Chapter 23

(PS: Today's update is a bit late, sorry, it's my fault. I'll pay more attention tomorrow, thank you for your support, everyone.)

Xiao Ming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter his mother had given him.

As cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

Wang Diao was embedded in the wall, his chest already smashed to the point where his broken ribs and lungs were visible. Despite this, Wang Diao was still alive and conscious. This was the vitality of an Inner Strength Realm expert, especially an old-timer in the Inner Strength Realm. Their physical bodies had long been trained to a level beyond the quasi-Inner Strength Realm. Saying they had been tempered a thousand times was not enough to fully describe it. All the old-timers in the Inner Strength Realm had complete control over every part of their bodies, from their blood and life force to their bones. If they were on Earth, they would be considered "flawless bodies," capable of living to over 150 years old without illness, and with the strength to move mountains with a single gesture. A joke from Earth once said that these people could dismantle a giant robot with their bare hands.

Hao Qi walked up to Wang Diao and looked directly into his eyes, saying, "You're about to die. Are you going to beg for mercy now?"

Wang Diao spat out large mouthfuls of blood, even with pieces of his lungs, but he was still conscious and alive. The cold, calm, and brutal look in his eyes was gone, replaced by an indescribable terror that even made Hao Qi feel uneasy.

"Beg for mercy, beg for mercy! I lost!" Wang Diao shouted, his voice hoarse and breathy, spitting out more blood.

Hao Qi shook his head and said, "This is the weight of your life, and it is the weight of my life. Those who kill will be killed. If you had killed me, my dreams would have ended here. Now that you are being killed by me, your life will end here. Come on."

As he spoke, Hao Qi was about to punch Wang Diao's heart. Wang Diao, using his last bit of strength, shouted, "I know you're all here, watching, right? Save me! I'll give you all my assets, my Rock Fist technique, and the remaining Poison Dragon Bone and Poison Dragon Skin! Save me!"

Hao Qi sneered and stopped his punch. As Wang Diao shouted, footsteps could be heard from the distant streets and alleys. An Inner Strength Realm expert slowly walked out, and he was not alone. Others emerged from other alleys, buildings, and even the far end of the street. Hao Qi looked around and recognized two of them: Linghu Qi and the Inner Strength Realm expert from the sect.

"Have you been here for a long time?" Hao Qi laughed, not addressing anyone in particular.

There were at least six Inner Strength Realm experts around, all silent. After a while, Linghu Qi spoke gently, "Not for long, just in time to see Brother Hao Qi display his might. However, Brother Hao Qi, could you show some mercy? He is a registered Inner Strength Realm expert of the Blue Shadow Republic, after all."

"In other words, he's one of 'us' in the Blue Shadow Republic?" Hao Qi laughed.

Linghu Qi was about to answer but noticed something amiss in Hao Qi's words and immediately closed his mouth. At this moment, a middle-aged Inner Strength Realm expert Hao Qi didn't recognize coldly snorted but said nothing.

Hao Qi glared at the middle-aged man, his Inner Strength surging, and he formed a faint Tai Chi pattern with his hands. Everyone around him gasped. Hao Qi said to the middle-aged man, "Do you believe I can kill you right here and now, and you won't even be able to escape? Tell me why you snorted. Watch your words..."

The middle-aged man's face turned red and then pale. Hao Qi could see the veins on his forehead bulging, but after a long moment, he forced a laugh and said, "I just think Wang Diao has gone too far. Not only did he set a trap to kill Brother Hao Qi, but now he's begging for mercy like a coward. It's not fitting for a man, and I mean no offense to Brother Hao Qi."

"Who is your brother?"

Hao Qi glared again, and the middle-aged man fell silent. Hao Qi then turned to Linghu Qi and said, "Wang Diao hired people to use firearms to ambush me, and he himself was lying in wait. What does the government have to say about this?"

Linghu Qi had already heard Hao Qi's words to the other Inner Strength Realm expert. His expression remained calm, but his mind was racing. He then said clearly, "Our country always opposes violence. We are strongly concerned about this incident..."

"Stop, stop, stop. In other words, from the perspective of the Blue Shadow Republic, Wang Diao deserves to die, right?"

Linghu Qi maintained his calm demeanor and slowly said, "Our country has a complete legal system, and everyone is equal before the law. Any person or matter can be resolved through legal means, so..."

"Brother Linghu," Hao Qi smiled, but his words were cold, "The country is the country's, and you are you. I hope you won't refuse my friendship a third time."

Linghu Qi's eyes narrowed, and he felt the overwhelming Inner Strength that the other Inner Strength Realm expert had felt. Although it wasn't yet at the legendary level where Inner Strength could be seen with the naked eye and transformed into energy, the amount of Inner Strength was terrifying. Seeing the coldness in Hao Qi's eyes, he shivered and said decisively, "He deserves to die! This scoundrel! To set up an ambush during such a sacred event as the Baptismal Duel, and to use technology to defile the sacred martial arts competition, he deserves to die! Not killing him would not be enough to atone for his sins!"

Hao Qi chuckled, thinking of the true meaning of "hehe," but he still asked, "But isn't he a registered Inner Strength Realm expert of the country? Is it appropriate for me to kill him on the spot?"

Linghu Qi immediately said without hesitation, "When I said he is a registered Inner Strength Realm expert, I meant that he should be judged by the country's laws. However, given the circumstances, his crimes are heinous and unforgivable. It's fine for Brother Hao to kill him on the spot. The crime is already clear!"

"Hehe, that's good." Hao Qi then looked at the other Inner Strength Realm experts and said loudly, "Do any of you have any objections? For example, Wang Diao's assets, the Rock Fist technique, and that Poison Dragon Bone and Poison Dragon Skin, do you want them?"

The other Inner Strength Realm experts exchanged glances, their faces pale, but they forced smiles and bowed, saying, "No, no, he deserves to die, he deserves to die!"

"That's good. Thank you for your righteous words. I will spread your words of justice far and wide."

Hao Qi bowed in return, laughing heartily, and ignored their ugly faces and twisted gazes. He walked up to Wang Diao and said, "Since you made the decision, you must bear the consequences. When I called you a small, cowardly old pig, I wasn't wrong. You don't even have the courage to face the consequences. How could you have the resolve to kill your entire clan and set up an ambush to kill me? It's just a desperate trick, a coward's move. You are truly..."

"Not even worth my little finger!"

As he spoke, Hao Qi ignored Wang Diao's terrified expression and the blood and urine flowing from his body. He brought his fists together and hammered forward, forming a circle. The punch was like a cannon, breaking the air and producing a loud sound. With one strike, he smashed Wang Diao's waist, breaking it, and the force continued through, hitting the wall of the mall. The mall, already empty due to the previous fight, began to collapse from the impact. When Hao Qi retracted his fist and turned around, a quarter of the building had already collapsed...

Hao Qi ignored the collapsing building behind him and stood there, bowing to all the Inner Strength Realm experts around him, saying, "The fourth Baptismal Duel..."

"I won!"

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