"Xiaobei hubby! What did they say to you? What's with your reaction?"
Wenyuan frowned. One could see that she was really nervous.
"They told me that they want to thank me for not killing them! So, they will bring me to the core area of this jungle! That spot is filled with Spiritual Qi and I can use it however I want! Considering that Spiritual Qi is the thing that I need the most right now, I can be considered the luckiest person on this earth!"
While talking, Chen Xiaobei kept all the spider webs back in his Thousand Webs Bracelet to set all the creatures free. Chen Xiaobei could not wait to follow the creatures into the deeper part of the jungle. Knowing that he still needed to activate his Soul Consuming Enigmatic Jade, it was important for him gathered enough Spiritual Qi to activate it. By that time, Chen Xiaobei could achieve a new breakthrough in his cultivation. He might even acquire a brand new powerful Spiritual Item!
On the way to the deeper part of the jungle, Chen Xiaobei received another 30,000 merit points from killing the five Japanese ninjas.
Ding!
[Your current merit points is 930,000. You need another 2,070,000 merit points to go to the next level (Charm: 93,000. Luck: 93,000)!]
Feeling ecstatic, Chen Xiaobei receive a huge amount of merit points and Spiritual Qi throughout this trip. On the way to the spot where the Spiritual Qi gathered, the creatures slowly parted ways. In the end, it was the big black bear that led them to the final destination. It was a hidden cave. Without the big black bear leading the ways, there was simply no way for them to find this cave.
"Just enjoy the Spiritual Qi here. I'll be on my way."
The big black bear said goodbye to Chen Xiaobei and left the cave. Seeing that the big black bear had left them, Wenyuan asked cautiously, "Xiaobei hubby, do you think we can trust those creatures? Do you think there is a possibility that he led us to a trap?"
"Don't worry! I don't think they'd dare to lie to me as there's no need of them to."
With a smile on his face, Chen Xiaobei stepped into the cave. Just as the creatures told him earlier, the amount of Spiritual Qi inside this cave was really concentrated. Immediately, Chen Xiaobei took out his green jade gourd from his treasure chest to absorb all the Spiritual Qi inside this cave. Right after he uttered the word 'Absorb'– all the Spiritual Qi in the cave started to pour into the green jade gourd.
"So magical! I have not seen you for some time! Also, you already have so many new items in your possession! One after another! This is really amazing!"
"Well, I think the God of Luck is with me recently! I have come across some really rare opportunity and items!"
"Your rare opportunity and items have everything to do with the Red Envelope Group, right? I actually wish I could turn back to spirit form. In spirit form, I can join the Red Envelope to snatch Red Envelopes with my hubby!"
"Don't talk nonsense! You are not going back to spirit form! You have to aim higher! Aim to become a deity! No more spirit! I will not let you die again!"
"But, I don't like training! The path of becoming a deity is going to be so tiring! As the saying goes, the one that ascends to heaven will bring his closed one with him! Will you bring me to heavenly realm when you become a deity?"
"Of course! I will never abandon my little Wenyuan!"
With a smile on his face, there were more thoughts coming into his mind.
'If I become a deity in the future, I will definitely bring my parents, women, and good friends with me! Will I be able to meet up with my Sifu when I travel to the legendary heavenly realm? Will I be able to meet Monkey King? And my pretty Chang'e?"
Upon thinking about all these possibilities, Chen Xiaobei's heart was filled with anticipation. Seconds later, the gloominess was all over him. The apocalyptic event was coming really soon! According to the Prime of Tongtian, this upcoming apocalyptic event was going to be destructive. Also, Taiyin True Deity did mention that he had to survive and do something about it if he wanted to become a deity and bring his families and friends to the heavenly realm to avoid this apocalyptic event.
"I have to become stronger!"
With a determined manner, Chen Xiaobei's will to become more powerful grew. Strength was the way to everything!
"Xiaobei…"
Upon seeing Chen Xiaobei's serious look, Wenyuan was deeply attracted by him. Ambition, responsibility, determination, and courage were the things that made Chen Xiaobei a real man! He was just way too charming for Wenyuan to handle.
"Alright! Let's go home now."
Soon, all the Spiritual Qi inside the cave was absorbed by the green jade gourd. Since this spot was the backbone of this area, Spiritual Qi would always flow through and was stored in here little by little. The amount of Spiritual Qi that Chen Xiaobei claimed earlier was at least ten years' worth of Spiritual Qi! Unless he could use some godly methods to drain all the Spiritual Qi generated by the core of this area, he would have to leave for now.
"The Spiritual Qi in this area is really concentrated! I'm afraid the total amount of Spiritual Qi in this cave is equivalent to three forbidden areas of Golden Dragon Temple! Just to be safe, I think I need to look for one more spot like this to activate my Soul Consuming Enigmatic Jade! It's better that I take it slow to avoid any unnecessary problems."
After making that decision, Chen Xiaobei brought Wenyuan back to where they came from. He could claim Zhou Huajiang's Ferrari when he went back to them – making this a fruitful trip. However, things did not seem to go his way. Just when Wenyuan and Chen Xiaobei were coming back to them, they were plotting a way to deal with Chen Xiaobei.
"Brother Liu! We can forget about your cowardice earlier! But, you have to think of a way to deal with that son of a bitch!" said Zhou Huajiang.
"Alright! I promise you! What do you want me to do?"
Clearly, he did not want to spoil the relationship between him and Zhou Huajiang. The most important thing was if his cowardice would cost him his reputation and job if others knew about it. That was why he had to say yes to Zhou Huajiang's demand.
"As long as that bastard surrenders to us and I get to bring home a beauty, your debt to me will be forfeited! And I will thank you properly!"
"Force that bastard to surrender to us? But, I might not be able to force him to do something that he doesn't want to do…"
"If you can't do it, bring Elder Qi! Borrowing one's power to do evil! Understood?"
"Okay! I know what to do now!"
--------------462----------
"Here they are! They are back!" Xia Tao informed Zhou Huajiang immediately. As Zhou Huajiang was their backer, they would always support him no matter what. On the other hand, Chen Xiaobei was just an outsider to them. This was the dark side of the society. Right and wrong were not as important as benefit.
Before letting Chen Xiaobei and Wenyuan speak their minds, Zhou Huajiang took the initiative to dictate Chen Xiaobei's fate.
"Bastard! You have already lost! Just break up with Wenyuan in front of all us right now!"
Glancing at everyone calmly, Chen Xiaobei said, "I thought the rule states that the one that kills the largest prey is the winner of this competition. What now? Are you trying to bend the rule?"
"Well, you broke the rule of this hunting ground! Before the hunt began, Brother Liu mentioned that none of us were allowed to use a gun to kill our prey! You broke that rule! That's equivalent to losing this competition!"
"Did he mention that we are not allowed to use guns to kill our prey? In the very beginning, that Liu guy only mentioned that this is a traditional hunting ground, hence there is no gun to be rented. Nothing about being disqualified if a gun is used. In any case, I didn't even use a gun to kill that wild boar!"
"Don't try to defend yourself!"
"I saw you use a gun to kill that wild boar with my eyes! I know you have hidden that gun somewhere in this forest! That is why you came back late! What a lying bastard!"
"Zhou Huajiang! You are a shameless bastard! Since when you saw my Xiaobei hubby use a gun to kill that wild boar? You are clearly lying!"
Wenyuan was furious after hearing Zhou Huajiang's accusation. Upon hearing that, Zhou Huajiang's face darkened. Everything that he did so far was all for Wenyuan. Unfortunately, Wenyuan refused to accept his goodwill. Her support for Chen Xiaobei saddened him.
Immediately, Xia Tao stepped out to support Zhou Huajiang.
"Clearly, that bastard broke the rule! He even refuses to admit his mistake! What a coward!
"What a load of bullshit! Show me proof that he broke the rule!" chided Wenyuan.
She could not wait to march forward to land a slap on each and every one of them. Evidently, Chen Xiaobei was the winner. Not only did the two refuse to accept the fact that they lost, they even started accusing Chen Xiaobei of cheating in the competition.
To Wenyuan's surprise, all the men and women around her started to nod their heads and accuse Chen Xiaobei of something that he did not do.
"Wenyuan! I don't think you have a clear view just now! We all saw that he did use a gun to kill that wild boar! He broke the rule!"
"That's right! Try to think about it! Without using a gun, how did he even kill that wild boar?"
"Wenyuan! You are too innocent! That bastard lied to you! Wake up! Break up with him now! Master Zhou is the best man for you!"
"That's right! Master Zhou is so much better than that son of a bitch!"
...….
Upon hearing their wrongful accusations, Wenyuan felt even angrier.
"Before you guys accuse my Xiaobei, have you thought of about him saving your lives?! Even the animals know how to repay his kindness! As for you guys! All you guys ever did was repay him with false and despicable accusations! Even animals are better than all of you here!"
"I will never break up with Xiaobei! From today onwards, I want nothing to do with you guys! It's embarrassing to be your friends!" Wenyuan said in a determined manner. Rendered speechless, all those youngsters suddenly felt ashamed. Without Chen Xiaobei helping them, they would have turned into a pile of minced meat by the wild boar. Sadly, none of them were grateful about it. No matter what, they were on the wrong side of this matter.
"Alright! Let's not argue anymore! Elder Qi is the one that banned guns in this place! Those who break the rule will be chased out of this place – never to enter again! Though he did save us all, it does not change the fact that he broke the rule! Without rules, there would be chaos! We will repay his kindness later. Clearly, he has lost in this competition!" said Brother Liu assertively.
When it came to the name Elder Qi, he purposely emphasized it in a loud tone. Seemingly, he was trying to use this name to pressure Chen Xiaobei to surrender. However, Chen Xiaobei could not even care less about Elder Qi.
He just tossed a condescending stare at Brother Liu and said, "Even Elder Qi has to show me some respect and treat me politely! You have no right to make me surrender!"
"What did you just say?"
Everyone including Brother Liu were taken aback. Instantly, the air around them froze. To them, Brother Liu was a highly respected individual in Jianghu. Also, Elder Qi was like an untouchable god to them! Who would have thought that this youngster in his twenties was crazy enough to disrespect Elder Qi. Basically, he was talking about Elder Qi should serve him when he met him.
"Bastard! You have crossed the line! It seems like you are way over your head! How dare you disrespect Elder Qi?" shouted Brother Liu.
"Try me! You can always ask your master to come and meet me!"
"What?!"
As a guide of this hunting ground, he had seen all kind of powerful individual from the field of politic, military, and business. However, he had never crossed paths with such an insane individual like Chen Xiaobei.
"This kid is crazy! I have never met such an arrogant person!"
"Hmph! He is just acting tough! He would wet his pants if Elder Qi was here!"
"That's right! He would have died eight hundred times if Elder Qi fought him!"
....
Clearly, the crowd was not pleased with Chen Xiaobei's attitude. To them, he was just trying to act tough. He would definitely turn into a coward when he met Elder Qi.
"Little Liu! Is there anything that I should know from your discussion? I hear your voice from far!"
A youngster and an old man entered the wooden house.
"Elder Qi! Master Qi! To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Immediately, Brother Liu strode towards Elder Qi in a welcoming and polite manner – like a eunuch.
"Mr. Chen! Why are you here?!"
The both of them could not be bothered with Brother Liu, their gaze on Chen Xiaobei.
-------------------463_________
Elder Qi?
Master Qi?
'Who are they?'
They were baffled as they had never seen them before. It was no wonder that they had questions. Seeing Brother Liu acting politely towards them, even an idiot could guess that they were highly respected in Jianghu. Instantly, their eyes were filled with astonishment.
"This person could be the legendary Elder Qi from Xuanjian Faction!"
"The man standing next to him must be his son. Look at his disposition, I don't think he is an ordinary individual!"
"Why are they here all of a sudden?"
...
Whispering, their gazes had a mixture of fear and respect. To them, Elder Qi and Master Qi were like gods – there was no way that they could be like them no matter how hard they tried. There were tens of millions of people in this world but there was only a handful of them could earn the right to join the Xuanjian Faction. Judging from this, one could see that Elder Qi had a high position in Jianghu. Immediately, everyone in the house stood up to pay their respects, none daring to snub the duo. Even Wenyuan had a surprised look on her face. Despite their extraordinary status, it seemed like they respected Chen Xiaobei a lot.
"Mr. Chen! You should have informed us in advance before your visit! My deepest apologies if you did not receive the hospitality that you deserve!"
Elder Qi and his son strode towards Chen Xiaobei with apologetic looks on their faces.
"Who is Mr. Chen? Is there anyone with the surname, Chen in this wooden house?"
Puzzled, everyone started to look around to search for the person with the surname. To their knowledge, none of their acquaintances there had 'Chen' as their surname. In the beginning, Wenyuan wanted to introduce Chen Xiaobei to her friends. However, none of them wanted to put effort to get to know Chen Xiaobei. Naturally, they did not know his surname. What happened next made them dumbfounded.
"Mr. Chen! Don't just stand there! Please have a seat!"
Immediately, the two of them bowed at Chen Xiaobei and asked him to have a seat in a very polite manner. Nonchalantly, Chen Xiaobei held Wenyuan's hands and sat on the master seat in the wooden house. On the other hand, Elder Qi and his son did not dare to sit down until Chen Xiaobei gave them permission to do so. They just stood beside Chen Xiaobei quietly.
"Good heavens… T-That kid over there is Mr. Chen?!"
Everyone around him was like a frog that was just crushed by a cow – their eyes almost popped out from their sockets and their dropped jaws wide enough to fit a fist. They did not expect Mr. Chen to be the youngster traveling alongside them. At that moment, all of them felt fear in their hearts.
"Maybe the two of you have the wrong person. This kid right here is not worthy of anyone's respect!"
Zhou Huajiang was not afraid to act arrogantly in front of Elder Qi due to his upbringing.
"Who the hell are you? How dare you look down on Mr. Chen? Apologize to Mr. Chen right now! If not, I'm going to destroy your stupid mouth!" chided Master Qi.
On the other hand, Elder Qi was just staring at him. A dominating aura emanated from him – creating fear in this room. Promptly, everyone lowered their head. None of them dared to say another word.
*Sii….*
Zhou Huajiang took in a deep breath. He almost peed his pants because of it.
"Master Zhou! Apologize quickly… Now…"
Brother Liu looked pale. He then kept on asking Zhou Huajiang to apologize to Chen Xiaobei. Clearly, he knew Elder Qi and his son were capable of doing a lot of unthinkable stuff. Let alone destroying Zhou Huajiang's mouth, they could easily kill everyone in this house with a snap of their fingers! This was how Jianghu worked. One should never try to joke around with people that possessed the ability to kill another person.
"I'm so sorry… Mr. Chen, I'm really sorry… It was wrong for me to spout nonsense about you… Please do not stoop to the same level as a lowly person like me…"
Zhou Huajiang did not dare to spout any nonsense anymore. He then quickly bowed at Chen Xiaobei as an apology. Though he had decided to apologize to Chen Xiaobei, he was actually very frustrated. Initially, he was planning to use Elder Qi's influence to terrify Chen Xiaobei and force him to surrender. To his astonishment, he did not expect Elder Qi to have so much respect for Chen Xiaobei.
*Chuckle*
"Zhou Huajiang! I dare you to throw a tantrum again! Hmph! Look at you! How dare you mess with my Xiaobei! You are literally digging your own grave!"
Seeing that Zhou Huajiang was forced to apologize to Chen Xiaobei, she felt really satisfied.
"Everything is my fault… I'll never repeat such mistake again…"
Frustrated, he had no other choice but to do what he was asked to do.
"You are not the only one in this room that needs to apologize to me!"
A casual sentence from Chen Xiaobei and it was enough to freak them out completely.
"Mr. Chen. We are so sorry… We were blinded by our ignorance earlier… We are so sorry that we offended you… Sorry…. Mr. Chen."
Immediately, everyone gathered around Chen Xiaobei and started to apologize to him. The expressions on their faces were a mixture of regret, respect, terror, and surprise. The earlier looks of disdain were completely wiped off.
Like a crazy fan, Wenyuan could not stop complimenting Chen Xiaobei.
"Xiaobei hubby! You are so darn cool! Make this group ungrateful bastards apologize to you!"
"Xiaobei hubby? Xiaobei… Chen Xiaobei!!! He is Chen Xiaobei!!!"
Suddenly, Zhou Huajiang let out a terrified yelp. It seemed like he was going to wet his pants any time soon.
"Idiot! How dare you address him by his full name?! Straighten your ears and listen carefully! This person right here is the faction leader of Bei Xuan Faction! You are only allowed to call him faction leader or Mister! Don't blame me for beating any of you up if you disrespect Mr. Chen!"
Bewildered, everyone felt like they were struck by lightning after what Elder Qi said.
*Bump*
Immediately, Brother Liu and Xia Tao knelt on the ground, while Zhou Huajiang was standing there like a statue. The only difference was his custom-made long pants were drenched in his pee. All this while, every single one of them had high respect for Chen Xiaobei, as Feng Yaolun and Song Qincheng had high hopes on him and his combat power was extraordinary as well. They had always wanted a chance to lick his boots.
Unfortunately, none of them recognized him while the dragon was standing right in front of them. Now, they were filled with regret.
__________464__________
All those infamous arrogant filthy rich youngsters had now turned into cowards.
"Just leave the item that I won from the competition! Then you guys can get the hell out of my face!"
Chen Xiaobei waved his hands at them impatiently, not wanting to waste his time or breath on them anymore.
"Faction Leader Chen… Please accept this gift…"
With both of his hands holding the key to his Ferrari, Zhou Huajiang walked towards Chen Xiaobei while his body quivered uncontrollably.
"Wenyuan, hold the key. You can have the car!" said Chen Xiaobei calmly. He could not care less about the luxury car that cost around four million. He just gave it to Wenyuan like a piece of toy.
"Yay! Thank you Xiaobei hubby!"
Upon taking the key from Chen Xiaobei, her beautiful eyes lit up. Earlier, she did mention to her friends that she really liked Ferrari. That was why Zhou Huajiang bought this car to impress Wenyuan. Unfortunately, this car had fallen into Wenyuan's possession. By now, Zhou Huajiang just wanted to wail.
"Get lost!"
Wenyuan waved her hands to indicate that Zhou Huajiang should leave now. Clearly, she was disgusted by Zhou Huajiang's attitude.
"Y-y-yes…"
Immediately, Zhou Huajiang and his friends left the house without looking back.
"You, get out too! Pack your stuff and leave Dragon City!" said Master Qi in a condescending tone while glaring at Brother Liu who was still kneeling on the ground.
A nervous and fearful look could be seen on Brother Liu's face. Taking this job away from him was worse than killing him.
"It is not necessary for you to explain anything to me anymore! Going against Mr. Chen is equivalent to going against the Qi Family! Leave Dragon City or die!"
"Y-Yes…"
Brother Liu gulped and he left the wooden house instantly. His face was as white as a sheet when he left. One could see that his hands and legs were shaking unconsciously. It was as if he had just lost his soul. The job as a hunting guide was so exclusive; even Zhou Huajiang was envious! In other words, it was a high-paying job that granted connections with influential individuals of society. Additionally, Elder Qi would occasionally guide the person to be better at certain martial arts skills. If one held that job for around ten years, that person could save up a decent amount of money, build a number of good connections, and become an expert at certain martial arts skills. No doubt, the person could definitely do something great with all these resources.
To Brother Liu, losing this job was equivalent to being banished to hell. Of course, he was the one that brought this on to himself. No one would sympathize him after what he did to Chen Xiaobei. After that, there were no more outsiders in the wooden house.
"Xiaobei hubby. How did you cross path with them? They have been a great help so far!"
"No! That is definitely an overstatement! Mr. Chen saved my son's life! He is the biggest benefactor of our family! All we did just now was chase away a group of annoying flies! It was just a small favor."
"That's right! Without Chen Xiaobei, I would still be lying on the sickbed in the hospital! We will never forget what Mr. Chen had done for us!"
"Alright. You guys are acting way too polite! We shall take our leave if there's nothing else for me to do here."
"Hold on. Mr. Chen. There is actually an important thing that I want to tell you! I was looking for the right time to tell you about it!"
"What kind of important matter?"
"Chinese New Year is just around the corner. After the New Year, the annual hero ranking competition will begin! If Mr. Chen is interested in it, you can go ahead and register within these few days." said Elder Qi.
"Hero ranking competition? What is that?"
"Let me start by telling you the history of God of War Leaderboard. As the saying goes, there is no absolute power in the field of academia and martial arts. Everything can be determined by a competition. Every year, Jianghu will rank those elites according to their combat power. And, that leaderboard is known as the God of War Leaderboard! How are they going to evaluate us? Are we supposed to fight with each other?"
Those who earned the right to register were elites at True Nirvana Stage. Making them fight with each other would definitely cause a huge impact on Jianghu.
"It is definitely not necessary for them to duel each other! Professionals from Jianghu would serve as the judge to evaluate one's combat power. Martial arts skill and weapons that one possesses are put into consideration as well! The one that tops the leaderboard will earn the respect of every single folk from Jianghu. This is why this tradition can last for so long."
"I see now! How about the Hero of War Leaderboard?"
"To make it simple, Hero of War Leaderboard is specifically for those below the age of thirty! However, there are tons of talented young people that are below thirty years old want to clinch a place in the leaderboard. It is hard for the professional to gauge their combat power because they have just entered the Jianghu. Hence, information about them is close to none. The only way to rank them is through a martial arts competition! The one who has the hardest fist will dominate the leaderboard! You will be glorified once you are listed on this leaderboard – becoming a superstar in this Jianghu!"
"It's just a name and title. It seems like there is no reward when one is chosen to be listed in the leaderboard. For me, it's pretty pointless."
"Of course there is a reward! The reward for this year martial arts competition is really special! Last year, the Heaven Faction came up with five hundred Spiritual Stones to reward the top three on the leaderboard! This year, a hidden ancient faction increased the reward to five thousand Spiritual Stones! Other than that, they are going to give out weapons and a martial arts manual as well!"
"They are so generous! The amount of resources that an ancient faction possesses is really terrifying!"
Chen Xiaobei had always wanted to get his hands on Spiritual Stones. With these few thousands of Spiritual Stones, he could activate the Soul Consuming Enigmatic Jade without interfering with his training. This was one of those opportunities that he did not want to miss.
Elder Qi had no idea about Chen Xiaobei's combat power. In a general manner, he said, "The reward is just a bonus of this competition! If Mr. Chen manages to outperform all the other contestants, the ancient faction might ask you to join them! After joining them, you will have unrestricted access to their resources, secret martial arts skill, and many more! Sooner or later, you can definitely dominate this entire Jianghu and be treated like a king!"
Upon hearing that, Qi Zhenxin felt really excited. He would definitely take part in the competition if his age was below thirty! Joining the ancient faction was like entering a brand new world. With all those resources, one could definitely achieve True Nirvana Stage with ease or even cultivation beyond that!
"Ancient faction?"
Chen Xiaobei smiled. He then something really shocking.
"I can go and have fun with them. However, they are not qualified to take me in as their disciple!"
___________465________"
'They do not have the right?' Upon hearing that, Elder Qi and his son were left in bewilderment. It was important to know that ancient factions were some of the most powerful faction on this earth! Considering that they had been around in Jianghu for more than thousands of years, the amount of resources that they passed down to their next generation was unimaginable! It could easily crush any factions in this current Jianghu. All those individuals that came from ancient factions were either heroes of the era or some kind of prodigies.
Some of the most powerful ancient factions were guarded by demigods! That was the definition of a pinnacle existence! In other words, one would only come across the chance of achieving the pinnacle stage of the human realm or even transforming oneself into a deity when the person joins the ancient faction. However, none of them expected Chen Xiaobei to display such disinterest in the legendary ancient faction. Elder Qi and his son knew that Chen Xiaobei was arrogant but they could not fathom that he was that extreme!
If ancient factions did not interest him, nothing else in this world would! To Elder Qi and his son, they though Chen Xiaobei was just boasting. However, they chose not to say anything about it because the both of them respected him a lot. Seeing that Chen Xiaobei was still really young, they thought that he knew nothing about the current state of Jianghu.
Truth be told, the person that knew nothing was them! At that moment, Wenyuan was the only one that knew that Chen Xiaobei was not boasting or acting in an arrogant manner! Chen Xiaobei was after all part of most powerful ancient faction on this earth, the Red Envelope Group! In the group, Chen Xiaobei had come across the opportunity to call the almighty Prime of Tongtian his Sifu! Aside from that, he made friends with a group of deities and managed to acquire magical items, resources, and secret martial arts manuals that could not be found on earth. That was why Chen Xiaobei showed no interest in all those ancient factions.
"Does that mean Mr. Chen, you are not going to participate in the martial arts competition?" asked Elder Qi in a soft tone.
"I did not say that I'm not going to join the martial arts competition! Tell me how to register. I will do it later."
"Alright…"
Startled, Elder Qi took out a golden card and handed it to Chen Xiaobei.
"There is an address and invitation code printed on this card. Just go to this website and fill in all the required information. That's how you complete the registration."
Having the name card looking golden card in his hand, Chen Xiaobei could not help but laugh and say, "As technology gets more and more advanced each day, even Jianghu does everything through the internet!"
"You are right! You can even go to the website to check for the top ten most powerful individuals on the Hero of War Leaderboard! Get to know your opponents and you will have a better advantage when you fight them!"
Actually, this statement carried multiple meanings. If the opponents could be defeated easily, he wanted Chen Xiaobei to go for it. However, if the opponent was too powerful, he hoped Chen Xiaobei would surrender to the opponent.
"I don't feel there is a need to check the leaderboard. It is more than enough for me to know that the first place on the leaderboard is Liu Chunyi."
Upon hearing that, Elder Qi and his son were shocked. As usual, Chen Xiaobei was really arrogant. First place was his goal. He did not even care about all the other opponents on the leaderboard.
"Oh right! Mr. Chen! Speaking of Liu Chunyi, I have something to tell you! Recently, Liu Chunyi has been entering the forbidden grounds of Xuanjian Faction to train!"
"I think he is getting ready for the martial arts competition. What so odd about it?"
"It is true that he is getting ready for the martial arts competition. But, every time he enters the forbidden grounds, he has to bring Liu Xuanxin with him!"
"Liu Xuanxin? Isn't she the one that is heavily ill? I thought she is not supposed to practice martial arts? What is she doing in the forbidden grounds?"
"I have no clue about that as well. Don't worry. I will look for a good opportunity to investigate this incident."
"No! Don't go! There will be a lot of people guarding the place if this matter is carried out secretly. They will not hesitate to hurt you if you go closer to that place!"
"What should I do then?"
"I will go there personally! I want to find out what the hell is going on! Besides, I have yet to make Liu Chunyi pay for giving me a fake sword!"
"It's not going to work! Don't do that! The security inside the Xuanjian Faction is really tight! Especially the forbidden grounds! Outsiders can never get close to it! It would be really dangerous if you go there alone!"
"Don't you worry about that. I have my way since I have decided to go there alone. Just take care of yourself for now. I will travel to Xuanjian Faction when the time is right!"
....
It was night when Chen Xiaobei traveled back to the city. He then sent Wenyuan back to the hotel after having dinner with her. Once she went back to the filming crew, everyone including the directors to the supporting actors treated her like a goddess. Clearly, those small-time actresses spread the news about her relationship with Chen Xiaobei to everyone.
He was the one that Song Qincheng and Feng Yaolun wanted to make famous.
He was the faction leader of Bei Xuan Faction!
With these two reasons, no one was bold enough to mess with Wenyuan. Meanwhile, Chen Xiaobei traveled back to Bei Xuan Faction after he sent Wenyuan back to the hotel. Upon reaching Bei Xuan Faction, Chen Xiaobei saw that all five pairs of mother-son voodoo worms were fully grown. He then put them inside five separate empty Hundred Herbs Potion bottles.
Right after that, Chen Xiaobei went and took some medical ingredients to put in the Green Jade Cauldron and Heavenly Smithing Furnace to concoct Taiyi Life Enhancement Pills and Bone Burning Pills. All six Taiyi Life Enhancement Pills that Chen Xiaobei concocted last time was still in his inventory. Seeing that the cauldron was not in use, he decided to put it to work. After adjusting the fire, Chen Xiaobei left the room.
Stepping foot into the jungle, Chen Xiaobei took a sip of Spiritual Qi and went into training mode. This time, the training lasted for three days and three nights! The Netherspirit Battlescouter sent him an alert when he woke up.
Ding!
[Cultivation: Later phase of Qi refining stage. Health: 20,000. Combat power: 15000!]
"This training is pretty fruitful! I can definitely reach pinnacle phase of Qi refining stage if I'm given another three to four days! Then, I will be able to enter True Nirvana Stage with the help of Skybreaking Cultivation Pill!"
Though he was filled with great anticipation, he had to calm himself down. His cell phone was ringing and it was Song Qincheng that called him. Before answering the call, Chen Xiaobei already knew what Song Qincheng was going to tell him. All the preparation work was done and Lin Yue the Heroine's production would start really soon!
466---------
At Xiang Shan Film Base.
Because of the delays, the launch of Lin Yue the Heroine was fairly simple. In fact, they even started filming on the same day.
Song Qincheng as the CEO of Qin Cheng Entertainment could have hired someone else to assist Chen Xiaobei, but she wanted to be there personally. As such, she changed into some comfortable sports attire and helped Chen Xiaobei sort through all the trivial matters so he could focus on his acting.
Feng Yaolun, on the other hand, treated Chen Xiaobei like a piece of precious jade. Even if it was a short scene, he made it a point to give Chen Xiaobei professional and constructive feedback. Needless to say, Feng Yaolun was truly a top-notch director. Not only was he able to handle the major movie stars, he was also very capable in the areas of cultivating new talents.
He had explained that the scenes in a very clear and simple way. That was why Chen Xiaobei could understand him very well. If what he said were to be summed up, it could totally be compiled into a textbook for all major drama schools!
Before this, Chen Xiaobei had always thought that acting was merely reading scripts, shuffling about and putting on facial expressions in front of the camera. But after Feng Yaolun's explanation and guidance, Chen Xiaobei discovered that it actually involved a lot of knowledge and skills, and was very complicated.
If anyone wanted to master acting, they must at least go through two to three years of training!
Of course, Chen Xiaobei was no ordinary person.
With the Scholar Heart, he was able to absorb information and knowledge at incredible speed.
Like a famished person, Chen Xiaobei gorged down all that Feng Yaolun had imparted to him.
"Alright, that's all for this scene. Chen Xiaobei, go get ready. We'll start filming in five. Don't worry. We'll take a few shots to help you find your bearings." Feng Yaolun put down the script and spoke into the walkie-talkie, instructing the different departments to get ready.
"Thank you, director." Chen Xiaobei nodded politely and walked towards Song Qincheng who immediately fixed his hair and makeup, and adjusted his clothing. She would not allow anything bad to happen at this moment.
"How do I look? Do I look good?" Chen Xiaobei asked cheekily.
Today's scene was the same as the last. The male and female protagonists met in the rain, and fell in love at first sight.
For this, Chen Xiaobei donned a traditional costume. He looked like a completely different person.
Song Qincheng looked at him under her long lashes and said, "Like a jade, you are unique yet precious!"
"What does that mean? Can you simplify it?" Chen Xiaobei grinned.
Still smiling, Song Qincheng glanced at him and said, "It means that you are so darn good looking! You are the most handsome man here! Is that clear enough?"
"Hahaha! I like your mouth! So sweet!" Chen Xiaobei winked at her.
"Superficial!"
Just then, came a piercing voice, invading their sweet moment together
A tall, handsome middle-aged man walked over.
"Zhang Zhongji!"
They immediately recognized this man.
This guy was the supporting actor in Lin Yue the Heroine. He had been in the industry since he was a teen – that was more than ten years!
Because he was trained in martial arts, has good looks and good acting skills, he would make an appearance in nearly all the major ancient Chinese imperial movies.
His fans dubbed him 'The King of Kung Fu films'– he was a famous and well-respected figure in the film industry.
"Acting requires skills, and that is exactly what it is in Director Feng's films!" said Zhang Zhongji in a cold, harsh voice. "Who in this industry does not know Director Feng's strict standards? He asks only for excellence in every film, every scene – even every frame! If you think you can simply rely on your looks to be in Feng's movie, you are gravely mistaken!"
"Whether or not someone's acting is good would depend on the end product. How could you make such an uninformed decision on it? That will serve you a slap in the face later!"
Even though the person she was speaking to is someone of a significant standing, Song Qincheng showed no sign of weakness.
She had full confidence in Chen Xiaobei. That's why she lashed back really hard.
"Hehe, Boss Song. You've been in the industry long enough to know that what you've just said is delusional." Zhang Zhongji shot her a biting smile and said, "You surely know a Sir Lin Baoming? That old man is a veteran of this film genre! But he had thirty over cuts when he was under Director Feng! Even then, Director Feng was not happy. Director Feng even paid Sir Lin to leave! I mean, just look at this guy, where does he come from? Compared to Sir Lin, he knows nothing! To say that he would be able to meet Director Feng's standards is a joke! I wouldn't believe it even if you were to beat me to death!"
He purposely raised his voice so that all the others around him stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to him. Under those stares, Chen Xiaobei was not only unperturbed; in fact, he found it quite hilarious.
He had already digested all of Feng Yaolun directions. Why would he be afraid that he could not meet his requests?
Chen Xiaobei could not be bothered to explain himself to this piece of work. Actions speak louder than words. After he was done, this piece of shit would not know what hit him!
Seeing Chen Xiaobei keeping quiet, Zhang Zhongji thought that he had had him shaken. So he continued, "Know that you are only a newbie! I would advise you to give up the lead role in this movie! Go and take a filming course before you come back here! Don't just holding on to the lead role without being able to bring your best!"
This irked Song Qincheng. She said in a chilly tone, "I'm warning you, Zhang Zhongji! Shut up and walk away or else!"
"Oh oh! Boss Sing is so fierce! What? Are you going to ban me from entering the entertainment industry?"
Zhang Zhongji laughed.
"I don't mind doing it if you want to give it a try!" Song Qincheng barked.
Zhang Zhongji gave her a look of indifference and said defiantly, "Heh, Song Qincheng! I called you Boss Song because I am in a good mood! Don't think that just because you have a mysterious boss that you are above me! In my eyes, you are a nobody! I have connections all over the place! You want to mess with me? That's like digging your own grave! Take this fool and f*ck off!"
Song Qincheng was speechless and completely indignant.
Not a sound came from those surrounding them.
Zhang Zhongji was known to be tyrannical. Having been in the industry for over ten years, he had a very strong foothold. On top of that, he had the support of his comrades from his martial arts days. Who dared to challenge him would surely meet their maker!
But it was at this moment, Chen Xiaobei looked at Zhang Zhongji, a grin spread wide across his face, and said calmly, "Believe it or not, I can ban you from entering the entertainment circle with only a sentence!"
_____________467_________
"What did you just say?! Hahaha! Newcomer! Do you realize that you just said something foolish? Go ask Song Qincheng! I don't think she is powerful enough to kick me out from this entertainment industry!"
After his initial shock, Zhang Zhongji burst out in laughter. Rendered speechless, Song Qincheng could only purse her lips. It was anger that made her mention banning him from being in the entertainment industry. In reality, it was hard for Song Qincheng to do anything to him even if she brought out all her connections and resources. Clearly, his relationship with the big boss from China Central Television was not that simple. The pressure from the higher-ups had managed to force the filming crew and company to give him this second most important role in Lin Yue the Heroine. If not, Song Qincheng could always remove him from this production as the biggest investor of this movie.
"Xiaobei! Let's not stoop to his level! It's not worth it! You should just pick up the pieces and do your best in the upcoming scenes! I believe you can definitely do it!"
Song Qincheng chose to avoid the question. Instead, she rephrased her reply to become words of encouragement. Seemingly, she did not believe that Chen Xiaobei was capable to deal with Zhang Zhongji as his support was after all, too powerful.
"Mr. Chen! Are you ready? Everyone else is prepared! We are just waiting for you!" said an assistant.
"I'm ready! Coming!"
After a quick reply, Chen Xiaobei turned around and told Zhang Zhongji something important with a smile on his face.
"Remember! The main character of this movie is me! I will mess with your life if you get in my way!"
After that, Chen Xiaobei followed the assistant to the place where they shot the scene.
"Psst! Your acting skills are not better than mine! Compared to me, you are still very inexperienced! Do you really think a newcomer like you is worth my time? Everyone, tell me! Is he worth my time?"
Immediately, the people around them separated into two groups. One of the group sided with Zhong Zhongji. Without mercy, they started to attack Chen Xiaobei with nasty statements.
"How can that bastard be compared to Bro Zhang! Bro Zhang is after all the most famous action superstar in the entertainment circle! At most, that kid is only good for carrying stuff for you around here! Just look for an opportunity to show him your true colors! Let him know who is the boss that runs this place!"
On the other hand, there was a second group of people that sided with Song Qincheng. They let out a sigh and commented in a soft tone, "Mr. Chen is just too damn arrogant! Zhang Zhongji is after all his senior! Plus, the people behind him are just too powerful for Mr. Chen to handle! As a newcomer, there is no harm succumbing to Zhang Zhongji! Things would turn ugly if the both of them are not willing to take a step back."
Clearly, no one thought that Chen Xiaobei was capable of dealing with Zhang Zhongji. To them, Chen Xiaobei was still new to the entertainment circle – his connections and acting skills were definitely worse than Zhong Zhangji. Messing with him was no different from committing suicide.
"Come! Let's gamble on something fun! Let's see how many times that kid needs to retake the same scene! If he manages to finish the scene with one single cut, the gambling ration will be 1:1000! Two to five times is 1:300! Six to ten times is 1:300! Eleven to thirty times is 1:10! Finally, I'll take all the money if he takes more than thirty times to complete that one single scene! I'm literally giving out free money! Come and get it now!"
Immediately, everyone acted upon it after hearing Zhang Zhonji's announcement.
"Director Feng is famous for his strictness! Also, this scene can be considered one of the most important scenes! Before that, even Zhuang Bufan failed to pass this scene after he tried for seven to eight times! I think that kid needs around eleven to thirty times to complete this scene!"
"Generally speaking, do you know that why newcomers don't like to work together with Director Feng? That is because Director Feng would scold them until they cry themselves to sleep if they make the same mistake over and over again! I think this newcomer definitely needs more than thirty times to complete this scene! I can guarantee that we are going to give away our money to Bro Zhang!"
"What if that kid is really lucky? I'm going to bet a big one on this! I bet he can complete the scene within six to ten times!"
"What a bold move! I don't think he can complete the scene within ten times! I bet more than ten times!"
"Ten times and above!"
"It has to be more than ten times!"
...
Seconds later, everyone had placed their bets. Other than one person bet that Chen Xiaobei could complete the scene within six to ten times; the rest bet that he needed eleven to thirty times to complete the scene. Guessing that Chen Xiaobei might need more than thirty times to complete the scene, there were quite a number of them did not dare to place a bet. Losing this bet meant giving out free money to Zhang Zhongji.
"Boss Song! I thought you have high hopes on that kid? You should place a bet too! Think about it! If he managed to complete the scene in one take, I will have to pay you one thousand times of the amount that you bet! People always say that you are like a heroine in the entertainment circle! Please don't disappoint me!"
"Alright! I bet that Chen Xiaobei can complete this scene in one single take!"
In a fit of anger, Song Qincheng took out all her money from her purse.
"A total of 1,833 on the bet! Pay me 1,883,300 if you lose the bet!"
"I don't mind paying two million if that he can complete the scene in one single take! Although, is that even possible? Boss Song, thank you so much for giving me money to spend! Hahaha…"
At that moment, the filming had already begun. Under Feng Yaolun's command, Tang Mengwan descended from the sky under the shower of flower petals. From far, it looked like a goddess was coming down from heaven. Considering that she had repeated this scene seven to eight times when she worked together with Zhuang Bufan, her performance was simply perfect.
Even Feng Yaolun could not help but clap his hands.
"Perfect! This is just too damn perfect! Next, it's all up to Chen Xiaobei now!"
At the same time, every camera and everyone had their attention landed on the same direction.
*Clippity-clop*
A white horse came into view. On the white horse sat a handsome young man in white attire and white boots. All he did was ride on the horse in a calm and humble manner. However, everyone could not stop looking at him when he came into view. It was as if this young man possessed the ability that was similar to a black hole – capturing all the attention around him. The white horse then rode past Tang Mengwan and the young man turned around to take a look at her. There was no additional emotion on his face. Lost in a deep reverie, Tang Mengwan stood there like a statue after the horse rode pass her. Rendered speechless, everyone could not believe what just happened.
"Perfect! This is the feeling that I want! Xiaobei's performance is perfect! I can't find any fault in it! Not only his acting is good but also bring out Mengwan's feelings! Perfect! Too perfect!"
"Director Feng… You have no shouted cut… The thing that you just said was recorded…"
"What a load of bullshit! That's the sound editor's job! If the team fails to edit the clip, I will fire all of them!"
"Y-y-yes…"
Gulped, the cameraman had not seen Director Feng act in such an excited manner. Meanwhile, Zhang Zhongji and the crowd were taken aback.
"What do you think? Do I look cool and handsome?"
With a scornful smile on his face, Chen Xiaobei walked towards them slowly.
________________468___________
"You are so very handsome!"
Song Qincheng clapped her small white jade hands, dismissing all that had happened with Zhang Zhongji. Instead, her heart was now filled with joy!
"That's it… really… just once and he passed… how could this be…" on the other side of the room, Zhang Zhongji and those beside him were dumbfounded.
No one could fathom that Chen Xiaobei could meet Feng Yaolun's high expectations.
Over and above that, Feng Yaolun sang praises of him.
Feng Yaolun was notorious for his thoroughness; some might even call it harshness. Throughout the entire filming, Feng Yaolun could be heard throughout: criticizing, scolding, and demanding numerous retakes for a single scene.
A day as such, where Feng Yaolun shouted praises of perfection, and nearly fired the entire filming crew for a scene, was absolutely unprecedented!
"Could this kid be a professional actor? There was nothing to nitpick about his acting at all! If he could maintain this standard of performance throughout, he will surely become a great sensation overnight!
"Yeah! That scene just now was a work of art! That scene is enough to create a viral trailer!"
"How can anyone not be impressed by that? There's something special about that kid – even Tang Mengwan was emotionally affected by him. And that's something no other actors can do!"
...
The audience kept raving on and on about Chen Xiaobei. Their opinion of him completely transformed.
In the beginning, they regarded him as an untried and naïve rookie. What Chen Xiaobei had just done was a slap to their faces.
Needless to say, the one who was hit the hardest was Zhang Zhongji!
He was the one who began mocking Chen Xiaobei and even started a bet to humiliate him – saying that Chen Xiaobei would have to go through not ten or twenty takes but forever, to meet Feng Yaolun's standards.
He had never would have thought that this would be the outcome instead! For that, he was put to shame!
Actions do speak louder than words!
*Snap*
"Zhang Zhongji, what was is that you said just now? I believe it's about if Chen Xiaobei only requiring one take to complete the filming, you'd give me two million. Just transfer the money directly to me! If you don't, I can't help but look down on you!" Song Qincheng quickly fought back – she was not someone who would succumb to being bullied.
Everyone's gaze fell on Zhang Zhongji. Some pitied him, some ridiculed him, while the others laughed at his expense.
It is undeniable that Zhang Zhongji had dug his own grave this time!
"Fine! I will definitely pay you the two million! But the next time, I will make you pay double!" Zhang Zhongji gritted his teeth and wired the two million to Song Qincheng's account.
After that, he left hurriedly. The Scholar Heart had already allowed him to completely master the art of acting. For the rest of the filming, except if he was affected by external factors, Chen Xiaobei would have absolutely no problems performing!
That was exactly how things turned out.
In the recordings that followed, things that had never happened before happened.
As long as Chen Xiaobei was in the scene, Feng Yaolun's high praises rang in the studio.
"Good! Beautiful! That's the look that I want! Frivolous, unrestrained – the male protagonist must have this kind of arrogance! Chen Xiaobei's performance is many times better than Zhuang Bufan!"
"Perfect! This martial arts move is impeccable! Even Zhang Zhongji wouldn't be able to do that! Absolutely flawless!"
"This is absolutely captivating! Xiaobei has quite the charm! Tang Mengwan, the heroine is supposed to lead the scene but now the entire scene depends on Chen Xiaobei! This is really amazing!"
"Excellent… Gorgeous!"
...
For a time, Feng Yaolun the notoriously harsh mega-director, treated Chen Xiaobei like his precious baby.
It was not that Feng Yaolun never praised his actors, but the way he was praising Chen Xiaobei's performance was rare.
For that, the entire crew was in a constant state of disbelief.
But it was also undeniable that, Chen Xiaobei's performance was flawless. Even if Zhang Zhongji were to nit-pick, he would not even be able to do it.
What was more, Chen Xiaobei carried a certain charm about him. It was unclear why but the audience's eyes were always drawn to him, and they would then be drawn into the film – making the film very realistic!
From a professional standpoint, Chen Xiaobei was born with the ability to draw people to him – this was exactly what Feng Yaolun said that every actor must have!
To be able to cause the viewers to feel like they are a part of the story was already half the battle won!
Which director would not love this sort of actor? How could the audience not love him? That would be completely unfathomable!
In the following days, the filming went smoothly. With the crew working together overtime, they managed to make up for the previous setbacks.
Zhang Zhongji was scrutinizing for faults but found none. He had to bring out his best during the filming in front of Feng Yaolun to not impede the crew.
On this afternoon, Feng Yaolun decided to give everyone a day off.
Chen Xiaobei had originally planned to have his way with Song Qincheng but he received a phone call from Lan Mengchen. There was some trouble over at the cosmetics company and they needed Chen Xiaobei to go over.
There was nothing he could do but go. After all, he was the CEO.
_____________469___________
Her silky black long hair cascaded down her elegant shoulders – making her looked like an innocent and stunning creature that was out of this world. A set of black and white formal office wear brought out her curvaceous figure. This outfit made her look extra energetic and professional. As usual, Lan Mengchen was still really beautiful. Though she was wearing working attire, she still looked like a flawless goddess – akin to a flower that on top of a snowy mountain that could only be looked at but not be defiled.
"Xiaobei! You are finally here!"
A sweet and gentle smile could be seen on Lan Mengchen's face when she saw Chen Xiaobei. Awestruck, Chen Xiaobei had to bring himself to go back to the reality.
"Tell me. What happened? It seems like you have something urgent waiting to be solved."
"I was invited to a dinner tonight. I hope you can come with me."
"Is there a problem?"
Taken aback, Chen Xiaobei knew that the problem must be very serious if Lan Mengchen and Madam Diana had a difficult time solving it.
"There is actually no problem. Mr. Wang, the deputy minister of commerce told me that there is a small problem when he applied the permit for us. So, he wants me to have a dinner with the minister to come to a mutual agreement! I guess he just wanted to gain some benefit from this matter. All you need to do is bribe him later and all things would be taken care of."
"No way! I don't agree with bribing! I'm an honest man and I would never do something like that! Bribing him will only aid the growth of this disgusting norm in our society!"
"You are not the one that is dealing with him! You have no idea about what I'm feeling right now. If we don't please people like him, we are going to be riddled with many minor issues! Then, a lot of our time would be wasted! So why not just solve it by bribing him?"
"Who told you that people like him are going to bother us? Let me make a call and people like him will be properly dealt with!"
With a smile on his face, Chen Xiaobei took out his cell phone.
"Are you going to call Yap Maosong?"
Lan Mengchen was smart enough to know that Chen Xiaobei was going to use his connections to solve this problem. However, she also knew that Yap Maosong was not going to be a great help to them.
"Yap Maosong is in the ecology and environment ministry. He has nothing to do with the commerce ministry. Mr. Wang can still mess with us if he wants to!"
"Hehe… Do you really think that Yap Maosong is my only connection? I'm going to call the commerce secretary himself!"
"What? Are you trying to say that you know Secretary He personally? All I know that is Secretary He is a busy man! Madam Diana and I didn't even get the chance to meet him. All along, Mr. Wang is the one that talked to us on behalf of Secretary He…"
"Hello, Brother He. I need a favor from you. It's about the trade permit for Mengchen's international company…"
"Y-You really know Secretary He…"
She found it hard to believe that Secretary He was Chen Xiaobei's friend. Seemingly, their relationship was really close as well.
"What? The permit has been done? And, I can collect it anytime I want? Alright. Maybe there is some miscommunication on my end. Thank you, Brother He. I will send someone to collect it tomorrow."
Upon hanging up the call, Chen Xiaobei talked said in a low voice, "Secretary He told me that the permit was done a few days ago. Also, we can collect it anytime we want."
"H-How is this even possible? Mr. Wang told me that it's not done yet! It seems like Mr. Wang wants to siphon off a huge amount of money from this deal! What a shameless bastard!"
"No! This matter is not as simple as we thought. Just get in the car first."
Upon closing the car doors, Chen Xiaobei took a look at his surroundings and sensed something was off.
"Look at that person!"
Chen Xiaobei pointed at the back mirror. A man in black attire could be seen standing at the corner of the street.
"That is the security guard from the Zhuang Family! I thought the witch of Zhuang Family finally let her guard down. Now, I know that she has not given up on hunting me!"
"No! I don't think that witch suspects you of anything! I'm pretty sure she is targeting me this time!"
"Targeting you? Why?"
"I have made them my enemies. Last time, when they sent someone to capture, I managed to force their goons to confess Zhuang Family's crime to me. And, I recorded it! Hence, they don't dare to do anything to me publicly. So, they resorted to using you to lure me to them!"
"So, are you trying to say that Mr. Wang is helping Zhuang Family to bring you to them?"
"That's right! There is a high probability to that!"
"Then, we shouldn't go right into their trap! If that's the case, they should have all the traps ready when you go to them! You will definitely be killed!"
"No! I have to go! If I choose not to go, the witch will start to suspect that my relationship with you is not as simple as they thought! By that time, I will put you in danger and endanger your life!"
"This… I know what you mean but I can't watch you walk into the trap and get yourself killed!"
"Don't worry! I have ways to deal with it! What you need to do right now is pretend that you don't know a single thing about it. Just make sure not to get involved in this matter. After that, you can leave the rest to me!"
"But…"
"No buts! I want to know that you are safe when I deal with them! I will be distracted if you are placed in a dangerous situation! You have to listen to me!"
Taken aback, Lan Mengchen had not seen that Chen Xiaobei acted in such a dominant manner. Though he did not allow Lan Mengchen to doubt his decision, she could still feel really safe and secure.
"Alright. I will listen to you."
The ice-cold goddess chose to be Chen Xiaobei's obedient woman in this matter. They then drove to the designated restaurant to have their dinner. The restaurant was inside a luxurious private club. Without an invitation, non-members were not allowed to enter this place. Judging from its location and serenity, this could be a good place to kill someone. As Chen Xiaobei expected, Mr. Wang was not there when the both of them arrived at the restaurant.
Moments later, a waiter asked Lan Mengcheng to leave the room. Alone in the room, Chen Xiaobei was sitting there, waiting for the imminent storm!
_____________470_&________
Lan Mengchen was brought to one of the private rooms located on the top floor of the club.
"Ms. Lan, please enter!"
With his head bowed, the waiter opened the door of the private for Lan Mengchen. He did not dare to look inside the room – as if there were demons inside the room. Taken aback, Lan Mengchen walked into the room and she saw a group of influential individuals inside. The witch of the Zhuang Family was sitting in the middle of the room. Unless there was something very important for her to attend, she would never step out of the mansion. On the other hand, there was a group of extraordinary men standing around the witch. Zhuang Hao was standing on her left and there were four bodyguards standing behind him.
Lan Mengchen was not surprised by the familiar scene. Actually, Zhuang Hao himself was really powerful – those four bodyguards that were protecting him were sent to protect him by the country. Clearly, their combat powers were not weak either. On his right stood a young and an old man. For the old man, his hair was all white and his face was aged – standing there with his eyes closed. One could feel that his Qi was like an old tree that stood high on top of a mountain. Rain and wind had nothing on it. Seemingly, this old man was some kind of Jianghu elite!
Other than that, Lan Mengchen also knew that this old man's age was more than a hundred years old. Previously, he was a real eunuch from the late Qing Dynasty. His true power remained a great mystery and he somehow managed to make a name for himself in the Jianghu. Due to something great that Zhuang Family had done for him, he had decided to stay hidden in the Zhuang Family and become the head steward.
Over the past decades, he stayed loyal to the Zhuang Family. He was so good at what he did that even the witch of Zhuang Family had to show him respect by calling him Elder Su! As for the young man that stood behind the eunuch; he was known as the most talented grandson in the family, Zhuang Jiuxiao! He was twenty-seven years old and had already achieved Half Step True Nirvana Stage!
It was important to know that the Zhuang Family had spent countless of resources on Zhuang Bufan for him to achieve pinnacle phase of Qi refining stage! On the other hand, Zhuang Jiuxiao was not provided with a huge deal of resources but his combat power had greatly exceeded Zhuang Bufan. Judging from that, he was truly a talented prodigy.
For the past two years, he was ranked eighth on the Hero of War Leaderboard. Almost everyone in Jianghu knew about him. His achievement was so great that it glorified the Zhuang Family's name. If he managed to rank higher on the leaderboard this year, he would receive even more respect from the family. Upon seeing that, Lan Mengchen started to feel really nervous. As predicted by Chen Xiaobei earlier, the witch of the Zhuang Family had planned a series of wicked things for him. With all the important family members being here in this room, she was determined to bring Chen Xiaobei down this time. And, that was how the witch dealt with matters like these – quick and decisive!
Earlier, the two assassins that she sent to kill Chen Xiaobei were tortured terribly. After experiencing a huge slap on her face, she would never allow herself to fall into the same trap twice!
"Great grandma, Uncle Zhuang, Elder Su, Brother Jiuxiao… Why are you all gathered here in this room?"
Though Lan Mengchen felt really worried, she managed to hide it. Chen Xiaobei's efforts would be in vain and Lan Family would be destroyed if the witch started to grow suspicious on her. Finding no fault in Lan Mengchen after taking a look at her, the witch pointed at the TV on the wall and said, "Because of him!"
Lan Mengchen then turned around to look at the TV. It showed Chen Xioabei sitting in the private room.
"He is Madam Diana's and my working partner. Today, we are supposed to come here to meet Mr. Wang. Might I know why you are all gathered here because of him?"
Clearly, Lan Mengchen knew the answer to this question but she had to play dumb to make sure that no one grew suspicious on her.
"This kid hurt Bufan! I have to avenge him! I have no intention of hiding this matter from you. I hope you know how important is this matter to me!"
"Yes… Family comes first before anything else!"
With her head nodded, Lan Mengchen said in a soft tone.
"Great. I'm very pleased that you have your priorities straight! You can have a seat over there! Your mission can be considered complete when you bring that bastard here! Next, I want you to watch how the Zhuang Family is going to deal with a matter like this!"
Pursing her lips, Lan Mengchen moved to the corner of the room. No one would pay attention to her facial reaction if she stayed in that corner. The most important thing was she had a clear view of the TV. Soon, a waitress could be seen carrying a plate walking to Chen Xiaobei with a smile on her face.
"Great grandma, is this the assassin that you hire to kill him? It seems like her acting is pretty good! I wouldn't know she is an assassin if you didn't tell me beforehand! However, I still think that this whole assassination thing is too troublesome! Why not just let me walk into that room and kill that bastard with a single slap!" said Zhuang Jiuxiao with a frown on his face.
"Troublesome? My boy, you are a prodigy when it comes to martial arts but you are way too short-sighted! You have the courage but you don't possess any wit!"
"I…"
Zhuang Jiuxiao was speechless. A pail of cold water was splashed on him as he was behaving arrogantly.
"The reason behind this plan was to test out the true strength of the enemy! It's worthwhile for you to kill if the enemy is too weak! On the other hand, you would be killed if the enemy is too powerful! Knowing the enemy and yourself would get you unscathed through a hundred battles!" said Zhuang Hao.
"I see it now! Great grandma is right! Witty and thoughtful! I have learned a lot this time!"
"Great. You have quite a number of weaknesses but you are humble enough to learn from your mistakes. Go and pick up a few books to nourish your brain when you are free. In the future, I'm pretty sure you will do something great!"
"Yes! I will definitely not disappoint you! You are right! Look at him. He is just around twenty years old. Fighting with him will definitely stain my reputation! If I'm not mistaken, this assassin can definitely end his life right there!"
After that, everyone paid attention to the TV. At that moment, Lan Mengchen was the only that felt nervous in the room. Her forehead was crinkled and her palms were sweaty. All she wished right now was to inform Chen Xiaobei that the waitress was an assassin. However, she was not allowed to do so.
...…
In the room.
A beautiful and voluptuous female assassin was holding a metal plate with a cover.
"Sir, this is the appetizer of the day, South Africa lobster salad…" said the female assassin with a smile on her face.
"This is not right! You got the name wrong."
"Huh? Wrong name?"
Baffled, the female assassin did not expect that Chen Xiaobei would react in such an unexpected manner.
"This dish should be called…"
With his glance focused on the metal plate, Chen Xiaobei uncovered the lid at lightning speed with an evil grin on his face.
"Jing Ke Assassin Emperor Qin! Killed by his own dagger!"