Starting as the young master of a medicine shop, he practiced swordsmanship for twenty years.

Chapter 410 Lu Xiaoying's Shock! Grandpa Huang, whom she had seen on TV!

The night is dark and everything is silent.

In the bedroom on the second floor of the villa, Lu Xiaoying was wrapped in a soft down comforter, sleeping soundly and peacefully, with a carefree smile on her lips.

However, the scene in the guest room, separated by only one wall, was quite different.

Gong Qing paced back and forth in the room, holding her hot phone.

The incoming call from "General Manager Zhao" on the screen flashed incessantly like a death warrant.

The roar on the other end of the phone almost pierced through the receiver.

"Do you know what kind of background Minghuang Group has? They can make it impossible for us to survive in the entire industry with just a single word from them!"

She slumped onto the sofa, watching the sky gradually brighten outside the window, feeling a splitting headache.

That night, she was like a prisoner on trial, enduring a torment of phone calls from all sides.

The cursing gradually subsided as dawn broke.

Looking at her haggard reflection in the mirror, Gong Qing couldn't help but smile bitterly—that night, she had heard every slurred word in the entertainment industry.

The phone casing was burning hot to the touch, and red low battery warnings kept popping up on the screen, much like Gong Qing's nerves on the verge of collapse.

She slumped onto the sofa, her hair disheveled, her eyes bloodshot and dark circles under her eyes.

The hysterical roar of General Manager Zhao just now still seems to echo in my ears.

"Gong Qing! You good-for-nothing bastard! You've ruined my life this time!"

"Minghuang Group officially sent a letter last night—the contract is terminated! This is a unilateral breach of contract on our part!"

It's all in black and white! 30 billion! A staggering 30 billion in breach of contract fees! Where am I supposed to conjure up that much money? Huh? Huh? Huh?

By the end, the voice had become distorted and erratic, a mixture of despair and madness.

"Listen! This is your last chance—have Lu Xiaoying get ready to come with me to Minghuang Group to apologize!"

If we can't get their forgiveness, then we're all finished!

Gong Qing closed her dry eyes and buried her face deeply in her palms.

Outside the window, the sky was already bright, and a new day had begun.

Three billion!
This astronomical figure was like a mountain, pressing heavily on Mr. Zhao's heart.

To outsiders, Tianyu International's market value of tens of billions seems incredibly impressive, but that's all just a paper figure.

To actually come up with 3 billion in cash flow, unless the entire company is sold off at a bargain price, it's simply not enough to fill this hole.

After receiving the call from Minghuang Group last night, General Manager Zhao couldn't sleep at all and drove to the company before dawn.

He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of his top-floor office, looking down at the cars that shuttled by like toys hundreds of meters below.

A wave of dizziness washed over him—for a fleeting moment, he really wanted to jump.

Ultimately, reason prevailed and pulled him back.

Mr. Zhao suddenly turned around, grabbed his phone from his desk, and smashed it hard on the ground.

"Gong Qing! Lu Xiaoying!" he roared at the scattered parts, "You two bastards!!! This is going to kill me!"

The morning light was just right; it was exactly nine o'clock.

Lu Xiaoying walked briskly down the spiral staircase, her high ponytail bouncing over her shoulders with each step.

A simple white short-sleeved T-shirt accentuates youthful lines, paired with classic blue slim-fit jeans, making her legs appear straight and long.

This outfit is fresh and neat, perfectly highlighting Lu Xiaoying's pure and charming temperament.

Despite being twenty-five years old, her vibrant energy is like a refreshing iced drink in the middle of summer, invigorating and delightful.

Anyone who sees this will think that this is clearly the hot and beautiful school beauty from campus novels who makes countless senior and junior students fall in love with her and has come to life.

Gong Qing, standing next to Lu Xiaoying, was like a touch of elegant blank space beside a carefully colored ink painting.

She chose a pink and white pinstriped silk blouse, neatly tucking the hem into a white ankle-length skirt.

Gong Qing wore light makeup, with light apricot eyeshadow and cherry blossom lipstick, and her outfit exuded a mature and intellectual charm.

Even the most exquisite makeup couldn't hide the signs of her sleepless night.

Although Gong Qing used the most expensive concealer, there were still faint bluish-gray circles under her eyes.

When Gong Qing forced a smile, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes betrayed her lingering fatigue.

The two women standing side by side, one as fresh and bright as morning dew, the other as gentle and serene as the evening glow.

It was obvious that both Gong Qing and Lu Xiaoying were dressed exceptionally elegantly and appropriately today.

Lu Xiaoying changed her usual occasional choice of short skirts and hot pants, and for the first time ever, she chose long pants.

Gong Qing even wore an ankle-length dress to completely cover her entire body.

This conservative attire was because she was accompanying Lu Xuan to meet his old friend.

The two women knew perfectly well that any elder whom Lu Xuan would personally visit must be a highly respected reclusive figure.

In this regard, Gong Qing demonstrated her thoughtfulness and wisdom as an agent.

All outfits adhere to the principle of "elegance and propriety," ensuring that there is no disrespect in front of elders.

Last night, while Gong Qing was suffering from a barrage of phone calls and Lu Xiaoying was sound asleep, Lu Xuan remained quietly seated on the sofa in the room.

For a grandmaster of martial arts like him, who has reached the Dantian realm, sleep is no longer a necessity.

Simply sitting quietly for one or two hours, allowing the internal energy to circulate naturally, will generate enough martial arts essence to dispel fatigue, with effects far superior to a good night's sleep for an ordinary person.

On the sofa, Lu Xuan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and bright, even more so than someone who had slept for eight hours.

This is the foundation of a master who has reached the Core Formation stage—a perfect and flawless physical body and an ever-renewing spirit.

"Grandpa, where are we going today?" Lu Xiaoying gracefully turned to face Lu Xuan, smiling sweetly.

"Do you want Xiaoying to show us the way? I've lived in the capital for over three years, and I know the streets and alleys like the back of my hand!"

Her tone carried a hint of smugness, clearly indicating she was in a very good mood. Her expressive eyes sparkled as she looked at Lu Xuan, full of anticipation.

Seeing Lu Xiaoying's joyful expression, Gong Qing temporarily suppressed her worries.

She knew that since she had already publicly humiliated the director and the producer of Minghuang Group yesterday, there was no point in worrying any further.

Instead, we should learn from Xiaoying's open-mindedness. Since a storm is coming, why not cherish the moment of peace before us?

Enjoy every moment of happiness.

Having figured things out, Gong Qing's face regained its gentle smile. She took half a step forward and spoke softly to Lu Xuan.

"Xiaoying is right. I wonder where your friend lives? I'll have the driver plan the route in advance so we don't have to travel around."

Lu Xuan leisurely rose from the soft sofa, put his hands behind his back, and wore a calm and breezy smile on his face.

"Qingquan Mountain." He spoke so casually, as if he were talking about his own backyard, yet it stunned both Lu Xiaoying and Gong Qing in front of him.

"The people they sent over there have been waiting outside the villa area for an hour."

Lu Xuan glanced at their surprised faces and added gently, "I saw you were still tidying up in your room, so I didn't rush to disturb you."

These three short sentences made Gong Qing and Lu Xiaoying gasp in shock.

Not to mention the significance of having someone wait outside the door an hour in advance.

The mere mention of "Qingquan Mountain" is enough to stir up a storm in the hearts of those in the know.

That's a well-known forbidden zone, the true core of the Dragon Kingdom!
Gong Qing almost dropped her phone. She finally realized that the "old friend" Lu Xuan mentioned was probably someone they couldn't even imagine.

Gong Qing lowered her voice unconsciously, with disbelief and caution: "Grandpa, are you sure... your friend is at 'Qingquan Mountain'?"

She almost suspected that Lu Xuan was too old and had misheard the place name, so she couldn't help but explain.

"That's a heavily guarded area, with elite guards stationed there year-round. Without special permission, let alone getting in, even getting close is as difficult as climbing to the sky..."

Lu Xuan didn't offer any further explanation. "I don't know if I misheard the place name, but my old friend has already sent someone to pick us up."

"Are you all ready?"

The pink sedan slowly drove out of the villa area and drove smoothly along the quiet tree-lined road.

It slowly came to a stop outside the grand gate.

Lu Xiaoying and Gong Qing were the first to push open the door and get out of the car, and when they saw the scene in front of them, they couldn't help but gasp.

Lu Xuan calmly got out of the car, and the pink sedan, having completed its mission, quietly turned around and drove back into the villa area.

Gong Qing was quite worldly-wise, but when she saw the convoy waiting by the gate, her pupils involuntarily contracted slightly, and a sense of astonishment and shock welled up in her heart.

There were three modified cars, all painted black, parked side by side. Their bodies were strong and heavy, like three silent steel behemoths.

They were parked in neat rows, and what was most alarming was that none of them had license plates.

The car windows are extremely dark one-way glass. Except for the driver's side, which is slightly transparent, the rest of the windows are completely black, completely blocking any outside view.

According to China's current vehicle management regulations, such modifications and driving on the road without license plates or permits are simply inconceivable.

They practically wrote the word "violation" on the car body.

The only explanation now is that the very existence of these vehicles signifies some kind of privilege beyond the norm.

They operate within the rules.

Two men in dark suits stood upright beside each car.

Their expressions were cold and stern, their eyes sharp as eagles, and they exuded an aura of battle-hardened iron will.

Before long, a man in a black suit stepped forward and respectfully gave Lu Xuan a standard bow, his voice steady and powerful.

"Mr. Lu, we are here to welcome you on orders from above. The route has been cleared. Please come with us to Qingquan Mountain."

Gong Qing sat alone in the back seat of the last car in the convoy.

The interior is spacious and quiet, and the engine is almost silent when started.

Her fingers tightened slightly, her heart filled with a mixture of shock and trepidation.

Good heavens... this is for real?
Realizing that the people she might encounter on this trip were far more numerous than she had imagined, Gong Qing immediately took out a makeup mirror from her exquisite little bag.

Under the soft light inside the car, she carefully examined her makeup—whether the foundation was even, whether the eyeliner was smudged, and whether the lip color was appropriate.

Gong Qing checked every detail repeatedly, afraid of being impolite in any way.

Only when the image reflected in the mirror was flawless, displaying a mature, capable, and respectful demeanor, did she let out a long sigh of relief and put the mirror back into her bag.

At this moment, Gong Qing leaned back in the high-quality leather seat, her mind racing through all the information about the Lu family.

She knew Lu Xiaoying's background very well.

His father, Lu Yulong, was a core member of the Ancient Martial Arts Association of Yifeng Province, the owner of the Wanhe Guiliu Boxing School, and a master of traditional Chinese martial arts.

My uncle, Lu Yuliang, was once one of the high-ranking officials in Yingnan City. He retired a few years ago.

Lu Yuhong, the third uncle, is in charge of Huafu Group and has a net worth of tens of billions, consistently ranking among the top ten richest people in Yifeng Province.

This family background is quite prominent in the local area, enough to ensure that Lu Xiaoying has no worries in the entertainment industry.

but--

Such a background is simply not enough in the capital city where hidden talents abound, let alone be associated with that forbidden place!
"Qingquan Mountain..."

Gong Qing silently uttered these three words, feeling a tightness in her chest.

This means that the Lu family has a far deeper and more unfathomable background than what is publicly known.

Lu Xiaoying was a little unsure of herself, so she abandoned Gong Qing and followed Lu Xuan into the back seat of the middle car.

After the vehicle started moving smoothly, she couldn't help but lean closer to Lu Xuan and ask in a low voice.

"Grandpa, is the person we're going to see this time the one you used to mention... Grandpa Huang?"

Lu Xuan nodded slightly, a kind and serene smile on his face: "Yes, it's him."

Looking at Lu Xiaoying's slightly nervous face, he added gently, "Haven't you seen him on TV before?"

"Huh!" Lu Xiaoying was suddenly startled, as if struck by lightning. She froze on the spot, staring blankly at Lu Xuan's smiling profile.

A long-buried fragment of memory suddenly resurfaced—

It was probably one evening when she was ten years old. Her grandfather sat with her in front of the television in the villa, where a state banquet was being broadcast live, welcoming foreign guests.

Grandpa smiled and gently stroked her head with his broad, calloused hand, speaking as casually as if he were introducing an old neighbor.

“Little Yingying, look, this is the old friend that Grandpa often mentions to you.”

At that moment, the television screen showed an elderly man chatting and laughing with foreign guests in the center...
And in the center position!!!

Lu Xiaoying felt a "buzz" in her mind, her mind went blank, and her mouth was slightly open, unable to close it for a long time.

She always thought it was just a joke her grandfather was playing to make her happy!
Shortly after the three black sedans started moving, a convoy of security guards who had been waiting appeared ahead.

They cleared the road ahead with precise formation.

With all intersections having green lights on and roads along the route quietly under control, the convoy sped towards the heart of the capital.

The atmosphere changed abruptly as the vehicle entered the Second Ring Road.

After passing through several inconspicuous but heavily guarded checkpoints, a tranquil area surrounded by high walls and greenery suddenly appeared before us.

Inside is a range of rolling mountains, with clean cement roads and towering ancient trees on both sides.

Everywhere you look, there are security guards in plain clothes and wearing masks. They have sharp eyes and walk with a steady gait.

The convoy wound its way up the mountain road and eventually disappeared into the depths of the lush forest.

(End of this chapter)