46: A single punch can ward off a hundred!

After a while.

Li Qing had pulled out most of the weeds in the courtyard.

He stood by the well and washed his face with freshly drawn water.

The water was living water, cold and clear, carrying the scent of the depths of the Great River.

He didn't lack food now; his Clone could catch Vicious Beasts from the river at any time and send them up through the underground secret passage.

Although it was mostly Vicious Beast meat, eating a lot of it provided many benefits to his body, which had not yet officially begun to Cultivate.

But always eating fish meat...

...would get tiring.

Now that his conditions were better, he could afford other types of food.

He pulled a large Black Carp over a meter long out of the well, its tail still flapping violently against the bucket.

This was just ordinary fresh river food his little brother had caught for him; it wasn't a Vicious Beast.

He could just sell it to trade for some fine rice and white flour, and then buy some vegetables.

By the way, he should also look into whether there were any other options in Jinling City besides the Fierce Wind Martial Arts Hall.

The next step, entering a martial arts school to learn martial arts, was the Righteous Path.

Carrying the still-flopping large fish, he locked the courtyard gate.

Just as he turned around, his footsteps stopped.

At the entrance of the alley, five or six people had appeared at some point, completely blocking his path.

These people were all wearing blue martial arts uniforms, with surging waves embroidered on their chests.

Each of them had bulging temples and a fierce aura; one could tell at a glance they were trained practitioners.

Leading them was a young man in his early twenties, with a burly build and a face full of scars.

He was looking at him with a scrutinizing and somewhat gloomy expression.

This group was from the Jingtao Martial Arts School.

They were the local tyrants of the southern city, always acting overbearingly.

Squire Wang had mentioned them in passing during their chat yesterday, telling him to be careful.

It seemed trouble had found its way to his doorstep.

The leading Disciple, a young man named Zhao Hu, saw Li Qing coming out of the courtyard carrying a fish.

His face was filled with extreme displeasure.

Their Jingtao Martial Arts School had been eyeing this piece of land for a long time.

The martial arts school had been secretly spreading rumors about it being a Haunted House just to drive the price down to the lowest possible level.

Then the school would step in, swallow up the land and the courtyard in one go, and expand it into a branch school.

Just as they were about to succeed, a poor kid who wasn't afraid of death had appeared out of nowhere.

"Kid."

Zhao Hu tilted his head and pointed his chin toward the courtyard gate behind Li Qing.

"This house isn't something a piece of trash like you can live in."

"If you know what's good for you, get the hell out of here today, and you might just keep your life."

The Junior Brothers behind him had expressions of watching a good show on their faces.

They were used to bullying people in their daily lives.

The boy in front of them was about 1.7 meters tall.

Such a thin and weak boy posed no threat in their eyes.

He was just another poor wretch scared out of his wits.

Li Qing's brow furrowed slightly.

He had just found a place to settle down and didn't want any complications on the first day.

He didn't respond, carrying the fish and bypassing them on his own, preparing to leave.

This immediately ignited Zhao Hu's temper.

A mere Peasant dared to ignore him?

This was simply an insult to him!

"Stop right there!"

Zhao Hu roared.

He lunged forward to block him, his palm, as large as a cattail fan, pushing directly toward Li Qing's chest.

He put all his strength into this push, carrying a gust of wind.

If an ordinary person were pushed like this, they would likely be thrown several meters back and end up bleeding from a fall.

"I'm talking to you! Are you fucking deaf or mute?!"

The Junior Brothers behind him had mocking smiles on their faces.

They were already prepared to see Li Qing fall flat on his face in a pathetic state.

At the very moment Zhao Hu's palm was about to touch the lapel of Li Qing's clothes...

Li Qing moved.

His left hand holding the fish didn't move, but his right hand rose casually.

He clenched his fist and, without dodging, punched out toward Zhao Hu's advancing palm.

One punch to open the way, to avoid a hundred punches later!

Current him was not afraid of these small fry!

He held back 99% of his strength.

Bang!

A dull thud.

Fist and palm collided.

The cruel grin on Zhao Hu's face froze.

A terrifying force that simply could not be resisted came from Li Qing's seemingly unthreatening fist.

"Crack!"

The sound of bones breaking rang out.

"Ah—!"

Zhao Hu let out a scream and was sent flying backward.

The hand he had used to push was completely deformed, revealing stark white broken bones.

His body traced an arc in the air.

He flew seven or eight meters away and slammed heavily against the alley wall.

Then he slid to the ground like limp mud, clutching his wrist and rolling all over the floor.

Intense pain washed over him.

He looked up, his pupils shrinking as he stared fixedly at the boy standing calmly in place.

This is impossible!

How the fuck is this possible!

He was a Martial Artist at the Peak of the Body Tempering Realm!

With this palm strike, an ordinary person's bones should have shattered.

But this thin boy in front of him had actually crippled him with a single punch!

The opponent didn't even seem to have used his full strength!

He had just lightly thrown a punch his way.

This power far exceeded the Realm of the Body Tempering Realm!

Could it be the Condensing Essence Realm?

Good kid, pretend to be a pig to eat the tiger, huh?

The Junior Brothers he had brought were all dumbfounded.

Each of them stood there with their mouths wide open, as still as wooden chickens.

They watched helplessly as Senior Brother Zhao Hu wailed in pain nearby.

The mockery and playfulness on their faces froze completely at this moment.

Then they snapped out of it, their hearts filled with terror.

Even Senior Brother Zhao Hu couldn't withstand a single punch.

They were only at the Middle Stage of the Body Tempering Realm.

They were even less of a match.

Their legs were trembling.

That person clearly looked so unremarkable and thin.

But that punch just now was no fake!

It was as if the pause button had been pressed in the alley; only Zhao Hu's painful wails remained.

The Disciples of the Jingtao Martial Arts School only now woke up as if from a dream.

The boy in front of them was a powerhouse!

They had kicked a steel plate.

"Zha- Zhao Senior Brother!"

A slightly braver Disciple stammered out a call.

Li Qing glanced at them indifferently.

"Scram!"

"I'm living in this courtyard now."

"If anyone bothers me again, it won't be as simple as just a broken hand."

Those Disciples didn't dare say another word.

They scrambled over in a panic, picked up the still-wailing Zhao Hu, and fled the place in a desperate hurry.

Li Qing didn't even spare them another glance.

He weighed the large Black Carp in his hand; yes, it was still very fresh.

The feeling of having strength is truly great!

He turned around and walked calmly toward the market.