Bang!
Agony shot through Qian Hao's arms. He staggered back seven or eight steps before regaining his footing.
The brutish man refused to let up. He strode after him, driving his right fist with a peculiar motion and sweeping it across like a massive hammer.
Qian Hao had no time to dodge. He could only block again.
This time, the blow broke his arms outright, leaving his guard wide open.
The brute seized the opening and drove a kick straight into him.
Qian Hao felt as though his organs were tearing apart as he was sent flying backward.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Qian Hao lay on the ground, coughing up blood.
"Hao!"
At that moment, an elderly couple heard the commotion and came out of the house. Seeing Qian Hao vomiting blood, they hurried over to help him up.
"My son is a disciple of the Sunflame Daoist Grounds."
"How dare you do this?"
Qian Hao's father berated them.
"Hmph."
"I already told you yesterday."
"Everyone has to pay ten taels of silver in dues."
"Even the king of heaven himself would have to pay me."
"If you don't pay, you'll have to do hard labor for me!"
The brute grinned.
"You!"
Faced with the man's vicious expression, Qian Hao's father dared not say anything more.
"I'm taking this brat with me."
"If you still haven't paid by tomorrow, you two old fossils will be sent to the mines too."
The brute snorted and waved for his men to take Qian Hao away.
At the sight of this, Qian Hao was so overwhelmed with rage that he spat out a mouthful of dark blood and passed out.
In a quiet chamber at the Sunflame Daoist Grounds.
"It looks like your injuries will heal completely in a few more days, Martial