The words left Li Chonglou speechless.
One of the eight great families was on the verge of bankruptcy, yet still maintained such an air of superiority.
It seemed Yu Ke's personality was exactly like her family's.
But if they were truly that capable, why would they agree to a marriage alliance with Zhang Jie?
Feeling unwilling and resentful, she had casually given herself her first time. It was indeed childish behavior.
Li Chonglou naturally didn't mind her tone or words.
Without further discussion, he changed the subject, "Since you don't need my help, what are your conditions? Just name them."
In this world, there was no love without reason. Peeling back the sweet exterior of love, the underlying structure was almost always the same.
It was always about value.
If he offered her no material or spiritual value, she wouldn't have so easily given herself to him.
Since she didn't need material assistance, she could only repay him in other ways.
"Are you really only in your twenties? Why do you sound like an old fossil?" Yu Ke tilted her head, her expression captivating.
Seeing Li Chonglou's confusion, she continued, "In our new era, we're not so particular about sex. I just like you, don't flatter yourself."
"You don't need to pay anything, nor do you need to take responsibility."
"Bye-bye!"
With that, she completely tidied her hair and clothes and left with a flourish.
Li Chonglou watched her close the door, frozen in the room, his expression unyielding for a long time.
Nearly ten minutes later, he finally let out a long sigh.
"I was overthinking it."
He was a rational person. The more rationally he viewed the world, the more orderly it became, like strokes of a character, each in its proper place, methodical and systematic.
Everything had a traceable cause.
Even during his most seemingly spontaneous moments, like when he beat up those who bullied his companions, he was perfectly clear-headed.
He knew the process and the consequences like the back of his hand.
What appeared to be passionate and fiery was, in reality, well-considered and far-sighted.
This personality trait also caused him to often overlook true emotion.
It was only at this moment that he realized Yu Ke was like him in a way. But after all, could anyone be entirely devoid of emotion and purely rational?
If one was unmoved by one person, they were bound to be moved by another.
She simply hadn't found an outlet, so she channeled her emotions into sex and directed it all towards him.
Willing on both sides, no debts owed.
So unrestrained!
What an extraordinary woman!
Li Chonglou felt a surge of respect.
But he didn't see that beyond the corridor, Yu Ke's beautiful eyes gradually turned red, brimming with tears.
They streamed down her cheeks, falling one after another.
Everything that had just happened was an act. She had feigned composure, feigned indifference.
And she had successfully fooled the shaken Li Chonglou.
She hadn't even asked Li Chonglou's name before they became intimate.
All of this was a form of revenge—revenge against herself, against the Yu family, and against Zhang Jie.
"I hope we never meet again." She cried as she left the hotel, called a private car on her phone, and wandered aimlessly through the unfamiliar city of Yong'an.
Meanwhile, in the hotel room, Li Chonglou was immersed in immense joy.
After his mind had settled, he discovered that his true qi, which should have taken some time to recover, had reappeared ahead of schedule.
The meridians that had been blocked due to qi deviation were now unblocked.
He immediately understood that the stimulation Yu Ke had given him was far greater than when he was with Jiang Yuxin.
His mind had been so profoundly shaken that his body had inexplicably recovered.
"I'm finally back!" he exclaimed, feeling the abundant true qi within him, which had reached a new level.
That surge of power, that feeling of being able to punch through a bull, instilled in him a powerful confidence.
Now, he wouldn't have to implicate Xu Lie.
He could handle Shi Jianming by himself and obtain the Dust-Repelling Pearl.
With his true qi restored and his excitement still high, Li Chonglou immediately began cultivating, intending to consolidate the third realm he had just attained.
As dawn broke with the first light of day, Li Chonglou stretched, feeling revitalized.
After washing up and having breakfast, he received a call from Xiao Yun.
"Chonglou, your foresight is incredible!" Xiao Yun's voice was filled with admiration. "Shi Jianming went for a physical examination as soon as he returned to Shangjing yesterday. The results terrified him, and he didn't sleep all night."
"He asked me to tell you that he'll be in Yong'an this afternoon and wants you to treat him."
Hearing this, Li Chonglou felt a slight relief, "Understood, Sister Yun. Tell him to come directly to Han Palace."
He wasn't surprised by this outcome.
Someone like Shi Jianming, who had everything and enjoyed immense prestige, valued his life above all else.
It was only natural that he couldn't sleep after inexplicably contracting cancer.
Even the strongest-willed person has something they care about. In this world, there's no such thing as remaining unfazed by a mountain collapsing before one's eyes; it's merely a matter of not caring.
As long as he arrived in Yong'an, he would undoubtedly bring the Dust-Repelling Pearl. Li Chonglou decided he would snatch it regardless of the circumstances.
Li Chonglou then called Shen Yishou, informing him to bring Tian Shan's items to Han Palace for an in-person transaction that afternoon.
He couldn't rest easy about Qin Zhou for a single moment and needed to resolve things quickly.
With Xu Lie alone, there was no guarantee of his safety.
After all, he had personally witnessed Tian Shan's cunning.
Li Chonglou spent the morning at the hotel's garden, not wanting to go anywhere else.
He stopped to rest in a pavilion and was about to leave when he saw a Tibetan man with weathered skin, adorned with beeswax coral and Sidereal Moon Bodhi beads, walking towards him with a shifty-looking middle-aged man.
This middle-aged man, he recognized.
"Huang Yongshou, what are you doing in Yong'an?" Li Chonglou called out loudly.
Upon hearing his name, Huang Yongshou startled and, upon seeing Li Chonglou, a sheepish smile spread across his face. "Oh, Boss Li, what are you doing here? What a coincidence!"
"Waiting for someone. It is quite a coincidence. Have you found anything good?" Li Chonglou replied with a smile.
This Huang Yongshou was as cunning as a fox and as slippery as an eel, a typical opportunist who wouldn't stir without profit. The fact that he had come all the way to Yong'an and was laughing and chatting with a Tibetan man clearly indicated he had an ulterior motive.
With nothing else to do, and being idle, Li Chonglou decided to see what he was up to.
"Come, come, let me introduce you. This is the renowned Boss Li Chonglou of the Qin Zhou antique circle," Huang Yongshou said, his eyes darting around shrewdly, quickly leading the Tibetan man to sit beside Li Chonglou. "This is a prominent figure from Tibet, named Arusong."
"I'm here in Yong'an to pick him up."
As he spoke, a cunning glint flashed in his eyes, clearly indicating he wasn't telling the truth and was trying to gloss over the matter.
"Hello, I'm looking for Boss Huang. I have a treasure I'd like him to examine," Arusong said deliberately in fluent Mandarin.
Huang Yongshou was merely a broker. His mission this time was to exchange the item for money and bring it back to the village for development.
The more professional people he met, the better. Perhaps he could get more than the estimated price.
Arusong, despite his rough and sturdy appearance, was incredibly meticulous on the inside.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been entrusted with the treasure and flown thousands of kilometers to Yong'an.
"Oh? What treasure is it? May I see it?" Li Chonglou's eyes lit up at the mention of a treasure.