The mayor looked at Zhao Rong and imdiately gave him a thumbs-up. "Truly, heroes erge from the young. Don’t you realize you’ve eliminated a major threat for our Xijing City?"
With that, the mayor thought to himself, This Zhao Rong is far too modest, too low-key... He does good deeds righteously, not only refusing to take credit, but he even denies his own heroic exploits when I, the mayor, visit to comnd him personally. What a righteous and chivalrous young man.
Listening to the mayor, Zhao Rong was completely bewildered. "Mayor, I’m just an ordinary disciple of the True Martial Sect. I don’t think I’m capable of anything that significant."
Seeing that Zhao Rong still wouldn’t admit to his good deed, the mayor said, "Zhao Rong, society today is sorely lacking young heroes like you—filled with righteousness, chivalry, and yet still so modest."
At this mont, the secretary standing beside the mayor added, "Young hero, not only did you use your Eyes of Golden Fla to identify the villainous magical beast baboon that was terrorizing the area, but you also slew it and cut it to pieces. What a relief for everyone!"
The mayor continued, "That’s right. That magical beast baboon took on human form and committed countless atrocities in our Xijing City, murdering many beautiful young won. It even paraded through the streets, openly taunting the police... We ford a special task force and spent years trying to capture it, but we never succeeded. Yet yesterday, at the Maple Leaf Bar, you successfully identified that bearded man as the magical beast baboon, and you killed him..."
Hearing this, Zhao Rong finally understood. He looked at the mayor and said, "Mayor, to be honest, I didn’t recognize that the bearded man was a magical beast in human form. At the ti, I was having a drink with Cai Yan, the proprietress of the Red Lang Man, when I suddenly saw a huge baboon snatch my three friends. I’m their bodyguard, so I went to rescue them. I never expected that I’d end up killing a magical beast, especially not such an evil one."
The mayor looked at Zhao Rong. "Young hero, I know you’re being humble again. In your heart, you must have been determined to rid the people of this nace. I’m sure you tracked this beast for days, then seized the opportunity in the bar to successfully kill it. Am I right? Now, you must not only accept this ceremonial banner but also the two hundred acres of land granted to you by our city governnt. Furthermore, you must co with us to the city for a comndation ceremony."
As he spoke, the mayor handed Zhao Rong an honorary banner and the deed to two hundred acres of land.
When Zhao Rong received the deed, his eyes widened. The two hundred acres were located in the northern suburbs of Xijing City, right next to the Weiyang District. Zhao Rong knew that with Xijing City’s developnt, this land would sooner or later beco pri real estate where every inch was worth its weight in gold.
He couldn’t help but think, If I use these two hundred acres for real estate developnt, won’t I beco a super-rich tycoon within a few years?
His heart blossod with joy.
Seeing the deed in Zhao Rong’s hands, the three young won seed to guess what he was thinking.
Lili said happily on his behalf, "Brother Zhao Rong, if you go into real estate, I’ll have my father, the chairman, provide you with enough funds to support your project."
Lili’s father was the chairman of Hongda Company, the largest enterprise in Xijing City, and he was exceptionally wealthy.
Yu Lan also encouraged him. "Brother Zhao Rong, if you decide to go into real estate, just let know. I’ll have my father finance you. You’ll have more than enough money."
Yu Lan’s father was a financial titan in Xijing City and the founder of the Bridgewater Fund. He was fabulously wealthy and loved to invest.
Xuelian also looked at him with encouragent. "Brother Zhao Rong, I support you going into real estate. My father is a developer, so he can help you."
Xuelian’s father was the biggest real estate developer in Xijing City, with a virtual monopoly on the entire market.
Hearing the support from the three won, Zhao Rong thought for a mont before saying, "Thank you all. But for now, I’m just your bodyguard. Let’s just let those two hundred acres appreciate in value. When my bodyguard duties are complete one day, I’ll think about developing that land."
When the mayor heard that Zhao Rong was a bodyguard, his eyes widened in disbelief.
He thought to himself, Is Zhao Rong really just an ordinary bodyguard? Then why are these three beautiful won so eager to help him? It seems this young man isn’t just a bodyguard; he’s also a master at wooing won... Impressive...
Instinctively, the mayor gave Zhao Rong another thumbs-up.
That evening, after the comndation ceremony, Zhao Rong returned to the True Martial Sect. He had barely stepped through the gates when Tao Hua hurried over to et him. She took in the sight: he was holding a ceremonial banner, wearing a gold dal, clutching an honorary citizen plaque, and had the deed for two hundred acres in his pocket. After congratulating him, she added a solemn reminder, "Zhao Rong, we need to hurry up and cultivate to level up. Otherwise, by the ti Mage Erzhen recovers from his injuries, it’ll be too late."
She then reminded him that Mage Erzhen was a level twenty-seven cultivator. For Zhao Rong to have even a one percent chance of winning, he had to reach at least level twenty. Otherwise, at his current level of nineteen, he wouldn’t even have that.
Hearing this, Zhao Rong was taken aback, the glory of his new honors vanishing in an instant. He knew this martial contest was of the utmost importance.
So he asked Tao Hua, "How long do you think it will take for to get from level nineteen to level twenty?"
Tao Hua thought for a mont. "Starting tomorrow, if we go to the Cultivation Cave and train for twelve hours a day, it will still take at least forty-nine days."
Hearing how difficult it was to break through to level twenty, Zhao Rong broke out in a cold sweat. "Forty-nine days? Isn’t that a bit long?"
Tao Hua explained, "Zhao Rong, you leveled up quickly before because you were below level twenty. Once you pass level twenty, leveling up becos increasingly difficult. The bottleneck at level twenty is a tribulation that every disciple of the True Martial Sect must endure. To break through, you have to bear not only physical fatigue but also ntal tornt..."
Hearing this, Zhao Rong gasped. Damn, it looks like I really have to take this seriously, he thought.
However, as he prepared himself to train diligently with Tao Hua in the Cultivation Cave, a new question arose. What if Mage Erzhen recovers early? Does that an I’ll have to challenge a level twenty-seven powerhouse as a re level nineteen?
Unable to help himself, he looked at Tao Hua and said, "In that case, let’s go to the Cultivation Cave and start training now."
Hearing his urgency, Tao Hua considered it for a mont. "Zhao Rong, you’ve had a long day. You should go get so sleep. Starting tomorrow, you’ll enter seclusion with for forty-nine days. I’m confident you’ll succeed and smoothly break through to level twenty."
The thought of spending forty-nine days in seclusion with Tao Hua intrigued him. "Tao Hua, what does ’seclusion’ an?" he asked curiously.
Tao Hua explained, "Seclusion ans that for these forty-nine days, it will just be you and . We’ll eat, drink, sleep, and relieve ourselves, all inside the Cultivation Cave. We can’t go out, and we can’t see the light of day. We will only leave the cave after you successfully break through to level twenty."
Hearing that they—a single man and a single woman—would be spending over forty days together in a sunless, pitch-black cave where they had to eat, drink, sleep, and relieve themselves all in the sa space, Zhao Rong’s jaw dropped.
He thought, A young man and woman are a combustible mix. Forget forty-nine days, things could happen even after just three days together!
He couldn’t resist asking, "Tao Hua, do we need to bring anything with us for our seclusion?"
Tao Hua shook her head. "The Cultivation Cave has everything. We just need to show up."
Hearing that it had everything, Zhao Rong couldn’t help but ask, "Tao Hua, does that an the Cultivation Cave even has... condoms?"
At his question, Tao Hua whipped her head around and glared at him, looking furious. Seeing her anger, Zhao Rong knew he had misspoken and offended her. Suddenly bringing up condoms in front of a woman was incredibly disrespectful.
Just as he was about to apologize, she suddenly nodded. "Of course. Durex, Jissbon, Okamoto... there are several brands."
Hearing that there really were condoms in the Cultivation Cave, Zhao Rong was so shocked he plopped down on the ground. "Damn! I thought there might be condoms, but I never imagined the ones they keep in stock are all imported brands..."
Listening to his astonished words, Tao Hua explained, "You might not know this, Zhao Rong, but sotis married cultivators co here to train. They often seclude themselves for very long periods. It wouldn’t do for them to enter seclusion for ten months and co out with a baby, would it?"
Zhao Rong finally understood. The condoms were for the married cultivators, not for unattached pairs like them. Just as he was marveling at how thoughtful the Cultivation Cave’s arrangents were, Tao Hua continued, "And this Cultivation Cave doesn’t just have condoms. It also has Yuting."
Hearing that the cave had both condoms and contraceptive pills, Zhao Rong couldn’t take it anymore. He gasped twice and exclaid, "What, double insurance?"
Tao Hua nodded. "Of course. So of the more powerful and skilled cultivators prefer the pills. After all, condoms can break."
Hearing this, Zhao Rong’s mind started to wander. Even if they’re strong, they can’t be strong enough to break rubber, right? What kind of speed and force would that take?
While he and Tao Hua were deep in their engrossing conversation, a figure resembling a zombie suddenly appeared from a dark area nearby.
Instantly, a frightened Tao Hua hid behind Zhao Rong. "Ah! Why would a zombie appear in the True Martial Sect?"
Zhao Rong was also puzzled. In this parallel world he’d arrived in, there were magical beasts and spirits, but no ghosts or zombies. So where did this thing co from?
As Zhao Rong was wondering about this, he was stunned to see that behind the hopping zombie, Lili, Yu Lan, and Xuelian were frantically chasing it.
As the three beauties gave chase, they shouted, "Assistant, where do you think you’re going?! Get back here!"
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