Zhao Mu gave no response to the topic. His interest in chatting seemed to have vanished completely.
He sat quietly in the vehicle, gazing out the window at the passing scenery. His thoughts drifted elsewhere, and he remained silent until they finally arrived at the Tulip Club.
As the young master of the Meng Family, Meng Qiuqiu was naturally treated as a distinguished guest wherever he went.
The Tulip Club stood in the most prosperous district of Qingzhou City. Covering an enormous area, it resembled less a private club and more a magnificent royal palace.
Even from a distance, its splendor was impossible to ignore.
The entire structure glittered beneath the evening lights, and the lavish decorations made it seem as though wealth itself had been built into its walls.
When they entered, Zhao Mu couldn't help but glance around.
The interior was extravagantly luxurious.
Gold decorations adorned nearly every corner. Crystal chandeliers hung from high ceilings, while priceless artworks decorated the walls.
Meng Qiuqiu led the group directly to an exclusive VIP private room.
Soon, servants began carrying in one exquisite dish after another.
Rare seafood.
Premium exotic meats.
Fine wines.
Everything served was of the highest quality.
And, just as Meng Qiuqiu had promised, the most famous singers and dancers in Qingzhou had also been invited to perform.
For Zhao Mu, it was his first time experiencing such entertainment.
He found it surprisingly fascinating.
The dancers moved gracefully across the stage, their elegant figures accompanied by soft music. Every step seemed perfectly coordinated, creating a mesmerizing performance that captured everyone's attention.
Taking a sip of wine, Zhao Mu watched carefully.
A moment later, his eyes narrowed.
"Interesting."
"The footwork these dancers are using actually contains traces of Fist Intent."
Meng Qiuqiu grinned proudly.
"Of course."
"Some of them aren't ordinary performers."
He pointed toward several women wielding decorative practice swords as part of their performance.
"See those women over there?"
"Some of them are genuine Spirit Power Users."
He laughed.
"Pick any one of them and she could probably defeat the four of us at the same time, even while holding back."
Zhao Mu blinked in surprise.
"Life really isn't easy."
"Even Spirit Power Users have to perform for a living."
Meng Qiuqiu nearly choked on his drink.
"Heh. If you knew how much money they make from a single performance, you wouldn't be saying that."
After all, not every Spirit Power User wished to spend their life fighting.
Many eventually retired.
However, once they became accustomed to a life of wealth and privilege, returning to an ordinary lifestyle was difficult.
Normal citizens earned enough to survive, but rarely enough to become rich.
Spirit Power Users, on the other hand, possessed skills that could generate tremendous income.
Some became hunters.
Some worked as elite bodyguards.
Others entered entertainment and performance.
In today's society, there was a saying everyone understood:
There was nothing shameful about making money.
The room quickly filled with laughter, music, and conversation.
For the moment, everyone put aside the pressure of training and simply enjoyed themselves.
Meanwhile, far away from Qingzhou City...
A tall and muscular young man arrived in Garden Town.
He wore black work clothes and a large baseball cap that concealed most of his face beneath a shadow.
The moment he entered town, his eyes began searching the streets.
Eventually, he spotted a familiar target.
A chubby boy stood outside a barber shop, wiping his nose while absentmindedly kicking a stone.
It was Fatty Li, the barber's son.
The young man walked over.
"Kid."
Fatty Li looked up suspiciously.
"What?"
The stranger lowered his voice.
"Do you know someone named Zhao Mu?"
"He's currently studying at Qingfeng Camp."
"Can you tell me where his house is?"
Fatty Li immediately became vigilant.
His eyes narrowed.
"Who are you?"
"Why should I tell you?"
The stranger forced a smile.
"I'm his classmate."
"He asked me to come visit him."
Only then did Fatty Li relax slightly.
He pointed down the street.
"Walk straight to the end of the road."
"The house there belongs to Zhao Mu."
The young man nodded.
As he lifted his head, his face was finally revealed.
It was Tian Hu.
A cold light flashed through his eyes.
"Zhao Mu..."
"You humiliated me."
"You caused me to lose all my dignity."
"And because of you, I lost my position in the Discipline Inspection Department."
His fists tightened.
"This debt must be repaid."
Without hesitation, Tian Hu headed toward Zhao Mu's house.
Unfortunately for him, Zhao Mu wasn't home.
After knocking repeatedly and receiving no answer, Tian Hu's expression darkened.
Still unwilling to leave, he sat directly outside the house.
He intended to wait.
One hour passed.
Then two.
Then an entire day.
Yet Zhao Mu never appeared.
Far away, in Lujiang City, another important event was unfolding.
Inside the Shao Family estate, Shao Han had returned home.
The moment he arrived, he emptied every coin from his personal savings.
Then he shamelessly persuaded his mother to contribute a large portion of her own savings as well.
After gathering enough money, he finally purchased five portions of Spirit Source.
His goal was simple.
He wanted to break through.
Immediately.
Inside a secluded cultivation room, Shao Han sat cross-legged.
His eyes burned with determination.
The humiliation he had suffered at Qingfeng Camp replayed endlessly in his mind.
Especially every defeat at Zhao Mu's hands.
Each memory was like fuel thrown onto a raging fire.
The desire for revenge consumed him.
Normally, his foundation was not yet stable enough for a breakthrough.
His mental state was also inferior to Zhao Mu's.
Under ordinary circumstances, he would have needed more time.
But Shao Han couldn't wait any longer.
Even if forcing a breakthrough harmed his future cultivation potential...
Even if it slowed his long-term growth...
He was willing to pay the price.
Because six days later, he would face Zhao Mu again.
And he intended to win.
No matter the cost.
A full day passed.
Finally, the cultivation room door opened.
Shao Han stepped out.
His face looked pale and exhausted.
Yet his eyes shone brighter than ever before.
"I succeeded."
His voice trembled slightly.
The breakthrough had worked.
He had officially advanced to Battle Rank 10.
Private Rank.
The true starting point for a Spirit Power User.
At this level, he could finally unleash the real power of Battle Tactics and access abilities unavailable to lower-ranked cultivators.
Compared to his former self, his strength had increased several times over.
Excitement surged through him.
Now he had six days remaining.
Six days to adapt to his new power.
Six days to master his techniques.
And six days to prepare for his revenge.
In his mind, Zhao Mu's defeat was already inevitable.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)