Beat Him into Submission

"Qin Zhong? Qin Hua?"

Qin Hao frowned. "What do you want with me?"

The two were direct descendants of the Qin family.

Before their Martial Souls were tested, they had been Qin Hao's lackeys, always trailing after him and treating him with great respect.

Now, that respect was nowhere to be seen. Their faces were full of contempt.

Jealousy soured Qin Zhong's voice. "We're here for your Body Tempering Pills, of course. Don't think we don't know the Family Head gave you twenty. Qin Hao, they're wasted on trash like you. You might as well give them to us!"

Qin Hua said bitterly, "That's right. Don't push your luck, Qin Hao. We may not be exceptional cultivators, but we've reached the second level of the Body Tempering Realm. We're more than enough to handle a piece of trash like you! If you don't want a beating, hand over the pills!"

Qin Hao paused. He had only just received the pills, yet these two had already come knocking. The matter must have caused quite a stir in the family.

He gave them a cold look. "I've already taken them. Get lost!"

Qin Hua's face darkened. He sneered. "At least come up with a believable excuse. Even Young Master Qin Fang couldn't refine twenty Body Tempering Pills in half a day, let alone trash like you. Looks like you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin. If you're asking for a beating, I'll oblige!"

"Thunderclap Fist!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Hua grinned viciously and drove his right fist hard toward Qin Hao.

"You're courting death!"

Fury flared in Qin Hao. It was bad enough that these two had come looking for trouble; now they dared attack him. With a roar, he threw a punch of his own.

A low-rank Yellow Tier Martial Skill: Tiger Roar Fist!

Like a tiger growling low before it tore into its prey, the strike came on ferociously.

"No! That's Tiger Roar Fist at major mastery! Qin Hua, I'm coming!" Qin Zhong, who stood nearby, leaped forward in alarm and punched at Qin Hao as well.

"Hmph!"

Qin Hao showed no fear. As his fist swept toward Qin Hua, his right leg lashed out at Qin Zhong. The kick came like a shadow on a rushing Wind Laws; Qin Zhong heard only the air whistling past.

Bang! Bang!

One punch. One kick.

They struck Qin Hua and Qin Zhong almost simultaneously.

"Argh! My hand! Qin Hao, you crippled my arm!"

The fists collided, and Qin Hua's sneer vanished. An overwhelming force surged through his fist. With a crack, his right arm broke on the spot. He staggered backward, cold sweat pouring down his face like Rain.

Qin Zhong fared no better.

Qin Hao's kick caught him squarely in the chest, as though a massive bell had slammed into him. Several ribs broke, and he lay on the ground, howling in pain.

"Qin Hao, you... you..."

Qin Hua looked at Qin Zhong writhing on the ground, then back at Qin Hao. His face was pale with fear and disbelief. "Impossible! Qin Hao, you... you're trash! Even with Tiger Roar Fist at major mastery, you're only at the first level of the Body Tempering Realm. How could you beat both of us?"

Qin Hua could not accept it.

Neither he nor Qin Zhong was particularly talented in martial arts, but they trained diligently and had long since mastered their Martial Skills. Together, they could even fight someone at the third level of the Body Tempering Realm. Yet they could not handle Qin Hao.

"I told you, I already took the pills," Qin Hao said coldly. "I gave you a chance, but you threw it away. Don't let me see you again. Get lost!"

Killing Intent flashed in Qin Hao's eyes.

A chill ran through Qin Hua. He did not dare say a word. Supporting the groaning Qin Zhong, he fled in a stumbling rush without daring to look back.

He had thought that with Qin Hao found to possess only a First-Grade Martial Soul and standing at the first level of the Body Tempering Realm, he and Qin Zhong could finally teach him a lesson.

He had never imagined Qin Hao would be this strong.

They ran for a long time, stopping only when Qin Hao was out of sight.

Clutching his chest, Qin Zhong said bitterly, "We underestimated him. Who knew his Tiger Roar Fist at major mastery would make him so strong? Qin Hua, don't tell anyone. If people find out Qin Hao injured us, they'll laugh their teeth out."

Qin Hua's eyes flickered. "I know. Young Master Qin Fang will teach him a lesson in half a month!"

"Sword Laws-Drawing Art!"

In the courtyard, Qin Hao stood with sword in hand, facing a large tree.

A breeze stirred, and a leaf drifted down.

At that moment, Qin Hao moved.

A flash of swordlight swept past. In the next instant, the leaf split cleanly in two.

An instant later, a wisp of Sword Qi passed through the leaf and struck the trunk.

Bang!

A faint sound rang out, and a tiny Rift appeared in the trunk.

Qin Hao frowned slightly at the sight.

"Still not powerful enough."

"According to the Sword Laws-Drawing Art's manual, at major mastery it can even cleave a huge boulder, let alone a tree."

Qin Hao lowered his gaze to the Iron Sword in his hand. "Actual combat is the only way to test my strength, and the fastest way to improve it. Looks like I need to find a way to visit the Ink Forest Mountains."

"But before I go, I should practice the Seven-Star Step some more. The Ink Forest Mountains cover a vast area; Tianshui City lies near only their outermost edge."

If he was going there, he needed at least the ability to protect himself.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Qin Hao began practicing according to the Seven-Star Step manual. Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, evening arrived.

As the sun set, swishing sounds filled the courtyard. The Wind Laws sent fallen leaves fluttering while a figure darted and pivoted among them. His pace alternated between swift and slow, his movements carrying a rhythm of their own.

A moment later, Qin Hao stopped. Looking at the leaves scattered across the courtyard, he smiled with satisfaction.

"Seven-Star Step at minor mastery after just one afternoon. There can't be many in Tianshui City who could cultivate that quickly."

"With my current strength, I can protect myself in the Ink Forest Mountains. It's about time I set off."

Qin Hao left a note in his room saying he would be away for a few days, then pushed open the courtyard gate and went out.

He had just reached Tianshui City's northwest gate when several figures blocked his path.

"Well, if it isn't Qin Hao, the Qin family's young master. I hear you actually dared challenge Qin Fang. Instead of staying home to await your death, what's a piece of trash like you doing here?"

The boy at their head wore a blue robe and a mocking smile. "Don't tell me you're running away without a fight? Hahaha! What a worthless coward!"

His voice carried. Quite a few people nearby turned in surprise, then began whispering when they saw Qin Hao.

Two burly men stood on either side of the boy, guarding him. They too looked at Qin Hao with disdain.

"Liu Feng?"

Qin Hao recognized the boy at once. "A good dog doesn't block the road. Get lost."

The boy was Liu Feng, the younger son of the Great Elder of Liu.

Back when Qin Hao and Liu Ruoxue had been inseparable as glue and lacquer, Liu Feng had often fawned over him and gone out of his way to please them both.

On the day Qin Hao was found to have a First-Grade Martial Soul, Liu Feng had laughed and mocked him too. He had simply been too far back for Qin Hao to notice.

"You piece of trash dare insult me?"

"Pah! To think I once took you for a genius. Turns out you're trash with a First-Grade Martial Soul."

Liu Feng spat hard and said coldly, "Qin Hao, you took plenty of my pills back then. Now I want you to pay me back a hundredfold!"

Qin Hao laughed instead of getting angry. "Back then, you saw how talented I was and kept trying to curry favor with me. You insisted on giving me things, but not only did I refuse them, I gave you plenty of pills. Now you're saying I stole from you?"

"Have you no shame?"

With that, Qin Hao moved to walk past Liu Feng.

He had no time to waste here.

"How dare you! Did I say you could leave, Qin Hao?"

Liu Feng flew into a rage and stepped left to block his path. "I'll give you two choices. Pay me a hundred Body Tempering Pills, or kneel here in front of everyone, kowtow, and call me master!"

Qin Hao narrowed his eyes. "And if I refuse?"

Liu Feng grinned viciously. "Then I'll beat you until you submit!"

As soon as he spoke, Liu Feng punched at him.

He held nothing back. Killing Intent showed plainly on his face; as far as he was concerned, killing trash like Qin Hao on the spot would be no great matter.

His fist tore through the air, driving straight for Qin Hao's face.

"You're courting death!"

Killing Intent flashed across Qin Hao's face.

After what had happened with Liu Ruoxue, he had no goodwill left toward the Liu family.

And now Liu Feng had come looking for trouble!

"Tiger Roar Fist!"

Qin Hao punched back.

"Liu Feng and Qin Hao are fighting!"

"That piece of trash Qin Hao has a First-Grade Martial Soul, and he still dares fight Liu Feng? Heh, he's in for it now!"

People around the city gate talked excitedly, watching Qin Hao with mocking eyes.

Even the two brawny guards beside Liu Feng did not move a muscle.

Their duty was to protect Liu Feng, but in their eyes, Qin Hao was trash at the first level of the Body Tempering Realm. He could not possibly be a match for Liu Feng.

They were not worried in the slightest.

But the moment Qin Hao threw his punch, their expressions changed.

"No! Qin Hao only has a First-Grade Martial Soul. How can that punch rival the fourth level of the Body Tempering Realm?"

"Young master, watch out!"

Their faces changed drastically. If anything happened to Liu Feng, the Great Elder of Liu would never spare them.

Liu Feng's Martial Soul had not yet been tested, but he had long since reached the peak of the second level of the Body Tempering Realm. His punch carried a thousand pounds of force.

But no one knew that Qin Hao had now reached the third level of the Body Tempering Realm! His punch carried three thousand pounds of force, and with Tiger Roar Fist at major mastery, it exceeded four thousand.

Bang!

Crack!

"Argh! My hand!"

At those two sounds, Liu Feng's vicious grin turned to terror. It felt as though his fist had struck a massive, unyielding boulder. Then a horrifying force surged through it, far more than his fragile arm could bear.

With a crack, his arm snapped on the spot!

"Blargh!"

Liu Feng flew backward, spitting blood twice in midair. His face turned deathly pale.

His right arm hung limp at his side, already crippled!

Before he could even scream, Liu Feng passed out on the spot.

"Young master!"

"Young master!"

The two guards were shocked and furious.

"Little brother!"

Almost at the same moment, a furious shout rang out.

A powerfully built young man came sprinting from within the city, his face twisted with rage.

"Eldest young master!" The two guards recognized him immediately.

"Liu Kuang!"

Qin Hao saw him too and narrowed his eyes. The newcomer was Liu Feng's elder brother, Liu Kuang.

Liu Kuang was a few years older than Qin Hao. His Martial Soul had been tested as Tier 3 years ago, and after years of training, he had reached the peak of the fifth level of the Body Tempering Realm. He was among the most outstanding of the Liu family's younger generation.

Liu Kuang had a vicious temper. Once, he had crippled a Warrior in the street simply because the man blocked his way.

Few people in Tianshui City were willing to provoke him.