In the world, one must rely on both strength and background. Are you really that tough

The Rain Pavilion stood at the heart of Rain Lake, merely a hundred meters from the shore. Yet the tempestuous Rain Dao Laws raging between made it impossible for boats to advance even an inch. Despite being so close, it took nearly half an hour just to barely make landfall at the pavilion.

Chen Dalei crawled onto the shore, drenched from head to toe, his lips twitching as he glared at the equally soaked but utterly unperturbed poleman.

"Is this what you call 'famously fast'?"

"Of course! Sinking fast counts too, doesn’t it? Full salvage and survival guaranteed!"

"I didn’t catch your name?"

"Just a humble nobody. Folks call me Old Liang—feel free to do the same."

"You’re Liang Hui?!" Chen Dalei suddenly recalled the ticket seller’s warning before his departure.

"Oh? You’ve heard of me?" Liang Hui eyed the out-of-town traveler with surprise. "If you did your research, why’d you still pick me?"

Chen Dalei: "..."

Did I even have a choice?

It’s not like I could’ve bothered those two other polemen who were too busy passionately debating whether tomatoes are fruits or vegetables.

Chen Dalei sighed softly. "Forget it. You should leave now. Wouldn’t want you getting caught in the crossfire."

Liang Hui’s expression turned odd at that. "Sir, the 2,998-spirit-stone ticket isn’t just for pole service—it includes security too. It’s my duty to keep you safe. Don’t worry about me getting hurt. If I didn’t have the skills, how could I even work as a poleman here?"

"The real concern is you—only at the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment. If danger comes, just step behind me. Survival guaranteed!"

The minimum standard for polemen was the Nascent Soul stage, plus specialized training to endure the Rain Dao Laws’ fury and the distorted water-pressure field of Rain Lake—hauling a thousand jin across three round trips!

The reason his boat kept sinking back in the day was simply because he overloaded it. Others dared carry ten passengers at most; he took twenty, sometimes even thirty!

While others earned twenty or thirty thousand spirit stones in commissions daily, he pulled in fifty or sixty thousand!

His excellence bred envy, leading to isolation and slander—earning him the infamous "sinks fast" reputation that ruined his business.

Then, when that little menace Jin started causing trouble, passenger numbers plummeted. No more fat profits, just scraping by on the city god’s basic stipend.

Otherwise, he’d never settle for just one passenger!

"If you researched this place and still came, you must be gambling that the little menace wouldn’t show up. But don’t worry—I’m not bragging when I say even that brat would call me 'Uncle' to my face!"

Liang Hui thumped his chest, oozing confidence.

Chen Dalei’s lips curled into a faint smirk. "You sure you won’t leave?"

"Tsk—"

Liang Hui shuddered, his back suddenly burning as if pierced by a razor-sharp force.

He knew this feeling all too well.

No mistake—the little menace was here!

Damn it, caught red-handed while boasting. Now he was in trouble!

In an instant, a hundred escape plans flashed through Liang Hui’s mind. Yet he steeled himself, turning to shield Chen Dalei, hands weaving a golden barrier to meet the fireball streaking across the lake’s surface.

Clang!

A flash of cold steel—then the spear lunged like a dragon!

Liang Hui, at late-stage Nascent Soul, didn’t last a single exchange against Jin, an early-stage Nascent Soul. The sheer force of the high-grade Nine Heavens Ember Annihilation Spear sent him flying into the lake!

The spear’s momentum didn’t stop, driving straight toward Chen Dalei—halting just an inch from his throat.

"Why didn’t you dodge?!"

Jin’s crimson eyes bore into Chen Dalei’s calm face, the child’s murderous aura thick enough to solidify.

"Because I wasn’t afraid," Chen Dalei replied evenly.

"Why not?!" Jin pressed, trying to intimidate him.

"Fear just wasn’t there," Chen Dalei said with a serene smile. "So you’re Jin? Truly... impressively built."

Clang!

Jin yanked the spear back, baring his fangs in a grin. "Not bad—didn’t piss yourself. Yeah, I’m Jin. Mom told me to call you 'big bro,' but I say respect’s earned. You’re too weak. You call me 'big bro' instead!"

"Kid, you might look grown, but no need to force the act. Playing adult must be exhausting, huh?"

Chen Dalei’s tone was almost paternal. He naturally reached out, intending to pat Jin’s head—but settled for the boy’s thick, rock-solid pectorals when height failed him.

Jin froze.

Wait, why’s he so casual?

Acting like he’s actually the big bro now?!

"Hands off!"

Jin roared, muscles bulging like an enraged tiger as he swung a fist at Chen Dalei.

"Ah, you stubborn child..."

Chen Dalei sighed. With a flick of his wrist, a belt of twelve octagonal talisman stones materialized around his waist, each engraved with a different zodiac animal.

Yi had said this belt—named "Sage Lord’s Might"—was a casual artifact he forged five centuries ago. The twelve zodiac talismans held mystical power: once worn, the user lacked nothing. At full strength, it made one invincible below the Immortal realm, and even against Immortals, a mutual kill was possible.

Such overwhelming power against a mere early-stage Nascent Soul like Jin was outright bullying.

But alas, this was the weakest trinket Yi had given him.

Bam!

The moment the belt settled, Chen Dalei channeled the Ox Talisman’s power, instantly amplifying his physique to Herculean levels. A single finger effortlessly halted Jin’s massive fist.

"How?!"

Jin’s eyes widened. He hadn’t gone all out, but no eighth-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator should’ve stopped it—let alone with one finger, so casually!

That belt was cheating! It boosted strength and endurance!

"Nothing’s impossible." Chen Dalei smirked. "Lesson for today, kid: in this world, strength matters—but so does backing. You think you’re tough?"

"You talk too much! Fight me outside!" Jin seethed. Even if he couldn’t budge that finger, he hadn’t used his treasures yet. He refused to yield!

"Fine. Since words won’t reach you, I suppose I’ll have to resort to... slightly rougher methods."

Chen Dalei shook his head, then yanked Jin by the arm—vanishing from Rain Pavilion in an instant!

Though he’d restrained most of his power, the residual force still cracked the pavilion’s structure.

In seconds, torrential rain gushed through the fissure, widening it further. The downpour outside now had an indoor counterpart—a relentless indoor drizzle.