Chapter 78: The Prodigious Young Man
Although Da Wu lowered her voice, the surroundings were so quiet that her words could be clearly heard by many.
"Finished?" Hearing those words, Zhong Qing's vision dimmed and she almost passed out. She was completely flustered, her face turning ashen. Without hesitation, Wang Xuan immediately threw his coat over Zhong Qing. Thankfully, they were near the reed pond and away from most onlookers. With Zhong Qing's back facing the audience, there was no need to worry about any embarrassing moments being witnessed.
Da Wu and Zhong Qing often had skirmishes in private. Every time they met, they nearly came to blows. Having been on the losing end multiple times, Da Wu approached to express her "sympathy".
As she walked by, she shot Wang Xuan an appreciative glance. Her eyes sparkled with approval and seemed to say, "Well done, Little Wang!"
Zhong Qing, still in shock, felt an intense pain in her chest. As Da Wu approached, Zhong Qing's anger intensified.
"You're fine, how much worse can it get?" Da Wu commented, her words dripping with sarcasm.
Then, swiftly, she lifted the coat to take a closer look.
Da Wu wore a look of disappointment. So Wang Xuan showed restraint after all. Only some clothing was damaged, and Zhong Qing wasn't truly harmed. Sighing, she quipped, "A place that wasn't already abundant just became more barren."
Hearing that, Zhong Qing felt a surge of rage. Her eyes flamed with fury, wishing she could kick Da Wu right into the reed pond. She was usually the one with the upper hand in their frequent bickering and private spats, but today she had suffered a defeat so humiliating that she almost burst into tears. The snide remarks from Da Wu, coupled with the earlier events, intensified Zhong Qing's distress. However, she started regaining some composure. As she looked down to assess the 'damage', all she saw was the blood-stained coat Wang Xuan had thrown over her. The sight was too much. Mistaking the blood for her own, she fainted, her body beginning to tilt backward.
The elder who had caught and supported her earlier now shot a menacing glare at Da Wu, Zhong Qing's ever-taunting "frenemy". He grunted, quickly pressed a specific acupressure point on Zhong Qing to stabilize her, and then scanned the crowd warningly, cautioning them to stay silent and prevent Da Wu from getting any closer. From a distance, Qing Mu wiped sweat off his brow, murmuring to himself, "Is Old Chen going to handle this? This looks bad. It's a messy end, and I'm sure Old Chen is going to have a headache."
Indeed, manipulating Wang Xuan was proving to be far more challenging than anyone had anticipated. With a sense of urgency, Qing Mu snapped some photos to inform Old Chen of the situation.
Zhong Qing quickly regained consciousness. With Da Wu right in front of her and the intimidating Wang Xuan not too far off, her emotions surged wildly. "It's alright!" The elder reassured her swiftly. He could not see for himself, but he felt that at the last moment, Wang Xuan had restrained himself from causing any real harm.
Upon seeing the smirking Da Wu, Zhong Qing quickly regained her composure. Recognizing whose coat she was draped in, and realizing that she hadn’t suffered any severe “injuries”, her first impulse was to throw off the coat. However, after a glance at the surrounding crowd, she felt compelled to clutch the manly-scented garment closely. She briskly walked away, finding the scene too embarrassing to bear any longer. If word of this reached the New Star, she could only imagine what her friends and sisters would say. Especially with Wu Yin, who was known for her loud mouth, present at the scene, Zhong Qing was sure this would become a dark chapter in her story.
"Wu Yin, let's talk," she called out to her as she left the area, deciding to pay whatever price necessary to keep her rival quiet. The elder quickly followed, fearing that the two might end up in a fight.
Wang Xuan remained silent, realizing that the more he tried to explain, the more awkward it would become. He largely unconcerned – Old Chen would handle the fallout, and at worst, he had only lost a coat.
"Zhong Qing, not bad at all. Little Xuan is known for his chest-exploding kicks and chest-shattering palms. Yet you're the only one who took it and remained unscathed. Your chest is well and truly tougher than a steel plate!"
On their way, Zhong Qing almost came to blows with Da Wu. Fortunately, the elder was there, or there might have been a bloody altercation between the two heiresses.
"Enough! Don't be mad. I apologize," Da Wu approached, as she and Zhong Qing continued to distance themselves. Faintly, a voice could be heard: "I took a look just now; it's not a bad thing. For you, a little swelling might be a beautifying touch!"
......
The comment was quite sharp. With Wang Xuan's keen hearing, he naturally caught it. Even he thought that Da Wu was particularly biting in her remarks on this day, as if she wanted to tear her rival down once and for all.
Inevitably, the two women started fighting. For the first time, Zhong Qing found herself at a disadvantage under Wu Yin's sharp tongue. How she wished that she could take Wu Yin’s life there and then.
...
The young man encased by the shattered supernatural armor stood up. He looked unexpectedly young. A quick rough estimate by Wang Xuan told him that he was no older than sixteen. With a handsome face and sparkling eyes, he stared at Wang Xuan as if he were some rare treasure.
Wang Xuan recognized that this must be someone from the Zhong family. Otherwise, both Zhong Qing and the older man would not have rushed to his rescue with such urgency. He was extremely wary. The depth and influence of such a powerful family were undeniable. The fact that a mere sixteen-year-old boy who already qualified as an expert in the family was evidence itself.
"My name is Zhong Cheng," the boy introduced himself, somewhat shyly. He expressed a wish to learn Old Arts from Wang Xuan and sought advice on how to quickly master and hone these complex and powerful techniques.
Zhong Cheng was well aware that the Serpent-Crane Eight Style was a treasure in the Zhong family's collection. It was a martial art left behind by Zhang Daoling and was extremely difficult to master. The elder who demonstrated it earlier had taken many years to perfect it. Upon hearing the name 'Zhong Cheng', Wang Xuan immediately thought of Qin Cheng and wondered how he was faring on the New Moon. Knowing that there were potent remedies there, Wang Xuan guessed Qin Cheng would be experiencing both pain and pleasure.
"I've just been dabbling in it," Wang Xuan turned to leave, not wishing to engage further with the young boy.
Nearby, many of those present felt a mixture of awe and envy upon hearing the mention of the Serpent-Crane Eight Style. What rank was this scripture? It was one of the renowned protective martial arts of Taoism!
"We have many unique and confidential scriptures at home. The rooms are nearly overflowing. Several of them are more intricate and profound than the Serpent-Crane Eight Style, and no one has ever managed to master them," said Zhong Cheng, his youthful face radiant with eagerness and hope. "If you can teach me the tricks, enabling me to quickly master these profound scriptures, I can show you some top-level secret manuals that have been lost for years."
Many in the vicinity were taken aback upon hearing this. Who wasn't aware of the Zhong family's collection? They had one of the two complete golden bamboo scrolls from the pre-Qin period! Not to mention countless other scriptures – all renowned works. Several individuals eyed Zhong Cheng covetously, seeing him as a veritable treasure trove of a boy.
However, others sneered. Does he really think the Zhong family's treasures were so easily accessible?
Wang Xuan paused briefly but then continued walking. He was well aware that, despite the boy's seemingly pure and slightly shy demeanor, it was probably all an act. He found it hard to believe that a young man from such a complex family could truly be so naive. Was he trying to emulate Old Chen's tactics? Still a bit too green, thought Wang Xuan.
He had no real hopes of acquiring any scriptures from the young boy. It just didn't seem realistic. Even if he managed to win over the boy, the Zhong family would certainly never allow their vast collection of powerful scriptures to be shared. Thus, Wang Xuan didn't see the need to invest too much effort. He nodded politely, saying, "Alright, the next time you visit, bring along a couple of secret manuals surpassing the Serpent-Crane Eight Style. We can validate and exchange knowledge then."
Detecting Wang Xuan's perfunctory attitude, the boy followed and whispered, "You don’t need to worry about my sister. She’s always been understanding, and I'll also talk to her."
Wang Xuan glanced at him. Who do you think I am? Do you think Sect Master Wang is afraid of your sister? With Old Chen backing me up, I have nothing to fear. He said calmly. "Just tell your sister to wash and return my clothes."
The young man was stunned.
Qing Mu, observing the scene, felt Wang Xuan was truly audacious, seemingly aiming to make the situation even more challenging for Old Chen.
"Do you intend to purposely get my sister's attention?" Zhong Cheng hurried after him, whispering, "If you help me master the Serpent-Crane Eight Style and another ancient manual called 'The Scripture of Immortality,' I can assist you in return, like gifting you a private photo collection of my sister."
Wang Xuan shot him a look, thinking, This kid's audacious! He replied, “Bring the secret manuals when you come next time.”
Then, he directly walked away, mulling over the need to "educate" the young lad who clearly needed a reality check. Attempting to outsmart me? Still too green!
People around them cleared a path for him. The present Wang Xuan was undoubtedly an awe-inspiring figure. His demonstrated strength now was even more fearsome than what he had showcased at the Pamir Plateau.
Many believed he had purposely downplayed his abilities during his previous appearance. Now, with Elder Chen in critical condition, he stepped up without hesitation, reminiscent of a young and even more powerful Chen Yongjie.
......
In Zhong Qing’s room, she paced around, still seething with anger. Dressed in high heels, she stomped on Wang Xuan’s coat, leaving a trail of punctures in her wooden floor.
Da Wu, comfortably sprawled on the sofa, cradled a crystal wine glass in one hand. Taking a sip, she remarked, "Stop being so sour. If you had any dignity, you wouldn’t squabble with me over him. Let’s face it, our expedition team could really benefit from someone with his expertise in the old arts. He’s a rare find - young, yet so proficient. The fact he dared to hit you is just the icing on the cake."
Zhong Qing retorted with a smirk, "Dream on, Wu Yin. After he hit me, it would be a travesty if he doesn't join my team."
"Challenge me, and I won't hesitate to spill your recent embarrassing incident all over New Star."
"I’m not afraid! I've got some dirt on you too. Remember that time you were kicked into the lake? Yeah, I've got that on camera."
"Really, Zhong Qing?"
...
Old Chen was restless in his hospital room. After getting the report about Wang Xuan's audacious actions, especially against the influential Zhong family, unease gnawed at him. He wondered if Wang Xuan would continue his brazen ways, possibly targeting even more prominent figures next.
His thoughts drifted to the Zhong family, which inevitably led him to memories of his own master, who mysteriously vanished three decades ago. With a heavy sigh, Old Chen was swamped with a mix of nostalgia and sadness. Will I ever see my master again? They had once collaborated with the Zhong family on a significant operation, but it had ended tragically, decimating the ranks of the old arts experts.
During that mysterious encounter, two of the Zhong family's most formidable warships were lost with all hands. It shook the ever-cautious Old Zhong — Zhong Yong — to his very core.
Wang Xuan returned, addressing Old Chen, "I've sorted out the issues on my end. It's time for you to handle my troubles related to New Star. Oh, and keep an eye out tonight. Make sure none of those top figures from the New Arts or even Grandmasters sneak into the mansion causing chaos."
Towards the end, his tone turned grave, "Surely they've got more tricks up their sleeves than what we've seen so far. These are probably just probing tactics to gauge our strength and assess the situation."
"I'd be disappointed if no one shows up. But if they do, they're not leaving," Old Chen's eyes gleamed with a hint of danger.
"Old Chen, I'm about to leave. Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?" Wang Xuan inquired.
With a smirk, Old Chen asked, "What would you like to know? About the mysterious encounter, or perhaps about the stages within the realm of the Old Arts?"
Wang Xuan was caught off guard. He had never broached the subject of the 'mysterious encounter' before. The fact that Old Chen was bringing it up now felt like a tantalizing bait. It was cunning, and Wang Xuan had a feeling that he was being played.
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