Chapter 53: You Now Possess a Delicate Beauty

Ding Lizhi felt a surge of pride in his heart. He had awakened half a year ago, quietly exploring his abilities, never breathing a word to anyone—not even his girlfriend or his subordinates knew. In that time, he’d gathered information about awakened individuals through his own channels, even purchasing three bottles of Vital Energy Pills at a steep price. However, they were the youth version, the same kind Gu Changqing had obtained from Xu Sheng and Jin Hu: more impurities, less spiritual energy.

The recent appearance of the Age of Awakening forum had also allowed him to gauge his own strength: a third-tier physical enhancement awakener. To be clear, a third-tier awakener was no pushover; he could face a Feather-level spectral creature and hold his own.

Angang, the largest international trade port in Southern Chu, had only a dozen fourth-tier awakeners among its guards, and all had awakened for years. Ding Lizhi’s ability specialized in strength enhancement; he’d tested himself privately and knew he could shatter a car with a single charge.

Now, sizing up the opponent—who also seemed to be a physical enhancement awakener and not particularly formidable—he noted that the other’s attention wasn’t focused on him. A flash of mockery flickered in his eyes, and he struck out boldly.

Indeed, Gu Changqing’s mind wasn’t on Ding Lizhi. A blur at the corner of his eye told him he’d misjudged his opponent. Yet Gu Changqing was no stranger to combat; his physical prowess was not inferior to a third-tier physical enhancement awakener. He ducked low, spun, and delivered an upward kick—a strike like a cannonball unleashed.

Boom!

Gu Changqing felt as though he’d kicked a truck. Using his hands as leverage, he flipped away, sliding over ten meters before coming to a stop.

Looking up, he saw Ding Lizhi embedded halfway into the ceiling. Concrete crumbled as Ding Lizhi crashed down from above.

Gu Changqing rose, twisting his neck with a series of popping joints, a smile spreading across his face. “Well, damn, this really is an unexpected surprise!”

“I’d only planned to rough you up a bit before discussing some business!”

As he spoke, hundreds of blood threads shot from his palms, burrowing into the mouths and noses of Ding Lizhi’s terrified subordinates. They collapsed without resistance, dissolving into pools of blood.

With his growing power, the speed of Blood Prison’s corrosive refinement had increased dramatically. Even the bones were corroded beyond recognition, shattering at the slightest touch. A few more seconds, and all the bones would be gone.

Ding Lizhi watched, his expression shifting, scalp tingling with dread.

He realized he’d made a grave mistake.

His opponent was not, in fact, a physical enhancement awakener.

“We can talk this over!” Ding Lizhi forced a smile.

“We’ll talk after I kill you!” Gu Changqing grinned, muscles and veins bulging beneath his skin like serpents crawling over his body. Agonized wails echoed from within, as if thousands were mourning inside him.

Other cultivators, after marrow cleansing and blood transformation, had blood energy surging like rivers, thunderous within their bodies. But Gu Changqing’s cultivation was somewhat different.

Gu Changqing didn’t mind—he actually found it rather exhilarating.

He drove his foot into the ground, shattering it, and appeared before Ding Lizhi in a flash, slamming a fist down.

The blow was like a pile driver, overwhelming and unstoppable.

Ding Lizhi raised his arms, and was sent flying several meters by the punch.

In that world, cultivation began with blood energy training, then marrow cleansing, then proper cultivation.

Gu Changqing’s Flesh and Blood Refinement Technique allowed him to absorb enormous amounts of blood energy, converting it into spiritual energy. Each time, a residue of blood energy remained, and the circulating spiritual energy continuously stimulated his cells. His current physical attributes were roughly equal to a third-tier physical enhancement awakener.

Of course, this was just a side effect of the Flesh and Blood Refinement Technique. As his strength grew and Blood Prison took shape, without dedicated body-refining methods, the role of physical strength diminished.

So he hadn’t paid much attention to it.

After Ding Lizhi was sent flying, Gu Changqing propelled himself forward again, landing a kick squarely on Ding Lizhi’s head.

He barely paused, laughing as he chased down Ding Lizhi, grabbed his head, smashed it into his knee, then hurled him aside and followed up with a kick to the ribs.

Ding Lizhi, like a battered sack, crashed through a wall into the next room.

Gu Changqing followed him, stomping on Ding Lizhi’s head until it was embedded in the concrete, the floor webbing with cracks.

Seeing Ding Lizhi bleeding from every orifice, Gu Changqing hesitated for a moment, lost in thought.

He had come here to do business.

Gu Changqing had planned to write an IOU for fifty million, with Ding Lizhi paying ten percent interest per month—not unreasonable, surely? Only ten percent monthly!

After all, he wasn’t a villain; he had to leave the man a way out.

He’d intended to cultivate a long-term partnership, but given the current state of things, it would have to be a one-time deal…

He hesitated briefly, then stomped again—this time on Ding Lizhi’s wrist.

Ding Lizhi’s face was covered in blood, his nose shattered.

He was nearly unconscious, but the pain revived him. Clutching his wrist, he howled, trying to pull it free from beneath Gu Changqing’s foot.

Gu Changqing squatted, pinning Ding Lizhi’s wrist, and slapped him across the face. “So what if you’re awakened?”

“Spare me—I have money… I’m awakened… I can help you!” Ding Lizhi stammered, cold sweat pouring from his forehead.

Gu Changqing tilted his head, considering. The man had a point.

After all, an awakened gang leader could easily swallow up rival gangs.

Truly the mind of a boss—so clear.

Gu Changqing thought further: why was there no dominant gang in the South and Port districts? Because whoever got too big, the Security Bureau would crack down.

But he was with the Security Bureau.

If Ding Lizhi absorbed the other gangs, Gu Changqing could simply notify the Bureau and suppress any trouble.

Especially as the world changed and the number of awakened increased, having a band of rats at his disposal could be useful: smuggling, murder, resource gathering, intelligence, tracking.

Gu Changqing found the idea appealing, pressed harder with his foot, and looked down with a cold smile. “Work for me?”

“Yes… I’ll work for you, just spare me!” Ding Lizhi pleaded desperately, utterly cowed by the beating.

All his fantasies from the past half year of awakening had been shattered.

Gu Changqing finally moved his foot, grabbed one of Ding Lizhi’s fingers, and bent it upward.

“If only you’d been this clever earlier.”

Ding Lizhi screamed again, clutching his finger and scooting away, staring at Gu Changqing in terror.

“You look much more agreeable now!” Gu Changqing dragged over a chair, sat down with legs crossed, smiling. “You have a kind of pitiful, delicate beauty about you now.”

Ding Lizhi felt as though he were facing a devil.

“Got a nail clipper?” Gu Changqing glanced at his nails—they seemed a bit long.

“Yes, yes, it’s in the drawer!”

“So, tell me—what can you offer right now?” Gu Changqing clipped his nails as he asked.

“I still have half a bottle of Vital Energy Pills…”

Gu Changqing glanced around, grabbed an ashtray, and smashed it over Ding Lizhi’s head. Ding Lizhi didn’t even dare to dodge, letting the ashtray shatter against his skull.

He was as obedient as could be, wishing he could bury himself in the ground.

“What use would that stuff be to me?”

“I can give you twenty million in cash now—and there’s thirty million in high-interest loans I haven’t collected yet… plus a few properties…”

“That’s all?” Gu Changqing curled his lip. You’re the boss of Angang’s biggest gang—you should have more to show for it.

With so little to your name, how can you not be embarrassed?