C16 Trash

"You're worthless, you deserve to die."

Jia Anan watched Zhuang Xing's retreating figure with clenched fists, seething with anger. He had just made her a laughingstock, and she resolved to teach him a lesson in the future. She could no longer afford to be lenient with him.

"Great Master Chi, is he truly a Pill Refining Master?"

After the crowd had dispersed, Mu Zhu posed the question to Chi Xi, her mind swirling with doubts.

"Indeed."

Upon hearing this, Xiaojie broke out in a cold sweat. The power of a Pill Refining Master was immensely formidable. Such a person commanded respect wherever they went. If her boss found out how she had mistreated a Pill Refining Master, she knew her job would be on the line.

"But even if he is a Pill Refining Master, he doesn't deserve such deference from you. You're a Pill Refining Master as well."

Chi Xi, too, was a Pill Refining Master. Normally, Chi Xi wouldn't need to address Zhuang Xing as a senior, yet he had, leaving everyone stunned.

Chi Xi gave her a measured look and said slowly, "Because he is a Rank Two Pill Refining Master."

To be precise, he was at least a Rank Two Pill Refining Master.

"What?"

Their eyes went wide, the simple revelation hitting them like a bombshell. Their minds blanked, breaths quickened, and the cold sweat on their backs intensified.

"Trash, stop right there."

Zhuang Xing had just stepped out of the Spirit Treasure Pavilion when he heard a sharp cry. Turning around, he was met by Jia Anan's confrontational stance, clearly looking for trouble.

Jia Anan strode forward, her long-suppressed rage bursting forth uncontrollably.

"Trash, hand over that Jade Spirit Ganoderma right now."

She had set her sights on that Jade Spirit Ganoderma, and the audacity of him buying it was infuriating. He was practically begging for trouble.

Zhuang Xing regarded her coolly and asked, "And what if I refuse?"

"If you refuse, then you can just drop dead."

Jia Anan bellowed, her fists ready as she charged at Zhuang Xing. Back in the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, he had stolen the spotlight, leaving her humiliated. Had it not been for the Pavilion's strict no-fighting rule, she would have given him a harsh lesson much earlier.

Having emerged from the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, she was now free of any hesitation.

A crowd gathered as the conflict unfolded before them. "Hehe, it's Zhuang Xing and Jia Anan. I always knew Jia Anan wouldn't just let things slide."

"Did he actually have the audacity to provoke Jia Anan? Is he looking for trouble?"

"Jia Anan is the top contender among Cloud Peak City's younger generation. Her strength is unmatched; he's definitely in for a rough time."

Jia Anan burst forward, leaving a trail of afterimages in her wake. Her attack was swift as thunder, her ferocious punch barreling towards Zhuang Xing with relentless force.

Her punch was staggeringly powerful. Any cultivator beneath the Spirit Wheel Stage would surely sustain grave injuries from such fist strength, with death being a distinct possibility.

Yet, Zhuang Xing merely scoffed with disdain, "Is this really all the top contender of Cloud Peak City has to offer?"

Considering Jia Anan's prowess, she would be a formidable competitor in the Hidden Dragon Ranking Great Competition, not far behind Zhuang Guai. But barring any surprises, she would likely be eliminated in the first round, with no chance of progressing further.

If this was the fate of Cloud Peak City's finest, the prospects for the others seemed bleak.

Zhuang Xing launched his own punch, his fist force erupting with ferocity as it bore down on Jia Anan.

Her fist was no match for Zhuang Xing's. She let out a wrenching scream as she was sent crashing to the ground.

Zhuang Xing had vanquished Jia Anan right then and there.

Onlookers gaped at Zhuang Xing, their expressions frozen in shock, their eyes brimming with disbelief.

The top figure of Cloud Peak City, a Spirit Wheel Stage Level Two Heaven expert, had been bested by a single punch from Zhuang Xing. She hadn't stood a chance.

Could he truly be the same individual deemed a mere Qi Refining Stage Level Two Heaven weakling?

With a brutal kick, Zhuang Xing shattered Jia Anan's dantian. Her agonizing screams filled the air as she writhed on the ground in excruciating pain.

After crippling Jia Anan with a single kick, Zhuang Xing turned and walked away. He didn't want her demise to be quick and easy; he wanted her to endure a life of agony.

His lack of compassion was chilling.

In that moment, everyone was shocked. Damaging Jia Anan's dantian was a cruelty a thousand times worse than death itself, as it meant she would likely never be able to cultivate again.

The incident outside the Spirit Treasure Pavilion spread like wildfire across Cloud Peak City. In less than fifteen minutes, the news had reached everyone, sparking widespread outrage. A sense of foreboding hung in the air; it seemed the dynamics within Cloud Peak City were on the brink of upheaval.

Meanwhile, Zhuang Xing was sauntering through the market, blissfully unaware of the chaos he had unleashed.

After several hours, fatigue set in, and he decided to head towards the Zhuang family residence. As he made his way through the bustling streets, a crowd suddenly emerged from all directions, encircling him.

"Little bastard, freeze."

Zhuang Xing slowly lifted his head, surveying the encroaching crowd before his eyes settled on a middle-aged man dressed in a python robe standing directly ahead. He furrowed his brow.

The man was Jia Du, the current head of the Jia family and father to Jia Anan.

Back when Zhuang Xing's grandfather was alive, Jia Du had been a constant presence at his side, effectively serving as Old Master Zhuang's right-hand man. The marriage between Zhuang Xing and Jia Anan was the fruit of Jia Du's efforts to ingratiate himself with Old Master Zhuang.

Had Old Master Zhuang been aware of Jia Du's subsequent actions, particularly his relentless antagonism towards Zhuang Xing, it would have surely brought Old Master Zhuang back to life in a fit of rage.

By now, a sizable crowd had gathered, drawn by the news that had already swept through Cloud Peak City. It was common knowledge that the Jia family wouldn't take this lying down, but no one anticipated their swift response.

Facing Jia Du, Zhuang Xing offered a faint smile and said, "Jia Du, instead of caring for Jia Anan at home, you've come out to the streets. What is it you want? Are you here to beg me to heal her?"

Jia Du was seething with anger. His daughter had visited the Spirit Treasure Pavilion earlier that day to make some purchases, but Zhuang Xing had crippled her dantian. Her entire cultivation was ruined, and now she would never be able to practice cultivation again for as long as she lived. It was only natural that he would seek vengeance for his daughter's sake!