Chapter 90: Don't Hurt My Friend
Zhao Yu's shoulders burned as he struggled under the weight of the massive boulder. Every step felt like torture, and the morning sun beating down on them didn't help matters. He shot another glare at his brother's back, not that Zhao Xing would notice – the fool was too busy humming to himself as they trudged along the dirt path.
"Brother," Zhao Yu wheezed, adjusting his grip for the hundredth time, "can we please take a break? We've been carrying this thing for hours."
"Stop whining," Zhao Xing called back cheerfully. "This isn't just any boulder – it's our ticket to the good life! Once we sell this beauty, we'll be living like kings."
Zhao Yu bit back another complaint. His brother had been going on like this since they'd found the stupid rock, spinning wild fantasies about mansions and beautiful cultivation resources. The whole situation made Zhao Yu's stomach churn with anxiety.
His mind wandered back to how they'd stumbled across the boulder in the first place. They'd been walking along this same road, Zhao Yu constantly looking over his shoulder, paranoid about their old bandit group catching up to them. The Mountain Tiger Gang wasn't known for letting deserters live long, especially ones who'd helped themselves to some of the gang's "acquired" treasures before leaving.
He'd been so distracted scanning the tree line that he'd walked straight into something hard enough to make his nose bleed. While he'd been sitting there cursing and holding his face, Zhao Xing had nearly collapsed laughing.
"Some cultivator you are!" Zhao Xing had howled, doubling over and clutching his sides. "Did you forget how to use your eyes along with your common sense?"
Humiliation and anger had gotten the better of him. He'd drawn back his fist, gathering earth-attributed spiritual energy for his Crushing Stone Palm technique. The boulder had somehow offended his dignity, and he'd been determined to reduce it to gravel.
That... hadn't gone as planned.