Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

Zhao Dong's pupils contracted. He instantly recognized the terror in Wei Wu's palm strike and knew he was no match. With a sudden burst of muscular strength, Zhao Dong rolled to the side. Wei Wu's palm strike grazed past his shoulder, slicing open several wounds so deep that bone was visible.

Zhao Dong barely dodged the fatal blow, but his heart turned cold. What can I do now?

Retreating more than ten meters, he winced in pain and said, deliberately stalling for time, "Old geezer, what did Xiao Hongtian give you to come kill me? Can't I make you an offer, too?"

Wei Wu smirked sinisterly. "You can't afford what Young Master Xiao has given me. Besides, I value Young Master Xiao's status more. What about you? What do you have?"

Zhao Dong knew negotiation was impossible. His mind raced. Who can I call for help? The Han Family? No, they don't have an expert of this caliber. Xu Yafei is even less of an option. She's just an ordinary person who relies entirely on Hong Wu. I'm lucky Hong Wu hasn't tried to kill me himself; he'd never come to my rescue. Jiang Nianyu might be able to help, but this is a Grandmaster. Even she would likely be powerless.

After running through his options, Zhao Dong was still at a loss. He looked at Wei Wu in desperation. "Old man, you're a Grandmaster. Aren't you ashamed to be bullying me?"

"The Cultivation World is survival of the fittest," Wei Wu said as he charged forward again, stirring up an eerie wind. "You're weak, so you're only fit to be a stepping stone for the strong!"

This time, his assault was even fiercer, leaving Zhao Dong no room to retreat. With a furious roar, he channeled all the Spiritual Energy in his body into his fists and unleashed them at Wei Wu. The moment of impact, Zhao Dong was sent flying like a kite with a severed string, crashing violently to the ground. He felt as if every bone in his body had been shattered. His internal organs rattled, blood surged within him, and his arms were almost completely numb.

Wei Wu sneered coldly. "Your strength isn't bad. Given a few more years, you might have become an expert. But it's your bad luck to have offended Young Master Xiao. Now, die!"

Murderous light erupted in Wei Wu's eyes as he launched a palm strike radiating palpable killing intent straight for Zhao Dong's throat.

Suddenly, a figure flashed before him. Lin Qingyun stood directly in front of Zhao Dong, her face pale as she confronted Wei Wu.

Wei Wu halted instantly, retracting his palm. "Miss Lin," he said coldly, "step aside at once. Do not interfere with me killing this brat."

Lin Qingyun's lips trembled uncontrollably. "No! I won't let you touch Zhao Dong! If you dare, I promise the Lin Family will come after you!" In her desperation, she had no choice but to invoke her family's name.

Wei Wu's expression shifted, and his brows furrowed. "Miss Lin, Young Master Xiao is an exceptional man. Why would you reject him for this good-for-nothing? I truly don't understand how this fellow is worthy of you."

With a look of sheer determination, Lin Qingyun said, "I just want to be in charge of my own life. I know you're from the Provincial City. I, Lin Qingyun, am begging you today. Please, spare Zhao Dong. I will ensure the Lin Family repays you handsomely in the future."

"And if I refuse to spare him today?"

"Then the first thing I do when I return to the Lin Family is have you killed!"

Wei Wu's face turned ugly. With a grunt, he dialed Xiao Hongtian's number.

Xiao Hongtian answered, "Hello? Do you have good news for me?"

"Young Master Xiao," Wei Wu said in a low voice, "I'm right next to Zhao Dong, just one step away from taking his life. But Miss Lin is protecting him with everything she has, even threatening me with the Lin Family. What should I do?"

Rage instantly flooded Xiao Hongtian's face on the other end of the line. "Kill him! Who cares about the Lin Family? You work for me, Xiao Hongtian, for my Xiao Family! Are you telling me you're afraid of them?

"I'll handle any problems that arise! Now, give the phone to my fiancée."

"Yes!"

Wei Wu handed the phone to Lin Qingyun, saying coldly, "Young Master Xiao wants to speak with you."

Lin Qingyun hesitated for a moment before taking the phone. Her voice was full of helplessness and sorrow as she spoke. "Xiao Hongtian, I'm begging you, please just let me go. I truly don't like you; I have no feelings for you at all. Can you please stop tormenting me? And I'm not your fiancée. We were never engaged."

Xiao Hongtian clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot. "Qingyun, you know how much I've liked you all these years. Why must you break my heart like this? If it weren't for that animal Zhao Dong, you would already be my woman!"

"You like me? Ha! If you liked me, you wouldn't be fooling around with so many other women. Everyone knows about your philandering ways. Xiao Hongtian, we aren't compatible. You will never have my heart. I only ask that you spare me and Zhao Dong. Please..."

"NO! IMPOSSIBLE!"

Xiao Hongtian roared. He slammed his palm into a nearby tree as thick as a man's torso, and the tree splintered into pieces. A terrifying pressure erupted from his body.

"Lin Qingyun, you are destined to be my woman! No woman I, Xiao Hongtian, have set my sights on can refuse me! Zhao Dong must die today! And I will have Wei Wu bring you back to me!"

"You're a maniac! I hate you!"

Lin Qingyun threw the phone down, staring at Wei Wu with despair and fear. Wei Wu's voice was icy. "I am truly sorry, Miss Lin, but Young Master Xiao has given the order. Zhao Dong must die. Please step aside. My fists and feet are unforgiving, and it would be a shame if you were hurt."

Tears welled in Lin Qingyun's eyes as she looked despairingly at Zhao Dong behind her.

Sitting on the ground clutching his chest, Zhao Dong managed a grim smile. "Qingyun, get out of the way. You can't stop him."

"I don't want you to die..." Tears streamed down Lin Qingyun's face.

A flicker of warmth touched Zhao Dong's heart. So, she does have feelings for me. Indeed, a woman never forgets the man who was her first.

A fierce light burst from his eyes. I can die, but not like a coward! If I'm going to die, I'll die on my feet!

Zhao Dong's speed suddenly skyrocketed. He shot forward like a thunderbolt, his fists raining down on Wei Wu like a tempest.

Wei Wu's expression changed slightly as he retreated to dodge, a hint of surprise on his face. "You brat, you're not at the seventh level of Inner Strength! You're... at the ninth level?"

He was shocked. I looked into him before. A week or two ago, he was only at the sixth level of Inner Strength. He reached the ninth level in just a week? This terrifying cultivation speed is monstrous! This man absolutely cannot be allowed to live!

Wei Wu's killing intent surged. Pushing off his right foot, he leaped into the air with a sharp cry. His leg became a blur as he kicked directly at Zhao Dong's head with murderous intent.

Zhao Dong blocked the kick with one arm while his other fist punched toward Wei Wu's knee, the force of the blow tearing through the air.

Wei Wu's face flickered. His body twisted in an unnatural way, spinning 180 degrees to deliver another side kick. Zhao Dong leaned back, the kick grazing the tip of his nose. He lunged forward, closing the distance and unleashing his Mystic Sky Fist, which landed heavily on Wei Wu's midsection.

Wei Wu hadn't expected Zhao Dong to dodge. As a Grandmaster, he should have been able to crush someone at the Inner Strength Stage. But Zhao Dong had managed to counter several times, which caught him off guard. Even as Zhao Dong's fist connected, Wei Wu landed a kick on his chest. Wei Wu did a backflip and landed solidly on his feet. The punch stung, but it was only a superficial wound. The gap in their strength was simply too vast. Although Zhao Dong had been surprisingly resilient, he couldn't turn the tables.

Zhao Dong, however, was not so lucky. The kick sent him flying. With a look of cold ruthlessness, Wei Wu flashed forward and landed a series of palm strikes on Zhao Dong's chest.

BAM!

As the final palm strike landed, Zhao Dong coughed up several mouthfuls of blood and crashed into a table, which instantly shattered. Four of his ribs were broken, his internal organs were wounded to varying degrees, and many of his meridians had been severed.

"Zhao Dong!" Lin Qingyun screamed, tears streaming down her face. Her heart ached so much she could barely breathe. This is all my fault!

She ran to him like a madwoman and pulled him into her embrace, sobbing uncontrollably. "Zhao Dong! Zhao Dong, how are you? I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault..."

Zhao Dong's eyes fluttered open. He was too weak to even speak. With over a dozen meridians severed and his organs pierced by shattered bone, his breathing grew labored and his consciousness began to fade.

His mouth agape, he looked at Lin Qingyun and rasped out a few words with difficulty. "I... I can't let... let them take you... I want you... to have your own life... even if... you don't truly like me..."

Lin Qingyun closed her eyes, crying her heart out as she held him tighter. The coldness in her heart evaporated, replaced only by a desperate reluctance to let him go.

"Zhao Dong... I like you, I do! You have to hang on, you must..."

Wei Wu approached them step by step, his face grim. "Miss Lin, step aside. I must kill Zhao Dong today."

Lin Qingyun jerked her tear-filled eyes up to him. "Wei Wu, tell Xiao Hongtian I'll go with you. I'll be with him. I only have one condition: spare Zhao Dong's life!"

Wei Wu paused, giving her an odd look before dialing Xiao Hongtian's number. A moment later, he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Miss Lin. Young Master Xiao says Zhao Dong must die. Don't blame me."

The words had barely left his mouth before Wei Wu's body flashed. He appeared before Zhao Dong and thrust his palm toward his chest.