Chang Heyou reacted strongly and said, “Yes! Of course I did! Brother Yan and I chatted for a long time. You have no idea how close we are now...”
Zhang Tie interrupted bluntly, “Come off it. There's no way you saw Pingsheng. Pingsheng is in confinement, and he's not someone ordinary people can just meet right now.”
“Don't be jealous, I really did meet him! Just yesterday, Brother Yan warmly invited me to stay longer. If the escort agency hadn't been busy, I would've stayed even longer. It's precisely because of my close relationship with Brother Yan that I've earned the head escort's appreciation...”
Chang Heyou said a lot to prove how close he was to Yan Pingsheng, but everyone could see he was just trying to ride his coattails. Only Li Xiangzhi played along to keep him from feeling embarrassed, while the others ignored him and continued their conversation.
Zhang Tie picked at the meat stuck in his teeth with a toothpick as he spoke: “The moment I laid eyes on Pingsheng when I first arrived at the dorms, I knew he'd make something of himself. Look at him now—he's already an Eighth Rank martial artist, and I heard he's made connections with quite a few big shots. He's really made a name for himself.”
An Dafu sighed. “I still remember when we used to talk about the future in our dorm at night. Pingsheng said he'd be satisfied just getting into the Lower Three Courts. Looking back, he must have been messing with us.”
Zhang Tie agreed, “Tell me about it. He's doing the best out of all of us now.”
Li Xiangzhi asked, “Isn't Brother Yan confining himself lately? I heard he hasn't stepped out of his door for several months. I wonder how he's doing.”
Zhang Tie said speechlessly, “Why are you worrying about him? It's not like Pingsheng let things get to his head and ruined himself like Li Zigeng did. Once his one-year confinement is over and he gets past this hurdle, he'll soar to the heavens with his current reputation! His future is longer than my life span.”
“But Pingsheng is indeed impressive. No one even blamed him, yet he punished himself anyway. What's more, he said he'd confine himself for a year, and he's really stayed in his courtyard without coming out. Man, I could never do that. I can only respect him. I never expected Pingsheng to have such a side to him...”
...
“I think I just heard Yan Pingsheng's name... Did he come out?”
On the first floor of the Wanfu Restaurant, a sweeping servant boy with sparse eyebrows instantly grew alert and quickly scanned his surroundings.
“You've just worked too hard and are hallucinating. Come on, keep sweeping. If we don't finish soon, we won't get to eat on time again.”
Another servant sighed, his hands never stopping as he swept.
The sparse-browed servant still insisted on searching the area, only hanging his head in dejection after looking several times and finding no one.
“That Yan Pingsheng is truly detestable! Because of him, we couldn't even return to the cult for the New Year and have to work as servants here!”
“Stop complaining and just bear with it. It's already been over two months, but as for how long is left until Yan Pingsheng's self-confinement ends...” The servant calculated carefully, then let out a sigh, feeling that his future was utterly bleak.
“Speaking of which, why hasn't the Left Protector contacted us yet? Should we take the initiative to reach out and ask him to send two people to replace us?”
“No, absolutely not. The Left Protector must have his reasons for not contacting us. Right now, the Wanxing Martial Academy is strictly cracking down on our Sacred Cult members. We mustn't throw our lives away because of this...”
“But...”
“You two! What are you whispering about? Is the floor swept? Are the tables wiped? Are the dishes washed? I took you in out of the goodness of my heart, not for you to slack off!”
“Yes, boss!”
The shopkeeper's scolding instantly made the two disguised Shengxue Cult members shudder. They immediately lowered their heads and began working diligently.
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, the sparse-browed servant saw a squad of Crimson Robe Attendants heading toward the Wanxing Martial Academy, and he subconsciously looked up.
“Still slacking! Do you want to be thrown out?!”
The sparse-browed servant shuddered again and hurriedly looked down, his broom moving so fast it practically left afterimages.
...
Upon hearing the news of the City Lord's Manor's visit, Zhuang Xun immediately controlled Bai Yujing to head toward the Wanxing Hall.
Halfway there, he suddenly stopped.
Walking toward him was a man with a burly frame, highly prominent brow bones, and deep, heavy eyes that commanded immediate respect and caution.
The man also stopped. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the cold, aloof youth before him, who looked like an exiled immortal. Suddenly, blood qi surged around his body, exerting a heavy pressure that made it hard for the Crimson Robe Attendants behind him to breathe.
This was a manifestation of having trained martial arts to the Zenith, where one's spirit was strong enough to project outward—commonly known as personal aura or presence.
There was no doubt about the man's identity: Yang Gai, the City Lord of Zechuan City.
“I didn't expect you to actually dare appear before me.” His voice was deep and resonant like a drum. Coupled with the surging blood qi around him, it made anyone who heard it tremble in body and mind.
Yet Zhuang Xun, directly facing the blood qi, was not affected in the slightest. His expression remained unchanged, and his voice was as calm as water.
“That City Lord Yang would dare come to the Wanxing Martial Academy is also something Yujing did not expect.”
“Hmph, there is nowhere in this world I dare not go. Do you know that back when I was in the Jiyi Sect...”
Back when I was in the military... Listening to him, Zhuang Xun automatically substituted the words “Jiyi Sect” with that phrase.
“My apologies, but Yujing is not particularly interested in learning about City Lord Yang's past. If City Lord Yang has no important business, Yujing shall take his leave first.”
His speech interrupted, Yang Gai's expression darkened.
The blood qi around him intensified, pressing toward Bai Yujing like a tidal wave.
Behind him, even though they were not the primary targets of his aura, the Crimson Robe Attendants felt suffocated. Their clothes were soaked in cold sweat, their spines bent involuntarily, and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
At that moment, a small bird that happened to fly over Yang Gai's head suddenly stiffened and fell straight to the ground.
Why didn't it land on his head... Aside from feeling a bit stuffy, Zhuang Xun felt nothing else.
He met Yang Gai's gaze without a trace of fear. An ethereal, formless wind rippled out from his body, instantly dispersing the blood qi.
Instantly, the Crimson Robe Attendants felt much better, and their breathing became smooth again.
The bird on the ground also twitched twice before standing up, flapping its wings, and flying away.
This was Zhuang Xun's projection of spirit using Bai Yujing's body.
Even though Bai Yujing had not yet reached the Zenith, with the powerful soul Zhuang Xun had developed from nurturing multiple bodies, combined with Bai Yujing's spiritual strength which far surpassed others of the same realm, he could achieve this even in the Third Rank.
Yang Gai's expression froze slightly.
“Hmph, interesting.”
“Yujing, however, holds the opposite opinion. Pray excuse me.”
Yang Gai did not stop him this time. As he watched Bai Yujing's departing figure, a thought arose in his mind.
This man, without a doubt, would become the greatest obstacle to his future plans.
But so what?
Back when I was still in the Jiyi Sect, even those newly promoted Innate elders of the sect had lost to me before they reached the Innate Realm.
Thinking this, Yang Gai felt that Bai Yujing, who could only project his spirit at the Third Rank, was nothing special after all. A cold smile curled on his lips as he strode forward.
However, moments later, another person blocked his path.
Yang Meng, the Courtyard Head of the Jixin Courtyard, looked at him with a complex expression.
“Brother, what exactly are you trying to do this time?”
Yang Gai ignored her and continued walking, only speaking as he brushed past her, “Since you chose to go to the Wanxing Martial Academy, then stay there properly. Mind your own business, and stay out of mine.”
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