Wang Meng snickered and mocked, "Since you say your bro Wang Meng is a thug, then I'll show you how a thug fights."
Wang Meng grabbed a nearby chair and smashed it hard onto He Tao's back.
"AHH!!"
Struck, He Tao sprawled on the ground, a searing pain burning his back.
Wang Meng kicked him in the chest and punched him in the face, saying, "Still acting tough, huh? Still playing Tai Chi? When it comes to fighting, I'm the grandmaster! Don't you know your Brother Meng from the streets?"
Impressive, my Brother Meng from the streets. Such shamelessness is truly unmatched.
Enraged to his limit and unable to even open his eyes, He Tao bellowed, "You dare hit me! I'll kill you! I swear I'll kill you!"
Hearing this tone, Wang Meng's smile grew wider. He rained punches and kicks down on He Tao, delivering particularly vicious blows to his groin.
The beaten He Tao initially tried to protect his face but eventually gave up, only able to clutch his groin, infuriated beyond words.
The tall, thin man wanted to help, but Yu Sicheng had him tightly entangled. He yelled at the black-clad men nearby, "Why aren't you helping yet?"
Just as these men in black stepped forward, they were met with an exceptionally sharp, playful gaze.
Chu Hao said indifferently, "Feeling bold, are we? Take one more step, and I'll cripple an arm. Don't think I'm joking."
Hearing this, the men in black gasped. Recalling the impression Chu Hao had previously left on them, none dared to move, and all of them retreated several meters. They knew this was an issue between He Tao and Chu Hao; if they were foolish enough to interfere, Chu Hao might indeed chop off their hands.
Suddenly, He Tao pulled out a talisman and chanted a string of incantations. The talisman transformed into a large fireball and lunged at Wang Meng.
Wang Meng was startled; it was too late to dodge.
It was Chu Hao, sharp-eyed and quick-handed, who pulled Wang Meng aside.
The fireball flew past, striking, of all places, the tall, thin man's back.
BANG! The tall, thin man screamed as his back was instantly charred black, and he collapsed rigidly to the ground.
Seeing He Tao about to use another talisman, Chu Hao stepped forward and stomped on his fingers.
He Tao screamed in agony. The pain was so intense it felt as if his very heart was being pierced through his fingers.
Chu Hao said coldly, "Quite the performer, aren't you? Turning talismans into fireballs. Do you think you're in a circus?"
He Tao, furious to the extreme and blind with rage, roared, "I am the Special Class Chief Steward of the Seventh District, a member of the He Family of Huaxia's Nine Gates! If you lay a finger on me, you will die a gruesome death!"
Chu Hao feigned surprise. "So, you're not just anybody, huh?"
Hearing his tone, He Tao breathed a sigh of relief and snapped, "If you kneel and apologize now, and return the True Word Brush to the Seventh District, perhaps your crimes will be mitigated."
Chu Hao was speechless. This man was hell-bent on courting death; even in this state, he still wanted his item back.
It's not that I, Brother Hao, am unmerciful. But faced with someone like this, how am I supposed to be? I'll just quietly watch him dig his own grave.
Chu Hao said, "You want the True Word Brush?"
He Tao took a deep breath. His hand throbbed with pain, but in that moment, he displayed a certain... resolve.
What was it called again? Ah, the grand "never give up, never abandon" spirit of courting glorious self-destruction.
He Tao said, "The True Word Brush was never yours to begin with. I don't know where you got it, but... you definitely can't control it. Return it quickly, or you will die horribly."
"You can't afford to provoke the He Family either. If I were you, I'd reconsider carefully and not stray down the wrong path."
Everyone fell silent, watching Chu Hao.
They believed that no matter how ruthless Chu Hao was, he wouldn't dare to confront the He Family. The He Family, one of the Nine Gates of Huaxia, was renowned for their Talisman techniques. What was Chu Hao in comparison? He had no background, no power—at most, he was just an Exorcist. Did he dare contend with the He Family?
Chu Hao looked at him indifferently and said, "Where is the He Family located?"
He Tao, eyes closed, though in a sorry state, was filled with contempt. He sneered, "You don't need to go to the He Family. Just hand over the True Word Brush to me, and I'll punish you leniently."
Chu Hao looked at him speechlessly. He looks like that, and he's still talking about punishing me leniently! Why don't you just ascend to heaven then? Why are there always people setting the stage for me to show off?
He Tao was confident, believing Chu Hao understood the severity of the situation and would surely hand over the True Word Brush obediently. As long as he got the True Word Brush, he could frame Chu Hao for stealing a national relic and lock him up for life.
Chu Hao grinned, his teeth flashing a chilling white. "Hearing you say that, I think there's some sense in it. But..."
Chu Hao's foot stomped down hard.
CRACK! He Tao's fingers were directly crushed, bones shattering, exposing mangled flesh.
It was actually flattened by a stomp?
"AHH!" He Tao screamed, a heart-wrenching, soul-piercing cry of agony.
Chu Hao looked down on him, an inexplicable, domineering aura emanating from him, vast enough to swallow mountains and rivers. He said faintly, "I'm asking you where the He Family is. Why are you rambling about these other things?"
He Tao, drenched in a cold sweat from the pain, shouted, "You dare to hurt me? You're dead! You're definitely dead!"
"Still daring to threaten me."
Chu Hao stepped on his other hand. The sound of breaking bones echoed, making those nearby break out in a cold sweat for He Tao.
He Tao's screams grew louder. Both his hands were crippled; recovery seemed very unlikely.
Chu Hao said indifferently, "I'll ask you one more time: where is the He Family?"
He Tao's earlier confidence had morphed into terror. He was in too much pain to speak coherently, stammering, "You... what do you want?"
Chu Hao said, "I just want to see for myself. A family that can raise trash like you—do they actually have any power? How many of them can stop me from killing you?"
"DING! The host subtly flexed, gaining 400 Pretentiousness Points."
Hearing this, everyone felt a chill run down their spines.
Although He Tao couldn't see, his ears weren't deaf. Chu Hao actually intended to kill him in front of the He Family?
Chu Hao's methods had completely shattered He Tao's expectations. This was no pushover; this was a downright ruthless man.
Chu Hao sneered, his voice rising. "You think you can snatch the True Word Brush just by relying on your Seventh District status? Don't even mention yourself—even if Yama himself came, I wouldn't be afraid!"
He Tao was furious, the pain in his fingers fueling his immense resentment. He spat, "Chu Hao, do you really want to make an enemy of me?"
Still courting death.
Chu Hao drew the Yin Yang Sword. With a casual swing, He Tao's ear was sliced clean off, falling to the ground.
He Tao almost fainted from the pain, his screams growing even more piercing.
The onlookers shivered, and the group of men in black exchanged glances, immensely relieved they hadn't interfered earlier.
Chu Hao said, "You're quite defiant, still threatening me after I've crushed both your hands. Do you really think you're some indestructible cockroach?"
Terror seized He Tao. He finally understood: everything he had said earlier was utter nonsense and had only served to enrage Chu Hao further.
Chu Hao said, "Make an enemy of you? Honestly, is someone of your caliber even worthy? Given my status, my position, even Yama himself wouldn't dare send a Judge to claim my life."
"DING! The host has successfully flexed, gaining 400 Pretentiousness Points."