Chapter 96
"Yujia?" Hao Ren and the others felt that this name was so familiar, but they couldn't think of the person.
"Xie Yujia, your Cla.s.s President," Xie Wanjun said.
Hao Ren and the others were stunned again.
"Ah..." they looked at each other and gasped at the same time.
"She's my younger sister. Her basketball skills aren't that great, but she is good enough for a noob like you!" Xie Wanjun said as he looked at Hao Ren.
"Younger sister…" after some murmuring, the guys couldn't help but shout, "Huh? Younger sister!"
Comparing the skinny and pure Xie Yujia to this powerful and buff Xie Wanjun, no one would believe that they were related!
"This black 'gorilla' actually has a beautiful younger sister!?"
"What kind of expression is that?" Xie Wanjun looked at them emotionlessly and asked.
Even Yu Rong, who was usually quick on his feet, didn't know what to say due to the shock.
Hao Ren thought back to the morning when he rode the bicycle with Xie Yujia on the back seat. They entered from the west entrance, and there were many hotels nearby. They b.u.mped into Xie Wanjun, who was leading the whole basketball team for their morning run… At that moment, Xie Yujia was sitting in the back and was holding onto his lower waist…
"That'll be all. You will come to the school's main entrance and gather with us at six o'clock tomorrow morning. We'll start with a morning run, and then you'll join the regular training." Xie Wanjun said to Zhao Jiayi. Then, he turned to Hao Ren and said with a cold face, "I will have Yujia teach you the basic basketball moves one by one. Same time in the morning at six o'clock, and you'll train on the outdoor basketball court!"
After he said that, he turned around and was about to leave.
"A pretty girl will teach Hao Ren basketball?" this tempted Zhou Liren. and he asked courageously, "Big bro, can I join the Basketball Team as well?"
As he said that, he rolled up his sleeves and revealed the round muscles on his shoulder. "Look, I am strong too, and I am also above 1.8 meters…" he added.
Xie Wanjun glanced at him and interrupted with one sentence, "You still have a long way to go!" Then, the Captain of the Basketball Team turned around and walked away steadily; soon, everyone on the court could only look at his figure from afar.
Zhou Liren was struck badly by Xie Wanjun's disdainful sentence. He couldn't adjust to the sentence in time, and he said to Zhao Jiayi, "Ain't I strong? Don't you forget your bros since you're on the basketball team now! Zhao Jiayi, you have to recommend me!"
His eagerness to join the team seemed to have helped him forget how he looked at Zhao Jiayi as a traitor when Zhao Jiayi agreed to join the Basketball Team.
Everything happened all of a sudden, and it took Yu Rong and the others a while to get all the facts straight. Zhao Jiayi was recruited to the Basketball Team, and Hao Ren would play in the basketball game between East Ocean University and Jinghua University. Furthermore, Zhao Jiayi was going to attend the Basketball Team's training, and Hao Ren would be instructed by Xie Yujia regarding basic basketball moves. The most shocking news among them was that the beautiful Xie Yujia was actually Xie Wanjun's younger sister!
Not only Yu Rong and others were dazed, but Zhao Jiayi himself was also confused. He didn't expect that fighting with the members of the Basketball Team would bring him such fortune. He got Xie Wanjun's attention and was recruited to the Basketball Team to fill the vacancies! In addition, the position he would be playing was going to be Point Guard, the most important position in the team!
However, none of them knew that Xie Wanjun was really eager to recruit Hao Ren for next week's game! Only his level of stamina and strength could help them with this tough battle when the main players were missing.
Xie Wanjun wanted to punish those few black sheep, but he didn't want to lose the game as well!
Even though Zhao Jiayi had potential, it would take time to train him… Fortunately, Hao Ren understood the meaning of a "bundled sale" of his good friends and himself…
Therefore, Xie Wanjun only praised Zhao Jiayi on the surface, but he actually thought highly of Hao Ren.
Since the training would be very tough, he didn't want to make it seem like he was avenging for what happened earlier. That was why he had his younger sister instruct Hao Ren instead of putting him on the basketball team for the cruel training.
He didn't praise Hao Ren because he was afraid that Hao Ren would get too confident and c.o.c.ky. As a matter of fact, the key to winning the game next week was Hao Ren.
Xie Wanjun wasn't stupid! He had a thoughtful mind and steady way of dealing with things. If not, how could he lead the Basketball Team of East Ocean University to the champions.h.i.+p in the National College Basketball League!
On the other hand, Hao Ren wasn't stupid either. He accepted Xie Wanjun's request because he wanted to help his friend, Zhao Jiayi, on his first public appearance. He was planning to fully cooperate with Zhao Jiayi and make him score a lot in next week's game between East Ocean University and Jinghua University! Even though he didn't know much about basketball, he knew Zhao Jiayi's performance in the first game would determine his future ranking on the Basketball Team.
"Zhao Jiayi, you got to treat us now that you successfully got on the Basketball Team!" Zhou Liren, who couldn't be on the Basketball Team, yelled to Zhao Jiayi in distress.
"Treat, treat, treat, all you know is treating you!" Zhao Jiayi hit Zhou Liren's head with his hand, turned around, and told Yu Rong, "Call everyone from room 301 to 306! I'll treat you guys!"
Afterward, he couldn't stifle his smile; luck just dropped from the sky!
After this incident, they didn't have the mood to play more basketball. Yu Rong wanted to go back and spread the news, and Zhao Jiayi was also in a rush to tell his friends from high school about this great news as well. He might have to treat them in a celebration, too!
Thus, everyone dispersed. Yu Rong brought his basketball back to the dorm, Zhao Jiayi went to invite his high school friends who were also studying in East Ocean University, and Zhou Liren followed Yu Rong to join in on the fun.
Hao Ren saw that it was almost four o'clock, so he thought for a while and decided to meet Su Han.
After Su Han put the Mount Tai Bracelets on his wrists, Hao Ren didn't dare to go into the trap again. However, it wouldn't work if he kept on avoiding her. After all, he still needed her to advise him on cultivation. Although Vice Princ.i.p.al Lu Qing was kind, he was really busy, and Hao Ren didn't want to trouble him often either.
Hao Ren came to the door of Su Han's office exactly at four o'clock. He knocked on the door, heard Su Han say "come in" from within, and pushed the door open to go inside.
Su Han wore a colorful floral dress today. The design of spaghetti straps revealed her smooth shoulders and made them seem pretty and glamorous. The cut of the dress totally highlighted her perfect body shape, and any guys would drool over Su Han in this outfit.
At the moment, she was sitting on a chair while leaning against the window. Her long legs were resting on top of a stool, and she was reading a magazine.
"If Su Han isn't a teacher, she could definitely do well as a model," Hao Ren thought as he walked over and coughed twice.
Su Han glanced at him and looked at the seat in front of her as she said, "Go cultivate yourself."
"Oh," Hao Ren walked over, crossed his legs, and sat on the bamboo mat with the Tai Chi pattern.
Before he closed his eyes, Hao Ren looked at Su Han, who sat in front of him, again. He saw her grabbing the coffee on the windowsill and flipping through the magazine as she took a sip.
"Su Han actually has a modern side to her as well," Hao Ren corrected his perspective of Su Han once again.
Su Han seemed to have sensed Hao Ren's stares, so she said while reading, "You were in the spotlight today."
"You are talking about the Rock Climbing Club?" Hao Ren thought and asked.
"What else could it be?" Su Han asked back.
Hao Ren smiled and didn't say anything. He thought Su Han didn't really care about other matters and only cared about cultivation. Yet, it seemed that an Inspector like her was actually aware of the surrounding events.
"Did you go to the Dragon Palace last weekend?" Su Han asked.
"Yeah," Hao Ren nodded.
Hao Ren was actually a little afraid of Su Han. She was no doubt the secret agent of the Dragon Tribe. The Inspectors' abilities of information gathering were very intimidating.
"Come here," Su Han thought for a bit and waved at Hao Ren.
Hao Ren walked up to her. No matter if it was a good thing or a bad thing, any types of resistance would be useless in front of this master.
She held up Hao Ren's wrist as if she was trying to sense something.
Hao Ren's arm was held up by her, and he felt her exquisite and smooth palm. That comfort was indescribable.
"Su Han is the No.1 Beauty in East Ocean. No wonder so many people are obsessed with her…" he thought.
"Your heart is beating very fast," Su Han said indifferently.
"Being held by a beauty like you, it's hard for it not to beat fast," Hao Ren replied.
Su Han raised her head and stared at Hao Ren before saying, "Sweet talk."
It might be because she wasn't happy with her reply, she added again, "I can put two more Mount Tai Bracelets on you if you want."
"Uh, please don't," Hao Ren gave in quickly. It wouldn't do him any good if he made the beautiful Su Han angry.
However, he felt this icy beauty was a little cute sometimes.
Su Han let go of Hao Ren's arm after a while and said, "You've improved since last time, but two meridians' ends were split in the wrong direction. They are Yangwei Meridian and Yinqiao Meridian. Try feeling it yourself."
((in acupuncture and Chinese medicine) each of a set of pathways in the body along which vital energy is said to flow.)
Hao Ren followed her instructions, worked the Natural Essence in his body using the Spirit Concentration Scroll, and felt the slight clog in these two spots.
However, there were only three to four small acupoints in those spots, so Hao Ren was able to open them up in no time after guiding the Nature Essence in his body through them.
The Spirit Concentration Scroll formed a perfect cycle and circulation in his body, and it immediately made Hao Ren feel the increase in the speed of circulation of the Nature Essence.
Seeing Su Han looking down at the magazine again, Hao Ren admired her and felt grateful.
"After all, I still need a master to coach me. If I tried to explore it myself, I don't know when I would be able to find that something is wrong with my meridians. It would also take time away from breaking through the third level of the Spirit Concentration Scroll… On the other hand, Zhao Guang often meets up with me and instructs me on cultivation as well. Yet, he didn't spot any issues with my cultivation. This is proof that Su Han's level is way stronger than Zhao Guang's," he thought.
Seeing Su Han ignoring him again, Hao Ren returned to his seat and prepared to concentrate on cultivation. He was about to close his eyes, but he thought for a while and asked, "Su Han, you're not cultivating?"
Su Han raised her head and looked at him. "You really think I am a cultivation freak? I have to rest sometimes too. Besides, you would affect my cultivation in some way when you are here," she said straightforwardly.
Hao Ren forced a smile. Even though this teacher's level was high, her att.i.tude was not exactly the greatest.
He closed his eyes and was about to cultivate, but Su Han suddenly said, "Do you know about Zi's birthday party?"
"Isn't it next month?" Hao Ren asked.
"Yeah, I already received an invitation. The scale of Zi's birthday party will be huge this time, and many important figures who live in seclusion will be there," Su Han said.
"Is it because of the importance of Zi's 15th birthday?" Hao Ren asked.
"Humph," Su Han snorted lightly, "It's not as simple as you think. If it's just a normal party, I wouldn't be talking to you about it."
Hao Ren sensed that there was more that Su Han was not telling him and asked, "What you're saying is…"
"This gathering seems like Zi's birthday party on the surface, but it's an event to compare the strengths of the four Oceans, especially East Ocean and West Ocean. Zhao Guang visited and invited many important figures to come out and help. The appearances of these influential figures would indicate where they stand."
Seeing Su Han saying this solemnly, Hao Ren became serious as well. "Does it mean the start of a war?" he asked.
"It's not as severe as a war, but small-scale fights will definitely happen continuously. Even though these two Oceans seem friendly to each other, their relations.h.i.+p has deteriorated over these years. East Ocean's businesses on land are doing way better than West Ocean; but in terms of cultivation, West Ocean is slightly better."
"Isn't Zhao Yanzi's Third Uncle very powerful?" Hao Ren asked.
Su Han shook her head and explained, "Because of him, West Ocean doesn't dare to do anything reckless. Zhao Kuo is the No.1 Master in the Human Realm. Other than those old cultivators who don't come out for thousands of years, almost no one could defeat him."
"Zhao Yanzi's Third Uncle is that strong…" Hao Ren was shocked again. After hearing both the flattering from Premier Xia and the compliment from the Heavenly Master Su Han, Hao Ren felt totally different about Zhao Kuo.
"He's truly invincible in the Human Realm… No wonder Zhao Yanzi's Third Uncle is so arrogant," Hao Ren thought.
"However," Su Han changed her tone, "Zhao Kuo's Heavenly Tribulation will be next month. If Zhao Kuo can pa.s.s through the Heavenly Tribulation and become a Heavenly Dragon, West Ocean will still be intimidated for a while. If not…"
Su Han didn't continue. However, Hao Ren's mood became solemn as her tone changed.
Since he was truly invincible in the Human Realm, Zhao Kuo's Heavenly Tribulation would definitely be very tough.
"Thus, don't think that you'll be fine as Zhao Guang's Son-In-Law. If East Ocean and West Ocean start fighting, they may not be capable of protecting Zi," Su Han stated.
"Zi will be in danger despite being the daughter of the Dragon King?" Hao Ren's heart skipped a beat.
"In fact, East Ocean and West Ocean held grudges against each other for so long, and Zi is like the spark that ignited the bomb. And you," Su Han stared at Hao Ren and said, "just became Zi's fiancé at this time."
Hao Ren's heart skipped another beat.
"I'm not too sure what Zhao Guang is thinking. Maybe he's preparing for the worst and will be handing Zi to your care," Su Han said.
Hao Ren didn't speak; he was thinking hard. At this moment, his mind suddenly felt confused, and he was no longer in the mood to cultivate.
"Which side are you on?" Hao Ren asked her after a few seconds.
"I'm an Inspector. Theoretically, I need to maintain the orderliness of the whole Dragon Tribe. If they really start fighting, I can only remain neutral. East Ocean and West Ocean are both powerful forces and can't be stopped by one or two Inspectors," Su Han replied.
Hao Ren fell into thoughts again. Soon, he asked Su Han, "What should I do?"
"Work harder to cultivate," Su Han left him with four words.
Hao Ren didn't expect this kind of response. However, when he thought again, there was nothing else he could do. Other than trying to raise his strength, he couldn't do anything else. These internal fights of the Dragon Tribe couldn't be controlled by the secular forces.
"In Zi's birthday party next month, many important figures, as well as other Inspectors, will appear in various forms. Any impure essence will be detected by them. However, as Zi's fiancé, you must be there. In other words…" Su Han dragged out her words, "If you haven't leveled up to Kan-level successfully to prove that you're a member of the Dragon Tribe, you'll be in a dangerous situation."
Dangerous situation.
Su Han said those two words syllable by syllable.
"From Zhao Kuo's speech and behavior, it is easy to tell the att.i.tude these masters had towards normal human beings… sigh… it seems like I have no other choice…" Hao Ren thought.
His forehead was full of sweat as he closed his eyes and concentrated on cultivating the most fundamental cultivation technique, the Spirit Concentration Scroll.
Su Han, who sat in front of him, sighed deeply. She looked down at her beautiful hands and thought, "Sigh, if this guy can't reach Kan-level in time, should I help…"