Returning after 10000 Years Cultivation - Chapter 155

If she were walking down the street right now, her appearance would undoubtedly turn heads, commanding an incredibly high rate of second glances.

Her delicate, jade-white face had skin as smooth and translucent as fine porcelain. A coat of pink lipstick adorned her lips, vibrant and alluring like a blazing rose. Her hair had been carefully styled into fashionable, voluminous waves, adding a touch of charm and sensuality to her demeanor.

She wore a high-waisted, off-the-shoulder dress with a bateau neckline, accentuating her slender waist and full bust. The glimpse of her smooth, jade-like shoulders and the fair skin of her décolletage was utterly captivating, enough to steal one’s breath away.

She had graduated from a third-tier university and, relying on her father’s connections, landed a job as a clerical clerk at Wangchao Real Estate. Her income was modest at best.

If she could make a good impression on this Young Master Tang today and get him to take her under his wing, she could break into genuine high society. She might even marry into a wealthy family, transforming from an ugly duckling into a graceful swan.

Once that happened, what luxury car wouldn’t be within her reach? Her Audi A3 would be upgraded to an A8 in no time!

Although Tang Jialin’s job was nothing special, she came from an official’s family and was well-versed in social graces. That’s why she was brimming with confidence for this outing.

“If Young Master Tang takes a liking to you, what about you and Zhao Wuji…?” Tang Jiarou asked tentatively.

“Hmph! Compared to men of his stature, what is he? Worthless! We’ve already broken up,” Tang Jialin declared with a dismissive sniff.

She herself was a bit puzzled. Ever since that day they went to Wushan to confront Jiang Tian, she felt Zhao Wuji had lost all his appeal. They broke up the very next evening.

“That’s good. The son of a low-level official family is simply no match for someone like Young Master Tang! Besides, it seems he’s sided with Zhang Wanqing and is opposing Young Master Sun. He’s got a death wish!” Tang Jiarou said with a satisfied smile.

Soon, the motorcade arrived at Fengyi Lou in the western suburbs of Jinling and entered a small courtyard.

After everyone got out of the cars, Ma Yumu reported, “Young Master Sun, the guy is waiting upstairs! We’ve already cleared the place in advance.”

“Alright. You all stay here with Young Master Tang. I’ll go deal with him first,” Sun Hao said in a low, menacing voice, his eyes gleaming with malice. With a wave of his hand, he led a large group of men charging up to the second floor.

He couldn’t hold back his fury any longer. He was determined to finish this guy off for good.

A cold wind gusted, lifting the suit jacket of one of the burly men. Tang Jialin gasped in shock, “He has a gun tucked in his waist!”

“Keep your voice down!” Tang Jiarou shot her sister a warning look. “Of course they’re armed. Everyone has a gun. The Qingyun Society never lacks firearms.”

“But won’t the police do something?” Tang Jialin’s face turned pale, and she trembled slightly.

“Hmph, what’s there to be afraid of? The Sun family has deep connections within the police force. Killing one or two people is nothing to them,” Tang Jiarou said, gazing with reverence at the spot where Sun Hao had disappeared, a proud smile on her face.

“This is what real power looks like. Compared to them, I feel like such a fool,” Tang Jialin muttered, stunned. It was as if a whole new world had opened before her, filling her with envy, awe, and a sense of her own insignificance.

“Young Master Tang is even more powerful than Young Master Sun. You didn’t see how subservient and fawning Sun Hao acted around him…” Tang Jiarou whispered to her sister, reminding her to seize this opportunity.

“Young Master Tang, may I sit in your car? It’s so cold outside!” Tang Jialin, feeling emboldened, bent down and tapped on the car window, her voice sweet and coquettish.

Her dress slipped just enough to subtly reveal a tempting glimpse of pale skin.

“Very well,” Young Master Tang Shaoyue replied calmly. He glanced at her, then, ever the gentleman, opened the car door for her.

“Young Master Tang, my name is Tang Jialin. I’ve always admired you!” Tang Jialin extended her slender, fair arm, her sparkling eyes soft and inviting, a flattering smile spread across her face.

“Miss Tang, a pleasure. However, I follow the Buddhist path and abstain from worldly desires, including women. Let’s forgo the handshake,” Tang Shaoyue said with a wry smile, shaking his head gently.

Having once been the top young master of Yangcheng, he was no stranger to women throwing themselves at him. How could he not see through Tang Jialin’s little game?

But he now firmly believed that beautiful women were nothing but trouble. The mere memory of the catastrophe that ensued just from locking eyes with Zhao Xueqing in a crowd once was a lesson etched permanently in his mind.

Women were terrifying. What if this one happened to be connected to Jiang Tian?

Feeling slightly awkward, Tang Jialin forced a smile and wheedled, “Young Master Tang, a handshake is just normal etiquette. If I, a woman, am not afraid, what are you afraid of?”

“Amitabha,” Tang Shaoyue intoned, focusing inward, holding his prayer beads reverently. He said solemnly, “Miss Tang, you don’t understand how small mistakes can lead to great losses. If you had suffered the misfortunes I have, you would be just as cautious.”

As he spoke, Jiang Tian’s figure flashed in his mind, and he couldn’t suppress a shudder.

Without a hint of reluctance, he then opened the car door and got out. Throughout the entire interaction, he hadn’t looked at Tang Jialin directly, avoiding her as if she were a venomous snake.

Fingering his prayer beads, he gazed with interest at the koi pond in the courtyard, a contented smile on his face. “Women… how could they ever compare to the charm of these withered lotuses and swimming koi? The scattered lotus leaves hold a desolate, solitary beauty, while the koi swim freely, a picture of peace and contentment.”

“Young Master Tang, so you are a Buddhist? I follow Buddhism too!” Not ready to give up, Tang Jialin followed him out of the car. She pulled a jade Buddha pendant from inside her collar and said sweetly.

In truth, following her sister’s advice, she had bought the jade Buddha on the way here—a prop to create common ground and facilitate getting closer.

“Hmm, not bad!” A look of pleasure appeared on Tang Shaoyue’s face. “Only by avoiding contention and desire, by maintaining a pure and quiet heart, can one find lasting peace. Come work at my company. I need an assistant.”

He let out a sigh, as if having attained profound enlightenment. “It’s good to follow Buddhism. Those who follow it possess great wisdom. Sometimes, one has no choice but to believe in fate.”

“Really? You’re willing to take me on? Thank you!” Tang Jialin was so happy she nearly jumped for joy.

Even if Tang Shaoyue had no personal interest in her, working for him would allow her to meet so many wealthy tycoons and young masters!

Beside them, Tang Jiarou was also overjoyed, her face beaming as if she had won the lottery.

“If you come to work in Lingnan, you must remember one thing: there is one person you absolutely must not offend!” Tang Shaoyue said, his voice trembling slightly. “That person is Jiang Taitian! He is practically the supreme ruler of Lingnan! Even I have to address him as ‘Grandmaster’!”

“Yes, yes, yes, Young Master Tang, I’ll remember that!” Tang Jialin nodded vigorously, imprinting the name firmly in her mind.

Tang Jiarou asked, “Is this Jiang Taitian really that powerful?”

“Of course! He’s like a celestial being,” Tang Shaoyue replied, his face instantly filled with a mix of reverence and fear.

He began describing feats that sounded like myths—walking on water, commanding thunder, soaring through the air, solidifying Qi into weapons, injuring people from a distance… The two sisters listened, feeling as if they were lost in a fog, bewildered and incredulous.

…

Just then, a loud BANG erupted from the second floor. The window shattered violently, shards of glass and wood splinters flying through the air like scattered butterflies.

Immediately after, a tall, lean figure shot out like an arrow, landing firmly on the ground below. A cold voice rang out, “Sun Hao, come down here and face your death!”

“It’s… it’s Grandmaster… Grandmaster Jiang!”

When he clearly saw the face of the figure, Tang Shaoyue was utterly horrified. With a crack, he accidentally crushed several prayer beads in his hand.

…

“Young Master Sun, we’ve confirmed it. The guy who beat up Dalong is Zhang Wanqing’s son, Jiang Tian,” one of the lead enforcers reported to Sun Hao in a low voice as they ascended the stairs.

“What? Him? That good-for-nothing loser? Since when does he know martial arts? It must be that Ma Yumu failed in his task and, afraid of my punishment, lied about the situation and exaggerated the opponent’s strength!” Sun Hao shook his head, his expression full of disdain.

He even felt he had overreacted by bringing armed men. If he had known it was Jiang Tian, a simple message would have been enough to scare him to death, forcing him to kneel and beg for mercy right here.

But since he was already here, Sun Hao decided to handle the matter directly. He pushed the door open and entered.

“Hey, Jiang Tian! Where’s your ‘expert’? Bring him out so I can finish him off!” Seeing Jiang Tian alone in the room, Sun Hao immediately grew impatient.

His men also started looking around.

“Don’t bother. There’s no one else. It’s just me,” Jiang Tian said with a faint smile.

“Are you joking? You dared to hit my men? You’ve got some nerve!” Sun Hao looked at Jiang Tian as if he were an idiot, a cold sneer on his face. “Jiang Tian, you’d better get on your knees and kowtow right now!”

“Sun Hao, do you have any idea?” Jiang Tian’s smile remained faint. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for ten thousand years.”

“You pathetic waste! How dare you address me directly by name?” Sun Hao’s face was full of contempt. He pointed a finger at Jiang Tian and roared, “Do you have a death wish?!”

“For this one moment, I have waited a full ten thousand years!” Jiang Tian spoke again.

His calm words struck everyone’s hearts like rolling thunder, profoundly shocking.

Ten thousand years!

A full ten thousand years of pent-up hatred!

In the next instant, Jiang Tian suddenly rose to his feet.

Simultaneously, an overwhelming, terrifying aura erupted, pressing down on the entire room. A howling gale sent the ceiling lamps, landscape paintings on the walls, and various ornaments flying wildly in all directions, also blowing several people straight out through the window.

“Sun Hao, come down here and face your death!” As these words fell, Jiang Tian leaped out through the window after them.

…

“It’s him!”

The moment he clearly saw Jiang Tian’s face, Tang Shaoyue was petrified with horror. He had once vowed before the Buddha, willing to trade twenty years of his life for the guarantee that he would never encounter Jiang Taitian again in this lifetime!

And yet, today, he had walked right into Jiang Taitian’s line of fire!

Jiang Taitian! That terrifying being who could summon fire, command thunder, crush grandmasters, topple immortal masters, and kill immortal masters!

He was the nightmare of Tang Shaoyue’s entire life!

Tang Shaoyue felt like crying, but no tears would come. At this moment, he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into and vanish from Jiang Tian’s sight.

Fingering the prayer beads around his neck, he felt utterly despairing.

These beads had been blessed and consecrated by a high monk!

That master had even said that as long as he wore the beads daily and devoted himself to chanting sutras and worshipping the Buddha, all his wishes would come true!

Just to avoid encountering Jiang Taitian, he hadn’t dared to develop his business in Lingnan anymore. Instead, he had moved his operations to Jiangsu Province, to a backwater place like Qixia County!

He never could have imagined that even in this small, remote town, he would run into the bane of his existence once again!

Jiang Taitian!

Tang Jiarou didn’t notice Tang Shaoyue’s expression. She only saw Sun Hao fall from the upstairs, then clutch his chest and vomit repeatedly. Anxious, she hurried forward to support him. “Boss! Who dared to do this to you?!”

Suddenly, her eyes fell upon Jiang Tian. Her pretty face flushed with anger, and she pointed a finger at him, shrieking, “Jiang Tian! Are you insane? Do you have any idea who Young Master Sun is? How dare a piece of trash like you provoke him!”