Chapter 60: Hold Tight
"Brother, when we’ve reached the Demon Worship Sect, I’ll climb up and pave a way for you. No matter what happens in the future, let’s unite like when we were kids, fearing no one!"
"Yes, fearing no one." Tian Wenhua’s voice was gentle.
They walked to the first floor and headed to the garage.
"Brother, our pioneer group shouldn’t have retreated back then. If we hadn’t, neither of our families would have..." Tian Wenbao said, his voice carrying a sob.
"What’s done is done."
Tian Wenhua helped Tian Wenbao into the garage, laid him on the back seat, covered him with a thin blanket, and drove away from the villa.
In the night, on the wide road, only one car moved forward, its headlights shining solitarily ahead.
The dim glow of the dashboard reflected on Tian Wenhua’s face, which was calm and composed.
After driving for over ten minutes, lights suddenly started flashing ahead.
The police lights on patrol cars spun and flashed.
Lines of spikes were laid across the road.
Tian Wenhua glanced at the rearview mirror, and saw several police cars in pursuit.
Tian Wenhua swerved, taking the car off the asphalt road and into the wild fields.
The car bounced across the uneven fields.
The police cars sped up, and people jumped out, running towards Tian Wenhua faster than the car could go. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭·𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦·𝘯𝘦𝘵
"Tian Wenhua, surrender now, and there’s still time!" A Martial Guard closed in, shouting through a megaphone.
Tian Wenhua seemed not to hear, continuing to drive away.
The silhouettes drawing near accelerated. Suddenly, Deng Zhijue surged forward, kicked violently at the side of the trunk.
The power of a full-strength kick from the Late Stage of Vitality surpassed a hundred thousand pounds.
The car lost balance and rolled across the ground.
Inside the tumbling car, violent tremors shook.
Tian Wenhua barely maintained his balance, reached for the back seat with his right hand to grab Tian Wenbao, and smashed the front windshield with his left fist.
Tian Wenhua tucked Tian Wenbao under his arm like a monkey, and dashed out through the windshield.
"Hold on tight." Tian Wenhua took off his coat and tied Tian Wenbao onto his back.
Using the coat as a rope, he knotted it, binding their waists together.
Tian Wenhua supported Tian Wenbao with his left hand while running.
His right hand touched the one-inch glass shard under his ear, pulled it out, and threw it away.
"Brother, just go on your own..." Tian Wenbao whispered.
Tian Wenhua said nothing, looking ahead.
The wilderness at night was dimly lit.
More than a dozen Martial Guards of the Vitality Stage closed in from all directions.
"Stay here!" Deng Zhijue struck first, punching directly at the back of Tian Wenbao’s head.
Tian Wenhua had no way to evade, and turned to punch.
Their fists collided, Deng Zhijue’s sleeves tore open, his body staggered back.
Tian Wenhua stumbled backward.
"Worthy of being the head of the Five Tigers of Shuizhou, your True Qi is even stronger than mine." Deng Zhijue lightly shook his aching right arm, looking at Tian Wenhua, who was more than a decade older than him.
His hair was black and white, eyes blazing, imposing and fierce.
Tian Wenhua braced Tian Wenbao with his left hand, standing tall, surveying the surroundings.
Twelve Vitality Stage martial guards positioned all around, slowly closing in.
Deng Zhijue said, "Put him down now, and there’s still room for negotiation."
"He is my younger brother." Tian Wenhua replied.
"He’s already undergone Demon Transformation and must be executed."
"He is my younger brother." Tian Wenhua’s tone did not change, his expression calm and unflinching.
Another Martial Guard said, "The price of colluding with the Demon Sect, you know it well."
Tian Wenhua patted Tian Wenbao behind him, "Hold on tight."
Just like back then, carrying his mud-covered brother out of the mud pit with a sack of loaches.
Tian Wenhua turned and charged towards another Martial Guard.
With just one punch, he drove the guard back and broke through the encirclement.
But soon, the twelve gathered around again.
In the darkness, Tian Wenhua fought off the surrounding Martial Guards with his right arm and both legs.
As the head of the Five Tigers of Shuizhou, he held out for over thirty moves but gradually began to falter.
His clothes were shattered by True Qi, revealing his scar-riddled strong physique.
On his skin’s surface, a pitch-black fist mark on the left shoulder, a fresh red palm mark on the right chest, and in the middle of his abdomen, a bleeding puncture from a Finger Technique, exposing writhing intestines.
Suddenly, a sideways sweep came.
Tian Wenhua staggered, and along with Tian Wenbao, fell to the ground.
He used all his strength but could not stand, managing only to kneel on one knee.
His left hand still cradled Tian Wenbao behind him.
The twelve Martial Guards ceased their attacks, gazing at Tian Wenhua from all directions.
"You can hand over Tian Wenbao now." Deng Zhijue said.
Tian Wenhua looked around, eyes fierce, saying nothing.
He wiped the blood at the corner of his mouth with his right hand, but blood only flowed more.
His right hand’s flesh was mangled, revealing large patches of white bone.
Tian Wenbao used all his strength to say, "I did not collude with the Demon Sect, I just practiced Demon Skills. It has nothing to do with my brother; he wasn’t helping me escape, he wanted to turn me in."
The Martial Guards watched silently.
Tian Wenbao whispered, "Brother, when I come out, cook me some fried loaches."
Tian Wenbao smiled, his head drooping like a deflated balloon, hanging by his neck.
Tian Wenbao slid off his brother’s back.
Tian Wenhua turned around, Tian Wenbao’s body was battered, limbs separated.
After the long run and battles, his whole body was in pieces, not a single intact spot.
Tian Wenhua gently caressed Tian Wenbao’s bloody head, murmuring, "When you return home, I’ll make you fried loaches."
After speaking, Tian Wenhua picked up Tian Wenbao, looking at Deng Zhijue.
Under the night sky, a row of shadows headed toward the flashing police lights.
Martial Arts Hall, Class 01 Martial Arts Dojo.
Zhou Leng was woken by a slight noise, looking up to see the sky barely lit, with classmates using Demonized Equipment to cultivate at the dojo.
Zhou Leng slowly sat up.
"Zhou Leng, why are you sleeping here?" the classmate in training shouted.
"I was busy last night till late, so I just slept here."
"Make sure to rest, don’t push yourself too hard."
Zhou Leng got up, went to the sink, took a sip of water, and manipulated True Qi.
True Qi surged, the clear water in his mouth washed over his teeth.
Zhou Leng spat out the water in his mouth.
After attaining True Qi Perfection, there’s no need for lengthy washing usually. As long as he manipulates Qi, his body can quickly cleanse itself.
Zhou Leng checked the time and sent a message to Deng Zhijue.
"Instructor, how did it go?"
"Caught, and dead. I’m about to report to the Hall Master. Stay at the Martial Arts Hall for these next few days to prevent any retaliation from Tian Wenbao’s backers. Once the investigations conclude and it’s safe, you can go out."
Deng Zhijue closed the conversation and knocked before entering the Hall Master’s office.
"Describe the situation in detail."
Deng Zhijue slowly explained the situation.
"...In the end, I believe Zhou Leng’s sensitivity to Demonic Qi might result from an attack by a Demon, forming a mutation, or the body’s self-defense. Similar cases have occurred before."
Wang Boxiong looked up, staring into Deng Zhijue’s eyes.
"Zhou Leng only made conjectures. The message he sent you doesn’t prove he has any special traits. Everything was your discovery, your decision, and the credit is all yours. He was just a normal participant. Understand?"
Deng Zhijue immediately stood up straight. "Understood! I will write the report according to the Hall Master’s instructions and the real situation. From start to finish, apart from showcasing extensive knowledge of Demons, meticulous reasoning, and exceptional courage, Zhou Leng provided no other assistance."
"Have a private chat with Zhou Leng. In the future, discuss important information verbally, avoid using any communication software."
"Go on, submit the report after writing it."
Deng Zhijue turned back.
"The Excellent Martial Arts School Student scholarship should be distributed today. Notify Zhou Leng."
"Ni San’s matter, involving Zhou Leng, has been documented; have you reviewed it?"
"I’ll check it when I get back."
"That plaque, keep it with Zhou Leng for now."
"If someone investigates..."