After a long morning of training in the small woods, Zhao Rui returned home.
Zhao Jincheng and his wife worked jobs that didn't have weekends, so they had already left for work.
Only his younger brother, Zhao Ke, was lazing on the sofa watching TV.
He was just a freshman in high school, so the academic pressure was relatively light. Plus, he wasn't a Martial Arts Student, so he had it pretty easy.
"Have you eaten?"
Zhao Rui glanced at his brother and asked casually.
"I have!"
Zhao Ke replied, his tone as cold as ever.
Zhao Rui hesitated for a moment, then walked over and sat down next to him.
Seeing this, Zhao Ke scooted away from him.
Zhao Rui shook his head, speechless. "We're brothers. Is there something we can't talk about? What did I do to piss you off?"
"You didn't do anything!"
After saying that, Zhao Ke grabbed the remote, turned off the TV, and walked toward his bedroom.
Zhao Rui was stunned for a moment, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He couldn't be bothered to deal with his little brother anymore.
After all, his consciousness was that of an adult. He really didn't have the time or energy to coddle a bratty teenager going through puberty.
'The responsibility of raising children is best left to Mom and Dad.'
After a quick rinse in the bathroom and a change of clothes, Zhao Rui grabbed a small backpack, got on his multi-speed bicycle, and left home.
In his room, Zhao Ke pulled open the curtains. Watching Zhao Rui's departing figure, his gaze turned cold.
He pulled out a worn, old-model phone and dialed a number.
"Can you give me a discount on that potion?"
"Five thousand. I only have five thousand at most."
"Okay, I'll find a way. I'll scrape the money together as soon as I can!"
Hanging up, Zhao Ke panted heavily, his fists clenched. He muttered with a focused glint in his eyes, "I can practice martial arts too. Why should you be the only one who can!"
...
Wutongli Street, home to Lincheng City's largest commercial building, was buzzing with a massive, noisy crowd.
A massive crowd in front of the entrance held up all sorts of signs; some had photos printed on them, others had names written on them.
Amidst the dazzling array of colors, one name appeared over and over: Sun Boran.
This emerging superstar, a "dual-threat" in both singing and acting, had an impressive track record in both fields.
He was also a newly-promoted Martial Daoist of extraordinary skill, and his profound mastery of Martial Arts placed him leagues above those effeminate male influencers who were nothing more than pretty faces.
"Sun Boran! Sun Boran!"
It wasn't even noon yet, but the entrance to the mall was already packed with people.
Looking at the massive crowd, Zhao Rui couldn't help but feel a little envious.
'Look at that guy,' he thought. 'We both practice the Martial Dao.'
'But the difference in our earning potential is night and day.'
He didn't think that just because he had a "cheat," he was guaranteed to reach the pinnacle of the Martial Dao. And even if he did, he still couldn't escape the pursuit of fame and fortune.
He never shied away from the fact that he was greedy and lecherous.
'And practicing Martial Arts for self-improvement was no mere afterthought.'
One was his nature, the other his ambition. There was no contradiction.
Just as he was staring at the youthful, graceful girls in short skirts, his heart filled with longing, his phone rang.
"Hey, where are you?"
The call was from Bai Xuening.
"I'm at the entrance of the building," Zhao Rui said.
"Turn back and come to Galaxy City next door..."
Listening to Bai Xuening, Zhao Rui turned his bike around and rode toward the destination she mentioned.
Five or six minutes later, Zhao Rui saw Bai Xuening fiddling with her phone at the base of a residential building in Galaxy City.
"Let's go, he's upstairs!"
Bai Xuening said with a smile that revealed her pearly white teeth when she saw him arrive.
"Upstairs?"
"Where else? You thought he'd be in a hotel!"
"Fair enough!"
Zhao Rui didn't know much about celebrities, so he didn't ask any more questions and just followed her.
After a few turns, they stopped in front of an apartment door.
Bai Xuening knocked on the door.
A moment later, the door opened to reveal the scruffy, extremely fierce-looking face of a man.
"I'm Bai Xuening. I have an appointment with Sun Boran!"
Bai Xuening said with a smile. The young woman's smile was like a flower bud blooming in spring, full of warmth and gentleness.
Hearing this, the man opened the door wider, glanced behind Bai Xuening, and said, "Come in."
Bai Xuening made a goofy face at Zhao Rui before stepping inside.
Zhao Rui followed right behind her.
"Xuening, you're here! Long time no see! You've gotten even prettier!"
Just as he stepped inside, he heard the hearty voice of a young man.
"Senior Brother Ran, it really has been a long time! In the blink of an eye, you've become a huge star!"
Bai Xuening giggled as she looked at the handsome young man before her, who had changed so much since he was a boy, trying her best to match him with the Senior Brother Ran from her memories.
"What star? If I could have continued my training in the sect, I wouldn't have become a star at all."
"Hehe, Senior Brother, you're too modest. Oh, right, Senior Brother, this is a good friend of mine I told you about. His name is Zhao Rui!"
Bai Xuening didn't forget to introduce Zhao Rui. She had already cleared it with Sun Boran before coming, otherwise his people wouldn't have let Zhao Rui in.
"Hello there, handsome!"
Sun Boran greeted Zhao Rui generously, his attitude warm and friendly.
"Hello, Brother Sun!"
Zhao Rui returned the smile.
"Have a seat. We have about half an hour to chat."
Sun Boran said with a smile, glancing at his watch.
"Alright, alright!"
Bai Xuening took out five notebooks from her bag and handed them over.
"Let's not waste any time. Business first!"
Sun Boran: ...
Zhao Rui: ...
"You really don't waste time getting your freebies, do you!"
Sun Boran chuckled, shaking his head. He took the notebooks and signed his name on the first page of each one.
"Um, Brother Sun, I brought some too!"
Zhao Rui shamelessly took out two promotional photos of Sun Boran and handed them over sheepishly.
"Haha! No problem!"
Sun Boran seemed very easy-going, without any of the airs of a celebrity.
"How has Uncle Master been recently?"
After signing, Sun Boran started chatting idly with Bai Xuening.
Because Zhao Rui was there, their conversation wasn't about anything particularly sensitive, just simple small talk.
Zhao Rui would occasionally be brought into the conversation for a moment, and he would just chime in agreeably.
After they had chatted like this for about twenty minutes, Bai Xuening took the initiative to stand up and say her goodbyes.
"Come find me in the Capital when you have time!"
"Okay, Senior Brother Ran!"
Bai Xuening agreed with a smile, then led Zhao Rui out of the residential building.
Outside, Zhao Rui unlocked his multi-speed bike, patted the back seat, and said, "Want a ride?"
Bai Xuening shook her head. "No thanks, I still have to go see my master."
"Alright. Thanks for the invitation, letting me meet a big star up close!"
Zhao Rui shook his backpack, which now contained two very rare, personally signed autographs.
"Don't mention it!"
Bai Xuening gave a slight smile, waved, and then walked off toward the east side of the building.
Zhao Rui shrugged, got on his bicycle, and left.
Not long after he left, a small red car slowly drove out.
Sitting in the driver's seat was none other than Bai Xuening, who had just walked away moments before.