Pig Charge

That deep, dark streak of light was Kang.

Like a black cannonball fired from its barrel, he slammed savagely into Shi Shoushan's-

Kidneys.

"Oink!"

A shrill squeal tore through the air.

Crack.

The crisp sound of breaking bone followed.

The tragic expression on Shi Shoushan's face-"a father's love stands like a mountain, ready to embrace death"-collapsed instantly, his features twisting in agony.

That brute porcine force gave him no chance to leave any last words. It sent him flying sideways.

He traced a decidedly ungraceful arc through the air, both hands clamped over his aching lower back, then plunged headfirst into a nearby woodpile, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Ow... my back!"

The instant Shi Shoushan flew clear-

The purple lightning spear arrived.

Straight at Shi Hou's brow.

Shi Hou's hands were empty, his body still leaning forward to drag his father back. His old momentum was spent, and fresh strength had yet to rise.

A flash of astonishment crossed the Thunder Clan elder's eyes, then gave way to a cruel grin.

Die!

The lightning spear was peerlessly sharp. Before it even reached him, it pierced the outer layer of Shi Hou's protective blood energy, instantly scorching and curling the loose strands over his forehead.

CLANG!!!

A tremendous crash rang out.

Ripples of sound swept across the clearing, forcing the surrounding villagers to cover their ears and retreat.

At that hairbreadth instant-

Shi Hou instinctively twisted his wrist. A black shadow flashed.

The black pot strapped to his back swung forcibly around in front of him.

The lightning spear stabbed viciously into the thick layer of black soot beneath the pot.

Sparks shot ten feet high.

A fingernail-sized chip broke off that layer of soot.

The immense impact drove Shi Hou backward.

His feet sank deep into the yellow earth, plowing two trenches half a meter deep.

He slid back six meters.

And stopped.

Head lowered, Shi Hou held the pot up in a blocking stance, utterly motionless.

Dead silence fell.

The Thunder Clan elder stared at the pot in disbelief, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.

A killing strike from the Spirit Transformation Realm!

Destructive power condensed from the laws of runes!

Even a savage beast of the same realm would have been pierced through, yet this lousy Stone Pot... had only lost a flake of soot?

"Hah..."

A stale breath escaped from behind the pot.

Shi Hou slowly straightened and planted the black pot on the ground.

Thud.

The earth trembled faintly.

First, he turned his head to glance at the distant woodpile.

Shi Shoushan was crawling out, supporting his lower back and grimacing. He looked a mess, but his curses rang out full of vigor. "Which little bastard ambushed me?"

Still able to curse. He wouldn't die.

Shi Hou turned back.

The mocking smile that had hung on his dark face was gone, leaving it expressionless.

Only his eyes-

Had turned red.

Like coals beneath a pot on the verge of exploding, they held a stifling, suppressed heat.

He bent down and grabbed the scruff of Black Pig, who was wagging his tail at his feet, angling for praise.

Then lifted him.

Kang's four stubby legs flailed in the air, and two streams of blue smoke puffed from his enormous nostrils.

"I was going to give you a quick death."

Shi Hou stared at the Thunder Clan elder, his voice hoarse and icy.

"Since you like playing with electricity, let me treat you to a little disco."

He roughly tucked Kang under his arm.

His left hand clamped down on the pig's rump, while his right gripped those two great fanlike ears.

The pig's snout-the muzzle-locked onto the Thunder Clan elder.

"Pig Charge, Gatling Mode."

His fingers pinched the pig's ears hard.

"OINK!!!"

Provoked, Kang's black bristles stood straight up, and his nostrils instantly flared to their limits.

Ratatatatatat!

No more single beams.

Countless fist-sized azure light bullets poured out like a raging rainstorm!

Too fast!

Ten times denser than the Thunder Summoning technique Lei Ming had used earlier!

The Thunder Clan elder's expression changed drastically.

"Paltry tricks!"

With an angry shout, he formed hand seals, and a purple lightning shield instantly took shape.

But-

Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop!

The blue light bullets struck the lightning shield and clung to it like maggots burrowing into bone.

With every bullet that burst, the shield's runes dimmed a little more.

That bizarre spell-breaking power ravenously ate away at his spiritual energy.

"Break!"

Shi Hou gave him no chance to catch his breath.

Bracing against the recoil, he advanced with the pig tucked under his arm.

Every step left a footprint.

The ground shattered.

Blue light poured madly from the pig's mouth as though it cost nothing.

Total suppression!

A mighty Spirit Transformation Realm expert was being pinned down by a boy holding a pig under his arm, unable to lift his head under such an absurd assault!

The onlookers from the various factions gaped so hard their jaws nearly dislocated.

What the hell kind of fighting style was this?

What freakish breed was that pig?

"We're not done yet."

Ten meters from the elder, Shi Hou stopped abruptly.

Kang's eyes rolled back, foam spilling from his mouth. His ammunition was spent.

Shi Hou casually tossed him backward.

"Uncle Linhu! Catch the pig!"

Shi Linhu scrambled to catch the unconscious hero.

Both hands now free-

Shi Hou watched the elder struggling desperately to sustain his tottering lightning shield, then grinned, baring stark white teeth.

"Old fart, that last hit felt good, didn't it?"

He reached back.

And gripped the pot's handle.

Five hundred and fifty thousand jin of blood-energy strength erupted without the slightest restraint!

Boom!

His beast-hide shirt burst into scraps.

His upper body lay bare, thick sinews writhing wildly beneath his black skin like pythons rolling over.

The ground beneath his feet caved in with a crash.

"Have a taste of my pot!"

He swung his arm in a full arc.

The black pot became a brick that blotted out the sky.

Wrapped in howling wind, it tore through the air with a piercing shriek.

And smashed down!

"I refuse to believe mortal flesh can break my treasured art!"

Driven into a genuine fury, the Thunder Clan elder bit the tip of his tongue and spat out a mouthful of blood essence. The lightning shield blazed brighter.

The next instant-

The black pot collided with the lightning shield.

CLANG-CRACK!

There was no suspense whatsoever.

The lightning shield shattered into a skyful of purple motes.

The black pot's momentum never slackened.

It slammed squarely into the Thunder Clan elder's face.

"Pfft!"

His vision went black. His nose shattered, his teeth flew out, and his entire face flattened instantly.

Even his scream stuck in his throat.

His whole body spun through the air.

Bam!

He plunged into the dirt a hundred meters away, leaving only his two legs sticking out. They twitched twice, then went still.

Dead silence.

Only Shi Hou stood in the clearing.

He held his follow-through, his chest heaving like a black demon god.

He lowered the pot.

Strapped it onto his back.

Then turned and walked toward Shi Shoushan.

Shi Shoushan was grimacing as he rubbed his lower back. Seeing his son approach, he instinctively tried to assume the air of a stern father.

"Dad."

Shi Hou crouched and reached out with his dark hand, gently brushing the bits of grass from his father's trouser leg.

His touch was very light.

"Don't get in the way next time."

His head remained lowered, his voice muffled.

"An old bastard like that can't do anything to me. He's not worth risking your life over."

Shi Shoushan froze.

His lips moved, but in the end, his great fanlike hand landed a slap on Shi Hou's forehead.

"You little brat... that pig really packs a punch."

Shi Hou smiled.

He stood.

And looked around.

The experts from the various factions, who had been itching to make a move, all instinctively took a step back when his gaze met theirs.

Even a Spirit Transformation Realm expert had been hammered into the dirt with one swing of that pot.

Who dared move?

Shi Hou walked to the edge of the great pit.

He reached in and pulled the unconscious, blood-faced elder out like a radish.

Then casually tossed him onto the ground.

Raising his head, he looked at the remaining Thunder Clan members, their faces deathly pale. His tone was as mild as if he were discussing the weather.

"This old one lost and refused to honor the deal."

He patted the pot on his back.

"And he injured my dad. How do you plan to compensate us?"