I'm Already the Richest Man, Why Did My System Just Arrive?

Chapter 203: Chapter 143: Purification Ceremony, Centennial Worm

Zheng Xiu’s eyes blazed with anger. Without hesitation, he charged toward the bonfire.

About a dozen sturdy, dark-skinned farmers saw the handsome yet ferocious newcomer. Their faces twisted into snarls as they advanced to block him, brandishing pitchforks and hoes.

Even without using a Miracle Technique, Zheng Xiu’s Physique was nothing to scoff at. With a few quick kicks and punches, he sent the intercepting farmers flying. Zheng Xiu then brazenly stepped onto the bonfire and yanked out the Pillar stuck in its center.

"Murder! He’s murdering people! Murder!"

From the crowd of onlookers, a small, wizened old woman pointed at Zheng Xiu, who had suddenly turned violent, and shrieked.

Hoisting the Pillar with the person still tied to it onto his shoulder, Zheng Xiu leaped from the fire. He moved to the side and, with a slight exertion of force, snapped the thumb-thick hemp rope with his bare hands. The woman holding the swaddled infant stared wide-eyed at Zheng Xiu in terror, her legs kicking at the ground as she scooted backward, clutching the bundle to her chest.

"Monk!"

Like a human beast, Zheng Xiu stomped across the ground, making it THUD with every step. He grabbed a burly man by the collar with one hand, tossed him ten meters away, and pulled the Monk to his feet. He was rather speechless. "If you’re going to save someone, save them! Why didn’t you use a Miracle Technique? Did you have to get yourself caught in the process?"

The Monk glanced at the still-shaken woman nearby and breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he said with a grin, "Didn’t you tell me to keep a low profile, Brother Zheng?"

As he spoke, a startling stream of blood slowly trickled from the Monk’s nostril.

Zheng Xiu was so exasperated he was at a loss for words. He could only give Ruchen a thumbs-up.

Ruchen just kept chuckling sheepishly. He wiped the blood away with his sleeve and rubbed his bald head, saying nothing.

After Zheng Xiu’s intrusion, the Divine-Tuning Witch who had been performing a grand dance had long since stopped, and was now letting out strange cries.

"Be careful! It’s a Divine-Tuning Witch."

The Miracle Masters who walked the Path of the Divine-Tuning Witch had not left a good impression on Zheng Xiu.

The moment Zheng Xiu saw the Divine-Tuning Witch, he thought of the Immortal Maiden Temple. Thinking of the Immortal Maiden Temple reminded him of Fairy Mei. And thinking of Fairy Mei reminded him of that half-human, half-insect monster. His expression turned cold. Moving like a bolt of lightning, Zheng Xiu threw a punch at the frail-looking Divine-Tuning Witch.

If Dou Xie had been here, he probably would have rolled his eyes back and started vomiting.

The Monk wiped away his nosebleed and ran over to comfort the terrified woman.

The Monk produced a tattered fan from somewhere and, shaking his head with a scholarly air, said pedantically, "My good lady, might I inquire if you have sustained any injuries?"

Zheng Xiu rolled his eyes.

The Monk’s "Scholar’s Heart Demon" was acting up.

"Be careful, Monk."

Zheng Xiu took two steps back, watching the Divine-Tuning Witch warily.

"You... what are you doing! Where did you come from? Why are you stopping our Purification Ceremony!"

From behind the Divine-Tuning Witch’s mask came a young, immature voice, which made Zheng Xiu freeze for a moment.

The farmers who had been knocked down by Zheng Xiu’s quick flurry of blows climbed back to their feet. Zheng Xiu had noticed from the start that these burly men were ordinary people, so he hadn’t used lethal force. Now that they had personally experienced the Mighty Man’s strength, they didn’t dare to approach, instead forming a large circle around them.

Outside the circle, the old, the weak, women, and children stood at a distance, heads bowed, whispering among themselves.

"Where did those two come from? They don’t look like they’re from our town."

"They’re outsiders!"

"Outsiders, get out!"

"Get out!"

An old man, mustering courage from who knows where, grabbed a few wrinkled cabbage leaves from his basket and threw them at the Monk.

"Outsiders, get out of Jingtang Town!"

SPLAT. A rotten egg hit the Monk on the head.

"Ouch!"

The Monk’s "Scholar’s Heart Demon" was instantly scared away. A growing barrage of rotten eggs, stale buns, and vegetable leaves rained down on the Monk’s head, all aimed with surprising accuracy. The Monk scrambled frantically to dodge the various "hidden weapons," finally taking refuge behind Zheng Xiu in a sorry state.

Everyone stopped throwing things in unison.

They dared to throw things at the Monk, but not at the Mighty Man.

’What’s going on?’

Zheng Xiu felt the atmosphere was strange. Incredibly strange.

Setting aside why the town’s residents wanted to burn this woman and child alive, the rescued woman herself showed not a shred of gratitude. She just sat on the ground, clutching the swaddled infant, staring in terror at the two outsiders.

"Everyone, stop!"

The Divine-Tuning Witch raised his right hand and shouted to the others, "They’re from the outside!"

The moment the Divine-Tuning Witch finished speaking, his vision blurred, and a large, strong hand snatched his mask away.

Beneath the mask was a young face, his eyes filled with panic.

Zheng Xiu looked at the "Divine-Tuning Witch" with a strange expression.

Beneath the mask was a child. To be precise, a boy only about twelve or thirteen years old, far from the age of manhood and still with a boyish air.

Zheng Xiu was silent as he looked up at the others. When the Divine-Tuning Witch’s true face was revealed, the town residents showed no surprise at all. They continued to stare at the two outsiders with a mixture of anger and fear.

"It seems... we’ve done something unnecessary."

Zheng Xiu tossed the mask back to the boy.

He was now certain that the "Divine-Tuning Witch" before him was not one of the Odd People, a Technique Master who had glimpsed the Path. It was simply a job.

The two of them had been pursued by Ye Weiyang this whole time, making them overly sensitive to Miracle Masters. Zheng Xiu couldn’t help but laugh at himself. ’There are billions of ordinary people in the world. How could there be so many of the Odd People who have glimpsed the Path?’

"Cuihua! Cuihua!"

Amid the strange atmosphere, a plainly dressed, middle-aged man pushed through the crowd and stumbled over to the woman who had nearly perished in the flames.

"You’re alive! You’re still alive!"

Tears streamed down the man’s face. He was about to help the woman up when suddenly, a faint cry came from the tightly wrapped bundle. The man shuddered in fright, fell right on his bottom, and scrambled backward on all fours as if fleeing a plague.

"It’s not dead! It’s not dead! It’s not dead!"

The woman, who had been silent through all the chaos, looked up at her terrified husband and clutched the swaddled infant even tighter. "No one is burning my child! No one is burning my child!"