Chapter 836: Nan Gong Chong’s “New” Day

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating the room in a chaotic yet dazzling glow.

Nangong Chong mumbled something, pulled the blanket over his head, turned his back to the sunlight, and planned to indulge in the warmth of his bed for a while longer.

Ding! Suddenly, a sharp, piercing sound rang out. Nangong Chong, clearly annoyed, sat up. The smart alarm clock was hopping around on the other side of the room, clearly trying to avoid being turned off.

Shaking his head, still groggy, Nangong Chong sat motionless for a few minutes before slowly rising and heading toward the bathroom.

He splashed cold water on his face, finally feeling awake. Instantly, a flood of emotions surged through him—sadness, bitterness, relief, and a sense of liberation.

He was heartbroken over the death of his beloved uncle, Wu Youming, and frustrated that he couldn’t inform the rest of the family yet. The government had to handle the arrangements first. He felt bitter about the past two days, spent in fear, shock, and helplessness that had eventually numbed him. Yet he felt relief and liberation knowing that last night had only been a nightmare, and that the Heaven Sect’s Patriarch hadn’t actually sent anyone to “cross over.”

Was this ordeal finally over? A new day, a new beginning!

Looking at his slightly puffy-eyed reflection in the mirror, Nangong Chong clenched his fists, trying to motivate himself. Today was the day of his thesis defense, and he had to attend. Plus, he might get to see “her”!

At that moment, he noticed a faint smile forming on his lips—deep and meaningful.

It was a smile he recognized all too well.

“Senior!” Nangong Chong blurted out instinctively.

Every time he saw that smile, nothing good ever followed. And now, it had appeared on his own face—how bizarre!

His mind echoed with Meng Qi’s voice: “Young Nangong, I’m back again.”

Welcome… Nangong Chong’s expression turned blank. He realized how young and naive he had been to think the ordeal was over. With a numb tone, he asked, “Senior, what trouble are you dragging me into this time?”

“Just carry on with your day. I’ll let you know when I’m ready,” Meng Qi replied casually, already beginning the tedious and foundational calculations.

Nangong Chong’s lips twitched. He gritted his teeth but dared not offend the other party, so he grudgingly went about washing up, changing clothes, and using the restroom. After the trials of last night, he had grown somewhat numb to the experience and no longer felt the same embarrassment.

Soon, Nangong Chong left the house, piloting his flying car into campus. As he parked and stepped out, he ran into Xu Fang, a good friend from class.

Xu Fang glanced around nervously, quickly approached, and pulled Nangong Chong into a corner, his expression full of mystery.

He lowered his voice as if afraid of being overheard: “Nangong, do you believe that video of the Heaven Sect’s Patriarch is real?”

“I do…” Nangong Chong hesitated, his voice tinged with sorrow. After all, the Patriarch had been attached to him!

Xu Fang immediately beamed: “Good brother! You never disappoint! I knew you’d believe it. We’re both so sharp and insightful—how could we be like those easily deceived fools?”

He lowered his voice even further: “Let me tell you the truth—I was near that building yesterday and saw the Heaven Sect’s Patriarch punch it down with my own eyes. I even recorded a video, but there are just too many clueless people who actually believe it’s fake propaganda!”

He sighed, clearly feeling like one of the few who held the truth.

Nangong Chong had no interest in discussing the matter further and made an excuse to head toward the nearby classroom building.

Just as he turned into a quiet passage, his vision blurred, and he found several men approaching from both ends, surrounding him as if they had planned this all along.

The leader was a handsome, tall young man, about the same age as Nangong Chong but far more striking in appearance.

“Zou Rong!” Nangong Chong blurted out, his body tensing instinctively, his eyes betraying a hint of fear.

He had once offended this rich and powerful guy over a certain incident but had been careful ever since, avoiding any opportunity for retaliation. Yet today, due to a moment of carelessness, he had been cornered!

Zou Rong chuckled: “Nangong, will you kneel down on your own, or do we have to beat you into it?”

His tone was laced with satisfaction.

Nangong Chong couldn’t help but glance at them. They were all tall, strong, and handsome—each one far more capable and attractive than himself, a self-proclaimed homebody.

In this world of unprecedented technological advancement, gene-level adjustments to embryos had long entered the consumer market. Those with sufficient wealth could ensure their offspring had excellent looks and physical fitness. However, Nangong Chong’s uncle had only joined the core team of the Qiongcang Gaming Company when he was a child, and his parents were ordinary workers. Naturally, Nangong Chong had not benefited from genetic enhancements. Facing someone like Zou Rong, he couldn’t help but feel inferior and instinctively fearful.

“Fighting will get you expelled!” Nangong Chong said with false bravado, completely forgetting other concerns.

Zou Rong burst into laughter: “The surveillance cameras here ‘unfortunately’ broke down. If you fall over, how can you blame us?”

He winked, filled with malicious amusement.

Then, his expression shifted, and he barked, “Beat him! Beat him hard!”

As Zou Rong threw a punch, Nangong Chong instinctively wanted to curl up and endure the beating, knowing resistance was futile.

Just then, he felt his body go out of control. Instead of crouching, his right arm swung sideways at a clever angle, precisely intercepting Zou Rong’s wrist and deflecting his powerful punch.

The others had already launched their attacks, aiming for Nangong Chong’s back and both sides.

Frightened, Nangong Chong watched helplessly as his feet suddenly pushed forward, diving into Zou Rong’s chest before he could retract his punch, narrowly avoiding the other attackers.

At the same time, his hands extended with precision, locking onto Zou Rong’s forearms. With a swift rotation and jump, Zou Rong was now in front, and Nangong Chong behind.

Bang! Bang! Bang! The next wave of punches and kicks landed squarely on Zou Rong, causing him to cry out in pain.

Nangong Chong’s right foot lifted rapidly, delivering three quick kicks below the knee, each striking a different opponent’s shin, causing them to clutch their legs and collapse in agony.

Then, Nangong Chong watched in awe as his own movements flowed effortlessly, using techniques far inferior in strength to Zou Rong’s but managing to defeat all five opponents in seconds, leaving them unable to rise, groaning on the ground without serious injuries.

“You can come for revenge anytime,” said ‘Nangong Chong,’ curling his right index finger in a taunting gesture before turning away with effortless grace and striding through the building.

Real Nangong Chong stood there, stunned. The previous fight had an oddly rhythmic beauty—brutal yet more elegant than dance, and highly effective. One against five, with a significant disadvantage in physique and strength, and yet the enemy was defeated in mere breaths.

Was this martial arts?

Was this the power of martial cultivation?

Nangong Chong’s breathing quickened. He recalled the martial arts manual bestowed upon him by the Heaven Sect’s Patriarch yesterday, his heart burning with a sudden, intense desire to train.

Before, he had some interest, but never this strong.

Witnessing the Patriarch’s reverse penetration, his mastery of electricity, and his battle with the Female Emperor, as well as his destruction of a building with a single punch, had all felt distant and unreal. He had admired and aspired, but lacked real motivation—much like how he had always dreamed of becoming a scientist, knowing science’s power and allure since childhood, yet eventually abandoning the dream because scientists seemed so far removed from everyday life.

But now, seeing someone like Zou Rong, who often bullied him, utterly helpless against martial arts, made the power feel real and accessible, igniting a strong desire to learn.

In a world where heavy weapons were strictly regulated, martial arts were simply overwhelming!

“Senior, was that you just now?” He asked respectfully and softly.

“Do your own thing first. I’ll guide you when the time is right,” Meng Qi said with a smile.

After all, what use was a resentful, indifferent “mount” compared to an enthusiastic, proactive “assistant”?

Thus, after noticing Zou Rong’s ill intentions, Meng Qi deliberately led Nangong Chong into their ambush, aiming to ignite his passion for martial arts.

As a qualified old master, if there was no opportunity, one must create it!

Nangong Chong’s heart leaped with joy, the numbness and helplessness instantly dissipating: “I’ll follow your instructions, Senior!”

“Just focus on your own matters for now,” Meng Qi was still calculating.

As Nangong Chong approached the classroom door, he suddenly stopped. In the distance, he saw a graceful woman with long flowing hair turn the corner. Her profile was beautiful, her eyes and brows delicate, her knee-length skirt made of light, pleated fabric, like a lotus blooming in fresh water.

“Is this the girl you like?” Nangong Chong’s expression shifted as he heard Meng Qi’s voice.

“No…” Nangong Chong instinctively denied, then realizing the old master’s power, whispered like a mosquito, “I like her a bit. I once confessed, but she rejected me. Later, after offending Zou Rong and his gang, I dared not approach her anymore.”

Meng Qi chuckled: “Confessed? How close are you two?”

“Just classmates. We’ve barely spoken a few words,” Nangong Chong didn’t understand why the old master was asking this.

“If a complete stranger, without particularly attractive looks or charm, suddenly came up and dug into your nose, how would you feel?” Meng Qi asked with a smile.

“A madman!” Nangong Chong answered without hesitation.

Meng Qi said, “Exactly. Feelings are even more private and important than nose-digging. If you’ve barely exchanged words, confessing will only scare her. The best approach is to create opportunities to get to know her better.”

Nangong Chong was stunned: “Senior, I didn’t expect you to be so experienced in relationships…”

“It’s a sad story…” Meng Qi said confidently, “Of course I am.”

Read three hundred Tang poems, and even if you can’t write poetry, you can still recite it. I am a versatile old master!

As Nangong Chong was about to ask for more advice, Meng Qi suddenly said, “Forget it. No need to guide you. Du Qingqing is working hard to cultivate. She might come over in the future.”

Huh… Nangong Chong’s mouth dropped open again, his mind filled with thoughts of “ghostly romance” and “evil spirits killing husbands,” endlessly looping and clashing.

Three hours later, after his thesis defense, Nangong Chong had yet to make a decision when he heard the old master’s command:

“Go to the place where the surveillance was broken and make a call.”

The place where the surveillance was broken? Nangong Chong paused, then hurried to the secluded spot where he had defeated Zou Rong and his gang, finding a public phone booth.

“Call Dong Yuan from Misty News Company,” Meng Qi had completed the first part of his calculations and needed more intelligence.

…

Dong Yuan sat on the sofa, sipping red wine and enjoying his rare leisure time.

Suddenly, the video phone rang, interrupting his mood.

“Hello, who is it?” Dong Yuan picked up the call, but the screen was blurry, as if someone had covered the camera.

“It’s me, the Heaven Sect’s Patriarch.” A calm and familiar voice came through, causing Dong Yuan’s pupils to constrict instantly. He tensed up. This monster hadn’t left yet? He had surfaced again!

Dong Yuan took a deep breath: “Sir, what can I do for you?”

“The old man needs the government’s search records. I’ll trade for them with other clues.” The voice was steady and unhurried.

Dong Yuan glanced around, confirming that his office was protected by the military, equipped with various surveillance systems and anti-mind-control devices. Feeling slightly more confident, he replied, “That might be difficult. It’s classified information.”

Not that he wouldn’t negotiate, but he wanted to see what clues Meng Qi had first.

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw static on the screen, and a hand extended from it, quickly forming into the figure of a man in a green robe—the Heaven Sect’s Patriarch himself!

“Mr…” Dong Yuan’s eyes widened, his voice trembling.

All defenses seemed to have failed.

Meng Qi smiled: “Since you want to talk, let’s talk properly.”

…

In the Ghost Village, the Grand Master of the Celestial Temple inspected the crack but found no issues, then led Qin Shuanglian and others back.

Inside the inner hall, the Grand Master inquired about the details of their journey.

As he recalled, he said, “The Ghost Village remains filled with eerie energy…”

Before he could finish, he suddenly collapsed, biting his teeth, his breath rapidly fading. Even the Grand Master couldn’t stop it.

Qin Shuanglian and others watched in despair as the Grand Master’s face darkened. He peeled back the injured man’s robe, revealing a blood-red word carved into his back—“Kill”!