Chapter Seventy-Four: Don't Hit the Kidneys

“All right, now it’s your turn.”

The senior released his grip from Jiang Lin’s shoulder. In the next instant, Jiang Lin found himself lifted off the ground, facing a man who bore a striking resemblance to Bald Qiang. From this man, Jiang Lin sensed an overwhelming divine might—the pressure was suffocating, not only on his body but deep within his soul, an instinctive fear radiating from the inside out.

“Roar!”

Suddenly, the bald man bellowed at Jiang Lin, sending his hair flying into disarray once again.

“Humans! You are nothing but my puppets! To think you dare dream of freedom—such utter foolishness!”

The next moment, Bald Qiang’s form swelled, looming even more imposingly. The pressure was so immense that Jiang Lin could scarcely breathe. Now he finally understood what the senior had meant: faced with such an existence, fleeing would only hasten his own demise.

So Jiang Lin made up his mind...

He’d rather end it himself—perhaps if he perished in this illusion, he’d simply wake up.

With a thought, his sword, First Snow, appeared in his hand...

...

“Madam, Young Master Jiang, he...”

Xiao Hua interrupted the family of three, drawing their eyes back to Jiang Lin.

Everyone on the training ground watched as Jiang Lin rose, pounded his aging legs, placed both hands at his waist, twisted his hips in circles, rolled his neck, and even hopped up and down a few times.

“This kid’s about to throw a punch,” murmured Chen Huo from his rocking chair, his own nerves wound tight as he gazed into Jiang Lin’s clear, spirited eyes.

If this punch landed, Jiang Lin’s journey through the Clay Embryo Realm would be complete, and the Shattering God Fist would finally be considered truly mastered.

All eyes were on Jiang Lin as he stopped his warmup, slowly raising his hand.

Just as everyone expected him to strike, his life-bound flying sword shot out from his acupoint and landed in his palm.

Then, to everyone’s horror, Jiang Lin’s right hand pressed the sword to his neck—as if he meant to end his life!

“Wait! The kid’s lost his mind, he’s about to kill himself! Ah—!”

Chen Huo shot up from his wheelchair, but tripped and fell to the ground as he took his first step forward.

“Mother! Let me go, I need to stop Jiang Lin! Jiang Lin, wake up! Jiang Lin!”

The girl struggled in vain against her mother’s embrace, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Even Madam Chen was deeply alarmed, her fist half-clenched, debating whether to knock the boy awake with a punch.

But if she forced him out of it, Jiang Lin might never become a true martial artist!

But this shouldn’t be possible—why was this happening? By all rights, once he stood up and found the courage and resolve to face a god, throwing the punch should have been easy. Why would he try to take his own life? What went through this boy’s mind?

Just as Jiang Lin was about to draw his blade across his throat, and Madam Chen was poised to snap him out of it with a punch, Jiang Lin suddenly lowered the sword.

He scratched his head, then, as if struck by a new idea, gripped the icy, snow-forged sword in his hand as one would a javelin.

“Here goes!”

He took a few running steps and hurled First Snow with all his might.

A flash of white streaked through the air, piercing the roof and soaring away like a comet.

“Return my handsome face!” he shouted, leaping up and raining punches into the air, his fists falling like a storm on an invisible foe’s face...

...

Within the illusion, Jiang Lin had indeed considered killing himself. But...

He found, to his surprise, that he simply couldn’t bring himself to do it.

He’d died a few times before, but only when death came swiftly—like when he encountered Xiao Xueli in Black Tortoise City, or was ambushed by the six great sects. In those cases, his opponents had been quick and decisive—clearly seasoned at killing.

But when his senior sister had pierced his heart, the pain had been excruciating. To slit his own throat... what if his hand faltered? Wouldn’t it hurt terribly? What if blood choked his throat—wouldn’t that be worse? Worse still, what if he didn’t die cleanly and someone had to finish him off? How humiliating would that be?

And above all, self-destruction demanded real courage. Who in their right mind would slit their own throat for no reason?

So Jiang Lin resolved to fight to his heart’s content! Even if he died, he’d at least go down swinging—like a mosquito biting back with its last strength!

So, in the illusion, Jiang Lin gripped First Snow, took a running start, and flung it at the giant Bald Qiang before him.

Then he sprang into the air:

“Return my handsome face! Your father will fix your features for you!”

Jiang Lin raised his mighty fists, his fighting spirit surging to its peak, each punch imbued with sword energy from First Snow, raining down on the giant’s face.

While unleashing his “Return My Handsome Face Fist,” Jiang Lin tried to mix in the Shattering God Fist, but it felt awkward and unnatural. The former technique, however, flowed as easily as breathing.

Not that his fists had much killing power—apart from the sword energy, they barely left a mark...

Bald Qiang’s face morphed over and over, one moment resembling Wu Yanzu, the next Louis Koo, then Er Kang...

“Dong...”

With the last punch, when Jiang Lin was feeling thoroughly exhilarated and ready to turn his foe into a famous basketball trainee, a bell tolled out of nowhere.

...

“Hm?”

The illusion shattered instantly. Jiang Lin, still unsatisfied, drifted gently to the ground.

First Snow, which his addled mind had so carelessly hurled, spun several times in the air before flying neatly back into his acupoint.

“Is that all it took to break the illusion?” Jiang Lin glanced around, then down at his hands.

Maybe Bald Qiang just didn’t want to learn singing, dancing, and basketball...

“Jiang Lin!”

Before he could turn, a slender body crashed into his back, and a pair of small hands clamped tightly around his waist.

Though it did make his back ache a little...

“Miss Chen, please, mind yourself. I know you’re worried about me, but this could be misunderstood.”

Jiang Lin tried to pry her hands away, but the girl’s grip was astonishingly strong.

“Who’s worried about you!”

Realizing her own loss of composure, Chen Jia blushed and let go of his waist.

“Miss Chen, forgive me. I’m just too handsome for my own good—I made you fall for me.”

Jiang Lin turned, looking at the girl with lowered head, nervously twisting her fingers, her demeanor both divine and adorably shy. He knew she was worried as a friend, but still teased her.

“What nonsense are you talking about!”

“Ah!”

Chen Jia punched Jiang Lin in the lower back... it felt as though his kidneys had shattered...

“Don’t hit my kidneys!”

“Then stop kicking mine!”

“Come on, your parents are watching, don’t get me in trouble... Let go, my ear’s about to fall off.”

Watching the two playfully bicker on the training ground, Madam Chen smiled faintly:

“Clay Embryo Realm, perfectly mastered. Not bad at all.”