Before long, a loud tumultuous clamour was heard outside their tent. The next moment, Xiong Guangming’s loud resonant voice was heard: “Zhou Little Fatty, get out here now! Your ‘Fathers’ have come…”
Zhou Weiqing chuckled and said: “That fellow sure changes face quickly… interesting.”
Shangguan Fei’er’s ears twitched, and she furrowed her brow slightly, saying: “It looks like the entire Ruffian Battalion is gathered outside, you want to face them all alone?”
Zhou Weiqing laughed heartily, clapping her shoulder without thought, saying: “There is a saying – No matter facing hundreds of thousands are against me, I will forge on ahead. 1” As he said that, he stepped out of the tent without hesitation.
When he walked out of the tent, he saw a sea of people gathered outside, almost a thousand of the Ruffian Battalion soldiers, all dressed in simple, torn clothes, and they all stared with hostile intent at Zhou Weiqing. In front of the crowd were ten men, two of whom Zhou Weiqing easily recognized. One was naturally Xiong Guangming, and the other was the one who had lost to him in the Sixteenth Regiment Duelling Corner, Green Wolf.
“It’s you?!” Seeing Zhou Weiqing, Green Wolf started. Sizing him up from top to toe, he said: “You’re the one from the Duelling Corner yesterday?”
Zhou Weiqing smiled faintly and said: “Yes, it is me.”
A look of surprise flickered across Green Wolf’s eyes, and he leaned over to the middle age man of medium stature next to him, and whispered something softly in his ears.
Zhou Weiqing’s gaze focused on the middle aged man. Green Wolf was after all one of the Company Leaders, and for him to speak like that in such a manner, this middle aged man must be of some importance or status in the Ruffian Battalion… perhaps even the leader amongst the ten Company Leaders.
The middle aged man looked to be around forty years old, only about 1.7metres tall, and he might seem rather inconspicuous next to all the massive Company Leaders he was standing amongst. He was also not wearing any form of army uniform at all, instead with a cloth robe, looking a little scholarly. His gaze was peaceful, and his ordinary features the sort that would not draw attention in a crowd.
Hearing Green Wolf’s words, the middle aged man lifted his head to look at Zhou Weiqing, a faint smile on his face as he said: “Hello, Battalion Commander Zhou, let me introduce myself. My name is Wei Feng, and I’m the Vice Battalion Commander of the Ruffian Battalion. Of course, this title of Vice Battalion Commander is not official, without any actual rank from above, more of a… self proclaimed one. So, Green Wolf tells me that yesterday, Battalion Commander Zhou only just joined the army?”
Zhou Weiqing smiled faintly as well, replying: “That’s correct.”
Wei Feng said: “So… that means… yesterday in the Duelling Corner, Battalion Commander Zhou should have won the overall ringmaster of the Sixteenth Regiment. According to the Duelling Corner rules, the overall ringmaster is the Regiment Commander of each Regiment… meaning that Commander Zhou managed to defeat Regiment Commander Shen Bu. If I remember correctly, she is a Six-Jeweled Upper Level Zun Stage Heavenly Jewel Master!”
From the few simple words that Green Wolf had told him, this middle aged man had already estimated Zhou Weiqing’s power. Zhou Weiqing couldn’t help but think that perhaps he had gotten the respect of the others, and the position of Vice Battalion Commander, due to that brain of his.
Wei Feng continued: “However, what I do not understand is… such a talent like Battalion Commander Zhou… how could Regiment Commander Shen Bu actually be willing to send you to our Ruffian Battalion? Could Battalion Commander Zhou have committed some crime?”
Zhou Weiqing said: “Crime? That would depend on whose perspective it is… Regiment Commander Shen Bu wanted me to marry her sister, but I rejected her… so I ended up here, the Battalion Commander of the First Unique Battalion.”
All the listening soldiers were surprised, but Wei Feng remained calm and collected, stable as a rock. “That is to say… Battalion Commander Zhou has been banished here. I heard Black Bear say that just now, just by yourself, Battalion Commander Zhou managed to awe over a hundred of our brothers, and your body also had some changes. How about letting me have a look as well…?” As he said that, Wei Feng stepped forward from the crowd, heading towards Zhou Weiqing. As he did so, a killing intent and aura even more terrifying than that of Shen Bu’s emanated out from him, the sheer power of it like a sharp blade slicing towards Zhou Weiqing. Nine Jewels. A total of nine Physical Jewels appeared around his right wrist, with the Attributes a mix of Strength and Agility. This Wei Feng was clearly a top notch Physical Jewel Master. After all, no matter Physical or Elemental Jewel Masters, their maximum level was the Nine Jeweled level. That was to say, his Heavenly Energy was at least over twenty seven stages. Let alone Zhou Weiqing… just in terms of Heavenly Energy cultivation level alone, he was slightly higher than Shangguan Fei’er.
“Upper Level Zong Stage Physical Jewel Master… Looks like in the First Unique Battalion, might is right. Very well, Vice Commander Wei, if I defeat you, does that mean I will be accepted by all our brothers?”
Wei Feng shook his head at Zhou Weiqing and said: “Of course it isn’t that easy. If we were to liken our Ruffian Battalion to a country, then you are now an invader. If you defeat me, that just gives you a stage, a chance to gain a foothold, a beginning. On the other hand, if you don’t, you will end up just like all the other previous Battalion Commanders.”
Zhou Weiqing laughed and said: “Very good, in that case, I’ll start off with you then.” The Ruffian Battalion was indeed a prime location for his goals, and now that he was here, in such a place abandoned and isolated from the main army, he no longer needed to hide his power.
Wei Feng moved first. The maximum power of a Physical Jewel Master, Upper Level Zong Stage, the same as the Senior Feng Yu who was with Huyan Aobo so many years ago. For someone to be able to cultivate to such a level already meant his body was at its absolute peak. Furthermore, having nine Jewels also meant that he could have the boost of nine Consolidated Equipment!
Although Zhou Weiqing was a Heavenly Jewel Master, he was still after all only at the Four Jeweled stage. To the current him, perhaps this Nine Jeweled Wei Feng was even more dangerous than any ordinary six Jeweled Heavenly Jewel Master.
In a flash, Wei Feng appeared in front of Zhou Weiqing, his right hand in a claw striking out towards Zhou Weiqing’s head.
Previously, the moment that Wei Feng had released his Physical Jewels, the four sets of Heavenly Jewels appeared around Zhou Weiqing’s wrists as well. Now, facing Wei Feng’s attack, Zhou Weiqing replied in the same fashion, striking out with his right hand in a parry.
*Peng*! A muffled clash rang out, and Wei Yang’s shoulders shook slightly, his body stopped in its tracks by the reverberation of the backlash. At the same time, Zhou Weiqing staggered back three steps. It was clear that in terms of a direct clash of strength, Zhou Weiqing had the slight disadvantage. However, it was actually Wei Feng who was the most surprised. He had not expected that with all his strength, he was only slightly stronger than Zhou Weiqing. Although every Heavenly Jewel had a greater boost than Physical Jewel Masters, Zhou Weiqing only had four! Furthermore, Wei Feng’s Physical Jewel’s main Attribute was actually Strength, with a lower percentage for agility. Under such a circumstance, his strength was still only slightly higher than Zhou Weiqing… that could only mean that in terms of pure physical prowess and body, he lost out by a lot.
Do not think that Wei Feng’s body was not strong. As a Physical Jewel Master, every Physical Jewel was reflected in a boost to his body. Furthermore, all his Heavenly Energy was focused on his Physical Jewels, unlike Heavenly Jewel Masters whose attention had to be divided between the two. Yet, Zhou Weiqing had not even used his Elemental Jewels, and just physique alone, he was clearly the victor. How could Wei Feng not be shocked?
Of course, the shock did not stop or even slow him down, as Wei Feng’s combat experience was just too great. In terms of sheer combat experience, amongst all the people Zhou Weiqing had met, even the two Heaven’s Expanse Palace Palace Masters, no one could compare with this Ruffian Battalion Vice Battalion Commander, a man who had struggled on the fringe of death so many times.
As such, the surprise did not influence him continuing to take action, with just the slightest pause of his body, his entire person launched like a cannonball towards Zhou Weiqing once more. In mid air, all nine of his Physical Jewels glowed brightly, and in a bright flash, nine Consolidated Equipment actually appeared all at once. Twin shoulder pauldrons, chest armour, armoured girdle, leggings, twin greaves, and a pair of gleaming silver gloved knuckle dusters.
Perhaps the only pity was that these nine Consolidated Equipment of Wei Feng’s was not all part of an entire set. Of them, three pieces including the twin shoulder pauldrons and the chest armour were one set. The armoured girdle, leggings, twin greaves were another set, and the two gloved knuckle dusters were also another set. It was a little messy, but for a Physical Jewel Master, that was already extremely impressive.
With all nine Consolidated Equipment released at once, the powerful pressure was enough to cause Zhou Weiqing severe breathing difficulties. The next instant, Wei Feng’s fists struck towards him in a straightforward fashion. He would not make the same type of error like Shen Bu in underestimating an opponent, as he had once learned a bitter lesson in doing so. As such, no matter how weak his opponent was, he would always go all out, let alone against Zhou Weiqing, such a Four Jeweled Heavenly Jewel Master.
Out of nowhere, a dark gold light flashed out in a barrier, abruptly blocking Wei Feng’s attack. In a massive soundwave, Wei Feng’s attack was immediately slowed down drastically. However, the dark gold light barrier was also shattered.
That was the Consolidating Equipment God Protective Aura! Yet, it had been shattered so easily! Besides the powerful boosts from Wei Feng’s nine Consolidated Equipment, it was also due to his Heavenly Energy being far more than twelve stages above Zhou Weiqing’s, and the previously invincible seeming Consolidating Equipment God Protective Aura had been shattered so quickly.
However, at the same time, it had done its job. Wei Feng’s attack did not manage to land on Zhou Weiqing finally. Slowed by the first barrier, another dark gold light shone forth in the next instant. Although Wei Feng’s attack was extremely powerful, it was not to the extent as to break through two Consolidating Equipment God Protective Aura barriers, and his fists bounced off the second one.
“This… this is the Consolidating Equipment God Protective Aura?!” At last, the calm in Wei Feng’s eyes was wiped away, replaced with shock and disbelief.
No matter Physical Jewel Masters or Heavenly Jewel Masters, it could be said that a God Tier Consolidated Equipment was their ultimate dream. In fact, the thirst that Physical Jewel Masters had for such equipment was perhaps far higher than any Heavenly Jewel Master. That was because for them, they had no other road to power, and God Tier Consolidated Equipments were tantamount to their greatest strength, their greatest goal.
Without Elemental Jewels, Socketed Consolidated Equipment were pretty much useless to Physical Jewel Masters, but God Tier Consolidated Equipment were different. If a Physical Jewel Master could have a few God Tier Consolidated Equipment, he could even take on ordinary Heavenly Jewel Masters of the same level.
As such, when Wei Feng saw not just one, but two of the dark gold Consolidating Equipment God Protective Aura barriers spring forth from Zhou Weiqing, one could imagine the sheer shock in his heart.
Still glowing a dark gold, Zhou Weiqing’s two God Tier Consolidated Equipment bracers appeared around his thick muscled arms, tipped with the claws, gleaming with deadly light. It was the Yin Yang Giant Spirit Palm of his ‘Hate Ground No Handle’ Set.