Chapter 59: The Seed of the Islanders?

In the blink of an eye, all the people under Ye Xiaoting’s command had been utterly routed by Zhang Pu. Even those who hadn’t been knocked to the ground had retreated fearfully to the corners of the room, as if Zhang Pu were some kind of demon. Now, the only ones left standing in the hall were Zhang Pu and Ye Xiaoting herself.

Unlike her underlings, Ye Xiaoting didn’t panic. She remained standing tall and straight—this was the bearing of a true boss.

To be honest, even Zhang Pu couldn’t help but feel a touch of admiration. After all, not just anyone could become a leader.

“You’re strong,” Ye Xiaoting finally said after a long silence.

“Mm-hmm,” Zhang Pu replied, his manner light and indifferent, as though none of this was worth much to him.

“Today, I officially challenge you!” Ye Xiaoting suddenly declared.

Zhang Pu was taken aback, wondering if he’d misheard. Hadn’t she just seen him lay all her people flat with her own eyes?

But Zhang Pu quickly collected himself.

“Alright!”

In that instant, a surge of excitement welled up within him. Today, this girl was definitely interesting—far more so than Zheng Furen or Gao Lixia.

Immediately, Zhang Pu saw Ye Xiaoting assume a stance. It wasn’t the classic opening of Sanda, nor did it resemble Taekwondo. It seemed... was it Japanese judo?

Yes, it distinctly carried the flavor of Japanese judo, but with a trace of something more—an aura reminiscent of those who practiced dark arts or demonic cultivation.

Zhang Pu’s mind turned over the matter: Could Ye Xiaoting’s master be Japanese? Or perhaps she herself had Japanese blood?

The latter notion bordered on an insult, causing Zhang Pu to almost chuckle. He couldn’t help but glance at Ye Xiaoting again, as if he might spot some trace of Japanese lineage on her.

“What are you looking at? If you’re scared, just say so and surrender early!” Ye Xiaoting’s sharp retort instantly grated on Zhang Pu’s nerves.

What kind of talk was that? Zhang Pu found it even more amusing. Her stance was bizarre, yes, but compared to the Taoist Liu Yingde, she was still lacking. Trying to act mysterious—wasn’t she just making a spectacle of herself?

“Go ahead and make your move! I’m not afraid. You’ve been holding back for so long—I just hope you don’t suffocate from it,” Zhang Pu teased.

This incensed Ye Xiaoting.

Suddenly, she sprang into action.

Zhang Pu’s eyes widened, eager to gauge her true skill. He sent his Shadowless Hand forward, landing a hit on her, but the sensation was strangely soft, like a bundle of noodles—he couldn’t quite place it.

Ye Xiaoting’s attack was swift, but Zhang Pu’s footwork was just as quick.

Strange! Was Ye Xiaoting really practicing pure judo? Zhang Pu was puzzled.

Ye Xiaoting was equally surprised that Zhang Pu could hold his own against her.

But what she didn’t know was this: Zhang Pu had no intention of dragging this out.

Her skills were simply too odd—not pure judo, but infused with something uncanny, almost demonic.

Zhang Pu resolved to study her techniques carefully afterward. All in all, Ye Xiaoting was far stranger than Zheng Furen or Gao Lixia.

But for someone like Zhang Pu, whose cultivation was already nearing the Foundation Establishment stage, Ye Xiaoting’s abilities were far too shallow. With his current level, along with some combat techniques and minor spells from the world of immortal cultivation, he could even challenge newly initiated martial arts masters on Earth.

After several more exchanges, no one watching seemed to understand how it happened, but Ye Xiaoting suddenly toppled straight to the floor. Zhang Pu’s foot hovered just above her throat.

“Do you want to continue?” Zhang Pu asked, looking down at her.

“No more,” Ye Xiaoting replied, her confidence completely spent.

“Do you concede?” Zhang Pu pressed.

“Yes!” Ye Xiaoting answered crisply.

Her frankness drew a silent nod of approval from Zhang Pu—she truly had the makings of a leader.

“Were you bullying someone just now?” Zhang Pu asked.

“No,” Ye Xiaoting replied, still brisk and decisive, with no hesitation.

During all this, everyone else—including Zheng Xiaoming, who had emerged from the shadows—watched as if they were witnessing a film, every line and action engrossing their attention.

“So, how do you plan to settle this matter?” Zhang Pu continued.

“That’s up to you,” Ye Xiaoting accepted, acknowledging the victor’s right.

Was it time to make some money? A smirk played at the corner of Zhang Pu’s lips. Wasn’t this the same method he’d used with the previous two campus tyrants, Zheng Furen and Gao Lixia?

He needed money now! To make swift progress in his cultivation, he had to burn through cash, and where would the funds for all those elixirs come from? He simply had to keep earning. Having been reborn from the world of immortal cultivation with nothing, even if he’d once been wealthier than kings, it was all like a mirage now—here, he had to start from scratch.

So, having these people pay tribute could be considered a means of making money.

When Zhang Pu stated his demand, the entire crowd was stunned: what was the difference between this and the underworld’s extortion?

Ye Xiaoting felt particularly aggrieved. All she’d done was tease a handsome guy, and now Zhang Pu was making such a big deal out of it? She’d expected, at worst, to treat him to a meal after getting beaten up—not to be blackmailed in return! Zhang Pu was ruthless.

But Ye Xiaoting had no understanding of Zhang Pu’s past. In the immortal world, after a thousand years across countless star realms, he’d developed a principle: be as merciless as winter to wrongdoers.

If someone committed evil in his presence, he would ensure they paid several times over—otherwise, he couldn’t rest easy.

It wasn’t even about Ye Xiaoting’s suspected Japanese heritage. The same applied to Zheng Furen and Gao Lixia. Campus bullies were as vile as the thugs and punks on the streets outside.

Zhang Pu then released Ye Xiaoting, letting her get to her feet.

Though Ye Xiaoting tried to maintain composure, she was clearly dejected.

As for any private resentment she harbored over losing face in front of her followers, Zhang Pu simply ignored it: if she had the ability for revenge, she was welcome to try.

For a moment, Zhang Pu also entertained the thought of investigating Ye Xiaoting’s connection to the Japanese—he sincerely hoped she wasn’t of that descent.

He then issued an ultimatum to Ye Xiaoting and her group: this was his decision. Otherwise, he could make their lives a living hell from now on. In fact, he could start by locking them in here tonight to feed the mosquitoes.