Signs of Unrest

Chu He stared at the outstretched hand, completely bewildered.

Had Han Zhong ever given him anything?

"Hand it over, now! I don't believe he didn't give it to you!" Liu Ci's fair face twisted as he shouted.

"Fine, I'll give it to you. Why are you barking like a rabid dog?"

Chu He cursed under his breath and bent over as if searching for something.

Liu Ci's eyes gleamed eagerly. Just as he was about to lower his head to inspect Chu He's waist, a short staff suddenly swept through the air before his eyes, unleashing a piercing shriek.

"You bastard!"

Liu Ci's face turned dark and vicious, flames blazing in his eyes.

He had just tried to step back when resistance suddenly tugged at his wrist.

Chu He had long anticipated Liu Ci's next move. His other hand had already clamped down on Liu Ci's wrist like iron pincers.

Buzz—

Retreat was useless. Golden light surged over Liu Ci's body as he raised his right hand beside his face and violently collided with the incoming short staff.

The muffled impact was followed by the agony of his right arm feeling as though it had been chopped apart, and then by an overwhelming force he simply could not contend with!

How was he so strong!?

Liu Ci's eyes reddened, shock flooding his heart. But when he looked up, he met Chu He's icy, razor-sharp gaze.

"You mangy dog, why are you dodging? Didn't you want something? I'm giving it to you now!"

Chu He hunched his broad back slightly and lashed out with a savage front kick. Liu Ci reacted quickly, returning the blow with a kick of his own.

Bang!

Both men staggered back, each bearing a footprint on his chest.

"Pah!"

Chu He spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm and rubbed his chest. His insides felt as though they had been tossed into a washing machine, churning miserably.

Liu Ci was no better off. His face had gone deathly pale. Since he had been caught on the back foot, he had actually suffered worse than Chu He.

"Chu He, you actually dare attack me!"

"Maybe I'd be afraid when facing those demons and ghosts, but you? Heh. Why wouldn't I dare?"

The numb pain only further stimulated Chu He's sensitive nerves. Instead of fearing it, he rubbed his fists together and sprang forward in a dash.

"You're digging your own grave!"

Seeing Chu He charge first, Liu Ci's eyes turned bloodshot and rage flooded his face. A black line actually slithered across from within his eye socket.

Clang!

The short staff arrived first. Liu Ci's left hand struck out fiercely, tearing through the air. The faint red gleam mixed within it made Chu He immediately sense danger.

The next instant, the sound of metal and stone clashing rang out. The short staff flew from his hand, and Chu He's arm went numb from the shock, trembling without end.

This guy had actually mastered the Red Line Fist!

Liu Ci appeared unharmed, but inwardly he had already drawn a sharp breath. Just how had this bastard trained? What terrifying strength!

There had to be at least a hundred pounds of difference between them!

No, something was off. Why did Liu Ci seem a little weak?

On the other side, Chu He frowned. He had originally planned to run if he could not win. Liu Ci would not dare do much to him, and perhaps after this fight, he would not dare provoke him so casually again.

Who would have thought that even after Liu Ci used the Red Line Fist, his strength had only matched Chu He's? What the hell did he have to fear now?

"Come on!"

Chu He roared in provocation and charged in barehanded.

Liu Ci's brows shot up, fury blazing in his heart. An exceedingly strange, violent sensation surged through him, and killing intent suddenly flashed in his eyes.

Both his fists came down, colliding with Chu He's fists again and again.

Explosive punches burst through the air. In only a few breaths, Liu Ci unexpectedly began to fall into a disadvantage.

Why was this guy getting stronger and stronger!?

Sweat beaded on Liu Ci's forehead, and for the first time, a trace of panic appeared.

The corner of Chu He's mouth curled crookedly.

He could see the obvious difference between martial arts improved by the modifier and martial arts advanced through meditation and seated cultivation. In the future, that gap would only grow wider, perhaps even becoming an unimaginable chasm.

"Damn it! Just you wait!"

Suddenly, Liu Ci spat out a threat. He pushed off with both feet, leaving a pit in the ground as he shot away like an arrow.

Chu He wanted to give chase, but Liu Ci truly was fast. After following him for several stretches, Chu He lost sight of him entirely.

"Something's wrong with Liu Ci."

Stopping, Chu He looked toward the direction Liu Ci had vanished and recalled all those abnormalities. It felt as though Liu Ci had become a different person.

Either what Han Zhong had given him was too precious, or Liu Ci had truly gone mad.

But...

Chu He rubbed his chin, searching his memories as hard as he could.

Had Han Zhong really given him something?

He crossed the village's main road and entered a narrow lane.

Chu He was taking a shortcut home. Halfway there, a woven rattan ball rolled to his feet.

"Heehee, big brother, can you kick it back to me?"

At the deepest end of the alley stood a little girl with twin buns tied high atop her head, her voice crisp and sweet.

"Oh, sure..."

Chu He agreed as if possessed, but the next moment he suddenly clutched his head, his face twisting in agony.

His lucid consciousness resisted his obedient body.

"Big brother, what's wrong?"

Seeing Chu He bend over and struggle, the little girl walked out from the depths of the alley.

"Get lost!!"

Chu He abruptly raised his head and let out a savage roar.

But in the very next instant, his whole body shuddered, cold sweat pouring down him.

At that moment, there was no trace of the little girl before him. Even the ball at his feet had vanished like mist and smoke.

"Fuck, I saw a ghost!"

Chu He cursed, a dark foreboding rising in his heart.

He was now certain that some ghostly thing had set its sights on him!

"Xiao He, what happened? Why are you shouting so loudly?"

A window near the corner on his left suddenly opened. Auntie Li, fat and bloated, her hair pinned with a wooden hairpin, poked her head out.

Chu He's wolfish eyes widened as he cast a sinister look her way.

But upon realizing she was alive, he immediately reined in his expression. Scratching his head, he forced a smile. "It's nothing, Auntie Li. Some dead rat came running out of nowhere and startled me."

Auntie Li was first stunned by Chu He's fierce gaze and wondered if she had seen wrong. Then she immediately teased, "Oh? Martial artists like you are afraid of little things like rats?"

"I don't know about anyone else, but I hate these little things that hide in the dark." Chu He laughed it off. As he moved closer to the corner, he noticed several wisps of smoke drifting from the window.

"Auntie Li, you're already washing rice and cooking this early?"

"What are you talking about? Who would light a stove at this hour?" Auntie Li waved her hand and shifted aside, revealing the scene inside. "We're worshipping the Land God."

Chu He followed her gaze, and his pupils abruptly shrank to pinpoints.

On the offering table in the inner room sat a sculpture of an elderly Land God as large as a table leg. A black incense stick burned in the incense burner, sparks flickering upon it. Yet the smoke it gave off was as thick as half a little finger.

The room was so filled with smoke that sandalwood fragrance pervaded his nose.

"Who gave you that statue? And that incense?"

Without changing expression, Chu He moved a little farther from the window.

"Of course the village chief did."

Seeing Chu He's confused look, Auntie Li's interest was immediately piqued. She gossiped, "Don't tell me you still don't know? This morning, the village chief sent people door to door to deliver images of Lord Land God. From now on, there's no need to go to the temple courtyard to worship. We can worship right at home."

"The only thing is, the smoke from this incense is a little heavy. But it's fine—it doesn't choke you at all, and it smells especially nice. I also heard it helps focus the mind and calm the spirit. If you ask me, they should've brought out something this good sooner."

Just as she was speaking excitedly, Auntie Li turned her head and discovered that her listener had already vanished. She shut the window in annoyance. "That brat, leaving without even saying goodbye to his auntie."

Returning to the inner room and seeing the empty, silent house, Auntie Li's expression dimmed. She silently knelt before the Land God statue, pressed her palms together, lowered her head, closed her eyes, and murmured.

"Land God, bless me. I must get pregnant this year."

The faint prayer echoed through the room. With a pop, the burning incense on the table sent out smoke that swelled to the thickness of a little finger.

The Land God's stone eyeballs slowly turned, looking down at the woman praying devoutly below. A strange black line slithered across its eyes.