“Big Brother you have to show that blind fool whose boss or else he’ll be spitting on our family name!” Sying pleaded.
“You little! You think I haven’t heard how you disgraced our family by losing to said, “blind fool” I heard that he toyed with you and completely embarrassed you.” Ming angrily smacked his brother.
Sying’s plead was caught in his throat. It turns out one of his followers told the news to his big brother before he did. Those little pieces of shit! Next time he sees them he’ll kill them without a proper burial! The stinging pain on his face only fueled his anger towards the old blind fool.
“But Big Brother can’t you see that he doesn’t put our family in his eyes if he’s willing to do such a humiliating and violent thing to me? You have to show him a lesson if not for me, then for our family name.”
This caused Ming to ponder. His name was pretty popular within the Outer Court given that he was 7th ranked disciple. There couldn’t be anyone that didn’t know of his name. So, this fool who showed his little brother a lesson must have known he would eventually hear about it. They must really have some balls then.
“Fine. You may be pathetic but you are still my little brother. Let’s go find this blind fool. Bring me to him.”
Ming got up from his chair and allowed his weak little brother to take him to the one that doesn’t have their family in his eyes.
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“What a strange beast...” Lei Zhi commented as he held out his hand to feel the skin of the floating spirit beast.
The beast’s skin felt very smooth and leathery. It was much larger than him and would have no problem swallowing him whole. The beast seemed to have hands instead of fins like most fish do. The scariest part of this shark-like monster besides the teeth was the complete lack of any eyes. It was blind just like him but Lei Zhi felt as if this creature would have no problem searching for any type of prey.
He could feel a connection with this fish he reeled out with his fishing hook. It would listen to any commands he gave it and wouldn’t even mind dying for him. Just like the other aquatic creatures he pulled out from his fishing rod, this one could somehow breathe on land and float as if it was swimming in water. Just what kind of spirit tool was he given? How did she get her hands on something like this? And why would she gift it to someone like him?
Lei Zhi sighed. This was all a bit much to take in considering his life was anything but whatever this is. He would have to take this all one step at a time. Being hasty would benefit no one. Lei Zhi rubbed the skin of the shark monster and suddenly sensed 2 figures outside his shack. He casted his fishing hook back into the unknown and ordered the shark to go back home.
The shark swam inside the multi-colored slit and disappeared from Lei Zhi’s home just as his door was broken down by a familiar face.
“Show yourself senile bat!” Sying ordered.
“Ah Young Master Sying, welcome to my home.” Lei Zhi kindly smiled.
Ming’s face scrunched up.
“I’ve gotten my big brother here to show you a lesson you’ll never forget!”
“Hello Young Master Ming, how are you?” Lei Zhi greeted.
“I’m not here for pleasantries you blind git. I heard you thoroughly embarrassed my little brother. He may be a disappointment in the family but he is still part of our lineage. I’ll give you a chance of living if you kowtow 3 times to him and apologize for not putting our bloodline in your eyes.” Ming commanded.
Lei Zhi was a bit confused on how this situation was going to play out but at least it didn’t dissolve into violence immediately. Not to mention that Ming was a peak 7th stage Qi Gatherer! Lei Zhi would stand no chance against him without sufficient preparation.
“I must apologize Young Master Ming, I cannot kowtow and apologize for no reason. I’ve done nothing wrong that I feel I should apologize for.” Lei Zhi politely said.
Boom! Ming outwardly blasted his qi towards Lei Zhi. Lei Zhi smashed into his wall from the force and fell onto the floor. He gripped his fishing rod to defend himself if any further attacks come.
“Don’t be stubborn and save yourself the pain. You are already on the floor, start apologizing.” Ming ordered with an air of superiority.
Lei Zhi slowly stood up with his back straight. He looked into the eyes of Ming.
“I refuse.”
“You really are just a blind fool. No one will miss you anyway I suppose.” His flared his qi once more, intending to do more than just knock Lei Zhi into the wall this time.
Lei Zhi attempted to fish in an aquatic ally but the force from the qi didn’t allow his hook to fly. He was helpless against this show of strength even with the gifts he was given by Jing. The only thing he was feeling was sorrow for not being able to live up to Jing’s expectations. But that wouldn’t mean he would go down without at least trying. He didn’t get to this age by luck alone! He flared all the qi in his body to fight against the powerful qi of Ming and fish in a helpful beast.
“Is there a fight I smell?” A figure popped his head in from the hole in the wall made by Lei Zhi.
The figure was wrapped in black chains along with a large metal ball dragging behind his feet. Did someone lose their prisoner? What was this guy doing here?! Who the hell even was he?!
“Hu Tao!?” Ming exclaimed in shock before reeling in his qi.
“Are you bastards in here fighting without me?” He grinned widely.
Ming rapidly shook his head as sweat began to rapidly pour from his body.
“So, I'm stupid now little Ming is that it? You’re calling me a braindead fucking retard is it?”
“No sir I would never! I wouldn’t be caught dead calling you anything of the sort! Not even if I was given a sky-ranked martial art!”
“That’s what it’s sounding like you’re calling me because I’m sure someone was fighting in here!”
“What was happening was just a simple training exercise between me and my junior disciple brother. Nothing even remotely similar to a fight Hu Tao! I promise you!” Ming rapidly spat out.
“Hmm...” He looked towards Lei Zhi and then his fishing rod.
“Was you fighting here old man?”
Lei Zhi didn’t understand what exactly was the relationship between Ming and Hu Tao was but he has surely heard the many rumors of Hu Tao throughout the sect. The boy was the 10th ranked disciple in the Outer Court. He was known for fighting anyone and everything without a shred of passion or mercy. His rise to prominence through the ranking matches were so brutal, many refused to challenge him and surrendered immediately if they had to face him. With so many challengers giving up, Hu Tao was forced to find other ways of making people fight him. Which was usually annoying them to death.
“Not anymore thanks to you, young man.” Lei Zhi responded.
“So, there was a fight!” Hu Tao whipped his fist out.
The sound of metal meeting flesh entered the ears of everyone inside the shack. Hu Tao’s metal ball crashed into the face of Ming and sent him flying into the fishing pond outside. Several teeth were knocked down his throat and his face looked dented in but Hu Tao was sure he was still alive.
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“Next time you lie to me, Ming I won’t go easy on you like I did today.” Hu Tao warned.
Lei Zhi and Sying’s eyes widened in shock. That was considered going easy?! They didn’t dare want to see what going all out looked like. Sying stood at the door shivering in fright while Lei Zhi was also a bit frightened by the youth. He has heard many horrifying stories involving the boy. Sying ran away towards his brother before he soiled his clothes out of terror.
“Hey old man where you get that fishing pole?”
“It was a gift...”
“From who?”
“I cannot disclose that information, I apologize.”
Hu Tao walked up to Lei Zhi. Lei Zhi was taller than the boy but the strength difference made him seem like a child compared to Hu Tao. He glared at him while slowly releasing his qi. Lei Zhi was having trouble breathing. His lungs felt as if they were being slowly choked by Hu Tao and his body felt weak. He could barely stand or breathe but he couldn’t give away Jing’s identity. That was one of the rules he was given by her. Even in the face of death, he was to not give away who gave him his fishing rod or she would personally bring him back from the reincarnation wheel and make him regret ever revealing her.
“I cannot tell you Hu Tao. No matter how much pain you put me through.” Lei Zhi could feel his blood rushing to his throat.
He smirked.
“It’s Jing ain’t it?” He asked without a shred of doubt.
Lei Zhi is not a fool. He didn’t act as if he recognized the name at all and simply kept the same determined expression as before. He didn’t live this long without a few tricks. If he slipped up at her name, he’d be the biggest fool around.
“She made you one of her followers too huh? I guess she ain’t picky when she can get stuff like this.” Hu Tao’s chains sparked before turning into lightning.
“What kind of spirit weapon is that!?” Lei Zhi asked shocked.
“Amazing ain’t it? That sadistic bitch has some good shit. I don’t know where she gets it from but she’s interesting enough.” He smiled cheekily. “I guess being her underling isn’t so bad if she’s giving this stuff away like candy.” The lightning reverted back to a metal ball and chain.
Lei Zhi was now 100% sure that Hu Tao was on the same side as him.
“Yes, I got my new fishing rod from her. She gave it to me once I agreed to join her in changing the sect for the better.”
“She kicked my ass and that’s why I joined her.” Hu Tao casually stated before sitting on LeiZhi’s bed and twirling the metal ball with his finger.
“I appreciate you helping me out there.”
“Who said I was helping you oldie? I was just looking to see if there was a fight for me to join before I entered the Inner Court.”
“I still appreciate it nonetheless.”
“So, what can your rod do? I know it just doesn’t make you a better fisher.”
“It’ll be easier if I show you. Follow me outside. I can’t really control how big or dangerous these fishes can be. It’s all random.” Lei Zhi said.
Hu Tao followed Lei Zhi outside. Lei Zhi reared his fishing pole back before throwing his hook into the universal slit.
After casting, he stood up straight and ready. He’s only done this a few times so far and every time he was amazed at the type of fishes he’s caught. He’s seen things he’s never seen before or even heard about. It was so amazing, that each catch made him feel 30 years younger.
He felt a tug on the line. Lei Zhi squared his shoulders and braced his legs before using all the strength in his body to pull out the mysterious beast. Hu Tao watched in mild interest. The aquatic animal came out head first and boy did it look angry. The eyes seemed to be in a perpetual state of indifference or rage but the beast wasn’t thrashing wildly or attacking as its full body exited from the slit. Lei Zhi’s fishing hook was hooked into the claw of the creature.
It was a giant crab. The large powerful claws of the crustacean looked strong enough to pincer a small mountain in half! The frightening mouth lined up with sharp teeth that would stab and slowly drag its prey deeper into its mouth would make any average person faint just at the sight of it! Its glowing four eyes lit up with a certain level of intelligence hidden behind them. This creature was anything but a typical crab!
Lei Zhi was slightly distressed at the size of the creature. It was taller than the trees surrounding this part of the area. One of the elders might investigate if they see this thing. It seems the crab sensed his discomfort. It started shrinking in size till it reached the size of an ox. It skittered over to him with its 6 crab legs and looked at him with interest.
“A crab huh? I wonder how strong this thing is.” Hu Tao questioned.
“Anything I fish out has the same cultivation as me but I found out that just because it has the same cultivation as me doesn’t mean it's as strong as me. I usually find out that they are much stronger than their cultivation suggests. You can try fighting against her if you want.” Lei Zhi informed.
“You can tell that’s a girl?”
“I just kind of know.” Lei Zhi said, not sure of how it works himself.
“Let me lower my qi to a respectable level before I do this warmup.” Hu Tao said with an air of confidence.
He lowered the strength of his qi to the level of the average 4th stage Qi Gatherer before pouncing towards the crab. Lei Zhi could still keep up with Hu Tao’s movement with his senses but he doubted he would be able to react with his body. Even if he lowered his qi amount to a 4th stage, his natural body strength can’t be reduced to the same level of strength as a 4th stage. In a normal cultivator’s eyes, Hu Tao just disappeared right in front of them!
The crab hammered Hu Tao into the ground before it could reach it. Once it saw that he was immobilized, it quickly started pounding away with its huge meaty claws. The grin on Hu Tao’s face got wider and wider each time he was hit further into the ground.
‘Now this is it!’
Hu Tao kicked out with his legs, knocking the crab’s claws up into the air. He dragged his body out of the dirt and his chains shot out to wrap around the claws of the crustacean. The crab skuttled backwards out of the way and rushed to charge into Hu Tao.
“Come on ya damn beast. Just try and take me on!” Hu Tao jumped forward with a rising knee.
The hardened and shining red shell of the crab clashed against the mighty strength of Hu Tao. At first it seemed equal in strength between the two but this stalemate didn’t last long. The crab was slowly overpowering Hu Tao!
“Hahaha you son of a bitch!” Hu Tao’s chains started to wrap around the large crab.
The beast was unable to resist as the chains infinitely extended from Hu Tao’s body and wrapped up the claws of the crab. It tried shaking the chains off before realizing that wasn’t going to work. Hu Tao smirked and gave the spirit beast one last chance before he ended this. The crab smashed the chains against the ground and it only tighten them around its arms.
“Times up!” Hu Tao grinned.
He pulled the chains and lifted the hefty crustacean in the air. The ox-sized beast soared in the air before being dropped down harshly on the ground and then lifted up again and smashed into the ground once more. Hu Tao was visibly impressed. He didn’t see a single crack or dent in the shell of the crab no matter how many times he threw it into the ground. He just found his third training buddy!
Hu Tao jumped high into the air. The crab was lying on its back and the soft underbelly was all too visible for Hu Tao. The crab hasn’t given up though. It used its legs to protect its underside and cut off all chances for Hu Tao to take advantage of its innate weakness.
“That won’t protect you little crabby! Awooo!!!” He howled.
Two red shadows made of qi split from Hu Tao’s Body. They resembled him perfectly and got in sync with him. The three held the metal ball above their heads and surged qi into it. Hu Tao’s metal ball enlarged into a size greater than the crab! His shadows’ balls matched the original’s and they all slammed it into the crab below them.
“No fucking way!” Hu Tao shouted excitedly.
The crab’s legs held up against his attack and quickly flipped the situation. After defending against the triple attack successfully, the crab’s sharp pointed legs pierced and punctured his clones before attempting to impale him as well. This fucking crab wasn’t a joke! He couldn’t play around with this thing if he wanted to end this.
Hu Tao’s chains protected him from the crab’s fearsome legs and knocked him away. It rolled itself over and back on its feet. It looked at Hu Tao with a calm look in its eyes. There was no anger, no hunger, no impatience within the spirit beast. Only the thought of dealing with the enemy was within its eyes.
‘This beast is smarter than I thought it was. No... She is smarter than I thought she was.’ Hu Tao corrected himself.
Hu Tao’s chains snaked towards her. She rushed towards him and as soon as his chains were about to grab her, she shrunk in size and ran along the chains to get Hu Tao.
“You fucking bitch! Hahaha! You’re kidding!”
She leapt above him once she got close enough on the chains and grew back to ox size. She raised her claw as she attempted to hammer him into the ground. Hu Tao madly smiled as he smashed his fists together and punched towards the incoming claw. The impact of their clash knocked them both away but not out of the fight.
Hu Tao sighed.
“If we go any further, I wouldn’t be able to hold myself back. Let’s end this here old man. I wouldn’t wanna kill someone as fun as this when she hasn’t even grown to her full potential.”
Lei Zhi smiled. He went over to his crab and she shrunk in size till she could fit on his shoulder. He rubbed her head and she clapped her claws together in pleasure.
“I hope you two had your fun. It was nice meeting you Hu Tao. The rumors about you paint you out to be much worse than you are.”
“Nah that ain’t it old man. I was just told I couldn’t treat any team mates like I wanted unless I wanted to get killed by Jing. See ya around.”
Hu Tao left Lei Zhi and his new companion behind. Lei Zhi was glad that guy was on his side. He is truly fortunate that someone like Jing decided to take him in as a follower. Without her, he’s sure that he himself would still be wasting his life away in this sect without any chance of advancing. He will make sure to live up to her expectations and succeed in the dreams he had no chance of accomplishing alone.
“I’ll have to give you a name don’t I? What do you think about the name Xiurong?” He saw her rubbing her claws together.
He didn’t know what that meant but took it as an agreement.