The Stars Beyond

Chapter 78: The Prodigious Young Man

Although Da Wu lowered her voice, the surroundings were so quiet that her words could be clearly heard by many.

"Finished?" Hearing those words, Zhong Qing's vision dimmed and she almost passed out. She was completely flustered, her face turning ashen. Without hesitation, Wang Xuan immediately threw his coat over Zhong Qing. Thankfully, they were near the reed pond and away from most onlookers. With Zhong Qing's back facing the audience, there was no need to worry about any embarrassing moments being witnessed.

Da Wu and Zhong Qing often had skirmishes in private. Every time they met, they nearly came to blows. Having been on the losing end multiple times, Da Wu approached to express her "sympathy".

As she walked by, she shot Wang Xuan an appreciative glance. Her eyes sparkled with approval and seemed to say, "Well done, Little Wang!"

Zhong Qing, still in shock, felt an intense pain in her chest. As Da Wu approached, Zhong Qing's anger intensified.

"You're fine, how much worse can it get?" Da Wu commented, her words dripping with sarcasm.

Then, swiftly, she lifted the coat to take a closer look.

Da Wu wore a look of disappointment. So Wang Xuan showed restraint after all. Only some clothing was damaged, and Zhong Qing wasn't truly harmed. Sighing, she quipped, "A place that wasn't already abundant just became more barren."

Hearing that, Zhong Qing felt a surge of rage. Her eyes flamed with fury, wishing she could kick Da Wu right into the reed pond. She was usually the one with the upper hand in their frequent bickering and private spats, but today she had suffered a defeat so humiliating that she almost burst into tears. The snide remarks from Da Wu, coupled with the earlier events, intensified Zhong Qing's distress. However, she started regaining some composure. As she looked down to assess the 'damage', all she saw was the blood-stained coat Wang Xuan had thrown over her. The sight was too much. Mistaking the blood for her own, she fainted, her body beginning to tilt backward.

The elder who had caught and supported her earlier now shot a menacing glare at Da Wu, Zhong Qing's ever-taunting "frenemy". He grunted, quickly pressed a specific acupressure point on Zhong Qing to stabilize her, and then scanned the crowd warningly, cautioning them to stay silent and prevent Da Wu from getting any closer. From a distance, Qing Mu wiped sweat off his brow, murmuring to himself, "Is Old Chen going to handle this? This looks bad. It's a messy end, and I'm sure Old Chen is going to have a headache."

Indeed, manipulating Wang Xuan was proving to be far more challenging than anyone had anticipated. With a sense of urgency, Qing Mu snapped some photos to inform Old Chen of the situation.

Zhong Qing quickly regained consciousness. With Da Wu right in front of her and the intimidating Wang Xuan not too far off, her emotions surged wildly. "It's alright!" The elder reassured her swiftly. He could not see for himself, but he felt that at the last moment, Wang Xuan had restrained himself from causing any real harm.

Upon seeing the smirking Da Wu, Zhong Qing quickly regained her composure. Recognizing whose coat she was draped in, and realizing that she hadn’t suffered any severe “injuries”, her first impulse was to throw off the coat. However, after a glance at the surrounding crowd, she felt compelled to clutch the manly-scented garment closely. She briskly walked away, finding the scene too embarrassing to bear any longer. If word of this reached the New Star, she could only imagine what her friends and sisters would say. Especially with Wu Yin, who was known for her loud mouth, present at the scene, Zhong Qing was sure this would become a dark chapter in her story.

"Wu Yin, let's talk," she called out to her as she left the area, deciding to pay whatever price necessary to keep her rival quiet. The elder quickly followed, fearing that the two might end up in a fight.

Wang Xuan remained silent, realizing that the more he tried to explain, the more awkward it would become. He largely unconcerned – Old Chen would handle the fallout, and at worst, he had only lost a coat.

"Zhong Qing, not bad at all. Little Xuan is known for his chest-exploding kicks and chest-shattering palms. Yet you're the only one who took it and remained unscathed. Your chest is well and truly tougher than a steel plate!" Please visit fr𝐞𝐞w𝒏.𝒸𝑜𝔪 website to read fastest update

On their way, Zhong Qing almost came to blows with Da Wu. Fortunately, the elder was there, or there might have been a bloody altercation between the two heiresses.

"Enough! Don't be mad. I apologize," Da Wu approached, as she and Zhong Qing continued to distance themselves. Faintly, a voice could be heard: "I took a look just now; it's not a bad thing. For you, a little swelling might be a beautifying touch!"

Then, he directly walked away, mulling over the need to "educate" the young lad who clearly needed a reality check. Attempting to outsmart me? Still too green!

People around them cleared a path for him. The present Wang Xuan was undoubtedly an awe-inspiring figure. His demonstrated strength now was even more fearsome than what he had showcased at the Pamir Plateau.

Many believed he had purposely downplayed his abilities during his previous appearance. Now, with Elder Chen in critical condition, he stepped up without hesitation, reminiscent of a young and even more powerful Chen Yongjie.

......

In Zhong Qing’s room, she paced around, still seething with anger. Dressed in high heels, she stomped on Wang Xuan’s coat, leaving a trail of punctures in her wooden floor.

Da Wu, comfortably sprawled on the sofa, cradled a crystal wine glass in one hand. Taking a sip, she remarked, "Stop being so sour. If you had any dignity, you wouldn’t squabble with me over him. Let’s face it, our expedition team could really benefit from someone with his expertise in the old arts. He’s a rare find - young, yet so proficient. The fact he dared to hit you is just the icing on the cake."

Zhong Qing retorted with a smirk, "Dream on, Wu Yin. After he hit me, it would be a travesty if he doesn't join my team."

"Challenge me, and I won't hesitate to spill your recent embarrassing incident all over New Star."

"I’m not afraid! I've got some dirt on you too. Remember that time you were kicked into the lake? Yeah, I've got that on camera."

"Really, Zhong Qing?"

...

Old Chen was restless in his hospital room. After getting the report about Wang Xuan's audacious actions, especially against the influential Zhong family, unease gnawed at him. He wondered if Wang Xuan would continue his brazen ways, possibly targeting even more prominent figures next.

His thoughts drifted to the Zhong family, which inevitably led him to memories of his own master, who mysteriously vanished three decades ago. With a heavy sigh, Old Chen was swamped with a mix of nostalgia and sadness. Will I ever see my master again? They had once collaborated with the Zhong family on a significant operation, but it had ended tragically, decimating the ranks of the old arts experts.

During that mysterious encounter, two of the Zhong family's most formidable warships were lost with all hands. It shook the ever-cautious Old Zhong — Zhong Yong — to his very core.

Wang Xuan returned, addressing Old Chen, "I've sorted out the issues on my end. It's time for you to handle my troubles related to New Star. Oh, and keep an eye out tonight. Make sure none of those top figures from the New Arts or even Grandmasters sneak into the mansion causing chaos."

Towards the end, his tone turned grave, "Surely they've got more tricks up their sleeves than what we've seen so far. These are probably just probing tactics to gauge our strength and assess the situation."

"I'd be disappointed if no one shows up. But if they do, they're not leaving," Old Chen's eyes gleamed with a hint of danger.

"Old Chen, I'm about to leave. Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?" Wang Xuan inquired.

With a smirk, Old Chen asked, "What would you like to know? About the mysterious encounter, or perhaps about the stages within the realm of the Old Arts?"

Wang Xuan was caught off guard. He had never broached the subject of the 'mysterious encounter' before. The fact that Old Chen was bringing it up now felt like a tantalizing bait. It was cunning, and Wang Xuan had a feeling that he was being played.

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