Chapter 281 - 16: Huge Gains, Favors and Resources

"Heh heh, not bad."

Chen Xuanxing smiled faintly. He had hurried back and was already aware of the situation.

He looked at Lu Chao. Unlike the others who were sizing him up, his gaze was gentle, and his expression was full of praise. "Today’s events were all thanks to Martial Nephew Lu’s generous assistance."

"The Storm Club will not forget this. Old Ge, Old Feng, and I all owe you a favor."

His tone was calm, but his words carried weight.

His words shocked the several elite core disciples present. Even the well-traveled Xu Fengling looked on with envy.

A favor from three Martial Artists.

And one of them was an expert who had reached the second stage of the Superpower Level.

A debt like that was beyond monetary value.

After all, throughout the entire Red Maple City Circle, aside from the City Lord’s Mansion and the four great elder families, almost no other local power could boast such a lineup.

"Thank you, Master Chen!"

Lu Chao snapped back to reality and quickly cupped his hands in thanks, though he was inwardly quite surprised.

Three favors. The weight of this debt already outweighed the risk of offending Li Gusha.

"Also,"

Chen Xuanxing nodded and patted Lu Chao’s shoulder, offering a word of caution. "The Blood Slaughterer is a vicious and unpredictable man. He never plays by the rules."

"You may be from the Superpower Bureau, but you should still watch your back. Be careful, just in case."

Lu Chao nodded. He understood what Chen Xuanxing meant.

’Experts at the Superpower Level are usually concerned with their reputation and won’t attack a junior so easily, but it’s always wise to be on guard.’

However...

’In truth, he had already weighed the consequences before making a move. The Superpower Bureau isn’t like a martial arts dojo or a club. It’s the Alliance Country’s most powerful enforcement agency, which is enough to make anyone think twice. Besides, with his own strength and trump cards, he wasn’t afraid of Li Gusha coming after him alone. It was this confidence that made him decide to intervene in the first place.’

"Thank you for the reminder, Master Chen."

Lu Chao once again cupped his hands to give thanks.

After some more small talk, he could see that the three Martial Artists had business to discuss. Taking the hint, he cupped his fist, excused himself, and left.

As he walked out of the backyard,

a long, mahogany box had quietly been placed in his hands.

It contained the two Senior-Level Nutritional Potions from Ge Hongfeng. He had ignored Lu Chao’s protests and pressed the box into his hands.

All things considered,

his gains for the day were truly immense, far exceeding his expectations.

"Defeating the Blood Slaughterer’s personal disciple so easily... Brother Lu, you were truly magnificent today. I’m deeply impressed."

As they were leaving, Xu Fengling walked alongside him and said apologetically, "Speaking of which, my younger sister was quite rude earlier. It’s really embarrassing."

"I hope you can forgive her for that, Brother Lu."

He offered a sincere apology with a slight bow.

As for Xu Ling’er, she had already fled and didn’t dare to stick around.

Seeing this, Lu Chao was silent for a moment, then gently shook his head.

He didn’t dwell on it.

At least Xu Fengling was a reasonable person. Besides, it wasn’t a life-or-death grudge, so there was no need for him to harp on it.

The two continued to chat as they walked to the lounge area in the club’s main hall.

"You know, Brother Lu, you’ve been in Red Maple for a while now, but I haven’t had the chance to show you proper hospitality."

"I hope you’ll do me the honor of letting me host a dinner for you sometime soon. It would be a good chance to apologize for my sister’s rudeness."

Xu Fengling, dressed in an expensive blue suit, was all smiles. He was a skilled conversationalist and exceptionally pleasant to be around.

Although Lu Chao knew he was deliberately trying to get on his good side, he couldn’t find a reason to refuse.

In the end, unable to refuse Xu Fengling’s enthusiasm, and having already turned him down several times before, Lu Chao had no choice but to agree to meet up later.

A moment later,

he watched Xu Fengling leave with several bodyguards.

Lu Chao’s eyes glinted as he shook his head.

’Everyone has their own agenda.’ He could see that Xu Fengling was intentionally trying to befriend him.

’This is what happens when you reveal your strength and talent. He had, at some point, grown accustomed to the changing attitudes of those around him.’

However...

"Senior Brother."

He turned to Zheng Wu, who had been standing quietly by his side the whole time.

Zheng Wu hadn’t said much, only bringing him a fresh, white Martial Arts uniform and asking several times if he was injured.

"Hm?"

Zheng Wu looked at him, confused.

Then, Lu Chao smiled and gestured toward the nearby training grounds. "It’s been a while since we’ve sparred, hasn’t it?"

...

「Half a month later.」

By November, late autumn was giving way to winter in the Red Maple City Circle, and the weather had turned exceptionally cold.

No fluffy snow drifted down, but pedestrians on the street were bundled in thick, padded coats. Puffs of hot breath billowed in the air, and condensation fogged the windows of many high-rises.

"HUUU!"

At that same moment, inside an apartment.

Lu Chao slowly opened his eyes as a wisp of Crimson Fire flashed within them.

Wisps of a warm current converged between his eyebrows before silently dissipating.

As he finished practicing the Observation Method, the strange, swelling sensation of drawing in the celestial light finally began to fade from the acupoint between his brows.

’Still a long way to go.’

Looking inward, Lu Chao could see a round sun of Crimson Fire hanging high in his mind, dispelling most of the darkness.

Because of it, his five senses were sharpened, and his mental resistance had greatly increased.

But he still had a long way to go to break through to the Second Layer, [Round Sun].

He shook his head and looked at his panel.

Life Energy: 95 → 97!

Potential Progress: 90%

Without him realizing it, his Potential Progress had increased again. He was close to unlocking a new talent.

His Life Energy had also quietly increased, bringing him ever closer to the Superpower Level.

The two High-Level Nutrient Potions gifted to him by Master Ge had been consumed, providing ample nourishment to increase his Life Energy.

The potions’ effects were somewhat diminished due to his growing resistance, making the progress a struggle. However, by supplementing them with large amounts of High-Level Exotic Beast Meat, he eventually had a breakthrough, and his Life Energy rose by another two points.