Cultivation Master in the City

Chapter 3 Two Choices

As the crowd of onlookers grew larger, the girl with the small ponytail still clung tightly to her bicycle. Not wanting to escalate the situation, He Xu took a deep breath, suppressing the indignation in his heart. With a mix of exasperation and resignation, he conceded to the girl: "Alright, Senior Sister, my mistake. Can we just drop this?"

Seeing He Xu yield, the girl’s expression immediately brightened with triumph. "Hmph, what did you say? I couldn’t hear you. Speak louder!"

Helpless, He Xu enunciated each word deliberately. Though irritated, he maintained a conciliatory tone. "It was my fault. I’m sorry."

Hearing He Xu’s meek apology, the girl swelled with satisfaction. Looking down at his bowed head, she felt a surge of superiority. She sneered, "Now you admit you’re wrong? Too late. I’ve seen plenty of toads like you. Want to leave? Fine—shout ‘I’m a toad lusting after a swan,’ and I’ll let you go. Hmph!"

"What? Don’t push it!" The girl’s relentless demands finally pushed He Xu over the edge, and he snapped.

The girl, incensed that this "country bumpkin" dared to talk back, exploded. "You filthy hick, how dare you act so shamelessly after harassing me? Go on, hit me if you dare!"

The surrounding crowd quickly pieced together their own version of events—a sleazy guy from Shang Industrial University harassing one of their own female students under the bright moonlight.

Wang Jun, the president of Shang University of Finance and Economics’ Taekwondo Club, had just finished a routine training session with his team. Still in their Taekwondo uniforms, they had come to the snack street for a late-night meal. He Xu and the girl’s altercation caught Wang Jun’s attention. Already harboring a grudge against Shang Industrial University’s male students, and emboldened by a few beers, Wang Jun shoved his bottle aside and strode forward.

He Xu barely had time to react before a tall guy, roughly his own height of 1.8 meters, approached with hostility. Without a word, Wang Jun shoved him hard in the chest.

He Xu dropped his bicycle to the ground and sidestepped the attack. "Who are you? What do you want?" he demanded. The girl, still gripping the bike, nearly toppled over from the sudden motion.

"Causing trouble at Shang University of Finance and Economics? You think you can ignore me, Wang Jun?" Wang Jun smirked, eyeing He Xu with disdain.

"I was just asking for directions. I wasn’t harassing anyone. Let’s just drop this—I’ll leave now," He Xu said, still trying to defuse the situation.

The girl’s eyes lit up when she saw Wang Jun intervene. Though he had a bad reputation, his family’s wealth and influence made him a hot commodity in her eyes. She sidled up to him, pressing her chest against his arm, and cooed, "Big Brother Wang, you have to stand up for me! Teach this toad a lesson!"

Wang Jun groped her casually before whispering to her with a smirk, "Don’t worry. Your Big Brother Wang will handle it."

He then turned back to He Xu, his grin turning sinister. "Think you can come and go as you please? Not that easy. I’m not unreasonable, so I’ll give you two choices. First, take three kicks from me, and then you can leave. Second, if you don’t want pain, kneel and kowtow three times. That’ll settle it." At his signal, the other Taekwondo members slowly encircled He Xu.

Realizing he was surrounded, He Xu’s demeanor turned icy. "No other options?"

"Just these two. Choose." Wang Jun’s expression darkened.

"I choose… I choose your f*****g mother!" He Xu could no longer hold back. Despite being outnumbered, he struck first, lashing out with a kick at Wang Jun.

---

Meanwhile, an unexpected visitor arrived at the government building in Shang City.

The scar-faced captain responsible for pursuing the Taoist priest sat on one side of the desk, facing a young man in a green military uniform. Though displeased that his superiors had assigned someone so young to oversee the case after his report, the captain betrayed no emotion.

"Li Zhongguo, captain of the Special Unit. Your team consists of the best soldiers handpicked from elite forces nationwide. I know my age makes you doubt my authority, even if I come from that department in State Security. Right, Captain Li?" The young man spoke slowly, as if reading Li’s thoughts.

"No objections. Orders are absolute," Li replied flatly.

The young man knew mere words wouldn’t earn Li’s respect. Cutting to the chase, he asked, "I’ve read your report. What’s your assessment of the target?"

"We’ve conducted three operations—day and night, with tight coordination. Yet, the target vanishes without warning every time. So, we suspect…" Li trailed off, studying the young man’s expression for any reaction.

The young man chuckled. "Speak freely. I’m not your rigid old superior."

Li sighed. "We’ve noted our speculation in the report. We believe he’s not an ordinary man—perhaps something like a superhuman. But it’s just a guess." Admitting this felt humiliating. After multiple failures, they hadn’t even glimpsed the target.

"I agree with your assessment. If even your team can’t track him, this explanation fits. That’s why I was sent." The young man nodded.

"What?" Li blinked, not fully grasping the implication.

Then, the teacup on the desk levitated. Li fell silent. He understood now—his team was no longer the lead in this mission.

Seeing Li’s acceptance, the young man issued his first order. "Compile all intel on unusual individuals entering Shang City recently, along with your team’s findings. And—my surname is He."

Li stood, saluted, and strode out.

---

Outside Shang City, in the garden of a luxurious estate, the very priest who had eluded the Special Unit studied the grand building.

"Should be here. Just sixty years gone, and it’s changed this much? That grove used to be a hill, and this stream—newly dug? What a mess. This was once a natural Spiritual Qi-gathering formation, weak as it was, still beneficial to mortals. Now? Tsk." The priest sighed, then suddenly chuckled. "Ah, why bother? I nearly forgot—the mortal realm lost all Spiritual Qi after that calamity."

His odd behavior drew the attention of the estate’s guards. One radioed for backup while the other approached, hand inside his jacket.

"Private property. You—" Before the guard could finish, the priest vanished.

"HQ, urgent! Unknown Taoist at the gate—just disappeared. Heightened alert!" Though startled, the guard’s training kicked in.

Inside, guards mobilized swiftly, securing key points. The surveillance team scanned every corner. Their discipline hinted at the estate’s formidable owner.

In the garden, a 1.9-meter-tall man in black pressed his earpiece and approached a middle-aged man sipping tea in a pavilion. "Mr. Wang, HQ reports a possible intruder—a Taoist priest. Please relocate to the safe room."

The man, dressed in traditional attire and exuding authority, showed rare emotion. "A Taoist… It must be him."

His composure returned instantly. "Stand down. Cancel the alert. Have guards secure the ancestral hall—no one within a hundred meters."

The bodyguard hesitated. "Sir, if the priest is hostile—"

Mr. Wang smiled faintly. "If he meant harm, no number of you could stop him."

"Sir, trust in our professionalism—"

"I don’t doubt you," Mr. Wang cut in firmly. "But he’s an old acquaintance. Proceed."

Recognizing his resolve, the bodyguard acquiesced.

After dismissing him, Mr. Wang turned to a plainly dressed but dignified woman nearby. "Ling’er, take Bin and Yu to the ancestral hall."

"Is it him?" she asked nervously.

Mr. Wang nodded. Once she left, he adjusted his attire and walked solemnly toward the estate’s heart.

At its center lay a quaint garden, vibrant with birdsong and blossoms. Within it stood an ancient house—a family shrine. As Mr. Wang trod the pebbled path, the priest stood inside, gazing at rows of ancestral tablets.

"Place unchanged, people different," the priest murmured. Then, his eyes shifted to the closed door, as if seeing Mr. Wang approach.