Demonic King of the Metropolis - Chapter 105 - A Born Genius

After dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Wang invited Tang Jie into the study, and Wang Qianya followed them inside, saying they needed to discuss matters related to the ancient martial arts tournament.

“Tang Jie, how is your inner strength coming along? I heard from Qianya that you’ve encountered some difficulties,” Wang Qianya’s father said plainly as he entered the study.

“Yes, Uncle Wang. I’m not quite sure what’s going on. I was actually hoping to get some guidance from you.”

Tang Jie truthfully recounted the confrontation he had with Chen Nan at the train station, providing all the specific details to Wang Qianya’s father. After listening, Wang Qianya’s father pondered for a moment, then stood up and moved behind Tang Jie. He placed his hand on Tang Jie’s vital gate, feeling it carefully. Seconds later, he pulled back, his face marked with a look of puzzlement.

“Strange,” Wang Qianya’s father remarked, gazing at Tang Jie with a hint of confusion.

“What is it, Uncle Wang? Is my inner strength damaged?” Tang Jie asked, unable to suppress his concern after seeing Wang Qianya’s father’s expression.

“No, quite the opposite. Your inner strength is very powerful, even more so than the last time I saw you. But just now, I sensed that the true qi inside you is somewhat chaotic and unstable.”

Hearing this, Tang Jie shared his experience of entering the Heaven-Man Realm and the overwhelming sensation of his true qi surging as if it were about to explode.

“Could it be that you’re in the process of advancing to a higher realm and have encountered some kind of blockage?” Wang Qianya suddenly suggested. Tang Jie reflected for a moment and thought it might be possible. However, he couldn’t pinpoint where the blockage was or what exactly was happening.

“Enough for now. It’s already late. I think we should revisit this tomorrow and let them get some rest,” Wang Qianya’s mother said, noticing that they weren’t reaching any conclusions. She urged them to call it a night.

Wang Qianya’s father nodded in agreement. He advised Tang Jie to get a good night’s rest, assuring him that he would consult other members of the family for potential solutions.

Tang Jie nodded and left the study with Wang Qianya. The two made their way to a room on the second floor. Once inside, Wang Qianya closed the door and walked over to Tang Jie, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

“What are you up to?” Tang Jie, feeling exhausted after a day of traveling, had intended to lie down. But he froze mid-step upon hearing her approaching footsteps. As he turned around, he saw Wang Qianya coming closer, her gaze causing a sudden jolt through his body.

“What? Afraid I’m going to devour you or something? Look at your clothes-they’re filthy! I’m just telling you to change,” Wang Qianya said, her eyes locking onto the lipstick mark on his collar. A trace of jealousy flickered across her face.

Immediately understanding her implication, Tang Jie glanced over at her. By then, Wang Qianya had already made her way to the wardrobe and was pulling it open. Inside, to his surprise, was a row of men’s clothing-all brand new.

Tang Jie stood there, stunned. Were these prepared for him, or…?

Wang Qianya pulled a brand-new beige suit from the wardrobe. The material alone looked luxurious and refined.

“Put it on and see if it fits,” Wang Qianya said as she tossed the suit to Tang Jie, clearly showing no intention of leaving the room. Tang Jie gave a helpless smile-how was he supposed to change if she didn’t step out?

“What are you nervous about? It’s not like I haven’t seen it before.”

“What? You’ve seen it before?!” Tang Jie almost jumped off the floor at her words.

“What are you imagining? Hurry up and put it on. I’m not bothering with you anymore.” Wang Qianya’s face flushed red at Tang Jie’s reaction, and after throwing the suit at him, she darted out of the room.

Watching her retreating figure, Tang Jie couldn’t help but smile, his heart brimming with happiness. He then picked up the beige suit from the bed and walked into the bathroom.

Half an hour later, Tang Jie emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered and now wearing the beige suit. He stepped in front of the mirror and was momentarily taken aback. He barely recognized himself-who knew he could look this good in a suit? He could easily rival a movie star.

Knock, knock!

Just as he finished adjusting his tie, a knock came from the door. “Come in,” he called out. Wang Qianya stepped inside, her eyes briefly flashing with surprise and delight when she saw him. Tang Jie noticed she had changed into a white dress, which paired beautifully with his beige suit.

“What’s going on? Are we attending a banquet or something?” Tang Jie joked. He had noticed that Wang Qianya wasn’t just dressed up-she had also applied light makeup and styled her hair, giving her the definite appearance of someone going to an event.

“How did you know?” Wang Qianya asked, looking at him with a hint of amusement. She really was planning to take him to a banquet.

Her response left Tang Jie momentarily stunned, but he quickly put the pieces together. “Oh, I see. You want me to be your bodyguard, don’t you?”

Wang Qianya smiled without answering, simply giving him a once-over. Then, she reached down to retrieve a bag from the bottom of the wardrobe. Opening it, she pulled out a pair of polished leather shoes and handed them to Tang Jie.

Understanding her intention, Tang Jie put on the shoes. With the addition of the sharp footwear, his entire demeanor transformed into one of striking composure and aloof confidence. Combined with his dashing looks and charm, he truly seemed like a different person.

“Let’s go,” Wang Qianya said, her gaze glowing like starlight as she looked at him, her eyes sparkling with brilliance. Without waiting for a response, she slipped her arm through Tang Jie’s.

Tang Jie glanced at her, a sudden and unfamiliar emotion washing over him. For a fleeting moment, it felt as though the two of them had already pledged their lives to one another.

Outside the villa, a car was already waiting in the driveway. As Tang Jie and Wang Qianya approached the vehicle, Tang Jie, noticing her parents weren’t around, couldn’t help but ask, “Where are your parents? Aren’t they coming?”

Hearing Tang Jie’s question, Wang Qianya opened the car door and climbed in, motioning impatiently for him to do the same. “They’re not coming. They asked me and you to represent them. Now get in the car-we’re going to be late.”

With that explanation, Tang Jie didn’t hesitate any further and got into the car. As they drove off, Wang Qianya explained that tonight’s banquet was a special one. It had originally been an event her parents were invited to, but they’d suddenly decided at the last moment to send her and Tang Jie in their place.

Hearing this, Tang Jie gave a quick glance down at his suit and asked, “So, this suit… did you just buy it earlier?”

“No,” Wang Qianya quickly replied, inadvertently revealing more than she intended as she added, “It was bought a while ago.” Realizing her slip, she awkwardly lowered her gaze in embarrassment. But Tang Jie quickly pieced it together, and a warm smile spread across his face. It became clear that Wang Qianya had been waiting for him to arrive, with everything prepared in advance just for this moment.

It occurred to him that the banquet was likely not entirely coincidental. Wang Qianya must have convinced her parents to let him accompany her tonight. But… why?

He couldn’t help but wonder: once they got to the banquet, how would she introduce him to others? The idea sent his imagination soaring, though he also couldn’t shake a sense of anxiety. Despite how close they’d become, Tang Jie felt unprepared for the expectations that might come with this. He doubted he could promise Wang Qianya much, even if her feelings for him ran as deep as his for her.

Before long, the car arrived at the venue-a five-star hotel with a grand banquet hall on its top floor. By the time Tang Jie and Wang Qianya stepped out of the car and entered the hall, the banquet was already underway. It only took a moment for Tang Jie to realize the true purpose of the evening: the banquet was part of the preparations for the upcoming ancient martial arts tournament. And the hosts, to his surprise, were none other than Wang Qianya’s parents.

The moment Tang Jie and Wang Qianya appeared, all eyes turned toward them. The crowd was a mix of seasoned ancient martial arts masters, many of whom were elderly, and younger individuals closer to Tang Jie’s age who possessed remarkable martial prowess. Most attendees had already reached the Acquired Great Perfection Realm, and a few were at the even more advanced Innate Great Perfection level. Yet, among them all, Tang Jie stood out-not only as the youngest but also as someone who had advanced at an unparalleled speed.

“Qianya, you’re finally here,” an elder dressed in a black suit approached them from the crowd. With white hair yet a youthful and vibrant energy, he exuded a powerful but approachable presence.

“Third Granduncle, you’ve been waiting for a while, haven’t you?” Wang Qianya greeted him warmly, her smile lighting up her face as she pulled Tang Jie along to join her in speaking with the elder.

Tang Jie carefully studied the elder, who was also scrutinizing him in return. Tang Jie recalled that during his last visit to the Wang family, he hadn’t encountered this particular elder before.

“This young man must be Tang Jie,” the elder said, looking at Wang Qianya as if he’d already figured out Tang Jie’s identity.

“Yes. Tang Jie, this is my third granduncle,” Wang Qianya explained before gesturing for Tang Jie to greet him. Tang Jie hesitated, unsure of how to address him, but the elder broke into hearty laughter and spoke up before he could decide.

“You can just call me third granduncle, the same way Qianya does.”

“Third granduncle,” Tang Jie said with an awkward smile.

“Good! Good!” The elder beamed with approval, his jovial laugh filling the air. “Qianya, take Tang Jie to grab a bite. I’ll go greet some other guests.”

With that, the elder cast an appreciative look at Tang Jie before turning and making his way toward the crowd.

Wang Qianya led Tang Jie to the buffet table, picking up two glasses of red wine and handing one to him.

“Are all these people participating in the tournament?” Tang Jie asked as they casually strolled through the banquet hall. His eyes scanned the room, observing the various guests. He could sense the strong presence of true qi emanating from many of them. If a fight were to break out here, he mused, it could very well bring the entire building down.

“No. These are the bodyguards sent by their respective families,” Wang Qianya explained after sipping her wine. “They’re here to protect their family members and prevent any ill-intentioned individuals from sabotaging them before the ancient martial arts tournament begins.”

Tang Jie took a sip of his wine as well. The aged French red slid smoothly down his throat, leaving a sweet aftertaste that lingered-a surprisingly pleasant experience.

Just as they were speaking, Tang Jie noticed something unusual. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted someone in the corner of the banquet hall staring at him intently. When he turned to get a better look, the figure vanished in the blink of an eye.

“What’s wrong?” Wang Qianya asked, noticing Tang Jie’s gaze fixed on a specific corner of the room.

“Nothing… I just thought I saw someone I recognized.” Tang Jie frowned, trying to recall who it was. The figure had seemed incredibly familiar, almost like… Du Yu.

“Let’s go have a look. Maybe they’re still there,” Wang Qianya suggested. The two of them began making their way toward the corner of the hall.

However, as if realizing their approach, the person who had been watching Tang Jie suddenly slipped through the crowd and headed toward the staircase at the back of the hall. Moving quickly and with remarkable agility, the figure disappeared in an instant.

Footnote:

1. Vital Gate(脉门):In the context of martial arts, this refers to a crucial point in the body’s network of meridians and acupoints, often considered essential for controlling one’s internal energy or qi.