61: Chapter 61 Goodwill from the Zhou Family? You know perfectly well whether it was open or not!

Early the next morning, Lu Cheng entered No. 3 High School as usual.

Just as he walked to the teaching building, he felt the atmosphere was a bit off.

Passing students were all peeking at him; some gathered together whispering, others bowed their heads typing on their phones, looking up at him after finishing, their eyes full of strangeness and excitement.

Lu Cheng's steps faltered, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Is there something written on my face?"

Two boys nearby heard this and almost couldn't hold it in, quickly turning their heads away.

Lu Cheng took out his phone, and as soon as he entered the campus forum, the top post on the homepage jumped right into his eyes.

[Shock! No. 3 High School's school belle fights for a husband in the middle of the night!]

[Shura field on a roadside bench, high-definition uncensored candid video!]

[Xia Xi pounces and hugs Lu Cheng on the street, Su Wan is present the whole time, suspected love triangle confirmed!]

Below it were several screenshots.

There was one of Xia Xi pouncing into his arms.

There was one of Su Wan standing behind with a slightly flushed face.

The most ridiculous one was a photo of his back as he carried Xia Xi in a princess carry and ran away; the angle was extremely tricky, the atmosphere was maxed out, looking like an idol drama poster.

Lu Cheng stared at the screen for two seconds.

"Damn it."

The replies below the post were going crazy.

"Why on earth does Lu Cheng deserve this?!"

"Who said yesterday that he and Su Wan had something going on? Today there's another one, Xia Xi?"

"I announce, the sky of No. 3 High School has collapsed."

"Did he really carry Xia Xi away at the end?!"

"OP, do you still have the full video? I'll pay a high price for it!"

Lu Cheng's eye twitched as he read it.

These people are never this active during cultivation, but their speed at gossiping is top-notch.

He put away his phone and continued walking to the classroom.

Along the way, the surrounding gazes never ceased.

Lu Cheng couldn't be bothered and pushed open the door to the classroom.

The classroom was originally quite lively, but as the door opened, the noise level dropped significantly.

Dozens of eyes swept over at once.

Lu Cheng walked in without changing his expression, though he had already started complaining in his heart.

Fine.

It looks like today's class won't be peaceful.

Just as he walked near his seat, he saw that Xia Xi was already sitting there.

She came very early today, her hair tied up neatly, and her school uniform worn properly.

Her back was straight, and she had a book spread out in her hands, looking like she was studying hard on the surface.

But... why is her book upside down?!

Hearing footsteps approaching, Xia Xi's shoulders trembled slightly, then she immediately buried her face lower, pretending to be focused on reading.

Lu Cheng stood beside her and watched for two seconds, his mouth twitching.

The person who shouted "I want it too" last night has turned into a coward quite quickly today.

"Morning."

He greeted her casually.

Xia Xi's hand shook, and she flipped the wrong page.

"M-morning!"

She answered quickly, her eyes fixed firmly on the book, not looking at Lu Cheng at all.

After Lu Cheng sat down, he turned his head to look at her.

Xia Xi immediately turned her face lower, her neck even turning red.

It seems she won't dare to make eye contact with him all day.

For the rest of the day, the atmosphere in the classroom was very subtle.

It wasn't until the school bell rang that Xia Xi seemed to finally let out a sigh of relief.

Lu Cheng packed his things, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked towards the school gate as usual.

Not long after walking out of the school gate, a slightly tense voice suddenly came from behind.

"Lu Cheng!"

Lu Cheng stopped and looked back.

Xia Xi was jogging to catch up, her chest heaving slightly, her face still a bit red; it was clear she had gathered a lot of courage to chase after him.

"What's wrong?"

Just as Lu Cheng asked, Xia Xi had already rushed in front of him.

She looked up at him, her eyes shining brightly, and in the next second, she suddenly leaned forward.

Pop!

A very light sound.

She kissed Lu Cheng directly on the face.

After kissing him, she was stunned for a moment herself, then her face turned completely red, and she turned and ran, her movements as fast as a startled deer.

After running a few steps, she shouted back to Lu Cheng with her back turned.

"Yesterday... returning it to you!"

As her voice faded, she had already run far away.

Lu Cheng stood there, dazed for a long time.

After two seconds, he raised his hand to touch his face.

It was wet.

Full of saliva... it smelled good...

This time it was Lu Cheng's turn not to know what to do...

This little girl... forget it...

Lu Cheng shook his head and walked towards the way home.

After walking for a while, a black business car slowly pulled over by the roadside outside the school gate.

The car's lines were steady, the paint was shiny, and the license plate was very eye-catching; at a glance, it was not a model that an ordinary family could afford.

Several students nearby who hadn't gone far subconsciously slowed their pace.

The car door opened, and a middle-aged man in a dark grey suit stepped out.

His hair was combed meticulously, his expression was steady, his demeanor was restrained, and he was followed by two people carrying metal cases.

The middle-aged man looked at Lu Cheng with a perfectly appropriate smile on his face.

"Student Lu, sorry to bother you."

Lu Cheng stopped, his eyes narrowing slightly. At a time like this, which distinguished guest would come looking for him...

The middle-aged man walked two steps closer, his tone very calm.

"Let me introduce myself. My surname is Han, and I work for the Zhou Family. The family already knows about what happened a while ago."

"Conflicts between young people shouldn't have escalated to that point. The Zhou Family regrets this and is willing to express some goodwill."

He was not referring to the matter involving Xia Xi, but the personal conflict with Zhou Lize.

As he spoke, he raised his hand.

The people behind him immediately opened the cases.

Inside were several vials of potions neatly arranged.

There were special recovery potions for healing injuries, red potions for increasing blood energy, and the one in the very middle was darker in color, with faint blood threads flowing in the liquid, and sealing patterns on the bottle.

Steward Han looked at Lu Cheng, his voice lowering a bit.

"This bottle is a Beast Bloodline Potion."

"Consider it a little sincerity from the Zhou Family."

Lu Cheng looked at the potion, his heart moved.

The Zhou Family was really willing to spend big this time.

The Xia Family hadn't completely burned bridges either, and they must have deeper concerns.

He couldn't get involved in the power struggle between major forces yet.

You don't hit a smiling face.

Besides, there's no need to refuse resources handed to you, and no need to go against money.

Lu Cheng's eyes shifted, and he already had an idea.

He might not be able to use this himself.

Accepting it in public, he could just turn around and sell it to the Qian Family later.

The Qian Family lacked nothing but money and channels; exchanging this potion for cash or other resources would definitely be worth it.

Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Lu Cheng's face.

"The Zhou Family is quite classy."

Steward Han smiled slightly: "As long as Student Lu is satisfied."

Lu Cheng reached out and took the items.

"Then I will accept it."

Steward Han nodded, didn't say much more, and took a step back as if he had completed his task.

"I hope that in the future, everyone can be more harmonious."

Lu Cheng scoffed in his heart, but cooperated on the surface.

"I think so too."

After the business car drove away, the discussions among the surrounding students grew louder.

Lu Cheng looked at the potion in his hand, his brow furrowed slightly. What exactly is the Zhou Family planning...?

After he walked past an intersection, five people approached him.

Three men and two women, dressed plainly, with gentle temperaments, and smiles on their faces that made it hard for people to be on guard.

One of the middle-aged women held several brochures printed with pale gold patterns.

"Student, sorry to take a moment of your time."

"Have you been under a lot of pressure lately? Cultivation, grades, family expectations... Actually, in life, it doesn't necessarily have to be just the path of martial arts."

Another man also smiled and chimed in.

"We are doing spiritual purification counseling to help young people overcome anxiety."

"Martial arts is not the only way out. Let go of your obsessions, and you will truly be relaxed."

Lu Cheng's steps paused, his eyes dimming slightly.

A student who had just finished school stopped to listen for a bit. The woman immediately pointed out that the student's father had been bedridden for years and the family couldn't afford high cultivation resources, her tone terrifyingly gentle.

Another boy just started to show some hesitation, and the people there immediately mentioned that his blood energy hadn't been rising, his class ranking was slipping, and he had recently been talked to by a teacher.

These people have problems...

He slowed his pace, wanting to see what was going on.

Judging by their aura, these five people were not martial artists...

Of course, there was another possibility: they were already above the Hua Hai Realm, and he couldn't detect them...

But... sending five Hua Hai Realm experts out for a pyramid scheme... that really didn't make sense.

Just then, hurried footsteps suddenly came from behind.

"Lu Cheng!"

Lu Cheng looked back and saw that it was actually Xia Xi.

She was running a bit urgently, obviously having turned back, and a few strands of hair on her forehead were blown messy by the wind.

"Why did you come back?"

Just as Lu Cheng finished asking, Xia Xi's gaze had already landed on those proselytizers.

In the next second, her expression changed directly.

The slightly spoiled and lively expression she usually had vanished instantly, her eyes turned cold, and her voice dropped.

"Step back."

Lu Cheng was stunned... his whole body's blood energy burst forth!

The proselytizers also saw Xia Xi, their smiles stiffening for a moment, then quickly returning to normal.

"This student, we are just doing some public welfare promotion..."

"Shut up."

Xia Xi stared at them, her finger already quietly pressing on her communicator, her tone cold and hard.

"You bunch of things, you actually dare to sneak to the gate of No. 3 High School."

Xia Xi stared at those brochures, her breathing deepening a bit.

She recognized this pattern, and even more, she recognized that smell on these people—washed very clean, but impossible to hide.

The evil cult that the Zhou Family has been backing in the dark...

The coldness in Xia Xi's eyes grew heavier. So, the 'contagion' had signs so early?

But... this time... I won't give you the chance to prepare. Before you start, I'll take out your nest first!

While staring at those people, she had already sent the message out.

The proselytizers sensed something was wrong, and the gentle smiles on their faces finally couldn't be maintained.

One of the men whispered: "Go."

The few of them turned around and wanted to scatter.

But they had only taken two steps when two figures blocked them at the corner of the street.

In the next second, several unmarked black cars in the distance screeched to a halt, and the doors flew open in unison.

A murderous aura instantly pressed over.

...

Half an hour later.

Deep in the sewers of Rong City, in a closed space that had been converted into a stronghold, the air was damp and stinking. Dim yellow light bulbs hung on the walls, there were dark stains on the floor, and iron cages and potion boxes were piled in the corners.

Dozens of cultists surrounded a huge beast corpse, applying medicinal liquid.

Boom!!!

A thick wall exploded on the spot, gravel and sewage splashing everywhere.

Immediately after, the wall on the other side was kicked through!

Six figures with powerful auras rushed in first, their Source Power churning, making the whole space hum.

Six Hua Hai Realm experts!

Behind them, thirty Meridian Opening Realm martial artists filed in, their movements uniform and murderous, instantly sealing off all exits.

The figure in the very front stepped in, his military boots crushing the bricks and stones on the ground, his surrounding Source Power terrifyingly heavy.

It was none other than Xia Yunchi.

The Mayor of Rong City, a War General Realm powerhouse!

The cultists in the stronghold saw this scene, their faces turning pale, their voices changing pitch.

"How could you... how could you possibly know about this place?!"

The sect had only just settled in Rong City for two days... and their largest base was discovered?

With the help of that Lord, they were sure that every detail had not been leaked...

No leaks, yet you attacked? This... whether you cheated or not, you know it yourself?!

Xia Yunchi's eyes were cold, and he couldn't even be bothered to say a word of nonsense to them.

"Take them all down."

The moment the order fell, the entire stronghold exploded into chaos.

Several cultists screamed and retreated, raising their hands to open the iron cages behind them.

Roar!!

Heads of Polluted Exotic Beasts controlled by pollution rushed out crazily, their eyes black, fur rotting, wrapped in chain fragments, their auras extremely violent.

Several of them had already reached the Meridian Opening Realm level.

But just as these things pounced out, a Hua Hai Realm martial artist in the front row raised his hand and slashed with his blade.

A flash of blade light.

The three leading beasts were directly cut into two.

Blood and organs splashed all over the ground.

On the other side, two Hua Hai Realm experts attacked simultaneously, their Source Power crashing down, and a large number of beasts were blown apart on the spot before they could even let out a scream.

Polluted Exotic Beasts of the Meridian Opening Realm were as fragile as paper in front of those in the Middle Three Realms.

The stronghold was in complete chaos.

Some cultists wanted to escape, some wanted to fight for their lives, and others knelt on the ground screaming for mercy.

But the military and the Xia Family were clearly here with the intention of cleaning them up thoroughly this time.

In less than a few minutes, all resistance was completely crushed.

One by one, the cultists had their limbs broken, were pressed to the ground, and had sealing locks put on them.

Xia Yunchi stood in the center of the stronghold, his expression extremely grim.

He scanned the surroundings, his eyes growing colder and colder.

There were remains of exotic beasts by the wall.

There were pollution culture tanks.

And there were several corpses of children that could no longer be identified, curled up in the corner, still connected to IV tubes and experimental needles.

The fishy stench in the air, mixed with the smell of medicine and rot, made one's chest feel clogged.

The veins on the back of Xia Yunchi's hands bulged, and his voice was extremely low.

"Damned cultists..."

He looked around.

This closed space was large, covering about two acres, with a complex structure and many hidden doors...

Hidden under Rong City was such a large stronghold.

He, as the mayor, had never noticed it.

Xia Yunchi's face was so ugly it could almost drip water.

"How was such a large place built right under my nose?"

Or... was the former mayor... also involved in it?

His gaze grew colder, and soon, the searchers began to report back.

"Report! Found a batch of experimental records!"

"Report! Discovered some names and fund flow!"

"Report! The secret warehouse on the east side has been emptied; many things have been transferred in advance!"

Xia Yunchi took the documents and quickly flipped through a few pages, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter.

There were things.

But it was far from enough.

For such a large evil cult stronghold, the core information was pitifully scarce, and many key names and route maps were not left behind.

This meant that they had other strongholds in Rong City, or even in the suburbs.

And they were of a higher level.

Xia Yunchi slowly closed the documents, looked up at the deeper dark passage, and the killing intent in his eyes rose bit by bit.

"Continue the search."

"Turn Rong City's underground upside down, inch by inch, for me."