Before long, Hoshino Kannon fell into a deep sleep, soothed by Gu Chenan's reassurances.
Not long after, Li Rufeng and his entourage entered the Xiao Family residence.
Hearing the commotion, Gu Chenan gently slipped his hand from Hoshino Kannon's grasp, tucked her in, and proceeded to the main hall.
In the main hall, Li Rufeng's disciples had all sustained injuries, though none were life-threatening.
Li Rufeng provided them with basic treatment.
"Master Li, thank you for your timely assistance," Xiao Jian said politely.
The Li Family and the Xiao Family were both prominent clans in Suhang, but while the former specialized in martial arts instruction, the latter focused on business.
In modern-day Suhang, martial arts were no longer an essential skill, leading to a decline in students and the Li Family's fortunes.
Li Rufeng was deeply dissatisfied with this state of affairs and felt insecure in the presence of the business tycoons like the Xiao Family.
Thus, when Xiao Jian showed him such courtesy, Li Rufeng finally vented the pent-up frustration he had harbored for years.
With an arrogant air, he declared, "Master Xiao, despite their injuries today, my disciples never retreated an inch. That's the spirit of the Li Family – we'd rather die than yield!"
Catching sight of Gu Chenan, who had just entered the main hall, he sneered, "Unlike others who dared not even lift a finger against the Black Owl!"
Li Rufeng had not witnessed Gu Chenan killing Gong Fei, the leader of the Black Owl assassins, and thus believed Gu Chenan had not contributed at all.
Gu Chenan strode forward and stopped beside the martial arts practitioners.
"Master Xiao, have the injured and unconscious outside received medical attention?"
Xiao Jian quickly nodded. "I've arranged for them to be taken to the Xiao Family hospital for treatment."
"Good."
Gu Chenan then sighed regretfully, "Alas, it's all my fault."
His words immediately drew puzzled looks from Xiao Jian, his daughter, and the martial artists present.
"Young Master Gu, how could this be your fault? Today..."
Xiao Jian attempted to absolve Gu Chenan, but the latter raised his hand to stop him.
"If we had arrived sooner, fewer lives would have been lost," Gu Chenan continued.
"Hmph!"
Li Rufeng scoffed coldly. "Young Master Gu seems to think highly of himself. Even if you had come earlier, you still wouldn't have dared to act."
A faint smile crossed Gu Chenan's lips as he abruptly addressed Li Rufeng, "We meet again, Master Li."
Hearing this, Xiao Jian and the martial artists were taken aback.
Meet again?
What did that mean?
When had Young Master Gu and Master Li crossed paths?
Li Rufeng was also momentarily stunned.
Thinking Gu Chenan was informing everyone about their earlier encounter, he explained, "Today, I merely wanted to test Young Master Gu's skills, nothing more."
This statement only added to the confusion.
Test Young Master Gu's skills?
And today?
Young Master Gu had just said he was delayed by certain matters.
Could it be...?
The martial artists exchanged glances before asking Li Rufeng, "Master Li, are you saying Young Master Gu's late arrival was due to your interference?"
"I..." Li Rufeng hesitated at this.
But a moment later, he regained his confidence. "So what if I did impede Young Master Gu? If not for the timely arrival of my disciples and me today, who knows what might have happened!"
As he spoke, Li Rufeng pulled open his robe, revealing a scar. "In my battle with the Black Owl's leader, I too sustained this injury. That leader was formidable – aside from me, who in Suhang could have defeated him?"
The leader?
Xiao Jian and the martial artists exchanged puzzled looks upon hearing this.
Hadn't Young Master Gu already killed the Black Owl's leader? Who was this leader Li Rufeng spoke of?
Before they could ponder further, Gu Chenan raised an eyebrow. "Master Li, which leader are you referring to?"
"Hmph!"
Li Rufeng grew even more arrogant, convinced that Gu Chenan was unaware of the situation.
"The leader I killed was incredibly powerful. It's only natural you wouldn't know about him."
The others now understood.
The leader Li Rufeng mentioned must have been one of the remaining Black Owl squad leaders.
Li Rufeng then cast a disdainful glance at the group before boasting arrogantly, "Indeed, I intercepted Young Master Gu today – all to avenge my disciple Liang Bufan!"
"But think about it, even if Young Master Gu had arrived earlier, could he have killed the Black Owl's leader like I did?"
His cold, piercing gaze fell on Gu Chenan. "Since Young Master Gu is here, I might as well demand an explanation for Liang Bufan!"
At that moment, Li Rufeng brimmed with utter confidence.
He believed that by eliminating the Black Owl assassins, he had effectively saved the Xiao Family and the martial artists present.
Thus, when he confronted Gu Chenan, they would undoubtedly take his side!
This would allow him to force Gu Chenan to apologize to Liang Bufan in front of everyone!
Of course, the thought of killing Gu Chenan had never crossed his mind since their earlier clash.
As long as Gu Chenan sincerely apologized to Liang Bufan, Li Rufeng would forgive him.
However, Li Rufeng's words caused Xiao Jian and the martial artists to turn grave.
Especially the latter group.
They had witnessed Gu Chenan's capabilities firsthand. If he had arrived sooner, the Black Owl would not have claimed so many lives!
And all of this was due to Li Rufeng's desire to demand an explanation for Liang Bufan!
Never mind that Liang Bufan had his arms crippled for attempting to poison Gu Chenan.
Just considering today's events, Young Master Gu had single-handedly slain the Black Owl's leader when the Xiao Family faced imminent peril!
Moreover, and most crucially, Young Master Gu had never mentioned the reason for his late arrival!
In fact, he had said that explaining the reason would benefit no one!
Yet Li Rufeng, instead of expressing gratitude, acted arrogantly and made unreasonable demands!
One man prioritized the greater good and refrained from assigning blame.
The other was consumed by arrogance and self-importance!
Comparing the two, the verdict was clear!
"Master Li, do you know who the Black Owl's true leader was?" one of the martial artists asked coldly.
Li Rufeng frowned in puzzlement. "Of course I do. He's the one I killed. Our skills were evenly matched, and had it not been for my numerous disciples, I might not have emerged victorious."
"Heh."
The martial artists let out a derisive laugh. "The one you killed was merely a Black Owl squad leader. The real leader was slain by Young Master Gu before you even arrived."
"What?!" Li Rufeng's brow furrowed in disbelief. "Impossible, the man I fought was incredibly powerful – he must have been the leader!"
The martial artists had no intention of arguing further. "Master Li, your disciple Liang Bufan had his arms crippled for attempting to poison Young Master Gu. Shouldn't Young Master Gu be the one demanding an explanation?"
They stepped forward. "In fact, since you're here today, allow us to help Young Master Gu obtain that explanation."
"Why did you impede Young Master Gu, causing so many unnecessary deaths?"
At that moment, the previously neutral martial artists of Suhang firmly sided with Gu Chenan.
"Master Li, I see now," Xiao Jian said, his expression icy. "You obstructed Young Master Gu's arrival, causing grievous losses for my Xiao Family!"
"Today, you owe the Xiao Family an explanation!"
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
e, Immortal Body, Transmigration, System, Progression Fantasy, Academy Setting, Third-Person Perspective. Alternate Title: Transmigrating into a High Martial World and Reading Live Comments. Bad news: I transmigrated. This is a terrifying high-martial world, and my original, pathetically weak body fell into a coma and never woke up. Good news: I got a Popularity Points system upon arrival. I can see live comments and even create an unkillable alternate identity. Starting out, the alternate identity has all stats at 1. The system tells me that to grow stronger, I must participate in the plot, gain popularity points to allocate stats and grow stronger, and ultimately awaken my original body. And so, carrying my original body on my back, I officially entered Huaqing Academy, where the story's protagonist resides. From that moment on, Chen Guan kicked the original plot to pieces. Live Comments: [Doesn't anyone find this mysterious coffin guy creepy? He can summon indescribable grey misty hands.] [Is this guy a hero or a villain? What kind of onion became a spirit?] [By the way, does anyone know who's in the coffin? Shouldn't the debt for saving his life be repaid by now?] [According to unofficial histories, the person in the coffin was Chen Guan's first love. Their love was once passionate and earth-shattering, but they were separated by life and death due to worldly circumstances. What a star-crossed pair.] ... Years later, the world knew of a demon god born from a coffin, shrouded in grey mist, impossible to gaze upon directly. His foremost divine emissary often wielded a scythe, reaping lives like the god of death. As war approached, facing former friends and a boundless sea of enemies, Chen Guan merely raised his scythe. "Would you like to dance as well?"
