"Master, I heard from Second Junior Sister that we're going to make a move on the Chai Gate?"
The honest-looking young man, who had returned to the Martial Arts Dojo without anyone noticing, sat cross-legged steadily opposite the elder.
He spoke calmly:
"Wouldn't the risk factor be a bit too high?"
The old Dojo Master glanced at the honest young man, and said lazily:
"Do you think I can't handle Old Ghost Chai?"
"The problem isn't him."
Niu Dali, with bandages wrapped around his arms, spoke softly:
"Recently, Old Ghost Chai seems to be in contact with those people... Taoism."
Hong Tianbao chuckled:
"So what, should we report to the Federation?"
Niu Dali was silent for a moment:
"In any case, I think now is not the right time to annex Chai Gate. If it's because of the new junior brother's resource issue, I can allocate half of my business to him."
The two exchanged glances in silence.
For a long time.
Hong Tianbao rotated his prayer beads and spoke dully:
"I know about Old Ghost Chai's contact with Taoism. If it was the Eastern Sect, I wouldn't trouble Chai Gate, but he leaned towards the Western Sect."
He placed down the prayer beads:
"The Eastern and Western Sects stem from the same source but operate very differently, and their deities are seemingly similar... You should understand the Western Sect's affairs as well; if we let them run wild in Jiangzhou, how long can this city exist?"
Niu Dali spoke seriously:
"I've received news that people from the Eastern Sect are also in Jiangzhou. Moreover, your 'old friend,' if I remember correctly, he was once an Upper Envoy of the Eastern Taoism, should still be in Jiangzhou, right?"
"Master, if you really want to take down Chai Gate, it's best to wait until the Eastern Sect's Upper Envoy clears out those Western Sect cultists. Entering the fray now is really risky."
The elder lowered his eyelids slightly and remained silent for a long time.
In the stillness, he let out a breath:
"I don't have much time left."
Niu Dali was startled and raised his head abruptly:
"Your... injury?"
Hong Tianbao nodded faintly and said:
"My 'old friend' is covered with incurable growths, uncontrollably turning into a flesh monster. How can I be any better?"
"The last time I saw him, Huang Qiuxian, once a renowned Martial Sect master, had fallen to the level of a Martial Artist. Even if he's still alive now, he's probably just a useless old man of the Second or Third Refinement."
Hearing his master's words, Niu Dali opened his mouth, remained silent for a while:
"Do you know where he is?"
"I don't know."
Hong Tianbao yawned:
"I didn't even think about looking for him... As for the Chai Gate, it's decided. Your junior brother's talent is said to be unmatched through the ages. I'm not biased, but he indeed has the most potential."
Pausing, Hong Tianbao spoke in a deep voice:
"And now, he needs not just resources, but to learn 'how to act.' Chai Gate is the best touchstone. If he does well, he might even catch the Eastern Sect's attention."
"The path of cultivation is nothing but competition. If one only knows how to cultivate but not how to compete, they won't get far... Chai Gate is the first lesson I'm teaching him, and perhaps the last."
The elder stood up and left, with Niu Dali calling out behind him:
"If you really get involved, you'll die!"
"Didn't I say already?" The chubby old man pouted, "I don't have much longer to live anyway."
......
"How is it?"
The bald Zhu Xiaoming patted the red sports car beside him, smugly said:
"Old Zhang, is it cool?"
Zhang Fusheng chuckled:
"It is cool... but your earrings?"
He pointed to the big earrings on Zhu Xiaoming's ears and the large gold chain around his neck.
Zhu Xiaoming lifted his head and said:
"I specifically got my ears pierced the day before yesterday, chose skull earrings, paired with the gold chain and my bald head... don't I look like a big shot?"
"Like a hooligan." Zhang Fusheng mocked, "Are you planning to change your ways and become a man with a lion in his eyes?"
"You really get me, Old Zhang!"
Zhu Xiaoming beamed:
"University is a place with new people and a fresh start; very few know about my past. I've decided that when school starts, I'll become a cold, emotionless person."
"I'll be taciturn, walking alone like a lone wolf in the snow mountains!"
He patted his chest, full of ambition.
Zhang Fusheng was silent for a moment:
"I don't see a lone wolf, just a husky, and a bald one at that."
"Get lost, get lost, get lost!" Zhu Xiaoming jumped in frustration.
The two got into the bright red sports car.
"Uncle Zhu bought it for you?" Zhang Fusheng asked curiously, "This can't be cheap, right?"
He began to wonder.
From Senior Sister, Zhang Fusheng also got information on 'Zhu Dashan.' He's indeed Uncle Zhu, with debts even higher than Chen Nuanyu's, a full forty million.
But from the financial brief in the information, it seems paying it off wouldn't be impossible, as Uncle Zhu used that money to front a large batch of materials,
Although the loan interest is quite high, paying it back shouldn't be too hard, though not easy either.
If not careful, there's a 'risk of default.'
"It landed for over three million."
Zhu Xiaoming chuckled:
"But it wasn't bought by my dad, it's rented."
He pressed the accelerator, and under the curious eyes of passersby, the sports car zoomed like a fiery meteor on the asphalt, but it didn't head directly towards Jiang University.
"Where are we going?" Zhang Fusheng was a bit puzzled.
Zhu Xiaoming replied cheekily:
"Today, you have to be my wingman once. I owe you this favor, don't I?"
Zhang Fusheng raised an eyebrow:
"Where exactly are we going?"
He noticed that the surrounding buildings were becoming more familiar.
"You asked me about Zhong Yue yesterday."
Zhu Xiaoming held the steering wheel with one hand and patted his chest with the other, looking rather smug:
"My dad sponsored the Jiang Banquet, and didn't the school just let me be responsible for this meal? I gave her a call based on the information on the list."
He winked at Zhang Fusheng:
"I invited her to visit Jiang University today under the guise of the event. Isn't this giving you a chance? Of course, with another girl around, I can also stick closer to Lu Yao!"
Zhang Fusheng was speechless.
At this moment, the red sports car screeched to a halt in front of Snake Fist Hall. The window rolled down, and Zhu Xiaoming waved to the young girl who had just stepped out on leave and was standing outside the Martial Arts Hall.
Zhong Yue curiously eyed the vibrant red sports car, took two steps closer, and suddenly stopped in her tracks—she saw the handsome young man in the passenger seat.
It was him.
Not only did Zhong Yue see him, but the little old man in a traditional jacket, leisurely swaying outside the Martial Arts Hall, also spotted Zhang Fusheng, hands behind his back.
He narrowed his eyes:
"Old Ghost Hong, aren't you done yet?"
Zhang Fusheng's gaze passed over Zhong Yue and met the eyes of the Snake Fist Hall Master, causing a chill in his heart.
The moment their eyes met, the little old man seemed displeased, with a faint glow in his eyes. In an instant, Zhang Fusheng noticed the surroundings change dramatically,
he was no longer sitting in a sports car but on a bright yellow meditation mat, with vast clouds beneath, the world silent, just him and the old man.
A mental illusion, or perhaps, a Divine Realm.
"The elder might have misunderstood something." Zhang Fusheng felt tense; the Divine Realm, according to his master, belonged to the capability of [He should see me as such],
apart from briefly touching this level at the initial stage of the Great Success in Contemplation Technique or relying on a flash of Spiritual Light,
at other times, one needed at least Minor Perfection in Contemplation Technique to create a Divine Realm.
The most critical point is,
his master still had to tap three times, yet this Snake Fist Hall Master of merely the Second Refinement just lifted his eyelids.
Perfection.
Contemplation Technique Perfection.
Absolutely a figure at the true [He should see me as such] level!
"Misunderstanding?"
The old man stood atop the clouds of the Divine Realm, each word like the vast heavenly echo. From the thick clouds all around, warriors armored in gold and wielding bows and knives emerged, hundreds and thousands of them.
He said:
"If Hong Tianbao bears a grudge and refuses to let go of a dying man like me, let him come himself."
Thousands of armored soldiers simultaneously stepped closer to Zhang Fusheng, clearly fictitious beings in the illusion, yet the majesty and momentum were undeniably real!
The warriors raised their bows.
A thousand bows were drawn like full moons at this moment.
Being targeted by a thousand great bows, the sharp aura made Zhang Fusheng's breathing difficult, his chest tight, and his brow in pain,
under the thousand bows, arrows had not yet left the strings, yet the sharp aura had already pierced Zhang Fusheng's brow, causing blood to trickle down!
Zhang Fusheng stood firm, knowing it was merely an illusion..... Back in the days when trapped in an illusion, he had been gnawed by skeletons for days on end, he was long accustomed, naturally unafraid of these thousand bows and armors.
"Elder, this is a misunderstanding." Zhang Fusheng repeated, his fists vibrated, his body suddenly transformed into white bones, which emitted a faint glow, the fist wind gathered the cloud beneath him into a tiger's head behind him.
"Roar!" The huge tiger head floated behind the young man, roaring.
"A mere [Fist Intent]..."
The old man's mouth twitched, the coldness on his face dissipated, and he suddenly fell silent.
"What skill does Old Ghost Hong really have....."
He muttered to himself, touched his chest, then suddenly lowered his hand.
The fake warriors lowered their longbows.
"Tell Hong Tianbao, I, Huang Qiuxian, was wrong back then."
"I really can't show my face to see him..... Didn't he want to learn my Taoist Five Thunders Technique?"
"Pass it on to him, as an apology, and also, Jiang City is not very peaceful lately, let him not get involved."
Huang Qiuxian, the name sounds so familiar.
And Taoism..... Five Thunders Technique?
Zhang Fusheng was stunned for a moment, blood flowing from the cracked brow, seeing the elderly figure wave a hand, this part of the Spirit Divine Realm collapsed by a quarter,
the collapsed part turned into a beam of light, hitting into his body.
He was suddenly jolted awake, still inside the bright red sports car, Zhong Yue was already in the car somehow.
"Old..... Old Zhang?"
Zhu Xiaoming looked at him in horror:
"What happened to you?"
Zhang Fusheng instinctively looked outside the car, but the Snake Fist Hall Master had disappeared, and his forehead felt warm.
He reached out and touched it, it was blood.
Every hair on his body stood on end.