Chapter 306: I Was Just Saying, You're Taking It Seriously!

Chapter 306: I Was Just Talking, You’re Actually Doing It!

At the Mingwu Martial Arts Hall, lanterns and festoons were hung, as if a joyous occasion was at hand.

It could indeed be considered a celebration.

Xu Tiehua of the Mingwu Martial Arts Hall had, for the first time, broken into the top ten of the municipal competition in the martial arts tournament.

At this moment, Xu Tiehua was quite elated and proud.

Though this top-ten ranking was trivial for someone of his status,

it was enough to add luster.

Much like a mayor winning the top three in a municipal calligraphy competition—it was still worthy of praise.

The other two contestants stood behind Xu Tiehua, their eyes filled with envy.

“Senior Brother Xu’s top-ten finish is truly a cause for celebration,” Lin Feng praised.

Yang Jiang also smiled and said, “Within ten years, Senior Brother Xu is expected to reach the limit of a martial artist and win the national martial arts tournament championship!”

The students present felt admiration rise in their hearts upon hearing this.

Winning the national martial arts tournament championship was a great temptation for them.

Becoming champion could bring substantial benefits, even… hundreds of millions.

Endorsements, fame, even becoming a guest of the nobility, and so on.

For Xu Tiehua, fame was more important, as it would benefit his future path.

“Ten years is too long,” Xu Tiehua couldn’t help but sigh.

The martial arts circle was too small, and its prospects too limited.

He wouldn’t stay in the martial arts circle for ten years.

One or two years to claim the title of national top-100 martial artist would be enough.

The martial arts circle’s help to him was limited.

“If I had ten years to win the national martial arts tournament championship, I’d definitely be willing!” Lin Feng laughed.

“Your ten years are different from Senior Brother Xu’s. Brother Xu is going into politics later; why would he waste another ten years in the martial arts circle?” Xing Yu couldn’t help but say.

The others nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

In the Qin Yuan Kingdom, official promotion didn’t rely much on seniority.

After a noble cultivated their reputation for a time, they could enter officialdom.

Now, Xu Tiehua was in the stage of cultivating his reputation.

“Senior Brother Xu, are you going into politics or the military?” Wang Shiqiao asked curiously at this point.

“The military!” Xu Tiehua said firmly.

“The military? That’s too dangerous. The world isn’t peaceful now. The war between Wu Gui and Yue Lang could spread its flames to our country at any moment,” Lin Feng said, his eyes filled with worry.

In his view, the military was far less safe than politics.

After all, gunfire was merciless; it could fall on one’s head at any time.

Yang Jiang had a different view: “Great fortunes come from great risks. Now that war is about to break out, there are many opportunities to make achievements.

Maybe next time we see Senior Brother Xu, we’ll have to call him General!”

“The military is indeed fraught with danger. I heard from a rumor that a few days ago, a military base in Wu Gui, with a regiment stationed there, had its entire regiment slaughtered,” Xing Yu said, a complex look in her eyes.

“Haha, you mean that video of a sword wiping out a military camp? I’ve seen it too. It’s too ridiculous—the special effects look like they cost five cents, not realistic at all!” Wang Shiqiao said loudly.

She had always been hostile to Wu Gui, so it was normal for her to see such videos.

“Your rumors are too obscure. If a whole regiment was wiped out, why haven’t I heard any official reports?” Lin Feng clearly didn’t believe it.

After all, Yue Lang was a military ally of the Qin Yuan Kingdom. If Yue Lang had such an exaggerated achievement, the Qin Yuan news would have reported it extensively.

But now, there was no relevant news report at all.

Everything was just hearsay.

“It is indeed exaggerated. I’ve seen that video too, and I can say for sure that our Qin Yuan Kingdom currently has no weapon with such an effect,” Xu Tiehua said.

Since he was going into the military, he was familiar with all kinds of advanced weapons in Qin Yuan.

No weapon could produce that effect.

Turning into a blood-red giant sword and then slamming down.

Even the attack effect of the Eye of Heaven wasn’t like that.

“I saw comments below saying that someone among us has really started cultivating immortality!” Wang Shiqiao laughed.

Everyone stayed up late cultivating immortality, but someone had actually succeeded.

The other students were baffled, as they hadn’t seen that video.

A group of students chatted idly here for a long time.

Lin Feng and Yang Jiang didn’t inappropriately mention Qi Yuan, who had fled the battle.

The atmosphere in the martial arts hall was harmonious and joyful.

Suddenly, someone called out to Wang Shiqiao.

“Sister Shiqiao, someone’s looking for you.”

Wang Shiqiao turned around and saw the front desk girl.

Before she could react, Xing Yu said teasingly, “She’s bothering you again?”

Wang Shiqiao’s face showed a helpless expression: “Probably, sigh, a cursed fate!”

Xing Yu couldn’t help but laugh loudly: “What cursed fate? Maybe it’s a good match!”

“Get lost! My taste has always been normal—it has to be a handsome guy!”

“She’s not handsome!”

“No matter how handsome she is, she’s still a woman!” Wang Shiqiao said indignantly.

A year ago, she was hanging out in a nightclub and saw a handsome guy. They drank some wine, and the mood got heated.

But when they got to the hotel, she found out the other person didn’t have the right parts.

Wang Shiqiao definitely wasn’t okay with that.

She was straight.

She flatly refused.

She thought that was the end of it, but a few days ago, she ran into that “handsome guy” again.

That “handsome guy” was now pursuing her relentlessly.

She was not one to tire of it.

But she still had to meet the person.

After all, she had only just learned that the person's parents and her family were old family friends.

Wang Shiqiao walked out of the martial arts hall reluctantly, muttering under her breath: "These plastic surgery companies have no conscience—they had to turn a woman into a man, making me fall for such a trick!"

Stepping out of the hall, the sky was clear as washed, the sun blindingly bright.

Wang Shiqiao looked at the crew-cut figure not far away, a helpless expression in her eyes: "Zhao Di, what do you want from me?"

The Zhao Di before her was the handsome guy she had met at the nightclub.

She wore a blue long gown, her chest flat, her features carrying a hint of roughness, looking every bit a man.

"Xiaoqiao, don't resist me. I just want to be friends with you," Zhao Di said, her voice also quite androgynous.

Wang Shiqiao couldn't help rolling her eyes—she didn't believe a word of it.

Friends?

She just wanted to * her.

That line was all too familiar to her.

"In a few days, your aunt's art exhibition will start. Why don't you ask me to come along and show support?

I know some wealthy businessmen who are quite interested in these artworks," Zhao Di said softly.

Five days later, Wang Shiqiao's mother would hold an art exhibition, and Zhao Di meant to attend as a guest.

As the host, Wang Shiqiao had to be there.

Hearing this, Wang Shiqiao grew even more displeased, a surge of anger rising for no reason.

She was used to being wild and free, and what she hated most was this kind of veiled coercion.

Why not just come out with it?

"Sorry, I can't be bothered to go to my mom's exhibition. I wish it had no guests at all, so she'd give up her art dream and go home to play mahjong!" Wang Shiqiao said with some anger.

Zhao Di, hearing this, realized her words were inappropriate and quickly said, "Xiaoqiao, my fault, don't be angry.

Look, I brought you a gift."

As Zhao Di spoke, she took out a bag, opened the leather pouch, and inside lay a broken, fragmentary sword.

"Last time I saw you liked this sword, so I hunted it down for you," Zhao Di said smugly.

Last time Wang Shiqiao browsed the antique street, she had taken a fancy to a broken sword.

But someone else had bought it first, and even when she offered triple the price, the seller wouldn't sell.

At the time, Wang Shiqiao was very disappointed.

That scene happened to be seen by Zhao Di.

So, through threats and bribes, she got the broken sword from that person.

Now, she was offering it as a gift to Wang Shiqiao.

Wang Shiqiao looked at the broken sword, a flash of delight in her eyes, then some irritation: "How did you get this sword?"

To be honest, she disliked Zhao Di and felt repulsed, not just because Zhao Di dressed as a man, but more because she felt they weren't from the same circle.

Though Wang Shiqiao considered herself a rotten person with no morals,

she wouldn't use her family background to bully others or break the law.

Zhao Di was clearly different; she had heard that Zhao Di, in a fit of jealousy, had once broken an ordinary man's leg.

Then, using her powerful family, she escaped legal punishment.

Wang Shiqiao strongly disapproved of such behavior.

This broken sword was likely also obtained by Zhao Di through threats and bribes.

Hearing this, Zhao Di's expression turned cold, and she was now somewhat angry and impatient.

She grabbed Wang Shiqiao's hand, her face icy: "This sword..."

But before she could finish, suddenly a voice came.

"Wang Shiqiao, what a coincidence! I see you as soon as I arrive—looks like today's my lucky day for fortune."

Wang Shiqiao turned to see a well-proportioned young man carrying a gift box, walking over with a light smile.

Seeing Qi Yuan, a flash of joy crossed Wang Shiqiao's eyes, then turned to hesitation.

Clearly, Zhao Di was already angry with her.

If Xu Tiehua had come at this moment, she could boldly use him to get out of this.

But it was Qi Yuan, and she feared bringing unnecessary trouble to him—after all, Qi Yuan came from an ordinary background, and if Zhao Di held a grudge, it would be hard to handle.

"You're back?" Wang Shiqiao struggled a little but couldn't free herself from Zhao Di's grip, so she stopped and continued, "Qi Yuan, Senior Brother Xu Tiehua made it to the top ten in this martial arts tournament. They're celebrating inside—go take a look."

She wanted to keep Qi Yuan out of her troubles.

"Oh, top ten? Seems like our Mingwu Martial Arts Hall is full of hidden talents.

But today I came here specifically to find you." Qi Yuan waved the exquisitely wrapped box in his hand.

Robot Zero-One had specially wrapped it in a pink style, with a pink ribbon tied into a bow, looking quite cute and girly.

"This gift I'm giving you is worth a million!" Qi Yuan waved the gift box, his eyes smiling.

He had two things to do at the martial arts hall: first, find Wang Shiqiao and get the million; second, tell the hall master that he would rarely come to train from now on.

"A million?" Wang Shiqiao was stunned.

Had this guy Qi Yuan finally wised up? Giving her a gift?

If she received a gift from Qi Yuan in the martial arts hall, her first thought would be a conspiracy, her second, pure delight.

Qi Yuan was always honest, so there should be no conspiracy—meaning he had changed.

But at this moment, it wasn't appropriate.

Zhao Di also looked at Qi Yuan with interest, a hint of hostility deep in her eyes: "Xiaoqiao, is this your suitor? Quite handsome?"

Adults all knew that giving gifts meant either asking for a favor or pursuing someone.

Zhao Di naturally thought Qi Yuan was pursuing.

"This gift worth a million—may I have the honor of seeing it?" Zhao Di said.

She could tell at a glance that Qi Yuan's clothes were very ordinary, and the gift wrapping, though seemingly fine, was cheaply fine.

She didn't believe the box contained something worth a million.

Wang Shiqiao naturally caught that Zhao Di was trying to humiliate Qi Yuan, and she couldn't help saying, "This is my gift. It's my freedom to decide when to open it."

She wouldn't give Zhao Di a chance to belittle Qi Yuan.

But then Qi Yuan said, "Better open it now. I need you to confirm, and I'm in a hurry to get back.

I've been traveling for days, too tired—I need to go home and rest well."

Because after resting, he had to continue his journey, following Yang Shan to participate in the martial arts tournament trials.

“Huh?” Wang Shiqiao was stunned, not knowing what Qi Yuan was up to. “Are you sure you want to open it now?”

“Sure, what’s there to fear? There’s no one else here, no surveillance, it’s fine.” Qi Yuan said with certainty.

At that moment, the three of them were in a corner of the martial arts hall building, where there was almost no one.

Wang Shiqiao was a bit bewildered, feeling that Qi Yuan’s words were strange.

Zhao Di, however, reached out and took the packaging box of the Angry Maiden Heart: “Let me open it for you, and see what kind of gift is worth a million!”

As Zhao Di spoke, her hand rested on the silk ribbon, not tearing it off roughly but untying it.

Curiosity was written on her face.

Wang Shiqiao was actually even more curious than her.

It was already unusual for Qi Yuan to give her a gift.

And one worth a million?

Time ticked by, second after second. Zhao Di opened the packaging box, and she smelled a faint, strange fragrance, along with a slight scent of blood and a hint of salt.

She fully lifted the lid of the box.

Suddenly, a massive head, dripping with blood, appeared before her eyes.

“Ah!”

She let out a scream, and the box in her hands fell to the ground with a thud.

She stared at Qi Yuan, her face filled with terror.

At that moment, she was utterly terrified, and without any hesitation, she turned and ran.

The broken sword in her hand fell to the ground, but she didn’t dare to pick it up.

That was a human head!

A real human head!

On the street, presenting a human head as a gift—what kind of savage was that?

Better to flee first!

As for Wang Shiqiao’s fate, why would she care?

At that moment, Wang Shiqiao’s mind was also a blank.

She stood frozen in place, her hands and feet numb, unable to move.

“You… you…” she stammered, looking at Qi Yuan, unable to form words.

“You like this gift, don’t you? Look how excited you are, you can’t even speak.” Qi Yuan said with great understanding.

The other person was stammering—she must be so moved by his gift that she was about to cry.

At that moment, Wang Shiqiao’s legs were numb, her heart trembling with fear. She bitterly regretted that Zhao Di hadn’t dragged her away when she left.

The Qi Yuan before her now seemed like a deranged murderer.

“Alright, I’ve given you the head. Shouldn’t you give me the million?” Qi Yuan extended his hand.

This was a million—enough to buy tens of thousands of bowls of beef noodles. He couldn’t let it go to waste.

At that moment, Wang Shiqiao was completely dumbfounded.

She even imagined that Qi Yuan was blackmailing her.

Holding a human head, extorting a million.

Though she couldn’t understand it, anyone who saw that head would probably pay up.

“I’ve sent my bank card number to your phone. Remember to transfer the money to me,” Qi Yuan said.

Wang Shiqiao looked at Qi Yuan’s sincere eyes and could only nod.

At this point, if she didn’t pay, would she give him the head?

“Why do you look so reluctant?

Do you know how much effort I put into getting this head?

I traveled thousands of miles to the country of Wugui, searched every military base there, and finally found the guy who had been cursing you for a month, and then… I cut off his head.

How much risk did I take? When I went through security, my heart was in my throat!

A million is nothing, isn’t it?” Seeing Wang Shiqiao’s reluctant expression, Qi Yuan rambled on, recounting his hardships.

Wang Shiqiao was stunned.

Cursing her for a month?

Could it be?

She forced herself to look squarely at that bloody head, and when she saw a familiar face,

Wang Shiqiao’s eyes widened: “He is… he is…”

She recognized it—this head belonged to the Guiran officer she had been trading insults with online for a month!

His head… was actually in Qi Yuan’s box.

This unbelievable event left her bewildered.

Suddenly, she remembered that a few days ago, when she had contacted Qi Yuan, he had said he was in Wugui.

She then recalled that a few months ago, she had joked with Qi Yuan.

If Qi Yuan brought her the head of that Guiran officer, she would give him a million.

All of this connected.

Well… Qi Yuan had brought the head.

Now Wang Shiqiao wanted to cry but had no tears, and her heart was full of anxiety.

I was just joking, and you took it seriously?

She was grateful that her joke had been conservative.

If she had accidentally made a bigger one, who knew what Qi Yuan would do?

At the same time, she was filled with countless doubts—how had Qi Yuan managed it?

After all, the other party was an officer of Guiran.

Moreover, the officer’s videos had revealed that he was not an ordinary officer but one with noble status.

How could someone like that, who was just gilding his resume in the military, be killed by Qi Yuan?

Seeing that Wang Shiqiao wasn’t speaking, Qi Yuan quickly continued: “Although I exaggerated a bit, it’s basically the same. The million can’t be reduced.”

This was the Qi-style inequality.

Wang Shiqiao looked at Qi Yuan, swallowed, and said, “I’ll transfer the million to you right away.”

A million, for Wang Shiqiao, was both a lot and not a lot—she could scrape it together.

After all, the head had been brought to her—how could she dare not comply?

If Qi Yuan were to cut off her head and place it in this gift box, how wronged would she feel?

She decided that from now on, when speaking with Qi Yuan, she must be careful, no more careless talk.

No, better yet, stay as far away from Qi Yuan as possible.

“You’d better keep that head safe—no seven-day no-reason returns, and no refunds either!” Qi Yuan repeated earnestly.

Seeing this, Wang Shiqiao could only close the gift box with trepidation, clutching the present with a look of utter despair: “Okay.”

“Hey, there’s a broken sword here. Whose is it? Who dropped it? Is it ownerless?” Qi Yuan’s gaze fell on the broken sword on the ground; he bent down and picked it up. “Since it’s ownerless, it’s mine now.”

Qi Yuan was in a good mood, feeling that fortune smiled on him today.

Not only had he earned a million, but he’d also gained a broken sword.

This broken sword, to him as a cultivator, was insignificant.

But to Qi Yuan the martial artist, it held some importance.

Listening to Qi Yuan’s words and watching his act, Wang Shiqiao dared not contradict him: “Right, ownerless things—now they’re yours.”

Qi Yuan stowed the broken sword with a clear conscience, then said, “Come on, let’s head back to the martial arts school together.”

Wang Shiqiao hugged the gift box and nodded numbly.

She dared not refuse Qi Yuan’s words.

Even if Qi Yuan told her to strip and run naked right now, she could only grit her teeth and agree.

Wang Shiqiao followed behind Qi Yuan, clutching the head in the gift box tightly, her mind in turmoil.

Soon, the two entered the martial arts school.

Xing Yu’s gaze turned toward them, a hint of surprise in her eyes; she skipped over Qi Yuan and looked at Wang Shiqiao, saying with a smile, “Oh, is that a gift from that someone?

Judging by your expression, you really don’t like it?

If you don’t like it, just throw it away!”

Hearing her best friend’s words, Wang Shiqiao panicked: “I like it—I like it a lot!”

“I gave it to her,” Qi Yuan said flatly from the side.

Xing Yu’s eyes flickered with surprise: “You blockhead… finally opened your eyes and gave Xiaoqiao a gift?

Xiaoqiao, let me see—what kind of gift is it!”

As she spoke, Xing Yu reached out to pry open the gift box.

Wang Shiqiao hastily stepped back: “Don’t!”

Seeing this, Xing Yu refrained from further prying and instead laughed: “It’s not one of those gifts that makes a girlfriend cry with emotion, is it?”

Wang Shiqiao didn’t answer, but in her heart she agreed—she was indeed moved to tears, and dared not move at all!

After parting with Wang Shiqiao and the others, Qi Yuan went to see the second senior brother of the martial arts school.

His purpose was simple.

Now that he had reached the peak of martial arts, there was nothing more to learn at the school.

So he came to inform the second senior brother that he would be coming less often from now on.

“Oh, fine. You’re a student, you paid your fees—whatever you say goes.” The second senior brother chuckled, not refusing Qi Yuan’s request. “By the way, you missed the martial arts tournament this time—what a shame. Xu Tiehua performed well and got ninth place!”

In the martial arts school, others flattered Xu Tiehua by saying he made the top ten, never mentioning the exact rank, because Xu Tiehua had placed ninth.

“Not bad—talented people emerge in every generation,” Qi Yuan praised casually.

The second senior brother said with some regret, “It’s a pity you didn’t come. If you had participated, our school could have fielded four people for the team competition and might have secured a spot.”

To this, Qi Yuan shrugged: “A friend of mine was in trouble, so I had to go abroad.

When you see Xu Tiehua later, please tell him for me.”

Qi Yuan did have some social grace.

Though he had a mental illness certificate, he still had to play the part of a socially graceful madman.

He had stood Xu Tiehua up, so he owed an apology.

But since he probably wouldn’t come to the school anymore, he’d let the second senior brother pass the message.

“Yeah, it’s no big deal, nothing serious.

Looks like you’ll have to wait until next year for a chance to join the martial arts tournament and see the world,” the second senior brother continued. “But by next year, you’ll probably be a martial artist already—you might even get a good ranking.”

Qi Yuan shook his head: “Why wait until next year? I’m still going to participate in the national martial arts tournament this year…”

“Haha… to win the championship, right?” the second senior brother laughed.

Qi Yuan’s boast about winning the national martial arts tournament had spread throughout the school, but no one took it seriously.

Seeing the amusement in the second senior brother’s eyes, Qi Yuan couldn’t be bothered to explain, nor would he.

(End of chapter)