Translator: AnubisTL
Carrying over three hundred pounds of iron ingots on his back, Li Qing's body remained steady. Apart from a slightly slower pace, he didn't feel much of a burden.
After practicing martial arts, not only had his physical strength increased significantly, but his senses had also become much sharper than before. His hearing and vision were now exceptionally keen.
Even the slightest rustle of grass or the faintest whisper of wind around him, he could perceive clearly.
Just as Li Qing, carrying the basket filled with iron ingots, stepped out of the bustling market, he let out a slight sigh.
"You've been following me for quite a while. Why don't you show yourself?" Li Qing stopped in his tracks, his muscles tensing up as he remained vigilant of his surroundings.
The streets outside the market were much more deserted, with every household's doors tightly shut, devoid of any signs of life.
Not long after Li Qing spoke, footsteps slowly echoed from both sides of the street.
More than one, he thought to himself, then slowly turned around to see three figures emerging from the shadows on either side of the street.
The three men were dressed in tattered clothes, with several patches sewn onto them, clearly indicating that they had been living in hardship.
The tall and skinny one in the middle seemed to be the leader. His face was gaunt, and his eyes carried a lingering gloom.
"Brother, it's been a while since we three had a proper meal. How about you spare us some food?" The man's voice was hoarse, laced with a sense of weakness, as if he had indeed been starving for a long time.
However, Li Qing didn't let his guard down. If they were so weak from hunger, yet still dared to ambush him, they must have some trick up their sleeves.
Sure enough, one of the three, a rather short man, spoke up:
"Big brother, why waste words with him? Let's just take him down and make him lead us to the food."
The third man also chimed in with a muffled voice: "Exactly! I saw it clearly in the market earlier. His basket has at least twenty to thirty pounds of Dark Wheat Mushrooms!"
"Gulp!"
After saying this, the man swallowed hard, then pulled out a machete. Though the back of the blade was a bit rusty, it still looked quite menacing.
So, they had noticed his wealth in the market. He hadn't expected that even a mere twenty pounds of Dark Wheat Mushrooms would attract such attention.
"Brother, as you can see, it's been a while since we three had a meal. How about you cooperate?" The tall man also drew a long stick from his side.
In an instant, the three men formed a triangular formation, semi-surrounding Li Qing, ready to strike at any moment.
Li Qing wanted to argue that he had already sold all his Dark Wheat Mushrooms, but he knew these men wouldn't give up until they achieved their goal.
Once targeted, he would undoubtedly have to part with some of his "fat."
However, Li Qing felt no fear in his heart. On the contrary, he even felt a faint sense of excitement.
After practicing martial arts for so long, he had only been training in empty forms. It would be quite good to test his skills on a few weaklings.
Unconsciously, a surge of fervor welled up in his chest.
"It seems we'll have to settle this with a fight," Li Qing chuckled lightly.
As soon as he finished speaking, he took off the large cotton coat he was wearing and, along with the heavy basket, threw it to the ground.
Bang! The over three hundred pounds of iron ingots hit the ground with a heavy thud.
The leader, a tall and skinny man, immediately paled as he stared in horror at Li Qing, who was now bare-chested. The defined and powerful muscle lines on his body were unmistakable! Damn it, they've messed with someone tough! He never expected that Li Qing, who looked so honest and simple, would turn out to be as strong as an ox once he shed his cotton coat.
Before he could think further, Li Qing, now free from the constraints of his clothing, shot forward like an arrow from a bow, moving at an incredible speed.
In just a few breaths, he had already closed the distance to the tall leader.
Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram, Savage Tiger Pounces on Prey! Li Qing leaped high into the air, his momentum fierce, and struck out with a palm directly at the man.
"You're asking for death!" The tall man whipped out an iron rod and swung it at Li Qing.
Clang! Li Qing's arm shook as he cleanly blocked the rod. Then, he transformed his palm into a fist, sending a gust of wind with his punch.
Bang! The man couldn't withstand Li Qing's full-force punch. His skinny shoulder, as fragile as a bamboo stalk, nearly snapped, and he was sent flying backward.
"Huff!" Li Qing shook his hand slightly. The rod had only left a red mark on his hand, causing no significant damage.
"Big brother!" The short man was dumbfounded. Everything had happened too quickly. Before he could even react, their leader had already been knocked down.
"Don't be scared, we've got knives!" The third bandit, a reckless fool, charged at Li Qing with a knife in hand, fearless.
Knives?
Li Qing sneered inwardly. His feet were firmly planted on the ground.
With the Ancient Mystic Hammer Art as his foundation, his stance was unshakable.
As the reckless third bandit closed in, Li Qing's left leg lashed out like a whip.
Light Silk Leg Technique! This was a martial art focused on leg training. Though seemingly gentle, it could transform the leg into a whip, delivering considerable damage.
Li Qing's left leg moved so fast it left afterimages. After standing in his stance for so long, his leg strength was astonishing.
Bang! The slightly burlier third bandit, along with his knife, was sent flying before he could even swing his blade.
Li Qing retracted his left leg and pressed his advantage without mercy, immediately giving chase.
Another tiger-like punch, heavy and powerful!
The burly third bandit took the punch head-on, his eyes rolling back as he fainted on the spot.
Clang!
Seeing this, the second bandit didn't hesitate. He dropped his rusty knife, clearly giving up any thought of resistance.
They'd messed with someone far beyond their league.
"We've lost. Do whatever you want with us," the second bandit said with a resigned air, completely surrendering.
This left Li Qing slightly disappointed. He had just started to get into the rhythm, and it ended so quickly. What a letdown.
"Is this all you've got? And you dare to rob people?" Li Qing shook his head with a chuckle. Then, he turned and picked up his cotton coat from the ground, putting it back on and concealing his formidable muscles once more.
Watching this, the second bandit's mouth twitched.
This was how they had been fooled by Li Qing's honest and simple appearance. Who could have guessed that beneath that plain cotton coat lurked a fierce tiger?
"You lot, pick up all the iron ingots on the ground and carry them, follow me!"
As he spoke, Li Qing's gaze turned slightly cold, and his aura suddenly intensified.
"We'll pick them up right away! Right away!"
After all, they were just ordinary people. Having been beaten by Li Qing, they immediately became as docile as could be.
(End of the Chapter)
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