Chapter Nine, Song Shuyu

Hearing this, Zhang Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief and immediately responded: "Miss Song, please rest assured, I am not someone who cannot distinguish right from wrong. The matter just now was indeed caused by my inept nephew, and it was already quite embarrassing for me to intervene. How could I possibly have the face to trouble him again? I assure you, Miss Song, such incidents will never happen again in the future"

This statement left Zhang Qing momentarily stunned, and it took him a while to regain his composure. He cast a strange glance at Song Shuyu and asked, "Miss Song, what do you mean by this...?"

In Zhang Qing's words, there is a sense of bitterness and self-mockery, as if he is still preoccupied with the battle that just took place

Even Zhang Qing, who has always been indifferent to women, felt a sense of daze when he saw this woman. It took him quite a while to regain his senses, and when he looked again, he found her standing right in front of him, gazing at him with a smile that was neither fully a smile nor fully not a smile.

Apart from this, Song Shuyu is completely indifferent to other matters, and even less concerned; Zhang Qing is the same, and so is Zhong Li

Very strange

Zhang Qing's expression was conflicted, still preoccupied with his thoughts, but Song Shuyu had lost interest. She said, "From what I hear, it does seem rather strange. However, Brother Zhang need not take it to heart. Victory and defeat are common occurrences in warfare; today's defeat may not necessarily mean tomorrow's victory. If there is an opportunity in the future, Brother Zhang might as well engage in some sparring with him again. Of course, it should only be sparring, and do ensure that harmony is not disrupted."

Song Shuyu spoke very clearly, and Zhang Qing understood it very well, immediately making a solemn promise.

Song Shuyu's words left Zhang Qing at a loss for words. A master of Xingyi is nothing significant; perhaps only you, Miss Song, could say such a thing under heaven. If, as you say, a master of Xingyi is not worth much, then how should I, who am not even a master, be regarded

Hearing this, Song Shuyu was also somewhat surprised, gazing thoughtfully in the direction where Zhong Li had departed, remaining silent for a long time

Zhang Qing let out a bitter laugh and said, "Miss Song, your words are too harsh. A defeated general has no right to speak of bravery. If he hadn't forcibly restrained his strength just now, I would have likely already fallen to the ground, dead. Speaking of magnanimity only adds to the ridicule."

What is stunning is not merely the exquisite face partially obscured by sunglasses, but also the unparalleled grace that she exudes. When she blooms, all other flowers wither; this is no exaggeration when applied to her. Anyone standing beside her would inevitably pale in comparison

In her final words, Song Shuyu slightly intensified her tone, intending to warn Zhang Qing

Song Shuyu furrowed her brows slightly, gazing at Zhang Qing in silence

Hmm

Zhang Qing, who understood the meaning, could only smile wryly and shake his head, saying: "I fear there will be no future."

Zhang Qing forced a smile and said, "Miss Song, although you do not practice martial arts, you can surely see that the young man is suffering from a deficiency of vital energy and his spirit is waning."

Hmm

... ...

Song Shuyu smiled lightly and said, "It's nothing, just feels a bit strange. Although a master of Xingyi cannot be considered anything extraordinary, it is indeed quite remarkable in a young person."

Seeing Zhang Qing's somewhat anxious demeanor, Song Shuyu couldn't help but shake her head and chuckle: "Brother Zhang, there is no need to be so formal. I am not here to hold you accountable; it is just that the little girl Mo Ying asked me to help resolve this minor issue. I didn't expect that this small matter would escalate, which is why I called you, Brother Zhang. I hope we can discuss this and see if we can let it go without further complications"

Upon hearing this, Song Shuyu was also very satisfied, nodding her head and saying: "In that case, I would like to thank Brother Zhang Er for your generosity."

In fact, it is not surprising that Zhang Qing is feeling despondent. In the recent battle, as a senior relative of Zhang Yang, he attacked Zhong Li, which was an act of bullying the weak and unfair in handling matters. After being defeated by Zhong Li, he felt that he was outmatched. Moreover, Zhong Li, despite suffering from internal injuries and blood flow reversal, still made a deliberate effort to spare his life, which made Zhang Qing feel that his own moral integrity had been severely compromised

At this thought, an inexplicable interest arose within me. Song Shuyu raised her eyebrows and looked at Zhang Qing, asking with a hint of implication, "Brother Zhang, what do you think of that little fellow just now"

Setting aside the complaints in his heart, Zhang Qing furrowed his brows and pondered for a moment in response to Song Shuyu's words, then said in a deep voice: "This person is quite sinister"

Song Shuyu pondered for a moment and then speculated, "Could it be that something went wrong during the practice, injuring the foundation?"

Zhang Qing furrowed his brows and said with a conflicted expression: "That punch he just threw combined the Five Elements and Twelve Forms of Xingyi into one, incorporating both the collapsing and the cannon techniques, subtly infused with the essence of the tiger's ferocity. It is evident that he possesses an extraordinary level of mastery beyond the realm of Xingyi. How could someone train their body to such an extent? Moreover, at his age, even if he had been practicing Xingyi since childhood, it would be impossible for him to achieve such a level of skill."

Zhang Qing sighed and said with a complex expression: "This person is already deficient in vital energy and blood, physically weak, and just now he forcibly gathered his strength, causing his vital energy to rebel and harm himself. This accumulation of injuries has compounded his weakness, and with his blood being depleted, he is likely running out of time.

So it is like this

... ...

Zhang Qing's expression was conflicted, while Song Shuyu merely smiled without speaking, for she did not care at all about Zhang Qing's thoughts. She had come solely because she had promised Lin Moying, to issue a warning to Zhang Qing or the Zhang family, so that they would not dare to retaliate against Zhong Li afterwards. After all, with the power of the Zhang family, it would be no difficult task to teach a lesson to an ordinary person without any family background.

Zhang Qing was extremely nervous, while Song Shuyu remained calm as ever, smiling gently and saying: "Zhang Erge, you are being too polite. This time I came to Longhai not for any major matter, but just to take a look at that little girl Mo Ying along the way. There is no need to make a fuss over it."

Regarding this statement, Zhang Qing harbored countless doubts in his heart, yet he did not reveal any of it on his face, and said: "What could Miss Song have called upon Zhang for?"

Zhang Qing stopped in his tracks and turned around, only to see a person approaching leisurely. Her demeanor was elegant, exuding an air of composure. With each step she took, an invisible aura seemed to surround her, compelling onlookers to shift their gaze towards her. Yet, in the moment of contact, they were captivated by a stunning beauty, leaving them momentarily entranced

Miss Song, please do not misunderstand; I, Zhang, have no intention of settling scores after the fact

Injustice in handling matters, skills inferior to others, martial virtue completely diminished, in his lifetime, this is the first time Zhang Qing has been so thoroughly defeated, how can he let it go?

Zhang Qing's expression became serious as he said: "Practicing martial arts and boxing, the body is fundamental. Cultivating martial arts can strengthen the physique and invigorate the vital energy. Only with a strong physique and abundant vital energy can one truly practice martial arts, progressing step by step. The two are mutually reinforcing, and this is especially true for Xingyi Quan. This person is already a master of Xingyi; logically speaking, he should possess a robust physique and vigorous internal strength. Why then is his vital energy so depleted?"

In theory, this is very likely, but ... ...

This is it

I see now

At this point, Zhang Qing had already cursed Zhang Yang in his heart no less than a hundred times. This scoundrel was always dreaming of a toad eating swan meat, first provoking a sinister character, and now dragging this young lady into the mess. Not only had he nearly been beaten to death as her uncle, but now he also had to face her wrath with a stiff upper lip.

This ... ...

This situation caused Zhang Qing's heart to tremble suddenly, and a few drops of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. However, he did not have time to wipe it away and forced a smile, saying: "Miss Song, when did you arrive in Longhai? Why didn't you notify me, so that I could extend my hospitality as a local host?"

Song Shuyu nodded and said, "Indeed, that little fellow's body is extremely weak and frail, as if it has been depleted for years without any replenishment"

Hmm

Hearing this, Song Shuyu became even more interested and asked, "What kind of strange method is this?"