Chapter 0095: Tonight, It's All Up to You

"Heh..." Cao Li let out a cold laugh and said, "You're nothing but a coward. If you really had any guts, why don't you go to Dragon Soul and challenge Young Master Qin? Oh, I almost forgot—you didn't dare accept his challenge three years ago and ran off to the mountains. So how could you possibly dare to challenge him now?"

Zhang Xiaofan, having now cultivated the Nine Heavens True Dragon Manual and achieved new insights recently, was no longer affected by Cao Li's words. He replied, "I've already said it—you'll all fall beneath my feet one day. As for you, the slap and the kick you gave me today, I'll pay you back a hundredfold!"

Looking at the murderous rage in Cao Li's eyes, Zhang Xiaofan continued, "Don't look at me like that. You don't dare kill me, and you don't dare do anything to me. Don't worry, I won't report you—because I intend to settle this with my own hands!"

"Let's go."

Zhang Xiaofan took Lin Siyu by the hand and headed toward the Hummer.

Cao Li clenched his fists in fury, his knuckles cracking. Indeed, he didn't dare do anything to Zhang Xiaofan. Ever since Zhang Xiaofan defeated the master of Beichen Ittoryu from Japan, he had attracted the attention of those above. With this strength, he could already enter the Heaven Division.

Anyone qualified to join the Heaven Division was closely watched by those at the top. After all, the Dragon Soul Hall was a place reserved for only a select, extraordinary few.

Moreover, with Long Hao's death, Cao Li would shoulder most of the responsibility. Thus, he dared not cause further trouble—at most, he could give a beating or some verbal mockery.

His face dark, he dragged Long Hao's corpse away, forced open its mouth, and fed it a pill, preventing it from decaying over time.

...

Zhang Xiaofan drove with a somber expression. Lin Siyu could tell he had changed; he was no longer the streetwise, unruly Zhang Xiaofan of before.

At this moment, he was calm, carrying a weighty, invisible aura.

It was as if he had just undergone a transformation.

Strangely, Lin Sixue didn't say a word; she simply stared blankly at his profile, lost in her own thoughts.

After dropping the Lin sisters off at their company, in the president's office, Zhang Xiaofan took out the half piece of Yin-Yang Stone he had acquired from the Treasure Pavilion. He said, "Use all your contacts and channels to help me investigate if there's any news about a stone like this."

"Alright." Lin Siyu didn't ask why. She immediately took a photo and sent the information out quickly.

At the same time, Zhang Xiaofan sent a photo to Ye Zhantian, seeking his help, and another to Du Yuefeng as well.

He didn't tell Du Yuefeng about Cao Li—because even though Du Yuefeng was the highest commander of Dragon Soul, he still had no authority over the Heaven Division, much less Dragon Soul Hall. Zhang Xiaofan didn't want to put him in a difficult position.

"You killed Long Hao?" came a message from Du Yuefeng.

"Yes, I killed his father, and he came for revenge, intending to kill me. I ended up killing him," Zhang Xiaofan replied.

"Fortunately, you killed Kimura Icho today and also demonstrated your strength. There shouldn't be any trouble," Du Yuefeng responded.

"Please try your best to find out if there's any news about this Yin-Yang Fish Stone."

"Don't worry, Dragon Soul's intelligence network is top-notch. If there's any news, I'll notify you immediately."

"Alright, keep in touch."

...

Zhang Xiaofan was so anxious because he was eager to increase his strength. As soon as he obtained the complete Yin-Yang Fish, he could enter the ancient sect ruins.

Not to mention Qin Tianyu, who possessed the Broken Void Mirror—the mere lackey, Cao Li, was already at the late Enlightenment stage, a level Zhang Xiaofan could not surpass in a short time.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.

If the ancient sect ruins were intact, they would surely contain all kinds of treasures, including pills to enhance strength.

In this era, even among the hidden sects, there were few master alchemists left. But the ancient sects had flourished in alchemy, especially the old sects of Kunlun, renowned for their exceptional pill-making skills.

Kunlun was a land shrouded in mystery, with countless legends of immortals and mighty beings since ancient times.

The Yin-Yang Fish Stone was the key to opening the ruins of an ancient Kunlun sect. Therefore, Zhang Xiaofan had to find the remaining half as soon as possible, to explore the ruins and increase his power.

That afternoon, while waiting for news, Zhang Xiaofan cultivated in Lin Siyu's office.

Around four o'clock, Chen Yuanyuan called.

"Will you come over tonight?" she asked, her voice tinged with shyness.

"Are we switching to a new position?" Zhang Xiaofan replied, chuckling as he spoke.

His trademark smile reappeared—yes, Zhang Xiaofan had already adjusted his emotions.

Whether it was Qin Tianyu or Cao Li, neither could truly affect his inner balance. They were merely motivation for him to train harder.

I am still myself. How could one ever expect life to go smoothly? Especially as a martial artist, how could powerful enemies and humiliation not be part of the journey?

Only by staying true to oneself and turning shame and anger into motivation can one walk the right path.

"Sure, come over. Tonight, I'll let you call the shots," Chen Yuanyuan replied.

"I have another woman now. I felt I should let you know," Zhang Xiaofan said. Lin Siyu, listening nearby, felt a tinge of sourness in her heart, but no other strong emotion.

On the other end, Chen Yuanyuan was silent for a moment before saying, "I've told you—I am the woman behind you. If you need me, just come. I won't be a burden to you."

"Fool."

Zhang Xiaofan felt a little beastly, but then again, in modern society, this was not so unusual—though he did feel sorry for Chen Yuanyuan.

"I'm willing to be your fool." Though she was a traditional girl, these words moved Zhang Xiaofan deeply.

"After today's battle, I need a good rest. If I come over, I'll call you. And… if you find someone suitable, just forget about me. You should have your own life going forward," Zhang Xiaofan said after a moment's thought.

"We'll see. I'm still young, you know. If you're ever gone and I find someone else, what if you get jealous and beat him up?" Chen Yuanyuan teased.

Zhang Xiaofan paused. Indeed, if he were still in Jinghai and heard she had found someone else, even if he said otherwise, he knew he'd feel uncomfortable. After all, men are naturally possessive.

"Alright, let's keep in touch," Zhang Xiaofan said, ending the call.

"Is she pretty?" At some point, Lin Siyu had come up beside him and asked softly.

Zhang Xiaofan smiled, "Very pretty. Are you jealous?"

"A little, but it's okay." Lin Siyu blushed and added, "If you want to try new positions, I'm open to it too..."

Earlier, Zhang Xiaofan had refused the other woman and even called her in Lin Siyu's presence, hiding nothing. This made Lin Siyu secretly happy.

Zhang Xiaofan smiled again. Lin Siyu was truly gentle and understanding now.

Whether it was Chen Yuanyuan or Lin Siyu, truth be told, Zhang Xiaofan didn't want to give up either of them. He hoped both could embark on the martial path and extend their lifespans.

He also had another purpose for seeking the Kunlun ruins: to find cultivation methods suitable for women.

That way, neither Chen Yuanyuan nor Lin Siyu would remain ordinary women, and perhaps the future would hold more possibilities.

"Alright, let's find some time to experiment, then?" Zhang Xiaofan grinned at Lin Siyu.

She blushed and said nothing more, simply nestling into his arms. Having witnessed his strength, all her lingering doubts vanished.

Throughout history, the stronger the man, the more women surrounded him. She was willing to be one of them.

Zhang Xiaofan gently stroked her hair, eyes filled with tenderness.

At that moment, his phone rang—it was Zhao Kai.

"Brother Fan..." Zhao Kai stammered nervously once Zhang Xiaofan answered.

"What happened?" Zhang Xiaofan asked.

Then a voice came over the line: "Zhang Xiaofan, right? I'm from the Beast Tamer Sect. Let's not waste words—I'm Feng Zhuoyue's master. Fight me. I won't bully you because you're younger. If you survive three moves, I'll let this matter go."