Being forced to grow like a pig? But I'm immune to the consequences!

In retrospect, his arrival was "just in time"—he neither failed to offer assistance in the critical moment and ran head-on into Xu Wenbo, nor did he appear too indifferent and completely stand by.

Of course, he didn't help immediately, so he couldn't save Wu Sheng from his predicament, nor could he earn Wu Sheng's gratitude.

But that's exactly what Pasa wanted. He wanted to see if Wu Sheng would resent him for arriving so late.

If Wu Sheng resents him because of this, then he can just distance himself from the situation and will not invest in Wu Sheng from now on.

'But... Guo Hui actually forced them to back down?' Pasa muttered to himself. 'He usually seems slippery, but he's actually quite shrewd. How come he was so tough this time?'

"Mr. Wu, how is the situation?" Pasa asked, his tone carrying a businesslike concern.

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Passa. I'm fine. The opponent held back; it was just a minor bruise, nothing to affect my future cultivation," Wu Sheng replied, steadying his breath. His attitude was respectful. "I will remember your help this time."

Upon hearing this, Passa smiled.

Wu Sheng's answer satisfied him.

Passa waved his hand, his tone calm: "It's not a problem. Since Instructor Guo and the others have already intervened, let's handle this matter according to the gang's internal procedures. You can focus on your training. If you encounter any other difficulties, you can come to me again."

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer and turned to leave.

Mohan moved closer to Wu Sheng, his face filled with guilt: "Wu Sheng, I...wasted a lot of time with Senior Pasa..."

Wu Sheng shook his head, his expression calm: "I understand. Under these circumstances, it's already quite remarkable that Senior Passa came at all."

Wu Sheng understood why Passa had been so late. Whether he could successfully grow into a powerful figure was still uncertain, and even if he achieved something in the future, it was unclear whether he could truly repay the other party. Choosing to stand on his side meant truly opposing a figure from the inner city.

Therefore, it is a gesture of goodwill for Passa to come. If he does not come, it is perfectly normal and there is nothing wrong with that.

"What was Master Guo's attitude at the time? Was Xu Wenbo really forced to retreat by Master Guo?" Mo Han lowered his voice and asked about the details that happened after he left.

Wu Sheng briefly recounted what he had seen and heard. Upon hearing that Guo Hui knew Xu Wenbo, Mo Han also looked astonished.

"However, although they know each other, their relationship seems quite strained... Master Guo's attitude towards him is not only cold, but also like he has harbored resentment for a long time," Wu Sheng said in a low voice. "If it weren't for that, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to get away today."

……

Meanwhile, Guo Hui and Zhang Yong returned to their office.

"Old Guo, you acted too impulsively today." Zhang Yong closed the door and sighed.

"Impulsive?" Guo Hui's temper flared up again. "Of course I was impulsive! That Xu guy, what's his name? Putting on airs in front of me?! Back when he was my student, he always called me 'Master Guo,' treating me with utmost respect, and I never mistreated him! Ever since he went into the inner city, has he ever come back to see me even once? I can't be bothered with all that! But before the New Year, I went to the inner city on business and wanted to ask him if he could help me with a small favor. What did he do? He didn't even show his face! He didn't remember a single bit of our past friendship!"

He grew angrier as he spoke, slamming his fist on the table: "Today, he brazenly barged into my training ground, beat up my students, and now he wants me to collude with him? He's dreaming!"

Zhang Yong shook his head helplessly: "Old Guo, I told you long ago, these students are only with us for a month. You always try to invest emotionally and hope they'll remember you. The more sweet-talking and manipulative they are, the more cunning and calculating they are."

He softened his tone and advised, "In short, don't always put yourself in the spotlight. If you insist on personally confronting the situation today, and that Xu guy really has some connections in the inner city, he might trip you up later, and you'll be the one who suffers."

"Hmph!" Guo Hui scoffed. "If he truly possessed extraordinary abilities, why would he resort to such despicable means as embezzling contribution points? He's nothing more than a 'quasi-martial artist,' not even a formal martial artist. In the inner city, he's just a slightly higher-level watchdog!"

Zhang Yong sat down in the chair, his tone becoming more pragmatic: "We've fulfilled our responsibilities in this matter. The report has been submitted, and the follow-up is no longer our concern. However…"

He paused, then looked at Guo Hui: "Your student took a palm strike from a seventh-level Body Tempering cultivator. Are you really sure he's alright? Don't let him suffer any hidden injuries. I remember he has good talent, and his punching power is ranked high."

Upon hearing this, Guo Hui's anger subsided slightly, and he also thought of Wu Sheng. He frowned slightly: "Even if something really happened... what can you and I do? We've already reported it." He pondered for a moment, "Never mind, I'll go see him again and give him a few words of advice."

Not long after, Guo Hui returned to the training ground and called Wu Sheng aside.

"Mr. Wu, the matter has been reported." Guo Hui got straight to the point, his tone less rough and more serious than usual. "But you should be aware that the man surnamed Xu has been operating in the inner city for many years and has some connections. Whether it was the matter of your family's contribution points or his act of storming the training ground and injuring people today, it's hard to predict how it will ultimately be handled."

He looked at Wu Sheng and said bluntly, "To put it simply, regardless of whether he receives any real punishment, you will most likely not receive any compensation. You should be prepared for that."

Wu Sheng nodded calmly, "I understand."

He never expected to get justice easily; the current situation is already a stroke of luck.

Seeing his composure, Guo Hui's eyes flashed with approval, and he patted him hard on the shoulder: "However, I can give you a guarantee: that Xu fellow will never dare to come to the Hyena Gang's base to cause trouble again! The gang still has to save face."

"Thank you very much, Master Guo." Wu Sheng said sincerely. "If it weren't for your efforts to protect me today, I'm afraid I would have suffered more than just this one blow; I might have even lost a hand or a leg."

To be honest, he was initially wary of Guo Hui, never expecting that Guo Hui would ultimately force Xu Wenbo to back down with such a forceful stance. Regardless of whether Guo Hui had personal grudges involved, the fact remained that Guo Hui had protected him. He remembered this favor.

"It's my duty." Guo Hui waved his hand, but his expression became serious. "I'm your instructor. I can't just stand by and watch outsiders cause trouble. But, Mr. Wu..."

He stared into Wu Sheng's eyes, his tone heavy:

"In the end, you'll have to avenge this yourself. You have good talent and a good chance of entering the inner city and obtaining better resources. But Xu Wenbo is already at the seventh level of Body Tempering and has cultivated some connections in the inner city. It will be very difficult for you to bring him down."

Guo Hui paused for a moment, then slowly uttered a few words:

"Unless... you can become a true martial artist."

"Master Guo," Wu Sheng asked, "is it really that difficult to enter the inner city and become a formal martial artist?"