Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
I was August 9th, Sunday, eight pm.
A rented car turned at the corner of the street and headed for the Sky Capital Garden. Lou Cheng sat on the right side of the car, and looked out of the window. He suggested to Yan Zheke, “Should we drive over and buy some fruit before walking home?”
Yan Zheke had always been full of praise for the fruits in Huacheng.
“Nope. There’re still some in the fridge.” Yan Zheke stretched her neck and continued, “I’m so tired from the flight.”
The Longhu Club’s competition over this weekend would be at Jinfeng City up north to challenge the Guanwai League. They had almost crossed the entire country. Lou Cheng and Yan Zheke had left on Thursday, which was the sixth of August, as they had the intention to visit Xing Jingjing. After watching videos of the battles, they took the trip as a short holiday. It was inevitable that they would feel a little tired from the travels.
“Yeah, that’s true. My back is a little sore too...” Lou Cheng agreed with Yan Zheke and managed to stop her from complaining. He quickly changed the topic and said in a light-hearted mood, “It’s a shame that we aren’t visiting Jinfeng in the winter. It’s not that unique in other times of the year.”
“Yeah, I was hoping for the temperature to go below zero and having an ice-cream on the streets in the central city. It would definitely be a special experience” Yan Zheke suddenly got revitalized. “And also fishing from a hole made on the ice and speed skiing on the ice. And there’s also...”
She started listing out her wishes that she couldn’t accomplish this time as though she was making a to-do list.
“Yeah, let’s go there again if there’s a chance next time.” Lou Cheng reminisced about the food. “I felt that their hot plate stewed fish was only average. Perhaps it’s because we have not managed to get the best. On a side note, their Korean restaurants were all pretty good.”
“Oh right, we didn’t even get the chance to get some barbeque food from Guanwai this time. I wonder what the differences were between those from Xiushan, Songcheng and the Sky Capital Garden...” Suddenly, Yan Zheke felt a little hungry.
At this moment, the rented car stopped at the main gate of the Sky Capital Garden. Lou Cheng paid using his phone and got down first. He grabbed all the bags and luggage just in case they forgot about them again later.
Holding hands, the couple slowly walked forward. Suddenly they saw a figure appearing from a dark spot from their side and headed towards the opposite side of the road.
Lou Cheng squinted his eyes and took a look. It was a man in a short-sleeved polo tee-shirt. He looked young but had quite a number of silver strands between his head of black hair, making it hard to tell his age.
The man had a serious look and seemed as though he was leaving after not getting whatever he was waiting for.
When the two of them went to pass each other, Lou Cheng felt some minor changes to the Jindan at his lower abdomen. However when he formed his Ice Mirror to do a more detailed investigation, he didn’t discover anything. It was as though that was just a random fleeting feeling.
“What happened?” Yan Zheke felt something and asked curiously.
“Nothing.” Lou Cheng shook his head and made his reply.
Jindan was an external item after all and didn’t belong to him. Lou Cheng was hoping to gather the full set of “Nine Words Formula” and understood the mysterious parts of it. This was to prevent himself from losing out in the future.
Using the sight of his vision, he saw that man from before hailed a rented car, got onto it and left the place without any strange actions.
His doubts dissipated and Lou Cheng had completely forgotten about this matter. After returning home with his wife, the two of them rummaged through the ingredients in the fridge. Working together, they made two large bowls of noodles as supper.
“If I follow you and eat like you every day, it’s just a matter of time before I become fat!” Yan Zheke looked aggrievedly at the two empty bowls.
Hmm. Someone is using a “basin”...
“You can just watch me instead.” Lou Cheng snickered.
“Wow, you are bullying me. Asking me to just watch you and not allowing me to eat!” Yan Zheke complained despite still having a radiant smile.
Lou Cheng didn’t dare to continue on this topic anymore. He heaved a sigh and continued, “Sigh, I have to return to Xiushan tomorrow...”
The last half a month passed by really quickly!
Yan Zheke softly bit on her lips and tried to liven the mood, “Well we are going to look at the stars and moon tonight while talking about poems and songs about life philosophy!”
“These lines are really familiar.” Lou Cheng thought about it and finally understood, bursting into laughter all of a sudden.
The smiles washed away the sorrows of impending separation. However in the middle of the night, after cuddling together for some time, the couple leaned on each other while looking at the bright moon outside the window.
The lights in the room were off and the chilling wind blew outside. When the faint light shone into the room, the darkness around them seemed dyed by a mystical realm. Yan Zheke laid in the embrace of Lou Cheng, having close contact with him while refusing to fall asleep.
“When I graduate, I want to do something big and expand my mum’s company to Huacheng!” As she spoke, she broke into laughter herself. “However I’m not the kind that likes to socialize. I estimate I could likely be just a consultant. I can’t let me husband always have his meals alone... Perhaps I should seek employment at the University in Huacheng, take the academic path and research economic problems...”
Seeing that Yan Zheke started talking about the future, Lou Cheng also started talking about his ambitions, “I have almost learned most of the “Fire” Sect’s Dan stage skills. At the moment, I’m an expert in some while only grasping the surface of others. After going through the preliminaries of the Battle of the Kings, I should really have the strength of a senior fourth-pin expert... February next year but hopefully before my birthday, I will aim to reach a level that is close to the physical invulnerability stage. Yeah. With the realm of Encountering Gods In The Void, Self Reflection, there shouldn’t be many obstacles in the process. Think about it. The Ice Mirror can reflect anything within a certain radius around me. The accuracy is to the millimeters. Isn’t this a little similar to the rudimentary of achieving connection between Heaven and Earth?”
“When the time comes, I will give myself a deadline of 3 years to reach the physical invulnerability stage. It cannot be too long as I will lose my edge and drive. It also couldn’t be too short as I might get flustered resulting in worse outcomes...”
“Why does it feel like the distance between is are getting wider...?” Yan Zheke couldn’t hide her worries and sought consolation from her husband.
“How can that be? The head of this house will always be you!” Lou Cheng answered without hesitation.
“Wait till I think of a way to make up for your natural born deficiencies. Dan stage is definitely not a problem for you although the same couldn’t be said for the inhuman stage. However, you definitely can awaken your supernatural abilities. At that time, you wouldn’t have to worry about gains and losses!”
“Can you guarantee!” Yan Zheke only felt emotional for a moment and quickly adjusted herself.
She had always been a girl that was full of confidence.
“Yeah, why don’t we do a pinkie promise?”
“You are so childish.”
“...”
“Come come come. Don’t be angry. I like your current looks the most!”
The words resounded throughout and the night passed by peacefully.
...
It was the same night and under the same moon. In a short term accommodation unit within Huacheng.
The man with silverish hair between his head of black hair was sitting in front of the window. His expressions showed some lingering agitation from before.
Although he wasn’t the “same kind” as he had thought, he discovered something that even he did not believe to be in existence!
This wasn’t a wasted trip. No, not only was it not a wasted trip, but his future would be dependent on this encounter!
He switched on his newly bought second-hand computer and analyzed Lou Cheng’s recent battle videos carefully. He also took a peek in the direction of Longhu Club and conjectured the various aspects.
Yeah, I have to find a good opportunity...
...
The next day morning, Lou Cheng woke up early but was seduced by his little fairy girl. This was a rare occasion when he did not go for morning practice.
When Yan Zheke’s flight took off, he made up for the missed training and attended the guidance lesson by physical invulnerability experts in the afternoon.
In just a blink of an eye, it was Friday once again. However the sparring session between the reserve team had been cancelled. This was because the preliminaries of the Battle of the Kings Competition was just next week and they had to move out by Sunday. Everyone had to adjust their mental and physical condition for the competition.
The sixteenth of August, on the high-speed train to “Linfu”, Lou Cheng was chatting with Yan Zheke on the related information regarding the title competition. While waiting for replies, Lou Cheng searched for “Priest” and sent a message over, “Hook up?”
After sending, he suddenly felt something was wrong with the message and quickly added, “Are you going for the Battle of the Kings?”
Several seconds later, Peng Leyun replied, “[Wiping cold sweat expression] I thought someone was using your account...”
Not waiting for Lou Cheng to reply, he continued, “I have also attained the realm of “Encountering Gods In The Void”. Just a reminder so you will not be careless. If I’m going to win, I’ll like to win against my opponent when he is in his best state. Right?”
This guy is improving quickly!... Lou Cheng complimented him in his mind.
“[Laughing heartily expression] That’s how I feel too!”
Priest has revealed his hidden card now? So he is truly extending his style of ‘taking it easy” to even before the competition started?
Peng Leyun did not stay on this topic any longer. He continued, “Ren Li has also confirmed that she will join. There’re also a number of outstanding experts from Daxing Temple and these are the same for other Sects and clans. You better not underestimate them.”
“Speaking of which, I have not really fought with an internal disciple of Daxing Temple. So I might just be able to experience it this time! [Hands on the waist expression]” replied Lou Cheng enthusiastically.
“Silly Lou Cheng! When you talk online, can you not send such childish expression? Whenever I see the expressions you send over, I feel so depressed that I might lose to such an opponent... [Cover face and sighing expression]” replied Peng Leyun.
It seemed like he did not erase all the words.
“Damn. So the Priest has a vicious tongue too. Besides that, the word “silly” has several meanings. Please explain it!”
Lou Cheng hadn’t sent the message when he received a message from Ren Li, “Lou Cheng, I think we have only fought once? And that match ended in a draw! Let’s decide the victor between us this time!
“Sure!” Lou Cheng agreed to it without hesitation.
At this instance, he suddenly remembered Ann Chaoyang. He was wondering if he should ask “Hipster” if he will be participating with the preliminaries of the Battle of the King.
He was at the stage where he was about to achieve a breakthrough. Lou Cheng was wondering if he had made the breakthrough?
Hipster took the initiative to send a message to Lou Cheng while he was still considering if he should contact Ann Chaoyang.
“I’m at Linfu. Do you want to have dinner tonight?”
“Alright.,” said Lou Cheng. “[There’s only one truth expression] Have you made the breakthrough?”
“Yeah. I’m finally at the inhuman stage and have gone through the initial consolidation!” Ann Chaoyang was feeling equally happy and emotional while replying.
“Congratulations, congratulations!” Lou Cheng glanced at Tu Zheng and the rest who were beside him before lowering his head again. He searched for another name but didn’t dare to ask after thinking about it.
This name was “Cousin-in-law”
Ke told me that he had not broken through as of June. If I am to ask if he is participating in the Battle of the Kings, it will definitely be a blow to him...
Forget it. There will be opportunities in the future...
While Lou Cheng was still feeling complicated, the high-speed train had stopped at the “Linfu Station”.
This city thahadt became well-known because of the Battle of the Kings Competition.