Chapter Twenty-Three: Tension

Jiang Xiaotian’s state of mind had changed; she no longer wished to be entangled with people like Chu Ran. She was not the same person she used to be—there was no need to linger in the past. Still, after four years of affection, Jiang Xiaotian merely looked at her without doing anything, then brushed past her and walked away.

As for Chu Ran’s friends, they all recoiled as if they’d seen a ghost, too frightened to utter a sound. Brother Long had struck with a heavy hand just now. The woman lying on the ground was howling in pain, sobbing bitterly, but no one dared to help her, afraid of provoking Brother Long’s wrath.

Even Chen Kai was shaken and uncertain. He didn’t understand Brother Long and placed too much faith in his own family’s influence. In reality, although the Chen family was in real estate, they were no match for a local tyrant like Brother Long.

Jiang Xiaotian left with Ling’er, and no one dared stop them. Chu Ran watched their departing figures, and a strange feeling suddenly welled up in her heart.

Why had he changed so much? Was it really just luck, like winning the lottery? If they hadn’t broken up, would the girl holding his hand now have been her?

But it was too late for everything. Jiang Xiaotian sneered at her, then led Ling’er out the door.

Brother Long’s anger had yet to subside. He vented his fury at everyone present, but no one dared talk back; Chen Kai could only endure it. If he hadn’t been eager to see some action, Brother Long would have gladly beaten them all before leaving. On his turf, no one from the Chen family could act arrogant.

At last, after everyone had left, Chen Kai strode out with a dark expression. Chu Ran and the others hurried after him, trying to offer words of comfort. The woman who had been struck by Brother Long looked even more venomous. “He dared hit me! I’ll make him pay for this! I’ll tell my father as soon as I get home! They’re finished! My dad has connections at the bureau!”

Chen Kai found her noisy and irritating. If she weren’t Chu Ran’s friend, he would have slapped her himself—she talked too much.

“Didn’t you say he was so poor he couldn’t even afford a meal?” Chen Kai glared at Chu Ran, his rage barely contained, searching for a place to vent.

Chu Ran trembled and quickly nodded. “Kai, I didn’t lie. He really was poor—I don’t know why he suddenly got so impressive. Maybe it’s because of that woman with him!”

Chen Kai remained silent. That was probably the case, but it made no sense. Jiang Xiaotian wasn’t particularly handsome, nor did he seem capable, so why would such a beautiful girl help him?

In the end, he was both angry and jealous. Why should Jiang Xiaotian be the one to have such a stunning girl?

Seeing the heavily made-up women around him only made him more irritable. He went straight home, not even bothering to give Chu Ran a ride.

The woman who had been kicked was named Zhang Lan. She had some looks, but now she felt utterly humiliated. She had always been the apple of her family’s eye, yet today a thug-looking man had dared to hit her!

While the others comforted Chu Ran, Zhang Lan scoffed, “Chu Ran, I thought your boyfriend was something special, but in the end, he’s just a coward. Now he’s so angry he won’t even talk to you—a real jerk!”

The only reason she got caught up in this mess was because she had come out with them. If Chen Kai hadn’t been so useless, she never would have been hit. The more Zhang Lan thought about it, the angrier she became. The others sided with Chu Ran, saying Zhang Lan wouldn’t have been hit if she’d kept her mouth shut.

This only infuriated her further. “Some friends you are! I’ve been beaten up and not one of you came to help me! You’re all cowards! Hmph! I’m telling my boyfriend! Just you wait—Jiang Xiaotian, was it? He’s finished!”

With that, Zhang Lan stormed off. The others tried to say more, but Chu Ran couldn’t listen anymore. Exhausted in body and mind, she went home and collapsed onto her bed, her heart in turmoil.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xiaotian was already on the road. He didn’t know where his “inexpensive master’s” house was, but Brother Long did. He had gone to great lengths to find out and had paid a hefty sum to bring his disciple here.

The journey was long, and Ling’er, prone to car sickness, soon grew weary of her phone. She commandeered Jiang Xiaotian’s lap and fell asleep there. It was the first time he’d seen Ling’er sleep so seriously.

She curled up, resting her head on his leg, looking for all the world like a little dragon.

Along the way, Brother Long tried to ingratiate himself with Jiang Xiaotian, eagerly introducing the situation. Beihai, as an economic city, had few martial artists and none of great strength. Other cities were better, but in truth, ordinary people couldn’t even dream of hiring a martial artist.

Brother Long was no exception—he wasn’t the top dog in Beihai, just a man with some reputation. Only the most prestigious families could actually bring a martial artist to their side.

He considered himself lucky—he didn’t know why “Jiang Xiaotian” had agreed to help so readily, but he treated him with the utmost reverence.

While his subordinates didn’t understand, those higher up did. People who used to ignore him now approached him for business ever since he announced that a martial artist was backing him.

Jiang Xiaotian realized for the first time just how influential martial artists could be, so he asked tentatively, “What about even stronger people?”

Brother Long knew little about that. He barely qualified to know about martial artists at all. He’d once had the fortune to meet a guardian of a great family, which sparked his obsession with seeking out any information about martial artists—until finally, he got lucky and recruited one.

These people lived in hiding; ordinary people never even realized they existed.

People always thought martial arts films on TV were exaggerated, but in the world of martial artists, those were the basics of combat.

“I’ve heard martial artists are divided into ranks—you probably know: external force, internal force,” Brother Long said.

Jiang Xiaotian nodded. In his current identity, he was a beginner of external force. At this level, snapping an iron rod single-handedly was nothing. To ordinary people, he was already superhuman.

Brother Long ran out of topics, and the two fell silent.

After five or six hours’ drive, they arrived in Linhai City. Compared to Beihai, Linhai was less prosperous and less developed, but it was home to many martial artists, and many influential figures had roots there.

Jiang Xiaotian’s master had lived here, though he’d passed away a few days ago.

The car wove through the streets and finally entered an old residential complex.

Jiang Xiaotian found it odd—how could his master, whose disciple could be hired by someone as rich as Brother Long, still live in such a shabby place? He didn’t mean to look down on it, but it was clearly built last century, the facilities were poor, and most of the residents were elderly.

Neither Brother Long nor Jiang Xiaotian knew the exact apartment.

At that moment, Jiang Xiaotian received a text message on his phone with an apartment number—it was in this very complex. He immediately understood that someone was helping him.

After much searching, he finally found the address. Several luxury cars lined the entrance—Mercedes, BMWs—all incongruous with their surroundings.

He paid them no mind and brought Brother Long and Ling’er upstairs.

As they entered the elevator, Ling’er’s nose twitched. “The scent here is strange—there are quite a few martial artists around.”

Jiang Xiaotian immediately grew more alert, and Brother Long was so nervous he could barely stand. He might be king in Beihai’s old district, but here, he was nothing.

On the correct floor, the door opposite the elevator was wide open. It was noisy inside, and a few middle-aged men stood talking at the entrance.

Upon seeing Jiang Xiaotian, they all showed puzzled expressions.

He felt the pressure at once—there were at least two or three martial artists inside.

Why were there so many people at his master’s home? Was he not the only disciple?

His legs began to tremble—if he was exposed now, there would be no escape.

Even more intimidating, the moment he appeared, everyone inside turned their attention to him. The room fell silent. The men at the door stepped aside to let Jiang Xiaotian enter.

Most eyes lingered on Jiang Xiaotian, though some glanced at Ling’er, astonished by her beauty.

If she wished, no one could possibly guess she wasn’t an ordinary girl.

As soon as Jiang Xiaotian entered, he saw an urn in the living room, with a black-and-white photograph above it.

“If I’m not mistaken, you must be Ling Zhi’s only disciple?”