Reaching Out and Demanding It

Seeing this, Li Mu said unhappily, "What riddles are you two talking in again?"

Zhou Ming sent a voice transmission. "Jiang Jiang! Why do you keep staring at me?"

Jiang Jiang pulled Li Mu over and whispered into her ear.

A flush spread across Li Mu's fair, pretty face, quickly blooming like sunset clouds across the sky.

Zhou Ming had not eavesdropped.

But seeing Li Mu's rosy red face, he knew that little Jiang had told her everything.

When Li Mu saw that Zhou Ming was still looking at her, she snapped, "You lecher!"

Zhou Ming muttered softly, "You were the one who threw yourself into my arms."

Jiang Jiang took Li Mu's little hand and said with a smile, "Mu Mu, let's go. Ignore him."

Zhou Ming followed behind the two of them as they left the square and returned to the small courtyard.

The three sat in the courtyard.

Several snacks they had bought along the way were laid out on the table.

Li Mu picked up a filled wine cup. "Congratulations on taking first place in the Qing Prefecture Martial Examination!"

The three clinked cups!

Seeing the smile on Zhou Ming's face, Li Mu asked curiously, "Back on the arena, you said you were from Jinzhou. Why didn't you take the Martial Examination in Jinzhou?"

"And last time, were those riddles about you breaking through to the Sixth Rank? In just a moment? Was that real?"

"Oh, and do you have a wife and children? I'm just asking, nothing more."

Looking at Li Mu, whose little mouth would not stop moving, Zhou Ming picked up a pastry and flicked it with a bent finger.

The pastry instantly plugged Li Mu's little mouth.

Then he said, "Enough, enough. Why do you have so many questions?"

Li Mu viciously bit into the pastry in her mouth and glared at him. "So you're bullying people just because you're stronger?"

Jiang Jiang smiled as she wiped the crumbs from the corner of her mouth. "Don't be mad! Don't be mad!"

Looking at Li Mu's sulky, pouting red lips, Zhou Ming smiled. "Didn't your best friend tell you who I am?"

Li Mu pursed her red lips.

Oh?

If that was how he wanted to talk, then she would stop being angry.

"No. Someone kept it very secret. Even when I tortured her, she wouldn't say a thing!" she said in a sweet, sarcastic tone.

When Jiang Jiang saw Zhou Ming's gaze fall on her, she shook her head slightly.

Li Mu, seated beside them, naturally noticed their little exchange.

When making friends, if someone was willing to tell you something, then they would tell you.

Besides, if her best friend had not spoken of that night's conversation, there had to be some hidden reason for it.

She was not the sort to dig to the bottom of everything.

But this was different. The person involved had brought it up himself. Since she had already been curious, she naturally wanted to hear more.

Her beautiful eyes widened as she leaned forward slightly, her gaze fixed tightly on Zhou Ming.

Zhou Ming looked at her curious expression.

What the hell am I afraid of?

With Myriad Forms of the Immaculate, why should I keep a low profile?

"My real name is Zhou Ming. You should have heard my name before," Zhou Ming said.

"Zhou Ming?" Li Mu's delicate brows drew together as she murmured softly.

"You are..."

"Mmph... mmph..."

Quick-eyed and quick-handed, Jiang Jiang covered Li Mu's mouth in one swift motion. She shook her head at her, then turned slightly toward Zhou Ming, her eyes carrying a hint of reproach.

Seeing that reproachful look, Zhou Ming waved his hand. "It's fine."

"Phew! Phew!"

"Jiang Jiang! Were you trying to suffocate me?"

After Jiang Jiang released her, Li Mu greedily gulped in air.

Jiang Jiang gave her an apologetic look.

"Phew, forget it. There was a reason for it, so I forgive you. Good thing you covered my mouth, too."

Then she turned to Zhou Ming, unable to hide the curiosity in her eyes, though she hesitated to speak.

"Ask, ask. But let me make this clear first: if word gets out and I'm captured, then we can't be friends anymore," Zhou Ming said calmly.

Li Mu blinked at that, then asked, "Can I ask anything?"

After seeing Zhou Ming nod, she asked, "Do you have a wife and children?"

The moment the words left her mouth, Jiang Jiang quietly reached out, placing her fingertips on the soft flesh at Li Mu's waist and giving it a slight twist.

Li Mu immediately cried out, "Ow, ow, ow! Jiang Jiang, let go! Let go!"

Zhou Ming stared blankly at the two women as they tussled.

What are these two girls making a fuss about?

Wen Ruoxi's figure appeared in Zhou Ming's mind. Smiling, he said, "Not yet, but soon."

Jiang Jiang's hand, pinching Li Mu's waist, paused. Her bright eyes dimmed slightly.

Li Mu was the same, though she returned to normal in an instant.

She teased, "Look at you. What family's girl has you so smitten?"

Zhou Ming thought for a moment before saying, "If you go to the Six-Prefecture Grand Tournament, you should be able to meet her. Though I'm not entirely sure."

Li Mu glanced at her best friend beside her.

Jiang Jiang, it's over for you.

Your rival is a little too formidable!

And she's a Martial Artist with exceptional talent.

To participate in the Six-Prefecture Grand Tournament, she had to be at least at the peak of the Seventh Rank.

Jiang Jiang gathered herself and put on a radiant smile. "Did you meet her at the escort agency?"

Zhou Ming nodded with a smile.

Then, as if he had thought of something, he said, "Ruoxi seems not to have many friends. Once you meet, I'll introduce you to each other."

Jiang Jiang froze for a moment before replying perfunctorily, "Oh, all right."

Ruoxi?

Encountering dawn.

Was your name taken from her?

Li Mu gave Zhou Ming a strange look.

Please, use your head. You still want to introduce them?

Women were the most sensitive when it came to matters of the heart. Your little sweetheart might just slap you twice.

Just then, three figures entered the courtyard.

The moment one of them came in and saw Zhou Ming's back, he immediately jogged over.

"Brother Zhou, why did you run off without even saying goodbye?"

Zhou Ming turned around with a smile. "Brother Huang, you were surrounded by high officials and nobles. How could a small fry like me dare go over?"

"Young friend, you are no small fry. You crushed an entire prefecture by yourself—quite the bold fellow," said the elderly man in a golden velvet robe.

The elderly man in a python robe looked at his granddaughter, who was still seated, and smiled. "What, you don't welcome your grandfather? You won't even greet me?"

Li Mu stood up. "Mu'er greets Grandfather and General Yang."

Jiang Jiang had already risen when the two men entered. After Li Mu spoke, she immediately followed, "Jiang Jiang greets Lord Li, Defender of the Nation, and General Yang."

Zhou Ming, seated to one side, raised an eyebrow.

Impressive. A general and a Defender of the Nation.

Good heavens, these are important people.

Li Hongwu looked at Zhou Ming, who remained calmly seated, and smiled. "Boy, aren't you putting on quite the airs?"

Zhou Ming clasped his hands in salute. "Greetings, elders."

Damn it!

So what if they're important people?

It's not as if I'm asking them for favors. Too many damn rules.

In an instant, Li Hongwu seized Zhou Ming and lifted him over his head, his hands roaming all over Zhou Ming's body.

Zhou Ming discovered that he could not move at all. The blood qi inside him seemed frozen solid, and he could not mobilize even a trace of it.

Five breaths later, Li Hongwu set Zhou Ming back into his chair and smiled. "That's right. Heaven-bestowed bones."

The moment Zhou Ming sat down, he sprang back to his feet, wiped off his chair, and beamed. "Elder, please sit."

Li Hongwu pointed at Zhou Ming and laughed heartily. "It has been a long time since I last saw such a sly little rascal."

Seeing General Yang staring at him, Zhou Ming immediately stepped forward, took hold of him, and led him toward the table. "General Yang, sit here, sit here."

Huang Muheng stared at his Brother Zhou in utter disbelief.

That practiced manner of his.

He looked exactly like one of Huang Muheng's family lackeys.

Li Mu and Jiang Jiang were equally stunned by his behavior.

Where had the high-spirited man who stood on the arena and openly invited all of Qing Prefecture's geniuses to battle gone?