The pill melted the moment it touched Li Shaobai's tongue.
There was no medicinal bitterness often accompanied by those things. Just pure warmth, like swallowing a ray of sunshine. It slid down his throat and exploded in his stomach.
Li Shaobai's pupils shrank. His blood started to roar. Heat surged through his limbs like lightning running through wet wood. The ache in his chest eased instantly, and even the bruised spot where he'd slammed into the wall stopped screaming.
It had to be a high-grade healing pill! Not some cheap street trash they sell at vendors.
This was the kind of thing the major clans in Skybridge City would fight over.
Li Shaobai swallowed hard, staring at the ice-cold woman on the bed.
Her eyes weren't "pretty." They held a dangerous, sharp gleam to them like staring at a crater full of razor-sharp stalagmites.
She watched him swallow the pill with zero reaction.
The invisible pressure in the room didn't let up. If anything, it intensified.
Li Shaobai forced a slow breath. He couldn't move because the ice blade at his throat hadn't moved.
"You healed me," he rasped. "So, you're not trying to kill me?"
Her gaze flicked over him like he was filth on her shoe.
"I didn't say that," she replied.
Li Shaobai's mouth twitched.
Of course. He felt his bones hum faintly under the cold pressure. His Evolving Mythril Skeleton technique was greedily chewing on the chill like it was free food. But even so, he could tell the gap between them was ridiculous.
If she wanted him dead, he'd already be a frozen corpse. The woman's long lashes lowered slightly.
"Stand up."
Li Shaobai's eyes narrowed. "…What?"
"Stand."
Her voice didn't get louder, but it carried authority that made his spine tighten.
Li Shaobai slowly pushed himself upright. The pill's warmth had healed most of the damage, but his body still felt like it was being pinned by a mountain made of ice.
The ice blade finally dissolved into cold air, vanishing like it had never existed.
For half a heartbeat, Li Shaobai relaxed. That was a mistake.
He saw her lift her hand in an open palm. It was smooth and pale and was aimed straight at his face.
Li Shaobai's instincts screamed. He tried to move but was too slow.
~PAH~
Her palm smacked across his cheek like a belt. The sound echoed violently throughout the room.
Li Shaobai's head snapped sideways. His left cheek instantly burned, swelling fast.
He stared at her, stunned. Did she just slap him?
"What the—"
~PAH~
Then, a third one right after the second "PAH", each one was harder than the last.
He was slapped three times consecutively!
His vision flashed white for a second. The warmth from the pill was still flowing, but it didn't erase humiliation. It only kept his body from collapsing.
The woman's expression didn't change.
"This slap," she said calmly, "is for Ling'er."
~PAH~
Li Shaobai couldn't even think. His throat tightened.
"Ling'er?" he repeated, voice rough.
~PAH~
A fifth slap landed.
"This slap," she continued, "is for kissing me without permission."
Li Shaobai's jaw clenched so hard it ached.
His mind churned violently. The old Li Shaobai's memories were a bit messy; wine, anger, shame, blurred scenes of throwing things, yelling, letting bitterness rot him from the inside.
But, one image stabbed clean through the fog: Ling'er, face red, eyes wet, standing in the courtyard while he raged at her… because she brought porridge when he wanted wine.
He'd slapped Ling'er!
Once.
It was a weak and pathetic thing of a slap.
Nonetheless, to Ling'er, it probably hurt more than any fist ever could.
Li Shaobai's breathing turned heavier. The woman's eyes were still ice.
~PAH~
A sixth slap.
"And this one," she said, voice frosty, "is because you owe me."
Li Shaobai's cheekbones throbbed. Owe her? He didn't even know this ice beauty. What could he possibly owe her for? His face looked nothing like the handsome, poor young master before. His cheeks had more swollen to the size of a pig's head.
The room spun for a heartbeat, then stabilized. Not because he was calm. Only due to the pill's medicinal effects was forcibly keeping him standing.
Li Shaobai stared at her, eyes darkening.
His left and right cheeks were swelled like he'd been punched by a brick wall. A metallic taste filled his mouth.
He wiped the corner of his lips with his thumb, saw a smear of blood, then looked back up.
"You done, yet?" he asked, voice slurred a bit.
The woman's gaze didn't waver.
"No."
~PAH~PAH~PAH~
Three more slaps landed in rapid succession.
Li Shaobai's fists trembled at his sides. Inside, he felt his patience snap.
He held his breath, forced the rage down like swallowing a sword, then slowly lifted his head again.
His eyes were cold now too, but in a different way.
Killing intent.
"What right do you have," he said slowly, voice low, "to hit me?"
The woman finally paused.
Her head tilted slightly, like she was amused he could even speak.
"Because you're weak," she said.
Li Shaobai's body trembled once. He took a breath, then stared at her like he was committing her face into memory.
"I'll repay this debt tenfold," he said.
Her lashes lowered again, bored.
"Oh please," she said, eyes rolling. "With what? Your butcher knife?"
Li Shaobai's mouth twitched.
'Yeah. Right now, probably.'
But he didn't say that aloud.
"Today," he said, voice steady, "you humiliated me."
He took a step forward. The room's cold pressure slammed into him. His legs shook I'm creaking bones… but he didn't step back.
The woman's eyes narrowed a fraction, like she wasn't expecting that.
Li Shaobai exhaled through his nose. He stared her down, pig cheeks swollen, and blood on his lips.
"I'll reach the Innate Gate Realm," he said. "Soon."
He didn't say "within two months" out loud, but the system countdown burned behind his eyes.
Then he added, voice rough and dangerous:
"And when I do… I'll come for you personally."
Her eyes flickered with something like interest but it was fleeting.
Li Shaobai continued, the words coming from somewhere stubborn and ancient in his soul.
"I don't care who you are or what background you have," he said, leaning in closer to her in a low voice. "One day, you'll receive the retribution you deserve."
The woman's lips finally curved slightly into a mocking crescent moon.
"You're funny," she said.
Li Shaobai's jaw tightened.
"Laugh now," he said. "You'll laugh less and beg more later."
The woman moved forward smoothly. Her robe flowed like water. Her aura pressed down like a glacier.
Li Shaobai's legs nearly buckled.
She responded in a cutting tone.
"You don't even have the qualifications to know my name. Yet, you dare utter such nonsense."
Li Shaobai's pupils contracted
"When you reach the Innate Gate Realm… maybe then you'll be qualified."
With a flick of her sleeve, a force strong enough slammed into Li Shaobai's chest, sending him flying through the door he'd entered from.
The burst through and rolled across the hallway and stopped into the courtyard stone, coughing, his cheeks still burning.
The door behind him shut with a cold, final click.
Li Shaobai lay there for three breaths, staring at the night sky in pure disbelief at what just happened to him.
"So I get kissed, healed, slapped, threatened, and thrown out," he muttered. "All in one night. Heavens, you really aren't fair, are you?"
He wiped his mouth again, then clenched his fist hard enough to shake.
"Fine," he whispered. "I'll level up."
He pushed himself up, swaying slightly, and limped back toward the Moon-Scent Kitchen like nothing happened.
Because in this world, even humiliation could be cultivation. Especially if your bones got stronger when you got hit.
DING!
[Technique progress: Evolving Mythril Skeleton increased.]
Li Shaobai's eye twitched.
"Of course it did."
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
***
The next day felt normal, which was the scariest part.
Li Shaobai picked up the knife and started working like a machine; grab, slam, and slice while his mind replayed the woman's cold eyes over and over.
He hated losing. He hated the feeling of being powerless with no power to fight back.
Li Shaobai kept killing beasts. But the EXP he gained felt like pouring a cup of water into a dry lake.
He was grinding hard, yet the road ahead looked endless.
Li Shaobai wiped sweat off his brow with the back of his wrist, butcher blade still in his hand.
"Back on Earth," he muttered, "I'd be a god in playing video games."
He glanced at the blood pooling under the board.
"But, here, I'm just a bitter butcher."
He was about to curse the system again when—
DING!
A new screen popped up.
[Series Mission: Ling'er's Kindness]
[Mission Triggered: "Being Bullied."]
[Objective: Protect Ling'er from humiliation.]
[Reward: ???]
Li Shaobai's expression changed instantly.
The knife in his hand stopped moving.
His blood ran cold with panic and worry.
"Ling'er?" he whispered. "What could have happened to her?"
He didn't even take off the apron. Nor did he clean the blood off his hands properly.
Li Shaobai sprinted out of the butcher yard like the wind with a hammering heart.
If this system had triggered a mission like this, it meant something was already happening. And it wasn't small either.
The front street of Moon-Scent Kitchen was packed. He'd never seen a crowd as big as this.
People stood in a ring like vultures around a carcass, eyes shining with that disgusting excitement humans get when someone else's life is falling apart.
Li Shaobai shoved his way in, hearing fragments.
"Shi family…"
"Playboy…"
"Servant girl…"
"Pretty…"
Li Shaobai's eyes sharpened.
'Shi family?'
In Skybridge City, that name wave just associated with rich. It allay meant they were powerful and untouchable.
They had the kind of power that even city guards look the other way had singing illegal been going on.
At the center of the ring stood a young man, maybe fourteen or fifteen, in silk clothes, a jade belt around his waist, and a smug face that made Li Shaobai want to punch it to death.
Behind him was a seductive woman leaning against his shoulder, smiling like she was watching the Bad Girls Club as four servants surrounded Ling'er.
Ling'er's face was pale. Her lips trembled. She hands were clenched tight her knuckles turned white. This was a clear sign that she was in duress.
The young master pointed at her like she was a toy.
"Little girl," he said lazily, voice loud so everyone could hear. "You bump into me, tear my robe, then think you can walk away?"
Ling'er shook her head, voice shaking but stubborn.
"Y-you deliberately hit me."
The young master laughed deviously.
"Me? Hit you?" He spread his hands like he was innocent. "Look at me. Look at you. Why would I hit you? I can't be seen touching the likes of you."
He leaned closer, eyes sliding over her.
Then his smile turned lewd.
"Well, you are pretty though."
The crowd murmured. Some people smirked. Others pretended to sigh like they cared, but their eyes didn't hide the greed.
Ling'er's eyes reddened. "I didn't do anything wrong. I won't compensate you."
The young master's smile vanished instantly as his face hardened.
"Won't compensate?" he repeated. "Then, you're insulting the Shi family."
That line made the crowd flinch. A few people immediately started talking, fast and shameless.
"Little girl, you're wrong!"
"That's right, you bumped into Young Master Shi!"
"Quickly apologize, don't make trouble!"
"Agree to Young Master Shi's request, it's your blessing!"
The words hit Ling'er like knives. Her eyes trembled. Tears slid down, silent and hot.
She looked around desperately. Maybe one, just one, person in the crowd would have a spine.
Nobody did.
Li Shaobai's chest tightened. His fists clenched so hard his nails dug into his palm.
Damn, hated this.
Hated these low-life people who'd glow at the sight of another's misfortune, especially if they had offended a young master.
Li Shaobai stepped in.
"All of you," he barked, voice sharp, "shut the f*ck up."
The crowd quickly silenced as heads turned, trying to figure out who'd be so bold as to offend a young master of the Shi family.
Ling'er's eyes widened when she saw him.
"Young Master!"
Li Shaobai walked straight to her, ignoring the servants, ignoring the young master, ignoring the crowd.
He gently wiped a tear from the corner of her eye with his thumb, blood-stained and rough.
"Don't cry," he said, voice low. "It's not worth it."
Ling'er's lips trembled. She nodded hard, like she was trying to be brave because he was here.
The young master stared at Li Shaobai for a second. Only to immediately burst out in laughter.
"Yo," he said, mocking. "Who is this?"
His eyes dragged over Li Shaobai's apron, the blood stains, the butcher knife.
His laughter grew louder.
"Oh?" he said, grinning. "You're the famous Li Clan trash."
The crowd laughed with him immediately. Like obedient dogs, giving this obnoxious young master some face, all to try curry just a bit of favor in hopes of joining such a noble family.
"Look at your clothes," the young master sneered. "Are you a butcher now? The Li Clan's 'genius' turned into a slaughterhouse dog? I can't believe my eyes. You've become an employed young master."
Li Shaobai's jaw tightened. He wanted nothing more than to tear that smile from his face. But, he didn't.
Not yet. He forced his anger down until it sat heavy and quiet in his stomach.
Then he looked at the young master, voice flat.
"Let her go."
The young master chuckled in response.
"Let her go?" He tilted his head. "Sure."
He held up one finger. "A thousand taels of silver."
The street went silent for a beat. Quickly, the crowd murmured in excitement.
A thousand taels of silver.
With Li Shaobai's old status, that was pocket change.
Now, though? That was an impossible.
Ling'er shook her head fast, grabbing Li Shaobai's sleeve. "Young Master, don't… I can endure…"
Li Shaobai glanced at her. Endure? She'd been enduring for two years. That's enough enduring for her.
He turned towards the restaurant entrance.
Manager Si was standing there, arms folded, with an unreadable expression on his face.
Li Shaobai walked straight over to him.
"Lend me a thousand taels of silver," Li Shaobai said in a voice steady.
Manager Si's brows lifted slightly.
"You?" he asked softly. "Borrowing money?"
Li Shaobai didn't blink. "I'll repay it for sure," he said.
Manager Si stared at him for a long moment.
Then, his mouth curled into that thin smile.
He pulled out a heavy pouch.
He tossed it into Li Shaobai's chest.
Li Shaobai caught it and felt the weight of real money, real silver.
Manager Si leaned closer, voice low.
"No matter what happens next," he murmured, "keep Ling'er inside. Don't let her run out."
Li Shaobai's eyes narrowed. He understood immediately.
"I know," he said. Then, turned back and walked straight to the young master, with the silver held out.
"This is a thousand taels," Li Shaobai said. "Take it."
The young master didn't take it.
He slowly, almost antagonizi.
"An apology should look like an apology," he said.
The street went quiet again. Ling'er's breath hitched.
Li Shaobai understood that this was a trap, a humiliation.
This would be way for the Shi family brat to brag to the entire city: the Li Clan waste is under my foot.
Li Shaobai stared at the young master for a long moment. From there on, he slowly lowered his head and bent down in a mid kowtow.
Raising the silver pouch above his head with both hands, his voice came out calm and controlled, "Young Master Shi, please accept the thousand taels."
The crowd exploded into laughter. Hell, even the server boys smirked a bit.
Ling'er's eyes widened in horror. "Young Master, no!"
Li Shaobai didn't look back; by doing so, he'd most likely go full on berserker mode.
The young master finally took the pouch.
Suddenly, without warning, he slammed his into Li Shaobai's stomach.
Li Shaobai's breath left him in a brutal gasp.
His body folded like a shrimp.
Soon after, he dropped to his knees, hands slamming into the dirt.
The young master didn't stop.
He walked up and stepped on Li Shaobai's head, grinding his face into the ground. Dirt filled Li Shaobai's mouth.
His cheeks, partly swollen from last night's slaps, scraped hard against ground.
The young master laughed loudly.
"So what if you were once a genius?" he shouted. "Now, you're just a dog under my foot!"
Ling'er screamed, trying to rush forward, but Manager Si's people caught her, holding her back like she was a prisoner.
"Let him go!" she cried, voice breaking. "Please, stop!"
Li Shaobai's vision blurred. Humiliation burned hotter than pain. But inside the blur, he heard something else. His bones were creaking and being tempered.
His Evolving Mythril Skeleton technique was feeding.
DING!
[Technique progress: Evolving Mythril Skeleton increased.]
Li Shaobai's fingers dug into the dirt. He forced himself to stay conscious and to swallow this unnecessary humiliation.
It was thereupon he understood something clearer than ever:
If he lost control here, Ling'er would suffer worse. Thus, he endured, and endured like a blade being forged by the hottest of flames.
And under the young master's foot, Li Shaobai's cold eyes opened, they were clear and terrifying to look at.
He whispered, so quietly only he could hear it.
'Step while you can, p*ssy boy,' he thought, rage calm and pure.
"One day… I'm going to get my payback."