It was past eight o'clock at night when Luo Xiu took a taxi back to Sea City Riviera.

Unexpectedly, upon entering, he found several women enjoying hotpot, chatting and laughing merrily.

"Good god… Are you all really a bunch of herbivores?!"

Heartbroken, Luo Xiu said, "I was locked up, nearly forced to sew for a living in prison, and you all still have the nerve to sit here enjoying hotpot?"

"You're heartless!"

"Touch your consciences and ask if they hurt!"

Seeing the aggrieved Luo Xiu, the women couldn't help but let out charming laughter.

Even the usually icy Wu Xin had a trace of a smile on her face.

Sun Li, wearing fluffy slippers, trotted over with a grin. She grabbed Luo Xiu's shoulders, pushed him to the table to sit down, and then fetched him a bowl and chopsticks.

"Don't be sad, Xiu. We only just heard you'd been released, so we prepared this hotpot to celebrate."

Luo Xiu touched his nose, half-believing. "Really?"

"Yes, really!"

"Then it seems I misunderstood you all."

"But what exactly happened?" Lin Xiyue asked. "We had just contacted a lawyer when you were suddenly released."

Sun Li continued, "And according to my investigation, Liu Xuelian was the one pulling strings behind the scenes. She's the one who brought Tang Hong'e into this!"

"Xiu, let me tell you, that old witch Liu Xuelian is incredibly nasty. Cao Hong was able to evade the law back then because she was maneuvering in the shadows."

"And the Cao Family is so wealthy because Liu Xuelian has been secretly helping Cao Ende rake in money," Sun Li added.

Hearing Sun Li's words, Luo Xiu couldn't help but think of that audacious Tang Hong'e.

He scoffed, "Birds of a feather flock together. It seems that Tang Hong'e is no good, either."

"What are you talking about, Xiu?"

"Nothing." Luo Xiu shook his head and smiled. "Let's just let bygones be bygones. There's no need to bring it up again."

「Late into the night.」

Luo Xiu sat cross-legged on the sofa, tinkering with the three types of medicinal ingredients he had acquired at the auction earlier.

Although the auction had gone smoothly, he was still a long, long way from gathering all the ingredients needed for Lin Xiyue's alchemy.

The Scorching Sun Profound Purity Fruit needed to be obtained through the Martial Ritual, and Luo Xiu was confident about that.

Li Jiuzhen and He Dang Gui had the ability to collect the other ingredients, but doing so would require a significant sum of money. Luo Xiu certainly didn't want the two seniors to front the money, especially since they didn't have that much to begin with.

Therefore, he had to start a company to earn the money himself.

After a moment, Luo Xiu took out the cubic diamond and played with it in his hand. The hardness of the diamond exceeded his expectations. He couldn't crush it even when using all his strength.

After observing it for a while and still unable to discern its use, he decided to just try something and funneled a thread of Spiritual Energy into it.

To his surprise, the diamond immediately began to glow like a lit lamp and even started to spin rapidly.

Shocked, Luo Xiu quickly let go.

Spinning at high speed, the diamond seemed to defy gravity, floating stably in the void. As it spun, it appeared like a small sphere.

After observing for a moment, a smile spread across Luo Xiu's face.

"I didn't expect this to be a Magical Treasure."

"Looks like I hit the jackpot this time."

Suddenly, he struck out with his palm, using his power to push the spinning diamond away.

The diamond zipped out with a WHOOSH. It instantly pierced the thick wall, flew out onto the balcony, and then, in a flash, shot through the neat row of Lin Xiyue's drying clothes before vanishing into the night sky.

"Crap!"

Luo Xiu's eyes bulged, shocked by the terrifying piercing power.

He could understand it piercing the wall, but the clothes were just light, fluttering fabric. The fact that it could pierce them so cleanly that they remained hanging perfectly still... that was truly terrifying.

He rushed to the balcony, decisively leapt down, and chased after the diamond that had flown away.

So now he understood. The diamond was an attack-type Magical Treasure, not only fast but also possessing tremendous piercing power. However, he would need much more practice to control it at will. Furthermore, controlling the diamond had one basic prerequisite: Spiritual Energy.

「The next morning.」

「Headquarters of the Sea City Martial Association.」

BOOM! With a tremendous crash, the thick wooden door was blasted open by a powerful strike.

Guan Changyun, dressed in a blue robe and cloth shoes, entered slowly through the gate, a three-foot-long sword in hand and emanating the air of a celestial master.

A group of Martial Association disciples who were practicing scattered in fright, as if they had seen the god of plague.

Guan Changyun had come to the Martial Association today to use its experts for actual combat, hoping to consolidate his own strength.

Luo Xiu had a nightmare.

He dreamed he had fallen into a lake and couldn't swim to the surface, no matter how hard he tried. Beneath the pitch-black water, some unknown, mysterious creature seemed to be pulling him down.

The intense feeling of suffocation nearly made him collapse.

Just as he was about to drown, he opened his eyes to see Lin Xiyue's cold face.

Lin Xiyue was sitting on the edge of the bed. She let go of his nose, which she had been pinching, and said, "It's already eight o'clock. Get up. We still have to go look at properties today."

Luo Xiu, still groggy, asked lazily, "Look at what properties?"

"Factory space and an office building."

"Then you can go by yourself. I don't feel like it." Luo Xiu waved his hand dismissively, completely uninterested.

Lin Xiyue stood up and suddenly kicked his butt. "I've never seen anyone as lazy as you!"

But Luo Xiu ignored her and continued to sleep. He had been busy chasing that diamond for most of the night and had only gotten to bed after four in the morning.

"Get up!" Lin Xiyue insisted, relentlessly.

Luo Xiu was starting to get annoyed. "Damn it... Lin Xiyue, you'd better not push me," he said through gritted teeth. "I have a terrible temper when I first wake up!"

Lin Xiyue seemed unbothered and kicked him again. "Oh, by the way, I have a question for you."

"What is it?"

"What's the deal with my clothes hanging outside?" Lin Xiyue asked through clenched teeth.

Hearing this, Luo Xiu froze. He quickly rolled over, pretending to be asleep, and even started to snore.

Lin Xiyue had reached her limit. She kicked him on the butt once more.

"They're full of holes! Go and see for yourself!"

That was the last straw for Luo Xiu. He immediately rolled over and kicked Lin Xiyue's butt in return.

Lin Xiyue let out a delicate cry and flew into a rage, pouncing on Luo Xiu to choke him.

Luo Xiu deftly sidestepped her, then wrapped an arm around her neck, trapping her. He immediately followed up with a relentless tickle attack.

"Luo Xiu, you bastard!"

"Let me go!"

But Luo Xiu only became more relentless, showing no intention of letting her go.

"Oh my, does our dear Xiyue have armpit hair? Here, let me pluck it for you."

At these words, Lin Xiyue's pretty face changed, and her body immediately stiffened.

"No, no, please!"

"I was wrong! I was wrong, Luo Xiu! I really know I was wrong!"

After being thoroughly disciplined, Lin Xiyue finally quieted down. With tears welling in her eyes, she shot Luo Xiu a resentful glare and walked into the bathroom.

Not long after, she emerged in a professional skirt suit. Looking coldly at Luo Xiu, who was still on the bed, she snapped, "You're an absolute pig!"

With that, she left in a huff.

Luo Xiu lay on the bed, glancing at the clothes still hanging on the balcony, a flicker of guilt in his eyes.

But it really isn't my fault. Who knew the diamond's piercing power would be that strong?

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Thinking it was an unrepentant Lin Xiyue coming back for more, Luo Xiu decisively hid under the covers and pretended to sleep.

However, the person knocking was actually Su Shanyue.

Su Shanyue rushed into the room and pulled the blanket off Luo Xiu. "Luo Xiu, something terrible has happened!"

"What's happened?"

Su Shanyue's face was filled with urgency, as if she was about to burst into tears.

"I just got a call. Guan Changyun barged into the Martial Association headquarters this morning and seriously injured my grandfather and the others!"

Hearing this, Luo Xiu frowned and quickly sat up.

"Yueyue, don't panic. We'll head over there right now."

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