Apotheosis – Ascension to Godhood

Instant Defeat

Cousin…

Luo Zheng hadn't heard himself addressed like that in a long time.

Luo Chengyun always followed behind Luo Zheng when they were young. He'd call him cousin and ask for his attention all the time.

If somebody bullied Luo Chengyun, he'd run off to Luo Zheng, crying.

Luo Zheng recalled their memories as kids when he called him "Cousin".

He never thought that brothers would gradually drift apart, for the sake of personal gains, after the clan's infighting. Such an outcome was tragic.

Luo Zheng nodded and then changed his way of addressing him, "Cousin Chengyun, go ahead."

"Eh? Luo Zheng, I heard that you step out of line and it looks like that's true. I just called you Cousin and you, actually, think I'm your cousin? Haha! You won't be dying to me for no rhyme or reason then," with a cold smile, Luo Chengyun suddenly exuded a powerful aura, once he was done speaking.

Luo Zheng's blood boiled after Luo Chengyun mocked him, and he wore on an ice-cold look. He erased his last thoughts of familial bonds!

Luo Chengyun enveloped himself in a purple light, once he was done speaking. He took one step forward and then charged toward Luo Zheng at an extremely fast speed.

*Bam!*

Luo Zheng took a hard front-on punch and had to take a few steps back, before he could steady himself. The strength of that punch had surpassed Stage One.

'It looks like Luo Chengyun has reached the Bone Refinement Layer, as well, with the assistance of the Heaven and Earth Blessings Pill.'

Stage One Strength was, indeed, overwhelming. Luo Zheng's body was tough enough for the hits he previously took. Those in the Skin Refinement Realm and Flesh Refinement Realm couldn't produce much of the warm current when they beat him. Luo Chengyun's punch, however, initiated the production of a large volume of the warm current, which then rushed into his bones, to begin an endless process of cleansing his bones.

'This feeling feels way too amazing!'

While Luo Zheng was enjoying the feeling to himself, Luo Chengyun rampaged against him, giving Luo Zheng no chances to catch his breath. He struck him with Rush Fist, Straight Fist, Burst Fist.

He attacked with elbow strikes, side kicks, roundhouse kicks…

He put all his might behind his sharp blows.

Current after current coursed in between Luo Zheng's bones, as if the floodgates were opened. Luo Zheng could even clearly feel the sensation of impurities in his bones being expelled.

From the high tower, Huang Ge shouted, "Fantastic! Beat him to death, Young Master Chengyun!"

Huang Ge looked extremely excited. He looked as though he was enjoying it more than if he was the one in the ring, giving Luo Zheng a beating.

A fair number of Luo Clan descendants cheered Luo Chengyun on, but the majority of them were currently silent.

Most of the descendants of Luo Clan, truthfully, missed the old Luo Clan. Back then, the clan was fair and empathetic. Every descendant of Luo Clan was treated fairly and everybody had the opportunity to rise in standing, as long as they showed enough promise, regardless of which branch they belonged to.

After the Second and Third Branch Families came to power, though, other than their own families, all other collateral descendants couldn't see any hope.

Luo Zheng was once the Young Lord of the clan and was the only person remaining from that era. If he died, that meant that the Luo Clan of then would never return.

Meanwhile, Luo Zheng was continually being battered by Luo Chengyun.

Luo Junyi, who was spectating the fight, frowned. As Luo Chengyun's father, he knew his son's abilities best. His son had surpassed First Stage Strength after consuming the Heaven and Earth Blessings Pill and reaching the Bone Refinement Realm. No other, among the young descendants of Luo Clan, besides Luo Peiran could match him.

He counted very clearly that Luo Chengyun had thrown dozens of punches in one breath. The punches were strong. He managed to push Luo Zheng back and Luo Zheng didn't have the strength to counterattack, but why hadn't Luo Zheng fallen?

There's a saying in martial arts that goes like this, "Attack is the best form of defence."

The reason for the saying is that attacking is far easier compared to defending. You can't defend against swift attacks, even if your body is tough.

Putting all else aside, not even Luo Junyi, himself, could withstand Luo Chengyun's beating, if he attacked like that. That was why those styles which fortified one's body, such as Iron Body Armour and Nine Yang Holy Body were incredibly precious, yet Luo Zheng was still able to stand after taking such a beating from Li Chengyun…

'Could Lu Zheng have gotten his hands on some special body protection techniques or did my brother pass on to him a body protection technique before he died?'

Piecing together the fact that Luo Zheng was, surprisingly, still alive and kicking after taking beatings for two years, Luo Junyi's eyes lit up!

Luo Chengyun began to get irritated, as he continued to give Luo Zheng an endless beating. His attacks became heavier and heavier, and he used all sorts of vicious techniques on Luo Zheng.

"Rosewood Fist - One Inch Technique!"

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

He thought that he could take Luo Zheng down with Rosewood Fist - One Inch Technique, but Luo Zheng, still, didn't go down. In fact, his eyes glimmered brighter and brighter. Luo Zheng's eyes were fixed on him all the time, causing Luo Chengyun to feel intimidated.

'Is this guy a monster? He's still not dead after all that?'

Panic revealed itself in Luo Chengyun's eyes, when he looked at Luo Zheng's eyes.

'I'm a skilled fighter who's reached the Bone Refinement Realm and broken through First Stage Strength. Logically speaking, I should be able to crush someone like Luo Zheng in one punch. Why on Earth can't I take him down?'

'What's with this gaze? Is he mocking me for being useless?'

Besides Luo Zheng's gaze causing Luo Chengyun to panic, it also angered him to no end.

'It looks like I need to treat you to that move!'

Luo Chengyun sneakily took out a small container from his shirt. The container was roughly the size of a palm. A bright light talisman was carved onto it. Behind the container was a small mechanism. He pointed the front of the container at Luo Zheng and then activated the mechanism on the back of it. With a hideous smile, he shouted, "Go die!"

Luo Zheng became alert, as soon as he snatched the box from him. As the Young Lord of the clan, there was no way he didn't recognise this self-defence treasure used by the clan. The item was called Thousand Thunderbolt Halberds Machine!

Thousand Thunderbolt Halberds Machine is a type of secret weapon crafted by those who create talismans. Thousands of thunderbolts are sealed inside of the container using a talisman. It's extremely powerful and has the power to kill the enemy with one strike, if you can catch them by surprise!

However, the weapon can only be used once. It's incredibly expensive and can't be used a second time. It's, usually, given to junior members among the descendants, for self-defence purposes.

'I can't believe Luo Chengyun would be so vicious, going as far as to use such a sneaky and nasty weapon to kill me, after his attacks didn't work.'

Luo Zheng may have a tough body, but he wouldn't be able to escape death if it hit him. Luo Zheng was now enraged.

A halberd-shaped thunderbolt shot out from the mechanism and headed straight toward Luo Zheng.

Luo Zheng narrowly evaded the attack and rolled on the ground. The thunderbolt made crackling sounds, as it zipped past the top of his head, burning a few strands of his hair.

One of the "punching bags" below the ring then immediately cried out in pain. The thunderbolt hit him front-on, setting him ablaze. It only took an instant, for the flames to reduce him to ashes!

Everybody wore grim expressions when they saw the horrific death of the "punching bag". Luo Chengyun had gone way overboard. The thunderbolt he just fired, could've hit anybody present. What would have happened if it hit a descendant of Luo Clan, instead of a "punching bag"? Luo Chengyun had no regard for the lives of the other descendants.

Luo Zheng got up from the ground. He wore an ice-cold look on his face. He clenched his fists and rhetorically asked, "You've been the one doing the hitting for a long time. Did you enjoy it? It's my turn now, right?"

"This is bad!"

Noticing the sudden change in the ring, Luo Junyi slammed his hand down and got up. He leapt off the tower and rushed toward the ring. He had noticed the oddity of Luo Zheng's body a long while ago.

'That vicious kid put up with the humiliation and clung to life. I'm certain he's been plotting against us for a long time!'

Unfortunately, even if Luo Junyi was faster, there was some distance between the tower and the ring to cover. The time it took for him to reach the ring, was sufficient for Luo Zheng to make his move.

"Rosewood Fist - One Inch Technique."

Luo Zheng slammed his fist into Luo Chengyun, before he could return to his senses. Luo Zheng cleverly aimed his punch. The inch force drilled into Luo Chengyun's body and then erupted seven times in an instant.

*Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.*

The seven locations that were hit burst. Blood spurt forth from several places on Luo Chengyun's body, namely, his arms and legs, dantian, qi cave, etc.

Damage to those places isn't fatal, but Luo Chengyun will never be able to cultivate again in this lifetime.

One move!

Luo Clan's Second Young Master was crippled for life, just like that by Luo Zheng.

The Luo Clan at the training grounds went dead silent.

Nobody could imagine that the "punching bag" usually letting people hit him as they pleased was that strong.

A cold chill immediately went up the spine of some of the Luo Clan descendants, who offended Luo Zheng, previously. They thought he was easy picking, never expecting him to be hiding such terrifying strength.

If he could defeat Luo Chengyun in one single move, how hard would it be for him to beat them?

Luo Chengyun had utter disbelief written all over his face. He thought defeating Luo Zheng would be a walk in the park, since he had obtained the strength of the Bone Refinement Realm. Why, though, was Luo Zheng so strong, all of a sudden? He had consumed a Heaven and Earth Blessings Pill. His cultivation rate was many times faster than Luo Zheng…

Luo Chengyun collapsed backwards, while feeling reluctant to accept the result. Luo Junyi arrived just in time to catch him, "Chengyun! Are you all right?"

"I didn't injure any of his vital parts. He won't die," said Luo Zheng.

Luo Junyi raised his head. His warm and graceful face was now replaced with a distorted look. He pointed at Luo Zheng's face and exclaimed, "You vicious little bastard! Why did you hurt my son?"

"Life and death is left up to fate, when two people cross fists, not to mention this was a death match. Third Uncle, you should know better than me, that many other Luo Clan descendants have also been wounded by "punching bags" in the ring in the past!" Luo Zheng wore on a stern expression to say, "I have defeated Luo Chengyun. According to the rules, I am no longer a punching bag, so I am free to leave Luo Clan!"

Luo Junyi placed Luo Chengyun down to one side. He then faced the sky and laughed, "Hahahaha, I spared your life out of kindness. I never thought you'd progress to this level. Did you think I'd let you leave? Quit dreaming!"

Luo Zheng wore a long face and responded, "Third Uncle, the rules say that I can leave Luo Clan if I won the death match…"

"Rules?"

Luo Junyi cut Luo Zheng off. He revealed a cynical smile, "Only your useless old man would follow the rules. Let me tell you what rules are. At Luo Clan, I am the rule!"

Luo Zheng's face twitched twice, after hearing his Third Uncle's response.

He'd always wanted to eat the man in front of him alive, but he kept on reminding himself to control his emotions and to be patient, for he knew that he lacked the strength. He had to leave Luo Clan, if he wanted to get revenge. He required time to grow!

He assumed that he could leave Luo Clan no justified grounds, after emerging victorious in the death match. However, he never thought that Luo Junyi would be unreasonable.

He beared with it for so long, yet one word from Luo Junyi shattered his hope. Luo Zheng could no longer hold back his rage. He was so enraged that his rage turned into laughter. He responded, "I was too naïve. I believed that a despicable person like you would uphold the clan rules. I thought that you'd show benevolence and that you'd spare me out of consideration for my late father. You killed your brother, usurped the clan leader seat, embezzled the holy pills and carried out countless evils! You stopped being human beings, long ago! You're all beasts! One day, I shall personally behead you and offer your heads to my father!"

Glossary

*Dantian can be understood as the place around your lower abdomen, which is where your qi is stored. Think of it as the energy centre.

**Qi Cave is located at Kidney 13, which is located 3 inches below the umbilicus and 0.5 inches along the front midline of your body