“Qiangzi, how much longer can you keep up with this kind of intense training—the same level as yesterday?” Lin Hai asked, his expression somewhat serious.
“I should be able to hold out for another day, probably. It’s not that I’m running out of willpower, but my body’s just about at its limit.” Guang Touqiang rubbed his big bald head.
“After today, push through for one more day.”
Guang Touqiang saw the grave look on Lin Hai’s face and felt a jolt of alarm. Then he gave a solemn nod.
“Got it!”
Lin Hai thought for a moment, then suddenly pulled out a gold acupuncture needle and plunged it into Guang Touqiang’s swollen left leg.
“Remember, after you get home, don’t move this needle for anything.” Lin Hai gave the instruction with utmost seriousness.
“Don’t worry, Master!”
Guang Touqiang didn’t even go inside—he just got back in his car and drove off.
“Xiaohai, why did you let Qiangzi leave?” Lin Wen looked unhappy that his grandson’s apprentice hadn’t even come through the door.
“Alright, Dad, he’s got stuff to do. Just hang out by yourself, okay?” Lin Hai said, then got in his own car and headed to school.
Over at Tianhui International Hotel, Zhao Kun had been waiting outside Meng Xu’s door since early morning.
It wasn’t until nearly ten o’clock that Meng Xu finally came out, still yawning.
“Bro Meng, pretty impressive, huh?” Zhao Kun quickly put on a flattering smile and stepped forward, casting an envious glance at the two long, pale legs sprawled across the bed inside.
“Alright, enough chatter. Let’s go.”
“You got it, Bro Meng. The car’s downstairs.” Zhao Kun hurriedly led the way.
Once they were in the car, Meng Xu suddenly wrinkled his nose and gave a few strong sniffs.
“Zhao Kun, why does your car smell like something died in here?”
“Does it? I don’t smell anything.” Zhao Kun said as he drove.
“Something’s off.” Meng Xu leaned in close to Zhao Kun’s outstretched arm and gave it a good sniff.
“Oh, geez!” Meng Xu gagged and nearly threw up.
“Dude, were you sleeping in a pigpen yesterday or something? Why do you reek so bad?” Meng Xu quickly scrambled away from Zhao Kun, frantically fanning the air with his hand.
“Hey? Bro Meng, you’re good!” Zhao Kun gave him a thumbs-up, looking genuinely impressed.
“How’d you know I slept in a pigpen yesterday?”
Pfft!
That one sentence from Zhao Kun nearly made Meng Xu lose it on the spot.
He stared at Zhao Kun in disbelief—was this guy actually being serious?
Suddenly, Zhao Kun lowered his voice mysteriously.
“Bro Meng, I’m gonna tell you a secret, but you can’t tell anyone, got it?”
“Oh? What secret?” Meng Xu was always curious about other people’s secrets, and he perked right up.
“Well, the truth is, I’m not an ordinary person.”
“Yeah, I know that. Ordinary people don’t sleep in pigpens.”
“You knew that too?” Zhao Kun was absolutely floored by Meng Xu’s insight.
“Dammit, get to the point!” Meng Xu snapped.
“Actually, I’m the Heavenly Marshal Tian Peng from the heavens above!”
Pfft!
Seriously? Meng Xu thought he was unreliable enough, but Zhao Kun took it to a whole new level.
“You’re Pigsy? Well, then I’m your Monkey King, bro!” Meng Xu yelled dramatically.
“Monkey King?” Zhao Kun slammed on the brakes with a screech, his face full of shock.
Meng Xu wasn’t wearing his seatbelt, and the sudden stop nearly sent his head crashing into the dashboard.
You son of a—! Meng Xu was furious.
“Y-you’re really the Monkey King?” Zhao Kun was getting emotional.
“That’s right! And you’re really Pigsy?” Meng Xu rolled his eyes. Fine, let’s play along—let’s see who can act more convincingly.
“Monkey King!”
“Pigsy!”
The two embraced each other tightly.
“Ugh, get off—you stink too much!” No sooner had they hugged than Meng Xu shoved Zhao Kun away.
“Monkey King, I haven’t awakened my past-life memories yet, and my powers haven’t come back either. So a Taoist priest gave me some advice—he said if I sleep in pigpens a lot, my powers will return soon. Have your powers awakened yet?”
Pfft!
Meng Xu stared at Zhao Kun in disbelief.
“Wait, are you for real? You actually slept in a pigpen?”
“Yep, I’ve been doing it for a few days now.” Zhao Kun nodded earnestly.
Holy crap, this guy’s got a screw loose. Meng Xu made a mental note to keep his distance from now on.
“We’re here—it’s just up ahead.” Zhao Kun pulled the car over in front of a hotel.
“Welcome.” The two female greeters at the entrance smiled and bowed slightly.
“Not bad, plenty to look at.” Meng Xu gave them a once-over.
They took the elevator straight to the top floor.
“Holy crap, that’s a lot of people!” The moment the elevator doors opened, Meng Xu nearly jumped.
The central hall on the top floor was packed with people—men and women alike—all seemingly waiting with excited anticipation.
“All these people?” Meng Xu was a bit shocked.
“You bet. We got here early—this is actually on the lighter side.” Zhao Kun said beside him.
“Don’t tell me we have to wait in line.”
“No way I’d make you wait in line, Bro Meng. Just have a seat over there—I’ll go find their boss.” Zhao Kun squeezed his way through the crowd.
“Excuse me, coming through!” The men and women waiting at the entrance suddenly caught a whiff of a foul odor. They turned around, saw it was Zhao Kun, and quickly covered their noses as they stepped aside.
Zhao Kun got through without any trouble at all.
After a while, he came back out.
This time, people had gotten wise. The moment they saw Zhao Kun, they held their noses and parted like the Red Sea.
Zhao Kun was feeling pretty good about himself. Wow, guess I’ve got that kingly aura going on!
“Bro Meng, I’ve already talked to them. We’re up next—you and me. Let’s go.”
“That fast? Awesome, awesome!” Meng Xu followed Zhao Kun into the room, his face full of excitement.
“Mm… ah…” As soon as they stepped inside, the sounds of soul-melting ecstasy drifted into their ears.
“Whoa, things are getting intense in there.” Meng Xu’s eyes started to gleam.
“Bro Meng, this way.” Zhao Kun led the way.
They arrived at a doorway and sat down.
“Bro Meng, just hang tight—our turn will come soon.”
“Man, I gotta say, I’m actually feeling a little nervous now.” Meng Xu scratched his head.
Just then, bang—the door flew open.
“Get out! Are you here to cause trouble or what?” Two men in black tossed out a scrawny old man in his sixties or seventies.
“Who says I’m here to cause trouble? Let me in! Don’t let my age fool you—I’m in great shape, I eat like a horse, I love art, and I’m willing to sacrifice myself for it!” The old man stood up shakily, his spindly legs trembling as he shouted.
Pfft!
Zhao Kun burst out laughing from the sidelines.
“Old man, give it a rest already. With a body like yours, you’d be eaten alive in there within minutes—bones and all.”
“Sonny, let me tell you, don’t underestimate people. Sure, I’m old, but I can still piss eight hundred miles against the wind, and I have wet dreams every single night—”
Pfft!
“Would you stop with the BS and get lost already?” Zhao Kun couldn’t take it anymore.
“Next group!” a man in black called out from the doorway.
Zhao Kun’s eyes lit up.
“Bro Meng, we’re up!”
