NOVEL WEB Chapter 16 - Wen Shanmei
Father?
Lu Lixing's ears perked up when he heard the girl refer to Wen Shi. A realization seemed to dawn on him, and he asked with a hint of surprise, “You're Mr. Wen's daughter, Mei?”
From what Lu Lixing knew, Wen Shi indeed had a daughter named Wen Shanmei, but he had only heard of her and never actually met her.
Wen Shanmei slipped on her coat and regarded Lu Lixing with a cool detachment. “Don't try to associate with me. If you entered without my father's permission, you're as good as dead.”
Lu Lixing was momentarily at a loss for words. Wasn't Wen Shanmei being a bit too unreasonable? How could she be so aggressive? Yet, recalling the chilling sensation he'd experienced earlier, he couldn't deny a stark reality: Wen Shanmei truly possessed the power to end his life, perhaps even instantly.
She didn't seem much older than him by appearance, but how could she exude such an intimidating presence?
Could it be that she had already become a bona fide cultivator?
The thought that Wen Shanmei might indeed be a cultivator stirred a mix of excitement and curiosity within Lu Lixing. This was his first encounter with a peer who was a cultivator. He was eager to ask Wen Shanmei what it felt like to walk that path. However, her stern demeanor made it clear she was not in the mood for conversation.
Meanwhile, Wen Shi, who resided in the faculty dormitory, had hurried over after being informed of the situation. Dressed in his pajamas, he entered the cultivation room and, seeing Lu Lixing and Wen Shanmei standing on either side of the resting chamber, a smile played at the corners of his mouth. “I had intended to introduce you two in the daylight. I didn't expect you to be so eager to start cultivating,” he said.
Scratching his head sheepishly, Lu Lixing apologized, “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause such a misunderstanding.”
It was indeed a misunderstanding. Had he known Wen Shanmei would be there, he would have steered clear of the resting chamber and simply slept on the ground outside.
Wen Shi's voice warmed with satisfaction. “The fact that you value every minute and focus so much energy on cultivation is heartening.” He bore no blame for Lu Lixing; on the contrary, he admired his dedication. In today's world, young people who seized every moment to dedicate themselves to cultivation were a rare breed indeed.
Speaking, Wen Shi turned to Wen Shanmei and said, “This is Lu Lixing, my student. He's here with my permission and is your junior.”
Wen Shanmei gave Lu Lixing a brief, indifferent glance and remarked, “He's too weak.”
Lu Lixing couldn't help feeling a bit disheartened. Was he being looked down upon? But in fairness, his strength paled in comparison to Wen Shanmei's. Her mere gaze was enough to freeze him in place, too intimidated to move.
“Lu Lixing grew up in the slums, without the benefit of systematic training or favorable conditions, so his foundation is somewhat lacking. But he does have potential,” Wen Shi explained, somewhat apologetically, hoping to spare Lu Lixing's pride.
Upon learning that Lu Lixing came from the slums, something flickered in Wen Shanmei's eyes, and the frostiness on her face softened, shedding its previous chill and detachment.
“You can use this rest pod. I've rested enough and am off to train.”
Glancing at the time, Wen Shanmei then addressed Wen Shi, “You can head back now. I'm all set here.”
Wen Shi nodded, then turned to Lu Lixing with words of encouragement, “Give it your all. If there's anything you're unsure about, just ask your Senior.”
“Thank you, Mr. Wen,” Lu Lixing said with a grateful smile, then turned to Wen Shanmei, “And thank you too, Senior Mei.”
With that, the minor misunderstanding was cleared up. Lu Lixing watched as Wen Shanmei vacated the training area's rest pod and didn't hesitate to take her place, readying himself for some rest.
As soon as he settled into the pod, a subtle yet soothing scent enveloped him, bringing Wen Shanmei to mind.
“This must be the Senior's fragrance,” he mused before drifting off to sleep.
It was Lu Lixing's inaugural nap in the pod, and he awoke two hours later feeling refreshed and invigorated.
Stepping out of the pod, he stretched leisurely, gearing up for training. That's when Wen Shanmei reappeared, casually tossing him a set of clothes.
“This is my dad's training gear. Go take a shower and change into it,” Wen Shanmei said with a casual glance at Lu Lixing. “I've reviewed your file. You've got decent potential. Find me afterward.”
With that, Wen Shanmei turned on her heel and strode toward the training area, leaving no room for Lu Lixing to interject.
Holding the clean training clothes, Lu Lixing felt a sudden warmth in her heart, a comforting sensation she hadn't experienced in a long time.
After a quick shower, Lu Lixing donned the training gear and, barefoot, made her way to the training area. There, she found Wen Shanmei effortlessly performing weighted squats.
Lu Lixing was astounded by the sight of Wen Shanmei squatting with a barbell weighing a thousand kilograms. She struggled with even a stable squat, much less lifting such a weight. Yet Wen Shanmei seemed at ease. Had Lu Lixing not witnessed it herself, she would never have believed such incredible strength resided within Wen Shanmei.
After setting the barbell down, Wen Shanmei stretched nonchalantly before turning to face Lu Lixing. “Do you want to train with me?”
Lu Lixing, momentarily taken aback, quickly nodded, “Yes!”
The opportunity for one-on-one coaching from someone as formidable as Wen Shanmei was not something he would ever pass up.
Wen Shanmei eyed Lu Lixing with a discerning look and posed a question, “You still have time to back out. Training with me is no walk in the park.”
Lu Lixing shook his head, his reply unwavering, “As long as it makes me stronger, I'm ready for any challenge!”
“Good,” Wen Shanmei acknowledged with a nod. “Let's head to the ring.”
Confused, Lu Lixing watched Wen Shanmei head for the ring. She had mentioned training, so why the ring?
Standing in the ring, Lu Lixing's confusion turned to surprise as Wen Shanmei adopted a fighting stance. His eyes widened as he blurted out, “Wait, our training is actually sparring?”
“Rest assured, I won't tap into my Genuine Qi,” Wen Shanmei assured, gazing intently at Lu Lixing. “How can I truly gauge your abilities without sparring with you? It's the only way I can tailor a training plan that suits you.”
Something about Wen Shanmei's response set off an instinctive alarm in Qin Chuan's mind. Yet, before he could process that feeling, Wen Shanmei wasted no time and launched an attack on him!
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