Actually, his ability to scan this thing was purely accidental. Once, when he went to a dance hall with Ye Qingchun, they saw someone selling these things. He doesn't know what possessed him at the time, but he scanned them.
Unexpectedly, it came in very handy today. However, it seems that he used a little too much medicine, and the resulting effect was unprecedented.
Zhang Yaqi opened her bright eyes and looked at him.
Xiao Wenbing knew exactly what she was thinking at a glance, and quickly explained, "Don't worry, I won't touch this thing. I'm a rare gentleman in the 21st century."
"A gentleman? I don't think so." Zhang Yaqi pursed her small, cute lips and made a rare joke.
Xiao Wenbing thought about what he had done in the restaurant just now, and realized that he really had nothing to do with that gentleman.
However, his eyes lit up and he immediately smiled and said, "There are many types of gentlemen. The kind of person I am is the one who fights against evil and protects the innocent, and doesn't care about trivial matters."
"Shameless." Zhang Yaqi found it amusing and couldn't help but laugh; it was a genuine smile of joy. Perhaps because she didn't usually laugh, her smile possessed an extraordinary charm.
Xiao Wenbing's gaze sharpened on her face, and his heart unexpectedly skipped a beat.
Feeling his gaze, Zhang Yaqi blushed. After a moment, she suddenly raised her head, stared at Xiao Wenbing, and asked, "You...you did this for me?"
"Hmm?" Xiao Wenbing looked at her rosy smile and felt a chord being plucked in his heart. For some reason, he nodded.
"Where...are you going?" Zhang Yaqi's face flushed even more as he stared at her with intense gaze.
Xiao Wenbing gave a wry smile and said, "In short, it's a very far and very strange place."
"Can't you stay?" Zhang Yaqi suddenly lowered her head, her face flushed. Given her personality, asking such a question was practically a request.
Xiao Wenbing felt a surge of excitement, stepped forward, and took her hand, only to see her slowly close her eyes.
He raised his hand and gently stroked her hair, two conflicting thoughts battling within Xiao Wenbing. It felt like an eternity before he finally let out a long sigh and released her hands.
The blush on Zhang Yaqi's face vanished instantly, leaving only a pale complexion that pained him.
"Yaqi, I told you, didn't I? Look..."
Zhang Yaqi opened her eyes, and the deep resentment in them seemed to be able to make people willingly and forever wallow in it.
However, the next moment, her eyes were filled with extreme surprise, because she saw Xiao Wenbing's hands suddenly turn white and faintly emit an almost transparent luster.
"What...what is this?"
Xiao Wenbing quickly recounted from beginning to end how Lu Jun had entrusted him with transporting the strange safe. Of course, he didn't mention a word about his own special abilities.
"I'm going this time to cultivate immortality. According to my junior brother, it takes at least forty or fifty years to refine an inner core, which means my next time I leave the mountain will be at least several decades from now. Moreover, once I embark on the path of cultivation, I will be different from everyone else, and isolation from the world is inevitable. So..."
Xiao Wenbing stopped there; anyone who wasn't a fool would understand what he was about to say.
"Cultivating immortality? Does such a thing really exist in the world?" Zhang Yaqi's eyes widened, filled with confusion.
“Yes.” Xiao Wenbing said affirmatively. He took out the gold card that Zhao Feng had given him, took Zhang Yaqi’s soft, boneless hand, placed it on the card, and said, “This is the gold card that my junior brother gave me. There is one million in it. Someone will check the account on the card every other day and will always replenish the amount to one million.”
"What are you doing?" A hint of annoyance flashed in Zhang Yaqi's eyes.
"Don't be angry." Xiao Wenbing reached out and smoothed her slightly messy hair, saying softly, "I'm going to cultivate immortality, so these worldly possessions are useless to me. Rather than letting them rot here, I'd rather you live a better life."
Zhang Yaqi didn't answer, but stared intently at him with her large, clear, and bright eyes, like those of stars.
Xiao Wenbing felt a tremor in his heart. As if he were running away from something, he avoided those eyes that stirred his emotions.
"Okay, I'll take it."
Seeing Zhang Yaqi put the gold card into her handbag, Xiao Wenbing breathed a sigh of relief, but felt a sense of loss and emptiness in his heart.
"Wenbing, I'm leaving. But I believe we'll meet again someday."
Zhang Yaqi took one last deep look at him before turning away. In that final glance before leaving, she displayed a firm and resolute determination.
Watching her slender figure disappear into the darkness of the bend in the night, Xiao Wenbing unexpectedly felt a pang of sadness.
He knew that he did have a deep affection for this gentle and beautiful woman, but that was all.
If he hadn't had this extraordinary encounter and had continued his relationship with her, perhaps one day he would have walked down the aisle with her and spent the next few decades of his life together.
However, his trip to the Secret Gate of Qiu'ai completely changed the course of his life, allowing him to come into contact with an unimaginable world.
He was filled with curiosity and longing for this world.
At this moment, his only pursuit was not the romantic love between men and women, but the mysterious path to immortality.
They were destined to be together but not to stay together; this is perhaps the best description of their relationship.
With a deep sigh, Xiao Wenbing murmured, "Goodbye, Yaqi."
He turned and strode away from the place where he had parted ways with her. At first, his steps were somewhat hesitant and frivolous, but gradually they became firm and steady, as if no longer any lingering feelings remained in his heart.
However, he did not see that in that dark corner, a pair of beautiful, large eyes were watching his every move, and these eyes never left him until his figure disappeared into the distance.
"I believe we will meet again."
Volume One: Farewell in the Mortal World, Chapter Twenty-Seven: Hostages
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The next day, Xiao Wenbing arrived at the orphanage where he grew up.
This place holds more than ten years of his childhood memories, and as he prepares to leave this world behind, he feels he must come here for one last look.
I strolled around the streets, bought some toys, baby formula and other children's supplies, and also gave a large red envelope containing 10,000 yuan. I delivered these things to the orphanage, walked around inside, and came out in the evening.
Several years had passed, and the people here had changed again. Apart from the old man Zhang, the gatekeeper, he didn't recognize a single one. As he walked out, a faint sadness inexplicably welled up inside him. He gave a self-deprecating laugh; when had he become so indecisive?
Xiao Wenbing glanced back at the closed door one last time, silently saying "Goodbye" in his heart.
Turning around, I hadn't taken more than a few steps when I felt someone running towards me from behind, and it was clear that they were coming straight at me.
Since gaining spiritual power, his sensory abilities have greatly improved. At this moment, he smiled coldly, undaunted, and looked back, only to be greatly surprised to see that the person was none other than Ye Qingchun.
"Hurry up." Ye Qingchun stepped forward, grabbed his hand, and hurriedly entered a small alley.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing his state, Xiao Wenbing sensed something was amiss. Although he didn't know what had happened, he was certain it was something beyond his control; otherwise, he wouldn't be in such a panic.
Ye Qingchun stared at him and suddenly asked, "Were you the one who drugged Wu Hongda at Jin Ding yesterday?"
Xiao Wenbing was taken aback, then relaxed. To be honest, he was a cultivator after all, and as for these mortals, well... he didn't care much about them anymore.
He chuckled and said, "The news got out so quickly?"
Frowning, Ye Qingchun sighed, "You too, this isn't the way to help a friend. Wu Hongda has considerable influence in the city, and he's already declared that he'll take you down no matter what."
"Ha, since he wants to come, let him give it a try."
"Sigh, I've already called Grandpa Zhao. He wants you to hide for now. He'll be here soon."
"Youth, aren't you making a mountain out of a molehill? I can handle this."
Just as Ye Qingchun was about to try to persuade him again, a pleasant bell rang.
Xiao Wenbing took out his phone, listened for a few moments, then his expression suddenly changed drastically. He let out a heavy snort and turned off his phone.
"What's wrong?" Ye Qingchun had a vague sense of unease.
Xiao Wenbing pondered for a moment and asked, "Youth, do you think any of your underworld friends in the city use firearms? Hmm, not those small handguns, but large weapons."
"Impossible," Ye Qingchun said immediately and decisively.
"Why?"
"The city just had a rectification campaign, and now everyone's avoiding this thing like the plague. Maybe some people will carry the small one for self-defense, but who would dare to hoard a big one? Aren't they afraid of implicating the gang?"
"Well, then I'm relieved." Xiao Wenbing waved to him and said, "I'll go first, goodbye."
"where are you going?"
“Wu Hongda arrested my friend on Rende Road. I have no choice but to go,” Xiao Wenbing said with a smile.
Ye Qingchun's expression changed several times before she finally sighed and said, "Fine, I'll go with you."
※※※
The car stopped on Rende Road, and Xiao Wenbing glanced gratefully at the big man beside him.
There's no such thing as a happy feast. Since Wu Hongda had captured his friend, he must have been fully prepared. In most people's eyes, his trip was likely fraught with danger.
In fact, if Zhao Feng hadn't said that he was protected by spiritual power and couldn't be harmed by ordinary firearms, he wouldn't have dared to come to the meeting.
But since ordinary firearms can't do anything to me, why don't I go and show off my power?
However, Ye Qingchun was clearly unaware of this; the fact that he accompanied her was truly a rare and precious gesture.
Arriving in front of a rather large mansion, Xiao Wenbing scoffed, "Good heavens, it's impressive, but I wonder how his strength compares to Zhao Feng's."
Ye Qingchun suddenly grabbed his wrist and said, "Brother, listen to me, don't fight back. As long as Old Master Zhao comes, I guarantee I can handle this matter smoothly, but now..."
Patting his hand, Xiao Wenbing smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm here." With that, he strode forward and walked into the already open door.
"It's precisely because it's you that I'm worried," Ye Qingchun said with a helpless bitter smile, and had no choice but to follow.
As soon as they entered the gate, someone came up to them and led them to the warehouse at the back of the house.
Upon entering, Xiao Wenbing immediately saw Cheng Guanqin, who was tightly bound with ropes.
This guy is really unlucky. Look at all the scars on his face and head. I wonder what excuse he'll come up with to deal with Li Ya Hui this time. He can't possibly fall down the building again, can he?
"Bang..."
The warehouse door had been closed, and more than twenty burly men swarmed out and surrounded the two of them.
"Fine, you've finally arrived." A voice filled with resentment came from upstairs.
Xiao Wenbing looked up and saw Wu Hongda's fairly handsome face with a cruel grin on it, staring intently at him.
"Hey... isn't this the stripper from Jin Ding? What a coincidence, running into you here." Xiao Wenbing greeted him amicably.
Wu Hongda's face immediately contorted in extreme rage; he was so furious he could barely breathe. He gripped the stair railing, swaying precariously. His two bodyguards rushed forward, supporting him and massaging his chest and back for a long time before he finally recovered.
"Hit...hit...hit." Wu Hongda spat out this single word through gritted teeth.