6kv Chapter 28 Slapping My Cousin in the Face
Chapter 28 Slapping My Cousin in the Face
The festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year has not yet faded, and the joy of the Lantern Festival has already quietly spread to the streets.
Many shops hung bamboo-framed, colored paper lanterns in various shapes, such as carp, lotus, and ingots, under their eaves, which swayed gently in the evening breeze.
Children ran by, carrying simple paper windmills, their laughter ringing out.
The market in the east of the city was bustling with people.
Zhou Tong, wrapped in a cotton robe, stopped at a stall selling odds and ends and bought a monkey king mask painted with heavy oil paint—made of coarse paper pulp, with a pungent smell of paint, an ordinary object for children to play with.
He then casually bought a slightly worn indigo cotton-padded coat from a nearby clothing stall.
Then, he calmly slipped into a hotel at the end of the market where he could stay, and came out a moment later, dressed in different clothes, quietly blending into the surging crowd, completely inconspicuous.
……
In the private room of Zuixianlou Restaurant in the west of the city, the noise was deafening, and everyone was drunk and flushed.
Zhou Jing was beaming, his sapphire blue silk shirt slightly open, receiving flattery from several fellow disciples of the White Crane Martial Arts School.
"Junior Brother Zhou is exceptionally talented; he will surely become a pillar of our White Crane Martial Arts School in the future!"
"Come, let's toast Senior Brother Zhou! May you soon forge your bones and uphold the prestige of our White Crane Martial Arts School!"
Zhou Jing felt completely at ease, and while he remained modest, his eyebrows practically flew off with joy, looking smug and self-satisfied.
It wasn't until late at night that everyone dispersed, having enjoyed themselves to the fullest.
At the entrance, Zhou Jing bowed to his fellow disciples, saying, "We had a great time today; let's meet again another day!"
He argued with his fellow disciples several times at the entrance of Zuixianlou before turning around alone and humming a nonsensical tune as he strolled home.
He was unaware that he was being watched by a pair of eyes in the shadows.
In the firelight of a chestnut stall not far away, a figure silently turned around as he left the house and slowly descended onto the platform across the crowd.
……
Zhou Tong watched Zhou Jing's swaying figure not far away, his body moving naturally between the light and shadow on both sides of the street, like a nimble raccoon cat, trailing far behind him.
Zhou Jing was in a good mood, humming a little tune as he gradually left the bustling city and swaggered into an alley he had to take home.
Upon seeing this, Zhou Tong's eyes flickered slightly. He had grown up with Zhou Jing since childhood and had often interacted with him. He was also very familiar with the neighborhood around Zhou Jing's house.
He knew that the alley in front of him was very secluded, with high walls on both sides, and few people came here, especially at night.
then--
He calmly took out the Monkey King mask, put it on his face, and quietly quickened his pace.
"Cousin, you've walked right into the line of fire, don't blame me."
Zhou Tong shook his head slightly, his expression wistful, and sighed inwardly.
He wasn't one to hold grudges. He had planned to just wander around today and if he didn't run into Zhou Jing, he would let it go, since Zhou Jing was his older brother and he wouldn't hold it against him.
If it just so happens that Zhou Jing is involved, then it's fate.
But guess what?
He went out and wandered around aimlessly. Somehow, he ended up at the third branch of the Zhou family.
Well, since he was already there, and had nothing else to do, he squatted down and watched the sparrows fight.
Unexpectedly, the sparrows at the entrance of the Zhou family's third house were quite interesting; their fighting was even more entertaining than cockfighting.
Zhou Tong was originally a spoiled brat who enjoyed cockfighting and dog walking. After awakening his memories of his past life, he changed his personality, but the shadows of those things from his past life remained.
Sparrows fighting is even more interesting than cockfighting; this is truly a rare sight.
He immediately became interested, thinking that since it was the New Year, a little entertainment wouldn't hurt. Once the thought took hold, he was completely unable to move.
Before he knew it, he had been watching there for half an hour, and when he looked up again, he saw Zhou Jing leaving the house.
Zhou Tong wasn't one to hold grudges. Although he had bumped into his cousin, he didn't have a chance at the time, so he decided to let him go.
However, Zhou Jing has always been a fun-loving person. With the Lantern Festival approaching, he thought he would follow his cousin to see what fun places he could go. So he leisurely followed his cousin here and watched him enter the restaurant.
If there's no opportunity to be found, then so be it.
but--
Hey, guess what?
The festival was approaching, and the streets were bustling with activity. He watched people perform monkey shows, blow sugar figurines, and solve riddles. As he watched, he was suddenly distracted and looked up to see his cousin coming out of the restaurant.
Now I watched helplessly as the other person walked into that deserted alley.
Then there's no way!
He was just wandering around when he ran into the other person. Not only did he run into them, but he was also given such a great opportunity.
This is the will of Heaven!
……
In the alley, the cool moonlight shone on the bluestone pavement like mercury spilling onto the ground, and lanterns hanging in the backyards of several houses swayed slightly in the wind.
Zhou Jing staggered to the middle of the alley and let out a burp.
Just then, he felt a sudden chill on the back of his neck—it was the instinctive alertness of a martial artist.
He whirled around, simultaneously taking a half-step back with his right foot, assuming the starting stance of the White Crane Fist, his sharp gaze sweeping towards the shadows at the end of the alley: "Who!"
Almost the instant he finished speaking, an indigo figure suddenly sprang up from the shadows of the pile of debris at the base of the wall!
The man wore a brightly colored monkey king mask and moved with lightning speed. Although he was unarmed, his forward momentum was fierce. His right hand, with fingers pointing like a knife, aimed straight for the man's throat.
"Hiding your head and showing your tail! Playing tricks!"
Zhou Jing glanced at the monkey king mask, his eyes narrowed slightly, and although he was startled, he remained calm.
He had only recently entered the Stone Skin Realm, and his blood and energy were at their peak, making him the most confident person in the world.
Seeing the wind coming, he swung his right arm out like a crane's wing, using the move "White Feather Brushing Clouds," the strong wind howling as he forcefully clashed with the opponent's hand blade.
"Bang!"
When their arms collided, Zhou Jing felt that although the other's strength was fierce, it was still somewhat weaker than his own.
With a firm resolve, he stomped his left foot on the ground, twisted his body, and suddenly sprang up with his right leg like a crane's foot, kicking straight at the opponent's waist.
The indigo figure slid to the side, narrowly avoiding the kick, and at the same time, swung a backhand slash at Zhou Jing's neck.
The two moved swiftly and agilely through the narrow alley, exchanging seven or eight blows in the blink of an eye.
Zhou Jingyue became more and more confident. Although his opponent's moves were exquisite and he was quite skilled at deflecting and using force, he used softness to neutralize hardness several times and deflected his own force. However, when they clashed head-on, the opponent's strength was obviously not as solid as his own.
With every punch and kick, he forced his opponent to avoid his attacks.
"Hmph, nothing special."
He sneered inwardly; his earlier surprise and doubt had transformed into a confident composure.
Having forced his opponent away with a single strike, Zhou Jing wasn't in a hurry to pursue. He twisted his neck, making a soft "crunching" sound, and a mocking coldness appeared on his face:
"Where did this fool come from, trying to rob me? Since you're here, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already dashed out again like a crane pouncing on its prey!
This time, he fully unleashed the power of the Stone Muscle Realm. As his palms danced, the sound of wind and thunder could be heard. It was none other than the killing move "Crane Beak Chain" from the White Crane Fist. The wind from his fingers pierced the air, and each move was aimed directly at the opponent's major acupoints!
The Monkey King remained silent, but his footwork became increasingly exquisite, like willow catkins in the wind, weaving and dodging amidst the dense attacks.
Even when their palms occasionally touch, they move away immediately upon contact, never bracing themselves against each other.
"Using only the palm techniques transformed from the perfect version of the Dragon Tiger Ruyi Blade, it seems he's still a bit weaker than the Stone Muscle Realm. He's just more refined at generating and deflecting force, which allows him to fight for a while, but he'll inevitably be defeated in a prolonged battle."
Zhou Tong thought to himself.
After these numerous trials, he finally gained a clear understanding of the perfect version of the sword technique.
With this thought in mind, he suddenly leaped backward, drifting back more than ten feet like a wisp of smoke, creating distance between himself and Zhou Jing.
Seeing this, Zhou Jing assumed the other party was weak and wanted to escape, and his sneer deepened:
"Trying to leave?"
He pushed off with his feet and quickly caught up, his eyes filled with a playful, cat-and-mouse mentality.
However, just as he lunged forward, the indigo figure suddenly stopped—
Immediately afterwards, Zhou Jing felt a blur before his eyes!
As if the night had been suddenly torn apart by some invisible force, the indigo shadow became blurred and elongated under the moonlight, and then... almost disappeared!
No, it didn't disappear.
It's fast!
It was faster than his eyesight could capture!
"How could it be so fast?!"
Zhou Jing was terrified. His hair stood on end, and a chill ran from his tailbone straight to the top of his head.
A gust of wind came from behind him, and without thinking, he twisted his body and struck back with his palm.
But he had just turned his head—
A hand suddenly forced its way into his field of vision.
With fingers spread, the pale blue veins on the edge of the palm were reflected in the moonlight.
Zhou Jing had no time to react and could only watch helplessly as the slap grew larger and larger in front of him.
"Snapped!"
A crisp, clear sound rang out in the quiet alley.
Zhou Jing's head buzzed, and a burning pain shot through his left cheek. He staggered two steps to the side from the slap, his ears ringing.
He covered his face and stared wide-eyed ahead.
The indigo figure had returned to its original spot at some point, still wearing the grinning monkey king mask, standing there quietly as if it had never moved.
"You...you!"
Zhou Jing was both shocked and furious, and a sense of shame burned within him like a raging fire.
Driven by his passion, he pushed the White Crane Fist technique to its limit, leaping forward and unleashing a flurry of palm strikes aimed directly at the vital points of the Monkey King's mask.
But what happened next made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
No matter how fierce his punches were, the indigo figure was like a ghost without substance, always slipping away and dodging at the last second—almost brushing against his fists and palm edges.
"Slap!" A slap on the left cheek.
"Slap!" Another slap on the right cheek.
Zhou Jing received two more slaps, his face burning with pain, but he was beginning to understand what was happening.
"No! This is absolutely wrong! I couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes... How could someone at the Stone Skin Realm do this?! Could it be... Iron Skin? Or even... a senior at the Bone Forging Realm making fun of me?!"
The thought instantly crushed the remaining anger and shame.
He barely managed to deflect a palm strike aimed at his face, then staggered back several steps before his back slammed against the cold brick wall with a thud.
His face, swollen like fermented dough, now held eyes that were barely slits, filled with terror.
He dared not attack again, even raising his hands slightly in a gesture of near surrender. His voice, muffled by the swelling in his cheeks, hurriedly said:
"Senior...Senior! Please, please be merciful!"
He hissed in the cold air and said hurriedly, "I'm so stupid, did I... did I accidentally offend you in some way? Please tell me, and I'll apologize!"
Upon hearing this, the figure in indigo stopped and stood quietly a few steps in front of him.
Seeing this, Zhou Jing thought that his words had worked.
He quickly pressed his advantage, speaking rapidly and urgently, trying to grasp at this lifeline:
"Senior! I really can't recall ever offending a master! Are you... mistaken me for someone else? My surname is Zhou, and my home is in the front... Please tell me what I did wrong, and I'll change! I promise I'll change!"
The Monkey King mask didn't speak, but gave him a deep look, then turned slightly, as if preparing to leave.
Although he didn't get the reason why he was beaten, a hint of joy appeared in Zhou Jing's eyes as he saw that the evil star was about to leave.
But just then, the monkey king's figure suddenly stopped.
Under the moonlight, he stretched out his right hand, looked down and examined it over and over, his expression revealing a sense of reminiscence. Then he tilted his head back slightly and took a deep breath with a look of great comfort.
Then he turned around again.
Zhou Jing's hopeful expression froze: "Senior... Senior? What is this...?"
call!
The figure swept in again.
"Smack!!!"
Another slap!
Zhou Jing was knocked to one side, his ears ringing and stars flashing before his eyes.
"Ugh...!"
Overwhelmed with grievance, he cried, "Senior, please say something! You have to explain why you hit me! I've never even seen you before... Did you get the wrong person?!"
"Slap!" Another slap.
"I'm serious...please stop, let's talk this out...ah!"
"Slap! Slap!"
"Why me... Why did you do this... Tell me..." Her voice was filled with despair and tears.
"Slap slap slap—!"
He was met only with steady, evenly forceful slaps.
The Monkey King remained silent, but his words were a merciless slap in the face.
Zhou Jing completely collapsed.
My face was burning with pain, but my heart was filled with a frozen sense of bewilderment and grievance.
He was being whipped and slapped around like a rag doll, until he finally gave up even protecting his face, just shrinking his neck and making "ho...ho..." his breathy sounds, his eyes changing from anger to fear, and finally turning into an empty, dull look.
Several thoughts kept swirling in my mind.
Why is that?
What did I do to deserve this?!
Who exactly are you?
Say something...
Say something, you fucking bastard!
What did I do wrong?!
……
After an unknown amount of time, the sound of slapping abruptly stopped.
Zhou Jing woke up from the dizziness, barely managed to calm himself, and looked around with blurry vision.
The alley was deserted.
The moonlight remains, and the lanterns sway gently.
The indigo figure and the Monkey King's mask have vanished without a trace.
Everything that just happened seems like an illusion.
Only the excruciating pain of his face swelling as if it were about to burst, and the faint taste of blood in his mouth, reminded him that those things had truly happened.
Zhou Jing slid down slowly against the brick wall, gazing at the empty alley, his heart filled with confusion and grievance.
"...Why...?" A muffled, tearful murmur escaped from the corner of his mouth.
……
The tranquility of the Zhou family's three-room residence before the holiday was shattered by a shrill scream and chaotic footsteps.
The servants stared in disbelief as their young master, who had been beaming these past few days, stumbled through the door with a face swollen like a steamed bun.
"Young Master, what's wrong?"
"That damned bastard, Gan?"
"..."
The courtyard erupted in chaos.
Upon hearing the news, Madam Wang rushed over. The light from the corridor lamps shone on her, and she clutched her chest in shock: "Jing...Jing'er?! What...what happened?! Who hit him?!"
She rushed forward, wanting to touch but not daring to touch her son's horribly disfigured face.
"cold……"
When Zhou Jing saw his mother, his grievances and fear overflowed like a flood, and his voice even trembled with sobs.
"I don't know either. I didn't offend anyone. I just had a meal with a few fellow martial arts brothers at Zuixianlou. I was thinking of clearing my head after drinking, so I slowly strolled back."
Who knew that as soon as we entered the alley, a madman would appear out of nowhere.
He hissed as he gasped for breath, speaking haltingly and incoherently:
"Wearing a painted monkey mask... Fast! Faster than a ghost... I... I can't hit him... He... he just keeps slapping my face, hiss, hiss..."
Wang was both anxious and in pain, and she looked closely at her son's face.
Although the swelling was alarming, upon closer inspection, they were indeed clear palm prints, layered upon layered, with no other sharp weapon or heavy punch marks.
Her brows furrowed, suppressing her heartache, and she asked sternly:
"Jing'er! Tell me honestly! Did you offend someone you shouldn't have? Or did you get into a fight at the martial arts school and make enemies who are deliberately humiliating you like this?"
"No! Really, Liang!"
Zhou Jing stamped his feet in frustration, "I...I love to show off...but...it will make me a sinner!"
At this moment, Zhou's father heard the commotion and rushed over. After briefly understanding what had happened, his gaze sharpened, and he said:
"His strength far surpasses yours, yet he didn't use his full strength. He's clearly trying to teach you a lesson. You probably offended that fellow disciple at the martial arts school. Think about it carefully."
Zhou Jing was already feeling wronged. He was beaten up for no reason, and it was even a slap in the face. How could he face anyone after this?
Hearing his parents say it was his fault again, a wave of sadness washed over him, and tears streamed down his face. His eyes, swollen to slits, were filled with grievance, and he muttered, both anxious and angry:
"I...I have no benefactors! I have no way to make amends!"
……
Deep in the back alley of a small restaurant in the east of the city, Zhou Tong changed back into his cotton robe, crumpled the coarse cotton robe and the Sun Wukong mask into a ball, and stuffed it under a pile of discarded bamboo baskets and holiday garbage.
He straightened his clothes, chuckled softly, and walked calmly into the main street.
In the distance, a few sky rockets occasionally shrieked as they shot into the night sky, exploding into clusters of faint golden sparks.
As Zhou Tong walked, he calmly reviewed the situation in his mind.
"The Stone Skin Realm's reaction and physical strength are indeed a step above the Wood Skin Realm, but even in the Shadowless State, the Stone Skin Realm is no match for me."
The only downside is that Shadowless consumes a lot of stamina; with my current stamina, I can only last for three minutes.
However, in martial arts battles, there are no prolonged wars of attrition; each fight is a swift battle to the death, which is sufficient.
As he was thinking, Zhou Tong walked to the side of the street and flagged down a rickshaw.
The rickshaw driver started walking, and the rickshaw headed home.
"The power of the Shadowless Technique has been proven; it truly is a trump card. I wonder what mysteries the Golden Skin technique holds?"
His eyes were burning.
Martial arts realm is the foundation of everything. Compared to the Shadowless Technique, he is more eager for the Golden Skin.
Unfortunately, we'll only know that when we reach the peak of our physical training.
Upon realizing this, Zhou Tong's eyes narrowed, and the control panel appeared.
[Estimated time to break through "stone skin": 18 days]
Everything was progressing smoothly... Zhou Tong raised an eyebrow, leaned back, and suddenly looked down at his hands.
Slowly close your fingers.
I could almost hear the sound of a series of slaps.
"Childish...it is indeed a bit childish. But..."
Zhou Tong looked up at the night sky outside, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes: "It really... feels so good."