After three days, a youth emerged from the forest, dressed in shabby clothes with messy hair, covered in dust and dried blood, and carrying the strong scent of the wilderness. As he descended, he arrived at Tortoise Lake, where the Outer Court of the Tianfu Sword Palace was located. This youth was Han Xiao, the new reincarnate from planet Earth.
On this particular day, the Five Tigers of the Outer Court were gathered by a mysterious masked senior from the Inner Court, acting as a special representative from a secretive organization within the Inner Court.
The Willow Tree Forest covered one-third of the entire Zhou Nation; the deeper one ventured, the stronger and more vicious the beasts became, with ambushes lurking around every corner. Only the top masters of the Zhongguo region knew what lay within the very core of the forest.
Today, Han Xiao couldn't help but smile as he compared the architecture, monuments, and structures around him with the memories inherited from the previous soul. "Hmm, the period dramas don't do justice to this level of architecture. The closer I look, the more I want to immerse myself in this place," he mused, strolling down the street toward the main bounty collection hall of the institute.
He navigated past several disciples clad in the purple Daoist robes of the Institute. Instinctively, they stepped aside, fully aware of who this disheveled youth was. The reaction from the ladies, however, was different. Despite his shabby attire, dirt, and the pungent smell of blood, his innate handsomeness was unmistakable. Especially after advancing through Flesh Training, which refined his skin and epidermis, a radiant glow emanated from his slightly sun-tanned visage.
Some of the ladies stood there, dumbstruck, their hearts pounding and faces flushed, unable to tear their eyes away from the youth. A few even gazed with longing, captivated by his presence.
The male disciples nearby observed this unusual spectacle, their jealousy igniting a deep-seated enmity toward the youth they deemed insignificant in the realm of cultivation.
Some openly sneered, their eyes burning with envy. "Hmph! This worthless fool dares to desire our beautiful sisters. He deserves a thorough beating."
"Agreed! And where is his manners? Despite being a damn cripple, he's still a prince of the Han Nation. Look at his appearance. Guys, I think it's time to teach him a lesson on behalf of his nation. This is the perfect opportunity. Let's beat him up," suggested another disciple with shifty eyes and a lean posture, a smirk playing on his face.
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"Alright! There's no need to hold back. Just go and show that worthless trash that this is the era of cultivation, and someone like him doesn't belong here. Stop ogling at those sisters with your pretty face," added another disciple, with an average appearance.
Han Xiao could hear them loud and clear, especially after breaking through several realms in both Body Cultivation and Qi Cultivation, which had sharpened all his senses multiple-fold.
Unlike the previous Han Xiao, who had been a pampered prince, he had experienced the dirty slums of Beijing and the various ups and downs of life in his previous incarnation and was numb to such derogatory comments.
Moreover, he was uncomfortable with the attention he received from the ladies, as everyone in this world possessed a certain level of beauty due to their cultivation of natural qi. Therefore, he chose to leave the place as quickly as possible, feeling uneasy about the unnecessary attention.
Unfortunately, as he passed by them, the shifty-eyed youth dashed forward and kicked him in the back.
*Ding!*
+1 Attack from the back!
The shifty-eyed disciple was currently at Level 5 of the Pulse Condensation Realm. Thinking that Han Xiao was only at Level 2 and not want to provoke the Han Nation, he used only a quarter of his strength in the kick, which proved ineffective.
Han Xiao halted his step and stood firm like a mountain. The kick felt like a mere tap from soft cotton to him, as he was a body cultivator from the start.
The crowd had expected the Han prince to be beaten to a pulp, but the situation left them in awe. Several trains of thought were evoked among the onlookers, all with a common theme. "Hmm, Shen Jian must have held back on that kick! He must either have a guilty conscience or fear retaliation from the Han Nation."
The reactions of the girls were even more exaggerated. They cursed the shifty-eyed youth for bullying such a handsome and innocent brother. Some even considered stepping forward to rescue the distressed prince, though it turned out to be unnecessary.
Turning around, Han Xiao's face remained surprisingly calm, much to the onlookers' surprise. It was as if the attack just now had nothing to do with him.
The person most baffled by the situation was Shen Jian himself, as he knew exactly how much strength he had put into that kick. However, Han Xiao remained unmoved, standing firm like Mount Tai. In fact, considering his demeanor, one might not recognize him as the Han Xiao of yesteryear.
After observing Shen Jian for a moment, Han Xiao spoke up. "So, you're the one who kicked this body," he said, referring to himself in an oddly detached manner. "If this were a sparring match, I might have let it go. But attacking this body has stirred my conscience. Bear the consequences."
Hearing such a bold statement from a cripple, Shen Jian was furious. Before he could retort with curses, a whooshing sound filled the air and a shadow flickered. A palm shot out and landed squarely on his right cheek. *Slap!* The resounding sound echoed in all directions, followed by a pin-drop silence that enveloped the area.
"Trash! Do you have a death wish?" Shen Jian spat out angrily. But before he could finish, another palm struck his left cheek. Then, another slap landed on his right cheek. This continued relentlessly for the next few moments, his face battered and teeth shattered with each resounding slap.