Chapter 98: Little Sixth Fuku? Worth Nothing!
At this moment, Xu Yafei's heart was in her throat. She knew Zhao Dong wasn't weak; he had killed Wei Wu before. However, he had also been severely injured in that fight and had nearly died.
Junior Six Fortune, on the other hand, had previously been at the Ninth Grade of the Inner Strength Stage. But in the time since, his cultivation had advanced again, and he had successfully stepped into the early stage of the First-Grade Grandmaster Realm.
His current strength was nearly identical to Wei Wu's back then. This made Xu Yafei extremely worried. Her fingernails dug into her flesh with anxiety.
Junior Six Fortune moved like lightning, his first attack a killing blow. His fist, wrapped in a fierce gale, shot straight for Zhao Dong's throat.
Zhao Dong neither dodged nor evaded. He simply took a step forward, clenched his own hand into a fist, and punched straight at Junior Six Fortune.
BANG!
Junior Six Fortune staggered back several meters, but Zhao Dong didn't move an inch, a cold smirk playing on his lips.
Junior Six Fortune sucked in a sharp breath of cold air. He glanced at his palm, which was now dripping with blood. The webbing between his thumb and forefinger throbbed with searing pain.
His face filled with disbelief, he stared at Zhao Dong in shock. "How is this possible? Aren't you in the Inner Strength Stage? How could you block my attack?"
Zhao Dong sneered. "So what if I am? You're just too pathetic, old dog. Today, I'm not just going to block you. I'm going to kill you."
Junior Six Fortune's eyes nearly split with rage. He was a favored subordinate of Hong Wu, a supreme expert in the eyes of ordinary people. He couldn't bear being so publicly humiliated.
A grim, murderous intent filled his eyes. Junior Six Fortune said hoarsely, "I never expected you to improve so much in such a short time. I should have killed you back then and eliminated a future threat. However, you still won't escape my grasp today."
Zhao Dong laughed coldly. "You're far too confident, old dog."
A sneer appeared on Junior Six Fortune's face. "Do you really think a little improvement means you can strut around East Sea? You haven't forgotten how you looked like a dying dog at my feet last time, have you?"
Zhao Dong shrugged. "I haven't forgotten. But today, I'm going to return everything you did to me back then."
Junior Six Fortune's teeth itched with rage, the murderous intent in his eyes thickening. "Good. Very good. Not many people in East Sea dare to speak to me like this. Today, I swear I will take your head."
Rage erupted from Junior Six Fortune's eyes. He stomped his right foot, cracking the pavement, and charged forward again like a tiger descending a mountain.
This time, Junior Six Fortune was clearly using his true strength. That, combined with his surging rage, was enough to make even Zhao Dong's eyes narrow.
No longer careless, Zhao Dong activated the Mystic Sky Technique, mobilizing the Spiritual Energy throughout his body and meeting Junior Six Fortune head-on.
They both threw punches at the same time, their fists moving so fast they became a series of afterimages that dazzled onlookers. The dull thud of impacts echoed through the air.
Junior Six Fortune had been cultivating for many years and possessed rich combat experience. His every move aimed for a vital point. He feinted with one punch, then slammed another toward Zhao Dong's chest. As Zhao Dong raised his arm to block, Junior Six Fortune's eyes turned icy. He abruptly shifted his body and viciously slapped a palm against Zhao Dong's waist.
Zhao Dong grunted and staggered back three steps. Junior Six Fortune sneered coldly, "You're still too green to fight me."
The moment the words left his mouth, Junior Six Fortune bellowed and charged at Zhao Dong again. Taking a deep breath, his eyes filled with determination, Zhao Dong clashed fiercely with him once more. Fist met fist, leg met leg, and the sound of displaced air exploded around them.
Zhao Dong saw his chance. He feinted, and while Junior Six Fortune was distracted, he smashed a punch into his opponent's shoulder.
A sickening CRACK! echoed as his shoulder bone was brutally shattered. Junior Six Fortune stumbled backward involuntarily.
Zhao Dong's cold smirk widened. His attacks didn't slow; instead, they became even more rapid. Pressing his advantage, his fists rained down on the injured Junior Six Fortune like a torrential storm.
With his shoulder severely injured, Junior Six Fortune's movements slowed. He was struck several more times, his internal energy was thrown into turmoil, and his stamina was clearly failing.
"Die for me!" Zhao Dong roared, launching a vicious high kick straight at Junior Six Fortune's head.
For this kick, Zhao Dong had concentrated Spiritual Power in his right leg. Junior Six Fortune instinctively tried to raise his arm to block.
SNAP!
The moment his arm met Zhao Dong's leg, it snapped cleanly in two. The kick continued unimpeded and struck Junior Six Fortune squarely on the head.
THUD!
With a muffled impact, Junior Six Fortune spat out a mouthful of blood. His entire body flew sideways, crashing into a nearby barbecue restaurant. Several tables shattered under the force of the impact. He lay on the ground, painfully vomiting blood, his face a mask of terror and disbelief.
How... how could this be? I'm actually no match for Zhao Dong? But he's clearly in the Inner Strength Stage!
The onlookers were stunned, and exclamations rippled through the crowd.
"Junior Six Fortune was defeated? Am I seeing things?"
"You're not! That young man just kicked Junior Six Fortune, our expert from East Sea, and sent him flying! My god, I can't believe it!"
"Who is this kid? How come we've never heard of him before?"
The crowd was shocked by the scene. Xu Yafei's eyes glittered, but her expression remained neutral. Inwardly, however, a flicker of joy ignited in her heart.
Zhao Dong's growth rate was so astonishing it filled her with genuine pride. However, she had to maintain a composed expression and not betray a single emotion.
Zhao Dong stood among the crowd, his ice-cold gaze fixed on Junior Six Fortune inside the restaurant. "Still want to fight, old dog?"
Wracked with severe pain, Junior Six Fortune clutched a table and slowly pulled himself to his feet. He held his chest, his face covered in blood, and stared at Zhao Dong. "Tell me," he rasped, "why are you so strong now?"
Zhao Dong laughed coldly. "It's not that I'm strong. It's that you're too pathetic, old dog."
Junior Six Fortune's eyes were filled with gloom. His face was unreadable, but his heart was consumed by a profound sense of dread. Today... it seems I'm truly no match for Zhao Dong. I have to report this to Hong Wu and have someone eliminate him as soon as possible.
He took a deep breath, looked at Zhao Dong, and finally said in a low voice, "Zhao Dong, I was disrespectful to you that day. I apologize. I went too far."
Zhao Dong shook his head. "No need to apologize to me."
Junior Six Fortune frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing. It's just that verbal apologies are useless."
"Then what do you want?"
A smile curled at the corner of Zhao Dong's mouth. "I want you... dead."
Junior Six Fortune's pupils shrank. A terrifying aura erupted from him as he roared, "Zhao Dong! Don't push your luck! I am Junior Six Fortune, a subordinate of Mr. Hong! If you dare touch a single hair on my head today, Mr. Hong will annihilate your entire clan!"
Zhao Dong smiled. "Are you scared?"
Junior Six Fortune's breath caught, and a flicker of panic crossed his eyes, but he still barked, "Bullshit! Why would I be afraid of you? Who the hell do you think you are? I was trying to give you some face. A man should know his place."
He put on a brave front, but panic was already stirring in his heart. It seems I'm really no match for Zhao Dong today. This growth rate is terrifying. Just a few short days, and he's already surpassed me? This kind of cultivation talent is monstrous. He absolutely cannot be allowed to live... but I'm completely outmatched. What should I do?
Zhao Dong cracked his neck, glanced at Junior Six Fortune, and said lightly, "Giving me face, are you? Fine, I'll give you some face, too. Come here, kneel on the ground, and kowtow a few times. Say, 'Grandpa, I was wrong,' and I'll spare you today."
"You're courting death!" Junior Six Fortune had never suffered such humiliation. His eyes looked ready to burst with flames.
"Then die," Zhao Dong said flatly. "You can kneel, apologize, and keep your life, or you can stay stubborn and let me take your dog's life. The choice is yours."
A large crowd of onlookers had gathered, blocking off half the street. A sense of foreboding washed over Junior Six Fortune. Suddenly, his figure flashed, and he bolted, trying to escape.
Zhao Dong sneered. With a flick of his wrist, a silver needle shot toward Junior Six Fortune's leg.
PFFT!
Junior Six Fortune screamed in agony. He had almost reached the edge of the crowd when his leg went numb, and he collapsed to his knees.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Zhao Dong walked step-by-step until he stood before him. Junior Six Fortune was pale with pain. The silver needle sent waves of piercing agony through him, and his forehead was slick with cold sweat.
Kneeling on the ground, he looked up at Zhao Dong, trembling. "Zhao Dong, I'm warning you to be sensible. I'm one of Hong Wu's men. If you dare touch me... you'll die."
Zhao Dong shook his head. "I won't touch you. Just do as I said. Otherwise, I'll kill you today even if Hong Wu himself were standing right here."
"You—you're going too far!"
Zhao Dong's palm flipped again, and another needle stabbed into Junior Six Fortune's other leg.