"Who’s there?" Chu Hao raised an eyebrow and looked over.
From the direction of the woods, a robust old man approached. He had thick eyebrows, a kind face, and a build as sturdy as that of a hefty man.
Chu Hao gave him a glance and said, "Old man, do you find it interesting to peep at a young girl all day?"
Li Tangguo glared. What was this kid talking about? It was clearly protection, not peeping.
Showing some interest, Li Tangguo asked, "Young man, when did you notice us?"
Chu Hao curled his lip. "You’re not exactly hard to spot, are you? How could I miss you? It’s not like I’m blind."
Caught off guard, Li Tangguo coughed. "COUGH, COUGH... We were careless. I’m curious, where did you learn all these skills?"
Chu Hao arrogantly lifted his head and replied, "I, the Taoist Master, was born knowing how to walk. At one, I knew three hundred poems; at two, I was playing mahjong; at three, I was playing Fight the Landlord; at four, I studied celestial literature. For a genius like me, that’s a question I’d rather not answer."
"DING! For acting pretentious with such unworldly grace, you’ve earned 30 Pretentiousness Points."
Li Tangguo’s mouth twitched. "Can you not be so pretentious?"
"Wow, this old man even knows the phrase ’be pretentious’," Chu Hao exclaimed in surprise.
With a wave of his hand, Li Tangguo said, "Tell me, what are your intentions regarding the young lady?"
Chu Hao didn’t like that. "Isn’t it your young lady who approached me?"
Li Tangguo said, "That’s not important. If you don’t give me an answer, then please leave."
They had investigated Chu Hao and found no discernible identity or background. He was just an ordinary citizen from a small city, seemingly without parents. But the more this appeared to be the case, the more certain Li Tangguo became: something was off with Chu Hao.
How could a young man with such abilities be an ordinary person with no background? Do they think we’re blind?
Chu Hao looked sidelong at Li Tangguo. "Do you know your young lady only has two more years to live?"
Li Tangguo nodded. "Of course, I know."
Chu Hao said indifferently, "In this world, I am the only person who can save your young lady."
Li Tangguo was startled. He obviously didn’t believe Chu Hao. "Even the masters of Huaxia Country couldn’t treat the young lady, so how could you? You must be bluffing."
"That’s because you’re short-sighted and inexperienced."
Li Tangguo became irritated. "How can you prove it?"
Chu Hao said seriously, "Of course... by ’conquering’ your young lady."
Li Tangguo was truly angered. "Kid, do you really think I wouldn’t lay a hand on you? Believe it or not, I could beat you until you’re searching for your teeth on the ground right now!"
Telling the truth and still getting scolded, Chu Hao thought.
Chu Hao shook his head. "Fighting and killing are so vulgar. I prefer to persuade people with virtue."
Li Tangguo couldn’t stand it. This kid wasn’t serious at all, and talking to him was an ordeal. "Fine," he said. "If you can defeat my disciple, you can stay by the young lady’s side."
A young man emerged from the woods. He stood eight feet tall, dark and robust, his skin rippling with veins like coiling dragons, exuding explosive power.
This large, dark man respectfully said, "Master."
Li Tangguo said, "Guihu, just teach him a lesson. Don’t upset the young lady."
Looking at Chu Hao with immense disdain, Guihu shook his head. "Master, I’m afraid one punch from me might kill him."
Chu Hao curled his lip. This big, dark fellow certainly talks a big game.
Li Tangguo replied indifferently, "If you kill him and the young lady makes trouble, it’ll be on you."
Guihu looked somewhat helpless. He glanced at Chu Hao contemptuously before patting his chest and saying, "Come on, hit me with a punch. Try it. I want to test your strength before I give you a proper beating."
Chu Hao was startled and looked at the large, dark man speechlessly. "For real? I think a fair contest would be better."
Black Tiger glared at him and said with extreme arrogance, "Enough talk! With those flimsy punches of yours, you couldn’t move me even if you trained your whole life."
People court their own ruin while heaven watches. That saying couldn’t be more apt.
"ATAAA!" Chu Hao threw a punch, letting out a kiai like Bruce Lee’s.
Li Tangguo cracked a slight smile. He’d thought this youngster might be someone formidable, but that punch was far too soft.
However, he then saw his disciple’s expression contort as if constipated. The disciple collapsed to the ground with a THUD, foaming at the mouth and convulsing.
Li Tangguo was dumbfounded.
Chu Hao shook his head. "When I, the Taoist Master, make a move, even I scare myself. You insisted on courting death, so you can’t blame me for this."
"DING! Host has successfully acted pretentiously, gaining 30 Pretentiousness Points."
Li Tangguo gasped. He knew his disciple’s physique better than anyone; it could withstand the impact of stone slabs, yet it couldn’t endure Chu Hao’s punch!
Li Tangguo looked at Chu Hao and sighed. "I really did underestimate you."
"Old man, since there’s nothing further, I’ll be going back now," Chu Hao said before turning and leaving.
He probably couldn’t enter Yi Qinglian’s villa now. Who asked him to court trouble like that?
Li Tangguo felt helpless, wondering just who this young man was. Guihu, a master of Bajiquan, had been knocked to the ground with a single punch.
By the time Chu Hao returned to his small building, it was already late at night, and he was ready to sleep.
Just then, a phone call came through. It was Old Yuan, his voice urgent, "Master, Dong Qi has escaped!"
Chu Hao was startled. "Who’s Dong Qi?"
Old Yuan anxiously replied, "He’s the Douli Man!"
Chu Hao said, "Oh. So he escaped. What’s the big deal?"
Old Yuan was speechless at his calmness. "Master, Dong Qi harbors deep resentment towards you! Now that he’s escaped, he will surely come after you!"
Hearing this, Chu Hao was alarmed. "This is outrageous! What were you guys doing? How could you let him escape?"
Old Yuan didn’t know what to say. The blame was indeed on them; a moment’s carelessness, and Dong Qi had fled. This was a huge problem now.
"Master, you need to be careful these days. That man is petty-minded. You ruined his plans and destroyed his zombie; he won’t let this go easily."
Chu Hao felt a bit depressed. He wouldn’t be afraid at all if Dong Qi confronted him directly, but he feared an enemy lurking in the shadows while he was exposed.
After hanging up, Chu Hao looked gloomy. However, he wasn’t too worried, believing that troubles tend to sort themselves out eventually.
Just as he was about to go to sleep, there was a knock on the door. "Chu Hao, are you there?"
Chu Hao opened the door, and a beautiful woman threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
Chu Hao hastily comforted her. "Sister Ya Xiao, what’s happened to you?"
Then he saw a bruise on Ya Xiao’s cheek; she had obviously been hit.
Chu Hao’s anger flared instantly. "Which bastard hit you?"
Ya Xiao sobbed, "I... I’m fine. I just wanted to talk to you."
Chu Hao quickly poured Ya Xiao a cup of water and comforted her. "Who hit you? I’ll make them pay! I’ll beat them until they’re picking their teeth up off the floor!"
Ya Xiao mustered a forced smile. "Really, it’s not necessary."
After a moment of silence, Ya Xiao began to cry again, her sobs continuous.
Chu Hao felt helpless. He simply sat with her, passing her tissues.
A while later, Ya Xiao calmed down and asked, "Can I sleep at your place tonight?"
He couldn’t ask for anything better!