Chapter 55: You’re Not Worthy! Fist Bullies The Elderly!
Manager Xiao Hu was stunned: “What did you say?”
The gazes of the people all around fell on Fang Shu’s face, including many nearby menial laborers.
Fang Shu wore a smile on his face.
“Don’t understand?” He looked at Manager Xiao Hu and said clearly, word by word:
“To put it in plain words, you, surnamed Xiao, are you the current Shao Wei Guan Master?”
In an instant, the depths of the hall fell silent.
All the menial laborers raised their heads, their eyes widening as they looked over.
And Manager Xiao Hu finally heard it clearly this time.
The other’s face stiffened, his eyes changing in an instant, glaring furiously at Fang Shu as he shouted: “You, what do you mean by this!!”
Who would have thought that facing Manager Xiao Hu’s anger, the smile on Fang Shu’s face remained unchanged as he continued:
“Still don’t understand?”
Pausing for a moment, Fang Shu added:
“In other words, are you even worthy of overstepping your bounds to discuss matters with my master’s letter? Worthy of having me fight with your dojo’s disciples for fun?”
As he spoke, Fang Shu also glanced around.
His gaze swept one by one over the faces of that female cultivator Xiao Li Li, the man Ling Bai Quan, as well as Yin Xiao Jian and the crowd of menial laborers, as if asking them the same question.
In the arena, female cultivator Xiao Li Li’s expression changed; she pursed her lips tightly, wanting very much to speak up righteously for her father on the spot.
But unfortunately, Fang Shu’s question hit the nail on the head—her father Xiao Hu was merely a manager in the dojo, not qualified at all to overstep and interfere in matters between the two dojo masters.
As for that Ling Bai Quan and Yin Xiao Jian.
The former frowned slightly, silently sizing up Fang Shu; the latter was in a dazed state, unable to recover for a long time.
Yin Xiao Jian could not figure out how someone dared to speak to Manager Xiao Hu like this in the dojo!
“Oh.” Fang Shu calmly withdrew his gaze from the faces of the people all around.
He said lightly:
“It seems Manager Xiao truly is not worthy.”
This time, Manager Xiao Hu, who had been suppressing his anger and weighing the pros and cons, had never been humiliated like this in ten years; he could no longer hold back.
“Brat!” As the other flew into a rage, a stifled anger surged up:
“I’m not worthy, and you’re not worthy to take my Lead Skill!”
He laughed angrily and crushed Fang Shu’s application calling card into fragments, with many fragments scattering to the ground.
As Manager Xiao Hu roared in anger, his qi and blood also rose steaming, his momentum majestic like a fierce tiger roaring, making the ears of those around hurt.
Especially those menial laborers and Yin Xiao Jian—they were so scared their legs trembled on the spot.
But Fang Shu still stood steadily in the arena, only a zhang away from the other.
Fang Shu stared fixedly at the calling card fragments on the ground, his expression momentarily stunned, then completely turning cold.
He showed no fear of the other’s two-zhang-high qi and blood essence smoke; instead, his eyes were filled with intense eagerness to try.
It must be known that in the Refining Essence Human Immortal realm, emphasis is placed on “human” over “immortal,” and there is a saying that fists fear the young and strong.
Moreover, after his first failed apprenticeship, Fang Shu had learned Xiao Hu’s background from his Second Uncle Yu Le.
This fellow had suffered a severe injury in his youth, coincidentally while working for the Shao Wei Guan Master, so he received precious medicine as a reward, allowing him to pass tribulation and become a Second Tribulation Human Immortal, and was kept in the dojo.
Someone of such advanced age, who had suffered a severe injury, advanced by consuming medicine, and had lived in luxury for years relying only on his old achievements—a Second Tribulation Refining Essence Immortal Cultivator.
He was precisely Fang Shu’s heaven-sent whetstone, allowing him to properly test the gap between himself and a Second Tribulation Human Immortal.
On the contrary, the dojo master’s disciple that the other mentioned—”your nephew”—young and vigorous, was the one truly to be wary of.
Fists bully the old, not the young and strong!
“Old thing, first you discarded my uncle’s letter, now you destroyed my master’s calling card!”
A surge of emotion filled Fang Shu’s chest.
Hu!
He exhaled a breath of stifled anger, removed his outer robe, revealing a Du Gu Guan cultivation practice robe, and his qi and blood began rolling as well.
“Respect you, and you are an elder; disrespect you, and you are just an old dog!”
Fang Shu threw his outer garment to the ground, faced Manager Xiao Hu, and shouted with a laugh, claiming the moral high ground first:
“Old dog, you have repeatedly made things difficult for me, even secretly swapping the tuition fee spirit stones I brought for apprenticeship, tricking me into becoming a menial laborer, completely disregarding that my Second Uncle Yu Le was also a disciple in Shao Wei Guan back then, addressing you as senior brother.
Today, in front of everyone, you destroyed my master’s Dojo Master’s calling card, insulting my master’s sect!”
Brush brush!
The people all around heard Fang Shu’s shout, their gazes immediately falling on Manager Xiao Hu’s hand, especially that female cultivator Xiao Li Li—her face turned ugly and worried.
Even Manager Xiao Hu himself, upon hearing Fang Shu’s scolding, was indifferent to the earlier words, but Fang Shu’s latter sentence made his own face stiffen as he hurriedly looked at his hand.
This fellow realized that what he had destroyed was not an ordinary recommendation letter he usually received, nor Yu Lao Er’s flattering letter, but a Dojo Master-level calling card!
A few traces of regret and hesitation immediately appeared in Manager Xiao Hu’s eyes, leaving him speechless for a moment.
“Misunderstanding!” At this moment, female cultivator Xiao Li Li finally spoke, hurriedly stepping forward to smooth things over:
“Fellow Daoist Fang, this is a misunderstanding!”
But pa!
Fang Shu paid no heed to any misunderstanding.
Over a zhang of qi and blood essence smoke, like a python, rapidly coiled and rose from his body, towering and hissing, drawing everyone’s attention.
“What can be endured, but what cannot!”
Fang Shu stared coldly at that female cultivator:
“Would even your dojo’s Dojo Master tolerate such an unrighteous, disloyal wretch if he were present?”
Female cultivator Xiao Li Li’s face flushed with embarrassment upon hearing this; she didn’t know what to say but still stood in front of Fang Shu, wanting to quell the conflict.
But what responded to her was Fang Shu suddenly moving, extending five fingers toward her cheek:
“Get lost!”
Xiao Li Li’s face paled in fear, hurriedly circulating her qi and blood to dodge.
Though she was also a First Tribulation Human Immortal, close to breaking through to Second Tribulation, her hesitation made her movements slow, and Fang Shu showed no mercy.
Thus, the woman failed to dodge and was about to be slapped across the face by Fang Shu.
This scene made everyone around widen their eyes—they hadn’t expected Fang Shu to really dare!
Fortunately, Manager Xiao Hu was nearby; he suddenly yanked Xiao Li Li, raised a palm to block Fang Shu’s strike, allowing Xiao Li Li to retreat to the side, her face spared.
Bang!
Manager Xiao Hu also grunted, immediately taking a small loss.
Seeing this, Fang Shu pressed his advantage, stepping forward to seize the center, his arm muscles bulging, streams of purple-black qi and blood coiling around his wrists like snakes.
He low roared like thunder: “Want to test my mettle? First see how many teeth this old dog has left!”
Before the words finished, Fang Shu’s fist shot out like a cannon, two purple shadows straight for Xiao Hu’s chest.
Manager Xiao Hu’s eyes bulged in fury, his palms flipping up, tiger’s mouth taut, meeting it head-on with hard bridges and horses.
Deng!
Fist and palm clashed, the two hard-collided once, qi and blood colliding, force splashing, each retreating several steps.
Manager Xiao Hu’s face paled instantly.
Fang Shu felt a sweetness in his throat, his internal qi and blood churning, a few strands of purple blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.
But Fang Shu laughed instead of fearing, his gaze burning, his whole body’s qi and blood surging even more fiercely, his figure pouncing toward Xiao Hu again like a ghost.
In an instant, fierce winds howled in the depths of the hall, the onlookers dazzled.
Female cultivator Xiao Li Li’s face was tense; she wanted to intervene, but saw the two entangled closely, with no way for her to insert herself.
Starting a fight is easy, stopping one is hard!
Thus, Xiao Li Li hurriedly turned her gaze to Ling Bai Quan beside her, saying urgently: “Senior Brother Ling! Please put a stop to this.”
Who would have thought that upon hearing this, Ling Bai Quan showed hesitation: “This…”
His eyes did not look at Xiao Li Li, but at the calling card fragments on the ground.
Xiao Li Li immediately understood his meaning.
Fang Shu’s move today was justified and necessary—purely her father Xiao Hu seeking trouble.
Even if today’s matter ended, once the Shao Wei Guan Master learned of it, he would likely punish her father further to settle the dispute between the two dojos.
Seeing Xiao Li Li’s anxious expression, Ling Bai Quan narrowed his eyes and said lowly: “Don’t worry, both still have some sense, not yet using magic to kill.”
Xiao Li Li looked closely and indeed saw that Fang Shu and Xiao Hu were only exchanging fists and clashing qi and blood, not using lethal magic.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
In the hall, flesh met flesh, muffled thunder resounding.
Xiao Hu grew more and more restricted as he fought.
This fellow’s hands hurt, feet hurt, chest hurt, feeling like his body was about to fall apart.
In contrast, Fang Shu fought more and more smoothly, his Insect Skill, Lead Skill, and various fist forms pouring out like mercury, treating Xiao Hu as a live punching bag.
In no more than a hundred breaths.
Manager Xiao Hu’s two-zhang-high qi and blood was beaten by Fang Shu to the verge of collapse, now held up only by a breath of heart qi, intending to wear Fang Shu down.
Suddenly at this moment, Fang Shu looked at Xiao Hu close at hand, a ferocious smile on his face as he opened his mouth.
“Pu!”
His mouthful of purple blood turned into a poison arrow, straight for Xiao Hu’s face.
This purple blood made those around suspicious and startled, thinking Fang Shu was about to weaken.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Hu’s face greatly changed in shock, hurriedly dodging.
This fellow hid his face, twisting his body like a returning horse gun, letting his hair at the back of his head whip to scatter the blood arrow.
As a result, sizzling sounds rang from the back of Xiao Hu’s head, his disheveled hair emitting wisps of green smoke.
“Such poisonous blood!” Manager Xiao Hu cried out in alarm.
He hurriedly circulated his qi and blood to protect his own skin and flesh.
Fang Shu seized the momentum, unleashing three heavy punches in one breath, striking in succession.
First punch, he shook open Xiao Hu’s arms;
Second punch, he smashed Xiao Hu’s chest with a crack, caving it half an inch;
Third punch, Fang Shu changed fist to elbow, whipping like a hammer toward the other’s cheek!
Xiao Hu’s eyes bulged, having eaten two punches in a row.
This fellow had no choice but to abandon defense for offense, one hand like an iron pincer clamping Fang Shu’s third elbow in time.
The other’s other hand even reached for Fang Shu’s shoulder and neck, wanting to dislocate one of Fang Shu’s arms or cut off his qi and blood flow to make him faint.
“Bang!”
The two tangled in close combat, muscles bulging, bones crackling, qi and blood entangled like hemp, baking the surroundings like a furnace.
Even the distant menial laborers felt their faces heating up.
Fang Shu tried to break free and attack, pounding the other. But Xiao Hu clung desperately, refusing to let go.
It turned out this fellow had recognized reality and changed strategy, wanting to rely on superior qi and blood intensity and Second Tribulation cultivation to forcibly suppress Fang Shu.
Otherwise, continuing like this, either they would use magic with uncertain life or death, or he would be beaten to death in the arena by Fang Shu as a target.
While entangled by the old thing, Fang Shu saw through his intent. But he showed no fear, immediately pressing his elbow down toward Xiao Hu’s throat.
The two were deadlocked, the people around watching without blinking.
Yin Xiao Jian stared blankly at Fang Shu, full of disbelief. Female cultivator Xiao Li Li fixed her gaze on her father Xiao Hu, unmoving.
As for Ling Bai Quan, he frowned while sizing up Fang Shu, a few traces of tricky and hesitation in his eyes.
Thirty breaths later.
Between the two, Xiao Hu’s neck veins bulged, his face purpling.
His throat gurgled as if trying to force out words, but his internal qi and blood failed to rise in time, his fist form slightly scattering.
While Fang Shu’s realm was a level lower and his qi and blood nearly exhausted.
But his eyes suddenly brightened, seizing the moment of the other’s age-weakened body and failing strength, his whole body’s muscles shaking fiercely like pythons.
With one shake, Xiao Hu’s fist form opened wide, completely collapsing.
The other let out an unwilling roar from his mouth, but his knees weakened, powerless to turn the tide; his vision went black as Fang Shu gained the upper hand.
Bang bang bang!
Fang Shu’s fists and legs fell like rain, pouring down again.
Pu!
In his darkening vision, Manager Xiao Hu’s lungs and viscera were injured, a mouthful of blood spraying out, and he could no longer hold back a scream: “Ah!”
This scene made Xiao Li Li unable to restrain herself any longer.
She gritted her teeth, wanting to rush forward to stop the fight, but was pulled back by Ling Bai Quan.
Ling Bai Quan’s gaze flickered as he said gravely: “Li Li, don’t let your father lose both face and fight.”
This made Xiao Li Li pause, hesitation on her face.
In the arena.
Amid Manager Xiao Hu’s scream, his knees hit the ground.
Fang Shu bent down, five fingers gripping the back of his head, a cold smile on his face.
Without hesitation, he swept his foot, stomping down viciously on the ankle and leg bone, grinding!
“Crack—ah!”
Bone-cracking sound rang out, the entire right leg breaking.
In the scream, Xiao Hu’s hair disheveled, his qi and blood finally scattered formlessly, arms drooping as he suddenly fainted, exposing himself defenseless.
Female cultivator Xiao Li Li could no longer hold back, crying out: “Dad!”
Her eyes red, she broke free of Ling Bai Quan’s arm and pounced forward.
Seeing this, Fang Shu retreated swiftly like a monkey, putting distance between him and the woman, warily staring at her.
Seeing that though her qi and blood surged, she did not attack him, Fang Shu slowly withdrew his momentum and regulated his breathing.
In the utter silence.
Fang Shu’s lingering qi and blood warmth spread, sweat finally pouring out, steaming like mist for a moment.
Amid the white vapor coiling.
He walked back to the arena as if no one else were there, not even glancing at the Xiao-surnamed father and daughter.
Fang Shu picked up his own outer garment by himself, and with a sweep of his sleeve, gathered all the calling card fragments from the ground and tucked them into his bosom.
“Farewell.”
He donned his outer garment, his steps still steady, covering his sweat-soaked cultivation practice robe, about to leave directly.
“Cough, wait.”
At this moment, a weak voice suddenly sounded behind him.
Fang Shu halted.
In the depths of the hall, it was Manager Xiao Hu, struggling to lift his eyelids, chest heaving violently.
This fellow had only fainted for a moment before waking again—not unworthy of a Second Tribulation Human Immortal.
He pressed his daughter’s hands, arduously speaking:
“Li Li, fetch the Lead Skill Marrow Refining Chapter…”
After the words fell, his head only then tilted, eyes closing tightly again, fainting once more, real or fake.
This time, Xiao Li Li was dazed, and Ling Bai Quan slightly raised his brows.
As for the menial laborers all around, they erupted in clamor, clicking their tongues as they looked at Fang Shu’s back, excitedly discussing nonstop:
“What is this guy here for? So ferocious!”
Amid the din, it was as if the roof of Shao Wei Guan hall was about to be lifted off.
Only that toad-like youth Yin Xiao Jian stared blankly and foolishly at Fang Shu, mouth agape, speechless for a long time, as if he didn’t recognize the person at all.
