Ambush

A net worth of tens of millions meant little in Yunmeng City, but in Shanlong City, it was enough to make someone a prominent local figure. Zhang Qing drove a vehicle worth over six hundred thousand, bringing Yaoguang before a sixteen-story building. The complex was formed by four towers arranged in a square. While its architectural style lacked distinctive flair, the structure was massive, with a total floor area of easily over a hundred thousand square meters. "Right here." Zhang Qing smiled. "Yulong International City. This is the most famous den for squandering fortunes in all of Shanlong—even across the border in Mingguang City. Countless tourists and foreign guests come here for entertainment every year, and it brings in nearly twenty percent of Shanlong City's total tax revenue." As he parked, he continued his introduction: "Master Lei became a shareholder in Yulong International City not long ago. Aside from practicing martial arts at his manor, he spends most of his time here." Yaoguang nodded without speaking. Instead, he employed his secret art to sense any individuals nearby with abnormal qi and blood. Before long, he had his answer. "One piece of good news, and one piece of bad news." He calmed the surging qi and blood within him. "No, to be precise, two pieces of good news." The first piece of good news was that, just as he had suspected, Lei Ao's meteoric rise in cultivation was indeed due to demonic possession. The second piece of good news was that Lei Ao was not the only demon-possessed individual associated with his manor. There were three red dots in total. This... was a demon den. "Ever since Master Lei made a name for himself as Shanlong's number one, it's gotten harder and harder for people like us to see him in person. But with your background, Young Master Su, if you drop a hint that you want to learn martial arts from him, Master Lei will jump at the chance to teach you," Zhang Qing said with a laugh. "No rush," Yaoguang replied. "Since this is a visit, I should show proper courtesy. Right now counts as Master Lei's working hours. It won't be too late to seek him out once he's off the clock." His secret sensing art lacked three-dimensional depth. It only revealed the target's relative position. With sixteen floors in this building and three separate red dots, he could not tell which one was Lei Ao. Therefore... He would proceed according to his original plan. One by one. "You're truly humble and respectful toward talent, Young Master Su." Zhang Qing voiced his heartfelt admiration. "So, what would you like to do in the meantime? Shanlong City naturally can't compare to Tiannan's provincial capital, but Yulong International has plenty of fun to offer. After all... certain things strictly prohibited in Dayu aren't enforced quite as tightly here on the border. Practically anything you want to eat, drink, or play with can be found here." With that, a thought seemed to strike him. "You have an interest in martial arts, Young Master Su. Yulong International has a boxing ring. How about we go check it out?" "Sure." Yaoguang nodded. Compared to Daxia before his transmigration, the general environment of Dayu—and indeed this entire world—had a far richer martial arts culture due to the existence of "inhuman" figures like Martial Saints. In world-class martial arts tournaments in particular, a single round of competition could see winners raking in billions. World-champion-tier figures also commanded hundreds of millions in appearance fees for commercial events. Under such circumstances, local martial arts competitions were naturally held far more frequently than in Daxia. Boxing rings and martial combat arenas were standard fixtures in top commercial complexes. Unfortunately... While the facilities were top-notch, the combatants' abilities were hardly commendable. Just as Ye Yuhe had described, anyone who attained the level of Martial Artist could earn a respectable income in municipal and provincial competitions. The fighters at Yulong International fell into this category as well. Anyone with a Level 1 certificate could step into the ring, with appearance fees ranging from a thousand to tens of thousands. Only during major tournaments would Martial Masters make an appearance. After watching for a while, Yaoguang found it tedious. Furthermore, what he planned to do next was clearly unsuitable for spectators, so he sent Zhang Qing on his way. ... After parting ways with Su Yaoguang, the young man who had accompanied Zhang Qing could not help asking, "Brother Zhang, the Zhang family might not be kings of the mountain in Shanlong, but we're still prominent figures with plenty of face. You went out of your way to cater to him, showed him around, covered all his expenses, and yet he didn't even give you a warm expression. Just what is this Young Master Su's background?" "His background?" Zhang Qing did not feel slighted in the least; on the contrary, he found Su Yaoguang's attitude entirely normal. Hearing his friend's question, he even puffed out his chest slightly. "Didn't I just say it? This Young Master Su comes from Tiannan's provincial capital. Tell me, what kind of background could he have?" "The provincial capital?" The young man paused, and then something clicked. His eyes widened. "It can't be... that Su family? The one spanning electronics, heavy industry, finance, chemicals, and all those other sectors—the founders of Buzhou Group?" "Who else?" Zhang Qing said. "*Hiss!*" The young man drew a sharp breath. Buzhou Group! An absolute corporate conglomerate powerhouse across all of Tiannan! In the entire province, they ranked second only to the aristocratic families. And the only reason they ranked behind those families was that the aristocrats held political power while the conglomerates controlled money—a division of labor. In Dayu, political power trumped wealth. Had this been a federal nation where capital reigned supreme, the Su family's weight would not have fallen short of those aristocratic clans in the slightest. Moreover... The Su family's Buzhou Group was the absolute pinnacle of Tiannan. In his prime, Old Master Su had been hailed as the wealthiest man in the province. Although an engagement between the second young miss, Su Yaoxue, and the Ye family's fourth young master, Ye Xingchen, had been broken off three years ago, causing friction with the long-allied Ye clan and diminishing the Su family's prestige, they remained among the very top tier of dignitaries within Tiannan. In an instant, their attitudes shifted dramatically. "To think you were actually able to strike up a conversation with Young Master Su, Brother Zhang! The heir to a corporate conglomerate like that... we usually only see people like him in movies." "Exactly! Being able to connect with him is proof enough of your capabilities, Brother Zhang. What does it matter if Young Master Su is a bit aloof? That kind of demeanor is only fitting for his status!" The two spoke in rapid succession. "I need to head home and seek advice from my father. If I can host Young Master Su well while he's visiting Shanlong, our entire Zhang family will benefit immensely." Zhang Qing waved his hand and quickly departed as well, racking his brain along the way for a way to stage an accidental encounter and reignite Su Yaoguang's interest. ... Inside a luxury sedan returning to the manor. Lei Ao looked out at the glittering neon lights, unable to resist licking his scarlet lips. "What a marvelous place. The people of the Artifact Sect... really know how to enjoy themselves." But now... The situation had changed. His gaze turned chilling. Soon... Very soon, they would no longer have to skulk around in hiding like this. Watching the pedestrians coming and going on the streets, he seemed to recall something delightful and called out, "A'bao, we're short on hands at the industrial park. Have the publicity department recruit more people. I'll be inspecting the place in three days." "Understood, Boss," the driver replied. Before long, the car came to a stop. There appeared to be a traffic jam ahead. The driver, A'bao, glanced at the navigation, turned the steering wheel, and veered into a side alley. This route was actually shorter, but because the road was in poor condition and full of potholes, he rarely took it. Still, as long as he drove slowly, it would not make much of a difference. Just then, a shared bicycle overtook their car from behind and came to a halt directly in the road ahead of them. A person dressed like a student stepped off the bike. *Beep!* A'bao honked the horn. The person paid no heed, walking straight up to the rear passenger seat where the boss sat and knocking on the glass. "Lei Ao?" he asked. Inside the car, Lei Ao frowned. Without needing a command, A'bao shifted into park, unbuckled his seatbelt, and prepared to get out... At that moment, the person spoke again: "Never mind. It doesn't matter if you're Lei Ao or not. You're all the same in essence." *Bang!* The next instant, the locked car door was violently torn apart, sending iron splinters flying. As Lei Ao snapped his head up, an invisible blade plunged downward through the neon-lit gloom. Lei Ao reacted with remarkable speed. The moment the sword gleam tore through the air, he threw his upper body backward and to the side. Within the cramped confines of the cabin, his legs coiled and snapped out like compressed springs. One foot kicked toward the arm driving the sword. The other slammed into the sedan's B-pillar, using the rebound to propel himself out in a rapid glide. His right hand pushed against the seat, launching his body airborne. The entire sequence was fluid and seamless. He clearly intended to use his momentum to shatter the car window on the other side and vault out, escaping the disadvantage of the cramped terrain. This entire chain of movements unfolded with blinding speed, happening in the blink of an eye.