ASCENSION OF THE MARTIAL KING

11

Zhang Wei paused in his steps and stared at Zhang Ming, who was looking at him with derision. He didn't say a word, and instead, his gaze flickered to the fatty behind him, Zhang Nie, who was peeking at him.

"What are you looking at?" Zhang Ming snickered as he stepped forward when he saw that he wasn't looking at him.

Zhang Wei looked back at him quietly. His calm stare made Zhang Ming feel like he could see through his thoughts, which made him feel uneasy, especially since Zhang Wei had died and they had even hidden his head body.

He stepped forward and pressed his finger to Zhang Wei's chest, pushing him. "What are you doing here? To snitch on Zhang Nie and I about what happened the other day?"

Zhang Wei gave a small chuckle at this, "And if I am?"

Zhang Ming paused at his attitude. He had expected him to apologize and promise that he wouldn't say anything.

But he didn't think much of the change in his attitude and threatened, "If you dare to tell father anything about it, I'll make you pay."

"How will you make me pay?" Zhang Wei suddenly stepped forward. His sudden movement cause Zhang Ming to stagger backward instinctively.

But he soon came to his senses, and he stood upright, trying to regain his composure. He looked at Zhang Wei strangely, but his habitual arrogant attitude made him unable to back down, and he taunted, "What will you tell Father? That Third Brother and I choked you? Who do you think he'll believe?"

As he spoke, he tried to push Zhang Wei harder to intimidate him. But to his surprise, Zhang Wei suddenly grabbed his wrist and twisted it harshly. Out of instinct, he wanted to hand chop Zhang Wei's arm, but before he could, his other hand was also grabbed, and Zhang Wei dragged him over with it.

"You... let go!" He yelled.

Zhang Wei's face held a flimsy smile, and he snickered as he tightened his grip. "What will you do if I don't?"

Zhang Ming's face contorted in pain. He tried fighting back, but he was unable to break away from the zigzag way Zhang Wei held him. How come he had never noticed that Zhang Wei was so strong?

Seeing that he couldn't get away, he could only resort to other options and threatened, "Zhang Wei, you better let me go. Or else, I'll tell Father!"

Zhang Wei couldn't help but laugh. "Tell him. I haven't even made you pay for what you did that day, yet you dare to threaten me."

He had thought these stepbrothers of his were cruel, and that was why they killed the previous host. But it turned out they were just paper tigers who hid behind their father's shadow.

His gaze moved to Zhang Nie, who seemed antsy, and when the latter sensed his gaze, he stepped back quickly and stuttered, "You... let Second Brother go right now. Or else... or else..."

"You are both so silly," Zhang Wei laughed.

But this time, he let Zhang Ming go, and the latter breathed heavily, trying to straighten his arm. Before he could regain his strength, Zhang Wei stepped closer to him and forced him to stagger backward until his back hit the wall.

"You bastard..." Zhang Ming wanted to curse, but his words were cut in his throat as Zhang Wei slammed his fist in the wall with a bang.

He quickly cowered, thinking Zhang Wei was going to hit him. But Zhang Wei only hit the side of the wall by his face, and when he looked up, he saw a big indent of his fist in the wall.

His eyes immediately widened out of fear, and he looked at Zhang Wei's face, feeling that his entire being radiated a certain oppression that he didn't usually have in the past.

"You must be wondering why I've changed so much," Zhang Wei muttered leisurely as though he wasn't the one that just punched the wall.

But it was only for a moment, and his gaze soon turned icy as he gloomily threatened, "I've come back to make you pay for what you have done. From now on, you better stay away from me and  don't cause trouble. Otherwise, you can prepare to die. Do you hear me?"

Zhang Ming was frightened into silence and could not speak. But Zhang Wei didn't need him to speak anyway.

He turned and walked away without another word. As he passed by Zhang Nie, the latter quickly stepped away from his path.

It took a few seconds for the two boys to come to their senses and when they did, Zhang Ming instantly looked at Zhang Nie who was still standing in the distance and saw the fear in his eyes.

He coughed and tried to regain his composure as he glared at Zhang Nie. "What are you afraid of? He's just making mouth."

Zhang Nie didn't speak, but his gaze moved to Zhang Ming's hands that were still trembling.

Meanwhile, Zhang Wei reached the east courtyard, and once he entered, he found Luo Yu waiting by his mother's bed anxiously.

Once he entered, she immediately rushed over, "Brother Wei, are you okay? I told you not to go. Those people..."

But her words froze when she saw the pill in his hand, and she muttered with disbelief, "They gave it to you?"

Zhang Wei nodded calmly. "Yes."

"That's a relief." Luo Yu exclaimed, and he noticed that her face had brightened up with relief.

He didn't say anything else and settled on the floor. He took out one of the pills in the bottle and brought it to his nose. Luo Yu stared at him in confusion, wondering why he was smelling it, but she didn't ask.

After a few seconds, Zhang Wei murmured under his breath, "Ginseng, chamomile, spirit lotus. Not bad." It was of good quality.

He had feared that the pills had been tampered with. But it seemed that Chen Lan was quite sensible and knew not to poison his mother despite her disdain and hatred.

He placed the pill back and approached the woman who was still asleep. He checked her pulse again, and when he saw that it was stable, he sighed with relief, and he looked at her face, still unable to believe that she had a cultivation base.

And it seemed Zhang Lei knew something, too. Otherwise, he wouldn't have confidently said that she would die soon. Maybe it also had something to do with why the previous host had no spiritual root.

He had to find out what happened, and before that, he was going to treat the internal injury she had.