Another crash?! Wang Xuan felt speechless. The last time could be excused as Qin Cheng's meddling, but this time, he was caught red-handed.
At the door of the private room stood Zhao Qinghan, elegant and poised, wearing a chic, fitted dress that hugged her curves from waist to just above the knee. However, unlike the last time, her usually sweet smile was replaced by a frosty expression, giving her an otherworldly, cold beauty.
"Why are you still standing there? Come in!" Wang Xuan greeted, standing up to welcome her with a tall frame and a radiant smile. "I told Qin Cheng not to rush with the orders; I wanted to wait for you to choose what you like. As the host, I must treat you well, Zhao!"
Qin Cheng opened his mouth, wanting to say that it was him paying for the meal!
He noticed Zhao Qinghan's icy demeanor and found it striking. A glance at Wang Xuan made him think, Old Wang, you're on your own this time; I won't be to blame.
Zhao Qinghan's long, silky black hair framed her delicate, pale face, but she didn't look sweet now. Instead, there was a coldness that pushed people away. Her large, beautiful eyes bore into Wang Xuan with an oppressive intensity, lacking the warmth they once had, her glossy red lips accentuating her striking demeanor.
Without a smile, she slightly raised her chin, scrutinizing Wang Xuan.
She walked into the private room, the sound of her crystal-embedded high heels the only noise in the quiet space. Qin Cheng stood up, pulling out a chair for her.
Yet, she ignored it, opting for a nearby sofa, sitting down silently. Instead of crossing her legs demurely, she elegantly placed them on the coffee table, her legs perfectly straight and long, showcasing her great figure without concern for modesty.
This image, this aura, was completely different from the Zhao goddess Qin Cheng usually saw. She truly embodied the queen-like presence Wang Xuan described, overturning all previous impressions.
Without a word, she crossed her arms, inadvertently accentuating her curves, silently observing Wang Xuan, waiting to see what reasonable explanation he might offer.
Once, twice—she had caught him in the act again. The look in her eyes was anything but gentle; while she remained beautiful, her cold, slightly fierce demeanor sent a chill down Wang Xuan's spine.
Wang Xuan stood up, looking serious, and walked toward Zhao Qinghan.
Qin Cheng, surprisingly calm now, relished seeing Old Wang in a tough spot. He was curious to see how Wang Xuan would explain himself this time.
"Sorry!"
Wang Xuan approached and directly apologized? Qin Cheng felt a pang of disappointment, eager for the show to unfold. After all, Wang Xuan never played by the rules.
But the next moment, he widened his eyes in shock, nearly shouting in disbelief. Sure enough, Old Wang had the audacity to… attack the goddess?!
After uttering those two words of apology, Wang Xuan's right hand sliced toward Zhao Qinghan's neck with incredible speed and force, creating a sound like thunder as the air crackled. The sheer power of his move was terrifying.
The air seemed to explode, creating gusts that sent napkins flying off the coffee table.
Qin Cheng was stunned. He knew Wang Xuan was unpredictable, but this was too ruthless—going straight for Zhao Qinghan without mercy?!
His heart raced as he thought, What's happening? Old Wang is really going for it?!
Zhao Qinghan was equally shocked. Her beautiful face finally showed a change in expression; she couldn't believe Wang Xuan would dare to strike at her so fiercely.
Reacting swiftly, her right hand shimmered like a glistening dagger, slicing down toward Wang Xuan's attacking hand. Despite being on the defensive, her movements were incredibly quick, sending tremors through the air.
At the same time, her left fist tightened, looking delicate yet exuding tremendous power as it surged toward Wang Xuan's heart.
Wang Xuan's other hand moved too; while his right remained poised for the attack, his left lunged for Zhao Qinghan's white fist, aiming to seize it forcefully.
Bang!
The coffee table shattered as Zhao Qinghan pulled her legs back with a slight push, causing it to splinter into pieces.
She launched a dual attack, her slim waist twisting powerfully, her long legs striking out like a whip toward Wang Xuan's head and chest with precision and force.
Wang Xuan reacted instantly, stepping forward, raising his right knee to block her legs while his hands collided with her fists in a desperate attempt to restrain her.
Qin Cheng watched in shock, and then, as if propelled by springs, he leaped up, rushing to the door to shut it, not daring to let anyone see.
Whoosh!
Zhao Qinghan moved gracefully, evading Wang Xuan's attack from the sofa, her high heels leaving impressions in the carpet, showcasing the terrifying strength she contained.
Her face was a portrait of seriousness, completely transformed from her usual sweet demeanor. Now, she embodied an overwhelming combat stance.
Qin Cheng swallowed hard, unable to believe what he was witnessing. Wang Xuan had once told him that he was no match for the goddess, and now he saw her holding her ground against Old Wang, leaving him dumbfounded.
But it wasn't a time for thoughts; he swiftly pulled out a power cord from the room and whispered to Wang Xuan, "Should we tie her up?!"
In a choice between his brother and the goddess, he naturally chose the former, planning to subdue Zhao Qinghan first.
Wang Xuan was speechless, exhaling slowly, his hands dropping down, abandoning his offensive stance.
Zhao Qinghan shot a furious glare at Qin Cheng, relaxing her previous aggressive posture, her tense body loosening as she twisted her waist, her high heels making sounds on the floor.
Wang Xuan spoke up, "Impressive, you've clearly mastered qi cultivation and internal energy!"
He had always thought Zhao Qinghan might be formidable, but without having clashed with her, he didn't know just how strong she was. Until today's brief encounter, he was convinced that this woman was incredibly powerful.
Whether it was last time or today, Zhao Qinghan managed to appear silently behind him, only to be noticed when she was very close. Although the relaxed atmosphere contributed to his lack of vigilance, it still indicated something significant.
Especially since the Aoki from the exploration organization had mentioned to Wang Xuan that he was quite interested in two students from the experimental class, believing they had great potential to become strong masters. At that moment, Wang Xuan realized there was a hidden powerhouse among his classmates.
However, he had little interaction with Zhao Qinghan; she often wasn't at school, disappearing for ten days or half a month at a time, averaging only a few days a month on campus. Thus, he couldn't ascertain her level of proficiency in the old techniques.
Zhao Qinghan gathered her hair, lightly mocking, "You really are something else, refusing to be bound by rules. After mocking me twice, you still dare to strike directly at me."
Qin Cheng quickly intervened, "Hey, it's all a misunderstanding. Let's sit down, have some tea, and talk over old grievances with a drink."
Zhao Qinghan glanced at the power cord in his hand, feeling like hitting him. This guy called her goddess all the time, but at a critical moment, he wanted to help Wang Xuan bind her!
That unfriendly gaze made Qin Cheng feel extremely awkward, and he hurriedly tossed the power cord into a corner.
"Let's order; we can eat and chat," Wang Xuan said with a smile.
Zhao Qinghan raised an eyebrow slightly, "Are you overly confident, or do you think I have such a broad mind that I won't hold anything against you?"
"I do have a bit of a big heart," Wang Xuan replied, looking at her. "You're not one to hold grudges either. In my eyes, you're broad-minded, have a great figure, and are very beautiful."
In an instant, Zhao Qinghan's expression turned sharp, her demeanor decidedly unfriendly as she crossed her arms and sat down, coldly smirking at him.
Wang Xuan smiled and said, "Since you've mastered the old techniques and your skills are impressive, you must know that people like us are sensitive to energy. I feel you've been watching me from afar, unsure of what you want, but it seems you view me as prey and want to drag me down with you, which is why I'm cautious around you."
Zhao Qinghan felt a lump in her chest, wanting to say, Is that really caution? You've clearly been plotting against me behind my back. Last time was one thing, but this time you've outright called me pure and alluring—really asking for it!
"Zhao, please don't be angry. Come, let's sit down and discuss whether there's an opportunity for collaboration," Wang Xuan said.
After several encounters, Wang Xuan was convinced that she had come to him for a reason; otherwise, she wouldn't bother reaching out before leaving the old land.
"You are quite confident," Zhao Qinghan temporarily set aside her grievances and prepared to talk.
When the waiter entered, he was rendered speechless. Were the three here to eat or to demolish the place? The coffee table was shattered, and the floor was littered with holes from high heels, necessitating a room change.
Zhao Qinghan was magnanimous, not mentioning the earlier incident, but she stepped out once to put on a coat. She still felt that Wang Xuan's earlier comments were off.
The three of them settled down, the atmosphere relaxed and cheerful, quickly brushing aside the previous events as if nothing had happened.
Wang Xuan seriously began, "Zhao, you've got your eye on me, probably because you value my skills. Let me be clear: if this involves doing something illicit or committing violence, don't drag me into it. I abide by the law; I've never harmed anyone in my life. Oh, except for that incident at the last class reunion with Zhou Yun, which was purely self-defense."
Zhao Qinghan looked at him, unable to believe that this unpredictable classmate would actually be as disciplined as he claimed. If investigated, there would surely be some dirt on him.
She remained calm, addressing the serious matter with seasoned experience, not rushing her words, but instead sharing some secrets about super techniques.
"Super techniques, which some call divine techniques, are simply accidental discoveries from exploring certain realms," she said, speaking slowly.
Then she directly stated, "Some people harbor ambitions, planning to ignite divine flames without even fully understanding the situation. And there are others who even dream of becoming enlightened beings or ancestors—how ridiculous! They should first resolve their own lifespan issues before thinking about such things."
Upon hearing this, Wang Xuan realized something. "You're not planning to gather people for exploration, are you? The ones who go early will definitely be cannon fodder; don't look for me, I'm not going!"
Zhao Qinghan smiled brightly, "You think too much. As classmates, would I really set you up? This is an unpredictable opportunity!"
Wang Xuan was completely uninterested and flatly rejected her.
"Don't worry; it's completely different from what you imagine. It's an opportunity, not a crisis. But right now, you can't even go to the new star realm and are still stuck in the old land, so discussing this doesn't have much meaning."
They joked and chatted some more.
Finally, Wang Xuan directly said, "Zhao, if you insist on inviting me, that's fine. But will you be paying in advance? Do you have any secret scriptures from the Taoist ancestral hall?"
Zhao Qinghan wanted to hit him. The secret scriptures from the Taoist ancestral hall? How dare he say that!
Wang Xuan added, "What about golden bamboo slips from the pre-Qin period?"
Zhao Qinghan's expression darkened. She felt there was no point in continuing the conversation; Wang Xuan was clearly uninterested, intentionally asking for exorbitant conditions to shut down this route.
Qin Cheng sighed, marveling at how fierce Old Wang was. He had directly attacked the goddess earlier, and now he was unyielding in discussing cooperation and business, igniting fury in Zhao Qinghan's eyes.
He quickly tried to mediate, "Let's drink! Life is meant to be enjoyed! By the way, Qinghan, I never expected you had trained the old techniques to such a level that you could fight with Wang Xuan. How did you achieve that?"
Zhao Qinghan casually replied that it was to maintain her figure, so she practiced for some time every day.
Qin Cheng felt instantly frustrated, lowering his head to drink and not wanting to talk anymore, almost wanting to cry. While she casually became a master of the old techniques to keep her devilish figure, he had suffered and bled for years, yet still hadn't managed to cultivate qi successfully. Who could he complain to?