Divine Dragon Martial Hall

The family of three walked into the sales office.

The saleswoman approached with a professional smile, though her eyes swept over them with a judgmental gaze. Their slum-district attire and cheap clothing made it clear they weren't wealthy, and her smile faded slightly. "Are the three of you here to look at properties?"

Song Chen replied, "Yes."

The saleswoman gestured toward the sand table model nearby. "This way, please. We have several floor plans available, starting from 120 square meters with a base price of 3.2 million. You can take a look first, and if you're interested, we can arrange a mortgage..."

Her tone was indifferent; she clearly didn't take them seriously.

Song Chen said nothing. He walked to the sand table, studied it for a moment, and then pointed to the building in the very center. "How big is the top floor of this one?"

The saleswoman paused. "That... that is our premier unit. It's 280 square meters, and the total price is..."

"How much?"

The saleswoman said quite seriously, "8.6 million."

Li Xiuying's hand trembled. 8.6 million—that was more money than their family could earn in a lifetime.

Song Chen nodded. "I have a few more questions. Send your manager over."

The saleswoman's expression shifted. Years of professional experience told her that this young man was absolutely not joking. She looked at Song Chen again, this time with much more focus.

"Sir, are you certain you want to buy? That is our most expensive floor plan..."

Song Chen took out his communicator, opened his bank balance, and flashed it in front of her: 13 million.

The saleswoman's eyes widened, and her attitude changed instantly. "Please wait a moment, sir! I will call the manager immediately. Please, have a seat and enjoy some tea!"

She ushered them to a seat with great enthusiasm before hurrying toward the back.

Li Xiuying tugged on Song Chen's sleeve and whispered, "Son, over 8 million is too expensive, isn't it? Let's buy something cheaper..."

Song Chen patted her hand. "Mom, don't worry."

Soon, a middle-aged man in a sharp suit walked out, beaming. "Sir, you have a great eye. This premier unit is the best floor plan in Green Water Garden. It has an expansive view, excellent natural light, and the interior uses top-tier materials..."

Song Chen interrupted him.

"Wait a moment."

The manager blinked. "Is there something else you're concerned about, sir?"

Song Chen looked at him and asked, "How is the security here?"

The manager's smile grew even brighter. "Rest assured, sir. Green Water Garden is a high-end residential area in the inner city. Our security system is top-notch: 24-hour patrols, comprehensive surveillance, and identity verification for all entries. It is very safe."

Song Chen nodded. "What if a martial artist wants to get in?"

The manager's smile stiffened. "A... a martial artist?"

"Correct. If a second-tier or even a third-tier martial artist wanted to sneak in and cause trouble, could your security stop them?"

The manager fell silent. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came out.

Song Chen watched him. "You have families of low-tier martial artists living here. Your security system is fine for dealing with ordinary people, but what about high-tier martial artists?"

The manager's complexion changed, and he wiped sweat from his forehead. "Sir, that's a bit... This is the inner city; public order is excellent. It's very rare for martial artists to cause trouble..."

"Rare doesn't mean it never happens. What if it does?"

The manager had no answer.

Song Chen looked at him, his tone calm. "I won't hide it from you. As a martial artist, having enemies is inevitable. I am very worried about what might happen if my enemies come knocking."

The manager's face turned completely pale. "Sir, in your situation... Green Water Garden is indeed... perhaps not the most suitable..."

Li Xiuying, listening from the side, felt her heart tighten. She tugged at Song Chen's sleeve. "Son, why don't we just not buy it? The slum district is run-down, but we've lived there for so many years..."

Song Chen patted her hand without speaking, keeping his eyes on the manager, waiting for him to continue.

The manager hesitated for a long time before finally speaking. "Sir, if you are truly worried about security, I suggest you consider another option."

"What is it?"

"The residential complexes for martial arts halls."

Song Chen's eyebrows twitched. "Martial arts hall residential complexes?"

The manager nodded, his expression turning serious. "Anning City has several large martial arts halls, all of which have their own residential complexes. Those areas are inhabited entirely by hall members and their families. Security is handled by the halls themselves, and each complex has resident martial artists stationed there."

"In a place like that, even third or fourth-tier martial artists would have to think twice before breaking in. After all, intruding on a martial arts hall's territory is equivalent to slapping the hall in the face."

Song Chen's eyes lit up.

The manager added, "Furthermore, housing in those complexes can be free. As long as you join a hall and become a formal member, you are allocated a unit. The stronger you are, the better the unit you receive."

Free? Song Chen paused. He remembered hearing about this before, but he had never paid it any mind. Back then, he wasn't even a martial artist, and joining a hall felt like a world away.

Things were different now. He was a first-tier peak martial artist, only a step away from the second tier. Joining a hall was more than enough.

"Which is the largest martial arts hall in the city?"

The manager thought for a moment. "The largest in Anning City is the branch of the Divine Dragon Martial Hall. The hall master is a fourth-tier martial artist who holds sway even at the Garrison Command. The Divine Dragon Martial Hall's residential complex is in the best part of the inner city. I hear it's full of experts, and the Divine Dragon Martial Hall is ranked in the top ten across all of Great Xia."

Divine Dragon Martial Hall. Song Chen repeated the name in his mind and nodded at the manager. "Thank you. I won't be considering this property for now."

The manager displayed excellent professional conduct; he didn't get angry, but instead waved his hand. "No problem at all. Your situation is unique, and I understand. If you need anything in the future, feel free to come back to me."

Song Chen led his parents out of the sales office.

Li Xiuying grabbed his hand, her face full of worry. "Son, you don't really have enemies, do you?"

Song Chen was silent for a second. To keep them from living in constant fear, he said, "Mom, not for the moment, but I don't want to take any chances."

Li Xiuying's eyes reddened. "It's all because I'm useless and a burden to you..."

Song Chen interrupted her. "Don't say that. You aren't a burden; it's my job to protect you."

He thought for a moment and suddenly had an idea. "Mom, Dad, do you want to go on a trip?"

Li Xiuying was stunned. "A trip?"

"The inner city has plenty of fun places—parks, malls, tourist spots. You two have never really had a chance to enjoy yourselves. I have some things to handle, so you should go out and have a good time."

Li Xiuying hesitated. "But you'll be all alone..."

"I'll be fine on my own. If you're here, I'll only be worried. Once you're out having fun, I can focus on taking care of business."

Song Zhengye suddenly spoke up. "Fine, let's listen to our son."

He looked at Song Chen, his eyes filled with pride. "Our son has grown up and can handle things on his own. It's time for us old folks to enjoy life a little."

Li Xiuying looked at her husband, then at her son, and finally nodded. "Alright, Mom will listen to you."

Song Chen smiled. He took out his phone and transferred a sum of money to his parents—not much, just half of his savings, 6.5 million.

"Spend this for now, and tell me if you need more."

Li Xiuying looked at the number on the screen, her hand trembling again. "Th-this is so much..."

Song Chen remained calm. "If you can't spend it all, just save it. We'll have plenty more money in the future."

He hailed a hover-car and helped his parents inside.

"Have a good time."

Li Xiuying leaned out of the window, her eyes red. "Son, be careful."

"Don't worry."

The hover-car slowly pulled away and disappeared at the end of the street.

Song Chen stood where he was, watching the vehicle fade into the distance, then turned and headed in the opposite direction.

He was going to check out the Divine Dragon Martial Hall.