Chapter 035: He Has Become a Demon

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Two figures darted back and forth across the martial arena—one advancing, one retreating, one attacking, the other evading. At first glance, it was clear that Mu Tianfeng was overwhelming Mu Tianhen with his assault, the disparity so great it bordered on utter humiliation.

Under Mu Tianfeng’s relentless and frenzied barrage, Mu Tianhen could barely manage to dodge, let alone mount any semblance of a counterattack. Time and again, he narrowly escaped at the very last second, his evasions seeming desperate and exhausting.

Not only did the spectators see it this way, but even Mu Tianfeng himself believed Mu Tianhen was struggling in vain—the futile resistance of someone crushed by absolute strength. All the more reason for Mu Tianfeng to press his advantage, to knock Mu Tianhen down and then take his time tormenting him. His current onslaught consumed a great deal of his inner energy, and he couldn’t maintain this peak state for long.

Yet, to his surprise, however disheveled Mu Tianhen appeared, he invariably dodged Mu Tianfeng’s fists at the critical moment, avoiding harm altogether.

This left Mu Tianfeng both helpless and infuriated.

Five years ago, he would have attacked with abandon, never worrying about exhausting himself. But now, Mu Tianfeng was no longer so foolish.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he eased up, pulling back the force of his blows, conserving his strength.

Hardship brings growth.

Mu Tianfeng understood that Mu Tianhen dared not confront him head-on, knowing full well he was no match. So, Mu Tianhen had chosen to flee and evade, trying to wear down his opponent’s strength.

Once his adversary’s energy was depleted, he would be meat on the chopping block—no matter how high his cultivation, once exhausted, all would be for naught.

Thus, Mu Tianfeng slowed his pace and lessened his power, his lips curling into a cold sneer. “Useless wretch, do you really think you can exhaust my strength like this?”

“Unfortunately for you, you’re just a worthless weakling. Are you even qualified to try and wear me down? Go on, let’s see how long you can keep this up.”

Even as he spoke, Mu Tianfeng didn’t stop attacking entirely—he continued to pursue Mu Tianhen, albeit at a slower speed and with only a third of his previous force.

Still, Mu Tianfeng was certain that this coward, who knew only how to run, wouldn’t dare stand and fight.

If he did, Mu Tianfeng would simply unleash his full strength and bring him down in a single blow, leaving him gravely wounded and unable to rise.

At this moment, in Mu Tianfeng’s mind, Mu Tianhen was nothing more than a clown, a worthless fool dancing in the palm of his hand.

Just as Mu Tianfeng expected, whether he attacked furiously or eased his rhythm, Mu Tianhen showed not the slightest inclination to fight back.

This only served to confirm his judgment, and his eyes gleamed with growing smugness.

However, the onlookers were growing restless, muttering in low voices, displeased with Mu Tianhen’s cowardice. They felt he was wasting everyone’s time, nothing more than a spineless wretch afraid of death.

If you don’t even dare to retaliate, what right do you have to call yourself a martial artist? What right to be considered a genius of Shunan City?

Still, they only dared to think these things or whisper them quietly—no one would say such words aloud on the Mu family’s own turf. Who knew what trouble might follow if you insulted the host’s kin?

Another round of exchanges passed, and Mu Tianfeng began to grow impatient. He’d returned to seize the family head’s position with overwhelming force, to establish his authority and lay the groundwork for future plans.

Never had he imagined that so much time would be wasted on a worthless opponent—it was nothing short of an insult to him. So, Mu Tianfeng halted his assault, fixing Mu Tianhen with a cold stare.

Now that Mu Tianfeng had stopped attacking, Mu Tianhen no longer bothered to run. He landed lightly in the center of the arena, seemingly unchanged, his breathing as steady as ever.

“Coward!” Mu Tianfeng suddenly pointed at Mu Tianhen and said coldly, “Is running all you know? If you’re a man, fight me honorably, face to face!”

“If you dare not, kneel and apologize at once, and accept your fate!”

Mu Tianhen smiled faintly. “Mu Tianfeng, an hour has passed—have you even grazed my sleeve? And tell me, when a mad dog bites me, should I stoop to bite it back?”

“Insolence!” Mu Tianfeng roared, “You dare call me a mad dog? You’ve just added another crime to your death sentence!”

Mu Tianhen’s smile remained. “If you admit you’re a mad dog, what can anyone else say?”

His words were meant to provoke Mu Tianfeng, to goad him into another reckless attack and further sap his strength.

But this time, Mu Tianfeng didn’t take the bait.

Mu Tianfeng laughed coldly. “Trying to anger me so I’ll wear myself out? Pathetic. You think it’s that simple?”

Seeing that Mu Tianfeng would not be provoked, Mu Tianhen realized his opponent was no fool—not like his father and brother, who possessed nothing but pig brains.

He also knew that Mu Tianfeng had stopped attacking to give himself a chance to recover his strength and prepare for another assault.

On the battlefield, allowing your enemy to recover was digging your own grave. Mu Tianhen would never permit that.

Thus, he decided to take the initiative.

His smile faded as he raised his hand and said, “Mu Tianfeng, didn’t you want me to attack? Very well, I’ll oblige you!”

“Venomous Palm of Piercing Death! Die!”

With a sudden shout, Mu Tianhen pushed off the ground and lunged at Mu Tianfeng.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Mu Tianhen’s fists alternated with a rush of wind, carrying a fearsome momentum. Not only that, but a thin, eerie black mist coiled around his fists, sending chills through all who saw it.

Mu Tianfeng’s heart skipped at the sight. He dared not take this lightly, nor meet it head-on—he quickly drew upon his own agility to dodge out of the way.

At the same time, he shouted, “Worthless wretch! So you’ve learned some demonic art and become a fiend—a disgrace to the Mu family, a disgrace to Shunan City, a disgrace to the human race!”

“Today, I will cleanse our house and destroy this evil!”

These words, of course, had a purpose. Mu Tianfeng wanted everyone to see that Mu Tianhen’s return to power was not due to some fortunate opportunity, but because he had turned to demonic methods.

Such a martial artist would be the enemy of humanity, to be slain without question or remorse.

That way, Mu Tianfeng would need no explanation for killing Mu Tianhen and could instead claim the glory of ridding the world of a demon, winning admiration and support in one stroke.

As Mu Tianfeng had hoped, his loud declaration drew every eye to Mu Tianhen’s fists, and the two swirling knots of black mist were now plain for all to see.

Shock and fear rippled through the crowd; people instinctively stepped back, afraid the wind from those fists might claim their lives.

Their minds raced—how could Mu Tianhen have made such a tremendous transformation unless he’d truly fallen to evil? With his dantian destroyed, how else could he recover and surpass his previous strength?

Even Mu Qianyuan, Mu Tianxiang, and the others thought so, their hearts troubled by unspoken feelings.

Only Mu Tianxue was different. She didn’t care what path her brother walked, so long as he lived and suffered no more bullying.

But who could have known—Mu Tianhen was only putting on a show, making Mu Tianfeng afraid, forcing him to use his full strength and thus burn through his reserves.

The black mist on his fists was neither demonic energy nor the so-called Venomous Palm of Piercing Death. It was merely a wisp of resentment left by the Azure Lotus Emperor’s spiritual will.

“Die!” Mu Tianhen shouted again, his speed abruptly increasing as he bore down on Mu Tianfeng.

PS: With a new month comes a new beginning, and as we celebrate Children’s Day (we are all our parents’ beloved children), I wish all of you great success in your studies, smooth sailing in your careers, thriving businesses, happiness for your families, and fulfillment in all things! At the same time, your shameless author asks for your continued support and help in spreading the word!