The flaming fist grew larger and larger in Bubai’s vision, ready to scar his ugly face for life.

  At the critical moment, a heavy greatsword popped up right in the fist’s path—Wham!

  The thick blade absorbed the brunt of the impact, but the force still reverberated to its holder, allowing Bubai to feel the power of this bull’s punch for the first time.

  The strength was definitely there.

  It was much, much stronger than the average outer disciple, and nearly rivaling the brief power explosion phase of that Lian Ke guy he gave a bento to!

  This strength was enough to mop the floor against his Jali battle doll and was definitely worthy of a peak late-stage body builder, but…

  Bubai’s final evaluation is still only so-so.

  There isn’t really any universal strength-gauging device to accurately benchmark the upper limits of his own strength, but if this Jia Liang is a one, then he himself must be at least a five!

  Bubai can only say his mysterious seed is really overpowered.

  What others achieve through months to years of medicinal bath, training, and cultivation, he gets in mere months simply by leeching off the free energy that his cheat seed photosynthesizes!

  Seriously, what a game breaker.

  Alas... even if his game-breaking physique was ready to shine, the time to flaunt his hidden strength has yet to come.

  So… time to disengage!

  In a controlled manner, Bubai let the force from the punch knock him back hard—sheeeek!

  When his boots skidding across the ground came to a stop, Bubai’s eyes strayed to the quickly dying heat on the now bent blade in his hands.

  Hot. Not enough to melt, but definitely not something he wanted to take head-on, even if he’s sure a burn caused by this would heal up in a jiffy.

  Bubai’s eyes snapped back to the incoming brute.

  Now that the speed burst was over, it was back to being a slowpoke. His favorite type.

  The bent sword was stuffed back into his pouch and a sidestep was all it took to let the flaming fists whiff past his eyes.

  Once. Twice. A tilt here, a step there…

  The heat was like a summer breeze to his skin.

  If Bubai had pockets, it’ll be real cool to slide both hands in them right about now just to drive the point home.

  Honestly, Bubai wasn’t underestimating his opponent.

  It’s just that… between them, there was a huge gap in thought-processing speed, reflexes, and even physical control.

  If his opponent was a speedster or the ruthless, cunning type, Bubai might still have some worries, but since this Jia Liang is just a brute power type...

  No matter how strong that punch might be, what good was it if it couldn’t land a hit?

  Of course, even if the advantage was his, dealing with this muscle-head oaf wasn’t completely a walk in the park.

  But it was still rather relaxing.

  Bubai even had the leisure to rake his eyes all over his foe.

  Several fatal spots already got pinpointed, and multiple plans to butcher this beefy cattle were already hopping around at the back of his mind.

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  Alas... he could only restrain his instinct to take the easy way out.

  Killing is killing, but there’s a difference depending on who it’s done to.

  This brute, who roughed up his rose, was undoubtedly an eyesore Bubai didn’t mind unaliving.

  It’s just that... this jerk has one of the most annoying death rattles: a heavy-weight background!

  Being a part of the Jia Clan would be one thing.

  If it’s just a sideline member with poor qualifications, his own backers might even be able to cover for any “unfortunate accidents” that happens!

  Alas... this Jia Liang brute was far from a nobody.

  Just calling that Jia Shizi “cousin” already says a lot!

  Behind the scenes, Qian Bage’s Thousand Insights intel offered even greater clarification.

  This Jia Liang was actually one of the many great-grandsons of Elder Jia Gufan!

  It wasn’t without reason this brute could go through the backdoor to claim a spot on the Sun Snake challenger list.

  The former third seat? Probably a nameless ghost touring the underworld by now.

  Gotta admit, a good background is really a terrifying superpower.

  Going against someone like this is like fighting with his hands tied!

  Stop being a wuss and just unalive that jerk? Haha.

  He didn’t want to kill the young just to get hounded by a whole lineage of cousins, brothers, grandfathers, great-granduncles…

  This isn’t the protagonist speaking.

  For somebody like himself, that’s a dead end since he got nowhere to run in this cage!

  But losing is not an option! So...

  There was only one way out… and that was by playing it smart.

  Thus, instead of acting out the matrix…

  Bubai’s honest face put on his most convincing panic mode, and he let each dodge look barely lucky.

  Seeing his every fist miss, the sweating bull eventually lost patience. “You slippery roach!”

  Jia Liang hopped back and roared, “See how you dodge this!”

  His flaming fists thumped right onto the ground. "Sun Elephant Fists!"

  A raging inferno wave exploded from his fists and rolled outward like an ocean tide!

  Bubai was dangerously close to the epicenter, and the flames washed forward way too fast for any normal mortal to dodge!

  It almost seemed being burned was a foregone conclusion!

  But Bubai had long been ready for this exact move!

  When Bubai saw first signs of the ult being used, he already preemptively sprung up!

  This barely let him somersault over the quickly advancing wave of fire!

  Mid-somersault, he could even feel the flames faintly licking him from below...

  Honestly, he could’ve leapt higher, but even if it was a bit awkward, he controlled himself to show something that was still pretty doable for a peak late-stage Qi refiner.

  All for the greater good.

  Tumble. Scrambling up from his roll, Bubai accusingly pointed at the scimitar wielder that was crunching a pill.

  “You—I've been going easy on you! Know when to give up and don’t force people too hard!”

  The bushy beard did little to hide the other’s menacing face. “Keh! Your face is full of sweat. I want to see how long you can last!”

  The confident challenger dashed forward once more!

  Bubai’s twisted face was one full of struggle, but when there was not much of a gap left between them, he gritted his teeth. “Don’t blame me! You forced me to do this!”

  A pellet was tossed down. Poof!

  A cloud of smoke billowed out, swallowing both fighters!

  In mere breaths, the bull rushed out from the smoke, only to be greeted by a burlap sack head-on.

  “Eat my itching balm!”

  Familiar sack, familiar yell.

  “Futile tricks!” Jia Liang scoffed and his scimitar slashed right through the sack.

  But this time... a flaming red dust cloud exploded right in his face!

  The man coated in a layer of reddish powder became stiff like a log. The next second...

  “Karggghhh! It itches! It itches!”

  The blind brute agonizingly clawed at his own face that was blotching like a bad case of chicken pox while wildly swinging his scimmy around like a madman.

  On the flip side, Bubai retreated and dusted off his own hand, grinning inside.

  Yep, third time’s the charm.

  Even with that bushy beard shielding a part of his face, he must be having a real charming time right now.

  Poor guy. Not vigilant enough. Just like a 2D villain.

  Did he overestimate the IQ of these characters?

  Or maybe it’s the aphrodisiac drugs smeared on the tips of his shurikens that did the trick?

  Either way, glad everything worked out as BatBai planned.

  Clasping hands behind his back, Bubai gazed up at the sun disc above, sighing. “Hey, hey, what did I tell you? When I get serious, even I am afraid.”

  Remembering something, Bubai turned to give the audience a thumbs-up.

  “If any of you are worried about suffering the same fate, better get yourself the Sun Holy’s Blessing like I did! A full body treatment will leave you worry-free. Buy now!”

  Bubai wasn’t sure how many out there heard his little advertisement, but he should have at least scored a few brownie points with certain elders, right?

  On the sun disc above.

  The brawny Jia Gufan crossed his thick arms and scowled like a mountain refusing to budge. “Just petty schemes, unworthy of a true man.”

  Mo Badao set down his tea cup and glanced at the old Ma Pei. “Old Stallion, is this what you call… interesting? If it’s just this...”

  Ma Pei’s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot and almost couldn’t help going down to spank the cheap brat.

  Here, the second matriarch Feng Huajin thoughtfully narrowed her silky eyes.

  “Hmm. I personally think this little boya is quite amusing.”

  Too bad the victim down below didn’t find it amusing.

  After splashing water all over his burning face, Jia Liang tossed aside his wine gourd and bloodshot eyes venomously glared at Bubai.

  “Kerahh! That’s it! You’re so dead! Today, either I die or you fall!”

  With a battle cry, the raging bull charged forward again!