Martial Dao: Peace by Force

Chapter 263: Chapter 171: Qi Refining Technique Obtained, Taking Stock of the Gains

”Dad said we’re going to Property Plaza tomorrow to buy furniture!” Xiaoyu slid off him, but her hands still clutched his arms as she bounced with excitement. ”Are you coming with us, Bro? Come on, come on!”

She shook Wan Ze’s arm with considerable force, but he didn’t budge an inch.

Father Wan also put down his teacup and said, ”Tomorrow’s Saturday. Ah Ze, you should come along too. It’s a good chance to see if there’s anything you need for your room.”

It dawned on Wan Ze.

’It’s already the weekend?’

He hadn’t been to school in so long. These past few days, he had been completely absorbed in his Cultivation—practicing martial arts by day and descending into Huangliang by night. His days and nights were so completely reversed that he couldn’t even keep track of the day of the week.

A few days ago, his homeroom teacher had sent him a message asking how he was doing. He’d replied with a simple ”Doing fine,” and that was the end of it.

”Alright, I’ll go,” he agreed.

”Yay!” Xiaoyu cheered. She stood on her tiptoes, planted a loud ”MWAH!” on Wan Ze’s cheek, then quickly jumped down and started spinning around the living room. ”I want to buy this, and this, and this...”

She ticked them off on her fingers, counting from a desk lamp to a desk, from the desk to bedsheets, and from the bedsheets to curtains. She hopped with every item she named, her ponytail whipping back and forth.

Father Wan watched his daughter’s antics with a cheerful grin, his face crinkling with laughter.

He picked up his water glass, took a sip, and put it back down before turning to Wan Ze. ”I saw you were busy before, so I didn’t get to tell you... I was named an outstanding employee at the factory a while back. I was promoted from a regular worker to deputy workshop supervisor. My salary doubled, and the bonuses are great... Our family’s luck has really turned around this year.”

”Congratulations, Dad,” Wan Ze said with a smile.

Father Wan waved his hand dismissively.

But he suddenly realized that, at some point, his son had grown to be half a head taller than him.

He was also well aware that his own small achievement paled in comparison to his son’s.

The other day, Wan Ze had borrowed a classic S-Class Mercedes from somewhere, but the car ended up getting damaged. He had been terrified, his heart pounding and his palms sweating, his mind already racing, calculating how much they would have to pay and whether he’d need to withdraw their savings.

And what had happened in the end?

The owner had just casually waved it off. He didn’t even mention the repairs and instead arranged for someone to deliver a pile of gifts.

That young man named Tie Feiyang was exceedingly polite, and before leaving, he held Wan Ze’s hand and spoke with him for quite some time.

He wasn’t an idiot.

He knew they were showing deference because of his son.

But...

He didn’t know what on earth his son had done to get to know such a powerful boss.

Asking would be pointless, so it was better not to ask.

In any case, his son wouldn’t do anything bad.

Of that, he was certain.

”Alright, alright, everyone get to bed early.” Their mother closed her magazine, stood up, and stretched. ”We have to get up early tomorrow.”

”Right, right, time for bed!” Xiaoyu immediately stopped spinning and zipped off toward her room. She poked her head back out from the doorway. ”Bro, wake me up tomorrow morning!”

”Set your own alarm,” Wan Ze said without turning his head.

”No! I want you to wake me up!”

”...”

Wan Ze shook his head helplessly and returned to his room.

After closing the door, he leaned against it for a moment, listening as the living room gradually fell silent.

The world quickly grew quiet.

He walked over to the bed and sat down. He took the sword from his back and leaned it against the headboard, then pulled out the black communicator to check it. After confirming there were no new messages, he put it back in the drawer.

Then he lay down, closed his eyes, and began circulating his Breathing Technique.

「The next morning.」

Wan Ze was jolted awake by a series of knocks on his door.

”Bro! Get up! You promised you’d wake me up!”

Xiaoyu’s voice came from outside the door, filled with self-righteous indignation.

It was followed by a ”BANG BANG BANG” that was forceful enough to make the whole door shake.

Wan Ze opened his eyes and glanced at his phone... 7:00 AM.

He had been cultivating until two in the morning, so he’d gotten just over five hours of sleep, tops.

But he felt surprisingly energetic, not the least bit tired.

”I know,” he called out, rolling out of bed to quickly wash up.

At eight o’clock, the family of four left the house right on time.

Father Wan had deliberately changed into a new set of clothes for the occasion. The collar of his shirt was perfectly neat, and his leather shoes were polished to a mirror shine.

Their mother had her hair up in a bun, making her look several years younger.

As for Xiaoyu, she had tried on three different outfits before finally settling on a white padded jacket and a pair of new white sneakers.

Property Plaza was in the city center, about a twenty-minute carriage ride away.

From a great distance, they could see the glass-walled skyscraper glittering dazzlingly in the morning sun.

The plaza in front of the building was already filled with parked cars, and it bustled with people coming and going.

When the family of four walked into the mall, they were greeted by the faint scent of fragrance.

Xiaoyu immediately took off like a little bird freed from its cage, chirping as she rushed inside while their mother chased after her, yelling, ”Slow down, slow down!”

They spent over an hour browsing.

They went from the home goods section on the first floor to the electronics on the third, then back down to the lifestyle section on the second.

Xiaoyu set her sights on a mushroom-shaped lamp, a pink four-piece bedding set, and a fluffy rug.

Their mother lingered in the kitchenware section, eyeing a set of imported non-stick pans over and over, but in the end, she put them back, thinking they were too expensive.

Father Wan, on the other hand, was decisive. He picked out a solid wood sofa, a large dining table, and also ordered a bookshelf.

Wan Ze didn’t particularly want anything, so he just bought a coat rack and a simple bookshelf.

When it was time to pay, Father Wan took out a Bank Card. He swiped it with the crisp confidence of someone whose fortunes had turned.

The cashier announced the total, but Father Wan didn’t even bat an eye. His fingers were perfectly steady as he entered the PIN.

As they walked out of the mall, Xiaoyu skipped along with a lamp in her left hand, the bedding in her right, and a lollipop sticking out of her mouth.

Their mother watched from behind, shaking her head with a smile. ”This child is such a little rascal.”

Father Wan walked at the very front, his steps uncharacteristically light.

Wan Ze trailed behind them all, and as he watched the backs of the three people ahead of him, the corners of his mouth turned up in an unconscious smile.

”Bro!” Xiaoyu suddenly turned back. ”What are you smiling at?”

”Nothing,” Wan Ze said, his smile vanishing as his expression went blank.

”You were too smiling! I saw you!”

”You saw wrong.”

”No, I didn’t!”

”Even if I was, I wasn’t.”

”...”

Xiaoyu turned back around in a huff, her ponytail whipping against Wan Ze.

Wan Ze: ”...”

’Childish.’

He stuck his leg out to trip her.

Xiaoyu hopped out of the way.

”BRO!!!!!!!”

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