Chapter Fifty-Eight: Tiancheng Group

My mastery of the Heavenly Path finger technique was still lacking; at present, I could only rely on Baji Fist and the Snow Blade for offense, so I dared not neglect my Baji Fist practice. Yet my current skills amounted to nothing more than basic forms—when time permitted, I’d have to seek out my second uncle and ask him to teach me a few advanced moves.

As my cultivation advanced, each punch I threw seemed to carry the force of a hundred pounds. I ran through every form I had learned, reaching a level of proficiency that could only be called consummate. Just as I finished my final strike, Chen Chen emerged from his room.

"You're up early," Chen Chen remarked, yawning.

I nodded lightly without saying a word.

A glance at my phone told me it was already past seven—a little before eight.

"Go wake the others. It’s almost time," I said to Chen Chen, still looking at my phone.

Thanks to my ring, I could take nearly everything I needed with me.

For breakfast, we finished off all the remaining food, leaving only a single bottle of water.

Soon after, we gathered at the school’s main gate. Quite a few classmates had already arrived, waiting in the relaxed morning air.

At exactly eight o’clock, the King of Ghosts sent a message right on time:

"Classmates, since the Wolf Team failed to complete their task, their entire team is to be eliminated as punishment. The rest may now leave."

As soon as the message ended, the school gates began to creak open on their own.

Seeing Chen Chen’s long-lost smile, I too stepped out with a light heart.

But the moment I passed through the gate, I noticed something was off—there was no one nearby, not a car in sight.

Clearly, this was the handiwork of the King of Ghosts, but I paid it little mind.

Casting one last glance at the school, I turned away without regret.

"Where are you all heading?" I asked Chen Chen and the others quietly.

Chen Chen looked at Li Zijian, then said, "I have to go home—it's been seven days."

"I need to head home too. If you need anything, just call," Li Zijian chimed in, and the two of them walked off together in another direction.

"I... I should go home too. Thank you for taking care of me these past few days. If you ever need me, just call," Chu Yao said, hugging her arms, looking for all the world like a sheltered young girl.

I nodded, watching them go before I set off myself.

Though I knew we would meet again, the sudden parting of friends was still a bitter pill.

I smiled wryly at myself and made my way home.

The journey was uneventful. I chose a side street to avoid frightening passersby with my bloodstained clothes.

When I finally unlocked my front door with a long-unused key, the first thing I heard was the sound of the television.

There was Nangong Xi, busy with the housework.

"Hey! Brother, you’re back!" Nangong Xi exclaimed in surprise, then quickly grew concerned at the sight of my blood-soaked clothing.

Of course, I didn’t tell the truth—just made up a casual excuse.

But I noticed that Nangong Xi’s body seemed less solid than before, more ethereal.

I asked about it, but she didn’t know the reason either.

After changing and taking a hot shower, I called my second uncle.

"Hello? How have you been lately?" I asked.

"Still kicking!" he replied in his usual gruff manner, as if the world owed him millions.

I told him about Nangong Xi’s condition. After some thought, he said, "The only solution is to retrieve her body."

I nodded, making a mental note to prioritize this matter.

"Don’t try anything on your own, kid. Those people may not be at a high level, but they're more than a match for you."

"I know, I’m not stupid..."

After some small talk, we agreed to meet at our usual spot at ten the next morning.

Nangong Xi was overjoyed at my return and insisted on making me a big meal.

Yet as I ate, my mind kept drifting to the matter of her body. Sensitive as ever to others’ moods, Nangong Xi said, "It’s not urgent. If you don’t want to go, then don’t. It's really fine."

I chuckled to myself, thinking, "I’ve nearly died a dozen times at that school—what’s there left to fear?"

By the time all was settled, it was already noon. Feeling energized, I decided to take a walk.

I let Nangong Xi know and stepped outside.

Not so long ago, I never left home without weapons and a heap of gear...

Now I wandered the streets aimlessly, like a country bumpkin new to the city, staring at everything.

With money in my pocket, I was tempted to buy whatever I saw.

Before long, my arms were full of food and toys.

Finding a secluded spot, I slipped everything into my ring—leaving my hands empty and feeling light as air.

Just as I was buying some snacks at the roadside, I sensed a few currents of spiritual energy to my right.

I glanced over quietly and saw a group of young men.

They exuded an aura of confidence and approached me directly.

I was about to pick up my food and leave when the leader threw his arm around my shoulders. "Hey, brother, let’s talk somewhere else."

He didn’t look like a bad person, so I followed them into a narrow alley. Still, to be safe, I kept the Snow Blade concealed in my hand.

"Fellow cultivator, I mean no offense," the young man said suddenly, bowing. "It’s just that I sensed spiritual energy on you and wanted to ask for directions."

He continued, "We are disciples of Tianyang Mountain. Could you tell us where the Tiancheng Group is located?"

It was the first I’d heard of a sect called Tianyang Mountain, and I felt a bit lost. But then again, the world is vast and full of wonders; there’s no end to things I haven’t seen.

"I don't know," I replied bluntly, shaking my head.

Disappointment flashed across his face, but he thanked me and turned to leave.

"However, I can look it up for you," I offered as he reached the alley’s end.

He turned back, "Thank you, brother. If you ever have time, come visit our sect."

I nodded and pulled up the map on my phone.

I’d heard of the Tiancheng Group—it was the criminal organization that tried to kidnap Li Zijian. In my eyes, they were nothing but a den of villains.

But a company with such a name had to be well-known, so I searched for it and found the address easily.

I handed my phone to the young man. After a quick look, he returned it and said, "Many thanks. We have matters to attend to, so we’ll take our leave."

With that, they departed together. Yet a question lingered in my mind.

These young men didn’t seem like bad people—they were polite and respectful. So what business did they have at the Tiancheng Group?

Lost in thought, I decided to follow them—but kept my distance to avoid being discovered.

Earlier, I’d noticed that, apart from the leader whose level I couldn’t discern, the others were, like me, at the second rank of the Spirit Leaf stage.

Before long, they arrived at the gates of the Tiancheng Group.

The corporation truly was enormous—even from a distance, I could see it occupied several towering buildings.

From afar, I watched as the young men took out some kind of badge and presented it to the security guard. After a glance, the guard let them in without a word.

And I even sensed that the guard possessed spiritual energy too!