Chapter 39: Victories and Defeats, the Monstrous Zhang Zhivei

The head of the Wang family gathered Qi at his fingertips, using his finger as a brush. With a few simple, sweeping motions in the air—as if painting upon the void—he splashed ink and strokes to conjure a massive image of a fierce tiger descending from a mountain.

Once the painting was complete, he rapidly performed several hand seals, uttered a series of sharp, rhythmic syllables, and struck the image with a final, forceful jab. This last touch landed precisely on the tiger’s head—specifically, its eye—a true act of "dotting the eyes to bring the dragon to life."

An instant later, the image of the tiger flickered like smoke and vanished into thin air.

"What a flashy display of trickery..." Zhang Zhiwei mused, puzzled, before his expression shifted. "He used a medium again—the same method as before!"

He turned his gaze toward the pleasure boat. Lu Ci and Lu Jin were locked in a fierce, heated battle. Yet, silently, beneath their feet, the painting of the descending tiger had manifested. The tiger in the painting was rendered in such exquisite, lifelike detail that it even bared its fangs.

"ROAR!"

The tiger in the painting suddenly let out a roar and leaped straight out from the ground.

The two hot-headed youths, deep in the heat of combat, reacted with unexpected coordination; they both stepped back and, after a fleeting glance at one another, turned their combined assault toward the beast.

Lu Jin swung his palm, shouting, "We are both from the Four Families! How can we allow an outsider to interfere in our fight?"

Lu Ci threw a punch, roaring, "What kind of stray dog dares to come here seeking death?"

Zhang Zhiwei: "..."

*Is this what the Four Families are like? One moment they are at each other's throats, and the next they are allies? Thank goodness I didn't step in to break up the fight!*

The head of the Wang family: "..."

Lu Xuan: "The boy was ignorant, Brother Wang, please do not take offense!"

The head of the Lu family: "The lad is young and reckless, Brother Wang, pray do not mind him!"

The head of the Wang family waved his hand dismissively. "Those who do not know are not guilty. No offense taken, none at all!"

Lu Jin and Lu Ci struck at the tiger together. But just as they closed in, the creature expanded in the wind. In the blink of an eye, it grew into a behemoth the size of a house, opened its jaws, and with a gulp like a whale swallowing the sea, devoured them both. Then, the tiger leaped from the crumbling pleasure boat, soaring through the air in full view of the crowd, and landed upon a rooftop.

Upon landing, the tiger's belly bulged violently. Bursts of Qi energy erupted from beneath its fur, and the entire body exploded. There was no gore—only a sky full of ink scattering in every direction.

Amidst the swirling ink, Lu Jin and Lu Ci burst out from opposite sides of the tiger's belly.

The two locked eyes, both looking disheveled; one had a bruised, blackened eye, while the other bore a prominent footprint on his chest. They then looked forward, seeing the expressionless head of the Wang family, the stern-faced Lu Xuan, and the visibly furious head of the Lu family.

Lu Jin quickly deactivated his "Reversed Life" state. "Father!"

Lu Xuan glanced at Lu Ci, who clearly hadn't come out on top, and immediately scolded his son: "Jin'er, what is the meaning of this? You were supposed to be following Sect Leader Zuo; how did you end up in a brawl with Lu Ci? How have I taught you to treat guests?"

"This..." Lu Jin, having just dropped his technique, couldn't clear his head from the violence of the fight and was at a loss for words.

Lu Ci was being reprimanded by his own father as well. "What happened? Explain yourself! You aren't three-year-olds; fighting the moment you meet—what does that look like?"

Lu Ci glared at his furious father, but remained silent, sulkily turning his head away toward his older brother, Lu Ren, who had just leaped onto the roof. Lu Ren quickly stepped forward, patted his younger brother on the shoulder, paid his respects to the family heads, and explained the situation clearly before offering an apology.

The head of the Lu family glared at Lu Ci. "It was a trivial matter. You must learn to be forgiving—don't forget what day this is!"

"Hmph!" Lu Ci grunted, keeping his head turned, hiding his bruised eye and swollen face. *I'm the one who took the beating, yet you still lecture me. I was clearly in the right, and Lu Jin was the one picking sides...* Lu Ci felt resentful, but he wasn't a fool; he understood the situation and kept his feelings in check.

"Haha, it's just a small matter! Young people should have a bit of fire in them. Didn't we all spend our youth scrapping and bickering?" The head of the Wang family laughed heartily, his gaze sweeping the surroundings.

His eyes fell upon his own good-for-nothing son on the nearby street, fawning over a chubby little girl who looked utterly annoyed with him. His smile vanished instantly. *It’s not about being unable to recognize talent; it’s about the comparison.* He, a man of brilliant intellect and unparalleled strategy, couldn't fathom how he had sired such an incompetent son. Even those two hot-headed fools were at least competitive. A real man shouldn't fret over the lack of a wife—trailing behind a girl like a lapdog was beneath dignity.

The head of the Wang family decided that when they returned, his son would undergo special training. If his talent was lacking, he had to at least have some strategy. If this continued, he would be a total waste.

Shortly after, Lu Xuan and the head of the Lu family offered a few more symbolic reprimands before departing with their respective sons. With the entertainment over, the crowd dispersed.

In the middle of the waterway, on the damaged pleasure boat, Feng Ping sat dejectedly in a corner, staring quietly at a nearby brazier.

He had truly taken a blow to his pride today. Cultivation on the mountain was grueling, and he had come to the Jiangnan region hoping to rent a pleasure boat to showcase his fire-control techniques and earn some extra money. Instead, he had been targeted by that "mad dog," dragged into an inexplicable fight, lost, and had his rented boat ruined.

*The boat was rented... I have to pay for the damages...*

"That mad dog, he went too far!"

*Thump.*

A bag dropped at his feet. It wasn't sealed tight, revealing the glimmer of silver dollars inside.

"This is..."

As Feng Ping looked up, his vision darkened. A tall figure stood before him. Zhang Zhiwei loomed over him like a mountain, his presence casting a shadow that enveloped Feng Ping.

Facing Zhang Zhiwei, Feng Ping opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word. He felt as though the shadow cast upon him were a giant hand, gripping him tightly and instilling a sense of dread that made resistance impossible.

*What a... monster of an existence!*

That was Feng Ping’s first impression of Zhang Zhiwei.

But the next moment, the "tall monster" sat down cross-legged in front of him, and the oppressive aura suddenly dissipated.

"Earlier, your fire dragon wasn't diverted by Lu Ci. It was diverted by me."

"You..."

Feng Ping was stunned. It all clicked into place. No wonder the "mad dog" had acted that way—he had been the one to provoke him first!

Feng Ping wanted to curse, but the memory of being stared down by that monster kept him in check. He answered cautiously, "Why? Did I do something to offend... Senior?"

Feng Ping hesitated as he spoke. Although Zhang Zhiwei looked young, the aura he had displayed just moments ago felt like that of an elder from his own sect—or perhaps even more terrifying. Many gifted individuals could not be judged by their appearance alone, so Feng Ping chose to address him as "Senior."