Harkus was stunned by Zhou Changqing's sudden interruption.
He looked to Lingsha, his expression questioning.
Lingsha, however, said nothing, just smiled inexplicably.
"What the hell are you talking about, kid?" Harkus roared. "What's this nonsense about love rivals? Even if I do like Commander Lingsha and want to pursue her, what damn business is it of yours? A rival? You think you're worthy? Let's not even mention I don't give a damn about you—there's no way Commander Lingsha would ever fall for a scrawny human brat like you! A mere human dares to covet the Commander? And you even called her an 'old woman'? I think you've got a death wish!"
When Commander Lingsha offered no explanation, Harkus grew enraged. He turned on Zhou Changqing, unleashing a torrent of taunts and insults.
Seeing this, Zhou Changqing faltered, suddenly realizing he might have made a mistake. He glanced at Lingsha's teasing, not-quite-a-smile expression. This brute was clearly here for him.
Damn it, those cliché novels will be the death of me.
No, that wasn't right either. For the past three months, he'd practically been a shut-in, refining equipment and cultivating. He'd had no opportunity to provoke anyone.
"Hold it. Who the hell are you, you prick?" Zhou Changqing's temper flared, and he pointed a finger at the brute. "If you're not here for Lingsha, then why are you staring at me? I don't recall ever meeting you."
First of all, he hadn't provoked anyone. Second, aside from Yue Mei and Lingsha, he wouldn't allow anyone in this entire tribe to act so arrogantly in front of him. Did this guy think he was a Dou King? Or even a Dou Spirit?
With a sweep of his powerful Spiritual Perception, Zhou Changqing could tell the brute's aura was nothing special—just a piddling peak Da Dou Shi.
Harkus's eyes widened, glaring at Zhou Changqing. "Kid! You really don't know who I am?"
"Like I give a damn who you are!"
"Fine! Fine!" Harkus was practically fuming. He cupped his fist toward Lingsha. "Commander Lingsha, I request your permission to duel him!" Then he turned to Zhou Changqing, his eyes filled with contempt. "Kid, you dare fight me? Whoever loses gives up the Spirit Ascension Pill."
Hearing this, Lingsha's expression became odd, as if she was trying her best to suppress a laugh. A duel? Could you even beat him?
Zhou Changqing, however, finally understood. So that was it. He knew he'd never seen this guy before, so how could he have possibly offended him? It was all for the Spirit Ascension Pill.
His equipment refining for the tribe wasn't without compensation. First, the Yue Mei tribe had to provide all the necessary materials. Second, as long as he produced a satisfactory number of weapons each month, he would receive a reward—it could be a cultivation technique, a Dou Skill, or a medicinal pill or treasure. As long as the tribe had it, Yue Mei would not refuse.
And over the last three months of hard work, Zhou Changqing had not only made great strides in his refining skills but had also progressed considerably in his cultivation. Relying on the Da Dou Shi level cultivation resources Yue Mei had rewarded him with, he had advanced from a seven-star to a peak nine-star Da Dou Shi. That was why he had requested a Tier 4 Spirit Ascension Pill from Yue Mei, to increase his chances of breaking through to the Dou Spirit level.
This brute, also a peak Da Dou Shi, needed the pill as well. But there was only one left in the tribe's treasury. When Yue Mei gave it to Zhou Changqing, Harkus was left with nothing. And so, the brainless musclehead had come here to stir up trouble.
Once he pieced it all together, Zhou Changqing was left speechless.
Seeing Zhou Changqing's silence, Harkus grew even more arrogant. "What's wrong, kid? Scared? Damn it, to think the person our leader values so highly is nothing but a coward!"
"You won't stop me if I hit him a little hard, will you?" Although Zhou Changqing found the goading childish, his hands were indeed itching for a fight. He needed a punching bag. He turned his gaze to Lingsha.
Considering the little rascal's true strength, Lingsha paused for a moment before turning to Harkus. "Harkus, are you certain you want to challenge him?"
"Don't worry, Commander Lingsha. As much as I can't stand this kid, I won't hurt him too badly."
Lingsha nodded helplessly. "Very well. Do as you please."
She wasn't worried about Zhou Changqing; she was worried about this brainless fool. Besides, Harkus hadn't denied his interest in her earlier. It was about time he was taught a lesson.
Seeing Lingsha agree, Harkus flashed a menacing grin and beckoned to Zhou Changqing. "Kid, don't say I'm bullying you. Looking as fragile as you do, I'll even give you the first three moves!"
"Heh. Show off and I'll send you flying," Zhou Changqing chuckled, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
The next instant, with no discernible preparation, he shot forward like a cannonball. The speed was incredible! All that could be seen was a flash of a white silhouette.
Harkus had no time to react before Zhou Changqing's iron fist slammed into his stomach.
"Oof!" A terrifying force surged through his body, rattling his internal organs. His stomach churned violently, and he let out a dry heave, about to vomit bile.
To avoid getting hit by the filth, Zhou Changqing lashed out with a vicious roundhouse kick to Harkus's side before he could spit anything out.
Instantly, Harkus folded like a ragdoll, his snake-like tail lifting off the ground as his body bent into a C-shape and went flying.
Bang! He flew more than a dozen meters before crashing heavily into the sand, carving out a huge crater.
"Piece of trash with useless muscles. I really gave you too much credit." Zhou Changqing spat in the direction of the unmoving Harkus before turning back to Lingsha.
"Is... is Harkus alright?"
"So that idiot's name is Harkus? He's fine. He'll be bedridden for a week or two at most. Come on, take me to get the Spirit Ascension Pill," Zhou Changqing said, waving a dismissive hand at Lingsha's concerned tone.
Hearing this, Lingsha stopped paying attention to Harkus and led Zhou Changqing into the treasury.
Meanwhile, Harkus lay in the three-meter-wide crater, more than half of his body buried in the sand, continuously spitting up bitter fluid. Dark bruises were visible on his abdomen and right side, with tiny beads of blood seeping from the skin. He was a miserable sight.
"How... how is this possible..." The intense pain wracking his body was hard to bear, but it was the blow to his pride that truly crushed Harkus.
He was a mighty peak Da Dou Shi, the one with the strongest physique among his peers in the tribe, yet he couldn't even withstand two of his opponent's moves! To be precise, he couldn't even withstand one. That human was clearly at the same cultivation level as him, so why was he so overwhelmingly powerful?
Harkus had no idea that besides being a peak Da Dou Shi, Zhou Changqing's physical body was comparable to that of a low-level Dou Spirit. While a Da Dou Shi was not weak, there was a significant gap between them and a Dou Spirit. Therefore, even without using any Dou Qi, Zhou Changqing could have utterly brutalized him. If he weren't in the Snake-Person Tribe and didn't have to give Yue Mei some face, Zhou Changqing would have beaten the shit out of him.
In the blink of an eye, another three or four days passed.
Today, instead of his usual equipment refining, Zhou Changqing was cultivating cross-legged inside his large tent.
After adjusting his condition to its absolute peak, he retrieved a medicinal pill from his Storage Ring.
The pill was a vibrant emerald green. Its body was perfectly round, with several profound pill veins etched upon its surface, and it shimmered with a faint, fluorescent light. A rich, yet crisp, medicinal fragrance wafted from it, making one's mouth water with the urge to swallow it whole.
The Tier 4 medicinal pill, the Spirit Ascension Pill!
"The breakthrough is today!" Gazing at the pill that could increase his chances of reaching the Dou Spirit realm, Zhou Changqing swallowed it without hesitation.
The moment the pill entered his mouth, it dissolved into a torrent of energy that flowed down his throat, into his stomach, and then spread rapidly throughout his entire body.
Feeling the immense medicinal power within him, Zhou Changqing immediately began circulating the Heavenly Dipper Gold Tempering Art, madly absorbing the energy. He refined it, along with the natural energy he drew from the world around him, into Dou Qi and directed it into his Dantian.
Instantly, the worldly energy within a hundred-meter radius began to churn violently, converging on Zhou Changqing's position.
Under the assault of the vast, refined dual-attribute Dou Qi, the Dou Crystal in Zhou Changqing's Dantian gradually began to morph into an oval shape. Its surface started to bulge, with small, crystalline protrusions forming all over it.