196: Chapter 196 is owed to me for now.

The small building in the rear courtyard of the Governor's Mansion.

Xu Chaoyang and Wei Mingzhu sat at a small table, having just finished listening to Peng Lin's report. Both were silent for a moment.

"Incredible. Isn't he only at the first stage of Qi Manipulation?"

"An entire ten-man squad couldn't subdue him, and he even managed to injure you that badly?"

"If you're not exaggerating, the research The Sect has done on Alien God laws has reached a terrifying level."

"This Holy Messenger is truly unexpected."

As he said this, Xu Chaoyang rubbed his forehead.

"In that case, it's troublesome."

"Right now, rumors are flying everywhere, claiming my wife is one of the Sun Worshipers. If The Sect comes to hold us accountable, how should I respond?"

Peng Lin's face changed abruptly. She immediately said, "Sir, I can offer my life at once. As long as I die, they'll have no evidence!"

"Naive. With The Sect's methods, if they want to verify an identity, there's simply no escaping it."

Wei Mingzhu stood up. "Chaoyang, this matter shouldn't implicate you. I'll leave Song City right now."

Xu Chaoyang quickly pressed her back down. "What's the hurry? It's not that serious."

"With the High Priest present, they could demand anything they wanted."

"Now that something has happened to the High Priest, do I still need to fear them? The question now is whether they have the nerve to provoke me."

"However, this Tang Long is indeed very troublesome."

"After all, he's a Holy Messenger of The Sect. It's inconvenient for me to act directly, and you've just failed. Ask your brothers if they have any good ideas to make him... disappear."

————

Central District.

Miao Manman sat on a flower bed by the street, head bowed in silence.

She had just come from the Qiguang Sect's home, her purpose being to borrow money.

After all, the Thunder Emperor's Eight Scenes Art was priced very high. Even if Tang Long was willing to give a discount, the basic cost was a huge amount.

She had called the Qiguang Sect, but he wasn't home and had his wife receive her instead.

She managed to borrow one million.

She knew that was already quite a lot, but it was still far from what was needed.

And the things the Qiguang Sect's wife had said...

Before this, she had always thought her grandfather had old friends everywhere, and that she could always scrape together enough if she swallowed her pride.

But now, for the first time, she felt how difficult it was to have to ask others for money.

She really didn't want to do it again.

However, she had just learned that Qin Bing and the others had succeeded in their Empowerment.

According to Qin Bing, just following the crowd wouldn't work; they had all received special individual care to succeed. And even then, Lu Xiaohu had lost an eye.

She didn't want to lose an eye. She also wanted to receive individual Empowerment, but she had no money.

Money~~!!!

She had never worried about money before, nor did she know how hard it was to earn. After her grandfather's death, it was Ye Qingzhou who covered all her expenses, and he hadn't even told her about most of them.

But just now, she had called Ye Qingzhou several more times, and he hadn't answered.

Of all the calls she made today, the ones to Ye Qingzhou were the only ones not about money.

It was because... Ye Baiyan had just called to tell her that he had found another marriage prospect for Ye Qingzhou in Huaidu and hoped she would agree to terminate their engagement.

She just wanted to hear Ye Qingzhou's thoughts.

Now, she probably knew Ye Qingzhou's thoughts.

It wasn't exactly sadness, just a bit of... disappointment.

She suddenly thought of Tang Long again. The other day, she couldn't help but tell Tang Long about some of her troubles, and Tang Long had also shared some of his future aspirations with her.

He even talked about how high one had to climb to change Dongyu, joking that unless she became the Empress of Dongyu.

But now...

She couldn't become a duchess, couldn't even get past the hurdle of money. Would she even have a future?

She took out her phone and couldn't resist sending a message to Tang Long: "What to do if I have no money?"

A good while after sending it, she suddenly realized her question was inappropriate.

Her intention was to ask Tang Long how to earn money, but it looked like she was asking to borrow money.

Moreover, Tang Long actually replied, and the answer surprised her even more.

"Put it on tab."

This simple answer made Miao Manman stare blankly.

A while later, Tang Long sent two more messages.

"The Jinyue Martial Arts Hall is short of instructors. The pay is decent. You can do a part-time job and pay it back slowly."

"Go find Hall Master Jin Xie and sign a contract first. Tell him it's my idea, to give you the treatment of a senior instructor."

"I'll be back at the Martial Arts Hall this afternoon to perform your Empowerment."

Miao Manman was hesitant, but when she saw the words 'Empowerment,' she couldn't find a reason to refuse.

She immediately hailed a taxi and headed for the Jinyue Martial Arts Hall.

Over ten minutes later, she arrived outside the Jinyue Martial Arts Hall and saw a crowd of several hundred people already gathered, densely packed at the main entrance. Among them were clearly many students from the First Specialized Academy, and many who were likely parents.

At that moment, an older instructor came out the door and shouted to the crowd, "Everyone, quiet down, listen to me!"

"This Hall understands your feelings."

"But there are only eighty slots for Heritage Empowerment this month, and they are already full!"

As soon as he said this, the crowd erupted.

"What! It's so expensive, and you can't even sign up?"

"My child is in the same class as Tang Long! I want to see Tang Long!"

"Instructor, my name is Sun Jian. Tang Long and I are close buddies. Please tell him for me!"

"Only so few slots per month? How many years will we have to wait!"

"I'm a friend of Hall Master Jin! I want to see Hall Master Jin!"

"Silence!"

The old instructor's face turned stern as he shouted loudly, and the scene quieted down a bit.

"Everyone! You know in your hearts whether the fee for a Wuque Method heritage is expensive or not."

"If it were really that expensive, would so many people be rushing to sign up?"

"Our Hall's Honorary Vice Hall Master and Deputy Chief Instructor, Mr. Tang Long, is now a Royal Knight, an Honorary Academician of the National Academy, an Advisor to the Songcheng Divine Academy, and a Special Instructor at the Military Academy!"

"He needs to undertake Empowerment tasks assigned by three institutions including the National Academy. It's already very difficult for him to spare some effort to benefit everyone."

"Sir Tang's name is not to be borrowed lightly. At the Jinyue Martial Arts Hall, we also hope everyone can maintain order!"

"If anyone goes too far, they will be immediately blacklisted by this Hall! Permanently deprived of Empowerment eligibility!"

"However, if you wish to compete for slots next month, I suggest you first enroll in our Hall's Tai Chi tutoring class and practical combat advanced class!"

"Currently, those enrolled in these two classes have priority registration rights for next month!"

"Now, those who want to sign up for the Tai Chi class or the practical combat class, line up here with me to register and get a registration card. The fee per session is twenty thousand! Those who don't want to sign up, please leave in an orderly manner!"

The crowd was briefly quiet, then immediately began clamoring again.

"Then I want to sign my child up for the Tai Chi class!"

"Make way, I want to sign up for the practical combat class!"

"I want to sign up too..."

This scene made Miao Manman stare blankly for another long while.

She originally had little concept of money, but she wasn't a fool. A simple calculation could give her a rough idea of how high Tang Long's monthly income must be.

Just then, Qin Bing came out the door, waved to her, and squeezed his way through the crowd.

"Make way, let me through!"

"Vice President, over here, over here!"

"Oh, right, I now announce: After careful consideration by this Hall, another metal-element Wuque Method will be publicly taught, personally instructed by Hall Master Jin!"

"Interested friends can follow our Hall's public information! Registration starts tomorrow! Tomorrow!"

"There's also information about recruiting instructors at the Blood Refining realm! Excellent salary, experienced applicants prioritized!"

"Vice President, come quickly! Old Tang has already arranged your contract. Monthly salary of ten thousand, includes room and board. Just come in with me to sign it."

One astonishing piece of news followed another. Miao Manman barely managed to steady her mind.

But just as she was about to step forward, the urgent sound of police sirens came from the street.