Xiao Xuanye's reputation was imnse!
He was the role model countless children dread of becoming, the great hero admired by legions of youths, and the colossal figure feared by many adults.
Such an earth-shattering man…
He actually wants to adopt as his goddaughter? Why? It makes no sense!
It was too unexpected, too shocking. Shen Youling was caught completely off guard, standing there dumbfounded. It took her a long mont to recover, and when she did, she shook her head repeatedly.
"I am completely unqualified for this. Please, retract your command, Mr. Xiao!"
Anyone else would have been ecstatic. After all, having Xiao Xuanye as a backer was a surefire way to soar to the heavens. But what Shen Youling desired most was a low-key, ordinary life. She did not want to attract so much attention.
"Hm?" Xiao Xuanye was surprised.
With his status, if word got out that he was looking for a godson or goddaughter, the line of applicants would wrap around Jiangbei several tis over. Yet, Shen Youling had actually refused?
Instantly, Xiao Xuanye feigned anger and slamd his hand on the table. "How audacious!"
Shen Youling trembled with fright and bowed her head low. Just as she was about to apologize again, Xiao Xuanye spoke.
"I'll give you one more chance. Accept or refuse. If you refuse, I will order your parents to be put to death right now!"
Since you've put it that way, what else can I say?
"I... am willing..." Shen Youling sighed inwardly, forced to compromise. She knelt, kowtowed, and called out softly, "Shen Youling pays her respects to her godfather!"
"Good, good, good!" Xiao Xuanye laughed heartily, rising to his feet and helping her up. "I, Xiao Xuanye, have spent my life in battle, never taking a wife or having children. Now, by a twist of fate, I finally have soone to care for in my old age! Good child, from now on, you are my heir. With around, no one can bully you!"
What?
Shen Youling was even more stunned. A re goddaughter wasn't that sensational, but an heir... the implications of that were monuntal.
"Godfather, please reconsider..."
"My mind is made up! Say no more!" Xiao Xuanye grabbed her wrist and started walking outside.
Originally, he had absolutely no intention of eting the sycophants waiting outside. But his mood was just too good. Of course, he had to announce this to the public. He would let the world know Shen Youling was his daughter, and they had all better watch themselves and not dare to anger her. Otherwise, he would show no rcy!
As they exited the main hall, the guards outside were taken aback before imdiately forming a protective circle around them. Lu Zizheng, cowering in a corner, stared in disbelief, montarily forgetting his pain.
「Outside the Posthouse」
Everyone was discussing in hushed tones, wondering what fate had befallen Shen Youling, the number one beauty of Jiangbei. Those with dirty minds exchanged knowing smirks with their companions.
Shen Xin was extrely worried about his daughter's safety. Shen Jiayue's anger still simred, and she continued to curse her sister under her breath, hoping for the worst.
Dong Mingfeng's sharp ears caught soone speculating, "Could Mr. Xiao have taken a liking to Shen Youling?" She was imdiately thrilled. If that were true, it would be fantastic!
But then soone else chid in, "A man of Mr. Xiao's stature would hardly be interested in the disfigured Shen Youling."
"Damn it!" Dong Mingfeng stamped her feet in frustration. If only her daughter hadn't been disfigured. How wonderful that would have been...
As her expression shifted rapidly, she suddenly froze. She watched as a tall, imposing figure led Shen Youling into view.
That... couldn't be Mr. Xiao, could it? My heavens, he's so close with Youling! Could it be? Could it be!
Dong Mingfeng trembled with excitent. Shen Xin and Shen Jiayue also stared, their eyes wide with utter shock. The others who witnessed the scene were in an uproar, their eyes practically popping out of their sockets.
"This subordinate pays his respects to Mr. Xiao!" Wang Shouben swallowed hard and was the first to drop to his knees. He quickly yanked on Wang Dengke and Wang Shouzhen.
"Gre-gre-greetings, Mr. Xiao!" they stamred, hastily kowtowing with trembling tongues.
"Greetings, Mr. Xiao!"
Everyone else followed suit, kneeling in fear and trepidation.
The next mont, Xiao Xuanye's voice bood with authority. "From this day forward, Shen Youling is my, Xiao Xuanye's, goddaughter! In three days, I will hold an adoption ceremony to officially confirm our relationship. You are all welco to attend!"
"What?"
"Goddaughter?"
"Adoption ceremony?"
A collective gasp swept through the crowd.
***
"Brother Lin, are you really not going to save Shen Youling? If sothing happens, you'll regret it when it's too late," Lee Encai said, her face etched with worry.
Lin Tang, however, appeared utterly carefree as he continued to study the *Heart Monkey Nine Calming Techniques*.
Why wasn't he worried about Shen Youling? The reason was simple. He might have verbally claid not to know Xiao Xuanye of the War Dragon Camp, but that didn't an he hadn't heard of him. Although he had lived in seclusion on the mountain for five years, Xiao Xuanye was already famous nationwide before that. Lin Tang knew who he was.
As a renowned hero, Xiao Xuanye wouldn't bully a defenseless young woman. And Shen Youling wasn't foolish enough to insult him. What could possibly happen?
He glanced at Lee Encai and changed the subject. "Weren't you pestering to teach you martial arts? Here. This is a Heaven-rank manual that people in the martial world would kill for. Consider yourself lucky to have stumbled upon it."
"...Is that so?" Lee Encai tilted her head and read a few lines. She found it extrely arcane. She recognized the characters individually, but together, they made no sense. Her head spun with confusion, and she stepped back. "What is all this? Can't it be written in plain language?"
"Hmph, so uncultured!" Lin Tang scoffed. He began explaining the terminology, covering ridians, acupressure points, vital energy, and intent.
Yet Lee Encai just listened like a fool, utterly baffled.
Lin Tang sighed. No wonder true martial arts masters were so rare. Lee Encai was living proof. Even if this manual were copied a million tis and handed out for free on the streets, it probably wouldn't produce many experts.
After a mont's thought, Lin Tang said, "Complicated things seem completely beyond you. How about this? I've summarized a very rudintary set of fist techniques. Practice it for a few months and see if you can generate the most basic sensation of qi."
"It'll take that long?" Hearing this, Lee Encai wanted to give up before she had even started.
"Nonsense. I've been practicing day after day for five years straight. You expect results in a few days?"
"Alright then."
"Watch carefully!"
Lin Tang first assud a stance. Then, in an instant, he transford into a "monkey." He bared his teeth, scratched his ears and cheeks, and let out strange hoots and growls. He spun and leaped, brandishing his claws.
Lee Encai was shocked at first, then burst out laughing. Clutching her stomach, she howled, "WAHAHAHA! That's hilarious! Are you sure you're not just ssing with ? Is that Monkey Fist?"
"What are you laughing at?" Lin Tang snapped, rapping her on the head. "Haven't you seen the na of the manual is the *Heart Monkey Nine Calming Techniques*? If I'm not doing Monkey Fist, what else would it be? Pay attention. The movents must resemble a monkey, but it's crucial to emphasize a primate's ferocity and madness. That is the core."
Lee Encai rubbed her sore forehead, feeling both wronged and confused. "But when you were explaining, didn't you say I need to calm the 'heart-monkey' to make my thoughts peaceful?"
Lin Tang replied with forced patience, "As they say, 'without destruction, there can be no creation.' To calm the heart-monkey, you must first have one."
"Oh, oh, I get it! It's like needing to eat your fill to have the energy to go on a diet."
You and your analogies...
As he was trying to shape this unteachable student, a group of people suddenly burst into the hotel and charged straight for his room.
"Hm?" Lin Tang's ears twitched. He quickly put the manual away, then grabbed Lee Encai to stop her from practicing the Monkey Fist. She stumbled and fell into his arms.
Just as they were in an embrace, the door was kicked open, and the group of n stord inside.
"Lin Tang, you murderer! You have the nerve to flirt with won after killing people? We will have vengeance for President Yu and the others!" they roared, their faces contorted with hatred. They were Yu Tianshun's confidants from the True Martial Association.
Before Lin Tang could speak, Wei Zichu, Wei Shanhe, and Huangfu Zhan arrived with another group of mbers.
"Do not be rude to Master Lin!" Huangfu Zhan chided.
"Huangfu Zhan, you're a cripple! What right do you have to order us around?"
"Exactly! What if we want to be disrespectful?"
"President Yu and the others are dead! Shouldn't we demand an explanation?"
"Just because this Lin guy saved you, you're going to protect him?"
"Impudence!" Wei Shanhe forcefully gathered his energy, and the aura of his early Innate Stage cultivation erupted from him. "The President may have had his martial arts crippled, but mine are still intact! Are you trying to stage a rebellion?"
"This..." Their arrogant fury subsided sowhat.
"Brother Lin!" Wei Zichu rushed to Lin Tang's side, his imploring gaze begging him not to get involved with these people, and especially not to kill them. The True Martial Association couldn't afford any more losses.
"Master Lin!" Huangfu Zhan also stepped forward and cupped his fist. "Please forgive our intrusion. But are the deaths of Yu Tianshun and Lu Liangfei truly unrelated to you?"
"Didn't I make it clear on the phone? They ca here to run us off, so we left," Lin Tang said, displeased.
"But our investigation shows that you left the hotel in the middle of the night with this woman. How do you explain that?" one man demanded, pointing at Lee Encai.
Lin Tang replied irritably, "Can't we go out for a secret tryst?"
Wei Zichu was speechless. She knew what Lin Tang had really been doing but couldn't clarify without revealing that his martial arts were still intact.
However, Lin Tang's explanation failed to convince them.
In the midst of the clamor, the hotel was once again surrounded, this ti by hundreds of people who sward upstairs, heading straight for Lin Tang's room. The man in the lead was none other than Xiao Xuanye's adjutant.
With a fierce expression, he charged in, raising his weapon. "Nobody move! Anyone who moves gets a bullet!"
His subordinates mirrored his actions, raising their firearms. The mbers of the True Martial Association all froze, their pupils contracting. They wanted to resist but didn't dare. An impasse ford.
The adjutant's tiger-like eyes swept over them, filled with contempt. "Who is Lin Tang? Get over here! I want to see how tough you are staring down the barrel of my gun!"
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