Chapter 34: Reinforcements

After exchanging blows, Jiang Che ran without looking back.

Within the same Realm, depending on one’s Qi Blood, there were four stages: Early-stage, Mid Stage, Late-stage, and Peak.

That Young Servant from before, it now seemed, was only at the Early-stage of the Stone Skin Realm.

And this flower thief’s Qi Blood was clearly much more vigorous than his, but not to the point where Jiang Che felt overwhelmed.

Therefore, he judged the man to be around the Mid-stage of the Stone Skin Realm.

Of course, this was still far beyond what Jiang Che could currently handle.

He felt a pang of regret. ’I still underestimated this flower thief! I need to find reinforcements, fast!’

But the other man wasn’t faring well either. A hole had been poked in his palm at some point, and it was bleeding profusely.

Looking at Jiang Che, he saw a metal spike, glinting with a faint green light, protruding from between his knuckles!

It turned out that when they had clashed fists, Jiang Che had already been gripping the Hand Stab in his palm.

Jiang Che had grown accustomed to using the Hand Stab.

Firstly, compared to other weapons, the Hand Stab was highly concealable and hard to spot, making it more effective.

After all, while blades and swords were more lethal, the opponent would also be more on guard against them, making it harder to inflict injury.

Secondly, the Hand Stab was a natural fit for his Fist Technique. Unlike a sword or blade, it didn’t require him to learn a separate set of Martial Arts.

Finally, the Hand Stab could be coated in poison. This was an excellent way for the weak to defeat the strong.

Against the Young Servant at Li Yuanwai’s Mansion before, if not for the poison, Jiang Che would have had no chance of winning.

Young Master Zhang’s face fell in horror. How could he not realize the iron spike was poisoned!

"Kid, there’s no grudge between us, why would you harm me! Give me the antidote, and I’ll spare your life!"

Furious and anxious, Young Master Zhang gave chase again.

Before long, however, he realized Jiang Che had led him out of the small woods. Up ahead was Fireworks Street.

Young Master Zhang hesitated for a moment, then steeled himself and turned to retreat.

Under the suppression of his powerful Qi Blood, the poison from the wound wasn’t spreading too quickly. He was confident he could get back and find someone to administer an antidote in time.

But then he discovered Jiang Che had turned around and was chasing *him*! And he was constantly throwing rocks at him!

"What the hell are you trying to do!"

Young Master Zhang was livid. With his hair disheveled and his face contorted in a snarl, he had lost all semblance of a refined Young Master.

He had killed many Martial Artists who were also in the Stone Skin Realm, but this was the first time he’d been toyed with by some kid in the Bull Skin Realm!

"Fine, fine... If this is how you want to play, then I’ll indulge you!"

Young Master Zhang’s aura changed abruptly. His Qi Blood surged, and he seemed to have vaguely broken through to the Iron Skin Realm!

At this moment, Young Master Zhang’s heart was filled with resentment.

This move was his trump card, allowing him to temporarily break through to the Pseudo Iron Skin Realm.

Although it was far inferior to the true Iron Skin Realm.

But his skin was already beginning to harden like iron plate, and his Qi Blood had increased significantly.

That iron spike would have a hard time injuring him now.

The price, however, was a massive drain on his lifespan!

He originally didn’t want to use it so readily.

But now, having been repeatedly provoked by this kid, he couldn’t stand it for a second longer.

He only wanted to kill him to vent the hatred in his heart!

Instantly, Jiang Che’s [Omen] began to warn him frantically.

His expression changed. He stopped his pursuit and decisively turned to flee again!

If it were just the Mid-stage of the Stone Skin Realm, he was confident that with his three trump cards—Iron Body, Qinggong, and Heart Stream—he could manage.

He might not be able to win, but he could at least escape safely.

This was the reason he kept turning back to provoke the man.

But he never expected the other party to have a mysterious Cultivation Technique that could make him so much stronger temporarily!

Jiang Che immediately felt a twinge of regret, thinking to himself that he shouldn’t have taken this risk for a Qi Replenishing Pill.

Young Master Zhang was stunned. ’This guy’s intuition is too sharp!’

He hadn’t fully stabilized his Qi Blood yet, but he had no choice but to give chase hastily.

Although it was only a Pseudo Iron Skin Realm.

It was still far too powerful for the current Jiang Che.

Even with Heart Stream active, Jiang Che couldn’t escape at all and was caught in an instant.

Young Master Zhang struck out with a vicious palm. Jiang Che hastily dodged, but was still hit in the back and sent flying.

Jiang Che let out a muffled grunt, but immediately scrambled back to his feet and continued to flee.

"Huh? You’re wearing armor?"

Young Master Zhang saw that the clothes on Jiang Che’s back were torn, revealing the Nail Spike Leather Armor underneath.

But now that Young Master Zhang had temporarily broken through to the Iron Skin Realm, his palms no longer feared iron nails, so his hand was completely unharmed.

On the contrary, the nails on Jiang Che’s Nail Spike Leather Armor were all bent out of shape from the blow.

"Even with armor, someone in the Bull Skin Realm shouldn’t have been able to withstand my palm strike. You kid, you’ve even trained in Iron Body Skills!"

The man was somewhat shocked.

A kid in the Bull Skin Realm who not only knew Qinggong and Iron Body Skills, but was also a cunning trickster.

He really wanted to know which Martial Arts Hall had taught such a weirdo!

Young Master Zhang gritted his teeth in frustration, wishing he could just hammer him to death on the spot.

He stomped his foot and instantly gave chase again!

But just as he was about to catch Jiang Che, he was horrified to find a gleaming long saber slashing down at him from above!

「Five minutes earlier.」

「Fireworks Street.」

Chief Constable Liu Hai looked at the "Flower Thief" his constables had caught and felt something was off.

This person’s Qinggong was decent, but he was definitely not in the Stone Skin Realm.

He pinched the man’s wrist and found that he was actually just a Martial Artist in the Bull Skin Realm!

Liu Hai frowned, felt the man’s face, and suddenly pinched something. Then, with a sharp tear...

A Human Skin Mask was ripped off!

Underneath the mask was clearly a middle-aged man with triangular eyes and a brandy nose!

"This isn’t the flower thief! But he must be an accomplice. Take him back! Interrogate him harshly!" Liu Hai ordered in a deep voice.

"Yes, sir!"

The constables were a little disappointed, but their disappointment quickly turned to anger. They gave the middle-aged man with triangular eyes a good beating before hauling him off to the Government Office.

The disciples from the Martial Arts Halls who had assisted in the capture looked at each other in dismay.

’All that effort, and we just caught a fake?’

Liu Hai’s heart was also heavy.

’This flower thief is more cunning than I’d imagined. He even has accomplices!’

Just as he was contemplating his next move.

Suddenly, he saw a red firework explode in the direction of the small woods not far away!

His expression changed. Someone was in an emergency!

Liu Hai took a deep breath, his right foot pushed off the ground with explosive force, and his body shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, speeding toward the small woods.

Although he had never trained in Qinggong, his strength at the Peak of the Iron Skin Realm made his normal running speed comparable to that of a Martial Artist who specialized in it!

As soon as Liu Hai arrived at the small woods, he saw a disheveled man attacking Jiang Che!

He decisively swung his saber down.

Young Master Zhang sensed the newcomer’s Qi Blood was far superior to his own.

He knew that if this strike landed, even though he had temporarily broken through to the Pseudo Iron Skin Realm, his head would be instantly separated from his body.

The premise that the Iron Skin Realm could defend against iron weapons was that the opponent’s Martial Arts Realm was lower than one’s own.

But if the opponent’s Realm was far beyond his own, then with the enhancement of their Qi Blood, even an ordinary kitchen knife could kill him.

What’s more, this was clearly a fine blade forged from special materials.

He was scared out of his wits and forcefully retracted his attack, just barely managing to dodge.

But a patch of hair on his head was shaved clean off.

"Chief Liu?!" Young Master Zhang’s face turned pale. He never thought he’d run into this plague god. He turned and fled.

Chief Liu was a master at the Peak of the Iron Skin Realm, famous for many years. It could be said that he was invincible below the Force Integration Realm!

The reason Young Master Zhang hadn’t dared to act too recklessly during this period was precisely because he feared him!

"Jiang Che, are you alright?" Liu Hai glanced at Jiang Che and asked quickly.

"I’m fine, Chief Liu! You have to go after him! That man is the flower thief! I happened to catch him in the middle of his vile business!" Jiang Che said hurriedly.