Chapter 2544 — Looking for a Beating?

The pills were precious, but now that the Hidden Zhao family was throwing everything behind him, they might well obtain even finer ones in the future.

Above the Minor Qi-Gathering Pill came the Qi-Gathering Pill, yet legend held that there was still another elixir above the Minor Qi-Gathering Pill—one that could boost a practitioner's strength once swallowed. But its formula had long since vanished from the world. Hence it seldom appeared in the cultivation world at all; any that did turn up had been dug from ancient ruins, and were never offered for sale lightly.

Though such a pill counted as a second-grade elixir, only a cultivator who had reached the peak of the second grade could refine it. Even so, it was easier to make than the third-grade Qi-Gathering Pill—except that with no formula extant, no one could refine it at all.

"Stop the car!" Zhao Qibing bellowed.

Had they not been at the school gate, Wei Zhao would have floored the accelerator and run him down. Was this fellow sick in the head, looking for death?

"What do you want?" Wei Zhao brought the car to a halt and fixed Zhao Qibing with a cold stare. "Get lost. I don't feel like beating you today—I have class to attend!"

"No!" Zhao Qibing shouted.

"Did you forget your medicine today? Think a mere early-stage Earth-rank expert makes you something special? Are you hoping to end up like Elder Bi?" Wei Zhao frowned, though he was somewhat surprised that Zhao Qibing had suddenly risen to early-stage Earth-rank. Surely he hadn't swallowed every last Minor Qi-Gathering Pill Wei Zhao had sold him?

"Uh—no, I don't want that..." Zhao Qibing was startled on the spot. He had come here only to have his legs broken, not to be crippled for life. Ending up like Elder Bi—what would be the point of cultivating the Thousand Legs then? He might as well lie in bed and wait to die.

"Then what are you still doing here?" Wei Zhao sensed something off about Zhao Qibing today.

"Uh... well, the thing is, my legs are feeling a bit itchy. How about you break them for me?" Zhao Qibing hesitated before speaking.

"?" Wei Zhao glanced at him, brows knitting. "You didn't forget your medicine—you took the wrong medicine! Get lost, and stop spouting this nonsense here!"

"Leader Wei Zhao, I... I'm not spouting nonsense. My legs really are itchy—I want them broken. Can't you do me this favor?" Zhao Qibing grew anxious at once. Why wasn't Wei Zhao angry today? Normally, whenever he came swaggering around in front of Wei Zhao, the man would have been furious long ago.

"If your legs itch, break them yourself. Don't come to me!" Wei Zhao started the car and drove straight at Zhao Qibing. The fellow was an early-stage Earth-rank expert now; so long as it wasn't a surprise attack, his true qi would shield him, and the car couldn't possibly kill him.

"Ah—don't!" Zhao Qibing was startled to see Wei Zhao actually drive at him, and hurriedly dodged backward. Then, on second thought, it hit him: he was an early-stage Earth-rank expert, and a car couldn't kill him. Unwilling to let it go, he flung himself flat onto the hood of Wei Zhao's car and shouted, "Leader Wei Zhao, if you don't agree, I'll cling to your bumper and never let go! Wherever you drive, I'll follow, until you say yes!"

"Are you some kind of stubborn mule?" Wei Zhao lost his temper too. He stopped the car, grabbed Zhao Qibing by the collar, hauled him off the vehicle, and flung him to the ground. "So you'll cling to my car and never let go, will you?"

"Right! If you don't break my legs, I won't let go!" Zhao Qibing turned shameless and began singing on the ground: "I just won't let go, oh I won't let go, I just, oh, won't let go, hey..."

"Oh. Fine, I understand." Wei Zhao walked over to Zhao Qibing and raised his foot. Under Zhao Qibing's gaze of mingled delight and anticipation... tragedy struck!

Wei Zhao's foot came down not on Zhao Qibing's legs, but on his arms!

Two crisp cracks rang out, and Zhao Qibing's arms were broken beneath Wei Zhao's tread.

"Oh, Mother... I'm dying of pain..." With both arms broken, Zhao Qibing let out a howl of agony.

"Your hands are broken now. Let's see how you'll cling to my car and not let go!" With that, Wei Zhao got back in and, paying Zhao Qibing no further mind, started the engine and drove straight into the school parking lot.

"Ahahahahaha, I'm dying laughing..." Shen Yushu had watched the entire scene from the car and was now doubled over, clutching her belly. "Zhao Qibing really got what he deserved this time. He wanted his legs broken, and now his arms are broken instead..."

"..." Gu Mengyao was likewise speechless. Zhao Qibing was a bit too unlucky—running into someone like Wei Zhao, who never played by the rules, doomed him to tragedy. Still, she was puzzled. "Zhao Qibing isn't stupid. Why would he suddenly show up making such an idiotic request?"

"I don't know, but it must be something that benefits him—otherwise he'd have to be out of his mind," Wei Zhao said mildly. He had no interest at all in Zhao Qibing's affairs, but neither was he willing to be ordered about for no reason. So he hadn't broken Zhao Qibing's legs—he had broken his arms instead.

After parking, Wei Zhao went with Han Jingyi and Wang Xinyan to the biology building for class, while Gu Mengyao, Shen Yushu, and Han Xiaochao headed to the economics building. Only the tragic Zhao Qibing was left lying at the school gate, wailing—with his arms broken, he couldn't even phone his family to come fetch him.

After returning to their lodgings, Zhong Yongliang and Gao Xiaofu packed their things and prepared to set out. On their way out, the car passed the school gate, and Gao Xiaofu spotted a man lying there. He started. "Brother Liang, why is there a man lying over there?"

"Who cares? Let's go. I can't wait another minute—I need to get up that mountain!" Zhong Yongliang said impatiently.

"Oh, right... Huh? Brother Liang, that person..." As Gao Xiaofu's car drew nearer, he suddenly cried out in surprise.

"Will you give it a rest?" Zhong Yongliang angrily slapped Gao Xiaofu across the face. "Haven't I been humiliated enough? I, of all people, got taken down a peg by Zhao Qibing of the Hidden Zhao family. I need to get up the mountain as fast as I can and ask my master for help, then come back for revenge!"

"Mm... I..." Gao Xiaofu clutched his cheek, aggrieved. "Brother Liang, the man on the ground—that's Zhao Qibing..."

"What?" Zhong Yongliang was stunned, then flew into a rage. "Why didn't you say so earlier? Stop the car, quick!"

"This... right!" Gao Xiaofu hurriedly stopped the car, utterly at a loss for words.