Chapter 27: Grandstanding and Using Power to Oppress Others

"Trial Project 2 (Unrated): Life and Death Duel First Chapter completed, Experience Points +100."

"Trial Project 1 (Unrated): Martial Arts Apprentice becoming official, in progress."

"Name: Zhou You.

Strength: 15.

Speed: 15.

Defense: 15.

Experience Points: 606.

Occupation: Martial Arts Apprentice.

Level: Initial Entry into Force.

Skills: Imperial Felling Hand lv8, Square Circle Step lv8, Tiger Subduing Fist lv10."

After Zhou You beat Lu Zhigang to death, the murderous intent in his heart was still raging and could not be calmed for a long time.

He knew that if he did not resolve that Poison Snake Realm, Tu Laosan, today's events were merely the beginning.

He immediately turned and left, his target being Tu Laosan's residence, which he had already inquired about clearly last time when he went to offer an apology.

However, this visit was not to offer an apology, but to exterminate the household.

The snakes and rats in Tu Laosan's home were all of a nest, none of them good people, so it would not be a pity to kill them.

After Zhou You practiced his Force, he was eager to test his skills, his confidence soaring, and he wanted to strike while the iron was hot to wipe out his enemy in one go.

Otherwise, if he let the other party plot in the shadows, sooner or later they would lay black hands on his mother.

"Tu Laosan, you are seeking your own death; you cannot blame anyone else."

Zhou You walked quickly while operating the panel to increase his attributes.

"Experience Points -10, Strength +1."

"Experience Points -10, Speed +1."

"Experience Points -10, Defense +1."

Having just completed a trial, plus the Experience Points he had accumulated for a long time, he could afford to be extravagant in strengthening himself.

His skin trembled in the wind, his blood boiled, and he could even hear the subtle sounds of his fingernails and teeth compressing and strengthening.

Zhou You's foot suddenly stepped into empty air; it turned out he had used too much force and snapped a bluestone on the side of the street.

This piece of Daqing stone was older than Zhou You's grandfather, having been mined from deep mountains and transported to the city, remaining as hard as ever after several hundred years.

Yet, under the strength Zhou You had reinforced, it became as fragile as tofu, snapped by a single step.

"Huhu, it seems I have reached the limit."

Zhou You stopped his steps and looked at the panel data again.

"Name: Zhou You.

Strength: 20.

Speed: 20.

Defense: 20.

Experience Points: 456.

Occupation: Martial Arts Apprentice.

Level: Initial Entry into Force.

Skills: Imperial Felling Hand lv8, Square Circle Step lv8, Tiger Subduing Fist lv10."

The comprehensive improvement of his physical fitness brought immediate results.

Zhou You took a few breaths to mobilize his Force, and a thicker, more ferocious Force suddenly emerged.

Not paying attention, a contour as thick as a chopstick bulged under his skin, the Force moving flexibly under the skin like a snake.

There were still surplus Experience Points, waiting only for the official qualification assessment to be used on upgrading the Tiger Subduing Fist.

Lv10 was a checkpoint, the threshold for entering the practice of Force; from lv11 to lv19, it was a step-by-step strengthening of that Force.

Once reaching lv20, it was another threshold, polishing the Force to perfection until Qi and Blood were produced.

Force was the threshold for an official Apprentice, while Qi and Blood was the threshold from Apprentice to Disciple.

Once the Tiger Subduing Fist broke through to lv20 and reached the level of producing Qi and Blood, he could enter the Inner Courtyard, become a trusted aide to the Martial Arts Hall Master Wang Jianxiong, and have the qualification to openly and honestly call him Master.

"Hm?"

Zhou You arrived near Tu Laosan's house full of ambition, but did not expect to find it empty.

There were only a few small fry from the Wild Fox Gang hanging around, and Tu Laosan himself was not at home.

This dog thing had quite good luck!

"Aren't you that kid?"

A low-level gang member saw Zhou You and pointed at him in surprise, about to say something.

The next moment, Zhou You stretched out his arm and lifted him into mid-air, "Where is Tu Laosan?"

"Sob, sob, sob, spare my life, Third Master was called away by the Vice Gang Leader, saying there was an urgent matter."

"Before Third Master left, he instructed that he wouldn't be back for three to five days and told us to watch the house."

The Vice Gang Leader, Tu Laoer, was Tu Laosan's own brother and one of the high-level members of the Wild Fox Gang.

Unlike his younger brother who was good for nothing, Tu Laoer was a martial artist who had produced Qi and Blood, comparable to an Inner Court Disciple of a martial arts hall.

As a high-level gang member, he had several capable henchmen by his side, at least people who were well-versed in Force.

Zhou You knew this trip was in vain and he could not touch Tu Laosan for the time being.

"Listen well, all of you: Tu Laosan is nothing but despicable, shameless, and base."

"Knowing he couldn't beat me, he actually bribed an outsider to plot against me. Phew, 60 taels of silver, he really is rich."

"Zhou You is a fine man standing between heaven and earth; whatever you have, come at me."

Zhou You's voice spread in all directions; besides the lackeys of the Wild Fox Gang, the other residents and passersby also understood.

So it turned out that Tu Laosan had hired killers, and he had even hired outsiders from Su Cheng—pfft, what a piece of trash!

Being in a gang is not shameful, but if one colludes with outsiders to bully fellow townsmen, then that is truly not acting like a human.

Zhou You made such a big scene precisely to corner Tu Laosan, so that he could no longer use underhanded tricks.

As the news spread, Tu Laosan, who was already notorious, would have no way to show his face from here on out.

Gangs rely on local development to grow strong, and they fear the reputation of colluding with outsiders most of all.

With Zhou You exposing it like this, Tu Laosan's secret hiring of outsiders could no longer be hidden at all.

Wild Fox Gang headquarters...

Tu Laosan was talking with his second brother.

Vice Gang Leader Tu Laoer had a robust build, eyes as sharp as knives, fists covered in calluses, and crisscrossing scars.

His position as Vice Gang Leader was truly fought for with his own two fists.

The number of Wild Horse Gang members who had died by his hands was at least eighty, if not a hundred; one could say his battle achievements were numerous.

"Brother, you all are still too conservative."

"There are quite a few young and strong men who have fled here from Su Cheng now; there are plenty who know martial arts and dare to fight and kill."

"Our Wild Fox Gang should take this opportunity to recruit soldiers and buy horses to expand our influence, and wipe out the Mad Horse Gang in one fell swoop."

"The streets are full of living people begging for a bite to eat, why can't you see that?"

Tu Laosan was anxious and tried earnestly to persuade his elder brother.

Tu Laoer shook his head; after all these years, his younger brother was still a complete blockhead who hadn't improved one bit.

He really thought those from Su Cheng were all soft sheep; don't look at how destitute they are, once they seize an opportunity, they will definitely strike back.

The territory and silver that gangs fight over are all resources; there is only so much in one plate, so how could it accommodate more people fighting for food?

Even the shops and restaurants on the street understand that when hiring, they look for locals; no matter how cheap outsiders are, they don't want them.

Local sentiment is a bond, a moral constraint, and even more so, the wisdom of survival and continuity.

No matter how the gangs of Gongliang City fight, they cannot let those from Su Cheng take advantage.

"Stop talking, you're giving me a headache; get out!"

Tu Laoer raised his hand; this younger brother was only reliable when it came to eating, drinking, and playing.

Tu Laosan still wanted to say something when a gang member walked in quickly, "It's bad, Vice Gang Leader, everyone outside is saying..."

"Saying what? Speak quickly!"

"They say Third Master spent 60 taels of silver to hire outsiders to ambush the local youth, Zhou You."

Veins popped out on Tu Laoer's forehead, and he slammed a palm onto the mahogany desk, instantly reducing the hard mahogany into wood shavings.

"Third brother, from today on, you are confined to the courtyard and are not allowed to go out."

"Don't touch that Zhou You either; how many times have I told you, wait until his hundred days are up and it will be clear."

"If he cannot cultivate force and is expelled from the martial arts school, we can wipe out his whole family with a flick of our fingers; don't do anything unnecessary now."

Tu Laosan looked pitiful and wanted to argue, but he heard his brother speak coldly, "Someone, take Third Master back to his room."