Chapter 76: A Brutal Beating

To the onlookers, Gu Changqing's bold declaration that he would take charge seemed a blatant disregard for Ning Ze and Pei Yuntai. After all, both Ning Ze and Pei Yuntai were renowned, their names known even beyond their own provinces. In terms of seniority and strength, Gu Changqing hardly measured up.

The crowd anticipated another bout of conflict, their excitement barely contained as they waited for the spectacle to unfold.

Pei Yuntai, however, remained calm, smiling as he said, "The battlefield at Qingjiang may not be fraught with peril at every turn, but it's hardly safe. The lives of an entire squad depend on one leader. You don’t really think that being able to fight means you can lead others, do you?"

"You’ve hit the nail on the head! No one’s more cautious or skilled in exploration and survival than I am! With me in charge, you’ll live longer!" Gu Changqing replied with a hearty laugh, his entire being exuding a vibrant energy.

In matters such as this, his experience was unmatched. He had just survived in two worlds, and managed quite well, proving his abilities.

The others exchanged odd glances—did those words really suit him at all?

"Surely no one doubts me?" Noting their strange looks, Gu Changqing’s gaze grew somewhat menacing.

Before anyone could respond, Ning Ze stepped forward. "Let’s fight."

"If you win, I’ll follow your lead! I’ve been meaning to see your fist intent anyway!"

For Ning Ze, it didn't matter who led; his pride simply refused to yield. He had forsaken nearly all forms of entertainment these past years, dedicating himself to the blade, yet he had only grasped a fraction of Gao Wenxin’s profound technique. He hadn’t even touched the edge of true blade intent.

And yet the other had only awakened recently? Last night, he’d had someone investigate Gu Changqing’s background. At the Royal Police Academy, Gu Changqing had been nothing special, but after awakening for just over a month, he already showed the early signs of fist intent.

How could Ning Ze accept this?

"So, there really is someone who won’t yield!" Gu Changqing sneered, "And who are you?"

He sized the other up—about one meter seventy, with delicate features, a fringe of hair, dressed in casual clothes, a blade at his waist.

The rest fell silent—Gu Changqing truly didn’t know Ning Ze. But it fit his reputation, utterly unconcerned with others.

The crowd parted, clearing space for the two.

"Ning Ze," Ning Ze stated in a deep voice.

"So you’re that Ning Ze!" Gu Changqing laughed, his blood surging. Veins snaked across his skin, muscles swelling fiercely.

Though his height remained unchanged, those watching felt he seemed taller somehow.

At the same time, anguished cries echoed within Gu Changqing’s body, a cacophony like ghosts wailing in the night. An eerie wind swept through, sending shivers down many spines.

This phenomenon hadn’t appeared last night.

Many immediately wondered—had he held back his true strength then?

Gu Changqing raised his hand and sent the Demon Hammer flying. It grew as it soared, from palm-sized to over a meter, the octagonal head as large as a watermelon.

It hurtled toward Ning Ze’s head.

At that moment, two blood pythons erupted from Gu Changqing’s hand, their scales layered and sinister.

A commotion rose among the bystanders.

"What are those?"

Those weren’t scales, but twisted, agonized human faces bulging on the surface of the blood pythons, as if they might break free and escape at any moment. The sight chilled the spine.

Seeing the blood pythons and Gu Changqing’s veined, monstrous form, the crowd realized he was no less terrifying than the uncanny entities themselves.

Ning Ze lifted his blade and deftly deflected the Demon Hammer, his hand tingling from its force—it was powerful indeed.

He spun, unleashing a dazzling cascade of blade light, like snow dancing, yet beneath the blazing sun it carried an icy chill.

The two blood pythons were shredded into a bloody rain, but within it hundreds of blood threads shot forth, mixed with a dozen blood sea stingers.

These threads and stingers varied in speed and timing, almost enveloping Ning Ze and his surroundings.

Witnessing this, many mentally rehearsed how they would handle such an assault, finding it vexing.

This blood manipulation was Gu Changqing’s awakened ability—flexible and difficult to counter. Being wounded was troublesome; last night, a young man’s hand was pierced, and when treated, the wound showed not only penetration but signs of corrosion, the surrounding flesh wasting away.

Word of this had spread, and no one dared underestimate the blood threads and stingers.

Ning Ze’s face darkened. He wanted to see Gu Changqing’s fist intent—not these tricks!

He pivoted, his hand moving almost too fast to see, and a cold moon shadow appeared in the air.

In truth, it wasn’t a moon shadow, but the afterimages of over a dozen swift strikes, so rapid they left crescent arcs in the air, scattering the blood sea stingers and threads.

The ground silently split for more than ten meters.

Just then, Gu Changqing produced a pair of knuckle-dusters, his face twisted in a ferocious smile, lunging at Ning Ze like a wild tiger.

This rush revealed only sharpness; a kick launched him like an arrow to Ning Ze’s side, then, shifting weight, he unleashed a punch with the force of mountains collapsing and the power to break all things.

Even those who had seen such a punch before could not help but be awed by its might.

It was a simple, direct punch—no flourish, only raw power.

The crowd felt, in that moment, that even a mountain would be shattered by such a blow.

This was the Shattering Rivers and Mountains technique.

A single punch, and the land would fall!

Facing it directly, Ning Ze’s eyes widened.

"This is it, this is the feeling! Even I, confronted by this punch, feel an unstoppable force, impossible to evade, as if I would be crushed by it! If it were anyone else, they’d be so overwhelmed their strength would falter!"

"Fist intent—this is fist intent! His is the power to break all, unstoppable and unyielding!"

Ning Ze’s eyes flashed sharply and brightly, almost glowing.

He shifted his stance, turning half his body toward Gu Changqing, then unleashed a stunning blade strike to meet the earth-shattering punch.

Most could not see his movements, only the blade itself, their attention wholly absorbed by its brilliance.

Clang!

A series of metallic collisions rang out, almost too fast to discern, their sounds merging into a single resounding bell that left ears aching.

The ground around them was ripped up.

Ning Ze slashed over a dozen times, not just once, his blade raining blows upon Gu Changqing’s knuckle-dusters.

With each strike, a crack sounded!

Gu Changqing’s knuckle-dusters shattered, nearly half a fist cleaved open.

The pain made his scalp tingle. Damn, the quality of these knuckle-dusters was abysmal—the supply department bastards would pay for this!

His hair bristled from the pain, yet he became like a wounded beast.

Gu Changqing had always radiated a fierce aura, but now, blood spurting from his injured hand, he seemed even more savage, his gaze wild and animalistic.

"These were brand new spirit gear, damn it!" Gu Changqing fired a dozen blood sea stingers and threw punches, heedless of the injury.

The two were so close, the stingers so swift; Ning Ze blocked half, dodged most, yet two pierced his abdomen and shoulder, slowing him.

Immediately, Gu Changqing closed in, landing a punch on Ning Ze’s chest, then raining blows upon him, breaking countless bones in an instant.

Though the exchange seemed long, it lasted only two or three seconds, the arena shifting abruptly as the crowd erupted.

Ning Ze had lost—and so quickly, so thoroughly!

Especially seeing Gu Changqing pressed close, pounding Ning Ze again and again, even as Ning Ze was launched into the air, Gu Changqing clung to him.

"Stop!" Yan Hao could hold back no longer. With a wave, Gu Changqing felt ropes dragging him to the ground, watching Ning Ze fly free, out of reach.

"You went too far!" Yan Hao shouted angrily.

"My knuckle-dusters! They were brand new!" Gu Changqing retorted, even angrier.

(End of chapter)