C6 The Establishment of Prestige

"Mr. Luo, it's getting late. We should hit the road," said Qin Yu, the guard in red, stepping forward as he noticed Luo Tongtian's anger.

"In the General's Mansion, orders are followed without question, and military law is clear. Yet, some people just don't know their limits and end up breaking the rules. It's truly infuriating," Luo Tongtian said, taking a deep breath and turning to look at Du Qing.

"You've been badmouthing the leader behind his back, which is a serious offense. According to the mansion's rules, you should receive thirty lashes. You're off this mission. Go to the enforcement team and take your punishment."

To the guards in blue, Luo Tongtian seemed utterly useless. If it weren't for General Luo's protection, who knows how many times he might have met his end. Now, having gained leadership, he was ready to impose such a harsh penalty on Du Qing over a single remark. This made everyone exchange puzzled glances.

"You think you can mess with me just because you're useless? Not so easy!" Du Qing, who had lost to Luo Tongtian just days before, was now being suppressed by him under the guise of authority. His frustration boiled over, and he shouted, his anger finally erupting.

"So what if I'm deliberately giving you a hard time? What can you do about it?" Luo Tongtian stepped forward, narrowing his eyes as he challenged Du Qing.

"What can I do? You'll find out soon enough," Du Qing retorted with a smirk.

Du Qing looked at his defeated opponent in front of him, a sinister smile flashing across his face. Gritting his teeth, he decided to go all in, swinging his fist, as big as a bowl, with a thunderous force.

As a third-level strongman, Du Qing's muscles were powerful, and his strength was unmatched. A casual punch from him could deliver hundreds of pounds of force. Now, fueled by anger, he unleashed a punch that seemed to echo with the roar of a tiger in the wind.

Seeing Du Qing's fierce attack and then glancing at Luo Tongtian's frail figure, the surrounding guards in blue couldn't help but shake their heads and sigh, their faces full of pity.

"Ah, what a stubborn fool. Didn't he learn his lesson last time?"

"Yeah, in a world where strength rules, trying to show off with a little bit of power is really unwise. In the end, he'll just end up getting hurt."

The guards looked on with mocking eyes and disdainful expressions, turning their faces away. They all understood that Luo Tongtian had thoroughly angered Du Qing and was about to meet a grim fate.

"Don't kill him, leave him alive!" Qin Yu called out to Du Qing at just the right moment, a slight smile on his lips.

"It's not certain who's going down yet!" Luo Tongtian's eyes narrowed as he watched the fist in front of him grow larger, forming the shape of a tiger's head as it cut through the air.

He swung his fist with sudden force, lightning crackling around him, exuding an overwhelming presence. A terrifying thunderclap echoed in Du Qing's ears, distorting his features and causing blood to trickle from his orifices, his face a mask of agony. The tiger emblem he had unleashed trembled briefly before vanishing without a trace.

After the thunder, a fearsome fist charged with the power of a storm struck Du Qing, sending him flying back twenty to twenty-five feet, kicking up a cloud of dust as he hit the ground. His body lay limp, unsure of how many bones were broken, resembling nothing more than a lifeless dog.

"What!?"

"No way!"

"How is this possible?"

"When did this loser become so powerful?"

"It can't be, I must be seeing things."

The guards in blue, who had gathered to watch the spectacle, were instantly petrified, their mocking smiles frozen in disbelief. No one could have anticipated that Luo Tongtian, who had recently been defeated by Du Qing, would suddenly seem as if he had taken a super-strength pill, becoming so formidable.

One punch! Just one punch! And Du Qing was left severely injured! It was utterly astounding to everyone present. With immense strength and soaring combat prowess, what seemed like a simple punch carried such incredible power. Was this really the same person they had dismissed as a weakling?

After knocking Du Qing to the ground with a single punch, Luo Tongtian looked at his fist in surprise, even he was taken aback by its power. As the crowd watched in awe, his confidence began to rise, and he spoke in a strong, commanding voice.

"As a guard, you failed to show loyalty and dared to strike at me. This is unacceptable. Take him to the disciplinary team for a hundred lashes, then expel him from the mansion, never to be employed again."

Seeing that none of the guards in blue moved, Luo Tongtian frowned.

"What, are you defying my orders now?"

Qin Yu, a guard in red, noticed Luo Tongtian's newfound strength and growing temper. After a slight frown, he gestured to the guards. Two of them dragged Du Qing away toward the disciplinary team. Luo Tongtian gave Qin Yu a brief glance before leading the way out.

With that commanding punch, Luo Tongtian shattered the image of the useless young master in everyone's mind, establishing significant authority among the guards. From this day forward, no one dared to underestimate him; the derogatory title of "useless" was obliterated with that single blow.

...

Leaving the General's Mansion, Luo Tongtian and his entourage headed straight for the city gates. Riding tall, powerful horses and clad in elite armor, they drew envious glances from the townsfolk along the way.

After leaving the city gates, they spurred their horses forward, racing toward the scene of the incident. In the crowd behind them, a few shadowy figures watched them grow smaller in the distance, letting out a cold laugh.

Over an hour later, they arrived at the location. The bodies had already been removed, and the grass was trampled and chaotic, with faint traces of dried blood still visible.

Though only a few days had passed, everything felt like a lifetime ago to Luo Tongtian. Back then, he was struggling with his training, humiliated and powerless to resist. But now, with his energy channels unblocked and his training back on track, he was in charge of the investigation, leading thirty imposing guards. The transformation was night and day.

After examining the scene, they found no useful clues. Luo Tongtian led the group in the direction where the bandits had last been seen. As they followed the trail, searching as they went, it was clear that the guards harbored resentment toward Luo Tongtian, putting in minimal effort.

Ever observant, Luo Tongtian noticed the disturbed soil on the grass, which continued southeast. This piqued his interest.

"Mr. Luo, come take a look!"

At that moment, Qin Yu, the silent red-clad guard, suddenly spoke up. He pointed to the fresh hoofprints on the ground, highlighting a faint trace of a glossy black substance.

“What’s this stuff?”

Even though Luo Tongtian knew Qin Yu wasn’t fond of him, he couldn’t help but be intrigued by the observation.

“This black material is graphite, a unique feature of the Skyward Mountains.”

“If it’s showing up in the hoofprints of those horse thieves, it means they must have passed through the Skyward Mountains during their last attack on us. This could be a valuable clue.”

Qin Yu brushed the dirt off his hands and explained to Luo Tongtian. Despite his distrust of Qin Yu, Luo Tongtian felt a spark of hope after hearing his words.

“You might be right. A trip to the Skyward Mountains could lead to some unexpected discoveries.”

Gazing at the towering peak in the distance, Luo Tongtian’s face was filled with hope. Behind him, Qin Yu smirked coldly, a barely noticeable hint of menace in his eyes.

...

The Skyward Mountains stood majestic and towering, like a giant guardian watching over the city. As dusk fell, an unexpected group arrived—Luo Tongtian and his team.

To avoid alerting anyone, they didn't start a fire, opting instead for some dry food and fresh water, then quietly waited for nightfall. As the night breeze rustled the leaves and the moon cast its gentle light, they waited until the forest was silent. Only then did they cover the horses' hooves with cloth and fan out toward the hills to begin their search.

As skilled practitioners, they possessed heightened senses, making it impossible for any movement around them to go unnoticed. After searching for over an hour, a cave about three miles to the left of the mountain caught their attention. There, faint flickers of firelight suggested someone might be camped out.