Chapter 358: Made For Each Other
“Who is your master, young one?”
The old man asked kindly, holding his hands behind his back as he looked at Xiao Luo with his gentle, wizen eyes. He explained, “Yi Jin Jing and the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms are both secrets of the Shaolin. There are very few people who can study either technique, let alone master both of them simultaneously. Your master should have roots with the Shaolin style. Tell me his name, perhaps I may be old acquaintances with him.”
Xiao Luo almost regretted his actions as, for sure, he had now attracted more attention than he had intended. The old man standing before him had a humble disposition, but he carried himself with a certain self-a.s.surance and otherworldly presence that intimidated Xiao Luo. This was the first time that he had encountered an individual who gave him such a sense of being overwhelmed.
“I do not have a master, Sir.”
“You don’t have a master?”
The old man slightly tilted his head and furrowed his eyebrows in a frown, but then he chuckled and remarked, “It seems that your master is not keen for people to know his name. Very well then, I shall not question you further on it.” He smiled warmly and patted Xiao Luo’s shoulder and said, “You have done well to master two peerless techniques at such a young age. Prodigies like you only come about every one hundred years in the martial arts world. Your master has certainly chosen wisely.”
Xiao Luo did not know how to respond. His newly acquired skills had nothing to do with being a prodigy or having a master, but he felt that it wasn’t necessary to clarify himself. As he thought about it, having others believe that he had an unknown master was quite a good cover in itself, and, this way, he did have to worry about the system getting exposed.
“A fine young man indeed. Now that you are in the NSA, I hope that you will do your best to work for the country. It is a great honor to serve, and I have high hopes for you!”
The old man was full of praise, and having offered Xiao Luo his words of encouragement, he then turned around and headed back to the NSA’s entrance gate. He was walking slowly with his hands behind his back, but the distance seemed reduced to mere inches, as the old man appeared to be covering ten feet with every step he took, then vanis.h.i.+ng before the crowd in the blink of an eye.
Xiao Luo sighed in relief, and only then did he realize that he had broken into a cold sweat. He now understood that the world wasn’t as he had imagined. If the NSA had such a terrifying martial arts exponent within its ranks, how many more actually existed elsewhere? His mind wandered to Gu Qingxue’s master, the old man from Mount Tianshan, who may very well be another one at the same level.
The other NSA soldiers let out a sigh of relief after the old man left the ground. Never in their wildest dreams did they expect that such a powerful master had been with them here in the NSA.
Moments later, Gu Zhanguo and Dongfang Shouyu arrived in a hurry. They both reprimanded King Kong and Fu Yiren and expressed their apologies to Xiao Luo.
“Enough, stop pretending! Didn’t you plan for me to fight them so that you could gauge my fighting abilities? Don’t be such hypocrites!” Xiao Luo said.
Guo Zhanguo was stumped for words and had an awkward expression of guilt on his face knowing that he had been called out by Xiao Luo.
“I don’t like people plotting against me behind my back. I will let it go it this time, but don’t do it again. If this ever happens again, rest a.s.sured, I will withdraw from the NSA.”
“Relax, relax, there will be no next time, I promise!” Gu Zhanguo pledged, hurriedly raising his hands to appeal for calm.
Dongfang Shouyu chimed in, “Rest a.s.sured, Mr. Mie. If Mr. Gu dares to do so again, I will kill him first.”
King Kong and Fu Yiren, standing next to the three men, looked on in awe. What was it about Xiao Luo that made the directors behave so obsequiously? The fact of the matter was that Xiao Luo had exactly what it took to make them behave so.
A lingering fragrance wafted through the air as Fu Yiren walked toward Xiao Luo. Gu Zhanguo and Dongfang Shouyu quickly backed away, careful not to get too close to Fu Yiren.
“Fu Yiren, you’re injured. Why don’t you go back and get a good rest?” Gu Zhanguo said after coughing dryly.
“Thanks for your concern, Mr. Gu, but I’m fine.”
Fu Yiren stared at Xiao Luo with her bewitching eyes and said, “Your name is Mie, am I right? I’ll keep that in mind and will look you up when I have time. You have to pay for what you did to ‘Greeny."”
“Greeny?”
Xiao Luo figured it would be that little green snake he squashed.
He glared back coldly, shaking his head, and said, “I have not even made a fuss about your vile pet biting me. Are you sure you want to make me pay for your snake?”
“I don’t care. If you can’t afford it, then… make a pledge to marry me!” Fu Yiren suddenly melted, giving Xiao Luo an adoringly innocent smile.
GASP!
The crowd took a deep breath when they heard her demand. There was nothing unusual about pledging to marry a woman, but when she happened to be the Lady Poison, that statement would border on the absurd, regardless of how enchanting and elegant she was. But then, seeing that Mie was immune to poison, perhaps he truly had what it took to be a suitable match.
“You see, I was born this way and have never had the company of a man before. In my eyes, it is not that I’m unworthy of men, but that no man is worthy of me. But you’re different as you have mastered Yi Jin Jing, which gives you immunity against all poisons. You and I… we are made for each other!” Fu Yiren pursed her lips and smiled charmingly, her heart was set on winning her man, and she was oblivious to the crowd listening in.
“What the… I’ve seen men wooing women, but this is the first time I see a woman shamelessly going after a man,” King Kong muttered to himself, scratching his head.
Fu Yiren’s face darkened as she turned and glared at him. “Mind your words, you fool!”
King Kong shuddered. “What, can she hear me even when I’m whispering to myself?”
“Yes, I can hear you! So, stop muttering over there, or suffer the consequences, you idiot!” Fu Yiren yelled.
“Yikes!”
Jin Gang jolted and felt a thousand needles poking him. It was embarra.s.sing being told off in front of the NSA soldiers, but it wasn’t a good idea to get mad at Fu Yiren. He cleared his throat and shouted at the crowd of soldiers, “What are you all looking at? Do you want me to practice my strikes on you?”
The NSA fighters scattered like birds hearing a gunshot, fleeing to all directions in fright.
Fu Yiren once again cast her gaze on Xiao Luo seductively and said, “Well, what do you say?”
“I’m sorry I already have a wife.”
Xiao Luo raised his left hand and showed her the wedding band on his ring finger.
Hmm?
Both Fu Yiren and Ji Siying were shocked, as neither expected that he was married.
Ji Siying, especially, couldn’t believe what she just heard. During the recent New Year visit, Xiao Luo’s family had welcomed her as one of their own. They had even said that she and Xiao Luo were a perfect match, and she had grown very fond of him. How did Xiao Luo get hitched so suddenly? Ji Siying had actually noticed the diamond ring on Xiao Luo’s finger, but she didn’t give it much thought at the time.
“It’s okay, I don’t mind at all!” Fu Yiren said.
“But, I do,” Xiao Luo replied.
“Then I’ll kill her!” A murderous look appeared on Fu Yiren’s face.
“You may try…”
There was no anger in Xiao Luo’s cold voice, but the aura that emanated from his body was enough to warn Fu Yiren against trying.
Fu Yiren remained silent as she stared at him hard without blinking her eyes.
The air around the two seemed to suddenly freeze…
…