Xu Zhengyang secretly admired the person who designed and built this villa; it was truly ingenious. Crossing the bridge meant leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the world and entering another tranquil world.
"Zhu Jun, what do you think of this place compared to our mountain villa?" Xu Zhengyang asked with a smile as he stood at the bridgehead.
“Each has its own unique characteristics,” Zhu Jun said.
Xu Zhengyang nodded, stepped onto the bridge, and walked along the secluded stone path into the depths of the bamboo forest. In his heart, however, he was wondering whether he should buy this place.
In a way, Xu Zhengyang is like a little bear picking corn; he falls in love with every one he sees, but then abandons the next.
He was always thinking about where he should really live in the future.
To be precise, where should the Heavenly Court of the human realm be built?
Having visited so many tourist attractions across the country, Xu Zhengyang now truly understands the meaning of the song's lyrics, "The mundane world is no less beautiful than a fairyland."
Just as I crossed the small bridge, someone behind me shouted, "Hey, who's there? Stop! Stop!"
Xu Zhengyang and Zhu Jun turned their heads and looked at the entrance of the parking lot in surprise.
But then three or four people ran out of the house, waving and hurrying towards this side.
"Hey. Who are you people? You can't just come in here." The elderly man at the head of the group spoke with a strong local accent.
Three other men, who looked to be in their thirties, also blocked Xu Zhengyang and Zhu Jun's way. However, they did not look like menacing gangsters. Instead, they smiled politely, but their expressions carried a hint of disdain and mockery.
Xu Zhengyang smiled and said, "Oh, I heard that the environment here is nice, and there are teachers who teach about cultivating the mind and body, so I came to take a look."
"Only members can enter here," the old man said, shaking his head.
"Really?" Xu Zhengyang nodded as if he understood, and asked, "Then where do I go to get a membership?"
"I don't know either, you'd need an introducer," the old man said, shaking his head.
Xu Zhengyang pursed his lips. This was a bit strange. No matter where you were, where would you open your business like this? But then he remembered the "Youfu Club" in Zhonghai City. It seemed that it wasn't a place where just anyone could become a member.
“Only the rich and powerful can come here.” One of the men waved his hand impatiently and said, “Get out of here now.”
"What you're saying, haha." Xu Zhengyang couldn't help but laugh. He didn't really intend to lower himself to this person's level and then put on a show of pretending to be weak while actually being strong, but he still found it quite amusing and said, "How rich and powerful do you have to be to come here?"
Another man said, "Damn, young man, look at the cars parked in our parking lot, don't you understand? You don't know what kind of cars these are, do you?"
You can't really blame these people. After all, although Xu Zhengyang's usual clothes are all high-end, he doesn't like clothes that are too flashy. He always prefers simple and ordinary styles, so he looks like an ordinary person. Where is the so-called successful person or wealthy family style?
It's not that Xu Zhengyang is deliberately showing off or acting superior; rather, people with his mindset wouldn't care about clothing or the opinions of worldly people.
Zhu Jun sneered, about to say something, but Xu Zhengyang waved his hand and smiled to stop him. Instead, he said calmly, "I'm sorry, I don't have that much time to find someone to help me get a membership card. I'll just go in and take a look. Could you help me contact the person in charge?"
After saying that, Xu Zhengyang added in a worldly manner, "If it costs money, that's not a problem."
The group paused for a moment, then smiled and waved their hands, saying, "We can't make that decision. Alright, alright, let's go. This isn't a place for you."
Zhu Jun couldn't help but snort coldly, stepping in front of the four people and saying, "Boss, please come in. Let's see who dares to stop you."
The four men's expressions tightened. Good heavens, they hadn't noticed this guy before, but now he suddenly moved sideways, exuding a fierce and valiant aura.
"Oh ho, you've come here to act tough, huh? Let me tell you, even if you're rich and powerful, don't try to act tough here. There are plenty of people with more prestigious status than you, and they'd better behave themselves here too," one of the men said, sticking his neck out.
Xu Zhengyang was helpless; he wasn't about to resort to unreasonable and domineering tactics.
So Xu Zhengyang was thinking that he should either listen to Ouyang Ying and have the accompanying ghost guards control these people before going in.
Just as I was wondering if it was appropriate, a silver-gray sports car drove up from the intersection and slowly headed towards the parking lot.
However, the sports car suddenly stopped at the bridgehead. The door opened, and a tall, handsome young man stepped out. He looked at Xu Zhengyang with surprise for a moment, then hurriedly stepped forward, extended his hand, and greeted him with a polite smile: "Mr. Xu, it really is you!"
"Hello." Xu Zhengyang reached out and shook hands with the other person, somewhat puzzled. Who was this person? He looked vaguely familiar.
"Mr. Xu, you really do have a bad memory. I'm Guan Jie!" The young man introduced himself with a smile, seemingly unconcerned by Xu Zhengyang's puzzled expression as if he had forgotten who he was.
Xu Zhengyang understood and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I've remembered. It's been years, and I really didn't think of you for a moment."
"It's nothing, it's nothing." Guan Jie quickly shook his head and asked, "President Xu is here too? When did you join?"
"I came here on a trip with my family, and we heard this place was nice, so we came to check it out..." Xu Zhengyang said with a shake of his head and a smile.
The sports car door opened, and a woman dressed in an extremely glamorous manner stepped out, saying with displeasure, "Guan Jie, who are you talking to?"
Guan Jie turned around and glared at the woman, then waved her over and introduced her with an awkward smile, "Mr. Xu, this is my girlfriend." Then Guan Jie said to his girlfriend, "Yazhi, this is my old friend, Mr. Xu."
The woman named Yu Yazhi glanced at Xu Zhengyang disdainfully and reluctantly said, "Hello." Then she pulled Guan Jie and said, "Alright, alright, let's go... Honestly, when you were down on your luck, you didn't have any old friends. Now, one friend after another comes knocking on your door. Aren't they just trying to curry favor with you? I despise people like that the most."
These words were spoken without any attempt to conceal them, and were blatantly blatant.
"Bullshit!" Guan Jie suddenly cursed, slapping his girlfriend across the face. "Get out, get out, get in the car!"
Guan Jie then quickly said to Xu Zhengyang apologetically, "Mr. Xu, she doesn't know how to talk, please don't be angry."
Xu Zhengyang was both amused and exasperated. What kind of drama was this? Why should I stoop to this woman's level? Now, it seemed like he'd become the cause of their fight. He waved his hand with a wry smile, nodded apologetically to the stunned Yu Yazhi who was shedding tears, and then said, "Brother Guan's temper... isn't this just embarrassing me?"
Guan Jie quickly offered another apology.
Although he wasn't familiar with Xu Zhengyang, and they hadn't met in years, since their unexpected encounter in Beijing a few years ago, he had worked at Yu Xuan's film company and had finally become a top star again, enjoying immense popularity. He was extremely close to his boss, Yu Xuan, and naturally knew some of Xu Zhengyang's recent situation from him. To bump into such a high-status, untouchable figure here was truly a golden opportunity; why not quickly strike up a conversation and build rapport?
Yu Yazhi was completely stunned by her boyfriend's slap. She had known Guan Jie for over two years. Back then, Guan Jie was struggling to become famous, his ex-girlfriend had left him, and she herself was somewhat well-known. By chance, she learned that Yu Xuan had been deliberately sidelining Guan Jie and was about to reinstate him. So, taking advantage of Guan Jie's downfall, Yu Yazhi started a relationship with him. For the past two years, Guan Jie had been incredibly grateful to her. Even though she was often capricious and willful, often embarrassing him in front of others, she had never laid a hand on her.
Today, I actually slapped myself because of someone like that, because I said something offensive.
Yu Yazhi was incredibly intelligent, and she quickly realized that this seemingly ordinary young man with a nonchalant demeanor was no ordinary person.
The four people who initially tried to stop Xu Zhengyang from entering the bamboo forest were also dumbfounded.
Goodness gracious! This big star, Guan Jie, is a regular here, and a very famous one at that. Yet he's treating this young man with such politeness, even a bit of fawning.
After chatting for a while, Xu Zhengyang said, "Brother Guan, could you do me a favor? I'm a little curious and would like to go inside and take a look. I heard they offer courses on health preservation or cultivation, haha."
"Alright, no problem." Guan Jie turned to the four people and said, "I'd like to invite President Xu in as a guest, is that alright?"
"Of course, of course." The four people quickly nodded and bowed.
Although Guan Jie may not be considered a true VIP here, any VIP gold card member is entitled to invite friends to dine, stay, and have fun here.
To be honest, this place was originally just a high-end club.
Xu Zhengyang wondered if the lifetime VIP membership card from the "Youfu Club" would work here.
The truth is, it doesn't work.
Although this club is even more luxurious and upscale than "Youfu Club", it is not on par with world-class international clubs and is no longer part of a chain.
Guan Jie drove the car into the parking lot and parked it. Then he couldn't wait to hurry back. He politely took a half-step ahead and gestured to invite Xu Zhengyang to cross the bridge, step onto the gravel path, and enter the secluded depths of the bamboo forest.
Volume Six, Chapter 337: Great Immortal, Please Use Your Magic to Beat Me Up!
A small bridge spans a flowing stream, and a secluded bamboo grove lies serene.
Immersed in it, regardless of one's background or cultivation, anyone who comes here will find their heart, tainted by worldly affairs, involuntarily calm down, and peacefully want to take a nap in the woods, forgetting worldly worries and troubles.
The gravel path meanders for about a hundred meters through the bamboo forest before reaching the courtyard next to the building.
Red bricks and green tiles, a row of walls extending through the secluded bamboo grove, shelter this elegant courtyard. The walls are not high, less than two meters, giving it a strong rural, rustic feel. Several pomegranate branches peek over the wall, hanging with pomegranates of various colors—red, purple, and green.
Above the arched gate is a slightly recessed stone plaque with two large vermilion characters: Bamboo Garden.
As they strolled along, Guan Jie had already given a brief overview of the "Bamboo Garden Clubhouse." Xu Zhengyang nodded with a smile the whole time, seemingly indifferent to everything.
Indeed, this is the case. In the minds of many so-called business people or celebrities and dignitaries, luxury entertainment venues like "clubs" are primarily used for socializing; perhaps another purpose is to display a so-called status, a taste, a symbol, a sense of honor; and what remains is leisure, entertainment, and comfort.
Xu Zhengyang, however, did not care about any of these things.
To put it bluntly, Xu Zhengyang really doesn't have that kind of refined taste...
Zhuyuan was originally one of the top five most prestigious clubs in Shancheng City. Its members included many local dignitaries, celebrities, and wealthy individuals.
Starting last summer, the owner of the Bamboo Garden Club invited a supposedly renowned reclusive Taoist master to teach classes on health preservation and tranquility, promising longevity, good health, and a long life. This is not surprising; for wealthy individuals who can afford to visit the Bamboo Garden Club, health is paramount, and being able to learn about health preservation in a club like Bamboo Garden is certainly a good thing.
First of all, no one would doubt this. After all, the owner behind Bamboo Garden would not use this to deceive the wealthy, right?
Actually, for people who are busy all day and only occasionally have a moment to relax at this club, learning about health and wellness is a complete waste of time. But out of politeness, everyone else is learning it, so why not? It's a kind of fashion and trend, and besides, it's harmless, so they just follow along.
The truth is, in most cases, it's because people follow the crowd that they pay extra for the courses.
Of course, for people like them, this amount of tuition fee is really nothing.
Guan Jie was clearly a regular here. After entering the bamboo garden, the waiters and other staff greeted him warmly and paid little attention to Xu Zhengyang and Zhu Jun, who were two strangers.
The main building of the Bamboo Garden is a two-story row house. It appears to be built against the mountain, but in fact, there is a bamboo forest between the building and the mountain.
The courtyard was spacious, with pavilions, towers, streams, tranquil pools, rockeries, and green trees. It reminded Xu Zhengyang of the "Bidan Garden" in the Yutai Hotel where he and Li Bingjie held their wedding in Beijing. The scenery and things there were no more impressive than this.
In the middle of the row of houses is the restaurant and various private rooms. The interior decorations complement the external environment, exuding a sense of closeness to nature and pleasing to the eye. At Guan Jie's invitation, they entered a private room by the window, ordered a pot of green tea, and chatted while drinking.
According to Guan Jie, after the first month of the lunar calendar this year, the Taoist priest who gave the lectures suddenly revealed an astonishing secret to the members: he was actually over two hundred years old and could live forever.
This news greatly surprised the wealthy members, and they couldn't help but have doubts.
However, after this ruddy-faced and extraordinary expert casually demonstrated a few of his unique skills, everyone was truly convinced of his abilities. They all admired him and hoped to become his apprentices and learn the art of immortality. For people in this world, no matter how much power or wealth they possess, they can ultimately not escape the cycle of birth and death.
Death may be especially terrifying for such people, and it may make them feel particularly resentful.
So, after their earnest plea, the master finally agreed, dedicating twenty minutes each morning and afternoon to teach them. However, the content of his teachings would depend on individual comprehension and serendipity; he couldn't guarantee that everyone would reach the level of an immortal and achieve eternal life. But extending their lives and living to a hundred years old would certainly be more than sufficient.
Xu Zhengyang found this quite interesting. This master only taught forty minutes a day, divided into morning and afternoon sessions. It seemed his time was also very limited. Xu Zhengyang smiled and asked, "Brother Guan, what kind of extraordinary skill did that Taoist priest display to win your allegiance?"
"To be honest, I don't really know either." Guan Jie chuckled and shook his head, saying, "I just heard people say it's mysterious, and everyone's come to learn about it. I just came along to join in the fun."
"Oh, I see." Xu Zhengyang also felt a little regretful.
Yu Yazhi timidly interjected from the side, "I've heard people say that the Taoist priest can retrieve objects from a distance and can also unleash the Samadhi True Fire..."
"Hmm?" Xu Zhengyang paused slightly, then realized that Yu Yazhi's words were unreliable, since she had only heard them from others. So Xu Zhengyang asked again, "You also often come here to attend classes. Do you find them effective?"
Guan Jie said, "That's true. For example, when you meditate and calm your mind, focus your energy in your dantian, and practice according to the course, you can really feel the flow of true energy in your body."
"Oh." Xu Zhengyang nodded in confusion.
In reality, the ability to sink one's Qi to the Dantian or sense the flow of internal Qi is hardly a magical technique; calling it a unique skill would be an exaggeration. Xu Zhengyang had seen and heard Li Chengzong recount this before. In traditional martial arts, this phenomenon truly exists, though it's simply known as Qigong or internal energy cultivation.
The saying "external training of muscles, bones, and skin, and internal training of breath" means exactly this.
If this can be considered a magical art, then so-called Qigong masters must possess "divine power."
Xu Zhengyang was both amused and exasperated, but he couldn't say these things to Guan Jie.
Ouyang Ying, who was standing to the side, wanted to chime in, but seeing Xu Zhengyang and Guan Jie chatting about other things, she kept quiet. In her heart, however, she thought, "What kind of enlightened master is this? What kind of immortal cultivation techniques? Nine times out of ten, it's all a lie. Hmph, if that enlightened master were truly capable, how come he didn't notice me when I wandered around that room for half the day yesterday?" Ouyang Ying then felt that today was going to be quite a show; her true brother Zhengyang, a real god, encountering a fake immortal—that would be interesting.
But what if he really is a deity?
Ouyang Ying curled her lip, full of disdain. "I'm a goddess, aren't I?"