Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 16
It had been a long time since someone had last used this old strength-tester artifact. The strength-testing machine was covered fully in dust. It was like a giant creature that had been dead for who knew how many years. Only a dark skeleton remained.
Li Yao was actually very fond of these kinds of old artifacts that were the complete opposite of the virtual and formless Great Illusionary Land. He felt these artifacts that were comprised of assembling countless parts, glyph arrays, and channels had an elaborate composition. It was a profoundly complicated, old artifact. It had a charm that was moving and thrilling.
The him of the present… needed urgently to unleash the feelings of excitement within his heart.
While it’s true he could do anything he wanted in the Great Illusionary Land, it was still incomparable with the real physical world. How could it compare with the real feeling of fist hitting flesh?
“Bang!”
Li Yao exploded out with an extremely simple fist. It landed perfectly on the center target of the strength tester machine. Suddenly, dust surged into the air, filling the sky as far as the eye could see.
The old artifact was like an enormous beast awakening from its slumber. Arcane glyphs flared one after another. Sweet sounds of colliding metal resonated from within the artifact. The sounds of gears churning and the sounds of essence energy surging through crystal channels rumbled out. Finally, a series of numbers appeared on the crystal channel counter on the surface of the strength tester machine.
“355 Pounds!”
“One strike of my fist only produced 355 lbs of force? It seems that my strike wasn’t very strong! I feel like I’m missing something… In the end, what could it be?” Li Yao squinted his eyes, allowing the dust to curl around his body. He stared dazedly at his fist, thinking hard from every angle.
He let out a light laugh a moment later and fished two earbuds out from his pocket.
This was the “Tone Bell” artifact crafted by the “Sounds of Wonder Guild”. With these plugged in one’s ear and with a telepathic thought, the microglyph arrays within these earbuds begin to operate to produce the sound of beautiful music for one’s ears.
“Look and see. The dark rolling clouds are incapable of blocking the ever-flowing galaxy!”
“The endless darkness will dissipate under the radiance of the heavenly stars that ignite all of life aflame!”
A recording of a resounding singing voice that caused one to believe in themselves over false gods and buddhas exploded between Li Yao’s pair of ears!
That’s right! This is it! The dark rolling clouds are incapable of blocking the ever-flowing galaxy! “DIE!” Li Yao’s hips sunk as he unleashed a deep howl. The dust that had settled on his body just a moment ago dispersed in a flash, forming a light gray orb with a radius of half a meter around his body. And just a moment later, this orb was ripped apart by the wind of his fist!
“Bang!”
“Bang Bang Bang!”
“Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang !!!!”
Right when the strength tester machine was producing the result, the tall silhouette of a bold and powerful person strode leisurely into the gymnasium.
Chapter 25: The Iron Beast, A Storm Arrives |
Several dozen students of the Common Class were engaging in strength training near the entrance of the gymnasium. Right at this moment, they seemingly became aware of something that caused them to drop their barbells at practically the same time. They stared at each other in terror and unintentionally swallowed a mouthful of saliva at the same time.
“What a terrifying aura, who could it be...?”
The sun’s light shone in through the large entrance door. An extraordinary mighty giant blocked half the light from shining in, forming an enormous shadow that enveloped these several students of the Common Class and caused the students to tremble in fear.
“It’s… It’s Wei Tie!”
Some of the students murmured subconsciously before awakening from their thoughts. They immediately covered their mouths. “Ge ge” sounds of teeth grinding could be heard coming from the slits between their fingers.
This person had a height that exceeded 210 cm and his entire body was covered in bursting muscles. He was like a giant monster that had donned a layer of metal armor and was known as “Iron Beast” Wei Tie. Wei Tie was the strongest in the Ascending Class and was also a vicious and fierce eminent tyrant!
Rumor has it that he overdosed on strengthening drugs for a long period of time, causing his body’s organic functions to be in disorder. His muscles grew excessively, but the growth of his Spirit Actualization Quotient was adversely affected. So, he was unqualified to enter the Important Class.
Despite this, there was no one who would dare doubt his battle strength. Most notable was his sheer power. It was even stronger than some of the elite students of the Important Class.
However, there was something even more fearsome than his bizarre strength and that was his tyrannical temperament. He loved to bully the weak on a fundamental level. After he entered his third year and because he hadn’t been accepted by the important class, his temperament became aggravated severely. He was blood-thirsty as if he was mad. His crazed insane tantrums caused him to hit even the teachers!
Strictly speaking, all the students of the Important Class were the heaven’s chosen arrogant children. They did not cross often with the riffraff students of the Common Class. Even if something escalated to the Important Class, the Important Class students were disinclined to go out of their way to bully the Common Class.
So in the eyes of the Common Class, the arrival of this Iron Beast Wei Tie even more terrifying than an entrance by Helian Lie!
“I’ve heard that this Iron Beast Wei Tie carries a small book on him for recording how many bones he’s broken in each month. Rumor has it that he broke 22 bones last month and that he wants to break that record this month as well!”
Several students of the Common Class looked at each other, sending warning messages tacitly in understanding to each other. They separated to the two sides of the gym without saying a word.
There was only one person who reacted too late. He was still doing bench presses and had only just got up. His entire skull was clamped by Wei Tie’s giant hand. Wei Tie lifted the student directly up saying, “Howdy, small troublemaker. There’s someone among your class called Li Yao. Where is he?”
The pitiful student was 189 centimeters tall and was considered one of the taller and mightier students in the Common Class. But under the palm of Wei Tie, he was like a small little toy. He was flailing his legs frantically for his face was being choked to a deep red. With a blood-curdling screech, he shouted, “Older Brother Tie. I... I don’t know! I haven’t seen him!”
“Humph!” With a squint of Wei Tie’s eyes, he easily tossed the over 150 lb student like he was a piece of trash. The student was tossed over 20 meters away and crashed into a few of the female students. The female students immediately began to scream.
However, as soon as the female students saw that Wei Tie was standing not so far away, their shrieks stopped abruptly. It was like a hen’s throat had been slashed by a blade.
An eerie silence enveloped the entire gymnasium. Every single student was shivering coldly. They did not dare to gasp even half a breath of the atmosphere. Even the teacher had gone to who knows where.
Everyone looked at each other in dismay. Everyone had the same thought circling in their minds:
“This monster came here to give whom some trouble? Some Li Yao? This time Li Yao is going to experience misfortune!”
“Elder Brother Tie, Elder Brother Tie!” Meng Jiang heard whispers within the crowd of students.
He heard that this Iron Beast was actually looking for his bro for life? His face turned deathly white. He hesitated for a good moment, but he still rushed out of the crowd. He obstructed Wei Tie with a face full of smiles and said, “Elder Brother Tie, You’re looking for Li Yao? He just had what seems to be a stomach ache. He went to the bathroom!”
“Oh?”
Wei Tie stopped his steps. He swept a glance at Meng Jiang and laughed. Suddenly, he launched a flying kick straight at Meng Jiang’s stomach!
Meng Jiang’s eyes bulged wide open. He sunk to his knees on the ground and vomited a huge mouthful.
“Nonsense. Did I ever ask you?” said Wei Tie coldly. He swept his surroundings and fished into the crowd of people by saying, “You. Come out!”
The crowd suddenly dispersed leaving only a short and small female student. Her flowery look lost all color under the tremendous intimidating aura. With no choice, she walked trembling with fear to be in front of Wei Tie. She laughed with a laughter more hideous than crying, “Tie, Older Brother Tie.”
“Be good. Tell this Older Brother Tie. Can you tell me where Li Yao is at?” Wei Tie smiled, revealing a strong thick fang.
“I… I don’t know.” The girl shook her head frantically.
“You don’t know? If you don’t know then go ask somebody at once!” Wei Tie glared and let let out a thunderous roar.
The girl’s legs turned knobbly and she almost collapsed on the floor from paralysis. She moved frantically back amongst her fellow students. She asked with a sobbing manner, “You all, which one of you all have seen Li Yao?”
The gymnasium wasn’t actually too big. Li Yao’s training corner was not very hidden. Soon, he was discovered.
Wei Tie gave a cold snort. He turned his neck that was as thick as the waist of a young girl and headed towards the corner with large strides.
Everybody feared being close to Li Yao and Wei Tie. Even more people did not dare to warn Li Yao. A few of the less courageous girls even covered their eyes, fearful of seeing the bloody scene that was about to occur. A few people frantically tried to escape by fleeing the gymnasium. No one knew if they were going to go call a teacher or to just simply get away.
As for Li Yao, he was still immersed in his showers of gale fists. He was in the middle of his explosive music that could pierce clouds and split stone, indulging in the pleasure of using his bombarding strength with the music. He absolutely did not notice the events that were happening behind him.
Finally, Wei Tie arrived behind Li Yao. A fiery aura enveloped him. It was like a lion, whose stomach was rumbling with hunger, was standing behind a small white bunny.
“You are that Li Yao? Someone put out 50,000 credits for me to break 10 of your bones. It would be better for you to choose. Ultimately, which 10 bones shall I break?”
Right when Wei Tie said these words, the final passage of “Conquer the Cosmos” by Lu Yinxi just happened to play in Li Yao’s ears.
“Whenever I feel despair in my soul, there will always be a song that I can sing loudly!”
“No matter how cruel destiny is too you. You will become that much stronger!”
The blood racing lyrics were like a bolt of lightning splitting into Li Yao’s marrow. It was like the rusted shackles in the depths of his mind were completely cleaved open.
An absolute and bizarre strength entered his pair of legs from the ground, vibrating and swelling within his skeleton as it passed through his entire body. It rushed into his pair of arms like a mountain flood breaking out. The One-Hundred-And-Eight Chaos Gale Hammer technique transformed into fist techniques. He shot left and right in a chain of cannon strikes. He let loose with all his firepower!
“Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang !”
“714 lbs! 822 lbs! 794 lbs!”
He punched with over thirty fists that produced sparks like flint. Every single punch was held at over 700 lbs. The heaviest fist even reached 915 lbs. The strength testing machine was punched into bouncing back and forth repeatedly. The thick rivets securing the machine to the ground groaned with “zhi zhi” sounds. They twisted and deformed.
When he was done, Li Yao’s pair of fists gave off a curling white smoke that rose in spirals, like having a ladle of cold water poured on a red-hot iron. And the center target of the strength testing machine was already caved in deep. No matter how much time passed, it would never return to its former elasticity.
Li Yao took off his earbuds and turned around. He looked somewhat suspiciously at Wei Tie. “What did you say just now?”
Wei Tie was completely stupefied.
Chapter 26: Someone Fiercer Arrives |
Wei Tie saw the crystal tube counter continue to tick away a string of digits, causing him to swallow a mouthful of spittle with great difficulty.
Cold sweat formed on his forehead, back, and between his waist. His body was as if it had just been scooped out of a body of water.
Wei Tie, also known as the Iron Beast, did not dare to even make a single move to wipe off his sweat. His mind was filled with a scene of those 30 explosive fists bombarding upon his body.
He would absolutely... be beaten to death!
“You must be Older Brother Tie of the third years. What business do you with me?” Li said as he recognized that this was the school’s infamously fierce Iron Beast.
Wei Tie’s lips trembled, not knowing how to respond.
Li Yao was likewise extremely surprised and blinked his eyes few times. He had heard long ago that Wei Tie was notorious for being a ruthless person. However, everyone minded their own business in the past. Wei Tie and Li Yao had not crossed paths before. Today was the first day they exchanged words. Why did it seem like this guy… was a bit retarded?
“Li. Fellow student Li Yao. I came looking for you since I have something I need your help with,” answered Wei Tie in a stammer.
“What is it?” Laughed Li Yao in reply.
“It's— It's like this. When I punch out with power, I feel that there's something not quite right. I don't know if fellow student Li Yao has some time to give me some pointers? As the martial arts teacher would say, I should be able to punch out with 50% more force with my strength, but the power of my punches always fails to reach that lever of power!” said Wei Tie with the utmost sincerity.
Li Yao was stunned. It took quite a while before he responded by going through the motions, “Sure thing~ As fellow students, we ought to learn from one another. The thing is… I'm all booked for today. How about we exchange pointers next time when I have time?”
“Sure! Sure! So it turns out that Older Brother Yao has matters to tend to. Then let's exchange pointers next time. I'm going to go now! Older Brother Yao go ahead and tend to your stuff! Go ahead!”
Wei Tie left. Or it can be said… that he broke into a run.
This sight would have been unbelievable if not personally seen with one's own eyes. It would have been very hard to believe that the 210 cm tall and over 300 lb buff giant would be able to utilize the Spirit Serpent Footwork Technique to the degree of moving like the floating clouds and flowing water. He left without a trace, exercising caution to avoid calamity.
The hundreds of students in the gymnasium were left feeling stupefied, dumbstruck, and shocked. All of them watched with eyes that stared rigidly at Li Yao, feeling as if they had fallen into an illusion. They stared at him as if he was the king of the demon beasts wearing the skin of a human.
“What the hell is going on? Why did the Iron Beast run in such a panicked manner after saying a few sentence? What did they say in the end?”
“Loud thunder can be accompanied by small raindrops. This is probably the Iron Beast’s style. I had thought that he would break all of Li Yao’s ribs!”
“What kind of cultivation technique did Li Yao use? Could it be that he stashed a high quality ‘Hypnosis Glyph’ on his body? Hypnotizing the Iron Beast?”
The students discussed earnestly within themselves. They were extremely astonished.
Bro for life Meng Jiang massaged his stomach. He managed to nudge to Li Yao’s side with great difficulty. Unable to deal with the pain, he said urgently, “Little Devil, is there anything wrong? In the end, what did the Iron Beast want?”
Li Yao rubbed his skull. Shaking his head he said, “I don’t know man. It's a complete mystery. He said he wanted to find some time to study punching techniques together. Give a few pointers to each other.”
Meng Jian jumped in astonishment as he shouted bewildered, “What? The Iron Beast wants to study punching techniques with you? Don’t you know that the last person who ‘studied punching techniques’ with the Iron Beast had their right leg broken into three pieces while he was still conscious?! But — but why did he go and leave?”
“I said I still had matters to attend to today, that I didn’t have time, and that we can do it next time. He went ‘Oh’ and then walked away! Huh? Did you just vomit?” Li Yao circled around his bro for life. When he discovered the imprint of a shoe on his bro for life, his pupils suddenly contracted and his irises gave off a cold glow.
He understood now.
“I know roughly why Wei Tie was looking for me. Damn! I should have made him stay just then… Small Jiang. It would be better for you to keep some distance from me for the next few days,” said Li Yao with utter seriousness.
Meng Jian stared at him and asked, “Why?”
Li Yao creased his nose and said, “Didn’t you just say that some poor unfortunate student of our Common Class had provoked Helian Lie? That he will suffer a misery incomparable for vengeance? That poor unfortunate student… seems to be me.”
“Wha?”
Meng Jian jumped with shock, ejecting over three meters away subconsciously as if Li Yao was the demon of pestilence. When he came to, he felt a bit ashamed. With a bitter face, he said, “Little Devil, we are all good brothers. Needless to say, my code of honor isn’t lacking. Let’s see, which hospital’s intensive care unit would you like to stay at? I will help you reserve a bed right now!”
……
Wei Tie ran in a small sprint the entire time. He scuttled out of the Ninth Gymnasium and had just turned around the corner when he saw someone standing by the flowers and bushes. A tall skinny youngster with a malicious expression on his face.
