the Iron Skin Realm!

Young Master Zhang was burning with hatred as well.

This move was his trump card. It allowed him to temporarily break through into the Pseudo-Iron Skin Realm.

Though it was far inferior to the true Iron Skin Realm.

His skin had nevertheless begun to harden like iron, and his Qi-Blood had increased greatly.

That iron spike could hardly hurt him now.

But the price was a massive drain on his lifespan!

Originally, he had not wanted to use it lightly.

But after being provoked again and again by this brat, he could not endure it for even a moment longer.

He only wanted to kill him, to vent the hatred in his heart!

In an instant, Jiang Che's [Omen] began issuing frenzied warnings.

His expression changed. He stopped pursuing him and decisively turned to flee again!

If it had only been a Mid-Stage Stone Skin Realm opponent, he was confident that with his three trump cards—body-hardening, lightness skill, and Flow State—

if not defeat him, then at least escape safely.

That was why he had kept turning back to provoke that man.

But he had not expected the other party to possess a mysterious technique that could temporarily make him so much stronger!

Jiang Che immediately regretted it, secretly thinking that he should not have taken this risk for a Qi-Replenishing Pill.

Young Master Zhang froze. This man's instincts are far too sharp!

He had not yet fully stabilized his Qi-Blood, but he could only hastily give chase.

Though he was merely at the Pseudo-Iron Skin Realm.

He was still far too powerful for the current Jiang Che.

Even with Jiang Che maintaining Flow State, he could not escape at all and was caught in an instant.

Young Master Zhang viciously struck out with his palm. Jiang Che hurriedly dodged, but was still hit in the back and sent flying.

Jiang Che let out a muffled groan, yet immediately climbed back up and continued fleeing.

"Hm? You're wearing armor?"

Young Master Zhang saw Jiang Che's clothes split open across his back, revealing the Spiked Leather Armor beneath.

But now that Young Master Zhang had temporarily broken through to the Iron Skin Realm, his palm no longer feared iron nails, and it was completely unharmed.

Instead, the nails on Jiang Che's Spiked Leather Armor had all been slapped crooked.

"A person at the Ox-Hide Realm should not be able to withstand my palm even with armor. Brat, you've trained body-hardening martial arts too!"

The man was somewhat shocked.

A brat at the Ox-Hide Realm not only knew lightness skill, but also body-hardening martial arts—and he even loved playing tricks.

He desperately wanted to know which Martial Arts Hall had taught such an oddball!

Young Master Zhang ground his teeth in fury, wishing he could hammer Jiang Che to death at once.

He kicked off the ground and instantly caught up again!

But just as he was about to catch Jiang Che, he was horrified to discover a gleaming longsaber slashing down at him from above!

Five minutes earlier.

Fireworks Street.

Chief Constable Liu Hai looked at the "Flower-Plucking Thief" the constables had captured and felt that something was off.

Though this man's lightness skill was decent, he was definitely not at the Stone Skin Realm.

Liu Hai squeezed the man's wrist and discovered that he was only a Martial Artist at the Ox-Hide Realm!

Liu Hai frowned and felt around the man's face. Suddenly, he pinched something, then tore it off with a fierce pull.

A Human Skin Mask was ripped away at once!

Beneath the mask was clearly a middle-aged man with triangular eyes and a rosacea nose!

"This isn't the Flower-Plucking Thief! But he must be that man's accomplice. Take him back and interrogate him harshly!" Liu Hai shouted in a deep voice.

"Yes!"

The constables were somewhat disappointed, but their disappointment quickly turned to anger. They gave the triangular-eyed middle-aged man a beating, then escorted him back to the Yamen.

The Martial Arts Hall disciples who had assisted in capturing the thief also looked at one another.

After all that effort, they had caught a fake?

Liu Hai's heart also grew somewhat heavy.

This Flower-Plucking Thief was more cunning than he had imagined. He even had accomplices!

Just as he was considering what to do next.

He suddenly saw a red firework burst from the direction of the small grove in the distance!

His expression changed. Someone had encountered an emergency!

Liu Hai took a deep breath, then violently pushed off the ground with his right foot. His body shot through the air like an arrow leaving the bow as he raced toward the small grove.

Though he had never practiced lightness skill, the strength of the Peak Iron Skin Realm allowed even his ordinary running to rival Martial Artists who specialized in lightness skill!

The moment Liu Hai reached the small grove, he saw a disheveled man attacking Jiang Che!

He decisively brought his saber down.

Young Master Zhang sensed Qi-Blood from the newcomer that far surpassed his own.

He knew that if this strike landed, then even though he had temporarily broken through into the Pseudo-Iron Skin Realm, he would immediately be separated from head to body.

The premise of an Iron Skin Realm Martial Artist being able to resist iron weapons was that the opponent's martial arts realm was lower than their own.

But if the opponent's realm greatly surpassed theirs, then with Qi-Blood empowering it, even an ordinary kitchen knife could kill them.

Let alone this clearly finely crafted saber made from special materials.

His soul nearly fled his body. He forcibly withdrew his strength and only barely avoided it.

But a patch of hair atop his head was shaved clean away.

"Chief Constable Liu?!" Young Master Zhang's face turned white. He had not expected to run into this jinx, and he immediately fled.

Chief Constable Liu was a Peak Iron Skin Realm expert who had been famous for many years. It could be said that beneath the Force-Entering Realm, he was invincible!

The reason Young Master Zhang had not dared to commit crimes on a large scale during this period was precisely because he feared him!

"Jiang Che, are you all right?" Liu Hai glanced at Jiang Che and quickly asked.

"I'm fine. Chief Constable Liu, hurry and chase him! This man is the Flower-Plucking Thief. I happened to catch him committing an indecent act!" Jiang Che hurriedly said.