Chapter 78 The Treasure Boy
Although Big Wu spoke in a low voice, the area was so quiet that her words reached many ears.
"Exploded?!" Zhong Qing felt her vision blur and nearly fainted. She looked utterly pale, her spirit broken.
Wang Xuan quickly threw his jacket over her. Fortunately, they were near a reed pond, and no one else was around, so Zhong Qing's embarrassment was somewhat contained.
Big Wu, who had been feuding with Zhong Qing privately, approached with a smirk, eager to express her "sympathy." As she passed, she shot Wang Xuan an appreciative glance, her eyes sparkling: "Good job, Little Wang!"
Zhong Qing, in a daze and clutching her chest in pain, felt even more frustrated seeing Big Wu approach.
"It's fine; it couldn't get worse," Big Wu consoled, her words dripping with sarcasm.
She swiftly lifted the jacket, scrutinizing it closely. To her disappointment, Wang Xuan had shown restraint, only damaging part of the clothing instead of completely annihilating Zhong Qing.
She sighed, "This already poor place has become even poorer."
Zhong Qing was infuriated, her eyes blazing. She wished she could kick Big Wu into the reed pond. Despite usually coming out on top in their encounters, today she felt utterly defeated and on the verge of tears.
Big Wu's arrival had struck a nerve, and as Zhong Qing regained some composure, she looked down to see Wang Xuan's bloodied jacket.
Seeing that, she couldn't handle it and rolled her eyes, falling backward. She was still a bit dazed and didn't realize it was someone else's jacket.
The elder who was supporting Zhong Qing glared at Big Wu, the "black bestie" who was stirring trouble. He snorted, pressed on Zhong Qing's acupoint, and warned everyone not to spread rumors, blocking Big Wu from getting any closer.
In the distance, Qingmu wiped his cold sweat, thinking, Oh no, what's going to happen? That girl is in a terrible situation; it's going to be a headache for Old Chen.
Indeed, Wang Jiaozu wasn't someone easy to deal with! Qingmu thought, quickly taking photos to report back to Old Chen.
In an instant, Zhong Qing came to her senses, seeing Big Wu before her and the young man capable of piercing through chests standing across from her. Her emotions were in turmoil.
"It's fine!" the elder reassured her, although he couldn't see, he felt Wang Xuan had pulled back in time to avoid serious harm.
When Zhong Qing saw the smiling Big Wu, she quickly calmed down and realized whose jacket it was, understanding that things hadn't escalated to a "serious matter." She wanted to toss the jacket aside but felt she had to hold on to it due to the onlookers.
She hurried away; staying here was unbearable. If news got to the New Star, her friends and sisters would have a field day, especially with someone like Wu Yin around to spread it everywhere—this would be an embarrassing chapter in her life.
"Wu Yin, let's talk," she called out as she left, deciding to pay some price to shut her rival up.
The elder quickly followed, fearing the two might clash.
Wang Xuan said nothing; explaining would only make things more awkward. He didn't care; Old Chen would handle it, and he'd just lost a jacket.
"Zhong Qing is something! Little Wang is known as the 'Exploding Chest Kick' and 'Shattering Chest Hand.' You're the only one who survived unscathed, truly tougher than steel!"
On the way, Zhong Qing nearly fought Big Wu, but thankfully the elder followed, preventing a potential bloodbath between two heiresses.
"Enough, don't be angry; I apologize," Big Wu said, getting closer, as they walked further away. A final voice carried over, "What I just saw wasn't bad; for you, swelling is just beauty enhancement!"
That remark was harsh, and even Wang Xuan, with his keen hearing, felt the impact. He thought Big Wu was particularly ruthless today, almost merciless.
Inevitably, the two girls clashed, and for the first time, Zhong Qing suffered a significant loss due to Wu Yin's sharp tongue, pushing her to the edge.
---
The young man, standing among the shattered pieces of his super-material armor, looked remarkably youthful, around sixteen years old. He had a pretty face and bright eyes, gazing at Wang Xuan as if seeing a "rare treasure."
Wang Xuan quickly recognized him as someone from the Zhong family; otherwise, Zhong Qing and the elder wouldn't have been so concerned for her.
He had to take this seriously; the wealth of the Zhong family was profound, and a mere sixteen-year-old could already be considered a master.
"I'm Zhong Cheng," the boy introduced himself, somewhat shy, wanting to learn the Old Techniques from Wang Xuan, asking how he could quickly enter that state and master the complex and powerful body arts.
The Snake-Crane Eight Scatter Hand was a treasure of the Zhong family, and Zhong Cheng knew well that it was an ancient technique left by Zhang Daoling, extremely difficult to practice. The elder had spent many years just to make some progress.
Hearing Zhong Cheng's name, Wang Xuan thought of Qin Cheng and wondered how he was doing in Xinyue, imagining he was currently experiencing both pain and joy due to the powerful elixirs there.
"I'm just messing around," Wang Xuan said, turning to leave, not wanting to engage too much with this boy.
Nearby, many people felt a twinge of discomfort upon hearing this; what level of scripture was the Snake-Crane Eight Scatter Hand? It was one of the famous protective body techniques of Daoism!
"My family has many rare ancient texts; those rooms are nearly overflowing, with numerous scriptures even more complex and profound than the Snake-Crane Eight Scatter Hand. No one has ever managed to master them," Zhong Cheng's youthful face radiated a glow of ambition and hope. "If you can teach me the secrets, allowing me to quickly learn those profound scriptures, I can bring you a few top-tier secret manuals lost to time."
Surrounding people felt a shiver upon hearing this; who didn't know about the Zhong family's collection? One of the two complete golden bamboo slips from the Pre-Qin period was in their possession, not to mention the vast number of other classic texts—they had an abundance of "masterpieces"!
Some individuals had fiery eyes; this was truly a treasure boy! But many others scoffed, thinking that getting something from the Zhong family was easier said than done.
Wang Xuan paused briefly but then stepped forward again. He understood that despite the boy's clear eyes and shy demeanor, it was likely all an act. He didn't believe that a young man emerging from such a complicated family could be so innocent. He was probably young but had big ambitions, thinking he could fish like Old Chen? Too naive.
He had no expectations of acquiring any scriptures from this boy; it was unrealistic. Even if he could subdue the boy, the Zhong family would never allow their powerful scriptures to circulate outside.
So, he didn't plan to put in the effort; he merely nodded politely and said, "Alright, next time you come to find me, bring along a couple of powerful secret texts that surpass the Snake-Crane Eight Scatter Hand so we can exchange insights."
The boy noticed Wang Xuan's perfunctory response and whispered, "You don't need to worry about my sister; she's always reasonable, and I'll talk her into it."
Wang Xuan shot him a glance. Did he think the esteemed Wang Jiaozu would be intimidated by his sister? Old Chen could resolve anything! He replied coolly, "Just make sure your sister washes that jacket and returns it to me!"
The boy was taken aback!
Qingmu, watching this, felt that Little Wang was setting himself up for trouble, seemingly intent on complicating things for Old Chen.
"You're not trying to intentionally attract my sister's attention, are you?" Zhong Cheng followed closely, whispering, "As long as you help me master the Snake-Crane Eight Scatter Hand and another Pre-Qin secret text called the 'Longevity Sutra,' I can help you, like giving you a private collection of photos from my sister."
This kid was something else! Wang Xuan shot him another glance and said, "Next time, come with those secret texts!"
Then he left directly, contemplating that he needed to find a chance to "educate" this boy—he severely lacked real-world experience and dared to scheme against Wang Jiaozu? Too naive!
The crowd parted as Wang Xuan walked through; he had gained considerable respect. His recent achievements showcased a strength that was even more terrifying than during the Pamirs incident!
People believed he had intentionally kept a low profile before, but now, with Old Chen in critical condition, he stepped up without hesitation. He was basically the enhanced version of a young Chen Yongjie.
In Zhong Qing's room, after changing clothes, she was still fuming, stomping on Wang Xuan's jacket with her high heels, leaving multiple holes in the floor.
Big Wu lounged on the sofa, resting her chin on one hand while swirling a crystal goblet of wine in the other, taking small sips. "Come on, don't be angry. If you have any ambition, don't compete with me for that guy. You know our family really needs a master of the Old Techniques to join the exploration team for emergencies. By the way, he really did well; at his age, he's quite the treasure boy—able to take on strong enemies and dare to confront Little Zhong. Heh!"
Zhong Qing snorted, "Wu Yin, don't get ahead of yourself. He's already fought me; why would he join my exploration team? It doesn't add up!"
"If you compete with me, I'll go to New Star and spread your little dark history!"
"I'm not afraid; you have your own dark history. Last time, you got kicked in the butt and fell into the lake—my people filmed it!"
"Little Zhong!"
---
Old Chen felt restless in the hospital. He had received reports from Qingmu, and hearing that Little Wang had openly taken on the Zhong family made him uneasy. If this continued, would Wang Jiaozu ascend to the heavens and keep taking down members of the financial aristocracy?
Thinking of the Zhong family inevitably led him to remember his own master, who had mysteriously vanished thirty years ago.
Old Chen sighed, feeling melancholic. Would his master ever return? Years ago, his master had collaborated with him and the Zhong family, along with relevant departments, resulting in severe losses in the realm of the Old Techniques.
During that mysterious encounter, two super battleships of the Zhong family were swallowed whole, terrifying the cautious Old Zhong—Zhong Yong.
Wang Xuan returned and said, "Old Chen, I've taken care of your problem. Now you need to help me sort out the various troubles in New Star. By the way, tonight keep an eye out; don't let grandmasters or top figures from the realm of the New Techniques infiltrate the estate and start a massacre."
He became serious at the end; this wasn't just a possibility. The other side likely had more tricks up their sleeve—what they had shown so far could merely be a probe, testing the waters.
"I'm afraid that if no one comes, when one does, they won't be able to leave!" Old Chen's killing intent was palpable.
"Old Chen, I'm about to leave. Don't you have anything you want to say to me?" Wang Xuan asked.
Old Chen smiled, "What do you want to know? The mysterious encounter or the classifications in the realm of the Old Techniques?"
Wang Xuan's eyes widened; he had never asked about the mysterious encounter before. His old colleague brought it up now, clearly trying to tempt him—what a lack of morals!