The villains are redeemed, and the heroines cry and beg for forgiveness.

"Hey, don't go, I'll tell you." Cheng Caimeng grabbed Gu Ran's arm.

She then realized what she had grabbed, was startled, and tried to let go immediately.

However, after a moment she realized that she seemed to be fine and was not hurt like before, so she grabbed it back tightly.

"Alright, alright, since you want to know, then I'll tell you." Cheng Caimeng looked helpless.

Gu Ran was just putting on an act. He had thought about telling Cheng Youmeng about it, but that was all he thought about.

Since Cheng Caimeng, as the older sister, has decided not to tell her younger sister after careful consideration, then he, as an outsider, has no need to make the decision for her.

Gu Ran was actually more interested in the reason for Cheng Caimeng's injury.

He suspected that Cheng Caimeng's injury was related to his inability to detect her using his telekinesis.

"I guess I brought this on myself," Cheng Caimeng said with a wry smile. "Throughout history, no one who tries to peek into fate has ever escaped paying a price."

fate?

Is it fate again?

Gu Ran frowned and said, "Sneak peek into fate? Have you peeked into fate? Your abilities..."

Cheng Caimeng smiled slightly: "I guess so, but perhaps my abilities are not good enough, or perhaps fate is inherently chaotic, so I have not been able to glimpse anything about fate."

"Let's go to the other side. Youmeng might come out at any time, and it will be troublesome to explain then."

As a martial arts hall, Ni Yuan Martial Arts Hall is quite large. Cheng Caimeng led Gu Ran from one corridor to another, and then to yet another corridor.

As Cheng Caimeng led Gu Ran along, she introduced the rooms and open spaces with a touch of emotion.

Through Cheng Caimeng's words, Gu Ran gained a general understanding of the history of the Niyuan Martial Arts Hall.

The predecessor of the Niyuan Martial Arts Hall was the Niyuan Sect, whose history is roughly the same as the founding time of Canglong City, making it one of the oldest sects in Canglong City.

As for the name "Ni Yuan" that Gu Ran was somewhat curious about, Cheng Caimeng said that she did not know it either.

"The name Niyuan was chosen at the beginning of the city's founding and has been passed down for over a thousand years, almost two thousand years. However, its specific meaning has not been passed down, neither orally nor in writing."

"Perhaps it's because we've always called it that, and we're used to it, so none of us have thought about why it's called that."

Cheng Caimeng thought for a moment and then said.

"Ni Yuan... is indeed a bit strange compared to the names of other martial arts schools in Canglong City, making it stand out from the crowd."

Gu Ran glanced at Cheng Caimeng and said, "There's no written record, and no information passed down orally?"

Cheng Caimeng recalled for a moment and nodded firmly: "No, at least not in my memory. As for whether there was any relevant information and it was lost in history, I don't know."

After saying that, she turned to Gu Ran and smiled: "Since you're so interested in our Reverse Origin Martial Arts Academy, why not join us? I can make you the vice-head, oh no, I can make you the head, and you can even just be a figurehead, you don't need to come to the academy, and all your benefits will remain the same. How about it, are you tempted?"

Gu Ran shook his head: "My current net worth is very high, even a name won't be cheap, but—"

Gu Ran paused for a moment, then said, "If you offer a bet in exchange, I might consider it."

"Oh, is that so? Then forget it." Cheng Caimeng turned her head, looked at Gu Ran, and smiled.

193. Cheng Caimeng: I foresaw that we would become lovers! 4.1k

Gu Ran never really understood Cheng Caimeng's purpose in making a bet with him but then delaying his fulfillment of it.

If she wanted him to do something, then he had already hinted at it quite clearly, almost explicitly.

Just tell me, and I will make it happen for you.

However, the premise for fulfilling this bet is that Cheng Caimeng has genuinely encountered some kind of difficulty and wants to rely on his strength to solve it, and this difficulty is not a very big problem for him.

So the reason why Cheng Caimeng hasn't expressed her desire to do so might be...

First, he was wrong. The difficulties Cheng Caimeng encountered were not the attacks and oppression from the other seven "Eight Great Martial Arts Schools", but other more challenging and dangerous difficulties. Therefore, Cheng Caimeng did not respond to his probing question.

Second, Cheng Caimeng does not currently face any urgent or intractable difficulties, so she has postponed fulfilling the bet.

Third, Cheng Caimeng has other motives; the bet is just a cover for her to deceive others.

Of course, there may be other reasons, but these three are the most likely reasons that Gu Ran could think of.

He couldn't understand Cheng Caimeng, whether it was her inexplicable affection for him or their strange "fate"...

Although Gu Ran had sensed that Cheng Caimeng had no ill intentions or ulterior motives towards him, the feeling of not knowing her background and the lingering suspicion in his heart made Gu Ran instinctively refuse to get any closer to this woman who was as beautiful as a butterfly.

"You rejected me, and I can reject you too," Gu Ran said without revealing any emotion. "Don't forget the premise of our bet: I can freely choose whether to agree or not. In other words, if I'm not willing, the bet is automatically void."

"I know, I know. You don't think I'm the kind of person who doesn't honor a bet or can't afford to lose, do you?" Cheng Caimeng wasn't annoyed at all. Instead, she looked at Gu Ran with a smile and said meaningfully.

The two exchanged a brief verbal sparring session before quickly arriving at a private room.

The room was simply furnished with an antique bed and a rustic tea table, surrounded by a few small stools.

However, some details, such as the dressing mirror, suggest that this is a girl's boudoir.

?

Gu Ran stopped at the door.

"What are you taking me in for?"

Cheng Caimeng opened the door and looked at Gu Ran with some curiosity: "Come in. There's no demon general or anything weird in my room. You can come in without worry."

Suddenly, Cheng Caimeng seemed to realize something and chuckled, "You've never been to a girl's room before, so you're shy, aren't you? What, the famous Gu Ran, the special envoy who swept through New Testament City, is too afraid to even enter a girl's little room?"

Gu Ran quickly scanned the room and found nothing particularly special. If it weren't for the dressing table, most people would have a hard time telling that this was a girl's room.

Upon closer inspection, some areas were still covered in dust, indicating that the room's owner hadn't cleaned it in a long time.

"I usually stay in my study or the training ground, so there's a lot of dust here. I heard that the newly launched XingShi Technology robot vacuum cleaner is very useful, so I'll buy one tomorrow to clean up the dust."

After seeing Gu Ran enter the room, Cheng Caimeng closed the door.

Gu Ran: "......"

He initially thought there was no problem, but now it seems like there's more and more of a problem.

Cheng Caimeng didn't seem to think that much about it. After Gu Ran came in, she opened a box and took out a yellowed little notebook.

Little Huang, a book?

“You must be wondering why we’re so destined to meet? And why I keep bothering you?” Cheng Caimeng said with a smile. “Actually, it might be related to the cultivation technique I’m learning.”

"My talent in martial arts is only average. Even if I spend my whole life, I will only be an ordinary martial arts master."

If Cheng Caimeng said this to an ordinary person, it would sound like she was showing off.

However, for a successor of a long-established martial arts school, one of the eight major martial arts schools, this is indeed a talent that is difficult to bear the responsibility of.

The Ni Yuan Martial Arts Academy is indeed "thriving," but unfortunately, it's all just evaporation.

Unless the martial arts dojo is full of talented people and doesn't need her to take on the main responsibility.

Having one more ordinary martial arts master is certainly not helpful in the overall decline of the Niyuan Martial Arts Academy.

What Niyuan Martial Arts Academy needs is a wise leader who can revitalize the academy, not a "worthless" martial arts master.

"My martial arts talent is only average, but the location of the Niyuan Martial Arts Hall is coveted by all other martial arts halls. Even if I advance to the Martial Arts Grandmaster level, I will not be able to intimidate the other martial arts halls."

Cheng Caimeng recounted her story in detail.

"Becoming one of the eight major martial arts dojos brings many benefits, but the number of the eight major martial arts dojos was determined a long time ago, hundreds of years ago, and the number of the eight major martial arts dojos will not change easily."

"However, other martial arts schools are not entirely without a chance to be promoted to one of the eight major martial arts schools. One is that when one of the eight major martial arts schools loses its lineage, it can be promoted from the other martial arts schools."

"Secondly, every new martial arts master must accept challenges from other martial arts masters who are not among the 'Eight Great Martial Arts Schools' after becoming a martial arts grandmaster. Of course, if you are a newly appointed martial arts grandmaster, you will inevitably suffer some losses compared to those martial arts grandmasters who have been promoted for a long time. Therefore, the challenge will start three years later and last for one year."

"If you are defeated by any other martial arts dojo master during the year, you will not be replaced immediately. Instead, you will have one chance to be replaced by a new martial arts dojo master. If you are defeated by the same martial arts dojo again, you will be replaced by that martial arts dojo as one of the 'Eight Great Martial Arts Dojos', and the original martial arts dojo will lose its qualification."

"So, if you become the head of a martial arts gym, but don't reach the level of a martial arts grandmaster, will you still start this challenge?" Gu Ran asked curiously.

Cheng Caimeng rolled her eyes at Gu Ran: "Are you talking about me? Indeed, I am just a martial artist at the Qi Condensation stage. There are countless martial artists at this level. I am not qualified to be one of the 'Eight Great Martial Arts Halls'. So I don't know how many martial arts halls are waiting to replace the Ni Yuan Martial Arts Hall."

"If you don't become a martial arts master, you will automatically enter challenge mode after you turn thirty and accept challenges from other martial arts schools. The rules are the same as before you turn thirty."

Gu Ran suddenly realized.

He understood somewhat why Cheng Caimeng hadn't advanced to the Martial Arts Grandmaster level yet. The technique might be a factor, but the bigger reason was probably that if she became a Martial Arts Grandmaster, she would have to enter Challenge Mode after three years.

That would not benefit the Reverse Origin Martial Arts Hall in maintaining its position as one of the eight major martial arts halls; on the contrary, it would worsen its situation.

If she maintains her current state of martial arts Qi Condensation, she can postpone the challenge mode until she is thirty years old, which is much more worthwhile than three years.

This must be Cheng Caimeng's plan: to delay as much as possible in order to wait for things to change.

Otherwise, if Cheng Caimeng had desperately tried to cultivate the Pure Star Stone, she should have been able to become a martial arts grandmaster before the age of twenty.

However, choosing this path will not be easy.

How could a martial arts school that doesn't even have a martial arts grandmaster possibly win the favor of those outstanding geniuses?

How could that possibly deter petty scoundrels?

Not only were they unable to attract martial arts geniuses, but even the more ordinary disciples left due to the suppression of Ni Yuan Martial Arts Academy by other martial arts academies.

In the end, only the two sisters remained in the huge Ni Yuan Martial Arts Hall.

How can we break out of this predicament?

Gu Ran couldn't help but try to think from Cheng Caimeng's perspective.