On an unknown mountain far from the urban center of Jiangnan City.
A great disturbance suddenly erupted halfway up the mountainside.
The entire mountain, from the inside out, began to vibrate.
The surrounding trees swayed incessantly, and the birds and beasts were startled.
In broad daylight.
A dark figure emerged from a cave at the site of the incident.
The person was disheveled, with a full beard, and clad in rags, resembling a wild man.
"Haha, is this the Hidden Yuan Realm mentioned in the book? It feels so powerful."
The speaker.
Feeling the immense power within him, he suddenly threw a punch towards the trees not far ahead.
With a crack.
A gust of energy whistled past, and the large tree snapped.
"Haha, I, this young master, am truly a rare genius. This strength is simply too formidable."
The wild man was ecstatic, letting out hearty laughter.
If it weren't for it being daytime, judging by his appearance.
He could easily be mistaken for a wandering spirit.
Coming to the riverbank, he washed himself thoroughly.
The wild man also revealed his true appearance.
Not to mention, despite being tanned, he was quite handsome.
He...
Was none other than Li Dabai, who had been missing for a long time.
Back then.
After his father, Li Jiangshan, left, he had told Li Dabai that he had left some things for him at home.
If it was suitable, he could explore them.
Judging by Li Dabai's current appearance, the answer was obvious.
It was indeed very suitable.
Otherwise, how could it have been so long.
Li Dabai would not have advanced from an ordinary person to the strength of the Hidden Yuan Realm.
"Hehe, with my current strength, I'm afraid even Zhang Yang can't beat me, right?"
Li Dabai chuckled foolishly.
He located his direction and hurried down the mountain.
However...
Not long after he started, Li Dabai discovered a strange place.
"Huh, how are there traces of people living here?"
Li Dabai felt something was amiss.
A while ago.
When he went up the mountain to cultivate diligently, he remembered very clearly.
This was a desolate, barren mountain.
At the foot of the mountain, although residents occasionally came to cool off.
No one ventured up the mountain.
How could there now be traces of a fire being lit and food scraps on the ground?
Driven by curiosity.
Li Dabai moved forward, preparing to investigate.
After all...
He was now a formidable expert, unafraid of any danger.
Thus.
Li Dabai stealthily followed the clues on the ground, looking around.
Passing through a dense thicket that seemed to have been deliberately arranged.
Li Dabai was astonished to find several hastily built wooden huts.
Although simple, they appeared quite new in style.
They should have been built recently.
What was even more baffling to Li Dabai was that the people around the wooden huts.
Did not seem like campers at all.
Men in black martial arts attire.
Judging by their aura, most were in the Outer Body Refining realm.
A few of the leaders were even masters of the Inner Qi Refining realm.
This...
"What are so many people doing gathered here?" Li Dabai became even more interested.
Taking advantage of a moment when no one was paying attention.
He stealthily approached the wooden huts.
He wanted to see what else was inside the huts.
Three wooden huts, two were empty, and one had its windows sealed.
Li Dabai secretly pried open a small gap and peered inside.
He exclaimed inwardly.
"Damn, such a large operation just to guard a woman?"
"Not to mention, this woman is quite beautiful."
Li Dabai, who was already fond of beauty.
Had been in seclusion in the mountains for a long time for his cultivation.
During this period, let alone women, he had rarely even seen a female mosquito.
Now, seeing a young woman, it was inevitable that he would have the thought of a hero saving the damsel.
Although...
The woman imprisoned in the wooden hut at this moment was somewhat weak and disheveled.
But judging by her figure and face, she was definitely a great beauty.
Especially the long whip at her waist.
Li Dabai couldn't help but think of certain things.
He secretly thought that if there were a candle, it would be even more flavorful.
*Slurp*.
As he thought, Li Dabai's saliva dripped out.
"Who's there!"
Clearly, the sound of Li Dabai's gulping startled the guards.
In a short while.
A group of people converged towards the spot, surrounding Li Dabai.
"This is not a place you should be. Get out quickly." The leading guard, wanting to avoid trouble, sternly ordered.
Li Dabai grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.
"If you tell me to get out, and I get out, wouldn't that be very undignified?"
The guard frowned, sizing up Li Dabai for a moment.
Taking him for a wanderer who had stumbled in, he sneered.
"Since you don't want to leave, then stay here forever."
As the words fell.
The guard leader raised his hand, and his subordinates swarmed forward, charging at Li Dabai.
Seeing this, Li Dabai smiled.
"Good! So many people witnessing my debut battle, it's barely acceptable."
With that said.
Li Dabai was not flustered at all. Instead of retreating, he charged forward.
With a bang.
All the qi within him erupted.
The terrifying gust of wind directly overturned the first few people who approached him.
The guards who followed were even more unfortunate.
Li Dabai's fists were already flying towards their faces.
This was a battle of vastly different levels; the two were not on the same plane at all.
In just a few punches.
Li Dabai dealt with all the guards in the Outer Body Refining realm.
This!
"Not good, he's a tough one! Let's go together!"
The guards in the Inner Qi Refining realm exchanged glances and charged at Li Dabai together.
But.
Their fate was not much better.
Even with their combined, merciless attacks.
Li Dabai was like a lamb entering a wolf pack, his fist breaking all techniques.
No matter how many enemies there were, he resolved them with a single punch.
Bang bang bang!
In a short while.
All the people who had surrounded Li Dabai lay on the ground.
A few of the unluckier ones were knocked unconscious by Li Dabai, their lives hanging in the balance.
"With your skill level, even a hundred more wouldn't be enough for me to bother with."
Li Dabai was very smug, flexing his fists and laughing.
Having dealt with these people.
He stylishly kicked open the sealed wooden door and walked inside.
The commotion outside had naturally been heard by the woman imprisoned within.
Seeing the door open, she looked up.
Initially, the room was pitch black.
Suddenly, light flooded in, and the woman was still unaccustomed to it.
Squinting slightly, she looked towards the doorway.
However...
What puzzled her was that there had been a dark figure at the door just now.
Where had it suddenly disappeared to?
Where had the person gone?
Suddenly!
Li Dabai's voice sounded beside the woman, almost scaring her heart out of place.
"Beautiful lady, are you alright? My name is Li Dabai. I dealt with those people outside. I saved you." Li Dabai grinned.
The imprisoned woman concentrated all her mental energy on looking in front of her.
With great effort, she could barely make out Li Dabai's blurry outline.
This was thanks to Li Dabai's bright white teeth; otherwise, it would have been difficult to spot him.
"Thank you... you... quickly take me away from here, and find... find... Zhang."
Someone coming to save her rekindled hope in the woman who had already despaired.
However.
Her body was simply too weak.
Even though she was forcing herself, she couldn't finish her sentence before she fainted.
"So weak?" Li Dabai was startled and quickly untied her, carrying her on his back and leaving the place.
...
Time passed quickly.
Another day blinked by.
That evening.
Zhang Yang called Guan Fenghua.
He wanted to know the current progress of the excavation in the old residential area.
However.
On the phone, Guan Fenghua remained tight-lipped.
She only told Zhang Yang that she wanted to come and tell him in person.
This made Zhang Yang curious, but he didn't refuse.
Not long after.
A red sports car stopped in front of the villa.
Guan Fenghua, dressed in a fiery red long dress, got out of the driver's seat.
Hearing the commotion, Zhang Yang walked to the door to greet her.
Upon seeing Guan Fenghua, he couldn't help but be stunned.
This...
Guan Fenghua seemed to have dressed up especially tonight.
A deep V-neck long dress, held up by only two thin straps that looked like they could break at any moment.
A large portion of the snow-white cleavage was exposed to the air.
Even though it was dark, it was still eye-catching.
Zhang Yang dared not look directly and quickly averted his gaze.
"President Guan, please come in and sit."
As Guan Fenghua approached, a fragrant breeze wafted over, making Zhang Yang's heart flutter.
"Have we become strangers after just one day? Why are you still calling me President Guan?"
Guan Fenghua suddenly gave Zhang Yang a charming, coquettish glance, which made Zhang Yang somewhat taken aback.
This...
Guan Fenghua seemed a bit strange tonight.
Although their misunderstanding had been resolved, Guan Fenghua had never seemed to favor him.
How come tonight she seemed a bit...
A bit different?
With suspicion, Zhang Yang led Guan Fenghua into Han Xiyao's villa.
Guan Fenghua sat opposite Zhang Yang, her legs curled up together.
She leaned slightly to the side, making her already long and fair legs even more alluring.
The fiery red long dress was slit.
This sitting posture would obviously reveal some of her legs.
However, it was just right.
Nothing inappropriate was exposed.
But the more it was like this, the more it made one's imagination run wild.
Zhang Yang shook his head and turned his gaze to Guan Fenghua's face.
"President Guan..., Fenghua, what's the current excavation progress in the old residential area?"
Feeling that the atmosphere was slightly off, Zhang Yang got straight to the point, wanting to finish quickly.
"The current excavation depth has reached about 8 meters, but the deeper we dig, the more difficult it becomes."
"There is too much groundwater, which often causes collapses, slowing down the excavation progress."
"However, I have already organized drainage measures and increased the deployment of machinery. By tomorrow night at the latest, or the day after tomorrow morning, we should reach the depth you require."
When it came to business, Guan Fenghua also answered seriously.
However, after speaking.
Whether intentionally or unintentionally.
She glanced at Zhang Yang and licked her lips.
Zhang Yang felt even more uneasy, and Guan Fenghua's face turned red.
Tomorrow night, or the day after tomorrow morning?
Upon hearing this news.
Zhang Yang fell into thought.
Would they soon reach a depth of 9.9999 meters below sea level?
Fortunately.
The timing was just right.
With only about two days left, Han Xiyao's condition should be able to hold on.
"Okay, if it's close, remember to notify me immediately," Zhang Yang said.
Guan Fenghua nodded, "You can rest assured about my work."
"Yes, then if there's nothing else, you should go back and rest. Actually, this matter could have been explained over the phone. You didn't need to come all this way," Zhang Yang said with a smile.
Having already spoken, he was preparing to see her out.
This made Guan Fenghua grit her teeth inwardly.
She cursed Zhang Yang as a complete straight man.
She, Guan Fenghua.
Had dressed up so elaborately tonight, couldn't Zhang Yang see it?
And she had specifically come to his residence to find him.
Didn't Zhang Yang understand at all?
A man and a woman alone, dry wood and fierce fire.
Didn't he want to do anything excessive?
"What? You're still not leaving?" Zhang Yang asked, staring at Guan Fenghua.
"I..." Guan Fenghua was exasperated.
Taking a deep breath, she adjusted her mindset.
She thought of the advice Luo Yiren had given her before she came tonight, and her face instantly turned red.
Guan Fenghua's mind went through a struggle between heaven and man.
Finally, she gritted her teeth!
You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a child!
Suddenly.
Guan Fenghua gracefully stood up and walked towards Zhang Yang.
While Zhang Yang was looking at her with suspicion.
Guan Fenghua's hands directly rested on Zhang Yang's shoulders, pushing him back against the sofa.
At this moment.
Zhang Yang was sitting, and Guan Fenghua leaned towards him, half-inclined.
Instantly.
A expanse of white entered Zhang Yang's vision.
"Fenghua, what are you doing?" Zhang Yang quickly closed his eyes and flashed away.
Without support, Guan Fenghua fell onto the sofa.
In her panic, the spring scenery beneath her skirt, whether intentional or unintentional.
Zhang Yang saw something again.
Zhang Yang suddenly had a bad premonition.
He felt that Guan Fenghua tonight was somewhat like she was possessed by Luo Yiren.
Every move she made...
"President Guan, it's getting late. You should leave quickly." Zhang Yang said with an awkward smile.
However.
Guan Fenghua, seated on the sofa, had a look of being utterly defeated.
"Zhang Yang, am I worse than Luo Yiren?"
This...
As expected.
What he feared most had come to pass.
Zhang Yang seemed to understand.
Guan Fenghua had probably heard something from Luo Yiren.
That's why she was acting so strangely tonight.
"No... you're not worse than Luo Yiren."
"Since you're not worse than Luo Yiren, why don't you even look at me?"
After speaking, Guan Fenghua even puffed out her chest as a reminder.
"I... Fenghua, you've misunderstood. Things are not what you think."
"Sister Yiren and I, it was also by chance that things happened that way." Zhang Yang said with a wry smile.
"By chance? Then have a chance encounter with me too. I want to become stronger." Guan Fenghua demanded.
With a beauty in front of him, and so proactive.
Perhaps any man would be unable to resist.
If Zhang Yang's state of mind wasn't relatively stable, he might have done something driven by lust.
"Fenghua, you should leave. I'm a bit tired and want to rest." Zhang Yang took a deep breath and said in a deep voice.
However.
Guan Fenghua did not listen, nor did she intend to respond.
The seductive and charming demeanor, like Luo Yiren's, disappeared.
Instead.
She adopted the demeanor of an ice queen CEO.
Clearly.
Guan Fenghua felt that Luo Yiren's approach wasn't working.
In that case, then she...
Force him!
"Want to rest? Good, I'm tired too. You accompany me to rest."