Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 1800 - 990: Beaten Down 2

Duan Shigang stated: "That's precisely why one needs to associate with society and gather followers."

Shang Caiwei rushed to the ring's edge, calling out, "Bro, bro!"

From below the stage, Xue Yuantong offered reassurance, "Don't fret, Jiang Ning is fully aware of his actions. Your brother still owes Jiang Ning prize money!"

Hearing this while lying on the ground, Shang Zhengyu felt an overwhelming sense of shame. He weakly lifted a hand to cover his face.

Coach Du inquired urgently, "Are you alright?"

Shang Zhengyu responded, "I'm fine."

"Then why are you holding your face?" Coach Du asked, perplexed.

Xue Yuantong chimed in, "He's not covering his face; he's shielding his dignity."

Shang Zhengyu developed a strong urge to dismantle the entire martial arts club.

After Coach Du assisted him to his feet, the agreed-upon prize money of five thousand yuan was handed over to Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning expressed his thanks.

Shang Zhengyu's expression contorted briefly before he managed to say, "Boxing is merely a detour in life; never mistake it for your entire journey."

Xue Yuantong retorted, "Indeed not, he's a candidate for Tsinghua and Peking University!"

Gripping back intense pain, Shang Zhengyu stated coldly, "May your life unfold as smoothly as your boxing."

Xue Yuantong replied, "He has never experienced defeat."

'That doesn't preclude future losses,' Shang Zhengyu thought with disdain, contemplating who could possibly challenge him in a one-on-one bout.

He remained silent, believing that time would impart its lessons. Supported by his sister, he began walking toward the Boundless Fighting entrance.

Coach Du felt a growing unease, deeply concerned about the potential repercussions if President Shang ceased his patronage.

Jiang Ning chuckled heartily and asked, "Weiwei, didn't you promise to buy Tongtong a hamburger?"

Shang Caiwei turned, her gaze meeting Tongtong's hopeful stare.

Upon hearing this, Shang Zhengyu's breathing hitched, his face darkening considerably as he fixed his gaze on Jiang Ning and inquired, "What did you call her?"

Jiang Ning replied calmly, "Another match?"

...

Ultimately, Tongtong was able to savor the signature cuisine offered at Boundless Fighting.

After their meal, Jiang Ning took Tongtong on a tour of the fighting club. Dong Qingfeng remarked with a sigh, "I finally comprehend why Brother Shang was so abrasive when we first met."

He felt fortunate that he hadn't spoken much back then, as he would undoubtedly have faced a much harsher response.

Duan Shigang, another who had experienced a similar encounter, concurred, proclaiming, "This individual is quite the lunatic... but a good person nonetheless!"

Dong Qingfeng responded with a peculiar look, "A good person?"

He quickly amended his statement, "Aside from that particular aspect, Brother Shang is indeed a good person, and remarkably generous."

Dong Qingfeng elaborated, "He's achieved exceptional success in the game design industry, amassing considerable wealth."

While Dong Qingfeng's family comprised two working parents and many relatives resided locally, they couldn't compare to Shang Zhengyu's accomplishments achieved far from home.

After their conversation, Dong Qingfeng's mood improved significantly; he realized that life encompassed more than just boxing, offering numerous other meaningful pursuits.

Jiang Ning lingered at the fighting club for a short while longer before escorting the well-fed Tongtong home. She even prepared some food to take to her close friend, Chuchu.

Upon returning to the river dam, Tongtong found Chuchu waiting and presented her with the delectable beef burger and a cup of iced cola.

Xue Chuchu ate delicately, and Tongtong found her pace quite slow.

Yang Fei led a sheep towards Butcher Zhang's residence, inquiring, "Is Brother Zhang at home?"

Mr. Qian replied, "He should be back shortly!"

Yang Fei looked distressed, lamenting, "Oh dear, how am I supposed to slaughter this sheep?"

Although he managed a restaurant, Uncle Zhang always handled the slaughtering, possessing a certain merit in that task.

With Uncle Zhang absent, Yang Fei worried that having his chef perform the deed might bring him ill karma.

Xue Yuantong commented casually, "You should just kill it. How else would you deal with it?"

Yang Fei glanced at Xue Yuantong, explaining, "You don't understand. This sheep has done me no harm, and killing it without cause is considered taboo."

Xue Yuantong found his concern excessive.

She approached the sheep and asked, "Yang Boss has enslaved you; do you believe he deserves annihilation?"

The goat opened its mouth and responded, "Baa (Annihilation!)"

Xue Yuantong pointed at the goat, declaring, "See? Isn't it heading towards its own doom?"

Yang Fei then led the sheep away, which was indeed en route to its demise.

Xue Yuantong urged Chuchu, "Once you've finished eating, we won't need dinner. Come over to my place for some gaming. I've already got Weiwei and Siyu lined up, so we can form a five-person team!"

Mr. Qian shook his head nearby, grumbling, "Games, always games!"

"Games are corrupting our youth; the nation ought to prohibit minors from engaging in them."

He struck his chest dramatically, seemingly positioning himself as a patriot concerned for the country and its people.

Xue Yuantong eyed Mr. Qian’s favored electric scooter for the elderly and remarked: "I believe the nation should outlaw your scooter; every traffic violation seems to originate from these scooters."

Mr. Qian scrutinized Tongtong, recalling her initial arrival at the river dam.

A sneer formed on his lips. 'How dare she display such arrogance? Three years ago, she only dared to offer a humble smile at the river dam, yet now she seeks retribution!'

However, Mr. Qian had not faltered; he too had been growing more formidable.

"Your perspective is far too narrow," Mr. Qian stated. "Have you considered how these affordable scooters enable numerous elderly individuals to venture out? Who is protected from the elements with them? One must view these matters more broadly!"

"Then why not inquire," Xue Yuantong retorted, "how games bring happiness to many children?"

Mr. Qian grew incensed, his ears practically steaming. "What kind of talent is playing games? Can it generate income?"

Xue Yuantong produced a wad of cash. "I earned this right after today's game session."

...

As evening descended and the sky began to darken.

Xue Yuantong invited her friends for a showdown in the Summoner's Rift.

Chen Siyu aimed to play ADC and deal damage, while Xue Chuchu graciously relinquished the role, willingly opting to play support.

Chen Siyu moved defensively, under attack, and Xue Chuchu shielded her from the onslaught.

"Chuchu, don't tempt me," Chen Siyu said, touched, through the microphone. "I'm at an age where I'm just beginning to awaken to romance."

Xue Chuchu remained silent.

Jiang Ning selected the top lane, idly scrolling through the class group chat.

The class group chat was abuzz with activity.

Dong Qingfeng, not engaged in the class chat, added Teacher An Chan on QQ and sent her a private message.

An Chan, quite vexed by the disruptions in class 8, inquired, "Dong Qingfeng, I need to ask, is your class always this disorderly?"

"Mostly, yes," Dong Qingfeng replied candidly. "However, during English and Math classes, we tend to be a bit more restrained."

An Chan recognized the powerful deterrent effect of Chen Haiyang and Gao Heshuai's presences.

"And what about Chemistry class?" An Chan asked. "Isn't Chemistry class also quite peaceful?"

Seeing this, Dong Qingfeng's expression shifted subtly, his mind involuntarily recalling Jiang Ning knocking Shang Zhengyu down with a single punch.

"Actually, Chemistry class used to be rather chaotic as well," he stated. "Everyone frequently disregarded discipline and chatted freely."

An Chan felt a measure of relief. "What happened after that?"

"Someone helped to maintain order afterwards," Dong Qingfeng responded enigmatically.

"Then, if someone were to assist me in maintaining order, would the classroom environment improve?" An Chan pondered.

Dong Qingfeng considered it a possibility but knew he absolutely could not voice that thought!

Wouldn't that make the lovely Teacher An Chan distance herself from him?

Such is human selfishness.

Dong Qingfeng pressed for further strategic counsel. "I believe it's best to rely on yourself, Teacher An. You could try connecting with the students through your charm."

"But," An Chan replied distressfully, "I have very little interaction with the students in your class."

Dong Qingfeng proposed, "How about this: I'll have the class representative add you to our class's small group. They will certainly welcome you."

"Thank you so much!"

Dong Qingfeng first sought out Yu Wen, messaging her privately, but received no reply.

He then had no choice but to message Wang Longlong directly.

Wang Longlong's response was concise: "Okay."

Consequently, Wang Longlong added An Chan to the class group.

An Chan, hailing from a major city, possessed an open mind, and her avatar reflected this, no different from high school girls – an exotic lady with eyes covered by a blindfold.

Once the new group member was identified, the group erupted in activity.

Coincidentally, a new cohort of students had just transferred, leading everyone to speculate about which female student it might be.

Cui Yu ventured, "It must be Zhang Zhaodi or Yin Yu, right?"

The unsophisticated Liu Chuandao opined, "This avatar looks quite provocative; I'm guessing it's Zhang Zhaodi."

He then @mentioned the exotic lady avatar: "Who are you?"

An Chan, suppressing her irritation, responded, "I am An Chan, your biology teacher."

Cui Yu quickly attempted damage control: "Haha, so it's Teacher An! I heard people say you lead the biological domain with great flair."

Liu Chuandao, unconvinced, declared, "Wow, acting as a teacher right off the bat, and to know I love cosplay!"