"Right now, Zhang Long began to threaten Erniu, saying, 'Erniu, everyone says you're a filial son. You wouldn't want to bring ruin upon your mother just for the sake of a stranger, would you?'"
"I, I... Little Ye is my friend, not a stranger."
Hearing his mother being threatened, Erniu panicked immediately and began to plead incessantly, "Brother Long, Boss Zhang... You, you and Cuihua already had that going on before, and I never said a word about it. I beg you, let Little Ye go just this once. I, I'll kneel and kowtow to you, will that work?"
Erniu was not afraid of death, but he was terrified that something might happen to his mother and Ye Chen.
Upon hearing Zhang Long’s threat, he was so frightened that he dropped his sickle and said, "I, I'll kowtow to you!"
Having said this, Erniu prepared to kneel straight down.
*Slap!*
Just as Erniu’s knees were about to hit the ground, he suddenly felt a force pull him back up. He turned his head and saw that it was Ye Chen.
"Little Ye... You. How did you get out?"
"You are not allowed to kneel to people like them!"
Ye Chen glared at Erniu, his expression a mix of anger, being moved, and guilt.
"I, I won't kneel, don't be angry! Little Ye, then, let's fight them to the death!" Erniu said.
"I'm not angry, you've already done well enough... It's me who feels guilty."
Ye Chen patted Erniu gently on the shoulder and said, "Let me be the one to deal with them, alright?"
"Deal with us? Hahaha, who do you think you are? Damn it, you’re the one who stabbed my brother, right? Today, I’m going to cripple both your hands," Zhang Long roared.
"Brother, this kid’s strikes are vicious and his methods are very impressive. You and the boys should be careful," Boss Zhang warned.
"No matter how impressive he is, can he take on ten men by himself?"
Zhang Long gave a cold snort and said, "Boys, rip off his arms for me!"
"Yes!"
At these words, the lackeys following behind Zhang Long rushed forward with shouts.
"Little Ye!"
"Don't move..."
Ye Chen glanced at Erniu, signaling him to stay out of it.
When he turned back, Ye Chen’s eyes were filled with murderous intent. During this trip to Nanshan, he had seen the miserable lives of Erniu and Auntie Niu, as well as the arrogance and bullying of Boss Zhang and Li Cuihua, who always picked on the weak and feared the strong!
All his pent-up rage erupted in that single instant!
"You're courting death!"
Watching the lead lackey rush forward with a knife, Ye Chen’s expression turned icy, and he threw a punch with immense force.
*Boom!*
Before the lackey could even register the shadow of the fist, he felt an overwhelming force slam into his chest. It felt as if he had been struck by a motorcycle—no, more like a speeding truck.
*Bang!*
His body was sent flying over ten meters, and with a crash, he was punched right out of the courtyard and past the front gate.
When he landed, he was already unconscious, his chest bearing a sunken fist print, the bones underneath likely shattered.
**Chapter 37: He Is My Brother**
This single punch stunned everyone in the yard.
Although they were thugs who fought often, they had never seen anyone killed with a single punch!
While they weren't certain if the man was dead, the display of power had terrified them all.
The hoodlums began to recoil, wanting to flee... but Ye Chen didn't give them the chance. Before they could turn to run, Ye Chen dashed forward.
Then, a series of *thuds* rang out, loud as a drumbeat.
Every punch was accompanied by a scream as someone was sent flying. In less than ten seconds, every single thug who had charged at him had been punched away by Ye Chen!
"This..."
*Gulp!*
Seeing this, Zhang Long and Boss Zhang were stunned. Their legs began to tremble, and they couldn't even speak.
How could someone be this powerful?
Damn it, is he even human?
*Thump!*
As the two brothers watched Ye Chen standing before them like a god of war, his killing intent palpable, they could no longer bear the pressure and collapsed onto their knees.
"Spare, spare our lives!"
"We were blind and had no eyes. I never dared to provoke you. I, I was wrong. I'll kowtow to you, will that work?"
Zhang Long and Boss Zhang kowtowed on the ground incessantly. Having witnessed Ye Chen’s methods, they feared being struck dead, so they slammed their foreheads against the ground with all their might. Within a few moments, their faces were covered in blood.
Yet, they didn't dare to stop; as long as Ye Chen didn't speak, they had to keep kowtowing.
"You certainly were blind..."
Ye Chen finally spoke, his tone as cold as eternal ice. "Because Erniu is my brother! Bullying him is far worse than provoking me directly!"
*Rumble...*
Hearing this, Zhang Long and Boss Zhang’s heads buzzed; they didn't even dare to utter another plea for mercy.
Over the years, Zhang Long had frequently oppressed the villagers, and Erniu was his constant target—often eating at his restaurant without paying, or dragging Erniu off to do heavy manual labor for free.
Boss Zhang was even worse; seeing that Erniu’s wife was somewhat attractive, he used money to force his way into her bed, then continued to eat and drink for free at the restaurant, never treating Erniu like a human being.
Thinking of these beastly acts, Zhang Long and Boss Zhang began to shiver violently.
"It seems you have bullied him in the past as well."
Seeing their reaction, Ye Chen understood everything, and his rage flared once more.
*Bang! Bang!*
Two muffled thuds sounded. Deep, sunken fist marks appeared on the chests of Zhang Long and Boss Zhang. They didn't fly off like the others; instead, their eyes widened, and their bodies slumped over limply.
Ye Chen had struck them directly in the left side of their chests—the heart.
The two were dead instantly.
"Li, Little Ye, how are you so powerful?"
After the two lay on the ground for a full two minutes, Erniu finally snapped out of his daze. "How, how can you be this capable? Did you go to the Shaolin Temple? You're so amazing, you're just like the heroes in the movies."
Shaolin Temple?
Ye Chen shook his head with a faint, bitter smile. It wasn't the Shaolin Temple he had gone to, but Kunlun!
However, such things couldn't be explained in a few words. After his master had saved him, those first few days on the peak of Mount Kunlun felt like a dream. It took him several days to finally accept that there were many things in this world that ordinary people didn't know about.
For instance, alchemy and medicine—it was supposed to be a legend. But if it were just a legend, why would ancient emperors treat alchemists as honored guests to forge pills for immortality?
While Ye Chen didn't believe in immortality, he had personally seen many pills that could save lives or strengthen the body.
Then there was internal energy. Although Ye Chen couldn't produce golden dragons of energy from his palms like in the movies, 'Qi' was a reality. A single punch could unleash energy that could knock someone back a hundred meters. This was essentially the 'hundred-pace divine fist' from martial arts novels.
And the I Ching, Eight Trigrams, Qimen Dunjia, Feng Shui divination... these were legacies left by ancestors thousands of years ago. To have survived until now, they were clearly not simple.
On the peak of Mount Kunlun, there was a massive Gathering Spiritual Qi Array. All of Ye Chen’s skills had been learned from his master within that array.
But Erniu might not understand these things, and even if he did, he might not believe them.
After a moment of thought, Ye Chen simply said, "I’ve never been to the Shaolin Temple! But I met a great master who taught me many skills. Now, not only am I great at fighting, I can also heal the sick! Erniu, do you trust me?"
"I do, I do!"
Erniu nodded desperately. "You’re so capable, I’ll believe anything you say. Besides, I know Little Ye would never lie to me!"
Hearing this, Ye Chen smiled with relief.
This was the kind of thing only Erniu would believe. Even if Ye Chen told Xia Qingyue, she likely wouldn't believe it.
"Since you trust me, take this Soul Gathering Pill... I gave one to Auntie Niu earlier, and she’s already asleep."
As he spoke, Ye Chen pulled out another pill. "This medicine was forged from over a thousand precious herbs, and it contains an abundance of Spiritual Qi. Ideally, you should have taken a Strength-Building Pill, but this is the only kind I have on me, so make do with this for now."
"Ah... Little Ye, what are you saying? I don't really understand." Erniu looked blankly at him.
"Hahahaha!"
Seeing Erniu’s expression, Ye Chen couldn't help but laugh happily.
Although the Soul Gathering Pill wasn't specifically for physical strength, it was incredibly effective for refining the marrow and cultivation. If this pill were to enter the Martial Arts World, it would be auctioned for at least tens of millions.
But Ye Chen could only tell Erniu to make do. Seeing his confused look, Ye Chen said with a smile, "You don't need to understand, just eat it. I wouldn't harm you!"
"Mm."
Erniu nodded earnestly. "I know Little Ye won't harm me."
With that, Erniu picked up the pill and swallowed it in one go.
The pill melted upon contact, emitting a fragrant aroma without a hint of bitterness. After swallowing it, Erniu felt a warm current slowly spreading from his chest, flowing through his limbs and bones.
"Little Ye, my body seems to be changing."
"I feel so light!" Erniu couldn't help but exclaim.
"Forget about A-Hu... I am going to open your meridians!"
A sharp glint flashed in Ye Chen’s eyes. "Erniu, are you willing to follow me from now on and see things and sights you’ve never seen before?!"
**Chapter 38: Constitution**
"Things I've never seen before?"
Erniu froze. In Ye Chen’s tone, he sensed something indescribable.
It seemed that if he agreed, his life would undergo a earth-shattering transformation!
"Things I've never seen, and scenery I've never laid eyes on?"
Erniu repeated Ye Chen’s words under his breath. He felt that after taking the pill, a warm, flowing heat was coursing through his body, eventually surging into his limbs and bones, making him feel exceptionally light and agile.
"I’m willing! I am!"
Erniu said loudly, "Little Ye, are you going to turn me into a martial arts master too?"
"Martial arts?"
Ye Chen smiled faintly. There was no such thing as a 'martial arts world' anymore. At most, only the path of martial cultivation remained.
However, these things were hard to explain to Erniu. Ye Chen nodded slightly and said, "Something like that. From now on, you'll follow me!"
As he spoke, the light at Ye Chen’s fingertips grew brighter. He was altering Erniu’s constitution.
After a full half hour, a fine layer of sweat had formed on Ye Chen’s forehead, but the results were excellent.
"All done!"
Ye Chen finally exhaled gently and said, "Your current constitution far surpasses that of any world-class Olympic champion. From now on, you won't suffer from minor illnesses like colds or coughs. Even if you don't cultivate the martial path, you’ll be as strong as an ox and living to a hundred won't be a problem."
"Ah?"
Erniu listened in a daze, then clenched his fists. "I, am I really that strong?"
"Don't believe me?"
Ye Chen smiled and scanned the courtyard. "Try lifting this millstone."
"Ah! I, I’ll try!"
The millstone looked to weigh three or four hundred jin, but after hearing Ye Chen’s words, Erniu didn't hesitate and walked straight toward it.
Because Erniu felt like his body was brimming with power, he believed he could lift it!
*Snap!*
Erniu grabbed both sides of the millstone firmly. He was already 1.9 meters tall with long arms, and as he held the stone, he suddenly exerted force!
"Ahhhhhhh!!"
Erniu gritted his teeth, his muscles tensing instantly. The heavy stone was actually nudged by him.
At the same time, Erniu’s eyes widened, his expression one of seeing an alien.
Next, the millstone was lifted slowly: ten centimeters off the ground, twenty... half a meter... a meter...
*Thud!*
After holding it up for about a meter, Erniu’s arms began to sour, and he could no longer hold it, letting it drop to the ground with a thud.
But this result was enough to leave anyone stunned.
"Little Ye, did, did I do that?"
"Mm."
Ye Chen nodded and continued, "Erniu, tell me honestly, after I left, did anyone else bully you?"
A single Li Cuihua wouldn't be enough to reduce Erniu to the stubble-faced, gaunt state he was in. Erniu had once been very strong, with a build twice the size of Ye Chen’s.
"It was the Zhou Family..."
After hesitating for half a minute, Erniu finally let it out: "After Uncle Su and Mumu died and you went missing, people from the Zhou Family came to the village. Even Zhou Qianxiong came... When he heard I was close to you, he asked if I had hidden you. I said I didn't know, so they broke my legs and burned everything of value in my house..."
"To protect me, my mother was injured by those bad men... Later, when we went to the hospital for a check-up, she was diagnosed with coronary heart disease."
"With my legs broken and Mom’s condition, the family was in despair. We scraped together some money to borrow, and once my legs had healed, I went to do manual labor to pay it back!"
"After being tossed around for half a year, my health deteriorated. Later, I opened a restaurant, made some money, and married Li Cuihua... but it turns out she was that kind of woman!"
Erniu didn't want to mention Li Cuihua’s name again. After he finished, he added, "But it’s all in the past now... Little Ye, please don't go provoking the Zhou Family. They aren't like Zhang Long. The Zhou Family is a powerful clan—they have guns!"
"Heh!"
Ye Chen gave a cold laugh, the killing intent in his eyes nearly tangible.
Ye Chen had never intended to let the Zhou Family off, but hearing that Erniu had been bullied because of him made his rage even fiercer.
The Zhou Family... must not be left standing!
"Little Ye, don't do anything reckless. Uncle Su and Mumu wouldn't want to see you throw your life away. They definitely want you to live well."
Erniu, seeing the resolve in Ye Chen’s heart, said, "If you are absolutely going, I’ll go with you. I can lift a millstone; I’m sure I can fight hard too."
"I’m not going for revenge right now, don't let your imagination run wild!"
Ye Chen patted Erniu’s shoulder and said, "Auntie Niu should be waking up soon. Go take care of her, and shave your beard while you're at it. I’ll find you a beautiful wife another day!"
"Don't tease me, I, I’m done with wives." The tall and sturdy Erniu blushed deeply at Ye Chen’s teasing. "I just want to take good care of my mother now."
"Hehehe."
Ye Chen grinned. "Fine, go take care of Auntie Niu. I have other things to attend to, I’ll come by another day."
"Okay, you must come back!" Erniu said sincerely.
...
Leaving Nanshan, Ye Chen visited the cemetery.
His foster father, Su Tianhao, was buried in a place with the best Feng Shui, though the grave next to his was empty.
"I’m back, Foster Father!"
"I’m sorry... I’ve only just returned. You must be very angry, because I lost my little sister!"
"But don't worry, I will definitely find her. And as for the Zhou Family, I will make them pay!"
"When the time comes, I will bring Zhou Qianxiong’s blood as an offering to you both!!"
Ye Chen knelt before the grave, pouring a cup of wine for his foster father while speaking.
He rambled on about the past and the events of the last five years until darkness fell, at which point he finally stood up.
"It seems there is no moon tonight!"
He looked up at the hazy night sky in the distance. It was cold and moonless, with gusts of chilling wind blowing past.
A dark and windy night.
The perfect night for killing!
Half an hour later, Ye Chen appeared at the perimeter of an empty, private villa complex. He stared coldly at the iron gate in front of him and slowly pulled his right hand back.
"Hey, who are you? Don't stand there and get in the way of our cleaning."
At this moment, a servant responsible for cleaning the Zhou estate urged him impatiently.
But Ye Chen didn't move. He simply threw his drawn-back fist toward the iron gate with a light, airy motion.
Then came a heaven-shaking roar.
*Boom!*
The two-meter-high iron gate was deformed by the punch, the gate leaf was torn from its frame and sent flying into the Zhou family courtyard with a thunderous crash!
Ye Chen stepped inside, his presence as majestic as a rainbow!
**Chapter 39: Sending You to Hell**
*Boom!*
The thunderous sound made everyone in the Zhou family shudder.
At that moment, Zhou Qianxiong was practicing calligraphy in his study. Brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone were arranged on the desk... Zhou Qianxiong held a brush and wrote four characters with grand, sweeping strokes.
"A Great Blueprint."
As he was finishing the last character, Zhou Qianxiong’s hand shook from the impact of the loud noise.
The characters smeared!
Zhou Qianxiong frowned immediately. Not only had his artistic mood been ruined, but he also felt a vague sense of unease.
He slammed the brush back onto the desk and shouted angrily, "Someone, go out and see what’s happening!"
"Yes!"
No sooner had Zhou Qianxiong finished speaking than the butler, who had been grinding the ink, hurried out.
He saw the courtyard filled with bodyguards surrounding a young man. After a brief inquiry, he hurriedly ran back to the study.
Returning to the study, the butler bowed and said, "Sir, a young man destroyed our iron gate. He... he is now surrounded by bodyguards. Please, sir, give the order on how to deal with him."
"Destroyed the gate? How did he destroy it?"