Chapter 174: Yun Keqing's Appointment
Snapping out of his daze, Zhao Dong collected himself and gently sidestepped Ding Lan.
Ding Lan fell silent, letting tears stream down her face as she gazed at him. She gently wiped them away and spoke softly, "Zhao Dong, can we go back to the way we were?"
Zhao Dong shook his head, his tone complex. "What's the point, Ding Lan? It's better if you just forget me."
Holding back her tears, Ding Lan asked quietly, "Do you see who has changed now?"
Zhao Dong paused, looking somewhat bewildered. "Is it me who has changed?"
With a somber look in her eyes, Ding Lan slowly stood up. She gave Zhao Dong one last glance and said softly, "Zhao Dong, I won't give up on you until you're married. Perhaps the only thing that will make me truly forget you and sever these feelings is seeing you wed."
Zhao Dong opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Ding Lan looked at him and sighed. "I know you have a deep-seated prejudice against me, but you'll realize sooner or later… for all these years, you're the only one I, Ding Lan, have had in my heart."
With those words, Ding Lan lingered no longer. She turned and walked away, her silhouette vanishing in the wind.
Zhao Dong remained standing there. He silently finished a cigarette before turning to head downstairs.
Downstairs at the hotel entrance, Ding Xingteng and Tian Fangmei were waiting anxiously. They finally spotted Ding Lan.
Tian Fangmei rushed forward. "Xiao Lan, where did you go? You didn't answer your phone! You had me worried to death!"
Ding Lan stared at her parents, a dazed look in her eyes. The memory of the moment she'd been about to jump from the building flashed through her mind. Biting her lip, she pushed the thought away. She shook her head without a word, got into the car, and drove off immediately.
Watching her leave, Ding Xingteng frowned. "Does Xiao Lan seem off to you?"
"I noticed it too," Tian Fangmei said suspiciously. "Could it be because of that kid, Zhao Dong?"
"You can't call him 'that kid' anymore," Ding Xingteng snorted. "He knows influential people."
Tian Fangmei's lip twitched. She replied, unconvinced, "So what if he knows them? It's just dumb luck. What good is it if he has no strength of his own? Those influential people might have a meal with him, but he has no money. He can't get into their circle. What's the use in that?"
"Not necessarily," Ding Xingteng countered. "Zhao Dong knows these people. If any one of them gave him a little push, he could soar to success. *Sigh*..."
Tian Fangmei's expression grew complicated, a flicker of regret appearing in her heart.
Beside her, Ding Xingteng sighed again. "Fangmei, just think, if only we hadn't pressured Xiao Lan to break up with Zhao Dong back then… He seems to have changed a lot these past two years. He might actually become successful."
Tian Fangmei gritted her teeth. "What's done is done, why waste time with hypotheticals? Besides, Zhao Dong *might* succeed, but Zhang Shaowen *has* already succeeded! We've benefited a great deal from the Zhang Family, so we have to do whatever it takes to set up Xiao Lan with Zhang Shaowen! I can see that Xiao Lan still has feelings for Zhao Dong. This won't do. We need to get her married to Zhang Shaowen as soon as possible to prevent any mishaps."
"What kind of mishap could happen? And so what if one does?" Ding Xingteng asked.
"Have you lost your mind?" Tian Fangmei exclaimed, agitated. "If Xiao Lan and Zhao Dong rekindle their old flame, will the Zhang Family still help us? I owe my position as deputy bank director entirely to Zhang Shaowen! I have to hold onto this position. I refuse to go back to being a nobody!"
Ding Xingteng looked at his wife and sighed, saying nothing more.
Meanwhile, Zhao Dong checked the time. Night had fallen. The bustling city only revealed its glittering and intoxicating side after sundown.
Just as Zhao Dong was about to head home, his phone rang. He answered, and a woman's voice came from the other end.
"Hello, Zhao Dong, are you free right now?"
Zhao Dong paused, recognizing the voice of Yun Keqing, the woman who had asked him about the Dragon Blood Stone. He rubbed his nose. "I'm free. What's up?"
"I mentioned this morning that I'd come find you later to see the Dragon Blood Stone," Yun Keqing said. "If you're free, I can head over now. We should pick a place."
Zhao Dong nodded. "Sure, you pick."
"Well… there's a quiet bar near me. We could meet there for a bit. I can send you the location?"
"Alright."
After he hung up, an address arrived on his phone. Zhao Dong hailed a taxi and went straight there.
He soon arrived at a small, quiet bar. It was fairly crowded, but the atmosphere wasn't loud. Though there were sounds of people drinking and chatting, it was a world away from a noisy nightclub. Zhao Dong scanned the room and saw Yun Keqing sitting by a window. Rubbing his nose, he walked directly over to her.
Zhao Dong sat down opposite her and smiled. "You come to places like this?"
Yun Keqing turned her head, glanced at him, and raised an eyebrow before smiling back. "I come here to relax sometimes. Is there a rule that says I can't?"
"Aren't you from the Yun Family?" Zhao Dong said. "I heard the Yun Family has strict rules and is quite mysterious. Aren't they supposed to be a reclusive family from East Sea? I always pictured you people spending all your time cultivating."
Yun Keqing laughed. "Reclusive families aren't that special. We just don't get involved in the conflicts between outside families. Otherwise, we're the same. Besides, we aren't the type you imagine, living on coarse food and doing nothing but training. We're just like any normal family."
Zhao Dong took a sip of the drink in front of him. "Like a normal family? I don't get it. There must be some differences, right?"
"Differences… well, I suppose reclusive families have some cultivators," Yun Keqing said. "Also, we aren't governed by the institutions of the mundane world."
Zhao Dong raised an eyebrow. "I see."
Glancing at Yun Keqing, he was surprised to see that she was already in the Grandmaster Realm. It was incredibly rare for someone her age to reach such a level.
He, on the other hand, was a Cultivator, with ranks different from those of cultivators. He was currently at the fifth level of Qi Refinement, but he could already go head-to-head with a fifth-level Grandmaster cultivator.
Yun Keqing… it doesn't seem like she's at the fifth level of the Grandmaster Realm. She must have just broken through not too long ago!
Across from him, Yun Keqing's beautiful eyes were also subtly sizing him up, a strange light appearing within them. She was shocked to find she couldn't perceive Zhao Dong's realm at all.
Could it be… that Zhao Dong's strength is greater than mine? No, that's impossible. At our age, it's rare to find someone with a higher realm than mine. Besides, he's just a Loose Cultivator, while I have the entire Yun Family behind me.
Yun Keqing's gaze flickered, and she smiled. "Zhao Dong, about what we discussed earlier, would you please show me the Dragon Blood Stone?"
Zhao Dong smacked his lips. I've already learned the Dragon-breaking Fist Cultivation Technique from inside the Dragon Blood Stone. Before, it was a supreme treasure, but now it's just a useless rock. He decided he couldn't tell her this, since he didn't know if she was a friend or an enemy.
With this in mind, Zhao Dong took out the Dragon Blood Stone and placed it on the table. "Here it is. Nothing special to look at."
The stone still had a reddish hue, but it was no longer as vibrant as before.
Yun Keqing's eyes lit up. She picked it up and examined it closely. Soon, her brows knitted together. It seemed perfectly ordinary, with nothing unusual about it.
Then why did my family insist that I obtain this Dragon Blood Stone, claiming it held a great opportunity? But this is clearly just an ordinary Dragon Blood Stone. At best, it could be used as a material for forging weapons. Wait a minute… Could Zhao Dong have already claimed the opportunity within it?
Seeing Yun Keqing's slightly suspicious expression, Zhao Dong felt a flicker of unease but maintained a calm demeanor. "Yeah. I thought it was something amazing at first, but it turned out to be just a regular Dragon Blood Stone. I really regret getting it now."
Yun Keqing bit her lip. Zhao Dong didn't seem to be lying.
But… could I have been mistaken? Is this really just an ordinary Dragon Blood Stone?
She glanced at Zhao Dong, her eyes filled with doubt. If she asked him directly, he would surely deny everything, so she couldn't be certain.
After a moment's thought, Yun Keqing bit her lip and said, "Zhao Dong, can I discuss something with you?"
"Please, Miss Yun, feel free to speak."
Yun Keqing hesitated before continuing, "I'd like to buy this stone. Would you be willing to sell it to me?"
"Buy it?" Zhao Dong asked, surprised. "Is there something unusual about this stone?"
Yun Keqing bit her lip, her gaze shifting away for a moment. "It's nothing special, really. I… I just want to add it to my collection."
Zhao Dong smiled to himself. She probably wants to take it back to study, but the good stuff inside is already gone. Still, I can't sell it. If Yun Keqing takes it back and her family discovers the secret it used to hold, they'll surely come looking for me. The Cultivation World is an incredibly brutal place; killing for Cultivation Techniques and opportunities is all too common.
After considering this, Zhao Dong replied, "Miss Yun, I don't mind letting you look at it, but I'm afraid I can't sell it. I need to keep it for my own research."
Yun Keqing gave a wry smile. "How about this: you name a price, or tell me something you need, and I can trade with you. I promise I'll make it worth your while."
Zhao Dong shook his head again. "I'm sorry, Miss Yun, but I'd like to keep this Dragon Blood Stone for myself."
Yun Keqing's expression fell. Though she was disappointed, she managed a bitter smile. "Alright… in that case, please let me look at it for just a little longer."
Zhao Dong smiled. "No problem. Take all the time you need."
Just then, a figure walked over to their table. "Junior Sister Yun!" the person exclaimed in surprise. "What a coincidence, you're here too?"