The First Clash with the Wang Family Began with Defeating the Zhao Family Steward

"You injured my men and think you can just leave?" Wang Tianfu's tone was dark.

A sharp glint flashed through Zhou Qi's eyes. He turned around and looked at Wang Tianfu.

"What does Steward Wang intend to do?"

Wang Tianfu took a step forward. Zhao Dazhu and the guards behind him followed, their imposing momentum bearing down on the others.

"You brought people to our doorstep and injured more than a dozen of my brothers, and now you want to dust off your backside and leave?" Wang Tianfu sneered. "Zhou Qi, do you think this is Lin'an City? This is the mines! Here, there are rules for the mines."

Zhou Qi raised a brow slightly. "Oh? Rules? What rules?"

Wang Tianfu looked at Zhao Dazhu and gave him a meaningful glance.

Zhao Dazhu stepped forward and said in a muffled voice, "The rules are that debts must be repaid and murder paid for with one's life! You beat people and think you can leave? How could there be such a cheap bargain!"

Zhou Qi looked at him as the System Panel popped up:

[Name: Zhao Dazhu]

[Realm: Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement (Peak)]

[Techniques: Diamond Fist (Mastery), Iron Shirt (Mastery)]

[Weaknesses: Slow-witted, slow to react, easily provoked]

Zhou Qi withdrew his gaze, now knowing what to expect.

Yang Jinshan had long been unable to hold himself back. He stepped forward, pointed at Zhao Dazhu's nose, and said, "I'm leaving. What can you do about it?"

Zhao Dazhu glared at him and replied in a muffled voice, "What can I do? You two can forget about walking out of this door standing unless you beat me today!"

Yang Jinshan's eyes lit up, and he turned to look at Zhou Qi.

This was exactly what he wanted. He had already found the Wang and Zhao Families unbearable and had been itching to act. Now, he had a reason.

Zhou Qi fell silent for a second, then nodded.

Yang Jinshan grinned and strode into the open space, crooking a finger at Zhao Dazhu. "Come!"

Zhao Dazhu looked toward Wang Tianfu, who nodded.

The two stood facing each other in the middle of the clearing, thirty feet apart.

The surrounding guards retreated one after another, making room for an open area.

Zhou Qi stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calm.

Zhao Dazhu was somewhat stronger overall than Yang Jinshan. Yang Jinshan was more likely to lose this fight.

But it did not matter.

He would make a move.

Wang Tianfu stood to the side, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Begin!"

Someone shouted.

Yang Jinshan struck first, throwing a punch.

Army-Breaking Fist!

The punch carried immense force, its fist aura bursting outward as it shot straight for Zhao Dazhu's chest.

Zhao Dazhu neither dodged nor evaded, taking the punch head-on.

Bang!

A dull impact rang out. Zhao Dazhu did not move an inch, while Yang Jinshan staggered back three steps.

His expression changed. He looked down at his fist, which had gone numb, as though he had struck an iron plate.

Zhao Dazhu grinned and patted his chest. "That's it?"

Yang Jinshan's face turned livid as he charged forward again.

One punch, two punches, three punches...

Every punch landed solidly on Zhao Dazhu, yet Zhao Dazhu stood there as if nothing had happened, letting him strike at will.

Iron Shirt at Mastery!

Army-Breaking Fist was Upper Yellow Grade, while Iron Shirt was Lower Profound Grade, the Zhao Family's secret, never-passed-down art.

There was an entire major realm between them. Their power naturally could not be mentioned in the same breath.

This Zhao Dazhu really was a simpleton blessed with simpleton's luck, to have actually cultivated Iron Shirt to Mastery.

Yang Jinshan's expression grew increasingly unpleasant.

His Army-Breaking Fist had already reached Mastery. Among those of the same realm, few could take it head-on.

Yet Zhao Dazhu was also at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement, but he had taken more than ten punches without budging.

"Had enough?" Zhao Dazhu suddenly asked.

Yang Jinshan froze.

Zhao Dazhu had finished gathering strength and threw a punch.

Diamond Fist.

The punch was as fast as lightning. Yang Jinshan had no time to dodge and could only cross his arms to block it head-on.

Bang!

Yang Jinshan was sent flying backward, crashing down thirty feet away. He rolled twice across the ground before stopping.

He struggled to get up, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. Both arms throbbed with agony, and he could barely lift them.

Zhao Dazhu stood where he was and crooked a finger at him. "Again."

Yang Jinshan gritted his teeth and charged forward once more.

Enduring the pain, he continued with a full set of Army-Breaking Fist strikes.

But Zhao Dazhu suddenly became incomparably nimble. By the end of the sequence, only a scattered few punches had struck their target.

When Yang Jinshan's attacks weakened, Zhao Dazhu seized the moment, gathered strength, and punched.

Another Diamond Fist struck Yang Jinshan squarely in the chest.

The enormous force sent him flying several more meters.

Yang Jinshan forced himself to stand. Just as he was about to advance again, his legs gave out after a single step, and he dropped to one knee.

The entire area fell silent.

Then the Wang Family guards burst into mocking laughter.

"That's all the Yang Family has?"

"Weren't you acting pretty arrogant just now? Why are you kneeling?"

"Talk the biggest game, take the harshest beating!"

"Hahaha, and with this strength, you want to take over the mine pit?"

The smile on Wang Tianfu's lips deepened.

He looked at Zhou Qi, mockery in his voice. "Elder Zhou, your Yang Family's Fifth Elder isn't much, is he? Why don't you come up yourself?"

Zhou Qi said nothing. He slowly walked to Yang Jinshan's side and reached out to help him up.

Yang Jinshan's face was full of shame. He lowered his head, not daring to look at him.

Zhou Qi patted his shoulder and said softly, "Rest. I'll do it."

Yang Jinshan was startled and raised his head.

Zhou Qi had already turned around and was walking toward Zhao Dazhu.

Watching him approach, Zhao Dazhu grinned. "You want a beating too?"

Zhou Qi did not respond. He stopped three steps away from him.

"Enough nonsense. Let's begin."

Zhao Dazhu frowned at that and immediately threw a punch.

Diamond Fist, powerful and heavy, its fist wind howling through the air.

Zhou Qi moved with the wind.

Gale Step.

His figure became an afterimage, slipping beneath Zhao Dazhu's fist. At the same time, an Army-Breaking Fist slammed into Zhao Dazhu's ribs.

Bang!

Zhao Dazhu's expression changed, and he took a step back.

He lowered his head to look at the spot that had been hit. His clothes had torn open there, revealing skin already reddened over a large patch.

"You..." He raised his head, his face full of disbelief.

They had both used Army-Breaking Fist, so why was Zhou Qi's strike so much more powerful than Yang Jinshan's?

Zhou Qi gave him no time to think and closed in again.

The second punch.

The third punch.

The fourth punch.

Every punch landed solidly on Zhao Dazhu, each one forcing him back a step.

Zhao Dazhu wanted to counterattack, but Zhou Qi was too fast.

The moment his fist swung out, Zhou Qi had already shifted position and attacked from another direction.

Five punches.

Six punches.

Seven punches.

Zhao Dazhu finally could not hold on any longer.

The eighth punch slammed into his chest, sending his entire body flying backward. He crashed down thirty feet away and spat out mouthfuls of blood.

Though there were no high-realm cultivators at this mine, Zhou Qi still suppressed his strength to the peak of the sixth layer when dealing with this sort of opponent.

At that moment, the entire area was dead silent.

The Wang Family guards' laughter came to an abrupt halt.

Wang Tianfu's smile froze on his face.

Yang Jinshan's eyes widened, his mouth hanging open for a long while without closing.

Zhou Qi stood where he was, dusting off his hands as he looked at Wang Tianfu.

"Steward Wang, can we leave now?"

Wang Tianfu's face turned livid as he stared at him fiercely.

Zhao Dazhu struggled to his feet, his face full of unwillingness. But his legs had gone weak, and he could not stand steadily at all.

Zhou Qi withdrew his gaze, turned around, and left.

Yang Jinshan hurried after him. After walking several steps, he looked back, his spirits restored.

He grinned at Wang Tianfu. "Steward Wang, if it doesn't work next time, why don't you come up yourself?"

Wang Tianfu clenched his fists until they crackled, but he could not say a single word.

Only after Zhou Qi and the others had disappeared from sight did he viciously punch the tree beside him.