《To Rise Again In The Apocalypse》


 Chapter 1 - 1 - The End of the Line

    A lone battered man stood in the middle of a desolate land, staring up at the sky filled with dark clouds. He was unwilling to accept his fate. After all, he is a peak master of his sect. To be reduced to such a sorry state, he felt that the heavens have wronged him. If he had known earlier, he would''ve killed those people who betrayed him. Thinking back on the events a few days ago, he did not expect that out of all the people in his life, his very own martial elder brother, with whom he has spent most of his life fighting alongside with would be the one to betray him. He could only smile bitterly at the thought.


    "Ah... XinWen truly is unwilling..." he muttered in a weak voice as he saw another lightning form within the dark cloud looming above him. True to form, the dark cloud looked ominous and oppressive. As if bringing with it nothing but despair like the desolate land where Li XenWen stood.


    In his condition, with his spiritual energy spent and exhausted, being struck by lightning would surely spell his death. A dark chuckle escaped his lips "I can''t die yet. Not until I bring justice to their betrayal." And just as fast as the thought crossed his mind, a blinding light was the last thing he saw.


    A loud booming sound was heard throughout the land and after the cloud dispersed, two shadows came out of their hiding place and approached the area where Li XinWen stood just moments ago.


    "So, not even ashes remains... Such a shame. I was really hoping to get that heavenly treasure off him..." this came from a man wearing a white robe adorned with red lining at the edge. The man''s expression was cold as he stared at the aftermath of the recent event.


    A woman came forward, disbelief clouding her face over what she just heard from the man. "Shixiong, I don''t believe that such heavenly treasure would be destroyed by a lightning tribulation for a peak kongming stage..."


    "Shimei, do you think that was a normal lightning tribulation for a peak kongming stage?" he asked. "I believe that was not a normal lightning tribulation but instead... divine''s tribulation."


    As soon as her elder martial brother mentioned the words divine''s tribulation the woman''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! Wen-gege has already entered Dacheng stage?!"


    "No. He was still at peak kongming stage. The only explanation is that... the treasure is truly heaven defying. Or else, do you think the heavens would strike on XinWen without reason? As soon as XinWen bound the treasure to him, the divine tribulation had been triggered..."


    "Oh... then... Wen-gege is really gone? He won''t turn into a loose immortal?"


    At this question, the man closed his eyes and spread out his spiritual sense. "There isn''t even a lingering spirit of him left in this world. Shimei, let us return to the sect and report this to Shiye. You know what to say, right?"


    The woman nodded her head and the two of them left for the sect without ever looking back.

 Chapter 2 - 2 - The Beginning of New Life

    When Li XinWen opened his eyes, he noticed that he was in an entirely different world. Compared to his original world, the spiritual energy within this world was very thin. "I''m still alive...?" he asked himself as he lifted his hands to see if he truly was alive. He only lifted his arm slightly when he heard the sound of a sliding door being opened.


    "Ah! Patient Li, you''re awake! Please don''t move!"


    Li XenWen turned his head slightly towards the direction of the panicked voice. He saw a middle-aged woman dressed in a weird fashion. "You are still heavily injured! Your wounds are still fresh and are still at risk of opening, so please don''t move around too much. Please hold still while I call the doctor."


    Li XinWen took this time to do a quick look at his body. At a glance, he knew this was not his own body. ''So... this body is not mine, and... this world is definitely not my world. Based on the amount of spiritual energy here, it is safe to assume that I have transmigrated?'' Li XinWen thought to himself. For someone who had been thrown to a brand new world, Li XinWen was very calm. After all, he had lived for over three centuries back in Long Xing and has already experienced things that can be considered defying heaven.


    Since the woman has not yet returned, Li XinWen took this time to observe his surroundings . The room was small and smelled of antiseptic. There was a window to the right which let the light in and other than a painting of some sort hanging on the wall in front, the room was bare. He did a quick body scan and noticed that his body sustained a lot of injuries. He realized that this body was that of a mortal, thus he could not manipulate any spiritual energy through his meridians. And finally, he found that the state of his soul was so pitiful, it was a miracle for him to even be alive.


    Li XinWen glanced at the door once more, but there are still no sign of the woman returning. ''Since she''s not returning¡­ let''s see whose body I am currently occupying¡­''


    As that thought crossed his mind, he decided to use what little remained of his soul energy to check the memories of his body. Massive amounts of information flooded his brain and Li XinWen patiently sorted it out as he went through them.


    The original shared the same name as Li XinWen which makes it easier for him and he wouldn''t have to shed his real name. Next, the original is actually an actor who is on the rise to fame. The original had four family members left in this world - an elder sister, an adopted younger brother, his mother and his aunt.


    Li XinWen never had any family. He was an orphan and lived as a street rat for the first decade of his life. Then, by sheer luck, a wandering cultivator discovered his aptitude for cultivation. He was taken into the Soaring Heaven Sect. Since then, he lived for the sect, rising from a no name disciple to an infamous peak master.


    Remembering his past made him recall his elder brother and junior sister''s betrayal and his mood turned sour. Not wanting to think more of it, Li XinWen decided to absorb the world''s information - so he could live well, until the day he found a way to return to his Long Xing.


    ''But still... This guy is quite sad,'' Li XinWen sighed inwardly as he read what happened to the original soul of the body. Apparently, the original suffered a car accident and sustained life threatening injuries. Though he survived the operation, it seems that his life still gave out, allowing Li XinWen the chance to occupy it without any resistance. ''It''s alright. I''ll make sure to live for your sake too. I''ll also take care of your family,'' since Li XinWen received the original''s memories, he knew how important the original''s family was. And considering he never had family in his own world, he might as well try and cherish this family he will now have.


    "Doctor, he''s in here," the woman''s voice from before came from outside the door. Li XinWen prepared his mind as he stared at the door. After all, the difference between his world and this world is heavens apart. He didn''t want to look suspicious at all.


    The door opened and a man who seems to be in his twenties entered the ward. "Mr. Li?" the man called out as he approached the bed. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he started to do his work and checked on Li XinWen.


    "I''m feeling... alright. Just a bit of headache," Li XinWen answered calmly, though his voice came out as a hoarse whisper.


    "Don''t worry. That is normal," the doctor replied. "Mr. Li, we have contacted your family so they should be here soon. Other than your major wound, the rest have healed up quite well in the two months you were in coma. For the next few days, you will be under strict liquid diet to allow your stomach to adjust. Then gradually, you can try eating soft food, however, please avoid taking in solid food for at least a month." The doctor advised before finishing his checkup. "You are lucky, Mr. Li. Out of six people in your vehicle, you are the only one who survived the accident."


    "The heavens must be smiling at me," Li XinWen smiled.


    "Or maybe you had the best medical team to take care of your operation," the doctor said with a hint of arrogance in his tone. From this, Li XinWen deduced that it was this man who led the medical team to operate on the original''s body.


    Li XinWen decided to stay quiet and the doctor left not long after. About five minutes later, a nurse came in with the liquid food and even helped Li XinWen eat. Li XinWen felt embarrassed at being fed as an a.d.u.l.t. But his current condition left him no choice but to accept and swallow his embarrassment along with every spoonful of congee.

 Chapter 3 - 3 - First Meeting (Part 1)

    Half an hour after he was fed by the nurse, the door to his room slid open and two people entered. Li XinWen saw that it was the original''s mother and adopted younger brother.


    "Ah''Wen..." the mother was the first to speak after they settled on the chair beside his bed.


    "You''re finally awake... Mother was worried..." she said as tears started to pool in her eyes. One could see that this elderly woman barely slept with the bags under her eyes.


    "Mother, you don''t have to worry anymore, I''m alright now." Li XinWen replied. He felt a tug in his heart and spent some time calming his mother down. He held her hand in his as they talked about anything and everything, like old friends who missed each other dearly. It was clear that the mother still couldn''t believe her son was finally awake. She had prepared for the worst since the doctor had informed her that her son may possibly end up in a vegetative state for the rest of his life. The mother and son continued to converse until the nurse came in to tell them that Li XinWen needed to take his medicine and rest.


    When Li XinWen opened his eyes next, he saw an unfamiliar figure in his room. Li XinWen narrowed his eyes and asked "Who are you?"


    Hearing this question, the man couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow. "Is that any way to talk to your patron?"


    Li XinWen realized he did something wrong and quickly sorted through his memories. He found the man''s information very easily. But what he found made his face turn dark and ugly.


    ''To think the original indulges in this kind of behaviour...''


    Li XinWen stared at the man with a complicated look. According to the original''s memories, this man is Xue Rui and is indeed the original''s patron. Rich, powerful, and owns the no. 1 entertainment company in Huaxia. The scary thing is that, the entertainment company is not his only business. In fact, he also has his hands on one of the biggest pharmaceutical company in the world. Aside from being Li XinWen''s patron, Xue Rui is also his sister''s fianc¨¦!


    The only reason why Li XinWen was in an indecent relationship with Xue Rui was because the latter had taken a fancy to him and used Li XinWen''s weakness against him.


    Li XinWen looked back through his memories. A particular scene came to mind. Xue Rui had come to visit him during the filming of his second work after his debut. Back then, Li XinWen had only known Xue Rui for a week after his sister introduced the man to the family as her fianc¨¦. Xue Rui acted like a gentleman and Li XinWen did not feel suspicious at all. It wasn''t until break time when the two of them were left alone in Li XinWen''s dressing room did he show his true colours.


    Xue Rui came on to him, and started to harass Li XinWen. To Li XinWen''s surprise he pushed Xue Rui away and a scuffle ensued. Li XinWen was about to leave the room when Xue Rui threatened him that he was going to cut off the engagement with his sister. ''What sc.u.m! This person had the audacity to use Li XinWen''s affection towards his sister as a means to push him to a corner.'' The feeling of revulsion welled up from the pit of Li XinWen''s stomach at the memory.


    "I apologize Rui-ge, I am still feeling the effects of the medicine and did not recognize you earlier. Pray tell what brings you here? Is my sister with you?" Li XinWen responded trying his hardest to suppress his revulsion.


    "JingHua still had work, so I came alone." Xue Rui answered with a hint of sensual malice. "How are you feeling?"


    "I feel a lot better, thank you. Most of the wounds have healed and the more serious injuries remaining have also almost healed completely."


    "Good."


    "..."


    "..."


    The awkward silence that came after, made Li XinWen uncomfortable while Xue Rui seemed to enjoy watching Li XinWen''s discomfort. After a while, Xue Rui finally moved. At first, Li XinWen thought he was going to leave so he closed his eyes and sighed. But then, he felt the bed dip slightly and sensed someone hovering over him. By the time he opened his eyes, it was already too late. Soft lips pressed against his and Li XinWen''s eyes widened in surprise. ''This bastard is very daring!''


    Li XinWen clenched his fists and he was about to punch Xue Rui regardless of his injuries when Xue Rui suddenly pulled away as if sensing what Li XinWen was about to do.


    "How naughty of you Li XinWen!" Xue Rui remarked with a smirk and a glint of perversion in his eyes. "But that''s one of the things I like about you," he added while buttoning his coat.

 Chapter 4 - 4 - First Meeting (Part 2)

    Li XinWen had no comeback retort. Disgust and anger stirred up inside him and a mix of his repulsion and surprise could clearly be seen from his face.


    The sound of the door sliding open brought him back to his senses. There standing in the doorway was a young woman in her early twenties. She carried herself with such confidence and authority that the air around her seem energized. She wore a simple black office dress that went just below the knee and accessorized by a simple pair of gold earrings and a pandora necklace. Her hair was tied to a neat bun and she wore a pair of nude 8-centimeters pumps and carried a croc embossed leather envelope clutch. The young woman was Li JingHua, Li XinWen''s sister and Xue Rui''s fianc¨¦. She exuded power as she entered the room. She was so put together except for the fact that she was carrying what looked like a plastic bag on her other hand.


    "Hua-jie! You came!" with a look of relief, Li XinWen greeted the elder female as he tried to cover his emotions from earlier with a smile. He was grateful that Li JingHua arrived when she did, otherwise he didn''t know what he would have done to Xue Rui. But Li JingHua''s reaction was not what Li XinWen expected. In the original''s memories, Li JingHua always treated him kindly no matter what, which made the original feel guilty for being forced to climb into bed with her fiance. Li XinWen saw disdain in her gaze which quickly disappeared. ''Is Li JingHua aware of her fiance''s infidelity and indecent relationship with her brother?'' Li XinWen started to get worried.


    Li JingHua approached Li XinWen''s bed and gave him a short but heartfelt embrace. She set her envelope clutch on the table beside Li XinWen''s hospital bed and affectionately caressed her brother''s cheek.


    "Ah''Wen, I am so glad that you have finally awaken. How are you feeling? I bought your favorite milk chocolate for you," Li JingHua said smiling as she held up the plastic bag she was holding.


    "Thank you, Hua-jie!" Li XinWen smiled, but he couldn''t help but feel suspicious.


    He wondered whether the look of disdain earlier was just his imagination, or he was reading too much into it. After being betrayed once, it usually is hard to trust again. But Li XinWen prayed that it was just his imagination, since the original really treasured his sister very much and he was looking forward to experiencing how it is to have a family.


    "Let your sister help you," she said in a gentle tone. Li JingHua reached for the button to prop up Li XinWen''s hospital bed. Although she was aware of Xue Rui''s presence, not once did she glance at Xue Rui''s direction. After retrieving the bottle of milk chocolate from the plastic bag, she removed the bottle cap and inserted a straw before handing it to Li XinWen.


    Standing by the foot of Li XinWen''s bed, Xue Rui observed the exchange between brother and sister. And decided he was in the mood to tease Li JingHua.


    "My dear JingHua, do I not deserve a little bit of your attention as your fianc¨¦?" he said smiling, almost lovingly.


    At Xue Rui''s remark, Li XinWen looked up at his sister and for a brief second noticed an annoyed expression on her face. Li JingHua turned to Xue Rui with a forced smile and responded with a hint of sarcasm "Darling, you seem to be in high spirits. I don''t believe you need any of my attention in this setting."


    She slowly approached her fianc¨¦ and pretended to plant a kiss on Xue Rui''s cheek, whispering low enough and out of Li XinWen''s earshot "Haven''t you had your fill of Li XinWen before I arrived?"


    Xue Rui was a little surprised but smiled mischievously at JingHua''s remark and let out a small chuckle. To which Li XinWen became nonplussed as he was unsure what could have brought Xue Rui''s behavior. But he welcomed the interaction between his sister and her fianc¨¦ squashing the thought that Li JingHua was aware of the indecent relationship between Xue Rui and himself.


    By this time, Li XinWen''s suspicion had already disappeared and believed that what he had seen before was just his imagination. He drank the chocolate milk and admitted to himself that he quite like the sweet tasting beverage. Although he still preferred spiritual wine over the brown colored liquid called chocolate milk. But alas, there was none to be had in this world where there are no cultivators and even the spiritual energy were scarce.


    Xue Rui held Li JingHua''s arms and planted a soft kiss on her cheek and gently pushed her aside as he approached Li XinWen. He squeezed the latter''s arm as if to express some pent up desire.


    "Then I shall excuse myself to allow you two to catch up," he said before turning towards Li JingHua who stood with a resigned expression on her face. "I''ll be waiting outside until you are ready to leave, darling," he mischievously winked at Li JingHua on the last word before leaving the room and finally, Xue Rui nonchalantly closed the door behind him.


    Li XinWen and Li JingHua took this opportunity to catch up with each other. They spent the remaining 2 hours of the hospital''s visiting schedule exchanging stories and reminiscing about their childhood. After helping Li XinWen lie down comfortably, Li JingHua gave him a hug and said goodbye.


    Although tired after the day''s events and visitors, Li XinWen felt happy and light especially at the thought that his sister treasured him dearly. ''It''s been a good day,'' he thought.


    Seeing that there was nothing to do and still wide awake, Li XinWen decided to try cultivating. Although the spiritual energy of this world was thin, as long as there was a minute amount in the surrounding area, he should be able to cultivate. But then there was the question of whether his mortal body would have the capacity to absorb the needed spiritual energy after suffering the accident. In addition, it was already passed the prime age of cultivation. But he had to try.


    Li XinWen closed his eyes and used his rich experience to sense and guide the faint traces of spiritual energy towards his mortal body. To his delight, his mortal body started absorbing spiritual energy little by little.


    "Amazing! Despite being injured, this mortal body still possessed the aptitude for cultivation!" Li XinWen expressed with a renewed sense of determination and ended up spending the entire night channeling and allowing his mortal body to absorb spiritual energy to build the foundation.

 Chapter 5 - 5 - We should go our separate path

    Li JingHua met Xue Rui outside Li XinWen''s hospital room and together they walked down the hall towards the elevators. They were both silent partway when Li JingHua spoke. "Rui, how about we go to a nearby cafe and have a chat? I have something important to tell you," Li JingHua said as she gazed at her fiance.


    Xue Rui looked back at her almost lovingly. Remembering how work has been hard on her these past couple of days, he decided to indulge JingHua and accepted her invitation.


    "Alright, let''s go."


    They entered the elevator and headed towards the hospital''s bas.e.m.e.nt parking. They left in Xue Rui''s silver Maserati Quattroporte and drove to a nearby caf¨¦. Xue Rui parked the car in the first empty slot near the entrance and hurried to Li JingHua''s side and opened the passenger door for her. ''Still acting like the perfect boyfriend¡­'' Li JingHua thought as she alighted the car and hesitantly took Xue Rui''s extended hand. When they reached the caf¨¦ entrance, Xue Rui held the door for her as she entered.


    Xue Rui escorted her to a cozy corner of the caf¨¦ before heading to the counter to place their order. Li JingHua followed Xue Rui with her gaze and recalled that they used to spend some of their afternoon dates there. Nostalgia was hitting her hard. ''He was such a gentleman¡­'' she thought to herself.


    Xue Rui came back holding a tray with two cups of espresso and a slice of opera cake. He set them down on their table and made himself comfortable. "This pairing is the best, don''t you agree, my JingHua?" gazing at her as he lifted the cup to take a sip.


    For a moment JingHua felt her heart skip a beat, just like how it was before. In her mind she thought, ''It seems that he has not forgotten how much I love this dessert. Perfect with a hot cup of espresso.''


    "Mn¡­" she answered as she took a sip from her cup.


    They spent a couple of minutes silently sipping coffee, as if to brace each other for what was to be discussed. Finally, JingHua set down her cup and looked Xue Rui straight in the eye, all nostalgia and affection erased.


    "Rui, let''s end our engagement." JingHua said nonchalantly and at the same time thinking: ''It''s sad¡­To think that I used to love this man and how much I thought of him¡­but that''s all in the past.''


    Xue Rui was honestly surprised at her words and for a moment he was unable to react. He never took JingHua as the sort of woman to take the initiative to break off their engagement, especially when their family needed his support.


    "Why all of a sudden?" he finally managed to ask. "Aren''t you afraid of the consequences? Your brother''s treatment for example."


    A part of him rejoiced at the idea of breaking off the engagement as he thought about Li XinWen. Li JingHua scoffed at Xue Rui''s statement and stared at him with a mix of pity and disdain. It was the same expression she had when she met with Li XinWen earlier.


    "I believe that even if we break off the engagement you will still continue to support Ah''Wen''s treatments until he makes a full recovery. After all, do you not hold feelings for him? Didn''t you use me to get close to him?" Li JingHua remarked, all the while trying to maintain her composure.


    Xue Rui was taken aback but managed to recover his surprise. He smiled and almost laughed at himself and at the thought that he had been found out. "Since when did you realize this?"


    JingHua averted her gaze from Xue Rui and looked out the glass wall separating them from the outside.


    "Since I''ve been found out, then I no longer need to put up an act. But you''re wrong about one thing. I never used you JingHua. I didn''t approach you to get close to Li XinWen," Xue Rui remarked as he straightened his tie and ran his fingers through his hair. Li JingHua returned her gaze to the man in front of her¡­to the man she used to consider her world.


    ''It''s all in the past,'' she reminded herself.


    "I mistook you for him, JingHua." Xue Rui said almost apologetic.


    He then continued, a frown on his face as he thought back to when he first saw Li XinWen. He felt as if he was cheated by these two siblings. "How can you blame me? He was so beautiful and radiant in that dress. And I was immediately taken in by his beauty. It was love at first sight. But at that time I had no idea that he was a man. And when I saw you I thought you were that person I was attracted to. You two looked almost similar. And whose idea was it to have him dress up as a woman anyway?!"


    "That was for a play at the school festival!" Li JingHua hissed and glared at Xue Rui suddenly exasperated at the thought of being mistaken for someone else and of all people her own brother in a woman''s dress. ''It''s almost funny¡­but heartbreaking at the same time,'' She closed her eyes at the thought and let out a deep sigh.


    "It doesn''t matter anymore. Since you already know, there is no need to keep up any pretense. I will agree to break off the engagement and will pursue Li XinWen. But I am curious... How did you find out?" Xue Rui was certain that he was very discreet about all his interactions with Li XinWen. Not even his secretary found out.


    "It''s no longer any of your concern how I found out." Li JingHua said as she took the last sip of her coffee. "I forgive you Xue Rui for deceiving me all this time. I once loved you so I will forgive you and leave it at that. From now on, you and I no longer walk the same path. Please do not approach my family any longer. I will be going now."


    Li JingHua stood up from her seat and Xue Rui also stood up but Li JIngHua stopped him "You don''t have to send me home. Goodbye Xue Rui."


    Li JingHua left the caf¨¦. Although it was a bit chilly outside, she decided to walk home to give herself some time to think. Their home wasn''t that far from the caf¨¦ anyway. She thought back to her alternate past. Back then she had been blind and oblivious to the indecent affair between Xu Rui and her brother. What a fool she had been, for not even noticing Xue Rui''s behavior. She had to hand it to Xue Rui, he was good at hiding things from her. Or maybe it was because she had been blinded by her love for him at that time.


    When she found out about their indecent affair, she felt betrayed and disgusted. She hated Li XinWen and loathed Xue Rui. She was so angry at her brother that she didn''t even try asking him for the truth and never gave him a chance to explain himself. That was her one regret, letting her brother die without having the opportunity to say that she forgave him for what he had done.


    She felt her strength give way and she found herself crouched on the sidewalk as tears suddenly welled up from her eyes. "I''m sorry Ah''Wen," she whispered through the tears. But that incident was still ways away. Exactly five years before the apocalypse. Yes, she was given another chance and had travelled back from the future.


    ''I can fix this,'' she thought as she stood up. She wiped away the tears from her face and continued walking towards home. This time, Li JingHua was determined to do all it takes to protect her two brothers. If she could prevent their mother from turning that would be better. But with the knowledge of the future, she knew that their mother will not survive the transition. ''It''s alright... There are still five years... that is enough time to prepare and maybe, just maybe, there is a way to save mom...'' Li JingHua sighed as she looked up at the night sky. She shook her head to clear the unwanted memories as she quickly made her way home.


    The apocalypse that Li JingHua witnessed five years into the future was devastating to say the least. At this time, her mother was still alive and if she truly cannot change their mother''s fate, she was going to make sure she cherished their remaining time together. Li JingHua decided that she was going to share the information regarding the apocalypse as well as her time travel as soon as Li XinWen made a full recovery. It was imperative that Li XinWen was at his full strength when they begin preparations for the apocalypse.


    They would need financing to purchase everything that they''ll need. Working at a brokerage firm has allowed her to acquire the knowledge as to which businesses were profitable to invest in. Hours and hours of observing financial data gave her the ac.u.men to ascertain when it was time to buy or to sell the shares. In spite of this, the pay was not as lucrative. Commissions were not as high. She''ll be looking to Li XinWen and his years of acc.u.mulated savings to aid their preparations. She''ll be asking him for capital and together with her knowledge in the financial market she''ll grow the money and finance their preparations for the apocalypse.


    As for Xue Rui, she could care less for that sc.u.m of a man. If possible, she''d rather he died on the first day of the apocalypse. But she knows it won''t happen. For some reason, the heavens decided to bless him with tri-awakening abilities. It is unfortunate, but Li JingHua cannot do anything about it. At the very least, she knows that the further away Xue Rui is from her family, the safer it is. After all, Xue Rui was the catalyst for Li XinWen''s death in her past life.

 Chapter 6 - 6 - Sun Xiao and the fate of acting career

    The next day, Li XinWen felt much better. After spending the whole night absorbing spiritual energy, he concluded that he would be able to establish the foundation tonight. And his path to cultivation can truly begin. This speed even made Li XinWen sigh in jealousy since he spent two years in his last life to even establish his foundation. ''Experience does make a difference...'' he lamented.


    Early in the afternoon, he received another visitor. They actually met on the day he woke up in this world. It was the quietly adopted brother. This is the younger brother, whom they affectionately call Sun Xiao. Li XinWen noticed how timid the boy was as he entered the room. Sun Xiao was fourteen years old; he was taller than average and had a lean frame. He wore a dark navy cardigan over a white shirt, a matching dark navy pant and carried a black backpack.


    When Sun Xiao was young, he and his family got into a car accident where he was the only survivor. That was four years ago.


    Their family was headed to JiangJing city, XuanChang district, for a long-awaited vacation after his father was able to take a break from his busy schedule. However, as they were traversing HanCheng Highway, the driver of an oncoming truck had fallen asleep while driving and apparently lost control of the vehicle. When the driver came to, it was already too late. Sun Xiao''s father tried his best to avoid colliding with the truck, but it was unavoidable. His mother did all she can to keep Sun Xiao safe using her own body as a shield to make sure he would survive.


    After hearing about the accident, Li XinWen along with his mother frantically rushed to the hospital and found the boy almost unscathed. She ran to the boy and embraced Sun Xiao while sobbing. He had never seen his mother break down like that before. Perhaps it was because she had such close relations with the Sun couple especially with Sun Xiao''s mother who treated her like a sister. Sun Xiao had no other relatives left, knowing this, their mother immediately made the decision to take Sun Xiao into the family. Li XinWen and Li JingHua did not have any problems with their mother''s decision as they were both close to Sun Xiao. It was unfortunate that after the accident, Sun Xiao closed himself off from everyone and his mentality seemed to have regressed to that of a 10-year-old.


    "Ah''Xiao, did you come straight from school?" Li XinWen asked with a smile. Sun Xiao only answered with a nod before sitting down by Li XinWen''s bedside. The young boy continued to sit quietly staring at the floor and Li XinWen didn''t push any further. But after a while, the boy finally spoke.


    "Xin-gege¡­You won''t leave Ah''Xiao right?" Sun Xiao''s cracked timid voice as he uttered those words shook Li XinWen''s heart to the core making his eyes water.


    He noticed that Sun Xiao wore a mixed expression of fear and deep sadness."Ah''Xiao, what''s wrong? Gege won''t leave you. Why do you look scared?" Li XinWen asked.


    "I-its... It''s nothing..." Sun Xiao replied as he shook his head.


    Li XinWen knew that something was bothering Sun Xiao. ''Such a brave little soul¡­trying to suppress his fears,'' Li XinWen thought. This prompted him to comfort Sun Xiao. He sat up slowly taking care not to aggravate his wound and asked Sun Xiao to sit beside him, patting the space on his bed.


    Sun Xiao hesitated but sat beside li XinWen after a little coaxing. Li XenWen pulled Sun Xiao into a hug and squeezed just enough so that he''d feel comforted. "It''s alright. Gege won''t leave Ah''Xiao," taking the boy''s hand he placed it on the spot where his heart was. "See? My heart is still beating, and I am still alive. Don''t worry okay?" he added, trying his hardest to reassure his little brother.


    Sun Xiao just nodded his head and let Li XinWen hug him. As the young boy listened to his elder brother''s heartbeat, he felt calmer. His arms sn.a.k.e.d around Li XinWen to return the hug. "Thank you, Xin-gege..." he mumbled in a soft voice.


    After a while Sun Xiao pulled away and excused himself, saying that he had schoolwork to do. It seemed that the boy came because he was worried something might happen to Li XinWen. After saying their goodbyes, Li XinWen was left alone.


    At around three in the afternoon, Li XinWen saw a new face. But this time, he wasn''t ignorant of this person''s identity. The person before him was a middle-aged woman, she was around her forties. And this woman was the original Li XinWen''s manager.


    "Hello, Manager Su..." Li XinWen greeted his visitor.


    "XinWen, you look better. I''m glad that you''re finally out of your coma." her tone was serious and her movements brisk and precise. She dressed professionally, not a hair out of place and she made it clear from her arrival that she was there for business. She set down the leather envelope case and the paper bag she was holding and stood at the foot of Li XinWen''s hospital bed.


    "Because of your accident, the filming for [Death to My Destiny] has been put on hold. Also, with the news that you were in a coma, the production team decided to replace you," she said as a matter of fact almost devoid of any feeling of concern.


    "Oh¡­" Li XinWen wasn''t sure how to feel or respond to the news of being replaced for the movie. After all, acting was as foreign to him as the milk chocolate drink JingHua introduced the other day. In addition, he doubts he''d do a good job as it was neither his passion nor his interest. His main priority at this time was cultivation.


    "That''s alright since the doctor also advised that I rest until I have fully recovered and¡­"


    "About that," Manager Su interjected before Li XinWen was able to finish his sentence. "I actually talked to your doctor before coming to your room to inquire about your condition. And the doctor confirmed that you are forbidden, at least in the meantime, from exerting too much effort. In which case it won''t do us any good in the long run if we push with you filming for the movie. I''ve reported this to the company executives, and they have agreed to give you a year-long break to allow you to recuperate from your injuries. You are, after all, one of the company''s rising stars," again, these were said as a matter of fact. It was amazing how straightforward this woman was.


    "We''ll be holding a press conference next week to show the public and your fans that you are on your way to recovery and also to announce that you''ll be on a year-long hiatus but will be back once you are at full capacity. I''ll be back in a weeks'' time to come to pick you up. I''ll have the stylist bring your clothes and prepare you for the conference 3 hours before we depart for the venue." All of these she mentioned in lightning speed. She made her way towards the table where she laid her leather envelope case and picked it up to leave.


    Before completely stepping out of the room, she turned and tilted her head towards the paper bag and advised Li XinWen "Oh, and I brought you a little something to congratulate you on your recovery," and with that, she shut the door behind her. Leaving Li XinWen dumbfounded in her wake.

 Chapter 7 - 7 - Home is where the family is

    A week passed and Li XinWen was well enough to be discharged from the hospital. As was planned, Manager Su picked him up and they went directly to where they were holding the press conference. Upon arriving, they were met briefly by the CEO of Oracle Entertainment company to welcome Li XinWen back and they proceeded to the hall where the reporters had been waiting. In all honesty, Li XinWen could care less about the press conference and decided to let Manager Su handle everything.


    The press conference proceeded accordingly. Several reporters asked their questions directly at Li XinWen and as a foreigner in this world and the profession, he tried his best to answer them politely and as best he could, drawing from the original''s memory. This went on for a good 2 hours and the flashing cameras made Li XinWen dizzy and before long he felt sick. It was a good thing that Manager Su was quick on her toes and noticed his demeanor. She signaled for the company''s head of production to take over. She made a brief statement to the reports and assisted Li XinWen over to the exit.


    "Are you okay?" Manager Su asked and without waiting for Li XinWen''s response ushered him towards the car parked in the back entrance of the building. "Take care and rest," and with that, the driver left for Li XinWen''s address.


    It was a considerable drive from the company building to his address. As he was not familiar with the world he was in, he looked out of the car window with astonishment. Skyscr.a.p.ers lined the road and there were numerous vehicles weaving in and out. ''So, this is the mortal world of the lower realm!'' his astonishment trumped any discomfort he was feeling from the press conference.


    The car finally stopped in front of a two-storey house with a well-maintained lawn. The driver alighted and opened the car door for him. He said his thank you to the driver and walked slowly towards the front door, one hand placed just below his right rib taking care not to exacerbate his injury. It felt familiar and yet foreign to Li XinWen. The original''s memories in this home came rushing into view and tears started running down his cheeks. "So, this was how it felt to have a family," sniffing he managed to laugh a little and continued walking until he reached the front door. It seemed that no one was home as the lights were out.


    He reached for the handle and turned the knob. It wasn''t locked. Li XinWen was suddenly filled with anticipation and excitement as he stepped into a dimly lit living room when the lights suddenly switched on and confetti poppers were released. It was a delightful surprise to have his entire family throw him a welcome home party. He was overwhelmed with happiness and he couldn''t help but feel touched.


    "Welcome home, Ah''Wen!" both women of the Li family said warmly.


    "This is a congratulatory party for your safe discharge! Mom cooked all of your favorites. Come and eat!" Li JingHua said as she led Li XinWen to the dining table. On top of the dining table, there were a variety of foods, all of which were the original''s favorite.


    "Xin-gege, congratulations! And welcome home," Sun Xiao said with a smile on his face.


    Li XinWen grinned and patted Sun Xiao''s head. "Thank you, Ah''Xiao. Thank you, mom. And thank you also, Hua-jie."


    "Don''t be polite. Hurry up and eat before the food becomes cold," mother Li said urging Li XinWen to start eating.


    It wasn''t until they were finished eating and mother Li went to wash the dishes did Li XinWen realize that someone was missing. "Hua-jie, where''s Rui-ge?"


    "He''s busy with work so he couldn''t come," she lied. Li Jing Hua had not yet told her family about the matter regarding their engagement. "Why? Are you worried?"


    "Oh, no... Not at all. It just... It feels weird not seeing you together," Li XinWen replied. Knowing how infatuated Xue Rui is with the original, he was certain that that man wouldn''t miss this party for Li XinWen.


    "Why is it weird? He isn''t family," Li JingHua grumbled unhappily.


    "But he will become Hua-jie''s husband in the future, so he is already family," Li XinWen said. Even though he''s a sc.u.m, the original was willing to go through lengths to make sure his sister was happy. So he, as the replacement, should try his best too. Of course he wasn''t going to be sleeping with that sc.u.m any longer. He already planned to use his injury to his advantage, and by the time he''s fully recovered, he''ll be able to use spiritual energy to knock him out.


    "He won''t be," Li JingHua said in a very low voice. But since Li XinWen had already reached the 3rd stage of Houtian, he could easily hear it.


    "Hua-jie, did you have a fight with Rui-ge??" Li XinWen asked worriedly. "I... I''ll go talk to Rui-ge so you two can make up!"


    "No! No need!" Li JingHua quickly stopped Li XinWen. "It''s fine. For now, your health is the top priority. You should go and rest and let Jie talk to him, alright?" Li JingHua said before asking Sun Xiao to help Li XinWen to his room.


    After Li XinWen and Sun Xiao disappeared upstairs, Li JingHua finally let out a sigh of relief. She thought about her plan once more. Somehow she felt it''ll be hard to tell Li XinWen and Sun Xiao. "I guess I''ll wait until Ah''Wen is fully recovered..." she said as she took out her phone and sent a message to Xue Rui. With how Li XinWen acted earlier, it seems that she needs to revise her plan a little bit.


    Xue Rui was working in his office when he received the text message from his former fiance. After reading the text message, Xue Rui couldn''t help but let out a small chuckle. ''How precious,'' he thought. He decided to call instead of replying back with a text. JingHua answered on the second ring.


    "JingHua, what a pleasant surprise. Didn''t you say that I should stay away from your family?" Xue Rui asked in a mocking tone. "It''s only been a week and it seems that you already miss me."


    "You haven''t changed Xue Rui. This is for Ah''Wen. He''s worried about our ''relationship'' and I''m afraid that it might affect his recovery. So, work with me here."


    "Ah~ of course. For Xiao Wen, I am willing to agree with this," he said, a smile forming on his lips. "Then, I will see you at dinner."


    After that exchange, he ended the call and looked forward to dinner. "But before that..." Xue Rui stared at his computer. "I should finish this quickly," he sighed as he continued his work. It was probably because he was too focused on his work that he didn''t realize how late it was. If his secretary had not reminded him, he may have worked until late into the night.


    After leaving his office, Xue Rui made a quick stop to buy a gift for Li XinWen. When he told Li JingHua that he was going to pursue Li XinWen, he actually meant it. The moment he laid his eyes on Li XinWen, he knew he had to have him.


    He went to a high end antique shop and with his status; he was immediately led to the VIP room. "Young Master Xue, is there something you need from our humble shop?" the store manager asked.


    "En. I''m looking for a gift for my future wife. Do you have anything that might be fitting? The price won''t be an issue," Xue Rui answered.


    "Well, you''re in luck Young Master Xue! We just recently acquired a very rare jadeite stone."


    "Oh?" this news suddenly piqued Xue Rui''s interest. "How big is the stone?"


    "Although it is not that big, it would still be enough to make a jade pendant," the manager answered.


    "Alright. Please make it into my family crest. How long will it take? I plan to give the gift tonight."


    "No problem, Young Master Xue. It will be done in an hour. In the meantime, how about Young Master Xue look over the rest of our items? Maybe there is something else that might strike your fancy?" handing Xue Rui a booklet to browse through before heading to the back of the shop to prepare the pendant Xue Rui wanted.


    Though Xue Rui knew that it was only a marketing strategy, he indulgently browsed the booklet. After all, it was better than doing nothing. By the time he reached the last page, he had unconsciously added three more items to his purchase. He reasoned that since he bought one for Li XinWen, it would look suspicious if he didn''t get gifts for the rest of the family.

 Chapter 8 - 8 - Gifts (Part 1)

    Sun Xiao and Li XinWen reached the latter''s room found at the second floor of the house. His room was located immediately to the right of the staircase. ''This is a rather generous space!'' Li XinWen thought. Comparing to how they lived in the Soaring Heaven sect where the hallways to the living quarters were narrow and bare. Of course, after he had become a peak master for Soaring Heaven Sect, he had a courtyard of his own. But the size of the hut he had within that courtyard was still not comparable to this!


    ''Just how big is this house?'' Li XinWen wondered.


    In the middle was a smaller version of the living room found downstairs and two other rooms can be seen on the far side of the floor. Referring to the original''s memories, the room to the right belonged to Sun Xiao and that on the left belonged to JingHua. Their mother, owing to her age slept in the master''s bedroom downstairs. Sun Xiao opened the door to Li XinWen''s room and led him to his bed to rest.


    "Thank you Ah''Xiao," Li XinWen said smiling.


    Sun Xiao merely nodded before excusing himself and closed the door to Li XinWen''s room. "This is quite a cozy room," Li XinWen mumbled to himself as he surveyed his new surroundings. The room had wooden floors and a simplistic layout, giving off a zen atmosphere. Clean lines and the combination of the rich brown and black tones added to the subdued and tranquil atmosphere of the room. The bed was soft and large enough to fit two people. At the foot of the bed was a small Recamier divan and on either side were bedside tables illuminated by light fixtures secured against the wall.


    A carpet accentuated the middle of the room. Immediately to the right was a walk-in closet of considerable size with glass walls acting as partition. Shirts and trousers were hung neatly and were organized according to colors. With rows and rows of shoes and plenty of drawers.


    At the corner of the room, an accent chair and small coffee table can be seen near the shelf lined with books, scripts and decorative items all arranged in a stylish manner. It seemed that the original Li XinWen used this part of his room as his workplace where he studies his script or read his books. In a way, it looks like a small library.


    The curtains were drawn but it was easy to make out the sliding glass doors behind them which lead to a small terrace.


    "So this is how an actor''s room looks like?" Lin XinWen expressed. "The room even has its own toilet and bath. This would have been unheard of in the Soaring Heaven sect! Even the highest ranking masters'' quarters cannot compare to this extravagance!" shaking his head in the process.


    With some effort he made his away to draw the curtains open to let some of the afternoon light into the room. Li XinWen decided to continue cultivating. He sat on the carpet cross-legged as if in meditation and closed his eyes to sense the spiritual energy in the surroundings.


    Somewhere in his consciousness, Li XinWen heard a knocking against a wooden surface. It was soft yet persistent and was enough to bring his awareness back. When he opened his eyes, Sun Xiao was peeking in and had opened the door to his room.


    "Xin-gege, it''s almost dinner time¡­" Sun Xiao informed him timidly as if to apologize for the interruption. Somehow it made Li XinWen feel that Sun Xiao''s timidity was also a defense mechanism on his part to put some distance between himself and those around him.


    "Ah''xiao, you know you don''t have to be afraid of me right?" Li XinWen asked as if to reassure the boy that it was okay.


    "Not afraid¡­" Sun Xiao''s short response was to be expected.


    "Alright, alright" Li XinWen said smiling "You''re not afraid¡­are you here to help Ge?"


    Sun Xiao did not give an answer but made his way over and helped Li XinWen stand up from where he was seated. Gently taking Li XinWen''s arm and placing it on his shoulder for support.


    "You''ve become quite strong and have grown so much Ah''Xiao. Gege appreciates you supporting me like this." he said fondly to Sun Xiao as they made their way downstairs to the dining room. And Li XinWen did not notice the slight blush that adorned Sun Xiao''s cheek.


    When they arrived downstairs, Li XinWen immediately noticed a difference in the air around the ground floor. It felt different from when he first arrived home from the press conference. Something was abuzz. It wasn''t dark or menacing. It felt more electric and energized, but he couldn''t seem to locate the source. ''I wonder where this energy is coming from,'' he thought distractedly and didn''t notice the man sitting in the living room, looking at him expectantly.


    It wasn''t until Xue Rui cleared his throat and made a coughing sound that Li XinWen''s averted his gaze towards where Xue Rui was seated. For a split second Li XinWen saw a faint green light flickering around Xue Rui which quickly dissipated. ''It must have been my imagination,'' Li XinWen thought before greeting Xue Rui.


    "Good evening Rui-ge. Welcome to our home. To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"


    Sun Xiao helped Li XinWen sit down on the sofa opposite Xue Rui before sitting down beside Li XinWen quietly.


    "JingHua invited me for dinner to celebrate your discharge from the hospital," Xue Rui responded smiling broadly.


    ''Didn''t Hua-jie and Rui-ge have a fight? Perhaps they''ve already made up with each other? Well, that was fast. I guess a woman in love can easily find it in her heart to forgive,'' Li XinWen thought while looking for Li JingHua. ''If it were me, I would''ve let the cold war lasts for a very long time...''


    The sounds and smell coming from the kitchen indicated that Li mother and Li JingHua were busy preparing dinner. Li XinWen was looking forward to dinner having tasted the sumptuous spread they prepared when he arrived during lunch. In the world where he was from, eating was considered more as a form of indulgence instead of a need.


    As an immortal, he didn''t need to eat for sustenance. But the food he had for lunch, made a lasting impression and just thinking about it made his mouth water. Smiling at the thought Li XinWen''s attention was again caught by a faint flicker in Xue Rui''s direction.


    A vibrating energy seem to be drawing his consciousness but he couldn''t put a finger on it. As if a pulsating force was surrounding the very space they were occupying. Li XinWen''s attention was brought back to the present when he felt someone tugging at his sleeve.


    It was Sun Xiao who wore a worried expression on his face as if he was about to cry. "-in-gege¡­Xin-gege¡­" Sun Xiao said in an almost tearful voice. It seems that he had been calling out to Li XinWen for a while. Xue Rui watched this with a look of concern.


    "What is it Ah''Xiao? Are you okay?" Li XinWen asked while looking over the boy to make sure there was nothing wrong.


    "Rui-dage¡­" Sun Xiao replied "Xin-ge wasn''t paying attention?"


    "Huh? Uhm¡­No? I''m sorry," as he directed his attention towards Xue Rui. "Apologies Rui-ge. Did you say something?"


    Sun Xiao fidgeted before glancing over at Xue Rui nervously. Xue Rui did not let Li XinWen''s behavior affect him. He was going to exercise patience to win Li XinWen''s affection this time around.


    "Think nothing of it XinWen," He took out a small box from the elegant paper bag beside him and placed it on the table in front of Li XinWen. "I prepared a small gift to celebrate your discharge from the hospital," gesturing for Li XinWen to open his gift.

 Chapter 9 - 9 - Gifts (Part 2)

    Li XinWen''s eyes narrowed and his gaze moved to the box before him. Now that he paid attention to it, he could sense how the spiritual energy around the room seem to gather around the box as if whatever was inside was absorbing them. "Rui-ge, what is inside this box?" Li XinWen asked in a curious tone.


    "Why don''t you open it and see for yourself," Xue Rui said with a smile and waited for Li XinWen to open the box. But Li XinWen hesitated.


    Even back in his own world, only high grade heavenly treasures had the ability to absorb spiritual energy. Such treasures were very rare and are sought after by many. Whenever such treasures are found, a bloodbath was sure to follow. Recalling the heavenly treasure he had before - it was of low grade quality and yet it was enough to make his fellow sect members betray him. If this very item that Xue Rui was giving him were to appear in his previous world, Li XinWen did not even dare imagine what will happen.


    "This... XinWen thinks that he does not deserve such a treasure," because he had unexpectedly came into contact with such a treasure, Li XinWen felt overwhelmed that he didn''t realize he reverted to his original way of speaking.


    "So humble," Xue Rui let out a small chuckle. He didn''t find Li XinWen''s way of speaking strange.


    "XinWen, don''t be polite. Here, take it," Xue Rui pushed the box towards Li XinWen. Li XinWen once again stared at the box before he reluctantly accepted it.


    "Then XinWen offers his thanks to Rui-ge," he said as he took the box into his hands. When he did, he felt the cool, gentle strands of spiritual energy spread over his hands and into his meridians. Immediately, Li XinWen''s heart raced. ''This treasure will be very beneficial for cultivators! To actually come across something like this. Is this heaven''s way of repaying their debt to me?''


    Li XinWen''s excitement did not escape Xue Rui and the latter couldn''t help but feel happy. "I am glad that XinWen likes his gift. Are you not going to open it?"


    "No. I will open it later," Li XinWen went back to how the original would speak. "Thank you, Rui-ge," he sincerely thanked Xue Rui with a warm smile on his face.


    Li XinWen''s warm smile took Xue Rui by surprise. It was disarming to say the least. In spite of his condition he smiled radiantly. ''What was with that smile?'' Xue Rui thought. Caught by surprise, he failed to maintain his composure and ended up looking nervous and he felt himself blushing.


    "Don''t mention it XinWen." he responded and managed to change the subject saying "And I also have something for xiao Xiao." as he took another box from the bag he set beside the foot of the table.


    This box was a bit larger than the one Li XinWen received. More than the size, what caught his attention was the small trace of spiritual energy emanating from the box and he once again became curious. He started to wonder where Xue Rui got the gifts. ''I''ll ask him later so I can make a visit in the future...'' he thought to himself.


    Sun Xiao looked at the box and quietly thanked Xue Rui. But unlike Li XinWen, he opened the box to take a look out of curiosity. Li XinWen stared at the item set inside the box. It was an egg-shaped stone with an ember color. Though he sensed some spiritual energy from the stone, he couldn''t help but be disappointed at the level of impurity disrupting the spiritual energy.


    "Rui-dage... This looks expensive..." Sun Xiao timidly tried to reject the gift.


    "No, you should accept it. After all, we will become family in the future," Xue Rui smiled.


    Sun Xiao felt a warmth in his heart at the mention of family. Shyly, he nodded his head and accepted the gift. "Thank you, Rui-dage..." expressing his thanks before turning to Li XinWen."Xin-gege, I''m going to put away my gift... Do you want me to put away yours as well? That way, it won''t bother you while we eat later..." Sun Xiao said as he looked at the box in Li XinWen''s hand.


    "En. Then Ge will trouble Ah''Xiao. Thank you," Li XinWen smiled as he handed the box to Sun Xiao.


    Li XinWen''s gaze followed Sun Xiao as he held both boxes carefully. While Sun Xiao placed the two boxes on top of the cabinet nearby, Li JingHua and Li mother finally came out of the kitchen carrying various dishes and laying them on the dining table.


    "Ah''Xiao, there is a big serving bowl in the kitchen, can you help mom bring it over to the table?" Li mother asked Sun Xiao who went to the kitchen obediently.


    Li XinWen''s attention was captured by the competing aroma of the various dishes as they wafted to the living room. Turning his head towards the source of the tempting aroma, Li XinWen failed to notice the anomalous behavior exhibited by Xue Rui''s gifts. To the n.a.k.e.d eye they looked like mere boxes but to an immortal''s keen sense the boxes glowed. Emitting various shades of green and ember as both stones absorbed spiritual energy from its surroundings.


    Xue Rui couldn''t help but notice this child-like behavior from Li XinWen. ''Getting excited because of food¡­how precious. I want to hold him and just keep him in my arms,'' Xue Rui thought before reprimanding himself: ''Now now Xue Rui¡­''


    He made his way to the opposite sofa where Li XinWen sat and placed his hand on Li XinWen''s shoulder. "Allow me to help you to the dining table XinWen."


    He took XinWen''s arm and placed it on his shoulder while Xue Rui''s left arm sn.a.k.e.d around XinWen''s waist to support his weight. XinWen was about to make a protest but it was too late. When it came down to it, Xue Rui was considerably strong. He could feel Xue Rui''s well-defined arm muscles with his arm wrapped around his waist.


    "Am I impressing you yet XinWen?" Xue Rui teased with a mischievous smile on his face. This did not escape Li JingHua''s scrutiny.


    All the while watching Xue Rui''s flirtatious behavior towards Li XinWen. ''I guess he''s no longer hiding his intentions. I wonder why I even fell in love with this man,'' she thought with exasperation.


    They reached the dining table and Xue Rui helped Li XinWen sit comfortably. He made his way around and sat beside JingHua and addressed mother Li with a charming smile. "These all look delicious Madam Li. I can''t wait to dig in!"


    "Ah''Rui there is no need to be polite. Since we will be a family in the future, just call me mother!" because she did not know that Li JingHua and Xue Rui had already dissolved their engagement, she still thought that the two will soon get married.


    "Alright, thank you for the food, mother!" Xue Rui replied, his smile became wider as he felt that he had just gotten mother Li''s approval. "In the future, I will make sure to take good care of your child."


    Xue Rui was cunning, making sure he used general terms instead of daughter or son. This way, other than Li JingHua who is in the know, the rest would assume he was referring to Li JingHua and not Li XinWen.


    On the other hand, Li XinWen was cursing Xue Rui in his heart. ''If you want to take good care of my sister, please do it properly! Why try to eat tofu with me when you two are engaged?!''

 Chapter 10 - 10 - Xue Ruis guide to courting: If youve already done wrong, then be shameless.

    Li XinWen was more than satisfied with dinner. It was even more remarkable than the dishes they ate during lunch. They were all gathered in the living room watching television. He sat on the sofa with Sun Xiao and mother Li, while JingHua and Xue Rui sat together in the adjacent sofa. They were watching people performing inside a wide invention of some sort. Li XinWen was in awe.


    ''How did those people fit inside? How are they able to move? What sort of divination was performed? This is what they call television...'' he stared intently, fascinated at the same time cautious so as not to give away that he was not the mortal Li XinWen.


    Out of curiosity, he searched through the original''s memory and found that it was not due to some sort of divination or magic. There was a science to the projection. Nevertheless, Li XinWen found it fascinating.


    While Li XinWen watched intently, Xue Rui was also curiously watching him from where the latter was seated. He stared at Li XinWen with an expectant look and a growing impatience.


    "XinWen, are you not going to open the gift I brought you?" Xue Rui asked.


    "Hn? The gift! Yes¡­I will open it later Rui-ge¡­" directing his gaze from the television to the cabinet where the two gifts sat side by side. There it was, Li XinWen finally noticed the gathering spiritual energy around the gifts. His eyes widened but he caught himself so as not to rouse any suspicion.


    JingHua silently observed the interaction and thought to herself ''What could be so important inside that box that Xue Rui keeps pushing Ah''Wen." A sigh escaped her.


    Xue Rui was about to push further when Li JingHua cut him off "What are you anxious for? If Ah''Wen says he''ll open it later, he''ll open it later. There''s no need to rush him," she said facing Xue Rui with a sharp expression which silenced any further attempts from Xue Rui.


    Li XinWen quickly glanced at the two from his vantage point. Although they appeared to be getting along, for some reason Li XinWen sensed the hostility between them.


    "I thought they had already reconciled? What is actually going on between these two¡­" Li XinWen wondered.


    Wanting to keep his ego intact, Xue Rui decided to tease Li JingHua. "What about you Hua-er, do you like the gift I brought you?"


    ''If I was still the same JingHua from the past, I would have been elated and overjoyed at the thought that he brought me such a precious gift. But that''s all in the past, now it''s just annoying,'' she thought. Li JingHua shook her head slightly at Xue Rui''s question but bit her tongue to suppress her disgust and to play along.


    She opened the box and took out an elaborately decorated pair of hairpins. They looked antique but were in great condition. "These are beautiful, Rui-gege," she said smiling while trying one on. "Does it suit me? Do I look pretty?" she asked. Forgetting her annoyance for a moment.


    "Thank you for the gift Rui," she said sincerely. All the while JingHua was already calculating how much the pins would sell for. ''Knowing Xue Rui, the gifts he''d usually buy costs at least 10,000 yuan. It may not be much considering the preparations required to survive the impending apocalypse. But as they say, meat is still meat whether it comes from a cow or mosquito.''


    In spite of his suspicions as to the status of their relationship, Li XinWen decided to let it go after seeing their exchange. Li XinWen returned his gaze towards the boxes on top of the cabinet, keeping a close eye on the gathering spiritual energy.


    Without anyone noticing, Sun Xiao had apparently gone to the kitchen and returned with a glass of water and Li XinWen''s medicine packet.


    "Xin-gege¡­it''s time for your medicine." Sun Xiao reminded Li XinWen who eyed the medicine packet with disdain as he remembered its bitter aftertaste.


    "Ah''Xiao¡­ Ge isn''t feeling any pain at the moment. Can we forgo the medicine for today?" Li XinWen implored "Ge has been taking medicine for the past two months while confined at the hospital," his eyes pleading.


    "Nonsense! Take your medicine Ah''Wen." Li JingHua reprimanded Li XinWen.


    Mother Li who had a soft spot for her son interjected "Hua-er¡­ Ah''Wen has already experienced enough and he said that he is feeling fine. Why don''t we let him forgo his medicine for today and trust him with his body? After all he knows his body better than anyone else," she said softly appealing to Li JingHua while patting Li XinWen''s arm as if assuring him that she was on his side.


    Li JingHua stared at their mother with a look of surprise that she was actually tolerating such a childish behavior from Li XinWen. She looked over at Sun Xiao as if asking the boy to side with her, but as expected, Sun Xiao was still only a child. She gave Li XinWen a stern look like a mother scolding her child.


    "Alright then. But if you show even the slightest discomfort or pain I will personally shove the medicine down your throat," Li JingHua declared.


    Li XinWen responded with a nod. It was the first time Li XinWen saw Li JingHua all worked up. An angry Li JingHua was scary and the look she gave him made his hair stand on end.


    As if to break the tension in the room, Xue Rui decided to join in the conversation. "Or you can just let me feed XinWen his medicine. I have plenty of ways to ''coax'' XinWen," he let out a playful laugh after suggestively wetting his lips. Li JingHua rolled her eyes at this sight and Li XinWen shook his head in disgust cursing under his breath.


    "Damn this pervert!"

 Chapter 11 - 11 - Mother must have the best life in this life

    As the day drew to a close, Li XinWen was suddenly overcome with a warm feeling as he realized just how fortunate he was that he ended up occupying the actor Li XinWen''s mortal body. Within a short span of time, he was able to experience so many things. ''Thank you for allowing me to be you¡­'' he whispered thankfully within himself as if addressing the original Li XinWen''s lingering consciousness.


    Today would be the first time that Li XinWen was going to spend the night with a family. Sleeping under one roof and he hoped that it would be the first of many. He very much preferred this warmth over the cold nights in the Soaring Heaven Sect and the hospital. He recalled the events from the day, he was fed and was able to eat and spend time with a family. Something he has never experienced. His belly and his heart were full ''I am truly fortunate,'' he thought to himself as he looked around the living room. ''This is ''my'' family¡­''


    His train of thought was only interrupted when his gaze passed the boxes on the cabinet on the far left corner of the living room. There it was again, the pulsating aura of green and ember. He suddenly felt restless. A sense of excitement suddenly crept through him at the thought that the gift would contain such a magnificent heavenly treasure. He looked up at the contraption called a grandfather clock standing by the living room window, according to the original''s memory, the hands now point to ten o''clock. ''When will Xue Rui depart for his own home?'' he thought as he eyed Xue Rui with a look of suspicion. ''I wonder if he has plans of staying the night¡­''


    Li JingHua noticed Li XinWen''s demeanor and thought ''It seems that Ah''Wen also suspects Xue Rui''s ulterior motive. I wonder if bluntly asking him to leave would give away the status of our engagement. I cannot risk Ah''Wen finding out at this point. Not yet.''


    With this, she shifted in her seat and started hinting at Xue Rui, prodding him to go home. But Xue Rui just feigned ignorance. This went on for about an hour and Li JingHua had all but given up when madam Li suggested that Xue Rui stay the night as it was already late.


    Li JingHua was about to protest but stopped herself thinking ''Ugh... If I made my protest now I might as well tell them that we are no longer engaged.''


    Irked at the turn of events Li JingHua could only let out a deep sigh at the same time placing her index and middle finger on her right temple as if she had a headache. "What''s the matter Hua-er?" Madam Li asked her daughter.


    Not wanting to make her mother worry nor inquire any further Li JingHua responded with a curt smile. "Nothing''s the matter mom."


    "Then it''s settled," madam Li responded in turn smiling at Xue Rui.


    "Then I will trouble Madam Li." Xue Rui said with a huge satisfied smile on his face then looked at Li JingHua as if saying "I win."


    Not wanting to lose to Xue Rui''s taunting Li JingHua looked at Xue Rui unfazed saying "Since Ah''Wen is injured and needs complete, ''undisturbed'' rest Rui will stay in Ah''Xiao''s room." Although Li JingHua uttered these words in the form of an ultimatum she turned to Sun Xiao with apologetic eyes before saying: "This matter is not open for discussion."


    Upon hearing this, Li XinWen cheered in his heart. He was thankful for what Li JingHua did. But Sun Xiao, who valued his sense of space was reluctant at JingHua''s suggestion. But in the end agreed, realizing that Li XinWen did need his rest to recover quickly.


    "Okay... But Rui-ge will have to sleep on the floor... Unlike Xin-gege, I am uncomfortable with sharing the bed¡­" Sun Xiao responded shyly, addressing no one in particular.


    Xue Rui felt defeated after his initial plan of sleeping with Li XinWen backfired. ''Why is it so hard to have Li XinWen all to myself?!'' Xue Rui sighed at the thought. However, since he had already decided that he was going to win Li XinWen''s affection, he took this as a sign from the universe to take it slow. ''After all, slow and steady wins the race.''


    "Then I shall sleep on the floor in xiao Xiao''s room." Xue Rui said, mustering a smile and trying not to show his disappointment. If he were to ask for a mile after getting an inch, he won''t look good in front of Li XinWen.


    Meanwhile, Li XinWen was extremely happy with this outcome. "I am also feeling a bit sleepy now, so I will go first," he informed them. As he stood up and was about to leave, Sun Xiao went over to help him. "Ah''Xiao, I''m alright. You don''t need to worry anymore. Your brother can at least go upstairs on his own," Li XinWen said with a smile on his face, slowly patting Sun Xiao''s arm to reassure the boy.


    "Then how about if I help you instead?" suddenly, Xue Rui''s voice sounded very close to Li XinWen''s ear making him jump slightly. It must''ve been because he was tired, or else he would''ve sensed Xue Rui as he came closer.


    "No need, Rui-ge. Maybe you should go with Ah''Xiao instead and prepare your mattress," Li XinWen quickly replied while making his way towards the cabinet to pick up Xue Rui''s gift before heading upstairs.


    Xue Rui''s gaze lingered at Li XinWen and seeing him pick up the gift he gave him made his heart flutter. He smiled at the idea that Li XinWen will finally open the gift that he had picked out earlier in the day. Li XinWen disappeared from his view and then turned to Sun Xiao with a little spring in his step.


    "Alright xiao Xiao, shall we head upstairs too? This will be the first time I will be sleeping in your room right? Don''t worry, I don''t snore." he said, smiling playfully.


    "En. If Rui-ge makes any sounds... Rui-ge can sleep in the living room''s sofa instead," Sun Xiao replied in declaration. At this, Li JingHua couldn''t help but snicker.


    Li JingHua went over to madam Li and said, "Mom, let your daughter help you to bed now." As she held her mother''s arm to assist her as she stood up. Although Li mother was still in good health, knowing that they only had five years left together, Li JingHua wanted to spoil her mother as much as she could. ''In these five years, I''ll make sure to give her the best life she has ever experienced,'' she thought.


    As if sensing that her daughter was preoccupied with something, madam Li wrapped her arms around Li JIngHua''s waist and squeezed her closer, "What''s the matter Hua-er? Is there anything bothering you? You know you can always tell mom."


    Li JingHua was suddenly overwhelmed with longing. Her childhood memories flashed before her and reminded her of how happy those years were. Holding back her emotions, she held mother Li''s hand and reassured her mother by leaning her head on her mother''s shoulder and giving her a hug.


    "Everything''s alright mom," she responded trying her hardest to wipe away any worries from madam Li''s thoughts.


    "My precious Hua-er¡­ mom will always be here," and they made their way to madam Li''s bedroom. A mother holding her daughter, just like during Li JingHua''s childhood.

 Chapter 12 - 12 - Nature of the Jade Stone

    The first thing that Li XinWen did after entering his room was to lock the door. Knowing that Xue Rui will be spending the night just a few steps away did not make him feel secure. "Why does it seem like Xue Rui is not even bothering to hide his desire for Li XinWen?" he wondered, bemused. Shaking his head, Li XinWen sat down on the chair near the bookshelf and examined the box in his hand. It continued to emit a green aura from within.


    "What could be inside this box?" Li XinWen''s heart started to race as he slowly lifted the upper lid of what appeared to be a velvet clamshell box. "I swear, if this is a ring I am going to--"


    Li XinWen''s eyes widened as he saw what was inside. Resting on the silk covered base liner was a jade pendant carved into a crest. The crest looked extremely familiar. Based on the original Li XinWen''s memories, the crest belonged to the Xue family. Such a gift only indicated one thing.


    "Ugh¡­what in the world was that fool thinking? As if I would actually marry into his family! This is just as bad as getting a ring!" Li XinWen remarked as he closed the box and threw it on his bed. "Such a troublesome fool..." shaking his head with annoyance.


    Li XinWen stood up from the chair and made his way to the terrace. The night was still. He looked up and saw that the sky was littered with stars. He was suddenly overcome with a feeling of sadness as he was reminded of the betrayal by his brother. "Ah¡­this is no time to be thinking of such things¡­Perhaps a little rest will lighten this feeling," he sighed as he turned around and headed towards the bath, leaving the sliding glass doors to his terrace open.


    Just as he was making his way, the box emitted an intense green light and Li XinWen felt as if it was deliberately drawing his attention, as if calling him to open the box once more. As he came nearer, the light started intensifying and the jade''s absorption of spiritual energy became stronger. Even the spiritual energy outside his room was being absorbed by the jade. As if in panic, Li XinWen opened the box and took out the jade. He held the jade on his right palm as if weighing the stone. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the intricate details of the crest and he could clearly see how spiritually energy was absorbed by the smallest curve and angle carved into the stone.


    "Hey! If you continue absorbing all the spiritual energy how am I going to cultivate tonight?" he addressed the stone. "Ah¡­why am I reprimanding a stone," he said, shaking his head as he let out a small chuckle. And as if the jade heard his remark, it started to shine brighter than it had initially. His eyes grew wide as he felt a searing heat on his palm which held the jade and by reflex he let go of the box which rolled to the side of the door, both lids open.


    Li XinWen hissed in pain and wanted to let go of the stone. But alas, the jade seemed to have a different idea. It melted before his eyes and suddenly disappeared into his palm. The searing heat was gone. He examined his palm but found nothing out of the ordinary. "The jade has really disappeared into my palm!"


    Spiritual energy started gathering around Li XinWen and were quickly absorbed by his right hand. And although he was already a 3rd stage Houtian, the amount of spiritual energy that he could absorb was only minimal. And considering the scarcity of spiritual energy in the mortal world, he was amazed at how much he was absorbing at that moment. He could feel the energy spreading throughout his body, enveloping every cell and mixing in with his very essence. Li XinWen was suddenly reminded of his time in Long Xing. The low-grade heavenly treasure he obtained had also bound itself to him. He surmised that the same happened with the jade pendant.


    "Do heavenly treasures possess a sense of self or consciousness?" he mumbled. Li XinWen closed his eyes and tried to sense the jade''s presence from within. And sure enough, it made its presence felt, his mind''s eye saw a pulsating green orb within him. The jade had integrated itself within his palm and bound itself to his soul. He noticed that the orb was pulsating irregularly, as if it had sustained some form of damage.


    "..." Li XinWen guessed that the damage may have arisen when the jade was crafted into the Xue family crest. "If it was undamaged, it''s possible that it would have had other functions aside from absorbing spiritual energy! Ah¡­what a waste!"


    He could only sigh at the thought that the heavenly treasure had been damaged. Li XinWen could only hope that he is able to find the other pieces of the jade so that he could repair the heavenly treasure. "For now, I shall call you LanYu," Li XinWen said as he stared at his hand. It was customary for cultivators to name the treasure that are bound to them.


    As if sensing that it was given a name, the jade responded by sending out a stream of warm, gentle spiritual energy through Li XinWen''s body. "En. You like that?" Li XinWen said smiling, as if talking to a child who had been given praise. "Then shall we cultivate tonight?" and LanYu sent out another stream of warm spiritual energy as if in agreement, which made Li XinWen let out a small chuckle.


    Li XinWen was now convinced that heavenly treasures indeed possessed some form of consciousness. Perhaps these treasures were bestowed by the heavens with the capacity to respond to a cultivator''s feelings to whom they bound themselves to. This idea, filled Li XinWen with a renewed enthusiasm towards the possibility of furthering his current stage.


    Once more he made sure that the door to his room was locked before he began cultivating. Li XinWen walked to the center of his room and once again sat down cross-legged facing the terrace outside his room. Li XinWen closed his eyes and heightened his senses. His mind visualized the traces of spiritual energy around him just as a gentle breeze made its way from outside and brushed his cheeks; and the only light illuminating his room came from the moon.


    By the next morning, Li XinWen had broken through the 3rd stage Houtian and was now at the peak of the 4th stage.

 Chapter 13 - 13 - Its a date then!

    When Li XinWen opened his eyes he was brimming with energy. He did a quick body scan and confirmed that all of his injuries have healed completely. The only indication that he suffered an accident was a scar under his right rib. It seemed that his cultivation became much easier and faster with LanYu''s help. But now he was struck with a dilemma.


    His injuries healed way faster than normal people in this world. If he were to slow down it would be detrimental to his cultivation. However, if he were to continue at this rate it would surely raise a lot of suspicions.


    In fact, he was already very suspicious. Li XinWen found himself deep in thought when a knock was heard on his door. Judging from the light outside it was just the break of dawn. "Who could it be at this hour?" he wondered as he stood from where he sat and made his way towards the door. "Hold on," he told the person on the other side of the door as he unlocked the door.


    Xue Rui stood on the other side of the door expectantly. He had woken up much earlier in order to catch Li XinWen before the rest of the Li household woke up. ''Why am I feeling nervous all of a sudden?'' Xue Rui thought as he ran his fingers through his hair and straightened his shirt, as if to make sure that he looked his best. He readied his most radiant smile and held his breath. Li XinWen opened the door and found Xue Rui standing in the doorway, smiling. He wasn''t exactly surprised that Xue Rui was standing in front of him at such an early hour. He had already suspected that this would happen considering Xue Rui''s infatuation towards Li XinWen.


    "XinWen, good morning!" Xue Rui greeted Li XinWen as he made his way into the room. It all happened so fast that Li XinWen didn''t even have time to react. Xue Rui stood in the middle of the room facing Li XinWen who in turn stood fixed by the door holding the knob with furrowed brows and exercising a lot of self-control.


    "Rui-ge¡­what''s wrong? I didn''t expect you to be up so early in the morning" Li XinWen asked, at the same time thinking, ''What could this fool be planning at this time?'' as he let out a sigh barely audible to Xue Rui.


    "Have you looked at your gift?" Xue Rui asked with excitement as he looked around the room. His gaze then fell upon the empty clamshell box by the door. Immediately Xue Rui''s smile and excitement were replaced with a mixed expression of confusion and dejection. Noticing this change, Li XinWen followed Xue Rui''s gaze and realized what had caused it. He suddenly remembered what had happened the night before.


    "Is that the box where the pendant was kept in?" Xue Rui asked pointing to the item by the door. "Did you not like the gift that I gave you?" Xue Rui asked, his voice trailing, as he slowly went over to pick up the box.


    Xue Rui held the empty box in his hand and looked at it as if he was about to cry. He looked like a child who just discovered his toy ruined and thrown aside. Seeing this, Li XinWen tried to remain calm as he tried to come up with an answer. Two facts were obvious, the box was on the floor and the content itself had disappeared. As much as he''d like to tell Xue Rui that he loved the gift, it was impossible to produce the item in case Xue Rui wanted to take a look at it.


    "Uhh¡­" Li XInWen couldn''t think fast enough, realizing there was no way out of this predicament. Regardless of his answer, Xue Rui was bound to get hurt so he might as well deliver the blow.


    "I didn''t like it and I accidentally disposed of it¡­" Li XInWen answered while looking down on the floor avoiding Xue Rui''s gaze, feelings of guilt welling up within him.


    "Oh¡­" Xue Rui responded trying hard not to choke as he felt a constricting pain in his throat. More than the feeling of disappointment after hearing Li XinWen''s response, Xue Rui felt a stab at his heart and felt it break. For a moment the two men stood in front of each other by the open door, both gazing on the floor. Xue Rui then turned as if to leave. This made Li XinWen look up and catch a glimpse of Xue Rui''s hurt expression. ''Ugh¡­are sc.u.ms even allowed to have such an expression?! That''s cheating! Why do you look like an abandoned puppy?!?'' Li XinWen thought feeling even guiltier.


    He reached for Xue Rui''s arm to stop him from leaving. Xue Rui turned to face Li XinWen trying hard to mask his hurt expression with a smile.


    "Rui-ge¡­ I apologize for disposing of the gift without considering how you might feel," Li XinWen remarked trying to make amends.


    "I guess it can''t be helped. Think nothing of it XinWen," but this remark made Li XinWen feel like the most inconsiderate person in the world.


    "Let me make it up to you Rui-ge," Li XinWen offered, while racking his brain for ways to actually make it up to Xue Rui without the involvement of any type of indecency.


    "Then at least tell me what you would like as your gift, since you did not like the jade pendant I gave you initially," Xue Rui replied. Although he had spent a considerable amount for the jade pendant, and it hurt him that Li XInWen did not like it, he was determined to exhaust all means to show Li XinWen how serious he was at wooing him.


    "Then¡­I''d like a Jian¡­" Li XinWen unconsciously answered before he realized what he was asking.


    "Jian? XinWen do you want to practice martial arts with it?" Xue Rui asked playfully as if his heart had been restored by the mere fact that Li XinWen had wanted to make it up to him. Upon hearing this, Li XinWen was suddenly hit with enlightenment.


    "Yes! Uh¡­I want to practice martial arts! Who knows, it might come in handy in the future. I could maybe star in a martial arts film!" he said in an excited tone. Li XinWen was relieved that he was able to derail the topic from the jade pendant to practicing martial arts. Of course, acting was far from Li XinWen''s mind. But this little white lie was working in his favor as Xue Rui did not seem to suspect anything.


    "Alright!" Xue Rui responded with renewed enthusiasm. "I know just the right place to acquire your Jian. I still have work this morning, but I will finish everything up early so that we can get you the blade today."


    "Thank you Rui-ge and my apologies again¡­" Li XinWen expressed almost embarrassed.


    "It''s a date then!" Xue Rui responded as he leaned forward and planted a kiss on Li XinWen''s lips, which caught the latter unawares.

 Chapter 14 - 14 - How could you stoop so low?

    It was just a quick kiss. A simple, harmless touch of the lips. But for Li XinWen, it was the second time that a kiss was stolen from his lips. It didn''t matter that this body had done a lot of indecent things in the past because the original Li XinWen was a different person altogether. ''I didn''t even have a cultivation partner back in Long Xing. Let alone kissed another person!''


    Because he was so focused on cultivating, he had never experienced holding hands either, except when he had to save someone. Li XinWen felt that he was about to lose it but managed to hold himself back from displaying any violent reactions.


    "XinWen? What''s wrong?" Xue Rui asked worriedly, leaning even closer as if examining the tiniest of details in Li XinWen''s expression.


    "That¡­Rui-ge, can you¡­" Li XinWen''s voice trailed as he tried to avert his eyes from Xue Rui. "No, never mind¡­" Li XinWen continued, shaking his head in resignation. Li XinWen badly wanted to tell Xue Rui to stop kissing him, to stop fancying him and to just focus on pursuing Li JingHua. But he held back, remembering that if he ever uttered such words, he knew that Xue Rui would go back to making threats. ''A promise is a promise. I, Li XinWen have never broken a promise, not even once and will not start now¡­'' he sighed inwardly.


    "Are you sure it''s nothing XinWen?" Xue Rui asked as he reached out and caressed Li XinWen''s right cheek before gently turning Li XinWen''s head to face him. "Come on XinWen, you can tell me anything," Xue Rui coaxed in a seductive tone, as if encouraging a lover to open up and share their deepest thoughts.


    He continued to gaze at Li XinWen with an expression of gentleness that perhaps Xue Rui was not even aware of, which caused Li Xin Wen to blush for a second. Xue Rui was suddenly taken aback by the split second reaction he saw from Li XinWen which caused him to pull his hand away and avert his gaze. ''Why am I suddenly feeling butterflies in my stomach?'' Xue Rui thought.


    The two men stood in awkward silence for a brief moment. Neither men budging. ''What is with this situation?'' Li XinWen thought. Back in Long Xing he could have just acted aloof and could have easily just walked away being a cultivator. But here he couldn''t just do that.


    "Uh¡­XinWen will go and¡­" Li XinWen started, wanting to break free from the awkwardness and to get away from Xue Rui, He searched through the original''s memories to see what he can do in this situation. And at last he got it and said: "Cook! XinWen will go and prepare breakfast!" as he hurriedly left the room and headed for the kitchen, surprising Xue Rui and leaving him dumbfounded.


    When Li XinWen reached the second landing he decided to pause and compose himself. "Ugh¡­ that was close. Why am I even fl.u.s.tered?!?" Li XinWen asked himself as he continued his way to the kitchen.


    Xue Rui on the other hand was left standing in Li XinWen''s room. He suddenly felt a warmth surging from within. "That was a surprise!" he chuckled. A feeling of elation spread within him at the thought that his beloved Li XinWen was going to prepare breakfast for him. A smile formed on his lips and he unconsciously touched his fingers to his lips, as if remembering the feeling when their lips touched earlier. It wasn''t the first time that he kissed Li XinWen but somehow it felt different. Xue Rui turned to leave the room to head downstairs, anticipating breakfast.


    As soon as he stepped out of Li XinWen''s room he saw Li JingHua coming out of hers. From his vantage point, he could make out Li JingHua''s expression, a mix of shock and displeasure. ''Here we go,'' Xue Rui thought to himself, sighing, prepared for the onslaught Li JingHua was about to bring. He was determined to not let whatever JingHua was about to say ruin his mood.


    Li JingHua saw Xue Rui step out of Li XinWen''s room, smiling. Surprised at the scene unfolding before her, she gasped at the image that suddenly popped in her head.


    "You!" she said, almost fuming as she approached Xue Rui. "What were you doing in Ah''Wen''s room?!?" she asked in a low angry voice. She quickly pushed him aside and looked around Li XinWen''s room to find it empty. "Where is Ah''Wen?" she continued, glaring at Xue Rui.


    "Calm down JingHua. XinWen went downstairs to cook breakfast," Xue Rui answered with a smile.


    "Cook?" Li JIngHua asked confused. "Ah''Wen is going to cook breakfast?" she repeated. "Okay¡­But why did you just come out of Ah''Wen''s room? How could you stoop so low? Have you no respect for my family? It hasn''t been long since we ended our engagement and here you are acting all bold and daring!" Li JingHua continued.


    "Don''t jump to conclusions JingHua, you''re blowing all this out of proportion," Xue Rui answered in his defense, shaking his head.


    As if on cue, the door to the right of Li JingHua''s bedroom opened and Sun Xiao emerged, half-asleep with his bed hair.


    "Ah''Xiao! Did Rui not sleep in your room last night?" she asked, her voice hinted a sense of urgency, as if wanting to get to the bottom of the situation.


    "Hmm¡­?" Sun Xiao responded still half-asleep. "Initially¡­ but Rui-dage was being noisy and kept on asking about Xin-gege even though I already wanted to sleep¡­so I kicked him out or else I will feel sleepy at school later..." Sun Xiao responded with not a hint of apology.


    For someone who valued his space, Sun Xiao thought that he had every right to kick Xue Rui out since it was his room and had also warned Xue Rui what would happen if he were to make any unnecessary noise.


    "Pffft.. hahaha!" JingHua laughed. "You got kicked out for being noisy. That''s too funny Rui," JingHua addressed Xue Rui in jest as she wrapped her arms around Sun Xiao affectionately. "Good job Ah''Xiao," she whispered.


    Sun Xiao hugged Li JingHua in return. "Hua-dajie, Ah''Xiao wants scrambled eggs for breakfast¡­" Sun Xiao requested as he looked up at JingHua with pleading eyes.


    "My XiaoXiao is so affectionate so early in the morning. Hmmm, it seems¡­" Li JingHua didn''t even get to finish her sentence when Xue Rui interrupted her.


    "Xiao Xiao, your Xin-gege is currently cooking breakfast downstairs. You wouldn''t want to hurt his feelings by not eating what he has prepared right?" Xue Rui asked Sun Xiao, beaming.


    "Xin-gege is cooking?!?" Sun Xiao asked amazed, and Xue Rui nodded in confirmation. And for a minute the two looked like old friends, both excited at the thought of breakfast. Sun Xiao pulled away from Li JingHua, saying: "Then Hua-dajie doesn''t need to make scrambled eggs!" and excitedly made his way downstairs, sprinting as fast as he could manage.


    Once Sun Xiao was out of earshot, Li JingHua''s smile disappeared as she turned to address Xue Rui. "Speak! Since you did not sleep in Ah''Xiao''s room, where did you sleep then?"


    "JingHua, you should relax a bit or else you''ll get wrinkles on your forehead," Xui Rui said jokingly. "Anyway, you''ll find out soon enough when we get downstairs," Xue Rui responded nonchalantly as he made his way past Li JingHua.


    Sure enough, when they reached the living room, Li JingHua saw where Xue Rui slept that night. ''It was on the living room sofa!?'' she thought, seeing the blanket and pillow were still there. That night, Xue Rui had actually planned on letting Sun Xiao kick him out so he could go to Li XinWen''s room.


    But he did not expect that there would be no answer when he knocked on the door. When he tried to open it, he found that it was locked. He waited for a good fifteen minutes, before finally deciding to go down to the living room and spend the night there instead. His plan had backfired and he felt defeated. As much as he wanted to sleep next to Li XinWen, he decided not to bother him any further and just allow him to rest, as it seems that he had already fallen asleep.

 Chapter 15 - 15 - Are you cooking those eggs or waiting for them to hatch?

    In the kitchen, Li XinWen started regretting his decision. ''How long has it been since I last cooked?'' He thought to himself. Being a cultivator, he didn''t need to eat at all unless it was to indulge in food. Consulting the original''s memories once more, he finally decided to make something simple - sunny side up eggs!


    He went to the refrigerator and took out several eggs. He was just about to grab the frying pan when Sun Xiao came in, "Xin-gege, good morning... what are you going to cook?"


    "Morning, Ah''Xiao. I was just about to cook sunny side up eggs," Li XinWen answered.


    "Oh..." Sun Xiao looked down dejectedly. Li XinWen noticed the disappointed tone that came from Sun Xiao, so he paused and asked: "Is there anything that Ah''Xiao would like for breakfast?"


    "...Scrambled... Eggs..." the younger boy answered.


    Li XinWen went through the memories and noted that scrambled eggs was even easier to make than sunny side up eggs. "Alright. Go and wait at the dining table, your brother will make it for breakfast."


    Sun Xiao''s eyes lit up when Li XinWen agreed to make scrambled eggs. "Thank you, Xin-gege."


    After sun Xiao left the kitchen, Li XinWen grabbed a bigger frying pan and placed it on the stove. He began cracking the eggs into a mixing bowl until all seven eggs were cracked open. Then whisked the yolks and the whites together, carefully checking that he did not overbeat them. He added a pinch of salt and a splash of milk, poured the egg mixture into the pan and stirred slowly. And just before the eggs were cooked he added some chopped mint leaves and a sprinkling of freshly cracked pepper. The fragrance of the mint leaves incorporated into the egg wafted throughout the kitchen. "Smells delectable." thought Li XinWen.


    It was a first for Li XinWen. After living for centuries in Long Xing, today was the first time he had cooked something. Although this was the case, everything felt natural. ''Perhaps it was because of this body''s muscle memory or maybe I actually have talent for cooking?'' Li XinWen chuckled at the thought.


    Madam Li, having been roused by the sound of cooking from the kitchen walked into Li XinWen chuckling to himself.


    "Ah''Wen¡­you''re cooking?!?" Madam Li asked in astonishment. "Are you well enough to be up and about? Where is Ah''Hua?" she asked as she fussed over her son.


    "I''m feeling better mom," he said as he planted a kiss on her forehead. "Now go join Ah''Xiao in the dining hall and wait until I serve you this special breakfast," and he slowly pushed madam Li out to the dining hall.


    After he finished cooking the eggs, he felt more confident in cooking. So he went to the freezer and looked for something that would complement the scrambled eggs. He saw bacon. But Li XinWen didn''t like it so he instinctively ignored it. If he were to eat meat, he preferred that it did not come from a swine. Swine meat contains high concentration of impurities so most cultivators avoided it.


    Seeing nothing else, he sighed and closed the freezer. He looked through the memories again and saw that toast complemented scrambled eggs really well, so he looked around for bread.


    "Bread, bread, hmmm, where is the bread?" he hummed happily.


    The people waiting at the dining table for breakfast had been sitting down for ten minutes. When Sun Xiao announced that Li XinWen was making scrambled eggs, they assumed that they wouldn''t have to wait long. But ten minutes had already passed and Li XinWen still had not come out of the kitchen.


    "Ah''Hua... Can you check on Ah''Wen? Maybe he passed out?" Li mother said worriedly.


    "Mom, if Ah''Wen passed out, then there won''t be any sounds coming from the kitchen," Li JingHua replied in a gentle tone, trying to assure her mother that nothing has happened to her brother. "But if it''ll make you feel better, I will go take a look."


    With that, Li JingHua stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "Ah''Wen! Are you cooking those eggs or are you waiting for them to hatch?" Li JingHua asked jokingly.


    "Hua-jie... I can''t find bread to make toast..." Li XinWen responded. "The scrambled eggs were done a while ago, but I just can''t find the bread."


    "Oh... Ah''Wen had only returned yesterday so you didn''t know. We ran out of bread and I forgot to buy yesterday," Li JingHua advised apologetically.


    Li XinWen who had spent the last couple of minutes scrambling around the kitchen searching for bread stared at Li JingHua not saying anything, one hand on his forehead and the other on his left hip. His expression a mix of annoyance and restraint.


    "Sorry Ah''Wen" Li JingHua said as she chained her arm around Li XinWen''s left arm and leaned on his shoulder, smiling. "Now, if you''re done cooking let''s head to the dining table. Mom was getting worried," Li JingHua said as she unchained herself from Li XinWen''s arm.


    Li XinWen was not appeased and continued to look at her as if blaming her for his wasted time.


    "Alright, alright. Your sister will treat you later, alright?" she asked Li XinWen as affectionately as she could to have her brother forgive her.


    "I want milk chocolate!" Li XinWen declared, pretending to be annoyed still.


    "Pffft¡­alright I promise to bring you milk chocolate when I get home from work," Li JingHua responded and together they walked to the dining hall giggling like children. Li XinWen carrying a serving plate of the fluffiest scrambled eggs.


    After an uneventful breakfast, everyone went on their way. Sun Xiao to school, Li JingHua and Xue Rui to work, while Li mother stayed at home with Li XinWen.


    Madam Li was already 63, so she only wanted to spend the rest of her days relaxing. That left Li XinWen with nothing to do. He could continue his cultivation, but he had just broken through the 4th stage and needed to allow the spiritual energy he absorbed to stabilize, otherwise, he might experience some problems in the future.


    Li XinWen felt restless. He needed something to do to keep him occupied while waiting for Xue Rui for their supposed ''date'' in the afternoon. In his previous life, other than cultivating, he also practiced pill refining. But where can he find a pill cauldron here? Even if he did manage to find one, would there even be ingredients for pill refining in this new world?


    ''Ugh... I''m really bored, ah!'' he complained in his heart. He glanced at Madam Li who seemed content just watching a cooking show on TV. "Mom... How about we go out?" Li XinWen suddenly asked.


    "Out? But Ah''Wen, you were only discharged yesterday. Shouldn''t you rest for a few more days?" his mother said in a worried tone.


    "Mom... I have been resting all that time I was in the hospital. Your son needs a bit of exercise. Plus, I haven''t been filial to you in the past few months especially since the accident. I''ve also been busy with work and haven''t been able to spend time with you. And since I am on vacation, let me compensate for all those times that we missed," Li XinWen said with a smile as he coaxed her.


    "Alright... I do need to buy some grocery. Ah''Hua had forgotten about it yesterday," Li Mother finally replied after a while.


    "Great! I will go and get dressed!" Li XinWen said excitedly as he ran up the stairs.


    Madam Li, who just saw his supposed injured son run up the stairs rubbed her eyes, wondering if it was just her imagination. "Did Ah''Wen just ran up...? Was he not injured not too long ago?"


    ***


    In a small theatre:


    Xue Rui: My dear XinWen is cooking breakfast just for me...


    Li XinWen: I''m cooking breakfast for everyone! And who are you calling ''dear XinWen''?!


    Xue Rui: Of course, my future wife.


    Li XinWen: Who is your future wife?! Even if we are to marry, it will be you marrying into my family! You''re the wife!


    Xue Rui: En. Okay. I''ll marry into your family! Shall we go and register now?


    Li XinWen: #[email protected]!^@$!!!

 Chapter 16 - 16 - Do mortals refers to themselves as Zebras??

    Li XinWen who headed for his room in a sprint, left madam Li in a state of disbelief. The old woman could not believe her eyes upon seeing her supposedly injured son so lively as if he was never in a car accident just a few months ago.


    "I wonder what has possessed that boy, acting so rashly!" shaking her head and placing her hand to her forehead as if she had a headache right at that moment.


    Li XinWen excitedly entered his room and went straight to his closet. He removed the shirt and trousers he was wearing and replaced it with a simple white colored T-shirt and a pair of faded jeans. He looked at himself in front of the full-length mirror occupying the entire left side of his closet. "That should do it!" he said pleased with himself and headed for the door.


    "Oh, I almost forgot!" he exclaimed before he ran back to the closet and took a grey cardigan off one of the hangers and placed it over his white shirt, took one final glance in the mirror and energetically made his way downstairs.


    Li XinWen reached the living room out of breath and found madam Li seated on one of the gray accent chairs near the entrance of the living room, recycled bag in one hand while the other, on her right temple.


    "Ah''Wen!" she exclaimed as she approached Li XinWen as if in a panic. "What has gotten over you?! Running all the way upstairs. What about your injuries?!" she asked while fussing over her son.


    Realizing what he had done, Li XinWen imagined himself smacking his own forehead for acting carelessly. "Ahh¡­ I''m so sorry mom. I was just overcome with excitement that I felt like I was filled with so much strength and energy!" he attempted to explain.


    "Did I worry you mom?" he asked while gazing into madam Li''s eyes trying to convince her that everything was alright. He rubbed madam Li''s shoulder and planted a kiss on her forehead. "It''s okay mom, you don''t need to worry. I''ll be careful next time. Okay?"


    Madam Li let out a sigh and shook her head. "Yes, please be more careful Ah''Wen. I am already this old and I can''t imagine seeing you in another accident no matter how minor it may be," she said as she grasped Li XinWen''s forearm.


    "I''m sorry for worrying you mom," he apologized again before quickly diverting madam Li''s attention by saying in an excited tone, "Shall we go now?!?"


    A smile replaced madam Li''s worried expression as she recalled Li XinWen''s childhood and how he always became excited whenever they would visit the supermarket. Although they had done this together countless of times in the past, madam Li felt like it was a new beginning for them.


    "Alright, mom will overlook your carelessness this time," she addressed Li XinWen with a smile. Li XinWen''s expression brightened even more as he looked forward to this outing. After all, this was the first time in both his lifetimes that he was going to spend with a figure they fondly called ''mother''.


    "But Ah''Wen, are you going out just like that?" madam Li asked as she eyed his appearance, looking worried.


    "Huh?" Li XinWen realized that he might have done something wrong so he quickly consulted the original''s memories. Sure enough, he had forgotten to put on a disguise. The news about Li XinWen from the recently held press conference was still being circulated by the media and was still a hot topic among the masses. If he were to come out just like this, it would surely invite trouble.


    "Ah¡­ I forgot about my disguise!" Li XinWen smiled sheepishly. "I''ll go and get them now," He was about to run up the stairs when he caught himself and instead walked carefully. When he was out of madam Li''s sight, he sprinted in a hurry so as not to keep madam Li waiting any longer. He grabbed a black Mao-styled hat, his Ray-Ban shades and a facemask and ran until the second landing. He then paused to wear his disguise and slowly walked downstairs to avoid worrying madam Li.


    Seeing her son with his disguise, mother Li finally let out a sigh of relief. She was really worried earlier when Li XinWen came down without any disguise. There was one incident when Li XinWen had just debuted and the drama he starred in had been very successful. At that time, Li XinWen didn''t realize his surge in popularity and had gone out without any disguise. By the end of that day, Li XinWen was extremely exhausted, and lost his cardigan to the excited fans. Since then, the number of times that Li XinWen went out became less and less, and he only went out when necessary, or during special occasions.


    "We''ll just go to the supermarket nearby. There won''t be a lot of people this morning so we can buy groceries without any worries," Li mother suggested with a smile, assuring his son of his safety.


    "Alright. Today, just let XinWen spoil mom. Whatever mom says, this XinWen will do," he grinned at her as he took the recycled bag from his mother. "I''ll carry this. Mom just needs to enjoy herself today."


    Mother and son stepped out of the house to a bright sunny morning. As soon as Li XinWen stepped out of the house, his eyes naturally travelled towards the direction of the garage on the far-right section of the yard. It was a separate structure of considerable size and it looked like two or more cars could fit inside. Li XinWen''s mind raced and he started going through the original''s memories, browsing through images and flashbacks showing the original driving a car. ''I wonder if I''ll be able to pull it off,'' he thought as he started to break into a cold sweat.


    Seeing her son''s bleak expression, madam Li quickly grabbed his hand. "Ah''Wen, we don''t need to take the car. It''s just nearby so let''s just walk, okay?" she smiled at Li XinWen, trying to calm him. In madam Li''s eyes, Li XinWen looked like he was panicking, which was why she quickly suggested that they walk instead, aside from the fact that the supermarket was indeed just a few blocks away. When Li XinWen heard madam Li''s suggestion, a wave of relief washed over him. He was actually worrying that he might need to drive.


    Unlike cooking, driving involved greater risks and one cannot solely rely on the body''s muscle memory or the original''s memories for that matter. He looked at madam Li and noticed that she was trying hard to mask her worried expression. ''Perhaps this mother is worrying because of the original''s car accident. I can sense fear from her. Perhaps she''s afraid that the accident might happen again¡­'' he thought, suddenly feeling a pang in his heart.


    He took madam Li in his arms to reassure her, and without saying anything, he felt madam Li relax. He let go of madam Li and looked at her saying: "We''ll walk then. I also need some exercise after being confined at the hospital for a long time."


    Leaving through their front gate, Li XinWen looked around the area. When Li XinWen first arrived, he didn''t pay any attention to the area due to his nervousness and the overwhelming feeling of returning to a ''family''. Now that he had time to look around, he noticed that the neighborhood was actually peaceful, and similarly big houses surrounded theirs.. It looked like a wealthy neighborhood.


    After ten minutes of walking, they reached the outskirts of the neighborhood. Li XinWen immediately saw the supermarket located just across the road. One cannot miss this structure because of the big sign right above the entrance, which spelled the word supermarket. "Li mother wasn''t joking when she said it was just nearby," Li XinWen thought as he chuckled inside.


    They continued walking a little bit more when madam Li suddenly stopped, causing Li XinWen to stop abruptly as well. Instinctively he reached around, and placed his left arm around madam Li''s shoulder and pulled her close with his right hand as if to support her. "Mom, what''s wrong? Are you tired? Are you feeling ill?" Li XinWen asked in a worried tone.


    "No, mom is not tired." As she patted Li XinWen''s right arm. "Ah''Wen, did you not see the red light?" she continued, pointing to the traffic light for pedestrians.


    Li XinWen followed madam Li''s finger and saw a glowing red light shaped into a human figure.


    Li XinWen quickly searched the original''s memories for this particular technology. Once he understood what it meant, he couldn''t help but feel helpless. In spite of his ability for cultivation and the skills he acquired in Long Xing, his ignorance to everything in the mortal world was being amplified each day as he continued to encounter things and events that he has never seen in his previous world.


    He was also able to absorb the original''s memories including his habits, family and personal information, and even all of his connections but it seems absorbing these were not enough. If he really wanted to integrate himself fully to this world, he needed to absorb absolutely everything. ''I''ll do it tonight¡­'' he thought himself.


    "Of course, Ah''Wen noticed the red light. I was just worried that mom might be feeling tired," Li XinWen said in order to avoid any further inquiry from madam Li.


    Madam Li let out a small giggle and said, "Oh my, my Ah''Wen is such a gentleman as always. No wonder your fans go crazy over you. My son is not only handsome but has such a good heart, worrying about and spoiling this old woman," to which Li XinWen suddenly felt bashful; And as if the universe wanted to save him from being embarrassed any further, the pedestrian light turned green.


    "Then shall we cross the road mom?" Li XinWen said diverting the topic from himself. He took madam Li''s hand and they crossed the road. He made sure to look left and right before they stepped on what mortals referred to as a zebra crossing. ''I wonder why they called it zebra crossing when there aren''t any zebras around¡­'' he thought to himself as they continued to cross. In the original''s memories, a zebra was an animal of some sort, with white and black stripes and resembled the horses they had in Long Xing. ''Could it be that mortals also refer to themselves as zebras?!?'' and Li XinWen couldn''t help but be bothered by this thought as they made their way to the supermarket.

 Chapter 17 - 17 - Chocolate

    Situated in a large expanse of asphalt, the supermarket occupied almost the entire left half of the lot. A smaller version of the zebra crossing lined the path towards the supermarket entrance. It seemed that the zebra crossing was placed there to slow down cars entering and leaving the supermarket''s parking lot, which occupied the other half of the lot.


    They arrived at the entrance and immediately the glass doors opened automatically and a gust of cold air from inside welcomed them. Li XinWen flinched in surprise when the door slid open. This did not escape madam Li which prompted her to inquire "Ah''Wen what''s wrong?"


    "En¡­ nothing mom," he responded after recovering from his momentary surprise.


    They stepped into the supermarket and Li XinWen could not hide his amazement at what he saw. It was brightly lit, and rows and rows of shelves lined the floor, stacked with various produce. A row of checkout counters lined the front, as if to make sure that customers paid before leaving the premises. Big was actually an understatement, it was huge when Li XinWen compared this to the little market they had in Long Xing.


    They made their way towards the left side of the supermarket where pushcarts were stacked together. Li XinWen excitedly took one and pushed it in front of him. He smiled broadly and looked towards madam Li as if beckoning her to walk a little faster so they can finally start shopping.


    Madam Li smiled and actually walked a little faster after seeing her son''s excited expression. It reminded her of her younger days when they had just started their little family. When she reached Li XinWen, a little out of breath she said to Li XinWen affectionately: "You''re acting like a child Ah''Wen," she giggled, "It''s not like this is the first time you entered a supermarket," she said with a hint of teasing in her voice. "Although you have not been here for a while since you became a celebrity. Are you feeling uncomfortable?" she continued.


    "En. It has been a long time," Li XinWen responded, quickly trying to recover his composure and act normal. "Shall we start shopping mom?" he said with a smile. "While I was cooking breakfast, I noticed that we didn''t have a lot of meat, so we should get some later. And bread too!" Li XinWen informed madam Li as he took off his Ray-Bans and lowered his hat to cover half of his face.


    "Meat? Do we not have some pork belly left?"


    Hearing this, Li XinWen made a disgusted expression. "Mom... XinWen doesn''t like pork..." he told the old woman. "After the accident, my taste seem to have changed."


    "Really?"


    "Really! Back at the hospital..." as he began telling madam Li how little he ate at the hospital because he didn''t like some of the food.


    "Alright, we''ll buy some meat later. But Ah''Wen... Aren''t you on a strict diet of no solid food for a month?" Li mother asked.


    At this, Li XinWen began sweating as he tried to think of an excuse. He had actually forgotten how the doctor advised him to avoid solid food for a month in order to get his stomach used to taking in food once more. However, that was only because this body was injured and was fed intravenously during the coma. Now that he had reached the fourth stage of Houtian, and through his cultivation, all of the injuries have healed and he can definitely eat solid food without any problems. ''No wonder yesterday''s lunch and dinner didn''t have any solid food... This mother knows I''m not allowed to have them for a month...''


    "I''m alright already. Mom shouldn''t worry about me. I know my body well," Li XinWen smiled at his mother. "Oh look! There''s the frozen food section. Let''s go get our meat fast, or else... all the fresh produce will be gone," Li XinWen said as he tried to change the topic.


    Li XinWen pushed the shopping cart towards the frozen food section with impatience but made sure that mother Li was able to keep up with his pace. Li XinWen eyed the meat and could only sigh. In Long Xing, the type of meat that cultivators such as himself liked to eat came from either a divine beast or a demonic beast. Meat from both types of beasts possessed diverse spiritual energies since they too cultivate in their own way, but the meat here was just normal mortal''s meat.


    In any case, Li XinWen had already expected this so he wasn''t too disappointed when he saw the limited selection. He let mother Li choose the meat before it was placed in a plastic bag and tagged with the corresponding price. Li XinWen wasn''t worried about money. He already knew how much the original Li XinWen''s savings was.


    They continued shopping for groceries, and occasionally, Li XinWen would pick something from the shelves, which piqued his interest. But he didn''t buy them once he found that they weren''t a necessity. After half an hour, the shopping cart was almost full and they were almost finished with their groceries. They were making their way to one of the checkout counters to pay when they passed by the shelves with chocolates.


    Li XinWen picked one of the chocolate brands, which lined the middle shelf and eyed it for a while. According to the original''s memories, these taste really good, and the original liked it very much. This made Li XinWen curious and decided to grab a few bags and put it into the shopping cart.


    "Ah''Wen, ah! Why are you buying a lot of chocolates?" his mother asked, shocked by the amount of chocolate bags that Li XinWen placed into the shopping cart.


    "Mom, I haven''t had chocolates in a long time. It''s alright; I have the money to pay!"


    "This isn''t about money, Ah''Wen... Eating too much chocolate is unhealthy," his mother interjected.


    "I will control myself, mom. Don''t worry," Li XinWen smiled. Having someone worry about his health like this made him feel warm inside. This was a different kind of worry from what he experienced in Long Xing.


    Back in Long Xing, his master would worry about his state of cultivation, giving him advice on what he should and should not do. And that was all so that the sect could benefit from him in the end.


    Here, mother Li''s worry was solely for Li XinWen''s own benefit and health. "Mom, your child is not a little boy anymore. I can exercise control," Li XinWen assured her until she finally let it go. By the end of their grocery shopping, they ended up buying an extra recycled bag for Li XinWen''s chocolates alone. Altogether, Li XinWen ended up carrying six bags, three on each hand.


    "Are you alright? Aren''t they too heavy? Maybe we should call a taxi?"


    "No need mom. Your son is strong enough to carry all of these," Li XinWen smiled reassuringly at her. He wasn''t lying when he said he could carry all of the bags. To the current Li XinWen, the bags were as light as a feather.

 Chapter 18 - 18 - Date (Part 1)

    When they arrived home, Li XinWen made his way to the kitchen in a hurry. He placed the bags of groceries on top of the kitchen counter and came out with a glass of water, which he offered madam Li.


    "Ah¡­thank you Ah''Wen," as madam Li took the glass from her son. Li XinWen slowly ushered madam Li towards the living room and advised her to rest while he takes care of the groceries. He sat her on one of the accent chairs near the living room entrance then disappeared into the kitchen.


    By the time he finished organizing the groceries, the digital clock placed in the kitchen read 11:30 A.M.


    He knew that Xue Rui would be arriving in the afternoon to pick him up so he decided to start getting ready. He passed madam Li asleep on the accent chair by the living room entrance. ''She must have been tired after our walk back from the supermarket,'' he thought, as he approached her and planted an affectionate kiss on her forehead. He propped her legs on the matching footstool and placed the flannel blanket resting on the chair''s armrest to cover her.


    "Rest well mom," he gently whispered, then made his way upstairs.


    Li XinWen carried his bag of chocolates to his room. Excitement and curiosity welled up inside him as the original''s memories of eating chocolates filled his mind. In the memories, he saw how much the original enjoyed and savored the different types of chocolates during his lifetime. "I''ll sample these later," and placed the bag on the Recamier divan at the foot of his bed. He made his way in front of the full-length mirror in his walk in closet to inspect himself. The sun had already been high up when they walked back from the supermarket. It was extremely hot, and Li XinWen was sweating as they made their way home. He sniffed himself and grimaced.


    "Shower it is¡­" he mumbled to himself as he started stripping off his clothes, leaving a trail of discarded clothing on his way to the bath.


    Li XinWen was lean. He wasn''t too muscular but had the muscles in all the right places. His body was toned overall and complemented his height at around 183 cm. Xue Rui was a little taller at 194 cm and when they stood side by side they looked like a couple of really handsome men.


    Li XinWen entered the bathroom and removed the bandages, which used to cover his wound and wondered whether it was still necessary to wear them. "Let''s not create any further suspicion and just put them on for show," he decided. Li XinWen turned the shower tap and let the water wash over his body.


    While Li XinWen was in the shower, Xue Rui arrived at the Li residence at 12:00 P.M on the dot. Madam Li greeted Xue Rui at the door and invited him in. Ever the gentleman, he shared with madam Li his plan to take Li XinWen to acquire the jian he wanted.


    "So kind of you Rui. It''s a good thing for Ah''Wen to go out and get his mind off of the accident even for just a while. But a jian? My my, that boy has been acting out of sorts since he got back from the hospital. So please take care of him Rui," she said as he patted Xue Rui''s arm and told him that Li XinWen was probably upstairs in his room.


    "Then excuse me for a bit Li mother while I go and check on him," and Xue Rui made his way upstairs to Li XInWen''s room.


    He stood in front of Li XinWen''s room and straightened his tie. He unbuttoned his suit and ran his hand through his hair, inhaling deeply. He was bracing himself for a locked door but was hoping that it was not. He turned the knob and found that it wasn''t locked. "The heavens must be on my side today," he said excitedly as he made his way in.


    Li XinWen was still in the shower, judging from the sound coming from the bath. Xue Rui walked around the room, brushing his hand on Li XinWen''s pillow, as if by doing so he was also brushing Li XinWen''s hair. He went to the Recamier divan at the foot of the bed and saw the bag of chocolates.


    "Pffft... How adorable, I see that he still has a sweet tooth," he remarked and continued to pace towards the walk-in closet. He ran his hand at the shirts hanging on the closet. He took one from the row of shirts and held it up against his nose, inhaling deeply. He was able to make out faint traces of Li XinWen''s scent mixed with detergent and fabric conditioner.


    Xue Rui was nearly intoxicated before he caught himself. "Oh XinWen¡­ why am I so crazy about you?" he sighed to himself as he replaced the shirt in the closet. Just as he was about to head out, he saw Li XinWen''s discarded clothing leading to the bath. He let out a chuckle and picked up the clothes one by one. "Such a child," he said smiling while shaking his head. He placed Li XinWen''s clothes in the hamper and walked towards Li XinWen''s bookshelf. He picked out a poetry book and walked back to the Recamier divan, sat down, and started to read quietly, waiting for Li XinWen.


    Li XinWen finished his shower and toweled himself as best he could. He replaced the bandage on the spot where his wound was supposed to be and stepped out of the shower. He wrapped a towel around his waist and placed one on top of his head. He started humming an old song he remembered from his days in Long Xing. As he was walking towards the bathroom door, he suddenly sensed a presence in his room.


    Instinctively, he reached for a bathrobe and wore it as if it would protect him from whoever was trespassing in his room. Li XinWen sent out a bit of his spiritual energy to probe out the identity of this person. ''Why is Xue Rui in my room?!'' he thought as he furrowed his brows and gritted his teeth in annoyance.


    Li XinWen knew he was partly to blame since he didn''t lock his door. He should have predicted this move from Xue Rui. Left with no other choice, he squeezed his eyes as if to squeeze out all of his irritation as well. He took a deep breath before fixing his facial expression then opened the bathroom door.


    Upon hearing the bathroom door open, Xue Rui lifted his head from the book and turned his eyes towards the sound, waiting for Li XinWen to step out.


    Li XinWen''s eyes met Xue Rui''s when he stepped out of the bathroom. Feigning surprise, Li XinWen asked "Rui-ge! What are you doing in my room?!"


    For someone who said he had no passion for acting, Li XinWen sure was able to act convincingly. "Anyway, just give me a few minutes and I''ll be right back," he added as he rushed to the closet, dropping the towel on his head as he made his way. This time, he made sure to slide the doors to the walk-in closet closed and locked it. There was no way he was going to spend another second in front of Xue Rui in his current state of undress. "Oh god, what was that. Why did Xue Rui look like he was about to pounce at me?" Li XinWen whispered frantically to himself shaking his head.


    He put on a white cotton dress shirt from his closet and paired this with a dark blue Giorgio Armani slim-fit half-canvas twill blend Soho suit. He wore a brushed calfskin leather belt, and finished his look with a pair of white leather sneakers and sprayed just a little cologne. "Woah, that smells nice," Li XinWen said surprising even himself. The way he dressed was probably all due to the original Li XinWen''s sense of style. He examined himself in front of the full-length mirror and looked extremely pleased.


    Outside, Xue Rui''s heart was beating hard within his chest. His eyes lingered at the door to the walk-in closet, then he noticed the towel, which fell off of Li XinWen''s head as he hurried to the closet. He placed the book he was reading on the divan and walked over to where the towel was. He picked it up and took a whiff of the alluring fragrance that came from the article. He could smell Li XinWen''s fragrance as he lifted the towel to his nose. His mind went back to the image of Li XinWen as he stepped out after his bath. He wore a loosely fitted robe, which exposed his chest and his toned abs.


    "Ugh¡­ you are driving me crazy XinWen!" he whispered to himself as he clutched the towel in his hand. He imagined stripping the robe off from Li XinWen and the towel underneath to reveal the seductive body that he has been craving so much. Whenever he imagined Li XinWen''s n.a.k.e.d figure, he would feel his desires overflow and he couldn''t help but want to ravish Li XinWen.

 Chapter 19 - 19 - Date (Part 2)

    Li XinWen slid the closet door open and stepped out. What he saw was hardly a surprise. Xue Rui, who didn''t notice that he had opened the door, stood as if in a trance. It looked like he was smelling the towel Li XinWen had dropped earlier. Li XinWen shook his head and rolled his eyes. He did not even want to know what this man was thinking. "Rui-ge, what are you doing?" he asked.


    Xue Rui was rudely awakened from his fantasy but he wasn''t mad at all. Compared to the Li XInWen in his fantasy, he''d much prefer the real one. "Hmmm¡­nothing. I just picked up the towel, so it won''t leave any stains on the carpet," Xue Rui lied maintaining a straight face.


    ''What a lie¡­'' Li XinWen hissed in his heart.


    Li XinWen stood by the closet door as Xue Rui turned to face him. Xue Rui was amazed at what he saw. So much so, that he was rendered speechless at the image of Li XinWen in front of him. He stood open-mouthed and dumbfounded unable to find the words to say.


    Li XinWen looked like the celebrity that he was. Exuding a radiance that only he could pull off. It was a simple ensemble - a blue suit, white dress shirt with the first three buttons unbuttoned, a leather belt and a pair of white leather sneakers. Just the right touch of formality and relaxed chic. His hair still a little wet and disheveled amplified his s.e.x appeal tenfold. Xue Rui''s mind went blank and his heart beat even faster.


    ''Oh god, this is too much for me. How can you be so s.e.xy, XinWen. You are simply a walking hormones! Please deities in heaven give me the strength to restrain myself from ripping off his clothes and making a mess out of this lothario before me right at this moment,'' Xue Rui thought to himself as he clenched the towel in his hand.


    He blinked his eyes and shook his head abruptly as if to wake himself from a momentary lapse. He took a deep breath, smiled, and slowly approached Li XinWen.


    Upon seeing Xue Rui approach, Li XinWen clenched his hands into fists, ready to fight if it came down to that. But Xue Rui didn''t exhibit any form of hostility or indecent behavior, which prompted Li XinWen to lower down his defenses, unclenching his fists. Xue Rui placed the towel he was holding on Li XinWen''s head and started to rub his wet hair.


    "Your hair is still a little wet, let me help dry it off," he said affectionately, letting out a small chuckle. Li XinWen felt like a child being spoiled, and he couldn''t help chuckling with Xue Rui. No one could have predicted what happened next. During that moment of carefree laughter between the two men, a surge of innocent desire bubbled to the surface. Their eyes met and in that fleeting moment, Li XinWen saw a multitude of unspoken words in Xue Rui''s eyes and it was his turn to be stunned. In that fleeting moment, he felt his heart beat to a different rhythm.


    Xue Rui stopped rubbing the towel on Li XinWen''s hair and suddenly used it to cover Li XinWen''s eyes. Slowly he lowered his lips to Li XinWen''s. The kiss was light yet full of desire, it spoke of so much longing and hope without overstepping the boundaries of l.u.s.t. It was passionate yet it wasn''t. Xue Rui was about to hold Li XinWen but stopped himself and instead pulled his lips away.


    Li XinWen was left breathless and a little dizzy from what just happened. It was his turn to be speechless. Xue Rui lowered the towel from Li XinWen''s eyes, which somehow brought him back to his senses. Realizing what had just happened, Li XinWen''s hand went up and he pushed Xue Rui, just enough to keep a distance between them. ''Too close¡­ too close,'' Li XinWen whispered to himself in a panic.


    "Rui-ge... enough with the stolen kisses. Please control yourself. Ah¡­ damn it!" Li XinWen said, fl.u.s.tered and blushing, as he admonished Xue Rui.


    "Hahahaha," Xue Rui laughed and for a moment, Li XinWen saw a different side to Xue Rui. He was obviously enjoying himself. "It was just a kiss XinWen. There''s no harm in a kiss," Xue Rui said continuing to tease him.


    ''No harm your sister!'' Li XinWen was about to protest but stopped himself, he no longer wanted to argue with the foolish man in front of him.


    "Anyway, if you''re ready, let''s go now. I have already made reservations at a restaurant for lunch."


    "We''re not eating at home?" Li XinWen asked, surprised that Xue Rui already made plans to have lunch out without discussing with him.


    "No."


    "I can''t eat solid foods..."


    "It''s alright. I''ve taken that into consideration when I made the reservation."


    "There''s no way of escaping this now, is there?" Li XinWen asked, even though he already knew the answer. Even as he looked through the original''s memories, Xue Rui would always have his way in the end, no matter how much the original tried to escape.


    "I''m glad you understand, XinWen. I will be waiting in my car. Fix your hair. You don''t have to put on a disguise," Xue Rui said before he left Li XinWen alone.


    After Xue Rui closed the door to Li XinWen''s room, he was finally able to breathe. His heart was beating excessively fast as if it was about to burst out of his chest. He felt his knees buckle and all the strength he had drained away. He placed his hand on the wall just to keep himself upright.


    "What was that?! I''ve kissed him so many times in the past but why did this kiss feel different? Why am I so nervous? What is happening to me?" he kept asking himself, his hand covering his mouth as if he was about to hyperventilate.


    "Snap out of it Xue Rui," he reprimanded himself. He stood up straight and fixed his tie. He brushed any kinks off his trousers, took an extra breath of air to calm himself and proceeded downstairs.


    Li XinWen let out a scoff when Xue Rui left and he quickly went to the mirror to fix his messy hair. As he stared at his reflection, he couldn''t help but narrow his eyes. "Geez... Your life is a mess, you know that? How is it that your own sister''s fiance had taken a fancy to you? And rather than telling your sister, you''d rather suffer in silence just so you can see her smile with the man she loves. Where is your dignity?" Li XinWen seemed to scold the original. Of course, he didn''t receive any reply. The original was dead and his soul has probably entered the reincarnation cycle. Otherwise, Li XinWen wouldn''t be here at all.


    Since being hospitalized, Li XinWen''s hair had grown to medium length. His hair had volume and it was obvious that it was taken care of properly. He let the original''s memories guide him in styling his hair. He applied a light to moderate hold wax throughout his hair and used his hands and fingers to pull them back. The styling he ended up doing was the quiff hairstyle, it looked scruffy and a little disheveled, but it suited his face very well and accentuated his facial assets.


    Once he was finished, he went downstairs and looked for madam Li.


    "Oh my! What a handsome young man you are!" madam Li exclaimed when she saw Li XinWen approach.


    "You flatter me too much mom," Li XinWen responded shyly. "I''ll just be out for a bit. I''ll be back by dinner time," he said and gave madam Li a hug. He put on his Ray-ban sunglasses and stepped out of the house. He saw the car parked on the driveway and immediately knew that it was Xue Rui''s. The silver Maserati was actually Xue Rui''s favorite among all of his collection. Li XinWen had to admit; the car looked impressive.


    As Li XinWen was walking towards the car, Xue Rui happened to glance out the window on the passenger side. He was taken aback as he saw Li XinWen striding toward the car and nearly dropped his mobile phone. Li XinWen looked like a s.e.xy fashion model on the runway. "Why does he look so good?!" Xue Rui thought as he continued to speak to his phone.


    Li XinWen double-checked with the original''s memories to make sure he wouldn''t make a mistake or forget to do something necessary. He opened the passenger door, sat on the passenger seat and buckled his seat belt. He saw that Xue Rui was on the phone and judging from his tone it seemed to be very important; probably something to do with work. The seat was extremely comfortable, and Li XinWen noticed how luxurious the leather interior was as he ran his hands on the high-grade leather panel of the passenger door. He glanced at Xue Rui then averted his gaze to the front and waited patiently for him to finish.


    After a while, Xue Rui finally ended the call and looked over at Li XinWen apologetically. "Sorry, about that Ah''Wen, I forgot to tell my secretary about today so he panicked while trying to look for me. Don''t worry though, I''ve already finished everything for today, so he won''t bother us on our date," Xue Rui informed him with a grin on his face. After making sure that Li XinWen was wearing his safety belt, he started the engine and drove.

 Chapter 20 - 20 - Date (Part 3)

    They drove in silence throughout majority of the trip. Mostly because Xue Rui was focused on how he can continue pursuing Li XinWen. He was an expert driver, which afforded him the ability to multitask. His mind focused on the road and at the same time was thinking of ways on how to make Li XinWen fall in love with him.


    ''I think the kiss earlier was a good start,''" he smiled at this thought.


    Li XinWen sat staring at all the buildings that they passed. This was the second time Li XinWen saw this kind of scenery, and it still filled him with awe. He thought back to Long Xing and the Soaring Heaven Sect. He couldn''t help but compare the buildings that exists within the two worlds.


    Though the Soaring Heaven Sect was only a mid-ranked sect, it was still one of the top ten sects outside of the four highly ranked sects. However, in spite being ranked considerably, they were actually quite poor. The outer sect disciples were barely taken care of, and even the inner sect disciples fought for resources. Remembering his bitter life as a disciple made Li XinWen sigh heavily.


    "What''s with the heavy sigh? Is there something bothering you?" Xue Rui asked in a worried tone.


    ''Yes! You!'' Li XinWen answered in his mind. Then he remembered that kiss from before and he could feel his ears turning red at the thought.


    "I just suddenly thought of mom''s cooking and felt that I wanted to eat lunch with her after all¡­" he answered without looking towards Xue Rui so as not to give away his real emotions, which was a mix of annoyance, impatience and confusion.


    Xue Rui fell silent and was a little hurt, and after a while, he finally spoke. "Alright, I''ll cancel our dinner reservation later so we can have dinner at your home. Okay? Will that make you feel better?" Xue Rui said this softly and with as much affection as he could express to appease Li XinWen.


    But, instead of pacifying Li XinWen, the revelation that dinner reservations were also made was met with a temper tantrum.


    "You even made dinner reservation? Rui-ge, aren''t we just going to purchase a jian for me? It won''t take long now would it? Why did you have to make dinner reservations too?" Li XinWen asked like a spoiled child then looked out the passenger window once again.


    "Well, I did say that today was going to be a date. So of course, I made a lot of plans for us," Xue Rui answered in his defense trying hard not to lose his cool. "Ah''Wen look at me, please," Xue Rui pleaded as he reached for Li XinWen''s hand. He squeezed Li XinWen''s hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed it.


    At that same moment, Li XinWen abruptly turned to Xue Rui to express his annoyance but stopped short when he saw a gentle expression on Xue Rui''s face. Xue Rui let go of Li XinWen''s hand and made an apologetic face as if to say sorry for doing something that Li XinWen did not like. He ran his left hand through his hair and rested them on his lap. Xue Rui held the steering wheel and drove with just his right hand as if to prevent himself from doing anything that would displease Li XinWen any further.


    Li XinWen caught himself and reflected. ''Why am I not entirely annoyed at what happened? Did I actually like that he held my hand and kissed it? Ugh... what is this?! This never happened before even though I lived for over three centuries...''


    It seemed like as if his annoyance was more toward himself and not towards Xue Rui. ''Don''t tell me, because I''ve never experienced my spring moments, this is the result? Show a little affection and I liked it?'' Li XinWen inwardly groaned and prayed that it was not like that. He sighed, as if exhausted because of this internal debate.


    "If I had known that you had planned to take me out for the rest of the day, I would have told mom! I told her we won''t be long and that I''d be back in time for dinner," he said pouting. "She''s old and currently all by herself. What if something happens to her?" this was all true. Li XinWen truly did not expect Xue Rui to keep him away from home until late.


    Hearing Li XinWen''s protest to dinner, Xue Rui decided to withhold the fact that he also booked a hotel room for them to stay for the night. After all, he pictured that dinner would involve wine and that would mean that he wouldn''t be able to drive Li XinWen back home. Although he had a pretty high tolerance to any form of alcohol, he didn''t want to take any risks.


    "Don''t worry too much Ah''Wen, I''m quite certain that xiao Xiao would be back from school by this time. Even while you were in a coma, your mom stayed strong and did not allow herself to collapse because she had xiao Xiao to think about. Xiao Xiao is still young and needs your mom''s support and guidance. Trust your mother, will you?" Xue Rui said and one could hear that he had high respects for madam Li.


    Although Li XinWen realized that Xue Rui was right, his pride got the better of him. He frowned at Xue Rui and huffed, crossing his arms. "If anything happens to her, I''ll hold you responsible," Li XinWen said.


    "Right. I promise to take full responsibility," Xue Rui responded as he unconsciously reached for Li XinWen but caught himself and instead rested his hand on the passenger seat''s headrest. "If it makes you feel better, I actually left one of my men in the premises to keep an eye on her and to make sure nothing happens," Xue Rui informed Li XinWen in a reassuring manner.


    After a while, Xue Rui removed his hand from the passenger seat headrest and focused on driving. Li XinWen continued to pretend that he was still upset. But the truth was he no longer felt angry. Feeling a little guilty because of his outburst, he started sneaking glances at Xue Rui in secret by looking at Xue Rui''s reflection on the passenger window.


    ''Ugh¡­ I think Xue Rui''s foolishness is contagious and I might be catching the bug¡­'' he thought to himself. ''Li XinWen, how did you deal with this fool in the past?'' he addressed the original despite knowing there won''t be any reply.


    Xue Rui continued driving oblivious to Li XinWen''s sneaky glances. Occasionally he''d glance towards Li XinWen''s direction and would smile. He looked at Li XinWen''s back lovingly and he thought to himself ''This is the person that occupies my every thought; this person is my treasure¡­''


    * * *


    Mini Theatre 2:


    Xue Rui: Ah''Wen, please look at me¡­


    Xue Rui takes Li XinWen''s hand and gazes at Li XinWen while driving.


    Li XinWen turned to Xue Rui before his eyes goes wide.


    Li XinWen: Bastard! The road!! Eyes on the road!


    Xue Rui: It''s alright, I am confident with my driving. Plus,, both of us have the ever so powerful plot armor, and you have the unrivalled protagonist halo.


    Li XinWen: Your Sister, ah! Hurry and focus back on the road or else I''ll haunt you forever!!


    Xue Rui: En. Having you haunt me forever sounds good.


    Li XinWen: [email protected]$^#[email protected]&


    Mini Theatre 3:


    Li XinWen: If anything happens, I''ll hold you responsible!


    Xue Rui: En. Your husband will take responsibility for everything.


    Li XinWen: Who''s my husband?! When did we get married?!


    Xue Rui: Then shall we go get married?


    Li XinWen: This again!? Scram!!


    Xue Rui: Wife''s heart is still cold... It''s okay. I have a lifetime to melt that heart of yours.


    Li XinWen: My heart is not cold! Your heart is the one that''s cold! Your sister''s heart is cold! Your family''s heart is cold!!


    Xue Rui: Yes, yes... Wife''s heart is not cold. Wife''s heart the warmest. Or else, how can he make me burn with desire?


    Li XinWen: !#@&!##[email protected]!!

 Chapter 21 - 21 - What kind of dog-blood drama were you watching?

    After what felt like a rather long drive, Xue Rui finally stopped the car in front of an expensive looking establishment located along Baifu Street or what was known as the financial trading row in ZaoXiang City. Xue Rui killed the engine and faced Li XinWen, "We''re here XinWen," he said smiling while unbuckling his seatbelt.


    Li XinWen was still in the process of unbuckling his when Xue Rui unlocked the driver''s door and rushed to the passenger side. He opened the passenger door and peeked in at Li XinWen smiling as he reached out his hand.


    "Shall we?"


    Li XinWen who had never been treated this way before was not weirded out in the slightest and gladly took Xue Rui''s hand. He got off the car and thanked Xue Rui. Both men looked dapper in their suits and radiated s.e.xiness as they stood side by side. Even the most indifferent socialite passing by turned their heads to take a second look at the two gorgeous men.


    Li XinWen who was straightening out his suit could not have predicted what Xue Rui did in the next instance. Xue Rui''s arm sn.a.k.e.d around his waist and pulled him close, catching him by surprise. He wanted to pull away from Xue Rui''s grasp but Xue Rui''s strong arm kept him in place. He realized that using more strength to pull himself away would only rouse suspicion as he was supposedly, still injured. Much to his dislike, Li XinWen resigned himself and just decided to let this one slide. Xue Rui casually threw his car keys to the valet waiting to the side of his Maserati as he walked Li XinWen over to the entrance.


    Upon entering the establishment, a restaurant employee immediately greeted them. "Good afternoon. May I know whose name the reservation for our esteemed guests is under?" he asked.


    "It''s under Xue Rui." Xue Rui answered as he let go of Li XinWen and straightened his tie.


    "Ah, yes. Young Master Xue, we''ve been expecting you. Please follow me. Your private room is ready," the employee said as he welcomed the two. The restaurant employee ushered the two towards the stairs leading to the second floor of the establishment, which was reserved for VIP guests. Li XinWen looked around while walking and noticed how lavish the establishment was. This reminded him of the establishments owned by high-ranking sects in Long Xing.


    ''I guess this is where people of high class gather in this world?'' Li XinWen thought. The people he saw there were all well dressed and mostly talked about business. Several socialites were talking about the latest fashion and the latest entertainment gossip, but what caught Li XinWen''s attention was the conversation of one particular table in the corner, which made him stop in in his tracks.


    A young couple occupied the table, or maybe, Li XinWen should say former couple. It seemed that they were breaking up, and the reason for Li XinWen''s interest was the drama he watched while he stayed at the hospital. Their conversation was so similar that Li XinWen thought they might be filming a movie.


    "XinWen, what''s wrong?" Xue Rui asked after noticing that Li XinWen had stopped walking and was distracted. He followed Li XinWen''s gaze and asked, "Do you see someone you know?"


    "No. I just find those two funny," gesturing towards the couple seated at the far corner. "The woman wants to leave but that man wouldn''t let her, and their conversation reminds me of that drama movie I used to watch at the hospital to pass the time," Li XinWen said with a small laugh.


    "Conversation?" Xue Rui asked, confused. He couldn''t even hear the conversation from a nearby table because they were talking in a low voice let alone the couple in the far corner.


    Li XinWen realized what he had just said so he quickly looked back at Xue Rui. "I mean... I was just thinking how similar the scene is with the drama movie I saw before, so I can''t help but imagine the same conversation!" he said, trying not to sound suspicious. He had forgotten that mortals couldn''t hear as far as he could. He gave Xue Rui a nervous smile as he silently wished that Xue Rui would let this go.


    Xue Rui eyed Li XinWen for a while but decided not to pursue the matter.


    "Well since they can afford to have lunch in an establishment such as this, surely, their social status is not that low and their conversation would not be as ridiculous as that. What kind of dog-blood drama were you watching in the hospital anyway?" Xue Rui chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Li XinWen''s waist and pulled him in again, amused at the simplicity of Li XinWen''s statement. He smiled as he gazed into Li XinWen''s eyes warmly. "No matter. We should head into the room and have lunch since we still need to get you your gift."


    This caught Li XinWen by surprise once again and he felt extremely uncomfortable in front of everyone in the restaurant. He could feel his cheeks blushing and his ears getting warm. He pushed Xue Rui away as he covered his mouth and looked down because of his discomfort and embarrassment.


    ''Thank goodness the lights are dim. Oh god, just you wait Xue Rui¡­a few more months and you won''t be able to even lay a finger on me, let alone eat my tofu¡­'' Li XinWen thought to himself.

 Chapter 22 - 22 - Feigning amnesia to avoid suspicion

    Li XinWen was surprised when they reached the private room reserved for Xue Rui. The lighting was cozy to say the least and the room exuded a warmth that was inviting. It was spacious with a high ceiling and the entire room was illuminated by a large raindrops pendant chandelier hanging above a circular table big enough for a small family of four.


    Li XinWen approached the wall to his right and ran his hands along the length and realized that the walls were padded. The padding was covered in velvet fabric and accentuated by silver studs. From the feel of it, the padding was relatively thick which contributed to the reduction of sound escaping and coming into the room.


    It must be said that since he is a 4th stage Houtian, he had the ability to hear sounds from a hundred meters away. But it seems that this ability was greatly reduced for as long as they were inside the room.


    Xue Rui noticed Li XinWen''s fascination and wondered amused as he sat down on one of the chairs. ''He''s acting like a child again. I wonder what he finds fascinating. It''s not like this is the first time he has ever seen this room¡­''


    Catching his behavior, Li XinWen retracted his hand and took the seat opposite Xue Rui. Li XinWen was still processing the room''s structure in his head as he made himself comfortable in his seat. At first he thought there was some sort of formation in place that was responsible for the sound barrier, something similar to what cultivators use whenever they want to talk in private back in Long Xing. But when he realized that he was no longer in Long Xing he knew that it was impossible. He initially suspected that there might be other cultivators present in the establishment which triggered him to expand his spiritual sense to confirm this suspicion. But he did not sense any other presence, which prompted him to ask Xue Rui about the room.


    "Rui-ge, if I may ask, what is this room?" Li XinWen asked out of curiosity.


    "This is a private room XinWen. You could say that only VIP clients of the establishment can make a reservation for a private room. The room is soundproof so it''s a favorite among businessmen and C-suite executives who wish to negotiate terms in private," Xue Rui answered automatically as he perused the restaurant''s extensive menu.


    "I see," Li XinWen responded, gaining a little bit of clarity from Xue Rui''s answer.


    Xue Rui realized how trivial Li XinWen''s question was and recalled that this was not the first time they dined in this private room. He narrowed his eyes and asked Li XinWen: "What''s gotten into you XinWen? This isn''t the first time you came here with me," he remarked as he set down the menu on the table. "I feel like you are acting a little bit out of character. Is everything really alright?" he asked, his voice full of genuine concern as he reached out to take Li XinWen''s hand in his.


    Li XinWen''s body went stiff when Xue Rui voiced his suspicion. He nervously looked up but immediately looked away, unable to stand that questioning gaze. "I... umm... to be honest..." Li XinWen rushed to look over the memories to see if there were any information that he could use as an excuse. Luckily, there was one. One of the roles that the original Li XinWen played in the past was someone who had forgotten part of his memory due to a traumatic accident. Li XinWen decided to use it in his defense. "I have some fuzzy memories... I think it might be because of the accident. There are some things that I can''t seem to remember... this room is one of them."


    "Is that so? How long have you been experiencing these fuzzy memories? Did you tell the doctor about this? How come you''re only telling me this now?" Xue Rui asked almost in a panic, his initial concern now amplified with worry. He stood up from his seat and took out his phone. He dialed XinZhou Hospital and made an appointment for Li XinWen after lunch.


    ''Ugh¡­ as expected he''s overreacting again. Perhaps it was a bad idea to use that role as a reference for my reasoning¡­ well I guess it''s too late to take it back¡­'' Li XinWen sighed.


    "Before getting your gift, we''ll go to the hospital and have them perform CAT scan on you." Xue Rui said as he walked towards Li XinWen. He kneeled down in front of Li XinWen and placed one hand on Li XinWen''s lap as he gazed Li XinWen''s eyes.


    ''What the¡­why is he kneeling down?'' Li XinWen thought his eyes widening, afraid that Xue Rui was going to bring out a ring and ask him to marry him. He braced himself and started to come up with ways to reject Xue Rui.


    "I''m worried about you XinWen and I don''t want to take any risks. If there is something wrong it will be better if it''s found and treated early. So be a good boy and do not make any protests regarding the CAT scan, okay?" Xue Rui said, his voice tender and pleading.


    Li XinWen blushed, embarrassed with himself. He caught himself and immediately regained his composure. A part of him felt relieved that it wasn''t a proposal. But for a moment, somehow he realized that a part of him almost felt disappointed and a little sad. He quickly disregarded this feeling but tried to analyze it just the same. ''What was that? Was I really disappointed? Was I sad? Did I want him to ask me to marry him? No, no, no¡­ not happening¡­ I''m just disappointed that I ended up wasting my time thinking of ways to reject him in vain... En. That must be it,'' and with that, Li XinWen convinced himself and no longer paid that feeling any more attention.


    "Thank you for your concern Rui-ge. I appreciate you making the appointment for me," was all Li XinWen could come up with in response to Xue Rui''s pleading.


    Xue Rui stood up and caressed Li XinWen''s cheek. He walked around and stood behind Li XinWen and gently massaged Li XinWen''s head. Li XinWen wanted to pull away but when he felt the warm hand, gently massaging his scalp, he couldn''t help but close his eyes and unconsciously leaned into the touch.


    Xue Rui smiled seeing Li XinWen accept his gesture of affection. "Feels good XinWen?"


    "En. Feels really good," Li XinWen replied. "As for the doctor, I didn''t tell them about the fuzzy memories. Actually, I don''t know what else I might have forgotten¡­" he continued.


    Xue Rui found himself feeling elated at what was happening at that moment. It felt like they were a married couple sharing their concerns at the end of the day. He closed his eyes and thought, ''I could spend the rest of my life just like this. I can spend every moment just like this with you XinWen¡­ so be mine¡­ just how can I make you mine¡­"


    Xue Rui stopped himself when he noticed that he was about to kiss the top of Li XinWen''s head. As if awakened from a trance he pulled his hand away, thinking that he needed to avoid doing anything unnecessary and cause Li XinWen to get mad at him again. ''Control yourself Xue Rui. God, I want to hold him right now¡­ but I won''t¡­ I need to be patient and not rush at winning his affection.''


    Li XinWen felt slightly disappointed when Xue Rui stopped massaging his scalp, yearning for that comfortable warm feeling on his head. He opened his eyes and saw Xue Rui standing on the other side talking into the hand phone mounted on the wall.


    "I''ve asked the chef to prepare and serve us our lunch," Xue Rui addressed Li XinWen smiling as he replaced the phone''s handset. He made his way to his seat and sat opposite Li XinWen.


    "Will the CAT scan take long?" Li XinWen asked. Right now, he wished that it would. His Jian can wait. If he can disrupt Xue Rui''s plans for today, he wouldn''t mind acting sick the entire time.


    "It depends on your situation. If there is nothing wrong, typically it wouldn''t take long. But if they find something wrong, then it might take some time as the doctor''s may need to conduct additional procedures. Nevertheless, whatever the outcome, it''s better to catch it early," Xue Rui told Li XinWen in a serious tone.

 Chapter 23 - 23 - Hospital visit

    Because of what Li XinWen told Xue Rui, they ended up having a quick lunch and they rushed to the hospital immediately after. Of course, the hospital that Xue Rui had chosen was one where he had power over as part of the board of directors. A hospital attendant led them to the back as soon as they arrived. There was no need for them to fill in the paperwork and wait for their turn. In fact, the hospital staff were already waiting for them.


    The same hospital attendant escorted them all the way to the CAT scan control room where a nurse guided Li XinWen to a separate room. "Mr. Li, please change into this patient robe. Make sure you remove any metallic items in your person," the nurse said in a polite tone before leaving Li XinWen to change. Li XinWen quietly changed into the patient robe then heard the nurse''s knock on the door not long after: "Mr. Li? Are you done? I will escort you to the CAT room."


    "Alright. Please wait a moment," Li XinWen said before stepping out of the changing room. He followed the nurse to another room where the machine was located.


    It was the first time Li XinWen saw such an equipment and he couldn''t help but feel curious. It was almost daunting because of the huge circular gantry which was the most dominant feature of the equipment. From what he gathered from his spiritual sense, the gantry was made up of technology unlike any he had ever seen in all his years in Long Xing.


    "Mr. Li, please lie down here," the nurse gestured to what Li XinWen saw as a table-like bed. He got onto the bed and laid down while the nurse prepared the machine. "Mr. Li, please relax and close your eyes," the nurse''s voice came again and Li XinWen obeyed. After closing his eyes, he felt the nurse place something on top of his eyes as a cover. "Do not worry, this will help protect your eyes and reduce any radiation absorbed by your eyes," the nurse quickly said when she noticed Li XinWen''s hand shot up to reach for the eye mask. "Just relax, Mr. Li. It will be over soon."


    Though Li XinWen actually felt uncomfortable, he decided to put his trust on Xue Rui. He doubted that Xue Rui would let any harm to come to him. Li XinWen didn''t notice how long he laid down but when he got up, he sensed that something was wrong with his body. Using his spiritual energy to do a quick scan, he noticed that there were some impurities mixed within. He frowned before quickly dispelling the impurities from his body.


    When the nurse saw that Li XinWen did not suffer any side effects that patients usually suffer from after a scan, he was astonished. "Mr. Li, are you feeling alright? No dizziness? Nausea?" he asked.


    "No. I feel quite alright. Why?" Li XinWen asked back.


    "Oh it''s nothing. Usually, due to radiation exposure, patients would feel uncomfortable for a while. You must have high tolerance," the nurse explained with a smile on his face.


    After hearing the explanation, Li XinWen finally realized what the impurities were. He didn''t say anything else afterwards and simply followed the nurse out of the room and changed back to his clothes. After that, he went to the CAT scan control room where the doctor and Xue Rui were waiting.


    Li XinWen approached Xue Rui who was leaning into a screen resembling the television they had at home. But this was smaller in comparison and was bulkier. The doctor fiddled with the controls until the CT scan image of Li XinWen''s brain appeared on the screen. The projection of his brain on the screen surprised Li XinWen, realizing that he was actually looking at the image of his brain.


    "Amazing¡­ so that''s how the brain actually looks like?" he thought to himself.


    The doctor was explaining the image to Xue Rui and Li XinWen, pointing to specific parts and rambling off technical jargon that Li XinWen was unable to understand. Xue Rui on the other hand was nodding his head as if agreeing to what the doctor said. He kept asking questions until he felt satisfied and all Li XinWen could do was look at the two men exchanging gibberish.


    "Mr. Xue, Mr. Li, please rest assured that there is nothing wrong with Mr Li''s brain. We did not find any concussion or swelling which might be the cause for the memory loss. Based on the results, I can confidently say that Mr. Li is 100% healthy. I am not entirely sure what is causing Mr. Li''s fuzzy memories but it is highly probable that this is only a temporary condition and isn''t something to worry about," the doctor said.


    Turning to Li XinWen, he said: "However, I do advise you, Mr. Li to observe your condition closely. If you experience any additional symptom such as headaches, dizziness or any kind of pain, please come see us right away so we can do another exam."


    He paused when he saw Li XinWen''s reluctant look and couldn''t help but let out a small laughter. "It''s better to be on top of these things to make sure that it doesn''t get any worse, Mr. Li. For now, you can go on with your day without any worries," he continued as he stood up and patted Li XinWen''s shoulder.


    "Alright, thank you Dr. Zhang" Xue Rui remarked as he shook the doctor''s hand.


    Xue Rui turned to Li XinWen and ran his fingers through his hair and heaved a sigh of relief as if all the worries and tension he was holding since their lunch had just completely melted away. He reached for Li XinWen and squeezed him in an embrace before whispering: "I''m glad everything''s okay. I''m glad that you''re okay XinWen."


    Li XinWen was at a loss for words at what just happened. He couldn''t name what he was feeling at that very moment. It was like as if all the butterflies in his stomach were flapping their wings, restless, and were trying desperately to fly up to his heart and up to his throat. He felt warm and confused at the same time that he thought he was going to tear up. In front of him stood a man who was genuinely concerned for his health and well-being. Something he had only felt from his recent encounter with the figure they called mother.


    He didn''t know how to react and all he could do was lower his eyes because he knew that if he looked straight at Xue Rui he might do something he might come to regret later on.


    ''Ah! This is cheating¡­seriously,'' Li XinWen thought, mustering enough composure to face Xue Rui again. He let out a nervous laugh and said: "Thank you Rui-ge¡­"


    "Well, now that we''re sure that everything''s alright, why don''t we go get your gift XinWen," Xue Rui said, smiling.


    "Yeah¡­let''s go!" Li XinWen responded enthusiastically before continuing, "See¡­what did I tell you Rui-ge. I told you I was fine and you were just being too paranoid," he chuckled and clapped Xue Rui''s back gently.


    They made their way out of the CT scan control room and boarded the elevator to the hospital''s first level bas.e.m.e.nt where Xue Rui''s Maserati was already waiting.


    Li XinWen checked his watch and saw that it was close to 3:30 PM. Based on the original''s memories, his sister Li JingHua gets off work at 4 PM, so he casually made a suggestion. "Rui-ge, Hua-jie will finish her work in thirty minutes, right? How about we drop by her office and go pick her up?" trying his best not to sound like as if he was finding a way to foil Xue Rui''s date plans.


    Xue Rui''s smile quickly vanished upon hearing Li XinWen''s suggestion. However, Li XinWen suggested it so casually that he didn''t even suspect that it was Li XinWen''s way of escaping from their supposed date. He looked at Li XinWen who was standing beside him in the elevator, grinning like a child after the innocent suggestion.


    ''He is too cute¡­ I don''t think I can be angry at his suggestion¡­'' Xue Rui thought before speaking in a business-like manner.


    "I''m sorry XinWen but we can''t do that. Since we are acquiring your Jian from an auction house, last minute addition of auction participants is impossible. If I had known that you wanted JingHua to come with us, I would have secured another entrance pass, but unfortunately I only managed to get two. Even with my status, it''s impossible to bend the auction house rules at the last minute," Xui Rui told Li XinWen.


    Of course it wasn''t entirely true and Xue Rui didn''t have any plans of admitting this to Li XinWen. Xue Rui belonged to such a distinguished family that any establishment would gladly bend its rules just to accommodate him. So much so that he can even opt to go through the back door and acquire whatever items were on the auction list even before these items go into auction to the wider network of buyers.


    "An auction house?!?" Li XinWen asked excitedly, which came as a pleasant surprise to Xue Rui. Li XinWen''s reaction was everything to him at that moment. "I can''t wait to get to the auction house Rui-ge!" he expressed, eyes brightening like a child''s.


    In Long Xing, wherever there was an auction, one was sure to find a treasure, and finding out that there are also auction houses in the mortal world, Li XinWen could not wait to find out what kind of treasures he was bound to come across.

 Chapter 24 - 24 - Auction House (Part 1)

    Throughout their journey to the auction house, Li XinWen could barely contain his excitement. It was to the point that he was smiling the entire time they drove to the nearby city called HengShui, where the auction house was located, and when Xue Rui announced they had arrived, Li XinWen quickly got out of the car to look at the auction house.


    But when he saw it, he turned despondent. He was expecting a majestic building similar to the pagodas in Long Xing. It was a total let down. He was expecting a more stately structure to say the least. Unfortunately, a small, modest and modern 2-story building was what greeted him. The building was white and had modern clean lines. The only indication that it was an auction house was the brass lettering mounted on the front wall of the building, spelling the name of the auction house. "Rui-ge, this is the auction house?" Li XinWen asked.


    "En, yeah. You sound disappointed XinWen. What happened to all your excitement earlier?" Xue Rui teased. "Don''t be fooled by the appearance of the building. It''s bigger than it looks." he continued, at the same time placing his arms around Li XinWen''s shoulder. "Shall we go inside?" Xue Rui smiled at Li XinWen as he threw his key to the waiting auction staff so he could park it at the designated area.


    Li XinWen let Xue Rui lead him into the building. As soon as they stepped inside, someone was already waiting for them. It reminded him very much of the situation at the restaurant earlier. ''This kind of reception... Just how high is his social status? Is he like those first rate families in Long Xing?'' Li XinWen couldn''t help but glance at Xue Rui in wonder.


    "XinWen... Ah''Wen... What''s wrong?" Xue Rui noticed that Li XinWen was staring at him and he couldn''t help asking. He wondered if it was because Li XinWen was slowly becoming conscious of him or if Li XinWen was slowly falling for him. ''I truly hope it''s the latter...''


    "Nothing, Rui-ge, it seems that you have a lot of... connections," Li XinWen answered before looking away. He wanted to comment more but he was afraid that it might cause suspicion.


    After a quick introduction, both Li XinWen and Xue Rui were led into a room, which Li XinWen could only assume was the back room. There was a round table in the room, and two chairs. They each took a seat and the attendant who welcomed them excused himself and went further into the room through a door, which blended with the walls.


    "Rui-ge, where is the auction hall?" Li XinWen voiced his curiosity.


    "We''ll go there later. Do you not want to inspect the Jian first?" Xue Rui asked though he doubted Li XinWen knew much about a sword''s quality.


    "Oh, I see..." Li XinWen replied. He didn''t know that in the mortal realm, you had to inspect the item first before it went into auction. Of course, in reality, this only happened because Xue Rui asked the auction manager to do so. If it were someone else whose reputation was lower than Xue Rui''s, this kind of hospitality would merely be a pipe dream.


    About half an hour later, the auction manager arrived, followed by several other employees carrying several display cases enclosing various types of jian. Li XinWen''s eyes shone with excitement. Moving his eyes through the display cases placed before them, one particular display case captured his interest. He suddenly frowned when his eyes landed on a jian that was, unlike the others - still in its sheath and covered in rust.


    Xue Rui noticed Li XinWen''s expression and thought Li XinWen did not like the rusty jian. He showed a look of displeasure towards the manager before he opened his mouth to speak. "Take that thing away," he said.


    "What? No, wait!" Li XinWen quickly stopped the employees who were about to leave. "I want to see that one," he added, pointing to the rusty jian. "Can I hold it?"


    The manager quickly assumed his role as a shrewd salesman when he saw Li XinWen''s reaction. This jian had been with them for several years and not a single buyer has ever wanted it. He thought that if Li XinWen was interested then he''ll use this chance to finally get rid of it with a hefty sum.


    "It seems this young master has an eye for antiques!" said the manager. "This particular jian was found 50 years ago at the bottom of the ocean near the island of Fushan. Experts say it dates as far back as 3000 years ago," the manager gestured for an employee to let Li XinWen hold the jian. Another employee handed a pair of gloves for Li XinWen to wear.


    Li XinWen wore the gloves then held the jian in his hands and started to inspect it while the manager continued to run his mouth. "Unfortunately, no matter how hard we try to unsheathe it, we were unable to pull it out. Which is why we can only display it like that. We suspect that it is only an ornamental sword and does not have a proper blade--" the manager''s eyes widened suddenly at the scene before him, unable to finish his sentence.


    Li XinWen who never paid any attention to what the manager was saying had already pulled the blade out of its sheath. Sadly, just like the rest of the sword, rust also covered the blade. Li XinWen frowned and was about to use his spiritual force to remove the rust when he remembered where he was and stopped himself.


    Li XinWen turned towards the manager and asked, "Will this be in the auction?"


    Xue Rui noticed that Li XinWen seemed to be interested in the rusty jian and he could not help worrying. "XinWen... Are you sure you want that? How about looking at the rest?" he asked. He knew the manager was trying to take advantage of Li XinWen''s interest, decided to pitch it to them, and urged them to buy it through the back but Xue Rui was not an idiot. He knew this jian had been around for a long time and if they were to purchase it through the back, they would end up paying an unreasonable amount for it.


    "No need. I want this one," Li XinWen answered with certainty, silencing Xue Rui instantly.


    "I am glad that you are interested in that jian. Unfortunately, that jian will not be in the auction today. The one that will be auctioned is this one," the manager remarked, pointing to a beautifully designed jian in another case. "But if you''d like that one, we can let you buy them through the back at a price of 2,950,000 yuan."


    "Are you mad!? 2,950,000 yuan for a piece of rusty jian?" Xue Rui protested. Although this sum of money is insignificant to Xue Rui, he would still be unwilling to buy something non-functional for that price. "Manager Wen, it seems that you take us for ignorant fools, clearly you have forgotten who it is you are doing business with at this very moment," Xue Rui said in a sharp tone. "Note that I have seen quite a number of antiques in my time and although I agree that this jian may be antique, the price you are offering is unreasonable. You may want to reconsider your offer while I am still in the mood for negotiations," Xue Rui continued, his eyes glaring at the manager.


    Meanwhile, Li XinWen quickly consulted the original''s memories upon hearing the price of the jian. He paled when he realized just how exorbitant the price of the jian was. ''The original Li XinWen has 10 million yuan in savings. This amount is something to brag about considering his age, but this jian costs almost a third of his savings?!? This manager is a blood-sucking bastard, ah!'' he was so caught up in his thoughts that he was unaware of the menacing aura that Xue Rui was giving off.


    Though Li XinWen was unwilling to part with the jian, with that kind of price he decided to give up on obtaining it. With a heavy sigh, he sheathed the jian and gave it back to the employee.


    Seeing Xue Rui''s intimidating expression, the manager''s hands turned cold and he was suddenly overcome with an unexplainable feeling of fear, anxiety, stress and nervous tension. ''What have I done?'' he thought as he swallowed hard and took out the handkerchief he had painstakingly folded and placed in his suit pocket that morning to wipe the sweat slowly building on the area above his upper lip.


    The manager looked quite pitiful and this did not escape Xue Rui who sat facing the manager with an unforgiving look on his face.


    "Right¡­please excuse my behavior young master Xue," the manager paused as he averted his eyes from Xue Rui to face Li XinWen''s direction in order to salvage whatever was left of his pride after Xue Rui reminded him of his place in the societal hierarchy. Trying hard to recover the damage his hasty sales pitch brought about, the manager came up with a compromise which he desperately wished would appease the young master of the Xue household.


    "Then¡­how about this! Later, at the auction, if the two you master''s purchase is over 10 million yuan then I will throw in this jian as a complementary gift!"


    The compromise that the manager had proposed seemed reasonable, however, Li XinWen''s expression turned even more unwilling. He made a frown and digested the manager''s remark. ''Does it not mean that whoever can make a purchase of over 10 million yuan will have a chance to own the jian I have my eye on?'' although still conflicted, he took a deep breath and decided to make the backdoor purchase. As he was about to tell the manager, he heard Xue Rui''s voice exclaim in the background.


    "You are such a shrewd businessman as usual! Fine! We just have to purchase 10 million worth of items in the auction, yes? Getting this for free is much better than spending three million for it!" Xue Rui no longer masked his displeasure and abruptly stood up. He gently pulled Li XinWen close to him before walking off to the auction hall.


    As soon as the two men left, the manager suddenly broke into a cold sweat and his knees gave way. One employee rushed over to the manager to assist him and whispered "Sir... are you alright? It seemed that you have offended the Young Master of the Xue family. If the boss finds out..."


    "Shut up! As long as none of you tattles, he won''t find out! "

 Chapter 25 - 25 - Auction House (Part 2)

    Li XinWen quietly followed Xue Rui to the auction hall. To his surprise, there were already a lot of people sitting down on the provided chairs. But Xue Rui didn''t go to the chairs and instead, led Li XinWen to the second floor. "The first floor is for the regular auction attendees. We have our own booth on the second floor," Xue Rui explained.


    This, Li XinWen can understand. It was just like the auction house back in Long Xing. The auction houses in Long Xing allot private rooms for cultivators with higher status and strength in order to protect their identity, while regular cultivators sit in an open area with everyone else. However, these kinds of protection do not last very long. After all, every cultivator in Long Xing had another name for an auction - treasure snatching. In most cases, as soon as those who were able to obtain a treasure eyed by many families and sects are attacked as soon as they leave the auction house.


    Therefore, those who attend the auction would usually have one or two life-saving treasures on hand which they can use in case someone attacked them.


    He was so deep in his thought that he didn''t realize that they had already arrived at Xue Rui''s personal booth.


    "XinWen, are you alright?" Xue Rui asked in a worried tone. He had noticed that Li XinWen had been spacing out for a while now, and it seemed to happen quite a lot ever since he woke up from his coma.


    "Huh? Oh!" When Li XinWen finally snapped out of his daze, he noticed that they were in an enclosed compartment with a balcony overlooking the entire auction hall. There were six seats in total. "I''m okay, Rui-ge. Sorry, I was just thinking if it''s really worth spending ten million just to get that jian..." once again, Li XinWen lied smoothly.


    He had lost count of how many times he had lied since he arrived in this world and he felt that he was living dishonestly.


    "You don''t have to think much of it, XinWen," Xue Rui said as he held the chair for Li XinWen. The chair was very comfortable and Li XinWen settled in his seat instantly. Xue Rui unbuttoned his coat and settled down beside Li XinWen and said, "I remember seeing that jian a few years ago. Even when the starting bid was 300,000 yuan, no one was willing to buy it. That manager earlier just wanted to take advantage of you XinWen," Xue Rui paused as he glanced over at Li XinWen.


    "Judging by his sales pitch earlier, the manager seems desperate to get rid of the jian and perhaps thought he''d rake in some money in the process after seeing your interest in the item¡­" he added after a some hesitation. Xue Rui felt that he should at least inform Li XinWen what an easy target he is.


    When Li XinWen heard Xue Rui''s statement, his face turned dark. Upon realizing the truth in Xue Rui''s words, he couldn''t help but acknowledge his lack of street smarts in the mortal world. It seemed that mortals are more cunning than those in Long Xing.


    ''That sly bastard, if I had actually pushed through with the backdoor purchase of that jian it would have been foolish! If I had really spent three million for that jian and later found that the actual price was only 300,000 I would have cursed myself and vomited blood! I guess I should be thankful that Xue Rui was there to save me from wasting money¡­'' Li XinWen thought. In his mind he was smacking himself in the forehead for not noticing just how sly that manager was.


    "Then I should thank you Rui-ge for stopping me from falling for that manager''s scheme."


    "Don''t worry about it XinWen,." Xue Rui said as he took Li XinWen''s hand in his and unconsciously raised it to his lips and kissed the back of Li XinWen''s hand. And noticing that Li XinWen was not pulling back his hand, Xue Rui continued to push his luck and take advantage of the situation by holding Li XinWen''s hand on his chest a little ways away from where his heart was.


    "Money is never a problem Ah''Wen as long as you are happy. So if you find something that you like during the auction, I hope you won''t hold back¡­" he said as he gently lowered Li XinWen''s hand and let it go.


    Realizing what he had done, Xue Rui leaned forward, clasped his hands over his face as if in prayer and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, hoping that Li XinWen would not take his actions negatively. He tried to remain calm and nonchalant about what he just did. ''Oh god, what was I thinking¡­''


    He waited for what seemed like eternity for Li XinWen''s reaction but nothing came. A nervous feeling slowly crept inside him and he prepared himself for the worst before looking over to Li XinWen''s direction.


    Li XinWen on the other hand was too busy reprimanding himself in his mind for almost falling for such a petty trick from the manager and did not register what Xue Rui had done earlier. By the time he calmed his mind, he noticed that Xue Rui hunched forward with an uncomfortable expression, looking at him. ''Why does he look so uncomfortable?'' he wondered.


    "Are you okay Rui-ge? Do you have a headache?" Li XinWen asked as she gently placed a hand on Xue Rui''s back.


    Xue Rui was dumbfounded, unsure whether he was dreaming or not.


    "I''m alright XinWen¡­ thank you¡­" he responded, managing a smile amidst his uncertainty. He leaned back in his seat and relaxed his shoulders thinking, ''I guess the gods are on my side today...I''ll take this any day of the week,'' and let out an amused chuckle.

 Chapter 26 - 26 - Auction House (Part 3)

    Li XinWen was observing Xue Rui closely from his seat. Xue Rui was hunched forward in his seat wearing an uncomfortable yet happy expression. By this time, Li XinWen had somewhat figured out most of Xue Rui''s behavior, and at that particular moment he could easily read Xue Rui. Especially when it came to his penchant for demonstrating his affection physically towards Li XinWen.


    ''He''s acting all happy by himself¡­ the fool!'' he thought as he shook his head. ''I will let that kiss slide today¡­ I''ll consider that as payment, since he made sure that I was not taken advantage of by that sly manager. Perhaps this fool actually thinks that I have acknowledged his advances?'' seeing the smile plastered on Xue Rui''s face, he couldn''t help but shake his head.


    ''He is indeed a fool. The only reason I did not pull my hand away was because I was busy reprimanding myself for almost falling for such a petty trick from the manager,'' his thoughts continued as he closed his eyes exercising a lot of control over his desire to collar Xue Rui.


    ''Just you wait until I can use my full strength in the open Xue Rui¡­ you won''t be able to touch even a hair on my head¡­ ha!'' and he let out a sigh and managed a restrained smile.


    They didn''t have to wait long for the auction to begin. A smartly dressed man in his late fifties walked on stage and stood behind the lectern. He wore round-rimmed glasses and his hair was predominantly white including his mustache. He was a little bit on the pudgy side but was relatively tall. He fumbled with the microphone and smiled at the seated would-be bidders, as if the fumble was all part of an act to set up a relaxed and friendly mood in the hall.


    The auctioneer''s smile was replaced with a furrowed brow and he suddenly touched his left ear and looked down as if listening intently to something. This particular behavior by the auctioneer intrigued Li XinWen. From where he sat, he noticed something fixed on the auctioneer''s left ear which roused his curiosity even further. He looked through the original''s memories and came across a piece of information which clarified everything.


    ''Oh, so that''s what they call an earpiece¡­ a device you can use to listen to things privately¡­'' Li XinWen thought to himself. He compared the earpiece with the transmission jade slip from Long Xing and noticed that though the earpiece was small and looked aesthetic, its functionality was inferior to the transmission jade slip, since the earpiece''s capability depended on its distance from the source. However, what Li XinWen forgot was that there was something closer in comparison to the transmission jade slip - a technology called a mobile phone.


    Suddenly, the sound of the gavel striking the wood block pulled Li XinWen out of his thoughts. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the 46th Auction of the Moqi Association," came the rich baritone voice of the auctioneer. "I''m sure all of you are excited to make your bid on the vast collection of items we have included for today''s event. Without further ado, we will now officially begin! The first item on the list is the statue of Lucrais Fors¨¤idh!" The auctioneer introduced the item with much flair and drama, which instantaneously grabbed the participants'' attention.


    A group of employees wheeled in a cart covered with cloth onto the stage. From its size, one can discern that the item under the cloth was quite big, but Li XinWen did not show even the slightest interest.


    When the statue was uncovered, several gasps and murmurs started to fill the auction hall. Upon hearing the crowd''s gasps and murmurs, Li XinWen was suddenly filled with curiosity. The reaction from the participants was similar to the reaction elicited from cultivators in Long Xing whenever they encounter a rare treasure during an auction. He narrowed his eyes and leaned a little forward to examine the statue from his seat.


    "It is the last work of the well-known sculptor from the 1400s, Daniel O''Brolchain. As history would have it, Master Daniel died without ever getting married. A group of people found the statue after forcibly entering Master Daniel''s lodgings because of the foul stench of rotting flesh coming from inside. Within the house, they found Master Daniel''s corpse, the tools of his trade, and this unfinished statue," the auctioneer explained.


    Then he rambled on that the statue brought with it a curse to whoever had ownership, which, once again drew gasps and murmurs from the participants. The auctioneer could not have been happier with this reaction from the crowd. As if baiting the participants, the auctioneer went on to share that although the previous owners died grotesquely, they did enjoy ten years of success in their lifetime.


    He went on to tell tales of how one of the owners became a successful employee in his chosen career, another became a well-known entertainer, and the last owner even entered the list of the world''s richest men within a week of obtaining the statue.


    ''Oh, I''ve got your attention now! Hook, line and sinker!'' the auctioneer thought.


    And he couldn''t have been more right. With all the good things he just mentioned he could feel that the participants were now leaning more towards bidding for the statue. Except of course for Li XinWen who felt that the auctioneer was just exaggerating.


    "Rui-ge, why did he lie and say the item is cursed?" Li XinWen asked.


    "Hmm? Is that really an exaggeration?" Xue Rui asked. "It''s a fact that the previous owners of that statue died in disturbing circ.u.mstances..." Xue Rui said with a smile, hoping to scare Li XinWen. Unfortunately, it did not have the desired effect since Li XinWen just snickered at his statement.


    "Aiya¡­ Rui-ge, you don''t really think it''s cursed do you?" Li XinWen asked Xue Rui, his expression teasing but full of gentle affection. "My, my, I never thought that Rui-ge also had this cute side to him. Don''t worry, there is no curse on that statue. If it comes down to it, I''ll be here to defend you from whatever curse there is," Li XinWen said, chuckling as he shook his head.


    Faced with Li XinWen''s teasing, Xue Rui turned red from embarrassment. Not only because of his failed attempt to scare Li XinWen with the curse but also because of the fact that Li XinWen said that it was cute.


    ''Oh my god, my heart!'' thought Xue Rui. ''Did I hear Li XinWen correctly? He thinks my behavior was cute? No, calm down Rui¡­ do not get your hopes up just yet¡­ Oh, but isn''t it alright for me to think for a while that it may be possible after all?''


    Seeing Xue Rui''s reaction to his teasing, Li XinWen couldn''t help but be amused. ''Ah¡­ you are too simple Xue Rui,'' Li XinWen thought. ''Just a little teasing and you''re already this happy? Perhaps I should refrain from teasing him lest he gets the wrong idea again?''


    Regaining his composure, Xue Rui cleared his throat and said in response, "Of course not!" pretending to straighten his tie and adjusting his expression which made Li XinWen laugh just a little.


    This little banter between the two could have gone on longer if it wasn''t for the auctioneer''s jovial announcement. "400,000 yuan, going once! 400,000 yuan, going twice! Sold for 400,000 yuan to the lovely lady at the back!" gesturing his gavel towards an elegantly dressed elderly woman, before striking the gavel against a sound block, signaling the item as officially sold.


    ''Oh, it sold for 400,000 yuan? That''s quite high,'' thought Li XinWen. ''That could have sold for much less in Long Xing, judging from the overall condition of the statue. I''m guessing it sold for a relatively high price because of the auctioneer''s exaggeration. Mortals in the lower realms are so simple¡­''


    His train of thought was interrupted when the auctioneer announced the second item. Although he was unable to catch the actual name of the item, he felt as if his spiritual senses suddenly heightened, as if he was alerted that something magical was within the premises, and Lan Yu''s reaction from within his hand confirmed this. Li XinWen suddenly felt the vigorous pulses coming from Lan Yu, as streams of warm energy spread through his hand, it was as if Lan Yu was trying to communicate with him.


    ''I know Lan Yu¡­ I can sense the same magical energy in the auction hall. We''d better get ready to duke it out in the bidding¡­'' he said in his mind as his response to Lan Yu.


    Li XinWen''s eyes narrowed and examined the item brought in by the auction employees. Even without Lan Yu telling him, he already knew the nature of the item.


    "Rui-ge, do you think ten million would be enough to outbid every other bidder for this next item?" Li XinWen asked, his eyes fixed on the still covered item. The spiritual energy radiating from the item was undeniable and Li XinWen knew that it was something that a cultivator such as himself will find very useful. Considering the state of this mortal world and the scarcity of spiritual energy, even a low-grade magical item would be precious and he need to obtain it no matter the cost.

 Chapter 27 - 27 - Who dares to steal from this Laozi?!

    When Li XinWen expressed his interest on the second item, Xue Rui raised his eyebrows; he looked at Li XinWen then directed his gaze towards the stage. The item was still covered and yet it looked as if Li XinWen already knew what it was.


    He let out a small laugh and decided to tease Li XinWen. "What''s this XinWen, do you have a sixth sense or something? Do you already know what the item is that you are willing to bid ten million for it?"


    Realizing his misstep, Li XinWen decided to tease Xue Rui back "Haha¡­ Rui-ge, you never know," he teased back before saying: "It''s only because my intuition tells me that this next item is something precious."


    "Touch¨¦ XinWen," Xue Rui replied with a small laugh before continuing, "Considering that it''s just the second item on the list, the price won''t reach over ten million and its quality may not be as good, unless interested parties actually bid against each other until it reaches that amount."


    "Ah¡­ is that so? But I really must have it," Li XinWen expressed as a matter of fact, as he turned to look at Xue Rui.


    For a moment Xue Rui thought he saw a different aura surrounding Li XinWen as the latter turned towards him. There was a glint of determination in Li XinWen''s gaze and Xue Rui had to blink to make sure he was not seeing things.


    "Right¡­ of course, XinWen¡­" was all he managed to say.


    The cloth, finally removed, revealed a cauldron, which to a mortal''s eye, was made of bronze. But to a cultivator such as himself, Li XinWen knew that it was only the outer appearance. From his perspective the cauldron was surrounded with magical energy, and he was certain that it was one of the legendary, twelve celestial cauldrons that had disappeared from Long Xing a long time ago.


    ''I knew it¡­ If such an item was able to make its way to the mortal realm, then there is also a way for me to return to Long Xing,'' Li XinWen thought, trying hard not to let his eagerness overflow.


    The auctioneer''s voice suddenly filled the hall as he provided a brief historical account of the second item.


    "This cauldron dates all the way back to the Shen Dynasty. According to the historian who studied the archive found in QuanNi valley, an ancient shaman used the cauldron to create various poisons during that time, and one of his concoctions ended the Shen Dynasty''s rule! This in turn led to the rise of the Min Dynasty. After close examination by experts, this cauldron has no other use except as a decorative item. The starting bid is..." Before the auctioneer could even finish his sentence, someone spoke out from the crowd on the ground level of the auction hall.


    "I would like to buy it out!"


    Li XinWen rose from his seat when he heard the offer put forth by someone from the participants on the lower level of the auction hall. He narrowed his eyes and searched for the individual as he leaned forward against the bal.u.s.trade of their box.


    ''Who dares to steal my treasure!? Such audacity!'' he thought, as he clenched the surface of the bal.u.s.trade.


    Similarly, all eyes focused on the young man who stood in the middle of the seated participants on the ground level. He was dressed in a dark, navy suit and his stance showed such strong presence and confidence it was almost arrogant. Judging from his stature and facial features, he was only slightly older than Xue Rui. The man was well-built as can be seen from how the dark navy suit hugged the contours of his body.


    The auctioneer was taken by surprise that it took him a while to respond to the young man''s offer. Upon regaining his composure, he addressed the man, "I''m sorry sir, I''m not sure if I heard you correctly."


    ''This young master must be out of his mind! Perhaps he is not aware of how the auction works,'' the auctioneer thought.


    "I would like to buy out the item." the young man repeated without hesitation.


    "My apologies, young master, however, this is an absolute auction. As such, items in our repertoire will go to the highest bidder," the auctioneer explained.


    "Then I bid five million for the item!" the man offered and the hall was filled with whispers and murmurs from the participants.


    "My my! For this item to snag a price of five million, the commission I''ll get for this sale will be the biggest yet!" he thought greedily.


    "Five million from the young master!" the auctioneer acknowledged as he tapped the gavel on the sound block. "Does anyone else want to bid against five million?"


    Li XinWen stood on edge in their second level box as he listened to the exchange between the auctioneer and the man who offered a bid of five million.


    ''Five million is half of what the original Li XinWen has in his accounts. That''s half!'' he thought as he calculated Li XinWen''s accounts and balances. ''Is the cauldron worth that much? Do I need the cauldron? Of course I need it¡­ no I must have it!'' he continued debating in his thoughts. Finally, he heaved a deep sigh, clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. ''I''m sorry Li XinWen but I must have that cauldron,'' he said to himself. He closed his eyes and stretched his right arm as if to cast a spell and in a deep voice he announced: "Six million!"


    The offer drew gasps from the crowd on the ground level of the auction hall and everyone directed their gaze to the second level box.


    "Six million from the gentleman on the second level box number 3!" the auctioneer announced.


    ''This may be the most profitable auction yet! What is with this cauldron that these gentlemen are willing to spend their millions on a decorative item! Ah! Rich people are so unpredictable sometimes,'' the auctioneer thought. ''But of course I am more than happy to have them bid against each other as my commission depends on the total sales.''


    "6.5 million!" the man countered, his expression strained. It seemed that 6.5 million was the highest amount he can bid for the item.


    Li XinWen was not about to be intimidated by such amount now that he was all fired up. ''Do not underestimate me. I will not give up such treasure easily,'' he thought as he announced a counterbid of seven million.


    "Seven million!" the auctioneer acknowledged.


    The excitement and tension that filled the auction hall was almost palpable that some participants had taken out their handkerchiefs to wipe the sweat on their forehead. Several participants sat on the edge of their seats, and with bated breath they waited as to who would win in the ongoing bidding war between the two fine looking gentlemen.


    "Does anyone want to offer a bid higher than seven million?" the auctioneer asked smiling and full of excitement while scanning the crowd.


    The man in the dark navy suit was disconcerted and looked fl.u.s.tered after hearing the seven million counterbid. He closed his eyes as if in resignation and sighed heavily as he shook his head. He took out a handkerchief from his inside coat pocket and wiped the sweat on his upper lip as he took his seat, a dismal expression on his face. The old gentleman seated to his left felt his disappointment and offered reassurance by patting his back gently as if to say that he fought well. The dejected man smiled out of courtesy and nodded his head.


    Xue Rui who had been observing Li XinWen go through the bidding war sat amused the entire time.


    ''This is the first time I''ve seen Li XinWen so passionate in something other than acting! If only he can direct that same passion towards me, life would be perfect,'' he thought, as he let out an amused chuckle.


    Li XinWen stood restless as he anxiously waited for a counterbid to his seven million offer, at the same time hoping that no one else makes a counterbid.


    "Seven million! Anyone? Then seven million is the highest bid for this cauldron." the auctioneer said as he gestured to the item.


    Upon hearing the auctioneer, Li XinWen stood up straight and heaved a sigh of relief. He smoothed out his coat and smiled, feeling victorious.


    "Seven million going once! Going twice! And sold!" the auctioneer raised the gavel and was about to strike the block when out of nowhere someone shouted a counterbid that shocked every individual in the crowd including the auctioneer and Li XinWen himself.


    "Ten million."


    "Your mother! Who dares to outbid this Laozi?!!!" Li XinWen exclaimed in anger.

 Chapter 28 - 28 - Even if Im wrong, I am unwilling to lose him.

    His victorious smile suddenly replaced with confused anger and agitation. In his agitation, he tried to look for the source of the counterbid from the ground level of the auction hall. Suspecting the man he outbid earlier, Li XinWen searched for the man in the dark navy suit. But the moment he found the man, Li XinWen noticed that the man was just as surprised as everyone else in the hall.


    ''It wasn''t him! Who dares¡­'' Li XinWen thought as he clenched his fists tighter.


    The auctioneer gasped but recovered instantaneously. ''I shouldn''t let this good fortune slip from my fingers! Oh just imagine the commission!'' he thought before acknowledging the latest bid.


    "Ten million from the gentleman on the second level box number 3! Does anyone else wish to bid against this offer?" he asked, itching to strike the gavel against the block. He waited for a couple of minutes to observe proper decorum then proceeded to close the sale.


    Upon hearing the auctioneer''s acknowledgement, he finally realized who put forth the ten million bid. "Ten million going once! Ten million going twice! Sold for ten million yuan!" and he struck the gavel twice on the sound block, and looked up as if to thank the heavens.


    Li XinWen, still distraught over the loss of the cauldron, suddenly heard a chuckle. He turned to face the source and realized that Xue Rui now stood beside him, arms crossed looking amused. Xue Rui faced Li XinWen smiling at the same time his gaze piercing and laced with seduction.


    "I can''t let you have all the fun XinWen," he teased as he stepped towards Li XinWen to close the remaining distance between them and continued to say, "XinWen when I told you not to hold back, I didn''t mean for you to spend your own money. You should have just told me and I would make sure that you get whatever item you want from the auction. So even if you try again, all I have to do is just raise my counterbid and you won''t be able to outbid me. So don''t bother trying," he said as he caressed Li XinWen''s cheek.


    "You bastard!" Li XinWen responded while holding himself back from grabbing Xue Rui to wipe the smug expression on his face. He slapped Xue Rui''s hand gently away from his face and looked away.


    "How feisty XinWen!" Xue Rui teased further, sounding amused.


    "The cauldron¡­ will you really give it to me?" Li XinWen asked still looking away from Xue Rui.


    ''How cute¡­ just like a child. My XinWen¡­'' Xue Rui thought as he continued to observe Li XinWen''s reaction.


    "Of course. You know that I''ll give you anything you want." as he reached for Li XinWen''s face and turned his head so that they faced each other. "After all, that is the sole reason why we are here," he said gently, as if pacifying a lover''s tantrum. He gazed into Li XinWen''s eyes and leaned in to plant a soft kiss on Li XinWen''s lips.


    He let out a small chuckle as he saw the surprise in Li XinWen''s eyes. ''I better step back before Li XinWen decides to punch the daylights out of me,'' he thought amused. "You are too precious XinWen¡­ my dearest XinWen you make me so happy," he stated still chuckling.


    Everything seemed to be happening too fast that Li XinWen was unable to react. His face a mix of embarrassment, anger and helplessness. Li XinWen let out a sigh as heavy as Mt. Tai. ''This bastard! Why does he like kissing me every chance he gets!? Precious?! What a load of bull¡­ just you wait Xue Rui¡­ just you wait! For now, I''ll just give you a piece of my mind. Damn it all!" Li XinWen thought. Anger bubbling inside him. He looked down, closed his eyes and composed himself before saying.


    "You really are a bastard Rui-ge¡­ but fine¡­ I''ll let you off this time."


    Li XinWen looked at Xue Rui squarely and said, "Come to think of it I''ve allowed you to have your way with me for a while now. I believe it is about time we put an end to this," Li XinWen expressed. He took a deep breath and shook his head. Li XinWen looked down as if a wave of exhaustion washed over him. "I am no longer going to stand for this¡­ After all, you are Hua-jie''s fianc¨¦. This play has gone on long enough."


    Xue Rui''s eyes widened upon hearing Li XinWen''s statement. His heart felt like as if someone was squeezing his heart and he felt his throat constricting. His eyes suddenly felt warm as if he would tear up any second now.


    ''No¡­ no¡­ this can''t be happening. I resorted to blackmail just to have you stay beside me XinWen, even though I knew it was wrong¡­that was the only way I could think of. If you only knew¡­I have been in love with you since the beginning¡­it has always been you. It is only due to a misunderstanding that we are standing here like this¡­ One day, I''ll make you understand...I''ll make you understand¡­'' Xue Rui thought to himself. However, instead of coming clean and making a proper confession, his cunning nature took over instead.


    Xue Rui took a step towards Li XinWen, his face wearing a hurt expression and his eyes teary. He placed a hand on Li XinWen''s chest, leaned in close and whispered into Li XinWen''s ear. "Please do not forget why you ''let me have my way with you''." Xue Rui''s voice broke but he managed to mask the regret that came with his statement.


    ''I have no plans of letting you slip by XinWen¡­ not this time. Oh god, please¡­ I don''t want to lose him,'' Xue Rui thought desperately.


    Xue Rui''s statement was enough to push Li XinWen to the edge. Li XinWen''s expression turned dark and the anger that had been bubbling inside him overflowed as if something inside him snapped. He took a step back and shook his head.


    "To what end Xue Rui? Does it make you happy playing with people''s feelings? All this lying and pretending in front of JingHua! Until when do you actually plan to drag out this situation for? You really are a bastard!" Li XinWen said in response as he glared at Xue Rui.


    ''I''m sorry XinWen¡­ oh god why is this happening now!?! This was supposed to be a date. This was supposed to bring us closer not pulls us farther apart!'' Xue Rui thought as he saw Li XinWen''s expression - a mix of anger and deep hurt. But more than that, the glare that Xue Rui received from Li XinWen sent chills down his spine. It was as if Li XinWen was capable of hurting him at that very moment.


    ''No... Please don''t hate me XinWen¡­ I need to do something... I can''t lose him'' Xue Rui''s mind raced to come up with something to clear the air and ease the tension that was starting to suffocate him. As if unable to breathe, Xue Rui loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.


    Li XinWen shook his head and returned to his seat. The muscles on his face were tense and he struggled to calm himself down. Considering his age as an immortal from Long Xing, Li XinWen was technically so much older than Xue Rui. To have a ''junior'' three centuries younger than himself play him at the palm of his hand, Li XinWen felt that he just lost face.


    ''Now I''ve done it! This is all that fool''s fault. I was in the right. It''s time to put an end to all the shenanigans between Xue Rui and Li XinWen. Right¡­ That''s it.'' Li XinWen thought, and oddly enough, this actually helped him calm himself. He hunched forward in his seat and rubbed his eyes. He let out a heavy sigh and looked ahead.


    Xue Rui followed Li XinWen and carefully sat beside him. Cautiously, Xue Rui started to say, "If you must know XinWen¡­" but Xue Rui did not get to finish his statement when he heard Li XinWen let out a chuckle.


    ''It''s a good thing that we''re on the second level and the box affords us some privacy. The argument we just had would have resulted to a scandal if we were out there with the crowd of regular bidders. I can just imagine the tabloid headlines,'' this last thought made him chuckle and just like that his anger dissipated.


    "What are you laughing at XinWen?" Xue Rui asked, intrigued and confused.


    "It''s a good thing we''re at the second level Rui-ge and that we have this private box all to ourselves," Li XinWen said, gesturing to the entire box. "Can you imagine? If we were seated with everyone else and they heard our argument, we''d be making headlines by tomorrow. Oh, I guess that''s the price you pay for fame. As show business is an unforgiving industry and the media would have a field day!" he responded. Li XinWen''s laughter filled their booth and rescued the mood.


    "Yes, you''re right in that aspect. I can imagine how the media would pounce at the argument we just had and blow it out of proportion," Xue Rui agreed and joined in Li XinWen''s laughter. ''I want to hold him and let him know just how much I treasure him¡­ Thank you XinWen for not hating me,'' Xue Rui thought to himself as he took in every bit of that very moment.

 Chapter 29 - 29 - I will never commit myself to someone who is promised to someone else

    The two men spent the next couple of minutes laughing and building scenarios of how the media would create their ''scandal''. Taking advantage of the lightened atmosphere between them, Xue Rui remarked: "Anyway, since the item we just purchased is already ten million, we just need to purchase one more and we can be on our way. We''ll just pick up the jian you wanted before we leave. Or would you like to stay longer until the auction ends?"


    Li XinWen glanced at his wristwatch and saw that it was 4:20 in the afternoon. "We still have time. Let''s see what else they have. Who knows, there might be something else that I might like," he responded, sounding indifferent.


    Li XinWen''s indifferent response alarmed Xue Rui and prompted him to ask "XinWen, are you still angry?" he asked.


    "Hn. Perhaps. Honestly Rui-ge, I don''t know how I feel right at this moment¡­" came Li XinWen''s answer, not even bothering to look at Xue Rui, his eyes focused on the auction stage.


    Panic crept through the pit of Xue Rui''s stomach. His heart started to race and once again, he felt a desperation in his heart, and what he did next came as a surprise even to himself.


    "XinWen, Ah''Wen¡­ please forgive me. I know I have gone overboard with all the teasing and stealing kisses. I''ll admit my wrongs..." Xue Rui stopped there and looked down on the carpeted flooring of their second level box. He was afraid of continuing and baring everything. He was afraid that if he admitted to resorting to blackmail, his greatest fear would come to life - that Li XinWen would hate him even more.


    ''I''m sorry XinWen, but that''s all that I can admit to at this time¡­ allow me to be a coward for the time being until I have enough courage to come clean and confess to you properly.''


    Li XinWen was surprised by what he just heard from Xue Rui. Based on the original''s memories, Xue Rui was not the type to apologize and admit to any of his wrongdoings. ''I wonder what''s changed... this is a first,'' he thought to himself. Li XinWen turned his head and looked over at Xue Rui to study his expression. Unfortunately, Xue Rui was looking down and Li XinWen was unable to see his face clearly. Although he did not see Xue Rui''s face, somehow, he felt that the apology was sincere and this made him smile.


    ''Maybe I''ll tease him just a little,'' Li XinWen thought.


    "Pfft¡­ Is that really you Xue Rui? I never thought the day would come when I would hear the great young master Xue Rui apologize!" Li XinWen remarked with a laugh, and that laughter was music to Xue Rui''s ears, and the teasing even tugged at his heart.


    ''My XinWen¡­ my precious XinWen¡­'' Xue Rui thought. A great sense of relief washed over Xue Rui and he held his tears and his urge to hold Li XinWen right at that moment. And as if enlightened by the heavens, Xue Rui mustered the courage and said: "Ah''Wen, forgive me, ah! I was wrong to use your sister to blackmail you. But I really like you. No¡­I love you. More than anything or anyone and I want to pursue you. These are my sincerest feelings. Is there really no possibility for you to give me a chance? I know that we started off on the wrong foot but I know it''s not too late for things to change between us and I am willing to do anything for you so you can forgive me and give me a chance."


    Li XinWen''s face turned a pale crimson after hearing Xue Rui''s confession. ''When is this going to end? Xue Rui is a lovelorn fool through and through! Even saying that he''s willing to do anything! Bah!'' He faced Xue Rui and saw the desperation on his face, but instead of being convinced, it only amused Li XinWen.


    "You know Rui-ge, you might just come to regret ever fancying someone like me," Li XinWen said in response.


    "It seems that you don''t know me that well XinWen¡­ and don''t worry, I''ve prepared myself for anything and everything when it comes to you. I have no plans of letting you slip by¡­" Xue Rui countered.


    "Haha¡­ I guess we''ll see who gives in before long," Li XinWen responded and went on to say, "You said you''d do anything, right Rui-ge?" To which Xue Rui nodded in response.


    ''He''s like a dog wagging his tail as if being offered a treat,'' Li XinWen thought before stating, "Then for starters, no more stealing kisses, no more playing around, and if you ever make Hua-jie cry, you will let me skin you alive. Do you promise?"


    Xue Rui paled at the thought of being skinned alive but felt that the proposal sounded fair. If by agreeing to this proposal meant getting closer to his goal of winning Li XinWen''s love then there was no need to think twice about his answer. He nodded his head enthusiastically in agreement.


    "Since I''ve agreed, does this mean you''ll give me a chance?" Xue Rui asked.


    "Hahaha¡­Rui-ge it seems that you have misunderstood. I never said I''d give you a chance if you actually agree to my conditions," Li XinWen stated as he let out an amused laugh.


    "But¡­" was all Xue Rui managed to say.


    "Let me say this Rui-ge. In spite of all the shenanigans that has happened between us, I will never commit myself to someone who is promised to someone else," Li XinWen stated.


    Though Li XinWen said this in a firm tone, Xue Rui felt that Li XinWen''s statement was a hint of some sort. ''Then, if I break it off with JingHua, will I have a chance? Well we''ve already agreed to call off the engagement, so in that sense the promise no longer stands,'' Xue Rui thought and immediately felt victorious. A smile spread across Xue Rui''s lips.


    Li XinWen narrowed his eyes at Xue Rui after noticing him smiling. "Don''t you dare Rui-ge! I know exactly what you''re thinking. You promised that if you make Hua-jie cry, you''ll let me skin you alive, remember?" Li XinWen warned.


    "Don''t worry XinWen, I clearly remember the agreement. I promise I won''t make her cry," Xue Rui answered in amus.e.m.e.nt.


    "Good," Li XinWen heaved a sigh of relief before he returned his focus towards the auction. ''Dealing with this fool is really tiring¡­ I''d rather face heavenly tribulation everyday than having to deal with this every day.''


    * * *


    Mini Theatre 4:


    Young Man: Five Million!! I must have that cauldron!


    Li XinWen: No! That treasure belongs to me! Six Million!


    Young Man: 6.5 million!


    Li XinWen: Seven million!! Please don''t outbid me, please don''t outbid me...


    Auctioneer: No one? No one? Then seven million, so--"


    Li XinWen smiled brightly when the auctioneer raised the gavel. But his hope was shattered when he heard a voice beside him.


    Xue Rui: Ten million. You think I''ll let you spend money on our date?


    Li XinWen: Why must you outbid me?! I want that item!


    Xue Rui: It''s alright. I will give it to you.


    Li XinWen: Really?


    Xue Rui: Of course! Since I will be marrying into your family, it can be your dowry.


    Li XinWen: Again with the marriage?!


    Xue Rui: Until you finally say yes.


    Li XinWen: ^#!$&*#*$^@!


    Author''s note: To this day, Li XinWen is still unable to win an argument with Xue Rui...

 Chapter 30 - 30 - Earlier, did you want to hold my hand?

    They stayed to watch the auction, but after getting the cauldron, there was only one other item which managed to catch Li XinWen''s attention - one of the jian he had eyed before the auction began. The bid price of the jian went as high as six million before Xue Rui outbid every other bidder. Having spent sixteen million in total, Li XinWen decided that it was time for them to go. After all, the auction was already ending and they were now on the last item, which did not interest him even in the slightest.


    "Let''s go. It''s already close to six... Dinner is at seven," Li XinWen said as he stood up. "Where do we get the items we purchased?"


    "We can get it from the same room earlier. Here, let me support you," Xue Rui replied as he too stood up and then, almost naturally, sn.a.k.e.d his arm around Li XinWen''s waist and pulled him closer. Of course, Li XinWen noticed this and gently pushed Xue Rui''s arm away.


    "Rui-ge, I am already well enough to walk by myself, you don''t have to worry about me ''falling''," Li XinWen said with a smile on his face, hinting at Xue Rui that he did not want to be ''supported'' at all. Xue Rui wanted to say something but Li XinWen had already started walking out of the room. When Li XinWen reached the door, he turned around and saw that Xue Rui was still standing on the same spot. "Are you going to stay there?" Li XinWen asked.


    Xue Rui who was feeling hurt that his subtle approach was rejected, suddenly snapped out of his dejectedness.


    "Of course not," he answered Li XinWen, all the while he felt as if his heart was being gripped tighter. "Let''s go and get your items now," he continued with a smile as he took the first step towards the exit.


    ''My heart hurts¡­'' Xue Rui thought and with every step he took to close the distance between where he stood and the exit, he felt a stab at his heart. He fixed his eyes at Li XinWen as the latter turned to leave.


    ''His back is broad, he''s perfect¡­ but why is it like this? Is it so hard for you to give me a chance?'' Xue Rui thought as he reached for Li XinWen''s hand but stopped himself halfway, his index finger lightly brushing the side Li XinWen''s palm causing the other to turn around.


    "Are you alright Rui-ge? You look like you''re about to cry. Is there something wrong?" Li XinWen asked a little worried. He noticed that Xue Rui''s arm was extended in front of him. His eyes met Xue Rui''s.


    Li XinWen''s question was like a splash of cold water, waking Xue Rui up to the present. He retracted his hand and clenched it inside his pants'' front pocket.


    "Ah, sorry Ah''Wen I suddenly thought of something. You go on ahead, I just need to use the toilet for a bit," he said as he turned and disappeared after turning the corner at the end of the hallway.


    ''What''s gotten into him?'' Li XinWen asked himself, raising an eyebrow at Xue Rui''s leaving figure, feeling confused.


    Meanwhile, Xue Rui quickly found the washroom and headed over to the faucet. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, then narrowed his eyes. He could see his own eyes had turned slightly red. "What''s wrong with you Rui! Argh!" Xue Rui reprimanded himself. "Snap out of it!"


    He turned the faucet and splashed cold water on his face. He looked at his reflection in the mirror again and snorted at himself, saying, "You''re pathetic Xue Rui. A lovelorn fool¡­ haha¡­ ha¡­" a helpless laugh escaped his lips as he shook his head at his own reflection. He wiped his face with a paper towel, straightened himself and made his way back.


    ''I shouldn''t make Li XinWen wait or we''ll be late for dinner,'' he thought as he neared the corner to the hallway. As he turned the corner, he was met with a pleasant surprise. ''He waited for me?'' he thought as his heart started to beat faster.


    Li XinWen was leaning against the wall a little way from the entrance to their box. Hands in his pocket with one leg bent with his foot resting against the wall, as if contemplating, all the while looking like a model posing for a photo shoot. The sight made Xue Rui stop walking, his heart skipped a beat at the sight that was before him. He savored the image and cherished the idea that Li XinWen was waiting for him.


    "Rui-ge, you''re back. All good?" Li XinWen asked as he stood straight.


    "Yes Ah''Wen," Xue Rui responded as he walked to catch up to Li XinWen who started walking ahead of him.


    ''Ah, XinWen¡­ why do you do this to me? Don''t make me misunderstand your small gestures.'' he thought as he smiled to himself.


    "Rui-ge¡­ earlier, did you want to hold my hand?" Li XinWen asked out of the blue.


    "Huh?" Xue Rui reacted in surprise as he looked up to find Li XinWen examining him intently. He couldn''t describe Li XinWen''s facial expression or the lack thereof.


    "So, did you?" Li XinWen probed.


    "Haha¡­ XinWen are you teasing me?" Xue Rui asked with a smile but when he saw Li XinWen''s unchanged expression, he quickly cleared his throat, feeling a bit shy. "Yes, actually I did," Xue Rui responded after recovering from his momentary fl.u.s.ter. "Will you allow me to hold your hand Ah''Wen?"


    Li XinWen smiled and narrowed his eyes. He let out a small chuckle and extended his hand towards Xue Rui. This action made Xue Rui''s eyes go wide and his heart beat faster, but Li XinWen''s next sentence was like throwing a bucket of ice-cold water onto his warm heart. "Don''t misunderstand Rui-ge¡­ today is an exception. Consider this as me thanking you for the cauldron and the jian. Nothing more."


    ''So easy to read¡­ I am not someone who is ungrateful. Since you spent so much today, I''ll let you hold this hand...'' Li XinWen thought as he waited for Xue Rui to take his hand.


    Li XinWen''s statement sent a wave of surprise which hit Xue Rui like a ton of bricks, crashing in an instant. The words were cold and void of any sort of feeling. This was not what Xue Rui had hoped for when Li XinWen extended his hand to him.


    ''I should be happy right? That he''d allow me to hold his hand? But why? Why does my heart hurt even more?'' Xue Rui''s thoughts were suffocating him causing his eyes to feel warm. Forcing himself to remain calm, he bit back his tears as he prepared himself to reply to Li XinWen.


    "It''s okay XinWen¡­" he said with a smile that was brighter than a 50,000-watt bulb, enough to turn anyone blind. "Shall we go and retrieve the items we purchased?" Xue Rui tried to divert the topic.


    "Are you sure Rui-ge? I won''t make another offer like this again."


    "I''m sure XinWen¡­" Xue Rui responded, his voice about to crack.


    Li XinWen retracted his hand but continued to stare at Xue Rui, gauging his reaction. ''I thought he''d take the offer. Well, I guess this is good too,'' Li XinWen thought, but an uneasy feeling suddenly enveloped his heart. ''Was I too harsh?'' he asked himself almost feeling guilty. ''Almost'', being the operative word, because Li XinWen brushed it off the next moment.


    Xue Rui and Li XinWen walked side by side in silence. A bright smile plastered on Xue Rui''s face, his cheeks and his heart aching.

 Chapter 31 - 31 - A Taoist Cultivator?

    When they reached the lower level of the auction hall, Li XinWen saw the young man whom he bid against for the cauldron. For some reason, he suddenly had a bad feeling about the situation he was witnessing. Beside the young man was an auction staff and the two were in a heated discussion, or maybe an argument would be a more precise description of the unfolding scene. It looked as if the young man was pressing against the poor staff.


    "Can''t you just tell me who it was that bid ten million?! I really have to get that cauldron! It is something my great grandfather left for our family before some bastard stole it from us!" he begged the staff who only showed an irritated look.


    "Look, sir. This is an auction! We cannot simply disclose the information you want... Especially when the customer is from the VIP room..."


    "But I really need to have it!! You guys don''t know what that thing can do! My family has been Taoist for generations, so I would know how to use that cauldron better!"


    "Sir, regardless whether the bidder knows what to do with the cauldron or not is no longer a concern of yours. Let me remind you once again that this is an auction, the items will belong to the individual who bids the highest. Now, if you''ll excuse me," the auction staff responded annoyed.


    The man could not refute what the auction staff said, it was an auction and the cauldron was won by the highest bidder. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as if trying to calm himself down but after a while, he let out an angry roar as he swung his fists.


    "Damn it!" he cursed as he banged the wall with his fist, causing a small web-like crack on the wall, startling the auction staff who stood just inches from where the man''s fist landed. After venting his frustration out on the wall, he once again closed his eyes and took a deep breath as if in resignation.


    "You''re Taoist?" Li XinWen was astonished when he heard this. His eyes narrowed at the man, trying to sense whether or not he possessed spiritual energy. Sure enough, though faint, this man did have spiritual energy in him. ''So it wasn''t just my imagination. That punch earlier did contain a bit of spiritual energy,'' Li XinWen thought as he looked over at the wall that was damaged. ''A bit more and that wall would''ve been completely destroyed¡­''


    ''That voice!'' the man thought in realization. He turned to face the direction where the voice came from and saw two men standing side by side. To say that they looked like models fresh out of a magazine would have been an understatement.


    "You''re the bastard who tried to outbid me for the cauldron!" the man declared, pointing at Li XinWen. Eyes narrowing, fists clenched, he approached Li XinWen as if ready to start a fight.


    Xue Rui noticed the man''s behavior and quickly stepped in front of Li XinWen before the man came to an arm''s length. "What do you think you''re trying to do?" Xue Rui asked in a very imposing tone. The young man''s eyes widened, and at first, Li XinWen thought it was because the young man was afraid of Xue Rui. But the next sentence that came out of the young man''s lips proved him wrong.


    "You''re that bastard who bid ten million!!"


    Li XinWen was now genuinely surprised when the young man recognized his voice. He assumed it was because he had spoken three times before, so his voice was much more memorable but Xue Rui only spoke once. ''So how is it that he can remember?'' Li XinWen thought to himself and did not notice that the young man started to pace back and forth in the auction hall in anger. It was apparent that the man was agitated, probably because he realized that he could not beat that bid of ten million.


    "This guest! Please behave yourself or I will call the security to kick you out! There are so many people with a similar voice! How can you be sure Young Master Xue was the one who bid that ten million?!" the staff''s patience was now running thin.


    "Of course, I am sure that he''s the one! The pitch of his voice when he speaks is exactly the same!!"


    Li XinWen was confused to say the least. He did not understand what the young man meant when he said the pitch of Xue Rui''s voice was the same. ''Do mortals have ways to recognize someone based on their voice? Similar to how cultivators identify other cultivators by their spiritual energy?'' Li XinWen wondered. In Long Xing, each cultivator had a different type of spiritual root, spiritual energy, and a different type of cultivation method. So, no two cultivators were the same, like a fingerprint, but cultivators refer to it as spiritual signature.


    Xue Rui on the other hand, just frowned before he took Li XinWen away. He had a feeling that dealing with this young man will be very troublesome. In addition, they did not have time to waste or else, Li XinWen will feel dejected for missing dinner with Madam Li.


    "Where do you think you''re going?! We''re not done here yet!" the young man shouted in Xue Rui''s direction. "That cauldron, please sell it to me! I''ll pay by installments and..." the young man said, pleading his voice filled with a sense of desperation.


    ''How unbecoming!'' Xue Rui thought upon hearing the man shout from the other end of the hall. He turned to face the man and glanced at the man with cold eyes, his annoyance now replaced with extreme displeasure. "No. I have already planned to give it to someone else. Even if you offer ten times the price, I will not sell it to you!"Xue Rui then walked away with Li XinWen who glanced behind him to see the young man rooted in place. The young man''s face showed traces of unwillingness and Li XinWen knew that the young man was not going to give up on the cauldron that easily.


    ''This feeling is so familiar¡­ the same thing also happened back in Long Xing¡­'' Li XinWen couldn''t help but let out a small chuckle at that thought, which did not go unnoticed.


    Xue Rui''s forehead creased with curiosity at Li XinWen''s demeanor. "What are you chuckling for? Did you find something funny?" Xue Rui asked in spite of his heartache. The encounter with the man earlier had somehow lessened the pain in his heart. He decided that he was willing to patiently wait for Li XinWen to realize that he was sincere in his feelings for him.


    ''He might not feel any affection for me right now but being with him is enough¡­I deserve his utter disregard for how I feel when he treats me cold heartedly and I will accept that until he comes to love me¡­his happiness is enough for me¡­to see him smile is enough salve for my aching heart,'' Xue Rui thought to himself, determined to win Li XinWen and his love when the time comes.


    "Hm? It''s nothing Rui-ge," Li XinWen answered. "I was just reminded of something from the past. Anyway, that person won''t give up, judging from his behavior earlier. So let''s just get out items and go straight home. If he tries to stop us later--"


    If he tries to, I will deal with him," Xue Rui did not let Li XinWen finish. His face full of determination as he said those words to Li XinWen.


    ''I won''t allow any harm to come to Li XinWen¡­''


    "Then I will just leave it all to you Rui-ge," Li XinWen said, a smirk adorning his face.

 Chapter 32 - 32 - Car chase

    The two of them went to the back room once more and settled all the formalities. Xue Rui didn''t hesitate to pay for the 17.4 million yuan which included the processing fee. Li XinWen held the rusty jian, eyes brimming with excitement and happiness. He could not wait to return home to uncover the jian''s true form. As for the cauldron, he had a feeling that it would take a while before Li XinWen would finally reach the stage where he could use it properly.


    The two jians were individually wrapped in a rich crimson velvet fabric and fastened with a leather belt, while the cauldron was placed in a wooden box. As Xue Rui was a VIP customer, three auction staff helped carry the items all the way to Xue Rui''s car. It seemed as if the valet attendant was informed beforehand because as they made their exit by the main entrance, Xue Rui''s beloved silver Maserati was already waiting for them. After placing the items inside the car''s trunk, Xue Rui and Li XinWen boarded the car.


    Surprisingly, they did not see the young man from before so the two set off with an easy heart. Unfortunately, their ease did not last for long.


    As they turned the corner not far from the auction house, Xue Rui noticed a black Aston Martin Vantage sports car following them. At the next traffic light, he was able to make out the driver''s silhouette which closely resembled the man whom they bid against earlier. He glanced at Li XinWen who seemed oblivious to the situation as the latter had his attention on the towering skyscr.a.p.ers.


    "XinWen, I need you to grab on to something."


    "Huh? What do you mean Rui-ge?"


    "We''re being followed," Xue Rui responded as he glanced at the rearview then at the driver side mirror. "It''s the man we encountered at the auction house."


    Li XinWen made a frown and quickly turned his head to glance at back of the car. True enough he saw another vehicle immediately behind. He squinted his eyes and confirmed that it was indeed the same man from the auction house.


    ''Ugh¡­ I knew it, how troublesome,'' Li XinWen thought as the beginnings of panic started to set at the pit of his stomach when he saw Xue Rui''s gaze became serious as he focused on the road. Without warning, Xue Rui stepped on the gas seconds before the light turned green. The car lurched forward startling Li XinWen who quickly grabbed the roof handle above the passenger door.


    The car sped through traffic, weaving between lanes and overtaking cars that were too slow as the car ran at 270km/h. Li XinWen could only watch and hold his breath. He gripped the roof handle so tightly that his fingers turned white and were already feeling numb.


    ''What the hell is happening! I don''t want to die again!'' thought Li XinWen.


    They came to an intersection with the traffic light in their direction blinking amber. Xue Rui glanced over at Li XinWen who, at the same time was looking at him wide-eyed like a deer in headlights.


    "Hold on XinWen," Xue Rui said with a mischievous smile across his face and a glint of seduction in his eyes.


    Xue Rui stepped on the gas yet again and they ran past the intersection barely missing the rear of an old Toyota Camry as their car swerved to the left. Li XinWen felt his knees weaken and his heart drop moments before the car swerved as they avoided the other vehicle.


    Xue Rui glanced at the rearview mirror and saw that the car following them was unable to avoid the red light in the intersection. He smiled in triumph and continued to speed through traffic. He decided to take a different route to Li XinWen''s home to lose the pursuing vehicle.


    What should have been a leisurely drive home became a car chase out of a movie. Li XinWen had never felt that scared before. Even as he faced the lightning tribulation moments before his death back in Long Xing, he only felt helpless but was not scared. But this car chase was more than enough to scare him out of his wits, and he hoped to never experience this again in the future.


    Li XinWen didn''t know how much time passed but when they reached his home, he felt dizzy and sick to his stomach. As soon as the car stopped, Li XinWen opened the door and threw up on the ground.


    "Ah''Wen!" seeing this, Xue Rui quickly got out of the car, rushed over to the passenger side, and checked on Li XinWen. He gently rubbed Li XinWen''s back in a soothing manner while the other retched up.


    "Never... Drive like that again..." Li XinWen muttered after a while. Xue Rui took out his handkerchief and carefully wiped Li XinWen''s lips.


    "I''m sorry..." Xue Rui looked extremely guilty as he stared at Li XinWen''s state. "Let me help you into the house... Careful with the vomit," Xue Rui said as he offered to support Li XinWen.


    "No need... Let me just rest a bit," Li XinWen replied as he took a moment to calm down. After a while, he felt a lot better and finally got out the car. At the same time, the door to the house opened, revealing Li JingHua who had a worried expression, but when her eyes landed on Xue Rui, it changed to a frown.


    "Why did the two of you take so long to get inside?" Li JingHua asked, arms crossed and eyes accusing Xue Rui.


    "I got a little sick, Hua-jie, so I had to take a moment to recover," Li XinWen answered. "Rui-ge drove like a madman because someone was following us..." he added as he went to the car''s trunk. "Open up."


    Xue Rui took out his car''s remote control key and pressed the button to open the trunk. The first thing Li XinWen grabbed was the rusty jian and then he threw the other one towards Xue Rui. "Catch."


    Xue Rui''s face turned pale when Li XinWen hurled the six million worth jian towards him as if they cost just a few yuan bills. He caught it and held it very carefully, afraid of damaging it. Meanwhile, Li JingHua''s curiosity grew and decided to approach the car.


    "What did the two of you get?" Li JingHua asked as she looked over into the car''s trunk and saw another box inside.


    "Just a few items," Li XinWen answered with a smile. But just as he was about to pick up the box containing the cauldron, a car stopped right in front of their gate. The driver of the car came out and Li XinWen didn''t need to turn around to know who it was. He already knew who it was based on the spiritual signature the young man emitted. He just couldn''t help but sigh at his persistence. But what he didn''t expect was Li JingHua''s surprise at seeing the young man.


    "Why is Min XiaoYu here?" Li JingHua voiced out her surprise.


    "Jiejie knows him?" Li XinWen asked and Li JingHua showed a complicated look.


    Even if Li JingHua knew Min XiaoYu, in the current timeline she shouldn''t know of him. After all, this young man only became famous after the apocalypse for his strength and ability.


    "Can you guys let me in? I believe we have yet to finish our discussion earlier," the young man, known as Min XiaoYu said with a smile as he stood before the gate.

 Chapter 33 - 33 - Awkward dinner (Part 1)

    Li XinWen stared at Min XiaoYu but didn''t say anything. Li JingHua was confused, and Xue Rui had an annoyed look on his face.


    "How did you catch up to us?" Xue Rui asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Min XiaoYu.


    "Even if I explain, you wouldn''t understand," Min XiaoYu replied with a smile on his face. "So, let''s just say that I have my ways. Now, are we going to continue talking out here?"


    "Ah''Wen, Hua-er, hurry up inside or dinner will get cold."


    A warm, gentle voice sounded from the direction of the house, making the three turn to face the front door. "Oh, do we have a guest? Why are you two being rude? Don''t keep him waiting outside! Hurry and invite him in!" Li mother, who stood by the door reprimanded both of her children.


    Left with no choice, Li JingHua approached Min XiaoYu who stood behind the gate. "Mr. Min, please come in. Have you had dinner? If not, how about joining us? We are just about to have dinner," Li JingHua said as she opened the gate manually.


    "Thank you! Then I will be in your care," Min XiaoYu shot a friendly smile to Li JingHua. "But I don''t believe I have introduced myself yet. How do you know my name?"


    "I work in a brokerage firm and your name pops up quite a lot in my workplace," Li JingHua answered. Of course, it was a lie. Sure, Min XiaoYu is a young master but compared to Xue Rui, he was not as well known. His name may pop up once or twice a month but that was it.


    The reason why Li JingHua knows Min XiaoYu is due to her knowledge of the future. Min XiaoYu was one of the powerhouses during the apocalypse. Though he only awakened a single ability, he was able to integrate his ability with his use of martial arts. The period of the apocalypse revealed that he was actually one of the direct descendants of the first Emperor of the Min Dynasty. There was also the fact that Min XiaoYu was able to create a medicine that helped fight the virus that infected those wounded or bitten by the zombies.


    Li XinWen just stared as Li JingHua and Min XiaoYu exchanged pleasantries. Then Min XiaoYu went into his car and drove it into their driveway. Li XinWen decided to hide the cauldron out of sight knowing that this was Min XiaoYu''s target. He picked up the box containing the cauldron with one hand and went into the house. Before he passed his mother though, he made sure to give the older woman a kiss on the cheek. "I''m home, mother," he smiled then rushed upstairs to his room.


    As soon as Li XinWen entered his room, he locked the door and looked around for a place to hide the box. "If only I still had my Qiankun bag. It would be easier to hide this!" Li XinWen lamented. His eyes landed on the walk-in closet and decided to hide his treasures inside. He also left his jian beside the box, thinking that he would look at them later after dinner. The next thing he did could only be described as childish - he took off the clothes that were hanging in the closet and dumped them on top of the two treasures he got.


    Only after he felt that they were well hidden did he walk away from the walk-in closet. Smiling triumphantly, he opened the door and was greeted by Xue Rui who held the other jian. "XinWen," Xue Rui smiled when he saw Li XinWen. "You forgot this," as he held up the jian in his hand.


    "Ah, yes!" Li XinWen responded as he took the jian from Xue Rui. He unfastened the leather belt and unwrapped the velvet fabric, then pulled the blade out of its scabbard to inspect its quality. The blade was actually well forged but to Li XinWen, it looked nothing more than a toy - to his disappointment.


    ''Of course... As expected¡­ although the blade is well-forged, the craftsmanship does not compare to Long Xin''s jians that are made by craftsman cultivators¡­ '' Li XinWen sighed before he placed it back into its scabbard then placed it on his bed.


    "That Min XiaoYu person, is he downstairs?" Li XinWen asked as he turned towards Xue Rui.


    "Yes. Your mother invited him for dinner. There is nothing I can do about it."


    "I don''t expect you to, Rui-ge. Mom misunderstood that he''s our friend and Hua-jie seems to know him. Well, he wants the cauldron, but I won''t be giving it to him. He will go home empty handed," Li XinWen said with a confident smile on his face. "Let us go down and eat dinner."


    When they reached the dining room, Li XinWen saw that Min XiaoYu had already settled down. Comfortably talking with his mother as if they had known each other for a long time. This scene, for some unknown reason, annoyed Li XinWen a lot. He took his seat beside mother Li, which was opposite Min XiaoYu.


    Xue Rui, at first wanted to sit beside Li XinWen but seeing the only empty chair left was beside mother Li and the other was beside Sun Xiao, he ended up choosing the chair beside Sun Xiao. After all, it will be awkward to sit beside mother Li. At the very least, he hoped that he could sit opposite Li XinWen but Li XinWen chose to sit on the other chair instead.


    Not long after, Li JingHua came out with a tureen and placed it in the middle of the table. "Ah''Wen still cannot eat hard food, right? So, don''t pick up the meat. You can eat the tofu instead," Li JingHua reminded Li XinWen.


    "Wait, is that the meat that I bought with mom earlier this morning?" Li XinWen asked, alarmed.


    "Yes, ah! Since you bought it, it''ll be a shame not to cook it!" Li JingHua said with a playful grin on her face.


    "But," Li XinWen couldn''t believe his ear. He also wanted to enjoy the meat. If only he could just tell them that he had fully recovered but alas, that would make him sound suspicious.


    "Hua-er, don''t tease your brother too much," mother Li reprimanded Li JingHua in a gentle manner as she rubbed Li XinWen''s arm as if to soothe her son''s feelings.


    "I am joking, Ah''Wen," Li JingHua chuckled when she saw her brother''s wronged expression. "You can eat the meat. We made sure to pick something that is soft and tender, and they are cut into small pieces."


    Li XinWen picked up his chopsticks and was about to start eating when Min XiaoYu asked: "Did something happen that you are not allowed to eat hard food?"


    "Why do you ask?" it was Xue Rui who replied, his tone held a kind of hostility.


    "I am simply curious," Min XiaoYu replied with a friendly smile on his face.


    "Ah''Wen got into a car accident few months ago. He just got discharged yesterday and the doctor advised us not to let him eat hard food," Li mother, who did not notice the hostility between the two answered Min XiaoYu.


    "Is that so? But..." Min XiaoYu glanced at Li XinWen who had already started eating. Upon feeling Min XiaoYu''s gaze, Li XinWen frowned and looked up. The moment their eyes met, Li XinWen felt a foreign spiritual force entering his meridians.

 Chapter 34 - 34 - Awkward dinner (Part 2)

    ''Soul Search?! No, it''s weak. Spiritual probing?'' Li XinWen thought as he quickly exercised his own spiritual force and blocked them. He glared at Min XiaoYu, as if warning him not to try it again.


    When Min XiaoYu felt that his probing was abruptly blocked, his eyes widened in shock. "You practice martial arts?" he asked out loud shocking everyone on the table. Li JingHua''s shock was the most visible as she lost the grip she had on her chopstick. "That''s great! I have been trying to find someone with your aptitude for a while! How about it? Want to join our school? My grandfather would love to have a student like you!"


    "I refuse!" Li XinWen quickly answered but Li JingHua felt that this opportunity was too good to let it slip.


    "Wait! Ah''Wen, I think it would be good if you accept. Mr. Min''s martial arts style will help you with therapy too. And who knows, in the future, you might be able to use them as self-defense!" Li JingHua tried to convince Li XinWen to accept.


    In the apocalypse, Li XinWen did not awaken any ability so he had to use guns or cold weapons. At first, it was manageable but as time went by, it was simply a nightmare. Remembering her younger brother''s gruesome fate in that future made Li JingHua shiver. "Ah''Wen, please... Just listen to your sister this time?"


    "You seem to have high expectations from Min XiaoYu. How do you know him?" this time, it was Xue Rui who asked. He didn''t like it when Li JingHua pushed Li XinWen to study martial arts with Min XiaoYu. "If it is just martial arts, I can find a teacher for XinWen. There is no need to rely on him."


    "Rui, you keep quiet. I have my reason!" Li JingHua told the other male.


    "What reason?!" Xue Rui asked, slowly losing his control. He was getting more and more annoyed with how Li JingHua was acting. ''She knows of my feelings towards her brother, why is she pushing him towards someone else?!''


    "That..." Li JingHua was unable to reply. After all, she couldn''t suddenly tell them that the apocalypse will happen in five years or that Min XiaoYu will be one of humanity''s powerhouses in the future.


    Sun Xiao who had been quiet all these time suddenly showed a difficult expression. As he was stuck between the two men who seem to antagonize each other was one thing, and now it seems that Li JingHua was acting like she''s adding oil to the raging fire.


    "Alright. I think that is enough. Hua-er, Rui is your fianc¨¦. You should understand a man''s heart. He is just being jealous that you think highly of another man," mother Li said as she tried to pacify the situation. "As for Ah''Wen learning martial arts, he had just returned home, and woken up from his coma. He needs to rest and recover first."


    Li XinWen on the other hand, despite being the topic of the heated discussion just continued to eat after his refusal. He quickly finished his meal and just stayed to watch the drama unfold.


    "About that, Madam Li does not have to worry! Martial arts is not all about movement. There are also breathing exercises and meditation!" Min XiaoYu tried to assure mother Li. "Since he had just recovered, those two can help him calm himself and also, with good guidance, the blood vessels within his body could open up wider and even make him healthier!"


    "Really?" mother Li seemed convinced, but she looked over at Li XinWen with a worried expression. After all, this is her son whom she had almost lost a few months ago. "Well, if Ah''Wen agrees..."


    "He''ll agree!" Li JingHua quickly interjected. "Right, Ah''Wen?" her eyes landed on Li XinWen and she silently begged her brother to agree.


    "XinWen, think about it more. I can find you a better teacher!" Xue Rui felt crisis rising up. For some reason, he felt that if Li XinWen agreed, then their time together would be reduced significantly. He was yet to win Li XinWen''s heart, so he needed all the time he could get.


    "I dare you to find a master that is better than my grandfather!" Min XiaoYu glared at Xue Rui.


    "The world of martial arts doesn''t revolve around your grandfather! I''m sure there are still hidden masters around who are better than your grandfather!!" Xue Rui returned the glare and the two started a glaring contest.


    Sun Xiao who was silent all this time finally finished his meal and put down his cutlery. "I''ve finished eating," he said as he stood up. He''d rather not stay in this suffocating atmosphere anymore. "I''ll go to my room and do my homework..."


    "Alright. The food is getting colder. Anything else can be discussed later," mother Li decided to stop the bickering between the two men. Seeing that the little drama was over, Li XinWen did not feel the need to stay any longer.


    "I''ve also finished eating. I''ll go rest and watch TV in the living room," he said as he too left the dining table. When he sat on the sofa, he turned on the TV and began to analyze what he had just witnessed. His sister is a bit too familiar with Min XiaoYu. If he didn''t know any better, her actions were the same as someone who wants to hug another person''s thigh.


    ''Hua-jie also sounded desperate earlier. I don''t think she just simply wants to hug Min XiaoYu''s thigh. The worry in her eyes were real when she looked at me. Does she know something? Why is she so afraid that I would be hurt?'' as Li XinWen thought of this, he scoured over the original''s memories for anything that could be a danger to his life. He searched and searched, but he couldn''t find anything. ''I better ask her later...''


    Once he made up his mind, his thoughts went to Min XiaoYu. He is truly someone Li XinWen did not expect to meet in this mortal realm. ''Actually, how far has he cultivated?'' he wondered as he glanced at Min XiaoYu who was currently eating peacefully, without any shame despite being in a stranger''s house. ''Since he used spiritual probing, I should return the favor.''


    With a smirk, he sent out his spiritual energy and guided them towards Min XiaoYu. It was either Min XiaoYu was not expecting Li XinWen to probe him or Min XiaoYu has yet to learn how to defend himself from spiritual probing because Li XinWen got past his defenses quite easily. ''Hmm... Peak 1st stage of Houtian. Not bad for a mortal,'' Li XinWen thought as he guided his energy deeper.


    Thinking how Min XiaoYu was adamant on getting the cauldron to the point of chasing him all the way home, Li XinWen became curious as to how much this man knows. So he guided his spiritual energy to probe his mind next. But who would''ve guessed that when he began probing, he was met with a seal that protected Min XiaoYu''s mind? ''This seal... Made by a peak Xiantian cultivator!'' Li XinWen was truly surprised by his finding.


    It must be said that back in Long Xing, the average number of years a cultivator takes to reach peak Xiantian is about sixty years. Those with higher aptitude could take around twenty years. While a genius would take merely ten to fifteen years. Li XinWen himself took thirteen years to reach peak Xiantian stage, and the spiritual energy within Long Xing is very abundant compared to this world.


    ''I''d like to meet this person...'' Li XinWen thought with a smile. Someone who could reach Xiantian in this world must have something special with them to help them cultivate in this almost barren world. Withdrawing his spiritual energy from Min XiaoYu, Li XinWen began to relax.

 Chapter 35 - 35 - Youre still not giving me your knees?

    BAM!


    Li XinWen had been flipping through the channels for a good five minutes when he suddenly heard a loud bang coming from the dining room, as if someone slammed the table. He turned around with a frown to see Xue Rui giving Min XiaoYu a death glare while Min XiaoYu was standing from his seat, one hand on the table. Li JingHua had a worried look as she tried to calm Madam Li who was shocked by the sudden turn of events.


    Li XinWen stood up and walked towards the dining table. "Hua-jie, go and bring mom to her room. I''ll settle things here," he said as he helped mother Li stand and let Li JingHua support her to her room. But their mother clutched Li XinWen''s shirt, gazing at him worriedly.


    "Ah''Wen, you--"


    "Don''t worry, mom. I know what I''m doing," Li XinWen smiled at his mother before giving the two men a menacing glare. "Hua-jie, please bring mom to her room," as he motioned for Li JingHua to lead Madam Li to her room.


    "Alright. I''ll leave this to you. But," Li JingHua''s eyes darted to Min XiaoYu as she hesitated.


    "Ah''Wen, try not to antagonize Mr. Min. I will explain everything later, just trust me for now."


    "Very well. I will expect a full explanation later," Li XinWen nodded his head as he watched Li JingHua lead Madam Li to her room. "Now then," Li XinWen turned his attention to the two men who were being hostile towards each other. "Give me one good reason why I should not kick both of you out of my home," Li XinWen''s voice was low, and full of unspoken threat.


    When the two men heard Li XinWen''s tone, they suddenly felt that the room''s temperature had gone down by several degrees and they could feel their scalp go numb. Xue Rui was reminded of that short moment he felt back when they were in the auction house. His eyes went to Li XinWen''s figure, whose expression was that of indifference.


    Min XiaoYu on the other hand, felt an inexplicable fear as he stared at Li XinWen in disbelief. The reason was because he suddenly felt the pressure of a 4th stage Houtian from Li XinWen. At first, he thought that Li XinWen was only a casual martial arts practitioner who opened one of his 12 meridians by luck. But at this moment, he found that Li XinWen''s rank was actually higher than his. After much thought, a sense of admiration replaced his fears. ''I really need to bring this person to meet grandfather!''


    "Well?" Li XinWen''s voice made the two men snap out of their thoughts. "Not answering? Rui-ge, how about you explain to me what happened earlier? And don''t you dare try to conceal anything from me. I''ll know..." he let his words trail off, but he knew Xue Rui was aware that he was being serious.


    "XinWen..." Xue Rui hesitated to answer. In fact, he knew that he was in the wrong.


    "You called my grandfather a fraud!" Min XiaoYu hissed at Xue Rui. "What is so hard to say? Didn''t you say it quite easily earlier?!" Min XiaoYu wasn''t afraid now that he knew Li XinWen was at a higher rank than himself. After all, his grandfather had said that once you reached 2nd stage, all five senses will be heightened considerably. So, he was confident that Li XinWen heard their conversation earlier and knew that it was Xue Rui who was in the wrong.


    "Did I tell you to speak?" Li XinWen raised an eyebrow at Min XiaoYu. "Earlier, I gave you an opportunity yet you did not speak. Now that I''m asking someone else, you suddenly decide to talk?" he asked. Min XiaoYu lowered his gaze after being scolded like a child.


    "Ah''Wen? How is it?" Li JingHua asked as she approached, after sending their mother to her room and assuring her that everything was all right.


    "Ah, Hua-jie, good timing! Can you help your little brother prepare some tea for our two ''guests''? As for me, I''ll have my chocolate milk," Li XinWen said with a gentle smile on his face as he addressed his sister. "As for you two," he turned to Xue Rui and Min XiaoYu. "Follow me."


    Li XinWen brought them over to the living room, sat down on one of the sofas, and crossed his legs. At that moment, Li XinWen looked like one of those big owners of a business, the aura around him full of authority.


    This scene made Xue Rui swallow the saliva in his mouth. He had to admit, although Li XinWen looked scary at the moment he also felt excited at Li XinWen''s display of authority. ''How I wish I could just take him in my arms and smother him with kisses to ease his temper.''


    Both Min XiaoYu and Xue Rui were just about to take their seat when Li XinWen spoke: "Did I say you two can sit? After scaring my mother with your outburst, you''re still not giving me your knees?"

 Chapter 36 - 36 - Good question, ah! How long? Of course until I am satisfied!

    The two guilty men looked at each other helplessly as Li XinWen''s tone did not show even the slightest hint that he was joking. As if accepting their fate, both men finally knelt down on the floor before Li XinWen. From the moment their knees touched the floor, one can make out a smile tracing Li XinWen''s lips. He nodded his head in satisfaction before speaking. "Now then, who would like to begin?"


    "He called my grandfather a fraud! You also practice martial arts! You should be able to tell if my practice is fraud or not, right?" Min XiaoYu began, his face anxious. After his mistake earlier, this time, he decided to speak up first so that he won''t be scolded again. He thought that since Li XinWen''s level was higher than his, then he must know that he was telling the truth.


    "Well, I have yet to see your grandfather, so I cannot say," Li XinWen replied.


    "Then you can just come to my place tomorrow and see grandfather!"


    When Xue Rui heard this, his face contorted in jealousy as he turned to glare at Min XIaoYu to show his displeasure. "XinWen is busy tomorrow. He doesn''t have time to see your grandfather," he said, his tone full of confidence.


    Li XinWen raised an eyebrow, amused with Xue Rui''s reaction. ''This person... is he seriously drinking vinegar right now?'' he wondered. At the same time, Li XinWen also felt that he really should put Xue Rui back in his place. ''Or else, this lovesick fool will get ahead of himself again.''


    "Rui-ge, do remind me what I will be busy with tomorrow? Because I cannot seem to recall anything. Last I checked, I am free from work for a year," Li XinWen said as he looked over at Xue Rui. He put on a smiling face, but his eyes were glinting dangerously as if daring Xue Rui to lie again in front of his face. The silent threat that existed within those eyes were enough to make the hair on Xue Rui''s body stand on end.


    "That..." just as Xue Rui was about to answer, Li JingHua came out of the kitchen as if saving Xue Rui from saying anything else that might end up with him losing favor with his beloved. On her hand was a tray with four different cups. She walked over to the living room and just as she arrived, the scene before her caused her to pause midway.


    She had a complicated look on her face as she saw the two men kneeling on the floor. Though it filled her with satisfaction to see Xue Rui looking miserable, Min XiaoYu was different. Since she wanted to befriend him before the apocalypse, she really didn''t want Min XiaoYu to feel antagonized.


    "Ah''Wen, what happened here? Why are they kneeling on the floor?" Li JingHua asked. Her voice was slightly unstable as she tried to hide her anxiousness. She continued to walk over to them then placed the tray on the coffee table.


    "They scared mom. So of course they have to apologize properly. Now, since sister is also here, let us get right to the point," Li XinWen leaned over to the coffee table to get his chocolate milk drink and took a sip. He felt his whole body relax from the warmth of the sweet drink. "Hua-jie, you seem to know Mr. Min very well. In fact, I can sense that you wanted to get into his good graces but, Mr. Min doesn''t seem to know you well. Do you have anything to tell this younger brother of yours?"


    Li XinWen''s statement sent shivers down Li JingHua''s spine. Her instincts told her that if she lied, Li XinWen would know about it. By now, Li JingHua understood the nervousness that Xue Rui and Min XiaoYu felt. She took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh to calm her nervous heart. "Ah''Wen, Mr. Min..." Li JingHua hesitated as she tried to formulate something in her mind on how to approach this topic. After all, she would sound crazy if she could not prove that the apocalypse was coming. In fact, she would understand if her brother thought so too. "In a few years, Mr. Min''s name will be very well known."


    "Oh? Even more well known than Rui-ge?" Li XinWen voiced out his surprise. Based on his experience today, he knew Xue Rui''s social class was very high. If Min XiaoYu would beat Xue Rui in the future, he wondered what the reason would be. On the other hand, Xue Rui''s face became even more ugly. Being compared to another man right before the person he loved, what kind of man would be able to handle such a thing.


    "En. Rui will also be well known, but compared to Mr. Min...his fame will be on a much smaller scale," Li JingHua added. It was not a lie. Especially since in that future she experienced, Xue Rui''s main priority was to keep Li XinWen on his side at all times. The Xue Rui then didn''t even think of anyone else other than Li XinWen, Sun Xiao and herself. He was ruthless to others, so his reputation was not as good as Min XiaoYu who was seen as benevolent for saving anyone he could save.


    "Smaller, huh?" Li XinWen''s eyes moved from Li JingHua to Xue Rui. He didn''t even bother to hide the mischief in his eyes. "Rui-ge, what do you think about your fiance talking about you like that?" the smirk that adorned Li XinWen''s face made him look even more enchanting in Xue Rui''s eyes but Xue Rui didn''t feel good at all.


    "JingHua is just trying to discredit me for acting childish earlier. I''m sure she didn''t actually mean it! XinWen, until when do I need to kneel? I admit, I was in the wrong," Xue Rui said while giving Li XinWen a puppy look.


    "Good question, ah! How long? Of course until I am satisfied!" though Li XinWen said that, he turned his head slightly to avoid looking at Xue Rui. ''Using that look again. Seriously, that''s cheating.''


    "Ah''Wen, I think that''s enough already. I can see they''re already regretting their actions so, how about letting them go now?" Li JingHua tried to appease her brother.

 Chapter 37 - 37 - Second chances, anyone?

    Li XinWen eyed Li JingHua for a while, his eyes calculating, as he tried to figure out whether his sister was hiding anything else. "Hua-jie, since you think they''ve already had enough, then XinWen will let them go," Li XinWen waved his hand at the two kneeling men.


    Xue Rui and Min XiaoYu looked at each other before they stood up and went to take a seat on the sofa. "Alright, now I think Hua-jie needs to continue what she was saying earlier. You''re still hiding something. How can Mr. Min beat Rui-ge''s status?"


    "About that..." Li JingHua still hesitated, but after looking at Li XinWen who had a serious look on his face, knew she couldn''t avoid it any longer. "At first, I wanted to wait until you were fully recovered to disclose this. After all, I didn''t want your health to turn for the worse after hearing what''s about to happen in five years. But before I begin... We should call Ah''Xiao too. He also needs to know," Li JingHua said and Li XinWen immediately stood up.


    "Wait here. I''ll call Ah''Xiao," Li XinWen then walked over to the stairs and disappeared from the gaze of the three people in the living room.


    The moment Li XinWen was out of earshot, Li JingHua''s expression changed. Her eyes narrowed at Xue Rui and she crossed her arms over her chest. "What were you thinking, Xue Rui? Don''t you know the state of my mother''s health? Why are you acting so childish!?" she hissed, showing her displeasure.


    "Me? The one who lashed out was this guy!" Xue Rui pointed at Min XiaoYu.


    "Do you think I''d lash out for no reason?! You slandered my grandfather in case you forgot. Did you think I''d sit quietly while you badmouthed a person in my family?" Min XiaoYu retorted as he tried to defend himself.


    While the three continued to argue, Li XinWen who was currently upstairs could hear them clearly. "Heavens! I''m tired already. Those two grown men are acting like children, how embarrassing!" Li XinWen shook his head as he went to get Sun Xiao.


    Sun Xiao was doing his revision in his room. Although his personality and mind had regressed to a ten-year old child, he knew that this was something that he should be learning. He was struggling with his studies just a few years ago but managed to cope with the help of Li XinWen, and since then, Sun Xiao continued to work hard to show his appreciation.


    He had just finished making notes on what they had learned today in school when he heard a knock on his door, followed by Li XinWen''s soft voice. "Ah''Xiao, are you still busy? Hua-jie has something to share with us. She said that you need to be present too."


    Sun Xiao looked up from his notebook and walked over to the door. Turning the handle, he pulled the door open to reveal Li XinWen standing at the entrance. "I just finished. I can go down now," Sun Xiao said with a smile before hugging Li XinWen.


    Li XinWen already knew this action was normal for Sun Xiao so he just let out a small chuckle. "Alright, let''s go downstairs, hmm?" Li XinWen gently pat his head and leaned down to land a kiss on top of Sun Xiao''s head in an affectionate manner before he pulled away. "Come on," he pulled Sun Xiao''s hand and led the boy downstairs to the living room.


    When they arrived, the three people who were still bickering suddenly stopped. Li JingHua cleared her throat and waited for Li XinWen and Sun Xiao to take their seat. Once seated, Li XinWen eyed the three people before him. Xue Rui had a few of his top buttons undone, probably to cool himself from being angered to death. After all, he had to defend himself against two people. His eyebrows were scrunched up as he massaged his head in an attempt to soothe his headache. Seeing Xue Rui like this made Li XinWen feel delighted, especially after what he experienced earlier that day. ''Serves you right!'' Li XinWen laughed in his mind.


    "Now that everyone is here," Li JingHua''s voice brought Li XinWen back to reality. "But, I request that until I am done, no one cut me off. I know you probably won''t believe an ounce of what I am about to say, but this is what I have truly experienced. Before that... Does anyone of you believe in second chances?"

 Chapter 38 - 38 - Reincarnation? Rebirth?

    When Li XinWen heard of the word ''second chance'', he frowned at Li JingHua. He believes in it more than anyone else does since he himself was experiencing a second chance at life. Xue Rui nodded his head as he also believed in second chances but it was different from the second chance that Li JingHua meant. Sun Xiao was confused, so he just looked around to see everyone else''s reaction.


    "According to our school of thought, second chances come in different forms. There are cases where souls who are unable to cross over to the spirit realm possess a living person. That, in a way, is their attempt at getting a second chance," Min XiaoYu answered. "Reincarnation is also a form of second chance, and also rebirth. Some people think that reincarnation and rebirth are the same thing, but they are different. Reincarnation is when you begin anew in a new life. This is what typically happens in after death. At the moment of death, the soul enters the cycle of reincarnation. Rebirth, on the other hand, happens when you have a strong karmic relation with the essence of the world. Due to that relation, you were sent back to experience the fruits of what you have sown," Min XiaoYu explained.


    Li XinWen could only agree with Min XiaoYu''s explanation. It seems that Min XiaoYu was indeed practicing the path towards immortality. "Then there is transmigration," Min XiaoYu continued. "Transmigration is when the soul is transferred into another body. They would retain their memories, and they are also able to look into the memories of the body they have taken over. Usually, for this to happen, the two souls share the same karmic fate. But the probability of that happening is close to nil."


    "Thank you for your explanation, Mr. Min. With that, I believe I won''t appear to be a lunatic in your eyes," as she let out a quiet laugh. Li JingHua felt relieved when she heard the explanation, which also meant that Min XiaoYu believed her at least. She just hoped it was enough to make the rest, especially her two brothers, believe her.


    "Basically, every living being in the world will have their own form of a second chance. It is what the heavens dictates," Li XinWen who had been silent for a while finally voiced out his thoughts. ''Which is why, cultivators who walk the path of immortality would sometimes be punished by the heavens. We are simply going against the heaven''s will forcefully. And the reason why they send lightning tribulation every time we surpass the threshold of what is allowed...'' he added in his thoughts. ''But his explanation about rebirth, it is only half correct. Another reason why someone is reborn at a certain time is due to his or her strong grievance with the world. They feel that the world treated them unfairly and thus, their soul returned at the time where they wished to return, defying the will of the world.''


    Min XiaoYu and Li JingHua looked at him with surprise, and Xue Rui had an astonished look on his face. But Li XinWen seemed oblivious to everyone''s reaction. He was deep in his thoughts, as if he had just blurted out the sentence as a matter of fact, not expecting anyone to either agree or disagree with him.


    "Well, in Taoism, when someone dies their souls simply return to nature and maintains the balance until they find a suitable body. Only then will it move to another body which is to reborn as a different person or if the soul is strong enough, they can even travel through space and time to obtain a suitable body, for example, returning to the past. This cycle of rebirth and reincarnation will be repeated until one obtains Tao," Min XiaoYu explained further.


    When there was still no response from Li XinWen, Li JingHua hesitated before she finally decided to bite the bullet. "I also believe in second chances. In fact¡­ I have experienced the rebirth that Mr. Min told us earlier."


    It was Li XinWen''s turn to be surprised as he heard Li JingHua say this. ''Rebirth?'' Li XinWen thought, his expression pensive.


    Li JingHua saw the expression of the people around her change the moment the last sentence got past her lips. Xue Rui looked at her with a mixed expression of disbelief and impatience, as if he was starting to have a headache, but was trying hard to keep his thoughts to himself. Sun Xiao on the other hand furrowed his brow and looked at her, confused, as if the idea of rebirth would only exist in a work of fiction.


    However, she couldn''t gauge how Li XinWen was taking the news. The change she saw on his face was only momentary. Only for a split second, almost like a flicker and was too subtle for anyone to notice unless someone gave it their entire concentration.


    Li XinWen''s eyes looked straight at Li JingHua as if examining her intently, analyzing her every word and her breathing. As if he can see through her every movement and would be able to call her out if she ever attempted to fabricate a story. It was the first time she had seen Li XinWen this way, as if her brother had become an entirely different person, a different kind of human being, almost unrecognizable. But it didn''t frighten her. If anything it made her feel a sense of ease, a reassuring presence which urged her to continue her story.


    ''Who is this person?'' she thought to herself.


    As if sensing Li JingHua''s thoughts, Li XinWen softened his gaze at Li JingHua and managed a smile before encouraging her to continue.


    "Hua-jie¡­please continue¡­"


    "Uh..yes¡­thank you Ah''Wen¡­" she cleared her throat and straightened her back thinking ''This is going to be a long night. I''d better do a good job at convincing everyone¡­especially XinWen¡­''


    "I know you don''t believe me so I''ll just prove it to you slowly, but first, listen to me carefully. In five years, our world will experience a crisis that would lead to the extinction of humanity. It begins with the news of a huge meteor coming towards earth and military powerhouses from all over the world will come together to create a weapon that can destroy the meteor before it hit the earth. Although they managed to create the weapon, it was not enough to destroy the meteor. It broke into smaller pieces and their trajectory changed slightly, scattering across the earth. And the various governments of the respective countries where the meteorites landed quickly sealed any Information regarding the location of these scattered pieces. Then... a few months later, a world-wide epidemic happened..."

 Chapter 39 - 39 - Li JingHuas Past (Part 1)

    When Li JingHua said this, her aura seemed to have undergone a drastic change, and her expression turned more complex. Her brows creased, taking several deep breaths as she tried to calm herself.


    "This epidemic led to changes which turned the world upside down. Humans across the world started having fevers of varying degree depending on their constitution. The weaker ones... had a hard time surviving. The world was in panic, people clamored for safety. It was devastating to listen to the news especially when you find out that people you know¡­people close to you¡­friends¡­family¡­ " her voice trailed off, memories of the night their mother turned into a monster suddenly came flooding into her mind.


    Li JingHua''s tone was solemn as she remembered the night when their mother turned into a monster. She closed her eyes as she bit back the tears that threatened to fall just as the memories came. There were so many things that she regrets doing during the time of the apocalypse, and her dying wish had been to be given another chance to amend everything. Now that she was given that chance, she plans to make full use of it. The only unfortunate thing was that, she could not change her mother''s fate. No matter what she did, she knew her mother would not survive the transition. Her old age wouldn''t allow her to survive the fever.


    The first incident of a human turning into a zombie was recorded in the Republic of Burundi in Africa. The epidemic later spread across its neighboring countries, hitting Rwanda next, then news of the epidemic was announced in Tanzania, then the Republic of Congo. A few days later, several doctors who did humanitarian aid in one of the African countries mentioned who had continued their work in their respective countries, turned. As if triggered simultaneously by something and it accelerated the spreading of what they call the zombie virus. Even the remote islands in the Pacific were completely overrun.


    Millions of people around the world became infected. Countries were completely shut down, especially the smaller ones which did not have any military and financial power to fight the epidemic. Cities which were once bustling and teeming with life transformed into wastelands overnight. Buildings and houses all over were abandoned, vehicles littered the roads. Those who survived and were uninfected locked themselves in. The epidemic spread so fast that a great majority were unprepared. People fought for resources, especially food and water. The rations provided by the military and the government did not last long. Military bases in some cities which quarantined infected individuals also did not escape the epidemic. In the end those who were charged to protect the uninfected also turned.


    It was exactly three months after the apocalypse began. The Li household managed to hold off with the assistance of Xue Rui. Their house in the suburbs had been fortified and they were provided with supplies to last them for another three months. There was no electricity and water supply had long since stopped running in the pipes. It was fortunate that the family was able to store ample water supply before the complete shutdown of the treatment and water distribution facilities.


    Li JingHua and Li XinWen were in the bas.e.m.e.nt of their home doing an inventory of the remaining items that Xue Rui had provided them in the past three months.


    "Ah''Wen have you finished checking whether we still have enough of the water purification tablets? The water we stored might not last until Rui sends us more¡­ I wonder what he''s doing right now¡­" there is a hint of worry within Li JingHua''s tone as she stared at the book containing their inventory lists.


    Li XinWen who noticed her sister''s worry glanced at her and wanting to comfort the older woman, he gave her a smile. "Yes Hua-jie¡­ we still have ten boxes in the shelf. And you shouldn''t worry too much about Rui-ge, I''m sure he''s safe."


    "Hmmmm¡­"


    Seeing his elder sister worry did not ease up, Li XinWen walked up to her and held her at arm''s length. "Hua-jie, Rui-ge will be okay. I know that you miss him and want to be with him at this time but you know how dangerous it is outside. He''ll come when it''s safe. I''m sure you''re also always on his mind. So cheer up and stop worrying okay?"


    "Yes¡­you''re probably right¡­"


    Sensing that his sister was still worried Li XinWen was at his wits end when he finally came up with an idea which he thought might put his sister''s heart at ease.


    "Hua-jie, I have an idea¡­since the world has come to this and you and Xue Rui were unable to hold your wedding ceremony why don''t we hold a simple ceremony for the two of you? Just the two of you exchanging vows? You can wear the white long sleeve lace mini dress you have hanging in your closet! I''ll fix up the living room and make it all fancy!" as an actor, Li XinWen managed to say all of this with a big grin on his face. His eyes were also shining with excitement, making even Li JingHua felt that they were currently not living in the apocalypse, but instead, a normal world. It took her a few seconds before finally returning to reality.


    "You''re so silly Ah''Wen¡­ Rui would never agree to something so embarrassing¡­" as she let out a demure laugh.


    "The world is about to end I''m sure Rui-ge will make an exception! I''ll convince him!" Li XInWen responded and they both laughed like children, once again, forgetting for a moment that the world outside was already in ruins.


    "Ahhh¡­ thank you Ah''Wen¡­" Li JingHua said with a smile on her face and Li XinWen can''t help but held his sister in a gentle embrace, his heart aching at the thought that he had betrayed her and that Li JingHua was never going to have the perfect wedding with the man she loved.


    ''Forgive me Hua-jie¡­'' he whispered quietly in his mind.

 Chapter 40 - 40 - Li JingHuas Past (Part 2)

    The siblings finished their inventory and went up to the living room. Madam Li was in the kitchen, preparing dinner for the family. She had been feeling under the weather for the past couple of days but kept her silence, not wanting to worry her children.


    ''My age is probably catching up to me¡­ who would have thought I''d witness the world coming to an end¡­ and I fear that I am also nearing mine¡­'' she thought as she portioned the remaining dry fried sichuan beef she cooked some days ago. She set the table and called her children.


    "Hmm¡­ smells good!" Li XinWen exclaimed as he made his way to the table. "Mom is absolutely the best! Coming up with this delicious food in spite of the situation."


    "Aiya! My XinWen is praising me too much. Fine, fine, I''ll let you have some more of mine," madam Li responded with a smile as she gave some of her portion to Li XinWen''s plate.


    "Mom! That''s unfair, what about Ah''Xiao and myself?" Li JingHua protested affectionately, with Sun Xiao also looking at madam Li like an abandoned puppy, agreeing to Li JingHua''s protest.


    "Hahaha¡­ my precious babies. Of course mom wouldn''t be unfair to you two," madam Li responded and looked at her children with the gentlest eyes. She continued to give away her meal until she have a little left. When her three children saw this, they gave back her portion, saying that she also needs to eat more.


    The familial exchange managed to brighten the dining room that was only illuminated by a single flickering candle. After dinner, Li JIngHua, Li XinWen and Sun Xiao went through their daily routine of making sure that the doors were locked, and the windows tightly shut. Afterwards, Sun Xiao, went directly to his bedroom after saying good night to his elder brother and sister. They may not be related by blood but their bond as siblings were stronger than others were.


    Li JingHua and Li XinWen were in the living room reminiscing about their childhood with Li XinWen occasionally discussing the idea of Xue Rui and Li JingHua''s vow ceremony. They were laughing and giggling like children and madam Li could hear them from her bedroom as she sat on her bed preparing to sleep.


    ''My babies are all grown up¡­'' she thought with a sigh as she smiled to herself. ''I''ve done quite well in raising them to be strong and independent¡­ they will survive¡­''


    As Li XinWen and Li JIngHua were about to head upstairs to their bedrooms, a loud thud was heard from madam Li''s bedroom. The siblings exchanged glances and hurriedly ran to madam Li''s bedroom.


    "Mom?" Li XinWen called out, only to be answered with silence. "Mom are you okay?" Li XinWen called out once more, his heart started to race as unwanted thoughts started to surface in his mind.


    "Mom!" Li JingHua repeated as she knocked on the door. She tried to turn the knob but found that it was locked.


    "Mom¡­ open the door¡­" Li XinWen pleaded his heart beating loudly in his chest. A sinking feeling slowly spreading at the pit of his stomach.


    ''Stay calm¡­ stay calm¡­ everything''s okay,'' he thought to himself. "Hua-jie¡­get the spare key to mom''s bedroom," he told Li JingHua who was clearly distressed and worried. She looked at Li XinWen, her eyes watery and filled with fear, as if asking Li XinWen to reassure her that their mother was okay.


    Li XinWen grabbed Li JingHua''s shoulder and shook her, "Hua-jie, we do not have much time, stay calm and get the spare key for mom''s bedroom."


    "Okay¡­ okay¡­" she responded with a cracked voice as she turned and ran to the study where they kept the spare keys. Hands trembling, Li JingHua rummaged through drawers and shelves, her mind racing as tears pooled in her eyes blurring her vision.


    "Snap out of it JingHua¡­ stay calm¡­ focus¡­" she willed herself. After finding the spare key she hurried back to Li XinWen who was pounding loudly at madam Li''s door. Sun Xiao was beside him, worried and close to tears, fidgeting with his pajama. He had heard the banging downstairs and decided to check wat was happening. Li JingHua handed the keys to Li XinWen and immediately ran over to Sun Xiao. She wiped her tears and mustered a brave face.


    "It''s okay Ah''Xiao¡­ sshhh¡­" and she held the boy in an embrace.


    Li XinWen managed to steady his hands and put the key into the keyhole. He glanced back at Li JingHua and Sun Xiao before turning the knob to open the door. It was dark inside the room and a candle flickered on top of the corner dresser by the window. Madam Li was nowhere in sight, at least that was what it looked like at first. Li XinWen ran to the other side of the bed and found her lying down on the floor.


    "Mom!" he shouted as he dashed over to madam Li. Li JingHua and Sun Xiao followed him and stood at the foot of the bed with distress and worry on their faces.


    "What happened to mom XinWen!?!" Li JingHua asked, her voice filled with panic.


    Li XinWen looked at both of them wide-eyed, his expression filled with anxiety and fear.


    "She''s burning up¡­" he responded as he lifted madam Li''s body onto the bed.


    "JingHua¡­ run to the bathroom and fill the tub with water¡­ ice¡­ we need ice¡­" he said as tears slowly ran down his face realizing that the taps had long since ran out of water and there was no electricity to make ice. He held madam Li''s wrist and felt her pulse. It was so weak.


    "Mom! Wake up! Wake up! Jing Hua, medicine! Find medicine for the fever¡­ find something so we can lower down her temperature!" Li XinWen exclaimed, forgetting for a moment that he was addressing his elder sister. But the woman in question continued to stay rooted in her place.

 Chapter 41 - 41 - Li JingHuas Past (Part 3)

    Sun Xiao who was confused by what was happening started to have short, labored breathing while tears streamed down his cheek as he continued crying. Li XinWen noticed that their younger brother is having a panic attack and his sister is still in a daze.


    "Jing Hua!" Li XinWen shouted, which pulled Li JingHua out of her daze. "Ah''Xiao is having a panic attack!" he informed her.


    "Ah"Xiao!" Li JingHua quickly ran to Sun Xiao and held his shoulders, looking right into his eyes. "Ah''Xiao, listen to me. Listen! Take a deep breath, calm down¡­" she told the boy before reassuring him that madam Li was going to be alright. She led him out of the bedroom and went with him upstairs to his room.


    "Hush now Ah''Xiao¡­ mom''s going to be fine¡­ go to sleep okay? Stay in your room until I come get you okay? Promise jiejie that you''ll be a good boy¡­" she said as she mustered a smile in order to assure her younger brother. She then kissed his forehead and left for downstairs.


    She took with her the first aid kit from the upstairs bathroom and ran back to madam Li''s bedroom. Li XinWen was hurriedly wiping madam Li''s forehead and her arms with a wet washcloth in the hopes that it would lower down her temperature. When Li JingHua brought Sun Xiao upstairs, he rushed to get few bottles of water to use. He did not even care that he is wasting the water as long as he could keep his mother''s temperature down. He tried to be gentle but the motions were rough and hurried as if willing the moisture from the washcloth to envelope madam Li until her temperature dropped. He couldn''t stop his tears from falling.


    "Mom¡­ please wake up¡­." he kept whispering while Li JIngHua rummaged through the medicine kit to find the fever medicine, but it was too late. Deep down, in both their minds and hearts, they knew that madam Li had breathed her last, in spite of the persistent high temperature.


    Li XinWen and Li JingHua exchanged glances.


    "Ah''Wen come over here¡­" Li JingHua beckoned Li XinWen.


    "But¡­ what about mom? There must be something we can do Hua-jie¡­" he responded, barely a whisper, his throat constricted.


    "Come her Ah''Wen¡­ we need to leave the room¡­"


    "No Hua-jie¡­ no¡­" Li XinWen did not wish to accept it but faced with Li JingHua''s broken expression, he knew there is nothing they can do. Li XinWen let go of the washcloth and caressed madam Li''s face and kissed her forehead. "I''m sorry mom¡­ I love you¡­" he whispered, wishing in his heart that madam Li was able to hear him. As if hoping that those words were enough for her to stay as she was.


    As he stood from her bedside, madam Li''s hands twitched involuntarily. Her arms jerked as Li XinWen made his way towards Li JingHua. Madam Li''s body contorted as if subjected to a lot of pain, it spasmed and started writhing until it stopped. Madam Li let out a gurgling sound before her eyes opened wide with only the whites visible. Her skin quickly turned ashen, a shade of sickly gray and the veins on her face clearly visible as if they were going to pop out and explode at any minute.


    Li XinWen and Li JingHua watched the entire transformation wide-eyed, shocked silent, tears running down their faces. Li JingHua was the first to come out of it, as if her protective instincts suddenly kicked in after witnessing their mother turn.


    "We need to leave the room XinWen¡­ Now!" and she jerked Li XinWen out of the bedroom, leaving their mother locked inside.


    The memory was too painful to recall even though the apocalypse was still a long ways away from happening, Li JingHua vividly recalled all the emotions associated with that future. She closed her eyes as she bit back the tears that threatened to fall.


    There were so many things she regrets doing during the time of the apocalypse. The most unfortunate of which was that she could not change their mother''s fate. No matter how she thought about it, she knew their mother would not have been able to survive the transition. Her old age had not allowed her to survive the fever. Before coming back to the now, Li JingHua''s dying wish was to be given a second chance to amend everything, and now that she was here she was not going to waste it and make full use of the opportunity.

 Chapter 42 - 42 - You know the exit. I wont see you out.

    She was deep in her thought, and she remembered so strongly how she felt during her last days after the apocalypse. She felt a deep sense of remorse and anger after losing XinWen, and a great sadness when she was unable to tell him how much she loved him, that she forgave him.


    "Hua-jie, are you alright?" Li XinWen''s question snapped Li JingHua out of her memories. Her eyes landed on Li XinWen who was looking at her. Then, memories of Li XinWen''s death flashed in her mind and Li JingHua could no longer hold back her tears.


    "Ah''Wen..." she weakly called out to her brother as the tears fell down her cheek.


    Seeing this, Li XinWen''s eyes widened and before he could even register what he did, he found himself already on Li JingHua''s side, pulling her into a tight hug. Li XinWen was not the original Li XinWen of this world and yet, he felt his heart clench in pain when he heard Li JingHua''s voice as she called out to him. ''Such a turbulent emotion, and the guilt in her eyes... She mentioned that she had experienced rebirth. Then, does that mean, she is experiencing this life the second time? Something must have happened to Li XinWen in the future she speaks of, evoking such an emotion from this strong young woman. Is that why she is protective of me? Or to be more exact, of the original owner of this body?''


    Several questions ran in Li XinWen''s mind but they remained unanswered, as he was unable to bring himself to voice them out. Especially as Li JingHua clung onto him while silently crying her heart out as if he was her last lifeline. Li XinWen looked around helplessly before he lifted his hand and started massaging Li JingHua''s head gently. While doing so, he made sure to send out warm strands of spiritual energy into Li JingHua''s mind in order to calm her.


    With the help of Li XInWen''s spiritual energy, it didn''t take long for Li JingHua to calm down. She wiped her tears and looked over to the rest of the people present in the living room. "I apologize for my outburst. Let me continue...where was I..." Li JingHua tried to remember where she stopped earlier. "Ah, yes. The epidemic. Those with a weaker constitution, once they died, it took about five to ten minutes for them to change, but in some cases, it can be instantaneous. The period depends on the infected individual''s condition before turnig¡­"


    Xue Rui, who sat silently listening to Li JingHua up to this moment had been contemplating whether all this talk about the apocalypse and rebirth was actually true. Perhaps due to the incident earlier with Min XiaoYu, Xue Rui felt all of his emotions muddled, his thoughts in chaos.


    ''This is giving me a headache¡­How did today turn out like this¡­today was supposed to be special¡­agh!'' he thought in frustration prompting him to ask Li JingHua in a cynical manner.


    "Change? You''re not about to tell us that people are going to change into zombies now are you JingHua?" crossing his arms and giving Li JingHua a scrutinizing look.


    The question was so sarcastic and condescending it left a bad taste in the mouth. Li XinWen and Min XiaoYu exchanged glances before looking at Xue Rui then back to Li JingHua.


    As if unfazed by Xue Rui''s statement, Li JingHua gave him a helpless smile.


    "Rui, I know that this is all hard to believe but it is the truth. In the first place why would I go through all this trouble to make up a story about the apocalypse and zombies?"


    "Exactly JingHua, why are you actually making up these stories about rebirth and the apocalypse?"


    "I am not making up any kind of story. The apocalypse will happen and nobody can change that." Li JingHua responded, trying to keep her composure.


    "It''s frustrating to argue with you Rui¡­It''s all right if you do not believe me. I expected as much." she said as she looked down on the floor.


    "Clearly this is a waste of your time Rui and I do not want to spend my energy arguing with you about this. You can leave now. You know where the door is, I won''t see you out."

 Chapter 43 - Perhaps it is time to let all of this go?

    It was obvious to everyone present in the room that Li JingHua basically just told Xue Rui to leave and bluntly asked him to see himself out of the residence. This did not escape Xue Rui as well which frustrated him even more.


    ''Nothing''s been going my way ever since we attended the auction! What the hell is happening? And now JingHua is basically throwing me out of the house!'' Xue Rui thought. ''What if they become closer while I''m not looking?!'' he added as he glanced at Li XinWen, unwilling to leave.


    "Why are you still here Rui? Since you do not believe me in the slightest, please leave. Why waste your time further? Don''t worry, I have already decided not to include you in my plans in facing the apocalypse. It is enough that my family survives and lives well," Li JingHua declared.


    Xue Rui felt as if he is being doused by a bucket of cold water the moment he heard Li JingHua''s declaration. ''It hurts¡­ I know I betrayed Li JingHua since I decided to act on my desires for XinWen, but I never treated her badly. I gave her my time and attention in all the years that we were "together" now why am I being treated like as if I neither deserve respect not affection?'' his thoughts continued to run amok as he clenched his fists in frustration.


    "Then what about him?" Xue Rui responded, pointing at Min XiaoYu, who looked confused at their exchange.


    "What about Mr. Min? Since he believes me, naturally I am willing to share my knowledge with him. Please see yourself out Rui."


    Not wanting to spare Xue Rui another glance, Li JingHua closed her eyes and turned away from Xue Rui. It was also painful for her to say these words to Xue Rui who had once held her heart, whom she had once loved, so even if she had long ago decided to let go of Xue Rui, it was still hard on her heart.


    Li JingHua''s words hit him like blows in a boxing match. He felt infuriated, sad, angry and hurt at the same time. And all these emotions kept building in his heart. He knew that arguing further would not get them anywhere. He thought of Li XinWen and realized that no matter what happens, Li XinWen would never take his side or even consider understanding him and how he felt at the moment.


    ''Perhaps it''s time to let this all go?'' Xue Rui thought. ''It all seems hopeless and I''ll never get Li XinWen''s affection, especially now with how things have turned out¡­''


    Xue Rui stood up and took his coat. He let out a heavy sigh and looked at Li XinWen, who at that time was also looking in his direction. Their eyes met briefly and he mustered a weak smile as if to say goodbye, as if to say that he was giving up.


    "Then I shall take my leave¡­" Xue Rui responded, his voice tired and tinged with anger. His footsteps were slow and heavy as he made his way to the front door.


    ''This is all hopeless¡­ this is the right decision¡­ let''s leave before I do something even more regrettable¡­'' although Xue Rui told himself this, he knew it was impossible for him to give up. He have already sunk deep within his desire for Li XinWen that it is impossible for him to completely give up.


    Li XinWen who heard the exchange between his sister and Xue Rui looked at Li JingHua confused. According to the original''s memories, Li JingHua really loved Xue Rui and if something bad were to happen in the future she should''ve included him in her plans. Doubt suddenly began enveloping his heart.


    ''Was it only because Xue Rui did not believe her? Or is there something else that they are not telling us? The way they were at each other''s throat earlier, and how JingHua bluntly asked Xue Rui to leave, is there something else that I don''t know? And what was that look on Xue Rui''s eyes before he left? '' Li XinWen wondered, his eyes lingering at the door where Xue Rui had exited. ''That lost puppy expression is really deadly...'' he added with a sigh.

 Chapter 44 - Ability

    After Xue Rui left, Li JingHua went back to sharing her knowledge regarding the apocalypse. She explained that during the first three months of the apocalypse, the zombies were not as dangerous. Those who remained uninfected learned that their movement were slow and stiff. And as long as they kept their distance, they would be able to kill them easily. But, as time went by, they noticed that the zombies had become more agile. However, at the same time that the zombies upgraded, humans also found out that they had an ability.


    "Ability?" Min XiaoYu asked in surprise. "Is it like the manipulation of spiritual energy?"


    Shaking her head, Li JingHua decided to show Min XiaoYu her ability. After her rebirth, she noticed that she had retained the ability she awakened in the future. "Five months after the apocalypse, some humans were able to awaken their ability. Most ability users had one element but there were some who were blessed with two or even three abilities," Li JingHua explained. "After my rebirth, my ability seems to have remained. This is a form of water ability," Li JingHua raised her hand in front of her then she started to focus. It didn''t take long for water to take form on top of her palm.


    Li XinWen''s eyes narrowed at the water ball that formed on top of Li JingHua''s palm. He could not sense any spiritual energy from Li JingHua, which made him curious. ''How could this happen?'' Li XinWen wanted to find out so he directed his own spiritual energy towards his eyes and activated one of his skills - Mo Yan - which enabled him to see more clearly, not only the spiritual energy around him, but also the elemental spirits that exists alongside the spiritual energy. While Min XiaoYu and Sun Xiao were in awe of her ability, Li XInWen was trying to figure out how the ability worked.


    With Mo Yan, he noticed the water elemental spirit rushed towards Li JingHua''s palm. But the spirits were dead spirits, so the water ball''s potential was very low. ''So, an ability user is actually an elementalist?'' Li XinWen thought to himself. In Long Xing, an elementalist was someone who had wanted to cultivate the dao, but as they were unable to understand the dao, they could only manipulate a dead elemental spirit. ''But if I can help her cultivate the dao...'' Li XinWen''s eyes rested on Li JingHua in an attempt to sense whether her body had the aptitude to cultivate or not. Unfortunately, he was left disappointed. ''No spiritual root present...'' Li XinWen sighed. Without spiritual root, the living elemental spirits would be reluctant to work with them. Which was why, elementalists were not considered as true cultivators in Long Xing.


    Then he turned to Sun Xiao and his eyes widened at his discovery. "Hua-jie! You said that after the apocalypse, humans awakened an ability. Can you tell me if Ah''Xiao awakened one?" Li XinWen suddenly asked Li JingHua making her lose focus, causing the water ball on top of her hand to lose its shapes and went splashing down on the floor. Seeing the carpet stained with water, Li XinWen felt his forehead sweat. "I... sorry?"


    "It''s alright, Ah''Wen. That was my fault. I didn''t pay attention enough," Li JingHua replied. "And yes, Ah''Xiao will also be an ability user in the future. In fact, Ah''Xiao''s abilities were quite unique. Three years into the apocalypse and yet, no one had the same combination as Ah''Xiao," Li JingHua told them.


    "Jiejie, what is my ability?" Sun Xiao asked excitedly. "Can I also do like what jiejie did earlier?"


    Li JingHua was unable to answer Sin Xiao immediately. After all, her ability followed her through time but she wasn''t sure if they can awaken their abilities before the meteor falls to earth. It was said that the abilities awakened during the apocalypse were due to the mutation of every living being on earth caused by the meteorite. "Ah''Xiao, jiejie is a special case. For you and Mr. Min, the two of you would need to wait until the apocalypse. Then I will explain to you how to awaken your ability. Mr. Min, your ability will be the wind element. While Ah''Xiao... you will have Ice and Fire. Ice is a variation of water, just as lightning is to fire."


    ''Ice and fire?'' Li XinWen frowned as he used Mo Yan again to look at Sun Xiao but he didn''t find his earlier discovery to be wrong. ''Ah''Xiao does have a pure Zhuo Yang body. But with the presence of the Yin elements, if he is not properly guided, he would damage his body...'' at the thought that his younger brother might harm himself, Li XinWen decided that he will make sure to give Sun Xiao the guidance he needs. ''Having ice and flame isn''t bad. In fact, it could help balance the Yin and Yang energy within him.''


    After thinking for a while, Li XinWen noticed that Li JingHua was looking at him guiltily. "Ah''Wen, about your ability..."


    Li XinWen had actually already noticed that Li JingHua did not mention his ability at all so he could not help but ask. "Hua-jie, I am not an ability user, am I? Is that why you wanted me to learn martial arts with Mr. Min?"

 Chapter 45 - Fans

    Li JingHua became quiet for a moment upon hearing Li XinWen''s question. Averting her eyes as if it was her fault that he did not awaken any abilities in the future she had talked about.


    "I see¡­" Li XinWen responded while nodding his head, as if to assure Li JingHua that it was no big deal. ''But since I''ve taken over this body, there shouldn''t be any problem even if I do not have those abilities. As long as I cultivate properly, I''ll be able to do what they can do.''


    "Ah''Wen, will you listen to your sister?" Li JingHua asked. "Please?"


    He was pulled away from his thoughts when he heard Li JingHua. Faced with Li JingHua''s pleading look, Li XinWen could only sigh. ''What traumatized you this much?'' Li XinWen pondered as he glanced over at Min XiaoYu before he let out a sigh. ''Honestly, I really am unwilling to learn from others¡­''


    Li XinWen''s sigh made Li JingHua feel helpless. ''If it was all up to me XinWen¡­'' she thought, as she looked down on the floor.


    Li XinWen reached out and touched Li JingHua''s shoulder ever so gently, upon noticing Li JingHua''s demeanor. Li JingHua looked up and saw Li XinWen looking at her with affection, as if to reassure her that the fact that he did not awaken any abilities was not something to feel bad about. She smiled back at her brother as if to say thank you and Li XinWen nodded in acknowledgement, before turning to Min XiaoYu. In order to keep Li JingHua from worrying too much, he decided to agree for now.


    "Mr. Min, please leave the address to your martial arts school. I will go pay a visit this weekend," Li XinWen said before he reached into his pocket and threw his phone towards Min XiaoYu who managed to catch it in time. "And give me your contact number."


    Min XiaoYu obediently keyed in his contact information before politely handing back the phone. "I''ve also added myself on Donyun for you," Min XiaoYu informed Li XinWen. Upon hearing Min XiaoYu, Li JingHua''s face immediately changed.


    "You did what?!" she asked, almost falling off her seat.


    "Added myself from Mr. Li''s Donyun...?" Min XiaoYu hesitated, wondering if he did something wrong. As if on cue, his phone started vibrating in his pocket followed by a series of sound notifications. Usually, Min XiaoYu would think it was just a normal message from his family but when the notifications didn''t stop, he couldn''t help but take out his phone. Then, he saw that the number of followers on his Donyun were increasing at an alarming rate, and the number of posts on his walls were even more frightening. When Min XiaoYu navigated to his wall to read the posts, he was bombarded by numerous posts which kept increasing by the second.


    [Li Town Store: Hey, hey, hey!! Who are you?! Why did our great god XinWen decide to follow you?!]


    [Flower Li: Min XiaoYu? I have tried searching for this man but no result came up! Who is this third-rate small actor??]


    [WenWen Fan No.1: No! I refuse to believe my god would follow some no name actor! His account must have been hacked! This Min XiaoYu person must be a hacker!! Watch as I report you!]


    Similar other messages were posted on his wall to the point that Min XiaoYu turned pale. "This...?" he turned his phone over to show Li JingHua and Li XinWen the state of his Donyun. Li XinWen just blinked innocently as he looked at the phone screen while Li JingHua gave Min XiaoYu a look of pity.


    "Those are Ah''Wen''s fans..." Li JingHua informed Min XiaoYu as she let out a small chuckle. "I wish you luck, Mr. Min."


    "Fans?" Min XiaoYu asked and hurriedly searched for Li XinWen online. There was a long list of search result entries but the top result, which was a biography entry from an official website of an entertainment agency. It was enough to enlighten him of Li XinWen''s status in the entertainment industry. "I did not know you were such a well-known actor¡­" his tone a mix of respect and surprise.


    Li XinWen didn''t reply because at that moment, his own phone went on a notification spree. Just like Min XiaoYu''s wall, his own Donyun was flooded with messages from fans. Then, he received a call from his manager which, he didn''t answer right away. Instead, he looked over at his sister, not knowing what to do.


    "What are you doing? Answer! Your manager needs your answer to deal with this mess."


    Li XinWen just nodded his head before he answered the call. "Hello?"


    "XinWen? Good. Is there something wrong with your Donyun account? Who is this Min XiaoYu? Did your account get hacked?" Manager Su''s voice sounded rushed and Li XinWen could clearly hear the clicking sound of keyboard in the background.


    "No, Manager Su. My account wasn''t hacked. A friend accidentally followed himself from my account. You know how Donyun only allows private messages between mutuals?" Li XinWen explained calmly.


    "Is this friend of yours an actor?" Manager Su asked in a careful tone.


    "No."


    "Someone from the entertainment industry?"


    "No."


    "Someone with a background?"


    "Uhh... not that I know of?"


    "Li XinWen, you better be careful! Your current reputation is quite fragile since your accident. And giving you a one-year leave because of the doctor''s advice is already harming your reputation. Don''t make it worse by breaking unspoken rules or else it''ll be hard to wash your reputation clean," Manager Su warned Li XinWen.


    "Manager Su, please don''t worry. Min XiaoYu is just a man with little money. He can''t even pay more than six million! How can he pay for my service?" Li XinWen chuckled while Min XiaoYu looked at him in disbelief for shooting him when he was already lying down. "In fact, we only met today because my sister suggested I learn martial arts and his grandfather owned a martial arts school! Say, if I can master martial arts, do you think you can get me roles from those kinds of movies?"


    "Hmm... I think that is possible. Wait, don''t you dare change the topic! Li XinWen, is he only a friend? Are you sure we don''t need to prepare a PR for you?"


    "No need, Manager Su. He really is just a friend. You know that I am still too young to enter those kinds of relationsh.i.p.s," Li XinWen replied with a small laugh. ''If she knew about the original and Xue Rui, it would be bad, wouldn''t it?'' he added in his thought.


    "Alright. Then don''t do anything on your Donyun. Let me handle those fans."

 Chapter 46 - Sudden Financial Crisis?!

    "Alright. Then don''t do anything on your Donyun. Let me handle those fans."


    After saying that, Manager Su ended the call and Li XinWen let out a sigh. Then he noticed Min XiaoYu looking at him as if he had been wronged. "What?"


    "I can pay more than six million..." Min XiaoYu grumbled.


    "Oh? Could you? That wasn''t the impression I had earlier today. All I remember was that you couldn''t outbid my seven million for the cauldron," Li XinWen said mischievously and smirked at Min XiaoYu, clearly rubbing salt to the wound.


    This conversation was naturally heard by Li JingHua and she started to panic. She had planned to use her brother''s assets in addition to her own to prepare for the apocalypse, but it seemed that her brother had spent most of his savings on an auction? ''This cannot be, ah! What about the things that we need to buy? Food, clothes, weapons, cars!''


    Li JingHua was perturbed for a moment after finding out about the auction. She started to re-examine her plans as it seemed that her plans have been foiled by her own brother''s unexpected spending. Her mind went into overdrive, going through all of her backup plans in case plan A did not push through.


    ''I have to make sure so I can make adjustments accordingly,'' Li JingHua thought, before asking Li XinWen.


    "Ah''Wen, tell me¡­ did you really spend seven million in an auction?"


    "No. Rui-ge outbid me with ten million. Hua-jie, can you believe it? He knew I couldn''t bid more than ten million and he just did that! Your man really knows how to waste money, ah! Things you can get for seven million, he got it for ten..." Li XinWen sighed.


    "So you didn''t spend any of your savings?" Li JingHua asked and Li XinWen answered with a shake of his head. "Good... that''s good. Ah''Wen, now you know that the apocalypse is coming, just listen to elder sister, alright? We''ll start investing, and prepare for it."


    After conversing for a bit more, Min XiaoYu decided to return home. Li JingHua saw Min XiaoYu out while Li XinWen and Sun Xiao stayed in the living room.


    "Ah''Xiao, come here," Li XinWen pattted the space beside him on the sofa. When Sun Xiao went to sit beside him, he pulled the younger boy closer. "Would you also like to learn martial arts?" Li XinWen asked with a grin. "We can learn together!"


    Sun Xiao''s eyes brightened as he looked at Li XinWen with adoration. "En! Ah''Xiao wants to learn with Xin-gege. Then Ah''Xiao can also protect Xin-gege in the future. Those zombies, Ah''Xiao will kill them all!" the young boy said, tone full of excitement.


    "Right! Then your big bro will leave it all to you," Li XinWen lifted his hand and patted Sun Xiao''s head.


    "Now, you should go and sleep. It''s already quite late, you still have school tomorrow, right?"


    "Okay! Good night, Xin-gege!" Sun Xiao hugged Li XinWen tightly before he went up to his room. Sun Xiao had just left when Li JingHua returned to the living room. She sported a complicated look as she looked at Li XinWen, fidgeting as she tried to think of something to say.


    "Hua-jie, have a seat first," Li XinWen said with a warm smile as he patted the empty spot beside him. "Don''t be nervous. It''s alright. Whatever you have say, your little brother will believe you. Even if the whole world doesn''t, I will have your back," he grinned at Li JingHua.


    These reassuring words seemed to stab Li JingHua''s heart as she was once again stricken with guilt. The change in her expression didn''t escape Li XinWen and the cultivator could only sigh. "Hua-jie, whatever happened in your future, don''t dwell on it too much. For now, focus on this future. What happened then, will not happen again. I will listen well to you, okay?"


    Li JingHua sat down beside Li XinWen and held both of his hand. "Then, will you learn martial arts with Mr. Min?" Li JingHua asked, earning a nod from Li XinWen.


    ''Though... it will be them learning from me in the end...'' Li XinWen added in his thought.


    "And you''ll invest in things your sister tells you without any question?"


    Nods.


    "Also, you will keep your distance from Xue Rui?"


    "Hua-jie, you don''t have to worry! I have no interest in your man!"


    Just as that sentence left Li XinWen''s lips, his phone rang. When he glanced at the screen, he saw that it was Xue Rui. ''Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives,'' Li XinWen thought.


    "Why is he calling you at this time?" Li JingHua also saw the caller ID. Li XinWen just shrugged and answered the phone and put it on speaker.


    "Hello?"


    "Why did you follow Min XiaoYu in Donyun?" came Xue Rui''s question, his voice sounded as if he was holding back his anger. From his tone, Li XinWen could feel the jealousy virtually transmitted through the line.


    "Geez Rui-ge, not even bothering to say hello anymore? And what''s up with that question? And even if that were the case, what''s it to you anyway? It''s not like I need your permission before I follow someone in Donyun¡­" Li XinWen responded but was met with silence.


    Li XinWen looked at his phone screen to make sure that the call was still active. For some reason, the silence from Xue Rui''s end bothered him a little and he suddenly felt a need to actually answer Xue Rui''s question.


    "Mr. Min added himself when I asked him to enter his contact details into my phone. Ah''Xiao and I will be paying a visit to Mr. Min''s martial arts'' school this weekend so I had to ask for his contact information for convenience''s sake," Li XinWen explained.


    "Ah''Wen, why are you even explaining this to Xue Rui?" Li JingHua asked, her voice loud enough to make sure that Xue Rui heard her on the other end. She shook her head at Li XinWen and almost rolled her eyes.


    Upon realizing Li JingHua''s question, it dawned on Li XinWen that he just contradicted himself by answering Xue Rui''s question. Li XinWen closed his eyes, disappointed at himself, after failing to maintain the upper hand by actually answering Xue Rui.


    ''Good job Li XinWen¡­why''d you even feel the need to answer his question? Ugh idiot!''


    Li XinWen''s answer made Xue Rui smile a little, but the smile only lasted for a nano second. After hearing Li JingHua''s inquiry in the background, his emotions were once again in turmoil, as he was reminded of his and Li JingHua''s exchange earlier. He decided to quickly park his car to the side to cool his head.


    "Am I on speaker XinWen?" Xue Rui asked.


    "Yes. So you should give up on trying to guilt trip Ah''Wen!" Li JingHua responded.


    "Li JingHua¡­Listen, I¡ª" Xui Rui began but was cut off by Li JingHua.


    "No¡­ for crying out loud Xue Rui¡­ for old times'' sake¡­ please¡­" her voice broke upon remembering the past. Li JingHua''s eyes reddened and felt the stinging sensation of tears pooling in her eyes.


    Li XinWen saw this and sighed helplessly. "Rui-ge¡­Remember what I told you back at the auction house? If you make Hua-jie cry, I will skin you alive¡­"


    "XinWen..." Xue Rui''s low voice could be heard from the phone speaker.


    "But since the two of you seem to be hiding something from me, I''ll give you a chance to come clean. Thirty minutes. If you can come back here in thirty minutes, I''ll let you explain it yourself," Li XinWen told him before cutting off the line.

 Chapter 47 - Space? You mean hiding place?!

    "But since the two of you seem to be hiding something from me, I''ll give you a chance to come clean. Thirty minutes. If you can come back here in thirty minutes, I''ll let you explain it yourself," Li XinWen told him before cutting off the line.


    "Ah''Wen!" Li JingHua couldn''t believe what she just heard. She looked at her younger brother who only looked back at her.


    "Hua-jie, clearly you still love him. I don''t know what''s making you act cold towards him but, it''s better to discuss these kinds of things with ALL parties involved present," Li XinWen told her. "Plus, I want to ask... Does Xue Rui have an ability?"


    "... Three abilities..." Li JingHua muttered in a low voice. "But Ah''Wen, even without him, I''m sure we can survive the apocalypse! You don''t need to-"


    "I don''t need to what?" Li XinWen quickly cut her off. "Li JingHua... Although you are my older sister... I am still the eldest man in this household. Keeping our family safe is my responsibility. If Xue Rui can help increase our survivability, then it would be wiser to include him in your plan. Don''t you think?"


    "That..." Li JingHua was still hesitant. She really did not want to include Xue Rui in her plans but she also knew that with him around, they would be a lot safer. After all, without Xue Rui''s help, they might not even survive the first few months of the apocalypse. "Alright. Fine. I''ll agree to include him."


    "Great. Now, can you tell me what his abilities are?"


    "Lightning, Fire and Ice... two variant elements so he was humanity''s biggest asset back then but..."


    "But?" Li XinWen asked but Li JingHua only shook her head, refusing to answer. ''Guess I can only search her memories later...'' Li XinWen thought as he looked at her sister. "Alright, so let''s have a check..." Li XinWen opened a notepad app on his phone. "Ah''Xiao have Fire and Ice, Hua-jie has water and, Rui-ge has lightning, ice and fire... and I have none..." at this, Li XinWen pretended to sigh.


    "It''s alright, Ah''Wen! As long as you can practice martial arts with Mr. Min, I''m sure you can still protect yourself!" Li JingHua quickly tried to assure her brother.


    "Of course. I have to get stronger so I can protect you, Ah''Xiao and mom!"


    "Right. Anyway, I still have another ability," Li JingHua told him. "How about I just show you?" as she said this, she waved her hand over the table and the cups on the table disappeared without a trace.


    Li XinWen''s eyes widened in surprise and used Mo Yan to see if it was concealed. The result was, the cup had completely disappeared. "Hua-jie, do you have a qiankun bag?" Li XinWen asked as he began to look at her from top to bottom trying to find the bag he suspected his sister as having.


    "Qiankun bag? What''s that?" this time, it was Li JingHua who was confused.


    "It''s... A bag with a spatial dimension inside. You can store items bigger than its physical size into the space within! The higher the quality of the bag, the larger the space! The bag''s quality depends on the array that is placed on it and only high-level cultivators who have studied arrays can make a qiankun bag!" Li XinWen explained.


    "Oh..." was all Li JingHua could say. She didn''t really get what Li XinWen said but at least, she understood the gist of it. "No, Ah''Wen. I don''t have that bag. What I did was put the cups into my space," she told him before she took out the cups again which now appeared on the table. "Space ability users are rare... And the space they have increased as the user''s level increases. Right now, I can easily put everything we have in this house in my space and we''ll still be left with space as big as our house."


    "That big? No one else can access your space, right?" Li XinWen asked again.


    "No. Unless I die, no one should be able to access my space."


    Li XinWen''s eyes were shining as he heard what Li JingHua said. "Hua-jie, I''m your younger brother, right? Can you help me keep something safe?" he asked in a childish manner.

 Chapter 48 - Hua-jie, your future husband is here.

    Seeing her younger brother''s expression, Li JingHua somehow felt that his brother was up to something mischievous. "What is it that you need to keep safe...?" she asked cautiously. "You didn''t secretly pick up another stray cat while you were out with Xue Rui, did you? I''ll tell you in advance, I cannot store living beings," Li JingHua directly informed him. Li XinWen just grinned at her before rushing upstairs.


    She was suddenly reminded of when Li XinWen secretly brought back a cat and hid it in his room. At that time, Li XinWen was still in middle school. They weren''t living in this house then but in a much smaller and humbler house. She remembered the cat that Li XinWen fancied at that time and brought home, its black fur was falling off, and it was skinny from not eating well. Her brother managed to keep the cat in his room for three days before their mother found out.


    If it wasn''t for their mother''s allergy, Li XinWen would''ve kept the cat until now. Unfortunately, he had to give it away to a shelter. Since then, he never brought back a cat again. But after he began working as an actor, Li JingHua found out Li XinWen had once again secretly taken care of a cat. Except, this cat was placed in a different housing. A certain apartment in the city, one where Li XinWen stayed in if he had ongoing work. At first, Li JingHua did not mind, but when she went to visit a few months ago, she saw that the number of cats in that apartment had increased from one to thirteen.


    Li JingHua scolded Li XinWen for a while for being irresponsible. His work usually required him to go over to the set and sometimes, he would need to stay for a few days. When that happens, who would feed the cats then? She still remembered the desperate look on Li XinWen''s face and she couldn''t help but feel sorry. In the end, she offered to help look after them while Li XinWen was busy as long as Li XinWen promised not to pick up another stray cat. Li XinWen was grinning too back then, and it was the same grin he showed earlier.


    "¡­-jie, Hua-jie..." Li JingHua felt a light shake on her shoulder and saw Li XinWen looking at her worriedly. "I''ve been calling you for a while now. What were you reminiscing about? Hua-jie should smile more. You look more beautiful when you smile," Li XinWen said and only then did Li JingHua realize that she was indeed smiling.


    "It''s nothing. I just remembered about you and your cats."


    "Cats?" Li XinWen quickly consulted the original''s memories and sure enough, the original did keep some pets in another apartment. "Have you been taking care of them all this time?"


    "Of course. I promised, didn''t I?" Li JingHua said before noticing the large wooden box on the coffee table. "Is this... The one you wanted me to keep safe?" Li JingHua asked. "What is it?"


    Li XinWen could hear the curiosity from his sister''s tone. "A cauldron! Hua-jie, you must help me keep this safe. This tre--... I mean, this antique costs ten million!"


    "Cauldron? The one that you and Mr. Min bid against?"


    "The same one!"


    Li JingHua''s heart started to pound rapidly. ''Is this the same cauldron that Mr. Min used to make that medicine that could help fight the zombie virus?'' she wondered. Though in that distant future Li JingHua did not have a good life, some news still reached her ears such as the magical cauldron of the Min family that managed to produce medicine. "Ah''Wen, do you know the use of this cauldron?" she asked. ''Ah''Wen doesn''t know how important the cauldron is for Mr. Min¡­ I have to tell him¡­'' she thought as she prepared to explain it to Li XinWen.


    "Of course! This is one of the Twelve Celestial Cauldron of legends! Such a great treasure, it''ll make refining pills much easier!" Li XinWen became overly excited as he explained what the cauldron was to Li JingHua. Despite being a man of over three centuries old, when faced with such legendary treasures, even a thousand-year-old cultivator would act like a child.


    "Pills? Do you mean medicine? Can you make medicine with this?" Li JingHua asked, excitement building inside her. ''Does Ah''Wen actually knows?'' she thought and her eyes didn''t even hide her expectation.


    "En! As long as I have the ingredients!" Li XinWen nodded his head proudly.


    "Then can you make medicine to fight against the zombie virus?"


    "Vi...rus?" Li XinWen suddenly remembered where he was currently.


    ''Ah! I''ve been too excited that I''ve forgotten my current situation!! Virus? Let''s see... Oh, it''s like a plague that enters the body system and poisoned the body...'' Li XinWen quickly composed himself before he replied to Li JingHua.


    "Of course. As long as I know the composition of the virus, and as long as I have the ingredients, then it''s possible."


    When Li JingHua heard Li XinWen''s answer, she became hopeful. But then a sudden realization dawned on her, which immediately crushed that hope. "I see... Unfortunately, I don''t know the composition of the virus nor do I know what ingredients are needed..." she sighed, feeling defeated.


    "Well, maybe we''ll figure it out when the time comes?" Li XinWen said as he tried to comfort the suddenly depressed Li JingHua.


    "Hopefully..."


    Just as the word left her lips, the doorbell rang. Li XinWen looked over at the clock and saw that it had only been a mere ten minutes since he told Xue Rui to return. "Hua-jie, I think your future husband is here."


    Li XinWen only said it in order to gauge her reaction. As suspected, Li JingHua suddenly showed an uncomfortable expression and even looked away from him, as if feeling guilty. "I will go and open the door for him. Help me hide the cauldron in your space."

 Chapter 49 - I was tricked! Hes a free man!

    When Li XinWen reached the door, he decided to tease the man on the other side. "Rui-ge, is it cold outside?" he asked through the door. "Want me to open this door?"


    "XinWen... Don''t play around. You''ve called me, and now I''m here. If you want me to leave, just say so and I''ll leave..." came Xue Rui''s voice from the other side. From his tone, Li XinWen could hear how depressed the other man was.


    ''Teasing him like this isn''t even fun anymore...'' Li XinWen sighed before he opened the door. "Come on in," he gestured for Xue Rui to come in before he closed the door. "You only took ten minutes even though I gave you thirty minutes. Did you drive fast again?" Li XinWen asked as he led Xue Rui into the living room.


    Xue Rui wasn''t going to tell Li XinWen that he hadn''t even gotten that far when he received the notification that Li XinWen followed Min XiaoYu in Donyun. "You''ve seen my driving skills. Getting here in ten minutes isn''t that hard. Plus... I didn''t want to let you wait too long."


    Li XinWen hummed before he finally returned to the sofa. He stared at Xue Rui who just continued to stand. He could see that Xue Rui had a complicated look on his face when he saw Li JingHua. ''These two really are hiding something...'' Li XinWen thought. ''If they broke up... How can I keep my promise to the original Li XinWen?''


    "Rui-ge, go and take a seat first. I''m sure you and Hua-jie have something to tell me, right? Don''t worry. I have all night, and I am patient. You can take all the time you need to prepare yourself," Li XinWen said with a smile on his face.


    "XinWen, what is it that you want to know? To be honest, I''m not sure what it is that we''re supposed to tell you..." Xue Rui said as he took a seat before Li XinWen.


    "Not sure? Is that really the case?" Li XinWen asked as he narrowed his eyes. Then he glanced over at Li JingHua who sat beside him. "Hua-jie, explain to me why you were so hostile towards Xue Rui earlier. Don''t lie... I will know..."


    Li JingHua bit her lips as she looked away. "Ah''Wen... You should know why..." as she said this, she clenched both her hands into a tight fist. "He... Took advantage of you, didn''t he? I found out during that future I experienced... He... And you..." Li JingHua didn''t want to continue and Li XinWen could sense his sister''s inner turmoil.


    "Continue," he urged Li JingHua.


    "He forced you to sleep with him... And you agreed as long as he kept us safe..." she said as she glared at Xue Rui as if he''s the worst sc.u.m on earth. "So when I returned to this time, I decided to break off our engagement and cut our ties completely. But this man! I never thought he''d be so shameless!"


    "En. Shameless indeed..." Li XinWen agreed before realizing what Li JingHua had just said. ''Wait! Break off their engagement?! My worst fear has become a reality! Li XinWen, ah! Your sister just broke off her engagement. How can I keep my promise to you??'' Li XinWen wanted to say something to Li JingHua but he was cut off by Xue Rui.


    "Nonsense! Even though I--" Xue Rui suddenly stopped himself. As much as he wanted to deny that he wouldn''t take advantage of Li XinWen like that, he felt that what Li JingHua said he did was true. At least, the him before would do so. But now, he wanted to earnestly pursue Li XinWen so he definitely wouldn''t do as such. "A-anyway, I don''t care what future you saw. Whatever happened in that future of yours may not necessarily happen again! For one, I won''t force Li XinWen anymore. He even promised that he''ll let me pursue him!"


    "I did?" now, Li XinWen was confused. ''When did I...'' he went through his memories before a scene in the auction house replayed in his mind. ''This bastard! No wonder he was so happy when I told him I''m not going to get involved with someone who''s spoken for! It''s because he''s a free man!''


    Li XinWen was so deep in his thought that he didn''t realize that the two people in the living room were both looking at him. When he did, the atmosphere had long turned awkward. "What? I only said that..."


    "So you did agree to let him pursue you?!" it was Li JingHua who cut him off this time. "Ah''Wen! You mustn''t agree!"


    "Li JingHua! This is between me and XinWen! As you''ve said before, we have nothing to do with each other so please stop meddling!"


    Li XinWen noticed that things were getting out of control and their voices were slowly rising. He was afraid that if he let this continue, it''ll wake their mother. He massaged his forehead, as he felt a headache coming. ''I thought this rebirth was a blessing... but it turned out to be a disaster.''


    "Alright, enough..." Li XinWen said with a heavy tone. "I now know why Hua-jie was hostile. And I also know why she wanted me to keep my distance from you, Rui-ge. Now, both of you... Listen carefully to what I say."


    Li XinWen''s expression turned extremely serious as he glanced over at the two. "Hua-jie, you are to let Xue Rui into your plan. You know it yourself... Xue Rui is an indispensable asset. With him around, we''ll be safer. I already agreed to learn martial arts in Mr. Min''s school, so you must also agree to this."


    Li JingHua could only agree and Li XinWen felt one burden off his shoulder. Next, he turned to Xue Rui. "Rui-ge, I believe in Hua-jie and if she said the apocalypse is coming, then we better be prepared. So let''s put everything behind us and start anew, agreed?"


    "XinWen, does that mean..." before Xue Rui could finish, Li XinWen raised his hand, telling Xue Rui to stop talking.


    "I still do not agree to you pursuing me. In all honesty, I still feel that you and Hua-jie suit each other better," Li XinWen responded. He could see that Xue Rui was getting even more dejected. "However, I always believed that feelings are not forced and people are free to pursue the one they love. If you truly wished to pursue someone, then I can''t do anything about it. I can only tell you that you will end up disappointed if you pick me."


    Xue Rui''s eyes lit up once again. Although Li XinWen said he didn''t agree, he also won''t stop him. ''Doesn''t that mean I''m being given a chance?'' he thought, and a smile formed on his face.


    "The future isn''t set, XinWen! I will try my best to make you fall for me!" Xue Rui announced confidently.


    "Ah''Wen... Are you sure?" only Li JingHua felt that this was not a good idea at all. But her brother was almost an a.d.u.l.t now, and with his current temperament, she felt that Li XinWen will be able to make his own choices. Still, that didn''t mean that she''s willing to let Xue Rui pursue her brother that easily.


    "Don''t worry, Hua-jie. If he wants it, he must prove himself worthy. Since you are no longer engaged, do you think I''ll let him have his way?" Li XinWen smirked at Li JingHua and Xue Rui suddenly felt that things were going in the wrong direction.


    "XinWen..." he called out his beloved''s name.


    "Hmm?" Li XinWen answered with a hum as he turned to face him.


    "What can I do to prove myself worthy? I''ll do anything!"


    "Anything?"


    "Yes! Anything! As long as it''s for you!"


    "Good. Remember your word! This weekend, come with us to Mr. Min''s martial arts school! If I have to learn martial arts from them, then you must learn too!" Li XinWen announced with a mischievous grin on his face.


    ''I''ll show you the difference between heaven and earth! Then we''ll see if you''ll still have any indecent thoughts about me!''


    Mini Theatre 5:


    Li XinWen: Come in thirty minutes and I''ll let you-- (Xue Rui''s mind goes elsewhere and did not hear the rest)


    Xue Rui: XinWen¡­


    -call got cut off-


    Xue Rui: ¡­ What will he let me do again? Hug? Kiss? I''ll just go and find out.


    -Drives at full speed-


    Mini Theatre 6:


    Li XinWen: Rui-ge, should I open this door?


    Xue Rui: Yes.


    Li XinWen: Why?


    Xue Rui: So I can kneel down and propose to you.


    Li XinWen: ¡­ Please continue to stand outside. Or you can propose to the door instead.


    And that, was Li XinWen''s first win against Xue Rui.

 Chapter 50 - Is this what you call Karma?

    After Li JingHua, Li XinWen and Xue Rui settled on an agreement between themselves, Xue Rui was once again chased out.


    "XinWen... Can''t I stay the night? It''s already this late," Xue Rui asked, trying to incite pity from Li XinWen by giving him a puppy look.


    "No. You no longer have any valid reason to stay the night, Rui-ge. So, off you go," Li XinWen replied with a small chuckle as he pushed Xue Rui out the door.


    Realizing that there was no way of convincing Li XinWen, Xue Rui decided to give up for the night. He turned around and walked towards his car when he heard Li XinWen call after him.


    "Ah! Rui-ge¡­ Speaking of which," Li XinWen''s voice made Xue Rui stop and turn around, looking extremely hopeful. Li XinWen also saw this, but deliberately ignored it and continued, "Can you tell me the name of the shop where you bought the jades from Rui-ge? I''d also like to buy something for mom."


    "The shop? I can bring you there tomorrow."


    "No. You can just tell me where it is. If you come along, you''ll end up paying again... I don''t want that. This is going to be my gift to mom, so it must come from my own money," Li XinWen responded, quickly rejecting Xue Rui''s offer to bring him there.


    "Then I''ll send you the location and the name of the shop to your phone later¡­" Xue Rui paused. "XinWen, I--"


    Li XinWen cut Xue Rui off saying, "Alright. I''ll wait for your message with the name and the location of the shop."


    Li XinWen turned around, smiling as he walked towards the front door, leaving Xue Rui discouraged and heartbroken. Xue Rui sighed in resignation and proceeded towards his car. Upon reaching his car, Xue Rui looked up at the night sky, his throat hurt, and his eyes stung from suppressing the tears that were trying to come out of his eyes out of frustration.


    ''I know I''m not a saint and I don''t think I''ll be a saint anytime, but can''t you give me a break? Just a little? Is it too much to ask?''


    Xue Rui sighed a deep, heavy sigh and hung his head low. He sat in the driver''s seat and turned on the engine. He was about to close his door and drive off when he heard Li XinWen call out.


    "Oh! And Rui-ge, don''t forget our date on the weekend¡­" Li XinWen teased. "I promise it will be something that you will never forget."


    "Huh? A date? XinWen do you mean that? You''re actually asking me out on a date this weekend?" Xue Rui asked enthusiastically, eyes sparkling, forgetting all his frustrations, until he saw Li XinWen chuckling and dropped the punchline.


    "Hahahaha¡­ Rui-ge, you make me laugh. Yes, it''s a date. To be more precise it''s a group date, you, myself, Ah''Xiao and Mr. Min¡­ and probably several other students at that martial art school," Li XinWen said, his hands are already itching as he thought of what he''s going to do this weekend. "Well, I''ll see you then Rui-ge. Drive safe¡­" Li XinWen responded with a glint in his eyes, full of seduction, at least in Xue Rui''s perspective.


    "Wouldn''t want anything to happen to you before I can even have my fun," he added in a low voice. This time, Li XinWen walked to the front door, opened it and shut the door behind him, not even waiting for another second for Xue Rui''s reaction.


    Xue Rui was left stupefied, his mouth hanging open. Perhaps if he hadn''t snapped out of his stupefaction he would have started drooling. Xue Rui shook his head and bowed his head and leaned into the steering wheel.


    "Ugh! And here I was thinking that the universe had answered my prayers¡­ good god, I''ve become such a fool. The young master of the Xue family is a fool. If anyone finds out, I will be a living laughing stock! Why must you tease me XinWen ah¡­ It''s hard enough as it is, not being able to stay beside you or touch you or even just hold your hand. Now that you know the engagement with your sister is over it will become even more difficult¡­" Xue Rui lamented before letting out the heaviest sigh. "God¡­ is this what you call karma?"

 Chapter 51 - Worry too much and youll end up with more wrinkles

    Li XinWen who had just entered the house rubbed both hands as if trying to calm himself down. ''I''ll need to be careful not to overdo it when the time comes,'' Li XinWen reminded himself, not realizing that Li JingHua was standing in front of the front door, her arms crossed over her chest, a dissatisfied look on her face.


    "Did he leave? He didn''t do anything else while I was in the kitchen, did he?"


    Before Li XinWen could reply, as if to answer Li JingHua, the sound of a car driving away was heard from outside.


    "There''s your answer Hua-jie¡­" Li XinWen answered, smiling at Li JingHua. "You don''t have to worry about him taking advantage of me anymore," Li XinWen said, as if to tone down Li JingHua''s overly protective aura right at that moment.


    "It''s late. Go and rest. You have work tomorrow, right?" Li XinWen turned Li JingHua around and started pushing her playfully from behind as he said this.


    "Off we go to sleep," he said with laughter. "Oh, and about the investment thing you mentioned before, I''m not very knowledgeable about it, so I will just leave it to elder sister. How much do you need for starters?" Li XinWen asked as they went up the stairs.


    "I have about half a million in savings with me. If possible, I would like to ask for another half a million from you." Though Li JingHua had already decided on this, to ask her little brother for financial help still filled her with embarrassment. "I''ll be sure to pay you back."


    "Does money still have any value in the apocalypse?" Li XinWen asked.


    "Well, no. Once the apocalypse starts, money will have no value at all. Financial systems and institutions shut down shortly after. It was a mess. People didn''t trust each other. It was every man for himself¡­ everywhere people stole and pillaged whatever resources they can get their hands on. The most valuable things were food and clean water. Eventually people started banding together," Li JingHua shared, wincing as if the memory was too painful to think about.


    "The military eventually could no longer control these groups and an exchange system was established as form of transactions between individuals. It was fairly organized in the beginning, but some people became greedy. Some groups monopolized resources and started exacting exorbitant rates for exchanges and underground transactions became rampant¡­"


    "It was later found that when people turned, a crystal nucleus forms in the brain. This serves as a kind of the central processing unit of zombies and connects them to one another like a network. These nuclei can also be used to increase the power of the ability users. So, when the news was spread, the exchange system also changed. The nuclei are now used just how money would be used. The higher the level of the zombie, the higher the grade of the nucleus, thus they have more value than the nuclei you get from a level 1 zombies. Collecting the nucleus, especially the high-grade ones is our priority so we can increase our strength as fast as possible."


    When she reached the top of the stairs, she turned her head and looked at Li XinWen. There was a hint of worry in her eyes as she contemplated on what to say next.


    "What''s wrong, Hua-jie?" Li XinWen asked with a gentle smile on his face. "Worrying about me again? You know you don''t have to, right? I already promised to learn martial arts. I won''t be a burden."


    "That''s not it. In the future that I experienced, you went through many hardsh.i.p.s because you''re not an ability user. So, I was thinking... if I should let you handle the zombies alone as early as possible so that you''d get more experience. As much as I want to protect you, there will be other things that I cannot predict. Being separated in the apocalypse is normal so, the earlier you can depend on yourself, the more I will feel at ease."


    Looking at Li JingHua''s expression, Li XinWen couldn''t help but feel touched. He then lifted a hand and pinched her cheek playfully. "Hua-jie, stop worrying too much. You''ll end up with more wrinkles if you do," he said in a joking manner. "I''ll work hard. So you can worry less about me. I''m actually more worried about mom..."


    When Li JingHua heard the last sentence, she bit her lips and looked down on the floor.


    "But I know we''re going to protect her anyway! So, we just have to worry about making mom live well even in the apocalypse!" Li XinWen grinned as he turned Li JingHua around once more and pushed her to the direction of her room. It didn''t take long for them to arrive in front of Li JingHua''s bedroom and Li XinWen saw her to her room before saying, "Good night, Hua-jie. Rest well. I''ll transfer the money tomorrow."

 Chapter 52 - Shuang Ren (Frost Blade)

    After sending Li JingHua to her room, Li XinWen went into his room and the first thing he did was to take out the rusty jian. "Time to reveal your true form, hmm?" Li XinWen said as he injected his spiritual force into the sword. The sword shook lightly in his hand and soon, the rust on the sword turned to dust and its beautiful design could finally be seen.


    The sheath was white with silver and black fittings, and upon closer inspection, one can see that each design was made with care. The guard of the sword and its pommel was a matching colour of silver. The black handle was smooth to the touch and as soon as Li XinWen pulled the blade out, he couldn''t help but admire the craftsmanship of the sword. Just below the guard, on its blade, Li XinWen noticed the characters that were carved on it read Shuang Ren (Frost Blade).


    "... But how could treasures such as this and the cauldron end up in this lower realm?" Li XinWen couldn''t help wondering as he sheathed the jian. Then he glanced at his palm where LanYu was currently. "And you too. Surely before me, you had your master."


    As if responding to him, LanYu sent out a stream of warm spiritual energy, which made Li XinWen chuckle. "Right, since you''re already in this state, then your previous master is long gone. I''m your new master now. Tomorrow, I''ll check out that place where Rui-ge got you so we can see if we can recover those parts you''re missing. As for you..." Li XinWen eyed the jian in his hand. His heart was itching to try it out but he was afraid that it might cause a huge commotion within the Li household.


    "I''ll bring you over to Mr. Min''s place on the weekend. No, wait... I don''t think that''s a good idea. I need to be wary of that expert who put the seal within Mr. Min''s mind..." after the betrayal of a fellow sect member back in Long Xing, Li XinWen became more distrustful when it comes to a fellow cultivator. Min XiaoYu was alright since he''s stronger than the other, but when it comes to the expert that put the seal, he can''t help but be cautious.


    Li XinWen let out a heavy sigh before placing the Jian on the table. "I guess I''ll just have to wait until the apocalypse," he murmured in a soft voice before he went to his bed. He laid down on the soft mattress and started to look through the original''s memories. He sifted through everything, absorbing all the knowledge within the memories. By the time he was done, he looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was past midnight. "Hua-jie should be in deep sleep by now, right? Time to see what traumatized her so much."


    As soon as he said this, Li XinWen sat up cross-legged on the bed and closed his eyes. He sent out his spiritual energy towards Li JingHua''s room and easily entered her mind. Then, he manipulated the spiritual energy to play out the memories of Li JingHua''s past life.


    Back in LongXing, memory search was one of the most dangerous techniques for cultivators. If not done carefully, it can cause mental damage to the one whose memories are being searched. But the main cause for that was because cultivators would instinctively resist the memory search, causing the seeker to expend more force to get what they want.


    Memory search can also be used as a form of mental attack, but this kind of attack is like a double double-edged blade and almost none of the cultivators would risk doing it.


    Fortunately, mortals have no way of resisting this technique so Li XinWen can easily extract the memories out of Li JingHua. He picked a timeline at random and let his consciousness enter the memories so he could get a glimpse of what Li JingHua experienced.


    ''I''m sorry, Hua-jie¡­I promise I''ll erase this nightmare when I leave, so you won''t remember ever dreaming about it¡­'' Li XinWen thought, feeling a little guilty. But he still wanted to know how he could better help her.

 Chapter 53 - 53 - Heaven... Spare me, ah!

    Li JingHua opened her eyes, the air was stale, and the dust particles could be seen floating in the air, following the beams of sunlight that penetrated the holes of the glass ceiling outside. Immediately, Li XinWen noticed that they were not at their home.


    ''Did we have to leave our home?'' He thought back to the warm home and couldn''t help but sigh. ''Maybe there was some unavoidable reason. Something must have happened¡­''


    Li JingHua sat up from the makeshift bed on the floor. It seemed that she had not slept well through the night and perhaps she had not had a good rest for several nights as evidenced by the bags under her eyes. She combed her fingers through her hair and heaved a sigh as if she bore such a heavy weight on her shoulders. She walked to the makeshift lavatory and washed her face. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes looked lifeless and sad. She shook her head and wiped her face.


    She changed into a pair of jeans and a sleeveless top and wore a jacket over it. She put on a pair of heavy-duty leather boots, already distressed and its color faded from wear. From her point of view, Li XinWen saw the state of the place. It was a shopping mall, one of the military operated bases during the apocalypse. People used the second floor as their living quarters and the first floor belonged to the management of the base while the ground floor served as a quarantine area. All these were information that Li XinWen got from Li JingHua''s memories.


    Aside from that, Li XinWen also found out that this was the seventh month of the apocalypse. Ability users had started to surface but at the same time, zombies also evolved and became more ferocious. In fact, zombies evolved at a rate that was even faster than ability users. The highest ranked zombies known were level four and yet, ability users were only at the peak of level 2.


    As mere consciousness, Li XinWen was not there physically and was unable to control his body. He merely floated where Li JingHua went. He was only able to see what Li JingHua saw, hear what she heard and go where she went.


    Before leaving her quarters, Li JingHua seemed to have been deep in thought. Pacing back and forth, as if she was debating whether to push through with whatever plan she had in mind.


    ''I wonder what''s bothering her¡­''


    As if she had come to a decision, steeling her resolve and preparing herself for something she was certain was only going to bring her pain, Li JingHua took a deep breath and straightened herself. She left her quarters and walked a few doors down towards the north side of the complex. A bad feeling suddenly filled Li XinWen when he saw that Li JingHua had stopped in front of a door. Although he had no physical body, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Obscene m.o.a.ns and groans were coming from the other side of the door if one listened closely enough. But it seemed that Li JingHua did not pay attention to the obscene sounds, these merely fortified the suspicions she had been mulling over for a while.


    ''The room isn''t soundproofed, and yet they still dare to do it? In these conditions? I guess even in the apocalypse there''s still a need to satisfy one''s desires for these mortals¡­'' Li XinWen thought as he shook his head. Li JingHua''s hand trembled as it hovered over the door handle, hesitating whether to open it and interrupt the tryst that was unfolding within the room. Suddenly a voice was heard from the other side, it was faint, as if the person was exhausted and spent.


    "Nngh¡­ no more¡­ Rui-ge¡­ please¡­"


    The voice sounded familiar and Li XinWen recognized it right away ''Oh no¡­ this is not going to end well. I should have expected this, Xue Rui and Li XinWen. I guess this was when she first found out about the relationship between the two, but that might not be the case. Perhaps this was what was bothering Li JingHua earlier when she awoke? I have a bad feeling about this encounter. Heavens above, spare me, ah¡­'' Li XinWen felt awkward when he heard the original''s voice in such a salacious manner. Not to mention, it was the exact same voice that he had. He wished he could go inside and cover the original''s mouth so he wouldn''t have to hear it. Unfortunately, he was stuck with Li JingHua who was currently hesitating in front of the door.


    It was unfortunate that Li XinWen was unable to find out Li JingHua''s exact feelings at that moment, but it was safe to assume that she was deeply hurt just by looking at her red eyes brimming with tears. She looked around to make sure that no one was present, and only then did she slowly turn the door handle and pushed the door open.


    The scene which greeted them was more than steamy, two men in their birthday suit connected at their most intimate parts. The air was heavy with s.e.x.u.a.l desire with Xue Rui pressing down Li XinWen on the bed.


    For a cultivator who has not had any experience in this aspect of a relationship, Li XinWen felt embarrassed, as if he was intruding on an event where he should not be privy to. He felt ashamed knowing that the persons involved were committing an act of betrayal. He wanted to cover his eyes but alas, he had to suffer as he saw ''himself'' being devoured and thrust upon by Xue Rui.


    Mini theatre 7:


    -Obscene m.o.a.ns could be heard from behind the wall-


    Li XinWen: The people inside are so daring. They''re doing it as if this place is a pleasure house.


    -Li XinWen sees the people inside the room-


    Li XinWen: %#@&#$!!


    -Li XinWen has left Li JingHua''s memories-

 Chapter 54 - 54 - This is not the Xue Rui I know

    The original Li XinWen was underneath Xue Rui, his eyes closed, his face a mixed expression of pain, exhaustion, a bit of pleasure and anger. His hands rested on Xue Rui''s chest and his arms seemed to be straining, as if he was trying to push the person off him to no avail. The original Li XinWen hadn''t noticed that someone else was in the room, Xue Rui did, however. In spite knowing that someone else was in the room, he continued his thrusting as if his only concern was to mark and claim what was his.


    Li JingHua walked closer, each step silent, yet heavy. Xue Rui''s gaze moved from the person underneath him towards Li JingHua, for a split second it was as if Xue Rui had a smile on his lips, but Li XinWen could not be certain, as the room was a bit dark. But as Li JingHua came closer, Li XinWen saw that Xue Rui''s gaze, was piercing. His eyes laced with a ruthlessness, indifference and consumed by animalistic desire, as if telling Li JingHua that this is who he was.


    ''Who is this person?'' Li XinWen asked himself after noticing something different in Xue Rui. ''This is not the Xue Rui that I know at all¡­ what happened to him?'' If Li XinWen was physically present, he would be able to figure out by the spiritual signature but unfortunately, this was only a world of memories.


    Li JingHua gasped and covered her mouth, stifling her urge to shout and scream at the individuals in front of her. She bit her lip and lowered her hands. Clenching them into fists, digging her nails into her palm.


    ''This needs to end¡­'' Li JingHua whispered.


    Li XinWen watched as Li JingHua raised both hands and clapped. It was painful to watch. The expression on Li JingHua''s face was indescribable, her smile twisted and trembled, her eyes reflected her raging heart. The sound of clapping hands startled the original Li XinWen, he turned his head towards the direction of the sound after realizing that there was someone else in the room. His eyes widened after recognizing that it was his sister.


    He struggled to push Xue Rui, but Xue Rui held him down, looking straight at him with unrelenting gaze.


    "Rui-ge¡­ please¡­ I''m begging you¡­" the original Li XinWen whispered, almost whimpering. The panic in his voice seemed to have brought Xue Rui back to his senses. His glance went from Li JingHua back to Li XinWen who was underneath him before he pulled himself out and got off Li XinWen. Xue Rui''s reaction was one of indifference, unperturbed by Li JingHua''s presence or by the fact that he was caught by his fianc¨¦ in an unspeakable act. He nonchalantly walked towards the chair in the corner and started to dress himself. The original Li XinWen quickly grabbed the blanket and covered himself as he struggled to stand up.


    "Hua-jie¡­" he called out, his voice shaky and his eyes filled with fear and panic. "Hua-jie, I¡­ I can explain¡­"


    "Explain what XinWen?" she asked, suppressing the anger that was slowly spreading through her whole being. "I believe I''ve already seen everything. What else is there to explain?" Tears slowly flowing down Li JingHua''s cheeks.


    "Ah''Wen¡­ even though I didn''t know of your s.e.x.u.a.lity before this, I would''ve still accepted you," Li JingHua''s voice was too calm, but the expression on her face and her cold gaze which pierced through Li XinWen contradicted her calm voice. It was worse than being screamed at out of anger. The disappointment in Li JingHua''s voice made Li XinWen crumble.


    "Hua-jie¡­ it''s not what you think¡­ please, please hear me out¡ª"


    Li JingHua cut him off, "Even though it''s the apocalypse¡­ XinWen, there are still so many other men out there. Why? Why did it have to be Xue Rui? You of all people know that he and I are engaged. You just had to snatch your own sister''s fianc¨¦? How could you? How could you betray me like this?"


    "Hua-jie, let me explain¡ª"


    "Enough XinWen¡­ I don''t want to hear any lies!... Enough¡­" Li JingHua''s voice was pained and quaking as her tears, continued to flow. She turned to Xue Rui, who sat on the chair, in the corner, eyes downcast, his demeanor indifferent as if the concept of guilt was something foreign to him.


    "Our engagement is over Xue Rui¡­" Li JingHua declared through her tears, her heart aching and her throat constricting. Her hand shook as she struggled to take off the diamond ring she cherished ever since Xue Rui''s proposal.


    "I feel like I''ve been made a fool of by both of you¡­ you make me sick¡­" Li JingHua said as she threw the ring at Xue Rui, who did not even flinch when the ring hit him on the chest. The original Li XinWen was beside himself as the repercussion of his betrayal unfolded in front of him.


    "No¡­ Hua-jie¡­ please¡­"


    "Being the third wheel in a loving relationship makes me sick and I want no part of it."


    The last sentence that Li JingHua said seems to have been aimed directly at the original Li XinWen, but before anything else happened, she left the room, slamming the door shut in anger.


    Li XinWen, whose consciousness was directly connected to Li JingHua naturally left the room along with her even though he wanted to stay and observe the original some more. ''I wonder if that was the reason why Li JingHua feels guilty... did he commit suicide sometime afterwards?'' he wondered.

 Chapter 55 - 55 - In return of giving you my body...

    As the memories played on, he had his answer when the original didn''t die even after three months. Because they were registered in the same team, they had to do the base tasks together. Unfortunately, the rift between Li JingHua and her brother seem to have widened. Whenever her brother tried to explain, Li JingHua would treat him like air and ignored him. After several failed attempts, the original Li XinWen seemed to have given up.


    Everything remained the same, until the day they were sent on a mission where things had gone wrong.


    Li XinWen skipped a lot of memories to reach this point. It was a year after the apocalypse and Xue Rui had just reached the fifth level for his lightning ability. When the base found out about this, they gave Xue Rui''s team a dangerous mission to eliminate a level four zombie leader. It seemed that when a zombie reaches level four, their level of intelligence also increased, and they developed tactical strategies for ambushing and escaping. It caused the base a big headache and the leader of the base wanted the zombie leader gone.


    The base sent out six teams, comprising of 54 people in total. Xue Rui was elected as leader due to his high level and naturally his small team of four took the lead. Their target was known to be hiding at the nearby food factory. They had wanted to collect the food within the factory before but because of the high-level zombie, they had to retreat. Now, the base''s food was running out and there was nowhere else to source food from other than the factory. The base leader planned to move everyone out of the base once they had enough provision to survive the journey.


    The six teams went out in a modified off-road car. The journey to the factory took less than two hours. They had already scouted the area before, so they knew the structure and the layout of the factory. From outside they could hear the groans of the undead. For reasons unknown to them, the zombies had been gathering at this location.


    "As planned, we should avoid the entrance. That level four zombie was reported to be last seen at the underground bas.e.m.e.nt of the factory. The closest route to the bas.e.m.e.nt is through the side so we''ll climb up the wall," Xue Rui quickly briefed the team before they all moved out. The 54 people worked together almost seamlessly. Sneaking into the factory while avoiding the zombies loitering outside as much as possible. There were only a few of them, so they should finish their mission without getting distracted. As for cleaning up, they left that to the base, to lead more people to do so.


    Li XinWen had wanted to experience more, but he suddenly noticed a slight interference. ''Oh! It''s almost morning in the real world! Seems like Li JingHua is slowly waking up! I need to hurry!''


    As soon as he thought of that, he decided not to waste any more time. He immediately skipped through the battle until the part where they almost killed the level four zombie. The zombie escaped while letting out a loud scream, calling the rest of the zombies to rush towards the team. It was like Li XinWen was watching a movie in fast forward. He saw the members of the team running to escape while being pursued by the undead. They were all climbing the walls that surrounded the factory and then, he finally saw the scene that made Li JingHua feel guilty.


    Li JingHua was climbing the ladder when it suddenly broke and she fell. The zombies were approaching, and most of the team had already gone, leaving only herself, her two brothers and Xue Rui. The original Li XinWen had told Li JingHua to jump as he reached out his hand, but Li JingHua was still unable reach it. Li JingHua saw the helplessness and desperation of her own brother and finally understood how much he cared for her. She was just about to tell them to leave her behind when Li XinWen jumped down before Xue Rui could stop him.


    Xue Rui''s expression immediately turned ugly. But it was too late to stop the original Li XinWen. The zombies were getting closer and Xue Rui who had been continuously using his abilities to slow down the zombies was now running out of energy.


    "JingHua, XinWen, hurry up! I''ll try to slow down the zombies as much as I can so both of you can climb up the wall." Xue Rui advised, trying to keep his voice calm so as not to add panic to the siblings who were struggling to climb up.


    "Sun Xiao has exhausted himself and can no longer use his abilities to aid me at slowing down the approaching zombies, so both of you should hurry up. XinWen¡­ stay calm, you can do it. I believe in you¡­" Xue Rui said with as much gentleness as he could muster even as his heart raced and his mind went on to imagine the worst possible scenario.


    "Hua-jie, I''ll support you," Li XinWen positioned himself by the wall and interlaced his fingers, creating a step for Li JingHua to go up. From his position, he could see the zombies behind Li JingHua, and he had to admit that he felt scared. "Now, Hua-jie, you will have to sprint to me from a distance and step on my hands, I''ll act as your springboard so you can jump, okay? Now hurry!" Li XinWen said with a smile, as if to reassure Li JingHua that everything was going to be alright.


    Li JingHua listened to her brother and she did a short run before stepping on Li XinWen''s interlaced fingers as she jumped. The original Li XinWen exerted more force and threw her up. Sun Xiao had been waiting and quickly grabbed Li JingHua''s hand, immediately pulling her up. He then reached down again, preparing to pull Li XinWen up.


    The original Li XinWen noticed that Xue Rui was nearing his limit, so he didn''t waste any more time as he rushed up to the wall and jumped! Unfortunately, the level four zombie that made its escape earlier chose this exact time to reappear. Li XinWen''s hand had almost reached Sun Xiao''s when the level four zombie pounced on him.


    "Ah''Wen!"


    "XinWen!!"


    Both Li JingHua and Xue Rui called out to him. As a non-ability user, Li XinWen could not even fight a level one zombie, let alone a level four and after just being hit once, he was already heavily injured. Xue Rui had already exhausted his ability, and Sun Xiao was just about to jump down to save him.


    "Don''t come!!" Li XinWen quickly yelled out to them. He wanted to get up, but the zombie didn''t even give him a chance. Its sharp nails pierced through Li XinWen''s abdomen, and he let out a loud, pained scream. Then, it opened its mouth wide, attempting to bite Li XinWen down. But before the zombie''s teeth reached him, Li XinWen placed a grenade in its mouth.


    It was Li XinWen''s last attempt at killing the level four zombie. Li JingHua knew what her brother was thinking. Now that there are only four of them, the level four zombie could easily kill them, and her brother decided to sacrifice himself to make sure the level four zombie wouldn''t be able to harm them.


    "Rui-ge¡­ take Hua-jie and Ah''Xiao and run..." Li XinWen said as he looked up weakly, blood pouring out of his mouth. "Hua-jie... please forgive Ah''Wen... Rui-ge... don''t forget your promise..."


    Li JingHua then saw the original Li XinWen pull out the pin, then an explosion followed before everything went dark.


    Li XinWen''s consciousness returned to his own body in the real world. He opened his eyes and saw that it was close to dawn. He then looked down and touched his abdomen. He was silent for a few moments, as if to recollect himself from what he had seen and experienced. As a cultivator he had mastered the art of remaining calm amidst any type of chaos, and the experience that Li JingHua went through was something he had to process and analyze.


    "What a painful way to die..." Li XinWen murmured in a soft voice, as if whispering a prayer for the original''s death. "But... I commend you, XinWen... for protecting your family. Your will to protect them, I have received them well. You can rest easy..."


    But as soon as the sentence left his lips, Li XinWen suddenly felt a splitting headache. He quickly clutched his head in pain and just as he was about to circulate his spiritual energy, he suddenly heard a voice within his head.


    "Remember your promise. In return for giving you my body, you must protect my family. Especially Hua-jie whom I''ve wronged in my past life¡­"

 Chapter 56 - 56 - Taking a walk

    Li XinWen was dumbfounded. His headache disappeared along with the voice. But that wasn''t what made Li XinWen feel dumbfounded. ''That voice earlier... wasn''t that the original Li XinWen? Promise? Are you telling me that you willingly gave up your body so that your family can be protected better? No. That is not the most important thing... have we met before?"


    Of course, his questions were met with silence. It made Li XinWen wonder if he had just imagined it since he used the memory search for a long period of time after all. "I feel like I''ve forgotten something¡­" Li XinWen mumbled softly as he got off the bed. Just then, he heard a door opening from outside followed by hurried footsteps. Before long, he heard a loud banging outside his bedroom door.


    "Ah''Wen! Ah''Wen!! Are you in there? Are you okay?!" Li JingHua''s panicked voice could be heard from outside and Li XinWen quickly opened the door for her. When Li JingHua came in, she immediately inspected Li XinWen from top to bottom, fussing over him. Only after seeing that her brother was safe did she let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness it was just a dream..." she murmured in a soft voice before she pulled him into a hug.


    It was only after Li JingHua mentioned the dream did Li XinWen finally remember what he had forgotten. ''Ah... right. Now I remember. I didn''t get the chance to remove the memories before I got kicked out. That nightmare must''ve felt real for her...'' Li XinWen thought as he rubbed her back to calm his sister. After a while, Li JingHua pulled away and Li XinWen gave her a smile. "Did you have a nightmare? Looks like I really have to work hard so that my dear sister doesn''t worry too much!"


    "En. Learn well... and during the apocalypse, please make sure you prioritize your own safety. Alright? Promise me this, Ah''Wen..."


    "Alright, I promise," Li XinWen''s mouth was saying this, but he was thinking otherwise. ''I''ve seen how the apocalypse was in your memories. Those low-level corpse soldiers won''t be able to harm me in five years. But that level four might be a bit of a problem...''


    "I will go and make breakfast today. What would you like?" Li XinWen was snapped out of his thoughts when Li JingHua spoke.


    "Then--"


    "Soft food only," Li JingHua quickly added when she saw Li XinWen''s excited expression.


    The excitement in his eyes died and Li XinWen let out a defeated sigh. "Then just make whatever¡­ I''m sure Hua-jie has a better idea on what I can and cannot eat..." after saying that, Li XinWen went to his bathroom to wash up and prepare for the day.


    Li JingHua saw the disappointed look on Li XinWen''s face and couldn''t help but feel guilty. She went back to her room to take a quick shower before going down to the kitchen. She looked around for ingredients to make breakfast and while looking inside the freezer, she saw the leftover meat from yesterday. She hesitated for a while before taking out her phone to browse the internet.


    Li XinWen had long finished taking his shower and was currently lounging in his room, reading a book. He was fascinated with one story about how spirits who have some unfinished desires would not be able to immediately go to the afterlife to be reincarnated. Instead, they would wander around the world and that is when the main character of the story comes in. The main character would lead these spirits to their hotel which catered to their needs. The hotel''s main goal was to satisfy the spirits so they can proceed to the afterlife without any regrets.


    He was just about to read the next chapter when Li JingHua called out for them to have breakfast. Closing the book, Li XinWen left his room and saw Sun Xiao exiting his room. With tacit understanding, the two of them went down together while engaging in small talk.


    When they reached the foot of the staircase, they were able to smell the alluring scent of breakfast. The two brothers went to the table and before taking their seat, they made sure to greet mother Li who was already seated at the head of the table.


    "Good morning, mom. You look beautiful as always, ah!" Li XinWen said with a huge smile as he kissed the side of her cheek.


    "Good morning, mom..." Sun Xiao said in a shy voice before he gave her a quick hug.


    Only after doing so did the two sat down. Li XinWen saw the colorful spread and it made his mouth water. The side dishes looked appetizing and delicious. The pickled vegetables looked vibrant and the steamed soft tofu bathed in soy chili sauce looked particularly delectable. Li XinWen feasted with his eyes and took in the delicious scent with gusto.


    Not long after, Li JingHua came out of the kitchen carrying a large bowl of fried rice. Upon seeing the fried rice, madam Li gave her a questioning look, as if to ask, ''why would she serve fried rice when not everyone will be able to eat it?'', which Li JingHua answered as she took her seat, "I''ve checked. Ah''Wen can at least eat fried rice. I''ve added minced meat and chopped vegetables to make it more nutritious and filling." She patted madam Li''s arm as additional reassurance and only then did madam Li relax and unfurrow her brows.


    Li XinWen eyed the big bowl before finally scooping some on to his plate. He quietly ate it and had to admit it tasted great. So far, the food that he had been having here were all different from what he had in LongXing. After breakfast, he made sure to thank Li JingHua properly before asking her where he could buy chocolate milk.


    "Are you planning to go out?" Li mother asked.


    "En. I was in the hospital for far too long. I want to walk around and exercise," Li XinWen answered. This, in truth was just an excuse.


    "Alright, just be careful."


    "I will!" Li XinWen gave his mother a hug to assure her before turning to Sun Xiao. "Oh, Ah''Xiao! How about I send you to school today?"


    Sun Xiao was in the process of slinging his backpack onto his shoulder when Li XinWen asked. The younger boy then remembered how Li XinWen once sent him to school in his car and it brought a lot of unwanted attention so he shook his head in disagreement. "I''m alright, Xin-gege. I can just walk..."


    "Aha! That''s a great idea! Then, I''ll go walk with you," Li XinWen playfully flicked Sun Xiao''s forehead. "Wait here. I''ll go and get my disguise."

 Chapter 57 - 57 - Lets do this the mortals way!

    By the time Li XinWen returned with his disguise, he saw that Sun Xiao was nowhere in sight. Li JingHua had also left for her job, but he clearly told Sun Xiao to wait for him earlier. "Mom, where''s Ah''Xiao?" Li XinWen asked as he approached madam Li.


    "Ah''Xiao? He should be outside waiting for you," his mother replied as she looked up from the newspaper that she had been reading.


    "Alright. Thank you, mom. I''ll leave now," Li XinWen said with a chuckle. Leaning down, he planted a kiss on her cheek before walking to the front door. Although Li XinWen wasn''t actually used to such intimate gesture, the original made it a habit to do so. Remembering the original''s fate made Li XinWen sigh. Shaking his head, he opened the door and saw Sun Xiao patiently waiting for him outside.


    "Why did you wait outside? You could have just waited inside and stayed comfortable," Li XinWen said to Sun Xiao.


    "I... just wanted to feed the neighbour''s dog before I go..." Sun Xiao answered as he looked down on the ground.


    Li XinWen compared this Sun Xiao to the Sun Xiao in Li JingHua''s memories. Though his appearance then was different, his personality remained the same. He remembered seeing how Li JingHua always had to save Sun Xiao from being bullied during the apocalypse. ''This won''t do. I should help this boy gain some confidence,'' Li XinWen thought as he hooked an arm around Sun Xiao''s shoulder.


    "Right. Shall we go? I remember your school is only a fifteen-minute walk from here," Li XinWen said as they started walking. They left the main gate of the house and quietly walked through the neighbourhood. All the while, Li XinWen was thinking how he can make Sun Xiao gain his confidence.


    "Ah''Xiao, do you still remember what Hua-jie talked about last night?"


    "En. About the apocalypse and such... right?"


    "Yes. And you said you want to learn martial arts so you can protect your elder brother, right?" Li XInWen turned his head to face Sun Xiao, flashing him a big grin.


    "En! En! I will work hard and make sure to protect Xin-gege! Hua-dajie said that Xin-gege doesn''t have any ability and since Ah''Xiao has two abilities, then Ah''Xiao must protect Xin-gege!"


    "Good, good. Then your Xin-gege will wait until Ah''Xiao is strong enough to protect me! So, you should hurry and grow up," Li XinWen pinched Sun Xiao''s cheek playfully and the two started laughing. After a while, they stopped and Li XinWen ruffled Sun Xiao''s hair. "You look better when you smile. So, smile more, okay? I''ll be very happy if my Ah''Xiao smiles more!"


    Sun Xiao stared at Li XinWen''s smiling face and he suddenly felt his heart race. He quickly shook his head and took a few steps back. "Xin-gege, up until here is enough. Ah''Xiao is running a little late so Ah''Xiao is going to run now! Xin-gege is still injured so you cannot run with me!" Sun Xiao said before he turned and quickly dashed away. Even after he reached the school, his heart still hadn''t calmed down.


    Meanwhile, Li XinWen who was suddenly left alone was confused. "Late? But there''s still thirty-eight minutes left before the school closed its gates! Or was the original''s memory wrong? I wonder what''s gotten over that boy? Hmmm¡­" Li XinWen mumbled as he stared at the time displayed on his phone. After a while, he slid his finger across the screen, quickly opening the chat app. He saw several unread messages from Xue Rui from the night before and smirked.


    "This little puppy really doesn''t want to give up¡­" he said as he tapped on the chat. The most recent message from Xue Rui was just this morning, greeting him for the day. Li XinWen kept scrolling, ignoring most of the messages and only stopped when he saw the message that he wanted to see.


    It was the location of the shop where Xue Rui acquired LanYu from. Tapping on the link, the phone''s built-in map application displayed the different routes available.


    According to the app, it was approximately 30 kilometers away from his current location. It would take around half an hour if he drove a car, around an hour by train and two and a half hours if he decided to walk.


    "If this was in LongXing, I could have easily reached thirty kilometers in ten breaths time. Being a mortal is so inconvenient. I guess I''ll have to do this the mortal''s way!" Li XinWen lamented, especially the fact that he could not use any of his skills to get to his destination.

 Chapter 58 - 58 - Officer, this is a misunderstanding

    Moments later, Li XinWen found himself in the backseat of a taxi. The driver kept on glancing back at the rearview mirror, looking at him worriedly. Li XinWen saw this and had to ask, "Is there something wrong with my face?"


    "No! No! Nothing''s wrong! Just... um... that''s it! Your eyes look pretty!" the driver answered in a panicked tone.


    Li XinWen raised an eyebrow before lifting his hand to touch the sunglasses he was wearing. ''Weird... I still have this on so why is he saying that my eyes look pretty?'' Li XinWen couldn''t help wondering.


    On the other hand, the driver gripped the steering wheel tightly. His mind was in a mess while his heart was filled with fear. ''This guy is not some gang member, right? The place he''s going to... isn''t that one of the underground organization''s turf?''


    With one person misunderstanding, and the other oblivious, the entire trip to Li XinWen''s destination could only be described as awkward. Whenever Li XinWen tried to strike up a conversation, the driver would answer but Li XinWen could see that the driver became increasingly anxious and uncomfortable, each time avoiding his question like the plague.


    Half an hour later, the taxi finally came to a stop and Li XinWen got out after paying. A huge building stood before him with a sign saying: "Hundred Treasures Antique Shop".


    The shop building stood out from the rest of the surrounding establishments. The area was mostly occupied by smaller buildings, a convenience store, a book shop, a couple of cafes, a laundromat and a quaint little restaurant. The shops were designed with modern and contemporary architecture while the antique shop building gave off a retro feel to it. Like travelling back in time.


    Below the sign was a ceramic tiled roof which served as an awning above the entrance. It was intricately designed, and the door was framed with wooden posts.


    ''Interesting contrast,'' Li XinWen observed. "Looks like this is the place¡­" Li XinWen muttered to himself before taking a step forward.


    Just then, Lan Yu started sending warm streams of spiritual energy but perhaps due to its excitement, the supposedly warm streams became increasingly hot to such a degree that Li XinWen ended up hissing.


    ''Calm down! I know parts of you are in there¡­'' Li XinWen scolded LanYu in his mind and only then did the jade calm down.


    Li XinWen was just about to take another step forward when he realized the spiritual energy around him shifted. He knew this was LanYu''s doing and under its guidance, the spiritual energies gathered and formed a trail. ''You want me to follow this spiritual trail?'' he asked and LanYu responded by sending out another stream of warmth towards Li XinWen. ''Alright. Let''s see where you''re leading me.''


    Following the trail, Li XinWen found himself walking towards the alley at the back of the building. The trail led him deeper until he reached the area where trash was being dumped. Don''t think that just because it''s a dumpster, it would look and smell disgusting. Unexpectedly, the dumpsters were clean and properly organized. Li XinWen continued to follow the trail that LanYu made until he found himself standing before a black plastic bag. ''In here?'' he asked, before he reached out with his spiritual sense. Sure enough, there were small bits of jade within the plastic. Left with no other choice, Li XinWen ripped the plastic and began his search.


    While he was searching, he noticed someone approaching him from behind. Thinking that it might just be someone wanting to throw some trash, he ignored it. That was until he felt the hostility emanating from the other person. Li XinWen quickly stood up and turned to face the individual. The person who was approaching him suddenly stopped and pointed a gun at Li XinWen.


    "Don''t move! Raise your hands! Palms open!" the man dressed as a police officer held the gun steadily.


    "Sir, I believe that there seems to be some kind of misunderstanding." Li XinWen said as he raised his hands, not wanting to cause any unnecessary problems.


    "Keep quiet and cooperate! Turn around now!"


    Li XinWen sighed and turned around, still with both hands raised. He could hear the footsteps of the approaching officer and not long after, his hands were roughly pulled from behind and cuffed. "Sir, this is an... unlawful arrest... " Li XinWen stated with a slight hesitation. He himself wasn''t sure if that was right. He only remembered that there was once a scene in one of the original Li XinWen''s drama where he acted as a lawyer and had to defend a person who was arrested unlawfully.


    "Someone from the underground organization is actually talking about the law?" the police officer scoffed. "Guys like you keep bending the laws to your liking and to get away with a lot of s#*&, so how is this unlawful?" the officer continued.


    "Officer there seems to be a mistake, I¡ª"


    "Shut up punk! Keep your mouth shut before I charge you even further," the police officer cut Li XinWen off and became rougher. At that point, Li XinWen knew that he had indeed been misunderstood


    ''Seems that there''s nothing else I can do... I can only knock him out and erase his memories,'' he thought. But just as he was about to exert some effort to break the handcuffs, a cold voice sounded behind them.


    "This is not a place for you to be hanging about, officer . Let that man go and leave, otherwise don''t blame me if you''re out of job the next day."

 Chapter 59 - 21.1 - Do not insult my mother

    ''Xue Rui? No... then who?'' the voice sounded very familiar to Li XinWen but at the same time, he knew something was off. The spiritual signature that came from the new person was different from Xue Rui''s. Li XinWen turned around and saw the man. The similarity between the man and Xue Rui was truly uncanny. If Li XinWen did not have the ability to detect a spiritual signature, he himself would''ve thought that this was Xue Rui.


    "And you are?" the officer from before asked the newcomer, not hiding the disdain from his voice.


    "Me? I am a man who can simply end your career with a snap of my finger. Would you like to make a bet?" the man answered with a bored expression. "I will count to three, Officer Duan. If you don''t let him go and scram, then you can start thinking of a way to put rice on your family''s table."


    "Is that supposed to be a threat? Should I cower and hide? And how do you actually know my name?" the officer roared, his chest heaved up and his eyes were glaring daggers at the man.


    "No. I am only ''advising'' you," the man calmly replied, emphasizing the word ''advise'' heavily.


    Just as the officer was about to say more, the phone in his pocket vibrated. He took it out to see that it was a call from his superior. His superior rarely called him, and this call somehow made him feel a bit suspicious.


    "Aren''t you going to answer that?" the man asked. "I believe that is from Chief Tao. If you don''t answer, you might... get in trouble."


    Officer Duan glared in response before answering the phone call. "Hello, chief?"


    "Duan Ming... where are you right now?!" the voice of a middle-aged man sounded from the other side. With his level of cultivation, Li XinWen could hear the conversation clearly even though he didn''t mean to. From the tone alone, Li XinWen could tell that the person on the other side seems to be worn out.


    "Sir, I am at..."


    "Hundred Treasure Antique Shop, am I right?"


    "Yes, sir."


    "Officer Duan Ming... how many times have I told you that you are not to stick up your nose where it doesn''t belong! Are you trying to get me in trouble?! Pull out now!"


    The call was cut off even before Officer Duan could say anything else. He looked at his phone before letting out a series of colourful curses under his breath. Taking out a key from his pocket, he then uncuffed Li XinWen''s wrists. "Well, well, aren''t you one lucky son of a bitch!"


    At first, Li XinWen was just going to let the officer go for his misunderstanding but upon hearing the comment, his mood suddenly turned sour. He grabbed Officer Duan''s arm who was just about to leave. "Apologize."


    It was just a single word, but Officer Duan felt the pressure pressing down on him. He started to sweat, feeling threatened by Li XinWen''s demeanor. He didn''t expect the man he had cuffed earlier could appear this scary.


    "W-Why should I apologize to someone like you?! I am an officer of the law! I serve the people and the country, protecting them from the likes of you!" Officer Duan said, trying to sound as if he wasn''t intimidated.


    "Officer, I don''t care if you misunderstand me or even insult me. But I will not stand for it if you insult my mother. Apologize now and I will let you off. If not, then do not blame me if I become ruthless..." Li XinWen''s hold around Officer Duan''s arm tightened and Officer Duan felt that if this continues, his bones would be crushed.


    "Bah! Fine, I apologize. And I also feel sorry for your mother for having such a useless son like you! Did you ever think of how she would feel if she finds out that her son has dealings with the underworld?!"


    Hearing the apology, Li XinWen released Officer Duan''s arm even though it was not as sincere as he was expecting. "You do not have to worry, officer. My mother is very happy to have such a capable son. She has a loving family who takes good care of her. Maybe you should worry more about your own family... that man''s expression didn''t look good. You might end up losing your job," as Li XinWen said this, he glanced over to the man who looked like Xue Rui. The officer clicked his tongue before he left in a hurry, leaving Li XinWen and the other person alone.

 Chapter 60 - 21.2 - Triplet?!

    After the officer left, Li XinWen turned his focus on the man who had come to save him earlier. He took in the man''s appearance and couldn''t help but feel that he was an exact copy of Xue Rui.


    "If you keep staring at me like that, I might pounce on you right now."


    Li XinWen just frowned after the man suddenly spoke. He already went through all of the original''s memories but did not find any memories of this man. ''Unless... the original Li XinWen also thought he was Xue Rui?''


    "Why are you quiet?" the man asked when he did not receive any response. He walked closer to Li XinWen who was at the ready to defend himself if need be.


    The man stood before Li XinWen and reached out to touch Li XinWen''s face. Li XinWen was just about to slap the hand away when he felt a familiar spiritual signature before being pulled back into a warm embrace.


    "Keep your hands off of XinWen."


    "Rui- ge ...?" Li XinWen looked up and saw Xue Rui glaring at his doppelganger. He had already seen a lot of Xue Rui''s side which was mostly his shameless side, but this was the first time he had actually seen him looking this nervous.


    Xue Rui looked down at him, before giving him a warm smile. He gently stroked Li XinWen''s hair before his gaze returned to the other man. "When did you come back? Does eldest brother know you''re back?"


    "I came back not too long ago. Big bro doesn''t know yet. Do you think I can stroll around if he knew?" the man replied. "Also, Xiao Rui, don''t you think it''s rude to glare at me? I am still your older brother. Not to mention, I even saved your little sweetheart. Though since we''re like this, he must be confused now. Shouldn''t you explain it to him?"


    Xue Rui was quiet for a while before he let out a low grunt. He then relaxed his embrace around Li XinWen before finally introducing the man to Li XinWen. "XinWen... this is my older brother, Xue Liang. He was the second one born among us triplets..." he mumbled in a soft voice, as if unwilling to introduce the two. "Brother, this is--"


    "Li XinWen, one of the youngest rising stars of the Oracle Entertainment Company. Age, 19. Currently on a break from any work in order to recuperate," Xue Liang cut Xue Rui off. "Ah, speaking of which... his temper seems to have changed."


    "And how do you know this?"


    Xue Liang just smirked at Xue Rui before answering: "Of course I know... who do you think kept him company whenever you went overseas on business?"


    Li XinWen''s expression turned ugly the moment he heard the sentence come out of Xue Liang''s lips. He was now able to put two and two together. ''So that means, the original Li XinWen actually entangled himself with two Xue Young Masters without knowing it himself?'' the thought alone made him sigh out heavily. ''Why are things becoming so complicated.''


    Xue Rui on the other hand, was shaking in anger. He glared at Xue Liang. If looks could kill, Xue Liang would have already dropped on the ground, dead. "You impersonated me while I wasn''t around?"


    Xue Liang let out a small laugh before taking out a stick from a pack of cigarettes. Placing it on his lips, he took out his lighter and lit the stick. He breathed in the nicotine before letting out a puff of smoke. "You know, I guess those who were from the same egg will end up having the same tastes. You fell for him at first sight, and I also fell for him at first sight."


    "You--!" Xue Rui was so angered that he could no longer control his actions. He rushed forward and raised his fist to give his older brother a beating, only to be kicked on the stomach. The force was strong enough to make Xue Rui double down in pain.


    " Xiao Rui, ah! Did you turn stupid? What can a good businessman like you do to someone like me?" Xue Liang let out an amused chuckle. "Do you remember the advice I gave you when you consulted me a few years ago? I told you that since you ended up getting engaged to the wrong person, you might as well take advantage of it. Those blackmails worked really well, didn''t it? Turns out he''s really obedient. It was unfortunate that you did not have the guts to do the deed..." Xue Liang shook his head and let out a sigh. But from his tone alone, it was clear that he was mocking Xue Rui.


    "You had so many chances, yet you were content with just cuddles, kisses and sleeping on the same bed? Dear god, it was so annoying. So, whenever you went on a business trip, I would always call him out to a hotel. The first time we did it... it was the most satisfy--"


    Xue Liang didn''t get to finish because Li XinWen finally had enough. To him, it was simply too much information to handle. In addition, he disliked the leer that Xue Liang gave him as he spoke so he decided to take action.


    Xue Rui and Xue Liang did not see it coming. One moment, Li XinWen was standing at a distance away. Then, he suddenly appeared in front of Xue Liang and before Xue Liang could register it, he felt an intense pain on his chest, and he flew backward. When he landed on the ground, he ended up coughing a mouthful of blood before he wiped his lips with his sleeves.


    Not long after, several men in suits came out. They stood in front of Xue Liang protectively and aimed their guns at Li XinWen.

 Chapter 61 - 21.3 - Blessings that would make even the Heaven envious

    "Stop! I''m fine," Xue Liang said as he stood up and dusted off his clothes. "Lower your guns. No one is allowed to harm him," he added, before looking straight at Li XinWen. Instead of fear, his eyes were filled with excitement and desire.


    ''This man... something is wrong with his head. Wouldn''t normal people be afraid if they suddenly throw up blood after being pushed away?'' Li XinWen was frowning as he stared back at Xue Liang. By now, Xue Rui had also stood up and went to Li XinWen''s side, ready to protect him if needed.


    " Xiao Rui... you better protect your man well. If before, I was only interested in him because of his looks, now, I want to completely dominate and possess him. I felt that it was only right to tell you as the older brother," Xue Liang said before smiling at Li XinWen. "XinWen, I don''t know what happened earlier but since you''ve lit this fire in me, you better be prepared... We''ll meet again someday."


    "I don''t want to see you again," Li XinWen replied.


    "Ah, but I do. And there is nothing you can do about it."


    "If I see you again, I might end up killing you," Li XinWen warned.


    Xue Liang just laughed after hearing Li XinWen''s declaration then waved his hand. " Xiao Rui, why don''t you tell him what''ll happen if I die, hmm? Be sure to tell him clearly so he won''t do anything he''ll regret," he said before he finally left with his men.


    Li XinWen stared at Xue Liang''s figure until it disappeared around the corner. He then turned around to face Xue Rui. "Explain."


    Xue Rui didn''t reply immediately. Instead, he just gave Li XinWen a pained look. The emotion in his eyes was extremely complicated and it somehow made Li XinWen worry.


    "Rui- ge ?"


    "Did... he really force you in the hotel?" Xue Rui''s voice was nothing more than a whisper.


    A sigh escaped Li XinWen''s lips before he looked straight at Xue Rui. He himself was still confused by what was happening. ''But based on Xue Liang''s words earlier, this Xue Rui never actually had s.e.x with the original Li XinWen. So those memories must have been Xue Liang who impersonated Xue Rui?''


    "XinWen..." Xue Rui called out to him.


    "He did," Li XinWen decided to just tell him the truth. Xue Rui''s next action shocked Li XinWen. He went to a nearby trash can and kicked it hard to let out his anger.


    "F.u.c.k! I shouldn''t have trusted him!" Xue Rui continued kicking the poor trash can until his anger subsided. Li XinWen simply let him continue and walked back to the black plastic bag that he had been searching through before the exchange involving the police officer and Xue Liang. He continued to rummage through it which made Xue Rui stop assaulting the trash can. "XinWen... what are you doing?"


    "Looking for something. Don''t worry, continue beating that trash can until you''ve calmed down. Then you can explain what is it between you and your brother and why I can''t just go ahead and kill him."


    "There is nothing to explain..."


    "So what will happen if I ''accidentally'' kill him?" Li XinWen asked.


    "... He''s the head of the underworld... if he''s dead, then everything will be in chaos. Those gangs that he had suppressed will go to war," Xue Rui answered after a slight hesitation.


    "Hmm, I see. It looks like your family really isn''t simple. One is a great businessman who dominated the business world, one is a gang leader that conquered the underworld, then what does your eldest brother do? Controls the government?" Li XinWen asked in a joking manner.


    "Technically, he is a man within the government... He''s serving in the army. I believe his current rank is a Major General?" Xue Rui answered and Li XinWen stopped his search to look at Xue Rui.


    "Just what kind of karma did your father acc.u.mulate in his last life to have this kind of blessing?!" Li XinWen felt that for someone to have sons like Xue Rui and his brothers in three different territories is indeed something to be jealous of. That would be like having a child who''s a genius in alchemy, one child a genius in crafting, and another genius in arrays creation. Even the heavens would be envious!

 Chapter 62 - 22.1 - Take off your shirt

    "Ah, found it!" after searching for a while, Li XinWen finally found the small shards of jadeite carelessly thrown into the black plastic bag. He got up from his crouching position then put the shards in his pocket. Li XinWen could tell how excited LanYu became the moment he placed the shards into his pocket. As if triggered by something, the amount of spiritual energy LanYu sent throughout Li XinWen''s meridians started fluctuating and gradually increased, prompting Li XinWen to reprimand LanYu affectionately, as if talking to a child. ''Relax, LanYu. Xue Rui is still here. I''ll let you see them later.''


    "Did you find what you were looking for??" Xue Rui, who kept him company, asked.


    "En. Found it. Now I can leave," Li XinWen replied, already feeling happy with the current outcome.


    "Leave?" Xue Rui sounded confused.


    Li XinWen noticed the tone in Xue Rui''s voice, so he quickly corrected himself. "I''ll leave this place and go to the shop to buy something for mom. I''ve been unfilial for making her worry. I should really get her something special to show my sincerity."


    ''And... as a token of apology for taking over her son''s body,'' he added in his mind.


    The two made their way to the Hundred Treasure Antique Shop and quickly went inside. Occasionally, Li XinWen''s gaze would rest on Xue Rui''s figure. Specifically, the chest area of his dress shirt where a shoeprint occupied the center.


    Xue Rui noticed Li XinWen''s gaze and suddenly remembered the altercation he had with his twin. He looked down at his dress shirt and noticed the shoeprint. He seemed to have underestimated his brother''s strength.


    ''Ah¡­ this was an Oscar de la Renta, what a waste,'' Xue Rui thought as he recklessly reached up to his chest to try and wipe off the dirt. When he touched the injured area, he couldn''t help but wince in pain.


    Li XinWen noticed Xue Rui''s actions and almost immediately reached out to grab Xue Rui''s hand to stop him from aggravating his injury. But Li XinWen was a little late and could only roll his eyes upon seeing Xue Rui wince in pain. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily and reprimanded Xue Rui like a mother reprimanding her child.


    "Could you be any more careless? What are you a six-year-old? Don''t aggravate your injury by touching it carelessly," Li XinWen said as he held Xue Rui''s left wrist at the same time looking around the shop where he could inspect Xue Rui''s injury.


    ''Is he worried about me? Li XinWen is worried about me?'' Xue Rui thought as he lowered his gaze, a gentle smile forming on his lips and warmth started bubbling inside him.


    Li XinWen noticed a person approaching their direction, and based on the person''s attire, he assumed that this was the high standing manager of the shop. He was about to speak when the manager welcomed them, addressing Xue Rui in particular.


    "Welcome, Young Master Xue. I did not expect to see you again so soon, was there any problem with the items you purchased previously?" the manager asked, slightly anxious.


    "No. Everything is fine. We are here for something else. Last time, my wif-..." when Xue Rui was about to slip up, Li XinWen gave him a warning glare. "I mean, a friend of mine liked the items I bought here so he wanted to see if there''s anything he can buy for his mother," Xue Rui quickly corrected himself.


    "Ah, is that so? Then please follow me," the manager said happily, relieved that it was not due to a problem with any of their products. He led the two esteemed guests to the VIP room before he had them sit on the sofa. "This young master, I still have yet to know your name," the manager politely queried Li XinWen.


    Li XinWen just stared at the manager and noticed how the manager treated him like a young master from one of the first class families back in Long Xing. "It doesn''t matter who I am. Just show me your goods. I don''t want to waste any more time."


    "Ah, of course, of course! This young master wants a gift for his mother, correct? Fortunately, we have  shipments that arrived just recently. Let me get them for you to see," then the manager quickly left the room.


    The moment the manager left, Li XinWen''s attention moved to Xue Rui. "Take off your shirt."


    ''Did I hear Li XinWen correctly? Take off my shirt?! What kind of development is this? I must have misheard him¡­ I should clarify things¡­'' Xue Rui thought as he continued to stare at Li XinWen with a blank expression. After mulling things over, he finally opened his mouth and asked, "Excuse me? XinWen are you asking me to take off my shirt? In this place?! Right now?!"

 Chapter 63 - 22.2 - Dont want to miss an opportunity

    Li XinWen furrowed his brows and looked at Xue Rui confused, as if Xue Rui was talking gibberish, then rolled his eyes upon realizing Xue Rui''s nonsense.


    "What the heck are you actually thinking Rui- ge ? I don''t recall seeing you hit your head during the encounter in the alley with your twin brother so what misunderstanding are you thinking in that head of yours? Take off your dress shirt so I can examine your injury!" Li XinWen said in an exasperated tone.


    "Oh, so that''s what you meant¡­" Xue Rui replied, with an embarrassed expression on his face, his cheeks blushing a little and feeling silly. On top of that, he felt a little relieved and disappointed at the same time. Wanting to save the little dignity he had left, he remarked, "It''s alright XinWen. I''ll be fine. At most, it''ll just bruise for a few days."


    "Rui- ge ¡­" Li XinWen repeated, not a trace of gentleness in his eyes.


    Seeing that Li XinWen was serious, Xue Rui suddenly became nervous. His eyes darted around the room, glancing at the door with a worried expression, avoiding Li XinWen''s icy gaze at all costs.


    "Did they suddenly lower the air conditioning in the room?" Xue Rui asked to no one in particular as he felt a shiver down his spine.


    "Rui- ge , do not make me repeat myself. Hurry up and take off your shirt! What if the injury is actually worse than you initially thought?" Li XinWen asked, at the same time he added in his mind:  ''It''ll be a missed opportunity if you end up missing the martial arts training this weekend. I still need to teach you a lesson and give you a good whipping¡­''


    Xue Rui looked at Li XinWen at his remark and saw a mix of worry, impatience, and annoyance in Li XinWen''s eyes, making Xue Rui flinch. In spite of his hesitations, Xue Rui took off his coat and unbuttoned his dress shirt, exposing his chest. He felt a little embarrassed doing this in such a place, but at the same time felt a little happy, thinking,  ''Li XinWen is worrying about me and I can''t help but feel like I have a good chance at being together¡­ ugh! Xue Rui get your mind out of the clouds!''


    It is unfortunate that Xue Rui''s assumptions of Li XinWen worrying about him was quite far from what was running through Li XinWen''s mind.


    Upon seeing Xue Rui''s injury, Li XinWen narrowed his eyes and stepped a little closer to Xue Rui. He reached out his right hand and extended his index finger, lightly touching the bruise that is slowly making itself visible. A tinge of bluish-blackish-purplish mass could be seen clearly. It was concentrated in the area where the heel of the shoe supposedly hit Xue Rui.


    Li XinWen and Xue Rui stood face to face with merely a step away between them. Xue Rui''s breath hitched the moment Li XinWen''s slender finger touched his skin. Xue Rui''s heartbeat raced, each thump coming faster than the one before it, making him feel lightheaded, and although he was standing in place, he felt as if he was running out of breath.


    ''This is too much! Too much torture for my heart!'' Xue Rui thought. And while his heart was beating to its own rhythm, his brain suddenly went haywire, sending signals where it was not supposed to, as the heat slowly made its way across his body, flowing through every vein towards his lower abdomen. Xue Rui, closed his eyes and bit his lower lip hard, hoping that the pain would refocus his brain away from the acc.u.mulating heat below. However, his attempt failed miserably as the sensation of Li XinWen''s touch overpowered his senses. But then suddenly, the pressure from the sender''s finger increased, making Xue Rui wince in pain, waking him up and all the improper thoughts in his mind disappeared in an instant.


    "Painful?" Li XinWen asked, his tome carried with it a hint of ridicule as if he had seen right through all of Xue Rui''s thoughts. Li XinWen shook his head before continuing "At the very least you don''t seem to have any broken bones. Later when you get home, put some soothing balm and ice the bruised area. The bruise should subside in a few days. Be sure to take care of yourself Rui- ge ¡­"


    Li XinWen buttoned Xue Rui''s dress shirt then stepped away indifferently. He resumed his place in one of the high-backed chairs and started reading a magazine. Xue Rui was left dumbfounded as if he could not wrap his head around what just transpired. He was at a loss as he put on his coat and sat down opposite Li XinWen.

 Chapter 64 - 22.3 - Fake

    The two continued to wait in the room until the manager returned. Several employees followed behind him, each carrying an item protected by a display case. Li XinWen stood up and began to look at every single one of them.


    "Young Master, these are the products that had just arrived, they are all suited for elder women. For example, this bracelet here," the manager pointed at a bracelet. "This bracelet came from G country and was made from the best materials. It is very sturdy, and the big stone you see here is cut from a diamond!"


    "And this one here is a piece of jewelry from A country. Have you heard of Angelico? It''s a new jewelry designer from A country that has recently won an award and this is precisely her work! There is only one in the whole world, so if you buy this, no one else will have what your mother has!"


    "And also, this..."


    As the manager continued to explain each product, Li XinWen decidedly ignored him and used his own spiritual energy to evaluate each product. It was hard for him to ignore this habit as a cultivator. Of course, his luck can''t always be good so using his spiritual energy to feel out the items was essential. Even so, none of the items he examined resonated with his spiritual energy.


    "I''ll just choose this," Li XinWen said, as he picked up the display case containing a jade bracelet. "How much is it?" Li XinWen asked the manager.


    "Err... Young Master, are you sure that''s all you want?" the manager asked as he glanced at Xue Rui.


    "If not this, then which one? Those other tacky accessories?" Li XinWen asked not exactly expecting an answer and the manager became speechless. The poor manager couldn''t believe that there would be a day in his entire career when someone would describe an award-winning design as tacky.


    "I understand. The jade bracelet you chose is also not bad. It was said that--"


    "Price. That is all I am asking from you. Nothing more," Li XinWen said and the manager ended up sighing.


    "180,000 yuan," the manager advised.


    ''Why is it so expensive?!'' Li XinWen wondered in surprise as he tried to inspect the bracelet once again with his spiritual energy, only to come up with nothing. It seems that the manager also noticed Li XinWen''s expression and decided to explain the nature of the jade properly.


    "This Young Master, this kind of price for this jade is normal. After all, the renowned Monk Bingwen blessed this jade, so even though the jade''s quality is not pure, considering Monk Bingwen''s reputation, this price is normal," the manager explained.


    "Who is this Monk Bingwen?" Li XinWen couldn''t help asking. He saw the flabbergasted expression on the manager''s face and felt that he had just asked something stupid. "Actually, never mind. I''ll pay for it," Li XinWen finally said and the manager finally felt relieved. Li XinWen handed his card over to the manager for him to process the transaction before he went back to his seat. The rest of the employees left with the manager and Li XinWen turned to Xue Rui.


    "So, who is this monk?" Li XinWen asked the other man.


    Xue Rui who knew that Li XinWen has partial amnesia patiently explained who Monk Bingwen was. Apparently, Monk Bingwen was a well-known monk in Huaxia. Almost all of the elite families would come looking for him to match-make their son or daughter. His prediction has never been wrong and everyone thought that he had divine knowledge. Unfortunately, Monk Bingwen was always hard to meet because he was always in closed-door cultivation. Which was why anything related to him tended to be expensive.


    When Li XinWen heard this, he couldn''t help but frown. According to Xue Rui, this monk should be a cultivator and yet, Li XinWen didn''t feel any energy fluctuation from the jade presumed to have been blessed by this monk. ''Either the monk is fake, or the jade is fake. But since this shop is a place that Xue Rui frequents and he has an eye to discern authentic goods, the latter seems to be impossible. So that only leaves the fact that the monk is fake. Oh well, it doesn''t matter. Our paths are different so we won''t meet.''

 Chapter 65 - 23.1 - Big bro will accompany you to drink

    It didn''t take too long for the manager to return with Li Xinwen''s card along with the jade bracelet which the staff carefully packed for him. After saying his gratitude, Li Xinwen left the shop with Xue Rui.


    The two men had not gone far when Li Xinwen turned to face Xue Rui and asked with a serious expression. "Alright, spill it. What brings you here?"


    He forgot to ask sooner because he was too preoccupied with the altercation involving Xue Liang and his existence, then he had to find the missing parts of Lanyu. In addition to that, he worried that Xue Rui might be injured and hence unable to join them this weekend and then he had to pick out a gift for his mother. It was only now that he remembered to ask Xue Rui this question.


    "I just... wanted to see you," Xue Rui answered with slight hesitation. "Then, when I arrived, an officer came out of the alley and when he saw me, he was surprised. After questioning him for a bit, I realized my brother was with you and..." Xue Rui''s hands clenched into tight fists as he recalled what he saw and heard earlier. "Xinwen, I''m sorry. I didn''t know that my brother... was like that with you."


    Li Xinwen couldn''t answer and just stared at Xue Rui, trying to come up with a reply. ''It''s not my place to forgive him... how am I supposed to reply to this?'' he thought, as he racked his brain for an answer. After a while, he could only sigh. "It''s already in the past. From now on, he won''t be able to take advantage of me," Li Xinwen finally replied. "Anyway, I still have somewhere to go. You should return to your work now. Don''t laze off," Li Xinwen said as he turned around, about to walk away.


    He barely took two steps forward when Xue Rui grabbed his wrist and stopped him. "Where do you plan to go? How about I send you there before I return to work?" Xue Rui asked. Somehow, he still felt uneasy after knowing that his second brother was back in the country, especially after he found out that Xue Liang had entangled himself with Li Xinwen.


    "No need. I want to walk around the city and exercise. Don''t worry about me and get back to work, as you can see, I''m not that weak," Li Xinwen said before he shook off Xue Rui''s hold. "I''ll see you on the weekend. Just don''t forget," he added before he walked away once more, leaving Xue Rui to stare at his figure as he walked towards the city center.


    Xue Rui only moved after Li Xinwen disappeared from his sight and walked to his car. He was feeling extremely dejected but when he remembered the worry on Li Xinwen''s face because he was injured, he couldn''t help but smile. After a while, he took out his phone and scrolled through his contacts. He stopped when he saw a familiar name then pressed the call button. The line connected to the other party after two rings.


    "Hello?"


    "Brother, second brother is back. Did you know?" Xue Rui didn''t bother beating around the bush. After all, his eldest brother didn''t like having to play guessing games.


    "Did he? He didn''t inform me. Where are you now? I''ll go there immediately."


    "He already left. I don''t know where he is now... and brother, I think you were right. I should''ve just confessed as you advised rather than follow Liang- ge ''s idea..." Xue Rui mumbled in a soft voice. The other side was silent for a while and Xue Rui thought that he called while the other person was busy. Just as he was about to speak again, the other person on the line spoke.


    "Tonight, 7pm at Fluorescene Club, I''ve already booked a private room. Big bro will accompany you to drink so you can tell me everything later."


    "Alright. Jun- ge , thank you..."


    "En. Don''t be late."


    Xue Rui stared at his phone for a while after the other party cut off the call. "Always straight to the point," Xue Rui sighed before he started his car and finally drove off.

 Chapter 66 - 23.2 - Selling meng to your sister?

    Li Xinwen had walked some distance when he checked the time on his phone. He still wore his disguise and now that he was in an open street where pedestrians were walking around, he no longer looked suspicious. ''The bank opens around this time, I should hurry there. Let''s see... the nearest branch is...'' Li Xinwen opened his map application once more to check for the nearest bank location. The original had decided to put his savings on the Aegis Bank System, and luckily, Li Jinghua also had a savings account there.


    It took Li Xinwen roughly half an hour before he finally reached the bank. Unfortunately, when he tried to enter, the guards standing by the entrance stopped him from entering.


    "I''m sorry, sir. If you wish to enter, please take off your sunglasses and mask. If you have a cold, you can wear them again after you get past the door," the guard said in a polite tone. Li Xinwen didn''t oppose and removed his sunglasses and mask. "Ah, it''s actually Mr. Li. You can go in now. I apologize if I have offended you," the guard said as soon as he saw Li Xinwen''s face.


    "It''s alright. I know you were only doing your job. Keep up the good work!" Li Xinwen said with a smile on his face. After that, he entered the bank and didn''t bother to cover up again. He went to get his queue number, then looked around for an empty seat. While waiting for his turn, Li Xinwen sent a message to his sister, telling her that he was already at the bank and asked for her bank account details.


    In less than a minute, Li Jinghua replied with the account name and account number. She also told him to be careful and to check before leaving the bank. Li Xinwen gave a short reply, telling her not to worry then returned his attention to the screen above the counters. He was lucky that he came early and was the third person in the queue. And although there was hardly anyone in the bank, the problem was, there was only one teller working while the rest were still preparing.


    ''How inefficient...'' Li Xinwen complained in his mind as he continued to wait. Fortunately, he didn''t wait too long for his turn. Li Xinwen went to the counter and sat down but when the clerk saw him, her face turned red and started to squeal.


    "Umm... excuse me, but you are the actor Li Xinwen, right?" she asked.


    "Ah, no. But I do get that a lot... but I am not him," Li Xinwen lied, putting on an awkward expression as he did, as if this was actually a normal occurrence whenever someone mistook him for himself. When he said that, the disappointed clerk put on her professional expression once more. "Anyway, I''m here to make a money transfer to my elder sister." Li Xinwen advised, and then leaned in to whisper to the clerk "It''s a huge amount."


    "A huge amount?" the clerk glanced at Li Xinwen worriedly. "Sir, are you sure it is your sister? These days, there are scammers going all around posing as relatives..."


    "I am sure," he assured the clerk. "I even talked to her last night, face to face." Li Xinwen added when the clerk seemed to want to try advising him again.


    "Oh, I see. Very well. Can I please ask for your ID and your bank book or your account number?" she inquired as she began to work.


    Li Xinwen provided everything, including the account number that Li Jinghua gave him earlier. After confirming the recipient details and the amount, the bank employee proceeded to transfer the amount to Li Jinghua''s account.


    "The amount has been transferred but due to our policy, the beneficiary won''t be able to use it until three days later since the amount you transferred is more than 5 million yuan," the clerk informed Li Xinwen while she returned the ID to Li Xinwen. "Is there anything else you''d like to do?"


    "That''s alright. I''ve done what I''ve come for. Thank you for the hard work," Li Xinwen gave the employee a smile and the employee''s face turned red once more.


    "Hey... are you sure that you''re not the actor Li Xinwen? Even the name is written the same, you''re not playing with me, right?" she asked once more and this time, Li Xinwen just placed a finger to his lips, quietly telling her to keep it a secret. Upon realizing that it was indeed her idol in front of her, she timidly slid a notebook and a pen to Li Xinwen. "A signature to buy my silence," she said in a shy manner.


    Li Xinwen chuckled and signed the notebook. "Don''t tell anyone, alright? At least not until I''m out of the building," he reminded the employee before he put on his disguise once again.


    As soon as he stepped out of the building, his phone rang. Taking it out of his pocket, Li Xinwen stared at the caller ID before answering the call as he continued to walk.


    "Hello, Hua- jie , what''s wrong? Is there a problem with the transfer? The bank employee said that because of the amount, you can''t use it until three days later," Li Xinwen explained as soon as he answered the call, thinking that was Li Jinghua''s reason for calling.


    " Ah ''Wen, that''s not it... why did you transfer eight million? I only asked for half a million, ah! This amount is too much!" Li Jinghua said, and Li Xinwen could hear the distress from her tone.


    "But Hua- jie , you said it yourself. During the apocalypse, money has no value. So might as well give it all to you!" Li Xinwen replied in a relaxed manner. "I''ll leave everything to you, Hua- jie . All the early preparation and all of those things that I am not good at, I''m sure you have a better idea."


    Li Xinwen could hear the female sigh on the other end before he picked up her voice again. "Alright. Leave everything to me. I promise you that you will not suffer during the apocalypse," Li Jinghua said and Li Xinwen unconsciously nodded his head.


    "By the way, is there anything else that I would need? Maybe like umm... underwear?" Li Xinwen asked, the last word barely audible, like a whisper.


    Li Jinghua was actually hiding in one of the employee toilet cubicles of her company in order to call Li Xinwen. Upon hearing Li Xinwen''s remark, she had to cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud and to avoid causing suspicion. "Hua- jie ?" she heard Li Xinwen call her out when she didn''t answer for a while. She calmed herself down before she replied.


    "Yes, yes. You should prepare those. But not too much. Maybe 500? I can help you store them in my space first," Li Jinghua said while she tried her best to hold back from laughing.


    "Alright. Thank you, Hua- jie !" Li Xinwen said before the call was cut off.


    Li Jinghua stared at her phone before finally breaking into a giggle. "Xinwen, ah... why are you trying to sell meng to your own sister?" Li Jinghua mumbled softly while shaking her head.


    * * *


    Mini Theatre:


    Li Xinwen: Hua- jie , do I need anything else? What about underwears?


    Li Jinghua: Pfft-!


    Li Xinwen: Hua- jie , what''s wrong? Are you okay?


    Li Jinghua: Haha...wait... hahaha! Ah ''Wen, I''ll call you again later, okay?


    -Li Jinghua cut off the call and started to laugh at Li Xinwen''s silliness-


    Li Xinwen stared at his phone with a questioning look: Did I say something wrong? Hua- jie was laughing earlier, right?

 Chapter 67 - 24.1 - Master~ We finally meet!

    After the call with Li Jinghua, Li Xinwen found himself walking without any destination in mind. Though he did ask about buying underwear earlier, he felt that it would be better if he were to go with Sun Xiao. ''Ah''Xiao''s school ends at 2:00pm... and now it''s only 10:48am,'' Li Xinwen sighed as he thought about how to kill time. ''I''d cultivate but I''d need to consolidate my cultivation since I advanced too quickly.''


    As Li Xinwen pondered on how to spend his time, he suddenly remembered that the original owned a residence nearby. Li Xinwen decided to simply go there for a visit.


    By the time he arrived at the high-rise building, it was not even 11:00am yet. He entered the building and the security in charge of the entrance bowed to him. "Mr. Li! Welcome back! I heard you had an accident a few months ago. Are you alright, now?" the guard asked. This guard''s job was simple, and that was to make sure no one suspicious enters the building. Most of the residents in this building were artists from the same company as Li Xinwen and so he would benefit from this fact from time to time. Especially during valentines when there would be an influx of gifts in the form of chocolates. Some artists aren''t able to eat a lot and they would give him some.


    "Mr. Yun! Good to see you. Thank you for your hard work!" Li Xinwen replied with a smile as he stared at the guard''s nametag which read ''Yun Bolin''. "And yes, I am alright now. You don''t have to worry."


    "I see. That is great to hear! While you were hospitalized, your sister came to feed your cats. Now that you''re here, I''m sure they''ll be happy!" Mr. Yun said, and Li Xinwen nodded as he went to the elevator. Once the elevator door closed and the guard saw the lights going up, a frown formed on his face. He took out his phone and sent a message to one of his contacts. The name displayed for this contact was ''client'' and the message he sent was quite suspicious.


    [Yun Bolin: Li Xinwen came over. From what I see, he made a full recovery.]


    [Client: Understood. Keep an eye on him. When he comes out later, try to inquire if he''s going anywhere and then inform me.]


    [Yun Bolin: Yes, sir.]


    After the short exchange, Yun Bolin placed his phone back into his pocket and continued to play with his portable console once more.


    Meanwhile, Li Xinwen arrived at his floor and when the elevator door opened, he was greeted with a hallway with several doors. He confidently walked through the hallway while humming a tune he liked back in Long Xing. Arriving in front of a certain door, Li Xinwen could hear rushing footsteps from behind. Beside the door was a nameplate that clearly spelled out his name.


    "Here it is," Li Xinwen said as he took out his wallet. The original always kept his key inside his wallet and Li Xinwen never once removed it. When he inserted the key into the keyhole, he heard a series of ''meows'' and there was even a scratching sound as the cats pawed at the door. "Alright, alright. I''m here. I''m opening the door now so behave and get away from the door," Li Xinwen said out loud as he unlocked the door.


    Li Xinwen was greeted by cats of different breeds. He walked through the door and closed it behind him while he counted the number of cats. ''...twelve and thirteen,'' he then nodded his head. "Alright, all of you are here. Go on inside, I''ll get your food," Li Xinwen said as he walked deeper into the apartment. He went into the kitchen and opened one of the cupboards to take out a few cans of cat food. The original Li Xinwen had always spoiled his cats so they can only eat wet food. He poured the cat food into their bowls and watched as the cats ate quietly.


    "I wonder... Hua- jie said that in the apocalypse, humans may change into ability users or zombies and if not, they remain normal. Then she also said that animals and plants can also mutate, or animals can also turn into zombies..." Li Xinwen murmured softly as he stared at the cats on the floor. "Hua- jie never told me about you guys. Did you all die? Become zombies? Mutate?" he asked, and of course, he received no answer.


    After a while of staring at the cats, he decided to sit on the sofa in the living room. He grabbed the remote for the TV from the coffee table and turned on the TV. But despite watching TV, he still couldn''t get the question out of his mind and he ended up staring at the cats again. By this time, some of the cats had already finished eating and were lazing around on the floor.


    ''This is a long shot but let me just try,'' Li Xinwen thought as he spread out his spiritual energy. Then, he guided the energy into each cat, carefully inspecting them but he could only sigh at what he found. "Xinwen, ah! I don''t think any of your cats will survive the apocalypse..." Li Xinwen said out loud, as if trying to inform the original. All thirteen cats inside Li Xinwen''s apartment, were normal cats and they did not have the aptitude for cultivation. Even if Li Xinwen wanted to help, he doubted that they could survive through the process. Once he got his answer, Li Xinwen retracted his spiritual energy.


    Just then, Lanyu sent out streams of warmth towards Li Xinwen, gaining his attention. "What is it?" Li Xinwen asked and Lanyu answered by creating a trail of spiritual energy leading to Li Xinwen''s pocket. It was the same pocket where Li Xinwen placed the pieces of jade he found from the trash bag earlier. Understanding what Lanyu wanted, Li Xinwen took out the pieces and placed it on the palm where Lanyu had disappeared into. Not long after, the pieces of jade disappeared into his palm.


    Using his spiritual awareness, he noticed that Lanyu was now almost fully repaired. But this only made him frown. ''These were all the pieces that was in that trash bag, why are you still not fully repaired?'' Li Xinwen felt as if he did something that would not benefit him. Just then, he felt the space around him shift suddenly. Then, the scenery around him changed and he fell to the ground. Glancing around, he found that he was suddenly in an open field.


    The grass was lush green and when he turned to his left, he saw a cottage. The cottage was not as big as the Li family house, but it gave Li Xinwen a sense of familiarity because this was just like his own cottage in Long Xing. "This is... a pocket dimension?" Li Xinwen felt his heart race. "How big is this place?!" he wondered as he spread out his spiritual awareness to feel the size of the dimension.


    Much to his astonishment, the space was huge. ''The space is about 100 li 1 big. Last night, Hua-jie mentioned her space is only 15,000 cubic meters... and that''s about 30 li?'' Li Xinwen began his calculation. ''With this, I can help her store more items, right? The problem now is, how do I tell her? Should I fake it when the apocalypse happens?'' he started to wonder. After all, unlike martial arts, he couldn''t easily explain how he suddenly had a pocket dimension.


    His eyes landed on the cottage and thought, ''Well, I should put this aside for now. First, how should I deal with this creature inside this dimension...''


    He was just about to walk toward the cottage when a creature flew out of it. The creature was quite small, about the size of an a.d.u.l.t male''s palm. On its back were two pairs of translucent wings that kept on flapping as the creature flew nearer. The creature did not exhibit any hostility as it continued to fly towards Li Xinwen so he allowed it to come closer.


    Upon closer inspection, Li Xinwen realized that the creature was a small fae spirit. The fae spirit had light green hair and pointy ears. Its eyes were also a shade of emerald as it looked up at Li Xinwen and from its figure, it can be concluded that this fae spirit was male. When the fae spirit was close enough, his eyes shone brightly and a big smile formed on his face. "Master~ We finally meet!" 100 li = 50km


    1 li = 500m

 Chapter 68 - 24.2 - Lanyu

    Li Xinwen stared at the fae spirit who had just called him ''master'' not too long ago. "Lanyu?" he asked.


    "Well, if that is what master wants to call me, then I am Lanyu!" the spirit replied. "I''m the fae spirit of the woods! Lanyu thanks master for helping me gather pieces of myself! Unfortunately, there are still more to be collected but I couldn''t sense them at all," at this, Lanyu displayed a dejected expression on his face.


    "Don''t worry, we''ll have more opportunity in the future," Li Xinwen told Lanyu and almost immediately, his face lit up.


    "Right, right! Master has just arrived! Come, let me show you around!" Lanyu said as he flew down and grabbed Li Xinwen''s finger. He started to pull Li Xinwen away but of course, with his strength and his size, he was doomed to fail.


    Li Xinwen chuckled and followed Lanyu, feeling as if he was back in Long Xing. Just as the thought crossed his mind, his eyes suddenly widened. He hadn''t realized it earlier, but now that he paid attention, he noticed the spiritual energy inside the dimension was pure. Not only that, it was even purer than the energies in Long Xing. "Lanyu, what is this place?" Li Xinwen couldn''t help but ask the spirit.


    "This place? It''s just a small pocket dimension that mas- I mean, my previous master made. But because the medium is damaged, the space is much smaller at the moment. Luckily! The main area was left untouched!" Lanyu replied happily. "Master is the first guest that Lanyu has received after a long time, so let''s stop the questions for now and let me show you around ah! I promise, you will not regret it, master!"


    Hearing the excitement from Lanyu, Li Xinwen held off his questions for the moment. ''Oh well, there is always later. I''ll just ask him once he''s finished showing me around,'' Li Xinwen said as he continued to follow Lanyu. Much to his surprise, the first place that Lanyu brought him to was not the cottage, instead, he was led around it. Behind the cottage, Li Xinwen saw a bamboo forest. ''How did I not notice this before?!'' he turned to Lanyu and he was just about to open his mouth when Lanyu''s small hands smacked Li Xinwen on his lips.


    "Master, questions later, okay? Just follow me first!" he grinned and continued to lead Li Xinwen deeper into the bamboo forest. The bamboo forest was not as big as Li Xinwen initially thought and rather than calling it a forest, it would be more appropriate to call it a garden. That was how small it was, as if it was there merely for aesthetic purposes.


    When they exited what Li Xinwen referred to as the bamboo garden, Li Xinwen was greeted with a clearing and a lake. Lanyu flew right over the edge of the lake and turned to Li Xinwen. "Master, quick! Come and have a drink! The lake is full of spiritual energy and it will be beneficial for you! The energy from the outside world was not as pure, so whenever I helped you absorb energy from outside, I would always let those energy go through a ''cleansing'' process!" Lanyu said proudly. "That''s why your cultivation rank quickly accelerated that night!"


    Li Xinwen was reminded of the time when he first received Lanyu and cultivated through the night. He went from the early 3rd stage Houtian to the peak of 4th stage Houtian, almost breaking through to Xiantian. In fact, Li Xinwen only needs to push slightly to break through but because it was too fast, Li Xinwen had to stop. After all, if he did not consolidate his spiritual energy before breaking through, it will end up causing a problem in the future. ''So, it wasn''t that I absorbed more spiritual energy because of Lanyu but it''s because the energy that Lanyu gave me was pure?''


    "Master?" Lanyu''s voice snapped Li Xinwen out of his thoughts and remembered what Lanyu had told him earlier.


    "Ah, I''m sorry. I was lost in my thought. So, you want me to drink from this lake?" Li Xinwen asked as he walked closer to the lake.


    "Yes¡­ Oh! but before that, master should form a blood contract with the spirit of the lake! Well, the actual spirit is already gone but he left his consciousness within the lake so master should still be able to form a contract with it!" Lanyu informed Li Xinwen.


    Li Xinwen nodded his head and lifted his hand. He bit into his index finger and let it hover above the water. After several drops of blood dissolved into the lake water, Li Xinwen retracted his hand and started to manipulate his spiritual energy to his finger so that it would stop bleeding. He didn''t have to wait long before he felt that the contract was completed in his subconscious. He was about to kneel when Lanyu spoke again.


    "Master, that... will you also make a contract with me?" he asked. "I mean, we are still not contracted and without a contract, it''s going to be really hard for me to communicate with you once you leave the dimension," Lanyu explained.


    Thinking of this, Li Xinwen felt that it was better for them to make a contract, so he held out his hand towards Lanyu. His finger still had a bit of blood on it and he simply gestured for Lanyu to lick it. "And make sure you lick it clean while you''re at it," Li Xinwen said with a smile and Lanyu suddenly felt that he was being taken advantage of. Regardless, he still did as he was told and licked the finger clean. The contract was formed and Lanyu seemed more excited.


    "Hehe! Thank you, master!" he grinned happily. "Now, hurry and drink the water, ah!" Lanyu continued to urge Li Xinwen.


    If this was back in Long Xing and some stranger told him to quickly drink something, Li Xinwen would be suspicious but with Lanyu, he was not suspicious at all. He trusted the spirit, especially now that they have a contract between them, and he would be able to read Lanyu''s thoughts whenever he wants. He knelt on the ground and scooped lake water onto his hands.


    The water was clear, and very clean but that was not all, Li Xinwen could clearly feel the spiritual energy contained within the water. Without any hesitation, he sipped the water and felt himself being rejuvenated. Even the small cut he made on his finger was completely healed. When he saw this, he suddenly panicked and quickly took off his shirt. When he removed his bandage, Li Xinwen had a complicated expression on his face upon seeing that the scars from his accident that were previously there had all disappeared.


    "... I cannot let anyone know about this..." Li Xinwen murmured softly.


    Lanyu who was nearby, clearly heard what Li Xinwen had said so he asked, "Know about what?" When Li Xinwen explained his current situation, Lanyu suddenly felt guilty. "Well¡­umm... master, I''m sorry. Lanyu didn''t know about master''s situation and felt that it would be alright if master drinks from the lake."


    "It''s alright. At the very least, I just can''t take off my clothes randomly. Luckily, there is a private bathroom in the original''s room, and I''ll just have to make sure that I bring a set of clothes whenever I use any other bathroom," Li Xinwen replied, while gently patting Lanyu''s head.


    "Oh, wait! I think there''s something that can help master! Let''s go back into the cottage first!" Lanyu said suddenly. Li Xinwen looked at Lanyu with a questioning look and thought, ''What could he possibly have which could resolve this predicament?''

 Chapter 69 - 25.1 - I ate, ate and ate... and then theyre all gone!

    A/N: Putting this here because it didn''t fit the author''s thought. Chapter is after the author''s note. I''m sorry guys!


    An early chapter to the readers! Sort of... a present for those who celebrate Christmas? XD


    Anyway, I actually didn''t know today is Christmas. Thought it was tomorrow... I also have another chapter up soon because a kind-hearted person donated coffee to me! Unfortunately, they didn''t leave a name so I can''t give a shout out (there is a name on Paypal but idk if it''s appropriate since that is definitely a real name).


    Happy Holiday! And enjoy!! As usual, if you want to support me, you can do so by donating at ko-fi.com/traita


    If you wish to reach out to me or just talk about the story with me, you can join my discord channel: discord.gg/FvenTjz


    P.S: The teaser for the comic is already up in webtoon! There, you can see how Li Xinwen, Li Jinghua, Sun Xiao, Xue Rui and Min Xiaoyu looks like! It is a bit spoilery but then again, the teasers are subject to change. It is my first time stepping foot in comic making so do pardon the writing quality >. ''Ah... it truly felt as if I''m back in Long Xing...'' he thought as he looked around. The room was simple, most of the decorations are either made of bamboo or wood. Of course, the wood and the bamboos are not simple. Since they have been placed in a place rich in spiritual energy, they have also absorbed some of the energy, making it even sturdier.


    In the living room, Li Xinwen could see three more doors and he can''t help but become curious. ''I assume one is the bedroom, but what is the other two?'' he turned to Lanyu who are now staring at him with wide eyes.


    "Well? What do you think, master?" Lanyu asked. "Everything here was made by the old master personally. Before he died, he left a lot of items for his successor but unfortunately, something came up and... well, we''re at this state now," Lanyu said with a sigh. "Anyway, come over here," Lanyu led Li Xinwen over to one of the shelves filled with trinkets. There are also some small boxes, and no matter where Li Xinwen''s eyes land on, he does not see any specks of dust. Clearly, Lanyu has been keeping this place clean. His eyes unconsciously went to the small spirit again who are currently looking around to find something.


    "Here it is!" Lanyu exclaimed with a bright smile on his face. He grabbed a palm-sized round jade container and handed it over to Li Xinwen. "This is one of the medicine that the old master made," Lanyu said as he opened the lid to let Li Xinwen see the content. "This ointment, when put on your skin, will let others see an illusion. The old master used this to disguise his face, sometimes he''d change his face to an old man, and sometimes to a face with ugly scars. How about master try it! I''m sure it will-- aaah! Master! What are you doing?!"


    Li Xinwen naturally knew how the ointment work after hearing Lanyu''s explanation. So he grabbed some onto his hand and then rubbed it over to Lanyu''s face as an experiment while the fairy was still talking. "Don''t move. I just want to see its effect. After all, it has been here for who knows how long, ah! What if it loses its effect?" Li Xinwen said though he knew that is impossible since the jade container is made out of a top grade spiritual jade. ''In any case, I just want to make sure Lanyu didn''t get a wrong one by accident...'' he thought to himself.


    After rubbing the ointment all over Lanyu''s face, he waited for a while and not long after, Lanyu''s face changed into that of an old fairy. The face was full of wrinkles and there was an unkempt beard on his face.


    "En. This will be helpful. I''ll be taking this out," Li Xinwen said as he closed the jade container and placed it in his pocket. "Is this the only one?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "Unfortunately," Lanyu flew over to a mirror on top of a cabinet and then let out a horrified scream. "Ugly! So ugly!" he cried before he wiped his face with his clothes. "Master is bullying me..." he mumbled.


    Li Xinwen just chuckled and shook his head at the fairy''s antic. He patiently waited for Lanyu to finish cleaning his face before finally asking again. "You said the old master made this. Is there a way that I can make this too?"


    "Of course! Come right here!" Lanyu flew over to the door to the right of the main entrance. Li Xinwen followed him, and when they entered the room, Li Xinwen found that there is another three separate doors.


    ''Why are there so many doors? No actually, can the cottage even fit this many rooms?!'' Li Xinwen felt as if that even the cottage he''s in is not a normal cottage.


    "The first door is the medicine making room, the second door is the pill refining workshop and the last is the room for crafting!" Lanyu explained to Li Xinwen. "But, the old master sealed it before he died... Don''t worry though! The old master did leave something for you to help undo the seal!" Lanyu said before he dragged Li Xinwen to the other door in the living room. This door is located right in front of the entrance and Lanyu pulled Li Xinwen inside.


    This room was a study room, but what made Li Xinwen gasp in surprise was the number of shelves in the room that''s filled with books. Not even waiting for Lanyu''s explanation, he went over to one of the shelves and took out a book. "This... is the manual of a lost cultivation technique for Flame Eruption! In Long Xing, only the first three steps were preserved!" Li Xinwen said as he flipped through the pages. "But this book is complete!" Li Xinwen''s eyes were shining as he put the book back only to take another one. "I''ve never seen this before. Phantom Form?" Li Xinwen flipped to the first page and started to read the first page. As he read the technique''s description, Li Xinwen liked it. "This would really help to sneak around during the apocalypse. Unfortunately, I need to be at least jindan stage to start cultivating this technique," Li Xinwen sighed. Putting the book back in place, he suddenly remembered that Sun Xiao has Zhuo Yang body type, which means he has the aptitude to cultivate.


    "Lanyu! Does the old master have anything that can help someone with Yang body type to cultivate?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "Yes, we have several! But master... you have a Yin type body, ah! If you use a cultivation method for Yang body type, it will end up being detrimental for you!" Lanyu said in a worried tone.


    "It''s not for me. It''s for someone else. Anyway, prepare me all that is suitable for someone with Yang body type. I''ll take them out," Li Xinwen said as he began looking around once more.


    "As you wish, master!" Lanyu said before he began to browse the shelves. "Ah, yes! The thing that can help you undo the seal is on the table! Master should have a look!"


    When Li Xinwen heard it, he walked over to the table and saw that there are two books on the table, one thick and one thin. The table a short-legged table so Li Xinwen simply sat on the floor before he grabbed on the thinner book. Flipping through the pages, he found out that the pocket dimension belongs to the growing type of heavenly treasure. This means that even after Li Xinwen restores it to its original state, Li Xinwen is able to make it grow. Originally, the owner had only wanted to experiment if he could create a small world of his own. ''But since the pocket dimension is in this state, I guess he failed,'' Li Xinwen thought as he continued to read. In the entry, it mentioned several other functions of the pocket dimension. Like the spiritual lake earlier can be used as nourishment. Further into the journal, it mentioned that the owner was able to put live animals inside.


    "Lanyu!" Li Xinwen called out as soon as he read it. "Your old master mentioned that I can place animals inside this place. Can I still do it now? Or do I need to restore the jade first?" Li Xinwen asked.


    Lanyu, who was busy taking out cultivation manuals turned to Li Xinwen before he answered. "Because of the damaged medium, you can only put small animals in..." then Lanyu''s eyes seemed to shine brightly and he quickly flew toward Li Xinwen. "Master! Are you going to put some livestock in here?! Lanyu wants some chicken! It has been so long since Lanyu eats meat!"


    "... the animals that your old master had placed here, were they all eaten by you?"


    "Old master didn''t place much... just a few Leaf Antelope, Flaming Bull, Mountain Ox, Tempest Chicken..." Lanyu murmured in a soft voice. Due to the contract that both of them have, Li Xinwen could sense that Lanyu was lying so he just raised an eyebrow to Lanyu. "Wuwuwuwu... Master! Please don''t get angry! It''s been over thousands of years! So, of course, Lanyu would be hungry! So I ate, ate and ate. Then by the time I realized it, the animals are all gone!!" Lanyu explained tearfully.

 Chapter 70 - 25.2 - Help! Im going to get eaten!

    Seeing Lanyu''s pitiful appearance, Li Xinwen can only sigh. "I''m not angry. Stop crying, alright? In the future, I may put in some animals inside but you are not allowed to eat them without permission, understood?" Li Xinwen said as he gave Lanyu a serious look. "I want you to swear on this."


    "Lanyu promise! If Lanyu ever breaks this promise, may the heaven sends down lightning to strike me down and my soul forever unable to reincarnate!" Lanyu said as he looked straight to Li Xinwen.


    "Good. I think I should go back. I''ll take these two books with me. Continue to prepare the cultivation manual. I''ll come again later to take it out," Li Xinwen said as he closed the book in his hand and grabbed the other one. "How do I get out?" Li Xinwen asked Lanyu. Some pocket dimension requires special method to get out and Li Xinwen wondered if this pocket dimension is one of those few.


    "As long as master just wished to get out, then you will exit the dimension. Same with coming in and placing items inside the dimension. Taking out is also the same but of course, master must first know the things that you want to take out. For the cultivation manual, just call Lanyu later and Lanyu will help master to take it out! No need to come in personally!" Lanyu explained happily.


    "Alright. Later, I will be sending in some cats, your task will be to take care of them. And no eating them! Got it?" Li Xinwen made sure to warn Lanyu who quickly nods his head. "Good. I''ll go now. Behave, alright?"


    "Yes, master!" Lanyu saluted Li Xinwen before he watched Li Xinwen disappear from his place. Afterward, Lanyu let out a relieved sigh before he went back to the shelves to continue taking out cultivation manuals for the Yang body type.


    When Li Xinwen returned to his apartment, he saw that everything remained almost the same. Almost being the keyword because the cats are now actively playing with each other. Li Xinwen then looked up at the clock on the wall and saw that even though he spent about half an hour in the dimension, only three minutes passed. ''So the time flow is different in that dimension...'' Li Xinwen thought before he grabbed one of the cats by the scruff of its neck. It was a white cat with an odd-eye. "You know, if you''re born in Long Xing, you''ll probably one of those rare spirit or demon beasts," Li Xinwen chuckled before he tried to communicate Lanyu through his mind.


    ''Lanyu, I''m sending one of the cats over to you now,'' Li Xinwen said and soon, the cat in his hand disappeared into thin air.


    Back inside the dimension, Lanyu saw a cat appearing outside the cottage and can''t help but feel excited. "Aaah! Master, I saw the cat. Should I get it into the house?" Lanyu asked.


    [Li Xinwen: No. Just let them stay outside. It''ll be bad if they mess the things inside the house.]


    "Alright! Then how about Lanyu just make a smaller house for them?" Lanyu asked again.


    [Li Xinwen: ... well, if you want to. I''m sending the rest over to you.]


    As soon as Li Xinwen said that, the rest of the cats appeared in the dimension. At first, there was only one so there was not much reaction but now they all appeared, it suddenly became noisy. This was because the cats were afraid since they are in unknown territory. Not long after that, more items appeared. From scratching post to their bed, their toys, as well as their litter. For Lanyu, it was the first time he saw these things so he can''t help but ask Li Xinwen.


    "Master, what are these?" as soon as the question left his lips, a book fell from the sky and hit Lanyu on his head. In the book, there''s instruction on how to operate the cat''s toys. The instructions were all handwritten by hand by the original Li Xinwen for his sister. Not only that, the book also has each cat''s preferences, how to bathe them, and what time they should have their meal.


    [Li Xinwen: Those are what the original owner of my body wrote for his sister. You can use those and learn how to take care of the cats! I''m putting in the food next!]


    Soon, cans of cat food fell from the sky. Lanyu stared at the mess before him before letting out a sigh. "First... let''s get you all settled!" Lanyu said before he put the book inside his own storage ring. Then, he proceeded to rearrange the cat''s belonging. Since he''s not allowed to bring them into the house, they can only stay outside for now until he finished making them their house. Unfortunately, for the cats, seeing a flying fairy was a first to them and out of curiosity, one of them jumped up and pounced on Lanyu.


    "Aaaaahh!! Master help! I''m going to get eaten!!" Lanyu screamed out and all he received was Li Xinwen''s chuckle.

 Chapter 71 - 25.3 -

    After Li Xinwen sent the cats and their stuff over to Lanyu the apartment felt cold and empty. With a sigh, Li Xinwen sat back down on the sofa. "Hopefully, the cats will be safe there," Li Xinwen murmured in a soft voice. Then, he stared at the clock once again. "There are still a few more hours before Ah ''Xiao''s class ends... I guess I''ll just read this book," Li Xinwen said as he picked up the thicker book that he brought out from the dimension.


    The books tell nothing but arrays and seals. Not only did it explain how the seals and arrays were made, but it also explains its use and how to undo the seals in a step by step manner. Li Xinwen was so into reading the book that he didn''t realize how time has passed. If it were not for the alarm he set on his phone before he started reading, he may have forgotten his plan for the day.


    Closing the book, he put both books inside the bag he received when buying the jade for his mother. He then sent a quick message to Sun Xiao, telling the younger boy to wait for him to pick him up. Only after that did Li Xinwen left the apartment, locking the door behind him, and went to the elevator.


    When he reached the ground floor, Li Xinwen saw the guard again. With a smile, he greeted the guard, "Hello Mr. Yun! I''m leaving now. I probably won''t be back for a while," Li Xinwen informed the other.


    "Oh? Why? You don''t have any work, right? What about the cats?" Yun Bolin asked.


    "Don''t worry, the cats are fine. And no, I am on a break to recuperate so no work," Li Xinwen replied.


    "Then, where are you planning to go?"


    "Today? I''m going out with my younger brother to buy some stuff."


    "What stuff? Maybe I can suggest to you someplace where you can shop without worry!" Yun Bolin has a friendly smile on his face as he tries to dig up more information.


    "It''s nothing important. I will be shopping at the nearby shopping mall anyway," Li Xinwen once again replied before he just waved Yun Bolin goodbye. As soon as Li Xinwen exit the building, Yun Bolin took out his phone again and reported his findings to his client.


    In a five-star hotel room within the city, a young man stared at his phone with a message from Yun Bolin. "Shopping with younger brother? At the shopping mall? Heh, let''s see how I can use this..." the man said as he began to phone some reporters that he knows. Though everyone within the entertainment circle knows Li Xinwen''s family matter, the fans don''t know the existence of this adopted younger brother. "The actor Li Xinwen, raising a boy toy to warm his bed... that sounds like a good headline. Xinwen, ah! If only you die from that accident, you''d save me a lot of trouble," the man said with a sigh.


    After a while, there was a bell sound and the young man''s lips curved up into a smile. He got up from the chair and went to the door to open it. "You''re late, Mr. Director. I thought you-mmph!" the young man''s lips were sealed with a kiss and he was pushed back into the room. The door behind them closed and there was a sound of the automatic lock being put in place.


    "With you inviting me, how can I miss this?" the one that the young man called ''Mr. Director'' said after the kiss. "Say it. What does actor An Yunxu want, hmm?" as the director said this, his hands started to slide into An Yunxu''s shirt, letting it roam all over the male''s body.


    "That first male lead role in [Death to My Destiny] , I want it. Li Xinwen won''t be able to return to work for a year, it''ll be a shame to put the whole thing on hold just for one actor, right?" An Yunxu said as he sn.a.k.e.d his arm around the director''s neck. "Director Fang... as long as you say that you don''t want to wait for Li Xinwen, it''s easy for you to put me in the crew, right? Don''t worry about the money. My company is willing to inject twice the amount that Oracle Entertainment gave you. With this, there is no loss, right?"


    Hearing this, Director Fang''s eyes shine with greed before giving Li Yunxu a smile. "Since you say so. Then tomorrow, I''ll deal with Li Xinwen. For now, let me just have my fun..." as he said this, Director Fang once again dive down for a kiss and soon, the room was filled with the ambiguous sound of pleasures.


    * * *


    Mini theatre:


    Lanyu: Good cat, good cat... Lanyu is not delicious. Later, Lanyu will feed you a portion of good food, alright? So please let Lanyu go?


    Cat: Meow! (licks Lanyu''s face)


    Lanyu: No! No, no! Don''t eat me, aah!!


    Cat: (opens mouth wide)


    Lanyu: (faints)


    Cat: Meow? (playfully paws the unconscious Lanyu)


    Lanyu: ...


    Cat: (lost interest and left Lanyu alone)


    Ever since then, Lanyu flew very high and out of reach whenever he tended to the cats for several days.

 Chapter 72 - 26.1 - One cannot fight with an empty Stomach

    Li Xinwen arrived at Sun Xiao''s school by taxi and because he remembered Sun Xiao was feeling nervous earlier, he didn''t wait at the front entrance. Instead, he asked the driver to go over to the back entrance to wait before he sends a message to Sun Xiao to inform the younger boy. Li Xinwen didn''t have to wait long before Sun Xiao appeared and Li Xinwen helped open the door from the inside.


    "Xin- gege, " Sun Xiao greeted him with a shy smile. "Did you wait long?"


    "Not at all! Just arrived myself," Li Xinwen said before he turned to the taxi driver again. "Sir, please go to Oceanzone shopping mall," Li Xinwen told the driver who then drove off without asking any question. This time, Li Xinwen didn''t put on his disguise so the driver didn''t get the suspicious feeling, unlike the other taxi driver from before. But, the driver would still occasionally glanced at his rear mirror to look at Li Xinwen.


    "Sir, please forgive me if this question would... offend you but, are you the actor that got into an accident not too long ago?" the driver asked.


    Upon hearing this question, Sun Xiao frowned but Li Xinwen just smiled at the driver. "Yes, I''ve just recently got discharged from the hospital. I''m currently on vacation in order to recuperate," Li Xinwen answered calmly.


    "I knew it! My daughter kept on talking about you and her room is full of your poster. She even has a shrine in the corner of her room dedicated to you!" the driver replied, sounding a bit excited. "Mr. Li, is it alright if I ask for your signature later? When my daughter heard of your accident, she was depressed and even cried for the whole night. Then, the news of your successful surgery made her happy but it didn''t last long because not long after, the news says you were in a coma," the driver told Li Xinwen, his tone was slightly somber.


    "Mr. Li, you see, my daughter is not that bright. Her marks are always under average and she was already in her last year of high school. As a father, I am always worried... then suddenly, she said she wanted to be a surgeon! A neurosurgeon to boot! I was truly surprised!" the driver continued to speak. "At first, I thought she was just saying it for... you know, for the sake of it. I mean, when I asked why she wanted to be a neurosurgeon, she said it was because of you. But she really worked hard and her mark is now in the top 100 within the whole nation!" at this, Li Xinwen could sense how proud the driver is for his daughter. "So, Mr. Li, can you please grant my wish and give me an autograph addressed to my daughter?" the driver asked with a pleading expression.


    "Alright. I''ll give her an autograph," Li Xinwen said with a small chuckle. Working hard for someone you look up to is normal even in Long Xing. Back then, Li Xinwen also has few disciples of Soaring Heaven sect that idolizes him and Li Xinwen would also sometimes reward them by either giving them advice or pills to help them with their cultivation as a form of encouragement. Plus, Li Xinwen felt indebted to his sect so the stronger their disciple is, the better it is for his sect.


    The rest of the drive was filled with small chatter between Li Xinwen and the driver and it made Sun Xiao felt neglected. He lowered his head and started to play with his phone when suddenly he felt a warm hand on top of his head. Looking up, he saw Li Xinwen gazing at him with a warm smile on his face.


    " Ah ''Xiao, what''s wrong?" Li Xinwen asked.


    In Sun Xiao''s eyes, Li Xinwen''s smile was very dazzling and he felt his heart race once again. He doesn''t understand why he was feeling nervous faced with his adopted brother''s smile recently. He had never felt this way before this.


    " Ah ''Xiao?" Li Xinwen called out again, this time his tone was laced with worry.


    "Xin- gege , you won''t leave Ah ''Xiao?" Sun Xiao asked in a low voice.


    Hearing this, Li Xinwen showed a helpless expression. His hand moved down to caress Sun Xiao''s cheek before he lightly pinched the soft meat. "What are you thinking, hmm? Didn''t ge already promised you? Sun Xiao, even if the world wants to abandon you, ge will always be by your side," Li Xinwen told the young boy. "Why do you always think ge will leave you?" he asked. Sun Xiao''s insecurity has always been there even when Li Xinwen looked at the original''s memories before. He believed that this was the reason why Sun Xiao is the way he is now.


    Sun Xiao didn''t reply but he just went closer and wrapped his arm around Li Xinwen''s waist to hug him. Li Xinwen also didn''t ask any further and just comforted the young boy. ''Sun Xiao''s gloominess... how do I change this?'' Li Xinwen thought to himself before he remembered how the boy looked excited whenever martial arts were mentioned.


    " Ah ''Xiao, how about we go browse some martial arts book later?" Li Xinwen asked as he looked down to gauge the younger boy''s reaction. Sure enough, at the mention of martial arts, Sun Xiao''s previous gloominess disappeared and his eyes shone with excitement.


    "We will buy martial arts books?" Sun Xiao asked and Li Xinwen nods his head.


    "Will ge also learn martial arts with me?" he asked again, getting another nod from Li Xinwen. "Let''s go now?"


    At this, Li Xinwen let out a small chuckle and pats Sun Xiao on the head. "Not now. Later. First, we must go eat and fill our belly," Li Xinwen told Sun Xiao. "Remember, one cannot fight with an empty stomach. That''s your first lesson!"


    "Okay!" Sun Xiao nods his head as he committed the first lesson Li Xinwen told him into his memories. "Ge, if that is the first... Then, what''s the second?"


    "Second? Hmm... practicing martial arts require confidence and discipline. So you will have to work on your confidence, Ah ''Xiao, or else, it will be hard for you to learn," Li Xinwen said.


    "Confidence...?" Sun Xiao looked at Li Xinwen, his eyes seemingly show a hint of lost. "Xin- gege , how do I work on my confidence?"

 Chapter 73 - 26.2 - Building Confidence (Anti-Piracy)

    At this question, Li Xinwen didn''t know how to answer. Luckily at this time, the driver announced that they have arrived and Li Xinwen suddenly has an idea. Taking out his wallet, he handed it to Sun Xiao. "The first step on building your confidence is to overcome your shyness! Ah ''Wen, try and pay the uncle driver," Li Xinwen told Sun Xiao while he glanced at the driver, signaling the other to help him.


    Since the driver owed Li Xinwen a favor for the autograph, he naturally agreed to help. "Little brother, the fee will be 100 yuan," the driver said with a friendly smile on his face.


    Being suddenly put into this kind of situation, Sun Xiao felt nervous and he almost broke down under the pressure. Then, he felt a warm hand on his back, gently stroking him. Looking up, he saw Li Xinwen with a smile, waiting on him patiently. Taking a deep breath, he carefully opened Li Xinwen''s wallet and took out the bill to pay for the fare. "Umm... here, uncle driver," Sun Xiao said as he handed the bill to the taxi driver.


    "Alright, thank you for the patronage!" the driver said before he turned to Li Xinwen. "Mr. Li, the autograph..."


    "Of course, but I don''t have anything to write with," Li Xinwen informed the other and the driver immediately went over to his car dashboard to look for something for Li Xinwen to use. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could use other than a receipt book.


    Seeing this, Sun Xiao felt that he should try to help so he simply offered: "I... have papers and pen marker with me..."


    After saying this, Sun Xiao rummaged his backpack and then took out his sketchbook and his pencil case. He handed the sketchbook to Li Xinwen before took out the pen marker from his pencil case. Seeing this, Li Xinwen felt that the boy made a good progress and he can''t help smiling at Sun Xiao.


    "Thank you, Ah ''Xiao," Li Xinwen said before he flipped through the sketchbook until he reached an empty page. Then, he signed his name in accordance to the original''s memories. "Sir, what''s your daughter''s name?" Li Xinwen asked and the driver carefully told Li Xinwen his daughter''s name word by word. Li Xinwen nod his head and wrote a small note for the driver''s daughter to encourage her more. After giving the autograph to the driver, both Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao alighted from the taxi and Li Xinwen stared at the huge building before him. There were also a lot of people walking around so he put on his disguise before he took Sun Xiao''s hand in his.


    "Stay close, don''t get lost," Li Xinwen said before he pulled Sun Xiao into the shopping mall.


    Their first destination is, of course, a restaurant. On the ground floor, there were a lot of restaurants, cafes and also different kinds of fast-food restaurants. Li Xinwen is not a picky eater, so he simply asked Sun Xiao, " Ah ''Xiao, where do you want to eat?"


    Hearing the question, Sun Xiao looked around until he saw a traditional Chinese restaurant. "Let''s eat there...?" Sun Xiao said as he pointed at the restaurant.


    Li Xinwen saw where Sun Xiao is pointing and immediately agreed. They walked over to the restaurant and were welcomed by the waitress. "Good afternoon, sirs! A table for two?" the waitress asked with a smile on her face. Li Xinwen was just about to answer then remembered that since he decided to help Sun Xiao build confidence, he should let the boy answer. He lightly elbowed Sun Xiao''s side, signaling the boy to answer in his stead.


    Sun Xiao just stared at Li Xinwen for a while before understanding what his brother is trying to do. Feeling nervous, he turned to the waitress before he opened his mouth to answer. "Table for... two people and, can we... have a seat near the corner?" Sun Xiao was timid, but his voice is loud enough for the waitress to answer.


    Seeing this, the waitress can''t help but feel that Sun Xiao is very cute. "The seat near the corner? Please wait a moment and let me check," she said before she pulled one of her co-workers and asked about the seats. Once she got her answer, she turned back to Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao with a smile on her face. "Luckily, there is one! Let me lead you to your seat," the waitress said as she began to walk deeper into the restaurant.


    The seat near the corner is not crowded and it gives the two of them a sense of privacy. The waitress handed over the menu book to them and Li Xinwen began browsing for food. There was a lot of food that looks familiar and Li Xinwen can''t help feeling his mouth water.


    "Miss, I''ll have this," Li Xinwen said as he pointed at braised beef noodle and Sun Xiao who sat opposite him quietly glanced at what he ordered. When he saw what Li Xinwen was pointing at, his eyes widened before he grabbed Li Xinwen''s hand.


    "Xin- gege ! You can''t eat solid food!" Sun Xiao reminded him, eyes filled with worry.


    " Ah ''Xiao, it''s alright. As long as Hu- jie doesn''t find out," Li Xinwen winked at Sun Xiao. "Plus... Your brother is really hungry, ah! You can''t expect me to only eat soup or porridge, right?" Li Xinwen gave Sun Xiao a pitiful look and the younger boy felt himself wavering.


    "I..." Sun Xiao stared at Li Xinwen for a while, then he remembered Li Xinwen''s state for the past few months on the hospital bed and he quickly steeled his heart. "No, Xin- gege must not eat solid food yet. The doctor says no, so we must listen... Xin -gege promised not to leave Ah ''Xiao, remember?"


    This time, it was Li Xinwen''s turn to waver and seeing Sun Xiao''s resolve in his eyes, he can only sigh. ''Well, since he can have this expression, that means it won''t be that hard to build his confidence,'' Li Xinwen thought as he browsed the menu once again.


    The waitress who was attending to them suddenly felt as if she''s wearing a hat that shines very brightly while being fed dog food by these two customers of hers.

 Chapter 74 - 27.1 - Lets just buy them slowly over the year...

    In the end, Li Xinwen ate a bowl of porridge and 2 servings of caramel puddings. Though Sun Xiao felt guilty at first, when he saw Li Xinwen enjoying the puddings, he felt relieved. After they finished eating, Li Xinwen once again handed his wallet over to Sun Xiao with a grin. " Ah ''Xiao, today... how about I let you do all the payment, hmm? Once you get used to interacting with people, you''ll naturally feel less shy."


    Sun Xiao stared at the wallet in his hand, then looked up at Li Xinwen. The nervousness can be seen from his expression and to ease it up, Li Xinwen reached up and pats Sun Xiao''s head. "You can do it. Your big bro here believes in you," Li Xinwen said in a gentle tone. While saying this, he also sends a few strands of spiritual energy to help calm Sun Xiao up.


    After a while, Sun Xiao finally gathered enough courage and nods his head. "Xin- gege , let''s go and pay now," Sun Xiao said as he stood up and picked up his backpack.


    They went to the cashier and paid for their meal. Much to Li Xinwen''s delight, Sun Xiao was able to do so without looking nervous. It wasn''t until they got outside that Sun Xiao let out a loud sigh, placing a hand on his fast-beating chest. "Xin- gege ... where to next? Martial arts book?" Sun Xiao asked Li Xinwen.


    "Not yet. Hua- jie said that we should buy some underwear and clothes to prepare ourselves," Li Xinwen told the younger boy and he could see the disappointment in his eyes. "After that, I''ll let you buy whatever martial arts book you want! Alright?"


    "En. Okay!" Sun Xiao cheered up once more after being promised.


    They first went to one of the clothing shops in the shopping mall. Li Xinwen doesn''t care much about brands so he just randomly picked a shop. Their first destination was the men''s underwear section. It was then that Li Xinwen learned that there were two kinds of underwear for men. Li Xinwen stared at the triangle-shaped underwear and felt that it lacked privacy. ''This just looks like the way those people in the pleasure house did their underwear back in Long Xing...'' Li Xinwen couldn''t help his thought before he turned to Sun Xiao. " Ah ''Xiao, Hua- jie said to buy at least 500 underwear. One box has 12 pairs so we''ll need to buy 42 boxes," Li Xinwen told him.


    "42...?" Sun Xiao who heard it was shocked. He stared at Li Xinwen with disbelief. "Did Hua- jie really said that? But Xin- gege , she said the apocalypse won''t happen until five years later... we don''t have to buy 500 now. Let''s just buy them slowly over the years..." Sun Xiao suggested. If they really buy it now, it would be embarrassing to come out holding bags filled with boxes of boxers.


    "You think so?" Li Xinwen asked and Sun Xiao quickly nods his head. "Well, alright then. Ge will listen to Ah ''Xiao," Li Xinwen said.


    "Then, let''s just take two boxes and then we go grab some clothes... after that, martial art books?" Sun Xiao said as he looked up at Li Xinwen, giving his older brother a puppy look.


    "..." Li Xinwen was speechless when faced with this look. ''First, Xue Rui... now even Ah''Xiao is using this deadly look on me, ah!'' he thought before he raised his hand and gently rubbed Sun Xiao''s head. "Alright. Let''s buy some clothes."


    While the two were choosing clothes, a paparazzi who got intel about Li Xinwen finally found them. He sneaked a photo. Because he was quite far, the picture he took was not as clear, and because of the two brother''s position, it turned out to be ambiguous.


    Regardless, the paparazzi was satisfied with the picture and sent it over to his colleague before he continued to tail Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao. For people like them, they don''t care much about the truth. What they liked the most is digging up scandals from these kinds of celebrities.


    He wanted to get closer, but he did not want to risk getting found out so he only stays at what he deemed a safe distance. When the two brothers exit the clothing store, he too left. Then, the two entered a book store and the paparazzi was confused. ''It''s normal to buy clothes for your pet but... books? That is unheard of...''


    He was just about to follow them inside when he was suddenly pulled by his collar. "Hey! What do you think you''re doing?!" the paparazzi was angry that he was stopped. But when he turned around to face the person who stopped him, he suddenly felt cold all over his body.


    The other person was wearing a black suit and was also wearing sunglasses. His whole appearance screamed the word ''bodyguard'' and the paparazzi thought that he''s the bodyguard that Li Xinwen hired. After all, it is not rare for a celebrity to hire a personal bodyguard.


    "Sir, I caught him. Waiting for further instruction," the bodyguard said and only then did the paparazzi noticed the earpiece on the bodyguard''s ear. The paparazzi wanted to run but was quickly caught by the bodyguard. After a while, the bodyguard leaned closer and whispered to his ear. "My boss wants to meet you. Be obedient and you won''t get hurt," the bodyguard said before he dragged the paparazzi away from the book store.


    "Wait, your boss is not inside the book store?"


    "No."


    "Then mister, did you catch the wrong person? I don''t think I ever..."


    "No. I''ve been watching you. You''ve been following Young Master Li. My boss doesn''t like it and ordered me to bring you to him," the bodyguard said, crushing the paparazzi''s hope of getting away.


    Inside the bookstore, Li Xinwen glanced outside with a frown. ''The two-person who followed us around left? Is it just me overthinking about it?'' Li Xinwen thought before he shrugged his shoulder. ''Even if they wanted to do something, I doubt they could.''


    "Xin- gege , what''s wrong?" Sun Xiao asked when he noticed that Li Xinwen was staring out of the store window.


    "Nothing. Did you find the book you wanted?" Li Xinwen asked and Sun Xiao just lifts up the book he''s holding. "This?" Li Xinwen flipped through the book and saw that it was about the martial arts from the K country. He didn''t mind it much since these also looks very useful. Li Xinwen also felt that the moves explained in the book were unique, something that was not found in Long Xing.


    Suddenly, he felt that he should also learn these martial arts. Once he returns to Long Xing, it might help him throw his opponent into a confusion, or even create his own cultivation technique based on these martial arts. "Are these all? Let''s buy different kinds, and then you can easily choose which one you want to learn at home!"

 Chapter 75 - 27.2 - Lanyu?

    Li Xinwen continued to bring Sun Xiao around, shopping for books and other random stuff such as clothes, hats and even stationery but most of all, Li Xinwen indulged himself in buying chocolate. When they left the shopping mall, both of them have hands full of bags, but most of them were on Sun Xiao''s hold. They didn''t realize how time flew while they were inside so when Li Xinwen looked up, he was surprised that the sky had an orange tint on it. "We should go home. Mom will get worried," Li Xinwen said before he freed one of his hand and took out his phone.


    He called for a taxi and luckily for them, there is one nearby so they didn''t have to wait long. After a half an hour drive, they finally arrived at the entrance of Li residence. As if he got used to it, Sun Xiao paid for the fare before they got out of the car. Seeing this, Li Xinwen couldn''t help that he has achieved his goal. ''If this continues... I hope that future I see from Li Jinghua''s memories won''t happen to him,'' Li Xinwen said as he lifts up and pats Sun Xiao''s head. "Good job. You''ve worked hard today," Li Xinwen said.


    Sun Xiao looked up at him and when he saw how Li Xinwen looked proud, he blushed a deep shade of red. Fortunately, the sky is now dark so he hoped that his older brother won''t notice it. They opened the gate and walked over to their house. When they entered, their nose were assaulted by the various aroma of foods.


    "..." Li Xinwen who are on a strict soft food diet felt that meal time is his worse nightmare. He can only watch, but cannot eat. Though the family do try to be considerate by preparing less food that he can''t eat, it still doesn''t make him feel any better. ''I wish one month can pass quickly, ah!''


    " Ah ''Wen, Ah ''Xiao, welcome home," Mother Li smiled when she saw her two sons came home. "I heard from Hua- er you guys went shopping for clothes," as she said this, her eyes went to the bags on both Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao''s hand. "Looks like you both bought a lot. Go on and put them in your rooms, then come and have dinner," Mother Li said before she went back into the kitchen.


    "Xin- gege just stay here. I''ll help you bring your stuff upstairs!" Sun Xiao offered. " Gege is still recovering after all," he said as he took the bags from Li Xinwen and then he went upstairs. He first went into Li Xinwen''s room and placed his elder brother''s stuff on the recamier sofa. He was about to leave when his eyes caught sight of a jian on the bed. His heart started to race from excitement. The decoration on the sheath compelled him to touch it. He walked closer to the bed and was just about to go over and touch the jian when he heard Li Xinwen''s voice.


    " Ah ''Xiao, what are you doing?"


    * * *


    Li Xinwen at first, wanted to wait patiently for Sun Xiao downstairs but then, he felt someone had entered the barrier he set around his bed. He went upstairs and went into his room only to see Sun Xiao over his bed, trying to grab Shuang Ren. "Ah''Xiao, what are you doing?" Li Xinwen asked but there was no anger in his tone, just feeling amused.


    Hearing Li Xinwen''s voice, Sun Xiao immediately stood up straight and turned to Li Xinwen. "Xin -gege ! I... I''m sorry... it''s just umm..." Sun Xiao stuttered, head down, staring at the floor.


    "Do you like the jian?" Li Xinwen asked in a gentle tone. He had just managed to get Sun Xiao to regain some confidence, if the younger boy returned to his state before, it would be bad. At the question, Sun Xiao just nods his head and walked over to the boy. "You can''t have this one," Li Xinwen told him. "But I have another one. If you learn martial art properly, ge will give them to you," he added. "Now, go on along and put your stuff in your room. Mom is already waiting," Li Xinwen reminded the boy that they are supposed to have dinner.


    Once Sun Xiao left, Li Xinwen shook his head and looked over at Shuang Ren. ''Lanyu, I''m sending my jian over to you. Be sure to keep it safe,'' Li Xinwen said in his mind before he sends the jian into the pocket dimension. After a while, he decided to reward Lanyu, except he doesn''t know what to give the little spirit. ''Lanyu, have you tried chocolate?'' Li Xinwen asked.


    [Lanyu: Chocolate? No, I haven''t, master. Is it good? Are those one of the food that the mortal here made?]


    Hearing this question, Li Xinwen decided to just hand over one pack of chocolate. In those pack is 26 pieces of chocolate bar. ''Those are chocolates. Try eating them. If you like it, I''ll buy more for you. By the way, how is the search of the cultivation manual going?''


    [Lanyu: ...]


    ''Lanyu?'' Li Xinwen called out again when there was no answer. ''You have exactly ten breath to answer before I go in there,'' he threatened the small spirit.


    [Lanyu: Master! Please forgive Lanyu!! It''s the cats! The cats won''t let Lanyu do his work!]


    ''Just feed them and leave them to play! Why are you playing with them for?''


    [Lanyu: I''m sorry, master...]


    Li Xinwen let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. ''Just give me whatever you have now.''


    As he told Lanyu this, he felt a kind of connection in his mind and he quickly took out the books that Lanyu had prepared so far. All of them are something that were created for those with Yang constitution. He placed them on his table and planned to look through it later after dinner so he could find which one is the most suitable for Sun Xiao.


    * * *


    Mini theatre:


    Within the pocket dimension, Lanyu happily plays around with the cats after he had gotten over his fear of them.


    Lanyu: Aiya! Why are you guys so cute, ah!


    Lanyu: Hey! Don''t go and excrete near the house!!


    Lanyu: So fluffy! Can you be my bed?


    Li Xinwen: Lanyu, how is the search going?


    Lanyu who were distracted for the whole time: ... Oh no! How should I answer?!

 Chapter 76 - 28.1 - Unwanted Guests

    After dinner, Li Xinwen went back to his room. His excuse to his family was, he''s too tired today after playing the whole day so he wanted to rest early. While in his room, Li Xinwen looked through the cultivation manual. ''But then... what if there are better cultivation technique for him?'' he thought, since there are still more books in the dimension. Even though he said that, he still spend time to read through everything. He put those that are best compatible with Sun Xiao''s body constitution aside, then sends the rest back into the dimension.


    When he looked at the wall clock, he realized that it was already close to 10:00 PM. "I wonder if Hua- jie is already asleep..." he murmured in a soft voice. Though he already knew the reason why Li Jinghua is protective of her, and how Li Xinwen died, he still wanted to know more about the apocalypse. "She mentions that Mr. Min had created a pill to heal the zombie virus by using the couldron... I wonder if she saw it personally..."


    Deciding to enter Li Jinghua''s memories once more, Li Xinwen turned the lights off and went to his bed. Closing his eyes, he let his spiritual energy goes inside Li Jinghua''s mind once more and started to look through her memories. But halfway through, he suddenly felt that someone had entered his room. Not only that, this person even got onto his bed. Thinking it was an enemy trying to assassinate him, Li Xinwen retracted his senses back and returned to his body. When he opened his eyes, he saw a figure hovering above him. A hand was under his shirt, feeling him all over his body.


    "Ah, did I wake you up?" that familiar voice made Li Xinwen frown and he quickly became alert.


    ''This kind of person... really must not be let off so easily!'' Li Xinwen said in his mind before he raised his hand up and pushed the figure off him. Pushing seems to be an understatement since the figure actually flew off the bed.


    "Care to tell me why the second young master of the Xue family is in my room this late at night?!" Li Xinwen asked as he got off the bed and approached Xue Liang in a domineering manner.


    Xue Liang, was at first surprised when he was suddenly pushed off but it didn''t take long for that surprise to change into excitement instead. He stood up and corrected his suit while his eyes never left Li Xinwen. "So, not only did your temparament change, you also became stronger? But you''ve been in coma for two months, only woke up recently. So how did you manage to get this strong?" Xue Liang asked.


    ''This guy... something is wrong with his head,'' Li Xinwen thought as he stared at Xue Liang''s eyes which have a hint of madness. ''I should erase his memories. Then just call Xue Rui to pick this guy up...''


    While Li Xinwen was thinking, Xue Liang continued to speak. "You see, I''ve already asked those doctors around but they said that nothing about you is suspicious. The discharge report says that your body still have several scars that has yet to disappear but when I touched you earlier, your skin is smooth, lacking of any scars..."


    "Oh? So what does the second young master want to say?" Li Xinwen asked in a low, dangerous tone. By manipulating the spiritual energy in the room, Li Xinwen put a pressure on Xue Liang, forcing the male to fall on his knees. At the same time, he made sure to only use the pressure that a rank one Houtian practitioner can exert. After all, he didn''t want to accidentally turn Xue Liang into a bloody mess on the floor. "No matter, after this, you won''t remember a thing."


    Li Xinwen crouched down and touched Xue Liang''s forehead and he was about to inject some spiritual energy to wipe out Xue Liang''s memories for the day when something unexpected happened. Because this was a mortal realm, where most of the mortals are non-cultivator, Li Xinwen had put his guard down after putting a pressure on Xue Liang. After all, it was unheard of that a mere mortal could stand against the spiritual pressure of a cultivator. And yet, Xue Liang had just proven him wrong this time.


    Xue Liang moved quickly. In one swift movement, he managed to aim at Li Xinwen''s neck, in his hand is a syringe filled with a solution. It was only unfortunate for Xue Rui that Li Xinwen is now a peak 4th stage Houtian, so the flimsy tip of the syringe broke the moment it hit Li Xinwen''s neck.


    Li Xinwen blinked for a few seconds in disbelief as he stared at Xue Liang. At the same time, Xue Liang was also sporting a look of disbelief as he stared at the syringe with a broken needle.


    "You..." Xue Liang began to speak.


    BAM!


    Li Xinwen aimed a fist right onto Xue Liang, punching him right across his face. This punch didn''t have any spiritual energy in it, it was just a normal punch. Of course, if it was up to Li Xinwen, he really wanted to beat this man before thim half to death.


    This punch was already enough to make Xue Liang fall to the floor and Li Xinwen frown once again. Earlier, when Xue Liang moved, he thought that it was because this man might also be a cultivator, albeit, a low ranked one. But after seeing this, he knew that his conjenctures were wrong. A cultivator, no matter how weak he is, even if they had just started, it''s impossible for them to fall with just a simple punch with no spiritual energy imbued. ''So he really is a mortal... a mortal who can stand against the pressure of a 1st stage Houtian.''


    Xue Liang piqued Li Xinwen''s interest. He stared at Xue Liang who are currently wiped the blood off his lips after the punch earlier.  Sitting down on the floor with his legs crossed, Li Xinwen continued to stare at the other man. "I''ll give you a chance. Tell me why you''re here," Li Xinwen said as he then activated Mo Yan to inspect Xue Liang''s body. ''Ah, no wonder he could resist slightly,'' Li Xinwen thought in his mind as he discovered the reason. ''This man completed the first stage of Body Transformation and is actually close to entering the second stage.''

 Chapter 77 - 28.2 - Come and pick up your brother

    Due to his curiosity, Li Xinwen increased the pressure he''s exerting. From the pressure of a lower stage one Houtian to middle stage, he could see that Xue Liang was still able to resist and nothing much has changed. But when the pressure entered the peak of stage one Houtian, Xue Liang finally threw out blood and Li Xinwen immediately stopped. ''Just a mere stage one body transformation practitioner and he could already resist the pressure from a mid-stage one Houtian? He have a lot of potential. It''s unfortunate that I don''t like him,'' Li Xinwen thought as he put his hand over Xua Liang''s head and proceeded to inject his spiritual energy into him, erasing the things that has happened the moment Xue Liang got into his room.


    Then, he proceeded to create a fake memory, making it that after Xue Liang entered his room, the male had an accident and fell down, knocking on his head and falling unconscious.


    After he''s done, he went over to his table and grabbed his phone that was charging. He scrolled over his contact list, found Xue Rui''s number and proceeded to call him. It took him several rings before the phone call was finally answered.


    "Hello?" Xue Rui''s word were slurred before he continued to speak. "Xinwen... Ah ''Wen... I love you so much and I miss you so much~"


    Li Xinwen''s expression turned dark when he heard this tone. "Rui- ge , are you drunk?" he asked. "Can you drive?"


    " Drive 1 ? Of course I can, Xinwen, ah! Just tell me where and I''ll go to you. I promise that I can drive all night long and give you the utmost pleasure~"


    Li Xinwen: ...


    Li Xinwen couldn''t say anything. He became speechless at Xue Rui''s reply because he didn''t understand what the man had meant until he remembered a certain modern slang. His face is immediately covered in black lines and he was just about to scold Xue Rui when he heard another voice from the other line.


    " Xiao Rui, you''re drunk. Let your big bro answer it," then following that voice, Li Xinwen could hear Xue Rui struggling.


    "No! Brother... please don''t take Xinwen away from me!!"


    Li Xinwen then decided to simply wait for the people on the other side to be done while glancing over at Xue Liang who is out cold on the floor. Not long after, Li Xinwen heard Xue Rui''s voice again.


    "Xinwen, are you still there?" he asked, his tone sounding very pitiful.


    "Here," Li Xinwen replied. "Rui- ge , I won''t repeat this so listen carefully... come over quickly and pick up your brother," Li Xinwen said before he cut off the phone call.


    * * *


    Few hours before Li Xinwen''s phone call, 7pm at Fluorescene Club, Xue Rui met with his eldest brother. In this private room, there were only two of them and no one else. Xue Rui sat down opposite of his brother who has a stoic expression. "You look well, Jun- ge . I guess the army is treating you right?" Xue Rui asked as he greeted his brother, Xue Jun.


    Xue Jun just nods his head at Xue Rui''s question. "Have you eaten?" his brother asked and Xue Rui shook his head.


    "I went straight over after work... I finished up quite late so I didn''t have time to eat," Xue Rui replied.


    "Then, let''s eat something first. Pad your stomach before drinking."


    They then proceeded to call for the waiter. Because they are frequent customers in this club, they simply ordered the usual and the waiter understood.


    " Xiao Rui, tell me what happened with Xue Liang earlier."


    Xue Rui was distressed when he remembered what happened earlier. How Xue Liang had said he had taken advantage of Li Xinwen behind his back by impersonating him. Just thinking of it made his heart heavy and caused him a headache from all the stress. He slowly explained to Xue Jun about Xue Liang''s matter and the eldest of the triplet also felt a headache coming.


    From when they were young, Xue Liang had always been a troublesome child. The reason lay with their parents. Their father, Xue Yunfeng, only focused on raising the eldest to be his successor. On the other hand, their mother only dotted on the youngest and even spoiled Xue Rui. Xue Liang would always felt that he has no place in his own home so his rebellious phase came early.


    Things got worse when they entered their teens. Xue Liang was caught in a street fight and when their father was informed of it, the man was livid. It was only then that they found out that Xue Liang had joined the underground organization. Xue Yunfeng was very close to disowning Xue Liang then, but he was stopped by their grandfather. Old Xue tells Xue Yunfeng to let Xue Liang do as he pleased, but at the same time, he also told Xue Liang that he as not allowed to step into their ancestral home until he reached the top of the food chain within the underworld circle.


    This was tantamount to Old Xue''s wishes to subdue the underworld circle. At that time, Old Xue''s rank was that of a General, a rank above Xue Yunfeng who was a Lieutenant General at the time. Then, two years ago, Xue Liang returned to their ancestral home with his head held up high. In just five years, he managed to become the master of the underground organization. But at the same time, Xue Jun had also reached the rank of Brigadier General at the age of 20, making him the youngest to reach the rank in history. Then, a few months after, Xue Rui had also gotten great achievements in the business world, making him the youngest man to become a business tyrant.


    All sorts of praise hailed from every direction for the Xue Family. But due to the nature of Xue Liang''s business, his achievements were naturally concealed. Feeling that the family is treating him unfairly again, Xue Liang ''ran away'' from home. Although he ran away, he still keeps close in touch with his brothers.


    "I sent some men to search for Xiao Er but he really knows how to hide. If he didn''t want to be found, then he won''t be found," Xue Jun said with a heavy sigh. "I should put a tracker on him when we see him again..."


    " Ge , that aside, what should I do? Because of Er ge , my relationship with Xinwen became very complicated... Please tell me how to fix this..." Xue Rui said helplessly.


    Xue Jun was just about to answer when the waiter came in with their food. "We''ll talk later. First, let us eat," Xue Jun said as he picked up his utensil. Xue Jun was raised in a very strict manner and one of the rules he was taught is that one should not speak while eating. Xue Rui understood this so he just quietly ate his food.


    After dinner, they ordered a couple of bottles of wine and in just a few hours, Xue Rui was totally spent. He continued to complain about Xue Liang''s matter to Xue Jun who only gives out comments every now and then. It wasn''t until Li Xinwen called did he feel slightly better. But the final sentence that Li Xinwen told him before cutting off the call made him sobered up. ''Pick up my brother...?''


    " Xiao Rui, what''s wrong?" Xue Jun asked when he saw the change in his brother''s expression.


    It took Xue Rui a while to process what happened and once he got it all figured out, his face went dark. "Brother! I''m going to the Li household!" he said as he stood up and grabbed his coat. Though he felt slightly sober, he was still drunk so it was not good for him to drive.


    "Driving at this state? If you want to go and meet your maker that quickly, feel free. If not, then wait for a bit. Big bro will pay and then we''ll go to the Li household. Big bro has someone waiting for us outside," Xue Jun said as he too stood up. "But you will explain to me what happened in the car."


    "En. Thank you, Jun -ge ," Xue Rui replied. "And... it''s just that, Xinwen said that Xue Liang is there with him... now I''m feeling anxious..."


    "We''ll go quickly," Xue Jun said, understanding his brother''s worry. Deep inside, he was also worried. Though he never told his brother, he had looked up at Li Xinwen''s information once out of curiosity and when he learned more about Li Xinwen, he can''t help but develop a feeling toward the other. Unfortunately, because Xue Rui fancied him, Xue Jun decided to give up and did not look for the male again so he never found out about Xue Liang''s matter until today. ''If I continued to keep an eye on him, I could''ve kept him safe...'' he thought to himself, feeling regretful. In case some people don''t know, it can also mean s.e.x.u.a.l inuendoes.

 Chapter 78 - 29.1 - Triplets in one place (part 1)

    Finishing his call with Xue Rui, Li Xinwen began to contemplate on how to deal with the unconscious man in his room. ''I''ll just tie him up,'' Li Xinwen decided after a while and began to look around for something to tie up Xue Liang.


    In his quest, he saw the small hole by the glass door to his balcony and understood how Xue Liang managed to get into his room. ''Really. This Xue Liang is truly dangerous,'' he thought to himself before he continued his search. In the end, he couldn''t find anything to tie Xue Liang with so he ended up using his spare bed sheets. He cut them into strips before tying the ends together to make one long makeshift strips.


    Finishing the makeshift rope, he approached the still unconscious Xue Liang and tied the man up securely. Once he''s done, Li Xinwen then brought Xue Liang downstairs and unceremoniously threw him on the sofa. His next step was to create a barrier around Mother Li''s room so that no sound could travel into the room to bother her rest. After all, Li Xinwen doesn''t know how messy things could go once Xue Rui arrived. ''Not to mention... his eldest brother was with him. Who knows if I''m going to have the whole set here tonight.''


    The thought alone made Li Xinwen let out a heavy sigh. He didn''t know the temperament of the eldest siblings but after knowing the other two, Li Xinwen didn''t have high hope of him being decent. "I guess a young master will always be a young master," Li Xinwen said to himself.


    Just then, Li Xinwen heard the door upstairs being opened, then closed, followed by several footsteps. "Hua- jie ? Why is she awake at this time?" Li Xinwen wondered as he glanced at the stairs. He could hear the footsteps getting closer and Li Xinwen started to try and think of a good excuse on why Xue Liang is here. In the end, he decided that telling the truth would yield a better result. Especially since Li Jinghua is someone who had experienced a rebirth, lying would not be beneficial. He had learned his lessons in a hard way.


    ''Technically, it is not my fault. If she had told me she broke the engagement, would I play along with the original''s wish on keeping Xue Rui close to the family?''


    When Li Xinwen thinks about it, the person who is most wronged here is himself. "Maybe this is heaven''s way of telling me to pay my debt..."


    "What debt?" Li Jinghua''s voice sounded out.


    Though Li Xinwen already knows that Li Jinghua is arriving, he still puts on a surprised expression on his face. "Hua- jie ! What are you doing up so late?" Li Xinwen asked, faking his nervousness as he shifted his body as if to attempt to hide Xue Liang''s figure from Li Jinghua.


    Of course, his action was seen since Li Xinwen let it be so. So when Li Jinghua saw Xue Liang''s figure, a deep frown is formed on her face. Then it turned to worry as she glanced at Li Xinwen. " Ah ''Wen... he... what is he doing here?!" she asked in a slightly panicked tone as she approached Li Xinwen. She looked over him from top to bottom, before she raised her hand and attempted to lift Li Xinwen''s shirt up.


    Li Xinwen''s reaction was quicker, and he grabbed Li Jinghua''s wrist to stop her from doing so. Unfortunately, this only made Li Jinghua became more suspicious.


    "What did he do?" Li Jinghua''s voice sounds stern as she glared at Xue Liang with eyes full of malice.


    "Hua- jie , do you think he did anything when he''s like that?" Li Xinwen asked back.


    "I... well," Li Jinghua''s expression softened slightly but the suspicion in her eyes didn''t disappear. "Let me see your body."


    "Why?" Li Xinwen asked back.


    "To make sure that nothing really happens."


    Li Xinwen was now feeling nervous. The reason why he''s reluctant to let Li JingHua see his body is because of the fact that his wounds have disappeared completely after drinking the water inside the dimension. ''I should''ve used them before going down...''


    Just as he was lamenting, the bell to the entrance rang once. "Ah! That must be them!" Li Xinwen said as he avoided Li Jinghua and rushed to the door.


    "Wait, who is them? Ah ''Wen!" Li Jinghua called out, though she still minded her voice as to not accidentally waking her mother. But her brother continued on to the door so she can only follow.


    When the door opened to reveal two strikingly similar men standing side by side, Li Jinghua''s mouth was left hanging open. "This... this..." she pointed to the two men by the door before turning to Li Xinwen with a confused expression, silently asking Li Xinwen for his explanation. The two men were none other than Xue Rui and Xue Jun who had rushed all the way from the club. Xue Rui''s face was flushed and reeks of alcohol. Though Xue Jun had also drunk his fill, one can see that he handled his drinks better than his younger brother.


    Li Xinwen who saw this can''t help but let out a heavy sigh. Earlier, he did have a bad feeling that tonight might end up being too messy once the three brothers arrive. Add Li Jinghua to the equation, Li Xinwen felt a heavy headache coming his way.


    "Hua- jie , this is... Xue Rui," Li Xinwen pointed at Xue Rui. "And this over here is-"


    "Xue Jun," Xue Jun speaks up suddenly, cutting Li Xinwen''s sentence off. "I believe this is the first time we''ve met, though both of you seemed to have already met my two younger brothers."


    When Xue Jun spoke, Li Xinwen actually received a huge surprise. Not because how his voice sounded, but because he felt Xue Jun checking him out, spiritually!


    Li Xinwen looked up at Xue Jun and their eyes met. In that instant, both of them knew that the others are not someone simple at all. Xue Jun''s eyes narrowed at his findings but Li Xinwen simply turned his head and ignored his questioning look.


    "The one inside is called Xue Liang," Li Xinwen said to Li Jinghua as if he''s just continuing from his explanation later. "They are all triplets."


    "Triplet...?" Li Jinghua''s eyes went from Xue Rui to Xue Jun, back and forth as if trying to find any differences between the three.


    "That''s right, ah! Where''s second brother? Xinwen, he didn''t do anything bad to you, right? He... he... did he..." Xue Rui, upon hearing Xue Liang''s name, finally speaks up. Earlier, his mind went ''offline'' the moment he lays his eyes on Li Xinwen and felt that he was simply dreaming.


    Knowing what Xue Rui was thinking about, Li Xinwen quickly dispelled his thoughts. "No. Nothing happened. Xue Liang is inside all tied up."


    "Tied... up?" Xue Rui stared at Li Xinwen for a while and once he saw that Li Xinwen wasn''t lying, he felt a huge sense of relief. The thoughts that have been crushing down his chest suddenly disappeared.


    "Come on in so you guys can pick him up," Li Xinwen said as he gestured for the two to come inside.


    The two brothers stepped into the house but as they walked towards the living room, Li Xinwen noticed that Li Jinghua stood rooted in her place while her eyes are still staring at the two brothers.


    "Hua- jie ?" Li Xinwen called out and Li Jinghua finally snapped out of her stupor. "Is something the matter?" he asked, his face shows a hint of worry.


    " Ah ''Wen... they are triplets?" Li Jinghua asked and Li Xinwen just nods his head. "Triplet..." Li Jinghua repeated as she suddenly felt that something was not right but she can''t pinpoint what it was. She was once again deep in her thought that she didn''t realize Li Xinwen coming over to her.


    "Hua- jie ," Li Xinwen once again called her out in a gentle tone making Li Jinghua snap out of her thought and look at him. "Whatever it is you''re thinking about, you can tell me. Since you trust us with your secret, then if there''s something worrying you, you can share your burden with this younger brother of yours," Li Xinwen said with a smile.


    "I... well," Li Jinghua looked hesitant at first before sighing. "Those three... looks exactly the same."


    "Yes, they are," Li Xinwen agreed, though since he was a cultivator, he could differentiate the three of them easily just by their spiritual signature.


    "What if... the one with me in the apocalypse is not Xue Rui?" Li Jinghua voiced out her suspicion. "Back then, Xue Rui always went out to find supplies. One day, he didn''t return for a long time and... when he did, he suddenly became a three-line ability user..."


    Just from the sentence alone, Li Xinwen understood Li Jinghua''s suspicion. "So, what Hua- jie is saying... the ''Xue Rui'' that was with you at that time might not be Xue Rui at all? He might be the other two of the triplet?"


    Li Jinghua simply nods her head and Li Xinwen turned his head to the direction of the living room. "If that is true, then... I guess we''ll have to include them in our plans for the future."


    "But maybe we don''t have to! Ah ''Wen, if the person that was with me back then is really not Xue Rui and is one of them, then they are dangerous. It is enough if we have Xue Rui as our back up plan."


    "But Hua- jie , that Xue Jun person is not a simple man. He seems to be a high ranking officer in the military. Who knows, maybe he can also help us with weapons?" Li Xinwen tried to persuade Li Jinghua. Based on Li Jinghua''s memories, Li Xinwen knew that they need a lot of weapons if they want to live a good life in the apocalypse. "Also, it seems that he''s a martial artist like Mr. Min."


    "Martial artists like Mr. Min?" Li Jinghua''s eyes widened as if she had just remembered something. "Earlier, you said he''s a high ranking officer from the military?"


    Li Xinwen nods his head and then, Li Jinghua quickly rushed over to the living room as if she had just been injected with chicken blood. Li Xinwen was left confused as he stared at the direction Li Jinghua ran to. ''I guess there is more to the apocalypse that Li Jinghua lived in than what I currently found out from Hua-jie...''

 Chapter 79 - 29.2 - Triplets in one place (part 2)

    When Li Xinwen entered the living room, he saw Li Jinghua staring at Xue Jun. "Are you... Major General Xue from the 3rd Battalion?"


    Li Xinwen heard the question and understood why Li Jinghua asked such a question. ''Xue Jun must be someone she knows from her days in the apocalypse.''


    "That is indeed me. How did Miss Li hear of me?" Xue Jun asked in a polite tone.


    "That," Li Jinghua was unable to answer immediately. The man in question himself was rummaging the body of the still unconscious Xue Liang on the couch while Xue Rui is glaring dagger at his second brother.


    With his keen eyes, Li Xinwen could see that Xue Jun is putting small, button-sized device into each of Xue Liang''s pockets. ''Are those what they called trackers? I''ve seen props from the original''s memories... I wonder if I could steal some.''


    While Li Jinghua was thinking of how to answer, Xue Liang decided to wake up at that time. Sensing this, Li Xinwen immediately went in front of Li Jinghua in a protective manner since he had already deemed Xue Liang as a dangerous person. ''Actually, I don''t think we need his help at all...''


    "Ugh... f.u.c.k..." Xue Liang let out a groan before he attempted to move. Only then did he realize that he was bound. "What the hell?! Who dares to tie up this ancestor?!" he asked out loud.


    Li Xinwen narrowed his eyes and he was just about to go forward to teach Xue Liang another lesson when he saw Xue Jun move. He watched silently as the eldest of the triplets pulled his fists back before driving them towards Xue Liang''s abdomen right in front of everyone.


    Xue Liang doubled over in pain and let out series of coughs. "You bast--!" Xue Liang was about to curse out the person who hit him but stopped midway when he saw who the perpetrator was. " Ge ... how come you''re here?" Xue Liang asked nervously.


    "Awake yet?" Xue Jun asked and Xue Liang nods his head. "Good. We''ll leave now. You better be prepared for your punishment."


    Xue Jun went over, wanting to pick Xue Liang up but then, Li Xinwen decided to speak up.


    "Hold on. He broke into my room in the middle of the night. The door was broken... shouldn''t I be compensated?" Li Xinwen asked. "At the very least, pay the repair fee for the door."


    Xue Liang turned to Li Xinwen with a smile. "Now now, sweetheart. How about I give you a house instead and we can live together," by now, he already remembered where he was and why he was here, though he somehow could not believe himself being too clumsy to fall unconscious due to a fall. But since he was all tied up like this, he can only trust his memories. ''Still... why do I feel that my cheek is hurting badly?'' he wondered.


    "Nonsense! If anyone is giving him a house and live together with him, I''ll be the one to do it!" Xue Rui interjected. He then proceeded to approach Li Xinwen but unfortunately, he only managed to go forward two steps when Xue Jun pulled him by the collar and threw him to the sofa beside Xue Liang.


    "The two of you still dare to say things like giving him a house and living together after the mess the two of you had just made?" Xue Jun asked, eyes narrowing as he stared at his two brothers. " Ah ''Liang, do you understand that what you did is against the law? Xiao Rui is also the same. You knew how Ah ''Liang is and you still listened to him? Have the both of you gone crazy?"


    "I..." Xue Rui was unable to say anything and could only lower his head. Meanwhile, Xue Liang only looked away, refusing to look at Xue Jun''s way. His act of defiance made Xue Jun let out a heavy sigh.


    Li Xinwen who is witnessing this little drama from the sidelines feels amused at the triplets'' interaction. Li Jinghua on the other hand was feeling extremely confused to the point that she doesn''t know how to cut into the conversation. There was still so much that she wanted to ask about Xue Jun but she can''t find the right timing.


    "This incident will be reported to grandfather. Just prepare yourself," Xue Jun simply said.


    "And what makes you think grandfather care what I''m doing, Ge ?" Xue Liang asked in a slightly mocking tone. "I''ve already done a lot that is against the law and grandfather never once did anything about it."


    "..."


    " Ge , I think you''ve forgotten about the fact that grandfather and I made a deal with each other. He let me do whatever I want, and I provide the military with weapons."


    Xue Jun continued to stay quiet while Xue Liang continued to speak.


    "So what if I fancy someone? So what if I decided to have a few male pe-"


    BAM!


    Xue Liang didn''t get to finish because Xue Jun punched him right on the face. In fact, he punched Xue Liang in the same place where Li Xinwen had punched Xue Liang before.


    ''Luckily, he''s already at the first stage of body transformation or else, he would''ve been deformed from our two punches,'' Li Xinwen commented in his mind. Li Xinwen wanted to let out an amused chuckle when he saw something that made his eyes goes wide.


    BAM!


    Xue Liang received another punch from Xue Jun and Xue Rui who was just beside Xue Liang started to shake with fear.


    "Bro... big bro..." Xue Rui called out to the eldest triplet only to close his eyes when Xue Jun once again, punched Xue Liang on the face. It was then followed by another punch.


    Seeing this kind of scene, Li Xinwen''s expression seemed to darken. Especially when he sensed that Li Jinghua became uncomfortable. So, when he saw that Xue Jun is not stopping even after delivering the fifth punch, he decided to interfere.


    " Ah ''Wen! Wait!" Li Jinghua saw her brother moving towards Xue Jun and can''t help feeling panic rising up in her chest. She tried to reach out to Li Xinwen to stop him but Li Xinwen''s movement was too quick for her.


    Li Xinwen reached out and grabbed the male''s fist while he raised up his other arm, placing them under Xue Jun''s throat to keep the man from using force to get to Xue Liang. "Eldest Young Master Xue, I think that is enough," Li Xinwen said in a calm voice.


    Xue Liang who had been pulverized by his eldest brother looked up to see Li Xinwen protecting him and he can''t help the smile from forming on his face. "Baby, I knew it! You do care for me, ah!" Xue Liang said, not realizing that Xue Jun''s eyes became even more dangerous after he said that.


    Xue Rui on the other hand was surprised that Li Xinwen would dare to stop Xue Jun whose eyes seems to be filled with murderous intent. "Brother... please-"


    "Why are you protecting him?" before Xue Rui could plead for Li Xinwen, Xue Jun opened his lips to ask Li Xinwen a question.


    "In what way am I protecting him?" Li Xinwen asked. "I just feel that if I let you continue, you''ll end up killing someone in my home. Young Master Xue, I don''t care if you want to discipline your brother but can you please not do it in someone else''s home?"


    Xue Jun just stared at Li Xinwen for a while. He then took a deep breath before finally calming down. The fist on Li Xinwen''s hold relaxed and Li Xinwen finally let him go. " Xiao Rui, go and bring Ah ''Liang to the car first."


    Xue Rui looked up at Xue Jun worriedly. After all that happened, the effect of the alcohol has completely disappeared from his system. "What about you?"


    "I will stay and speak with Mr. Li and Miss Li about the compensation," Xue Jun replied.


    "Can I not stay? If its compensation, then I''m willing to pay. After all, the root of the problem was me..." Xue Rui said with a tone full of guilt. His eyes went to steal a glance at Li Xinwen and it didn''t escape Xue Jun''s sharp eyes.


    "You want to stay to talk about compensation or you want to look at him more?" Xue Jun asked and Xue Rui immediately looked down on the floor once more. " Xiao Rui, just listen to your big bro and go to the car with Ah ''Liang. Go and calm yourself and then we''ll talk more later."


    When Li Xinwen and Li Jinghua heard this particular sentence, they both can''t help but speak out in their heart.


    ''The one who needs to calm down is you! Lashing out in people''s home... look at my poor family sofa, ah!''


    Both siblings'' eyes went to the sofa that has few stains of blood droplets.

 Chapter 80 - 29.3 - Who are you?

    Once Xue Rui brought Xue Liang out of the house with a heavy heart. Li Jinghua, out of courtesy, decided to send them out properly before heading back to the living room. Now, there are three people who are left and the atmosphere appeared to be calmer compared to before.


    "Young Master Xue, since we''re going to discuss the compensation, how about having a seat first?" Li Xinwen gestured for Xue Jun to take a seat on one of the cleaner sofa. While both he and Xue Jun sat down, Li Xinwen then stared at the sofas that were stained with few droplets of blood and felt that this should be the first one that he address. ''But before that...'' Li Xinwen glanced over at Li Jinghua who was still standing, appear as if not knowing what to do.


    "Hua- jie , can you help me and make me some hot chocolate milk and maybe a tea for Young Master Xue? I believe we might take a while to discuss the compensation for all that happened," Li Xinwen said with a smile.


    "Ah, yes! Of course! I''ll go and make them right away," Li Jinghua said as she rushed to the kitchen. Though she does have a lot of question for Xue Jun, she should still prepare a drink for Xue Jun out of politeness.


    Left in the living room with Xue Jun after sending Li Jinghua away, Li Xinwen turned to face Xue Jun once again. "I have a feeling you have a question for me. My sister is busy in the kitchen but it won''t be for long. So whatever question that you have, ask away," Li Xinwen said in a serious tone.


    "I will get right to the point. Who are you?" Xue Jun asked, his eyes narrowing at Li Xinwen like a predator eyeing its prey.


    Li Xinwen was surprised by his question. At first, he thought that Xue Jun wanted to ask on how he had learned martial arts so he had even prepared a well-thought lies in an attempt to put wool over the man''s eyes. ''I didn''t expect this question at all...''


    "Not answering?" Xue Jun asked when Li Xinwen didn''t answer his question.


    "I am merely surprised that Young Master Xue is asking me this question. I thought you would have already known considering that your two other brothers seem to have... taken fancy on me," Li Xinwen replied. "Anyway, my name is Li Xinwen and-"


    "I know that you are not Xinwen. Who are you?" Xue Jun asked once more, cutting off Li Xinwen''s introduction. He even exerted the pressure of the initial stage one of Houtian in an attempt to pressure Li Xinwen. Unfortunately for Xue Jun, Li Xinwen is of higher rank than him in terms of cultivation so rather than putting Li Xinwen in place, it only made Li Xinwen have mixed feelings. One, he felt amused, but at the same time, he felt that this young cultivator in front of him is looking down on him.


    "Young Master Xue, I suggest you calm down first," Li Xinwen said with a smile but when Xue Jun saw this smile, he instead, raised the pressure he''s exerting. By now, Li Xinwen was starting to feel slightly angry. ''I''ve tried to advise you so you can''t blame me for this,'' Li Xinwen said in his heart as he slammed the pressure of the peak 4th stage Houtian on Xue Jun.


    Feeling the pressure, Xue Jun can only stare at Li Xinwen with wide, unbelieving eyes. "You..." he tried to speak but due to the heavy pressure that''s pressing down on him, he felt that it was hard to even breathe.


    Seeing that Xue Jun has learned his lessons, Li Xinwen retracted back his spiritual energy and reclined back on the sofa in a relaxed manner. "Young Master Xue, I applaud you for reaching 2nd stage of Houtian, but I suggest you don''t let that make you feel arrogant just because most of the people here are not cultivators," Li Xinwen told Xue Jun. "You should know, there are mountains beyond mountains and skies beyond skies. It would do you good if you don''t offend people who are stronger than you. As for your question..." Li Xinwen trailed off because he could hear Li Jinghua approaching from the kitchen.


    "I will answer them at some other time," Li Xinwen continued. "Now, let us talk about the compensation, shall we? First, the sofa that was dirtied by you and your brother," Li Xinwen pointed at the sofa where Xue Liang sat before. "I don''t want you to replace them. I want you to clean them," Li Xinwen said with a smile. ''After trying to subdue me, think I''m not going to retaliate? Letting you wash the sofa is a good punishment enough. If this was Long Xing, you''d go up and down the mountain without using your cultivation as punishment!''


    "Clean them? That is not a problem. I will send someone over tomorrow to pick it up and send the sofa to-"


    "Young Master Xue, I want ''you'' to clean the sofa."


    Li Xinwen cut off Xue Jun from finishing his sentence and even emphasized that he wanted Xue Jun to clean the sofa personally. "I don''t want anyone else to clean them. Since you said you''re going to compensate, then you should do it, ah!"


    Major General Xue who was asked to clean the sofa: ...


    "Fine. I will personally clean the sofa. Is there anything else?" after being rendered speechless for a while, Xue Jun finally gave Li Xinwen a reply.


    "En. The door to my balcony in my room was broken into by Xue Liang. You tell him, to get the replacement of the door. I want the exact same one, and also, tell him to personally replace the door on his own."


    "... anything else...?" when the question left his lips, Xue Jun suddenly have a bad foreboding feeling in his heart.


    "Xue Rui will come with me this weekend to a martial art school. Get Xue Liang to attend too. Of course, you are also welcomed, Young Master Xue," Li Xinwen''s smile was just as bright as the sun.


    Just then, Li Jinghua returned with the drinks and Li Xinwen changed his posture so he could drink his favorite easily. After taking a sip, he addressed Xue Jun again. "If you decided to come this weekend and manage to ''impress'' me, I''ll answer your question from earlier."


    "Is that a promise?" Xue Jun asked.


    "I promise."


    "Then I will see you again this weekend," Xue Jun replied before he stood up.


    "Young Master Xue, we''re not finished yet. Sit back down," Li Xinwen said, his eyes that is staring at Xue Jun have a hint of silent threat within. Xue Jun noticed this, so he obediently sat back down. "My sister seems to have a few question for you. I hope you''ll give her an answer," Li Xinwen then took another sip on his drink, enjoying the taste.


    Hearing this, Li Jinghua could finally ask the questions that he had been keeping in her heart. "Major General Xue... do you know a man named Min Xiaoyu?"


    "Min Xiaoyu? I don''t have any recollection of anyone that goes by that name," Xue Jun answered.


    "Really?" Li Jinghua had sounded disappointed at hearing Xue Jun''s answer. "What about anyone else with the surname Min?"


    Li Xinwen eyed Li Jinghua from the corner of his eyes and could see that Li Jinghua seems to be desperate for answers. ''Someone surnamed Min and have relations with Min Xiaoyu. I guess this is a very important information that she hears during the apocalypse in her first life.''


    Xue Jun didn''t answer for a while, but he kept glancing at Li Xinwen instead. Li Xinwen also noticed this and assumed that Xue Jun does know someone with the surname Min but he somehow couldn''t tell Li Jinghua. Li Xinwen just raised an eyebrow to Xue Jun before silently signaling him to answer Li Jinghua.


    "I... know one. Min ShaoTian. That is all that I can tell you."


    Li Jinghua didn''t find the name familiar so she could only let out a disappointed sigh. "I see. Thank you for answering my question, Major General. It is now late, I''m sure you want to go home earlier but was stopped by my brother. Before you go, please have a drink first," Li Jinghua said as he gestured at the tea that was still warm on the table.


    Xue Jun picked up the tea and drank it in one go. "Thank you for the tea. I will take my leave now. Tomorrow, I will come and pick the sofa up," as he mentioned the sofa, his eyes landed on Li Xinwen once again.


    "I will be here waiting," Li Xinwen said as he stood up. "I will go and see you off, Young Master Xue," Li Xinwen said with a smile.


    Xue Jun also stood up and the two walked towards the entrance. But before leaving the living room, Li Xinwen whispered to Li Jinghua: "Hua- jie , don''t go to sleep yet. I have a few questions for you. Xinwen hopes that Hua- jie can answer so that it can help us in the future."

 Chapter 81 - 30.1 - Li Jinghuas plan for the Apocalypse

    Xue Jun entered his car after leaving the Li household. Since Xue Rui and Xue Liang occupied the seats on the back, he can only sit on the passenger seat beside the driver. The driver tacitly began to drive towards the Xue family ancestral home.


    Xue Jun glanced at Xue Rui and Xue Liang through the rear mirror and when he saw Xue Liang''s state, he let out a heavy sigh. ''Maybe I was too harsh...'' he thought to himself as he took out his phone and called for his family''s doctor. Xue Jun didn''t waste time explaining and only told the doctor to come over to his place as soon as possible.


    "Feeling guilty?" Xue Liang''s voice sounded out, breaking the silence in the car.


    "The one who should feel guilty is you. Taking advantage of Xiao Rui''s foolishness to take advantage of another person. Do you have no shame?" Xue Jun asked.


    "Shame? Why would I need to feel shame? Someone who lives in the light won''t understand how I lived these past few years! Compared to the things I''ve done in the past, these are not even the tip of the iceberg," Xue Liang told Xue Jun. "Grandfather doesn''t even care what I did as long as he benefits. What makes you think he''ll care now?"


    "Because I said so," Xue Jun replied.


    Xue Jun''s reply made Xue Liang scoff. "You''re saying grandfather listens to you?"


    "That''s right."


    "Jun- ge , your confidence baffled me. You''re telling me you''ve already seized the Xue family power from grandfather?"


    Xue Rui who heard this eyed his eldest brother worriedly. He can only stay silent all this time because he didn''t want to agitate his two brothers even further. Somehow, he felt that not only Xue Liang will get in trouble the moment they reached home.


    "From others'' point of view, grandfather still held the power of the Xue family. But a year ago, I completely seized them. Why do you think that your movement became, even more, smoother recently? It''s because I''ve been helping you covering your track... but it seems that it was a big mistake for me to do so," Xue Jun said the last sentence and his tone didn''t hide his disappointment.


    "You helped me cover my track? Don''t lie! If you do, then why did you decide to act against me now?" Xue Liang asked. "What I did shouldn''t be conflicting against your interes-... wait... Ge , could it be, I''ve touched your bottom line?" Xue Liang asked.


    Xue Jun just glared at Xue Liang through the mirror and Xue Liang then understood. Xue Liang laughed, his body shook with each laughter that escaped his lips. "Indeed, we are from the same egg in the first place. Falling for the same person... it must be fate playing with us! At the very least, in this race, I''ve won against you two. After all, I''ve already tasted the meat while the two of you haven''t!"


    "Xue Liang, I suggest you shut your mouth until we arrive home. Lest I do something we all end up regretting," Xue Jun warned his brother in a dangerous, cold tone. Both of his hands clenched into a fist, his nails digging into his palm and drew blood.


    Sensing that his brother was seriously angry, Xue Liang didn''t say anything anymore. He felt that if he did, Xue Jun would truly do something dangerous. ''I''m not strong enough yet...'' Xue Liang thought as he remembered how his brother landed a series of punch on him. ''Just how did he grow so strong this fast anyway?!'' Xue Liang glared at Xue Jun, dissatisfaction was clear in his eyes as if the whole world was unfair to him.


    The rest of the ride to the Xue ancestral home was quiet and the drivers whose task was to drive them felt uncomfortable with how tense the atmosphere was.


    * * *


    Li Xinwen returned to the living room after sending Xue Jun off. Li Jinghua patiently waited for him inside and Li Xinwen simply went over to sit down beside her. "Hua- jie , I won''t beat around the bush so I''ll ask this straight away. Is Xue Jun someone important in the future?"


    Hearing his brother''s question, Li Jinghua only nods her head. "At the beginning of the apocalypse, everyone depended on the military for protection. Major General Xue was tasked to rescue and evacuate the civilians. He was well known and he always succeeds. Whenever he''s on missions, his casualty rate is always the lowest. And... he did it with Min Xiaoyu by his side. He was supposed to come and rescue us in this residential district next but something seemed to come up because just when we thought we would be saved, the military pulled back. They only brought those whom they had managed to save."


    When Li Xinwen heard this, he can''t help but frown. "How far in the apocalypse was this?"


    "Two weeks into the apocalypse. Since they pulled out, we can only stay here and try to survive on our own..." Li Jinghua replied. As she remembers her past, she can''t help but feel sorrowful.


    Li Xinwen noticed this so he quickly pulled Li Jinghua into a hug. "It''s alright, Hua- jie . With you here, we''ll survive," Li Xinwen comforted the young female. "Anyway, Xue Jun was doing so well but he suddenly retreated. Something must''ve happened. Based on his action tonight, he appears to be an upright man. Maybe his superiors told him to pull back?"


    "Might be. Because a few months after, news of the largest military survivor base was released and most people decided to move. We were also supposed to move, but Xue Rui who had disappeared for a while sent us a message to wait until things have calmed down before making our move. Then two weeks later, he came to pick us up," Li Jinghua murmured in a soft voice.


    "When was this?"


    "The sixth month into the apocalypse..."


    "Xue Rui... did he change then?" Li Xinwen asked.


    Li Jinghua only nods her head. Li Xinwen now had a suspicion in his heart. "What about Xue Jun? After... Xue Rui came to pick us up, was there any news about him?"


    At this, Li Jinghua tried to look through her memories before answering. Only then did she realize that after Xue Rui came to pick them up, there was no news of Xue Jun, as if the guy had disappeared. Even when Min Xiaoyu created the medicine to fight against the zombie virus, there was no news of Xue Jun at all. ''Did he die?'' Li Jinghua can''t help but think of this.


    Meanwhile, Li Xinwen''s suspicion rose even more. He let out a heavy sigh before he turned to Li Jinghua once more. "It''s now late, Hua- jie . Let''s go and rest. About Xue Jun, maybe if we can get close to him, we''ll be able to follow him to the base earlier."


    "No. We can''t go to that base," Li Jinghua quickly shakes her head. "Because of the large number of survivors, it''ll attract a zombie tide every three months. It is actually not safe there."


    "Then, do you have any plan?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "En... I plan to build a base of our own. It might sound crazy but I believe that this is the only way we can survive the apocalypse. If we were to stay under someone else''s banner, when things goes bad we''ll be thrown away to ensure their own survival. But if it is our own base, we can have better control of our own lives," Li Jinghua explained to Li Xinwen.


    "Building your own base, huh?" Li Xinwen entered deep thought. ''It might not be such a bad idea. I wonder if this is why Li Jinghua needed a huge amount of capital in the first place... because she plans to create her own base.''


    "Hua- jie , do you have a place in mind?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "I do. But at the moment, there is nothing we can do for it. The place I''m thinking about... can only be accessed on the second year of the apocalypse."


    "Why is that?"


    "Because on the second year, the world will change again."

 Chapter 82 - 30.2 - Going to the Martial art school

    A few days passed since the night Xue Liang broke into his room and Li Xinwen is now preparing himself to go to Min Xiaoyu''s martial art school. Because he had been looking forward to this day, Li Xinwen was unexpectedly in a very good mood that he was even humming as he placed his spare clothing in a duffle bag.


    There was a gentle knock on the door before he heard the door was being opened. When he glanced over to the door, he saw Sun Xiao''s head peeking into his room.


    "Xin- gege , are you ready?" he asked. His eyes that were shining brightly is unable to hide the excitement and impatience behind.


    Li Xinwen also knew that Sun Xiao is looking forward to this day. These past few days, he had helped Sun Xiao with basic training of body strengthening. Of course, since it has only been a few days since Sun Xiao started, the only changes that occur are just a simple increase in strength.


    "Ready now," Li Xinwen said as he zipped his duffle bag. He slung it over his shoulder and approached the door. The door swung open to reveal Sun Xiao in his sportswear, carrying a heavy-looking backpack. Seeing the backpack, Li Xinwen raised up an eyebrow. " Ah ''Xiao... what else are you carrying?"


    "Oh, umm... books?" Sun Xiao looked up at Li Xinwen as the color of red spreads all the way to his ears.


    "Martial arts books?" Li Xinwen asked.


    Sun Xiao shyly nods his head before he lowered his head and looked down on the floor.


    Seeing this reaction, Li Xinwen can''t help the helpless smile that formed on his face. He raised his hand and gently pats Sun Xiao on the head. "Your bag looks too heavy. How many did you bring, hmm? Come on, let''s put some of them into my bag so it won''t be too heavy for you," Li Xinwen suggested as he brought Sun Xiao into his room.


    At first, Sun Xiao thought that Li Xinwen would tell him to leave the books. He didn''t expect that Li Xinwen would help him carry them instead. His admiration for his brother simply grew to another level as he happily followed Li Xinwen inside.


    After dividing the books, they finally went downstairs to eat breakfast. With how fast Li Xinwen had proved himself to be recovering, he managed to coax mother Li to increase the variety of his diet though he has yet to eat solid food. ''Not that I am complaining. The food really tastes good in this world,'' Li Xinwen thought to himself as he took his seat.


    " Ah ''Wen, are you really sure you want to go and practice martial arts at the martial art school? Can''t you just practice here at home just as you had done these past few days?" Mother Li, asked when she saw her son. She knew that in a martial arts school, their training would be harder, and not to mention there will be a sparring session. Her son had only just returned from the brink of death and now, her boy is going off to do dangerous things again.


    "Mom, don''t worry about me too much. You''ve seen how far I''ve recovered. Plus, I know the condition of my body well. Once I feel unwell, I promise you that I will stop practicing," Li Xinwen said, trying to assure the older lady.


    "Hua- er ... can you please persuade your brother?" since she couldn''t do it, Mother Li turned to her daughter instead.


    "Mom, don''t worry about Ah ''Wen. These past few days, he has been training with Ah ''Xiao and we''ve seen how his condition is better than before. In fact, I feel like he has even grown stronger than before the accident," Li Jinghua who was the one suggesting Li Xinwen go and practice with Min Xiaoyu felt guilty as she cannot help her mother.


    At this, Li Xinwen just nods his head while giving Mother Li a pleading look. In the end, Mother Li can only let out a heavy sigh. "Alright. But make sure that you be careful. If this old woman sees a single bruise on you, you will stop immediately. Got that, young man?"


    "Yes, mom!" Li Xinwen replied with a huge smile on his face. "You''re the best!" he added before he continued to eat breakfast.


    After breakfast, the two brothers finally left their home in order to go to Min Xiaoyu''s place. Unexpectedly, when they arrived, Xue Rui was already waiting for them by the entrance. Xue Jun was also present. But there was no trace of Xue Liang.


    When Xue Rui saw Li Xinwen, his face brighten up and he quickly went over to greet him. "Xinwen, good morning! Have you eaten?" Xue Rui asked with a smile on his face.


    "En. Where is Xue Liang?" Li Xinwen asked.


    Hearing that the first person that Li Xinwen asked about is Xue Liang, the expression of both brothers changed considerably. Though Xue Jun recovered almost instantly, Xue Rui still sported a dejected look as he answered.


    "That night, after being scolded by... grandfather, he ran away again."


    "Ran away?" Li Xinwen was surprised and turned to look at Xue Jun for a clearer answer.


    "It''s exactly what Xiao Rui was saying. That guy ran away. Seriously, he''s already this old and still acts like a rebellious teenager," Xue Jun grumbled. Just thinking of his second brother is enough to give him a headache. Adding his third brother''s foolishness, it is a miracle that he didn''t go crazy.


    "Didn''t you put a tracker on him?" Li Xinwen was surprised that Xue Liang could escape from Xue Jun despite having a tracker planted on him. He remembered that Xue Jun planted a lot.


    "All of them were destroyed overnight. We didn''t even get to use it."


    Li Xinwen let out a hum in response. ''A shame. I would''ve loved to teach him a very good lessons.''


    Sun Xiao has been staring at Xue Jun and Xue Rui all this time as if trying to find if there is any difference between the two men. His eyes were full of curiosity as he stared at them.


    " Ah ''Xiao, it''s rude to stare at someone like that," Li Xinwen who noticed this said as he rubbed the younger boy''s head.


    "Sorry," Sun Xiao replied but his eyes were still glued on both Xue Jun and Xue Rui. "They really look alike. Xin- gege , how do you differentiate them?" Sun Xiao asked as he turned to Li Xinwen. When he heard that Xue Rui actually has two identical brothers, he thought that there should still be some difference since Li Xinwen could easily differentiate them. But when he looked at them, they really looked similar.  The only difference is their demeanor.


    Li Xinwen just let out a small chuckle before he leaned down and whispered to Sun Xiao''s ear. "You will also be able to do it easily once you learn martial arts properly. But if you really want to know early then... look at the left side of their neck, just below the ear. Do you see a small scar on one of them?"


    Hearing Li Xinwen''s whisper, feeling the other''s breath so close to his ears, Sun Xiao felt his heart race and his face burn up. But Sun Xiao still focused his eyes on the two brothers and noticed that one of them have a very small scar on the spot where Li Xinwen mentioned. "I see them."


    "That one is Xue Jun. The one without the scar is Xue Rui," Li Xinwen told Sun Xiao. He then straightens up his back and smiled at the two brothers. "Anyway," he speaks up. " Ah ''Xiao, go and introduce yourself."


    As Li Xinwen said this, his hand lightly gave Sun Xiao a gentle push from behind, letting Sun Xiao stood before the other two.


    Sun Xiao stared at them for a while before he turned to Xue Jun. "Uncle Xue Jun, I''m called Sun Xiao! I will be in your care later," Sun Xiao said with a small smile on his face. After being told to be confident by Li Xinwen, Sun Xiao has been working very hard to build up his confidence so now, he won''t act as nervous as long as his brother is around.


    Xue Rui and Li Xinwen who heard what Sun Xiao said suddenly have trouble trying to control their expression as to not laugh out loud.


    Xue Jun who had been called uncle: ...


    Sun Xiao, only noticed that the way he addressed Xue Jun was wrong and he quickly apologized. "Ah... you and Rui- gege are of the same age... then can I call you Jun- gege ?" Sun Xiao asked nervously, hoping that Xue Jun didn''t take offense on his mistaken address form.


    "Just call me big brother," Xue Jun replied. He felt that being called ''Jun- gege '' is too affectionate. ''But if the one who called me that is Xinwen...'' as the thought crossed his mind, his eyes landed on Li Xinwen. But rather than affection, his eyes were only filled with suspicion.


    Li Xinwen also noticed this gaze and he only smiled knowingly at Xue Jun. "Shall we go inside?" he suggested and Sun Xiao excitedly walked in front. Just before Li Xinwen walked past Xue Jun, he whispered to the other male: "Young Master Xue, I don''t like the way you''re looking at me. As I''ve said that night, as long as you ''impress'' me, then I''ll answer your question. So why don''t you stop looking at me like I am some criminal?"


    "Taking another''s identity is considered a crime of identity theft. So, you are a criminal in my eyes. You may be able to fool the rest, but not me..."


    "Right. You know that I am not... but, this body is indeed Li Xinwen''s body and I am indeed called Li Xinwen. It is up to you if you believe me or not," Li Xinwen replied before he walked away.


    Xue Rui noticed the short exchange between the two and can''t help walking towards his older brother. "Jun- ge , what were you two talking about?" he asked out of curiosity. When the two whispered earlier, they were standing very close to each other so Xue Rui was feeling jealous.


    "It is none of your concern, Xiao Rui. He just told me to help him take care of Sun Xiao later when they have class."


    "Oh, alright. Speaking of which... how did you know this place, Ge ? I just told you the name of the school and you already know the way without consulting the navigator."


    "Of course I know, this school belongs to my master," Xue Jun replied.


    "..." Xue Rui who had told Min Xiaoyu that his grandfather is a fraud can only stay quiet and not saying anymore word fearing that he will end up picking up a stone only to drop it on his own foot.

 Chapter 83 - 31.1 - Im sorry, what were you saying?

    Although it was called a martial art school, apparently it was also the Min family residence. It was a typical traditional household, with a separate training hall, located on top of a small hill. Reaching the top of the stairs, Li Xinwen''s group was greeted with a huge entrance gate.


    Staring at the gate, Li Xinwen was somehow being stricken with a wave of nostalgia. Back in Long Xing, when he was picked up by the cultivator, he was left at the foot of the mountain and was told to climb up on his own. He still remembered the struggle to reach the mountain top. Few others who climbed the mountain with him had given up halfway through but Li Xinwen continued to persist.


    In the end, out of the several hundred candidates, less than a hundred managed to finish the climb. The majestic view of the gate to Soaring Heaven Sect left a huge impression on him as a child and that was also when he met with the person who he trusted the most. It was unfortunate that the other person didn''t think the same as he could easily betray Li Xinwen for a treasure. Remembering the act of betrayal, Li Xinwen clenched his fist.


    ''I will return to pay back this debt...'' Li Xinwen thought, his eyes turning cold.


    Sun Xiao seemed to have notice Li Xinwen''s change. He raised up his hand and gently pulled on Li Xinwen''s sleeve. "Xin- gege , are you alright?" Sun Xiao asked in a worried tone.


    Sun Xiao''s voice was crisp and clear, and it was loud enough for the two Xue brothers to hear. Naturally, Xue Rui would become worried, so he quickly rushed over to Li Xinwen''s side. "Xinwen, what''s wrong? Are you tired? Here, drink some water first," Xue Rui quickly rummaged inside his bag and took out a small bottle of mineral water. He unscrewed the cap open and handed it to Li Xinwen in a matter of a few seconds.


    Li Xinwen first stared at his younger brother, then at Xue Rui, before his eyes landed on the bottle of water. He''s not thirsty, nor was he tired. But he still takes the bottle into his hand except, he didn''t drink it right away. Instead, he handed it over to Sun Xiao who seems to look a bit tired from climbing up the stairs. " Ah ''Xiao drink first," Li Xinwen said with a smile.


    Seeing the smile on Li Xinwen''s face, the worry in Sun Xiao''s heart disappeared. ''Earlier, Gege looks really scary... Was it just my imagination?'' he can''t help wondering. He took the bottle from Li Xinwen and quickly drank it. Once he''s done, he returned the bottle to Li Xinwen only to see Li Xinwen drinking from the same bottle. His heart raced again and he suddenly remembered a conversation back in his school. ''That... is an indirect kiss?'' he thought as he continued to stare at Li Xinwen who''s downing the water.


    Each time Li Xinwen swallow, his adam apple would move. This action, not only Sun Xiao, even Xue Rui who is currently standing beside him noticed it. Xue Rui quickly looked away before he ended up doing something he would regret. ''Though... it might already be too late for that. In Xinwen''s heart, just how far have I fallen?'' at this thought, Xue Rui let out a heavy sigh.


    After drinking a bit of water, only then did Li Xinwen noticed Sun Xiao staring at him. The younger boy''s face was red, making Li Xinwen think that the boy might be feeling hot from the sun. "Want to drink some more?" Li Xinwen asked as he offered the bottle to Sun Xiao. There was still about a quarter left in the bottle.


    Staring at the bottle, and thinking of the indirect kiss, Sun Xiao became too embarrassed that he quickly shook his head. "Xin- gege can finish them! I am not thirsty anymore," Sun Xiao said as he rejected the offer. Sharing drinks used to be normal for them as brothers but lately, he has been having weird thoughts. Not to mention, the boys in his school have already started to think of a.d.u.l.t stuff so Sun Xiao can''t help but hear all those indecent things.


    Seeing that Sun Xiao didn''t want to drink anymore, and Li Xinwen also didn''t feel like drinking again, he simply turned to Xue Rui. "Rui- ge , thanks for the water," Li Xinwen said with a small smile on his face.


    Xue Rui who was given a smile was shocked. He didn''t expect that simple action can also bring a smile on Li Xinwen''s face. Not to mention, this smile is different from the forced smile he always gets in the past. ''I may have fallen far, but it looks like I can still take a step forward again,'' Xue Rui thought as he renewed his spirit.


    "Don''t mention it, Xinwen. I brought a lot of bottled water so if you ever need them again, just tell me," Xue Rui informed him and he took the bottle from Li Xinwen''s hand. He sealed the cap back before putting it into his bag again. "Speaking of which, we''ve already stood here for a while and there''s still not a sign of that bas-... I mean, there is still no sign of Min Xiaoyu," Xue Rui quickly corrected the way he addressed Min Xiaoyu. After finding out that Min Xiaoyu''s grandfather was also his brother''s master, he suddenly feels nervous.


    ''If that guy tells his grandfather... will the grandfather tell my brother? If that happens...'' Xue Rui shivered at the thought of Xue Jun punishing him.


    They waited a while longer but Min Xiaoyu still didn''t appear to come and get them. Even Li Xinwen started to frown as he took out his phone and sends a message to Min Xiaoyu. But even after sending the message, there as still no sign of him.


    Just then, a small group of men came up from the bottom of the hill. When this group of men saw Li Xinwen''s group, they were surprised. "Are you a new student?" one of them asked. "Are you not able to open the gate?"


    "Are we supposed to simply open the gate?" Li Xinwen asked back.


    "Of course! As long as you can open the gate, you can learn from the school!" the man who asked them earlier, replied. "Didn''t the basic school tell you about this?"


    "Basic school?" Li Xinwen was now confused. He was told by Min Xiaoyu to come directly to this place but it seems that there is another school before they can enter this place.


    Hearing this, the expression of the group of men changed. "Ha! Looks like some people thought they can simply enter and learn to cultivate. Did you think that if you wait here, someone will open the door for you?" the person who spoke up was a different guy. Li Xinwen''s eyes quickly found him and saw someone who looked arrogant looking down on him. "Listen up. This school is not for people like you. Why don''t you just scram?"


    Li Xinwen didn''t say anything and silently gauged the group''s fighting strength. ''The highest is only halfway through the 1st stage of Houtian and this guy dared to act arrogant before me? I just have to open the gate, right?'' Li Xinwen turned to the gate and walked closer to it.


    The arrogant man saw this action and can''t help but burst out laughing. "Brothers! Look at him, he thought he can simply open the gate normally? Hey, listen, normies. To open this gate, you need to channel your-"


    Before he could finish talking, a loud sound, similar to an explosion could be heard as Li Xinwen slammed his fist onto the gate. The guy who had acted arrogantly before, paled at the sound, thinking that he had messed with a master. But when he saw that the gate didn''t react, he felt relieved. He was just about to open his mouth to belittle Li Xinwen again when they heard a cracking sound.


    Webs of cracks formed on the door of the gate, all the way until not even the concrete that held the gate together was spared. Not long after, right before their eyes, the once majestic entrance came down rumbling. Just a punch from Li Xinwen was enough to reduce the gate into nothing but useless boulders.


    The group of men behind him stared at him with fear. Sun Xiao and Xue Rui stared at Li Xinwen with admiration and shock respectively.


    Xue Jun on the other hand, just narrowed his eyes as he clenched his fist, his emotion was unreadable. He had been keeping quiet since they arrived because he wanted to see how strong Li Xinwen was. He also didn''t tell them how to open the door even though he knew of the method. After all, Xue Jun knew his brother won''t be able to open it, let alone Li Xinwen''s brother, Sun Xiao. But he really didn''t expect that Li Xinwen would simply destroy the gate instead.


    After venting his anger on the gate, Li Xinwen felt a bit better. Turning his attention back to the arrogant student from before, Li Xinwen just gave him a mocking smile. "I''m sorry, what were you saying just now? I don''t think I heard it properly earlier."

 Chapter 84 - 31.2 - Dont want to learn here! Its filled with bad guys!

    The face of the arrogant student turned white and he started to sweat. Li Xinwen saw this and felt that he had shown enough to scare the poor young cultivator. "I am a simple man. As long as you don''t cross with me, I won''t retaliate," Li Xinwen said with a smile.


    Unfortunately, some people, even when given leniency, did not appreciate it.


    "You dared to destroy the school gate? See if the elder will let you off, ah!"


    As if on cue, a middle-aged looking man came out of the main residence. He was dressed in a black martial art garb, and there was a hint of white on his black hair. Seeing this man, the group of students collectively gave him a salute.


    "Greetings to the Master," they all said at the same time as if this was how they normally greet the older man.


    "En. You lot go on inside first," the middle-aged man replied.


    Hearing this, the group of students finally moved but for the arrogant one, he did not forget to shot Li Xinwen a smirk. "Ha! Looks like Master has came out to deal with you personally! Don''t go regretting now!"


    Li Xinwen frowned, eyes narrowing at the arrogant student who then quickly scurried away in fear. Only after the students are all inside the training hall did Li Xinwen turn his attention to the middle-aged man. In fact, ever since the middle-aged man came out, Li Xinwen could feel the aura of a mid-4th stage Houtian practitioner. Fortunately, Li Xinwen was a peak 4th stage Houtian or else, he might end up being suppressed by now.


    "Are you the one who destroyed the gate?" the man asked. "How will you compensate for the damage?"


    "Isn''t it just repairing the gate? Just tell me how much you need, I will pay them," Xue Rui said while he habitually took out a cheque book.


    "You fool! You think money is enough to compensate for our gate?" the man asked. "Xue Jun, I know you''re there! I am already here and you are still not coming out to greet me?!"


    At this, Xue Jun finally came forward and gave the other man a respectful salute. "Xue Jun greets senior martial brother."


    "Hmph! After coming back from your mission, you didn''t even come and visit us once. Did you already forget about master?"


    Xue Jun who was reprimanded can only lower his head and stayed silent. After all, he did not have any valid excuse to give to the other man.


    "And then when you finally decided to come back, you brought these trouble makers? One is your brother, the other is some random cultivator and the last one..." his word trailed off when his eyes landed on Sun Xiao. His eyes narrowed at Sun Xiao, making the younger boy fidget nervously. " Zhuo Yang body type..." he murmured in disbelief while his eyes shone with greed.


    Then, the middle-aged man raised a foot up and take a step forward. But Li Xinwen noticed the spiritual energies around the man had changed so he quickly went to Sun Xiao''s side. As soon as he arrived, he pulled Sun Xiao close to his body while he used his other hand to grab the middle-aged man''s wrist, stopping the other from touching Sun Xiao.


    "What are you planning to do?" Li Xinwen asked, his eyes held a dangerous glint as he released the full aura of the peak 4th stage of Houtian.


    The middle-aged man was suddenly surprised by this turn of event and he quickly pulled away, taking several steps back. "So you were hiding your strength?" the man sneered.


    "You didn''t answer my question... what were you planning to do?" Li Xinwen asked once more. The temperature around them started to drop as Li Xinwen continued to suppress the middle-aged man. Soon, the temperature was cold enough that one could even see their own breath.


    Surprisingly, Sun Xiao who was beside Li Xinwen wasn''t affected by the cold temperature. He only gave a confused expression as he watched how the middle-aged man before them seemed to have a troubled expression. He also could see how Xue Rui and Xue Jun seemed cold.


    "Xin- gege , what''s wrong with them?" Sun Xiao asked Li Xinwen as he looked up to him, only to have his head being pushed back down to the other''s chest.


    "It''s nothing. Ah ''Xiao doesn''t have to worry," Li Xinwen said in a gentle tone, a tone that is vastly different from his current cold expression.


    The temperature continued to fall and in the end, Xue Rui felt that he was going to be frozen to death. Just as he felt that he was about to pass out from the cold, he felt a strong force wrapped around him and he was dragged away from the area. Turning his head, he could see his elder brother, with a grim expression on his face.


    "Brother... just... what is happening?" Xue Rui asked. "Earlier... it felt really cold..." Xue Rui said as he still continued to shiver.


    Xue Jun was a cultivator, and he has a high affinity with water elements so he had a slight resistance to the cold. So, compared to Xue Rui, he fared better. "Li Xinwen released his own domain," Xue Jun muttered in a low voice. ''But how? Master mentioned that domains can only be released once you reached Xiantian stage. Master said he''s the only one who had achieved that stage in this whole world, Plus... Li Xinwen was a normal human. Just who is this fake?" Xue Jun has a vexed expression plastered on his face.


    "Hmm... looks like Jingguo has offended someone that he shouldn''t offend," a calm voice sounded from behind Xue Jun.


    When Xue Jun heard this voice, his body went rigid for a moment, before he recollects himself. Straightening his back, he turned around to greet the other. "Xue Jun sees the Master," Xue Jun said as he saluted the man and bowed his head.


    "En. No need to be tense. Is he your younger brother? Which one? The second? The youngest?" the man eyed Xue Rui''s figure.


    Xue Rui heard how Xue Jun addressed the other and he can''t help but turn his head around to see. Since his brother''s master is the owner of this place, and Min Xiaoyu''s grandfather owned this place, he already knew that they are the same person. But when his eyes landed on this so-called grandfather, he was surprised at how young he looked like.


    The man himself is wearing a similar black colored martial art garb. He was holding a wooden cane in a relaxed manner as if his home''s gate had not been destroyed at all. In fact, his expression contained a hint of amus.e.m.e.nt.


    ''Did I get it wrong? He looked too young to be someone''s grandfather. In fact, aren''t we of the same age?!''


    "He''s my youngest brother, Xue Rui," Xue Jun replied. Then, he turned to Xue Rui and whispered to his younger brother. " Xiao Rui, this is my master, Min Shaotian."


    "I see," after hearing Xue Jun''s reply, Min Shaotian raised up his hand and touched his chin in a pondering manner. "And what about that person with the aura of a peak 4th stage Houtian? I can''t believe there is someone who can train up to this point without any guidance," as he said this, his eyes moved from Xue Rui to where Li Xinwen is.


    "He''s... Li Xinwen. He recently got injured and had almost lost his life. I don''t know how he managed to train in a short amount of time..." Xue Jun replied.


    "Oh? What do you mean by that?"


    "Master, it''s not even a month since he woke up from his comatose state."


    At this revelation, the man''s expression changed. Compared to his easygoing demeanor earlier, he turned serious. "He''s rising up too fast. He might be cultivating the demonic path..." as he said this, he walked toward Li Xinwen with a solemn expression.


    Once he entered the domain, he lifted his cane up slightly before slamming it down to the ground. Almost immediately, the air around them changed and Li Xinwen''s domain shattered. "I do not wish to cause unnecessary harm so I hope that you think properly before answering my question," Min Shaotian said as he eyed Li Xinwen. "What path are you cultivating?"


    Li Xinwen had been focused on the man before him that he failed to notice Min Shaotian''s arrival. In addition, Min Shaotian''s cultivation level is a whole realm higher than his so if Min Shaotian wants to conceal his aura, Li Xinwen will not be able to perceive him.


    But just because Min Shaotian is a realm higher than him, that doesn''t mean that Li Xinwen is afraid of him. After all, Li Xinwen was someone who had already reached the peak of Kongming stage. Compared to his opponents back then, a Xiantian stage can be considered nothing in his eyes. He was confident that his experience is enough to make up the disparity in strength.


    Seeing how Li Xinwen wasn''t afraid of him, Min Shaotian let out a sigh. "Do you think that with your pseudo-domain, you could beat me?" Min Shaotian asked as his other hand went to hold the body of his cane. Then, he shifted his other hand, to hold the upper part of the cane before pulling it upwards.


    ''A hidden blade,'' Li Xinwen thought as he watched the man unsheathe his weapon.


    Li Xinwen was just about to move when he felt a set of arms wrapped around his abdomen. "Xin- gege , he has a sword. Don''t go!" Sun Xiao cried out, his eyes were already pooled with water that is threatening to fall. "Let''s just leave. Ah ''Xiao doesn''t want to learn martial art from this place anymore. This place is filled with bad guys!"


    Min Shaotian who was called the bad guys: ...


    Xue Jun who learned from someone who was called the bad guy: ...


    The ''master'' who was suppressed by Li Xinwen before: ...

 Chapter 85 - 31.3 - This old man is not a bad guy ah!

    Hearing the young boy''s tone and exclaim, if Min Shaotian was still able to strike, then he is not human, ah! Especially, when he looked at the boy and those clear, innocent eyes are glaring at him like he''s truly the bad guy. ''This boy has a good constitution... a pure Zhuo Yang body type. If this man is really a demonic cultivator, then this boy should have long been dead,'' at this thought, Min Shaotian quickly sheathed his blade.


    ''On the other hand, its no wonder Jingguo would dare to offend this man, his cultivation has been stagnating for ten years now. He must''ve been anxious. Too anxious to the point that he didn''t realize his tail is showing up.''


    "Chen Jingguo, you go in and start the training of those students in the training hall first," Min Shaotian said as he dismissed the man who tried to act against Sun Xiao.


    The man, Chen Jingguo, looked reluctant and his eyes lingered at Sun Xiao. But in the end, he knew that he won''t be able to beat Li Xinwen in the first place so he simply gave up. ''There will be plenty of chances in the future,'' he thought as he saluted Min Shaotian and walked toward the training hall.


    Once Chen Jingguo left, Min Shaotian''s attention returned to Li Xinwen. "This... how to say this... It seems that I was quick to judge and end up misunderstanding something. But as a fellow cultivator, you must understand, right?"


    "Of course, I understand it very clearly," Li Xinwen replied. "Earlier, your disciple whom you called Chen Jingguo tried to harm someone important to me. It is very understandable... after all, from his point of view, Ah ''Xiao''s body type is something he yearns for. You were suspicious of me, thinking that I cultivated the demonic path but, your own disciple cultivated the demonic path himself. Are you trying to show me how to slap yourself?"


    "..." Min Shaotian who had accidentally dropped the huge stone he picked up on his own foot was unable to refute. "I... have an explanation for that. But this conversation isn''t suitable to be discussed in the open like this," Min Shaotian let out a sigh. "Ah, where are my manners. First, I would like to apologize for the misunderstanding. It seems that you were brought by my disciple, Xue Jun. So how about we go inside first and discuss thing over with a cup of tea?"


    "We''re not supposed to follow strangers blindly," Sun Xiao speaks up just before Li Xinwen could agree. "Xin- gege , let''s just go. Maybe big brother Min is not here and we got to a wrong place," Sun Xiao said as he looked up at Li Xinwen again.


    "Big brother Min?" Min Shaotian who heard this suddenly have a look of understanding. "Are you perhaps the Mr. Li that my grandson told me about?" Min Shaotian asked Li Xinwen.


    "Then are you Mr. Min Xiaoyu''s grandfather?" Li Xinwen asked back.


    "That is indeed me! Why did you not say so? Yuyu did say that you would be coming this weekend, and he was supposed to come over and welcome you. But when he cultivated last night, he managed to break through his bottleneck so now, he''s trying to enter the 2nd stage," Min Shaotian replied.


    "Xin- gege , don''t believe him! He must be lying. Look at him, can someone young like him have a grandson as old as big brother Min?" Sun Xiao continued to glare at Min Shaotian, eyes full of suspicions.


    When Li Xinwen heard this, the corner of his lips curved up into a smile. His hand reached up and rubs Sun Xiao''s head, feeling proud of his little brother. ''Those talk of building up confidence these past few nights is really paying off. He already dared to refute someone. At this rate, what happened to Ah''Xiao in Hua-jie''s past won''t happen again.''


    Faced with Sun Xiao''s rebuke, Min Shaotian could only show a helpless expression. If he could, he would summon his grandson over to dispell their suspicion on him, but alas, he can''t bother his grandson while he''s breaking through. "Alright, alright. This old man was wrong," Min Shaotian said. "Young man, the martial art that I practice is different from the secular world''s martial arts. Here, let me show you."


    Min Shaotian waved his hand and a wind blade appeared, moving at a fast speed towards a nearby tree. The tree was mercilessly cut down by the sharp wind blade and it fell down to the ground with a loud sound.


    "See? Aren''t I amazing? At higher rank, you can even retain your young look! Don''t see that I look young, my age might actually be three times your brother!"


    ''I''m older than you think. Unless you truly want to say you''re a thousand years old ancient,'' Li Xinwen thought in his head.


    "My Xin- gege can also do that..." Sun Xiao mumbled in a soft voice. During their practice these past few nights, Li Xinwen had slowly shown him few amazing things that can be done once he started training martial arts so he wasn''t really impressed with the wind blade. ''Plus, what is a tree compared to the big gate?'' he wanted to say but decided to keep his mouth shut less the man in front of them decided to take advantage of the ruined gate.


    As someone who has reached Xiantian stage, how can Min Xiaotian not hear what Sun Xiao had said? In the end, he can only let out a heavy, defeated sigh. "Do you really not want to learn from me? If you learn from me, I can help open up your twelve meridian gates and let you cultivate!"


    "If it is something you can do, I''m sure that my Xin- gege can do it also," Sun Xiao replied. "Right?" at this, Sun Xiao once again looked up to Li Xinwen, silently asking the man to agree with him.


    Unfortunately this time, Li Xinwen just shook his head. " Ah ''Xiao, to help open your twelve meridian gates, someone has to inject their spiritual energy and guide them through your meridians. This process has to be done in one go without stopping in the middle so it will take quite a while. You have a pure Yang type body called Zhuo Yang, but Ge ''s body type is that of Yin constitution. If I inject my spiritual energy through your meridians, it will only cause you more harm than good. In fact, I may end up damaging your meridians," Li Xinwen explained.


    "That''s right!" Min Shaotian joined in. "Of course, you can also try to open your gate on your own. But it will take a long time. And you will also have to do them slowly, one by one."


    "Then, how long did Xin -gege take?"


    "Two years."


    Li Xinwen didn''t lie. He did spend two years in his last life to build his foundation.


    "Then... does Xin- gege suggest Ah ''Xiao let him open the gates?" Sun Xiao asked. "But he tried to harm Xin -gege earlier. What if its a trap?"


    Min Shaotian was once again shot while lying down by Sun Xiao''s words. "Then how about this? If I have as much as little thought to cause any of you any harm, even a single hair will count, then let the heaven be the judge and sends down lightning to strike me."


    Li Xinwen was surprised that Min Shaotian dared to make an oath. Seeing that the other is truly sincere, he only pats Sun Xiao''s head. "Let''s just go in and hear him out. Don''t worry, if he tries anything, Gege will protect you," Li Xinwen smiled at Sun Xiao as he assured the young boy.


    After finally managed to convince both Sun Xiao and Li Xinwen, Min Shaotian finally felt that he has redeemed himself. ''Now I just have to make sure to show the boy that laozi is not a bad guy!''

 Chapter 86 - 31.4 - As his guardian, I refuse.

    Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao followed Min Shaotian, and when they got closer to Xue Jun and Xue Rui, only then did Li Xinwen remembered about them. Looking at Xue Rui''s figure, he suddenly has a feeling of guilt. "Rui- ge , how are you feeling?" Li Xinwen asked. Though he does want to teach Xue Rui a lesson, he didn''t plan it to be like this. He knew Xue Rui is only a mortal man so if he were to use his full strength, then that is simply bullying the weak. That was not Li Xinwen''s nature.


    "I''m okay. Just a bit cold," Xue Rui replied. "Xinwen, earlier..."


    "I will explain later. I apologize for implicating you along, Rui- ge ," Li Xinwen said.


    "Don''t worry about it," Xue Rui smiled at Li Xinwen.


    "What do you mean don''t worry? If I didn''t save you earlier and brought you out, you would''ve been frozen to death!" Xue Jun said angrily.


    "First young master Xue is right. Rui- ge , I wasn''t careful earlier. Tell me what you want I will make it up to you in later times," Li Xinwen agreed to what Xue Jun said and even offered to make it up to Xue Rui.


    Of course, Xue Rui immediately decided to take advantage of this matter. "Then, how about a kiss? Your kiss will surely warm me up!"


    "... Think again and tell me later," Li Xinwen said as he turned to walk away.


    "Idiot," Xue Jun muttered under his breath as he watched his younger brother act like a fool.


    "Ah, Xinwen, wait!" Xue Rui quickly rushed over to Li Xinwen''s side. "How about holding hands?" Xue Rui asked. "Holding hands should be fine, right?"


    Li Xinwen thought for a while before he held out his hand for the other to hold. "Only until we get inside," Li Xinwen told Xue Rui.


    Xue Rui didn''t dare to ask for more and he simply took Li Xinwen''s hand in his. It may have only been a few days but for Xue Rui, it felt like an eternity since the last time he was this close to Li Xinwen.


    Sun Xiao saw the two holding hands and his heart feels uncomfortable. Xue Jun was also the same, though he has mixed feelings about this scene. For one, he knew that person is not the Li Xinwen that he and his brother had fallen in love with, but it still feels like watching the one you love walk away with your brother.


    " Xiao Rui... once you find out he''s not who you think he is, I hope you won''t be too heartbroken..." Xue Jun murmured in a soft voice before he finally followed the rest of the group.


    Min Shaotian who was leading them naturally heard everything that was said. But since he has little understanding of what was happening, he didn''t say anything lest he agitated the young man again. Sun Xiao is truly a rare find, and Min Shaotian truly wants the boy as his disciple. Although Xue Jun is one of his best disciples, in the end, the cultivation method that he has does not suit Xue Jun since Xue Jun leans more towards the Yin energy while all the cultivation method he has are only compatible with those who lean toward the Yang energy.


    ''It truly is a shame,'' he lamented. ''But maybe this Mr Li can help him in his cultivation. After all, their body condition seems to be the same.''


    They entered the main residence and were greeted by a middle-aged woman who was currently cleaning the entrance. "Ah, master. Are these four your guest?" the woman asked.


    "En. Go and prepare the tea for us and deliver it to the eastern courtyard," Min Shaotian replied.


    The woman bowed her head before she hurriedly walked away. Min Shaotian continued to lead them deeper into the residence until they reached another courtyard. When they stepped into the courtyard, Li Xinwen felt that he had entered a barrier. Not only that, the spiritual energy here is much denser than the outside, though compared to inside his dimension, it is still less pure.


    "This is my private courtyard. No one is allowed here without permission," Min Shaotian told the rest. "Jun, this is also your first time here, right?"


    "Yes," Xue Jun replied.


    "En. Do you notice anything different?"


    Xue Jun closed his eyes and began to feel around him. "There is more spiritual energies here."


    "That''s right. Now go into that room over there," Min Shaotian pointed at a door with his cane. "Inside you will see my grandson. Don''t bother him but you can cultivate there without worrying about being disturbed. The rest of you, follow me."


    Xue Jun separated from the group and went to the room that Min Shaotian had told him earlier. Li Xinwen and the rest continued to follow Min Shaotian to another room. This room was quite huge and there was a small wooden coffee table in the middle. Min Shaotian went over and took a seat near the coffee table before he gestured for them to sit at the opposite side. "Please have a seat."


    Xue Rui took the lead and sits down near the end of the table, then he pulled Li Xinwen to sit down beside him. This action made Li Xinwen frown, but since he was still feeling a bit guilty for almost ''killing'' Xue Rui earlier, he stays quiet and obediently sat down beside the male. Sun Xiao naturally sits down beside Li Xinwen''s other side and finally, Min Shaotian speaks up again.


    "I will get right to the point. I want the boy to be my direct disciple," Min Shaotian said with a serious tone.


    "As his guardian, I refuse," came Li Xinwen''s direct reply.


    "Why? It would be beneficial if you let me train him."


    "Chen Jingguo," Li Xinwen uttered only one name in reply and Min Shaotian immediately understood.


    A heavy sigh escaped his lips before he massaged his temple. "Right, I should explain to you about that first... earlier, do you know why I thought you were a demonic cultivator?" Min Shaotian asked.


    "Is it because Xue Jun told you I have only woken up from my comatose recently? And then my cultivation rose very quickly?" Li Xinwen asked back and Min Shaotian nods his head. Li Xinwen didn''t say anything else and Min Shaotian waited for a while before finally asking.


    "Are you not going to explain?"


    "What is there to explain. I can only say my method is different than yours and it is very compatible with me, which is why my cultivation level can soar by leaps and bounds," Li Xinwen replied. "Now, back to the original discussion, Mr Min. Chen Jingguo. If you disliked demonic cultivator, why is he here?"


    "Because I''m trying to smoke out the rest."


    The reply was short, but it told Li Xinwen a lot. ''So, there are more cultivators in this world? And there seems to be a group of demonic cultivator too.''


    "What I''m about to tell you, you must not speak of it anywhere else. If you do, your own life will end up being in danger," Min Shaotian said.


    "Danger? Are you saying that someone will come to kill us?" Xue Rui asked. Though he had seen a lot of miraculous things today, it was still hard for him to accept it all in one day. After all, he was raised not to believe any nonsense, and only believe in science. Of course, after today, he would need to reorganize his thought and the way he sees the world will change.


    "Killing you would be mercy by them. Rather than killing you, they will simply take your soul and refine them for their own use. Then, you will not be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation at all."


    After the word was said, the room fell into complete silence. Sun Xiao appeared slightly fearful while Li Xinwen had a grim expression. He didn''t know how strong the demonic cultivator is, so he wasn''t sure if he could protect his family if they decided to come after them.


    "Don''t worry though. As long as you don''t have anything of value to them, they won''t come out to get you. That is, of course, as long as you keep your mouth shut," Min Shaotian who saw their grim expression decided to try and assure them. "It began around twenty years ago. At the time, my Yuyu was still just a little toddler, barely two years old. His father had just recently found a treasure. We didn''t know what it does at first, so we simply took it back home. I called on my friends, and we researched it, but even after a long time, we still couldn''t figure it out. Then one day, a friend of mine said he finally figured out on how to activate the treasure..."

 Chapter 87 - 32.1 - Root of Demonic Cultivator

    "We thought the treasure would help us with our cultivation, but instead... it brought us disaster. It opened up a portal to another world and what came out from the portal is a demon wearing a man''s mask," Min Shaotian''s expression was solemn as he said this.


    Li Xinwen noticed the pain in Min Shaotian''s eyes and he understood why the other had acted the way he did when Min Shaotian suspected him of being a demonic cultivator. ''He must''ve lost a lot...'' Li Xinwen concluded. ''But a treasure that can open the portal to another world... that might be my key to return to Long Xing.''


    "The demon started to wreak havoc. At that time, there was only five of us and the highest level was only at 1st stage Jindan. The rest of us was still at peak Xiantian... but that demon''s cultivation level was already at the peak of Yuanying stage!" Min Shaotian clenched his hand into a tight fist. "We knew if we let the demon be, the world will fall into total chaos. So, despite the fact that we are almost two realms weaker than him, we fought."


    "1st stage Jindan against peak Yuanying stage... that is just courting death," Li Xinwen commented.


    "I know! But we did not have a choice..." Min Shaotian''s voice sounded aggrieved. "You know, before that incident, there are only four families in this world who are a cultivator. If it wasn''t because of that demon, I wouldn''t have had this kind of thought of teaching cultivation methods to other people... These people would have been the one to help fight against the demon again but some of those bastard was tempted by the demon''s offer and became a demonic cultivator instead!"


    "From your words, the demon is still alive?"


    "We couldn''t beat him, so we thought of sealing him. But alas, he was too strong and instead, we lost two people," Min Shaotian. "And my son is one of them," he added after a while.


    "Then, where is the demon? And the treasure?" Li Xinwen asked but Min Shaotian only shook his head.


    "While the sealing failed, part of the demon''s power was successfully sealed. When he noticed this, he ran, bringing along the treasure. Until now, we couldn''t find him," Min Shaotian replied.


    Just then, there was a light knock on the door, followed by the maid''s voice. "Master, the tea is here."


    "En. Come in," Min Shaotian replied and the door opened. The maid entered the room and served the tea onto the table. "Has Yuyu came out from his closed-door cultivation?" Min Shaotian asked.


    "Not yet. He is still inside," the maid replied.


    "I see. You may go now," Min Shaotian dismissed her and once the door was closed again, he turned back to Li Xinwen and the rest. It was only then did he realize that Sun Xiao and Xue Rui''s expression was not right. Then he remembered that the two of them are not cultivators and he had rambled about his past without explaining. ''What kind of host am I, ah!! Has the age gotten into me now?'' Min Shaotian berated himself.


    "Mr Li... I think your two companions are confused right now," Min Shaotian informed Li Xinwen.


    "It''s alright. They''ve heard something almost similar to your story before," Li Xinwen replied.


    "Oh?" this time, Min Shaotian have a surprised look before he glanced over at Xue Rui and Sun Xiao.


    Sun Xiao just inched closer to Li Xinwen, while Xue Rui raised an eyebrow as he looked at the person beside him. "Xinwen, are you perhaps referring to that... apocalypse Jinghua told us before?" Xue Rui asked.


    "If not that, what else?"


    "... You''re right... I''ve been told about the end of the world and zombies, and now, being told that a demon exists also didn''t faze me," Xue Rui said before he took his cup and drank his tea. "My world view has been destroyed."


    "Zombies? Apocalypse?" Min Shaotian voiced out his confusion. ''What do these have anything to do with cultivation?''


    This time, it was Li Xinwen''s turn to explain to Min Shaotian about what Li Jinghua had told them. He didn''t conceal anything. Whatever Li Jinghua told him, it was exactly what he told Min Shaotian.


    "I see, so that is why you are here to learn martial arts?" Min Shaotian asked.


    "Originally, that was the plan. But unfortunately, I don''t feel safe entrusting my brother to you. Not when Chen Jingguo is around," Li Xinwen replied.


    "Chen Jingguo''s matter... there really is no other choice. He was bought over by the demon, and he''s here in order to steal the sealing method used on the demon. Unfortunately, to find out where the demon is hiding, I have to keep him close. Surely there will be a time when they will communicate," Min Shaotian explained.


    "Until then, are you planning to raise a tiger in your midst? Mr Min, if I may say... you are treading in dangerous water."


    "I have no other choice. I cannot let him have that sealing method. Once they have it, unsealing is only a matter of time and..."


    "Alright. I won''t say anymore," Li Xinwen cut off Min Shaotian''s word. "You do what you do best. I can teach my brother on my own but I will have to trouble Mr Min to help me with my brother''s meridian gates."


    "Your cultivation method is not suitable for him. Even if I help open, with an opposing energy''s cultivation method, it will only do him harm," Min Shaotian tried to convince Li Xinwen once more.


    "Mr Min don''t have to worry about that. I have other methods for my brother," as Li Xinwen said this, he raised his hand and rubbed Sun Xiao''s head. "He is my brother. As his elder, I have to prepare the best for him."


    In the end, Min Shaotian can only agree before he brought them to another room. There wasn''t any furniture in the room, and it seems that this was only used as a cultivation room. "This is my personal cultivation room. We won''t be disturbed here," Min Shaotian informed them. He then turned to Sun Xiao, "Once you''re ready, come on in. As for you two," Min Shaotian''s eyes went from Sun Xiao to Li Xinwen and Xue Rui. "Opening the meridian gates can be dangerous, so I hope the two of you can leave us so that I won''t be distracted."


    "Understood. Ah ''Xiao, Ge has something to tell you," Li Xinwen gently placed a hand on Sun Xiao''s shoulder and bent down slightly to look at Sun Xiao in the eye. "Later, when Mr Min started, you need to listen to him. Just relax your body and let him direct his spiritual energy through your meridians. The process might be painful but Ge believes that you can get through this," Li Xinwen said in a gentle tone. "Don''t worry. Mr Min already swore an oath. He will not deliberately cause you harm."


    Sun Xiao was at first reluctant to leave Li Xinwen''s side but after being assured by the other, he just nods his head. "When we''re done, Xin- gege will still be around, right?"


    "Naturally. I won''t leave you alone," Li Xinwen replied with a grin. "Now go. When we get back home, I will give you something good," Li Xinwen said as he pats Sun Xiao''s shoulder twice before giving the boy a light push toward Min Shaotian. "I''ll leave my brother in your care, Mr Min. Rui- ge and I will go to the training hall. Don''t worry, as long as that person surnamed Chen doesn''t do anything to offend me any further, I won''t lay my hand on him."


    "I understand. I thank Mr Li for giving this old man some face after what happened earlier."


    Li Xinwen simply waved his hand before he turned around to leave. "Let''s go, Rui- ge . Now, it is time for our little ''date''," Li Xinwen said with a playful expression.


    "Date?" Xue Rui who heard this can''t help but become very excited.


    "Of course. I promised you before, remember? So, come on and follow me," Li Xinwen replied as he began to walk away. ''It is finally time to teach you a lesson, ah! Though the one who harmed the original Li Xinwen is not you, it doesn''t change that you are the cause of it. Also, I still have to give you a beating for playing with Hua-jie''s feeling.''


    Xue Rui didn''t have any suspicion on what Li Xinwen was about to do so he happily followed Li Xinwen. It was only unfortunate for him that whatever it is Li Xinwen is planning, is the complete opposite of what he was hoping for.

 Chapter 88 - 32.2 - AhXiao is special

    A/N: Will delete this after WPC ends.


    So... this author has a favour to ask from dear readers. Can you guys support my other stories which I entered in WPC? It is called Bewitched [BL] on WPC #99 and Call me Daddy! on WPC #100. Both are BL. I can''t promise to give you guys mass updates right away in return, but if I do win, I will do daily release starting in March, for one whole month. I really need those coins to unlock TKA novel Q.Q I haven''t finished reading it yet.


    Sincerely,


    Your Author.


    ***


    Xue Rui once again found himself being thrown onto the matted floor. Not long after, he saw Li Xinwen crouching down above his head, a happy smile on his face. "Rui- ge , are you done?" Li Xinwen asked as he playfully pats Xue Rui''s cheek. "How about we go for another round?" Li Xinwen suggested.


    "A-another round?" Xue Rui stared at Li Xinwen with disbelief. "Xinwen... we''ve been doing this for four times already... My body is feeling sore, can we have a rest?" Xue Rui asked in a pleading tone, trying to incite the pity from Li Xinwen.


    "Rest? Rui- ge , in the future, when we''re against the zombies... do you think you can ask them for rest?" Li Xinwen asked before he flicked Xue Rui on the forehead. "Now hurry and get up. Let''s go for another round."


    Li Xinwen stood up and went to his position. In the training hall, the rest of the students of the school was also sparring, and Li Xinwen only managed to occupy a small corner. It was just enough space for him to play around with Xue Rui. Of course, even if he was just playing around, he still earnestly give Xue Rui some pointer. It was just that, even if Xue Rui tried to use other moves, Li Xinwen has already figured out his next ten moves.


    At the end of their fifth round, Xue Rui once more found himself staring at the ceiling, his back lay flat on the floor.


    "Alright, looks like you are really tired now. Go and have some drink. We''ll go at it again after ten minutes break," Li Xinwen told Xue Rui, much to Xue Rui''s happiness.


    On the other side of the training hall, the arrogant student whom they met at the entrance from before, approached Chen Jingguo. "Master, why is he here?"


    "I don''t know. He must''ve tricked your grandmaster or else, he wouldn''t have left unscathed," Chen Jingguo replied. When he saw the student approaching him, he had set up a barrier so that none of their conversations would be heard by Li Xinwen.


    "He''s strong, but that guy he brought along is too weak. Master, how about we just-"


    "Hmph! If you want to cause trouble, just make sure you don''t get found out. As long as there is no proof, you are innocent," Chen Jingguo simply said before he waved his hand, dismissing the student. The arrogant student left and Chen Jingguo continued to look at Li Xinwen''s direction throughout the training sessions. Soon, the morning practice is over and it was time for them to have lunch.


    Li Xinwen and Xue Rui returned to Min Shaotian''s personal courtyard for lunch and saw that the four people who are in closed-door seclusion have yet to come out. So they simply went back to the room where Min Shaotian brought them before. He didn''t care much about Xue Jun and Min Xiaoyu. To him, they are already an a.d.u.l.t that doesn''t need a lot of guidance. But Sun Xiao is different. Though he did teach the boy basic knowledge of cultivation, and even trained with him, Sun Xiao has yet to reach even the first stage of the Initial Stage in Body Transformation. ''Though I have warned him, I still feel uneasy...''


    "Xinwen? What''s wrong?" Xue Rui noticed that Li Xinwen''s eyes were not focused and that he wasn''t even touching his food.


    When Li Xinwen heard Xue Rui''s voice, he just sighed and poked on his food with his chopstick. "Just worried about Ah ''Xiao..." he replied. "Hopefully, he could handle the process of his meridian gates being opened."


    "I''m sure he could. Your brother is stronger than you think. When you were in an accident, he was the reason why your mother didn''t collapse. His mental growth might be a bit slow though, but that was only due to his trauma. Today though, he seems to have changed considerably. Before, he wouldn''t even talk to strangers but when I see how he acts earlier, it felt like he has become normal," Xue Rui told Li Xinwen.


    " Ah'' Xiao is normal. There is nothing wrong with him, Rui- ge . He only lacked confidence and guidance," Li Xinwen replied, his tone contains slight anger.


    "You know that''s not I meant, Xinwen..." Xue Rui noticed Li Xinwen''s tone and quickly tried to appease him. "Maybe that last sentence came out as rude but, that is what the PTSD specialist diagnosed him with. After that traumatic experience where he lost his parents, he had shown symptoms of autism."


    " Ah ''Xiao is not abnormal. He''s special," Li Xinwen cut off Xue Rui.


    After that, Xue Rui didn''t dare to say anything else and Li Xinwen also enjoys the quietness as they eat.


    Meanwhile, Sun Xiao was having a painful experience. His eyes closed, and his forehead was covered in beads of sweats. His body felt as if they are being torn apart. Black fluids continued to seep out of the pores of his skins, staining his clothes. Just as he felt that he was about to pass out from the pain, he suddenly felt everything surrounding him change.


    He felt something warm circling around him before they entered his body. From behind him, he heard Min Shaotian speak. "The hardest part is done. Your twelve meridian gates have been completely opened. It is now all depends on your own ability. By now, you should be able to feel the spiritual energies around you. All you need to do is guide them with your consciousness towards your dantian and contain them there."


    ''Guide?'' Sun Xiao at first didn''t know the method to guide the spiritual energies but the moment he thought about absorbing them, he could feel the spiritual energies around him enter his body at a faster rate. Understanding the method, Sun Xiao then began to let them flow into his dantian, letting it settle there. Before long, Sun Xiao entered a deep state of cultivation.


    Min Shaotian saw that Sun Xiao had begun to cultivate to establish his foundation and he couldn''t help but let out a sigh. ''This boy''s potential is high... it is a shame that his brother didn''t agree to let me have him as my disciple,'' Min Shaotian thought. Min Shaotian continued to stay quiet as he watched over Sun Xiao to make sure that nothing unexpected happened to the young boy.


    When Sun Xiao first absorbed spiritual energy, this was noticed by Li Xinwen. As his elder, Li Xinwen can''t help but curve the corner of his lips upward, forming a smile. His hand reached into his duffel bag and touched the extra bottle of water that he brought from home. ''Lanyu,'' Li Xinwen called out to the little spirit inside the dimension.


    [ Lanyu: Yes, master? ]


    ''I''m sending in a bottle of water. Replace the content with the water from the spiritual lake,'' Li Xinwen told Lanyu before he sent the bottle into the dimension.


    [ Lanyu: Understood, master! ]


    Li Xinwen didn''t have to wait long before Lanyu reached out to him again.


    [ Lanyu: Master, the water is ready! ]


    ''En. Good job,'' Li Xinwen didn''t forget to praise the little spirit, earning a happy giggle from him. He transferred the bottle back into his bag, intending to give them to Sun Xiao later.


    Not long after that, Li Xinwen heard several footsteps and based on their spiritual energy, he already knew who was coming. He could even hear their conversation and after finding out the content of their conversation, he can''t help but give Xue Rui a mischievous smirk. "Rui- ge , your brother and Min Xiaoyu are coming this way. They seemed to be talking about you."


    Hearing this, Xue Rui''s expression paled considerably. "Xinwen, don''t joke. That''s not funny," Xue Rui said.


    "I''m not joking. It''s true. Min Xiaoyu is complaining to your brother, ah! He''s telling him how you called his grandfather a fraud!"


    The chopstick in Xue Rui''s hand dropped and not long after, he could also hear footsteps coming this way, followed by two familiar voice. Xue Rui''s eyes quickly darted to the door. His heart started to pound as he thought on how to explain to his brother.


    When the door finally opened, Xue Rui finally saw Xue Jun, who has a dark expression on his face. Beside him, was Min Xiaoyu, who looked surprised to see that Xue Rui was also here.


    "You! What are you doing here?! Daring to come here after saying my grandfather is a fraud... then your elder brother ends up being my grandfather''s disciple. Say, does your face hurt?" Min Xiaoyu asked Xue Rui.


    Xue Rui''s face turned red from embarrassment and he didn''t say anything to refute. He only nervously stared at his brother with a pleading expression.


    Seeing this, Xue Jun''s heart wavered slightly and finally, he just let out a heavy sigh. "Junior brother, my younger brother''s knowledge is shallow when it comes to martial arts. He was raised by our mother and was taught from a young age that everything in this world revolved on scientific theory. So if you suddenly tell him that people can feel spiritual energies, can fly and even can throw out fire from their hands, it is only natural that he doesn''t believe it," Xue Jun explained to Min Xiaoyu.


    "But brother Jun, it is not hard to be polite, right? You don''t understand... he was extremely rude at that time. And since he is here, he better apologize to my grandfather."


    "I will make sure that he will give his apology to master. Rest assured," Xue Jun replied.


    At this, Xue Rui immediately nods his head. "I promise to apologize properly! Brother, do you think I should go and get an apology gift?" Xue Rui asked Xue Jun.


    "Master likes herbal tea. You can just let someone get it for you," Xue Jun replied but Xue Rui quickly stood up.


    "Nonsense. A sincere gift must be bought and brought by yourself! I''ve just finished eating, so I will go and get the tea leaves. I should be able to get back before lunchtime is over if I leave now," Xue Rui said. " Ge, you should eat first."


    After saying that, Xue Rui quickly left in a hurry. Li Xinwen who had stayed quiet these whole time can''t help but shake his head. ''Xue Rui is simply too obedient. It is no wonder he was taken advantage of by Xue Liang. Luckily, Xue Jun seemed to be an upright person,'' Li Xinwen thought to himself. ''The only problem is...'' Li Xinwen eyes went to Xue Jun and saw Xue Jun staring at him. ''He''s suspicious of me. With what Min Shaotian is saying, he may even think of me as a demonic cultivator that took over the original''s body,'' Li Xinwen can''t help but feel helpless at this outcome. Ever since they first met, the eyes Xue Rui used to stare at him never changed. It is always full of suspicion.

 Chapter 89 - 32.3 - Shy?

    "Where is your brother?" Xue Jun asked. "Wasn''t he with you?"


    Li Xinwen just smiled at Xue Jun before he pointed at the room opposite of theirs. It was the room where Sun Xiao and Min Shaotian currently is. "Can''t you sense him?" Li Xinwen asked back.


    Xue Jun narrowed his eyes while Min Xiaoyu had a confused look on his face. They both turned their attention to the room where Li Xinwen pointed at before and sent out their spiritual sense. Soon enough, both of them widened their eyes in surprise.


    "You really did ask master to open his meridian gates?!" Xue Jun asked. "Do you know how dangerous that is?! If it failed, he might end up being a cripple!" Xue Jun seems to be angry at Li Xinwen, thinking that he''s irresponsible.


    "Why are you so worried? Are you not confident of your own master''s ability?" Li Xinwen asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "It''s not about my master... What if he couldn''t handle the pain of having his meridian gates opened? Then no matter how good my master is, it will all go to waste," Xue Jun replied.


    "But the reality is, Ah ''Xiao was able to handle the pain and now, he is already on his first step in cultivating," Li Xinwen smirked, but the shine in his eyes clearly shows how proud he is for Sun Xiao.


    "Mr Li, pardon me but... the person you''re talking about is that boy in your house from before?" Min Xiaoyu asked.


    Li Xinwen nods his head before he finished his food. " Ah ''Xiao has a pure Zhuo Yang body type. With a good guidance and cultivation method, he will be able to raise his strength faster. Maybe in a few years, he may even surpass you two," Li Xinwen said in a joking tone, though in his heart he believed that will happen.


    "Then, will you let him study under grandfather?" Min Xiaoyu asked curiously.


    "No."


    Li Xinwen''s short reply actually shocked Min Xiaoyu. He was confident about his grandfather, and always thought of him as the best. But Li Xinwen actually dismissed the thought of having his brother study under his grandfather in a careless manner. "Why?" Min Xiaoyu can''t help asking.


    "Because Chen Jingguo is around," Li Xinwen replied.


    "What''s wrong with brother Chen?"


    Hearing Min Xiaoyu''s question, Li Xinwen eyed him carefully. Seeing that he truly is confused as to why Li Xinwen named him, Li Xinwen understood that Min Shaotian didn''t tell Min Xiaoyu about Chen Jingguo identity. "Nothing. Earlier when we arrive, he just offended me. So I taught him a little bit of lessons... that is until your grandfather arrived to stop us," Li Xinwen waved his hand as he said this. He acts as if he didn''t want to talk about it anymore so Min Xiaoyu didn''t bother to ask again.


    Half an hour later, Li Xinwen grabbed the water bottle from his duffel bag and stood up. He had paid attention to the surrounding area near Sun Xiao and just now, he felt that the spiritual energy around Sun Xiao has calmed down. He walked towards the room and waited for Sun Xiao to come out. Behind him, Xue Jun and Min Xiaoyu also stood there waiting, curious on how strong Sun Xiao would become after building his foundation.


    The door slid open, and Min Shaotian was the first to come out. He was at first surprised to see Li Xinwen standing in front of the door, but when he saw Min Xiaoyu, his expression turned cheerful. "Yuyu! You''re finally out! Come, show grandfather how strong you''ve become!" Min Shaotian said as he went over to Min Xiaoyu''s side.


    ''Wait... was Min Shaotian hopped over to his grandson?'' Li Xinwen was sure that he didn''t see it wrongly.


    "Xin- gege ?"


    Li Xinwen heard Sun Xiao calling out to him and when he turned back to the room, he saw Sun Xiao standing by the doorway. His clothes were stained with dark coloured liquids, which was the impurities that were removed from his body. Other than that, there is nothing that seems off. Li Xinwen stared into Sun Xiao''s eyes next. His eyes are now clearer compared to before he had his meridian gates open.


    "En. Ah ''Xiao has done well. Here, have a drink," Li Xinwen gave Sun Xiao the bottle of water which contains the spiritual water from the lake in his dimension.


    Sun Xiao took the water and quickly drank its content. The moment the water entered his system, Sun Xiao''s eyes widened in surprise. After being told that he had established his foundation, he felt refreshed but it still feels like something was lacking. But after drinking the water given by Li Xinwen, Sun Xiao felt his energy increases and even the spiritual energy inside him suddenly felt different.


    After finishing his drink, Sun Xiao turned to Li Xinwen and was about to ask him what he had just drunk when he saw Li Xinwen raise up a finger to his lips. Understanding what Li Xinwen meant, he closed his lips and nods his head. ''If Xin-gege doesn''t want to tell, then I won''t ask!'' he thought.


    "By the way, Xin- gege , where is big brother Rui?" Sun Xiao asked when he noticed that Xue Rui is missing.


    "He has something to do. He will return later. Ah ''Xiao, let''s first change out of your clothes. It must be uncomfortable wearing those," Li Xinwen said as he took the water bottle from Sun Xiao and then grabbed his brother''s hand.


    "Ah! You can let Sun Xiao take a bath. There is a natural hot spring just behind this courtyard. I think it''ll be better. Let Yuyu bring you there," Min Shaotian suddenly said before he turned to Xue Jun. "Jun, you come with me. I want to know how you''ve grown these past few years."


    Xue Jun followed Min Shaotian, while Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao followed Min Xiaoyu to the hot spring. When they arrived, Sun Xiao suddenly showed an uncomfortable expression before he turned to Min Xiaoyu. "Big brother Min... it''s an open hot spring?"


    Li Xinwen also stared at the hot spring which only has a thin wall surrounding it. To him, these kinds of thing were normal but from what he understood about this world, the people seemed to be a bit conservative.


    "Usually, only my grandfather use this place and he doesn''t mind... prancing around n.a.k.e.d," Min Xiaoyu answered. "Don''t worry, no one will come so you don''t have to be worried about being seen."


    Li Xinwen turned to Sun Xiao who seemed to be reluctant to bath in the hot spring. "Shy?" Li Xinwen asked with a smile.


    "En..." Sun Xiao nods his head, his face instantly flamed up all the way to his ears.

 Chapter 90 - 32.4 - Do you need reason to save someone?

    A/N: Maybe some people don''t know where to check the WPC contest rank or maybe a 1-month daily update is not appealing enough QQ. If it is the former, you can do so by going to your inbox and click on the writing prompt contest message. There, you will be able to see the rank of each WPC entries. I won''t ask for much, even the third place will do for both or first place on either one (for the latter, you guys pick!). Of course, if I got first place for both, it will be even better! To those of you who already supported my contest entry, thank you very much!


    *****


    Seeing this, Li Xinwen just chuckled and pats his back. "Then Ge will go with Min Xiaoyu. You don''t have to be shy. We won''t go far. When you''re done, just call me and I''ll be here as quickly as I can," Li Xinwen said before he turned and walked away with Min Xiaoyu, leaving Sun Xiao alone.


    Seeing his brother leaving, Sun Xiao suddenly feels regretful much to his own confusion. "Let''s just bath quickly then go find Xin- gege . The faster I bath, the less chance I''ll be seen!"


    With this thought, Sun Xiao quickly placed his bag down, stripped off his clothes and jumped into the hot spring. Feeling the impurities that have been sticking onto his skin being washed away, Sun Xiao felt even more refreshed than before.


    Meanwhile, Li Xinwen simply brought Min Xiaoyu to where Xue Jun and Min Shaotian is. Upon their arrival, Li Xinwen saw that Xue Jun is sparring with Min Shaotian. Of course, sparring is actually not the right term. It is more to him that Min Shaotian wants to gauge Xue Jun''s strength.


    "Young master Min, about what my sister told you, have you made preparation for it?" Li Xinwen suddenly asked Min Xiaoyu while he continued to stare at the two figure fighting each other.


    "About the apocalypse? I''ve thought about it. But I don''t think we''ll be in any danger, right? After all, we are a cultivator," Min Xiaoyu replied.


    "You shouldn''t be complacent just because you''re stronger than everyone else right now. I''ve looked through my sister''s memories. As time goes by, the zombies will increase in strength too. From her memories, I''ve seen a level four zombie. Its offensive strength might be comparable to a low Xiantian stage if I am not wrong," Li Xinwen informed the other. "There are still five years. I think it would be better if you can increase your strength quickly."


    Li Xinwen was only estimating the zombie''s strength from what he''d seen. So he actually hoped that he was wrong. Regardless, it does not hurt to be prepared for the worse. "After today, I will not come here anymore. But I will be keeping you in contact. Also, be careful with Chen Jingguo," Li Xinwen warned him.


    Min Xiaoyu was about to ask why when suddenly, they heard a ring of a phone. It was a stock ringtone, and Li Xinwen thought it was his phone at first. But upon further inspection, it was actually a phone that was placed on the ground.


    Li Xinwen walked over to it and saw that the caller ID was '' Xiao Rui'' so he knew this phone belonged to Xue Jun. He glanced over at Xue Jun who was too focused on his match with Min Shaotian so he decided to help the other by picking up the call.


    "Hello?" Li Xinwen waited, but there was no answer from Xue Rui. Instead, he heard the sound of a body being beaten. A frown appeared on his face and he carefully listened to the sounds. Then, he finally hears someone talking.


    [What''s wrong? Earlier, you were still energetic to talk back against us. Now, you''re quiet. That''s not fun at all... so hurry up and scream!]


    Following the voice was a loud cracking sound and a scream from Xue Rui. Li Xinwen''s expression turned dark and he quickly shut the call off.


    "Mr Li... that was-"


    "Shut up," Li Xinwen cut off Min Xiaoyu from speaking any further.  "You inform this to Xue Jun later. I will go and find him first," Li Xinwen said as he threw the phone over to Min Xiaoyu.


    Li Xinwen was just about to walk away when he saw Sun Xiao coming over to them. " Ah ''Xiao," Li Xinwen called out to him.


    Hearing his name, Sun Xiao quickly rushed over. After bathing, his expression had turned even better. "Xin- gege , what''s wrong? You look upset," Sun Xiao asked as soon as he is close. "And... I think I heard big brother Rui''s voice earlier... he seems in pain. Did something bad happened to him?"


    Li Xinwen was actually surprised that Sun Xiao was able to hear the voice from the phone from such a distance. At first, he actually wanted to leave Sun Xiao here but then, he didn''t feel assured leaving his brother when Chen Jingguo is still around. "If Ge says that Rui- ge is in trouble, what would you do?" Li Xinwen asked. ''If Sun Xiao wants to follow, I''ll bring him along. It''s better if I can keep an eye on him.''


    "Save him!" Sun Xiao quickly replied.


    "Why?" raised up an eyebrow as he asked for the reason.


    "Do you need a reason to save someone?"


    Hearing Sun Xiao''s reply, Li Xinwen can''t help the smile that formed on his face. He raised up his hand and gently rubbed Sun Xiao''s head. ''Such a pure-hearted child.''


    "Then, let us go and save Xue Rui, hmm?" Li Xinwen said before he hoisted Sun Xiao up, carrying him on a piggy-back.


    "Xin- gege ... Ah ''Xiao can walk..." Sun Xiao said as his face turned red.


    "It''s faster this way. Hold tight," Li Xinwen said as he focused most of his energy to his feet. Then, with a burst of his strength, the ground below his feet broke and if a normal person were to see this scene, they would see that Li Xinwen''s figure disappeared along with Sun Xiao. But in cultivator''s eyes, he simply broke into a run.

 Chapter 91 - 34.5 - Saving Damsel in Distress

    Li Xinwen is only at the 4th Stage of Houtian, so the scope of his spiritual detection is not large enough to cover the whole city. So he had to go from one point to another, sending out his spiritual energy to detect Xue Rui''s or the other cultivator''s spiritual signature.


    On his fifth stop, Li Xinwen finally managed to lock onto their location. They were currently located deep in the forest, and Li Xinwen hastened his steps. ''Xue Rui''s spiritual signature is getting weaker and weaker. Lanyu!''


    [ Lanyu: Yes? ]


    ''Is there anything that can help heal injuries inside the house?'' Li Xinwen asked the little spirit fae. ''Preferably something that a mortal can use or consume.''


    [ Lanyu: Hold on, I will go check! ]


    [ Lanyu: Found it! But master, you can''t give too much to a mortal. Just give them a small drop or else, it would damage their internal organ instead! ]


    As soon as Lanyu said that, Li Xinwen felt the small bottle appearing in his hand. " Ah ''Xiao, listen carefully. Once we arrive, Ge will set up a barrier around you and Xue Rui. You help Xue Rui with his injuries... give this to him but only one small drop, nothing more. After that, go and call Min Xiaoyu and inform him of our location," Li Xinwen said as he handed the bottle into Sun Xiao''s hand. Then, he also took out his phone and placed it on Sun Xiao''s other hand. "The phone password is ''1313''."


    "Okay. Is big brother Rui alright?" Sun Xiao asked.


    "He is still alive," Li Xinwen replied. He couldn''t tell Sun Xiao how bad Xue Rui''s injuries are but based on his weakening spiritual signature, he could only imagine the worse.


    As soon as Li Xinwen saw the group of low levelled cultivator around the beaten up Xue Rui, he immediately made his offensive move. He first formed a barrier around Xue Rui to protect him, then condensed the spiritual energies onto his palm before he pushed his palm forward. A wave of cold energies shot through and it blew the people around Xue Rui.


    Some were lucky enough to protect themselves in time by giving themselves a layer of protection made of spiritual energy, but one of them was not so lucky. His forearm was now covered in ice and the ice continued to spread upwards.


    "Hurry and use your spiritual energy to melt the ice!" one of his companions shouted.


    "I-I can''t! I can''t circulate my spiritual energy! My meridians are blocked!" he replied in a panicked tone. The ice continued upwards and by now, it is almost reaching his shoulder. The group was too focused on him that they failed to notice Li Xinwen''s movement. By the time they did, Li Xinwen already had one hand pierced through one of their comrade''s chest.


    "Getting distracted? If you don''t pay attention, you''ll pay with your life. Of course... not that I plan to let any of you go," Li Xinwen said before he pulled his hand out. When he did, ice began to bloom from within the wound. "Since I invited Xue Rui to join me, his safety was my responsibility. To think that someone dared to harm someone who is under my wing, I feel really insulted..."


    The man with the chest wound only stared at Li Xinwen with disbelief. Compared to the first victim, the ice spreads through his body even faster and soon, he is fully enclosed in ice. Li Xinwen lightly pushed the ''ice sculpture'' and it fell down to the ground with a loud crash, shattering to tiny diamond clouds of dust. The others became fearful, especially the first victim of Li Xinwen''s ice. Thinking that he might share the same fate as his dead comrade, he quickly went to Li Xinwen and knelt before him.


    "Brother, brother, brother! Please spare me! I-I didn''t want to do it, ah! I was forced!" he said tearfully. "It was Ding Xiaobo! He''s the one who''s behind all this!! He said that if I don''t do as he says, he will crush my father''s company... I-"


    "Ding Xiaobo?" Li Xinwen asked. "Which one is that?"


    "It''s him! He''s Ding Xiaobo! His father is the head of Ding Technology which is a major investor for my father''s company. If he tells his father to pull out, my father will be troubled and... that is why he left me no choice!!"


    Ding Xiaobo, who was stabbed in the back by one of his lackeys have an ugly expression on his face. "You bastard! Don''t think that I will let you off after this!"


    "I don''t think you have the chance to," Li Xinwen said out loud.


    The man, who had betrayed his comrade, thought that Li Xinwen said those because he was going to be protected. So he was about to give Li Xinwen his gratitude when suddenly, his view became uncontrollable. He saw the sky, then he felt his head dropped to the ground. He could see his body which still remained in a kneeling state, but he could also see that there was no head above his shoulder. "Eh...?" the man was still confused, and he ends up dying, without understanding what happened to him.


    "As I have said before," Li Xinwen used his foot to push the kneeling body down to the ground. "I don''t plan on letting any of you go," as he said this, his eyes stared at the group of cultivators.


    The group of cultivator could feel the coldness and they knew, Li Xinwen was serious in killing them. The two from before is already enough examples. Ding Xiaobo was also afraid now. He did not expect that Li Xinwen would be able to find them so quickly, nor did he expect that Li Xinwen could kill without feeling any remorse. What he thought was a sheep, was actually a sleeping dragon. ''But it has already come to this. It''s either he dies or I die!'' thought Ding Xiaobo as he rallied his people.


    "Everyone, don''t be afraid! He''s only one person and there is six of us. His strength is only at the second stage of Houtian, as long as we work together, we''ll-!"


    Li Xinwen didn''t have the patience to wait for Ding Xiaobo to finish. With a wave of his hand, sharp ice emerged from the ground, spreading towards the group. Remembering the effect of the ice, the group dispersed quickly. Li Xinwen also chose this time to move. He first attacked the one who was the closest to him. He intentionally didn''t kill him in one move but instead, just cut off his arm and letting the ice do their job. ''Killing them quickly is simply a mercy. It''s better to let them despair as death inch closer.''


    Those were Li Xinwen''s thought as he continued to clean up the rest. Sometimes, he would just stab their abdomen with his hand, other times, he gouged their eyes off. But regardless of the method, their ends are the same. Death by being turned to ice sculpture before shattering to dust. In just a few moments, only Ding Xiaobo is left.


    Seeing that his comrades have died one by one, Ding Xiaobo''s fear grew. By now, he couldn''t even move his feet even if he wanted to. Let alone fighting, even if he were to run, he knew that he wouldn''t survive. When he saw Li Xinwen taking a step towards him, he was so scared that he could feel something warm flowing down his pants.


    When Li Xinwen saw this, he scrunched up his face in disgust and covered his nose. "I''ve imagined thousands of situation when I came here... but I never imagined that you would be this... pathetic," Li Xinwen said. "Xue Rui was only a mortal. He doesn''t even have a sliver of spiritual energy in him and yet, you guys still bully him. Was it fun?" Li Xinwen asked.


    Of course, Ding Xiaobo was unable to answer. After all, the fear has made his brain unable to process anything except the fact that he will die soon.


    "Too scared to the point that you can no longer speak? Next time, remember not to mess with someone under my protection again," Li Xinwen said before realizing something. "Ah, I forgot, there will be no next time..." he added. Li Xinwen then took out his sword which he had placed inside the dimension before as he walked towards Ding Xiaobo.


    "This Jian was given to me by that man whom you have just beaten up. Ever since it fell into my hand, it has yet tasted blood. It is only fitting, to use the gift I got from him, to kill you. Don''t you think?" Li Xinwen smiled coldly at Ding Xiaobo as he unsheathed Shuang Ren. The blade glistened from the light and with Li Xinwen''s manipulation, the spiritual energy around the area started to gather close to the blade.


    When Li Xinwen was close enough, he manoeuvred the sword to cut off Ding Xiaobo''s right arm, followed by his left arm. Ding Xiaobo finally made a sound as he screamed out in pain. Adrenaline seemed to shot through his body as he started to run. Unfortunately, Li Xinwen was prepared and before Ding Xiaobo could get far, he suddenly felt that his feet were stuck to the ground. Looking down, he saw that both his feet were enclosed by ice all the way to his ankle. Turning around, he could see Li Xinwen approaching him in a relaxed manner.


    "P-Please... d-don''t kill m-me..." Ding Xiaobo pleaded.


    "When you beat Xue Rui up... how many times did he beg?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "H-he didn''t beg... He was a mortal but he s-still dared to fight us... S-s-so we just teach him a lesson..." Ding Xiaobo answered truthfully.


    "Him, a mere mortal, against cultivators and he didn''t even beg. So why should I let you go?" Li Xinwen asked as he cut off both of Ding Xiaobo''s legs at the same time. Ding Xiaobo, reduced to a human stick, could only feel his body fall to the ground. He was then turned around by Li Xinwen by using his leg.


    "Remember this. This blade is Xue Rui''s gift to me, and it is this blade that killed you. Its name is Shuang Ren," Li Xinwen said as he then stabbed Ding Xiaobo''s abdomen, piercing through his dantian. Forcing his spiritual energy in, Li Xinwen proceeded to destroy the other''s cultivation, forcing him to turn back into a mortal.

 Chapter 92 - 32.6 - In this lifetime, I promise to protect you.

    Not long after, Ding Xiaobo drew out his last breath, and Li Xinwen flicked the blood off his sword with one swift movement before sheathing. Only then did he send the sword back into his dimension. He walked over to where Xue Rui and Sun Xiao is, and he finally saw how bad Xue Rui''s appearance is. Worse, Sun Xiao''s eyes were also full of tears, making Li Xinwen''s heartache. If it were not for Xue Rui''s shallow breathing, as well as the small trace of spiritual energy coming from his body, Li Xinwen would''ve thought that he had died.


    " Ah ''Xiao, how is he?" Li Xinwen asked in a worried tone. Sun Xiao just stared at Li Xinwen, before he shakes his head. Both of Xue Rui''s legs were broken, each bending at the wrong angle. Just one look and others could already imagine the kind of pain that Xue Rui had to go through.


    "Have you given him the medicine?" Li Xinwen asked again, and this time, Sun Xiao nods his head.


    "But, Xin- gege , what if it doesn''t work? Let''s just take big brother Rui to the hospital," Sun Xiao suggested to Li Xinwen.


    "En. He does need medical attention but... first," Li Xinwen kneeled to the ground beside Xue Rui''s legs. "Rui- ge , can you hear me?" Li Xinwen called out.


    Hearing Li Xinwen''s voice calling him, Xue Rui weakly opened his eyes. His vision appeared blurry, but he could make a familiar silhouette in front of him. "Xin...wen..." he called out, his voice sounded raspy, probably from screaming out in pain. "R...un... These people... dang..er... Xiao Xiao... take your brother and... run..."


    Li Xinwen who heard this, narrowed his eyes as he stared at the injured man who appeared to be half-conscious. "Rui- ge ...?" Li Xinwen called out again. But Xue Rui only repeated the same thing before falling unconscious once more.


    "When I came over earlier... big brother Rui also said the same thing," Sun Xiao informed Li Xinwen. "Even... when I told him that we came to save him, he told me to leave him and bring Xin- gege to safety..."


    By now, if Li Xinwen said that he wasn''t touched, he must have the heart of stone. The tense expression on his face softened and he reached out his hand to touch Xue Rui''s face. "Rui- ge , Xinwen has received your sincerity. In this lifetime, I promise to protect you however I can and ensure that you live well," Li Xinwen murmured softly. ''And I''m sorry... I am not the Xinwen you were hoping for...'' he added the last sentence in his heart.


    " Ah ''Xiao, I''m going to help correct Xue Rui''s bone. If you can''t handle it, look away or simply close your eyes," Li Xinwen warned the younger boy. But Li Xinwen didn''t realize that earlier, Sun Xiao had already seen something worse. While Li Xinwen was dealing with the cultivators earlier, Sun Xiao never once took his eyes off after giving Xue Rui the medicine, that is until he heard Xue Rui''s weak whisper.


    "But Ah ''Xiao wants to help..." Sun Xiao replied.


    Seeing this, Li Xinwen just smiled at the younger boy. "Then, help hold his body in place."


    After saying that, Li Xinwen used his finger to press on several acupuncture points close to Xue Rui''s legs so that it could help Xue Rui block the pain. Then, he grabbed one of the broken legs and with one swift movement, he helped to realign the broken bone. A painful cracking sound could be heard as the bone snapped back into place and Li Xinwen quickly did the same to the other leg. Throughout the process, Xue Rui never woke up.


    It wasn''t after it was done did Li Xinwen felt two familiar spiritual signature coming towards them. Not long after, Xue Jun and Min Shaotian appeared. Xue Jun''s expression was pale, and he looked restless. Meanwhile, Min Shaotian''s face was full of guilt, especially when he saw the state of Xue Rui and that the cause was a disciple of his school.


    " Xiao Rui!" Xue Jun quickly called out, but Li Xinwen quickly glared at him.


    "Quiet, let him rest," Li Xinwen''s voice was low, but Xue Jun could hear him clearly. "His two legs are broken, but I''ve already helped to realign his bone. You should hurry and bring him to the hospital," Li Xinwen told Xue Jun. "Other than his two legs, there are several fractured bones too. But for now, his life is not in danger," Li Xinwen added.


    Luckily, he had the insight of asking Lanyu for medicine early. Although it was dangerous to give a mortal a medicine made for a cultivator, there wasn''t much choice back then. If he didn''t gamble, Xue Rui wouldn''t survive the day. As much as he disliked the man''s persistent chase, he as to admit that he had grown attached to him.


    Xue Jun didn''t say anything else. He came closer and carefully picked up his unconscious younger brother. Before leaving, Xue Jun glanced at Li Xinwen before his lips moved, muttering a single sentence: "Thank you."


    Xue Jun left, but Min Xiaotian continued to stay behind. Li Xinwen saw this so he slowly stood up from his position. "I''ve killed several of your disciples today," Li Xinwen said in a calm voice.


    "I know. But I do not blame you," Min Shaotian replied. "They only have themselves to blame. Harming a mortal person... I''ve already told them that this is a taboo that must not be broken. Even if you didn''t kill them, I would have killed them myself."


    "I seriously suggest you deal with Chen Jingguo quickly. Having him in your school is akin to poisoning your own water jar. Sooner or later, he might end up corrupting every single disciple in your school," Li Xinwen once again told Min Shaotian. "Don''t wait until it''s too late for regret."


    "I understand. I apologize for what happened today..."


    "You''re apologizing to the wrong person," Li Xinwen replied. "The one who you should apologize to is Xue Rui," Li Xinwen added. "Let''s return to your place. After getting our stuff, we will leave," Li Xinwen told Min Shaotian.


    Li Xinwen took Sun Xiao with him and left the area. Min Shaotian stayed for a while, then looked at Ding Xiaobo''s body. With a sigh, Min Shaotian sent a ball of flames over to the remains, quickly burning it to ashes. "I hope all of you won''t make the same mistake in your next life," Min Shaotian said out loud before he too left the place.


    When they returned to Min Shaotian''s place, they could sense that something was wrong. There were still students training in the training hall but they couldn''t shake off the bad feeling that they have.


    " Ah ''Xiao, stay close," Li Xinwen said as he pulled Sun Xiao closer. Both Min Shaotian and Li Xinwen sent out their spiritual sense to scan the area.


    As soon as they did, they found out what was wrong. There is an outsider in the school. Li Xinwen turned to Min Shaotian, but the other had already disappeared from his spot. Li Xinwen clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. "One problem after another," he muttered under his breath.


    Li Xinwen grabbed Sun Xiao and brought the boy along with him to where Min Shaotian had disappeared to. There, he saw that Min Xiaoyu was unconscious on the ground, and Min Shaotian was beside him, checking him up.


    "How is he?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "Nothing life-threatening but the seal I put inside him was undone..." Min Shaotian replied.


    At the mention of the seal, Li Xinwen was reminded of the seal that he found within Min Xiaoyu when they first met. He was curious about what was contained inside, but because his cultivation level was lower than the caster, he didn''t dare to risk it. "Chen Jingguo is also missing," Li Xinwen informed Min Shaotian. "And there was a trace of another person. He is at least of the same strength as you. He must be the one who undid the seal."


    "I know. I saw them... they quickly left when I arrived," Min Shaotian replied with gritted teeth. "I shouldn''t have left Yuyu alone..."


    "At the very least, your grandson is still alive. It seems that the seal was their goal. What did you hide inside the seal?"


    "... The method of the seal placed on the demon..." Min Shaotian replied. "The physical copy was burned, but because Yuyu has yet to learn the method, I sealed the knowledge inside him so when the time comes and for some reason, I was not around, then he can still learn it..."


    When Li Xinwen heard this, his face turned extremely dark. "How long do you think it will take for them to unseal the seal?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "Few years. Even if they know the method, the ingredients needed to undo the seal isn''t easy to find... especially in this kind of modern world," Min Shaotian replied.


    "But the demon came from another world... what if he has something similar to the ingredient needed?"


    "..." Min Shaotian was unable to answer. "I will... gather my friends again. We have to find the demon before he can undo the seal."


    "When you find him, inform me. I will lend a hand," Li Xinwen said to Min Shaotian. He knew that the demon is a big threat. He''s afraid that if the demon wasn''t dealt with, then even before the apocalypse, they might end up dead. He wondered if this event had happened in Li Jinghua''s past, or it only happened now because of his existence.


    "No..." Min Shaotian shook his head. "Mr Li, it may be presumptuous of me, but... if anything happened to me, may I ask that you take care of my Yuyu?" Min Shaotian asked.


    Li Xinwen noticed the tone that Min Shaotian used and knew what the other is planning. "Mr Min, as his only living relative, shouldn''t you try your best to survive?"


    "Of course. But if worse comes to worst... we can only..."


    "Enough. You will survive. Just inform me when you find him. I will lend you a hand," Li Xinwen cut Min Shaotian off. After that, Li Xinwen simply brought Sun Xiao to pick up their belongings. He also saw Xue Rui''s bag, still in the same room, so he brought it along, hoping to return it when he went to visit the other.


    When Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao left, Min Shaotian''s expression turned solemn. He brought Min Xiaoyu to his room and then, went to the training hall. He watched as the student is diligently training, but he also noticed few had gone missing. ''I guess they followed Chen Jingguo...'' Min Shaotian said in his heart before he called the rest of the student for their attention.


    "Paying respect to the Grandmaster!"


    "En. After today, the school will be closed for renovation. As some of you know, the gate was recently destroyed thus, in need to be repaired. Until then, you don''t have to come here anymore. When the school reopen, I will naturally inform all of you," Min Shaotian informed them. "Now, you are all dismissed!"


    Hearing that there would be no training for a while, most of the students felt disappointed. But there was nothing that they could do other than to listen to their master. They are not allowed to train in other places too as it was the rule that Min Shaotian set. If they ever broke it, they will lose their cultivation and all their hard work will come to nought.


    "What is with that face? It''s not like I''m telling you to stop cultivating! You continue to cultivate. It is only practising battle that is forbidden! Now go!" Min Shaotian scolded his students.


    Min Shaotian watched as the student''s face lit up and soon, they all dispersed. Once all of them are gone, Min Shaotian let out a heavy sigh. He went back to his residence and went to find the female servant from before. " Xiao Ling," Min Shaotian called her. Not long after, she appeared before him. "Tell me, how long have you been here with me?" Min Shaotian asked.


    "Forty years," the servant replied.


    "I thank you for your service these past forty years, but I have a favour to ask you... if in three years I don''t return, please take care of my Yuyu."


    "Is the master going out to deal with the demon of the past?"


    Min Shaotian didn''t answer and only smiled at her. "If I don''t return, give this to Yuyu. This is my inheritance to him," Min Shaotian said as he gave the servant an old, wooden talisman. "He''ll know what to do with it..."


    After saying that, Min Shaotian disappeared from the Min family residence and since then, he was never to be seen again.

 Chapter 93 - 33.1 - Choosing the Cultivation Manual

    Before they went home, Li Xinwen made sure that his clothes are clean and that there was nothing that out of place. " Ah ''Xiao, remember not to say anything about what happened today. If mom asks, just tell her that it was normal training, got it?" Li Xinwen also didn''t forget to remind Sun Xiao to keep things secret. After all, what will they do if their mother collapsed from a panic attack after finding out what her two sons were doing today?


    So, the two brothers returned home, and they were welcomed by their anxious mother. "So, how was it? You guys didn''t get hurt?" Mother Li asked.


    "No, mom. Didn''t get hurt," Li Xinwen replied as he hugged his mother. "I end up not joining the training," Li Xinwen added, which was not a lie.


    Hearing this, Mother Li let out a sigh of relief. "And what about Ah ''Xiao?"


    "Also didn''t join... today, they only have a.d.u.l.t. They say I am too young and should join the class with children of my age," Sun Xiao replied, though he didn''t dare to look straight at Mother Li fearing that his lie would be found out.


    "That is also good. But then... what were you two doing, ah? If you didn''t join the training, then you should just return home!"


    At this, both Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao glanced at each other. They had spent the rest of the journey home to think of an excuse but they forgot to think of the follow-up excuse. Their face showed a nervous look and they have yet to think of an answer when Mother Li spoke again.


    "Did the two of you went out to play instead?" Mother Li asked with a scrutinizing look.


    "Ah, yes, yes! We just went to play since we were outside anyway," Li Xinwen quickly played along since the mother has already helped him with an excuse.


    " Ah ''Xiao''s eyes seems to be a bit red and swollen... was he crying?" Mother Li asked once again when she noticed Sun Xiao''s eyes.


    "That... ah... we were watching movies and there was this one scene that made Ah ''Xiao cry," Li Xinwen answered.


    "Aiya, these two boys," Mother Li sighed. "Fine. Mother will let this off today. You two go up and rest when it is dinner, mother will call you," Mother Li said before she ushered her two sons up the stairs.


    Having narrowly escaped, both Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao sighed in relief as soon as they reached the top of the stairs. " Ah ''Xiao, come. Ge has something to show you," Li Xinwen said as he pulled Sun Xiao to his room. After entering, he told Sun Xiao to take a seat as he went to his table.


    The past few days, he had finished sorting through the cultivation manual and technique that is suitable for Sun Xiao. Now that Sun Xiao has built his foundation, it was time to let the boy choose the one to his liking. " Ah ''Xiao, these are all cultivation manual that you can learn in order for you to increase your strength. Ge already picked all that is suitable for you, so now, you choose which one you like!"


    When Sun Xiao saw the books that Li Xinwen showed him his eyes started to shine. "If I practice a lot, will I be as strong as Xin- gege ?" Sun Xiao asked.


    "As long as Ah ''Xiao diligently practice and cultivate, you can be as strong as I am," Li Xinwen grinned at Sun Xiao. "Choose properly. You can only choose one method to cultivate, so don''t rush," Li Xinwen told the young boy.


    Sun Xiao nods his head as he then checked on each manual. As Li Xinwen advised him, he looked over each book all the way to the end. Then, in one particular book, he noticed that at the back section, there was another cultivation method being stated. "Xin- gege ... you really can only learn one cultivation method?" Sun Xiao asked as he looked up to his brother.


    "En. These are all top-grade cultivation method. They are a complete method, so you don''t have to learn several methods which are not ideal," Li Xinwen replied.


    "Then... why does this book have two cultivation method?" Sun Xiao showed Li Xinwen the page where he is currently reading. "Here, it says Shenghuo Wanqu dual cultivation technique..."


    Seeing the word dual cultivation plastered on the page, Li Xinwen quickly snatched the book from Sun Xiao. He slowly read the first page, before he slammed the book close. Just reading the first step of the cultivation technique had made Li Xinwen''s face turn red. ''I should''ve checked the whole book rather than just checking the first few pages!!'' Li Xinwen scolded himself in his mind.


    "These kinds of technique... it is something that you can only practice with your partner..." Li Xinwen told Sun Xiao. "But the partner of your choosing must be someone who can balance the Yang energy inside of you by providing their Yin energy. It is like... a give and takes. You give them your Yang energy, and they give you their Yin energy, then both of you proceed to absorb the energies," Li Xinwen tried to explain it properly without being vulgar.


    "Oh," Sun Xiao just stared at Li Xinwen''s face which still has a hint of red. "Then... why does that book have two technique?"


    "The whole book is one whole technique, split into half. The first half, you can cultivate on your own but the last half, you can only practice with your partner," Li Xinwen replied. "Naturally, the higher stages will help you cultivate faster but..."


    "But?" Sun Xiao saw that Li Xinwen seemed to be hesitating.


    "... I''ll tell you when you''re older," Li Xinwen finally said, not wanting to corrupt his still innocent little brother.


    "Okay..." Sun Xiao also didn''t press Li Xinwen into telling him. He was about to reach for the book again but Li Xinwen quickly held it away from him. "Xin- gege ? I haven''t finished reading that..."


    "You don''t have to read anything related to dual cultivation yet," Li Xinwen replied. "If you see any, just avoid them."


    Sun Xiao felt that Li Xinwen is hiding something from him, but he still nodded his head. When he found another book with dual cultivation as the later part of the technique, Sun Xiao didn''t tell Li Xinwen. Instead, he read the first few pages before he closed it quickly, face turning red and it spreads all the way to his ears.


    Li Xinwen saw this and snatched the book from Sun Xiao, and flipped through the pages. When he saw that the later stages were also a dual cultivation, Li Xinwen just sighed. "That''s why I told you that you don''t have to read them," Li Xinwen said before he lightly flicked Sun Xiao''s forehead playfully. "Naughty boy. Did you not know that curiosity kills the cat?"


    Sun Xiao just pouted at Li Xinwen as he rubbed his forehead before he picked up another book. After his first exposure to reading dual cultivation method, Sun Xiao obediently didn''t read them again. This continued for some time until Sun Xiao decided on a book. "Xin- gege ... I decided on this one," Sun Xiao said to Li Xinwen as he held up the book of his choice.


    Li Xinwen stared at the book title which read Muguang Zhihun and nods his head. After that, he put away the rest of the books before placing another batch of books in front of Sun Xiao. There were about ten of them. "These are all martial techniques that are suitable for you. I''ll give them all to you so you can learn them. But don''t rush, the stronger the technique, the more spiritual energy it''ll use. First, I want you to learn the first movement in each book. Once you are stronger, then you can try learning their second movement," Li Xinwen told him. "Understand?"


    Sun Xiao nods his head several times before he ran his hands over the books. "Xin- gege when I practice, will you come and see to give pointers?"


    "Of course. Didn''t I promise you that I''ll help you train?" Li Xinwen smiled at Sun Xiao. "Now go back to your room. Oh, you''ve just built your foundation, don''t start cultivating tonight. Wait a few days until your spiritual energy has settled down, then you can begin," Li Xinwen told Sun Xiao. "If you rush, you''ll only damage your foundation. Always remember that whenever you cultivate, alright?"


    " Ah ''Xiao will remember!" Sun Xiao replied as he brought the eleven books with him. Leaving Li Xinwen''s room, Sun Xiao went directly to his room and locked the door. He placed the ten books on his table, then picked up the Muguang Zhihun cultivation manual.


    Flipping through the pages, he stopped at the section where it reads Muguang Shuanghun . He didn''t know why, but his heart was telling him that this was the best cultivation method for him. He was reluctant because it also contained dual cultivation but when he saw that the dual cultivation is only on the last step, he ends up choosing it. ''Since it''s on the last step... I don''t have to do them. If I can just learn 9 out of 10 of the content, it should be good enough, right?'' Sun Xiao thought before he closed the book again.


    After that, he organized his table, placing all the cultivation book in one corner of his table before he took out his school book. Since he has some time and his brother had warned him not to cultivate for a while, he felt that he should use it to study instead.

 Chapter 94 - 33.2 - Is Master trying to cultivate them?

    After Sun Xiao left his room, Li Xinwen locked the door once more and his expression changed. He sent the rest of the books back into the dimension before he himself enters the dimension. Upon entering, he noticed several big changes inside the dimension. Near the house, Li Xinwen saw that there were fences made out of bamboos and within the fences stood a decent-sized house. The house was made out of bamboo and mud.


    Curious, Li Xinwen walked over and peeked into the fence. Within the fence, the cat toys that the original got for his cats were arranged and some of the cats were playing around, while some just lazed around and napped. Amongst the cats that were napping, Li Xinwen saw Lanyu laying on top of one of the cats'' belly.


    "Lanyu?" Li Xinwen called out and the small fairy opened his eyes. When the fairy saw Li Xinwen, his eyes went wide and quickly flew over to him.


    "Master! You came!" Lanyu greeted Li Xinwen. "What brings you here?" Lanyu asked.


    "I''m here to cultivate. Something happened in the outside world and I have to get stronger quickly," Li Xinwen replied. "The time-flow in this dimension is slower than the outside. So I wanted to take advantage of this."


    After saying that, Li Xinwen glanced over at the thirteen cats that were making themselves at home. "They seemed to be healthy..." Li Xinwen trailed off before he narrowed his eyes. Activating Moyan , Li Xinwen saw that the spiritual energies around some of the cats were reacting to them. Curious, he guides his spiritual energy and sends them into those cats. His eyes widened upon his discoveries and he quickly turned to Lanyu. "Did you give them the water from the lake?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "Huh? No! If I do that, they might end up dying, ah!" Lanyu replied.


    "Then, what did you give them?" Li Xinwen asked once more.


    "Lanyu only gives them what master provided," the small spirit fae replied. "Oh, but their milk has run out and there was only the powdered milk left. So Lanyu just mixed the powdered milk with the water extracted from the bamboo," Lanyu explained.


    "Show me those water," Li Xinwen quickly said and Lanyu went over to the nearby jar. The small fairy removed the lid and scooped some of the water using the bamboo cup he made. Then, he handed it over to Li Xinwen who proceeded to check the water. "There are some spiritual energies inside but it shouldn''t be enough to turn some of the cats to spirit animals. Alright, say it. Is there something you''re hiding from me?" Li Xinwen asked Lanyu as he gave him a warning glare.


    "Master! There really is nothing that I gave them other than these! Believe me, ah! As for why they turn to a spirit animal, isn''t it because they lived here for a while?" Lanyu replied, feeling wronged. "If some animals live here for a long time, even if they are just a normal one, they are bound to absorb some of the spiritual energy in here. Then it is only a matter of time before they turn to spirit animals. Not just animals, even plants can absorb spiritual energy. You can see it from the bamboo water..." he continued to explain.


    "Really?" Li Xinwen continued to press Lanyu who only nods his head quickly. "Alright then. Since it is this way... how long until they can reach spiritual awareness? Right now, they are only passively absorbing the spiritual energy."


    "That would depend on each cat''s own ability. But there is one who is close to reaching that stage!" Lanyu replied.


    "En. That''s good. When that cat reached spiritual awareness, inform me as soon as possible," Li Xinwen told Lanyu.


    "Is Master trying to cultivate them into spirit beast?"


    "Since they are able to do so, why not?" Li Xinwen just smirked at Lanyu. "Speaking of which, I have already sent the book back into the study. You should go and arrange them back in place. I only kept 11 books with me," Li Xinwen informed Lanyu before he went into the house.


    Finally having a task other than taking care of the cats, Lanyu also entered the house and started to sort out the books back into the shelves. Meanwhile, Li Xinwen sat down cross-legged in the living room and began to cultivate. It has been a few days since he stopped cultivating in order to consolidate is spiritual energy. Now, it was time for him to pick up the pace again, especially since there is the demon threat that might come before the apocalypse.


    Few hours passed, and when Li Xinwen opened his eyes once more, he revealed a smile. "The spiritual energy here is truly pure. It has only been a few hours and I could easily break through the fourth stage and entered the fifth stage of Houtian," Li Xinwen murmured in a soft voice. He was just about to leave when he saw Lanyu asleep on the floor in front of him. Staring at the fairy, Li Xinwen wondered if he has something to tell him, and thus was waiting here until he fell asleep.


    He lightly poked Lanyu on his stomach to wake him up. Lanyu stirred, and slowly opened his eyes.


    "Ah, master! Are you done cultivating?" Lanyu asked. But he didn''t wait for Li Xinwen to answer when he suddenly exclaimed happily. "Master!! Congratulations on breaking through!" Lanyu smiled.


    "Thank you. Now, is there anything you would like to tell me? Or else, why would you wait on me until you fell asleep?"


    "Ah, yes... Master, did you really take only 11 books?" Lanyu asked. His expression looked extremely nervous.


    "Yes. I am sure of it. What''s wrong?"


    "There are three books that are missing..." Lanyu replied.


    Hearing this, Li Xinwen can''t help but frown. "The books that I''ve taken are Muguang Zhihun Cultivation Manual. As for the other ten books..." Li Xinwen listed the names of the martial cultivation technique to Lanyu. "Other than that, I didn''t take anything else. Are you sure it didn''t fall under the table or anything?" Li Xinwen asked and Lanyu only shook his head.


    "I''ve checked. I also checked the whole shelves just in case I misplaced it. But the books are really not there, master."


    "What are the names of the three books that are missing?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "For the martial cultivation technique, it was Asura''s Wrath and Demonic Profane Flame . While the cultivation method manual was Xiaohao Linghun ," Lanyu answered.


    Hearing the name of the cultivation method, Li Xinwen gave Lanyu a questioning look. "Soul Devouring... just by this name alone, isn''t it a cultivation method for a demonic cultivator?" Li Xinwen asked. "I asked for cultivation methods that are suitable for those with Yang constitution, ah! Why did you also send those out?" Li Xinwen asked as he flicked Lanyu on his head.


    "It must''ve slipped along when I took the book out of the shelves!! I''m sorry, master!" Lanyu rubbed his head to soothe the pain.


    "And the Demonic Profane Flame?"


    "Also... slipped?" Lanyu replied with hesitation.


    Li Xinwen closed his eyes and massaged his head before he let out a heavy sigh. Then he turned back to Lanyu, who looked worried. "Don''t worry. I will find the books..." Li Xinwen told Lanyu.


    ''Since the books went missing in the outside world, then there is only one person who can be the culprit. He could already reach the first stage of body transformation. If he were left with the manuals, he will be even more dangerous...'' Li Xinwen thought darkly as he was reminded of Xue Liang.


    "Actually, even if the books are not found, it is still okay. Lanyu can just make a copy," Lanyu replied, his tone was still filled with guilt.


    "No. I will find it," Li Xinwen said. "You just focus on taking care of the cats. Also, in the next few days, I may send some seeds. Help me plant those," Li Xinwen told the spirit.


    "Alright. And... Master?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Lanyu... wants to eat some chicken. Can you also send some chicken?" Lanyu asked with a pleading expression. "If you can send live chicken, Lanyu will make sure to take care of them properly!"


    "... Fine. Just chicken?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "Well, Lanyu also wants some red meat but master is still unable to send such large living things into the dimension. But maybe some fishes? Lanyu can also share the fishes with the cats. According to the book that master gave me, fishes are one of their favourite treats!"


    "Alright. I will send them over soon but, how are you going to keep the fishes? Should I also send some water for you?" Li Xinwen asked. "I doubt the bamboo water is suitable for the fishes."


    "Then Lanyu will leave that to master! Lanyu will prepare to make the pool for the fishes then," Lanyu became excited and quickly flew out of the house.


    Seeing the excited Lanyu, Li Xinwen can only shake his head. "Well, this is also good. It can be our emergency live-stock during the apocalypse," Li Xinwen said to himself before he finally exited the dimension.

 Chapter 95 - 33.3 - Showing your ability to your sister

    At dinner, that night, both Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao was once again asked how the martial art school was by Li Jinghua. But before they could answer, Mother Li ends up telling Li Jinghua everything they told her. Li Xinwen silently signalled Li Jinghua to just play along, using his eyes to gesture to the stairs as if saying: ''I will tell you later, upstairs.''


    Li Jinghua, who had experienced life during the apocalypse where, during some mission requires sneaking around, naturally noticed the look that Li Xinwen gave her. Nodding her head, she played along while trying to appease their mother.


    "Mom, just let this matter go, ah! How about this... in a few months, Ah ''Xiao will have his summer break! How about we all go for a vacation?" Li Xinwen suggested. "I know mom is only jealous that Ah ''Wen played with Ah ''Xiao so, this time, we all go!" he added with a big grin.


    "Who is jealous, ah? And what vacation? Your mother is already this old. Where can she go?" Mother Li replied.


    "Wherever mom wants. Ah ''Wen can bring you there," Li Xinwen said with a big smile. "Hua- jie should also take some time off! Let''s just go. Who knows, ''in the future, we might not have any chance to do this''."


    Li Xinwen knew how to pick his word well. As soon as Li Jinghua heard it, her expression changed slightly before she calmed herself. Understanding her brother''s meaning, she turned to old, Mother Li.


    "Mom, let''s go, ba. How long has it been since we went on vacation?" Li Jinghua asked. "If mom is worried, we don''t have to go far. Summer will be too hot so how about we go up north where the weather is cooler?"


    Seeing that his two adopted sibling seems to want to go on vacation together, Sun Xiao was also filled with excitement at the thought. He looked at Mother Li, his eyes contain a silent plea. "Mom, let''s go?"


    "See? Even Ah ''Xiao wants to go. It''s a free vacation, mom. Everything, your son will pay!"


    Being sieged on all sides, Mother Li can only sigh defeatedly and nods her head in agreement. "Alright. Then we''ll go for a summer vacation."


    "Great! Then leave choosing the place to me!" Li Jinghua smiled before she winked at Li Xinwen.


    "Alright. Since that''s decided, let''s continue to eat. Be sure not to waste anything," Li Xinwen said with small laughter.


    After dinner, the two brothers decided to do the dishes while Li Jinghua accompanied their mother watching some night drama for a while. Once the two brothers came out after doing the dishes, they too joined as they sat down on the sofa. The drama that they were watching is a palace drama, filled with palace intrigue and schemes. Li Xinwen wasn''t that interested but Mother Li seemed to be enjoying the drama. So much that whenever she saw something, she would try to ''communicate'' with the character in the drama.


    The normal length of a single episode is about forty minutes. Add to that few minutes of advertis.e.m.e.nt in between, they end up watching the tv for an hour. Once the hour was up, it was already 9:30 PM.


    "Mom, you should rest now for the night," Li Jinghua said to the older woman.


    "Oh, is it already 9:30? Time sure flies," Mother Li replied. "Alright, I will go and rest for the night. All of you should too. Ah ''Xiao especially since he has a school in the morning," Mother Li said as she stood up.


    Li Jinghua also stood up and helped her mother to her room. Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao patiently waited for Li Jinghua to return, and once she did, the three tacitly went upstairs silently. In the second living room upstairs, Li Jinghua sat down and looked at her two brothers.


    "Alright. Mom is now asleep. You can tell me everything that happened today."


    "En. We indeed went to Mr Min''s school, and we also met with his grandfather," Li Xinwen began. "But because of certain circ.u.mstances, we didn''t study under him."


    "What?! Why?" Li Jinghua asked. " Ah ''Wen, you promised me that you will learn martial arts."


    "Hua- jie , of course, I will still learn. It is just that the martial arts that Mr Min has are not compatible with both me and Ah ''Xiao," Li Xinwen replied. "We didn''t come back home empty-handed though. Here, I''ll show you," as Li Xinwen said this, he lightly waved his hand over to the chandelier above them, sending a very weak gust of winds over. The crystal hanging on the chandelier jingled for a few seconds before coming to a halt once more.


    Seeing this, Li Jinghua felt slightly assured. But she still narrowed her eyes at Li Xinwen. By the look alone, Li Xinwen knew that he needed to explain more to his sister so he only let out a smile.


    "Hua- jie , this wind may seem harmless at first but once I properly trained to control it, let alone a single wind blade, I''m confident enough to conjure a gale filled with wind blades," Li Xinwen said.


    "Then... train hard, alright? What about Ah ''Xiao? Did he also gain anything?"


    "Naturally! Ah ''Xiao, go and show Hua- jie. "


    At this, Sun Xiao simply looked back at Li Xinwen in a confused manner. "Xin- gege ... I don''t know what I should do?"


    It was only then did Li Xinwen remembered that he had yet to teach Sun Xiao how to properly use his spiritual energy. ''Ah... that was my blunder. Because of what happened to Xue Rui, I forgot all about it,'' Li Xinwen sighed and this sigh was heard by Li Jinghua.


    "Is something wrong with Ah ''Xiao?" Li Jinghua asked worriedly. "Well, if Ah ''Xiao can''t learn martial arts, he can only wait for his ability to show itself. He is a dual system ability user so as long as we protect him during the early stages of the apocalypse, it will be fine. Once his ability has awakened, he can join the fight with us."


    "It''s not that Ah ''Xiao cannot learn. In fact, Ah ''Xiao has a body that is very compatible for learning martial arts. Hold on, Hua- jie , let me help him first," Li Xinwen chuckled before he leaned towards Sun Xiao and whispered to the boy''s ear. " Ah ''Xiao, do as Ge says. Try to feel your spiritual energy from your dantian. Then slowly guide them over to your chest, then to your shoulder, arm, and all the way to your palm."


    Li Xinwen''s voice was very close to his ear and Sun Xiao felt his heart race. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his heart. Once he is calm, he slowly opened his eyes again and started to guide the spiritual energy in him. He still remembered the feeling of when he first came in contact with spiritual energy so he tried to replicate what he did before when he absorbed them. This time, he guides the energy to the place where Li Xinwen mentioned, all the way to his palm. He raised his hand and opened his palm.


    "Very good. Ah ''Xiao is a fast learner," Li Xinwen could sense that spiritual energy has gathered on Sun Xiao''s palm. "Now this is the most challenging part. How should I do this..." Li Xinwen pondered for a while before coming with an idea. " Ah ''Xiao, how does your palm feels right now?"


    "Warm..." Sun Xiao answered. "Xin- gege is that normal...?" he asked worriedly.


    "En. That is normal. Now, Ge wants to eat roasted chicken. Ah ''Xiao, other than chicken, what else do you think Ge will need?" Li Xinwen asked. "Do you think you can help Ge get it?"


    "Help you get fire?" just as the word left Sun Xiao''s lips, flames erupted from his hand and Sun Xiao jumped in panic. "Aaaah!! My hand!" Sun Xiao waved his hand but of course, the flame that was conjured by his spiritual energy won''t be diminished just from that.


    Li Jinghua also sported a look of fear when she saw Sun Xiao''s hand was on fire. And with how scared Sun Xiao was, all Li Jinghua could think of was to look for something to extinguish the fire with. Seeing that there was nothing, she quickly tried to conjure a ball of water on her palm but before she could do anything, Li Xinwen had jumped forward.


    "Hua- jie , wait for a second! Ah ''Xiao, calm down!" Li Xinwen also noticed the panicked and scared expression on Sun Xiao''s face so he quickly stood behind the young boy and held him in place. "Don''t move your arm like that. Listen to me and relax," Li Xinwen said in a gentle, soothing voice. " Ah ''Xiao, it''s not hot, right?" Li Xinwen asked, referring to the flame on Sun Xiao''s arm.


    Sun Xiao''s eyes were tearful but when he heard what Li Xinwen said, he took several deep breaths to calm himself down and only then did he realize that the flame didn''t hurt him at all. "Ah, it... didn''t hurt," Sun Xiao finally said.


    "En. These flames are part of you, Ah ''Xiao. They won''t hurt you," Li Xinwen assured the boy. "To make them disappear, just disperse the spiritual energy around it," Li Xinwen instructed.


    Sun Xiao did as he was told and the flame finally disappeared. The panic and fear on Sun Xiao''s face were replaced with awe and the boy then looked up to his brother. "Xin- gege , that was..."


    "As expected of Ah ''Xiao, ah! Even the first flame he conjured is better than my measly winds," Li Xinwen said with a burst of laughter as he rubs Sun Xiao''s head. "En. My little brother is really the best. As long as you learn properly, you''ll be strong."


    Sun Xiao who heard this, beamed up after being praised. Then, he looked over at Li Jinghua who still had a stupefied look. "Hua- jie , Hua- jie ! With this, do you think I can protect you, Xin- gege and mom in the apocalypse?" Sun Xiao asked excitedly.


    "That..." Li Jinghua has yet to process what just happened and then, he saw Li Xinwen giving her a wink. Only then she realizes that what happened earlier wasn''t just a figment of her imagination. "Of course! If you can practice that and make it into a projectile weapon, you can burn zombies before they can reach us," Li Jinghua answered with a smile before she hugged Sun Xiao close. "Your sister agrees with your brother''s statement. Ah ''Xiao is the best!"


    Sun Xiao only laughed happily and hugged Li Jinghua back. "Thank you, Hua- jie !" Sun Xiao replied.


    "Alright, I guess Hua- jie should feel much better now. Ah ''Xiao, go back to your room and change your shirt, ah. You''ve burned your sleeve. Just throw them away later," Li Xinwen said as he pointed at Sun Xiao''s shirt. "Also, you have school tomorrow. Go and have an early sleep so you can wake up later."


    "Okay. Good night, Hua- jie , Xin- gege !" Sun Xiao said before he went back to his room.

 Chapter 96 - 33.4 - I hope you wont act hostile

    After Sun Xiao left, only Li Jinghua and Li Xinwen were left in the second-floor living room. "Hua- jie , I have something to tell you," Li Xinwen said after a while, his tone was grave and his expression was serious.


    Seeing the serious expression on her brother''s face, Li Jinghua also felt uneasy. " Ah ''Wen, did something else happen today?" she asked.


    Li Xinwen only nods his head before letting out a long, heavy sigh. "Because of me, Rui- ge got into an accident today and received a heavy injury. Tomorrow, I plan to go and visit him," Li Xinwen informed Li Jinghua without beating around the bush.


    "Life-threatening injury...?" Li Jinghua asked.


    Li Xinwen once again nods his head and started to tell Li Jinghua the severity of Xue Rui''s injury. The more Li Jinghua heard it, the paler her face became. Though she had already ended things with Xue Rui, the man was still someone she had once given her heart to. No matter how cold she wanted to be, there was still part of her that was still soft when it comes to Xue Rui, no matter how much she hated it. After all, Xue Rui was her first love and no one can truly forget their first love no matter how they want to deny it.


    " Ah ''Wen... that is not ''heavy'' injury. That is a life-threatening injury," Li Jinghua said in a shaky tone. She took several deep breaths to calm her pained heart. She couldn''t understand her heart at all. She should be feeling happy that Xue Rui had suffered but all she could feel right now was nothing but distress. "Is he... still alive?" Li Jinghua asked after a while.


    "Alive. His brother, Xue Jun brought him to the hospital immediately. As long as he received timely treatment, his life won''t be in danger," Li Xinwen replied. He deliberately left out the fact that Xue Rui was actually close to death and if he didn''t give Xue Rui medicine early, he might''ve lost his life back then.


    "I see... That''s great," Li Jinghua murmured softly.


    "En. And that brings us to another point I want to tell you. I... hope that in the future, you won''t act hostile to him anymore," Li Xinwen said to Li Jinghua.


    "Why?"


    "Because I promised him that in this lifetime, I will protect him," Li Xinwen answered. Seeing the look of disbelief on Li Jinghua''s face, Li Xinwen continued. "I''m sorry, Hua- jie . I know that you don''t like him but, I think he deserves a chance."


    "Chance? What do you mean?" the unease in Li Jinghua''s heart was rising once more. " Ah ''Wen... you''re not actually giving Xue Rui a chance to pursue you, do you?"


    "Hua- jie , everyone has the right to pursue who they like. I have already said this before. Only this time, as long as he does not go overboard, I will not reject his advance."


    "Li Xinwen! You promised me that you won''t fall for him!"


    "Hua- jie , you''re mistaken," Li Xinwen replied with a chuckle. "I haven''t fallen for him. But if I say my heart did not soften after what happened today, then my heart must''ve been made out of stone."


    Li Jinghua could no longer say anything so she only let out a heavy sigh. She herself knows that there is nothing she could do. Not when her brother looks determined not to change his mind. "If you truly feel that way, then so be it. But if he hurts you, then that''s it! No amount of forgiveness will be given anymore. Is that understood?"


    Li Xinwen just smiled at Li Jinghua before nodding his head. Li Jinghua huffed her chest before standing up. " Ah ''Wen... I hope you will not regret your choice. But even if things fall through between you and him, just remember, I''m here to support you all the way," Li Jinghua told her brother.


    "Hua- jie , ah! You made it sound as if I''m already together with him when we''re not. But thank you, Hua- jie . Your support really means a lot. I know of anything happens, I can trust you with my life," Li Xinwen said with a big smile on his face. "You should go and rest. Tomorrow, you have work. As for me, even if I sleep late, it''s still fine. Your brother is on holiday after all," Li Xinwen said playfully as he teased Li Jinghua.


    "Hush, boy! You should also sleep early. Go, go!" Li Jinghua retorted as she waved her hand as if to shoo Li Xinwen.


    In return, Li Xinwen just stuck his tongue out childishly before he rushed back into the room. As soon as he did, he let out a sigh of relief that he didn''t even realize he had been holding back. "Luckily, Hua- jie didn''t explode. I thought I would need to spend a lot of time convincing her. But she seemed to be accepting it well. Not to mention, she seemed distressed when I told her of Xue Rui''s condition..."


    ''Lanyu ,'' Li Xinwen called out in his mind.


    [ Lanyu: Yes, Master?]


    ''Tomorrow, I will try to send some water into the dimension for the fishes. It''ll be two types of water, some fresh water from the river and seawater. Be sure not to mix them up,'' Li Xinwen told the small fairy who lives in the dimension.


    [ Lanyu: Yes, sir! Oh, and Master... Lanyu was still feeling bad about the book so Lanyu has already made a copy of the three missing books. Master doesn''t need to worry about it anymore. ]


    Li Xinwen frowned but since the small spirit had already made a copy, he decided not to depreciate Lanyu''s effort so he didn''t say anything that would make Lanyu feels he did something useless. ''Alright. Thank you, Lanyu. I will leave you to your work now.''


    After informing Lanyu of his plan for the dimension tomorrow, he finally settled down on the bed. After all that happened today, Li Xinwen didn''t feel like looking through Li Jinghua''s memories. So he simply closed his eyes and did a few breathing exercises before he circulates his spiritual energy through his meridians. After a while, he realized that he couldn''t focus on cultivating. ''If I force myself, it won''t do... before, I could just go and do some pill refining but now...'' Li Xinwen sighed as he found that he has nothing to do.


    His eyes then landed on his phone and decided to play around with it. A few hours later, Li Xinwen found himself still staring at his phone which was connected to a charging cable. His phone was playing a Korean drama that he found by chance and coincidentally, it was related to the undead. Li Xinwen decided to use this drama to sharpen his knowledge on ''how a mortal should act during the zombie apocalypse'' just so he won''t appear too suspicious when the apocalypse started. ''Acting weak is truly tiring sometimes...'' Li Xinwen thought as he started to formulate a plan in his mind to show Li Jinghua his ''gradual increase in strength''. But after a while, Li Xinwen found that he was unable to extricate himself from the drama and ends up watching the whole series in one night, only to find that it was only season 1 of the drama, much to his disappointment.

 Chapter 97 - 34.1 - You got my hopes up then destroyed them in a matter of seconds

    After breakfast the next day, Li Xinwen informed Mother Li of his plan. He didn''t tell Mother Li his real plan but simply said that he was invited by few friends to go fishing. At first, Mother Li was reluctant but after a while of coaxing, she finally let her son go. But she made sure Li Xinwen promise to return before lunchtime.


    When Li Xinwen left the house, it was still early in the morning. He first walked out of the neighbourhood, then pulled out his phone to call for a taxi. He didn''t wait long before the taxi arrived, and he simply told the driver to go to the nearest beach. The driver also did not say much and simply drove Li Xinwen to his destination. After Li Xinwen has paid and exits the car, the driver suddenly rolled down his window.


    "Young man!" he called out to Li Xinwen who stopped in his track and turned around with a questioning look. "Don''t do anything that''ll make your family sad!" the driver said before finally driving his car away.


    Li Xinwen stood there for a while, confused by what the driver had meant. In the end, he couldn''t figure it out and simply gives up. He walked to the edge of the beach and watch as the waves hit the sands. The morning sea breeze hits him on the face, and he can''t help but feels refreshed. "Right, time to work," Li Xinwen said as he took off his shoes and socks, then rolled up his pants.


    ''Lanyu, I''m now transferring the water. Tell me where I should transfer them,'' Li Xinwen called out to Lanyu who are in the pocket dimension while he walked to the edge of the sea. The water hits his feet, and Li Xinwen can''t help but wriggle his toes whenever the waves receded.


    [Lanyu: Right here, Master!]


    Through his mind, Li Xinwen felt the point in the dimension where Lanyu had sent him. Using that point as he guide, Li Xinwen transferred the seawater into the dimension. He continuously does so, until he heard Lanyu''s voice in his mind.


    [Lanyu: Master! That''s enough. It''s going to spill over!]


    Li Xinwen immediately stopped before he himself entered the dimension. The moment he entered, he saw Lanyu looking over a pool filled with water. The pool was large, about five meters in size. On the other side, separated by another five meters of land, is another huge pit which Li Xinwen assumed is prepared for the freshwater.


    "Lanyu," Li Xinwen called out to the small spirit.


    "Master! Look, while you transfer the water, some of the smaller fishes got transferred in too!" Lanyu said happily as he pointed at the pool. Inside, few small fishes could be seen swimming around. "But they are too small, ah! If I cook them, it won''t be fulfilling..." Lanyu said with a sigh.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll get more fishes for you later," Li Xinwen told the fairy. "Just make sure you don''t eat them all, and make sure to properly breed them. That way, you won''t have to worry about running out of food to eat," Li Xinwen said.


    "Of course, Master! Leave it to Lanyu!"


    "En. I''ll leave it to you. For the freshwater, it might take a while. I don''t know where to get them yet," Li Xinwen informed Lanyu.


    "Then... can Master get me some chicken first?" Lanyu asked with a nervous tone. It seems that he really wanted to eat chicken to the point of him wanting to urge Li Xinwen to get him some, despite him feeling afraid that Li Xinwen might get annoyed.


    "Alright then. I''ll get you the chicken," Li Xinwen just chuckled before he rubbed Lanyu''s head with a finger. "By the way, Lanyu... Do you have an idea of the time flow difference between this dimension and the outside world?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "Oh, it should be that the time it takes one incense stick to burn here, in the outside world, you would have finished brewing your tea," Lanyu replied. "But if Master wants, Lanyu can change the time-flow rate of this dimension to match that of the outside world!"


    "You can?" Li Xinwen was surprised at this revelation. ''If that is true, then can''t I just ask Lanyu to make it one year in the dimension equals to a day outside? That way, I can cultivate with ease.''


    "Yes! But only after the medium has been completely restored."


    "... next time, say that earlier. You got my hopes up then destroyed them in a matter of seconds," Li Xinwen sighed before he flicked the fairy''s forehead. "Alright, I am leaving now. Don''t fall asleep and do your work," he reminded Lanyu before leaving the dimension.


    He only spent a few minutes inside the dimension, and when he came out, the beach was still empty. He returned to where he placed his shoes, cleaned his feet off from the sand and worn his socks. Putting his shoes back on, Li Xinwen took his phone out and searched for a poultry farm.


    Li Xinwen''s search for livestock continued until 10 am. By then, he even managed to get the freshwater and its fishes into the dimension, much to Lanyu''s happiness. He had also bought ten hens and a rooster. He had wanted to buy sheep earlier, but unfortunately, Lanyu told him that it was currently impossible for him to teleport something as big as sheep into the dimension. At least, not with his current state.


    Now that he has done most that he wanted to do, he finally thought that it was time to visit Xue Rui. But then, he realized that he doesn''t have the slightest idea where Xue Rui was being hospitalized. He tried calling Xue Rui''s phone, but the call didn''t go through. He didn''t have Xue Jun''s number, so now his trail was gone. ''Maybe Hua-jie knows...''


    As he thought of this, Li Xinwen''s finger navigated to Li Jinghua''s number and called her. Three rings later, the other answered the call.


    "Hello, Hua-jie, I''m sorry to bother you while you''re working but... do you know where Rui-ge might be hospitalized? I forgot to ask Xue Jun yesterday," Li Xinwen asked.


    "Have you tried the hospital he owned? It''s the same one where you were treated before," Li Jinghua replied.


    "I see. I will go and check there. Thank you, Hua-jie."


    Ending the call, Li Xinwen went called a taxi over and told the driver his destination. The drive to the hospital took about half an hour and when Li Xinwen arrived, he directly asked the receptionist about Xue Rui.


    "There is no patient with that name being hospitalized here. Are you sure that it is this hospital?" the receptionist asked.


    "Are you sure? I hear he owned this hospital..." Li Xinwen asked the receptionist once again.


    "No. I''m sorry," the receptionist replied.


    "Then, how about someone with two broken legs? Anyone with such injuries came yesterday?" Li Xinwen didn''t want to give up since he already arrived here, but unfortunately, the receptionist''s answer was still a ''no.''


    With a sigh, Li Xinwen can only give up and walked out of the hospital. He had also used his spiritual energy to scan the whole building after the receptionist repeatedly replied with a negative answer. But he really couldn''t find Xue Rui''s spiritual signature inside. "Where is he..." Li Xinwen grumbled. Never did he thought that there would be a day he finds himself trying to find Xue Rui. If one were to ask this to him from a few days ago, he might just laugh it off.


    "There is still about an hour left before I have to get home. I have time to find him throughout the city."


    That was what Li Xinwen thought, but even after running through the whole city, he still couldn''t find Xue Rui. He even tried to feel Xue Jun out, but he came up with nothing. ''Did Xue Jun bring him out of the city? If that is true, then all I can do is keep calling Xue Rui until he answers,'' Li Xinwen sighed as he took out his phone. On his call log, several call attempt was already made to Xue Rui, but none of them connected. He tried it again, and hear the familiar tone. But after a while, he was directed to the voicemail again. ''Maybe he''s still unconscious... I''ll try calling his phone again later. For now, let''s go home before mom gets worried.''

 Chapter 98 - 34.2 - I want to be stronger

    When Xue Jun brought Xue Rui home, everyone panicked. Xue Jun had already called the medical specialist from the military headquarter to come and treat Xue Rui. The medics arrived in a helicopter, and medical devices were quickly hooked up and they only needed to wait for Xue Jun to arrive with Xue Rui.


    But once the medical specialist inspected Xue Rui''s injury, they were baffled. One even asked Xue Jun directly if he was just over-reacting.


    "What do you mean?" Xue Jun asked the medic.


    "Sir, although his wounds appear bad, his internal injury is not as bad as you described," the medic replied. "In fact, are you sure that his legs are broken, Sir?"


    "..." Xue Jun didn''t answer, but his mind went to a certain cultivator. ''Did he give something to Xiao Rui for his injury? Or was he lying to me to get me away?''


    "Just help fix whatever injuries my brother has. If it is nothing serious, you can return to the headquarter," Xue Jun told the medic who then returned to treat Xue Rui''s wound.


    By the time the medic was done, Xue Rui''s body was full of bandages but there were no casts present. Even his two legs were spared since the medic had said the bones were all fine. They only stitched few external wounds and told Xue Jun that Xue Rui should wake up in a few hours.


    But they didn''t expect that Xue Rui did not wake up for the whole night. Xue Jun even called the team of specialist back so they could do another check up on his brother. Even so, nothing came up. In the end, the medic could only tell Xue Jun that it might be that Xue Rui''s brain was using this way to rests its traumatised body. It was only then did Xue Jun let the medical team go.


    The next morning, Xue Jun came into Xue Rui''s room with a bowl of warm porridge. Seeing that Xue Rui''s eyes were still shut close, he started to become worried. He had yet to allow his parents to come in, especially his mother because he didn''t want them to disturb Xue Rui''s rest. Xue Jun placed the bowl of porridge on the nightstand, then went around to replace the IV pack for Xue Rui.


    "Ge?" just as he was about to reach for the old pack, Xue Jun heard Xue Rui calling him.


    "Xiao Rui, you''re up... how do you feel?" Xue Jun asked.


    "My whole body is sore," Xue Rui replied.


    "Not in pain?"


    "No... wait," Xue Rui then noticed that something seemed wrong with his situation. He quickly sat up but his vision started to spin from the sudden movement. Letting out a groan, he clutched his head and started to massage his temple. After a while, Xue Rui could finally inspect his own body but the one that shocked him the most was his legs. "I... remember that both my legs were wasted... how?"


    "That was exactly what I wanted to ask you. Xiao Rui, do you remember what happened when you were saved?"


    "I..." Xue Rui tried to look back through his memories, and before he passed out, he remembered seeing Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao arriving. "Brother! That... Is Xinwen alright?!" Xue Rui asked in a panicked tone.


    "Still worrying about him?" Xue Jun narrowed his eyes at Xue Rui. "With his strength, do you think he needs you to worry about him?"


    Hearing what Xue Jun said, Xue Rui felt pain in his heart. He knew that Xue Jun was right. Li Xinwen is strong enough that he didn''t need to worry about him. Even so, he still can''t help himself from worrying. "Just answer! Is he alright, or not..." Xue Rui looked up at his brother with a pleading look.


    "Alright? He''s more than alright, ba! Those people who harmed you? Dead without a trace except for one who turned into a human stick," Xue Jun answered.


    Hearing that Li Xinwen was safe, Xue Rui let out a relieved sigh. After a while, he froze and looked back up at Xue Jun with a newfound worry in his eyes. "Ge... you said... those people are dead? Did... Xinwen kill them?" Xue Rui asked, and in response, Xue Jun nods his head. "He won''t get into trouble, right?"


    "What trouble?" Xue Jun asked back.


    "I mean, he killed those people... the law..."


    "Heh," Xue Jun scoffed as he crossed his arm. "The law can''t touch him. As long as none of us speaks about it, no one knows he''s the one who killed them."


    "What about the victim''s family?"


    "What about them? The moment I brought you home, do you think the news of you getting injured won''t reach your second brother?" Xue Jun asked. "After knowing that you were injured, did you think your second brother will let off those family of theirs?"


    Xue Rui didn''t answer and kept his lips shut tight. He knew that with Xue Liang''s temperament if someone were to harm his family, the man would strike back without mercy. Even if they are currently still ''falling out'' as others would say it. It might be because they are triplet, but he noticed that no matter how bad the situation was, Xue Liang still look after him.


    While he was still deep in thought, Xue Rui suddenly hears a ringtone from the bedside table. Turning his head, he saw a brand new phone vibrating with its screen lights up, the caller ID showing that it was Li Xinwen calling him. He stared at it for a while, then reached out to it happily, only to hesitate to pick it up when he remembered something.


    "Not going to answer?" Xue Jun who saw this, asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "I..." Xue Rui''s thumb hovered over at the phone screen. All he had to do, was slide his thumb to the green icon to answer, but he hesitated. Not long after, the call ended.


    "Xiao Rui, what''s wrong?"


    "Ge... earlier, you said that with Xinwen''s strength, he doesn''t need me to worry about him, right? Instead... if..." Xue Rui bit his lower lip. He had just remembered that before he passed out, he seemed to hear Li Xinwen promised to protect him. He should be happy, but instead, he felt hopeless.


    Xue Jun saw how Xue Rui is hesitating and couldn''t help but click his tongue. "Xiao Rui, if you have something to say, just say it. Hesitating like this, are you still a man?"


    "Ge, if I tell you that the world will end in five years, will you believe me?"


    "What nonsense are you talking about?" Xue Jun asked before he took a chair and sat down beside the bed. "Explain clearly. Don''t just go right at the end. How do you expect me to understand if you don''t give me the context? That''s like trying to figure out the chemical formula of poison without having the poison at your disposal to experiment on at all. Do you want me to guess blindly how the world will end?"


    Seeing how Xue Jun is waiting patiently on him, Xue Rui collected his thought before finally telling Xue Jun what Li Jinghua had told him. From start to the end, Xue Jun didn''t interrupt Xue Rui and only listening carefully.


    "That''s why... if that future does become a reality, with the way I am now, I will only be a burden to Xinwen, right?" Xue Rui ended his narration with a question aimed to Xue Jun.


    "En. If those things such as zombies started to appear all over the place, I would also be troubled..." Xue Jun replied with his eyes closed as he imagined the scene and Xue Rui immediately became dejected. Xue Jun didn''t realize his brother''s expression and simply continued. "Did your ex-fiance tell you how fast the virus spread? How it spreads?"


    "She said that once someone died, depending on their constitution, it may take some time for them to change," Xue Rui answered. "As for how the virus spreads... I don''t know..."


    "What do you mean you don''t know?" Xue Jun asked as he narrowed his eyes at Xue Rui but his younger brother didn''t answer him and instead, just lowered his head, avoiding his gaze. "Xiao Rui..." Xue Jun called out.


    "At that time... I angered her and... I got kicked out," Xue Rui said in a low voice.


    There were a few moments of awkward silence before Xue Jun let out a heavy sigh and massaged his temple. Not long after, Xue Rui''s phone rang once again.


    Looking at the screen, Xue Rui saw that it was Li Xinwen who called him. He wanted to answer, but remembering how his brother said he would only be a burden, he suddenly didn''t know how to face Li Xinwen. He didn''t make a move to answer the call and after a while, the call ended. Xue Rui then quickly changed his phone mode to a ''do not disturb'' mode.


    "Brother, please help me," Xue Rui said as he looked up at Xue Jun. "As I am right now, I can''t even protect him! I want to get stronger," Xue Rui said, his eyes were full of determination.


    "..." Xue Jun was rendered speechless. This was his youngest brother, who was pampered from childhood, one who had never experienced physical hardship. Suddenly, he said he wanted to get stronger. If their father or grandfather were to hear this, they might''ve thought that Xue Rui is only joking and was only saying it for the sake of saying it. But Xue Jun could clearly see the determination and can only sigh. "Xiao Rui... did you know why grandfather didn''t... even put you in his eyes when we were younger?"


    Xue Rui blinked before he shook his head. "It doesn''t matter what that old man think. Jun-ge, please help me. If you don''t help me... I''ll go to Liang-ge for help!"


    "Nonsense! Rather than going to him, why not go to Xinwen?!" Xue Jun scolded his brother.


    "Because I can''t face him with how weak I am..." Xue Rui replied. "I... at the very least, even if I can''t be stronger than him, I want to be someone who can stand by his side!"


    Xue Jun didn''t know what else to say but he finally agreed. "I can''t promise you anything. Xiao Rui, ah... when we were younger, master was invited to our home. I don''t think you remembered because, at the time, you were sick. But master was there because grandfather asked him to check on us if we have any aptitude for martial arts," Xue Jun said before he looked at Xue Rui with a serious expression. "Out of the three of us, you have the least aptitude for martial arts."


    Hearing this, Xue Rui turned disappointed. Xue Jun naturally saw this and can''t help asking, "Giving up?"


    "No. Least aptitude means that I still have the aptitude, right? It doesn''t mean I have no aptitude at all..." Xue Rui mumbled in a soft voice. "If I work hard... can I get stronger?"


    "Where there is a will, there is naturally a way. As long as you work hard, I can at least guarantee that you will be stronger than you are now," Xue Jun replied. "For now, go and rest. Eat the porridge, fill up your stomach and recuperate properly. Speaking of which, you haven''t answered my question. Do you remember what happened when you were saved? Did... Li Xinwen give you anything?"


    When Xue Jun told him to eat, Xue Rui had already picked the bowl of porridge up from the bedside table and started to eat it. Because it was left for a while, the temperature was just right for him to eat. When he heard Xue Jun''s question, he only looked up before swallowing the mouthful of porridge. "I think... I remember Xiao Xiao saying something about drinking medicine? But I was teetering between consciousness and unconsciousness so I''m not sure myself whether it happens or I was imagining thing."


    ''It must be whatever that medicine is that helps Xue Rui recover this fast...'' Xue Jun thought. Of course, he was still suspicious about Li Xinwen but seeing that the other doesn''t treat them with hostility, and even helped Xue Rui, Xue Jun felt at the very least he can give Li Xinwen a chance. "Xiao Rui, starting next week, I''ll train you up. If you have anything to settle, do so this week. Once you start to train, I will not let you out of the training ground."


    "Training ground...? Ge, which training ground are you talking about?"


    "If not the military training ground, which one do you think I was talking about? Now hurry and finish up your porridge and rest. Once you start training, rest will become a luxury for you," Xue Jun informed his younger brother before he walked out of the room.

 Chapter 99 - 34.3 - As long as you know

    That night, Li Xinwen once again called Xue Rui. This time, his call finally got through. "Rui-ge?" he called out.


    "Xinwen..." Xue Rui''s voice was heard from the other side and Li Xinwen finally let out a breath that he didn''t realize he had been holding.


    "Rui-ge, how are you? I tried to look for you everywhere today, but I couldn''t find you at all. When I called, it didn''t get through. Where were you?"


    "You were looking for me?" Xue Rui asked. Then without waiting for Li Xinwen to answer, he asked another question. "Were you worried?"


    "Since you can say this, you must be alright then," Li Xinwen said.


    "En," Xue Rui replied. After that, there were a few seconds where the two didn''t know what to say. Li Xinwen was just about to end the call when he heard Xue Rui''s voice once more. "Xinwen... tomorrow, can I bring you out for lunch?"


    "Rui-ge, shouldn''t you be recovering?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "Did you not give me medicine? I... don''t know what magical medicine you gave me but... my injuries are all gone," Xue Rui informed the other.


    Hearing this, Li Xinwen frowned and leaned back on his recamier chair. ''I guess I better inquire Lanyu about this matter,'' he thought to himself.


    "Also... will you bring Jinghua along too?" while Li Xinwen didn''t answer, Xue Rui decided to speak again.


    "Hua-jie? Why?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "I... have wronged her. I wanted to make things right," Xue Rui said in a soft voice. "I know, what I did is unforgivable-"


    "At least you know now. So? Are you feeling guilty?" Li Xinwen asked after cutting Xue Rui off.


    "Yes..."


    "Alright. I won''t ask how you plan to make things right. I will bring her along tomorrow," Li Xinwen said after receiving Xue Rui''s answer. "Rui-ge, you should rest now. I will see you tomorrow. Good night."


    "En. Good night."


    Li Xinwen ended the call before he entered the pocket dimension. "Lanyu!" he called out. Not long after, Lanyu came over flying, his face was covered with dirt that makes Li Xinwen raise an eyebrow. "What were you doing?" he asked out of curiosity.


    "Didn''t master say he wanted to plant some seeds earlier today? I was preparing the land for it," Lanyu replied. "I already got three patches ready," he added.


    "You''re working hard," Li Xinwen can''t help but praise the spirit. "Don''t overwork yourself," he said as he reached out to gently give Lanyu''s head a gentle rub. "By the way, Lanyu... just what medicine did you give Xue Rui? He told me his injuries are all healed up."


    "Eh? It''s just a normal medicine to heal injuries," Lanyu replied. "As long as you just give him a drop, his injury will heal just as I''ve said... maybe master accidentally gave him more than a drop?"


    "But you said that if it was more than a drop, it would damage his internal organ instead," Li Xinwen reminded him.


    "En... I did say that. Maybe he''s just lucky," Lanyu murmured softly. "Well, on the bright side, if he did drink more than a drop and nothing happened, his body should be stronger than a normal mortal. Maybe his body is also compatible for cultivation."


    "Impossible. I''ve checked it before. His aptitude is very low. Even if he were to practice for ten years, he may not even reach the first stage in body tempering," Li Xinwen quickly dismissed the idea.


    At this, Lanyu shrugged and shook his head several times. "Then, Lanyu don''t know how else to explain it. But, if his aptitude is low before... then after taking that medicine..."


    Li Xinwen heard Lanyu''s suggestive tone and he eyed the small spirit carefully. "What are you trying to say?"


    "I mean... master, how old is he? Master should know that the younger you start cultivating, the better, right? This is because young people''s body is still pure. But if you start late, then the impurity in your body would''ve already been build up inside and clogged up the meridians..." Lanyu explained. "Since he drinks that medicine... some of those impurities should... disappear?"


    "So, what you''re trying to say is... the reason his body has low aptitude when I checked is that his body is full of impurities?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "Maybe? It is only my conjecture," Lanyu replied. "Why don''t master go and check again?"


    "En. I guess I should. I''m going to meet him tomorrow anyway," Li Xinwen replied. "How are the cat''s progress?"


    "..."


    "Lanyu?"


    "Master, it''s only been a few days, ah! Do you think it is easy for them to gain sentience?" Lanyu asked. "Even I took over thousands of years absorbing the spiritual energy of the sun and the moon before I gain sentience, and it took me another thousand years to get this form!"


    "That reminds me, what is your original form?" Li Xinwen asked. "You seemed to have high affinity with plants..."


    "I was just a small sapling back in my original world. Then the old master picked me up and started to take care of me. After that, we travelled together and things happen... and now, here I am..."


    Li Xinwen noticed that Lanyu didn''t seem to want to talk about it so he decided to leave it at that. "I''m going to try and undo the seal on the alchemy room. I''m cultivating too fast, but I need time to consolidate my strength. There was nothing else to do and I am getting bored," Li Xinwen informed Lanyu. "So, inform me when the time for an incense stick to burn has passed in the outside world," Li Xinwen said.


    "Understood, master!" Lanyu replied.


    Thus, Li Xinwen decided to spend a few hours in order to undo the seal placed on the door of the alchemy room. Meanwhile, in the real world, Xue Rui who had a phone conversation with Li Xinwen earlier, was busy working on his laptop. Unbeknownst to him, Xue Jun was having a discussion with their grandfather and their parents. A discussion might be putting it on a stretch because their mother is glaring at Xue Jun angrily while their father tried to placate her. Their grandfather, on the other hand, his face was already red from anger when he heard that Xue Jun wanted to take Xue Rui to train.


    "Xiao Jun, have you gone mad?!" old Xue asked.


    "Grandfather, I haven''t gone mad. This is Xiao Rui''s wish," Xue Jun replied.


    "How can this be Xiao Rui''s wish?!" their mother retorted. "That boy has never been interested in military training before! And when the two of you decided to go out and play, he ends up heavily injured! As the mother of you both, I will not allow it!"


    "Xiao Jun, listen to your mother. We already know that Xiao Rui is not suitable for those harsh training. Why not just let him work on his business and bring the money in for our family? The way he is now isn''t that bad," their father tried to convince Xue Jun.


    "That''s right! If he goes and train, who will run his business?!" Old Xue asked.


    Xue Jun only stared at the three who vehemently opposing his decision before letting out a heavy sigh. "I understand," Xue Jun said and the three expressions finally relaxed. "Since asking you as the younger generation doesn''t work, then I will just use my authority. Starting next week, I will bring Xue Rui to the military base and I will have him train there. None of the Xue family members is allowed to stop him. This is my order as the head of the family, and I hope the three of you will not say anything else."


    The three old people choked on their breath when they heard Xue Jun exercising his authority. Because the younger male rarely does so, they had forgotten how the fact that this young man before them is the one who holds the true power within their family. "Don''t worry. You have a week to spend time with Xiao Rui. So make good use of it," Xue Jun added while his eyes landed on his mother. "But what happens in this house, only stays within these walls. If it ever goes out, even if you are my mother... You understand, right? I hope you don''t force me, mother."


    After saying his piece, Xue Jun stood up and left. He only gave a warning to his mother because he knew both his father and grandfather, knowing their military background, will not say a word to outsiders. When Xue Jun entered Xue Rui''s room, he saw that his little brother furiously tapping on his laptop. The focused Xue Rui didn''t even notice his arrival until he sat down on the chair beside the bed.


    "Oh! Brother, when did you come in?" Xue Rui asked, feeling slightly shocked when he found out his brother is already in the room without him noticing.


    "Not long. Work?" Xue Jun asked, and Xue Rui only nods his head as he turned his attention back to his laptop. "Have you already figured out how to deal with your business?"


    "I will let mom handle it. All the knowledge I have is learned from her after all. I''m sure she can handle the business," Xue Rui murmured softly. "By the way, brother. Tomorrow, I will be meeting Xinwen and Jinghua for lunch," he informed his older brother.


    "Meeting your ex-fiance and the person you''re currently chasing at the same time?" Xue Jun asked with an eyebrow raised.


    "En. I have wronged them both... Tomorrow, I plan to make things right and apologize. It''s fine if they don''t forgive me though... Whatever transpired was because of me being stupid and-"


    "As long as you know," Xue Jun said and Xue Rui was stopped in his track.


    ''Why do I feel like I''m experiencing a deja vu?'' Xue Rui thought in his mind.


    "Xiao Rui, I must say this... I admit, that I am not a romantic person. Which is why when you came to me that year for help, I was unable to do so. But I never expected..." Xue Jun stared at Xue Rui with a distressed look. He felt that what he wanted to say next would damage his brother''s pride so he hesitated. But in the end, he still continued. "I never expected that you would be so stupid and gullible as to be used by your second brother. What makes you think a piece of advice given by someone demented like him is a good idea?"


    "Ge, you already asked me this before... I know, I was wrong. I thought that even though those books were fiction since those CEO in the story got their female lead in the end... their methods were probable..."


    "Heh, probable..." Xue Jun snickered. "Fictions are fictions! They are usually made to satisfy other people''s fantasy. Just because it works in fiction doesn''t mean it works in real life!"


    Xue Rui, who was scolded by Xue Jun, stopped working on his laptop and lowered his head in shame. He knew what his brother is saying is true. He truly didn''t know why he thought it was a good idea at that time. It might''ve been because he was too desperate. ''No... I was just being stupid...'' he corrected himself. There was no use of trying to lie to himself just to make him feel better. Xue Rui continued to stay quiet as Xue Jun berated him.


    "Well, no point in crying over spilt milk. Fortunately, you''re a man enough to admit your mistake. Tomorrow, big bro will accompany you to make sure you don''t chicken away on the last minute."


    "I... thank you, Jun-ge..." Xue Rui mumbled in a soft voice.


    "En. I also want to ask a few things about the apocalypse from your ex-fiance. Have you picked a place yet?" Xue Jun asked. When Xue Jun saw that Xue Rui shook his head, Xue Jun took out his phone and made a call. After a few exchanges, he ended the call and turned back to Xue Rui. "Tomorrow, we''ll have lunch at the Lakeside Pavilion. I already booked a private room. You go and inform them."

 Chapter 100 - 34.4 - An Wuya

    Li Xinwen stared at the last arrays that he needed to undo in order to remove the seal. He had been working on the seals for a few hours and had finally reached the last step. Unfortunately, he was already feeling exhausted. He glanced at the few empty bamboo tubes on his side. These bamboo tubes used to be filled with the spiritual lake water that Lanyu brought him.


    "Should I call him again?" Li Xinwen wondered.


    Before he could though, Lanyu already came in and brought another bamboo tube. "Master, the time for an incense stick to burn is already up in the outside world," Lanyu informed Li Xinwen. "Here, drink and recover your strength," Lanyu handed the tube to Li Xinwen.


    Li Xinwen reached out to grab the tube, unscrew the cork that sealed the opening and drank it in one go. "Then, I guess I''ll continue this next time. I''ll leave, for now, Lanyu. Take care of everything here," Li Xinwen said as he handed the tube back to Lanyu before he left the dimension.


    When he returned to his room, Li Xinwen heard his phone ringing. Walking over to his table, he picked his phone up to see that it was Xue Rui who called.


    "Hello?"


    "Xinwen? Were you taking a bath?" Xue Rui asked from the other side of the line.


    "Oh... En. I just finished bathing," Li Xinwen replied. A lie, but it didn''t matter since there was no need for Xue Rui to know what he''s been doing. "Why did you call?"


    "It''s about our lunch tomorrow. Lakeside Pavilion. My brother already reserved a private room for the whole afternoon," Xue Rui informed him.


    "Your brother? Xue Jun or Xue Liang?"


    "Jun-ge of course. Liang-ge is still out somewhere," Xue Rui quickly replied.


    "En. Alright then," Li Xinwen went over to his bed and sat down by the edge. "But why is it your brother who does the reserving? Is he also coming along?"


    "Ah... yes. He will," Xue Rui answered. "I told him about the apocalypse and he wanted to ask Jinghua more information about it," Xue Rui murmured softly.


    "Hmm... that''s actually good. I was going to get him into our group too. It might be good to have a military back-up," Li Xinwen told Xue Rui. "Is that all?"


    "I... En. That''s all," Xue Rui seemed to hesitate but in the end, decided not to say anything. "Good night, Xinwen. I''ll see you tomorrow."


    "I''ll see you tomorrow. Rui-ge, don''t sleep too late. You should rest more for your recovery," Li Xinwen said before ending the call. He placed the phone on the table and plugged the charging cable on. Seeing the phone is now charging, Li Xinwen went over to take a quick shower. Only after cleaning himself did he return to his bed.


    That night, Li Xinwen didn''t know why but he felt tired the moment his head hit the pillow. Thinking that his soul might be tired from trying to undo the seals, he decided to close his eyes and entered a deep meditative state. When he did, he noticed that something was wrong. There was a foreign force pulling his consciousness out and he tried to defend himself. Unfortunately, he was too slow and darkness covered his awareness.


    Luckily, the darkness didn''t last long but when Li Xinwen became aware of his surrounding once again, he realized that he was no longer on his bed. Instead, he finds himself standing on a desolate patch of land. The land stretches for as long as he could see, but there was nothing surrounding him. Looking up, he saw that the sky was covered in dark cloud as if to show the despair and hopelessness.


    ''Not only that...'' Li Xinwen looked over at the clothes he''s wearing. The familiar colour of blue and white, the soft materials that covered his skin, it was the exact same as the one he used to wear back in Long Xing. ''But this place is not Long Xing. I don''t know where this is but this place is deprived of any spiritual energy...''


    "What is this? When I was told that there was a strong cultivator, I thought I would be able to find a good seedling," a voice suddenly came from behind Li Xinwen. The voice sounded languid but held a bewitching charm in it.


    Li Xinwen himself felt that he had almost fallen into its influence. Thankfully, he was quick to snap out of it and bit down on his tongue, using the pain to distract himself from the charming effect. Turning around, he immediately took a defensive stance as he stared at the being before him. "Who are you? No, rather... What are you?" Li Xinwen''s eyes never left the figure that stood in front of him.


    The figure had a humanoid form, similar to that of a man. The clothing the man wore was just like a typical cultivator, with the exception, it was in black. Just like the voice that Li Xinwen heard before, even the face has a bewitching charm. The only exception is that there is three protruding horn on its head. Even in Long Xing, Li Xinwen had never seen someone like this before. The more Li Xinwen stared at the other''s face, the more he felt that his soul was being pulled. When he realized what happened, Li Xinwen quickly shook his head and cleared his mind.


    "Oh? It has been a while since I met someone who can remain clear-headed when they saw me. Most of these foolish mortals simply yield and pledged their allegiance over to me, to forever serve me. I am truly happy," the figure sounded impressed. "Maybe you are not that bad at all," he added with a chuckle as he approached Li Xinwen.


    As if sensing danger, Li Xinwen jumped back and tried to summon Shuang Ren but the sword didn''t appear. With a frown, he called out to Lanyu in his mind, but there was also no response from the spirit fairy. With a click of his tongue, Li Xinwen mobilised his spiritual energy stored within his dantian and guide them over to his hand, forming a sword made of ice.


    "En. Such a terrifying expression. I guess this means that you do not plan on hearing me out? Did that righteous cultivator already told you about me?" the man asked Li Xinwen. His tone still carried that bewitching charm but at the same time, his eyes were cold and full of killing intent. "Such a shame. But I am feeling magnanimous tonight. After all, you are the first person to resist me while being in my dimension..."


    "Enough talk. If you plan on trying to take me to your side, just give u-"


    Before Li Xinwen could even finish, a blur of shadow appeared before him and he suddenly felt a surge of pain on his abdomen. Looking down, he saw a hand buried deep into his abdomen. Not long after, he felt the spiritual energy within him becoming more chaotic as demonic qi invades his dantian. As his spiritual energy actively fought against the intruding demonic qi1, Li Xinwen screamed as he experienced excruciating pain.


    "Aaah... such a nice scream. Is it painful?" Li Xinwen heard the man ask as the hand was pulled out of him.


    Li Xinwen''s legs gave way but before he could truly fall on his knees, he quickly stabbed the sword made of ice to the ground to support his body. His other hand went to his abdomen and he quickly covered the wound with ice to temporarily stop the bleeding.


    "Even if you cover them with ice to stop the bleeding, the demonic qi I injected in you has already worked its way to destroy your dantian. Once they did, they will proceed to destroy your meridians and in the end, you will become crippled," after saying that, the man''s lips curved up into a cold smile before adding: "But, if you kneel before me, I will help you and it won''t be as painful. In addition, I''ll let you have the honour to be my personal furnace..."


    A hand reached out to hold Li Xinwen''s chin and he felt his face was lifted up. Li Xinwen grits his teeth as he glared at the man before him in defiance. Then, a smile also formed on his face but it was more of a mocking smile. "Kneel? Even if your whole family kneel before you, I will not kneel!"


    Upon hearing Li Xinwen''s reply, the man only let out a burst of laughter. When he''s done, he looked at Li Xinwen for a while before showing Li Xinwen a sadistic grin. "Speaking of which... My servant told me about your brother''s special. Mmn... A pure Yin and a pure Yang, if I can have both..."


    When Li Xinwen heard that the man dared to covet Sun Xiao, a burst of rage bubbled up within him. "You dare..."


    "Oh, I am. Why wouldn''t I dare? Especially when I have the strength to do so. Ah, yes... I remember you asking who I am. Should I tell you?" the man leaned closer to Li Xinwen while staring into Li Xinwen''s eyes. "Look into my eyes, and remember this name well. I am called An Wuya. This is the name of your master, and you will heed my words."


    As Li Xinwen continued to listen to the bewitching voice, he felt his consciousness is slipping away.


    "My words are law, and my orders are absolute..."


    The voices continued to ring inside Li Xinwen''s mind and his eyes became dull as if succ.u.mbing to the other''s charm.


    The demon saw this and a smirk formed on his face. "I will send your soul back, and you will then bring your brother to meet with me. Only then will I help you with the demonic qi inside you."


    Li Xinwen parted his lips, about to answer but suddenly, a familiar voice sounded in his mind.


    ''No! You promised to protect my family in return for giving you my body!''


    The voice was so clear and it helped Li Xinwen snap out of the demon''s influence. Li Xinwen knew the voice belongs to the original, reminding him of his promise. In his anger, Li Xinwen tightened his grip on his ice sword and swung them towards the man before him.


    An Wuya had been confident that Li Xinwen had fallen for his charm, so he did not expect that Li Xinwen would attack him. Because of that, he was unable to dodge in time and the tip of Li Xinwen''s ice sword grazed him slightly. Having felt that he had been humiliated by someone of a lower realm than him, An Wuya was livid. Gone was his carefree expression which he used to look down on Li Xinwen and it was replaced with a furious look.


    "To refuse a toast from this lord... then allow this lord to force you to drink a forfeit instead!" An Wuya went to attack Li Xinwen, but he only managed to take a step forward when he saw Li Xinwen''s pupil turned to a shade of purple. Soon after, he received an injury to his soul and he ended up coughing blood. "You-! You dared to do soul attack with your current condition? Do you want to die?!"


    Li Xinwen didn''t lower his guard as he continued to stare at An Wuya with Moyan activated. He knew that the moment he lost sight of An Wuya, he might end up dead. ''Might? No, if I lower my guard, I will die... since the chance of surviving is zero, I may as well take a gamble. At the very least, if I could injure him or even take him down, Ah''Xiao will be safe...''


    Although that was what Li Xinwen was thinking, he could already feel his consciousness slipping away. The pain from his spiritual energy and demonic qi opposing each other was too much for him to bear. Li Xinwen once again focused all his strength into his eyes and used Moyan to convey his attack on An Wuya once again.


    Unlike attacks using spiritual energies, a soul attack can only be defended by counter-attacking using one''s, own soul. Thus, only the one with the stronger soul will win. When An Wuya saw that Li Xinwen once again, prepared to unleash another soul attack, he became angrier.


    "Such puny ant dared to oppose me this much! Let this lord teach you a final lesson before this lord scatters your soul!" An Wuya roared as he unleashed his own soul attack. He was confident that his soul was stronger than Li Xinwen but the moment their soul clashed, his eyes widened in surprise. In a panic, he quickly withdrew, but it also meant that he suffered huge damage to his soul. An Wuya suffered another bout of blood coughing as he fearfully stared at Li Xinwen.


    "You... how come your soul is at Kongming stage?!" Qi is spiritual energy. Demonic Spiritual Energy sounds too long so I''ll just use Qi. Just remember they are interchangeable.

 Chapter 101 - 34.5 - Suppressing the Demonic Qi

    Li Xinwen himself was not left unscathed from their exchange before. Blood trickled down his chins from the corner of his lips and Li Xinwen had to force himself to swallow the blood down his throat. Taking a deep breath, Li Xinwen turned to An Wuya, the killing intent in his eyes visible.


    "It looks like your soul isn''t that strong..." Li Xinwen said as he once again gathered his soul force towards his eyes and once again, used Moyan to transmit his attack.


    "You are crazy!" An Wuya roared out and expended all of his soul force for a counter-attack. Since the other''s soul was at Kongming stage, even if Li Xinwen is currently suffering heavy injury and his spiritual energy is in chaos, An Wuya didn''t dare to be complacent anymore. Unfortunately for An Wuya, at his peak, he is only at Yuanying stage and Li Xinwen''s soul strength was two realms above him.


    Losing the second exchange, An Wuya knew that he could not beat Li Xinwen so he quickly threw Li Xinwen out from his dimension, sending the other back to the outside world.


    Li Xinwen felt himself being thrown away. His vision darkened for a moment and when he regained his vision, he was staring at the ceiling of the Li family household, lying on his bed. Before Li Xinwen could form any kind of thought to assess what he experienced earlier, the pain of his spiritual energy colliding with the demonic qi within him made him turn over and threw out the blood that was rising up to his throat.


    ''I need to deal with this demonic qi...'' Li Xinwen thought as he sat upright and then began to circulate his spiritual energy within his dantian to suppress the demonic qi. But he didn''t expect that the amount of demonic qi that An Wuya injected in him was more than the amount of spiritual energy that he has in his dantian. ''That bastard. This amount of demonic qi is enough to even suppress someone up to Jindan stage, ah!'' Li Xinwen cursed.


    Demonic qi can only be suppressed by the spiritual energy that was already consolidated within one''s dantian. If they were to use foreign spiritual energy, it would only harm them. Unless some other cultivator would be willing to help suppress by pouring their own spiritual energy into him. Unfortunately, no other cultivator would risk their lives to help someone who is already corrupted by demonic qi. After all, if something wrong happened why they are helping the other suppressing the demonic qi, they might also be corrupted by the demonic qi.


    ''Not to mention... I need someone who is already at Jindan stage. Min Shaotian is only at Xiantian, he''s not enough,'' Li Xinwen lamented before he remembered how the spiritual lake could help to purify one''s spiritual energy. Without wasting any time, he quickly entered the dimension.


    "Master!"


    When Li Xinwen entered the dimension, he was immediately called by Lanyu. He saw the worried look on Lanyu''s expression.


    "Master, what happened? Earlier, I could sense that you were in danger but no matter how much I called, you wouldn''t answer!" Lanyu said with tearful eyes.


    "You were calling out to me?"


    "Yes, ah! Even that demonic qi... I tried to help master suppress them but I can''t do so for a long time," Lanyu replied. Then he saw that Li Xinwen''s face was starting to get pale. "Master, are you alright?"


    "Hmm? I don''t think so. Lanyu, do you think the spiritual lake can help remove the demonic qi?" Li Xinwen asked.


    Hearing this, Lanyu shook his head. "It can help to purify your spiritual energy but it cannot help dispel demonic qi. Master should know, that only your own spiritual energy can eradicate that demonic qi inside you," Lanyu replied. "But... I think the spiritual lake should be able to help suppress the demonic qi for a while. Only, the process would be painful," Lanyu murmured softly.


    "En. If it could do at least that, I''d be saved," Li Xinwen said as he walked over to the lake. He bent down and scooped a handful of water. But before drinking it, he turned to Lanyu. "I might pass out from the pain. Lanyu, help me take care of this body," Li Xinwen said before finally gulping down the lake water.


    He could feel the water flow down his throat, and before long, he could feel the demonic qi in him turn even more rampant. With a hiss, Li Xinwen sat down cross-legged and began to suppress the demonic qi once more.


    Lanyu faithfully waited on Li Xinwen and whenever Li Xinwen coughed up some blood, he would go over the lake, grabbed some water and help clean the blood off.


    Li Xinwen didn''t know how long he took to subdue the demonic qi. He knew that half-way through, he had lost his consciousness. But when he woke up, he noticed that he was soaked. The first thing he did was to inspect his dantian, and he discovered that the demonic qi inside him as been suppressed.


    Only then did he let out a sigh of relief. Looking around, he finally realized the reason why he was soaked. His body was submerged all the way to his neck into the spiritual lake. His body was held to the edge of the lake by thick vines, probably to keep him from sinking or floating away.


    "This..." Li Xinwen looked around and saw that Lanyu was nowhere to be found. Exerting a bit of strength, Li Xinwen broke through his confinement and got out of the lake. He had just taken a step when he saw Lanyu came flying over.


    "Master!! You''re finally awake, ah!" Lanyu said as he went and ''hugged'' Li Xinwen''s face. "You didn''t wake up for a day and Lanyu was getting worried. I thought you''d disappear again like the old master, ah! If you do, Lanyu would be troubled..."


    "Didn''t wake up for a day? How long was I out?" Li Xinwen asked in a worried tone.


    "Roughly, a day and a half?" Lanyu replied.


    ''A day and a half so in the outside world... roughly half a day passed. I came here at night so...'' Li Xinwen started to calculate how much time has passed and realized that it was already close to lunchtime. After finding out about this, Li Xinwen immediately exits the dimension, leaving Lanyu alone.


    "Master...?" he called out helplessly.


    [Li Xinwen: I''m sorry, Lanyu. I have something to do. I''ll talk to you later.]


    "Oh, okay. Then at least will you bring along some of the lake water? Though the demonic qi is already suppressed, they can still act up and it would be dangerous for you, master. Having the water beside you would put me at ease. As long as you consume them the moment there''s a sign that the demonic qi would go rampant, it can help you restrain them," Lanyu explained.


    Outside the dimension, Li Xinwen who heard what Lanyu said didn''t even need to ponder about it before he agreed with Lanyu''s suggestion. After he dressed himself up, Li Xinwen went downstairs and saw mother Li sitting on the sofa, eyes focused as she watched a cooking show.


    Putting on a smile, Li Xinwen approached her from behind and encircled his arms around her neck before placing a kiss on her cheek. "Mom, good morning~"


    Mother Li jumped in surprise when she felt arms around her neck but relaxed once she knew it was only her son. "Morning? It is already this late and still say it''s morning? What did you do the whole night that you even missed breakfast?" mother Li asked as she playfully pinched on Li Xinwen''s nose.


    "Ahahahah, it''s nothing. I just lost track of time when watching drama last night," Li Xinwen explained, naturally with a lie. "Today, I''m going to go out for lunch. My manager called to discuss some work with me," Li Xinwen added. Though he felt guilty for lying to the older woman, he doesn''t know how else to handle this situation.


    "Oh, alright. Then you go on first," mother Li replied. "Do you need me to pack you some sandwich to eat on your way?" she asked, about to stand up.


    Li Xinwen quickly applied a gentle force down on her shoulder to keep her from standing up. "No need, mom. I will be eating anyway. But, do you want anything? I can buy you something along the way home."


    "If this old lady needs anything, then there is always delivery service. You don''t have to worry about your mother. Go quickly before Manager Su gets angry because you''re late," mother Li ushered Li Xinwen to hurry.


    Li Xinwen just let out a small chuckle before he leaned closer and pecked mother Li''s cheek once again. "Then, I''m off," Li Xinwen said in a gentle tone before he left the living room. But before he left the house, he made sure to grab the thermos from the kitchen and sent it to the dimension. ''Lanyu, put the water inside.''


    [Lanyu: On it! And... done! You can take it out now, master!]


    Li Xinwen took the thermos out and gently shake it. The thermos was full and he smiled in satisfaction. Once he was ready, Li Xinwen finally left the house. Once outside, he called for the taxi and he only needed to walk out of his neighbourhood to wait for the taxi.


    Half an hour later, Li Xinwen found himself standing in front of Lakeside Pavilion. He stared at the luxurious-looking building before him, then at his current casual attire. Because he was running late, he only managed to put on a simple grey T-Shirt and simple jeans. "It''s no wonder that the driver was staring at me with a weird gaze," Li Xinwen said with a sigh. "But... why do I feel like I''ve forgotten something..."


    "Xinwen...?" a familiar hesitant voice called out to him.


    Turning his head to the direction of the source, Li Xinwen saw Xue Rui and Xue Jun standing side by side. Behind them, a luxurious car was being parked by the valet. "Hello, Rui-ge, Young Master Xue," Li Xinwen greets them with a slight nod of his head.


    Xue Rui then quickly approached him and Li Xinwen thought that he was about to get hugged. But to his surprise, Xue Rui stopped in front of him, took off his sunglasses and helped Li Xinwen putting it on. "Not wearing any disguise, what will you do if your fans saw you? Won''t you get troubled?" Xue Rui said in a soft voice.


    ''Ah, right. Now I know what''s missing but... I still feel like there''s something else I''ve forgotten. Something quite important...''


    "Where is Jinghua?" came another question from Xue Rui.


    Li Xinwen who finally remembered the important thing that he had forgotten: ...

 Chapter 102 - 34.6 - Lunch Discussion

    After that small hiccups, all the required party finally arrived. Li Jinghua was staring at Xue Rui and Xue Jun with a wary expression. Currently sitting in the private room which Xue Jun has booked, Li Jinghua couldn''t help but feel nervous. Looking at her left, she saw her brother staring intently at the menu. She poked Li Xinwen''s thigh before she leaned closer to whisper, her eyes never leaving the two brothers sitting opposite them.


    "Ah''Wen, why are we here?" Li Jinghua asked.


    Li Xinwen turned to face Li Jinghua and saw how she is staring at Xue Rui and Xue Jun in a suspicious manner. Somehow, he couldn''t help but feel amused. Xue Jun used to stare at him with the exact same stare his sister used on them now. "Hua-jie, just relax," Li Xinwen whispered back. "First, let''s eat lunch. Here, what would you like to eat?" Li Xinwen asked as he shared the menu book to Li Jinghua.


    Li Jinghua still feels nervous, but she still looked at the menu. Lakeside Pavilion is known for their authentic traditional cuisine. The pictures on the menu book also looks mouth watering. But other than that, they also have few simple meals. "I can''t eat anything heavy since I need to go back to work," Li Jinghua said. "So I''ll just take the fried rice."


    Li Xinwen nods his head and started to write down Li Jinghua''s order. Li Xinwen also sneakily wrote down oxtail soup beneath, then wrote down few more soft food dishes. "What about drinks?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "I''ll have whatever drink you have," Li Jinghua replied.


    "Alright," Li Xinwen said as he wrote down ''2 chocolate milk'' on the paper. After that he handed the paper to Xue Rui so they could proceed to write down their order.


    The two brothers didn''t take long as they already knew what they would like to get so as soon as they finished writing, Xue Jun called for the waiter. The waiter repeated their order for confirmation and only after that did the waiter leave.


    "Alright, while waiting for our meal, let us not waste any time. My little brother here have something to say to the both of you, as his elder, I hope that you two will at least listen to what he has to say," Xue Jun said before he gestured for Xue Rui to start.


    Though Xue Rui appeared calm, he was actually feeling extremely nervous. He looked at Li Xinwen, then at Li Jinghua. He opened his mouth, but the words seems to be stuck on his throat.


    "I... want to apologize properly," Xue Rui said after a while of struggle. "Jinghua, though at the beginning, I didn''t mean to do it, but it didn''t change the fact that after finding out the truth, I used your feelings for me to stay closer to your family. I admit, I was blind and foolish and..." Xue Rui paused for a while to calm his nerve but this pause ends up taking more than ten seconds and created an awkward atmosphere between them.


    "In short, you were acting like those sc.u.ms who plays with people''s genuine feelings, crushing their heart and hope," Xue Jun decided to deal the blow and Xue Rui''s lowered his head in shame. "But unlike those sc.u.ms who doesn''t learn, at least you''re here now, trying to come to terms with those whom you''ve wronged. Compared to them, you are currently a bit better. But my opinion doesn''t mean anything if those who you wronged didn''t forgive you," Xue Jun added. Though it sounded like he was shooting Xue Rui down at first, his next sentences was actually an attempt to make Li Jinghua and Li Xinwen see his brother in a new light, hoping that it would increase their favoribility of his brother.


    ''So he can be cunning when he wants to,'' Li Xinwen thought to himself. ''Well, Xue Rui is his brother. So no matter how harsh he is, he would still instinctively protect his brother.''


    Li Xinwen didn''t say anything and only glanced at Li Jinghua. He had already told Li Jinghua of his stance just few night before so this time, it was her turn to come to terms with Xue Rui.


    Li Jinghua also noticed that the attention now rests on her so he couldn''t help but fidget slightly. "To be honest... I still don''t understand it. I don''t understand why you would do such a thing. When we first met, you were such a gentleman. You were foolish, awkward and I could see that it was actually your first time pursuing someone but nevertheless, you still acted like a gentleman."


    Li Xinwen heard this, and he remembered how Xue Rui acted like a young puppy before. ''So I guess this is his true personality? There is the strict and overbearing older brother, the crazy and cunning second brother and then there is him, the foolish one. Poor guy,'' shaking his head at the thought, Li Xinwen continued to listen to what Li Jinghua was saying.


    "So how is it that you suddenly changed?"


    At this, Xue Rui didn''t answer. He didn''t know what Li Jinghua and Li Xinwen would think of him if he did answer. So he simply kept quiet. Unfortunately for him, when Xue Jun said he is there to keep him from chickening out, his older brother had truly meant it.


    "This idiot thought that he could replicate what happened in a fictional story in his life in accordance to Xue Liang''s suggestion," Xue Jun said.


    Li Jinghua: ...


    Li Xinwen who used drama series as reference for his preparation: Is that bad...?


    "In any case," Xue Rui quickly said before Xue Jun started to tattle more on him. "I was wrong. I know what I did, you probably won''t forgive me for it, but that''s fine. At least, please allow me to right my wrong doings."


    "And how do you plan on doing so?" Li Jinghua asked. "It''s not easy for us, the victims, to simply accept this. Who knows if you''ll repeat the same mistake again in the future?"


    "I..." Xue Rui didn''t know how to reply to it so he took out his wallet and then, placed a card on the table before sliding it towards Li Jinghua. This action seemed to have infuriated Li Jinghua even more while Xue Jun just massaged his temple.


    ''Xiao Rui, ah... you''ll get misunderstood if its like this...''


    "What? Is this your ''hush'' money? This is how you want to right your wrongs?" Li Jinghua asked, eyes narrowing in disdain.


    "No! You got it wrong!!" Xue Rui said in a panicked tone. "I just thought that, you might need money to prepare for the apocalypse," Xue Rui said, trying to explain himself. "Jinghua, other than money, I have nothing. So, other than this method, I don''t know how else I can atone for myself," Xue Rui murmured in a soft voice.


    Li Jinghua stared at the pitiful looking Xue Rui and felt her heart soften, but she quickly shook her head. She was about to reject it, and she already reached out to push the card away. But Li Xinwen was faster. Li Jinghua could only watch as Li Xinwen grabbed the card and inspected it.


    "Ah''Wen?" Li Jinghua gave her brother a questioning look.


    "En. We do need money," Li Xinwen said as he gave Li Jinghua a smile. "Right? Since someone had extended an olive branch to us, let''s just accept it. I''m sure this money will help to ensure our survivality better."


    "You guys can use it however you want. The card is linked directly to my own personal account and there are no limit for it," Xue Rui told them.


    Li Jinghua closed her eyes, as if pondering about it. In the end, her wish to keep her family safe overturned her wish of wanting nothing to do with Xue Rui. "Fine. I will accept this card. But bear in mind, this doesn''t mean that I have forgiven what you''ve done. This only means that I am giving you a chance to properly make your atonement," Li Jinghua said. After a while, she added: "Can this card be used to buy guns?"


    "That''s impossible," the one who answered wasn''t Xue Rui but instead, Xue Jun. "Such armaments are strictly controlled by the military. Though you can find dealers who would sell them in the underground market, they will only accept payment by cash since card transaction can be easily traced."


    "Well, how about we just withdraw the money and pay when it comes to it?" Li Jinghua asked again.


    "And you meet those dealer face to face? Out of question. With two innocent looking fresh meat going to meat an arms dealer, it will only bound to be bloody," Xue Jun replied. ''And with your brother''s temper, he might even end up bringing more trouble by killing them,'' he added in his mind.


    "You just leave the matter about the weapons to me. I will not be able to move much from the military, but I know someone who can smuggle a good amount of weapons," Xue Jun said.


    "Alright. Then I''ll leave that to you," Li Jinghua replied.


    They were about to continue their discussion when the door to their private room was knocked. "Sir, your foods are here," came the waitress''s voice from behind the door.


    "Alright, come in," Xue Jun said out loud and the door opened. Then, several employees came in pushing a cart. They started to serve their meal on the table in a careful and respectful manner. They only left after they finished with their work, and then the door to their room was closed once more.


    "Before we continue, let us first eat. It is not good to talk while eating," Xue Jun said as he began to pick up his chopstick.


    Li Xinwen also didn''t waste time and quickly grabbed his own chopstick. He first reached out to the oxtail soup that he ordered, but just as he picked the meat up, a hand grabbed on his wrist.


    "Ah''Wen... you cannot eat hard food for a month, remember?" came Li Jinghua''s voice from beside him.


    "Ah, Hua-jie, did I not mention? After visiting Mr Min''s school, my injuries are all healed up! Even if I was to eat some hard as rock beef, I''d still be fine!" Li Xinwen said to her. But Li Jinghua only continued to stare at him, expression clearly saying that she didn''t believe him. "You can ask Xue Jun if you don''t believe me! He''s Min Xiaoyu''s senior martial brother!"


    Hearing his name suddenly being called during his meal time, Xue Jun can''t help but narrowing his eyes. Sensing that he will not be able to eat peacefully until this matter between brother and sister is solved, he put his chopstick down. "Miss Li, your brother is a cultivator. His injury heals faster than normal people. You have my word that he has already made a full recovery."


    "Oh, is that so..." Li Jinghua seemed hesitant, but she still let Li Xinwen''s wrist go. "Speaking of which... Ah''Wen mentions that Rui was heavily injured. But seeing him right now, I don''t even see a single blemish on his skin... is it because he''s also a cultivator?"


    Li Xinwen who was the cause: ...


    Xue Rui, the non-cultivator who knows nothing: ...


    The elder brother who was accused of over-reacting by the doctors: ...


    Small theatre: Xue Liang & Xue Rui


    Xue Rui: Brother, eldest brother isn''t helping me so I can only go to you... how can I deal with this situation?


    Xue Liang: Huh? Such easy matter and still asking me? Here, go read this and brush up your knowledge ba!


    Xue Liang hands several books to Xue Rui and left.


    Small theatre: Xue Jun & Xue Rui before going to Lakeside Pavilion


    Xue Jun: Why are we going to the bank first?


    Xue Rui: To prepare an offering.


    Xue Jun: Offering?


    Xue Rui: En. Preparing for the apocalypse will need a lot of money. I can at least give them money so they can buy all those foods, clothes and other stuff.


    Xue Jun: That''s a good idea.


    Xue Rui: Plus, it can also feel like I''m providing for my family!


    Xue Jun: ... (I praised him too early.)


    Small theatre: Li Xinwen & Xue Rui in front of Lakeside Pavilion


    Xue Rui helped Li Xinwen put the sunglasses on.


    Xue Rui: (Ah, he looks gorgeous and I want to hug him... But I must control myself. Wait until I am worthy enough to stand beside him... but maybe just a picture)


    -SNAP!-


    Li Xinwen: Rui-ge, did you just take a picture of me?


    Xue Rui: Well... I will be away for god knows how long for training so can I at least keep this with me?


    Li Xinwen with a smile: If you don''t want your new phone to be destroyed, delete it.


    Xue Rui obediently deleted the photo right in front of Li Xinwen.

 Chapter 103 - 35.1 - Cheat called Xue

    The lunch was quickly finished and Xue Jun called for the waiters to take the dishes away. Once the table was cleared, Xue Jun finally speaks up. "Let us continue our discussion from before. But I would like for Miss Li to tell me all that she knows about the apocalypse. Xiao Rui said that you had experienced the future, so I will have to ask Miss Li to tell me everything from when the apocalypse started."


    Li Jinghua looked towards Xue Jun, then to her brother who only gives her a nod to tell her to go on. Only then did Li Jinghua began her tale again. Xue Jun didn''t say anything and simply listened carefully, never cutting Li Jinghua off with any questions. Once Li Jinghua was finished, Xue Jun closed his eyes and tapped the table with his finger.


    "I understand. Then, since you have this knowledge, what other plan do you have? I know you plan on stocking the supplies, especially foods. You also mentioned weapons but where do you plan on storing it?" Xue Jun asked. "Not only that, you may have experience with handling the weapons... what about your brothers? You don''t expect them to only rely on their spiritual energy, right? Like stamina, they are not limitless."


    "I know, I do plan on teaching them how to use guns," Li Jinghua replied. "I also have other plans... creating a safe zone base, recruiting allies along the way, there are many things to do and explaining them in words is hard," Li Jinghua added.


    "En. I understand. These things need detailed planning. As for weapon training, you can leave that to me," Xue Jun informed Li Jinghua. "Since you already have the capital, just quit your job. That way you can focus on training and brush up your survival skills."


    "I can''t resign yet. There are few places that I wish to ''buy'' but they are not up for sale yet," Li Jinghua replied.


    "You can just get the owner to sell it. I don''t think they will cost much," Xue Rui chimed in.


    "Well... some of these places are not built yet, Rui. I can''t buy something that doesn''t exist," Li Jinghua sighed.


    "What do you need them for? When the apocalypse happens, things such as houses won''t do you any good," Xue Rui couldn''t help but wonder what brings Li Jinghua to want to buy properties.


    "Not houses, Rui. Factory and warehouses," Li Jinghua smiled. "To be more exact... in the first quarter of next year, a new solar panel technology will be introduced. Then not long after, their production will start. In the apocalypse, these panels were scarce but it is one of the best sources of electricity."


    Xue Rui''s eyes narrowed as he started to ponder for a while. He took out his phone and sends a few messages to his secretary before looking at Li Jinghua. "Do you know the one who is behind the technology? Who the creator is?" Xue Rui asked.


    Li Jinghua raised an eyebrow but still gave Xue Rui an answer. Xue Rui once again sends a message to his secretary before he put his phone down. "If things go well, we might be able to get the patent for that solar panel technology. Then the matter of research and production is just a matter of time and investment. Hopefully, we can get it to start before the end of the year," Xue Rui said with a smile. "Jinghua, since you already know, then don''t wait for them to start. Instead, seize it and start it yourself! You''ll save a lot of time that way. Five years may sound long, but if you''re being passive, you will realize that you haven''t collected enough... and then you won''t be able to take advantage of your excess resource and make profi-"


    Before Xue Rui could continue to ramble on, Xue Jun lightly elbowed him. "Making profits in the apocalypse is useless. Money has zero value," Xue Jun reminded Xue Rui.


    "... I forgot. But it is better to get everything ready earlier, right?"


    Li Xinwen had been quiet for a while. The reason for him being quiet wasn''t because he isn''t interested in joining the discussion, in fact, it was because he''s busy trying to suppress the demonic qi in him that had started to act up. He had already taken a mouthful of lake water earlier so he only needed to deal with the pain for a bit.


    Unfortunately, Xue Jun seemed to notice this and the other couldn''t help but voice out an inquiry. "Are you alright?"


    As soon as Xue Jun''s question left his lips, Li Xinwen noticed that all attention is now on him. He cursed Xue Jun in his mind before giving out a smile. "I''m alright. It''s just thinking about these things makes my brain hurt. I''ll just leave everything to you guys and be a soy sauce here," Li Xinwen replied.


    Xue Jun narrowed his eyes as he continued to stare at Li Xinwen. As a fellow cultivator, he noticed how Li Xinwen seemed to struggle to keep his own spiritual energy in check. ''Not only that... the boy looked pale...''


    "I think... we should end this here for now. I believe it''s better to keep in contact with each other. Miss Li, this is my private phone number. For easier communication, I think it would be good if Miss Li make a group with all of us inside. That way, if there are some difficulties that came up, everyone can be informed at the same time," Xue Jun suggested. "It will also be easy for me to reach out to the parties involved in the training."


    Li Jinghua took the paper that Xue Jun gave her and quickly added the number to her contact list. "About the plan... I will also send it to you. And umm... Major General, is it also possible for you to get your men to prepare for the apocalypse?"


    "Not a problem. Since Xiao Rui also wanted to train, I can train them at the same time," Xue Jun replied. "About that ability you mentioned... Is there a way for one to know if they have unlocked their ability? Just so that I can train them early to control their ability," Xue Jun said as he already began to formulate a plan in his mind depending on Li Jinghua''s answer.


    "It was not... confirmed but, after the meteorites lands on earth, some human would fall sick, experiencing high fevers. It would last for a few days but those people seemed to have a higher chance of unlocking their abilities. Maybe you can... try and guide those people?" Li Jinghua answered though she wasn''t actually confident with her answer.


    Xue Jun nods his head and his eyes land on Li Xinwen''s figure who was still looking pale. "One last thing... can you show me your ability? You mentioned that you still retained them after your rebirth."


    Li Jinghua didn''t vocally answer but instead, she raised her palm and focused on her hand. Soon, a ball of water formed in her hand and Xue Jun narrowed his eyes. "Keep it up. I want to try figuring out how you can conjure the water ball," Xue Jun told Li Jinghua.


    Xue Jun continued to stare at the water ball, but in the end, he couldn''t figure it out. Unlike Li Xinwen, his knowledge is considered shallow when it comes to cultivation. "How do you do that?" Xue Jun asked.


    "I just think about creating a water ball. But it is not as simple as it sounds. I needed to focus or else, I would end up splashing everything," Li Jinghua explained.


    In the end, Li Jinghua had to leave first to return to her work. That leaves Li Xinwen and the two brothers alone.


    "Xinwen," Xue Rui was the first to speak. "I... will go and train with my brother so I probably won''t be able to see you for a long time," Xue Rui informed him. "I hope that I could one day stand beside you so... Xinwen? Are you alright?," Xue Rui asked in a soft voice laced with worry.


    "En. I''m alright. And work hard," Li Xinwen replied quickly. "Just listen to your brother and you will get stronger."


    Li Xinwen''s answer had sounded distant and Xue Rui couldn''t help but feel disappointed. "I will go and make the payment," Xue Rui said as he stood up and left the room, feeling dejected. Li Xinwen seemed to notice the other''s sullen expression and he let out a heavy sigh.


    "Rui-ge, I''ll be waiting for you to grow strong," Li Xinwen said out loud. "When that day comes, I''ll leave my back to you."


    When Xue Rui heard this, he felt warmth rising from his chest. With a smile, he left the room with eyes filled with determination.


    "Are you really alright?" Xue Jun asked as soon as Xue Rui left the room.


    Li Xinwen finally lowered his guard and put away his mask, showing a pained expression. "I really should thank you for not exposing me earlier before my sister," Li Xinwen said. "Don''t worry though... it''s just a little setback. I''ll be fine after a while."


    "Are you sure?" Xue Jun asked again.


    "What''s this? Is Young Master Xue worrying about me?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "..." Xue Jun was quiet for a while, not answering. But after a while, he speaks up again. "You saved Xiao Rui''s life. I am only worried if this is related to how you are feeling right now."


    "No. This didn''t have anything to do with Rui-ge. Don''t worry too much. I''m not weak," Li Xinwen replied. "Can you leave? I will leave afterwards," Li Xinwen told the other male.


    Xue Jun narrowed his eyes at Li Xinwen but didn''t press on. Instead, he gave Li Xinwen a similar piece of paper that he gave Li Jinghua earlier. "If you need anything that can''t be known by others, just reach out to me."


    After that, Xue Jun stood up and left the room. Once the door was closed again, Li Xinwen grabbed the paper and his thermos, then entered the dimension to recuperate.

 Chapter 104 - 35.2 - Military Base

    When Xue Jun left the room, he felt Li Xinwen''s spiritual signature disappear without a trace. With a frown, he opened the door once more, only to see it empty, void of any living things. His frown deepens and he took out his phone and made a call. "Hello? The room I used today, make sure no one else uses it for the rest of the day. En, I''ll pay you for it. Thank you," Xue Jun said to his phone before he ended the call.


    He didn''t know where Li Xinwen went but just in case, he felt that it is better to be safe than sorry. By making sure that no one uses the room, he can at least prevent people from seeing what they shouldn''t be seeing. When he came down, he saw that Xue Rui is already waiting for him by the entrance.


    "Xinwen?" Xue Rui asked.


    "Already left," Xue Jun replied. "Let''s go. I''ll bring you to the training ground today to get you to experience the environment there," Xue Jun added as he walked out of the establishment. Xue Rui simply followed suit, without any question.


    Two and a half-hour later, they finally arrived at the training ground that Xue Jun mentioned. It was located quite far from the city, and it was actually a military base. Xue Jun glanced over at Xue Rui who looked at the base with wide eyes, almost like a child seeing something new for the first time.


    "Look at you," Xue Jun shook his head before he gestured for Xue Rui to follow him. "First, let us go to the general office room and have you registered. Even as a visitor, you still need to fill in your information for identification purpose or else, it would be too much of a bother if I have to accompany you all the time whenever you want to go somewhere within the base."


    Xue Jun led Xue Rui through the base and whenever they walked past a personnel, they would stop what they were doing and saluted Xue Jun. Though Xue Rui already knew that his brother is a high ranked officer, he did not expect it was to the point where others would put away whatever they were doing just to pay their respect to his eldest brother.


    "Ge, everyone here is your men?" Xue Rui asked.


    "En. Though the highest-ranking personnel in this place is grandfather, everyone here is my men. There are in total, about 3000 personnel here, with 571 officers. But you do not need to remember them. You are only here to train, not to be a soldier," Xue Jun replied.


    The admiration that Xue Rui has for his eldest brother was pushed up to the highest height. Compared to these soldiers, those bodyguards he used to employ was nothing.


    In the general office, Xue Jun had the officer in charge of personnel''s registration help Xue Rui to register. Because Xue Rui is only here to train, the place he could access was limited. He can access his own dorm room, the cafeteria, the infirmary, the shooting range and the training ground. The rest, if he ever needed to, he will need to get Xue Jun to help him.


    "Jun-ge, I don''t have access to the main entrance?" Xue Rui asked Xue Jun as he took his meal card, water card and his ID pass.


    "No. It is to prevent you from running away," Xue Jun replied. "As I have mentioned before, you are not allowed to leave until you finished your training. So starting next week, this place will be your home."


    Xue Rui somehow feels dread but at the same time, he was also looking forward to the training. ''As long as I get stronger...'' he thought to himself.


    "Let me give you a quick tour around the area. Come and follow me," Xue Jun''s voice brought Xue Rui out of his thought.


    The two siblings went around the base, with Xue Jun leading and explaining to Xue Rui about the base''s layout. The first place he brought Xue Rui to is the Military Dorm building. "This is where our soldiers rest and sleep when they are free," Xue Jun said as he walked inside, followed by his younger brother. Like other communal building, there is a security guard on duty. Their task is to make sure that nothing ''dangerous'' were being brought in into the building.


    "Your room is on the same floor as mine," Xue Jun said as they entered the elevator. He pressed on the 5th floor before closing the door. "The floor is divided by ranks. The top floor is where most of the high ranked personnel live. The room is also better compared to the lower floor, thanks to grandfather''s ''little tweaking''."


    The elevator stopped and they walked through the hallway. They didn''t walk for long before Xue Jun stopped before a door. "This is your room. My room is right at the end of the hallway over there. Would you like to go and see your room first?"


    "En. Let me familiarize with the room, ah! Who knows how long I will be staying here," Xue Rui replied.


    "There''s two way to unlock the door. By keying in your passcode, or simply swipe your ID over the device here," Xue Jun pointed at the small machine mounted on the wall beside the door. "Both will need your fingerprint for confirmation. The reason for such tight security is because this floor is where high ranked personnel lives and sometimes, we bring important files over for review. Go on and try to open your door."


    Xue Rui nods his head and swiped his ID pass over the machine and once he was prompted to provide his fingerprint, Xue Rui placed his thumb over the sensor. It only took a few seconds before the machine issued a beep and then, there was the sound of the door being unlocked.


    Opening the door, Xue Rui finally saw the inside of the room. Other than a simple bed, a locker, a table and a lamp table, there was no other furniture. There was another door in the room, which led to a small bathroom. There''s no bathtub and only a showerhead.


    "The hot water is limited, so if you''re late, you will have to make do with a cold shower in the morning. Go and scan your water card over to the small machine by the bathroom door," Xue Jun told Xue Rui who did as he was told. There was a single ''beep'' and then, numbers were shown on the display which says 1000. "See the number? It means that you have 1000 litres of water supply access. Once this number reaches 0, there will be no more water supplied to this room. To turn it off, just press the red button over here," Xue Jun pressed the button and the display is turned off.


    "What will I do if I need more water?" Xue Rui asked.


    "Naturally request from the general office from before. You will have to pay for it though. It is 300 yuan per 1000 litres. Though for you, it might be cheap, for others here, it is quite expensive. So they usually do quick shower to save their money," Xue Jun informed his brother. "Like school dormitories, lights out at 10:00 PM. If you need to do some work, use the lamp table. Now come on. Let''s go to the next place."


    After showing Xue Rui his room, Xue Jun brought Xue Rui to the shooting range and explained to him how to use the facility. Next was the cafeteria, then the infirmary. Lastly, Xue Jun brought Xue Rui to the training ground. "Every morning, this is where you should be. Starting next week, you are required to run laps here. Since you are a beginner, I won''t ask for much. Ten laps in 30 minutes, every morning no later than 6:00 AM," Xue Jun said to Xue Rui.


    "Ten laps...? Jun-ge... isn''t that too much? Ten laps are roughly 4 kilometres, ah!"


    "Is 4 kilometre too much for you? My men usually do 10 kilometres in 50 minutes. Would you like that instead?" Xue Jun asked back.


    "No. 4 kilometre is okay..." Xue Rui replied meekly.


    "Good. Since we''re already here, how about we go for two laps? It''ll help burn down those calories you got from lunch earlier," Xue Jun said as he walked towards the track.


    "Now?!" Xue Rui exclaimed in surprise. "But my shoes..."


    Xue Jun looked down and saw Xue Rui''s expensive branded shoes. "No problem. Take it off and use mine," he replied as he crouched down and took off his military boots. "I can go barefooted."


    "..." Xue Rui realized that he cannot escape, so he silently obliged and took off his shoes, replacing them with his eldest brother''s military boots. He only put on one of them before he realized that the boots were heavy. "Ge! This is too heavy, ah!"


    "Quit complaining like a chicken, ba! Even the women in the military didn''t complain as much as you do when they first started! Hurry and put it on then go warm up! If you don''t finish your two laps in five minutes, I''ll increase the difficulty of your training next week!" Xue Jun said as he warmed his leg muscles.


    Xue Rui who was suddenly forced to go for a run: ''Ge, this is not what you said last night, ah!!''

 Chapter 105 - 35.3 - Almost reported missing

    Nighttime came and Li Xinwen finally came out of his dimension. When he realized he was still at the restaurant, he decided to just sneak out through the windows. Using the cover of the night, Li Xinwen simply jumped around the buildings all the way until he reached his home. When he walked to the door, he was suddenly filled with dread. He didn''t know why, but he has a feeling that once he opened the door, he will get into trouble.


    Following his hunch, his hands reached out to his pocket and looked at his phone. He didn''t realize this earlier because he had put his phone in a do not disturb mode two nights ago and had forgotten to turn the mode off but, the number of missed calls and messages he received were more than he could imagine. The message notification reads 187 while the number of missed calls were on 27.


    "..." Li Xinwen''s finger shook as he went to check the missed calls first. He saw that not only his mother, there were also calls from Li Jinghua, Sun Xiao, Xue Rui, two unknown numbers and even his manager. Muttering a string of curses under his breath, he went to check on his messages. The content of his messages was mostly the same, asking where he is.


    Li Xinwen didn''t know if he should reply to everyone but his first task was to inform his manager that he''s safe. With a few taps on his phone, Li Xinwen put the phone near his ear. The dial tone only goes off once before a worried female voice could be heard.


    "Li Xinwen, are you alright? Where are you? Your mother called me earlier asking if you were still with me. Although I told her a lie, I was also worried, ah! If I didn''t hear from you tonight, I had planned to go to the police station first thing in the morning tomorrow to make a report!" Manager Su said to Li Xinwen. "Even the company became worried, thinking that maybe some crazy fans had kidnapped you."


    "I''m sorry, Manager Su. I lost my phone earlier. Just got it back..." Li Xinwen replied.


    "I see. But what is the deal with you meeting me? Why did you tell your mother that?" Manager Su asked. "Li Xinwen, are you in trouble? I know that the company give you one-year leave in order for you to recuperate. Are you angry that An Yunxu took your role for [Death to My Destiny]? You didn''t confront him about that, right?"


    "Huh? No..." Li Xinwen was surprised when the original''s profession was brought up. Though he knew that An Yunxu''s relationship with the original is that of rivalry, he didn''t understand the extent of their rivalry. From the original''s memories, they were very friendly on the surface. They could even act like best friends when they are on a show. He also couldn''t sense any malice from the original''s lingering feelings which meant that Li Xinwen didn''t harbour anything bad on An Yunxu.


    "I know you were looking forward to acting as the lead for that movie. But it can''t be helped. Your well-being is your top priority. Don''t worry. After your one year off, I will help you secure some resources," Manager Su said.


    "Hmm... Thank you, Manager Su. But I really don''t mind about losing the role. It wasn''t the production team''s fault that I got into the accident, naturally, for the movie''s sake I understand that the production team decided to replace me," Li Xinwen himself was surprised by the glibness of his tongue when he said this. "Anyway, I am safe, so don''t go reporting on the police. I am actually in front of my home right now," Li Xinwen said with a small chuckle. "Thank you for worrying about me, Manager Su. I will remember this."


    "Alright. Stay safe. Actually, once you feel that you can return to work. Inform me. Though you can''t act, you can still at least be an ambassador of few first-class brand names," Manager Su said. "Good night."


    After ending the call, Li Xinwen stared at the door with dread. One, his mother is definitely worried and though Manager Su did lie for him, he knew the old woman would still be worried. On the other hand, with how Xue Rui had also given him several calls, he knew Li Jinghua was also worried and even asked the two brothers about his whereabouts.


    While he was still hesitating, he heard rushed footsteps coming toward the entrance. Just based on the spiritual signature, he knew it was Li Jinghua. The entrance door opened, revealing a weary-looking Li Jinghua and before Li Xinwen could even say a word, he was wrapped in a warm embrace. "Stupid brother! Where were you? I asked Xue Rui and Major General Xue, but both of them didn''t know where you were! I even asked Mr Min if you went to meet him, but he said you didn''t!"


    "I... I''m sorry. Something came up earlier that needed my immediate attention," Li Xinwen replied. Li Jinghua didn''t leave him any path to escape at all. "It''s alright now. Don''t worry. What about mom?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "Mom... she''s alright. She called Manager Su earlier and she told mom that you were discussing about future work with her," Li Jinghua replied. "She believes it, but I don''t."


    Li Xinwen felt slightly relieved when he heard Li Jinghua''s reply. "How did you know that I''ve arrived, though?"


    "Oh, that..." Li Jinghua pulled away and showed her phone to Li Xinwen. It was a chat group, and the latest message was from Xue Rui, asking whether or not it was true that he had arrived home. Above that message, was a message from Xue Jun.


    [Xue Jun: Just got an update. The GPS indicator from his phone shows that he''s currently at your house.]


    ''GPS? When did he put a GPS on me?'' Li Xinwen wondered.


    "Anyway, let''s get you inside. We haven''t eaten dinner yet because we were too worried about you," Li Jinghua said as she pulled Li Xinwen in.


    "Hua-er, who is it? Is it Ah''Wen?" Li Xinwen could hear mother Li''s voice.


    "It''s me, mom. I''m home," Li Xinwen said with a smile before going over to give her a hug.


    "What did you discuss with Manager Su that takes you the whole day?" mother Li asked in a worried tone. "You''re not being laid off, is it? Well... I also don''t mind if you quit being an actor. If you could find a more... safer job, I''d be grateful," mother Li said in a soft voice, her hand reaching up and caressed Li Xinwen''s hair.


    Li Xinwen only let out a small chuckle before replying. "Then how about I open a shop? A flower shop, maybe? That way, I can give you flowers every day, ah!" Li Xinwen said jokingly.


    "Aiya! Rather than giving this old woman flowers, how about you start finding a partner?" mother Li retorted.


    "Mom, Ah''Wen can''t enter a relationship. Since he''s a young actor, his company stipulated that he cannot be found in a relationship until he''s 25. He has to avoid scandals too," Li Jinghua told mother Li.


    ''He can''t be in a relationship but he went ahead and have an unhealthy relationship with Xue Rui, ah! And then he was taken advantage of by Xue Liang. Li Xinwen, though I pity you... I still think that you made a stupid decision,'' Li Xinwen thought to himself.


    "Alright, enough. Let''s just have dinner. Hua-er, go and call Ah''Xiao down," mother Li said as she gently ushered Li Xinwen to the dining table. "Food is already cold, let mom warm it up first."


    Li Xinwen obediently sat down and took out his phone. He cleared the notification, then checked the group in which, he was already in. Deciding to end everyone''s worry, he decided to send a message into the group.


    [Li Xinwen: I''ve already arrived home. I apologize for worrying everyone.]


    He was just about to put his phone down when there was a new message came in.


    [Xue Rui: I''m glad you''re okay. Luckily, Liang-ge was willing to help.]


    Seeing Xue Liang''s name being mentioned, Li Xinwen frowned. He was about to type something, to ask Xue Rui what he meant when he received another message. But it was a private message so he had to close the group chat to look at it. He saw that the message came from another user who was not in his friend list, but thanks to Li Jinghua earlier, Li Xinwen is familiar with the user''s profile picture. It was none other than Xue Jun.


    [Xue Jun: Are you truly alright?]


    It was only a short question, but Li Xinwen somehow senses how Xue Jun had emphasized on the word ''truly''. Li Xinwen wanted to conceal the fact, but with what happened today, he felt that if there is no one to help cover him, it will cause more trouble.


    [Li Xinwen: Young Master Xue, I will only tell you this and I hope that you can help me keep this a secret.]


    [Li Xinwen: I''m sure your master had told you about the demon he met years back, right?]


    [Li Xinwen: Last night, I encountered him. And... since we couldn''t meet eye to eye, he had placed a large amount of demonic qi inside of me. In order to contain those demonic qi, I had to go into closed-door cultivation. So if this happens again, I would like to ask Young Master Xue a favour and help cover my track.]


    Li Xinwen sent his message, then stared at the screen as he waited for Xue Jun''s reply. It didn''t take long for him to wait since Xue Jun only replied with one word.


    [Xue Jun: Okay.]

 Chapter 106 - 35.4

    After what happened, Li Xinwen decided to just stay at home the next day. After breakfast, he would stay ''cooped'' in his room. ''Cooped'' being the keyword, because, in reality, he went inside the dimension. He felt that since he is now ''handicapped'', he needed access to the alchemy room. That way, he could try and concoct a pill that could help restrain the demonic qi.


    "But this last array is very troublesome..." Li Xinwen stared at the array. The runes on top of it are formed in a complex formation. If Li Xinwen wanted to break the seal, he needed to simplify them. "Lanyu, prepare the lake water for me," Li Xinwen said to the small spirit.


    "Master, are you sure? If you try to unseal them at your current state, the demonic qi..."


    "It''s alright. I won''t overwork myself," Li Xinwen told Lanyu. "You know it as much as I do that I need those things placed inside," Li Xinwen pointed at the door.


    "Very well. As master wishes," Lanyu replied as he flew away to bring the water for Li Xinwen.


    Li Xinwen then stared at the array once more. Closing his eyes, he started to circulate his spiritual energy, while keeping an eye on the demonic qi within him. After making sure that the demonic qi won''t react, he finally guides his spiritual energy up to his eyes. Activating Moyan, he finally started to work on the arrays.


    While Li Xinwen was busy, in the outside world, Li Jinghua had started to stock up on their supplies, thanks to Xue Rui''s ''capital''. Although she was still feeling a bit uncomfortable knowing that the money she spent belongs to her ex-fiance. It was only Li Xinwen''s urging that she was willing to even do so. ''Consider this as the break-up payment... huh?'' Li Jinghua repeated what Li Xinwen had said to her the night before.


    The first thing she bought was emergency items such as bandages and rubbing-alcohol antiseptic. Though these things have a shelf life, if placed in her space, the could be preserved longer. She first noticed this when she stored food in her space and when she took it out, it still retained its warmth.


    ''If only the dimension space is not limited, I''d buy more,'' Li Jinghua thought to herself. The next one she bought was seeds of different kinds. She avoided buying things that are hard to grow and just bought things such as potato seeds which is easier to plant and grow.


    Before long, Li Jinghua saw a notification from the group she made. Opening the application, she saw the message from Xue Rui.


    [Xue Rui: Jinghua, buying bandages and isopropyl alcohol. Does that mean I should also prepare the medicine?]


    Li Jinghua stared at the message for a while, especially on the word ''isopropyl alcohol''. She had to look up to the internet to figure out what it was. Once she found out, only then did she reply to Xue Rui.


    [Li Jinghua: Can''t you just use antiseptic like normal people? I was confused by what you meant by isopropyl alcohol.]


    [Li Jinghua: And yes, if possible, prepare the medicine. Especially antipyretic.]


    [Xue Rui: image.jpg]


    [Xue Rui: Not my fault the digital receipt shows isopropyl alcohol. I only copied what it says.]


    [Xue Rui: Leave the medicine to me. But Jinghua, you do know these things have a shelf life, right?]


    [Li Jinghua: I know. Don''t worry about it... I''ve told you about my abilities already. I can preserve them well.]


    Xue Rui replied with an ''okay'' and Li Jinghua put her phone down.


    "Jinghua, ah, are you free?" one of her officemates suddenly asked, bringing Li Jinghua back to her work.


    "Yes, what is it?"


    "This client is asking for you. He wanted to buy a house but said he won''t talk to anyone else other than you," her colleague said and Li Jinghua just raised an eyebrow. "It must be nice to have a brother who is a well-known actor, huh? Those clients from the entertainment circle all come to you. Such easy money, ah!"


    Li Jinghua could hear the hint of joking in her tone and simply shook her head. Though most of the time, her colleague are friendly, when times like this came, they would still voice out their dissatisfaction in this kind of joking manner. "Alright, who is it this time?"


    "It''s An Yunxu, ah! The relationship between him and your brother must be close, huh? He recently has an interview and even said that the reason why he took the male lead role of [Death to my Destiny] is that he..."


    Li Jinghua didn''t bother to listen anymore and took her files with her. It might be because she is biased, but she was never interested in the entertainment circle news. To her, it was enough that her brother is doing well.


    "Jinghua, the client is waiting in room 3!"


    "Alright. Thank you!" Li Jinghua replied before she went to the room where the client is waiting. When she opened the door, she saw An Yunxu sitting on the chair in a relaxed manner. Sitting beside the actor is his agent. When the two people in the room saw Li Jinghua, the agent nods his head in acknowledgement while An Yunxu offered Li Jinghua a smile.


    "Ah, you are Xiao Xinwen''s sister? As expected of someone born of the same mould, the two of you looks extremely similar," An Yunxu said. "Did anyone ever ask if the two of you are twins?"


    "No. They never said that," Li Jinghua replied. ''Though someone did mistake me for my brother...'' she added in her mind. "Enough with the flattery, Mr An. I heard you wanted to buy a house?" as Li Jinghua said this, she opened the files she had brought in.


    "Not just a house but a villa," An Yunxu said with a smirk on his face. "I heard that there is one, just right beside your house."


    Hearing this, Li Jinghua frowned. It was true that one of the buildings beside their house has been empty for a while now. But she didn''t remember it was being bought back in her past. "Indeed there is one. But there are also others. Here, let me show Mr An the pictures and their locations," Li Jinghua said as she pushed the files over to both An Yunxu and his agent. But rather than picking it up, An Yunxu just gave her a scoff.


    "Miss Li, I only want that villa. No need to show me the other," An Yunxu told her. Though An Yunxu was still smiling, Li Jinghua could sense the hostility from the other.


    "Why does Mr An wants this villa in particular?" Li Jinghua couldn''t help but ask.


    "Naturally because I have the money, ah!"


    "..." Li Jinghua didn''t believe that this was An Yunxu''s reason. She turned to the agent, who only shrugged his shoulder with a helpless expression. "Very well. But before finalizing your purchase, would you like to go and see the buildings first?"


    "Of course. Can we go today? Since the filming for [Death to My Destiny] has started, my free time is actually limited now," An Yunxu told Li Jinghua. "Today is one of those rare days where I am free."


    "No problem. Here is the address, how about I see you there in the afternoon?" Li Jinghua suggested.


    "En. That sounds good. By the way, how is Xiao Xinwen doing? I hope he has been recuperating well?"


    "He is alright. Healthy as ever," Li Jinghua replied as she stood up and rearranged her files back. "Then, Mr An, I will see you in the afternoon."


    When Li Jinghua returned to her office, her colleague was surprised. "Already? That was fast."


    "En. He already knew which one to get. Though... how did he know there was an empty villa beside mine?" Li Jinghua wondered.


    "Ah, it must be Sun Meilin," her colleague replied. "She also came not too long ago, asking villas. But in the end, she bought the one in the Eastern Suburb. Since Sun Meilin is the lead actress for [Death to My Destiny], it is not weird if An Yunxu knew about it from her."


    "That''s true, I guess. Anyway, I won''t be in the office this afternoon. Mr An wanted to go see the villa."


    "Alright. Jinghua, ya! If you can secure this sale, you better treat us for dinner!"


    "When you got Sun Meilin to buy a villa, did you treat me?" Li Jinghua asked back. "If not, then don''t ask, ba."


    Her colleague didn''t take offence and simply laughed. In the first place, she wasn''t really hoping to be treated for dinner. In their line of jobs, these kinds of things are normal. "By the way, Jinghua. I''ve noticed that lately, you''ve been buying a lot of stocks. Did you get an insider''s information or something? You should share with your fellow sisters, ah!"


    "Sure. But we sign a contract saying if you end up losing money, you will never blame me," Li Jinghua replied in a nonchalant tone.


    "Nah, never mind. Stock trading is very volatile. Saving money is more efficient for me. My luck has never been good," her colleague replied. "Anyway, I''m going back to work. Good luck later in the afternoon!"


    Li Jinghua waved her hands before she took her phone out and texted Li Xinwen, informing that he might receive a guest in the afternoon. Then, she turned back to her computer and started to look at the stock trading market on one tab, while the other tabs show the markets for houses, residence and apartments.

 Chapter 107 - 35.5 - The rabbit that brought down Xue Familys face

    Xue Liang stared at his phone, reading the message he received from Xue Jun. Just yesterday, his brother called asking him if he has any weapons to spare. Xue Liang had sneered and even asked for his reason. When he was told that it was Li Xinwen''s sister who wanted them, he was surprised. He had thought back to that young, naive woman that his brother had mistaken for his beloved for.


    His surprise turned to curiosity and he asked for the reason. When he heard about the zombie apocalypse, Xue Liang laughed at first. He even mocked Xue Jun for believing such a thing. In the end, Xue Jun had said that if he doesn''t believe it, he can come back home and he will prove that there are things that even science can''t prove that exists.


    Xue Liang, at first was reluctant to agree. It wasn''t until Xue Jun promised him some benefit did he agree to it. He had called for his subordinates to prepare several batches of hot weapons that Xue Jun requested and when it wasn''t enough, he went as far as to reach out to his contact overseas, wanting to smuggle in more.


    Then, somewhere in the late afternoon, Xue Liang received a call from Xue Jun. At first, he simply ignored it. But from the persistence of the call, he gathered that it must be something very important. When he answered, he never expected that the first thing Xue Jun would ask him is if he could track Li Xinwen''s whereabout. He still remembered the uncomfortable feeling that he had when he couldn''t find out Li Xinwen''s whereabout despite mobilizing all his men and resources.


    Though he was feeling uncomfortable, he also believed that nothing bad happened to Li Xinwen. After all, in his mind, the current Li Xinwen isn''t someone that normal people can deal with. He doesn''t believe that some idiots could go up and kidnap him. He continued to get his men to search for Li Xinwen and it wasn''t until night did they managed to track him. Xue Liang was about to tell his brother but the tracker suddenly moved, jumping from one point to one point. Xue Liang stared at his screen blankly. It wasn''t until the GPS tracker from Li Xinwen''s phone stopped at the location of his house did he call Xue Jun to inform the other.


    That was yesterday''s matter. Today, Xue Jun had sent him another message, summoning him home. He read the message so many times and ''summon'' is the best description to it that Xue Liang could think of. "Fine, I will go and see what he wants," Xue Liang grumbled after a while. He then turned his phone off, took off his sim cards and threw it on the trash bin. Pulling on his desk drawer, he took out new sim cards and put it into his phone before powering it up again.


    Xue Liang travelled from his hideout to the Xue family ancestral home by helicopter. It was nothing new and every member of the main branch already knows the kind of business he has his hands into. But when he arrived, he was surprised that Xue Jun had personally come out to welcome him.


    "Jun-ge, to what do I owe this special kind of welcoming?" Xue Liang asked.


    "Just be good and follow me, ba. As long as you behave, those things that I promised you will be kept," Xue Jun said as he gestured for Xue Liang to follow him. While walking, Xue Jun decided to converse with Xue Liang. "A few days ago, you heard the news that Xiao Rui was injured, didn''t you?"


    "En. I did get the news. But no matter how I looked, I can''t find the perpetrator. There was intel about his kidnappers, but their whereabouts were unknown. I even went as far as to ''interrogate'' their family but no matter ''how'' I asked, they still said that they didn''t know," Xue Liang replied.


    "Those people who harmed Xiao Rui has already been killed," Xue Jun informed Xue Liang.


    "Oh? I didn''t know you have it in you to kill civilians of our country, dear brother."


    "It wasn''t me. It was Li Xinwen," Xue Jun said in a low whisper so that only Xue Liang could hear him.


    Hearing the name of the person of his obsession, Xue Liang''s eyes were filled with mirth. His mind went back to that night when he found himself awake and bound inside Li Xinwen''s house. Though his memories were blurry, the image of Li Xinwen stopping his brother from hitting him was still vivid in his eyes. Just the thought was enough for him to be happy.


    "So, the little, harmless kitten can actually turn into a ferocious tiger. Ah... How I wish I could witness such beauty. Say, Jun-ge, how did he look like when he killed those people? Do you have a video?"


    Xue Jun stared at Xue Liang as if he had grown another head. But remembering that this was Xue Liang, Xue Jun let out a heavy sigh. "I am not that perverted to actually record someone doing the killing," Xue Jun told Xue Liang. "In the first place, when I arrived it was already over."


    "I see. That''s a shame... hopefully I could see it one day," Xue Liang replied with a sadistic smile painted on his face.


    "If you meant seeing his might, you probably will. Except, the target would be the zombies," Xue Jun murmured in a soft voice. By now, they finally reached the house. Xue Jun continued to lead Xue Liang all the way to the bas.e.m.e.nt and inside the bas.e.m.e.nt, Xue Rui was already waiting.


    Seeing Xue Rui''s condition, Xue Liang raised an eyebrow before he turned to Xue Jun. "I heard that Xiao Rui was covered in blood when you brought him back. According to my spy, his injuries looked severe but from what I see, he looks all fine and dandy."


    "Why do I feel that you''re mocking me, Liang-ge?" Xue Rui asked. "Naturally I''m alright because Xinwen treated me, ba! If not, my two legs will probably be wasted."


    "The little kitten treated you?" Xue Liang asked. "Xiao Rui, explain... No, wait. You shut up. Jun-ge, you explain instead."


    "Xiao Rui mentioned that he was given medicine. I suspect that the medicine has a great healing property. Probably something... magical," Xue Jun replied.


    "Magical, huh..." Xue Liang''s mind went back to certain books that he had on his person when he left Li Xinwen''s home before. He didn''t remember how he got the two books but when he read it, he felt that whoever wrote it must have been sick in the mind. Now though, he suddenly became suspicious. "Say, Dage, do you think that cultivators exist? Maybe Xinwen knew a cultivator and this cultivator is giving all these magical medicines to him? That would probably explain why he healed up so fast despite his accident."


    "If that is true, what would you do?" Xue Jun asked.


    "Of course, I''ll find this master and ask him to teach me, ah! But unfortunately, cultivators are beings that only exists in fantasy. They don''t exist," Xue Liang said in a casual tone.


    "Anyway, I am not calling you here for this little chatter," Xue Jun said, quickly changing the topic. "Xiao Liang-"


    "Don''t call me that."


    Xue Jun who was rudely cut off by Xue Liang stared at the other with a serious look. "Cut me off again and see how I''ll punish you."


    "As long as you don''t call me that, I won''t cut you off, dear brother," Xue Liang retorted.


    Xue Rui silently stared at the two who are staring dagger at each other before he cleared his throat, effectively grabbing both of his elder brothers'' attention. "Umm... Liang-ge, the reason why we called you here is because of this," Xue Rui handed Xue Liang the tablet that he has been holding for a while now. "This is the information about the upcoming apocalypse..."


    Xue Liang stared at Xue Rui as if he was staring at a fool but still took the tablet into his hand. He quickly read the information on the tablet. The doc.u.ment was prepared by Li Jinghua and was sent to them late last night. It detailed everything from the arrival of the meteors, to the first sign of the change in the world''s state. It delved deeper and as Xue Liang read, his frown deepened.


    After a while, he put down the tablet and looked at Xue Rui, then Xue Jun. "You two believed in this crap? Jun-ge, don''t tell me this is the proof you wanted to show me."


    "That is not all. Here," Xue Jun grabbed the tablet and made several taps on the screen before handing it back to Xue Liang. On the screen, a video was playing.


    "Oh dear, Xiao Rui, ah! Is this not your fiance?" Xue Liang asked in a mocking tone. "Oh, no wait. My bad, it is now ex-fiance, right?" he asked with a smirk despite knowing the answer.


    "Shut up and watch the video," Xue Jun''s voice had a hint of warning within and Xue Liang quickly shuts his mouth and stared into the tablet.


    In the video, Li Jinghua could be seen conjuring a water ball on top of his palm and even manipulated it into several shapes. Xue Liang narrowed his eyes, paused the video, moved the indicator back to the beginning and watched it again. He did this several times before he turned to Xue Jun. "This video isn''t manipulated?"


    "Do you think I have time to manipulate a video just to prank you?" Xue Jun asked back. "Xiao Lian-"


    "I said don''t call me that."


    "... Anyway, all you have to do is prepare the weapons. Whether you believe it or not, is up to you. Not to mention, you would still be making money anyway and also, the benefits are to your interest," Xue Jun decided to simply continue. "And before I forgot. Xiao Rui will begin training starting next week. I might not be available all the time so I hope that you can help keeping him in check when I am not free."


    "Huh? And what makes you think I agree?" Xue Liang asked.


    Xue Jun just stared at Xue Liang blankly before he gestured for Xue Liang to look at Xue Rui with his head. "Look at him. Him being bullied to the point of being injured so bad... don''t you think that our Xue family''s face was dragged down by this vegetarian rabbit?"


    "Hmm... you''re right. And we have the same face too... what would I do if any of my contacts saw Xue Rui and thought he''s me? They might also think that this ancestor is a vegetarian. Fine. I will help... with a condition," Xue Liang turned to Xue Jun. "I''m allowed to bring whatever I want and I also want to be in that whatever group chat you have with Li Xinwen."


    Meanwhile, the vegetarian rabbit Xue Rui can only stay quiet as he felt his impending doom during his upcoming training.

 Chapter 108 - 35.6 - I suggest Senior also tread carefully.

    Afternoon came, and Li Jinghua went over to the vacant villa that was just beside her house after eating lunch. Earlier, she had already called for the cleaning crew to help clean the villa so that it would look presentable to the client. Opening the door, she looked around the place and was satisfied with the cleaning work.


    When An Yunxu came with his agent, Li Jinghua proceeded to give them a tour around the villa. All the while, she acts as a professional, despite feeling that An Yunxu is deliberately trying to probe into her personal life. To be exact, trying to probe more about Li Xinwen''s wellbeings.


    Li Jinghua politely replied, but never delved deeper into her personal life. When the tour ends and they exits the villa, Li Jinghua heard An Yunxu ask once more.


    "Miss Li, is Xiao Xinwen''s condition that bad? I noticed that you tend to avoid answering my question. I am only worried for my junior, ah!" An Yunxu said. "Also, since I am free and nearby. Do you think it is possible to pay him a visit? I won''t disturb his rest. I promise. I only wanted to talk about work-related matters with him, after all, he was the supposed to be the one to act the role I have right now. I wanted some pointers from him."


    An Yunxu has an amicable smile on his face, but Li Jinghua was someone who had experienced the apocalypse. She had learned how to sense malice from someone and at this moment, Li Jinghua could sense that An Yunxu was planning something.


    "My brother might be resting at this-"


    "Hua-jie!"


    Li Jinghua heard a familiar voice calling out to her at a distance and when she turned her head over to the direction of the source, she saw Li Xinwen on the balcony of his room, waving at her. In the end, Li Jinghua was unable to lie to An Yunxu and could only wave back to her brother.


    "It looks like Xiao Xinwen is up and awake. Pengfei, go and grab that get well gift from the car," An Yunxu told his agent who then went to the car to get the gift.


    From the balcony, Li Xinwen was staring at the trio with a deep look. Earlier, when he left the dimension for lunch, he saw Li Jinghua''s message about An Yunxu. So he didn''t go back to the dimension as planned. When he sensed two foreign spiritual signature, Li Xinwen trained his ears to listen to their conversation. To his surprise, he found out something that made his neutral stance on An Yunxu became hostile.


    Seeing An Yunxu conversing with his sister, and hearing how Li Jinghua is about to chase An Yunxu away from visiting him, Li Xinwen can only call out to her. He didn''t want his sister to meddle with his problem.


    ''It''s alright if you were only a rival in the entertainment world, but to actually cause harm and even almost killing me, I don''t think I can let this off,'' Li Xinwen thought to himself. But when he realized what he was thinking, Li Xinwen froze in place. He took several deep breaths and calmed his mind. ''I might''ve fallen too deep into this act... keep yourself together, Xinwen. You and the original are two people of different soul.''


    He continued to watch as Li Jinghua talked to An Yunxu, silently eavesdropping on their conversation as they made their way to the Li family house. Seeing this, Li Xinwen gave them a friendly wave once more, before going back inside. He went down in a relaxed manner then slowly made his way to the entrance. When he opened the door, Li Jinghua, An Yunxu and his agent had just arrived in front of the door.


    "Come on in, ba. But be quiet, my mother is resting in her room," Li Xinwen informed them.


    "Xiao Wen, ah. It''s good to see that you are well," An Yunxu said with a smile. "This is a gift from me. I apologize for not being able to visit you before this. As you know, my schedule is packed."


    Li Xinwen received the gift from An Yunxu, which was a basket of fruit as well as a small box wrapped in gift wrapping. "It''s alright, Senior An. Xinwen understand," Li Xinwen replied with a smile.


    "Ah''Wen, I have to go back to work. If anything happens, reach out to ''us'', alright?" Li Jinghua said with a slightly worried expression. The ''us'' she mentions naturally the people in the group chat.


    Hearing this, Li Xinwen let out a burst of a low chuckle. "Hua-jie, what is there to be worried about? It''s not like an ''accident'' can happen inside the house," as Li Xinwen uttered the word accident, his eyes landed on An Yunxu. Though Li Xinwen was smiling, there was a cold glint present in his eyes. An Yunxu suddenly felt cold, as if being doused in ice water. An Yunxu''s heart suddenly filled with worry, wondering if Li Xinwen found out that he had his hands in his accident.


    Li Jinghua left, but An Yunxu was still rooted in place. Li Xinwen was still staring at him while holding the door open. "Senior An, are you still going to come in?" Li Xinwen asked in a friendly voice but to An Yunxu, it sounded like the devil himself was beckoning him to his death.


    "I-I suddenly remembered I have something to do!" An Yunxu replied.


    The agent, hearing this was surprising and hurriedly took out his schedule book to check. But An Yunxu''s schedule for the day was empty. Understanding what his artist wanted to do, he also speaks up. "Ah, yes. It was my mistake. There was indeed a meeting with a brand representative to talk about the contract of being the spokesperson. Mr Li, I apologize but I will have to take Xiao An with me. When we have time, we will go and visit you properly."


    After hearing how his agent had helped cover him, An Yunxu also voiced out his disappointment, saying that how he wished to come in and talk for a while. After that, he hurriedly turned around, wanting to leave. But Li Xinwen''s voice stopped him in his track.


    "Senior An, don''t think I don''t know who is behind that accident. That accident has taken five innocent lives. I suggest Senior An also tread carefully," Li Xinwen said with a hint of warning before he went inside the house and closed the door.


    An Yunxu did not miss the threat that was hidden under Li Xinwen''s words. Hurrying back to his car, An Yunxu quickly told his agent to drive away. "F.u.c.k! Pengfei, do you think that Li Xinwen found out that I was the one behind his accident?" An Yunxu asked.


    "That''s impossible. You''ve never contacted the person responsible for the accident yourself, and the middle-man that we used were already sent overseas. We even paid a lot of hush money so there is no doubt that he won''t speak," his agent replied.


    "Then why was he saying that?!"


    "He might just be grasping at straws," the agent answered. "It might be that he was unwilling to accept the fact that you had taken his role in [Death to My Destiny] and had wanted to scare you into admitting. But as long as you don''t admit, he will not have any evidence. Xiao An, don''t worry too much. After this movie, that Li Xinwen will not be a hindrance anymore."


    "He better not be!" An Yunxu hissed under his breath. "Speaking of which, didn''t the report says that his injuries were so serious? How is it that there isn''t even a single scar on his face?! Even if he didn''t die, at the very least, he should have scars."


    "About that..."


    "Bah! Whatever. The company has given him a year off. In this one year, people should start to forget he even exists in the entertainment circle," An Yunxu said as if trying to comfort himself. The agent didn''t say anything else as he continued to drive silently.


    Meanwhile, back in the Li family household, Li Xinwen was sitting on his bed, looking at the small box that was given by An Yunxu. He had scanned the object within with his spiritual energy and had deemed that it was not dangerous. But whenever he tried to open it, he hesitated. He did not understand why he was hesitating. ''Is it the original''s lingering feeling at play?'' Li Xinwen wondered. Even earlier, the anger that he felt didn''t originate from him, himself. Instead, it came deep from within his soul.


    ''Soul?!'' as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he threw the box away and repositioned himself, sitting in a lotus position. Closing his eyes, he relaxed his minds and entered his sea of consciousness. Here is where his memories rest, both his own and the original Li Xinwen''s. Of course, he had already separated the two and even sorted them out properly. He went deeper until he could see his soul core, covered in a dense blue aura.


    He could see there was a crack on his soul core, and he knew the reason for it was because he had used soul attack on An Wuya before. ''Was the crack this small? I''m pretty sure the crack was bigger before...''


    But this wasn''t what he came to search for. The cracks can be restored, as long as he nourishes his soul over time but before that, he needed to remove the demonic qi inside him. He looked around, but he still couldn''t see anything. ''Was I wrong?'' Li Xinwen thought to himself.


    Finding out that there was nothing wrong within his soul, Li Xinwen left his sea of consciousness and opened his eyes once again. But what he didn''t realize was that, when he left, a speck of white shined slightly but its light was immediately overwhelmed by the blue aura around it. The white light disappeared into Li Xinwen''s soul core, returning to its source. Within Li Xinwen''s soul core, rests another core. White, small and weak, and yet, as it continues to revolve within Li Xinwen''s soul core, a small thread of white mist went to the small crack, slowly repairing it. Of course, due to its weak nature, one will not be able to see it with n.a.k.e.d eyes since the process itself was extremely slow.

 Chapter 109 - 35.6 -

    Meanwhile, far away from where Li Xinwen lives, a group of people could be seen entering a huge cave. They continued to walk through the cave path. The deeper they go, the colder the cave get. Not only that, they could hear the pained howl from within getting louder and louder.


    When they reached the heart of the cave, they saw Chen Jingguo worried expression as the other stared into one of the smaller cave openings.


    "Master Chen, how was the lord?" one of the cultivators asked.


    "He''s still in pain. How about those cultivators from Min Shaotian''s side?" Chen Jingguo asked back.


    "They still haven''t figured out where we''re hiding. But they are getting closer. We need to move soon."


    "I will bring this matter up to the lord," Chen Jingguo replied before he entered the smaller cave.


    Inside the smaller cave is where An Wuya resides. The items within were a mess, some laid broken on the ground. Chen Jingguo knew that ever since An Wuya confronted Li Xinwen, the other''s mood has been chaotic. He regretted telling An Wuya about Li Xinwen''s existence. If he had kept his mouth shut, this wouldn''t have happened.


    "My lord... we have to leave to our new hideout soon," Chen Jingguo said. "According to the people I sent out, Min Shaotian''s group will find out about this place sooner or later. With you injured-"


    "If you have time to worry about such things, how about you start figuring out how to undo this seal placed on me?!" An Wuya roared out at Chen Jingguo. "Who was that little cultivator you told me about? Why is his soul at the peak of Kongming stage?!"


    "I don''t know! I was sure that he is only at Houtian!"


    An Wuya just clicked his tongue, and he looked at Chen Jingguo. "How long until you can figure out how to undo the seal?"


    "Actually, I have already figured it out. It''s just that... My lord, your soul was severely damaged. Unless you can heal your soul..." Chen Jingguo, though he is not that talented as a cultivator, his brain can be considered a top-notch. After all, he was once someone who is the top scorer of the provincial exam. Figuring out arrays and formations was not a problem for him.


    An Wuya narrowed his eyes, then he looked over at the entrance to his small cave. "Those cultivators we gathered, are they still outside?" An Wuya asked.


    "Yes."


    "Go out and tell them to come here. You wait outside," An Wuya ordered Chen Jingguo.


    Chen Jingguo did as he was told, and left the room. He told the group of cultivators to go inside as per ordered by An Wuya and waited patiently outside. It hasn''t even been ten seconds when he heard a series of screams from within. It didn''t take long for the scream to subside though. Chen Jingguo continued to wait until An Wuya came out.


    "The rest?" Chen Jingguo asked, though by looking at An Wuya''s complexion and the scream from earlier, he could already guess what happened. If he said he wasn''t afraid, then he''s lying. The coldness within An Wuya''s eyes was worse than what he''d seen in Li Xinwen''s eyes. At least, with Li Xinwen, he was still seen as a man while with An Wuya, he felt that he was seen as an animal waiting to be slaughtered.


    "The rest? They have served their purpose. So to reward them, I let them ''rest''."


    "Rest?"


    "Jingguo, ah... don''t ask too much question unless you want to anger me. Come and help me remove the seal," An Wuya gestured for Chen Jingguo to come closer. An Wuya''s voice contains his usual charming effect and Chen Jingguo found himself walking towards him. Chen Jingguo pressed his hand over to An Wuya''s chest and closed his eyes. He poured his spiritual energy in, inspecting An Wuya''s condition. After a while, he opened his eyes and shook his head.


    "Is it not enough?" An Wuya asked. The voice was low while his face scrunched up showing his irritation.


    "Undoing the seal and removing it is a dangerous process. It is better to wait until your soul is healed up completely, my lord," Chen Jingguo replied.


    With a click of his tongue, An Wuya turned and walked towards the entrance of the cave. Chen Jingguo who saw this quickly chased after An Wuya. "My lord, what are you doing? It''s dangerous to go out without any plans! Those people from Min Shaotian''s group might be around."


    An Wuya paused in his track then turned to Chen Jingguo. "What about the rest of our men?"


    "Most of them are still scattered around the country. Some are still hidden," Chen Jingguo replied.


    "Good. Call them all here. Once I''ve recovered, not only that Min Shaotian, I''ll also let that little cultivator Li Xinwen pay his debts!" An Wuya hissed out.


    "My lord... I still think it is better to go to our next hiding place. By then, it will still not be too late to make them pay," Chen Jingguo once again suggested that they abandon their current hideout.


    "Jingguo, ah... Are you the leader or am I the leader? You said it yourself, they will find out about this place sooner or later, which means, there is still time," An Wuya told him. "Just do as I say, and call our men. Once I''ve recovered, those ants won''t amount to anything."


    Chen Jingguo could hear the displeasure in An Wuya''s tone when he speaks so he didn''t dare to press on. In the end, he could only obediently called for their men to come back.


    While the demonic cultivator was on the move and Min Shaotian trying to find them, Li Xinwen finally removed the seal on the alchemy room completely. As soon as the last of the seal was removed, Li Xinwen grabbed Lanyu and entered the room.


    "Help me find Blood of the Sea Serpent, Thousand-year Spirit Birchlock Root, 3 bundles of Nether Drakebloom Flower, Manticore''s tail and marrow," Li Xinwen said the five type of ingredients in one breath.


    Lanyu, who was suddenly dragged into the alchemy room was still in a daze. It has been a long time since he entered this room and it had brought back some old memories. The room still looked as it was since the last time he entered. It wasn''t until Li Xinwen poked him did he return to his sense. "Ah, yes. I''ll go find them now!"


    Li Xinwen watched as Lanyu went through the storage shelves. The shelves were made of top-grade jades so the ingredients stored inside would retain its spiritual vitality. Li Xinwen''s eyes then went to the cauldron that rests in the centre of the room. It was a top-grade cauldron and if compared to Li Xinwen''s old cauldron back in Long Xing, it paled in comparison. But unfortunately, Li Xinwen had laid his eyes on one of the Twelve Celestial Cauldron. So he didn''t feel excited when he sees this top-grade cauldron.


    ''When I get the chance, should I ask the cauldron back from Hua-jie? Or make do with this for now until the right time comes?'' Li Xinwen wondered. Li Xinwen walked towards the cauldron and inspected it properly. After making sure that the cauldron was in perfect shape, only then did he begin to light up the furnace underneath the cauldron. Cultivators who practised in the alchemy path are usually people who had awoken their alchemy spiritual flames.


    But what Li Xinwen used to light the furnace was not an alchemy spiritual flame but instead, his own soul fire. The blue flames burned bright, and Li Xinwen began to control its heat. When Lanyu came over to put one of the ingredients over, he saw the blue flames and couldn''t help but become fascinated.


    "Blue coloured soul fire... The same colour as the old master. This colour is the second closest to the divine soul fire," Lanyu murmured in a soft voice. He couldn''t help but reminisce the time when his old master was still present and couldn''t help but feel sad. In the past, he also helped the old master in getting the ingredients, along with the other fairies.


    "Lanyu, are you alright?" Li Xinwen asked when he saw that Lanyu was in a daze. This was the second time since entering the alchemy room.


    "I''m alright, master!" Lanyu replied quickly. "Here are the ingredients but... I realized that there were no Thousand years Spiritual Birchlock Root. So I replaced it with a Ten Thousand years Spiritual Birchlock Root," Lanyu informed Li Xinwen.


    "Ten thousand years!" Li Xinwen hissed in amazement. Back in Long Xing, Li Xinwen only saw Thousand years Spiritual Birchlock Root and even that was already expensive. For Lanyu to use it as a replacement ingredient, Li Xinwen could feel his heart ache. "How many of these are left?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "Don''t worry. There are still tons of it left!" Lanyu replied with a big smile. "Ah, but we don''t have much of Sea Serpent''s blood left," he added.


    "Alright, I won''t make a mistake, don''t worry," Li Xinwen said. ''After all, this is a Ten-thousand years Spiritual Birchlock Root, ah! If I mess up, it''ll be a big loss!''

 Chapter 110 - 36.1 - Message from the old master

    Li Xinwen wiped off the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt while staring at the ten black and red coloured pills within the cauldron. Halfway through the process, the demonic qi acted up once again and he had to split his attention into two. He cursed An Wuya and his family, all the way to his ninth ancestor.


    Taking one of the pills, he quickly stuffed it into his mouth. The pill melted as soon as it entered his mouth and he swallowed it. Li Xinwen closed his eyes as he waited for the pill to take effect. A few seconds later, Li Xinwen could feel that the rampant demonic qi from earlier was subdued and was caged by the pill''s effect. As long as Li Xinwen doesn''t use too much spiritual energy, he should be fine for a while. Though it''s not a solution to his problem, this was all he could do for now.


    "Lanyu, help me store the rest of the pills," Li Xinwen ordered the little fairy who had been accompanying him. Lanyu was about to move when he suddenly thought of something and paused in his track.


    "Master, how about you keep these on your person?" Lanyu suggested. "What if things like last time happen again? Where I couldn''t even reach you..."


    "It''s too conspicuous to bring along such large bottle with these round pills," Li Xinwen replied with a sigh.


    Lanyu who heard this simply flew over to the shelves and pulled out one of the drawers. Taking the item inside, Lanyu went back to Li Xinwen''s side and held it up with both hands. In his hands was a simple ring with no visible decoration. "The old master left this! It''s new and not bound to anyone. Master can just bind this ring to himself and use it as storage! It''s easier than leaving things here in the dimension," Lanyu explained. "Ah, but unlike the dimension, you can''t store living things inside. Only inanimate objects."


    "How come you didn''t give this to me earlier?" Li Xinwen asked as he took the ring.


    "Because the door to this room is sealed, ah!"


    Li Xinwen realized his mistake but didn''t say anything else to save his face. He bit onto his thumb, drawing blood and then smeared it onto the ring. The ring absorbed the blood, and Li Xinwen could finally send his spiritual awareness inside the ring. To his surprise, the ring is not empty as he had expected. There were two letters inside. One addressed to the new owner, the other, addressed to Lanyu.


    While Li Xinwen inspected the ring, Lanyu had already worked on putting the pills into a bottle and sealed the openings. He was just waiting for Li Xinwen to store it in the storage ring when he heard Li Xinwen calls him.


    "Lanyu."


    "Hmm?" Lanyu looked up at Li Xinwen. "Is there something wrong, master?"


    Li Xinwen took out the two letters and handed one to Lanyu. "This is for you. Your old master seems to have left you a message," Li Xinwen told the small fairy.


    Lanyu stared at the letters and held it with two hands. He could see his old master''s handwriting, the cursive way of writing that was uniquely belonged to him. Lanyu hugged the letter close but didn''t open it to read the content.


    "Not reading it?" Li Xinwen who saw this, asked. Lanyu only quietly shook his head so Li Xinwen didn''t ask further. He reached out and lightly pats the spirit''s head. "You can go and roast one of the chicken if you like. It''s your reward for helping me today."


    "Really?!" Lanyu''s eyes immediately brightened up the moment Li Xinwen allowed him to have one chicken.


    "En. So don''t look so sad anymore," Li Xinwen said in a gentle tone. "I''m going outside. Remember, only one chicken," Li Xinwen reminded the fairy before he took the bottle of pills and placed it into the storage ring. He also went back to the main house and grabbed Shuang Ren, placing it into the same ring. Only after that did he leave the dimension.


    Once Li Xinwen had left, Lanyu eyed the letter that Li Xinwen had given him. He was still hesitating whether or not he wanted to read it. In the end, he still opened the letter and began to read. The characters written on the parchment brought back memories for Lanyu and as read, a melancholic smile appeared on his face. Halfway through reading it, his eyes became blurry and by the end of the letter, droplets of water fell onto the parchment.


    "Master... why did you leave us, ah... If you had told us, we would''ve gladly followed you..." Lanyu hugged the letter close as he cried his heart out.


    Lanyu''s sorrow, Li Xinwen who had formed a contract with him could naturally sense it. He had already noticed it after he had confronted An Wuya and Lanyu couldn''t reach him, the little fairy had been acting unusual. Li Xinwen stared at the letter that the old master left for him.


    In the letter, it mentions that the old master had come from the higher realm called Xiangya Yueliang. Based on the old master''s description, it is a higher than Long Xing. Li Xinwen also knew that there are more than 3000 lower realms, 3000 middle realms and 3000 higher realms. And for one to achieve true Dao, they need to ascend through the realms.


    Reading on, the master mentioned that while he was cultivating the dimension in an attempt to create a new realm, he had travelled through the realms, finding rare treasures to nourish the little dimension. He was close to succeeding and only needed three more items but during one of the excursion, he was ambushed by several demonic cultivators. Although he survived, he ended up being poisoned.


    The poisons were deadly and the old master could sense that it was corroding not only his spiritual energy but also his soul. Towards the end, the old master finally left a message to ask small favour to the new owner.


    [I did not tell the spirit fairies that I''ve raised about my condition. I didn''t want them to worry. Even now, I could feel my life slipping. To the one who inherited this dimension. I leave everything to you. You can use them however you see fit, if you wish to help me complete the dimension, I have left the book in the study room but one of my fairies should have already told you that. In any case, even if you are someone from the lower realm, with all the cultivation manuals I''ve collected throughout my life, you should still be able to ascend all the way to the higher realm. All that I ask of you is to take care of the little fairies in this dimension.]


    "There is only Lanyu left though," Li Xinwen said in a soft voice as if he wanted to inform the person who had written the letter. "And since I have benefited from the things you have left me, naturally I would help you take care of Lanyu."


    Li Xinwen put the letter back into the ring storage. After that, he got up and went over to the bathroom. Since he had been sweating earlier, he felt that he needed to clean himself up. He had only stood under the shower for five minutes when he suddenly heard his door being knocked, followed by Sun Xiao''s voice.


    "Xin-gege, Xin-gege! Help! There''s something in my room!!"

 Chapter 111 - 36.2 - This brat is from the Phoenix Bloodlines!

    A/N: Important author''s note in the author''s thought. Please read it and reply in the comment >.Ah''Xiao, your face is red. Are you alright?" Li Xinwen asked in a worried tone. He ran his mind through everything he knew about Zhuo Yang body type, wondering if there was something wrong with Sun Xiao''s cultivation. The temperature of people with pure Yang body type tends to be higher than normal, if they couldn''t reign in their spiritual energy it could sometime cause them harm instead.


    Sun Xiao, on the other hand, turned even more nervous as he found his eyes unable to move from his brother''s figure. He had almost forgotten why he had called Li Xinwen for. Fortunately, he still remembered and he quickly shook his head to make his thought clearer.


    "I''m okay, Xin-gege. But... there''s something in my room. Earlier, I tried to cultivate and suddenly, some of the spiritual energy I gathered were sucked away by something from my drawer!" Sun Xiao informed Li Xinwen. "Xin-gege, is there a ghost in my room? You mentioned before that ghost can also cultivate and that there are malevolent ghost and benevolent ghost..." Sun Xiao clearly looked afraid as he mentioned the word ghost.


    "Ghost?" Li Xinwen turned to look at the door to Sun Xiao''s room. He activated Mo Yan but he couldn''t see anything that resembled a ghost. If there was indeed a ghost, then he will need to ask them to move away, or if they are hostile, eradicate them. Ghosts are full of Yin energy, and someone with a body like Sun Xiao does attract them. But these beings are not good for Sun Xiao as they absorb Yang energy.


    "Xin-gege, was there really a ghost?" Sun Xiao asked when he saw that Li Xinwen''s expression was full of seriousness.


    Li Xinwen turned his attention back to Sun Xiao and just offered him a smile. Raising his hand, he gently rubbed the other''s head. "There''s no ghost. Don''t worry," Li Xinwen assured the young boy. "But this still needs to be investigated. Let''s go to your room first," Li Xinwen said and they walked over to Sun Xiao''s room.


    The door was still in an opened state, showing that Sun Xiao didn''t even have time to close them in panic. When they entered the room, Li Xinwen did not sense any presence made out of Yin energy. In fact, the room was rich with Yang energy which shows that Sun Xiao did cultivate before. Using Mo Yan, Li Xinwen was still unable to see anything that was amiss. But seeing Sun Xiao''s state, there was no doubt that the boy had found something here when he''s cultivating earlier. He remembered that Sun Xiao mentioned that the energy was absorbed and the cause seemed to be coming from the drawer.


    "Ah''Xiao, which drawer did you sense the thing that was absorbing the energy?" Li Xinwen asked. Sun Xiao quietly pointed at the drawer beside his table. Li Xinwen walked over or at least attempted to when he felt his arm was being hugged tightly. Turning back, he saw Sun Xiao holding on onto his arm with a worried look.


    "What if there really is a ghost?" Sun Xiao said when he saw Li Xinwen''s questioning look. "I don''t want anything to happen to Xin-gege..."


    A low chuckle escaped Li Xinwen''s lips as he playfully pinched Sun Xiao''s nose. "Don''t worry. A ghost can''t harm me," Li Xinwen said in an assuring tone. "You know how strong Ge is, right?"


    Sun Xiao continued to look at Li Xinwen before finally nodding his head. He let go of Li Xinwen''s arm with reluctance and watched as Li Xinwen walked over to the drawer. His eyes continued to train on Li Xinwen''s figure as the other pulled the drawer open and looked inside.


    Li Xinwen''s eyes narrowed as he looked inside the drawer. There were a few books, notes, and several new, unopened pen. Other than that, there was the gift that Xue Rui had given Sun Xiao. ''There is nothing here, ah. Did Ah''Xiao imagined it?'' Li Xinwen thought. Activating Mo Yan once more, Li Xinwen looked at each item until it rests on the gift from Xue Rui. His eyes widened as he carefully picked up the egg-shaped stone. The ember coloured egg seemed to shine slightly upon being picked up before dimming once more.


    "Ah''Xiao, try and cultivate again," Li Xinwen said, his eyes never leaving the stone egg in his hand.


    Sun Xiao didn''t ask any question and quietly closed his door before he sat down on his bed and began cultivating. The spiritual energy within the room swirled and started to gather around Sun Xiao. When Sun Xiao started to absorb the energy, something finally happened. The stone egg in Li Xinwen''s hand started to glow. Some of the spiritual energy that Sun Xiao was about to absorb travelled towards the egg. When Sun Xiao noticed this, his brow furrowed and he was about to stop when he heard Li Xinwen''s voice.


    "Don''t stop. Continue," Li Xinwen told the boy. "Ge is here. Nothing will happen to you."


    Sun Xiao heard the gentle tone from Li Xinwen and started to relax once more. He trusted Li Xinwen and continued to absorb the energy.


    Li Xinwen, on the other hand, continued to eye the stone egg in his hand. He didn''t know the origin of this item, but he could sense a dormant life within. To confirm his suspicion, Li Xinwen tried to put the egg into his storage ring. When the process failed, Li Xinwen knew that the stone egg is not just mere decoration.


    [Lanyu: Master!! Is there someone with you? I could sense that bastard outside!]


    ''There''s Ah''Xiao, why?'' Li Xinwen asked, narrowing his eyes. He had already told Lanyu about Sun Xiao, so the spirit knew about his brother and wouldn''t have disrespected him. But Lanyu''s tone seemed a bit suspicious.


    [Lanyu: Only your brother? But... I feel like there''s someone else there...]


    ''Hmm... there is this stone egg in my hand, and I believe it to be an egg for some creature,'' Li Xinwen replied to Lanyu.


    [Lanyu: That must be it! On the day I met master, someone was absorbing the spiritual energy that I''ve gathered. This lower realm is already lacking in spiritual energy, and he actually took what I worked hard on! Master must help Lanyu teach him a lesson!]


    Lanyu sounded like a child that had been bullied and wronged as he complained to Li Xinwen. Li Xinwen just shook his head with a smile on his face. ''This thing hasn''t even born yet, ah. How to teach him a lesson? And its only absorbing spiritual energy to nourish this life inside. Who knows if this creature can be of help to Ah''Xiao in the future.''


    [Lanyu: If master wants to, Lanyu can help figure out what kind of creature it is. Just send it inside.]


    ''Are you sure you''re not going to crack it open and cook it as revenge for what happened before?'' Li Xinwen decided to tease Lanyu.


    [Lanyu: Master!! Lanyu won''t do that. Master should know that Lanyu can''t hide anything from master since we formed a contract...]


    Lanyu sounded distressed that he was being bullied by his master. Li Xinwen just chuckled and send the egg into the dimension for Lanyu to look at. After a while, he heard Lanyu''s voice again in his mind.


    [Lanyu: Master, it looks like this brat is actually a beast from the phoenix bloodlines, ah!]

 Chapter 112 - 36.3 - Is it a phoenix or is it a chicken?

    ''Phoenix bloodlines? How pure are his bloodlines?'' Li Xinwen asked Lanyu.


    [Lanyu: Unfortunately, I won''t be able to figure that out until this brat is born. But as long as master let him cultivate with master''s younger brother, he should be able to be born in a few years.]


    After saying that, Lanyu sent the egg back to Li Xinwen who then stared at it. After a while, he placed the egg back in its place, then turned to Sun Xiao. The boy had entered a deep state of cultivation so Li Xinwen didn''t want to disturb him. He was just about to leave when he sensed Sun Xiao was getting restless. "Ah''Xiao?" Li Xinwen called out, wondering if there was something wrong.


    But the moment his voice left his lips, Sun Xiao regained his calmness. Seeing this, Li Xinwen figured out that the boy was probably still afraid about that ghost, so he didn''t want Li Xinwen to leave. In the end, Li Xinwen could only settle on the floor near the bed and waited patiently.


    Ten minutes passed, and Li Xinwen felt his eyes were getting heavier. He then remembered that after he undid the seal, he also went through with refining the pills. ''It was no wonder that I''m mentally tired...'' Li Xinwen thought to himself as he closed his eyes. He wished that he could drink the lake water without repercussion again. ''This is all because of the demonic qi. When I see that An Wuya again, I will make him pay... with interest.''


    Two hours passed, and Sun Xiao finally opened his eyes. When he couldn''t see Li Xinwen in his line of vision, he showed a panicked expression. His eyes immediately landed on the drawer, where he felt some of the spiritual energy he gathered earlier had escaped to. In his mind, he was still thinking that there is a ghost inside. He was just about to run again when he finally saw Li Xinwen near his bed on the floor, asleep in a sleeping position.


    Li Xinwen was still wearing the bathrobe so Sun Xiao could see the other''s well-sculptured chest. All of a sudden, Sun Xiao was reminded of the dual cultivation technique that he had read a few days ago to which, most of them contains an obscene description. When he realized where his mind was heading, Sun Xiao quickly shook his head and cleared his thought. His hand reached out and shook Li Xinwen''s shoulder lightly.


    "Xin-gege, Xin-gege, wake up," Sun Xiao tried to wake Li Xinwen up but the tone of his voice was soft, betraying his attempts of waking the other up.


    But Li Xinwen is a cultivator. Unless he had entered deep cultivation, if someone were to wake him up, he could naturally hear them. Opening his eyes, Li Xinwen stared at Sun Xiao. "Done?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "En," Sun Xiao replied. "Umm... Xin-gege, what about the ghost?"


    "Ghost? There''s no ghost, Ah''Xiao," Li Xinwen replied with a chuckle. "The one responsible for stealing those energies you gathered is that egg you got from Xue Rui."


    "Egg?" Sun Xiao appeared confused. He appeared as if he is trying to remember what item it is that Li Xinwen was referring to. "Is it that amber coloured stone egg?" Sun Xiao asked.


    "Correct. That egg is actually a beast egg. Belonging to the phoenix bloodline," Li Xinwen told Sun Xiao. "I don''t know how it got to its current state, but it''s still alive. As long as you continue to help him absorb spiritual energy, it will be born in a few years," Li Xinwen repeated what Lanyu had told him earlier.


    "So... it''s not a ghost?"


    "No," Li Xinwen said with a chuckle as he raised his hand and gave Sun Xiao a gentle pat on the head. "Being afraid of ghost. How are you so cute, ah! How about this... since you''re really scared of ghost, Ge will teach you something so you can see them," Li Xinwen said with a smile.


    "Won''t seeing them is scarier?" Sun Xiao asked meekly.


    "Ah''Xiao is scared of a ghost... then what about zombies? Compared to ghost, Ge thinks that zombies are more ugly," Li Xinwen replied.


    When Li Xinwen said it like that, Sun Xiao suddenly felt that the ghost are not as scary. The reason why ghosts are scary is that you can''t see them at will while they can make themselves appear whenever they want when they want to scare people. ''If I can see them at will... then they''re no different than zombies,'' Sun Xiao thought. Since he wanted to protect his family from zombies, he must first get used to these scary things.


    "Then, Xin-gege, can you teach me how to see them? And, can you also teach me how to fight them?" Sun Xiao asked.


    "Fighting them is not that much of a problem. As long as you can see them, you can use your spiritual energy to attack them. But before you do, always ask them first. Not all ghost are dangerous," Li Xinwen explained. "Some are only lost, not knowing that they have already passed."


    "Then, if I met with these kinds of ghosts, what should I do?"


    "Talk to them, help them solve what shackled them to this world so that they can enter the cycle of reincarnation," Li Xinwen replied. "But if they are a malevolent ghost, there are two ways to deal with them. One, if they are not hostile to you, help them solve their resentment. But if they are hostile, destroy them."


    "Is destroying them the same as killing them? If we destroy them, will they still enter the cycle of reincarnation?" Sun Xiao asked.


    "En. But only after they received their due punishment in Diyu."


    "What if we help solve their resentment?" Sun Xiao asked again.


    "That depends on the outcome. If the ghost let go of their resentment peacefully, they won''t be punished," Li Xinwen replied.


    "Then what about the zombies? Does Xin-gege think that they are the same as ghosts?"


    "That... I don''t know," Li Xinwen said as he shook his head. "Until I''ve seen them, I won''t know what they are. They might be a ghost but they also might be a monster," Li Xinwen added.


    After the question and answer session, Li Xinwen finally taught Sun Xiao how to use Moyan. The boy was truly gifted and paired with Li Xinwen''s guidance, Sun Xiao was able to activate Moyan on his thirty-sixth attempt. When Li Xinwen saw the boy''s pupil had changed colour, he gathered the spiritual energy on top of his palm and started to shape them. Li Xinwen did not condense them, so without Moyan or similar technique to it, one will not be able to see them. It would''ve made a perfect concealed attack if it were not for the fact that uncondensed spiritual energy is harmless. "Can you see them?" Li Xinwen asked. "What shape are they making?"


    "A bird...?" Sun Xiao replied. "It looks like that bird from the painting. The one that guards the south..." Sun Xiao sounded unsure but Li Xinwen just smiled at him.


    "Not wrong, but not correct either. This is indeed a bird, but it''s not Zhuque," Li Xinwen told Sun Xiao.


    "Then, umm... Fenghuang?"


    "Right. And go follow it''s trails," Li Xinwen said as he let the phoenix shaped spiritual energy flew over to Sun Xiao''s drawer where the egg rests. At first, Sun Xiao was still afraid but remembering what Li Xinwen told him earlier about the egg, he gathered his courage and went forward. He slid the drawer out and grabbed the egg in his hand, then looked at Li Xinwen, silently asking what he should do next.


    "Whenever you cultivate, just take it out and place in near you. Beasts understand even before they are born. If you let them know you do not mean them any harm, once they are born, they will, in turn, help you. And with you helping it cultivate, it might even think of you as their parent," Li Xinwen explained.


    "Oh, okay. Then... should Ah''Xiao just treat it like an unborn pet?" Sun Xiao asked.


    "En. You can say that," Li Xinwen said. Then after a while, Li Xinwen called Lanyu up. ''Lanyu, do you think that Ah''Xiao can form a contract with the beast within the egg?''


    [Lanyu: Since the beast in the egg has already gained sentience, he should be able to. Try dropping a drop of blood on the egg and see if it will be absorbed.]


    Li Xinwen hummed in acknowledgement before he turned to Sun Xiao again. "Ah''Xiao, try giving the egg a bit of your blood."


    "Giving blood?" Sun Xiao c.o.c.ked his head sideways in confusion. "Like... to form spiritual contract?"


    Li Xinwen nods his head and walked over to Sun Xiao. "Ge won''t hurt you. So trust me, alright?" Li Xinwen said as he took one of Sun Xiao''s hand into his. He used his spiritual energy to form a very thin needle and quickly puncture Sun Xiao''s forefinger. Then, he told Sun Xiao to smear the blood over the egg.


    The blood seemed to boil upon the surface of the egg before it disappeared. They waited for a second, then a minute. Unfortunately, there was nothing. Li Xinwen in the end, had to ask Sun Xiao: "Ah''Xiao, can you sense anything?"


    Sun Xiao only shook his head and Li Xinwen can only let out a sigh of disappointment.


    "Ah! Xin-gege, Xin-gege!!" Sun Xiao''s call brought Li Xinwen''s attention with him. "I think... the umm... bird inside is trying to communicate with me," Sun Xiao said as he looked straight to Li Xinwen.


    "Oh, what did it say?" Li Xinwen asked, feeling slightly excited.


    "Umm... ''Chirp chirp''?" Sun Xiao repeated the sound he heard in his mind to Li Xinwen which resembles the sound that a small chick would make. The innocent expression on the young boy''s face only made Li Xinwen felt even more helpless with mixed emotion. For one, he found that Sun Xiao was being cute with how he mimicked the sound of a young chick. On the other hand, he was now suspicious of the true identity of the beast inside the egg.


    Li Xinwen to Lanyu: Are you sure it''s a descendant of the phoenix bloodline or just a chicken?


    Lanyu who was accused wrongly: Master, believe Lanyu, ah! Lanyu has travelled to a lot of realms. How can Lanyu mistakes a phoenix with a chicken? Wuwuwuwu... Master is bullying Lanyu again...

 Chapter 113 - 36.4 - Tianjing Temple

    After the small event with Sun Xiao and the phoenix egg, Li Xinwen returned to his room. Since he didn''t get to finish showering earlier, Li Xinwen walked to the bathroom and took his shower. Once he was done, he finally let himself relax on his recamier sofa. Reading books became his source of entertainment next to watching drama series. In addition, he felt that the knowledge he got in the book can be used in the future.


    ''This idiot thought that he could replicate what happened in a fictional story in his life.''


    Li Xinwen was suddenly reminded of what Xue Jun had said and he is now staring blankly on the book in his hand. "Am I also an idiot to think I can replicate what happened here?" Li Xinwen wondered. The book he was currently reading is about a shooting game called battleground.


    There was a scene where the player was surrounded and only had a shotgun in hand. In order to survive, he jumped from the second floor. Following that action, the player continued to jump while shooting at his enemy. ''Is jumping while shooting with a shotgun not possible in real life?'' Li Xinwen tried to imagine the scene. But no matter how much he imagined, he felt that it was possible. ''Maybe I should ask Xue Jun about it. He said that we''ll start our shooting lessons... when again?''


    Li Xinwen picked up his phone on his side and went to check the group chat. Other than Li Jinghua''s message and Xue Rui''s, there was nothing else. Li Xinwen continued to stare at the screen as if willing a message to come. Then, as luck would have it, he heard a notification and the phone vibrated. But rather than the group, it was a private message. He checked on his friend list and saw that it came from Min Xiaoyu.


    [Min Xiaoyu: Mr Li, has my grandfather contacted you?]


    Seeing this message, Li Xinwen raised an eyebrow. Tapping on his phone screen, he began to compose a message.


    [Li Xinwen: No. What''s wrong?]


    [Min Xiaoyu: He hasn''t returned since yesterday. And he didn''t even contact me.]


    [Min Xiaoyu: Then earlier, my caretaker gave me something, saying that it is left by my grandfather. I''m worried...]


    [Min Xiaoyu: Mr Li, are you free? Can you accompany me to search for grandfather?]


    [Min Xiaoyu: If you can''t, that is alright too... I''ll go and search for him alone.]


    Li Xinwen watched as the message came in succession. He thought about it for a moment, then remembered what Min Shaotian had said to him last weekend. ''Don''t tell me that old man went ahead with his suicidal plan! I already have a lot of people under my wings and you want me to take care of your grandson too?''


    Li Xinwen quickly typed his reply to Min Xiaoyu and got off his sofa. He changed out of his pyjama and into his casual clothes. Earlier, he thought that he wouldn''t be going out until dinner so he had put on his pyjama. After he got dressed up, he was about to go out of his room until he remembered that Mother Li might be downstairs in the living room by now, watching her daily drama series.


    With that in mind, he turned to his balcony instead. "I just need to remember to return home before dark..." Li Xinwen mumbled to himself. He took a step towards the balcony, before pausing. Turning around once again, he walked to his door and locked it. Then, he took out his phone and scrolled over to Sun Xiao''s contact.


    [Li Xinwen: Ah''Xiao, Ge is going out for a while to help Min Xiaoyu. If Hua-jie or mom is looking for me, help me tell them I am sleeping... or something.]


    When Sun Xiao received the message from Li Xinwen, he had actually wanted to follow. He typed his reply, then deleted it, began typing again only to delete it again.


    On Li Xinwen''s side, he saw at the bottom of the chat screen saying ''Ah''Xiao is currently typing...'' appearing on and off. After a while, Sun Xiao''s reply finally came. It was only a short, ''Okay''.


    ''Is he alright? Why did that take so long?'' Li Xinwen wondered as he sent another message to Sun Xiao, asking him whether everything was alright on his side.


    [Ah''Xiao: Everything is alright. Xin-gege be careful outside. Leave everything in the house to Ah''Xiao.]


    Seeing the reply, Li Xinwen''s lips curved up into a smile. The message was also followed by a sticker of a husky holding up a ''thumb up'' sign. Shaking his head, Li Xinwen browsed through his variety of stickers that were available in the phone, until he found a sticker of a hand patting a husky. After he sent it to Sun Xiao, he finally left the room with a light heart.


    He met with Min Xiaoyu at the Min residence and he could see that Min Xiaoyu''s face was ladened with worry. On Min Xiaoyu''s hand, is a small box.


    "Mr Li," Min Xiaoyu called out to him. "Thank you for coming to help me."


    "That''s alright. But, do you have any idea where your grandfather might be?" Li Xinwen asked but Min Xiaoyu only shook his head. ''I guess if he had known he wouldn''t have called for my help...'' Li Xinwen thought to himself, finding himself silly for even asking such an obvious question.


    "What is inside the box?" Li Xinwen asked after a while.


    "It''s a talisman that my grandfather gave me."


    "Do you know what it is for?" Li Xinwen asked again and Min Xiaoyu nods his head.


    "Grandfather once said that our ancestor left a treasure in a hidden place and the place is sealed. Only this talisman can unseal the entrance," Min Xiaoyu replied. "But I will not go there. I''m going to find grandfather and hand this back to him... Mr Li, I don''t know why but I keep feeling that something bad is happening to my grandfather."


    Li Xinwen thought for a while before finally letting out a sigh. He remembered that Min Shaotian wanted to gather his friends so that should be their first clue. In fact, it is their only clue at the moment. "Mr Min, your grandfather once told me that there are four cultivator family. One should be your family, do you know the other three? They may have information about your grandfather''s whereabouts."


    "I know. The closest one is in Tianjing Temple. Should we go there?"


    "En. Let''s go," Li Xinwen said as he gestured for Min Xiaoyu to take the lead but to his surprise, the other had called for a taxi instead. "Shouldn''t we go there quickly?"


    "But... it''s still day time. If we were seen by the average citizen, we might get in trouble," Min Xiaoyu replied. "So even if I am in a hurry, I still have to remain calm. I can''t let my emotion get to me."


    Li Xinwen who had used his cultivation to come over quickly only remained silent. He did make sure that there was no other mortal in the vicinity where he landed. And even if there were, they wouldn''t be able to see him at the speed he used to travel. Li Xinwen waited for five minutes before he finally couldn''t remain patient anymore. He has a deadline of sundown, and if he did not get back home by then, he might get in trouble again.


    "Cancel the taxi! I''ll carry you," Li Xinwen said as he picked Min Xiaoyu up and hoisted him over his shoulder. Min Xiaoyu who were taken by surprise, let out a surprised yelp and before he could recover, his view had shifted and by the time he realized it, he saw that he was already high up in the air.


    "Mr Li! We''ll be seen!!" Min Xiaoyu exclaimed.


    "Don''t worry, ba! No one will see us here. Hurry and tell me where it is," Li Xinwen replied to Min Xiaoyu. He then shifted and changed the way he carried Min Xiaoyu into a princess carry.


    "Where what?" because of the change in position, Min Xiaoyu felt a little embarrassed. He is already an a.d.u.l.t and to be carried this way by another man, which man doesn''t feel embarrassed?


    "That temple of yours. Hurry before we fall! My cultivation is not high enough to fly!" Li Xinwen warned.


    "Oh, then do you see that mountain over there?" Min Xiaoyu pointed at the direction to their north.


    "Okay, good. Hold tight! We''re going down first."


    With that warning, Li Xinwen and Min Xiaoyu descend down. As soon as his feet reached the ground, Li Xinwen, with his high mobility, began to move towards their destination. They arrived at the entrance of the temple in less than five minutes, and Li Xinwen gave Min Xiaoyu a haughty look. "If we were to wait for your taxi, who knows when we''ll arrive. Mr Min, remember this well. Desperate situation requires desperate measure. Since we are short in time, we need to get information about your grandfather quickly. Need I remind you that I only have until sundown?"


    "I... I''m sorry. It''s just, grandfather always said not to let average people know about cultivation or it will cause problems," Min Xiaoyu said with a slightly red face.


    "Anyway, we''re here. What next?" Li Xinwen stared at the temple gate in front of him. The gate was closed tight and when Li Xinwen looked around, there was no one outside.


    "This is actually the inner gate. Usually, normal people are only allowed the temple at the foot of the mountain. Because of the way we came in, we can be considered... to have sneaked in," Min Xiaoyu said and as if on cue, Li Xinwen heard several footsteps coming towards them.


    "Outsiders! What are you doing here?" Li Xinwen heard a voice coming from behind him. "Are you assassins sent by those Modern Earth Association?!"


    Li Xinwen turned around and saw several monks, holding their wooden bo staff. Even without sending out his spiritual energy, Li Xinwen already knew that none of them is a cultivator. "I come in peace. I am only here to look for..." Li Xinwen trailed off, finally realizing that he didn''t know who he came here to look for. He turned his head to gaze at Min Xiaoyu, silently asking him to clarify.


    "I am Min Xiaoyu, from the Min family. We''re here to see Abbot Bingzhan. I wonder if we can go and see him?" Min Xiaoyu''s voice was gentle and full of friendliness. But the monks still looked at them suspiciously.


    "How can we believe you? There have been several attempts of assassination to the Abbot. You came here sneakily... how can we be sure if you won''t harm the Abbot?!" the monk replied.


    "That''s right! If you really don''t mean any harm, then wait here until our senior comes back from his divination work!" another monk chimed in.


    Min Xiaoyu looked at Li Xinwen helplessly and Li Xinwen only let out a heavy sigh. "Fine. We''ll wait here. Tell that senior of yours to hurry! I have to be back by sundown!"

 Chapter 114 - 36.5 - They must be the most polite assassins

    While Li Xinwen and Min Xiaoyu went to look for Min Shaotian, the person in question was hiding up in the tree. He concealed his spiritual energy as he eyed the cave in front of him. ''Just what is that demon up to...'' Min Shoatian wondered. He had been keeping an eye on one member belonging to the demonic cult for the past few days when suddenly, the demonic cultivator began to move.


    Min Shaotian tailed him and he saw the member meeting other cultivators. After that, they move towards one direction and Min Shaotian informed his friends about his findings. Now, he is only waiting for the rest to arrive.


    Soon, a person appeared beside him. Min Shaotian didn''t realize this person approaching but when the other made themselves known, Min Shaotian didn''t panic either. Instead, he showed a relieved expression.


    The person who arrived turned out to be a woman. Her dark long hair was tied in a ponytail, her eyes were sharp, and her nose and cheekbones were a perfect contour. Her skin was almost perfect, were it not for the scar that marred her face. The scar went from the top of her left eyebrow, straight down to her chin. Because of the scar, it made her look fierce. This woman is the head Matriarch of the Yan family, Yan Zhuyi.


    "Zhuyi, you''re here," Min Shaotian greeted her with a smile.


    "En. Minghui?" her reply was short as her eyes trained on the cave entrance.


    "Minghui is not here yet," Min Shaotian said. Then, he proceeds to explain to her the current situation: "I''ve been here for a while now. The member of the demonic cult kept on appearing and entering the cave. Based on these findings, I assumed that this cave is their hideout. I''m also worried if they are planning something..."


    "Something large-scaled?" she asked. "You mentioned that they have already gotten the method to the sealing, how did that happen?"


    Min Shaotian sighed as he recounted on the event that happened during that day when Li Xinwen had come over. When the female cultivator heard this, she also had a guilty expression on his face. "Fortunately, nothing happened to Yuyu. Shaotian, I''m sorry. I was the one who suggested to keep Chen Jingguo close so we can monitor their movement..."


    "No. The fault lays with me... I shouldn''t have put my guard down. I didn''t expect the demon would dare to come out when he''s still weak," Min Shaotian replied.


    While they were talking, a new person joined them. Compared to the two, this man looked younger. When Min Shaotian and Yan Zhuyi looked at him, their gaze softened and they looked at him with tender eyes.


    "Xiao Ming, you''re finally here. It must be a long travel for you," Min Shaotian greeted the other man.


    "Uncle Shao, Aunt Zhu," Xiao Ming, or better known as Lan Minghui by the public, greeted the two respectfully. "Is the demon that is responsible for my father''s death inside?" as he said this, his eyes burned with the fire of vengeance.


    "Xiao Ming, be patient. If you rush in, who knows if there are traps inside," Min Shaotian said and Yan Zhuyi nods her head in agreement.


    "Don''t worry, uncle Shao. Am I not being patient right now?" Lan Minghui replied. "It is a pity that uncle Bingzhan cannot join us."


    "It cannot be helped. Bingzhan had entered closed-door cultivation for a while now," Min Shaotian sighed. "Let us just wait and see what they are planning. If things get too suspicious, I''ll go in and scout ahead."


    The other two agreed and waited. More people entered the cave, but none left. They continued to wait until the sun was about to set.


    "Shaotian, how long has it been since the last group entered?" Yan Zhuyi suddenly asked.


    "Two hours and thirty minutes."


    "Strange. What meetings take two hours thirty minutes?" Yan Zhuyi wondered. "Are they cultivating inside?"


    Because they were close to the demonic cultivators'' den, they didn''t dare to send their spiritual sense inside. So they never found out the fact that the cultivators who had entered had all died in the hand of An Wuya.


    "I''m going in. You guys wait here. If anything happens inside, you will know," Min Shaotian said before he went into the cave.


    The cave was cold and damp. The dense Yin energy spreads around the cave path and it even affected Min Shaotian''s mood. He wrapped himself in layers of spiritual energy to protect himself from being affected by the Yin energy around him.


    He trod slowly until finally, he reached the heart of the cave. What he saw, made his blood go cold. Bodies were strewn all over the place. Each one of the corpses has the same expression; disbelief and fear. They all died from the same form of attack, and their dantian was gouged out. Min Shaotian could feel the hair on his neck rise just imagining the pain these people had gone through.


    "Ah, look who has decided to join us," Min Shaotian heard that familiar, demonic voice. His eyes narrowed as he left his hiding spot and faced An Wuya.


    "Demon! I never thought you would be this cruel even to your own followers!" Min Shaotian said, admonishing An Wuya.


    "Whatever do you mean? As my follower, don''t you think that they are more than happy to become one with me?" An Wuya replied with a chuckle. "No matter, it is good that you are here. I still lacked a few more souls to consume in order to heal my soul, but with you here, it should be enough," An Wuya smiled at Min Shaotian.


    With just a smile, Min Shaotian could feel himself getting swayed. But luckily, he managed to recover himself by biting his tongue before things turned bad for him. The pain helped him resist the mental attack that was about to charm him.


    "Tsk. It looks like you''ve learned your lesson from the first time we met," An Wuya said, clicking his tongue in displeasure. "Oh well, since things have gone this way, then we can only do it the hard way."


    An Wuya''s eyes narrowed at Min Shaotian as he let out his spiritual energy. "My strength might''ve regressed, but taking care of someone at the Xiantian stage is still doable, especially since you are currently in my domain. Chen Jingguo, you start the process first. Once I''m done with this ant, my soul will be healed completely," An Wuya said.


    "Process?" Min Shaotian''s suddenly felt uneasy. He eyed Chen Jingguo and when he saw what was placed on the table, his eyes widened. "You have all the ingredients already?!"


    "These ingredients may be rare in a lower plane such as this but, I have a lot of them in my storage. Taking out a few is not that hard," An Wuya replied in a calm, yet playful tone. It was as if he''s toying with Min Shaotian, mocking him.


    Min Shaotian finally understood how dangerous his situation had been. From what An Wuya had said, he gathered that if it had not been because his soul was damaged, he would have probably recovered his strength by now. ''Then, we can only damage his soul again!'' Min Shaotian thought as he let his spiritual energy flare-up.


    Outside, Lan Minghui and Yan Zhuyi felt this, and they immediately entered the cave. They didn''t waste any time, fearing that if they are just a second late, they would lose Min Shaotian. And then, they might not be able to win unless Bingzhan arrived.


    Meanwhile, back in Tianjing Temple, Li Xinwen watched the sun as it slowly disappeared into the horizon helplessly. Then, he turned to one of the temple disciples and asked for the nth number of time. "Where is this senior of yours?!"


    "He is still working. Please wait patiently," the monk replied.


    "I have been patient for hours now! Just tell me where he is and I''ll go find him," Li Xinwen said as he stood up from the spot where he had been sitting the past few hours.


    "Halt! You said that you didn''t mean any harm. Then just stay there and wait patiently!" when the monk saw that Li Xinwen had stood up, they took their stance and aimed their bo staff at him.


    "Mr Li, please just wait a bit longer," Min Xiaoyu said as he grabs the other''s sleeve, pulling at it gently.


    With a grumble, Li Xinwen sat down and glared at the monk, showing his displeasure. Another half an hour passed, and they finally heard someone approaching. Turning their head to the source of the footstep, they finally saw a monk walking towards them. In one of his hand, he held his Xizhang, which showed that his rank within the temple is quite high.


    "Senior brother Bingwen!" the monks who were keeping an eye on both Li Xinwen and Min Xiaoyu greeted the newcomer with a big smile on their face.


    "En. Are they the one who wanted to meet with Abbot Bingzhan?" the monk, Bingwen asked.


    "Yes, ah! They suddenly appeared without warning, and no one saw how they arrived. It must be that they are assassins!"


    Monk Bingwen just smiled at his junior brother''s explanation before speaking: "If they are assassins, they must be the most polite assassins this monk has met. Assassins don''t just wait around like this."


    After saying that, Monk Bingwen approached Li Xinwen and Min Xiaoyu. "Honored guests, I apologize for making you wait for too long. Please, follow me inside," Monk Bingwen said as he gestured for the two of them to follow him. "As for the rest of you, please return to your training. Don''t think that I don''t know that you did not even train while you ''keep watch'' on our guests."


    As soon as Monk Bingwen''s word left his lips, the monks felt shivers running down their spine. With a bow, they quickly left the area, returning to the training ground in order to catch up with their training.


    On the other hand, Monk Bingwen led Li Xinwen and Min Xiaoyu into the inner court of the temple. Inside, there was a huge building and deeper inside, they could see majestic twin pagodas. Li Xinwen''s eyes immediately went to the pagoda on the left, narrowing slightly. Just now, he felt as if someone was watching him from the highest floor.


    "That is the Moon Pagoda," Li Xinwen suddenly hear Monk Bingwen said. "The highest floor is where Senior Brother Bingwan always does his closed-door cultivation. The other pagoda is the Sun Pagoda. Monk Bingzhan resides on its highest floor," he explained.


    "Is that so?" Li Xinwen didn''t move his eyes and continued to gaze at the top floor. "Then shall we go there immediately? I''m sorry, but we are running out of time here," Li Xinwen finally moved his eyes away once he realized that the other didn''t seem to pay him any more attention.


    "The honoured guest is too impatient. Outsiders are not allowed within the Sun and Moon Pagoda. Please, follow me to the main hall. You can wait for Abbot Bingzhan there instead," Monk Bingwen said as he continued to walk.


    When they arrived, Monk Bingwen asked them to wait while he called Abbot Bingzhan. Li Xinwen and Min Xiaoyu looked at each other before Li Xinwen let out a heavy sigh.


    "I''m sorry, Mr Li... if it''s alright, how about I accompany you home? Last time, your mother seemed to enjoy my company," Min Xiaoyu suggested.


    "Hmm... no. I don''t think there is a need to go that far. It''s alright, as long as Abbot Bingzhan meet us, we''ll ask him about your grandfather then leave. We''ll continue our search tomorrow," Li Xinwen told the male. Min Xiaoyu only nods his head in agreement.


    Not long after, Monk Bingwen returned with a guilty expression plastered on his face. "Honored guest..." he began, his tone nervous. Li Xinwen already didn''t like the sound of it, but he patiently waited for Monk Bingwen to continue. "My apologies honoured guest. It seems that you will not be able to meet with Abbot Bingzhan today."


    "Your mother!" Li Xinwen cursed out the abbot''s family, before realizing that to become monk, the abbot should have already severed his ties with his family so he cursed the temple instead.


    "Honored guest, please quell your anger. The temple did not do anything wrong-"


    Li Xinwen just glared at Monk Bingwen before he stood up. "This is a total waste of time. Min Xiaoyu, let''s go find the other family and ask them instead!"


    Just as they were about to leave, the spiritual energy around them suddenly fluctuates before all of them swirled. The epicentre of this phenomenon is on top of the Sun Pagoda. Not long after the spiritual energy started to get absorbed into the Sun Pagoda''s top floor.


    Li Xinwen who had reached all the way to Kongming stage knew what was happening and his heart raced in excitement. ''Someone is breaking through into Yuanying stage! And based on the location where the spiritual energy is gathering, it is none other than that Abbot Bingzhan.''

 Chapter 115 - 36.6 - Where death threatens to envelops the earth.

    Li Xinwen looked at the direction of the setting sun, then at the top floor of Sun Pagoda. After weighing it for a bit, he thought that he should be able to arrive home before it gets truly dark as long as he rushed at full speed. "Mr Min, let us wait for a bit longer," Li Xinwen said to the male.


    But unlike before, they didn''t go back into the main hall to wait and instead, just stood there while looking up at the Sun Pagoda. Min Xiaoyu''s eyes were filled with admiration and awe as this was the first time he''d seen this much spiritual energy being gathered.


    "Mr Li, do you think that''s Abbot Bingzhan on that floor?" Min Xiaoyu asked without moving his gaze.


    "From its location. It should be," Li Xinwen replied before he turned to Monk Bingwen. "Are there no one else on the top floor of Sun Pagoda?"


    "No. Other than the Abbot, no one else is allowed there. The honoured guest is lucky. The Abbot should be finishing up soon," Monk Bingwen smiled at them. Just then, another person came over to them. He was dressed exactly the same as Monk Bingwen, and Li Xinwen noticed that this was the same person that was watching him when he entered earlier.


    When Li Xinwen saw his eyes, he realized that the other was looking at him with contempt. It made Li Xinwen wonder if he did anything wrong to this person before. ''But that is impossible, ah! I haven''t met a single monk until today.''


    "Bingwen," the monk called out to Monk Bingwen before he greeted the other with a line of prayers.


    "Senior Bingwan. Have you finished your training?" Monk Bingwen asked after he returned the gesture.


    "En. What makes you bring these guests inside?" Monk Bingwan asked as he looked towards Li Xinwen and Min Xiaoyu, but his gaze finally locked to Li Xinwen and he narrowed his eyes slightly. "I thought it was just my imagination, but this guest''s hands are indeed full of blood."


    Li Xinwen frown when he heard it. He looked down on his hands which were still clean, then back at the two monks. "You sure know how to joke," Li Xinwen said. True that he had killed a few cultivators using this body but saying that his hands are full of blood seems to be exaggerated.


    "The guest should know whether or not I am joking," the monk replied.


    Li Xinwen just hummed at the other''s reply and continued to wait. After a while, the energy fluctuations finally calmed down and the aura of someone that had reached Yuanying stage spreads through the area. Not long after, a figure suddenly appeared in front of them.


    "Abbot Bingzhan," both Monk Bingwen and Bingwan greeted the newly arrived person. "Congratulations on getting a step closer to achieving Nirvana."


    The abbot didn''t answer and instead, eyed Li Xinwen for a while, before finally turning to Min Xiaoyu. "You must be Shaotian''s grandson, you looked exactly like him when he''s younger," Abbot Bingzhan said to Min Xiaoyu. "I know why you are here. You are looking for your grandfather, correct?"


    "Yes, Your Excellency. Do you know where my he is?"


    "Even if I tell you, the place where he is, is not where you should be," the abbot replied. "Earlier, I received two divination while breaking through... One is written here," Abbot Bingzhan took out a parchment of folded paper and handed it to Min Xiaoyu. "In two days, you are to open this. Do not open it before its time or else, your karmic fate might be harmed and you will end up meeting your death earlier."


    Min Xiaoyu took the folded paper into his hand, and it suddenly felt heavy. He felt as if the content of the paper in his hand would change his life forever.


    "As for your grandfather... he has already chosen to follow his destiny. You should allow him to fulfil his destiny," Abbot Bingzhan added after a while. "Now then, Mr Li, I believe this is for you," Abbot Bingzhan said as he then removed the prayer beads that he has wrapped around his wrists and handed it to Li Xinwen.


    Li Xinwen only stared at it but didn''t make a move to take it. "I''m sorry, I don''t want to become a monk."


    Abbot Bingzhan heard this, and a smile formed on his lips. "My apologies. I''ve forgotten to remove the protective seal on this," Abbot Bingzhan said before he waved his other hand over the praying beads. As soon as it did, an array that was placed on the praying beads became visible before it shattered.


    Li Xinwen could almost immediately feel the spiritual energy that came from the praying beads, and it seemed that it''s not just him who felt it.


    [Lanyu: Master! Master!! I could sense the other pieces of the medium!]


    ''So, it is part of the jade?'' Li Xinwen asked Lanyu for confirmation.


    [Lanyu: En! Master, Lanyu will help, let''s find it quickly!]


    The excitement in Lanyu''s voice is contagious because Li Xinwen also felt his heart race in excitement. Li Xinwen looked at Abbot Bingzhan, who still had a calm expression on his face as he waits for Li Xinwen to take the praying beads.


    ''No need to find it, Lanyu. I see it already,'' Li Xinwen didn''t forget to inform the spirit fairy inside the dimension. Li Xinwen reached out his hand, intending to take the praying beads. But before he could touch it, he paused and looked back at Abbot Bingzhan, gauging his expression. ''Is he really giving me this?'' Li Xinwen wondered.


    Li Xinwen couldn''t help but feel a bit suspicious. After all, there is no such thing as free stuff in this world. So he couldn''t help but parted his lips to ask: "Why are you giving me this?"


    "Because it will be more useful to you than it is to me," Abbot Bingzhan as if expecting Li Xinwen to ask this question replied in a calm manner. "I have mentioned earlier, I received two divination. One, is about Min Shaotian''s little grandson. The other, is related to you."


    "Oh? What is it about?" Li Xinwen asked. It must be known, that divination that monks received are usually events that happened in the future or something that happened in the alternate future. A divination can be said as just a guide. Whether one would follow it or not, depends on one''s self. As such, monks in Long Xing tend to avoid telling others their divination in order to avoid the shifts of fates and destinies.


    "Unfortunately, I will not be able to tell you specifically what happened. It is just that... this world''s fate is closely related to your fate, and things that happened to you in your past life is also related to this world''s fate," Abbot Bingzhan replied.


    "Things that happened in my past life? What do you mean?" Li Xinwen narrowed his eyes as he asked the abbot.


    "The answer will naturally show itself when the time is right."


    "And when is the right time?" Li Xinwen asked again.


    "A watched flower never blooms, while a carelessly planted willow grows into shade. I cannot tell you when the right time is for fear that you would be distracted by it, making wrong decisions and thus, ends up changing your fate."


    ''Cryptic answer as usual. I guess the monks here and back in Long Xing is not that different,'' Li Xinwen lets out an amused chuckle at what he heard. "But I''ve already chosen to go against fate the moment I started cultivating."


    This time, Abbot Bingzhan did not reply. Instead, he simply forced the praying beads onto Li Xinwen''s hand. "To you, your own path and to me, my own. Even if you decide to go against fate, I will not. But what I can tell you is this... in the future, where death threatens to envelops the earth, you will lead an army to fight against the invaders from another world."


    The sentence ''invaders from another world'' piqued Li Xinwen''s interest. "Then-"


    "Unfortunately, the time for us to talk has run out," as Abbot Bingzhan said this, he pointed up to the sky.


    Li Xinwen actually wanted to ask more but when Abbot Bingzhan pointed upwards, he realized that the light from the sun has almost disappeared from the sky. Reluctantly, Li Xinwen tightened his grip on the praying beads. "I will come here again tomorrow. Mr Min, let''s go."


    Not waiting for Min Xiaoyu''s reply, Li Xinwen quickly grabbed the other and hoisted him upon his shoulder. Moments later, the two disappeared from Tianjing Temple and Abbot Bingzhan let out a disappointed sigh.


    "Abbot Bingzhan?" Monk Bingwen noticed the abbot''s disappointment and he couldn''t help but let his curiosity win over him.


    "It is nothing. I just feel that it is unfortunate that I will no longer be able to see him," Abbot Bingzhan replied.


    "Why?" this time, it was Monk Bingwan who asked. Unlike Bingwen, Bingwan is more straight forward and rough.


    "Like Shaotian and the rest, I will go and fulfil my destiny soon. Bingwan, Bingwen... the two of you are my greatest disciple. I am really proud of how the two of you have grown ever since you entered the temple," Abbot Bingzhan said with a proud smile on his face. "Unfortunately, the future will be hard on you two."


    Abbot Bingzhan then walked over towards them and placed a hand on their shoulders. "After today, I will no longer be around. I hope that you two will protect the other disciples of this temple, along with the people who will seek refuge in the future."


    "Bingwan, you are strong so you have to protect Bingwen who are weaker than you," Abbot Bingzhan said as he looked at Monk Bingwan with a serious expression. Then, he turned to Monk Bingwen as he addressed him: "Bingwen, you are in charge of the temple''s well beings. As you know, Bingwan''s temper is sometimes uncontrollable. When that happens, you should calm him down."


    After that, Abbot Bingzhan removed his hand and casts a spell that restricts the movement of the two monks. Both monks looked at Abbot Bingzhan with disbelief and tried to speak, but unfortunately, even their voice was sealed.


    "With the two of you together, I can leave this world in peace. Beneath this temple, I leave my legacy to both of you. Don''t worry. The spell itself will lose its effect at midnight."


    After saying that, Abbot Bingzhan moved, and disappeared from his spot. Both Monk Bingwen and Bingwan couldn''t see his movement at all, so they had no idea where the abbot is planning to go. Not to mention, Abbot Bingzhan''s cultivation level is several realms higher than them, so the Abbot will be able to conceal himself, preventing them from finding him.

 Chapter 116 - 36.7 - Fighting An Wuya (Part 1)

    The fight within the mountain cave had also reached its climax. Even though An Wuya struggled to fight as he was surrounded his three enemies, Min Shaotian''s side also couldn''t get any upper hand. The fighting experience between the two sides was too huge.


    At this time, Chen Jingguo also finished with his preparation. He looked towards the battle that was happening before him. ''Luckily, the mountain was reinforced with a formation to prevent it from being destroyed...'' he thought to himself.


    Chen Jingguo continued to watch, biding for his time as he looked for an opening. He knew that he wouldn''t be able to deal with Min Shaotian, let alone Yan Zhuyi. So his eyes were trained on the young Lan Minghui. The chance arrived when Lan Minghui was kicked away by An Wuya towards his direction.


    With the chance created by An Wuya, Chen Jingguo immediately launched an attack against Lan Minghui. He focused his spiritual energy into his hand, his fingers forming into a claw, aiming at Lan Minghui''s abdomen.


    Because Lan Minghui was focused solely on An Wuya before, he had forgotten the existence of Chen Jingguo. The first attack landed squarely on Lan Minghui''s abdomen, close to the area where his dantian is located. He could feel his spiritual energy going erratic from receiving the attack but luckily, he was quick to respond in quelling his spiritual energy.


    With the addition of Chen Jingguo, Min Shaotian''s group was now separated into two. An Wuya alone dealth with Min Shaotian and Yan Zhuyi while Chen Jingguo distracts Lan Minghui.


    The three of them didn''t manage to get an advantage against An Wuya, now that they are reduced into two people, they began to struggle.


    As soon as An Wuya saw a small opening, he immediately capitalised on it. An Wuya sent a heavy sword strike layered with dense spiritual energy towards Min Shaotian, forcing the other to dodge. Unfortunately, the attack came too quickly and Min Shaotian still end up suffering injuries.


    "Shaotian!" Yan Zhuyi called out, her tone full of worry. Seeing her distracted momentarily, An Wuya changed his target and attacked Yan Zhuyi next.


    With another swing of his sword, An Wuya once again sent an offensive move. This time, the amount of spiritual energies gathered within the attack is even higher than the previous attack aimed at Min Shaotian.


    Pain wrecked through Yan Zhuyi''s body, forcing blood out of her lips before her body was propelled to the walls from the force. She heard both Min Shaotian and Lan Minghui called out to her, telling her to dodge but when she regained her bearings, she saw that An Wuya was already upon her. Sensing her impending doom, she could only close her eyes. Warm blood splashed onto her face, yet the expected pain were absent.


    When Yan Zhuyi reopened her eyes, she saw Min Shaotian''s back before her with a hand pierced through his abdomen. Her eyes widened in shock and when she tried to call out to Min Shaotian, she found that her voice were stuck on her throat.


    "To think you''d deliver yourself to me like this. Very well, I only need one of you to complete the process so consider this an honor," An Wuya said with a cold smile on his face as he began to absorb Min Shaotian''s spiritual energy.


    Imagine the pain of having someone ripping your flesh off your body and your bone being grounded while you are still conscious. For cultivators, damage caused to their spiritual foundation is almost the same except, due to their heightened sense, they would feel an even worse pain.


    Min Shaotian''s pained scream resounded in the cave. Yan Zhuyi, upon hearing the pained scream, quickly maneuvered her body to save Min Shaotian. It was only unfortunate that An Wuya has always been on guard so her attack did not reach her target.


    "Hmph! Pesky little ant!" An Wuya''s eyes narrowed as he waved his free hand towards Yan Zhuyi, attempting to send her flying. But to his surprise, a black shadow appeared before Yan Zhuyi and blocked his attack. Not only that, he also sensed that the other is already at Yuanying stage. ''His strength is only slightly lower than mine... I need to hurry,'' An Wuya suddenly felt that he is in a danger and tried to quickly absorb Min Shaotian''s spiritual energy.


    Unfortunately for him, the other did not let him do as he wishes. A strong attack was aimed at him and An Wuya''s hand, which had pierced Min Shaotian''s abdomen were cut off. Min Shaotian''s body fell and was immediately caught by the newcomer.


    "Bing... Wen...?" Min Shaotian''s vision was fuzzy but he was sure that the one who caught him resembled the monk.


    "En. How are you feeling? Are you still able to fight?" the monk, Bingzhan, asked. His eyes never left An Wuya''s figure who is currently picking up his severed limbs. He stared at it, disbelief clearly pasted on his face.


    Min Shaotian stared helplessly at An Wuya who is standing in front of him. The demon, despite having his arm cut off, didn''t seem to be affected by it. Or at least, that is what Min Shaotian thought until he heard An Wuya laugh.


    "Good, good... very good! You dare to wound this lord!" An Wuya''s eyes contained a maniacal gleam within and with a burst of his demonic energy, An Wuya''s figure began to change. His body grew larger, and the horns on his head elongates. His teeth turned into sharp fangs while sharp bones jutted out of his back. An Wuya no longer resemble humans, and just the sight of him made the cultivators from the modern world shiver. His current form can only be described in one word: Hideous.


    "If I don''t scatter your soul after killing you, I will only bring shame to my kind!" An Wuya roared before he let out an ear-splitting scream. With the scream, came the pressure that heavily pressed down on Min Shaotian and his team.


    Because they were already heavily injured, both Min Shaotian and Yan Zhuyi''s face paled considerably. Lan Minghui who was slightly further away was also affected but he swallowed down the blood that threatened to go up his throat. His opponent though, were not able to stand the pressure from An Wuya.


    For Chen Jingguo, this was the first time he saw An Wuya''s true form. And it was also the first time he felt such a strong demonic energy being emitted. "My lord..." When the pressure was too much for him to bear, he couldn''t help calling out to An Wuya in order to remind him of his existence.


    Hearing Chen Jingguo''s pitiful voice, An Wuya''s eyes darted over to him. Upon seeing the demon''s gaze, Chen Jingguo suddenly felt cold all over his body. It was as if, once his usefulness is gone, An Wuya wouldn''t hesitate to kill him. But just as he thought that he was going to die, the pressure around him suddenly disappeared.


    "Chen Jingguo, is everything in place?"


    The voice that was once smooth and seductive had turned cold and raspy. It made Chen Jingguo react slightly slower because he was not used to hearing it. "Ah, yes. Everything is already in place..."


    "Good. Start the process!"


    "But, your soul-!"


    "When I tell you to start, then you just have to do it. Don''t worry... don''t we already have a good sacrifice here?" as An Wuya said this, his eyes landed on the heavily injured Min Shaotian. "As someone who is already one foot down into his grave, he is truly holding on into that little life remaining in him. It is unfortunate that not even with all the will power he has, he is doomed to perish."


    Just as those sentence left An Wuya''s lips, Min Shaotian suddenly felt his spiritual energy within his dantian becomes chaotic. He tried to calm them down but the more he tried to guide them, the more he felt them slowly disappearing. Before long, he felt that the spiritual energy within his dantian became empty. His cultivation has disappeared.


    "You... what have you done?" Min Shaotian asked An Wuya in disbelief.


    "I merely planted a special Gu within you," An Wuya replied. "Don''t worry, I will be taking it back now," he continued as he curled his finger towards himself. A thick, fat Gu shot out of Min Shaotian''s abdomen and landed on An Wuya''s palm.


    The Gu is well fed, and filled with spiritual energy that belonged to Min Shaotian. "Jingguo! Begin!" An Wuya said as he absorbed the Gu into his body.


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 Chapter 117 - 36.8 - Fighting An Wuya (Part 2)

    Chen Jingguo started the process of unsealing and Bingzhan felt that things are going out of control. Lan Minghui wanted to stop Chen Jingguo but unfortunately, it was too late. Once the process has started, it cannot be stopped. ''The only way is to kill him,'' Lan Minghui thought as he glanced at An Wuya.


    Chen Jingguo was smiling as he stared at An Wuya. "My lord! It worked! Finally, my dream will come true!" he said as he continued to stare at An Wuya. It was not known what his dream truly was, but for him to collude with a demon, it was surely not a good one.


    An Wuya on the other hand felt that Chen Jingguo is no longer needed and he slowly approached him. "Jingguo, you are indeed the best subordinate that I have in this realm. Your dream was to conquer this world, right? Let me help you realize that," An Wuya said with a smile.


    Of course, with his current appearance, Chen Jingguo felt a chill when he saw the demon smile. But he still forced himself to smile. Only, his smile disappeared a second later when he felt a sharp pain on his abdomen.


    Looking down, he saw that An Wuya''s claw hand has pierced into him and he also felt that his spiritual energy running rampant. "My... lord...?" Chen Jingguo stared at An Wuya with disbelief.


    "Don''t worry. Since you will be absorbed into me, when I reign this world, then it is the same as realizing your dream," An Wuya said in a soft whisper. "Chen Jingguo, your contribution through all these years are very much appreciated."


    After absorbing Chen Jingguo''s soul, one could sense An Wuya''s strength rising up as the second goes by. Bingzhan who was the strongest amongst the four knew that he has to kill An Wuya before the unsealing is done.


    He glanced at the weakened Min Shaotian and Yan Zhuyi. ''Shaotian''s cultivation has been destroyed, and Yan Zhuyi is heavily injured...'' he thought to himself.


    "Minghui!" Bingzhan called Lan Minghui out. "You go and bring Shaotian and Yan Zhuyi out! Escape as far as you can from here!" Bingzhan said to the younger male.


    "No! I want to fight!" Lan Minghui answered.


    "Listen to your elder!" Bingzhan roared at Lan Minghui. "With your strength, you will only become a dead weight. Don''t worry, it is not as if I do not have a plan," Bingzhan added the last sentence in order to assure his three comrades.


    Lan Minghui hesitated for a bit but finally agreed that he would not be of help even if he stayed. He quickly went over to Bingzhan''s side, and picked up the very weakened Min Shaotian into his arm and then, supported Yan Zhuyi.


    "Master Bingzhan, please kill that demon. Help me avenge my father..." Lan Minghui said before he disappeared from the place.


    An Wuya was about to chase after Lan Minghui only to be stopped by Abbot Bingzhan.


    "That is a matter of course. Even if this one has to sacrifice his life, this demon must die today," Bingzhan murmured softly as if replying to Lan Minghui. "An Wuya, years ago, you came and we were too weak to kill you. This time, I shall settle the account of that time," he said, addressing to An Wuya.


    "With just you alone? Do not make me laugh!" An Wuya replied.


    Bingzhan did not reply and instead, continued his assault on An Wuya. Each of his movements were strong and calculated, but there was still a hint of desperation in them. Bingzhan is now rushing against time. The stronger An Wuya becomes, the harder it would be to kill him, and once the unsealing is done, it will be even more impossible to do so.


    In the end, Abbot Bingzhan realized that An Wuya''s strength will soon surpass his so he could only close his eyes as he made one last desperate move. "It seems that this is the only way," Abbot Bingzhan said as he concentrated his spiritual energy towards his dantian.


    An Wuya realized what Bingzhan wanted to do and he suddenly panicked. He remembered the outcome of his loses years ago and felt that he didn''t want to suffer the same humiliation as that time. "Not again!" he roared as he tried to escape.


    But Bingzhan has long anticipated An Wuya''s move and latched himself over to the demon in a tight hold. "An Wuya, I hope that in your next life, you will learn to be kind to others," Abbot Bingzhan said before he began to recite lines from the scriptures that he knew by heart and sealed An Wuya''s movement.


    "What is wrong with you humans and your self-sacrifice?! Do you think that this is heroic?! Are those mortals worth such sacrifice?!" An Wuya asked to which, Bingzhan did not bother to reply.


    The spiritual energy from Bingzhan began to swell, forming strong energy. And soon, a large explosion occurred. The scale of the explosion was so strong that even the formation placed around the mountain shattered.


    Outside the mountain, Lan Minghui stared at the blast that was formed by Abbot Bingzhan''s self explosion. Yan Zhuyi on his side stared at the big explosion at disbelief and watched as the huge mountain is reduced into rubbles.


    "Xiao Hui, I''m okay now. You go bring your uncle Min back first. He needs to be treated as soon as possible. When you get back, try to do as best as you can to suppress the media. We can''t let anyone find out about this," Yan Zhuyi told the younger male.


    "Alright. I understand. I''ll also prepare for your treatment," Lan Minghui replied before he left with Min Shaotian. Yan Zhuyi watched Lan Minghui''s disappearing figure before she went back to the place where the mountain was.


    After the explosion, the two spiritual signature belongs to An Wuya and Abbot Bingzhan had become weaker, almost disappearing. But Yan Zhuyi did not feel reassured until she saw that An Wuya is truly dead.


    When she arrived, the mountain was in ruins and at the centre of the crater, she saw two figures laying on the ground. One belongs to Abbot Bingzhan while the other is none other than An Wuya. Both appear to be in their last breaths.


    Yan Zhuyi quickly went over to Abbot Bingzhan, wanting to try and save him but she was surprised when An Wuya suddenly stood up.


    "Crazy... crazy, crazy, crazy! Crazier than even this lord!" An Wuya said maniacally. "Since you want to protect this world so much, then let this lord leave a present for you!"


    As soon as he said that, he focused the last remaining spiritual energy to make one last move. Yan Zhuyi realized this and quickly moved towards An Wuya to deal the last blow. With An Wuya weakened to his last breath, it was easy even for Yan Zhuyi to kill him.


    "Heh... unfortunately, you were just a bit too slow," An Wuya told Yan Zhuyi. "This world will soon be in chaos. Let those humans you are struggling to save kill each other!"


    After saying his piece, his spiritual signature finally disappeared and not long after, his body disintegrated into ashes. At the same time, Abbot Bingzhan also drew his last breath but unlike An Wuya, his body didn''t disappear. But with the lack of spiritual energy to keep it the way it was, it quickly shrivelled up, becoming a mummy.


    Yan Zhuyi appeared saddened and approached the dead body. She picked the remains of Abbot Bingzhan and brought it with her away. Not long after she disappeared, the sound of a propeller can be heard as a helicopter approached the area.


    "Everyone! This is what remains of Mt. Shengyan! We still do not know the cause of this destruction. It might be a military experiment that has gone wrong, or maybe a terrorist attack that went wrong, we from National Great Star media will continue to follow up on this incident..." a reporter could be seen talking while facing the camera, behind the reporter is exactly the ruined mountain from before.


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 Chapter 118 - 37

    The news was reported live, and at that time, it was played throughout the country. Li Jinghua was just returning home when she heard the news being played. Rushing to the living room, she saw the scene of the destroyed mountain on the TV. She stared at the TV with wide eyes, almost not believing what happened.


    "Why...? How come?" she murmured softly.


    "Hua-jie, what''s wrong?" Li Xinwen who was sitting on the sofa of the living room asked.


    "I... this mountain isn''t supposed to be like this," Li Jinghua replied.


    "En. It was destroyed just recently," Li Xinwen informed her. ''There was a strong spiritual signature and the direction appears to be at that mountain,'' Li Xinwen thought back to Abbot Bingwen and couldn''t help but feel that it is related.


    Not long after, Li Xinwen''s phone gave out a single notification and he took it out only to see a message from Min Xiaoyu.


    [Min Xiaoyu: My grandfather want to see you.]


    [Min Xiaoyu: He''s dying.]


    The second message came right after and Li Xinwen frowned. "Hua-jie, can you help me tell mom that I will go out for a bit? Something happened with Min Xiaoyu," Li Xinwen said as he sent his reply to Min Xiaoyu.


    "Mr Min? What happened?"


    "Nothing too serious. Hopefully," Li Xinwen replied before he left home, leaving Li Jinghua alone in the living room. Not long after, Mother Li came out of the kitchen only to see Li Xinwen is no longer in the living room.


    "Ah''Hua, where''s Ah''Wen?" Mother Li asked.


    "Ah, I asked him to go buy some soy sauce nearby. I forgot to grab it on my way home," Li Jinghua quickly replied.


    "Soy sauce? But we still have it," Mother Li said. Then her eyes went to the TV which is still playing the news. "Mt. Shengyan is destroyed? What is happening to our world, ah... is the world ending or something?"


    When Li Jinghua heard what her mother said, she quickly turned the TV off. "No, the world won''t end, mom. Come on, I''ll help you finish cooking dinner," Li Jinghua said as she gently pushed her mother back to the kitchen.


    Meanwhile, Li Xinwen quickly arrived at Min Family household. When he arrived, he already noticed that Min Shaotian''s spiritual signature is weak, almost that of a normal mortal. ''No, its even weaker than mortal. It seems that he really is dying,'' Li Xinwen thought as he went into the house. He easily made his way and found Min Xiaoyu. He looked even more haggard than before. The rim of his eyes were red, and he was close to breaking down.


    "Are you alright?" Li Xinwen asked.


    Min Xiaoyu only shook his head. "Grandpa... he''s waiting for you. Please go on in," Min Xiaoyu said in a hoarse voice.


    Li Xinwen noticed that Min Xiaoyu seemed to be out of it, so he placed a hand on the other''s shoulder before he sends a small amount of spiritual energy into him. "Calm down, restrain your grief," Li Xinwen said in a soft voice. "With the way you are now, you''re in danger of submitting to your inner demon."


    Hearing what Li Xinwen said, Min Xiaoyu took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. "Thank you..." he whispered in a soft voice.


    Li Xinwen nods his head before he entered the room where Min Shaotian is resting. The person has changed. No longer did he appear healthy and strong, and instead, he look weak. His body has shriveled up and his hair has turned white. His skins sticking to his bones, and Li Xinwen also noticed that the other is having trouble breathing.


    "Min Shaotian, I thought I told you to tell me if you plan to approach An Wuya," Li Xinwen said as he sat down before the now old Min Shaotian.


    "..."


    There was no reply, so Li Xinwen can only sigh. He reached out to touch Min Shaotian''s forehead. "You called me here to tell me something when you can''t even speak anymore. Don''t resist," Li Xinwen said as he injects some of his spiritual energy towards Min Shaotian.


    He guides his energy into the brain, and started to replay what happened before. After witnessing what happened, Li Xinwen''s sighed heavily. "That Gu absorbed your spiritual energy and destroyed your cultivation. You are now a cripple and without a strong spiritual energy to keep up with your body... you-"


    "Xinwen... Yuyu..." Min Shaotian speaks with a hoarse voice. He sounded extremely weak, and was struggling to even voice out each word.


    "I understand. I will help you take care of him. But you should believe on your grandson more, ba! He''s not weak," Li Xinwen shook his head. "Consider that this is a repayment for what you did to help Ah''Xiao."


    "Thank you..." Min Shaotian sounded relieved and closed his eyes. After that, Min Shaotian''s spiritual signture disappeared completely. His body stopped breathing and Li Xinwen closed his eyes.


    "May you safely enter the cycle of reincarnation. Who knows, maybe you''ll meet your grandson again in your next life," Li Xinwen said before he stood up and left the room.


    Outside, he saw Min Xiaoyu who finally broke down into tears. Although he could not relate to Min Xiaoyu, he understood that the other is drowned in sorrow of losing his elder. "Once you''ve calmed down, you should prepare a funeral for your grandfather."


    Min Xiaoyu didn''t answer and only continued to cry. Li Xinwen also didn''t say anything else and simply let the other be. He took out his phone and sent a message to Li Jinghua as well as Xue Jun.


    To Li Jinghua, he informed her that he may need to miss dinner. To Xue Jun, he informed him of the death of Min Shaotian.


    It didn''t take long for Xue Jun to arrive. He was still wearing his military uniform and behind him, there were several others who wore the same military uniform. Li Xinwen glanced at the people behind him, and noticed that though their strength are low, they are all cultivator.


    Li Xinwen understood that they are the students of Min Shaotian, here to send him off for the last time. "Since you are here, I won''t be needed anymore. Xue Jun, go and help Min Xiaoyu. As an outsider, I shouldn''t be here," Li Xinwen told him. "If there''s something wrong with Min Xiaoyu, tell me immediately."


    "Understood."


    Li Xinwen walked away. On his way out, he came face to face with Lan Minghui and Yan Zhuyi. Since he had went through Min Shaotian''s memories, he knew of the others'' identity. Nodding his head, he was just about to leave when Lan Minghui stopped him.


    "Wait. Are you not going to stay?" Lan Minghui asked.


    "I am an outsider. And I have already paid my respect to the dead. There is nothing else for me to do here," Li Xinwen replied. "Speaking of which, is An Wuya dead?" he asked while looking straight at Yan Zhuyi. Based on Min Shaotian''s memories, they separated while escaping after the explosion in the mountain. He suspected that Yan Zhuyi went back to check.


    "Dead. His body turned to ashes," Yan Zhuyi replied.


    "I see. Such a shame. I would like to kill him myself," Li Xinwen murmured in a soft voice. "Well, what has happened cannot be changed. Since you helped me settle this grievance, then I guess a word of warning will do. In the next few years, the world will change. It is better to be prepared."


    * * *


    Three month passed after the death of Min Shaotian. Li Xinwen accompanied Li Jinghua to the military training ground. There, they met the others who are already waiting. Li Xinwen glanced at the people who sat around the table.


    Min Xiaoyu seemed to have recovered. Xue Jun still looks the same while Xue Rui looked stronger than before. ''Looks like he worked hard. And surprisingly, he''s here too,'' Li Xinwen''s eyes landed on Xue Liang who have a bored expression on his face.


    "Everyone is here? I''m sorry for calling you all suddenly but there might be a change in the future that I experienced," Li Jinghua said as she took her seat. Li Xinwen naturally sat down beside her, appearing calm.


    "About three months ago, Mt. Shengyan was destroyed. But in my past life, it should be destroyed three years later," Li Jinghua told the others. "After the destruction of Mt. Shengyan, I asked Xue Jun to help me if there is a meteor that would come towards earth... and the result, there is."


    According to Li Jinghua, the meteorite is the same one from her memories. After the pieces of the meteorites lands on earth, it will take few months for the zombie virus to appear and ravaged the earth.


    "This might be the cause and effect of my rebirth," Li Jinghua let out a heavy sigh.


    Li Xinwen who is the real cause: ...


    "Since things appears to have happened earlier than expected, then we need to hasten our plan. How is the preparation going?" Li Jinghua asked.


    "Medicines and first aid materials has been stocked according to your request. The development of the water purification tablets have also started. We''ve hired the exact researchers that you suggested," Xue Rui replied.


    "So fast?" Li Jinghua looked at Xue Rui with disbelief.


    "There is nothing that money couldn''t solve," Xue Rui smirked.


    "You mean, almost nothing. There are things that no amount of money can buy," Li Jinghua frowned at Xue Rui. "In any case, you did well. What about weapons?"


    At this, Xue Liang threw a stack of papers onto the table. "300 assault rifles, 20 grenade launchers, 20 rifles, 200 submachine gun, 500 handguns, several crates of grenades..." at the same time, he listed out the items by types for Li Jinghua. "There will be more shipment coming from R country in another six months," he added.


    When Li Jinghua checked the list, she was evidently surprised with what she found. ''At most... I was only expecting few rifles and pistols but this...'' Li Jinghua inspected the stack of papers which includes informations of each weapons.


    Seeing Li Jinghua looking at the papers seriously, Xue Liang couldn''t help but lean on the table, propping his chin on his hand. "Did also do well?" he asked. "If yes, then shouldn''t I get a reward?" as he said this, his eyes went over to Li Xinwen.


    Seeing the unmasked desire within Xue Liang''s eyes, Li Xinwen only raised an eyebrow in return. "You want a reward?" he asked, feeling slightly amused.


    "Good boys who did their jobs well should get a reward, no? How about you and I go out later after this meet-"


    "No!"


    "Not allowed!"


    Xue Liang''s sentence were cut off by Xue Rui and Xue Jun respectively. The two brothers were glaring at Xue Liang. Li Xinwen who witnessed this scene found that it was funny and couldn''t help the small chuckle that left his lips.


    All eyes landed on him but he paid it no mind. His finger tapped on the table as he thought for a while. ''Speaking of which, I haven''t gotten back on him for stealing the cultivation manual. Since he delivers himself to me...''


    "Alright. After this meeting, let''s talk," Li Xinwen said to Xue Liang. "Just the two of us."


    "That''s more like it," Xue Liang said with a big smile on his face while giving his brothers a haughty look.


    Meanwhile, Li Jinghua only looked at her brother worriedly. After finding out that Xue Liang is one of the few underworld lord, she felt uneasy to work along with him. It was only with Xue Jun''s assurance that he will not let Xue Liang cause trouble did she agree.


    When Li Xinwen saw her sister''s worried expression, he just smiled and reached out to hold her hand assuringly. "Don''t worry. I won''t get bullied. You''ve seen how strong I''ve become these past three months, right?"


    Li Jinghua just sighed and nods her head. Then, she turned to Xue Jun and Min Xiaoyu. "The training of the soldiers, how is it?"


    "All is doing well. Those who are able to cultivate is only four people and I left them to train with Mr Min," Xue Jun replied. "The rest, trains with this idiot brother of mine."


    "Major General said everything goes well but I have one thing to report. One of the four that I trained are unable to comprehend the cultivation method that I taught," Min Xiaoyu added. "Her growth is slower than the rest and it seemed that if she were to continue, it would damage her meridians instead."


    Min Xiaoyu glanced over at Li Xinwen, silently asking for guidance on how to solve this problem. Li Xinwen only signalled to him that he will tell him later. Clearing his throat, Min Xiaoyu then added another sentence: "Since it''s like this, I asked her to stop cultivating for a while until I find the solution for the problem."


    If Min Xiaoyu was being honest, he didn''t know why Li Xinwen would like to act like an innocent sheep in front of his sister when he''s actually a dragon in the sky.


    The meeting continues, and Li Jinghua shared everything she remembers from before the apocalypse. Which event that they should know, and what effect it would cause. It is especially helpful, especially when it comes to playing with the stocks.


    "Three months before the meteorites arrives, we''ll start stocking up foods, clothes and other necessary materials that have a short shelve lives. This is all from me. Is there anything else you''d like to add?" Li Jinghua asked.


    "Well, about these things... should we find a way to inform the citizens on how to adapt to the change in early days of the apocalypse?" Min Xiaoyu asked. "If they are prepared, then maybe we can reduce the casualty rate on the early days."


    "I agree. The less casualty, the easier it''ll be to survive. Not to mention, if they are prepared and know how to fight the undead, then that is another load off our back. After all, the military will be the one to lead the frontlines," Xue Jun said in a calm manner.


    "I understand. But how are we going to inform them? If we made a public post about this, they won''t believe us," said Li Jinghua. "I don''t think it''s a good idea for the Major General Xue to announce it either considering his position."


    "How about making it into a movie?" Xue Rui suggested. "When its a movie, people will have a higher acceptance on the information. And as long as we make it interesting, I believe the audience will be able to retain most information."


    Then, as if remembering something, Xue Rui quickly added to his sentence: "Of course, we''ll need to cut off the cultivation and ability user bits. After all, we want normal people to relate to the situation."


    "En. That could work. But finding someone to write the script, actors, productions... it''ll need a lot of money and time. All of us will be too busy with the preparation to oversee those," Li Jinghua replied.


    "Jinghua, you''re worrying over trivial things. Which family do you think I''m from? All of those is not a problem at all. Leave those to me," Xue Rui said with a confident smile on his face.


    "Alright. If you say so then I''ll leave everything to you. Anything else?" Li Jinghua eyed everyone in the meeting room and when no one speak, she packed up her stuff. "If there is nothing else, then let''s end it here."


    * * *


    The meeting ends, and Li Xinwen turned to his sister. "Hua-jie, I''ll stay for a while to accompany Xue Liang for a bit. I did promise that I''ll have a talk with him," Li Xinwen said with a small smile on his face.


    "Are you sure...?"


    "En. Don''t worry," he replied before turning to Xue Liang. The smile on his face disappeared and was replaced with a more serious expression. "Let''s go," he said as he gestured for Xue Liang to follow him.


    Xue Liang grinned at Li Xinwen''s invitation and he quickly stood up. He excitedly followed Li Xinwen, and as his eyes trained on Li Xinwen''s back, he slowly glanced down, before finally his gaze rests on Li Xinwen''s ass.


    Remembering their past passionate moments, Xue Liang couldn''t help but lick his lips. ''I really can''t wait to push him down and claim him as mine again...''


    Xue Liang was deep in his thought that he didn''t realize that they have entered the training ground.


    "En. This place is good enough," Li Xinwen said with satisfaction as he turned to face Xue Liang. "So, shall we begin?"


    It wasn''t until Xue Liang heard Li Xinwen speak that he finally took notice of his surrounding. There were still some soldiers training in the training ground, and he also noticed that his brothers had followed them along, as well as Min Xiaoyu and Li Jinghua.


    "Xinwen, didn''t you say that we''ll talk, alone?" Xue Liang asked.


    "When did I ever say alone?" Li Xinwen asked with an eyebrow raised. "I said that we will ''talk'', ''just the two of us''. Naturally, we''re the only two who will do the ''talking''," Li Xinwen said as he beckoned at Xue Liang with one hand to come at him.


    Xue Liang didn''t move, and only stared at him with confusion on his face. Seeing this expression, Li Xinwen just let out a chuckle. "What were you expecting? Hurry and come at me, ba. Don''t men talk with their fists?"


    "You were playing me?" Xue Liang''s expression turned dark as he stared at Li Xinwen.


    "Please don''t expect me to treat you well after all that you''ve done," Li Xinwen narrowed his eyes and once again beckoned Xue Liang to come at him.


    "I refuse," Xue Liang said with a gritted teeth. He turned around, wanting to leave. After stealing the cultivation manual from Li Xinwen, he had also started cultivating. Now, he was able to sense other people''s spiritual energy and gauge their strength based on the amount of spiritual energy within them.


    When he arrived at the military base, he was pleased to find out that he had caught up with his eldest brother. And he had checked out Li Xinwen''s strength earlier. He was sure that the other was below him but now, he realized that Li Xinwen was just hiding his real strength.


    ''To fight a losing battle is not something I do,'' Xue Liang thought to himself. He prefered to have control whenever he''s in a fight. After being the overlord in the underworld business, there''s no one who dared to cross him. He had just taken a step when he was stopped by Li Xinwen''s next sentence.


    "If you can beat me, I''ll do whatever you want."


    Xue Liang turned back to face Li Xinwen whose face was full of confidence. Xue Liang then thought back to how satisfying it will be to have this confident man writhe under him as he have his way with him. The temptation was simply too big.


    He still remembers the way how Li Xinwen''s tight hole would clung against his rod as he sheathed himself all the way inside. The sweet, seductive sound that he managed to elicit from the other each time he pounded into him.


    "Are you sure?" Xue Liang asked. "Give me your word that you won''t go against it!"


    "Alright. I promise you this. In return, if I win..." the corner of Li Xinwen''s lips curved up, forming a smirk. "You will listen to me until the day you can beat me. Let the heaven be the witness and if I ever go back against my word, may the heaven send lightning down and strike my body."


    Xue Liang didn''t even wait for Li Xinwen to finish as he launched an attack, hoping to take Li Xinwen by surprise.


    "Liang-ge! You bastard. How could you be so low!" Xue Rui who saw this scene couldn''t help but admonish his elder brother loudly.


    Of course, Li Xinwen has long been prepared. After all, Xue Liang is someone who would take advantage of others weakness, someone who would break into someone''s house, someone who would openly harrass people and he even dared to steal from him. It is only natural that Li Xinwen expected such move from Xue Liang.


    When Xue Liang''s fist was about to reach him, Li Xinwen simply evades by stepping to the side. He made sure to stick his leg out, tripping Xue Liang who was unable to stop from the inertia.


    "Stop playing as if you''re a normal person. Did you not steal a cultivation manual from me? Xiaohao Linghun... I''m sure you''ve already used them or else, how can you reach the peak 3rd stage of Houtian in a short amount of time?"


    Li Xinwen''s lifts his leg up high before he brought it back down. Xue Liang saw this and quickly rolled away thus, Li Xinwen''s foot only slammed down on the ground below. Li Xinwen has already reached the sixth stage of Houtian but he deliberately suppressed his strength to match Xue Liang.


    Even then, the ground underneath his feet breaks as countless web cracks formed. By now, his fight with Xue Liang has already gained other''s attention who had stopped their training to witness the fight.


    Xue Liang recovered quickly, and after hearing what Li Xinwen had said to him earlier, he no longer hides his ability. Instead, he laid all his cards open. His hands quickly formed several seals and activated the first move of the Demonic Profane Flame.


    Li Xinwen watched as the dark, purple flame formed on Xue Liang''s hands. He had seen how Xue Liang effortlessly formed the seals to activate the move and he couldn''t help but lament. ''Truly a shame. Such genius is hard to come by, even back in Long Xing,'' Li Xinwen thought to himself as he prepared for Xue Liang''s next attack.


    He didn''t have to wait long as Xue Liang didn''t waste time to send three sets of fire balls hurling towards him. He carefully analyzed their trajectory before taking few steps backwards, letting the first two fire balls hit the ground.


    For the third one, he decided to parry it away. Based on its trajectory, the fireball would''ve continued to fly and it would endanger Li Jinghua. When his hand touched the fire ball, his eyes narrowed slightly at the feeling of the corrosive power from the flame.


    ''This flame does live up to the name of its skill,'' Li Xinwen thought as he mobilised his spiritual energy to cleanse the corrosive effect on his hand. Xue Liang on the other hand, rushed forward again. The demonic flame still covered his hands as their fingers formed into a claw.


    Li Xinwen dodged the first claw swipe from Xue Liang by leaning back slightly. As for the second one, he raised his left hand to block the attack before he grabbed Xue Liang''s wrist to keep him in place. He then lifts his right arm up to his waist, his hand forming into a fist. With one quick movement, he pushed his hands forward, driving the fist into Xue Liang''s stomach.


    It was only one, simple punch. No fancy movement. A straight punch that even a child can do. But the force contained within that punch is by no mean, weak. The flames on Xue Liang''s hands disappeared. His pupil rolled to the back of his head before slumping forward.


    Upon realizing that Xue Liang had passed out, Li Xinwen dropped Xue Liang''s body to the ground. He blinked his eyes, as if not willing to believe that Xue Liang had fallen with a single punch.


    ''Did I fail to control my strength?'' he wondered. Li Xinwen squats beside the unconscious Xue Liang and slapped his face a few times but the other did not show any reaction. The other soldiers who witnessed this scene couldn''t help but feel disappointed at the outcome before returning to their own training.


    "It looks like he is out cold. I guess this can be considered my win," Li Xinwen grinned from ear to ear. "Xue Liang, ah... you better behave after this and listen to laozi''s every words," Li Xinwen said in a soft whisper while he placed his hand on top of Xue Liang''s chest.


    He then pushed some of his spiritual energy into Xue Liang, guiding them to rest within the other''s dantian. After doing this, he finally pulled his hand away. "From now on, You. Belongs. To. Laozi."


    "Xue Jun! When Xue Liang wakes up, be sure to remind him of his promise. Also, tell him that if he dares to misbehave, I will know," Li Xinwen said out loud as he stood up.


    Making his way to Li Jinghua, Li Xinwen gave her a smile. "So, do you think your brother is still helpless, Hua-jie?" Li Xinwen asked playfully.


    Li Jinghua was still trying to process what had just happened. From the start of the match to the point where Xue Liang had passed out, it did not even take a minute. Her worry, was really unwarranted.


    "Ah''Wen... you didn''t plan this with everyone else just to make me worry less about you, right?" Li Jinghua asked back.


    Li Xinwen who didn''t even plan to knock Xue Liang out in one move was rendered speechless by her question. Seeing Li Xinwen''s deadpanned expression, Li Jinghua continued to explain her reasoning.


    "I mean, he... those flame has the strength of a level 2 ability users. You''ve only trained for few months, it is almost impossible for you to win."


    Min Xiaoyu and Xue Jun who knew Li Xinwen''s real strength: ...


    "Hua-jie! You have to believe in your younger brother, ah!" Li Xinwen suddenly felt wronged.


    * * *


    After the meeting in the military base, everyone returned to their daily routine. When Xue Liang woke up that day, he noticed there was a collar around his neck. He had tried all methods he could think of to remove them, but he was unable to do so. It wasn''t until he found out that the collar was given to him by Li Xinwen did he stop trying to remove it.


    Days continued to pass, then days changed to months. Li Jinghua would update the group every three months if there is anything that they need to take note of.


    Li Xinwen continued to train with Sun Xiao, and they would occasionally go to the military training base to train with the rest. At first, Sun Xiao was still wary to be surrounded by tough looking a.d.u.l.ts. But over time, he overcame his shyness and became even more confident.


    Before Li Xinwen knew it, a year passed since he had transmigrated into this world. He wouldn''t have noticed it were it not for Manager Su reminding him that he will need to return to his work. At first, Li Xinwen wanted to quit acting. But then, he remembered the plan of making the movie and thought that he should at least help Li Jinghua in this matter.


    With that, the name Li Xinwen once again returned in the entertainment world. Since he has returned to his work, Li Xinwen now did not have time to laze around.


    With the combination of work and training, another year has passed in the blink of an eye. The movie that they had planned was finally released and it hits the box office with the highest sales in that year. The talk about zombies spreads through out the country. Even before the meteorites fell, everyone already knew the zombie''s weakness which is the brain.


    Another few months passed, and the government released news about the incoming meteorite. But luckily, since Xue Jun had warned them about it two years ago, they were prepared. Just like Li Jinghua''s past, they shot at the meteorite but there are still pieces of it that fell onto earth.


    Now, Li Jinghua began the final preparation for the apocalypse. She sold all of her stocks, bonds and shares, before she started hoarding all the necessary materials. She also purchased several vehicles. It was only unfortunate that her space was limited or else, she would''ve bought a bigger vehicles such as trailers or trucks.


    Unknown to her, Li Xinwen had bought those trailers and trucks that she wanted to purchase and placed it inside his dimension. Lanyu had complained to Li Xinwen on how the cars was taking spaces and how it looked ugly. But Li Xinwen paid it no mind. As for the cats, though they are stronger now, they still haven''t reached spiritual awareness.


    Once their preparation was complete, they only needed to wait for the apocalypse to come.

 Chapter 119 - 38.1

    Li Xinwen sat on the sofa in a relaxed manner. Beside him, An Yunxu has a friendly smile on his face as he answered the host''s question about his latest movie, [Death to My Destiny].


    "Speaking of the role of Tao Xiang, it was supposed to be Teacher Li''s role, right? Because of that accident two years ago, you lost the role to Teacher An. Did you ever regret losing it?" the host asked Li Xinwen.


    "No. Not at all," Li Xinwen replied calmly. He has been in this modern world for about two years now and he had learned a lot. He knew the host is trying to rile everyone up, by pitting him against An Yunxu.


    "Are you sure?" the host asked again. "After all, [Death to My Destiny] garnered a lot of attention. It even set up a high record on its box office ratings."


    Li Xinwen shook his head as he let out a soft chuckle. "No. I do not regret it. In fact, I am somewhat grateful for that accident," Li Xinwen said. It wasn''t a lie. If it were not for that accident, he didn''t know what''ll happen to his soul, nor does he want to think about it.


    "Grateful? How so?"


    "Well, for one¡­ I get to spend more time with my family. That one year felt more like a well-deserved vacation," Li Xinwen replied with a smile on his face as he could not help but remember the warmth of his family.


    An Yunxu seems to notice that the focus has shifted to Li Xinwen. Fearing that he may not get enough screen time, he decided to barge in into the conversation.


    "Indeed. I''ve seen how relaxed Teacher Li was during his one year off. He also seemed to have taken interest in martial arts. Whenever I had my days off, I will always see Teacher Li practice in his home courtyard," An Yunxu said.


    Li Xinwen noticed that something is wrong with the tone that An Yunxu used when he speaks. His eyes moved towards An Yunxu, wondering what the man is up to. When he heard An Yunxu''s next sentence though, he couldn''t help the frown that formed on his face.


    "I have also seen this young boy at Teacher Li''s place. Teacher Li and this boy will always train together and appear to very close," there was a smile on An Yunxu''s face but the heart is black. Even passerby notice how An Yunxu is trying to drive the public opinion of Li Xinwen.


    "That boy is my younger brother," Li Xinwen said. "He is very cute and obedient. I am glad that he came to my life," Li Xinwen had a smile on his face as he remembered the docile little Sun Xiao back at home.


    An Yunxu actually never knew about Sun Xiao''s true identity. The thing about Li Xinwen''s family is guarded very closely. Once, he had asked paparazzi to go and take some materials on Li Xinwen and the young boy but he never heard from the paparazzi again. Not even news of the paparazzi was heard since that day.


    "But Teacher Li, from the profile that your company provided, there was no mentions about younger brother¡­ so where did this boy come from?" the host had caught the point that An Yunxu wanted to rise which made the other actor smile inwardly.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Bbl%5D_14640041906106405/chapter-38.1_50365748782099375 for visiting.


    Li Xinwen raised an eyebrow at the question. "I didn''t know this interview also covers my family matter," Li Xinwen stated. When he was invited to the show, he was told that it was only to interview about their latest work.


    Since the apocalypse is coming soon, Li Jinghua felt that they should advertise their movie about the apocalypse more just so that people will at least have a slight idea on what to do when it happens.


    As the obedient younger brother, Li Xinwen agreed with a slight reluctance. After all, the show will take about two hours. In those two hours, he could help Sun Xiao with his training, or even bully the people from the military training ground.


    When the host heard Li Xinwen''s statement, he let a nervous laughter out. He glanced over at the show director but saw that the director didn''t do anything. Taking it as a green light, the host began to press further.


    "Well, after hearing that Teacher Li have a younger brother, of course, everyone would be curious. There is no harm in revealing his identity," the host said with a smile. "Who knows, maybe he''ll want to be a star in the future, then-"


    "He won''t," Li Xinwen cut the host from finishing. "My Ah''Xiao won''t be an entertainer."


    "Your-"


    "Mr Host, if you''re not going to ask me questions related to the movie, I will take my leave now," Li Xinwen threatened.


    Upon this threat, the director who had decided to turn a blind eye earlier finally reacted. He signed for the host to stop pressing on the topic and move on to the next.


    "Very well. Then let''s talk about your new movie, [To the End]. The movie was sponsored by the Xue family, and even the best team were called for the filming. But unfortunately, the settings did not resonate well with the public so it lost to [Death to My Destiny]. What do you think about it?"


    Li Xinwen stared at the host before letting out a sigh. ''It looks like this host really wishes to pit me against An Yunxu. Do they like it when their guest fight with each other?'' Li Xinwen can''t help but wonder.


    ''No matter. My purpose here is to promote the movie and try to make more people come to know of it.''


    "The movie is made not to win any box office or anything. The purpose is to teach others in the case of such a disaster, what they can do and what to avoid. As such, they will be able to preserve their life better," Li Xinwen told the host.


    Li Xinwen said it with a serious expression but the host and An Yunxu couldn''t help but ridicule him in their heart. They couldn''t believe that someone would believe that the world will end with zombies roaming around.


    "Teacher Li, perhaps you haven''t pulled yourself out from the character in the movie? The world is so peaceful and not to mention, such a virus outbreak is nothing but fantasy," An Yunxu said with a hint of mocking in his tone.


    Li Xinwen naturally noticed this but he did not take any offence to it. After all, his sister had already warned him about it.


    "You''re right. It is nothing but a fantasy. But you have to admit most of those things in the movie are doable," replied Li Xinwen before he proceeded with his next sentence.


    "If a person can learn from it, then if let''s say by some freak accident he is stranded on an inhabited island¡­ At the very least, he has some knowledge to preserve his life longer until helps come. Learning basic survival skills will not harm you."


    It was such a logical answer and most people would not be able to find fault in it. But unfortunately, the host for the show is quite skilful in his tongue.


    "Teacher Li, since you''ve filmed the movie then does that mean you have learned a few survival skills? Can you show the audience?"


    "Sure. No problem," Li Xinwen smiled. "What do you want to see?"

 Chapter 120 - 38.2

    While Li Xinwen was occupied in the studio for the talk show, Sun Xiao was watching the live broadcast on the TV with Li Jinghua and Madam Li. When Madam Li noticed that her son was bullied in the talk show, she was angry. Luckily, Li Jinghua was around to calm her down.


    "Mom, don''t worry. Look, Ah''Wen dealt with the situation calmly. It will be alright," Li Jinghua gently rubbed her mother''s back.


    "But that host is clearly targetting Ah''Wen from the start until now. At first, he ignored Ah''Wen, now he''s trying to humiliate him!" Mother Li complained. "Ah''Xiao, you''re also angry, right?"


    Sun Xiao nods his head at his adopted mother''s inquiry. "I will remember the host''s face and if I meet him in the future, I''ll beat him up," Sun Xiao said in a serious tone. Then, he turned to face Madam Li with a warm smile on his face. "So, mom don''t have to be too angry. Ah''Xiao will help you vent your anger."


    Mother Li thought that her son only said so in order to placate her. Her lips curved up into a smile before she raised her hand to gently pats Sun Xiao on his head. "Good boy. Make sure to teach him a lesson for mom."


    Mother Li never would''ve thought that in the future, Sun Xiao really would do as he said. So she simply played along, not thinking much about it.


    But Li Jinghua, who was nearby, knew that Sun Xiao would do it. This adopted brother of hers had grown over the past two years. Though he would still appear timid when met with someone new, as long as Li Xinwen is around, he would gain confidence as high as the heaven.


    "Ah''Xiao shouldn''t resort to violence right away. At the very least, even if you want to teach him a lesson, you mustn''t hit him directly," Li Jinghua told her brother. ''In the apocalypse, if you appear ruthless, you''ll become the target of the public,'' she wanted to tell Sun Xiao but simply kept it to herself since her mother is around.


    "Okay. If Hua-jie says so," Sun Xiao replied.


    After the small conversation, the trio returned their attention to the show and saw how Li Xinwen quickly created fire by using the flints from the survival kit provided. He only needed two action to let the paper that the host gave him catch fire. The guest audiences present all awed with his performance.


    "Whoa! I did not expect that you can do it so quickly. Teacher Li, it seems that you really did study for your role," the host complimented Li Xinwen.


    Li Xinwen merely let out a small chuckle and shrugged his shoulder. "Of course. If I don''t study, then the movie would look bad, no?" he said. In fact, he cheated by using spiritual energy to light up the paper. Of course, this is a secret only known to him.


    "Indeed. Indeed! So, what else can Teacher Li do?" the host ask again.


    "Hmm¡­ I guess you can say that I can handle a gun?"


    At this statement, An Yunxu inwardly scoffed but his outward appearance didn''t change from the gentle and friendly appearance he put on. "Xiao Wen, you should know that a real gun is different from a prop used in a movie. Just because you were taught how to use the prop, doesn''t mean you can use a real gun."


    "Senior An is indeed correct. Compared to the prop, a real gun is heavier. Not to mention, the recoils from a live bullet is far stronger," as Li Xinwen said this, he turned to look over at An Yunxu. "In the movie, we indeed used a prop. But in order to replicate the realism of the gun, I had the pleasure of practicing with a real gun few months before shooting the movie."


    Again, Li Xinwen wasn''t lying. He indeed practiced with a real gun before shooting the movie. Not just guns, he was also taught how to handle assault rifles, SMGs, rifles, grenade launcher and even how to throw a grenade. At first, Li Xinwen was excited since it was a new experience for him.


    But after only a few days, he mastered everything and grew bored of it. When Li Jinghua was not present, he even told Xue Jun how a pebble he threw would have a more firepower than the bullet. Xue Jun naturally believed him, but also advised him not to show his full strength during the early days of the apocalypse.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Bbl%5D_14640041906106405/chapter-38.2_50365762740743253 for visiting.


    Li Xinwen agreed. After all, Li Jinghua had informed them how chaotic early days of the apocalypse were. Trust between human were close to a non-existent and even family would sometimes have no remorse in abandoning their family members. In fact, Li Xinwen saw it himself in Li Jinghua''s memories how a mother threw her baby towards a zombie to buy her some time to escape.


    The talk show continued and every time the host tried to cause trouble, Li Xinwen would skillfully avoids the mines. In the end, the host can only admit defeat and move to An Yunxu.


    "Teacher An¡ª"


    The host''s sentence were cut off when someone suddenly opened the door with a loud bang. The sound was enough to capture everyone''s attention.


    The director''s face was livid as he turned to the door and angrily yelled at the newcomer: "What are you doing?! Don''t you know that we''re shooting a live show here? Whose crew are you under? Let me talk¡ª"


    When he saw that the man who opened the door was covered in blood, he paused. Then, he worriedly called out to the person. "Hey, are you alright? Are you¡­ really injured or are you playing a prank?"


    The man didn''t answer and instead, looked around the studio with a wary eyes. Not long after, he showed a relieved expression before he turned around and shut the door close then proceeds to lock it.


    "Barricade, barricade¡­ must block the door¡­"


    Li Xinwen who are now a mid-stage Xiantian practitioner, could hear the mumble clearly. Not to mention, he could see that gaping wound on the man''s shoulder, as if a big chunk of his flesh had been bitten off. ''Also¡­ his wounds reeks with demonic qi¡­''


    A frown appeared on his face and he immediately took out his phone. When the pieces of the meteorite fell he had noticed how the world is slowly being contaminated by demonic qi. It was to the point that even the demonic qi that he had suppressed within himself turns excited, causing him to be distressed for a full month before he could finally subdue them again.


    Looking down at his phone, he took note of the time and date stated on the screen. ''It''s not yet the time that Hua-jie estimated for the apocalypse to start. According to Hua-jie''s calculation, the first incident should happen three months later. Did things deviate again?''


    Li Xinwen quickly unlocked his phone and started to send a message to the group chat.


    [Li Xinwen: Please be careful. It looks like the first outbreak had happened early.]


    [Li Xinwen: Hua-jie, Ah''Xiao, please keep mom safe.]


    [Li Jinghua: Ah''Wen, what do you mean?]


    [Li Jinghua: Are you saying there''s an outbreak at your place now? The live broadcast was cut off. Are you alright?]


    Li Xinwen wanted to send a reply but when he did, it ended up with an error instead. Seeing this error message, the frown on his face deepened. Turning his attention back to the person who just came in, he saw that several other staff had already approached him.


    Some had a panicked expression, one person had a phone close to his ear, as if trying to call for ambulance. The ones with low tolerance had already vomited out in the corner.


    An Yunxu also noticed that there was something wrong with the situation and he couldn''t help but huddle closer to Li Xinwen. "Xiao Wen, ah, what do you think is wrong with them?" he asked. In his tone, Li Xinwen could hear not only the curiosity but also fear.


    "Senior An, if I say that the man who just entered will become a zombie, will you believe me?" Li Xinwen asked.


    It might be because of Li Xinwen''s serious expression so it made An Yunxu fidget nervously. "Xiao Wen knows how to joke. Zombies are not real. You need to hurry and pull yourself out of your role, ah!"


    Li Xinwen only let out a low chuckle as he stared at the entrance of the studio as he tries to recall what Li Jinghua had told him. According to her, depending on the wound, the time for someone to change into a zombie varied. Activating Moyan, Li Xinwen could see the demonic qi floating towards the man''s wound, entering it.


    Because the man had informed everyone around him of his experience before entering the room because no one tried to open the door to look for help for him. Half an hour later, the man''s breathing grew weak and Li Xinwen thought that in order to reduce the casualty as much as he can, he should warn everyone out of good conscience.


    He was just about to stand up when An Yunxu grab his arm and pulled at him. "Xiao Wen, what are you doing? Just stay here and let them handle it."


    "Senior An, since you said that zombies doesn''t exist, why are you looking scared now? Don''t worry. I only want to take a look," Li Xinwen told him as he removed the other''s hold on his arm.


    After that, he quickly stood up and left An Yunxu alone. As he approached the scene, he heard someone call out to the injured man. But Li Xinwen knew that no matter how much they called him, there will be no response. Because the man''s heartbeat has already ceased to beat.


    "Hurry and get away from him," Li Xinwen said to the staffs who were close to the dead man. "Did he tell you what happen? Since he has stopped breathing, it might become a homicide and his body can be considered an evidence. If you don''t want to get in trouble with the police, get away from him," Li Xinwen said out loud.


    He knew that if he told them that the body will soon become a zombie, no one will believe him. So the best way for him to get everyone away is to bullshit his way by saying how this might be a homicide. Luckily, no one called out his bluff.


    "Teacher Li is indeed knowledgeable. Everyone, get away quick. Has someone called the police?" the director asked his staff members. At first, the director didn''t want to deal with the matter and simply left it to his staff but when Li Xinwen spoke, he felt that it would not look good if he continued to act as he was.


    "We''ve been trying to call the ambulance and police but it won''t go through!" one of them replied followed by several others who shouted their confirmation on the matter.


    "Then let''s go out. Maybe the signal was interfered in the building," the director said approaching the exit. He was just about to open the door when a staff stopped him. "What?"


    "Director¡­ can''t you hear it?"


    A frown was formed on the director''s face and he tried to focus on listening whatever it was he was supposed to hear. Because this studio is used for live broadcasting, the whole room was actually soundproofed. This is so that the noise that happens outside the studio won''t get picked up by the live broadcast. As he continued to focus, he could hear several muffled screams and panicked voice.


    "What is going on outside?" the director asked. "Is there some kind of robbery? A terrorist attack?"


    "If it was just those, then how good would it be?" Li Xinwen said. All this time, he never deactivate Moyan as he stared at the dead body. He could see how the demonic qi spreads all over the body with most of them settled on the brain or to be precise, the upper dantian.


    By now, Li Xinwen has a suspicion that the so called zombie virus are the doings of the demonic qi.


    "Hey¡­ did you see his finger move?" someone asked.


    "Yes! Maybe he''s still alive!" another chimed in.


    Following this, someone approached the dead body while calling out to the dead man. "Brother, are you alright? Don''t scare us, ah! We thought you died when you didn¡ª"


    "Get away from him!" Li Xinwen warned.


    "Teacher Li! He''s still alive! Look!" the staff said as he gestured to the dead man who has already completely turned into a zombie.


    By now, the zombie had already opened his eyes and looked over at the staff who was the closest to him. Then, he raised his hand and grabbed onto the staff''s arm. With one strong pull, the staff fell on top of him and opening his mouth, he bit onto the unsuspecting neck.

 Chapter 121 - 38.3

    Scream erupted and panic ensues. Li Xinwen grits his teeth and took out a small dagger from the space ring. "Everyone! Get behind me quick!" Li Xinwen yelled out as he walked over to the zombie, making sure to infuse his spiritual energy through his voice so that it would be heard despite all the noise.


    Those who heard him, quickly went behind him but unfortunately, there are few who are hard headed and tried to save their friends. And they, naturally fell victim to the zombie. ''If it were not because I need to hide my strength, I could kill this zombie in a second.''


    The first person who were bitten had by now, turned into a zombie too. Li Xinwen assumed that because he died from the bite and thus, it was easier for the demonic qi to take over the body. ''How many seconds was that? 10?'' Li Xinwen thought.


    Those staffs who were injured by the first zombie had now became wary. Especially after seeing the friend who was bitten on the neck standing up and that he joined the first zombies on feasting on their fellow crew member. Li Xinwen held the dagger tightly in a reverse grip as he approached the zombies.


    In one move, Li Xinwen aimed the sharp dagger through the back of the first zombie''s skull. Seeing that his friend were killed, the second zombie turned his attention to Li Xinwen and attempted to attack him. Unfortunately, Li Xinwen had already calculated his move. After stabbing the zombie, he quickly pulled the dagger away and proceeded to drive the dagger between the second zombie''s eyebrow.


    Pulling out the dagger, Li Xinwen then looked at the corpse that was eaten. He could see the demonic qi gathering on it, and knew that it will soon turn into a zombie. If Li Xinwen destroyed the brain now, it won''t have a chance to be a zombie. He was just about to do it when a thought suddenly crossed his mind which made him put off in killing the soon to be zombie corpse.


    People who saw this scene, stared at Li Xinwen in disbelief. Then, a woman pointed at him. ???K-killed¡­ he killed them¡­"


    This woman was one of the person who was scratched by the zombie earlier. Li Xinwen could see that she would be done for. Thinking of it, Li Xinwen thought that he might as well kill the injured off now before they cause him trouble. He approached them and the woman earlier could sense her impending death. The rest seems to notice it too and they took a step back with each step Li Xinwen takes.


    "T-Teacher Li¡­ are you going to kill me too?" she asked fearfully, tears that pooled inside her eyes now cascades freely down her cheek.


    "En. After all, soon you will also become zombies," Li Xinwen replied calmly.


    "Don''t joke around! Just because you filmed a movie about zombies before¡­" the person who said this was a man, and Li Xinwen remembered him to be the person who gave him water during the talk show.


    "Teacher Li, zombies doesn''t exist¡­ and what you did just now¡­ is murder. You have just killed two people. Spare us, and we will help testify to the police that what you''ve done is only a self defense¡­" another of the injured spoke up.


    "After seeing that, you still don''t believe in zombies'' existence?" Li Xinwen gestured at the two zombies from before. "You three were injured from trying to save your friends before. One, died as a result. If you remember how the second zombie was formed, then you should already know in your heart that after being bitten or scratched by a zombie, you will turn into one once your time is up," he explained.


    "No! I¡­ these are all knowledge from your movie! What if I didn''t become one? Teacher Li, you can''t just kill us just because of that!" the man who gave him water said.


    At this time, An Yunxu had also approached them. His face was pale and looked at Li Xinwen fearfully. "Xiao Wen¡­ you¡­ I''ve said before, you should hurry and pull out from your role. Now what have you done?"


    This question of his made several others who had witnessed what happened before to look at Li Xinwen with eyes filled with judgement. By now, their mind simply thought that Li Xinwen was still deep in his role from his recent movies so he was unable to separate the fiction and reality.


    "Senior An, are you saying that I shouldn''t have killed them?" he asked as he looked at his dagger. The blood on it wasn''t dark red as it should have been but instead, it was pitch black. This is a sign that the body from before was poisoned with demonic qi.


    "Of course you shouldn''t have killed them! At most, you should just restrain them and let the police handle the rest," An Yunxu replied in a righteous tone.


    "Try to restrain them and end up with that poor brother over there with his guts out in the open?" Li Xinwen asked back as he pointed at the corpse that had been feasted on by the two zombies before. Though Li Xinwen was quick to kill them, the damage done on that corpse was enough to make someone sick.


    His stomach was ripped open, and his intestines were pulled out. There was also a large chunk of flesh missing on his throat. Over all, no one will be able to survive such wound. But of course, now that it is the apocalypse, the supposed dead body has now started to move.


    "Everyone should look carefully. This is your reality now," Li Xinwen said out loud as he turned to face the new zombie. He was about to walk over and approach the zombie when another idea popped up. If things goes as it is, he thought that maybe these people will continue to cause him trouble in the future. So in the end, Li Xinwen just dropped the dagger on the floor and walked away.


    "W-wait! Where are you going?" An Yunxu asked as he watched Li Xinwen going to the exit.


    "Since you guys don''t want me to kill the zombie, then I won''t kill it. Go ahead and restrain it," Li Xinwen replied.


    "But¡­" An Yunxu turned back to the new zombie who is now slowly walking towards them. His intestines that were still connected to his gaping stomach trailed on the floor. Just the scene alone wants to make An Yunxu threw up his lunch.


    Forcing his vomit down, An Yunxu quickly hid behind the director. "Director, do something¡­"


    The director didn''t reply and only looked over at Li Xinwen who stood in a relaxed manner, his back leaning on the door to the exit. "Teacher Li¡­ earlier, you said this is now our reality. Are you saying that our world is now infested with zombies? Did you know about this? Is that why you shot that movie?"


    Li Xinwen didn''t reply and merely shrugged his shoulder. Then he quickly pointed at the still living zombie. "Look at him again, and think it over. Can a normal person still be alive after suffering injuries like his?"


    Of course, everyone already knew the answer. It was impossible.


    "Right now, I believe there are more zombies outside. I plan to leave here and return home. I have given you a chance of survival so use it well," Li Xinwen said, referring to the dagger that he dropped.


    He stood up straight and was about to reach the handle when someone called out to him. "Wait! Xiao Wen, since we live in the same residential area¡­ can you take me along?"


    It was none other than An Yunxu. He was looking at Li Xinwen with a pleading look.


    "No."


    Li Xinwen''s answer was short and decisive.


    "Why?!" An Yunxu couldn''t believe what Li Xinwen was saying and quickly asked. "Are you just going to escape alone and go to safety on your own, leaving us here to fend of for ourselves?"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Bbl%5D_14640041906106405/chapter-38.3_50365973210908375 for visiting.


    Li Xinwen let out a heavy sigh and turned back towards them. Behind them, he saw the zombie who was still walking slowly, struggling to advance with his innards trailing behind. ''I heard from Hua-jie that a level 0 zombies are slow but¡­ are they really this slow?''


    "Fine. I can lead you guys out. But, I want you to deal with that zombie first," Li Xinwen said out loud.


    "You¡­ want us to kill?" this time, it was the director who asked.


    "It''s either kill or be killed," Li Xinwen replied. ???Look, I am not a saint. The more I linger here, the more worried I am for my family. If you won''t do as I say, then I will just leave you guys here."

 Chapter 122 - 38.4

    Li Xinwen could see the hesitation on their face. They looked at Li Xinwen, then at the zombie that is approaching them. If they dallied more, they might end up in a more precarious situation. In the end, one of them steeled his heart and approached the dagger on the floor.


    He held it tightly in his hand and carefully walked over to the zombie. The zombie could smell his food getting closer and raised his hands up, trying to grab his meal. Seeing this, the man jumped in fright and took several steps back, even dropping the dagger onto the floor.


    "You idiot!" a female staff member scolded him. "Hurry and pick that dagger up!"


    "B-but¡­" the man hesitated. After all, the place where the dagger was dropped is very close to the zombie now. If he were to go and grab it, the zombie would surely be able to grab him and even eat him. Watching this, Li Xinwen could no longer hold himself back.


    "The zombie can''t think. As long as you all work together, you can kill this zombie easily," Li Xinwen told them. "Since he already made someone a target, then the others should try to get around the zombie and attack him from behind."


    "But¡­ the dagger is so close to the zombie. How can we kill him?"


    Li Xinwen could feel his headache coming and he massaged his temple. ''Are you guys spoiled? I just told you that if you work together you can kill this zombie so use your head!''


    "I''ve already said before. Work together. You," Li Xinwen pointed at the man who were being approached by the zombie. "Lure that zombie away from the dagger."


    "O-Okay¡­" the man was still scared from earlier, but he still listened to Li Xinwen''s instruction. Slowly, the zombie was lured away by the man and soon, the dagger was free to be taken.


    Someone tried to rush over to grab the dagger, but was quickly stopped by Li Xinwen''s word. "Wait! The zombie is still too close. Everyone remember this well. At the beginning, zombies'' only have their sense of smell. An hour after their death, they will be able to hear and they can only see as far as their hand could touch but their sense of smell will be superior. So when you approach them, be sure you are ready to kill them in one move. A moment of hesitation would turn you into a prey instead," Li Xinwen informed them.


    Once the zombie was about two meters away from the dagger, Li Xinwen signalled for the guy who wanted to rush to the dagger to proceed. The guy ran, quickly picked up the dagger on the floor and as soon as the zombie was within reach, he raised the dagger up and stabbed the zombie on the back of his head. The zombie paused in his movement before finally falling to the ground with the dagger still stuck on its head.


    "Hurry and pull the dagger out," Li Xinwen who saw this couldn''t help but voice out.


    "Why?" the man who stabbed the zombie asked.


    "Because if you don''t, it''ll be harder to pull out," Li Xinwen stated.


    The man didn''t seem to believe him, but he still bent down to pull the dagger out. Or at least, he attempted to. When he grabbed the handle and pulled, the zombie head also followed suit. Frowning, he tried again but failed. He even placed his foot to keep the head in place before pulling the dagger, only to find that the dagger was stuck in place.


    "This is also something that everyone should keep in mind. If you''re using a dagger that lacked grooves or serrations, you need to be quick in your motion. Stab and immediately pull out," Li Xinwen said as he approached the man and the zombie. Seeing Li Xinwen coming closer, the man stepped back and watched as the actor bent down to grab the handle of the dagger. With a sharp jerking motion, the dagger came loose and Li Xinwen pulled it out.


    "Umm¡­ Teacher Li, what is grooves and serrations?" the man who used the dagger earlier asked.


    "Grooves are indents on the body of the blade. It was said to help slightly with the suctions so that when you pull out the dagger, it won''t be as hard. Serrations are the jagged edge on a blade," Li Xinwen explained. "Of course, even with the grooves, if the dagger is stuck on a skull for too long, it will still be hard to pull out."


    "Oh, I see. Teacher Li could easily pull the dagger out earlier. I did not know that you are this strong," the man said with a sheepish smile.


    Li Xinwen eyed the man carefully. He was wearing a jacket, a hat and a jean. His body was larger than Li Xinwen and it could be seen that he have a strong muscle underneath that outfit. Li Xinwen tried to recall this man''s identity and found out that this person was one of the camera director. Considering that he managed to pierce through the zombie''s skull, his strength can be said to be considerable. "I''ll give this dagger to you. Remember my advice from before," Li Xinwen told him.


    After saying that he turned to the rest of the crew. "Everyone, if you want to follow me out, all I ask is that you don''t pull down my legs. As for the three of you," he glanced at the three people who were injured by the zombie earlier. "You''re free to follow but don''t expect me to protect you. Now before we go out, go and pick something that can be used as weapon. Preferably something long and sturdy. I think there should be a few metal pole in this studio, am I right, director?"


    The director nods his head affirmatively. He told Li Xinwen where it should be stored and Li Xinwen in return, told the rest to quickly grab a weapon. The staff moved, including those who were injured. It seems that people still don''t believe Li Xinwen that the small injuries would make them into a zombie.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Bbl%5D_14640041906106405/chapter-38.4_50416014680187649 for visiting.


    ''Actually, not everyone who got injured by zombie would turn into one. According to Hua-jie, some lucky ones would end up awakening an ability. But it requires a strong will power¡­'' he thought to himself.


    "Xiao Wen, what are you going to do? You gave your dagger away to that camera director over there," An Yunxu came over and asked Li Xinwen. His tone appeared to be worried but Li Xinwen could see that the other have another agenda up his sleeves.


    "I will be fine, Senior An. You should go and join the other to grab a weapon for yourself," Li Xinwen advised.


    "But I''m an actor¡­ I need to take care of my image. What if I get injured while¡ª"


    "If you don''t want to, then I can''t force you. But if you think that you will still have a job as an actor after today, then please forgive this junior''s callousness. As I have said, this is reality now. Once we go through that door, let alone being an actor, if you can''t defend yourself you may even lose your life," Li Xinwen informed him.


    "¡­"


    In the end, An Yunxu went over to join the others in finding something to use as a weapon. Another ten minutes passed, and Li Xinwen glanced at his phone once again. Just as before, he still couldn''t send a message to the group, and the call is not going through. Luckily, he managed to warn Li Jinghua earlier so he doesn''t have to worry about Mother Li''s safety. But what he''s worried about is that Mother Li''s mental state. He could already imagine his mother urging Li Jinghua to drive them to look for him in this broadcasting center. As he was musing, there was suddenly a loud ''bang'' on the door to their studio.


    Upon closer inspection, Li Xinwen saw that a dent was formed on the metal door. Looking at this, he knew that the door wouldn''t last for long. He inconspicuously took out a small handgun from his spatial ring and stared at it for a short time. On it, he could see the manufacturer''s name and the model engraved on its chamber. ''This Smith and Wesson M&P Compact 22 should do for now,'' Li Xinwen thought to himself. Gripping it on his hand, he pushed the magazine release to check on the magazine to make sure he got the bullets in. ''Ten rounds¡­ So there''s only ten chances to save them without being suspicious.''


    He slid the magazine back in and pulled on the chamber before he made sure the safety lock is on. Only then did he took out the concealed holster from the spatial ring. Just as he was about to put the holster on, he realized his small blunder.


    "¡­"


    Putting the handgun back into his spatial ring, Li Xinwen looked around to make sure that the staff is still not coming back, and then he quickly undid his belt, unbuttoned his pants and quickly slides the holster in to his right side before he clipped it on his belt. Once done, he quickly redid his pants and belt. Taking the gun back out, he holstered it carefully, making sure its concealed properly and afterwards, he fixed the cardigan he was wearing. ''If I had known that the first outbreak were to happen today, I would''ve made sure to put on the holster in advance¡­''


    Around five minutes passed and the staff are finally returning. Li Xinwen made a headcount, concluding that there were about thirty of them. And he also reminded them of the danger just outside the door. "Oh, and there might be a zombie just behind the door. Earlier, it banged on the door, causing a dent. Once again, do not panic. Always aim for the head. For those with blunt weapons, just swing them to the zombie head as hard as you can. Even if you can''t kill it immediately, you can still stagger them and buy you more time for another attack."


    "Everyone understood?" Li Xinwen asked and he received the acknowledgement from the staff. "Good. I will now open the door. Remember, the zombie are slow and they cannot think. Use that to your advantage."


    Li Xinwen walked over to the door, held the handle and with his other hand, unlocked the door. Glancing over at the staff to make sure they are prepared, he finally opened the door.

 Chapter 123 - 38.5

    With nothing barring its way, the zombie finally entered the studio. Behind it, there were two other zombies. Its movement was very slow and it took it a good fifteen seconds before finally getting past the door. Li Xinwen made sure to conceal his presence so that the zombie would not be able to detect him. Li Xinwen waited for the staff to start attacking but to his surprise, none dared to move. In the end, he had to signal for them to start attacking by making a gesture that''s similar to bashing the zombie head.


    Only then did they began to move. Humans are truly a fascinating creature. Even without being told to, they already knew to group themselves to deal with the three zombies. Li Xinwen could only nods his head in satisfaction when he saw this. With everyone working together, even if they only have blunt weapon, they were still able to smash open the zombie''s head after a few heavy blow.


    Throughout this, Li Xinwen''s eyes landed on An Yunxu who are only watching while others were working. He couldn''t help but frown in dissatisfaction. But he didn''t say anything, deciding to keep an eye on him more. Once the zombies were dealt with, they finally steps out of the studio. Outside the studio was messy. The floor of the hallway were stained with blood, some limbs were strewn all over the place but its main body were nowhere in sight.


    "Right now, using the elevator is risky. We''ll go by the emergency exit," Li Xinwen said out loud. "Mr Director, do you know where the emergency exit is?"


    "It should be to our left. And when we get to the intersection, we turn right and then straight ahead," the director replied.


    After hearing the direction, Li Xinwen proceeded to walk.


    "Wait, are we really going by the stairs? We''re at the 63rd floor!" someone voiced out.


    "If you want to take the elevator, feel free," was all Li Xinwen said as he continued to walk to the direction of the emergency staircase. After a while the staff followed several step behind him. An Yunxu was at first right at the middle of the group but when he looked back and saw the three people who were injured by the zombie earlier, he quickened his steps to catch up with Li Xinwen.


    Li Xinwen noticed this, but didn''t call out this action. He could understand the need to survive, but what he didn''t like is that this Senior An of his didn''t seem to want to work for that survival. It was as if that he didn''t want to get his hand dirty.


    They had only managed to advance thirty steps when they came across three zombies. They were huddled up right in the middle of the hallway, appearing to be feasting on a poor soul who has long gone. The zombies were too fixated on their meal that they has yet to notice Li Xinwen''s group.


    Just beside those zombies, there was an open door that leads to another studio. Li Xinwen felt that if they try to engage the zombie, with the lack of space in the hallway, it''ll be more dangerous. So in the end, he decided to try another method.


    "Since we don''t know how long it has been since they''ve become a zombie, let''s assume that it as recovered its hearing senses," Li Xinwen said in a low voice. "Just our luck, there''s an open door just right beside them. Is there anything that you can give me that I can throw? Preferably something solid."


    As he said this, Li Xinwen turned to the group and waited for someone to hand him an object. For the first few seconds, there was no one who came forward. But fortunately, before even ten seconds passed, someone volunteered to give up an item of theirs.


    "Umm¡­ Teacher Li, do you think this will do?"


    The one who spoke up was one of the make-up artist. In her hand was a can of hair spray. It was only then did Lin Xinwen notice that some of the staff member had brought along their tools of trade. What''s worse was that there was even someone who brought along a camera.


    Taking the can of hair spray, Li Xinwen glanced over at the cameraman who brought the camera and narrowed his eyes. "You there, what are you planning to do with that camera?"


    "I¡­ well, to record?" the cameraman replied.


    "¡­" Li Xinwen merely gave the cameraman a look of disapproval and the cameraman panicked.


    "Teacher Li, I promise I won''t be a hindrance. So please let me bring this camera! I mean, it''s not everyday we get to see zombies," the cameraman quickly added, worried that Li Xinwen would tell him to leave the camera.


    "You''re right. It''s not everyday we get to see zombies but after today, you will see them every single day no matter where you go," Li Xinwen scowled, but he didn''t say anything else about the camera but he did warn the cameraman: "If you got into trouble because of that, I won''t be saving you."


    The cameraman paled, but only nods his head in understanding. After saying his piece, Li Xinwen turned his attention back to the zombies. Signalling for the group to wait for him in place, he quietly approached the zombies. Once he was close enough to the door, he raised his hand and threw the spray can towards the open door.


    The can flew right past the door and when it hit the floor, it caused a sound that attracted the zombies who were eating their meal. The zombies turned their head towards the sound before finally getting up and walked to the direction of the sound.


    Patiently, Li Xinwen waited until the three zombies entered the studio before finally signalling for the group to follow him again. When he got near the corpse, Li Xinwen circled around it and looked into the studio. Inside, there were several other zombies other than the three that he baited inside.


    Quickly counting it, he saw that there was about thirty of them. Knowing that it would only cause trouble if they are left alone like this, Li Xinwen quietly close the door. After all, if left open, who knows where else these zombies would wander once they are used to their movement.


    The other saw his action of closing the door, but didn''t comment on it. But one curious An Yunxu couldn''t help asking. "Xiao Wen, why did you close the door?"


    "If you''re stupid enough wanting to let them follow you, feel free to open the door again. I must say though, there are about thirty inside," Li Xinwen replied.


    Hearing the number, the rest of the group shivered. While An Yunxu also felt fearful after hearing the number, he couldn''t help but feel that Li Xinwen was making him sound like an idiot. They increased their pace and urged Li Xinwen to quickly lead them out.


    After that, whatever Li Xinwen does, they never question. Whenever Li Xinwen ask for items to throw, they gave him. The person who contributed the most in giving Li Xinwen item throw able objects was the make-up artist from before.


    Usually, to reach the emergency staircase from the studio they were in before should''ve only taken five minutes at most and that was even when you walk in a very relaxed manner. Now, they took a good fifteen minutes to reach the emergency staircase, and there was a single zombie that blocked the door.


    "Senior An, you go and deal with that," Li Xinwen gestured at the zombie blocking the door.


    "Eh? Why? Can''t someone else do it?" An Yunxu asked, completely unwilling to do as Li Xinwen ordered. "Ah, right. What about letting that guy with your dagger deal with it?" he suggested as he looked over to the man who was still holding Li Xinwen''s dagger.


    "Senior An, I want you to be the one to deal with the zombie."


    "B-But¡­ Xiao Wen, I''m scared¡­" An Yunxu gave him a pitiful expression. Unfortunately, this does not work with Li Xinwen.


    Li Xinwen was about to tell An Yunxu to go for the third time when the man with the dagger offered himself. "Teacher Li, Teacher An is scared like this. Let''s just let me go and deal with it. It is just one zombie, no big deal," he said to Li Xinwen.


    Turning to face the man, Li Xinwen could see that he was determined to cover for An Yunxu and he couldn''t help but let out a sigh. "What''s your name?"


    "I am called Wei Qiu," he replied.


    "Then, Brother Wei, let me ask you this. You covered for Senior An now, then what about the next time? And the next after that? Do you plan on covering for him every time?" Li Xinwen asks.


    "I¡­ don''t think there is anything wrong with that," Wei Qiu replied. "I mean, if I can protect someone and have the ability to do so, why not?"


    "Yes, you are right about that," Li Xinwen said. "But what happen once we separate? Surely you have a family of your own and you will want to make sure that they are safe. But Senior An will be following me to return to our residential area. I, for one, do not want to always cover for someone who doesn''t work for his own survival."


    Li Xinwen had made his point across. He turned to An Yunxu once more and once again, told him to deal with the zombie.


    "Xiao Wen¡­ do you have to be this cruel?" An Yunxu asked with a timid voice.


    "Cruel? Senior An, I am merely teaching you how to survive. The faster you get used to it, the better. Cruel would be me, not letting you gain experience in dealing with zombies then leaving you out in the open with no knowledge of protecting yourself," he told An Yunxu.


    "B-But¡­" An Yunxu was still reluctant to go forward and kill the zombie. In the end, Li Xinwen had to resort to threatening him.


    "Senior An, forgive me but if you don''t do as I say, I will leave you here. Anyone who wants to help him in this, then I will simply leave all of you," Li Xinwen said out loud, warning the rest of the group not to meddle in the matter.


    "Teacher Li is right," suddenly, the director spoke out. "You guys may think he''s cruel but he is doing this for the good of Teacher An. After all there is a saying, ''give a hungry man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime''."


    At this, Wei Qiu who had wanted to help An Yunxu earlier brighten up. "So, it wasn''t that Teacher Li doesn''t want to help Teacher An once we separate! But Teacher Li just want Teacher An to rely on himself!"


    Li Xinwen who actually didn''t want to be An Yunxu''s golden thigh: ¡­


    An Yunxu who didn''t want to get his hands dirty: ¡­


    In the end, An Yunxu could only tighten his grip on the metal pole in his hand as he slowly walk over to the zombie. When he was close enough, the zombie turned, attracted by An Yunxu''s smell. With a groan, the zombie move towards An Yunxu who is now shaking in fear.


    When Li Xinwen saw that An Yunxu appeared to be rooted in place out of fear, he was prepared to take out his gun. But then, An Yunxu suddenly lifted the metal pole up high and with a loud yell, he rushed over to the zombie and smashed its head. Even though An Yunxu appear to be weak, gentle and kind in public, he was still a man after all. Not to mention, as an actor, he needed to train to keep his body in check.


    The zombie fell, but it was not enough to kill it. An Yunxu also know this before hand so he had already prepared to hit the zombie the second time. Then the third, followed by the fourth, the fifth¡­


    An Yunxu seemed to be in trance as he continued to hit the zombie on the head over and over again as if he was trying to vent out his frustration. Blood splattered all over his face and clothes, and the image of the scene made people somehow feels scared. When Li Xinwen counted to the twentieth hit, he went forward to stop An Yunxu.


    "Enough. It''s already dead," Li Xinwen informed An Yunxu. "Let''s go. Your cry earlier might have alerted few zombies nearby."


    An Yunxu''s breathing was heavy. When he turned to look at Li Xinwen, there was a murderous intent within his eyes. Li Xinwen inwardly scoffed before turning to the rest of the group. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Bbl%5D_14640041906106405/chapter-38.5_50439983533704646 for visiting.


    "The space in the staircase will be narrower, and there might also be zombies there. But if we''re lucky, we won''t be encountering any," Li Xinwen told them. "I will take the lead. The three who were injured by the zombie earlier will guard behind us."

 Chapter 124 - 38.6

    "I refuse!" One of the injured who were injured by the zombie before quickly objected to the suggestion. "Why should we be at the end of the line just because we got injured? Because you said so? You think that everything will go as your movie goes?!"


    "Brother Chen¡­ don''t say anymore¡­" another one from the injured tried to calm Brother Chen. But this gesture was not appreciated as he continued to confront Li Xinwen.


    "Teacher Li, just because you are a famous person, doesn''t mean that you can order us around like this. Being right at the end of the line is more dangerous. I want to be placed in the middle!"


    Li Xinwen narrowed his eyes at the man who was showing his anger. With Moyan activated, he could see that the demonic qi had already enveloped his whole body and the wound has already started to worsen. He knew that this Brother Chen''s time is numbered.


    The reason why Li Xinwen wanted to put the three injured person behind the group was to avoid accident. If they end up turning into a zombie while they are still on the stairs, they could just run and leave them, not wasting time in dealing with them. Which is why, Li Xinwen can never agree to Brother Chen''s request of putting them in the middle.


    If he does agree, and they changed when they were in the middle of the group, then their group would end up being divided. Worse, some may end up being attacked, injured and then infected. It was a risk that Li Xinwen is unwilling to take.


    "Brother Chen," Li Xinwen finally spoke. "You either follow my arrangement or I will leave you here. Maybe things wouldn''t be the same as the movie, yes. But what if the virus does work the same way? If I place you in the middle of the group now, what will happen if you do end up being a zombie? Let me ask everyone, do you want to put Brother Chen amongst yourself?"


    As he asks the last question, Li Xinwen eyed each person in his group. Though they didn''t verbally answer, he could see that they were unwilling. When he looked over at An Yunxu, the man also looked away, not wanting to answer.


    "Since no one is willing, then, we''ll do as I say. You three will still be tasked to guard behind us," Li Xinwen said before he turned to the camera director, Wei Qiu who was holding his dagger. "Brother Wei, you will take the front. Then¡­" Li Xinwen trailed off when he looked over to the next person. Only now did he realize that he has yet to know everyone''s name in the group.


    When the one whose Li Xinwen''s gaze had fallen onto notices the hesitation in the actor''s eyes, they quickly introduced themselves. "Teacher Li, I am called Kang Jun. I am one of the cameraman in the crew."


    "I see. Then Brother Kang, you will help Brother Wei at the front. The two of you are our vanguard, make sure that you don''t ever get injured by the zombies. Even a small scratch is not allowed," Li Xinwen told the two of them.


    Once the two men nods their head, Li Xinwen turned to two other person. "This two sister here¡­ do you still have a lot of throw able items?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "Not a lot¡­ there are about six left but they are all small items. I don''t think it can make a lot of sounds if they were thrown," one of the two replied.


    "I still have three water bottle left," the other added.


    "It can''t be helped then. Try to be careful when you decide to throw them to distract the zombie. If Brother Wei and Brother Kang is able to kill the zombie, then keep them. But if there are more than three zombies, distract them," Li Xinwen advised them. "Don''t worry about a smaller items not being able to make a lot of sounds. When we enter the emergency staircase later, these things won''t be a problem," Li Xinwen said.


    Walking over to the door of the emergency exit, Li Xinwen spreads out his spiritual sense to count the number of zombies within the buildings. But a familiar spiritual signature suddenly made him frown. It came from the upper floor where the high level employee usually had their office at.


    "I¡­ will go upstairs first," Li Xinwen said to the rest of the group.


    "What?! Why? With the current situation right now, isn''t it better to evacuate as soon as possible?!"


    "You guys can go first. I will catch up later," Li Xinwen replied as he opened the door to the emergency staircase and head upstairs.


    Suddenly, An Yunxu rushed into the emergency staircase and spoke to Li Xinwen. "Xiao Wen, how about we wait for you here first then once you finish whatever it is, you can meet us here again?" he suggested. He felt that the risk without Li Xinwen in the group is very high. Behind him, several people of the group also voiced out their agreement with An Yunxu''s suggestions. Unfortunately, Li Xinwen''s reply was not optimistic for them.


    "At the moment, the zombies are still at the initial stage, you can say, its their baby stage," Li Xinwen said out loud. "But think of it like this, if babies need eight months to learn how to walk, Zombies only need six to eight minutes to get used to walking. In few hours, some of the zombies in the building will be able to walk faster than the one we encountered."


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    The group went silent after hearing what Li Xinwen said. Seeing their grim expression, Li Xinwen sighed heavily. "As long as you did what you have done these past half an hour, your chance to survive is very high. But if you want for me, the more than thirty zombies in this floor will gather and attack you since there is a lot of ''meals'' gathered."


    Listening to Li Xinwen''s reminder of the number of zombies, everyone''s face went pale. "Just go, ba! I will catch up to you all. If I see that you guys haven''t reached the first floor by the time I''m done with my task, see if I don''t beat you up," Li Xinwen said jokingly, hoping to lift the group''s spirit.


    After saying that, he didn''t wait for them to speak again and he directly walked upstairs. As soon as he is beyond earshot, Brother Chen from before finally voiced out his dissatisfaction again.


    "Tsk! Look at him sauntering like that! I hope he dies upstairs!" he grumbled.


    "Enough! Let''s just follow Teacher Li''s arrangement. It won''t hurt trying to survive. Plus¡­ the earlier we escape, the faster we can have some professional look at you three''s injury," Wei Qiu said to the three people who were still feeling dissatisfied from what Li Xinwen said about them earlier.


    "Heh, look at you! Teacher Li only praised you once or twice and you already turned into his obedient dog!" Brother Chen retorted.


    "Chen Zhu that is enough!" the director roared angrily, forgetting that their situation doesn''t allow for loud noises.


    Sure enough, not long after a low, groaning sound could be heard coming from below the staircase and the group immediately got ready to engage. Luckily, there was only a single zombie so it was dealt with ease.


    Li Xinwen was on the 65th floor when he heard the roar and he couldn''t help but shake his head. "I hope you guys can survive well," Li Xinwen said with a sigh. "And that Chen Zhu¡­ if you haven''t turned into a zombie when I meet you next, I will definitely serve you some ''sobering tea'' so you can wake up and face reality!"

 Chapter 125 - 39.1

    Reaching the 24th floor, Li Xinwen noticed the air seems different. Compared to the lower floor, the floor here doesn''t reek of too much blood. Opening the building, he stepped into the floor area and saw that the hallway, though the floor was stained with blood, looks much better than the sixteenth floor.


    "Maybe they managed to deal with the situation calmly?" he wondered as he made his way through the hallway. He followed the path leading to that familiar spiritual signature and not long after, he finally saw the first zombie on the floor. Taking out another dagger from his spatial storage, he quickly dealt with the zombie in one blow.


    Since he was alone, Li Xinwen''s movement is more free as he didn''t need to worry about hiding his strength. Of course, he still made sure that what he did is still within the realm of what mortal could do.


    After dealing with three more zombies, Li Xinwen reached the place where several zombies were huddled against a big door, which seems to be barred from the inside. They continued to bang against the door while letting out a low growl.


    ''One¡­ two¡­ three¡­'' Li Xinwen counted the head of the zombies and saw that there were six of them. He could deal with them in an instant if he were to use spiritual energy. ''Acting as a normal person is really troublesome. Just this once¡­ Just once wouldn''t hurt,'' Li Xinwen thought to himself as he gathered the spiritual energy onto the palm of his hand.


    He could see the energy swirl over his palm, forming a cold, crystal dust and soon, he threw them over to the six non-suspecting zombies. The moment the crystal dust touched the zombies, their body started to frost over at a quick rate. Before long the six zombies were completely frozen and Li Xinwen waved his hand, sending a gust of wind towards them.


    Their frozen body toppled over and then, it dropped to the ground before shattering to icy dusts. Li Xinwen felt that if left alone, it would cause suspicion as to why there were ice on the floor so he quickly evaporate them with heat generated by his spiritual energy.


    Now that his path is no longer blocked, Li Xinwen approached the door and knocked it slowly. The people inside probably thought that he''s a zombie as there were no movement from within. So in the end, he had to call out for the person he came to pick up.


    "Manager Su, it''s me, Xinwen," he said out loud.


    Finally, there was a rustle inside followed by several whispered voices. With his heightened hearing, Li Xinwen could clearly hear the conversation behind the door.


    "That¡­ person spoke. Then does that mean they''re not zombies?"


    "He said that he''s Xinwen, is he the artist of Manager Su? That Li Xinwen?"


    "Wait, what if its a trap? It wasn''t long since the zombies had stopped banging on the door! What if once we opened the door, those monster came crawling in?"


    "But¡­ if we stay here, Manager Su might be in danger. Maybe that Li Xinwen is coming to pick her up. Let''s just leave her to him. Look at her, don''t you think she needs medical treatment?"


    Hearing the conversation inside, Li Xinwen couldn''t help but frown. He spread out his spiritual awareness to check on Manager Su''s condition and found that she was unconscious but luckily, he noticed the demonic qi didn''t gather around her which means that she wasn''t injured.


    "Is Manager Su alright? Please open the door. There are no zombies here," Li Xinwen said but the people inside was still reluctant to open the door. But not long after, a voice came from inside addressed to him.


    "That¡­ are you Li Xinwen?" the voice asked. From the voice alone, Li Xinwen knew that it was a male and this person was very nervous.


    "Yes. I am Li Xinwen, an artist under Manager Su. Can you please open the door?"


    "Before that, please answer this few questions honestly. If we find that you''re lying, we won''t open the door!"


    Li Xinwen only have a helpless smile on his face but their paranoia is understandable. Compared to the group of people who were with him on the sixteenth floor, these people would have a higher chance of survival. "Alright," Li Xinwen replied. "You can ask away."


    "Then¡­ are you alone?"


    "Yes."


    "Are you injured?"


    "No."


    "How many of those things are outside now?"


    "There are none nearby."


    "Really?"


    "Yes."


    "How did you deal with the monsters that had been banging the door?"


    "¡­" Li Xinwen didn''t expect that they would ask this question so he was caught unprepared. It took him a few seconds to come up with a sound lie. "I merely lured them away from the door. They are very sensitive to sounds so once I threw a can of soda into a far away direction, they all went after it."


    After that, there was a short moment of silence. Not long after, there was a sound of something solid scraping the ground, though it was being muffled by the carpet inside. After a good three minutes, Li Xinwen finally heard the door being unlocked and finally, the twin door was opened.


    "Don''t come in yet! Mr. Mu will go out and inspect you," the man who had been talking with Li Xinwen said.


    Li Xinwen who was about to take a step forward, stopped and waited for this Mr. Mu to come out. The person who stepped out was actually someone that Li Xinwen is familiar with. It was Mu Bai, his co-actor in his recent movie. ''So he''s also here. No wonder they are able to survive.''


    Mu Bai''s physique is actually large, standing at 197cm, Li Xinwen actually had to look up in order to face him. Coupled with his muscular build, he looks extremely menacing as an opponent but as an ally, he is very dependable. In all honesty, if it wasn''t for this physique of his, Li Xinwen would''ve already forgotten that he had such a giant as a co-actor before.


    "It''s actually Da Bai. It''s actually no wonder that the people inside would ask such question," Lin Xinwen said with a smile on his face.


    "Senior Li, please allow me to inspect you for injury," Mu Bai said to him and Li Xinwen cooperated. Once Mu Bai saw that Li Xinwen didn''t even have the smallest scratch, he turned to the people inside and nods his head. "You can come in with me, Senior Li. Please forgive my rudeness earlier. I had to make sure that you are not infected¡­ I''m sure you understand."Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Bbl%5D_14640041906106405/chapter-39.1_50926508855849891 for visiting.


    "Don''t worry. I understand," Li Xinwen replied. Anyway, is Manager Su alright?" he asked the big man.


    "Manager Su¡­ she fainted. But don''t worry, she didn''t suffer any external injuries," Mu Bai informed him.


    When they got into the room, Li Xinwen saw that it was actually a conference room. ''That explains the twin door,'' he thought to himself. The people inside were about to bar the door again and Li Xinwen stopped them.


    "Wait, don''t close the door yet. I will be leaving soon after I pick up my manager," Li Xinwen told them.


    "Leave? Isn''t it better to just stay here and wait for rescue?!" someone voiced out.


    "If you want to wait for rescue, you''re free to do so. According to my estimation, they will arrive in another ten minutes," Li Xinwen informed them.


    "Oh, did you already inform the authority? Thank goodness! Then, its fine if we just wait for ten minutes more. Why the rush?"


    Li Xinwen didn''t answer immediately. Though rescue will arrive in ten minutes, it might take another hour for them to reach this floor while clearing the zombies on each floor below this.


    "Where is Manager Su?" he asked.


    "Over there," Mu Bai pointed at the long sofa in the room. On it, lay a woman in her middle age. Her face was slightly pale and the usual strict expression was absent. There was a round bulge on her stomach, indicating that she was pregnant.


    Walking over to the sofa, Li Xinwen reached out and touched her head, gently massaging them while sending a small strand of spiritual energy to soothe her mind. "Manager Su," he called out gently.


    With the help of the calming effect of Li Xinwen''s spiritual energy, Manager Su slowly regain her consciousness.


    "Xin¡­wen?" she called out.


    "It''s me. Manager Su, why are you here? Didn''t you say that you have a hospital appointment?" Li Xinwen asked.


    "I¡­ was at the hospital. But the check up didn''t take long and there was also something I need to confirm with the studio about your next shooting," Manager Su mumbled in a soft voice. "I was in a meeting with the director when Mu Bai and the rest entered, telling us that there was a dangerous situation¡­ and then¡­"


    Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain on her stomach and she winced in pain as she placed her hand on the bump.


    "Manager Su, calm down. Don''t be too stressed¡­ it''s fine now," Li Xinwen said to her. "Luckily you did come here. This way, I can protect you," Li Xinwen told her. His hand reached out to touch Manager Su''s stomach and gently rubbed the area while sending his spiritual energy inside to calm the agitated baby within the w.o.m.b.


    As the pain subsided, Manager Su''s expression became more relaxed. Seeing this, Li Xinwen gave her a gentle smile. "Manager Su, I plan to evacuate this place. It might be dangerous, but would you join me? If you stay here, it might be detrimental for you and the baby. If you join me, I promise I''ll protect the both of you," Li Xinwen informed her.


    "You already said that its dangerous. We should just stay in place and wait for rescue," Manager Su replied.


    "But Manager Su¡­ aren''t you worried for your baby? You just experienced something frightful and if we don''t bring you for a check-up¡­" Li Xinwen didn''t finish for he knew that Manager Su understand what he was about to say.


    "Alright, but¡­ with just us?"


    "No. I think Da Bai would join us. I will go ask him first."