As Li Feng stepped out of the Fengyuan Hotel, he said to Xu Qing, “Xu Qing, shall I take you home?”
“Alright.” Xu Qing nodded and followed Li Feng into the car.
“Xu Qing, are you truly alright?” Li Feng asked worriedly, looking at Xu Qing. She was behaving entirely differently from her usual self, and Li Feng feared she had been traumatised.
“President Li, are you martial arts experts?” Xu Qing finally asked.
“Martial arts experts? One could say so. Strictly speaking, we are called martial artists, or ancient martial artists.” Li Feng smiled.
“Martial artists, ancient martial artists?” Xu Qing was stunned. Incredulously, she asked, “Does martial arts really exist?”
“Did you not see it with your own eyes today? It is the legacy of our ancestors. I have only learned a smattering of it.” Li Feng said. The martial path was vast and profound; one could pursue it for a lifetime without reaching its end.
“This is too unbelievable.” Xu Qing had never imagined martial arts existed. As a child reading wuxia novels, she had thought them pure fiction. Yet the fight between Li Feng and Zheng Haoyuan just now had been more thrilling than any television wuxia drama.
“This is the world of martial artists. A world where the strong reign supreme.” Li Feng sighed. “Xu Qing, this time with Zheng Haoyuan, you were implicated. I never expected him to be so utterly mad as to target you and your father. Fortunately, you are both unharmed; otherwise, I would bear the blame.”
Thinking back, Li Feng still felt a twinge of fear. If he had not chanced upon the Fengyuan Group, today would have brought disaster not only to Xu Qing but also to Hu Yuanyuan. Moreover, Xu Qing was the woman he had set his sights on. If Zheng Haoyuan had taken advantage of her, would he not have suffered a great loss?
Xu Qing smiled faintly. This unwarranted calamity would have ruined her if not for Li Feng’s intervention. Though she knew not what Li Feng meant by the world of martial artists, she knew only that Li Feng had saved her, and that sufficed.
She was about to say something when she noticed Li Feng staring intently at her.
What is it?
Xu Qing thought perhaps something was amiss with her appearance and looked down, only to realise that when she had turned to speak to Li Feng, the button on her blouse, torn off by Zheng Haoyuan, had come undone, exposing her.
Xu Qing, like a startled rabbit, tugged at her clothes and eyed Li Feng warily.
Li Feng smiled awkwardly and said, “Xu Qing, I shall take you home now.”
Mm~!
Xu Qing murmured in assent, keeping her head lowered, unable to meet Li Feng’s gaze.
Li Feng’s earlier gaze had been like fire, as if it would melt her. Yet in her heart, Xu Qing felt no disgust. If not for her feminine shyness, she would have wished Li Feng to gaze longer, to admire her pride.
In this moment, Xu Qing sensed Li Feng’s extraordinary gaze. Though she had no boyfriend, many had pursued her, and each one who saw her had looked at her just as Li Feng had.
Could Li Feng also be thinking…
At this thought, Xu Qing was greatly startled. She knew of Li Feng’s relationship with Hu Yuanyuan and knew she could not compare to Hu Yuanyuan in any way. Could Li Feng be the type to savour the bowl while eyeing the pot?
As she pondered, Xu Qing recalled that day in the hospital, when Li Feng had seemed to need her help even to relieve himself. At the time, she had not thought much of it. But from Li Feng’s agile movements against Zheng Haoyuan earlier, if he truly could not even relieve himself that day, his hands and feet could not have been so nimble today.
Could Li Feng have done it on purpose that day?
At this realisation, Xu Qing felt mortified, yet no anger rose in her heart. She simply felt too embarrassed to face Li Feng.
“What is the matter? Are you unwell?” Li Feng’s voice rang out again. Before she could react, his hand had reached over, grasping her slender hand.
“I am fine.” Xu Qing struggled lightly but, seeing she could not free herself, allowed Li Feng to hold her hand. Yet in her heart, she was shy and at a loss, her entire neck flushing crimson.
Li Feng turned to look at Xu Qing, surprise stirring in his heart. He had not expected her to be so shy. Though he knew not what Xu Qing was thinking, he guessed it had something to do with him.
Xu Qing’s shy appearance was utterly captivating, stirring Li Feng’s desires. He longed to pull her into his arms and cherish her. But recalling that she had just endured the Zheng Haoyuan ordeal and their relationship had not yet reached that stage, he could only suppress his urges.
Thus, he simply gazed at her quietly, though his hand gently caressed her slender one. Her hand felt soft to him, a pleasure to touch.
In this moment, time seemed to stand still. Li Feng gazed intently at Xu Qing, who kept her head shyly lowered.
After an unknown while, Xu Qing broke the silence. “President Li, are you not going to drive?”
“Oh, oh.” Li Feng snapped back to reality, giving her slender hand a squeeze before starting the car.
Xu Qing lived in the Fuxing Estate. Li Feng drove to the estate’s entrance and parked, then turned to her. “Xu Qing, your father is already at home. But rest assured, he was not frightened. He was merely blocked in a private room at the Fengyuan Hotel by Zheng Haoyuan’s men.”
Xu Qing nodded. “President Li, thank you.”
Shaking his head, Li Feng said, “You need not thank me. In the end, today’s incident implicated you because of the company. I never expected Zheng Haoyuan to be such a vile and shameless man. Had I known he was this sort, I should have handled the matter myself.”
Xu Qing said, “No, it was Zheng Haoyuan’s doing, not the company’s fault. Besides, it was you, President Li, who saved me today.”
“Saving you is only right. I would never allow you to come to harm.” Li Feng looked at Xu Qing earnestly.
“President Li, I shall head home first.” Xu Qing could not bear Li Feng’s gaze and lowered her head shyly. She had caught the implication in his words. Li Feng was hinting at something. Faced with his hint, she knew not how to respond.
“Oh, alright. Take care.” Li Feng nodded. Though he had no chance for a parting kiss, there would be time enough in the future.
Xu Qing opened the car door and left. Watching her retreating figure, Li Feng’s lips curved into a smile.
He called Hu Yuanyuan to report his safety, then drove to the Wenjun Pavilion Pharmacy.
“Elder Tu.” As soon as Li Feng entered the Wenjun Pavilion Pharmacy, he greeted Elder Tu at the counter and said, “Elder Tu, are the medicinal materials I need ready?”
“Little friend, why have you come for the materials at this hour?” Elder Tu produced the prepared materials. He could sense the killing aura on Li Feng, clearly indicating he had killed recently. He was curious about what Li Feng had experienced.
“There was a bit of trouble today.” Li Feng said lightly, looking at the materials on the counter. “Elder Tu, for today’s materials, I need two additional portions.”
“Two additional portions? No problem.” Elder Tu gave Li Feng a meaningful look and turned to fetch two more portions.
“Thank you, Elder Tu. In future, prepare them in this quantity.” Li Feng said. One portion was for Hu Yuanyuan, the other for Zhong Shuhui. Though Zhong Shuhui was now a martial artist, her strength was still too lacking. Li Feng planned to switch her to a different cultivation method. As his Hawk Eye Commander, Zhong Shuhui’s power could not be too weak.
“Very well.” Elder Tu gave Li Feng another meaningful glance. After so long, all the materials Li Feng needed had passed through his hands. How could Elder Tu not know Li Feng was building his own forces? Otherwise, one person could not use so many materials, and with Li Feng’s current strength, their effects were already minimal.
Each time he saw Li Feng, Elder Tu felt an urge to investigate him. He was curious about Li Feng’s identity. But in the end, he held back, not for any other reason, but out of respect for Li Feng. In his view, Li Feng was destined to be a favoured child of heaven. He did not wish to disrupt their current relationship.
“Little friend, I have an invitation here that might be of use to you.” Elder Tu produced an invitation for Li Feng.
Li Feng opened it and was inwardly shocked. It was an invitation to the Fist King Dominance Tournament, key to contending for the Nine Dragon Jade. He had never expected Elder Tu to possess such an item.
According to Song Zhiyuan, Elder Wen had one, but he could not find it now. Much of Song Zhiyuan’s cooperation with him stemmed from believing Elder Wen’s invitation was in his hands. But he truly did not have it, and he had been at a loss. Now, Elder Tu had given him one, resolving his urgent need.
At the same time, Li Feng grew even more curious about Elder Tu’s identity. How could Elder Tu have something even a direct descendant of a top family like Song Zhiyuan could not obtain?
Yet curiosity aside, Li Feng asked no more. He did not wish to strain their relationship; otherwise, where would he source his cultivation resources and those for training the Black Hawk Squadron?
“Elder Tu, this is…” His mind raced, but on the surface, Li Feng remained calm.
“Heh, little friend, just attend when the time comes.” Elder Tu smiled faintly.
“Alright, I shall go when I have time.” Li Feng said farewell to Elder Tu and left the Wenjun Pavilion Pharmacy.
Watching Li Feng’s retreating figure, Elder Tu murmured to himself, “Tianhai City is rife with changes. Who is the true dragon after all?”
