60 Chapter 59: Interlude (2/2)
Tang Qi Hong replied with another volley of nine flaming arrows. This time, Qi Fu Ren punched them with his Lightning Fist, detonating them before they could unleash their full destructive effects upon his body.
”!!”
Tang Qi Hong involuntarily took a step back. Qi Fu Ren grinned, and then vanished.
”?!”
Instinctively, Tang Qi Hong dropped her bow on reflex and grabbed her spear. Yanking it out of the ground, she just barely managed to parry Qi Fu Ren's Lightning Punch in time, but the impact was so tremendous she was lifted off her feet and sent skidding across the ground. While she fought to regain her balance, Qi Fu Ren seized the chance to deliver a second Lightning Punch.
”Kuh!”
Tang Qi Hong had no choice but to block that strike as well. However, being off balance, she was unable to prevent Qi Fu Ren from punching the spear out of her hand. Spinning rapidly and helplessly through the air, the flaming spear struck the ground and slowly vanished from material existence.
”Ha ha ha ha ha!”
Cackling madly, Qi Fu Ren threw a third punch. Without her weapons, Tang Qi Hong was forced to cross her arms to defend from the blow, gathering her inner qi for a spiritual defense. Unfortunately, Qi Fu Ren had anticipated just that.
”Thunder Break!”
”AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Tang Qi Hong screamed as the lightning coursed through her body, overwhelming her defenses and electrocuting her. Her body going into spasms, she toppled onto the floor, jerking and writhing. Qi Fu Ren ruthlessly kicked her, sending her flying across the rooftop.
”It's useless.”
Tang Qi Hong looked up tearfully, unable to respond as pain and electricity continued to wrack her body.
”You see, Thunder Break is a technique that relies on purely yin qi, because opponents always use defensive yang qi to guard against Lightning Fist. So by only conjuring yin qi, I am able to counteract your yang qi completely, and with a direct hit, disrupt the flow of qi in your body and prevent you from using it for a while. Of course, the effects will differ depending on the user's level of skill in using the technique, and the toughness of the opponent. But since I've perfected my skill and you're three times weaker than me…”
Snickering cruelly, Qi Fu Ren delivered a barrage of Lightning Punches that sent destructive shockwaves throughout Tang Qi Hong's curled body.
”AAAAH!”
”He he he he he!”
Giggling sinisterly, Qi Fu Ren bent down and straddled Tang Qi Hong, even as she tried to curl into a fetal position. Reaching out with both hands, he tore at her clothes, ripping the fabric and exposing some of her skin.
”Y…y…you…what are you doing?!”
Fear sketched across Tang Qi Hong's face as she struggled futilely against his advances.
”What does it look like I'm doing?”
Qi Fu Ren licked his lips and chuckled hoarsely.
”You're Fei Wu's girl, aren't you?”
”I…I…I don't know what you're talking about!”
”No use being such a tsundere. Your feelings for him are as plain as day.” Qi Fu Ren licked her cheek and she recoiled in horror. ”I wonder, how would he feel when he realizes that I stole his girl from him?”
”S…steal?”
”You can't possibly be that innocent, can you?!” Qi Fu Ren chortled as he tore at more of her clothes, trying to rip off her uniform jacket. The fabric, despite being made from material designed to withstand most martial artists' attacks, was beginning to give way under the assault of someone who possessed three sexagenaries of qi.
”NO!”
Tang Qi Hong did understand the implications indeed and she kicked out desperately, trying to push Qi Fu Ren away. Unfortunately he was too strong. Never mind his physical prowess, he had three times the qi of hers.
”Don't worry. I heard that it only hurts at first.”
”NOOOO!!! Stop!”
Tang Qi Hong wailed as her resistance intensified, but Qi Fu Ren would not be stopped. He continued to nuzzle against her neck.
”I mean, it was that trash Fei Wu who caused me to lose my girl. He made me look like an idiot in front of my beloved Bai Ning Xue. Thanks to him, she'll never look at me again. All because he humiliated me and made me look like a bad guy in front of her!”
Gripping the fabric of her uniform jacket, he tore the enchanted threads loose. His eyes darted around, crazed in lust and vengeance.
”It's only fitting that I steal his girl from him after he robbed me of mine!”
Tang Qi Hong looked up at him, astonished. ”You're blaming Fei Wu for your own atrocities and abuse?”
”The strong can do whatever they want!” Qi Fu Ren roared as he continued to strip away her ruined uniform jacket. ”That's the right of the strong! I am strong!”
Shaking her head incredulously, Tang Qi Hong realized that Qi Fu Ren had totally lost it. She gritted her teeth and kicked him in the crotch as hard as she could, eliciting a high-pitched howl from her assailant.
Clutching at his groin, Qi Fu Ren toppled over, shrieking. No matter how much more powerful he was than Tang Qi Hong, he was no match for a kick targeted right at one of his most vulnerable parts. Tang Qi Hong quickly seized the chance to crawl away.
”Huff…huff…”
She had to escape from that rapist and put as much distance between them as possible. Perhaps get to where Zhu Jiao was and team up with him…
”Where do you think you're going?”
Despite the debilitating agony, Qi Fu Ren had recovered just enough to pounce on her again. Tang Qi Hong hit the ground and rolled away, but Qi Fu Ren kicked her. The wind knocked out of her, Tang Qi Hong staggered, only to be struck by another Thunder Break.
”AAAAH!”
As her body convulsed from the electricity and toppled over, Qi Fu Ren sat astride her once more, pinning her to the ground.
”You bitch…” he hissed. ”After I make you mine, I'll kill you. After I violate you to my heart's content, I'll fucking kill you! I'll make sure that trash never reclaim you again.”
”N…no…!”
Tang Qi Hong wept as she struggled, trying to kick at his groin again, but Qi Fu Ren pinned down her legs. She shuddered as she stared up at his lustful, violent eyes, turning pale from fright.
Her former classmate no longer appeared human. He seemed more like a demon…a malevolent entity wearing the shape of a teenage boy.
”W…what are you?” she whispered, tears glistening on her cheeks.
”Don't worry, I'll send you to join your beloved Fei Wu soon.” Ignoring her question, Qi Fu Ren shook his head slowly as he straightened up. ”Still, I'm amazed that you lot tried to save him. It's useless. I gave him to Ba Yun. He might be quite an evil bastard, but he's one of the best torturers in the world. His techniques of slowly tormenting a person and breaking him down are simply topnotch. And once he gets sick of his new toy, he'll just drain them of their qi essence…and two weeks are more than enough for him to tire of that rubbish. By now, that trash is surely dead.”
”You…!”
Gritting her teeth, Tang Qi Hong glared at him, only for Qi Fu Ren to throw his head back and roared in laughter.
”Don't worry. I'll send you to join him. You both can spend an eternity in hell together. And after that I'll send Zhu Jiao and the others to accompany you guys.”
Guffawing in triumph, Qi Fu Ren threw down one last punch.
”Please…”
Tang Qi Hong squeezed her eyes tearfully and pleaded. Not to Qi Fu Ren, but to the heavens, to anyone.
”Someone…please save me…”
”No one's going to save you!” Qi Fu Ren hollered as his devastating Lightning Punch drew closer to her.
His fist never reached her head.
My foot caught Qi Fu Ren in the face and I kicked him with all the strength I could muster by clashing the volatile pure innate qi in my body with the surrounding natural qi, causing an immense detonation that sent Qi Fu Ren spiraling helplessly in the air. Cartwheeling uncontrollably like a broken puppet, he crashed heavily onto the ground with a thunderous boom, carving a crater.
”I will,” I replied as I stood between the fallen Qi Fu Ren and the weeping Tang Qi Hong, even as my foot smoldered from the impact.