“Clang!”
Master Longbrow was sent flying by Ye Qiu’s punch, nearly tumbling into the river. At the critical moment, he swiftly grabbed the ship’s railing, executed a backflip, and landed steadily on the deck.
Then, looking at Ye Qiu, his heart was filled with astonishment.
He couldn’t fathom it. He was already a cultivator at the initial Foundation Establishment stage, so why couldn’t he withstand Ye Qiu’s punch?
Could it be that the little brat used some underhanded trick?
That must be it!
Otherwise, there’s no way the little brat could be my match.
Thinking this, Master Longbrow said discontentedly, “Little brat, we’re sparring, why did you use a dirty trick?”
“I didn’t use any dirty trick,” Ye Qiu replied.
He was also surprised because he hadn’t used his full strength in that punch.
He had only intended to test the gap between himself and a cultivator, but he didn’t expect to send Master Longbrow flying.
Seeing Ye Qiu deny it, Master Longbrow snorted coldly, “Little brat, don’t I know your capabilities? You definitely used some underhanded move, otherwise, I couldn’t have been pushed back.”
Ye Qiu asked, “Shall we continue sparring?”
“Of course,” Master Longbrow decided that, since his cultivation was higher than Ye Qiu’s, he must give him a good thrashing now.
Otherwise, once Ye Qiu became a cultivator, he’d lose his chance to bully him.
“Old man, try taking another punch.”
Ye Qiu threw another punch at Master Longbrow.
This time, Master Longbrow used eighty percent of his strength, meeting Ye Qiu’s fist with a palm strike.
“Boom!”
Their fist and palm collided.
Master Longbrow felt an overwhelming force, like a tidal wave, surging from Ye Qiu’s fist into his palm.
In an instant, he was struck as if by lightning, his body sent flying again.
This time, he wasn’t so lucky and plummeted straight into the river.
“No way, the old man can’t block my punch?” Ye Qiu found it unbelievable.
Xiao Zhan, equally shocked, said, “Boss, you’re incredible, knocking back a cultivator!”
Ye Qiu remarked, “Maybe the old man didn’t use his full strength.”
Soon, Master Longbrow shot up from the river and landed back on the deck.
He looked utterly dishevelled.
Soaked by the river water, his hair dishevelled, he resembled a drowned rat.
“Old man, what’s wrong with you?”
“Did you skip breakfast, or are you going easy on me because I’m not a cultivator?”
“Let’s go again!”
Ye Qiu threw a third punch.
“Come on then, you think I’m scared?” Master Longbrow retorted.
Even a clay Buddha has some fire, and being knocked back twice by Ye Qiu made him furious.
He was a cultivator, yet repeatedly sent flying by this brat. If word got out, he’d be a laughingstock.
Smack!
Master Longbrow met Ye Qiu’s fist with a palm strike.
This time, he used ninety percent of his strength.
“Boom!”
Their fist and palm clashed with a loud explosion. The next second, Master Longbrow let out a pained “Ouch!” and was sent flying again, landing in the river.
Hmm?
Ye Qiu’s expression shifted slightly.
Something wasn’t right.
Normally, a martial artist cultivating true qi would never be a match for a cultivator.
The difference in strength was like night and day.
A cultivator fighting a martial artist was like a dimensional strike, so why was the old man repeatedly knocked back by me?
After pondering for a moment, Ye Qiu concluded there was only one explanation: his current combat strength was no less than that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
“This must be related to my cultivation of innate true qi. I’ve crossed realms to defeat enemies multiple times, all thanks to innate true qi.”
“This shows that innate true qi is far superior to acquired true qi.”
“Though I’m not yet a cultivator, having cultivated eight strands of innate true qi, my combat strength can rival a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”
Realising this, Ye Qiu was thrilled.
“With this level of strength, once I cultivate ten strands of true qi, I might be able to challenge Venerable realm experts without undergoing tribulation.”
“And when I reach the Venerable or even King realm, how powerful will I become?”
For a moment, Ye Qiu was filled with longing for the path of cultivation.
Whoosh!
Master Longbrow shot out of the river, landing on the deck, and pointed at Ye Qiu, cursing, “You little bastard, using underhanded tricks again, utterly shameless.”
Ye Qiu smiled, “Old man, if I told you I didn’t use any tricks, would you believe me?”
Master Longbrow snapped, “I don’t believe you.”
“Since you don’t, let’s spar again.” Ye Qiu kindly reminded him, “Make sure not to hold back. Use your full strength, or you’ll be crying when I beat you.”
“I’m not a three-year-old, crying over what?” Master Longbrow said, “I was knocked back because I didn’t use my full strength.”
“As a cultivator, I was worried I’d kill you if I went all out.”
“But since you’ve said this much, it seems I need to show you some real power, or you’ll think I’m a weakling.”
“Little brat, watch out.”
“I’m using dragon qi now.”
As he spoke, a massive aura erupted from Master Longbrow, a strand of dragon qi swirling behind him, his battle intent soaring.
“Boom!”
He stepped forward, causing the ship to shudder as if it might capsize.
“Little brat, take this!”
Master Longbrow pressed out a palm, the dragon qi rushing towards Ye Qiu with terrifying force.
“Dragon-Slaying Fist!”
Ye Qiu channelled his eight strands of true qi into his right fist, striking like thunder, utterly terrifying.
“Roar—”
A deafening dragon’s cry rang out.
Ye Qiu’s punch shattered the dragon qi, then his fist collided with Master Longbrow’s palm.
Clang!
It was like metal clashing fiercely.
In an instant, Master Longbrow was sent flying, blood trickling from his mouth.
As he was about to fall into the river again, Ye Qiu darted forward like lightning, grabbed him, and pulled him back to the deck.
“Old man, want to keep sparring?” Ye Qiu asked with a smile.
“Spar my arse,” Master Longbrow realised Ye Qiu’s strength was abnormal, but refused to admit defeat, saying, “Little brat, remember this: it’s not you who beat me, it’s your innate true qi.”
Ye Qiu gave a faint smile.
“Heh…”
Not long after, the ship sailed down the canyon and stopped at the shore.
“Little brat, I’m heading back to Dragon Tiger Mountain.”
“You wait and see.”
“Next time we meet, I’ll give you a thrashing.”
Master Longbrow leapt off the ship and drifted away.
“Boss, where to now?” Xiao Zhan asked.
“Back to Jiangzhou.” As Ye Qiu spoke, his phone rang. Checking it, he saw it was from War God.
Answering the call, before he could speak, War God’s heavy voice came through.
“Ye Qiu, Tang Fei’s gone missing.”
