Chapter 354 - Have You Offended Her?
Chapter 354: Have You Offended Her?
When Alang first came to the ancient martial arts world, he probably had a little better physique than most ordinary people did. Everyone knew that he was an ordinary person who had never practiced martial arts before. It was unexpected that in just a short few days, he would already be able to completely abuse the people from the ancient martial arts world.
Knowing that this person had been handpicked by Gu Xiqiao to enter the Peace Squad, everyone knew that this person must be something special, just the same as Wei Chenyan, who had been shoved in by her previously. But no one would expect that his improvement wouldn’t lose to Wei Chenyan, and even far exceeded him instead!
Forget about the current ancient martial arts world, you couldn’t even find such a person in the entire history of the ancient martial arts world!
But when you think of it, how many normal people were there by Gu Xiqiao’s side and Peace Manor?
The person that had been beaten down by Alang’s palm was lying on the ground, trying to shake himself out of his daze.
Fifteen days, he was thinking silently. Five days? The elders had really underestimated Miss Gu once again, the young man thought as he slowly peeled himself off the ground, looking at Alang with envy and hatred in his eyes once again.
“Who else?” Alang was still standing on the stage, his blood-red eyes glancing around the area, his Chinese spoken in a rough manner.
Seeing the young man that had been beaten, those people scattered immediately.
It had already reached this state, who else would dare to challenge him!
“I say Alang, what have you been doing recently?” The second elder couldn’t help but ask. Even if you were learning to read, it would take ten to fifteen days, right?
“Second Elder, I really believe that you’d rather not know.” Alang wasn’t the one who replied, but Wu Hongwen, who was looking at the second elder with a deep, knowing look.
He’d rather not know? The second elder had not been as curious before his words, but now that Wu Hongwen had said that, his interest was piqued higher.
“Come on, Er Qiao is calling for you,” Wu Hongwen said as he patted Alang’s shoulder.
The elders who were left behind outside, were feeling a little complicated inside.
In Peace Manor, Wu Hongwen brought Alang in to see Gu Xiqiao sitting on one of the chairs, reading a book.
“The second elder wanted to know how Alang suddenly became so powerful.” Wu Hongwen plopped himself down on one of the chairs, a wide grin stretching on his face when he thought about it.
Luo Wenlang was initially chatting with Gu Xiqiao, but he wasn’t annoyed at being interrupted by Wu Hongwen, but turned his gaze towards Alang instead.
When Gu Xiqiao heard Wu Hongwen’s words, she raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t tell him?”
“Would I dare to?” Wu Hongwen shot back, leaning back against the chair. “If I were to tell them that Peace Manor and the cave outside there isn’t any normal place, that one day in here equals to seven days outside, and more importantly, the training field we have is an exact replica of the Trial Tower that they have, wait no, the upgraded version, I mean, and everything was made by you, don’t you think they’d go out of their minds?”
Luo Wenlang turned away, smiling. Think? You mean, they’d for sure go nuts.
The Trial Tower was the treasure of the ancient martial arts world, if the elders were to find out this little detail, that Gu Xiqiao could replicate the most treasured item of the ancient martial arts world with the use of talismans, how could they not go crazy?
“They can accept you guys the way you are, it’s just a cave after all,” Gu Xiqiao replied calmly, flipping another page on her book.
“Is that the same thing?” Wu Hongwen retorted. “How can we perform such an impossible feat, compared to that cave?”
Gu Xiqiao glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, her mouth twitching slightly. “You underestimate yourself.”
Every single person in the Peace Squad had started out as an ordinary person and had grown to what they were today, how could any of them be considered ordinary?
“Miss Gu!” Cecil and the rest who had just had a round with Xixi came in with a face flushed with excitement, seeing this group sitting leisurely in the room.
Gu Xiqiao squinted her eyes, looking in their direction. Her mental powers swept out to probe at them, knowing that these people have worked hard in the past few days. “Not bad.”
Getting her acknowledgment and praise, the group from America was bursting with excitement.
“Where’s your sister?” Gu Xiqiao glanced around, and noticed that there was less than one person in the group of ten.
Cecil tried his best to contain the excitement in his heart as he replied, “My sister is still fighting with Xixi, she said that she’d pull off one of Xixi’s feathers today.”
“Then she’ll have to pay a big price for that,” Gu Xiqiao said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “Xixi’s feathers are not that easy to pull.”
Cecil and the others were impressed. When Gu Xiqiao had led the Peace Team in America, he had already known that Xixi was amazing. But after he had the chance to come into contact and fight against it, only did he comprehend just how amazing the bird was. His body was made of flames, water and fire didn’t work against him, and it was as hard as iron. Basically, this bird did not have a single weakness.
“By the way, my sister also asked when she’d be able to fight against you.” Cecil suddenly recalled his sister’s bold words, mainly because she had been improving quickly recently, and felt like her strength had grown to another level, and wanted to test where Gu Xiqiao’s power level was at.
Hearing Cecil’s words, Luo Wenlang and Wu Hongwen couldn’t help but look in his direction.
After such a long time, there was actually still someone who wanted to challenge Gu Xiqiao. Thinking back to their own Peace Squad, where everyone wanted to challenge her every one to two days, and was thoroughly beaten to the ground every single time.
From that time till now, no one dared to say they wanted to challenge Gu Xiqiao anymore, and now they were hearing those words again?
It seems that there’s going to be a great show to watch.
Wu Hongwen chuckled lowly.
“Fight me?” Gu Xiqiao was smiling softly, the corners of her lips lifting up into a more sinister one. “These days I’ve only been watching the Peace Squad fight, it’s really hard to be an ordinary person. It just happens that I’ve been idle for quite a while, and bored. Tell your sister, I’ll be waiting for her.”
F*ck! That was a little cool, okay?! Everyone present, including those from America felt their hearts beating faster than before!
Gu Xiqiao shoved the book into her pocket, looking at the people around her who were in a daze. “Alright, Little Wu, take them into the cave today. It’s getting late, so I’m going back first.”
After saying that, she walked out towards the door.
It was difficult to see Gu Xiqiao in person, and obviously everyone here wanted her to stay longer, but they couldn’t form the words at this time, and just moved to the side, making way for her to walk out.
When the thin, slender figure disappeared from their sight, Cecil and the others finally came back to themselves.
“Sh*t, I haven’t even asked her a single question!”
“Miss Gu left just like that?!”
Wu Hongwen watched Gu Xiqiao leave, then turned to Cecil and the others. A malicious grin stretched across his face, and he said, “Come on, I’ll bring you guys to the caves.”
Cecil naturally knew that Peace Manor had a cave, but none of them had ever been in it. Now that he had heard Gu Xiqiao talking about the cave, he knew that it definitely wasn’t some ordinary cave. Gu Xiqiao had always been springing surprises on them, and so everyone was full of anticipation as they moved.
They also called Cecily, who had still been fighting Xixi, before heading into the caves.
On the way there, Cecily kept shooting glances at Alang.
“Sis, why do you keep looking at him?” Cecil asked in a teasing tone, after noticing what she was doing.
Cecily rolled her eyes, before saying in a low voice, “Can’t you feel the terrifying aura rolling off him?”
He hadn’t noticed it at all, but now that she mentioned it, he too turned his gaze towards Alang. With that one look, he nearly slipped and fell on his butt.
“… Wasn’t he just an ordinary person a few days ago?” Cecil could feel his voice breaking, what the heck had Alang been eating the past few days?
Cecily glanced at him. “Have you forgotten what Qiao Qiao said last time?”
“What?” Cecil asked, still in a state of shock.
“Asking Alang to beat you in a few days.” Cecily shoved her hands into her pockets. “I think Alang’s strength is already there. Bro, I have faith in you.”
As though he had heard their words, Alang looked at Cecil. Under the light, his blood-red eyes glinted coldly.
Cecil: “…” It seems like I’m going to die.
But before he went down, he’d pull his sister down with him. “Sis, I told Miss Gu that you wanted to have a fight with her.”
Having said that, he ran forward to Wu Hongwen’s side before she could react, and started asking him about the cave.
Wu Hongwen had brought them to the side of the cave, exchanging a few words with Yao Jiamu. He then turned to Cecil, chuckling lightly. “Miss Cecily, please come into our cyberspace.”
WTF? Cyberspace?!
The words were enough to shock everyone present.
The group walked into the cave with unknown feelings, and after entering, it was unknown what they were feeling as they personally experienced the training ground that had been built by Gu Xiqiao that was not any less than the Trial Tower of the ancient martial arts world.
The ancient martial arts world had the Trial Tower, it was something that everyone in the power worlds knew. It was because of this that the people from the ancient martial arts world had strength levels that were slightly higher than the others in the power world. However, you’re telling them that, Gu Xiqiao, she… she actually managed to replicate that Trial Tower?!
“Mr. Yao, let me ask,” After a long while, Cecil finally found his tongue again, and struggled to speak. “Your elders, do they know that this thing exists?”
“Nope.” Yao Jiamu shook his head. “They’d go nuts if they did.”
They’d definitely go nuts, if even these people from America were going crazy, forget about those elders in the ancient martial arts world who had always regarded the Trial Tower as the most sacred treasure. If they knew that Gu Xiqiao was even able to make such a thing, how could they not go out of their mind?
“Miss Gu is really just… too crazy,” Cecil had gradually calmed down, and could finally only say that.
To be able to replicate the Trial Tower, you had to have some crazy bones in your body, right? After all, it’s something that not just anyone could do?!
Was she crazy? It was crazy among the crazy. Luo Wenlang, who had been following behind everyone a bit further off, went to his table after hearing Cecil’s words. He flashed him a smile. “Miss Gu said it once in the interview, you’re not living right if you’re not crazy.”
You’re not living right if you’re not crazy. Those from America weren’t really well versed Chinese, but even they could feel the craziness behind the words that Luo Wenlang had just said. (T/N: The author says, 不疯魔,不成活, which can basically mean ‘nothing short of obsession will bring you success’. The other elaboration on it is, if you don’t practice like an obsessive person before you go on stage and walk through the fires of hell, don’t dream of going up on stage to perform. It’s also similar to the phrase: To be successful in politics you need three things: The first is money. The second is money. The third is money.)
Luo Wenlang picked up a bunch of documents and walked out, but not after a few steps, his phone rang and he pulled it out to answer.
Yu Ning’s voice came from the other side. “Why didn’t you pick up earlier? I thought you also put me on your blacklist.”
“You’re quite self aware at least.” Luo Wenlang’s expression remained unchanged, knowing that it was because there was no signal in the cave just now, and not because of the reason Yu Ning mentioned. “Why are you looking for me?”
“Not much, really. It’s just the Xu family from the capital is looking for Miss Gu, help me pass on the message.” Yu Ning said. “Ah, that’s right, also help me ask her about the product in Nine Heavens. This arm-flinging of a shopkeeper that she’s been doing has gone on long enough, don’t ya think?” (T/N: Arm-flinging shopkeeper would mean that she has asked others to work but does nothing herself.)
“The Xu family from the capital?” Luo Wenlang repeated, before frowning. “Why, you want another decoding route again? You might as well just hand over the world’s number one hacker title to Miss Gu and be done.”
“Luo Wenlang, are you sure you want to do this?” Yu Ning said calmly. “I’ll make it so that you won’t be able to use your computer for the next few days.”
Luo Wenlang didn’t bother to reply, hanging up the call immediately.
Yu Ning, who was currently in Nine Heavens: “…”
***
After Gu Xiqiao left Peace Manor, she headed towards the Jiang family residence.
At this moment, the cold mechanical sound that hadn’t rung in her mind for a long time suddenly sounded, [Random Mission activated: Rescue Baili Wenxi. Mission completion reward: 100 points! Penalty for mission failure, first-level punishment!]
Her footsteps halted.
Jiji obviously heard this voice too, and it raised its head, looking at Gu Xiqiao in concern.
Gu Xiqiao didn’t move, and about two minutes later, the air distorted and she disappeared.
Not far away from where she once stood, a group of youngsters had been trying to gather up the courage to approach her, and when they finally did and started walking towards her, they saw her entire person disappearing from the spot.
“…”
***
Baili Wenxi had not been back in the ancient martial arts world for a long time, though she knew that Gu Xiqiao was there. After the last meeting between them, she hadn’t had the courage to face her once again. Not only her, she seldom even met up with the people from the Baili family since then.
She looked up to see a man dressed in black appearing in front of her suddenly, his hand reaching out to grab her neck just as sudden as he had appeared. Her vision blurred slightly at the lack of air as the grip on her next tightened.
As a person from the ancient martial arts world, the reason she had gone into the secular world and the entertainment industry was because she didn’t have an ounce of chi in her body. She didn’t have the formation talents from the Baili family side either, and so when she was faced with such a strong opponent, she had no way of defending herself at all.
Her eyes slid close slowly.
Clack!
The white smart phone fell to the ground.
Fu Wei’s anxious voice came from the phone, “Wenxi? What’s the matter? Why did you stop talking suddenly?”
The next moment, the grip on her neck loosened and she fell to the ground. Gasping for breath, Baili Wenxi thanked her savior, “Cough, cough… thank… thank you.”
Raising her head slightly as she heaved another breath, she caught sight of the person who had just saved her.
Then she was stunned speechless.
A white, slender hand was holding the neck of the man who had just held hers, and the dim street light reflected on her delicate silhouette. She was wearing a white ox fur coat, and you couldn’t tell whether her face or her coat was whiter.
Even without looking at her face, Baili Wenxi could recognize who it was by the fur coat the girl wore. Her fingers trembled a little, turning to look at the disbelief eyes of the man. This was the first time that she could study Gu Xiqiao up close and in an open manner.
What caught her eyes were those icy, coal eyes. It was like there was a layer of frost in them, and the cold glint in them made it hard for others to look directly into them.
In all the pictures that she had of Gu Xiqiao, she always had a gentle expression on her face. But tonight, there was no smile on her face, a hard and cold expression was visible instead, and even her eyebrows seemed sharper than usual, and you could practically feel the chill radiating from her body.
Gu Xiqiao wasn’t looking at Baili Wenxi, but at the man in black who she held by the neck. He looked to be around his thirties, and was looking at her with eyes filled with horror and panic. How could you not panic in this situation?
He had thought that he would be able to complete this task easily tonight, but he didn’t expect for this little girl to suddenly make an appearance in the middle. Though he said it was a little girl, she had easily picked him up with one hand! More importantly, he couldn’t muster any strength in his body at all!
Gu Xiqiao continued looking at the man she held in her hand, her gaze still icy. Even though she wasn’t as tall as this man, her eyes seemed to hold a hint of condescending aura.
Bang!
She loosened her hold and threw the man onto the ground.
Then she pulled out a tissue from her pocket, using it to slowly and carefully wipe her hands.
The man who was tossed to the ground struggled to pick himself up, and was just about to run away, when a voice suddenly came from behind him. The voice was clear and calm, but it made his back stiffen, and his body froze in place.
Gu Xiqiao, who was standing next to the man, parted her lips slightly to speak, “I advise you not to run, at least you’ll still have your life if you don’t.”
After wiping her hands, she balled up the tissue and threw it into the trash can that was ten meters away.
Only after she was done did she pull out her phone, making a call to Yi Tong and rattling off the address she was at. “There’s someone here that you need to take back to the ancient martial arts world.”
Yi Tong hung up the phone, gesturing with his hands. “Go, go, go! Miss Gu has something for us to do!”
“Say, how do you think MIss Gu knows that we’re nearby?” Jiu Tong scratched his head, puzzled when he had heard the address that Gu Xiqiao had given Yi Tong.
Yi Tong had already gotten used to it, and smiled. “Nothing can escape her eyes if she wants to know something.”
The remaining other members of the Tong team had another level of understanding towards Gu Xiqiao, and their faces were full of shock.
Yi Tong was indeed not too far from where Gu Xiqiao was, and she was leaning against a street lamp, playing her phone as she waited for them. Her head was lowered, her hair covering the expression in her eyes. Baili Wenxi had already picked herself up from the ground, and was watching her from the side. She didn’t dare to approach Gu Xiqiao to speak, and could only watch her from where she was.
“Miss Gu!” Yi Tong and the others arrived five minutes after the call.
“Yeah.” Gu Xiqiao kept her phone away, raising her head to look at Yi Tong. Her mouth curved up slightly into a flat smile, then she gestured with her fingers towards the man in black. “Bring this person back. Also, have someone escort Madam Baili back.”
It was then that Yi Tong noticed Baili Wenxi standing at the side, and he was taken aback for a moment, before bowing. “Yes, Miss Gu!”
Gu Xiqiao nodded, then turned around, her figure blending into the night.
Baili Wenxi watched the slender figure disappear and smiled bitterly. Up till the end, she hadn’t said anything.
“I say, of all the people you have to provoke, it had to be Miss Gu.” Yi Tong glanced at the man in black on the ground, his gaze full of sympathy. “And a Fleet Foot level too, such a pity… Jiu Tong, take two people with you and escort Madam Baili back.”
After Jiu Tong had left, Yi Tong took out his phone, thinking about sending a message to Jiang Shuxuan.
—[Big boss, Miss Gu just asked us to take a person back, I feel there’s something strange about him.]
—[Oh, right, Miss Gu was with Madam Baili just now.]
After sending it out, he suddenly recalled that Jiang Shuxuan had amnesia, and wouldn’t remember who Baili Wenxi was, so he sent another follow up—[It’s Miss Gu’s biological mother, the one who didn’t want her since she was a child. You didn’t like her from the beginning.]
***
In the Jiang family residence, Butler Jiang was cleaning the entire house with a group of servants. At this moment, a tall figure suddenly came in from the outside.
Butler Jiang put down his tools, standing to the side immediately. “Young Master.”
“Hm.” Jiang Shuxuan paused in his steps, the cold aura excluding from his figure. His face looked dignified as ever as his onyx eyes swept across the entire living room.
Butler Jiang, who has received unanimous praise from the Jiang family, immediately understood what Jiang Shuxuan wanted. “Young Master, Miss Gu has gone to Peace Manor. She’ll probably be back a bit later.”
Jiang Shuxuan pursed his lips, after acknowledging the butler’s words, he walked upstairs without another word.
Instead of heading into the room to change out of his clothes, he headed to the study instead.
The study was set up according to his minimalistic style, a wicker chair near the window, light blue curtains that were pulled back, and the windows were also half-open. There were few people who would enter his study, even his parents wouldn’t come in here on usual days.
Jiang Shuxuan’s eyes swept through the room. He was unfamiliar with everything in the Jiang family, and that included this room.
His cold gaze finally settled on a box made of unknown material. Walking towards it, he took out a silver key from his chest pocket, inserting the key and opening the box with a ‘click’.
For a box that he had placed in such a solemn manner, it should contain some important things in it.
When he opened it however, he discovered that there were some documents, as well as two certificates inside it. When he saw it, his eyes darkened. As he reached out to take them out, Butler Jiang’s voice came from downstairs.
“Miss Gu.”
Jiang Shuxuan’s hands paused, then he closed the box immediately, putting the box back into place.
***
Downstairs, Haha ran and hugged Gu Xiqiao’s legs as soon as it saw her return. She bent down to pick him up, then turned to the butler. “Butler Jiang, where’s Aunt Shu?”
“Madam has gone out to play fight with the landlord,” Butler Jiang smiled as he replied. (T/N: Fight The Landlord is a card game)
Fight The Landlord? Since when did she have such a hobby? Gu Xiqiao raised an eyebrow in surprise at the butler’s reply.
Originally, Shu Chen didn’t have these hobbies, Butler Jiang thought to himself. In the beginning, Shu Chen, the madam of the Jiang family, was a cold, indifferent woman. Most of the people wouldn’t even dare to approach her to strike up any form of conversation, and the number of people who would speak to Shu Chen could be counted on one hand.
But it was different now. Since Miss Gu’s appearance, the Jiang family had gotten livelier. The young master who used to hold everyone at arm’s length had also changed to be more human.
And Shu Chen had become a crazy demon that was obsessed and dazzled with her daughter-in-law.
As the two were speaking, a tall figure came down the stairs. Wasn’t that Jiang Shuxuan?
Gu Xiqiao turned and gave him a smile, her eyes a little clouded. “You’re back, Brother Jiang.”
“Yeah.” Jiang Shuxuan responded faintly, but the corners of his mouth curled up slightly at the sight of her.
“Dinner is also about to begin. I’ll call for Madam to return.” Seeing that everyone was more or less home, Butler Jiang hurried off to call Shu Chen.
Gu Xiqiao nodded, putting Haha down onto the ground. She smiled at Jiang Shuxuan again. “I’ll go and shower first.”
He nodded, watching her head upstairs.
The expression on her face had been calm, and no different than usual, but Jiang Shuxuan’s brows furrowed the moment she was out of sight. He stood beside the sofa, looking down at Haha who had been left on the ground. Reaching up to pinch his nose, he spoke in a cold, low voice. “Did you offend her?”
Haha raised its head, its round, beady eyes looking straight at Jiang Shuxuan. “Woof.”
Jiang Shuxuan looked at it, then ignored it. He turned to head upstairs too, when the phone rang twice.
As he continued to walk, he pulled out the phone to look at the screen. It was two messages, and the moment he read it, he stopped in his steps, his cold eyes turning as deep as an unending abyss. Thin lips pressed together tightly, and his eyes narrowed dangerously.
“Young Master?” Butler Jiang, who had just put down the phone, felt a chill from behind him, and couldn’t help but turn around to look at the man who was halfway up the stairs.