Urban Seduction: Housewives Club Chapter 2037 - 366: Planting Warm Jade in Lantian 1

Wang Yue and his companions moved at a leisurely pace, allowing Xin Xiaoxiao to quickly catch up once she hurried down a short flight of steps.

"Hey, Wang Yue, does your offer to assist me still hold true?" Xin Xiaoxiao shouted from behind him.

Wang Yue spun around to face her, arching a brow. "Is that how you ask for help?"

Xin Xiaoxiao quickly plastered on a sweet, appealing grin and cooed in a playful tone, "Brother Wang Yue, won't you please lend me a hand!"

A chill ran through Wang Yue, and he gave in. "Stick to your normal way of talking, alright?"

With that, he contacted Su Quan and Yan Fangfei right there in front of her, issuing a few directives.

"No problem at all. I've spoken with them already. Whenever you're free, head on over," Wang Yue mentioned after ending the call on his device.

"I've got plenty of time, tons of it!" Xin Xiaoxiao bobbed her head enthusiastically before dashing down the remaining stairs. As she rounded the bend, her voice echoed back, "Thanks a bunch!"

That expression of gratitude rang out far more genuinely than her previous wheedling plea. It was obvious her rash behavior had landed her in real hot water.

Wang Yue shook his head while glancing at Li Gang and Wu Li, who wore uneasy looks. He reassured them, "Relax, guys. Doctor Miao's eagerness to examine this condition shows she's pretty sure she can tackle this tough sickness. If not, she'd have come right out and said it."

Wu Li's cheeks flushed as she nodded.

"We can't burden her too heavily," Li Gang added. "If it's truly impossible, we'll just have to accept that."

Wang Yue grinned. "Ease up. Doctor Miao's drawn to this unusual case. Without her interest, even the three great families of Jinling, much less the mighty powers from Tianhai, wouldn't dream of pressuring her."

Li Gang was still new to the martial world and didn't grasp the full weight of a legendary healer, but the young master's words rang true to him.

Downstairs, Wang Yue and the group held off on departing right away. They stopped by a nearby apothecary to stock up on heaps of restorative elixirs. He also handed over the space ring they'd taken from Zhang Lingfeng to Li Gang.

Wang Yue knew that ring well—it matched the dimensions of his own, and it held nothing of value. It suited Li Gang perfectly.

For the moment, he preferred keeping Li Gang away from the headquarters. Sure, his power had surged there, but his fighting techniques remained crude. More practice was essential.

As for skipping the fresh space ring for his aunt, who'd earlier consented to it, the explanation was straightforward: Zhang Lingfeng was a vile sort. His aunt wouldn't touch anything that scoundrel had owned.

Exiting Miao’s Medical Clinic, Wang Yue headed toward his vehicle when he spotted Zhang Hong lingering nearby. Curiosity piqued, he approached to see what the man wanted.

"Young Master Wang, Zhang Hong humbly requests your shelter!" Zhang Hong bowed with a formal martial arts gesture. "Kindly accept me into your fold."

Wang Yue blinked in astonishment. "You're looking to align with me?"

"That's correct." Zhang Hong dipped his head solemnly, showing no trace of levity.

"What for?" Wang Yue probed. "Your skills could shine in any spot. Once your clan gets here, you could even found your own branch. Why hitch yourself to another?"

"I've mulled it over, but in my present state, leaving Jinling isn't an option. Setting up a family here would clash with the three big clans' domains. I refuse to end up as your foe," Zhang Hong confessed plainly.

"That's why joining forces with you and gaining your safeguard makes the most sense."

"While you're in Jinling, the Tianhai Zhang clan won't touch you for the time being. So why attach yourself to me?" Wang Yue pressed further.

"The Tianhai Zhangs have crossed you now, and with your talents, I figure it'll only be a matter of time before you wipe them out." Zhang Hong continued, "I've got family ties back in the Zhang clan. By siding with you, I can plead for mercy on their behalf."

Though Zhang Hong was unaware of Wang Yue's leap from Qi Refining to Mortal Transformation in barely a month, reaching that stage by fifteen suggested he'd crush the Tianhai Zhangs in a few years' time.

After all, it was his kin. If he could spare a few lives when the reckoning came, that'd be ideal.

Plus, trailing a prodigy like this promised endless prospects.

Wang Yue chuckled. "Honesty's your strong suit. Fine, you're in. Got a job for you immediately."

"Just say the word, Young Master!" Zhang Hong shifted gears swiftly, using the proper title.

"This is Li Gang. He's got solid potential, but zero battle savvy. You'll mentor him and sharpen his skills," Wang Yue instructed, giving Li Gang a light tap on the back.

He'd meant to handle the training personally or dispatch an expert from the hidden outpost. But with Zhang Hong stepping up, things simplified nicely.

Though Zhang Hong was green to the role, Wang Yue felt secure—nothing suggested the man would turn traitor.

From how Zhang Lingfeng had treated him, it was plain Zhang Hong's prowess didn't boost his standing in the clan.

Now, with Zhang Lingfeng slain on his watch, returning to Tianhai to grovel would likely get him executed, dragging his whole line down too.

Thus, ditching the Zhangs and finding refuge in Jinling was his sole path.

Sharing the Tianhai Zhangs as foes meant they'd be partners regardless of formal ties.

Zhang Hong's power hit the eighth layer of Gui Zhen Realm. Across Jinling, only he and Wang Yue matched that caliber. Having him tutor Li Gang put Wang Yue's mind at rest.

Having passed Li Gang and Wu Li into Zhang Hong's charge, Wang Yue set off by himself.

Afternoon had arrived. He hadn't forgotten his evening plans with his mother—both mothers at once! The thought alone stirred his blood!

With Wang Yue gone, a weight lifted from Zhang Hong's shoulders.

For whatever reason, even though Wang Yue had always been civil and he'd harbored no ill intent, being near him brought an odd tension. It outdid the aura from the Zhang patriarch.

This wasn't born of dread or respect. He didn't even feel worthy of respecting Wang Yue. It resembled an insect gazing at the heavens.

Maybe it stemmed from Wang Yue's youth at fifteen paired with his Mortal Transformation Realm prowess.

Fifteen was ordinary—most lived that long unless fate cut them short. Mortal Transformation was uncommon, yet plenty held it.

But combining them? Mind-blowing. A fifteen-year-old at Mortal Transformation? Even the enigmatic martial sanctuaries might lack such a phenomenon.

"Big fella, what's your power stage?" Zhang Hong inquired, clapping Li Gang on the back. As fellow servants under Wang Yue, forging bonds mattered.

Besides, this burly type clearly ranked high in Wang Yue's regard.

Despite his own formidable arts, he suspected his value to Wang Yue barely topped this guy's pinky. Building rapport was crucial.

"The young master reckons I'm around the fifth or sixth layer of Ning Shen Realm," Li Gang answered straightforwardly.

He held no strong feelings toward Zhang Hong, but the young master's directive to stick with him was law.

Zhang Hong's forehead creased. "You don't know your own strength level?"

"Can't say for sure. I just sense immense power inside, but pinning it to a stage escapes me." Li Gang explained, "My focus is body tempering."

That sank in, and Zhang Hong's frown deepened. A warrior blind to his own progress wasn't just clueless—it bordered on idiotic. Handing such a dimwit to him felt like a Herculean chore from the young master.

Yet the final detail clicked. It fit for a body tempering expert.

Body cultivators lacked vital energy flows, so gauging their tier precisely was tricky without a fight. Only battle unveiled their might.

A body cultivator at fifth or sixth in the Concentration Realm was no small feat. And though Li Gang towered, he looked mid-twenties. Hitting that mark via body arts was downright impressive.

Zhang Hong mixed awe with regret. Li Gang shone in body cultivation, but this age's fragmented techniques doomed him to mediocrity ahead.

"Climbing that high must've demanded years of grueling effort," Zhang Hong sighed. Existence was brutally uneven.

A gifted soul shackled by flawed systems—it gnawed at Zhang Hong, a cultivation devotee.

"It was rough, no doubt," Li Gang agreed. "Though it wasn't ages—maybe half a month."

"Half a... month?!" Zhang Hong gaped. "You're pulling my leg, right?"

"Dead serious. Half a month back, I was plain folk with a bit more muscle than most," Li Gang affirmed.

Wu Li chimed in, "True enough. Over half a month ago, he got roughed up by street punks."

Zhang Hong had to accept it. In mere half a month, from average Joe to rivaling a fifth-layer Concentration expert—this fellow outdid even Wang Yue in weirdness!

"Mind sharing your training secret?" Zhang Hong urged, thrilled. If scalable, it'd upend everything. Humanity could reclaim supremacy.

As the young master's man, Li Gang saw no point in secrecy and summed it up: "Pretty basic: take hits repeatedly, heal up each time, and grow tougher."

"Hits?" Zhang Hong puzzled. What madness was this? Half a month barely mended grave wounds. Was this a ruse?

But Li Gang pressed on, "Yeah, I mend fast. Stocked with spirit pills, even bad wounds close in thirty minutes flat."

"For real?" Zhang Hong scoffed. No such freak walked the earth.

"Absolutely," Li Gang insisted. "Doubt it? Punch me. But go easy—kill me, and no coming back."

Zhang Hong wouldn't risk slaying him—that'd seal his doom too. Curiosity won; he landed a chest blow.

A thud echoed as Li Gang soared back over ten meters, slamming into the dirt.

Now Zhang Hong got why Wang Yue noted Li Gang's battle inexperience. It was nonexistent. No bracing, no rolling to lessen harm.

Wu Li paled in terror and scrambled to him. Spotting his bloodied mouth and ashen face, her heart ached, tears flowing.

"Xiao Li, hold the tears—I'm okay," Li Gang soothed. He popped a handful of Wang Yue's gifted pills.

Miao clan's remedies worked wonders. With Li Gang's special build, color flooded his face swiftly. Soon, he rose, internal wounds vanished.

What's more, he brimmed with vigor beyond his prior state.