Chapter 24: A Fatal Flick of the Chopsticks!

I have a blade that can slay all under heaven!

*Swoosh!*

The second floor of the Xiangweiyun Restaurant, previously quiet, was suddenly swept by a gale. It was a violent wind, arriving without warning.

*Boom!*

A chopstick flew like lightning, faster than a thunderbolt. Nearby tables and chairs were caught in the wake of this hurricane, groaning like an old woman burdened with weight or a rusted wooden door straining on its hinges. Under the impact of this immense force, they shuddered violently before finally exploding into dust with a thunderous blast.

The chopstick pierced directly beneath Zhou Tianhao's left shoulder, punching through his flesh and spraying a cluster of blood.

It missed his heart by a mere millimeter.

In other words, had the chopstick been aimed just a hair lower, it would have pierced his heart and ended his life on the spot.

Zhou Tianhao looked down at the bleeding hole, blood gushing incessantly. He stood frozen, stunned as a wooden chicken.

The second floor of the Xiangweiyun was as silent as Silent Hill. Everyone held their breath, staring at the scene in slack-jawed disbelief.

"My god, did I spend too long at the massage parlor last night? Are my eyes playing tricks on me?"

"Or is this guy... a god descended to earth?!"

"Is he even human?!"

The crowd was overwhelmed with astonishment.

"Mom, was I being too loud earlier? What the hell was I bragging about?" Zhao Heihu’s mouth hung wide open, his voice trembling.

He had seen powerful martial artists before—take Zhou Tianhao, for instance, who could shatter a two-meter-thick wall with his bare hands, a feat of strength reaching thousands of pounds. Yet, this flick of a chopstick from Duan Lingxiao had erupted with such thunderous, terrifying power that it chilled the soul.

"Damn it, I shouldn't have come here with an idiot like Zhao Heihu! Fuck!" Gao Deyao’s legs shook, his eyes filled with regret. He had thought that while Duan Lingxiao was strong, he would surely struggle against Zhou Tianhao. He never expected Duan Lingxiao to handle him with such terrifying ease. He felt like he was being roasted on a fire—miserable and bitter.

"This is the manifestation of internal energy projected outward, the sign of solidified inner power. Could his cultivation level be... the Heavenly Realm?!"

While the others only marveled at the sheer force of Duan Lingxiao’s strike, they lacked the expertise to understand the mechanics. But as martial practitioners themselves, Zhou Tianhao and Zhao Heihu naturally perceived the profound truth behind it.

*Whoosh!*

Suddenly, ignoring the blood spraying from his shoulder, Zhou Tianhao lunged toward the staircase with explosive speed. He was fleeing!

In the depths of his heart, Zhou Tianhao cursed Zhao Heihu’s mother three thousand times over. He was furious! He had expected this to be a simple job—dispatched a nobody, collected the red envelope from Zhao Heihu, and finished the task in comfort. Good money for easy work; how could he pass that up?

But he never expected his luck to be so rotten that he would run into a Heavenly Realm martial artist. His own master was a practitioner of the Heavenly Realm, so he knew exactly how terrifying such a person was. In the world of martial arts, every realm is a world unto itself; every small step is a chasm, and the gap between major realms is like a bottomless abyss. Because of this, progress in martial arts is usually agonizingly slow.

However, there are exceptions. True prodigies are born to defy the laws of nature.

"This brat is so young, yet he has already entered the Heavenly Realm. It’s incredible!" Zhou Tianhao thought. "My master, Peng Qianhe, has practiced since childhood. It took him sixty-five years to barely cross into the Heavenly Realm, and even then, he became a regional hegemon, a king of his territory. But this kid—how old is he?"

"No, I must return to my master immediately and have him intervene. This boy is young; his foundation might not be as solid as my master’s!"

With this thought, alarm bells rang in his heart. In a flash, he pushed his body to its absolute limit, moving like an arrow released from a bow.

The crowd gasped. They marveled at Zhou Tianhao’s true nature as an expert—decisive and ruthless; when he couldn't win, he fled without hesitation.

Zhao Heihu’s dark face grew even darker.

"Heh, want to run?"

"Trying to escape under my nose? You think too highly of yourself." Duan Lingxiao shook his head and smiled. He hadn't pierced Zhou Tianhao’s heart earlier only because he wanted to keep him alive for questioning.

Duan Lingxiao kicked the floor, and a ceramic tile popped up. The next moment, he sent it flying with a flick of his foot. It accelerated instantly, thundering forward like a galloping horse. In the blink of an eye, it struck!

*Thwack!*

It slammed heavily into Zhou Tianhao’s knee.

"Ah!" Zhou Tianhao let out a miserable shriek as his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the floor. His kneecap shattered, and blood sprayed out. He knelt there, rear end in the air, caught in a dilemma—with blood spraying from his shoulder and blood spraying from his knee, he didn't know which wound to plug first.

*Scrape, scrape, scrape!*

Dragging his broken body, Zhou Tianhao crawled to Duan Lingxiao’s feet. He pulled a pack of high-end cigarettes and a lighter from his jacket pocket.

*Click!*

He lit one.

"Brother, have a smoke and calm your anger, won't you?" Zhou Tianhao said with a fawning, oily smile, holding the lit cigarette up to Duan Lingxiao with both hands.

"Didn't you say earlier that you wanted to use my head as a night pot and dump my corpse at the bottom of the river?" Duan Lingxiao didn't take the cigarette, offering only a faint smile.

"Haha, my damn mouth sometimes speaks before my brain catches up. I’ll slap myself for it right now."

*Smack! Smack! Smack!*

Zhou Tianhao, a man who knew how to bend when necessary, began to swing his hand in wide arcs, slamming his own face with heavy blows. The sound of the slaps was deafening in the quiet restaurant. Who could have imagined that the "Unrivaled Iron Fist" Zhou Tianhao could be so humble and subservient? The scene was explosive, shocking, and utterly unbelievable.

Zhou Tianhao didn't care about the eyes of the crowd. He only wanted to live! As long as he was alive, there would be a chance for a comeback. He hid the hatred deep within his eyes perfectly. Once he left here alive, he would go straight to his master, Peng Qianhe. He would definitely have his revenge! But for now, he had to play the part of a groveling grandson.

"You’re hiding it well, but..." Duan Lingxiao paused.

Zhou Tianhao looked up, fawning, convinced he had masked his intent perfectly. "What is it, sir?"

"I spent a long time in a certain place, and I am very familiar with the shifts in a person's eyes. Judging by the dilation of your pupils, you are enduring, waiting to survive so you can kill me later, aren't you?" Duan Lingxiao said calmly.

In Prison Zero, before he met his seven masters—the seven great villains—in the deepest recesses of the facility, he had spent his time dealing with countless cunning and sinister criminals. Surviving wasn't a matter of luck; it was because he could already see through human nature and observe the finest details. Even though Zhou Tianhao hid his killing intent deep down, how could he deceive someone who had lived every second under the threat of death among hardened criminals?

"Since you've discovered it, then die!"

Seeing the indifference in Duan Lingxiao’s eyes, Zhou Tianhao felt his hair stand on end. He knew Duan Lingxiao intended to kill him. If that was the case, why wait for death? He had to make one final stand! He still had a trump card!

*Boom!*

Zhou Tianhao’s right fist suddenly swelled, becoming as thick as a massive dumbbell. The knuckles groaned, and his skin took on a dark, metallic luster, like black iron.

*Bang!*

At the critical moment, Zhou Tianhao threw a punch toward Duan Lingxiao’s heart. Being on his knees, he attacked from below, a vicious, cunning strike launched with all his might!