Chapter 23: Chapter 23 The Price is Up to You
Su Hang tapped open the text message, which was filled with "stinky kid, thieving kid, bad kid."
"Childish," Su Hang shook his head, got up, washed up, and went to the small dense forest for morning exercises.
Li Xiaowei was also there; seeing him, she immediately came over and handed him breakfast.
"You eat it yourself, thanks!" Su Hang took out his Jingu Bang, trying to transform the Sky-Splitting Axe technique from the Eight Extremes Scatter Hands into a cudgel technique, and the progress was fairly smooth.
Li Xiaowei looked at Su Hang cultivating with a look of deep sorrow, but all her sorrow gradually turned into surprise.
"He's actually at the Innate Initial Stage of cultivation, hidden so deeply." Li Xiaowei watched Su Hang train, feeling the power of his cudgel technique growing stronger and stronger.
After a while, Liu Jingyin arrived, her hair in a ponytail, clad in a white sports outfit, and carrying steamed buns, crispy crepes, and milk tea in her hands.
"You're pretty punctual. Let me show you the real Agile Eagle Claw, watch closely!" Su Hang unfolded the Agile Eagle Claw Technique.
He moved dynamically like an eagle, with a demeanor that was steady, fierce, and upright, contrastingly different from the treacherous and wicked style she had learned from her grandfather, feeling like a combination of the righteous and the unrighteous.
After demonstrating, Su Hang let Liu Jingyin figure it out on her own, while he went to the side to eat the breakfast Liu Jingyin had brought.
"Can I practice with you?" Li Xiaowei asked him with a sweet smile, eyes full of anticipation, "Last time, I helped you escape from the encirclement of those entertainment reporters."
Su Hang said, "You're practicing swordsmanship, which is different from what we do."
Hearing Su Hang's tone relax, Li Xiaowei quickly said, "We can spar; sparring can help us see our own shortcomings."
"You can stay, but don't write me any love letters in the future," Su Hang stood up with the Jingu Bang and said to Liu Jingyin, "Attack me with full force using the Agile Eagle Claw."
As soon as Liu Jingyin made a move, her arm was struck by the staff and she immediately withdrew it in pain.
"Violence Value +10!"
"So I can actually earn Violence Value like this, great, this is too good," Su Hang secretly rejoiced, "Move more briskly, come at me again."
"Ah, ah…"
Shrill cries of pain from Liu Jingyin echoed through the forest.
After the third time, there were no more Violence Points, and Su Hang felt a bit regretful. His staff danced even faster, raining down on Liu Jingyin like drops of rain.
Liu Jingyin was going insane; this guy was too ruthless, showing no mercy to women, torturing her madly, he was simply a huge pervert.
When it was time to leave, she was in pain all over her body, nearly falling apart.
"This is a formula for a health-preserving plaster, take it and make it into a plaster, apply it to your body, and continue practicing the Agile Eagle Claw," Su Hang took out a recipe from the "Spirit Absorbing Cultivation Method" First Layer, which had powerful vitality, could soothe the blood and invigorate the muscles and bones, and was considered an auxiliary medicinal paste.
In Li Xiaowei's heart, a tidal wave had already been set off; Su Hang, an Innate Initial Stage cultivator, had just dominated Liu Jingyin, an Innate Perfection Stage cultivator, for a whole hour, his combat power was too terrifying.
At this moment, Li Xiaowei realized she still had far too little understanding of Su Hang.
"I want to spar with you," Li Xiaowei, holding an ancient sword, looked like a noble heroine of the past, graceful and amorous.
"Aren't you going to attend class?" Su Hang asked.
"Are you going to class?" Li Xiaowei was eager to cross swords with Su Hang; she was at the Innate Perfection Stage of cultivation as well and was curious to see who was stronger between them.
Tian Ce Martial Arts Academy had a lax management style, with students often skipping classes. There were many who only showed up at the beginning of the semester and during exams, hardly seen otherwise.
With a mere 1% of the True Spirit of the Great Sage Equalling Heaven within him, let alone this small private Martial Arts Institute, even if looking across the whole of Huaxia, or the entire Earth, there was no one qualified or capable of being his teacher.
Attending classes was simply a waste of time, far less valuable than staying here to practice his cudgel technique.
"I won't go, you make a move," Su Hang was also curious to see the combat ability of the top person at Tian Ce Martial Arts Academy.
Li Xiaowei activated the Biwei Sword in her hand, unleashing a fierce aura that swept out, carrying with it the fallen leaves within the forest and lashed towards Su Hang.
With one swing of his staff, Su Hang delivered a thunderous "bang," all the fierce aura dissipated, and the leaves exploded in the air.
Li Xiaowei staggered back more than ten steps, her Biwei Sword flung from her hand, her right arm numb and trembling slightly.
"Violence Value +10!"
"Just one move, only one move," Li Xiaowei lowered her head, everyone believed her to be the number one person in Tian Ce Martial Arts Academy, and she believed so too, "I finally understand why you don't like me, compared to you, I'm indeed too lousy."
This girl had always been high above everyone, and this staff strike shattered all her pride, offering her a chance for personal transformation.
"Let's go again!" Li Xiaowei picked up the Biwei Sword, eyes intently fixed on Su Hang.
Su Hang revealed a smile befitting a great Demon King, and soon after, Li Xiaowei's cries of pain echoed through the woods.
An hour later, Li Xiaowei walked out of the thicket with a limp but wore a happy smile on her face.
Su Hang practiced until noon, went back for a shower, flipped through the Eight Extremes Fist Manual gifted by the old martial arts master, and then left the dormitory.
Just as he exited the school gate, a woman dressed in professional attire approached and bowed slightly, "Mr. Su, Sister Liu is waiting for you over there!"
Su Hang saw a black sports car parked by the road, its door already open with Liu Qing looking at him from inside. He walked over and got into the car.
This scene was caught by Lu Xingshang who was passing by. He immediately called Hong Yun's mobile, astonished, "Boss, I just saw Liu Qing at the school gate."
"Liu Qing? She's my goddess; I'll rush over immediately," Hong Yun said excitedly.
"Too late, she's already left. What's key is, our fourth brother got into her car," Lu Xingshang informed him.
"Oh…" Hong Yun replied with this one word, fraught with limitless melancholy, wishing he could replace him.
"Su Hang, I wanted to see you today for two reasons. First is to thank you; second is to find out who's plotting against me," Liu Qing was dressed youthfully and radiant today, with hardly any signs of aging on her.
Su Hang nodded and analyzed the entire incident with her, discovering that the person harming them was targeting both of them, not just Liu Qing.
At that moment, the car stopped outside a small hotel. The place was secluded, yet tranquil and elegant. The two of them entered a private room together.
"I understand now, it must be Ye Mei," Liu Qing suddenly had a revelation, "I'm finished,Ye Mei is the only one who can replace me and become the lead actress in Director Zhang's new movie, thus breaking into the ranks of top-tier stars.
At the same time, she can also split you and Ye Chuqing apart, making Ye Chuqing marry into the Qiao Family with Qiao Mu, killing two birds with one stone. Such a cunning plan."
At that moment, Liu Qing received a call from her fans, who had discovered that out of the three live streamers, Zhao Wenshan was a gigolo sponsored by Qiao Nuan.
"Qiao Nuan and Ye Mei are childhood friends with a close relationship, so my conjecture is correct," Liu Qing said, a trace of ruthlessness flickering in her eyes, "I don't start trouble, but if someone does, I have to reciprocate. Ye Mei has resorted to such malicious means against us, I must respond in kind…"
Su Hang waved his hand and interjected, "Ye Mei isn't as simple as she seems on the surface. Leave this matter to me."
"Then I will eagerly await the show," Liu Qing said with a smile.
"The dishes here really do taste great; you certainly know how to pick a place," Su Hang feasted with gusto, alternating between mouthfuls of food and sips of wine, feeling utterly content.
"Hey, you've driven away one of my bodyguards, you owe me a bodyguard now," Liu Qing said with a smile after eating a few bites and putting down her chopsticks, as she poured him more wine.
"As if you'd have trouble finding a bodyguard," Su Hang shook his head.
"I want you to be my bodyguard."
"That won't work!"
"Name your price."
"It's not about money. My ambitions lie elsewhere," Su Hang took a sip of red wine, "The future Earth will likely become more chaotic. I must protect Huaxia and maintain this prosperity."
Liu Qing looked into Su Hang's clear and bright eyes and felt strangely perplexed. If someone else had said this, she would have scoffed, but when it came from Su Hang, she instinctively believed he could do it.
Such an inexplicable trust, indeed.
Su Hang rose and walked to the window, looking out at the high-rises and passersby. With his hands behind his back, he said, "This era is destined to be dominated by me. The demon cultivators from the foreign lands, whom I detest, will eventually fade into oblivion. The people of Huaxia that I protect will surely enjoy eternal life."
"I've heard that cultivation is particularly expensive. Take this bank card; it has two hundred million RMB inside. Call me if you run out," Liu Qing said, then paused, surprised at herself. As a top-tier star who's seen all sorts of attractive men, she had just gotten "distracted by charm" and spoken impulsively without thinking.
After all, the money on that bank card represented a quarter of her total assets.
"No need. If I require money, amassing tens of billions is effortless," Su Hang turned around with a dismissive gesture, exuding a contemptuous air.
"He actually refused. That's two hundred million... This..." Liu Qing's mind was hit by a tempest. How many people in this world could remain unfazed and calmly decline in the face of two hundred million RMB? "He truly is different from the other men."
"When your new movie is done and released, send me a few tickets, and don't forget to sign them," Su Hang smiled and said.
"Sure, I definitely will!" A spark of intrigue flashed in Liu Qing's eyes. Seeing that Su Hang had finished eating, she called the waiter to settle the bill.
"When a man and a woman dine together, how can you let the woman pay?" Su Hang waved his hand, and a wad of RMB bills appeared out of thin air, floating in front of the waiter.
The bewildered waiter took the money and walked out, still dazed.