Training

"You people are impressive. You even managed to find my address."

After entering, Xu Yi gestured for Du Qiangwei to sit down, then casually remarked.

"That's nothing. Anyone determined enough could find it with a simple search. You, on the other hand, seem to have done something remarkable," Qiang Wei said.

"What did I do?" Xu Yi spread his hands, wearing an expression of complete innocence.

"Sun Wukong." Qiang Wei spoke the three words and carefully watched for changes in Xu Yi's expression.

Understanding dawned on Xu Yi's face. "You mean that monkey who blocked the road today?"

"He isn't a monkey. His name is Sun Wukong. But he isn't the one from Journey to the West. For thousands of years, he has protected Dragon Country from the shadows. He is Dragon Country's guardian deity," Qiang Wei said.

"Oh. So?" Xu Yi asked.

"You pinned him beneath a mountain, and you're asking 'so what'? Xu Yi?" Du Qiangwei said gloomily.

"Who told him to block my way? I merely gave him a casual slap. I didn't expect him to be so weak," Xu Yi said.

"You're the greatest," Du Qiangwei "praised."

"I'm decent enough. So, you came to ask me to release Sun Wukong?" Xu Yi said.

"Mm." Qiang Wei nodded.

"Qiang Wei, although we've met a few times, we're not really close when it comes down to it. Why should I listen to you?" Xu Yi said.

"Sun Wukong is a warrior of the Super Soldier Company. What you did has a bad influence, and you exposed your strength. Your life might not stay peaceful from now on," Qiang Wei said seriously.

"Qiang Wei, whoever makes my life unsettled, I'll make theirs unsettled," Xu Yi said.

"...Understood. You're freaking awesome!" Qiang Wei covered her forehead, feeling that this was becoming troublesome.

"It's good that you know," Xu Yi said with a smile.

"Xu Yi, what will it take for you to release Sun Wukong?" Qiang Wei asked.

"That depends on your performance." Xu Yi stared at Qiang Wei, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

Meeting Xu Yi's pure yet not-so-pure gaze, Qiang Wei instinctively stood up and took two steps back. "Xu Yi, don't do anything reckless. I'm not that easy."

"Qiang Wei, you wouldn't want Sun Wukong to stay pinned down there for five hundred years, would you?" Xu Yi said softly.

"What? Five hundred years! And why did that sound so weird?" Qiang Wei became agitated, her heart beating several times faster than usual.

Her pretty face flushed slightly. She was afraid Xu Yi would suddenly do something outrageous that she might not be able to stop.

"There's nothing weird about it. Nothing comes for free. If you want me to release Sun Wukong, Qiang Wei, then show me some sincerity," Xu Yi said.

"What kind of sincerity?" Qiang Wei asked, taking a deep breath.

"Whatever I tell you to do, you do?" Xu Yi said.

"No. What if you tell me to..."

Qiang Wei did not finish, finding it difficult to say aloud.

"Don't worry. It won't come to that," Xu Yi said.

"Then what do you want me to do?" Qiang Wei asked.

"Uh... I'm hungry. Make me a late-night snack," Xu Yi said.

"I can't... I've never cooked," Qiang Wei said awkwardly.

"...That attitude won't do, Qiang Wei. I've decided to add another five hundred years to Sun Wukong's sentence," Xu Yi said.

"Don't, don't! I'll do it." Qiang Wei was startled. How could this man change his mind so quickly?

"If it doesn't taste good, I'll add another five hundred years," Xu Yi reminded her.

"I'll do my best," Qiang Wei said through gritted teeth.

"Good luck," Xu Yi encouraged.

Qiang Wei walked into the kitchen. The refrigerator was actually stocked with plenty of ingredients, all of them sent over earlier by Qi Lin.

But at Xu Yi's level of cultivation, he no longer needed food to replenish his energy. At most, he ate a little to satisfy his appetite.

Qiang Wei looked at the ingredients and felt a headache coming on. There were many vegetables she did not even recognize. Besides, she had not lied—she truly did not know how to cook.

When she was young, Du Kao had been busy with work, so Qiang Wei had practically been like a left-behind child. For convenience, she sometimes ate fast food and instant noodles.

In the end, Qiang Wei chose the simplest dish: Egg Fried Rice.

It was the only thing she had learned to make as a child, and it was also a very simple way to cook.

Although Egg Fried Rice was simple, making it delicious still required a certain level of skill.

She heated the wok, poured in oil, cracked the eggs—Qiang Wei did it all in one smooth motion. Then she added the overnight rice, tossed in some scallions, and began stir-frying. About fifteen minutes later, Qiang Wei came out carrying a bowl filled with glistening Egg Fried Rice. Fine beads of sweat covered her forehead, and her gaze was resolute and focused.

Qiang Wei discovered that stir-frying rice felt great. It was as though all her worries had disappeared. It had been a long time since she had felt so happy.

Xu Yi took a sniff and praised her. "Although it's only Egg Fried Rice, it smells pretty good."

"So I passed?" Qiang Wei asked.

"Mm. Come, eat with me. Want to try the result of your own work?" Xu Yi said.

"I get to eat too?" Qiang Wei asked in surprise.

"Of course. You made it. Why wouldn't you eat it?" Xu Yi said irritably.

Thus, over the next few minutes, the two sat in the living room and polished off the Egg Fried Rice together.

After eating, Qiang Wei even used Wormhole Transport to pull out several bottles of Beer and began drinking.

Clearly, Qiang Wei had loosened up by now. She was no longer as reserved as she had been at the beginning, always keeping some distance between them.

"Not saving Sun Wukong anymore?" Xu Yi asked after taking a swig of Beer.

"There's no rush. Nothing will happen if he stays pinned down a little longer." Qiang Wei chuckled, sprawled across the sofa with her cheeks flushed red.

"Right, that's more like it. Relax a little. Don't go around looking like the whole world wronged you every day. Isn't this much better?" Xu Yi teased.

"Like the whole world wronged me? Do I?"

Qiang Wei asked. She tipped her Beer bottle and found it empty, then pulled out another stack from a wormhole.

"Haven't you noticed? You always have such an icy face, like someone owes you millions," Xu Yi said.

"Hahaha, so that's how I look in other people's eyes." Qiang Wei laughed.

"Thank you."

Qiang Wei seemed to understand Xu Yi's intentions and spoke softly.

"What are you thanking me for?" Xu Yi said dismissively.

"Thank you for letting me relax for a while," Qiang Wei said.

"Relax? Dream on! Get up and massage my shoulders," Xu Yi said.

"..." Qiang Wei.

On the outskirts of Juxia City.

A Military Green Truck drove over. Di Lena stepped down from it, looking at the mountain before her and the monkey beneath it with a surprised expression.

"What's going on here, Old Du?" Di Lena asked.

"Leina, don't worry about anything else for now. Can you use your abilities to burn a hole through this mountain?" Du Kao asked.

"Forget a hole. Blowing up this mountain would be effortless for this goddess," Di Lena said confidently.

"Heh, boasting, young one. This mountain isn't an ordinary mountain. You might not be able to blow it up," Sun Wukong said.

Di Lena planted her hands on her hips and said arrogantly, "It's hard to imagine that a monkey pinned beneath a mountain once made Pan Zhen suffer heavy losses. How pathetic must he have been?"

"You can try it. Even with a mountain on my back, I, Old Sun, am not someone a little child like you can provoke," Sun Wukong said.

"Enough with the tough talk. Facts speak louder than words."

"Watch this goddess."

Di Lena activated the Stellar Drive Formula and pressed one hand against the surface of the mountain. The temperature in her palm rose continuously, until the entire mountain glowed red-hot.

Clearly, Di Lena intended to melt the mountain.

Yet as time passed, the mountain remained completely still, showing no sign of melting whatsoever.

Sun Wukong beneath it, however, was sweating profusely, his entire body glowing crimson.