Intervention

Before long, a group of women arrived with a middle-aged man in tow.

The middle-aged man was powerfully built, with a rugged face. A scar ran from between his brows all the way to his chin, making him look even more fierce.

He wore a set of black leather armor, with a massive curved saber hanging from his waist. His entire body radiated a valiant, imposing air.

"Dear, he was the one who hit me and our child! He even... he even insulted us, saying our child was a bastard, and he... he said we..."

The woman embellished the story, painting Qing Mo as an arrogant, unreasonable tyrant.

The middle-aged man frowned, a flash of anger passing through his eyes, but he did not act rashly. He looked Qing Mo up and down. The young man's attire was unusual, and his bearing was extraordinary, making him wary of underestimating him.

"Little brother, may I ask your name? I am Zhang Lin, squad captain of the Mad Blade Mercenary Corps. How did my child offend you?"

Zhang Lin's voice was deep and carried a sense of pressure as he stared fixedly at Qing Mo.

"Your little brat was mouthing off and throwing stones at people. I merely helped you teach him a lesson."

Qing Mo glanced at Zhang Lin and replied indifferently.

He sensed Zhang Lin's Dou Qi and found that he was not even a Fighter. What the hell was there to fear? He could just beat him up.

"Is that so?"

Zhang Lin looked at his wife. The woman immediately wailed, "No! My child was only playing around with that bitch... that girl. Who knew this man would come over and start beating my child?"

She looked at Qing Lin, a flash of disgust passing through her eyes, before pointing at Qing Mo again.

"He's a lunatic! I only said a few things, and he started hitting me!"

As Zhang Lin listened to the woman's tearful accusations, impatience flashed through his gaze.

He looked at Qing Lin, his eyes equally full of disgust. She was just a lowborn bastard; so what if she had been hit? This man truly did not know his place.

He snorted coldly and looked at Qing Mo.

"Don't you think you've gone too far?"

"Heh, too far?"

Qing Mo was so angry that he laughed. Clearly, these people had foul mouths, insulted Qing Lin, and even threw stones at her. They had done so many vicious things, yet they claimed that he had gone overboard?

"I did it. So what? Bite me?" Qing Mo spread his hands and spoke disdainfully.

"Good, good, good. Then it seems I'll have to ask you for some pointers."

Zhang Lin flew into a rage. This guy was talking so arrogantly—did he take a squad captain of the Mad Blade Mercenary Corps for a pushover?

Moreover, he had not sensed any martial aura from Qing Mo, so he assumed he was merely an ordinary person.

Still, he did not want to burn every bridge. This man's clothes and appearance were far from ordinary, and his fair, clean-cut looks suggested that he might be some wealthy Household's young master. A small lesson would be enough.

With that in mind, Zhang Lin no longer hesitated, and he stopped concealing his aura.

Ninth Stage of Dou Qi!

"Hmph! Kid, don't think that having a little money in your Household means you can do whatever you want!"

Zhang Lin snorted and lunged at Qing Mo. He did not draw his saber; in his eyes, an ordinary spoiled young master was not worthy of making him use a weapon.

He threw a punch, carrying a fierce gust of wind as it shot straight toward Qing Mo's face.

"Tch! You're not even a Fighter, yet you're this bold. Looks like I haven't been arrogant enough."

Qing Mo shook his head and casually sidestepped Zhang Lin's attack.

As he dodged, he gathered the Dou Qi in his body into his right palm. The Dou Qi churned wildly in his palm, producing a faint hum.

He showed no mercy at all, spinning around and slapping Zhang Lin across the face with a massive palm strike.

There was no technique in this attack—only raw power.

Feeling the vast Dou Qi surging from behind him, Zhang Lin's expression changed drastically. He had never imagined that this person he had taken for an ordinary man was actually a powerful Fighter!

"Spare..."

Before Zhang Lin could finish begging for mercy, Qing Mo's hand made intimate contact with his face.

Slap!

The tremendous force sent Zhang Lin flying. After spinning several times in midair, he crashed heavily onto the ground with a bang!

"Cough, cough!"

Zhang Lin coughed violently and spat out a mouthful of blood. He struggled to his feet and stared at Qing Mo in terror.

He was actually a Fighter! Gods, and he was so young!

Zhang Lin was filled with fear. This person was only fifteen or sixteen, yet he already possessed the cultivation of a Fighter. His background had to be extraordinary.

With just a light breath, the other party could make a minor lackey like him, who was not even a Fighter, die without a burial place!

At that thought, his legs immediately went weak.

Thud!

Zhang Lin fell to his knees, his forehead striking the ground heavily with a dull sound.

"I'm sorry, Young Master! This lowly one failed to recognize greatness and overestimated himself! Please show mercy, Young Master, and spare this lowly life..."

As he spoke, he kept kowtowing. At this moment, how could he care about dignity? They were only a few kowtows; it was not as though he had never done it before. The urgent matter was earning the forgiveness of the person before him.

"Dear! You..."

The woman beside him still had not figured out what was going on. Seeing her husband kneel before a young man, she immediately cried out in shock.

She could not understand why her husband was kneeling before a boy.

"Shut up, you idiot!"

Zhang Lin trembled with rage. He wanted nothing more than to slap this stupid woman to death.

If not for this damned woman, would he have provoked such a genius youth?

"Young Master, she's just a shrew. Please be magnanimous and spare her." Zhang Lin's voice was full of humility. He knew perfectly well that if he could not gain Qing Mo's forgiveness, he would probably be unable to remain in Stone Desert City.

"You say we should let it go, and I should just let it go? Wouldn't that make me look like I have no pride?" Qing Mo curled his lips, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.

"This is all my savings. I hope Young Master will spare my wife and child."

Gritting his teeth, Zhang Lin pulled out a bulging pouch from his clothes and respectfully presented it to Qing Mo with both hands.

Qing Mo took it and weighed it in his hand. The amount was not bad.

"Get lost. You're an eyesore."

Qing Mo waved his hand impatiently. He had only wanted to teach these people a lesson; killing them was unnecessary.

"Yes, yes, yes. I'll get lost right away."

Zhang Lin felt as though he had been pardoned. Not daring to say another word, he dragged away the still-dazed woman and left in disgrace.

Only the women who had gathered to watch remained, staring at one another.

They had never expected Zhang Lin, who had been so imposing moments ago, to kneel on the ground and beg so humbly.

The dramatic scene left their minds blank, and they all looked at Qing Mo with terrified eyes.

Seeing that they were still standing there stupidly, Qing Mo frowned slightly and rebuked them coldly.

"What? Want a few more slaps?"

"No, no, no!"

"We're leaving! We're leaving right now!"

The women turned deathly pale with fright and could barely speak clearly. Pushing and shoving one another, they fled in the blink of an eye.