Returning after 10000 Years Cultivation - Chapter 175

“Chairman Liu of Tailong Real Estate? He has assets worth billions. Why is he here too?”

“Oh, and Chairman Zhang of Northwest Mining! He can even make it into the top 100 on the Forbes rich list, can’t he?”

Seeing this, Lin Monong was stunned, her eyes wide as saucers, like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden for the first time—completely overwhelmed by the spectacle.

“I wish to pay my respects to Master Ouyang, the Baji Quan master. Could you possibly make an exception and let me in?”

“Has Daoist Priest Liu arrived? I’d like to ask him for some feng shui guidance. Please, let me in…”

“Is Divine Doctor Xue inside? Please let me in. My son is gravely ill, and I wish to beg for a medicinal pill…”

Yet all of them were blocked by a group of stern, athletic bodyguards, unable to enter. They could only plead desperately at the gate.

Listening carefully, Lin Monong’s pretty face paled with shock, filled with disbelief. “This Poyang Water Manor has such imposing airs! Even these tycoons are being turned away. It seems they don’t even have the qualifications to enter!”

Any one of these wealthy individuals was a formidable figure in their own right, wielding terrifying influence in their respective regions and industries. A mere stamp of their foot would make the ground tremble.

But now, they were being kept outside like children begging for candy, denied entry to the manor.

“Martial artists, practitioners of mystic arts, masters of medicine—these are beings whose abilities transcend ordinary worldly power. Which mundane wealthy person wouldn’t want to befriend one or two as their backers?”

Jiang Tian had long grown accustomed to such scenes. He merely scanned his surroundings with a calm expression.

“Hmm? At a glance, there are over a dozen experts with internal strength present.”

Jiang Tian’s divine sense instantly swept across the area several miles around Poyang Water Manor. Having grasped everything clearly, he gave a slight nod, his gaze sharpening slightly as understanding dawned within him.

It seemed this Martial Alliance gathering was on a much higher level than the one organized by the Shennong Sect—they were simply incomparable.

That Shennong Sect exchange had focused mainly on medicinal pills. After all, it was just a semi-reclusive sect with limited influence.

But this was different. It was convened by the Martial Alliance, backed by the Dragon Group, and numerous grandmasters were vying for the position of Martial Alliance Chairman. Martial artists from all over had gathered; even veteran grandmasters had been stirred.

One must understand that while the Martial Alliance Chairman appeared to be the leader of a civilian organization, they were intricately connected to the Dragon Group. The Chairman’s position was second only to Ye Zhan Tian’s, placing them above all others. Who wouldn’t want to sit in that seat?

Those with high cultivation coveted the Chairman’s position, eager to determine supremacy, rubbing their hands in anticipation, itching for a fight.

Those with lower cultivation also knew this was the largest martial arts gathering in five years. They wanted to broaden their horizons, witness masters battle, comprehend martial truths, and validate their own cultivation. This would greatly benefit the advancement of their own strength.

“Sister Lin Monong, you’re finally here! Did you have any trouble on the way?”

After Lin Monong made a phone call, a bright, smiling young woman suddenly came running over, took her hand, and asked with concern.

The girl was beautiful: a delicate, lovely oval face with skin as smooth as milk, large, limpid eyes, and a cute, upturned nose that added a playful touch. Her rosy little mouth was as moist and tempting as a freshly washed strawberry.

It was December in Jiangxi Province, near the mountains and beside the great lake. The weather had turned slightly cold, and many people were wearing winter clothes. But this girl wore a miniskirt paired with a little blazer, brown suede boots on her feet, and black tights encasing a pair of long, straight, beautiful legs—an utterly alluring sight.

“Fortunately, I met Jiang Tian on the road. I hitched a ride with him and shook off those people!” Lin Monong replied with a doting smile.

“You… you’re Jiang… Jiang Tian…”

Chu Mengyao stared in disbelief at Jiang Tian, her university classmate, her beautiful eyes wide with shock.

The Chu family had started in advertising and consulting, with assets worth several hundred million. In Jinling, they weren’t considered a top-tier family, but they were undoubtedly far wealthier than ordinary middle-class families.

As the young miss of the Jinling Chu family, Chu Mengyao traveled in luxury sports cars, stayed in five-star hotels, wore famous brands and trendy labels—her lifestyle far surpassed that of children from ordinary families.

Moreover, during university, Chu Mengyao had already taken charge of the family business, participating in its management and displaying considerable commercial talent. In Jinling, she was a sought-after socialite.

With her distinguished background, first-rate looks, excellent figure, and a charm that blended allure with innocence, she had been a campus belle-level figure during university.

Back then, Jiang Tian, young and impulsive, his hormones raging, spent his days chasing girls and getting into fights. Naturally, he hadn’t overlooked a stunning beauty like Chu Mengyao and had pursued her.

Knowing Jiang Tian came from a good family, Chu Mengyao had tried dating him for a while.

But Chu Mengyao was mature for her age. Having sat in on the Chu Group’s board meetings since she was fourteen, she quickly realized Jiang Tian was an idle, good-for-nothing playboy. She immediately stopped paying him any attention.

For this, Jiang Tian had been heartbroken for a while. He once set up candles and delivered a thousand roses beneath Chu Mengyao’s dormitory, publicly declaring his love—causing quite a stir. But it only made Chu Mengyao dislike him even more.

In Chu Mengyao’s memory, the Jiang Tian from university days always seemed half-asleep, listless, with a frivolous demeanor, flippant gestures, and slick talk—utterly the king of trash.

But the Jiang Tian before her now had clear, handsome features, clean and neat hair. Though dressed simply in casual clothes, his eyes were tranquil like still, ancient wells, giving off a sense of profound steadiness, as immovable as a mountain.

She couldn’t help but marvel inwardly. Hadn’t Jiang Tian been expelled from his family? How had he become so outstanding?

“…” Jiang Tian only had a vague impression of her. Seeing her call out his name, he simply smiled and nodded.

Right now, his heart belonged solely to Zhao Xueqing. Let alone the fact that during university, he had only held hands with Chu Mengyao—even if he had had a fleeting romance with a big star like Li Huiyan, where neither owed the other anything, how could it stir even the slightest ripple in his heart now?

“Hmph, the slickness is gone, but he’s gained some arrogance instead. What gives him the right?”

Chu Mengyao shot Jiang Tian a haughty, disdainful glance, feeling somewhat displeased.

In her view, as a discarded son of a fallen family, Jiang Tian should fawn over and flatter her like a lapdog upon meeting. But Jiang Tian’s indifferent attitude annoyed her greatly.

If Jiang Tian knew her thoughts, he might sigh wryly and remark, “Only women and petty people are hard to deal with. Get close, and they become disrespectful; keep your distance, and they resent you.”

Indeed, many girls are like this, thinking highly of themselves. If you approach them, they consider you frivolous and ill-intentioned. If you keep your distance, they think you arrogant and aloof.

In short, no matter what you do, it’s wrong. Perhaps this is the privilege that comes with being a beauty.

However, for now, though she wanted to pick on Jiang Tian, she couldn’t find a suitable reason. Swallowing her displeasure, she tugged on Lin Monong’s hand and said anxiously:

“Sister Monong, we’re in trouble. Xia Miao can’t get us in. The Water Manor side isn’t giving any face at all!”

As it turned out, they hadn’t received an invitation to the Martial Alliance grand assembly.

In Jinling, they might rank, but across all of China, middle-class families with tens or hundreds of millions in assets were too numerous to count.

And the Martial Alliance grand assembly had only a few hundred seats allotted to the secular world. Vast Southern China had been allocated only about ten or so seats, all reserved for billionaires and magnates with assets over ten billion.

If minor figures at Chu Mengyao’s level could all enter, wouldn’t the venue be bursting at the seams?

The Xia family was also a notable clan in Jinling, holding thirty percent of the shares in the Confucius Temple antique street. With assets worth several billion, Xia Miao had indeed obtained an invitation and was attending with his father.

Xia Miao was pursuing Chu Mengyao. Lin Monong and Tang Bao’er were her close friends, so Xia Miao had boasted he could take them all in to broaden their horizons.

Unexpectedly, during ticket inspection, the Water Manor side was strictly enforcing the rules, showing no favoritism. They directly kicked Chu Mengyao out and even scolded Xia Miao.

“Ah? Then what do we do?”

Hearing this, Lin Monong was at a loss, her face filled with anxiety and distress, her beautiful eyes threatening tears.

She had hoped to find a martial arts master to resolve her crisis. Now it seemed her efforts had been in vain.

Seeing this, Jiang Tian smiled lightly and said, “Teacher Lin, don’t worry. I’ll take you in shortly.”

“Jiang Tian, what did you say…”

Lin Monong couldn’t believe it, looking at Jiang Tian in astonishment.

Chu Mengyao, who had been displeased with Jiang Tian all along, finally found an opportunity to vent. Her rosy lips curled, her delicate eyebrows raised so high they might fly off her face, as she sneered disdainfully, “Jiang Tian, what are you joking about? Do you know what kind of occasion this is? Even Xia Miao couldn’t get us in. You think you can?”

Jiang Tian remained placid, ignoring her. Ghost Foot Ti, mature and prudent, dared not speak out of turn.

“My master never said he was taking you. What’s it to you?”

But Tang Linglong, sharp-tongued by nature, wouldn’t be polite when she saw someone disrespecting her master. She immediately retorted.

“You… you dare insult me?” Chu Mengyao stared in disbelief.

Tang Linglong, holding onto Jiang Tian, headed toward the entrance. Lin Monong instinctively followed.

“What did you say? Hey, Sister Monong, don’t be foolish! He’s definitely lying to you!”

Chu Mengyao trembled with fury, pointing at Jiang Tian and shrilling, “Hmph, you just wait to get beaten to death!”

At that moment, a girl with a slightly plump, baby-faced charm walked over, pouting her rosy lips in surprise. “Sister Mengyao, what’s wrong? What are you shouting about? What happened to Sister Lin Monong?”

The girl was petite and delicate, but her ample bosom, disproportionate to her age, was particularly striking—the very picture of a youthful appearance with mature assets.

Behind her followed a handsome young man, carrying her juice and handbag for her.

His name was Ye Feng, their top-tier bodyguard.

“Bao’er, just look…” Chu Mengyao quickly recounted her grievance against Jiang Tian.

“Ha, you mean that idiot from university who gave you flowers, brought a beat-up guitar, and sang ‘Norwegian Wood’?” Tang Bao’er laughed so hard her body shook, her full chest rippling with mesmerizing waves. She giggled, “Actually, his singing wasn’t bad—about half as good as Wu Bai’s!”