At night, Jiang Qingyu took off her clothes, intending to sleep with Lu Chen. Unexpectedly, Lu Chen directly kicked her out of the room. Jiang Qingyu was completely puzzled. She had already grown up, her figure and beauty were absolutely top-notch. Every disciple in the martial arts school looked at her with glowing eyes. Why then was Lu Chen like a monk, completely unmoved?
“Brother Chen, are you… not capable?” Jiang Qingyu asked curiously from outside the room. For a man, there was nothing more unbearable than being told by a woman that he was incapable. Lu Chen was no exception.
“Bullshit! Your Brother Chen is very much a man!” he shouted.
Jiang Qingyu pouted angrily and said, “Then why don’t you dare to sleep with me?”
“It’s not the right time yet.”
“When will it be the right time?”
“When we officially get married.”
“When will we get married then?”
The room suddenly fell silent. After a while, Lu Chen finally replied, “When this world gets better, when peace returns, then it won’t be too late for us to marry.”
“Hmph! I think you’re just not capable!”
“If you say that again, believe it or not, I’ll make you lose your innocence tonight!”
Hearing that, Jiang Qingyu’s eyes instantly lit up. “Fine! Brother Chen, hurry and make me yours then!”
She was just about to enter the room when, with a loud “bang,” Lu Chen slammed the door shut. “It’s late, go back to your room and sleep.”
“I’m not going!”
“Be good, Xiao Yu. Tomorrow, Brother Chen will take you to buy candied hawthorn.”
“Hehe, you said it! No backing out!”
After saying that, Jiang Qingyu covered her alluring figure with a black cloak and reluctantly returned to her room. Only after confirming that Jiang Qingyu had really gone back did Lu Chen finally let out a sigh of relief. “Sigh, they say women are fierce… they weren’t wrong.”
Over the years, Jiang Qingyu had grown from a little girl into a graceful young woman. Not only was she more beautiful, but her body had developed more maturely too. That was all normal. What gave Lu Chen a headache was that her mischievous personality hadn’t changed one bit. Many times, Jiang Qingyu would secretly sneak into his bed in the middle of the night. She even often tried to seduce him with her beauty. If not for Lu Chen’s strong self-control, he would’ve long lost his purity.
“Open the status panel.” Lu Chen sighed and sat back on the bed, muttering softly. Soon, a translucent panel appeared before his eyes.
[Name: Lu Chen]
[Lifespan: 18/100]
[Identity: Disciple of Hong Qi, Beggar Sect Master; Enshrined Protector of Lin Martial Hall]
[Realm: 6th Grade Qi Mansion Realm]
[Technique: Evergreen Technique]
[Martial Skill: Tremor Mountain Fist]
[Talent: Excellent Bone Structure (Purple)]
On the panel, his age was now 18, and his lifespan limit had increased from 60 to 100 years. When he first entered the 9th Grade Iron Bone Realm, each day of practicing the Evergreen Technique increased his lifespan by five days. At the 8th Grade Iron Bone Realm, each day of practice increased it by ten days. When he reached the 7th Grade Willow Tendon Realm, it increased by twenty days per day. Now, having entered the 6th Grade Qi Mansion Realm, every day of cultivation in the Evergreen Technique extended his life by one month. Through years of accumulation, his lifespan limit had reached 100 years.
Lu Chen was very satisfied with this improvement. After stepping into the 6th Grade Qi Mansion Realm, he had quickly gained the appreciation of Master Lin, becoming the Enshrined Protector of Lin Martial Hall. Hence, his identity on the panel had changed accordingly.
As an enshrined protector, he received a monthly salary of ten taels of silver. In the past, he had to work himself to exhaustion carrying goods at the docks just to pay the Wild Wolf Gang’s tribute. Now, he no longer needed to worry about money.
“Not bad. This time in the simulated world went smoothly. If I persist for a few more years, maybe I can break through to the 5th Grade Meridian Connecting Realm. Then, I’ll be on the same level as Master Lin and the Wild Wolf Gang’s deputy leader, Han Qingfeng. When that happens, I’ll have the power to face him head-on.”
Thinking of this, Lu Chen couldn’t help but feel hopeful for the future. In terms of time flow, five years in the simulated world only equaled five hours in the real world. So even if he stayed in the simulation for years, it was no problem.
After closing the status panel, Lu Chen soon fell asleep.
…
The next day, Lu Chen planned to keep his promise and take Jiang Qingyu to the streets to buy candied hawthorn. The Wild Wolf Gang had long removed their wanted notices since they couldn’t find the pair. Moreover, both of them had grown up, and their appearances were quite different from the portraits. Even if they went out, the gang wouldn’t recognize them.
As they dressed and prepared to leave, Instructor Wang suddenly rushed in from outside. Seeing his anxious face, Lu Chen’s heart skipped a beat. Normally, Instructor Wang was a calm and steady man, which was why Master Lin valued him and made him the chief instructor of the martial hall. But now, even someone as composed as Wang looked so panicked—it could only mean that something serious had happened.
“Instructor Wang, why are you in such a hurry? Did something happen outside?” Jiang Qingyu asked curiously.
Instructor Wang sighed and said, “Last night, Miss Lin suddenly disappeared. We searched all night. This morning, someone found her body in the moat. She had been violated before being killed…”
At that point, Instructor Wang choked up. He had watched Lin Wan grow up and always treated her like his own daughter. He never imagined she would die so tragically at such a young age.
Hearing this, both Lu Chen and Jiang Qingyu were stunned. Miss Lin that Instructor Wang mentioned was Master Lin’s daughter, Lin Wan. She was about the same age as Lu Chen and Jiang Qingyu. Over the years, Lin Wan often played with them, bringing them food and taking Jiang Qingyu shopping for rouge and fine clothes. The two girls were as close as sisters.
Now, hearing that Lin Wan had been violated and murdered, Jiang Qingyu’s face turned pale with fury as she clenched her fists tightly. “Instructor Wang, who killed Lin Wan?” she asked coldly, her tone full of killing intent.
Instructor Wang sighed again. “Last night, someone saw her being taken into a courtyard by Guo Kang, the Young Master of the Wild Wolf Gang. This morning, her body was thrown into the moat. When Master Lin heard the news, he immediately gathered all the martial hall disciples. He plans to annihilate the Wild Wolf Gang to avenge his daughter.”
Lu Chen frowned deeply upon hearing that. According to his original plan, he intended to stay in Lin Martial Hall for a few more years, striving to break through to the 5th Grade Meridian Connecting Realm. But now, Lin Wan’s death had become the fuse igniting a war between Luo City’s two great powers.
Just as he was about to persuade Jiang Qingyu to lie low and avoid the chaos, she suddenly leapt onto the rooftop. “Guo Kang, right? I’ll kill him now and avenge Lin Wan!” she shouted before her figure vanished into the distance.