Chapter 132: Another Encounter, A Brutal Slap in the Face

Sun Peng originally intended to leave, but upon witnessing Li Chao's expression, he could only indignantly take a seat nearby for the time being.

Meanwhile, the situation on the other side was proceeding intensely.

Junfeng quickly determined the layout of the property and settled on the price with the other party.

Clearly, he had long been intimately familiar with the market conditions in this district.

He picked up the contract before him, turned to look at Xiaoxiu, and said,

"This house is a piece of cake for me."

"However, I must make one thing clear first: the property deed must bear my name."

"If we manage to walk down the same path in the future, it won't be too late to consider adding your name then."

"Furthermore, although I have ample funds right now, I still need to reserve a portion for renovations and purchasing furniture, so I can only pay a thirty percent down payment for the time being."

As soon as these words were uttered...

Xiaoxiu and her mother were instantly stunned.

After a brief moment of silence, Xiaoxiu's mother asked cautiously,

"Would it be possible to include my Xiaoxiu's name on it as well?"

Hearing this, the corners of Junfeng's mouth curled up slightly:

"Your family hasn't contributed a single penny, so why should I add your daughter's name?"

"Besides, as a member of the company's management, my future is boundless. For Xiaoxiu to be with me is already her good fortune."

"If you have reservations, I won't force it. After all, there are still plenty of people waiting to go on blind dates with me."

Xiaoxiu and her mother exchanged glances, speechless for a moment.

After a short while, Xiaoxiu's mother finally nodded helplessly.

There was simply no other choice.

In her view, Junfeng was already considered quite exceptional compared to anyone else.

Not to mention that he was currently able to purchase a home in an elite gathering place like Forest Peninsula.

If her daughter could live here, she would feel immensely proud whenever she mentioned it in the future.

At the Forest Peninsula sales office, Junfeng swiftly completed the sequence of signing, card swiping, and payment, as if every transaction hammered into the hearts of Xiaoxiu and her mother, whose faces radiated smugness and satisfaction.

Xiaoxiu's mother even seized the opportunity to mock Sun Peng:

"Look at that! This is the style of a wealthy person, understand?"

Her tone was filled with contempt and disdain for Sun Peng, as if money had become the sole standard for measuring a person's worth at that moment.

"This is the gap between people!"

She continued to add, her eyes gleaming with aspirations for the future and mockery of reality.

"We'll be living right here from now on."

Xiaoxiu's mother's words were laden with ostentation and pride, as if this luxury estate had already become a symbol of their status.

"If you're really working as a security guard here, remember to proactively open the door and salute us! Otherwise, don't blame us for being impolite and lodging a formal complaint against you upstairs."

Her speech was dripping with threats and provocation, as though Sun Peng's dignity was being trampled beneath her feet at that very moment.

Even Xiaoxiu now clung closely to Junfeng, a certain marital intimacy seemingly having already developed between them, as if this intimacy were the inevitable outcome brought by wealth.

Yet, all these changes were triggered merely by a house.

Sun Peng grew so furious that his breathing became heavy, a massive boulder seeming to press upon his chest, and he felt an unprecedented sense of humiliation and powerlessness.

Just as he was about to erupt, Li Chao drained the coffee in his cup, shook his head gently, and let out a faint, scornful smirk:

"Paying just a down payment for a house, and you dare call yourself wealthy?"

Although his voice was not loud, it struck like a heavy hammer against the hearts of Junfeng, Xiaoxiu, and her mother.

"If word of this got out, people would laugh their heads off!"

Li Chao's words were filled with contempt for wealth and satire toward vanity. Hearing this, Junfeng broke into a series of cold laughs:

"You're not very old, but you sure talk big! The houses here require a down payment of over three hundred thousand alone. Ask yourself, can you afford it?"

His tone was brimming with provocation and triumph, as if wealth had become his sole reliance at that moment.

"If you don't have money, stop making a spectacle of yourself here!"

Junfeng's remarks were steeped in condescension and disdain toward Li Chao.

Xiaoxiu's mother chimed in with ridicule as well:

"They're just country bumpkins from the sticks, where would they get any money? Putting up a false front without any cash—I've seen plenty of people like that."

Her rhetoric was saturated with contempt and mockery for Li Chao and Sun Peng.

They held their heads high and puffed out their chests with an arrogant demeanor, their eyes full of scorn for Li Chao.

They had no idea who Li Chao was, simply assuming him to be an ordinary person just like Sun Peng.

However, watching their smug expressions, Li Chao wore an expression of utter disdain and shook his head lightly:

"I'm truly sorry, but I might have to disappoint you. I actually can afford it!"

Though his voice was calm, it was charged with strength and confidence.

With that, he waved to a customer service manager in the distance, signaling him to come over.

At that instant, everyone's gaze converged upon Li Chao, as if his status and standing had undergone a earth-shattering transformation.

The customer manager walked briskly to Li Chao's side, wearing a professional smile and asking politely,

"Sir, is there anything I can assist you with?"

Li Chao casually picked up a floor plan nearby, his sharp gaze sweeping across every available property on it before his finger finally came to a steady halt on a specific unit:

"Get me a unit with this floor plan. Fully renovated, lake view preferred."

What?

Hearing Li Chao's words, Junfeng, Xiaoxiu, and her mother all shuddered simultaneously, their faces plastered with shock and disbelief.

They widened their eyes in sheer incredulity, feeling as though the world had turned upside down.

One had to know that properties in Forest Peninsula were categorized into several tiers.

Fully renovated units with lake views through the windows were nearly three thousand yuan per square meter more expensive than ordinary units.

Furthermore, the four-bedroom unit Li Chao had selected was over twenty square meters larger than the one Junfeng had purchased.

Such a property, even just for the down payment, was not something an ordinary person could easily shoulder.

"Sir, have you truly considered this?"

A hint of excitement laced the customer manager's voice; he could scarcely believe his own ears.

After all, this would be a substantial transaction, enough to make him stand out among the entire sales team.

Li Chao nodded firmly, his gaze filled with composure and poise:

"Go get the contract. Oh, and I'll pay in full."

Hearing this, Xiaoxiu's mother's legs turned to jelly, and she collapsed directly onto the floor.

Her face was etched with sheer terror and despair, as though she had lost all hope in that very instant.

Junfeng and Xiaoxiu were likewise struck dumb, their faces frozen in utter disbelief; they could not fathom that this seemingly ordinary young man possessed such formidable financial resources.

Even the sales consultant who had initially greeted Li Chao and Sun Peng froze on the spot, unable to comprehend why this unassuming young man possessed such staggering purchasing power.

Unable to accept this reality, Xiaoxiu's mother struggled back to her feet and shouted at the top of her lungs,

"Impossible! That's utterly impossible! He definitely can't afford it!"

Her voice was laden with hysterical despair and reluctance to yield.

The customer manager harbored some doubts of his own; he quickly calculated the total price of the property using a calculator and reminded Li Chao in a low voice,

"Sir, the total price for this unit is 1.32 million. Are you certain you wish to pay in full?"

His voice carried a hint of caution and anticipation, as if awaiting Li Chao's final confirmation.

Casually retrieving a bank card from his pocket, Li Chao slammed it down heavily onto the table and said with resolute firmness,

"Swipe the card!"

His motion was dashing, and his tone radiated absolute confidence, as if he were the sovereign of this world at that moment.

Yet, even now, Xiaoxiu's mother clung to wishful thinking, staring fixedly at Li Chao with eyes full of suspicion and grievance:

"Your card definitely doesn't have enough money, you're just bluffing, right?"

Li Chao glanced at her coldly, the corner of his mouth twitching into a scornful smirk as he spat out two words:

"Moron!"

"You..."

Xiaoxiu's mother was choked speechless for a long while, her face turning crimson, as if she had completely lost all remaining rationality and dignity.

At that moment, the customer manager had already brought over the card reader, preparing for this eye-catching transaction.

"Beep!"

With a crisp sound, the bank card was swiped.

Li Chao skillfully entered his password, awaiting the transaction result.

His fingers danced rapidly across the keypad, each digit acting like a note of victory, striking the chords of his triumphant song.

Everyone held their breath in anticipation, but the expected transaction failure alert failed to materialize. Instead, the card reader began continuously printing out receipt vouchers.

Each voucher served as proof of Li Chao's might, and each one made the complexions of Xiaoxiu, her mother, and Junfeng grow even more unsightly.

They widened their eyes, standing frozen like wooden chickens and staring at the scene, feeling as though they had lost all power of speech and movement at that moment.

This fellow could actually charge over a million just like that?

He's insane!

Completely insane!

Xiaoxiu's mother rubbed her eyes vigorously. Upon confirming that she had not misread, she redirected her spearhead back toward Sun Peng in an attempt to salvage her pride:

"So what if he bought a house? It's someone else's house, it has zero to do with you! At best, you're just here tagging along to watch!"

However, before her voice could even trail off, Li Chao gave a light chuckle and gently slid the newly signed purchase contract toward Sun Peng:

"Sign it."

At that juncture, Xiaoxiu's mother, Xiaoxiu, and Junfeng were all struck dumb, exchanging glances filled with bewilderment and shock.

What the hell kind of bizarre absurdity was this?

Just how pure and unbreakable was the bond of friendship between the two of you?

You're literally swiping your card to gift an entire house just like that?

Not only were the three of them shocked, but the surrounding onlookers also gathered round curiously, sizing up the spectacle and buzzing with animated discussions.

"Good grief, which tycoon is this? Directly swiping to gift a house?"

"That boat of friendship is built out of titanium alloy!"

"This young man is truly full of hidden depths!"

The sales consultant who had once greeted Li Chao but subsequently abandoned him now felt regret so acute she was practically on the verge of tears.

Filled with remorse, she realized that Li Chao, whom she had presumed to be an ordinary person unable to afford a home, was actually a concealed multi-millionaire.

Had she known earlier, she would never have easily given up on this client, let alone lent an ear to those baseless rumors.

Right now, she could only stand silently to the side, watching Li Chao become the center of everyone's attention.

At this moment, Junfeng attempted to salvage some face. Staring at Li Chao and Sun Peng, he sneered,

"To buy this house, you probably hollowed out the savings of three generations! Even if you move into an elite district, you can't fake being upper-class! At the end of the day, you're still just a security guard!"

Xiaoxiu's mother hurriedly chimed in as well:

"That's right! My future son-in-law is a senior executive at a large county company, earning over twenty thousand a month. And you lot? Just glorified guards, how much can you save in a lifetime?"

After delivering these lines, she felt marginally better inside.

However, little did she know that true nobility stood right before her, and her ostentation and denigration appeared utterly feeble in front of Li Chao.

Just as Li Chao was about to retort, a figure rushed over frantically from afar. Upon catching sight of this person, the previously arrogant Junfeng instantly assumed a humble expression and hurried forward to greet him:

"Young Master Zhou, what brings you here?"

The newcomer was none other than Zhou Shaofeng, the premier young master of Kaiyuan County.

Hearing this title, Xiaoxiu's mother's eyes lit up instantly.

She had long since heard legendary tales of Zhou Shaofeng, knowing him to be a top-tier tycoon in the county, and that even her esteemed prospective son-in-law, Junfeng, was employed by the Zhou family's enterprise.

Such a wealthy heir was an out-of-reach existence to her.

Thus, she hurriedly tugged Xiaoxiu along and rushed forward, her face plastered with obsequious smiles:

"Greetings, Young Master Zhou!"

Her fawning demeanor was such that she practically wished she could press her entire body against him.

Yet, Zhou Shaofeng didn't even spare them a glance, walking straight past them toward Li Chao and Sun Peng.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the usually untamed and domineering Zhou Shaofeng steadied himself like a humble subordinate and anxiously spoke up:

"Brother Chao, why didn't you notify me when you came to buy a house today?"

As soon as these words dropped, the entire crowd was dumbfounded.

They never expected that this seemingly ordinary young man would command such profound respect from Zhou Shaofeng as to be addressed as "Brother Chao."

The complexions of Xiaoxiu's mother and Junfeng turned utterly ghastly, their hearts plagued by profound confusion and shock.

They began to wonder just what kind of person this Li Chao really was.

Why on earth would he command such immense reverence from Zhou Shaofeng?

"I wouldn't have known if I hadn't happened to pass by the clinic!"

After speaking, Zhou Shaofeng whirled around to glare and bark at the customer manager:

"This is my Big Brother! Did you give him a discount on the property?"

The customer manager wore a blank expression; he had never heard of Zhou Shaofeng having any "Big Brother," but the immediate situation permitted no hesitation.

The Zhou family dominated real estate—who would dare cross the young master of the Zhou family?

Hesitating for a moment, the customer manager murmured cautiously:

"Could we... in light of Young Master Zhou's face, offer a 98% discount?"

The words had barely left his mouth when Zhou Shaofeng delivered a sharp slap across his face:

"A 98% discount? I'll beat you until your bones are 98% fractured! Is my face only worth that little? 90% discount! If you dare ask for a single penny more, I'll smash this entire sales office to pieces!"

Zhou Shaofeng's unbridled, arrogant nature was fully displayed at that moment. The customer manager was left dazed by the blow, and subsequently turned pale with fright at the threat.

On a property worth over 1.3 million, a 10% discount shaved off a good hundred thousand plus; the sheer magnitude of this concession brought him close to tears.

Yet withholding the discount was out of the question—Zhou Shaofeng's volatile temper was notoriously fierce; he might genuinely demolish the sales branch.

Junfeng, standing nearby, was terrified into absolute silence. It was his first time witnessing Zhou Shaofeng haggle on behalf of someone else, let alone with such domineering force.

He felt a secret wave of relief, glad that he hadn't offended Li Chao earlier, or the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Meanwhile, Xiaoxiu's mother, entirely oblivious to the severity of the situation, waddled right over:

"Young Master Zhou, my Junfeng just bought a unit here too. Could you perhaps have them give him a discount as well?"

Craving a slice of this bargain herself, she remained completely unaware that her actions had incited Zhou Shaofeng's wrath.

With a swift kick, Zhou Shaofeng sent her sprawling to the ground, cursing fiercely:

"Discount your sister! Are you out of your damn mind?"

While others might let her slide, Zhou Shaofeng certainly wouldn't coddle her.

Taking the blow, Xiaoxiu's mother collapsed to the floor, dazed and utterly failing to comprehend the situation.

She had originally assumed Zhou Shaofeng would grant her a discount out of regard for Junfeng, never anticipating such treatment.

Realizing that her son-in-law Junfeng lacked even the qualification to receive a discount in the presence of Zhou Shaofeng, Xiaoxiu's mother suffered a severe psychological blow. Recalling the identity of the youth (Li Chao) accompanying Sun Peng, she could not help but gasp inwardly, her heart flooding with dread and awe, rendering her entirely unable to dwell on it any further.

On the other side, Sun Peng had successfully re-signed the contract, and the excess funds were refunded to him.

Upon completing all the formalities and taking hold of the new home keys, he felt as though he were floating in a dreamscape.

Just like that, he now owned a luxury property in the county town—a feat he had never previously dared to imagine.

Meanwhile, back in the sales office, Xiaoxiu, her mother, and Junfeng were locked in a bitter altercation.

Xiaoxiu's mother loudly demanded that Junfeng fulfill his promise to marry her daughter, but Junfeng was already scared out of his wits and could no longer care about such matters.

Catching sight of Zhou Shaofeng and his companions walking out, he broke out in a cold sweat of sheer panic, inwardly thanking his lucky stars that he was fleeing promptly.

He wrenched himself away from Xiaoxiu's mother and bolted into the distance, terrified of being spotted by Zhou Shaofeng and drawing further trouble upon himself.

Once Junfeng had fled, Xiaoxiu's mother spotted Sun Peng walking toward them from afar. Her eyes darted craftily, and she hastily dragged her daughter forward to intercept him.

She intended to apologize to Sun Peng and rekindle the romance between her daughter and him.

In her mind, the young man accompanying Sun Peng (Li Chao) was undoubtedly a colossal figure who could casually toss out a house as a gift.

She planned to cling closely to this individual hereafter in order to reap some benefits for herself.

However, Sun Peng's gaze was steeped in absolute indifference as he calmly spat out a single word:

"Scram!"

That simple word struck like a chilling blade, piercing straight through the hearts of Xiaoxiu and her mother.

They never anticipated that Sun Peng would be so resolute, leaving not a shred of grace.

As Li Chao set about purchasing real estate, far away in Huaxi Ancient City, within a majestic martial arts hall, a group of apprentices who had just concluded their routine physical training gathered in the courtyard to enjoy a rare moment of leisure and banter.

"Senior Brother, when do you think I might step into the Huang realm?"

A tall, slender apprentice asked with palpable anticipation.

His eyes gleamed with yearning and curiosity toward the path of martial arts.

The one addressed as Senior Brother was a sturdy man with square facial features and an imposing physique.

Lounging boldly upon a stone seat, he took a draught of water and laughed heartily:

"The path of martial arts demands steady, incremental progress and unwavering stability. One must never be impetuous nor pin hopes on luck. I followed our master, honing my craft for a full thirteen springs and autumns, before crossing the threshold into the Huang realm. The rest of you must redouble your efforts; your day of breakthrough will surely arrive."

Hearing this, someone nearby couldn't help but gasp in amazement:

"Thirteen years! That's agonizingly long!"

His tone betrayed both reverence for the senior's journey and apprehension regarding his own future.

Another person chimed in:

"If we harbor ambitions of ascending to the Xuan realm, wouldn't we have to wait until we're half a century old?"

His tone carried a trace of teasing and helplessness.

Chuckling, the Senior Brother lightly tapped that person's head and said:

"You think the Xuan realm is something anyone can reach at will? Even our master has yet to set foot in the Xuan realm to this day. If you can break into the Xuan realm before your fiftieth year, it would be the blessing of your ancestors and bring great honor to your lineage!"

His words were imbued with both awe for the Xuan realm and encouragement and expectation for the apprentices.

The surrounding apprentices burst into laughter, the atmosphere turning light and cheerful.

At that moment, another apprentice mused aloud:

"Come to think of it, true practitioners in this mundane world are already as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Reaching the Huang realm is practically enough to sweep across the city unopposed!"

Another apprentice nearby nodded in agreement:

"Indeed! My ambition stops at the Huang realm. Being able to handle a few ordinary mortals would satisfy me entirely; I dare not harbor illusions of higher realms."

His tone carried a sense of contentment and self-satisfaction.

The Majestic Martial Arts Hall, standing as one of the exceedingly rare cultivation sects within the secular realm, featured a head instructor, Liang Meng, whose overall strength was perhaps not top-tier. Yet, in the presence of ordinary mortals, merely displaying a fraction of his prowess—such as splitting red bricks with his palm or shattering stone slabs with his kick—was more than enough to strike terror and reverence into their hearts.