100: Don't You Dare Show Your Face to Me Again

Lie Ren continued, “To cultivate the Shattered Jade Claw technique (a powerful external martial arts technique) to such a degree, that kid's external mastery is formidable. Elder Wu (Wu Lao), a notable expert from our Wind and Cloud Hall branch, is by no means weak. For that kid to defeat him in a single move… it's hard to say, but his strength might be approaching that of a five-star master!”

Luo Ye's face twitched again, and he gritted his teeth. “Can this brat be dealt with?”

Shi Tou (Stone) nodded expressionlessly. “It shouldn't be an issue. He’s very young, and since the Shattered Jade Claw isn’t considered a profound technique, his overall strength shouldn’t be that exceptional. However, for a kid so young to possess such power, it would be best to investigate his background.”

“Good!” Luo Ye (Luo Ye) slammed his right hand onto the table, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes. “Shen Yifei! How dare you condemn my Luo family to an end (meaning cutting off the family's lineage, typically through the incapacitation of its male heirs)! If I don't avenge this, I, Luo Ye, swear I am no man!”

Inside the car, Su Muqing (Su Muqing), worried about her grandfather's safety, called Su Yunshan (Su Yunshan) to explain the situation.

Su Yunshan hadn't expected Shen Yifei to act so aggressively, but he didn't question it. He trusted that as long as Shen Yifei was with his granddaughter, she would be safe.

The Audi convertible sped into the Yuhe Mountain Villa residential complex.

Back home, Shen Yifei (Shen Yifei) relaxed on the sofa, while Liu Xiaoxiao (Liu Xiaoxiao) quickly rushed over to Su Muqing.

“Su Muqing, you worried me to death last night! I thought something terrible had happened to you.” Liu Xiaoxiao let out a long breath.

Su Muqing’s pretty face flushed. Something certainly *had* happened last night, but not what Liu Xiaoxiao was imagining.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Su Muqing said, clearing her throat.

“Shen Yifei, look at you, acting as a bodyguard! Why didn’t you bring Su Muqing back last night?” Liu Xiaoxiao pouted.

“It’s fine, Xiaoxiao. I was the one who decided to stay overnight there. Don’t blame Shen Yifei,” Su Muqing said, smiling.

Liu Xiaoxiao shook her head with a sigh. “Su Muqing, you’ve truly changed. Now you’re even defending Shen Yifei.”

Su Muqing’s face flushed again. She coughed, trying to hide her embarrassment, and huffed, “What nonsense are you spouting, you silly girl? Hurry up and go to work!”

“Alright, alright, Miss CEO,” Liu Xiaoxiao chirped with a smile.

Su Muqing, however, couldn't smile. Luo Tianyao (Luo Tianyao) had been crippled by Shen Yifei; it would be a miracle if the Luo family weren't furious to death. They would definitely seek revenge on her and Shen Yifei.

Just thinking about it filled her with unavoidable dread and anxiety.

All day, Su Muqing worked as usual, but her mind couldn’t settle. She was consumed with worry that the Luo family would retaliate.

Yet, a full day passed, and there was no news whatsoever from the Luo family or Haizheng Group.

Everything seemed eerily quiet.

Shen Yifei remained at the company, a sense of vexation swirling in his heart. The thing he detested most was waiting for trouble to arrive.

And so, the day drifted by in a haze of restless anticipation.

Late into the night.

Shen Yifei jolted awake from his sleep, his body burning with an unbearable heat. Instinctively, he touched his lower abdomen, discovering that the True Qi (primal energy, the vital essence of cultivation) within him had begun to spiral into chaos!

With a formidable enemy looming, for such a critical issue to arise at this juncture, Shen Yifei's heart seized. He hastily sat upright, focusing all his energy to suppress the agitated True Qi.

This sudden turmoil of True Qi might have been linked to his restless emotions throughout the day.

The volatile True Qi within Shen Yifei was like a ticking time bomb; the slightest disturbance could cause it to erupt like a raging torrent.

Emotional instability and a restless mind could easily provoke the True Qi into chaos.

Ordinarily, even in the face of monumental events, Shen Yifei would never be as unsettled as he was now.

Perhaps it was because his strength was currently greatly diminished, making him less confident in handling crises than before. To Shen Yifei, the Luo family wasn't a colossal power, but they could pose a significant threat to his current capabilities.

Shen Yifei wasn't worried about himself, but rather about Su Muqing.

For years, Shen Yifei had walked on a razor's edge, relying on his unparalleled strength. Losing that strength made it difficult for him to remain calm; perhaps, in some respects, he wasn’t as mature as he thought.

Half an hour later, beads of sweat the size of beans trickled down Shen Yifei's forehead. He had finally managed to suppress the restless True Qi within him once more.

Though the agitated True Qi was suppressed, a major problem remained. At this rate, Shen Yifei wouldn't be able to keep his True Qi under control for a full year.

Forget a year; even two or three months would be a struggle.

Taking a deep breath, Shen Yifei picked up the cup on the table, poured himself water, and gulped it down.

Shen Yifei's expression was grave. If only he could find a way to break through (advance his cultivation realm) now.

As long as he could achieve a breakthrough, he wouldn't even have to consider the Luo family a threat.

Regardless, he had to deal with the immediate crisis first.

Shen Yifei pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

Knowing his Master (Shifu, a revered teacher or mentor) was typically cultivating his art at this hour, Shen Yifei went straight to the point. “Master, I’ve got a problem.”

“True Qi acting up again?” the old man grumbled.

*Just as expected of my Master,* Shen Yifei thought, *he truly understands me. Guessed it right on the first try.*

“Something like that. The situation has changed; I can’t suppress my True Qi for a whole year anymore. If I try to break through (advance to a higher cultivation realm), what should I be mindful of?” Shen Yifei asked, frowning.

The old man’s face instantly fell. “You little scoundrel, don’t try to break through so casually! You cultivate the Divine Radiance Scripture (Shen Zhao Jing, an extreme yang cultivation technique). To break through, you must find a place with abundant yin-cold energy, coupled with a Spirit Resonance Stone (a rare crystal used in cultivation) and several specific elixirs (potent medicinal pills often used in cultivation). Otherwise, there’s a high probability of failure, and you know the consequences of that.”

Hearing this, Shen Yifei’s expression turned grim. He asked again, “Then are there any other methods to help me suppress my True Qi?”

“Suppression isn’t a solution. You should come back immediately. Preparing for a breakthrough is the best option,” the old man said languidly.

“I can’t return yet,” Shen Yifei stated flatly.

He had recently stirred up quite a bit of trouble, and going back now would undoubtedly put Su Muqing in harm's way.

“Tsk tsk, have you really fallen for that fiancée of yours, that young mistress? Foolish, you little punk. I advise you to keep your distance from her. That woman’s background isn’t ordinary,” the old man frowned.

“Master, why do you keep holding back information? Is Su Muqing’s identity truly problematic?” Shen Yifei asked, perplexed.

“Why are you asking so many questions? In short, that woman's identity is mysterious. Just protect her, but don't get too deeply involved with her,” the old man retorted.

Shen Yifei didn’t bother arguing with the old man and asked, “Are there any other ways to suppress my True Qi?”

The old man snorted. “Your constitution is naturally inclined towards fire, making your True Qi prone to agitation. The only ways are to combat fire with venomous fire (a rare, extreme method) or to forcibly suppress it with yin-cold energy.”

“You don’t need to consider the former; things that produce venomous fire are exceedingly rare. As for the latter, you could try putting yourself into an ice cellar to suppress your True Qi. The lower the temperature, the better. Ten days to half a month there should provide some relief for your True Qi.”

At these words, Shen Yifei’s eyes lit up. Put himself in an ice cellar? That method was feasible, but he didn’t have the time for such a thing right now.

Feeling a bit frustrated, Shen Yifei decided to just say, “Old man, I’ve run into a little trouble. Can you get me a Plum Blossom Needle (a thin, precise throwing needle) and a thousand Willow Leaf Throwing Knives (small, leaf-shaped throwing knives)?”

“A thousand? Tsk tsk, are you planning to take on an army, you brat? You’re making such exorbitant demands from me!” the old man huffed, sounding nonchalant.

Shen Yifei’s face darkened. “Then don’t bother!”

“You scoundrel! Do you even know the meaning of filial piety? After all I’ve done to raise you!” the old man complained, annoyed.

“Master, what if I get beaten by someone out here, and word gets out? How embarrassing would that be? People would say the Blade Emperor (Dao Huang, a title for a supreme master of blade arts) is truly incompetent, for teaching such a useless disciple! That would be a disgrace for both of us! Master, if you don’t want your disciple to shame you out here, then hurry and give me a hand,” Shen Yifei said, smooth-talking him.

The old man’s face turned even darker. “You little punk, if you truly get beaten by someone, don’t you dare show your face to me again! I’ll get the items to you in a couple of days.”

“Great, great!” Shen Yifei rejoiced inwardly.