Thousand Gold Driver

In the lake, Wu Yin's eyes were spitting fire; she was truly furious. Given her status, she rarely suffered setbacks. It would have been good enough if she hadn't bothered Wang Xuan, but he had actually taken action today—no, he had used his feet. It was simply unbearable, making her want to explode.

Moreover, her backside ached faintly; the kick hadn't been light at all, almost making her cry out at the time.

She already had a bad temper, and now her chest heaved violently. She wished she could immediately rush ashore and settle the score with that person.

But she didn't dare to move. Her long dress was completely soaked and clinging to her. With her astonishing figure, she really couldn't go ashore, or she would definitely become the center of attention.

She used her long hair to cover her face, worried about being photographed. But the water was really a bit cold, it being late autumn. Chilled and angry, she gritted her teeth.

On the other side, the female star was not as calm. After falling into the lake, she screamed. Such an experience was a nightmare for her, and she directly choked on some water.

Fortunately, the black-clad individuals who fell into the lake were dutiful. Among the group were also a few female bodyguards who swam over and supported her, preventing her from sinking to the bottom. However, her makeup was ruined.

Wu Yin's assistant saw this and didn't dare to act impulsively, fearing she'd be kicked in too. Standing on the shore, she quickly made a call for help.

When a black-clad bodyguard tried to go ashore, the onlookers started to jeer and kicked him back into the water. Seeing this, the other black-clad bodyguards didn't dare to come up.

"Everyone, please spread out a bit. Saving people is the priority. It's easy to catch a chill if you fall into the water accidentally," Wang Xuan shouted. He didn't want the situation to escalate; it was better to let people get out first.

One by one, the black-clad figures came ashore, clearly much more low-key now. They didn't dare to push people around anymore and were pulling their companions out of the water.

"Big Wu, I'll help you up!" Wang Xuan called out to Wu Yin. With a spirit of goodwill and the idea that it's better to resolve enmities than to create them, he extended his hand, wanting to help Wu Yin out. He was thoughtful enough not to call her by her real name, as she came from a super family in New Star, and her identity was somewhat sensitive.

Wu Yin didn't move. Hearing the word "Big," her beautiful eyes shot out even more fire. She didn't feel any warmth of being rescued or cared for. On the contrary, she felt that the person was definitely retaliating deliberately for her previous excessive words and actions.

Seeing that she didn't react and was lowering her head, covering her pretty face with her hair like an ostrich, Wang Xuan couldn't be bothered to manage her anymore, as they had only met a few times.

Wu Yin felt his gaze sweep over her and thought he was doing it on purpose, wanting to pull her out of the water to see her in her drenched, clinging-dress predicament.

"Leilei!" A woman around thirty years old, with tears on her face and a tearful voice, ran over quickly, heading towards the little girl beside Wang Xuan.

"Mom!" the little girl called out happily.

There had been too many people earlier, and with the black-clad figures pushing and shoving, the mother and daughter had been separated.

Seeing this, Wang Xuan immediately handed the little girl over. The woman thanked him with a tearful voice and quickly hugged her child.

Just then, a man in his fifties walked over, accompanied by several people. Wang Xuan immediately became vigilant; the people around that man were not simple.

"Xiao Yin, what happened to you?"

"Uncle, I was pushed into the water," Wu Yin replied, looking towards Wang Xuan.

Wang Xuan sighed. Old Chen was a bit slow; why hadn't he arrived yet? He hadn't left earlier, and he certainly wouldn't leave now. He calmly stepped forward.

As a concerned citizen, he approached the middle-aged man and explained that the female star's entourage was too grand, causing a traffic jam. The bodyguards had almost pushed bystanders into the lake.

"This is truly outrageous!" Wang Xuan shook his head and said, "They made the mistake themselves, and yet the female star just whispered that she knew the victim in the lake. It's simply..."

The middle-aged man in his fifties was named Wu Chenglin, and he was indeed Wu Yin's uncle. He was naturally quite shrewd. Upon hearing this, he immediately knew that the young man's concern was mixed with ulterior motives.

"Could the two of them actually know each other?" Wang Xuan pointed at Wu Yin, the "victim" in the water, and then at the female star not far away.

"No!" Wu Chenglin immediately shook his head. He quickly took off his jacket and handed it to Wu Yin, who had reached the lake's edge, pulling her up himself.

He naturally had to deny it. Their style of operation was like this; they didn't want to be too high-profile. They usually stayed backstage or behind the scenes, unwilling to expose themselves and become scenery in others' eyes.

Moreover, if today's events made the news, the coverage would certainly be very negative.

Not far away, the female star and her assistant were very unwilling and wanted to say something. Wu Chenglin glanced at them and then said to the onlookers, "There's nothing to see, everyone disperse."

The first to leave was the female star and her entourage. They didn't say anything and left very discreetly, not escalating the situation or seeking trouble with Wang Xuan.

Wang Xuan also turned to leave. However, he hadn't walked a hundred meters before he saw a car speeding towards them and stopping by the roadside. It was Old Chen, who had arrived at the scene.

"Old Chen, I'm heading back. The situation is roughly like this..." Wang Xuan spoke to him on the phone without going over. He briefly explained the situation and prepared to leave.

"What a coincidence! It's Old Wu, our collaborator for this project. Little Wang, do you want to come over? Get acquainted now; you'll be interacting a lot in the future." Old Chen said while on the phone with Wang Xuan, looking towards the lake with some surprise.

Wang Xuan felt something was off. Didn't the exploration organization intercept the Ling family, Zhou family, and Wu family at Qingcheng Mountain last time? Why were they cooperating again now?

However, he could understand. When interests align, even enemies can come together. Moreover, the two sides likely had a history of cooperation. Last time's interception was also secretly orchestrated by Old Chen through Qing Mu, and the other party might not have known.

"Old Chen, I won't be coming. I forgot to tell you, I just kicked Old Wu's niece into the lake. You handle it. But don't sell me out, or you'll never get that great opportunity for Ascension Immortal Method. I'll take it to my grave if I have to!"

Upon hearing this, Old Chen immediately gritted his teeth. As a renowned master in the field of Old Arts, he had people from New Star coming to visit him, yet he was being asked to personally deal with such a trivial matter. It was a bit beneath him.

In the end, he walked over, called Wu Chenglin away, and they went for tea, leaving others to handle the situation by the lake.

The next day, which was Monday, Wang Xuan went to work as usual. He felt that this life was about to end soon, so he came to take a look, as if silently bidding farewell to his colleagues with whom he had spent a short time.

Before long, Old Chen also arrived, looking radiant. Compared to his previous state of yawning, with large eye bags, and looking half-asleep, he was now full of energy.

"Old Chen, it's been many days since I last saw you. You look great. By the way, how's your research on the Book of Changes going?" a colleague greeted him.

"That darn book, I've quit!" Old Chen replied curtly. Then, he directly called Wang Xuan out, intending to have a good chat.

"I'm at work," Wang Xuan said after coming out.

"Let me give you an extended leave. You should rest well recently; this is a minor matter." Old Chen was very enthusiastic, fully exercising his authority to let him take some time off.

"If that's the case, why don't you change my environment? I want to go to New Star," Wang Xuan said. Rather than procrastinating, it was better to be decisive and do it early; he had made up his mind.

Old Chen turned to look at Wang Xuan, not expecting him to proactively request to go to New Star.

He rubbed his hands and said, "No problem, but the competition for the Zaibatsu heiress and the Widow family is fierce."

Wang Xuan glanced at him sideways and said, "Old Chen, have you been reading too many old novels? You should arrange it like this: when I get to New Star, you should have the Zaibatsu heiress be my bodyguard, and let some stunning widow be my driver. That would be more appropriate."

Old Chen sighed, "Young people these days are too impetuous. They don't know how to endure hardship and start from scratch, just charging in like a fierce dragon crossing the river. Your request is a bit much."

Seeing Old Chen's serious expression, as if he could actually arrange things, Wang Xuan also put on a solemn air and said, "Someone like me can unravel the truth of Ascension. Aren't you ashamed if you don't arrange a few top experts for me? My request isn't high."

"Makes sense." Old Chen actually nodded and added, "When you go to New Star, I'll arrange it for you."

Wang Xuan couldn't be bothered to respond. He thought Old Chen had completely thrown his principles out the window for the Ascension Immortal Method, speaking nonsense with a straight face.

Old Chen thought for a moment and said, "What do you think about the girl you kicked in the rear, sending her into the lake? Let her be your driver."

Wang Xuan ignored him, not wanting to listen to his nonsense.

"Little Wang, you look down on me, Old Chen, and our organization a bit." Old Chen looked at him. "If it were in the past, it would indeed be a bit difficult. But this time, they sought us out. What's wrong with letting that girl you kicked be your driver? It can help you conceal your identity. If we cooperate, you are a crucial link. Why would they be unwilling? They'll definitely cooperate."

Wang Xuan suddenly turned around and looked at Old Chen. This old man had been urging him to go to New Star a while ago. So, there had been some cooperation plan all along. Had he already sold him out?

"Old Chen, are you guys trying to dig up Earth Immortal Grass? I'm not participating in this operation!" Wang Xuan flatly refused. With so many organizations in New Star, and powerful zaibatsu, no one had managed to collect Earth Immortal Grass so far. It was easy to imagine how difficult it was. He wasn't going to be cannon fodder.

Old Chen chuckled dumbfoundedly. "Where did your mind go? The Earth Immortal Grass plan is scheduled for later; it's not time yet. This operation is not dangerous. You can trust my word as Old Chen."

Wang Xuan looked at him. It would be a ghost if he actually believed his old colleague!

Old Chen said, "Think about it, the Wu family's young lady is involved, acting as your pilot, a pilot of a small spaceship. Her skills are fine. If she's invested in this, how dangerous can it be?"

Wang Xuan looked at him, always feeling that his ideas were too unbelievable and that he was still a bit improper.

"Old Chen, let's talk business. Of course, let me be clear, don't think about selling me to the Wu family. Otherwise, even if I teach you the Ascension Immortal Method, you'll run into trouble later."

Old Chen was naturally eager to hear the secrets of the Ascension Immortal Method immediately, but he still added, "Little Wang, don't think what I say is unreliable. They really came to ask us this time. As someone with significant influence in the Old Arts field, I am worthy of their solemn invitation. Now, they realize even more that some problems can only be solved by those who practice the Old Arts."

"Old Chen, seeing how confident you are, to what extent have you practiced your Old Arts?" Wang Xuan was genuinely curious.

Old Chen smiled faintly, quite self-assured. "Let me put it this way: Sun Chengkun, who you fought to the death with at Great Black Mountain, back when he wasn't heavily injured and was at his peak, despite being around my age, would respectfully call me Teacher Chen every time we met."

Doubt! Wang Xuan looked at him, and he seriously doubted it. Was this true or false? Was Old Chen really that monstrous?

At this moment, they had already walked into the abandoned mechanical factory behind the design institute. Old Chen often came to the pond here to fish.

"See that patch of abandoned steel machinery, large gears, shredders, etc.? When I was young, I often hit them with my bare hands and practiced nearby." Old Chen pointed to a patch of rusty machinery ahead, a vast expanse of black, weighing who knows how many tons.

Speaking of which, he even walked forward and patted a piece of steel plate, over ten centimeters thick, with his hand. "I haven't made a move in many years."

Then he urged Wang Xuan, saying he could now tell him the secret of the Ascension Immortal Method.

Wang Xuan had no intention of being perfunctory. He had planned to give Old Chen benefits this time. He directly demonstrated the fist technique taught by the Old Monk.

As he demonstrated, he explained the first move. However, he couldn't unleash the true essence of the fist technique because it required the internal organs to vibrate and exert force. The difficulty was too high for someone just starting. At this stage, he could only describe it with words.

Old Chen was an expert and exclaimed in admiration, "Amazing! It looks like the Great Vajra Fist, but it's definitely not. For me, it's very difficult to even practice. It's worth challenging."

Wang Xuan only taught him one move and told him he could go back, and he would complete the remaining moves tomorrow.

"Okay, no rush. I'll find you again tomorrow." Old Chen nodded and left in a hurry, eager to start practicing.

Wang Xuan was speechless. What he meant was that the Old Monk, whose eyes had bled last night, would go find Old Chen tonight. They would spend a pleasant night together, and Old Chen would know everything.

After Old Chen left, Wang Xuan also patted that steel plate, over ten centimeters thick. As a result, his expression immediately changed. Where Old Chen had patted, steel slag scattered down, completely turning into fine debris.

He was truly shocked, gasping in cold air. Was Old Chen really that monstrous?

Wang Xuan recalled that his old colleague hadn't used much force just now, just a gentle pat. This kind of strength was shocking and terrifying.

"Next time, I need to treat Old Chen better. Being on the radar of such an extremely dangerous old colleague is really a headache!" Wang Xuan sighed.

In the evening, Wang Xuan returned home and started dawdling. He told the Old Monk that he could go sit by Old Chen's bedside because Old Chen often went to New Star and could help fulfill his wish.

The next morning, Old Chen found Wang Xuan. His eyes were red like a rabbit's, bright and crimson. He questioned Wang Xuan, "Little Wang, you're something else, you've harmed me again! I just sent away a female Daoist practitioner, and now you've sent me a ghost monk. What do you mean? I haven't even recovered my sleep, and a new round has begun!"

Wang Xuan was surprised. "Didn't he teach you that fist technique?"

Old Chen said indignantly, "Teach what? He sat at the head of my bed and stared at me all night. Every time I tried to fall asleep, he would lean closer. His ashen-grey eyes were quite terrifying. It was better than the Celestial Maiden last time. At least she kept her distance, and her true appearance was peerless. Unlike this one, he's pitch black, reeks of decay, says nothing, and just looms over me all night!"

Given Old Chen's monstrous true strength, Wang Xuan decided to be serious, lest Old Chen get angry due to improper methods. He recounted his experience in detail.

The next day, Old Chen was even more haggard. He came to find Wang Xuan in grief and anger, saying, "Little Wang, you've set me up!"

"How did I set you up? I told you the whole process in detail!" Wang Xuan truly felt wronged.

"I followed your experience, and I directly hit him on the head. As a result, he beat me all night in my mental domain!" Old Chen was utterly devastated.

Thanks: Luànle Sīxù, Xián Duàn Fú Shēng, thank you both for your support as Alliance Leaders!