Chapter 56: Shen Ying Seeks Help

As soon as he finished speaking, the young man charged directly forward, swinging a punch at Lu Zheng’s face.

Lu Zheng only felt the figure flash before him, the speed wasn’t fast, yet there was an intangible sense of pressure imposed upon him.

This aura was weak, barely perceptible, and most would likely think it was due to the opponent’s speed being too quick for them to dodge.

What’s going on?

Lu Zheng’s eyes shifted, reaching out to meet the young man’s punch.

"Bang!"

The young man stumbled back five steps, his arm numb, yet Lu Zheng was even more astounded for he hadn’t tapped into his Martial Artist’s Blood Qi, and he was pushed back two steps.

He had to wonder, with a few strands of the Light of Fortune enhancing his constitution, not many ordinary people should have been able to overpower him by sheer strength alone.

This young man appeared slim and weak, yet how did he possess such strength, was it divine power by nature?

"Again!"

The young man shouted loudly, throwing himself into the fray.

Lu Zheng’s eyes narrowed, his stance surged, a rich aura rose densely, his blood and Qi like mercury, with a momentum as if the morning sun.

Off to the side, as Shen Ying watched calmly, she gasped, "Martial Artist’s Blood Qi, the Eighteen Mountain-Carrying Techniques? You’ve mastered it?"

In the eyes of the young man with the surname Hu, Lu Zheng appeared like a blazing sun, heat waves rolling, pressing across towards him.

"Bang!"

The punch hit, and the young man with the surname Hu had no means to resist, rolling away like a gourd rolling across several yards, "bang", hitting a tree before stopping.

"Martial Artist!"

"Martial Cultivator!"

"Run!"

Three youths were taken aback, frightened into turning to flee.

"Do you think you can escape?"

Lu Zheng stepped firmly, leaping forward, crossing several yards in an instant, blocking their path.

The next moment, all three knelt down.

...

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Lu Zheng stacked them like Arhats in front of the young man with the surname Hu.

This time, the three had stirred up trouble unnecessarily, Lu Zheng gave them a lesson not too damaging, yet they’d still end up lying in bed for three days.

Lu Zheng spoke calmly, "There’s a first and a second, but no third and fourth time. If there’s a next time, I’ll kill you."

"We don’t dare, we don’t dare!"

"Next time, we definitely won’t dare!"

A Martial Artist! Even with borrowed courage, they wouldn’t dare provoke him again.

"You, you’re a Martial Artist?" The young man expressed surprise mixed with a hint of admiration, his eyes shocked with a touch of fear.

Lu Zheng nodded, "Do you think I’d use beating them up to demonstrate how powerful I am?"

The young man with the surname Hu instinctively shook his head.

"Alright, go home, just think more in the future, don’t mix with random friends or acknowledge random brothers, lest you’re sold out while helping others count money."

"You’re letting us go?"

Lu Zheng blinked, "What, if I don’t let you go, am I supposed to invite you to dinner or silence you for good?"

Shaking his head, Lu Zheng ignored them, turning away with the women.

Shen Ying walked along, frequently casting glances at Lu Zheng, her gaze filled with disbelief, "Young Master Lu, it hasn’t even been a month, has it? You’ve already intensified your Martial Artist’s Blood Qi?"

"Thanks to Madam’s favor."

Lu Zheng smiled broadly, "I guess it’s that my previous accumulation was enough, so with the gift from Madam, I quickly crossed the threshold."

"I cannot take credit for this blessing." Shen Ying demurely said, "Many have honed their bodies for a lifetime and never cultivated Martial Artist’s Blood Qi, this is your own exceptional talent, even without the Eighteen Mountain-Carrying Techniques, I suspect soon you’d naturally develop Martial Artist’s Blood Qi."

"That’s also thanks to Sister’s gift, which helped Lu Lang avoid many detours."

Shen Ying cast a deep look at Liu Qingyan, Liu Qingyan’s eyes flickered, unconsciously shifting her gaze to the scenery beside her.

...

Elsewhere.

The young man stood dazed, a flood of past memories rushed through his mind vividly.

In the past, he lived in a muddled state, many things around him he either didn’t want to think about or couldn’t comprehend, but under the threat of Lu Zheng’s punch, almost instantly he saw clearly.

Shaking his head, looking at the three before him, he only felt unfamiliarity, "I’m going home, my mother is waiting for me."

...

Dealing with a few troublemakers was merely an interlude in their leisure outing, none of them let it dampen their spirits, while Liu Qingquan was even more cheerful.

After a brief walk, they returned to Taohua Village.

Shen Ying continued playing chess with Liu Qingyan, while Xiaocui set out a small table, arranging a tea set and snacks.

"Young Master Lu, please!"

"Thank you!"

"Hmm, it’s really delicious!" Liu Qingyan munched happily.

"Miss Xiaocui has fine skills."

"Hehe, thank you Young Master Lu for the compliment, but this peach paste sweet cake you’re eating is actually Madam’s skill."

"Madam has fine skills!" Lu Zheng gave a thumbs up to Shen Ying.

"Young Master Lu, as long as it suits you."

Shen Ying placed a piece, her gaze like water, seemingly asking casually, "Young Master Lu, now that you have abundant Qi and blood, and great martial skills, do you have any future plans?"

"No plans." Lu Zheng shook his head, "I practice Martial Dao as a hobby, the goal is just for self-defense, no different from studying and painting."

"You really have an open mind, Young Master."

"What’s open-minded about that?" Lu Zheng waved his hand, isn’t this common sense?

Being a socialist successor, no matter how skilled one is, they must abide by the law, at most go to the UFC to spar.

Chinese martial arts, always visually impressive and boastful, but on modern arenas, they indeed cannot stand up in a fight.

Yet if I were to enter the ring myself...

Ah, forget it, if I accidentally became the world champion, I would have no free time left at all.

"I’ve seen a few Martial Artists who, relying on their skills, held themselves in high regard and looked down on others," Shen Ying said coolly, pulling Lu Zheng’s wandering thoughts back.

"That’s because their horizons are not broad enough." Lu Zheng replied with a smile, "The saying ’the ignorant are fearless’ is true; actually, the more you see, the more you should understand how to be reverent."

"Young Master, you speak wisely."

There was a light in Shen Ying’s eyes, a hint of admiration flashing by, as she looked at Liu Qingyan with a faint smile in her eyes.

Liu Qingyan’s face flushed, and she turned her gaze back to the chessboard, placing another piece.

"Sister, your mind is unsettled." Shen Ying laughed as she made her move, then gracefully lifted three of Liu Qingyan’s pieces.

...

At 1:30 PM, it was unsurprising that Liu Qingyan lost another game.

"The manor is quite far from the city, so I won’t keep you for a meal, but I’ve prepared some snacks for you to eat on the way."

"Thank you, Sister, you’ve been very thoughtful."

Shen Ying escorted them to the door, where the coachman, well-fed and happy, was waiting with the donkey cart outside the main gate.

...

"By the way, Madam Shen has only four people in total at her manor, and Taohua Village is far from the county town, which is very inconvenient. Why does she still live there and not set up a house in the city?"

On the way, Lu Zheng suddenly felt curious, "It seems Madam Shen shouldn’t be lacking in funds."

Judging by Shen Ying’s attire and the decorations and food at Taohua Village, it seemed like a moderately wealthy family.

A flicker passed through Liu Qingyan’s eyes, "Perhaps Sister Shen has grown accustomed to living there."

"Doesn’t she feel it’s inconvenient?"

"Her needs for food, clothing, and daily use are all met, and I guess Sister Shen doesn’t go into town often, so she doesn’t find it inconvenient."

"Is that so? Perhaps..."

Lu Zheng rubbed his chin, thinking that this was the only explanation. He couldn’t analyze ancient people with a 21st-century Chinese mindset.

...

The donkey cart rode silently back to the city, dropping them off at Tongyi Lane.

After seeing the Liu Family Sisters home, Lu Zheng also returned home alone.

First, he returned to the modern day, responded to messages from family and friends, and then made a call to Lin Wan.

"I’m free this weekend, shall we continue our training?" Lin Wan suggested.

The incident at the fighting gym was almost two weeks ago, and Lin Wan had been truly busy, meeting Lu Zheng only three times in ten days. No wonder Huang Xiumin was worried that Lu Zheng would be taken by someone else.

"Sure, no problem."

"Then it’s settled!"

Hanging up the phone, Lu Zheng washed up and then traveled back to ancient times.

He found himself increasingly enjoying sleeping on this side. The sleep quality feels better, waking up refreshed.

...

The moon was in mid-heaven, the night cool like water.

"Hmm?"

Lu Zheng frowned; how did he suddenly find himself at Peach Blossom Plain?

Not only that, but he was standing right in front of Taohua Village’s main gate.

What was happening?

Is this... a dream?

The gate of Taohua Village was wide open, and the large peach tree in the front yard rustled in the wind.

Pink peach blossoms dotted the branches, swaying gracefully in the breeze.

At that moment, the image of Shen Ying suddenly appeared beneath the peach tree.

She wore a long red-pink gauze phoenix-tailed trailing skirt, a Hundred-Cui Flying Sparrow Gold Hairpin, and light pink lipstick and eyeshadow, exuding ultimate allure beneath her grandeur.

"What on earth? Why am I dreaming about Shen Ying? Shouldn’t it be Lin Wan or Liu Qingyan instead?"

Lu Zheng was stunned, beginning to question his own heart.

Could it be that a mature and regal woman is truly my preference?

This dream is quite private; should I let myself be free?

"Young Master Lu!"

"Yes!"

Lu Zheng’s mind was in a whirl, not immediately perceiving the urgency in Shen Ying’s voice.

"Young Master Lu, I am in urgent need, and beg you to lend me your aid!"

"Huh?"

Lu Zheng finally snapped back to reality, what was the situation?

"This matter, in truth, unrelated to you, I shouldn’t trouble you with it."

"But it arose suddenly, and I truly have no one else to request, so I must humble myself and seek your help in a dream."

"You, with your cultivation in Martial Artist’s Blood Qi, are the only one who can help me escape this plight."

"Don’t rush, speak slowly, what is the situation?"

Lu Zheng finally remembered what kind of world this was, and evidently, Shen Ying wasn’t a typical manor owner.

"I have an enemy who comes to engage in Magical Combat with me every new moon. Usually, I have no fear of him, but this time he’s somehow found a Pig Demon that harms my body, making it difficult to withstand."

Shen Ying explained, "With your cultivation in Blood Qi, you can restrain the Pig Demon, so I ask you, as acquaintances, to aid me."

"Pig Demon!" Lu Zheng’s eyes flickered.

Looking up, he saw the towering peach tree swaying even more rapidly.

"Is it now?"

"It is now!"