Chapter Fourteen: A Modest Display of Skill

Just as Liu Fan and his companions stepped out of the Fenghai Grand Hotel, a violent curse erupted from the VIP suite inside: "Ning Qi, that damned bitch! That slut, how dare she disrespect me? If it weren’t for her powerful family, I’d have taken her long ago."

A young man, handsome and exceptionally well-dressed, suddenly stood up in a fury and smashed his wine glass onto the floor. His handsome face twisted with rage, his white shirt stained with a large splash of red wine, and several other young men nearby chimed in, eager to please.

This young man was none other than Lu Hao, the second son of the Lu family—one of the four great clans of Shanghai. Known for his violent temper and licentious nature, he lacked any real ability and relied on his family’s reputation to prey on many young women. He had met Ning Qi at a dance, was instantly captivated by her beauty, and pursued her obsessively. But his notorious reputation and lack of substance meant Ning Qi rejected him time and again, finally refusing even to look his way. Today, through bribing Ning Qi’s close friend, he managed to lure her out for a meal, but halfway through, Lu Hao began to grope her. In a fit of anger, Ning Qi splashed red wine across his face and stormed out, leaving Lu Hao fuming with humiliation.

As Lu Hao raged, a delinquent youth with dyed yellow hair, a pointed face, and a small, wiry frame slipped into the VIP suite. Seeing Lu Hao’s fury, he cautiously stepped forward and said, “Young Master Lu, I just followed Ning Qi downstairs. She’s eating with four young men, and she seems pretty close to one of them.”

“What? That bitch already has a lover? No wonder she ignores me, pretending to be some saint in front of me. Damn it—I'll make sure those two suffer.” Hearing his lackey’s report, Lu Hao cursed even more viciously. His face darkened, his narrow eyes flickering with a violent gleam. “Monkey, where are they now? Get some brothers, follow them, and wait for the right moment: break the guy’s legs, bring the girl back to me. I’ll have her tonight, and her family won’t dare do a thing. Do it cleanly, and you’ll be rewarded.”

“Yes, Young Master Lu! I promise you’ll have your fun tonight, ha ha.” Hearing the promise of a reward, Monkey grinned greedily. In his mind, Liu Fan and the others were just ordinary students—easy targets for a beating, and the payoff was all but guaranteed. Unfortunately, he had run into someone like Liu Fan, and tragedy awaited him.

At that moment, Liu Fan had no idea someone was plotting against him. Even if he knew, he wouldn't care—this was merely another spice to his life.

After their meal, Liu Fan and his friends left the Fenghai Grand Hotel. Chen Gang and the others took a cab back to school. Liu Fan intended to do the same, but Ning Qi insisted on walking, so they could talk along the way. The two walked for some distance in silence. They had been apart for more than a year, with so much to say, but neither knew how to begin. On top of that, Liu Fan was famous for being awkward, so there was little hope he would break the ice.

At last, Ning Qi spoke first, her rosy lips parting with a gentle smile, “Little Fan, have you been well all these years? Do you ever think of me?”

“Huh? What? Oh, I've been alright. Sometimes I do think of you. By the way, where do you live now?” Liu Fan, lost in thought, was startled by Ning Qi’s question and could only stammer out an answer.

“I’m studying at the University of Finance, living on campus. Our dorms aren’t far from here. And you?” Ning Qi gazed at the somewhat dazed Liu Fan, feeling as if she were back in their school days, recalling fragments of their shared memories. Her cheeks flushed, and she shyly replied.

“I’m studying at Fudan University, living on campus for now.” Liu Fan answered absentmindedly. By rights, with his current cultivation, he should have been able to discern Ning Qi’s emotions, but facing the girl he once admired, he became awkward, like a bashful boy. As people say, love is blind—it can turn the clever into fools.

“Oh, you’re at Fudan University? That’s wonderful! Our schools are next to each other, so it’ll be easy for me to visit you in the future.” Ning Qi, delighted to learn Liu Fan was so close, jumped up excitedly, tugging at his sleeve. Her bright eyes sparkled with joy, and her pretty face was radiant as she exclaimed happily.

Looking at the adorable Ning Qi before him, Liu Fan felt a fierce urge to protect her. He silently vowed that, no matter what happened in this life, he would safeguard the person before him. At that moment, Liu Fan also grew alert. The street was dimly lit, shadows from the trees overlapped, and few people were around—a perfect setting for an ambush. As they walked, he quietly extended his spiritual sense to survey their surroundings.

Sure enough, not far behind them, a dozen figures hid in the shadows, watching them intently. Seeing this, Liu Fan was unperturbed. He stopped calmly, fixed his gaze on the concealed figures, and spoke with a stern face, “Come out. I know you’re hiding behind the trees.”

Ning Qi was baffled by Liu Fan’s words, but soon she saw a group of delinquent youths emerge, brandishing steel pipes and knives, their hair dyed in gaudy colors and their outfits wild and garish. Ning Qi’s face turned pale. Though she was the daughter of a powerful family, she was still a young woman with little worldly experience, and had never faced such a situation. Hands trembling, she moved closer to Liu Fan, hiding behind him.

Liu Fan noticed her discomfort and gently took her hand, channeling a trace of immortal energy into her body. His gaze was tender as he spoke softly, “Don’t worry. I won’t let anyone harm you—unless I die.”

Ning Qi felt a warm current surge from her hand through her body, soothing and comforting her. She was no longer so afraid. Hearing Liu Fan’s words, a sense of protected happiness filled her heart. At that moment, all family rules and social conventions were forgotten; the only thought was to love the man who haunted her dreams.

“Well, aren’t you two adorable, even at death’s door! Boys, leave the girl—break the guy’s legs!” The leader, a yellow-haired, sharp-faced youth, sneered arrogantly. He was Monkey, carrying out Lu Hao’s orders. His small, shifty eyes glimmered with greed as he looked at Ning Qi, and the others spat vulgarities.

Ning Qi, behind Liu Fan, clenched her teeth in rage, her face flushed and tears welling in her eyes. Liu Fan hadn’t intended to be too harsh with these people—just a lesson would suffice—but it was clear they came prepared, and their words were intolerable. Most importantly, they had targeted someone close to him, something he could not forgive. His face grew cold, and he laughed icily, “I don’t care who you are. If you dare touch someone close to me, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Come on, let’s see what you’re made of.” He turned and gently embraced Ning Qi, whispering, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here. Close your eyes; it may get a bit bloody.”

“Alright.” Ning Qi nodded obediently, her beautiful eyes flickering with concern.

“Go! Cripple the guy, and Young Master Lu will reward you handsomely!” Seeing Liu Fan calm in the face of danger, even flirting with Ning Qi instead of fearing them, Monkey grew jealous of Liu Fan’s good looks and immediately urged his lackeys to surround him.

Liu Fan stood calmly in front of Ning Qi, motionless, hands positioned with one behind his back and the other clenched in a fist, watching the dozen attackers approach.

As one delinquent neared, Liu Fan sprang into action. He moved forward swiftly, catching the incoming knife with his right hand, then struck the young man’s chest with his elbow. The youth flew several meters, collapsing unconscious. Liu Fan kicked another in the left ribs, instantly incapacitating him. Next, four youths attacked together, hoping to overwhelm him, but Liu Fan was not so easily defeated. He leapt into the air, delivering a sweeping kick like autumn winds scattering leaves, striking all four across the face. Their heads spun, and they blacked out.

Witnessing Liu Fan’s prowess, some began to falter, but Monkey’s promises of reward and threats pushed them on. For the sake of future gains, they steeled themselves—after all, great rewards inspire bravery. The remaining attackers charged Liu Fan desperately, but no matter how many came, he effortlessly struck them down, leaving them incapacitated. In less than two minutes, only Monkey remained standing—he had not participated in the fight.

Seeing his companions lying unconscious, Monkey trembled in fear, his legs shaking. Usually, he relied on numbers to bully the weak, but he had never encountered someone as formidable as Liu Fan. As Liu Fan approached, Monkey’s resolve crumbled, and he wet himself in terror, falling to his knees and trembling.

“Speak—who sent you?” Having dealt with the thugs, Liu Fan strode toward Monkey and demanded, leaving no room for argument.

“N-no one... No one sent us. I, uh, just got carried away, and came to bother you. Please, sir, spare us! My family has an eighty-year-old daughter and a starving old mother—I’ll never dare again. Please, hero, let me go!” Monkey, terrified, babbled incoherently. As a somewhat clever hooligan, he knew that if he revealed his master, his life would be forfeit. He was well aware of Young Master Lu’s cruel reputation, so he lied.

But such tricks were nothing before Liu Fan. Seeing Monkey refuse to tell the truth, Liu Fan snorted coldly, “Hmph! Seems you won’t speak honestly unless you suffer a little.” Without looking at Monkey, he pressed a burst of energy into the Fengfu point at the base of his neck.