Once several people were seated, Zhang Guozheng proactively engaged Cao Kifei in conversation, subtly flattering her without making a show of it.

Though Tan Xue was also a top-tier beauty, she paled in comparison to Cao Kifei. Seeing the man who had been fawning over her all the way there so quickly shift his attention to another woman filled her with a mix of jealousy and resentment, which in turn made her look upon Li Yundong with increasing displeasure.

Zhang Guozheng continued recounting his experiences and observations, which were not without a touch of boasting and showing off. His gaze would occasionally sweep over the silent Li Yundong sitting opposite him, his sense of superiority clearly displayed.

Having navigated the social circles for so long, Cao Kifei was naturally astute to such matters. While she smiled and chatted with Zhang Guozheng, she kept a wary eye on Li Yundong’s mood, fearing the young man might take offense and leave in a huff.

The more Cao Kifei paid attention to Li Yundong, the more irritated Zhang Guozheng became, making him all the more eager to show off.

“Hey, let me tell you, the last time we were filming a wuxia movie, there was an extra who did martial arts—that guy was incredible!” Zhang Guozheng said, gesticulating wildly, spittle flying, “With one elbow strike, that guy smashed three blue bricks! Three blue bricks, mind you—not prop bricks or red bricks, but the kind fired in a stone kiln!”

“Damn, smashed to dust in one go! Now that’s a master. Hey, can you do that?” Zhang Guozheng, mid-exaggeration, suddenly steered the topic toward Li Yundong.

Li Yundong glanced at him and smiled, saying nothing. The smile held a hidden meaning, much like a silent lion observing a barking stray dog.

This smile immediately irked Zhang Guozheng. He said, “Hey, what are you laughing at? Looking down on people or something?”

Cao Kifei quickly stepped in to smooth things over, diverting the subject: “Guozheng, keep going, I’m really getting into it.”

Zhang Guozheng shot Li Yundong a disdainful look and a sneer before resuming his animated, exaggerated chatter.

Tan Xue grew weary of listening and turned her attention to studying Li Yundong.

Although the others had initially underestimated him, this young man showed no trace of anger or excitement. On the contrary, an uncommon calmness, unbefitting his age, radiated from him.

“This guy is actually quite good…” Tan Xue assessed him again. “In this industry now, young men with such heroic bearing are incredibly rare. Where did Cao Kifei find him? Tch, I wonder how much it costs to keep him exclusively for a month?”

The entertainment world was a great melting pot where arrangements—men supporting women, women supporting men—were common and ceaseless. Many people enjoyed gossiping about ‘which actress was being kept by which tycoon,’ but in reality, many attractive, newly debuted male stars were equally kept by wealthy women.

After scrutinizing Li Yundong for a while, Tan Xue had a sudden impulse. Using the table as cover, she gently nudged his calf with her foot.

Li Yundong felt the movement under the table, frowned slightly, and subtly shifted back a bit.

Tan Xue instantly sneered internally: Damn, still playing innocent! I don't believe you can keep that up for long!

She leaned her upper body over the table, tilting slightly forward, exposing the deep valley between her ample breasts to Li Yundong’s view. Though her expression remained controlled, her eyes, when they flicked towards him, were full of provocation. She then extended her foot again to touch his leg under the table.

This time, Li Yundong had nowhere to retreat. He grew inwardly furious: What kind of people are these? Even the prostitutes at the sauna are more noble than them!

Li Yundong coughed lightly, stood up, and said to Cao Kifei, “I’m going to the restroom.”

Cao Kifei smiled and nodded at him.

Tan Xue’s eyes darted around, and she also smiled, “I’ll come too,” saying this, she followed Li Yundong.

Li Yundong reached the restroom door when he heard a soft voice from behind him: “Oh, handsome, why so cold? Are you angry with me?”

Li Yundong turned to see Tan Xue smiling seductively at him.

Li Yundong offered a polite smile and said, “Miss Tan Xue, I need to use the restroom. Can we talk later, alright?”

Seeing they were alone, Tan Xue boldly leaned in, giggling, “Why run off in such a hurry? Hey, Cao Kifei said you’re a top master—I bet you’re a master of the bed arts, right? How much does she pay you a month? I’ll pay whatever she does. Why don't you come with me?”

So, she thinks I’m a male escort!

Li Yundong’s anger flared. He sneered, “Then go ask CEO Cao! Excuse me!”

With that, he entered the restroom.

Tan Xue stomped her foot in frustration and muttered under her breath, “Damn, he won’t take what’s offered, what’s so great about him, screw it!”

Then, she angrily entered the restroom herself, panting heavily while staring at her reflection in the mirror: “What’s so good about Cao Kifei? Am I worse than her? Hmph, pretty boy, don’t get too cocky, you just wait!”

A moment after Li Yundong entered the restroom, Zhang Guozheng followed in. He stood next to Li Yundong at a urinal, unzipped his fly, glanced at Li Yundong, and sneered, “Young man, the meals in this circle are hard to stomach. If you don’t have some real skill, don't try to join the Liangshan heroes. If you don’t have the diamond drill, don’t take on the porcelain work!”

Saying this, he reached out a hand, intending to clap Li Yundong on the shoulder.

Li Yundong glanced at his hand and subtly dodged it.

Zhang Guozheng’s face darkened, just as he was about to speak, when suddenly a voice boomed from inside the restroom stalls: “Mao Shan Divine Strike True God Art, the Eight Marshals reveal their powers!! By the decree of the gods, the Great Emperor who Subdues Demons, may your divine might guard the heavens, Holy Emperor Guan! Please enter my body!”

The instant this voice sounded, Li Yundong felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly zipped up his pants and turned around. With a loud crash, a stall door flew off its hinges, and out walked a powerfully built man, bare-chested, his muscles knotted like tree roots—it was Lin Youfa, the man Li Yundong had fought before!

“It’s you!” Li Yundong’s aura immediately boiled and circulated, his bones cracking loudly as he became extremely vigilant, treating the situation as a dire threat.

Zhang Guozheng, mid-stream, suddenly saw the scene, shuddered in terror, and soaked a large patch of his pants. He stammered, “Y-you…”

Before he could finish, he saw Lin Youfa looking triumphantly at Li Yundong and saying, “True Master Li, we meet again. This time, no one else is interfering. Let’s settle this right here!”

Li Yundong knew that trouble you can’t avoid must be faced. He took a deep breath, mobilizing all the Jing, Qi, and Xue (Essence, Energy, and Blood) within his body. The breath of his five internal organs rapidly converged toward his head, then swiftly dispersed to all parts of his body!

This was the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, Five Breaths Returning to the Origin!

Lin Youfa performed a spirit possession technique, allowing his body to transform from a man in his fifties or sixties into someone in his twenties or thirties; this relied on mobilizing the deep-seated primordial energy within his body and the spiritual energy borrowed from heaven and earth.

Li Yundong, however, was mobilizing the vast and robust Golden Core primordial energy within himself. While he couldn't achieve the extremely intense physical transformation Lin Youfa displayed, the muscles on his body surface still bulged, and his veins protruded, making them as hard as stone slabs!

Lin Youfa cupped his hands in a slight bow and said, “True Master Li, please forgive my intrusion! Today, I must see who is stronger between us—whether your lineage is superior, or my Divine Fist School prevails!” Having spoken, he glared fiercely, stomped once, and quickly stepped forward, his right fist leading, left fist following, launching a sudden, short-range punch straight toward Li Yundong’s chest.

Li Yundong knew the restroom was far too cramped for any extensive maneuvers, making close-quarters fighting most advantageous for his opponent. Therefore, without a second thought, he copied Lin Youfa’s move and moved to meet him.

Confronting strength with strength, meeting violence with violence!

As the two men closed the distance, a series of crackling sounds of flesh impacting flesh erupted. Zhang Guozheng, standing nearby, got goosebumps and remained frozen in place, staring dumbfounded at Li Yundong fiercely grappling with Lin Youfa, utterly unable to react.

Meanwhile, in the women’s restroom, Tan Xue was retouching her makeup while incessantly cursing Li Yundong under her breath. Having navigated the industry for years, she had never encountered a man so arrogant and pretentious!

“What’s with all the lofty airs! Humph, who does he think he is?” Tan Xue scoffed. Just as she reached for her lipstick, she suddenly heard a loud boom.

Tan Xue froze, muttering involuntarily, “What was that?”

Then came another boom, shaking the water in the sink in front of her slightly. Tan Xue looked on in astonishment: “An earthquake? Tiannan City isn't on an earthquake fault line!”

Suddenly, with a tremendous roar, bricks flew off the wall in front of her, blasting a large hole, and two entangled figures shot out like cannonballs.

Tan Xue gasped, dropping her lipstick, her mind going completely blank.

She saw Lin Youfa’s punch land squarely on Li Yundong’s chest. Li Yundong let out a muffled grunt, his hands instantly shot out, grabbing Lin Youfa’s torso and violently flinging him backward!

With a deafening crash, Lin Youfa slammed into the bathroom door, knocking it to the ground, and then smashed the toilet bowl to pieces.

As he flung Lin Youfa away, Li Yundong swiftly moved forward and brought his foot down.

Lin Youfa’s waist sprang like a coiled spring, propelling him upward and launching him back into Li Yundong’s embrace. He wrapped his arms around Li Yundong’s waist and slammed him back against the wall, another loud boom shaking loose debris from the hole in the wall.

Li Yundong felt his waist gripped, his back hitting the wall. His body shuddered, and before he could counter, Lin Youfa’s fists rained down upon his lower abdomen.

However, the human lower abdomen is considered the Lower Dantian, the region holding the most potent Qi, and once cultivated thoroughly, it is one of the most resilient areas.

Li Yundong felt punches showering his stomach, but he gritted his teeth, fiercely grabbed Lin Youfa’s waist, let out a great roar, and physically lifted him up before slamming his head down onto the hard marble countertop.

With a heavy thud, Lin Youfa’s head struck the marble, cracking a large section of the surface. Immediately after, Li Yundong brought his fist down towards Lin Youfa’s head.

Hearing the fierce rush of air behind his head, Lin Youfa wriggled free from Li Yundong’s grasp like an eel and dodged aside. With a resounding crash, Li Yundong’s punch completely pulverized the marble countertop!

Lin Youfa was utterly frustrated. He had expected that finding a confined space would allow him to subdue Li Yundong and vent his previous frustrations, but whatever move he made, Li Yundong mirrored it exactly, just like when they were outside the school gate!

After several rounds of exchanges, Lin Youfa realized that no matter what move he initiated, his opponent seemed to sense it telepathically and reacted instantly. So, he simply stopped initiating attacks, and the two began wrestling in a style akin to street thugs.

Lin Youfa rolled several times on the floor, taking deep, ragged breaths. He stared fiercely at Li Yundong and said, “True Master Li indeed has skill! But using my own moves against me—what kind of ability is that!”

Li Yundong’s clothes were shredded into tattered strips. He reached up and tore off the remaining fabric with a hiss, revealing a physique with solid muscles that were in no way inferior to Lin Youfa’s. He sneered, “It doesn’t matter if the cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice!”

With that, he opened his eyes wide, let out a great shout, and sent the surging Qi within his body into his right fist, unleashing a ferocious punch aura towards Lin Youfa. As the punch flew out, three distinct cracking sounds, like firecrackers blooming one after another, emanated from Li Yundong’s arm bones. The impact compressed the air so intensely that shockwaves visibly radiated outwards: “Take this!”

======================================================= Today’s triple update—this is the first. I’m having a dinner meeting with Yezi this evening, so the update will be moved up to around 5 PM; the third update will be at the usual time, around 9 PM. [Ti: Dear reader, this chapter marks the last page of this book.]