Returning from the Immortal World

“I rarely play, though. I’m not interested in the gambling itself,” said Tang Xiu whilst shaking his head.

Wang Rui smiled, “Actually, it’s the same for me. I’m not into gambling myself, but I like the challenge and love to feel the adrenaline rush. I play a lot of things that challenge my limits; I’d be going nuts if I had no means to solve it. You know what? That Japanese man is kinda timid.”

Coward?

Inside, Tang Xiu begged to differ. Some of the Japanese were indeed timid and cowards. Yet, there were also some of them whose dispositions were extreme and bold. Though Tang Xiu disliked this nation and its people, yet he clearly knew that even despicable ethnic groups and nations would also possess some good points and traits.

It seemed like… this man undertook such actions to have a strong and unyielding awareness!

It was obvious that Geezer Fatty Li knew this Wang Rui a lot since he quickly spoke, “Wang Rui, don’t contaminate Brother Tang with your bad influence. He’s a good little brother and not like you, who likes to play those extreme challenges; he won’t seek the feeling of adrenaline rush for no reason either.”

Wang Rui shrugged his shoulders as he replied with a smile, “Since Fatty Li cares a lot about Brother Tang, then forget it. I thought I just bumped into someone interesting. An expert is really lonely!”

Tang Xiu’s expression flickered. Watching at Wang Rui’s posture that indicated he was about to leave, he said, “If you want to find more adrenaline rush actions, I’ll give you a suggestion.”

Wang Rui was stunned, yet there was contempt flashing in his eyes. Still, he casually asked, “What do you suggest?”

“Two men under me are martial arts experts who have gone through many fights with other masters. With your strength, are they sufficient to accompany you playing? Let’s have an agreement first. You need stimulation and the rush of adrenalin. So don’t bear a grudge against me if you’re devastated by them.”

Wang Rui couldn’t help laughing, “Would I be devastated? Those who can devastate me have yet to be born! Great. Since you’re Geezer Fatty Li’s little brother, I’ll accompany your two men to play!”

Tang Xiu told him the villa number he was staying and then said, “We’ll be waiting outside my villa 12 o’clock tonight.”

”OK!”

Giving an OK gesture, Wang Rui then left leisurely.

After Wang Rui turned around and left, Tang Xiu keenly noted that four inconspicuous-looking men nearby, with exceptionally calm and steady paces, quietly followed him along the way. The four men seemed not disturbed and instead, seemed to maintain their composure, protecting him quietly.

Geezer Fatty Li looked at him and asked in astonishment, “Brother Tang, why did you make this agreement with him? As far as I know, Wan Rui is a martial arts expert, and it seems that his kung fu is also good. There’s a powerful and formidable individual in the Northwest called Yang Xianyu, and I heard he has reached the realm of martial arts grandmaster. Yet, rumors said that he and Wang Rui had once compared notes and Wang Rui didn’t lose.”

Yang Xianyu?

Surprise flashed in Tang Xiu’s eyes. He met Yang Xianyu from the Northwest in the Soaring Dragon Martial School. He also met him at Star City Chinese Medical Hospital to cure his wife’s strange illness.

However, he secretly scoffed inside. With Yang Xianyu’s kung fu, how could he be compared to Wang Rui? This man may look sluggish, sloppy and uncoordinated, but his pace was steady with a measured distance for each step. Even during walking, his posture automatically formed a defensive stance. Such performance explained that he experienced numerous extremely dangerous situations. Those who could display such a state were formidable experts.

Hence, Yang Xianyu was not Wang Rui’s opponent.

Perhaps, even if there were three to five Yang Xianyus, they were not necessarily Wang Rui’s match.

Ten minutes later, Tang Xiu and Geezer Fatty Li parted ways. As he left the casino, he saw a sightseeing car and rode it back to his villa. There, he saw Mo Awen sitting cross-legged on the balcony of the second floor of the villa, facing the ocean and immersing himself in cultivation silently. He secretly nodded.

Diligence! It was the most important attitude one must have as a immortal cultivator.

Cultivating oneself toward immortality was like a boat sailing against the waves and currents. Were one unable to move forward, one would inevitably be left behind. If Mo Awen could persevere and constantly improve his strength, someday in the future he would perhaps really be able to reach the realm of immortals. To traverse through the void and ascend to the Immortal World.

“You’re back, Boss!”

With his keen hearing, Mo Awen could hear Tang Xiu’s footsteps as he immediately stood after opening his eyes, speaking respectfully.

Waving his hand, Tang Xiu asked, “Has Awu come back yet?”

Forcing out a wry smile, Mo Awen replied, “Every time he goes to relax, he won’t finish it before spending several hours. Unless something dangerous occurs.”

“Let’s forget him then. Anyways, the arranged banquet this evening by Tom Reggie is about to begin. Let’s wait for dinner and have a chat. I may have to leave earlier, though. There are some matters to attend to.”

Surprised, Mo Awen asked, “Is there anything you wanna do, Boss? Do you need me to take care of it?”

Tang Xiu shook his head, “You just need to eat and drink well at tonight’s banquet so you can keep your spirit high. However, I’ve found a good opponent for you at midnight to fight. I hope you can win against him.”

“Is the man an enemy?” inquired Mo Awen.

“No, he’s not an enemy. He’s just a proud and conceited guy. You don’t have to slay him, though. Just teach him a lesson to make him realize the truth, that there’s another sky above and there will always be someone else who is better than him.”

“I assure you that I’ll accomplish the task.”

Mo Awen’s spirit aroused as he replied in a deep tone.

“You don’t need to take this contest as an assignment, though. The man didn’t let out the slightest clue about his strength, so you can regard him as your opponent in a chess game. It will be a good sharpening stone to strengthen your martial path. I believe that, if you can win against him, you will accumulate a lot of experience from actual combat against powerful experts.”

“But my experience is rich enough,” said Mo Awen confidently.

Tang Xiu shook his head, “Awen, you may have very rich combat experience and had once gone through numerous life-and-death situations and eventually survived. Yet, this is not the same. Back then, what you have gone through were the baptism of bullets and the easy killings of enemies with weak combat strength, whereas you have little experience fighting powerful experts who possess a strength almost equal to yours, am I right?”

Mo Awen fell into deep thought for a while before he nodded and said, “You’re right, Boss. Ever since my strength started to progress by leaps and bounds seven or eight years ago, I rarely encountered equals. Hence, my strength has been slowly progressing since then. But after Elder Ji taught me an immortal cultivation technique, the True Qi in my body has gone through a qualitative change, and it’s all been transformed into True Essence. Thus, I felt that my strength once again increased immensely and became several-fold stronger than before. Furthermore, I haven’t encountered any opponents at my level.”

“Battle against formidable experts always have moments where they put their lives on the stake. It will arouse their potentials, thus, they can advance and progress afterward. It’s not in my intention to see you put your life on the stake, but I hope you can comprehend its essence in the fights between powerful experts through combats,” said Tang Xiu

“I understand your meaning and intention, Boss,” said Mo Awen.

Patting his shoulder, Tang Xiu then turned around, looking through the darkness outside toward the dark sky. A smile was outlined on his mouth yet chilling coldness filled the air.

No pain, no gain. One cannot achieve glory and wealth without going through trials and tribulations.

Cultivating oneself and treading the path to immortality had always been thorny and rough. If one wanted to go further, one had to become stronger. And it was inevitable for one to fight against the Heaven, the Earth and all walks of life. Back then in the Immortal World, which powerful expert who rose above others and seized the Supreme throne didn’t step on the bodies of countless people?

The words he had just said to Mo Awen, wasn’t it also the words he said to himself? He had tasted the feeling of having fallen to the Earth from the sky, enduring the pain of losing his strength. Someday in the future, he would return to the Immortal World to seek his mortal enemies, stepping on their dead bodies and completing his journey to immortality to step into the portal of the God World.

‘All of you should keep yourselves well to wait for me. Just wash your necks clean and wait for my return to the Immortal World.’

Tang Xiu gripped his fists tightly as green veins protrude on his arms. His killing intent made Mo Awen shiver inside as he staggered backward for half a step unconsciously.

Suddenly, Tang Xiu turned around and looked at the apprehensive-looking Mo Awen. He pointed at the vast and endless ocean and said in a heavy tone, “Tell me, what do you see there?”

Mo Awen thought for a while and said, “It’s the sea.”

“What else?” asked Tang Xiu.

Is there anything else?

Frowning, a look of being in hard and deep thought flashed in Mo Awen’s eyes. Eventually, he shook his head, “Except for the sea and the night, I can’t see anything else, Boss.”

“Awen, do you know why I like you?” asked Tang Xiu lightly.

“Why?” asked Mo Awen back as his look changed.

“Because you’re intelligent and astute. You know that oftentimes, wisdom and intelligence are more fearsome than combat strength. I asked Gu Xiaoxue about you, and she told me a lot,” said Tang Xiu.

“Boss, I don’t get what you mean,” said Mo Awen.

“I want to tell you that the path of cultivation is not to blindly pursue power, but also to improve your attitude, your inner self. You and Awu possess strong willpower, but you have yet to really comprehend anything pertaining to what a true cultivator is. I have encountered a lot of people, and they were blindly pursuing strength and neglecting to nurture their state of mind, resulting in them failing to cross their tribulations since they couldn’t overcome their mental demons. In the end, they ended up dying and vanished,” said Tang Xiu faintly.

Mo Awen inquire further, “What is this crossing tribulation you just said, Boss? Is it like in the Xianxia novels?”

“There are some differences, but only a little,” said Tang Xiu with a nod.

Once again, Mo Awen asked, “Then, how should we practice our state of mind at the same time, Boss?”

Tang Xiu shook his head, “Cultivating your mental state is to pay attention to your senses. I’ll use the simplest example to explain it to you. For instance, the question I just asked you about what you can perceive when you see outside. You said that you only see the sea and the night sky. Do you know what I saw there?”

Puzzled, Mo Awen asked again, “Then, what did you see, Boss?”

“I saw a vastness and broadness, the boundlessness mixed within; sensed the meaning of the boundless ocean’s existence; and finally, I saw the beauty and mysteries of the curtain of night in the vault of heaven,” said Tang Xiu in a deep tone.

Astute and intelligent as he was, Mo Awen instantly comprehend the meaning behind Tang Xiu’s words, “Boss, your meaning is to explore and learn as well as to think and pursue knowledge?”