Martial Dao: Peace by Force

Chapter 46: Chapter 44: Innate Qi Cultivation, Advancing with the Momentum

Wan Ze hadn’t seen Tie Qingyang for some time since their last encounter with Tie Shizhe. He never expected to run into him today of all days.

Inside the luxurious private room.

Only Wan Ze and Tie Qingyang sat facing each other.

Tie Qingyang felt not the slightest bit of contempt for the sixteen-year-old boy before him.

For one, his most valued subordinate, Lu Zhao, had died at this boy’s hands, a testament to the strength of his Martial Dao.

For another, after their brief meeting that day, he understood that the boy’s mind was far beyond that of an ordinary person. He acted with the cunning of a veteran... and underestimating him would certainly lead to future trouble.

Most importantly, he was Situ Bai’s Closed-door Disciple!

For all these reasons, Tie Qingyang didn’t dare show Wan Ze any disrespect. He offered a cup of tea with both hands before speaking slowly, ”Mr. Wan, I apologize for the disturbance today. I have a presumptuous request.”

”Feel free to speak.” Wan Ze didn’t drink the tea. He was simply cautious by nature.

Tie Qingyang set down his teacup, carefully gauging Wan Ze’s expression before he began. ”I’ve heard about the matter with the Rain Bell, but I can guarantee you... Tie Shizhe had nothing to do with it this time!”

Wan Ze looked at him.

He said nothing.

Tie Qingyang had weathered countless storms over the years, but for some reason, that single, utterly calm gaze from Wan Ze made his hair stand on end. He suppressed his unease and said gravely, ”That day, I told Elder Situ that the matter was over. I would naturally not act duplicitously behind his back... Mr. Wan, I failed to properly discipline my subordinates before and caused you offense. I hope you can forgive me.”

He lifted a silver briefcase, placed it on the table, and was about to open it when Wan Ze pressed it shut with one hand.

Tie Qingyang was confused. He looked up. ”Mr. Wan, what is this?”

Wan Ze said coolly, ”Mr. Tie, what is the meaning of this? Do you think Dragon Eagle is bullying you with its power? That we’re using this as a pretext to come after you?”

Tie Qingyang didn’t answer the question, instead saying in a low voice, ”In my early years, I was reckless and paid a heavy price for it. Now, I’m just trying to make a living in Holy City with my brothers... I ask that Dragon Eagle show us some mercy.”

”Ridiculous.” Wan Ze sneered and slammed his hand on the table. ”Tie Qingyang, are you overestimating your Tie Shizhe, or are you underestimating my master?”

Tie Qingyang’s expression changed. He hadn’t expected the young man to turn hostile so quickly. ”Mr. Wan, that’s not what I meant...”

”Not what you meant? Then I must have misunderstood?” Wan Ze knew that Tie Qingyang’s respect for him came entirely from the Dragon Eagle name.

That was all the more reason why he couldn’t let Dragon Eagle be shamed at a time like this.

He knew very well what money could be accepted and what money couldn’t.

If he took this money today, there was no guarantee that rumors wouldn’t spread about Dragon Eagle orchestrating the theft of the Rain Bell themselves... He couldn’t open that door. It would lead to huge trouble.

As Tie Qingyang’s thoughts churned, he was also trying to discern the truth in Wan Ze’s words.

He was genuinely afraid this was a setup by the Dragon Eagle Martial Arts Hall. If it was, God knew if his Tie Shizhe would even survive.

He might call the shots in the Holy City’s underworld, but he understood just how laughable the network he’d painstakingly built would be in the face of Situ Bai.

That man was a Grandmaster!

A true, living Grandmaster!

”Tie Qingyang, if Dragon Eagle wanted to deal with you, we wouldn’t need to resort to such tricks! Besides, my master has already said he’s not interested in the Rain Bell, so he certainly wouldn’t let Dragon Eagle take the fall for this! You can put your mind at ease!” Wan Ze said coldly.

Tie Qingyang’s mind settled, and he quickly forced a smile. ”You’re right, Mr. Wan. I was being overly anxious. This money isn’t to buy my life, but rather... I would like to befriend you, Mr. Wan.”

Wan Ze frowned.

Tie Qingyang struck while the iron was hot. ”As the saying goes, we wouldn’t have known each other if we hadn’t fought. For me to have the chance to know a dragon among men like yourself, Mr. Wan, is a great honor... This is just a small token of my sincerity.”

”I appreciate the sentiment. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving.”

Wan Ze stood up to leave.

Tie Qingyang quickly produced a booklet from his side. ”Don’t be so hasty, Mr. Wan. Money may be a bit crass, but I also prepared a Heart Method for you... To be honest, I obtained this Heart Method from a Grandmaster in Guandong years ago.”

Wan Ze stopped in his tracks.

When it came to Martial Skills, his interest was indeed piqued.

He sat back down.

He reached out, took the booklet, and began to flip through it.

...

[Illustrated Guide: Mystic Round Innate Qi Cultivation Technique]

[Skill Beginner Level Requirement: Meditate for ten minutes.]

...

Wan Ze raised an eyebrow slightly.

’This Cultivation Technique isn’t bad!’

Its essence was to unify the body into a whole, maximizing one’s control over it.

Coincidentally, to upgrade his Dragon Eagle Secret Martial Arts to High Level, he needed to perform one ultimate burst of power. This Qi Nourishing Technique was exactly what he was looking for.

Wan Ze closed the booklet and looked up. ”Alright, what do you want?”

”If I said I wanted to trade this for your friendship, Mr. Wan, would that make me sound insincere? In truth, that’s exactly it. I’m betting on your future... Rather than investing in the other people at the Dragon Eagle Martial Arts Hall, I’d rather invest in you,” Tie Qingyang said frankly.

Wan Ze closed the book and chuckled. ”If you think this Heart Method is enough to buy my friendship, I’d say it’s not. However, I’ll accept this favor. I owe you one.”

Tie Qingyang’s smile didn’t waver. ”Straightforward, Mr. Wan. I like that. I believe in playing the long game... time reveals a person’s true character.”

”I’ll be going.”

”I’ll have someone see you out.”

”Then I’ll graciously accept.”

After Wan Ze left, the silver briefcase was also gone from the room.

A young man with a buzz cut and hawk-like eyes strode in. Seeing Tie Qingyang sipping tea alone, he couldn’t help but ask, ”Father, I still don’t understand. Why did you... invest in him?”

Tie Qingyang just glanced at him and said slowly, ”A dragon in the deep.”

The hawk-eyed youth was dumbfounded. ”Huh? What does that mean?”

The room fell silent.

The next second.

Tie Qingyang shot up and smacked Tie Feiyang hard on the head. ”Dammit! I tell you to read more books, and you don’t even know what those four words mean? Are you a good-for-nothing?!”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Someone was at the door.

Then, a secretary entered and said softly, ”Boss, Song Tianrui from the Jinyu International Hotel heard you were here and would like a moment of your time.”

”I don’t have time for him!”

”Yes, sir...”

...

...

”Goodbye, Mr. Wan!”

At the entrance to the residential complex, the driver bowed, then jogged back to the car and drove off quickly.

Under the night sky, the evening breeze blew, rustling the trees on both sides of the road.

Wan Ze gazed at the silver briefcase on the passenger seat with a half-smile. ’This Tie Qingyang... he must have been burned badly in the past. He’s certainly thorough now...’

Although he knew how cunning a man like Tie Qingyang, who had clawed his way up in the martial world, could be, Wan Ze understood one thing even more clearly: the Martial Dao was the martial world, and his path was never one of timidness!

He had the upper hand now, placing him in a position of power.

Even though he was just borrowing his master’s prestige, riding on his coattails... Situ Bai had told him to borrow away!

’In that case... I, Wan Ze, will take what I should take!’

’And enjoy what I should enjoy!’

’The Great Dao lies before me, and I will forge my own path!’

’Schemes and plots? As long as I’m strong enough, I can crush them all!’

Wan Ze let out a soft breath, a great weight lifting from his heart as if he had crossed a thousand peaks. He picked up the briefcase, tested its weight, and figured it held at least twenty thousand.

Just then, he saw a tall girl with a guitar on her back walking toward him. Their eyes met, and after a moment’s hesitation, she greeted him, ”You... Hello.”