Chapter 231: The Useless A Ji, Lao Miao Zi

This is a small town near the border.

Although somewhat remote, it is a major thoroughfare between the lands beyond the Great Wall and the Central Plains, so it is quite prosperous. Pedestrians come and go on the main street, and camel caravans weave through them; it is a scene of peace and contentment.

But even under the feet of the Son of Heaven, in the heart of the imperial capital, there are places the sunlight cannot reach, let alone in such a small border town.

The narrow alleys are dark and damp, and those who live here are often the lowest and most humble of people. To survive, they sell their labor and their bodies, just to fill their stomachs.

Yet many of them are very kind and value loyalty. They can give everything for a friend, even their own lives.

But trouble and misfortune do not spare them because of their humility; instead, they become even more rampant and unbridled.

Lao Miao Zi's family of three lives here. His mother is very old, yet very kind. He also has a younger sister named Wawa. Wawa is the princess of the family of three; she works in a large mansion and returns home very late every day.

Recently, Lao Miao Zi adopted a person named A Ji.

Lao Miao Zi likes A Ji very much—diligent, silent, steady... he has all the virtues Lao Miao Zi likes. It is just that he is a bit slow-witted and does not understand the rules. Lao Miao Zi was even beaten up because of him, covered in wounds.

And today, the Triangular-Eyed man who did the beating has come again.

He did not come alone; two young men with blades at their waists accompanied him.

This time, the Triangular-Eyed man is not here to find Lao Miao Zi or A Ji; he is here for Wawa: "Little sister, come with us."

Wawa's face has changed: "Where... are you taking me?"

The Triangular-Eyed man sneered: "You'll go where you're supposed to go. Stop playing dumb, damn it."

Wawa shrinks back, saying: "Can't I even rest for a single day?"

A fierce light flickers in the Triangular-Eyed man's eyes: "You stinking bitch, you are a favorite in front of Grandmother Han. If you miss a day of business, that's less silver, and that means less food and drink for us."

Lao Miao Zi has already grabbed his shoulder, eyes wide, and said: "What did you call her?"

The Triangular-Eyed man grinned hideously: "A bitch, a stinking bitch."

Lao Miao Zi says nothing more, raises his bowl-sized fist, and strikes.

The Triangular-Eyed man takes a punch from Lao Miao Zi, but he himself is kicked twice by others. He had already been beaten by the Triangular-Eyed man and his group before, and now he is in such pain that he is covered in cold sweat, rolling on the ground.

A Ji stands to the side, his body seemingly trembling, yet he dares not lay a hand on these people.

Because he is the useless A Ji.

The old woman rushes out from the kitchen, holding a kitchen knife, and shrieks: "You bandits, I, this old woman, will fight you to the death."

This slash is aimed at the back of the Triangular-Eyed man's neck.

"Damn old hag, you're courting death!" The Triangular-Eyed man reveals a hideous grin, intending to turn around, snatch the knife, and throw the old woman heavily to the ground.

But he suddenly discovers that he cannot move.

He cannot move a single finger.

The knife has already slashed into his neck, and fresh blood flows out.

And at the very moment the blood blooms, everyone is stunned.

They truly cannot imagine why the Triangular-Eyed man did not dodge.

Fortunately, the old woman is in the twilight of her years and has little strength left in her body, so the wound is very shallow.

And the moment she sees the blood, the old woman herself is frightened into a daze, and the knife in her hand clatters to the ground.

The Triangular-Eyed man is finally able to move; he covers his neck with his backhand, his forehead dripping with cold sweat from the pain: "What are you still looking at? Finish this old hag off."

The two young men with blades hesitate for a moment, then their two blades thrust toward the old woman.

"You dare!"

Lao Miao Zi is furious. Regardless of the fact that he is already covered in wounds, and ignoring the two gleaming blades, he raises his fists and strikes toward the two men with blades.

"Brother, be careful." Wawa's expression has changed.

The blades of those two young men have already slashed toward Lao Miao Zi.

Those who use blades are always more threatening and frightening than those who are empty-handed.

However, only a *bang, bang! * is heard, and the two young men with blades have already been knocked to the ground.

Because at the moment their blades thrust out, they also discovered they could not move.

A Ji's expression seems to change, and he looks up toward a spot at the street corner.

"Hmph, a bunch of trash, to think I have to take action myself."

Just at this moment, another group of people walks over.

The tallest and most gorgeously dressed among them is clenching his fist with his left hand, eyeing Lao Miao Zi sideways: "I know you are Lao Miao Zi. My name is Tiequan Ayong."

After saying this, his left fist moves, and that fist punches a hole directly into the wall. Lao Miao Zi and the others immediately turn pale, their bodies trembling.

"You hurt my men, but as long as you can take one punch from me, I will let you leave. Even if the Big Boss blames me, I will take responsibility myself." Tiequan Ayong gives a hideous grin: "If you aren't dead, that is."

Lao Miao Zi suddenly rushes out and shouts: "If you've got guts, come and hit me."

Tiequan Ayong lets out a cold shout: "Die!"

He has already thrown a punch, its momentum like a fierce tiger descending a mountain. If there were any knowledgeable old wanderers here, they might see that this man is using Kongtong Quanfa, and has already grasped its essence; even within the entire Kongtong Sect, I fear there are few disciples who could execute it.

Lao Miao Zi also throws a punch.

Lao Miao Zi is built sturdily, but he has never learned martial arts, and at this moment he is already covered in wounds. Although he puts his all into the punch, it feels soft and weak to others.

Bang!

Crack!

Everyone first hears the sound of two fists colliding, and then they hear the sound of bones shattering. What shattered was not Lao Miao Zi's hand, but Tiequan Ayong's fist.

Tiequan Ayong's forehead is covered in cold sweat, his face deathly pale.

His arm is trembling; he feels as if every bone in his entire arm has been shattered by someone.

Lao Miao Zi stares blankly at his own hand, unable to believe that his hand could actually possess such power.

Tiequan Ayong roars in anger: "Kill them! All of you, attack together! Leave no one alive!"

The people who were originally following behind Ayong hear this, and they immediately become murderous, drawing their weapons and shouting as they slash toward Lao Miao Zi and the others.

Lao Miao Zi could not help but retreat two steps; even though his fists were very powerful now, he still could not fight off a crowd with only two hands. Perhaps he could strike down two people or four, but he feared he would soon be stabbed full of bloody holes himself.

He looked back at his sister and mother, whose faces were full of terror, and finally could not help but let out an angry shout, charging out once again.

Just as things were on the verge of breaking out, a soft sigh suddenly rang out.

"Sigh, Xie Xiaofeng, oh Xie Xiaofeng, why do you still refuse to make a move even now? Could it be that you want to watch your benefactor be hacked to death by a chaotic flurry of blades? Or is it that you must see me make a move?"

A figure suddenly appeared in the narrow alley and walked slowly toward the crowd filled with the sounds of slaughter: "Since that is the case, I will let you see it."