C34 – Caused a Huge Ruckus
“Min Hanshi, it’s a day of great celebration for the Guo family. If you’ve come to offer congratulations, we welcome you with open arms. But if you’re here to stir up trouble, rest assured, we’ll stand our ground to the very end,” Guo Yong declared, despite the simmering anger he struggled to contain on this otherwise joyous occasion.
“Listen here, you little runt, I was ruling Whalespell when you were still playing in the dirt! Who gave you the audacity to raise your voice in my presence?” Min Hanshi, known for his fiery temper, shot back without hesitation.
Tears streamed down Chu Keke’s face as she realized her beloved Zhenkang had arrived to rescue her. Tragically, her powers were sealed, and she was rendered speechless by the same cruel fate that had led her to ingest the lethal Gut Cutting Powder, leaving her mere hours from death.
“You stubborn old man, it seems you’re hell-bent on picking a fight with the Guo family today!” Guo Yong’s suppressed rage was on the brink of eruption at the sight of Min Hanshi’s defiant stance.
“Want to avoid trouble? It’s simple. Hand over my son Min Qi and my cherished granddaughter-in-law Chu Keke, and I might just spare the Guo family for today,” Min Hanshi demanded.
“Dream on! Chu Keke has married my son Tao and is now part of the Guo family. You won’t lay a finger on her,” Guo Yong retorted with finality.
“Looking for Min Qi? Why not search the Min’s mansion instead of troubling my household?” he challenged.
Min Hanshi sneered, “My son visited your Guo family days ago and hasn’t returned since. If you haven’t detained him, then why hasn’t he come back to the Min’s mansion?”
“You’ve got ten breaths to hand over my son and granddaughter-in-law. Fail, and I swear I’ll raze the Guo family to the ground today.”
“We’ll see about that. I’d like to witness how you plan to demolish my Guo family,” Guo Yong responded defiantly.
“Seize these three!” he commanded.
“At once, Patriarch,” came the reply.
The onlookers scattered at the unfolding drama, with the faint-hearted sneaking away and the braver souls retreating to a safe distance, watching the confrontation from the edges.
“Grandpa, I’ll handle these guys!” Min Zhenkang stepped forward, facing the encircling crowd with determination.
“Zhenkang, are you sure you can take them? There’s a sixth-level Martial Spirit Stage cultivator among them!”
“Second Uncle, relax. I’ve got this.”
Min Zhenkang took his stand.
The Guo family’s guards sneered at the sight of Min Zhenkang, a non-cultivator they considered worthless, daring to confront them. They felt insulted.
“You there, bring me that cripple’s head!”
The sixth-level Martial Spirit Stage cultivator commanded his subordinate.
“Understood.”
The man grasped his broadsword and advanced slowly towards Min Zhenkang. To him, killing the so-called trash was easier than slaughtering a chicken—probably even more so.
At least a chicken tries to flee, but Min Zhenkang seemed frozen in fear, too terrified to even twitch.
“Trash, meet your end!”
The man’s blade arced towards Min Zhenkang’s neck, a blow that would surely be fatal if it connected.
“Zhenkang, watch out!” Min Qigang and Min Hanshi shouted in alarm, witnessing the perilous moment.
Yet Min Zhenkang remained still, seemingly paralyzed by fear in the eyes of the onlookers, his earlier bravery reduced to a mere impulsive act.
But just as the blade hovered a mere inch from Min Zhenkang’s neck, it halted abruptly.
The others speculated that the Guo family guard had a change of heart, unwilling to kill Min Zhenkang. However, upon seeing the guard’s face flush with strain, they sensed something amiss. Their eyes followed the blade’s edge, only to discover it pinched between two fingers, immovable despite the guard’s best efforts.
The guard couldn’t even withdraw the blade.
With a simple flick of his wrist, Min Zhenkang sent a force through the guard’s arm like the weight of a mountain, compelling him to release the broadsword instinctively.
“Ah—”
The guard’s cry of pain followed shortly after. The arm that had wielded the broadsword was now grotesquely twisted, his hand split open. This was a ninth-level Martial Mortal Realm guard, and Min Zhenkang had effortlessly disabled his arm.
“This...”
Upon seeing Min Zhenkang’s one-star Martial Spirit, the crowd erupted in mockery once more.
Yet, Min Zhenkang ignored their jeers. Through several battles, he had learned that despite his Martial Spirit being merely one-star, it could go toe-to-toe with a four-star Martial Spirit without falling short.
This defy-the-odds combat power was far superior to Min Zhenkang’s own!
“And here I thought you had some freakish talent, but you’re just a pretty boy with a tin foil spear! You have the nerve to call forth a one-star Martial Spirit? Watch as I pulverize your pathetic spirit with one punch!”
The sixth level Martial Spirit guard was reassured upon seeing Min Zhenkang’s Martial Spirit. If this ‘trash’ had a four-star or five-star Martial Spirit, they would have been mere cannon fodder.
“Try taking this punch first!” Min Zhenkang’s Martial Spirit threw a casual punch at the swarm of Martial Spirits charging at him.
Bang!
Furniture in the courtyard was sent hurtling through the air. Some crashed against the walls, while others soared out of the courtyard, landing on the street outside.
Some unfortunate bystanders were struck by tables, chairs, and stools that plummeted from the sky. Those without any cultivation fared even worse, their scalps split open and blood gushing forth.
Suddenly, the courtyard cleared out, devoid not only of furniture but also of many Martial Spirits. Half of the Two-star Martial Spirits were forced back into the cultivators’ dantians by the strike, the rest barely hanging on. Only the Three-star Martial Spirit remained unscathed.
All eyes turned to Min Zhenkang, shocked once more.
“Can this truly be a One-star Martial Spirit?”
“Such a defiance of the heavens in a One-star Martial Spirit is unheard of. What sort of monster is this so-called weakling? His power is outrageous, and his Martial Spirit is just as formidable!”
Moments earlier...
“Guangxia, do you have any idea what kind of One-star Martial Spirit Zhenkang possesses?”
“Father, I’m clueless as well. When Zhenkang, Big Brother, and Qigang visited Steelgrave City, I recall Big Brother mentioning that Zhenkang’s cultivation was at the ninth level of the Martial Mortal Realm. It’s only been a month, and his cultivation has become alarmingly powerful!”
“What? He advanced to the fifth level of the Martial Spirit Stage in less than a month?”
Min Hanshi was left bewildered by the sheer speed of Min Zhenkang’s progression.
The two who had wagered earlier were now gobsmacked by the outcome. One was resigned to calling Min Zhenkang ‘grandpa,’ while the other faced the grim prospect of offering his own head as Min Zhenkang’s chamber pot!
Throughout the auction, Elder Zhou, the apothecary owner, and the enigmatic man seated in the place of honor remained silent.
Elder Zhou and the apothecary owner narrowed their eyes at Min Zhenkang, as if attempting to unravel his mysteries.
“Young man, what kind of One-star Martial Spirit do you have?” With just a casual punch, Min Zhenkang had decimated half of the Two-star Martial Spirits. How could anyone compete?
What was most astounding was that Min Zhenkang’s Martial Spirit was considered the weakest of them all, without equal.
The guard would have taken some solace if Min Zhenkang had summoned a four-star or five-star Martial Spirit, but facing such an unprecedented One-star Martial Spirit left him utterly disconcerted.
“The type of Martial Spirit doesn’t matter. If it can kill you, that’s all I need! Let’s go again!”
Min Zhenkang didn’t give the guard a chance to strike first; he charged with his Martial Spirit leading the way!
For the first time since the battle began, Min Zhenkang was the aggressor.
“See if you can handle another one of my punches!” he roared, throwing another fierce blow.
This time, it wasn’t just his Martial Spirit behind the punch—Min Zhenkang put his full force into the swing.
He threw the punch without any reservation!
His Martial Spirit surged, intent on finishing the fight!
He was certain the guard couldn’t withstand it!
As Min Zhenkang’s fist flew, the guards scrambled to defend themselves!
Those with their Martial Spirit still active pushed its power to meet Min Zhenkang’s assault. Those whose Martial Spirit had been forced back to their core resorted to their strongest martial techniques or weapons to counter Min Zhenkang’s devastating punch!
Every spectator held their breath, watching intently. The outcome was the focus of all eyes—would Min Zhenkang triumph, or would the guards manage to cut him down?