We made you practice martial arts, and you've mastered the Great Golden Body?

Chapter 171 An Encounter in the Alley (6K, Requesting Monthly Tickets)

On the evening of December 5, 345th year of the New Era.

Shen Bailian returned to the Star River Hotel and checked the amount of funds transferred by the survivors who had survived the battle of the Divine Ruins.

After a quick mental calculation, he lay down in the virtual reality pod and entered the Xinghe Company's Lingjing virtual space.

Subsequently, Shen Bailian spent four million Great Xia coins to order a fifty-year-old Vermilion Fruit that had been stripped of its elemental power, and then spent another four million Great Xia coins to purchase a two-cubic-meter storage ring.

As mentioned earlier, Zhou Xiaowei's family lived near Qingcheng. Shen Bailian inquired about it with Ji Chenghu. Ji Chenghu was initially wary, as this information involved personal privacy and was not suitable for disclosure.

However, after Shen Bailian explained his feelings, and with the corroboration of Li Feiyu, Wang Yuxuan, and other martial arts students, and after passing through layers of approval from higher authorities, they obtained Zhou Xiaowei's family address—

Congyuncheng, Tianshan Community, Unit 237, Building 6.

Eight million Xia coins may seem like a lot, but if it's divided among 170 or 180 first-year martial arts students, each martial arts student only needs a little over 40,000 Xia coins.

Moreover, after a brief discussion among Li Feiyu and others...

Li Feiyu, Wang Yuxuan, Chen Jiyue, Feng Yanqiu, and other Sun-level Dragon Gate martial arts students, along with Shen Bailian, had relatively abundant resources, so they paid more than half of the eight million Great Xia coins.

The other martial arts students also took out anywhere from a few thousand to tens of thousands of Xia coins to express their gratitude to Zhou Xiaowei.

After all, if Zhou Xiaowei hadn't made up his mind to perish together with the Titan, it's hard to say how many martial arts students would have survived the Battle of the Divine Ruins.

"Indeed, luck is also a kind of strength."

Shen Bailian lay on the bed and couldn't help but sigh. When he came back earlier, he chatted with Cheng Shangwu, who said that there might be some changes to this year's Freshman Cup League.

The specific reason is that the previous incident at the Divine Ruins involved not only the Tiangang Academy, a martial arts university, but all six major universities, as well as a few top-tier martial arts universities.

Although the specific implementation rules of the wilderness trials differed from those of each academy, and the scope of the Divine Ruins also varied, not all the new generation of martial arts universities suffered fatal blows.

However, it can be said that the Tiangang Academy suffered the fewest casualties in this catastrophe, especially since none of the Sun-level Dragon Gate martial arts students were killed.

Furthermore, with the frequent invitations from the Eastern Continent, this year's New Student Cup League within the Great Xia Dynasty may evolve into an international event.

However, this matter has not been finalized yet; it was just a minor incident during a conversation between Shen Bailian and Cheng Shangwu.

Swish!
Shen Bailian sat up on the bed. With a slight thought, a ripple seemed to appear in the air, and then a black briefcase appeared out of thin air and landed steadily on the bed.

The suitcase is made of a rare black alloy with a faint, cold sheen on its surface. A silver badge with a sword design is inlaid on the lid.

"pat~"

Following a slight sound.

Shen Bailian reached out and gently stroked the badge on the black briefcase, gave a helpless bitter smile, then took a deep breath and opened the black briefcase.

The first thing that catches the eye is a delicate silver watch, which looks perfectly normal, and next to it is a black wig.

Upon closer inspection, it is almost identical to Shen Bailian's hairstyle.

Shen Bailian gently picked up the silver watch and stroked it lightly. It didn't feel cold at all; instead, it felt warm.

Nanoparticle watch.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't some kind of Armor Hero transformation device or Iron Man suit, but even if it were, the Great Xia Dynasty could easily manufacture it.

There is absolutely no need for that, because ordinary Iron Man suits would limit the normal performance of Transcendent Realm warriors and those above Transcendent Realm.

As for more advanced Iron Man suits, Great Xia does have them, but you need to join the Ascension Martial Hall first, or directly join the military.

As for why Shen Bailian obtained these things...

Cheng Shangwu told Shen Bailian that because of his battle with Wang Qinian, he might have gotten into trouble and there was a very high probability that he had been targeted by a divine favored one hidden within the Great Xia.

Prior to this, a law enforcement agency under the Great Xia government had already been keeping an eye on one of the "Salvation Society's" pawns.

After keeping watch for almost half a year, they finally encountered this rare opportunity, so the law enforcement team wanted to play the role of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

In simple terms.

That law enforcement team needs Shen Bailian to act as bait.

However, after so many years of struggle, the methods of the gods have become less brutal and mindless. They will use the method of developing traitors to expand their power and achieve their desired goals.

Those favored by the gods generally obtain the target's blood, hair, or other bodily tissues through human treachery, and then use special means to contact or influence the host, or even issue a curse.

But no matter which method the divine favor chooses, it will have an irreversible effect on Shen Bailian, a top martial arts prodigy.

While every citizen of Great Xia has a responsibility to cooperate with law enforcement, the risks this time are far too great. Every top martial arts prodigy is extremely valuable to Great Xia.

Therefore, after negotiations by the higher-ups of Tiangang Academy, the law enforcement team made certain concessions, resulting in the creation of this nanoparticle watch.

The basic function of this nanoparticle watch is to create a fake skin.

Furthermore, the fake skin contains capillaries and a small amount of blood. Through intelligent control, combined with the wig, it can achieve a very realistic effect.

This nanowatch has many functions beyond that, including a ten-cubic-meter nanoring, the ability to change battle suits, and rapid healing of injuries.

However, to treat the injuries, it is necessary to replenish the nanoparticles in a timely manner, and it is difficult to have an effective therapeutic effect on super new humans like those in the Sea-Opening Realm.

Shen Bailian only needs to cooperate normally with this operation as bait, go out and wander around more, and wait for this storm to pass.

This nanoparticle watch will be given to Shen Bailian as a gift by that law enforcement team.

This can be considered a paid service.

"I wonder if I can take this opportunity to scavenge some divine matter." Shen Bailian's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at the amount of divine matter he had left—

[Divine Matter: 228]

Since activating the active effect of the divine skill [Following Shadow] to converge the past timeline, Shen Bailian has needed to expend 0.5 points of divine matter every day.

In the short term, Shen Bailian will have to get into the process of grinding for experience points again, which means that he will be spending more than he earns during this period.

Others can't tell the difference between divine favor, treacherous people, and ordinary people, but he's different. He has the eyes of a god, and divine favor can be seen through him.

This time, not only can I visit Zhou Xiaowei's family, but I can also get some divine substances and a nanoparticle watch for free—a triple win!

"However, I need to go and rest now."

Shen Bailian glanced at the smart bracelet and realized that after a while of tinkering, it was already midnight.

He had originally planned to call home, but he figured his parents were already asleep, so he would have to make a video call tomorrow.

What I've experienced today is already enough. First, there was the epic battle with Wang Qinian, which brought me to the brink of death, with my internal organs shattered and my body cracking like porcelain.

Even with the advanced medical pod, Shen Bailian spent several hours inside before barely recovering to his pre-battle condition.

Then came the battle with Yuwen Changkong. Although the whole process was relatively easy, the electric current was really annoying, giving me a strange feeling of receiving electroshock therapy.

He was already so tired today that Shen Bailian didn't plan to continue practicing the Great Sun Visualization Technique. He went to the bathroom and took a quick hot shower.

Then I lay down on the bed, turned off the light, and drifted off to sleep.

……

Even though it was late at night, the top floor of the Tianji Building in Tiangang Academy was still brightly lit.

In front of Ji Chenghu were dozens of palm-sized light screens that flashed continuously in mid-air. He quickly scanned the information on the light screens.

As the vice principal of Tiangang Academy, Ji Chenghu, with Xiong Kuohai on a mission and the other two vice principals unwilling to get involved, not only monopolized power but also entrusted all the miscellaneous affairs of the school to him.

Within the Tiangang Academy, from freshman to fifth year, the six combat academies alone have 15,000 to 16,000 martial arts students, plus logistics-related martial arts students, teachers, vice deans...

Ji Chenghu had to review every single administrative matter, including the mobilization of tens of thousands of people, resource allocation, and task review. Those he could approve were directly approved.

For an ordinary person, handling this kind of government work would take a whole day and night without rest. Even for a powerful expert like Ji Chenghu at the Embracing Moon Realm, it would take several hours.

Therefore, Ji Chenghu usually does this kind of work at night, after he has finished his cultivation.

"Um?"

"Want to exchange it for rare and precious herbs to enhance your spiritual power?" Ji Chenghu looked at one of the messages sent by Cheng Shangwu, his movements slowing down. He tapped the table with his middle finger, pondered for a moment, and murmured:

"Let's still approve it, but one third-tier Spirit Nourishing Fruit isn't enough, so let's add another third-tier Illusion Annihilation Spirit Fruit."

Thinking of this, Ji Chenghu did not hesitate to edit a message to allocate resources and send it to the director of the Seventh Academy who was in charge of logistics.

Cultivation is a very private matter. Shen Bailian is a top martial arts prodigy, and he is also unaware of the characteristics of the hidden holy body.

Therefore, trusting Shen Bailian is far more useful than receiving guidance from an "outsider."

Sudden.

Buzz~buzz~
"Master, Duan Wuyai, the dean of the Fourth Academy, requests to connect to the video call."

"Quickly, connect it right away." Upon hearing this, Ji Chenghu was momentarily stunned, but then his face lit up with joy, and he immediately stopped what he was doing.

Swish!
The projected image suddenly changed, showing a high-end training room. In the very center of the training room, Ji Chenghu sat cross-legged on the ground, looking slightly tired, with a solemn expression.

"What went wrong in the middle of the process?" When Ji Chenghu saw Duan Wuyai's expression, his heart clenched and an ominous thought involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

Could it be that the breakthrough failed?

Just as Ji Chenghu was about to offer some words of comfort, Duan Wuyai suddenly broke into a bright smile, with dead skin peeling off his face to reveal smooth, fair skin underneath.

"Don't worry, it's a perfect breakthrough!"

On the No. 737 maglev bus in Congyun City.

It was 10 a.m., the time when many workers were going to work, and students were all inside the school, so the bus was extremely empty.

There was only Shen Bailian, a few elderly people, and Yuwen Changkong, the ninth holy son of the Starry Sky Martial Hall.

As for why Yuwen Changkong also came on this trip to offer condolences, it was actually arranged by Lei Zhentian.

When Cheng Shangwu received the message from the Sharp Sword Squad, Lei Zhentian also received the same notification from the Sharp Sword Law Enforcement Squad.

So Lei Zhentian thought of turning the tables on Yuwen Changkong. Since Yuwen Changkong didn't have anything to do for the time being, he could let him and Shen Bailian wander around outside, which would be more attractive to the gods.

Of course, the deeper meaning is to let Yuwen Changkong and Shen Bailian get to know each other. Yuwen Changkong is the ninth holy son of the Starry Sky Martial Hall, but he is only the ninth holy son.

Above him are eight Holy Sons. Although not all of them possess the Holy Body, five of them currently possess the strength of Holy Sons, making them stronger than Yuwen Changkong.

Furthermore, there is competition among the nine holy sons of the Starry Sky Martial Hall, especially regarding resources.

Shen Bailian glanced at Yuwen Changkong, who was across an aisle from her, and wanted to say something, but found that nothing seemed quite right.

After all, the two weren't familiar with each other yet, especially last night when he kicked someone. Moreover, Yuwen Changkong seemed like the aloof type of boy.

Anyway, the two of them are just acting as bait, so talking too much is pointless.

Then, Shen Bailian withdrew his gaze and fully activated the Eye of God, putting it into extreme detection mode, and quickly scanned the surrounding area.

He wanted to see if he could scan the traitor in advance.

"I feel like I was fooled by the teacher yesterday."

After feeling the gaze directed at him, Yuwen Changkong turned his head slightly and glanced at Shen Bailian beside him, falling into deep thought. He had a feeling that yesterday's competition was not so simple and contained hidden secrets.

However, what Lei Zhentian said was not without reason.

"Next time we meet, I will definitely beat you."

Yuwen Changkong thought to himself, then withdrew his gaze and turned to the pedestrians on the roadside.

The Holy Body judges whether someone is favored by God not only through perception but also by sight. Although this is somewhat slow, it is much better to have something than nothing.

"...Youwei Company reminds you that you are approaching Tianshan Community. If you are transferring to bus route 234 or subway line 4, please take your belongings with you and prepare to get off."

"..."

"Is there any difference between divine favor and human treachery?"

Upon hearing the announcement, Shen Bailian immediately stood up after the bus stopped, ready to greet Yuwen Changkong.

Unexpectedly.

"Let's go."

Yuwen Changkong had stood up at some point, greeted Shen Bailian, and then walked out like a leader.

"???"

Shen Bailian was stunned for a moment when he saw this. He never expected Yuwen Changkong's actions to be so swift and clean. But something felt a little strange about it.

He then shook his head helplessly and quickly followed.

"You still want to walk ahead of me."

Yuwen Changkong sensed Shen Bailian following behind and a smug smile appeared on his lips. He spread his electromagnetic wave detection backward, only to find that Shen Bailian had stopped.

"You're going the wrong way." Shen Bailian stood behind the bus stop sign, a faint smile on his lips. After speaking, he walked in the exact opposite direction from Yuwen Changkong.

"Forehead."

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Changkong was stunned. However, he was not one to give up easily. With a slight thought, electromagnetic waves rapidly spread outwards, and he calmly said, "See you at the next intersection."

After saying that, he continued walking in the original direction without hesitation.

……

Tianshan Community

"Why don't you two come in and have some water?" A middle-aged woman in her thirties stood in front of Unit 2 of Building 6, looking at the handsome young man in front of her with tears in her eyes.

This person is Zhou Xiaowei's wife, Chen Wanqiu.

Chen Wanqiu never expected that after receiving Zhou Xiaowei's compensation, she would also receive gifts of condolence from these children.

This feeling is really good.

"No need," Shen Bailian shook his head, refusing Zhou Xiaowei's wife's offer. He quickly added, "Keep the things safe. Don't give that thirty-year-old Vermilion Fruit to the child too early, or it will do more harm than good..."

"I never expected him to be this kind of person."

Yuwen Changkong looked at the young man chatting with the middle-aged woman, a bright smile on his face—a genuine smile, not a forced or insincere one.

This is completely different from the boy in the ring.

Yuwen Changkong now seemed to understand something. Lei Zhentian wanted him to interact more with Shen Bailian. By befriending someone like that, there was no need to worry about being betrayed.

More than ten minutes later~
After refusing Zhou Xiaowei's wife's enthusiastic invitation to stay, Shen Bailian and Yuwen Changkong left Tianshan Community. Instead of choosing the main roads, the two opted for deserted side streets.

The meaning is very simple: it's for fishing.

"Did we work for nothing today?"

Yuwen Changkong and Shen Bailian walked aimlessly through the alleys of the old city. Yuwen Changkong couldn't help but feel annoyed. He thought it would be better to go back and cultivate for a while since he had so much free time.

Shen Bailian was in the same boat. The two of them had been strolling around the old town for almost half an hour, but apart from the passersby, his divine eye had not detected anything unusual.

Just when the two were about to give up.

"Is there anyone who can help me? Is there anyone who can help me? Someone come quick!" A cry for help suddenly came from a small alley.

Just as Shen Bailian was about to make a move, he caught a glimpse of a pale blue lightning bolt in the corner of his eye as it darted into the alley.

It's Yuwen Changkong!
"Did he discover something?"

Shen Bailian suddenly had a thought, and then quickly followed, only to find Yuwen Changkong standing anxiously next to a white-haired woman.

The white-haired woman was unconscious, lying in the arms of an injured middle-aged man, groaning in pain. Her clothes, especially around her abdomen and thighs, were soaked in blood, turning them a dark reddish-black.

Bleeding!

How could this happen in this place?
A question flashed through Shen Bailian's mind.

After all, where is this? In a deserted alley in the old city of Congyun, two injured people, a man and a woman, suddenly appear. Isn't that strange enough?

Shen Bailian's divine eye quickly swept over the two of them, but found nothing unusual, which made him pause for a moment.

"What are you standing there for?" Yuwen Changkong bandaged the woman's wounds and noticed Shen Bailian standing there. For the first time, a different expression appeared on his usually indifferent face, and it was a rare look of anger: "Hurry up and beat xxx?"

“Okay.” Shen Bailian wasn’t angry about this, after all, it involved two lives. He immediately turned on his smart bracelet and dialed the emergency number.

"Wait a moment, the ambulance will be here soon."

"Hang in there a little longer, the ambulance will be here soon." Upon hearing this, Yuwen Changkong's anger subsided considerably, and he let out a long sigh of relief. When he looked at the middle-aged man and woman, his expression had returned to calm.

She then took out a clean gauze from her storage ring and began to bandage the middle-aged man's wound.

"Thank you, thank you so much. I'm so grateful to have you here today, young man."

The middle-aged man looked at the kind-hearted Yuwen Changkong and kept saying thank you. He reached out and held Yuwen Changkong's arm tightly.

"It seems there really is a difference between wicked people and those favored by the gods."

Shen Bailian's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the middle-aged man's actions.

In just a moment, an ambulance that had been hovering in the air flew over.

Yuwen Changkong easily helped the middle-aged woman up, then supported her, letting her hold his right shoulder, and then prepared to use his other hand to help the middle-aged man up.

As for Shen Bailian, he stopped hoping for this cold-blooded creature the moment Shen Bailian was stunned. Couldn't his Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Saint Body tell whether someone was favored by the gods?
Unexpectedly, at that very moment...

"Let me help you." Shen Bailian walked to the middle-aged man's side with a smile and then helped him up.

Blood was still seeping from the middle-aged man's body, but he smiled and cooperated perfectly by lying on Shen Bailian's back. At the same time, his hand naturally rested on Shen Bailian's shoulder.

"This is damn kindness." Xie Xun lay on Shen Bailian's back, a smile involuntarily appearing on his lips.

[Divine matter detected, purifying it, current progress 1%...]

"This is truly effortless." Shen Bailian glanced at the pop-up message on the dashboard out of the corner of his eye, then turned to look at the cautious Yuwen Changkong beside him, and said with a smile, "Why don't we just send them both to the hospital?"

"Did I misunderstand him just now?"

Looking at Shen Bailian's smiling face, Yuwen Changkong couldn't help but have a thought flash through his mind.

(End of this chapter)