Chapter 175: Zu Zhanpeng!
Yun Keqing's gaze shifted, and upon seeing the man, she too expressed surprise. "Senior Brother? What a coincidence, you're here as well?"
The man in white had a handsome face and a noble bearing, exuding a refined yet powerful aura. This was none other than Yun Keqing's Senior Brother, Zu Zhanpeng.
Yun Keqing hailed from the Yun Family, but she was also a disciple of the Zixiao Academy in Longdong Province. The province encompassed eight cities and was home to numerous martial organizations, including six major sects and thirteen schools. The Zixiao Academy was one of those six major sects, making it a formidable power within Longdong Province.
Zu Zhanpeng was exceptionally talented. At just twenty-eight years old, he was already a second-tier Grandmaster, a level that allowed him to look down on his peers with pride. Yun Keqing, too, was a Core Disciple of the Zixiao Academy, and the two shared a good relationship.
What no one else knew, however, was that Zu Zhanpeng had long harbored a secret affection for Yun Keqing. She was considered the greatest beauty in the Zixiao Academy, with stunning looks, impressive capabilities, and the backing of the Yun Family. Wherever she went, she was treated like a goddess, and Zu Zhanpeng had been smitten with her for a long time.
Seeing her now, Zu Zhanpeng was thrilled. He smiled and said, "Junior Sister, I came down the mountain on a mission for the sect to find a certain item. I never expected to run into you here—it must be fate!"
Yun Keqing smiled back. "Senior Brother, if I'd known you were coming to East Sea, you should have contacted me. This is my hometown; I would have been happy to play host."
"You're too kind, Junior Sister," Zu Zhanpeng replied with a smile. As he spoke, he gave Yun Keqing a quick glance, clicking his tongue in silent admiration. She's as beautiful as ever!
"Junior Sister, are you here drinking alone?" Zu Zhanpeng asked cheerfully. He completely ignored Zhao Dong, who seemed far too ordinary to warrant his attention. Zu Zhanpeng's prideful nature meant that common folk like him were beneath his notice.
Yun Keqing glanced at Zhao Dong and offered a faint smile. "Not exactly... I'm discussing something with this friend of mine."
Only then did Zu Zhanpeng's gaze fall upon Zhao Dong, his brow quickly furrowing. "Junior Sister, he's your friend?"
Yun Keqing hesitated for a moment before replying, "You could say that."
Zu Zhanpeng's frown deepened. "Junior Sister, I believe I heard you mention a Dragon Blood Stone earlier. Is that right?"
"Yes," Yun Keqing said with a smile. "This friend across from me has a piece of Dragon Blood Stone. I invited him to meet so I could see if there was anything extraordinary about it."
Zu Zhanpeng appeared somewhat surprised. "Dragon Blood Stone is a precious material, but your Yun Family surely has some. Why bother with this man's?"
Yun Keqing bit her lip, her eyes flickering. "The Dragon Blood Stone in Zhao Dong's possession isn't ordinary, so I wanted to observe it closely."
Zu Zhanpeng nodded thoughtfully, his attention returning to Zhao Dong. After sizing him up from head to toe, he gave a dismissive smile. I've never seen this person or even heard his name. He must be a nobody. I thought he might have some special relationship with Yun Keqing, but it seems he's just an insignificant character, unworthy of my concern.
At that moment, Yun Keqing took another look at the Dragon Blood Stone but still couldn't discern anything unusual about it. However, she trusted the words of her family elders, who all insisted this particular stone was special.
With this in mind, Yun Keqing said, "Zhao Dong, I really like this Dragon Blood Stone. Are you certain you can't sell it? You can name any price."
Zhao Dong just shook his head with a smile. "Sorry, Miss Yun, I really can't sell it. But you're welcome to look at it."
Yun Keqing's expression fell slightly, but she knew better than to force the issue. If necessary, she could ask her family elders to examine it again later. With that, she prepared to hand the Dragon Blood Stone back to Zhao Dong.
Just then, Zu Zhanpeng, who was standing nearby, caught sight of the stone in Yun Keqing's hand and voiced his surprise. "Junior Sister, that Dragon Blood Stone does seem quite extraordinary."
"It is," Yun Keqing replied with a smile, "but I can't figure out why, so I have to return it to Zhao Dong."
Zu Zhanpeng glanced at her and asked cheerfully, "Junior Sister, do you want this Dragon Blood Stone that badly?"
Yun Keqing nodded, then gave a wry smile. "It doesn't matter. No matter how much I want it, it belongs to someone else. I can't force him."
Zu Zhanpeng said nothing. His gaze shifted to Zhao Dong, his eyes narrowing. "Kid, do me a favor. Let my Junior Sister have the Dragon Blood Stone, will you?"
Zhao Dong frowned, glancing at Zu Zhanpeng before replying coldly, "This isn't about doing you a favor. I need the Dragon Blood Stone too."
Zu Zhanpeng's smile vanished, and his tone grew colder. "So you're not going to give me face? Kid, my name is Zu Zhanpeng, from the Zixiao Academy. You'd better think carefully before you speak."
Zhao Dong shot him a cold look. "I don't want to give it to her, and that's final. What does 'giving face' have to do with anything? Besides," he paused, his gaze turning to ice as he stared down Zu Zhanpeng without a trace of fear, "so what if I don't give you face? Who do you think you are? And what is the Zixiao Academy to me?"
His words landed like a bombshell. The expressions on both Yun Keqing's and Zu Zhanpeng's faces changed instantly.
Zu Zhanpeng shot to his feet, his eyes stabbing at Zhao Dong like daggers of ice. "Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" he hissed. "Are you looking for death?"
Zhao Dong remained perfectly calm, his leg crossed over his knee. He looked up at Zu Zhanpeng and said nonchalantly, "Do *you* have any idea who you're talking to? You were offered courtesy and you spat on it. Scram!"
His rebuke was merciless. The Dragon Blood Stone was his, yet this man had the audacity to threaten him for it. Zhao Dong hated being threatened more than anything. It would have been one thing if some truly powerful expert had tried to intimidate him, but a mere second-tier Grandmaster? After all, the Wei Wu I killed was stronger than a second-tier Grandmaster!
Enraged by the insult, Zu Zhanpeng's face turned crimson. "You bastard!" he bellowed. "How dare you speak to me like that! I'll kill you today!"
As Zu Zhanpeng prepared to strike, Yun Keqing quickly intervened. "Senior Brother, stop!"
He froze, turning to her with a frown. "Junior Sister, this bastard dared to insult me! Why are you stopping me?"
Yun Keqing bit her lip and turned to Zhao Dong. "Zhao Dong, apologize to my Senior Brother."
Zhao Dong frowned. "Why should I apologize? Your Senior Brother was the one who insulted me first, wasn't he?"
Yun Keqing sighed. "My Senior Brother is a master. If you don't apologize and he attacks you, I won't be able to stop him. The choice is yours."
Zhao Dong sneered and looked at Zu Zhanpeng with a cold smile. "A master? He's nothing but a fraud who thinks he's powerful. Just trash."
"You're fucking asking for death! I'll flay you and strip your bones today!" Zu Zhanpeng screamed, practically hopping with rage. Wherever he went, he was the center of attention. His status as a Core Disciple of the Zixiao Academy brought him glory, and his own strength was considerable. No one had ever dared to speak to him like this.
Losing all reason, Zu Zhanpeng roared and lunged, striking at Zhao Dong with his palm.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Zhao Dong dodged the blow. "If you have the guts, let's take this outside!" he said coldly. With a few quick movements, he was out the door. Consumed by rage, Zu Zhanpeng instantly rushed after him.
Once they were outside, Zu Zhanpeng let out a low growl. His face was a mask of ferocity as he lashed out with a palm strike without another word. The attack was powerful, certainly formidable. Unfortunately for him, he was facing Zhao Dong.
Zhao Dong was now at the fifth level of Qi Refinement and could already face a fifth-tier Grandmaster, so how could he possibly fear Zu Zhanpeng? He met the attack with a simple palm strike of his own.
BANG!
While Zhao Dong stood completely still, Zu Zhanpeng was thrown back more than a dozen steps, his feet gouging a long trench in the ground until he slammed into a wall and finally stopped.
Zu Zhanpeng was dumbfounded, staring at Zhao Dong in disbelief before glancing at his own hand, the webbing between his thumb and forefinger numb from the impact. His scalp tingled with dread. What just happened? How did I fail to block his attack?
Yun Keqing, who had followed them out, was equally stunned by the scene. Zu Zhanpeng was a master, stronger even than she was. How could he have been sent flying by a single palm from Zhao Dong?
Zu Zhanpeng stared at Zhao Dong, incredulous. "Kid, what is your cultivation level?"
"None of your damn business, you worthless trash," Zhao Dong replied dismissively.
"You... I'll kill you, you bastard!" With Yun Keqing watching, Zu Zhanpeng couldn't bear the shame of losing face. Humiliated and enraged, he gathered all his strength and shot toward Zhao Dong like a gust of wind. He threw a punch, wreathed in Spiritual Energy, aimed straight for Zhao Dong's throat.
Zhao Dong merely grunted, sidestepping the attack with an effortless grace. Then, his leg lifted like a swift wind, tearing through the air and leaving an afterimage as it flew straight at Zu Zhanpeng's chest.
BAM!
Like a kite with its string cut, Zu Zhanpeng was sent flying. He tumbled a dozen times across the ground before finally coming to a stop, bruised, battered, and covered in dust. It felt as though a dozen of his bones were broken.
Zhao Dong stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking down at the fallen man with an indifferent, mocking gaze. "And a pathetic weakling like you wanted to steal my things? You wanted me to give you face? You should take a long, hard look in the mirror."
On the ground, Zu Zhanpeng coughed up a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with a mixture of hatred and terror. What in the world is going on? Could this Zhao Dong actually be stronger than me? But how is that possible? He's just a nobody, while I'm a Core Disciple of the Zixiao Academy!
Zhao Dong began walking toward him, his eyes frighteningly cold. Pale as a ghost, Zu Zhanpeng stammered in horror, "You... What are you doing?"
In a blur, Zhao Dong was standing over him, planting his foot on Zu Zhanpeng's neck.
A shudder ran through Zu Zhanpeng's body as the feeling of death washed over him. He looked up at Zhao Dong's grim face and trembled. "You... Don't do anything reckless! I'm telling you, I'm a disciple of the Zixiao Academy! What... what do you want?"
A sinister glint appeared in Zhao Dong's eyes. "A petty, arrogant show-off like you is also extremely vengeful. If I let you go now, you'll almost certainly try to get back at me later. Do you really think I'd let you go?"
Zu Zhanpeng let out a terrified cry, truly sensing Zhao Dong's killing intent. "No... don't! I won't get revenge, I swear! I absolutely won't get revenge!"
"Swearing is useless. It would be better to just shut you up for good."
A murderous flash crossed Zhao Dong's eyes. Just as he was about to act, a streak of white light stabbed toward him. His eyes went cold as he sensed the chilling presence behind him, and he instantly dodged to the side.
He turned his head to see his attacker. It was Yun Keqing.