Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Clues!
Chen Xiao shivered. "They say even a brief marriage creates a lasting bond. What deep-seated hatred do you have for him? Is it because he canât satisfy you, so youâve come to resent him?"
Furious, Zhu Baixi lifted her foot to kick Chen Xiao, but he caught her ankle, massaging it gently as he raised an eyebrow. "If you ever have needs, you can come to me. Iâm always happy to help."
Not to mention... a married woman really does have a unique allure. And since the Jiang Family was scum anyway, he felt no psychological burden for what he had done.
Zhu Baixi sneered, her face a mask of contempt. "So youâre just another animal who thinks with his crotch. You really think youâre all that? Youâre probably not even as good as a sex toy."
"If you want to cooperate, then show some sincerity." Deciding to take a chance on her, Chen Xiao gathered his things and left.
Zhu Baixi watched him go in silence before stepping into the bathroom. Water droplets cascaded from her hair, trickling down her smooth, pale skin.
She stood before the bathroom mirror, her mind adrift.
The person in the mirror was still stunningly beautiful, but the years had inevitably left their mark. Just a decade ago, she was a girl in her early twenties, full of hope and dreams for the future. She was innocent and ordinary, but her exceptional beauty had caught the eye of Jiang Zhengfeng. He drugged her and took her by force. After that, as if possessed, he demanded her whenever he pleased, even marrying her after his first wife died. But toward Jiang Zhengfeng, she felt nothing but hatred. Because he had ruined her. The ten best years of her life had been a constant torment. Every moment by his side felt like an eternity, like she was trapped in hell. She endured the disgust, laying low in the Jiang Family, working for them, and building the image of a virtuous and capable wife... all while waiting for the perfect opportunity to deliver a fatal blow. In fact, the training accident that had left Jiang Zhengfeng impotent was her doing. However, she never found another chance to strike at him after that.
"Chen Xiao, donât you let me down," she whispered to her reflection. "I need to make good use of you, my little pawn."
Though Chen Xiao had conquered her body, he had not conquered her heart. In her grand design, Chen Xiao was a pawn, just like everyone else in the Jiang Family. While she didnât know his ultimate goal, she knew he was very interested in moving against the Jiang Family and likely wanted to cause trouble for them. Pitting the two sides against each other while she reaped the benefits from the ensuing chaos was an excellent option.
ăThe next day.ă
After breakfast, Chen Xiao went outside the villa to practice his Fist Techniques. He only stopped when his blood energy was surging and he felt full of vigor. The intensity of everything lately had been so high that without this training, he felt he was starting to lose his edge.
When Li Biyun saw him practicing his Fist Techniques, she tried to mimic his movements. But after only a few sets, she collapsed, exhausted and drenched in sweat. In the end, Chen Xiao had no choice but to carry her back.
Although his Fist Techniques appeared simple, they were a top-tier martial art that improved the flow of oneâs blood energy. The cost, however, was immense; an ordinary person could not practice it.
At that moment, Li Biyun was soaked in sweat. Her thin clothes clung to her body, revealing the delicate curves unique to a young woman. Pressed against his back, her softness made the already invigorated Chen Xiao feel a stir of restlessness.
"Big Brother Chen, your Fist Techniques look so simple, but why are they so profound and difficult to learn?" Li Biyun grumbled, pouting as she lay on his back.
Chen Xiao replied seriously, "Cultivation requires a solid foundation. Besides, this set of Fist Techniques is for training blood energy. You have plenty of Inner Strength, but your blood energy is insufficient. When you consume too much of it, you naturally become exhausted."
Li Biyun sighed in frustration. "My grandfather heard I made rapid progress in my Martial Arts Realm in less than a month here, so he wants me to join the Martial Path Authority for proper training. But my cultivation speed has slowed down significantly lately. Iâm afraid I wonât even pass the assessment..."
Chen Xiao laughed. "Itâs not that you lack talent. Even if your cultivation speed isnât as explosive as it was at the beginning, your rate of improvement is still something most people can only dream of."
The Martial Path Authority was one of Divine Landâs special organizations, on par with Dragon Soul in stature. It oversaw order among Martial Artists, and Li Xinghu himself used to hold a high position within the Jiangnan Martial Path Authority. After learning of Li Biyunâs talent, he had intended to entrust Chen Xiao with training her to help her secure a position there. Now, the biggest hurdle she faced was the Martial Path Authority assessment. After all, she had only been cultivating for a short time. Despite her rapid progress, she was still a far cry from those who had been cultivating for eight or ten years. Chen Xiao knew she had been working very hard recently, often seeking guidance from Xu Yanran.
At that moment, Xu Yanran was lounging on the sofa playing on her phone, her long legs swinging back and forth. The view underneath her nightgown was tantalizingly hidden. When she saw Chen Xiao return with Li Biyun on his back, a flicker of displeasure crossed her eyes.
"Biyun, stay away from him! Did you see where he put his hands while carrying you?"
Li Biyun playfully stuck out her tongue. She couldnât be bothered with such things. Theyâd already bared everything to each other before, so what was the big deal about him giving her a piggyback ride now?
Although the position of his hands was indeed a bit awkward, she didnât mind.
After setting Li Biyun down on the sofa, Chen Xiao poured her a glass of water. Just then, his phone chimed. He opened it to find a message from Zhu Baixi with just a few words.
"Wind Chime Ferry. Alice cruise ship. Midnight ball."
Chen Xiaoâs eyes narrowed.
Wind Chime Ferry. Thatâs the place Zhu Baixi and Jiang Zhengfeng were talking about yesterday. Itâs very likely where the Jiang Family plans to make their move. The Alice... could that be the exact location?
Chen Xiao briefly explained the information he received from Zhu Baixi.
Xu Yanranâs expression turned grave. "Iâll have Dragon Soulâs intelligence system look into it."
After a thorough check, her expression shifted subtly. She gave Chen Xiao an odd look. "Youâre certainly well-informed."
"This ship, the Alice, is a foreign cruise liner that arrived in Yuncheng City today. The ball was also a last-minute event; word only got out about it today. But are you sure theyâre really going to pull something there?"
"The Alice is a civilian cruise ship. There will be tons of ordinary people on board. With so many eyes and ears around, it would be easy to get exposed! The Jiang Family canât be that stupid, can they?"
"The more dangerous the place, the safer it is," Chen Xiao said coolly. "Thatâs exactly why they chose it. The crowd gives them the perfect cover to execute their plans in secret."
He made a call to Leng Baiyu.
"Since youâve found a lead, go check it out," Leng Baiyu said. "But be careful not to startle the snake. Once the mission is done, Iâll give you what you asked for."
"Alright, alright," Chen Xiao said with a wry smile.
He and Xu Yanran discussed their plan. They decided to infiltrate the ball.
"I want to go too!" Li Biyun suddenly piped up.
"It will be dangerous," Xu Yanran warned. "Our Dragon Soul missions are always risky. We canât take you with us."
"But... I want to go see the ball," Li Biyun pleaded, looking at them with wide, pitiful eyes. "Iâve been stuck in this villa for days. Iâm bored to death."
"Fine! Letâs all go," Chen Xiao said to Xu Yanran. "If itâs just the two of us, we might arouse their suspicion. But if we bring Biyun along to âshow her the world,â thatâs a plausible excuse, right?"
After weighing the pros and cons, Xu Yanran finally agreed.