Feeling the terrifying force transmitted through his arm, Ling Sha was startled, a look of disbelief on her face.
Although she had crossed blades with Zhou Changqing before, it had always been through the use of Dou Techniques. They had never engaged in a direct contest of strength like this. Only now did she realize that Zhou Changqing's physical power was frighteningly immense! And this was the strength he displayed with his pure physical body, without even using Dou Qi! If she hadn't erupted with her own Dou Qi to reinforce her body, she truly might not have been his match.
Of course, surprise was one thing, but against a Ling Sha who had unleashed her Dou Qi, Zhou Changqing's physical strength alone was still insufficient. As her Dou Qi circulated, an overwhelming force pressed against his palm, forcing him back three steps.
Zhou Changqing hadn't expected to subdue Ling Sha with physical strength alone. He immediately circulated his Golden Lightning Dou Qi throughout his body. Instantly, a faint golden light and tiny arcs of electricity began to emanate from his skin. At the same time, the surge in power halted his retreat. He even managed to push Ling Sha back a step.
Ling Sha's eyes narrowed, and she immediately attacked with her left fist. But it, too, was caught by Zhou Changqing's right hand. For a moment, waves of Dou Qi rippled from the two, kicking up clouds of dust. Because Yue Mei had stopped them, the spectating commanders did not try to intervene as they had before. They didn't believe this boy could possibly defeat Commander Ling Sha.
Yue Mei, however, watched the scene with great interest. She was the only one present who knew of the grudge between them, so she was happy to let it play out. It was better for him to vent his frustrations. It might soothe his heart and make him less likely to resist later.
A dozen seconds passed. In their contest of strength, Zhou Changqing held a slight advantage, having forced Ling Sha back several steps.
This can't go on. The little bastard's strength is absurd. It seems I'll have to use a Dou Technique to subdue him.
Realizing she couldn't overpower him in pure strength, Ling Sha decided to play to her advantage. She had more Dou Qi than Zhou Changqing. Although the quality might be similar, she was stronger when it came to executing Dou Techniques. Moreover, the techniques she cultivated were of a higher grade than his, possessing greater power.
As if sensing her intentions, the corner of Zhou Changqing's mouth lifted into a dangerous smile.
"Foolish woman, you're not thinking of using a Dou Technique, are you? I'd advise against it."
"You wouldn't want your Queen to see me covered in injuries when she meets me, would you?"
Hearing Zhou Changqing's voice transmission, the Dou Qi Ling Sha was about to unleash faltered, and she froze for a moment. That's right. The leader was taking this little bastard to see Her Majesty the Queen. If she injured him, wouldn't she be ruining the Queen's important plans?
Seizing the moment of her distraction, Zhou Changqing's eyes gleamed. He channeled his Dou Qi to its peak and, with a sudden burst of strength, pulled with all his might.
Caught completely off guard, Ling Sha was yanked forward and stumbled toward him. Zhou Changqing took the opportunity to twist his body and sit on the ground, causing Ling Sha to fall forward and land face down across his thighs. The sudden turn of events left her momentarily stunned.
Zhou Changqing would not miss such a perfect opportunity. He raised his right hand and brought his open palm down hard.
Smack!
A crisp sound echoed through the air as his palm landed squarely on her serpentine rear.
A stunned silence fell over the onlookers. All the commanders stared with wide eyes, their expressions filled with utter disbelief. Even Yue Mei was taken aback.
As for Ling Sha, her mind went completely blank.
Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!
With no time to savor the softness of his thighs, Zhou Changqing excitedly swung his palm again and again, striking the scaly, somewhat firm surface of her serpentine rear. His hand moved so fast it became a blur. In just a few moments, Ling Sha had been struck dozens of times. Though her shapely rear did not change color, it had begun to swell slightly.
"So satisfying!"
Whoosh!
Feeling he had done enough, Zhou Changqing immediately scrambled to his feet and darted over to Yue Mei's side. He knew that if he kept going, Ling Sha would surely snap out of it and might try to kill him. Besides, he had gotten his satisfaction. There was no need to get further entangled with this woman.
"Leader Yue Mei, we've settled things. Let's go," Zhou Changqing said quickly, tapping her arm.
Yue Mei returned to her senses, looking at the boy with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. She knew he just wanted to get back at Ling Sha for capturing him, but she never expected his method of revenge to be so outrageous. Fortunately, the boy showed no lewd intentions and hadn't done anything too out of line. Otherwise, she might have truly struck him down with a single palm.
She knew they had to leave now, or the boy would have a hard time getting away once Ling Sha erupted. As for Ling Sha, she would have to compensate her properly upon her return.
With that, Yue Mei grabbed Zhou Changqing's shoulder, and a pair of Dou Qi Wings instantly sprouted from her back. With a single beat, the two of them shot into the sky. Within seconds, they had become a streak of purple light, vanishing toward the horizon.
By the time the commanders recovered their wits, the pair was long gone. All they could see was a tiny black dot about to disappear in the distance.
"Ahem... Commander Ling Sha, are you alright?" one of the commanders finally managed to ask, swallowing nervously as he looked at Ling Sha, who was still sprawled on the ground. The atmosphere was incredibly awkward, but someone had to break the silence.
Instantly, a terrifying surge of Dou Qi erupted, blasting all the commanders several steps back. A cold, furious shout followed.
"Get out! All of you, get out!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The commanders unleashed their Dou Qi and fled the scene faster than they ever had in their lives. Fortunately, someone remembered to grab the unconscious Ha Kuis and carry him along.
Once everyone was gone, Ling Sha finally pushed herself up.
"Hiss…"
She rubbed her slightly swollen backside, hissing in pain. A pained expression crossed her beautiful face. Feeling the fiery sting, Ling Sha's eyes filled with shame and indignation as she grit her teeth and muttered, "Little bastard! You hit so hard!"
After a while, the pain began to subside. Enduring the discomfort, Ling Sha looked up at the sky in the direction Yue Mei and Zhou Changqing had disappeared, a complex and inexplicable emotion flickering in her eyes.
"Little bastard, we're even now…"
In truth, Ling Sha wasn't that angry about Zhou Changqing spanking her. Instead, she felt a faint sense of loss. After this, that handsome and exceptional young man would be gone, and it was unlikely they would ever meet again. If not for this incident, he might have held a grudge against her for years to come. But now, after this farce, her impression in his mind would probably fade over time and eventually disappear completely.
She, on the other hand, would likely be trapped by the memory of this spanking for a very long time…
This was the first time Zhou Changqing had experienced the feeling of flying. Although he wasn't flying on his own but being carried by someone else, it was a completely different sensation from riding a flying magical beast. It was new and exhilarating. It was no exaggeration to say that this feeling was comparable to the satisfaction he felt from getting his revenge. Indeed, humanity's yearning for the sky and the desire for free flight were etched into their very bones.
Soon! As long as I break through to the Dou King realm, I'll be able to fly like this too! Then the world will be mine to roam!
With this thought in mind, Zhou Changqing fully immersed himself in the sensation of soaring through the air.
Several hours passed. Far ahead, the massive shadow of a city appeared on the landscape. As the colossal city grew clearer, Zhou Changqing knew he had arrived. Yue Mei began to slow down, descending toward the ground below.
Upon entering the sacred city of the Snake-People, the City of the Divine Temple, Zhou Changqing was surprised. Unlike the Charming Serpent Tribe's settlement, the architecture here was similar to other cities he had seen, though with a strong, distinct Snake-People style. The city was also far more prosperous than the tribal settlement, with an endless stream of Snake-People coming and going.
After a moment's thought, the reason became clear. The desert was prone to natural disasters. A single sandstorm could be devastating. The City of the Divine Temple was the sacred land of the Snake-People, presided over by Queen Medusa and the tribe's elders, who could fend off such calamities. The eight major tribes, however, would suffer heavy losses if they didn't evacuate in time, even with a Dou King leader protecting them. Consequently, the buildings in the tribes were generally not made of wood or stone but of lighter, more portable yurts. After all, a natural disaster could easily destroy most of the ordinary buildings within the walls, leaving only the city walls themselves intact.
Enduring the confused and hostile gazes of many Snake-People in the city, Zhou Changqing followed Yue Mei to their destination: the Divine Temple. There, he met another Dou King of the Snake-People, the captain of the Serpent Guard, Hua She'er. The woman looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and disdain.
Soon, the three of them arrived in the main hall of the temple. The moment he stepped inside, Zhou Changqing's gaze was drawn to the throne at the top of the stairs at the far end of the hall. More accurately, he was captivated by the graceful, bewitching figure seated upon it.
Zhou Changqing didn't know how to describe this woman. Among all the women he had ever seen, she was number one in terms of appearance, figure, and aura. She was, in a word, perfect.
"Insolence! How dare you not bow before Her Majesty the Queen!" Hua She'er saw the human staring so brazenly at her queen and felt that her sovereign had been defiled. She immediately barked out an angry reprimand.
Zhou Changqing shot a cold glance at the furious Hua She'er but said nothing, his eyes returning to the beautiful Medusa on the throne above.
"That's enough, Hua."
Medusa's cool, indifferent voice stopped Hua She'er in her tracks. While Zhou Changqing was looking at her, Medusa was also appraising this young man whom Yue Mei had described as extraordinary. Although she had yet to see his weapon-refining skills, his Dou Spirit aura, his age of sixteen, and his remarkably handsome, pleasing features had already given her a slightly favorable impression. He was just as Yue Mei had described: exceptionally handsome and incredibly talented.
"You are Zhou Changqing?" Medusa asked, her vibrant red lips parting slightly.
Faced with such a powerful figure, Zhou Changqing did not treat her with the same disregard he had shown Hua She'er. He immediately cupped his fist in his hand as a sign of respect.
"I am. It is an honor to meet Your Majesty, the Queen."