“Grandpa, you’re exaggerating! I practice martial arts too, but I’m just a martial artist. I’m not that powerful—I can only take down a few thugs at best!” Tang Linglong pouted, her voice tinged with both pride and a hint of disbelief.
“Not quite,” the old man replied, taking a sip of tea. “What you practice is guoshu, the modern martial arts. But ancient martial arts, passed down from the great sages of antiquity, are far more profound and mysterious. They are on a completely different level from ordinary martial arts.”
Tang Linglong’s eyes widened. “That powerful?”
The old man nodded, his face softening with a gentle smile. “The realm of martial artists is divided into four levels: Iron Body, Inner Force, Transformation, and Divine Realm.”
He began to explain, his voice calm and measured, as if recounting an ancient legend:
“Iron Body is the level of a martial master. At this stage, the body is tempered to near invincibility, capable of immense strength. One can wrestle tigers and bears bare-handed, and even blades and bullets struggle to pierce their skin.”
“Inner Force is the level of a grandmaster. Here, one learns to condense their energy into a powerful force that can strike directly at an opponent’s internal organs. No armor or bulletproof vest can protect against it. At its peak, one can even shape this energy into weapons or attack from a distance.”
“Transformation is the level of an grandmaster, a true martial arts master. At this stage, one’s energy becomes so refined that it forms a protective aura, capable of withstanding small-caliber firearms. The energy can also take on forms, like a fierce tiger or a soaring dragon, enhancing combat power exponentially.”
Tang Linglong shook her head, unable to hide her skepticism. “Grandpa, you’re being ridiculous. No one is invincible. How can anyone withstand bullets? That’s just impossible!”
She had been practicing martial arts since she was eight years old. Though she considered herself talented and had inherited her grandfather’s teachings, she knew she was far from invincible. Bullets? That was pure fantasy.
“Grandpa wouldn’t lie to you,” the old man said solemnly. “Have you heard of Ye Zhan Tian, the chief instructor of the Huaxia Dragon Group?”
“Of course! Everyone in our military family knows him,” Tang Linglong replied, her face lighting up with admiration. She began to recount his legendary feats: “They say he earned the rank of major general by the age of thirty. He’s known as the God of War in the military. Once, armed with only a sword, he single-handedly wiped out an entire armed organization in the western frontier. Another time, he ventured deep into the border jungles alone and took down dozens of elite mercenaries…”
“Later, he founded the Huaxia Dragon Group and became its leader. Under his command are hundreds of extraordinary individuals, each a powerhouse in their own right.”
“Ye Zhan Tian is an ancient martial artist—a master at the Transformation level,” the old man interjected, his tone grave.
“What? Ye Zhan Tian is an ancient martial artist?” Tang Linglong gasped, her disbelief evident.
“Exactly,” the old man confirmed with a nod.
After a moment of stunned silence, Tang Linglong furrowed her brow and asked, “Then… is Jiang Tian also a martial artist?”
“At the very least, it seems so,” the old man replied.
“How does he compare to Ye Zhan Tian?” she asked, though she immediately felt foolish for even posing the question. How could Jiang Tian possibly measure up to someone like Ye Zhan Tian?
“If Ye Zhan Tian is a dragon soaring in the heavens, then Jiang Tian is a young phoenix just beginning to rise,” the old man said with a sigh. “He has already mastered the ability to channel energy into his body, which means he’s likely reached the Inner Force level. And he’s only in his early twenties. Given time, he might even have the potential to rival Ye Zhan Tian.”
“What? He’s that strong?” Tang Linglong couldn’t hide her frustration.
“Moreover, he used a spell to heal me. That means he’s both a martial artist and a spellcaster. Such individuals are exceedingly rare, even in all of Huaxia,” the old man added, fanning himself with a folding fan like a wise strategist. “We mustn’t let this opportunity slip away. Linglong, if you meet him again, you must treat him with the utmost respect. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand,” Tang Linglong replied, nodding thoughtfully, though her mind was still racing with questions and doubts.
—
At noon, Zhao Qianru called.
She told Jiang Tian that Cheng Fatty had finally paid off his debt, and Jiang Tian would receive a commission of 100,000 yuan. However, the money would only be available at the end of the month.
That day, Jiang Tian had a rather relaxing time.
The women in the PR department treated him like a god, showering him with flattery and no longer ordering him around for trivial tasks. Even Jiang Qiushui and Hu Feng had looks of fear on their faces.
However, Jiang Tian keenly noticed a hint of resentment and hatred hidden in Jiang Qiushui’s eyes.
Not that he cared. To him, they were nothing more than ants—if they dared to step out of line, he could squash them effortlessly.
When it was time to get off work, Jiang Tian received a call from Zhao Xueqing.
“Jiang Tian, the company president wants to discuss something with me tonight. Come with me.”
“Alright. Where are we meeting?” Jiang Tian nodded.
Zhao Xueqing was still worried about her mental state. If something happened again, she would feel safer having him nearby.
“Wait for about twenty minutes until most people have left, then meet me in the parking lot.”
After hanging up, Jiang Tian stayed in his office for a while before heading to the parking lot. Seeing that no one was around, he slipped into Zhao Xueqing’s Chevrolet.
But on the way, the car suddenly broke down.
This Chevrolet was already several years old, a second-hand car she had taken from her father. The condition was far from good.
Zhao Xueqing, drenched in sweat from anxiety, had no choice but to hail a cab with Jiang Tian to reach the five-star restaurant.
Jiang Tian felt uneasy.
He was completely broke. Although his parents had money, their financial situation wasn’t exactly stable. Besides, as a grown man, how could he possibly bring himself to ask them for help?
“I need to find a way to make money as soon as possible!”
Lost in thought, Jiang Tian soon found himself standing in front of the restaurant.
Inside a private room, the company president, Li Pengtao, frowned as he glanced at Jiang Tian.
“Xueqing, who is he?”
“Oh, President Li, my name is Jiang Tian. I also work at the company, in the PR department.” Jiang Tian deliberately avoided mentioning his real relationship with Zhao Xueqing.
“The PR department? This meeting involves R&D department secrets. You don’t need to be here. Get out.”
Li Pengtao’s tone was filled with disdain as he frowned.
Zhao Xueqing’s heart skipped a beat. Jiang Tian had always been proud and hot-tempered—being dismissed like this would surely make him snap.
But to her surprise, Jiang Tian merely smiled warmly, nodded at her, and walked out.
As she watched his lonely figure disappear, Zhao Xueqing was stunned.
She felt like Jiang Tian had changed. But what exactly had changed? She couldn’t put her finger on it.
Li Pengtao was a high-profile executive personally recruited by Chairwoman Wei Fang at great expense. He was well-connected in social circles, on friendly terms with Zhao Hu, and second in authority only to Wei Fang herself.
“Xueqing, about that Muscle Nourishing Cream project you’re leading—the company spent over five million on purchasing the formula and hiring experts, yet there’s been no progress at all. The company has suffered major losses, and I’m under a lot of pressure here!”
As the dishes arrived and the drinks flowed, Li Pengtao leaned back in his chair, rubbing his large belly with a grim expression.
“President Li, please give me more time! I promise I can develop the formula!” Zhao Xueqing pleaded pitifully from across the table.
“But the board members are losing patience. They all think you should be held responsible and fired!”
Li Pengtao’s eyes glinted with greed as he stared at the young woman who was, at least in name, his “niece.”
She had an air of innocence, delicate features, and a graceful figure—exactly the kind of woman that made men want to take advantage of her.
“President Li, please give me another chance! I can’t afford to lose this job!”
Tears welled up in Zhao Xueqing’s eyes.
Her parents had cut off all financial support, and Jiang Tian’s medical condition required a huge amount of money for treatment. If she lost this job, the two of them might not even have enough to eat.
“I can give you another chance, of course. You know, I’ve always been very fond of you…”
Li Pengtao walked up behind Zhao Xueqing, placing his hands on her shoulders.
“But… how do you plan to thank me for my kindness?” he whispered.
