Chapter 21: It’s Only Through Strong Connections That You Aren’t in Prison

The moment the girl’s body struck the railing, Chen Yinan and I caught her together, pulling her back inside with all our might.

The three of us collapsed on the ground, utterly exhausted. Nearby, a crowd of onlookers jeered incessantly. I ignored them, sitting cross-legged on the ground to focus on the flow of Qi within me.

I first felt that flow of energy when I was twelve. Third Master had told me that the world of Qi cultivation is divided into three major ranks: Qi Practitioner, Qi Master, and Grandmaster of Qi. Each rank is further split into three stages: elementary, intermediate, and advanced. Each of Third Master’s disciples is generally at the intermediate Qi Practitioner level, though both Third Master and I believe that Brother Hei has already reached the advanced level.

The watershed between a Qi Practitioner and a Qi Master is the "Source Flow of Qi." Simply put, it is the transformation of internal Qi into a continuous stream. Only when one’s internal energy converges into such a flow can one truly be considered an initiate, becoming a Qi Master. The gap between a Qi Master and a Grandmaster, however, lies in the "Sea of Qi." The internal energy not only flows but gathers into an vast, inexhaustible ocean—this is the true power of a Grandmaster.

Third Master said that no Grandmaster of Qi had appeared in three hundred years. Even his own master, the highest-ranking practitioner, reached a level where his Qi flowed like a mighty river, allowing him to stand unrivaled in his time. Had he not been betrayed by villains, he would have easily lived to be one hundred and fifty or sixty. Of course, there is a realm even higher than the Grandmaster—the condensation of the Sea of Qi into an "Internal Elixir," achieving the status of an Earthly Immortal. But that is so fantastical that even Third Master had only heard it in rumors and had no way to verify it, so we treated it as legend.

I don’t know if my Sea of Qi will ever condense into an elixir, but I know one thing clearly: the flow of Qi is real, and I can feel it within me right now! Could I have skipped a grade, vaulting from an intermediate Qi Practitioner directly into the realm of a Qi Master? After eight years of stagnation—during which I was looked down upon by people like Zhao Xiangbo—did this single act of saving a life trigger a breakthrough? To me, that seems just as fantastical!

I followed the cultivation method taught by Third Master, sitting cross-legged and slowly regulating my breath. After a while, feeling the internal flow begin to calm and becoming capable of simple control, I slowly opened my eyes. For a fleeting moment, my left eye flashed with a golden luster, but thankfully, it was just an illusion; it immediately returned to its usual deep black.

I adjusted my sunglasses and looked ahead. Perhaps out of fear that the girl might try to harm herself again, Chen Yinan kept holding her hand and wouldn't let go. Yet, at this moment, I couldn't detect a hint of sleaze on his face; there was only a sense of comforting warmth.

I stood up and said to the girl, "Miss, please calm down. With the two of us here, you’re not going to die. Why don’t you come with us, have a chat, and then decide whether you still want to go through with this?"

The girl neither agreed nor refused, simply sitting on the ground and sobbing. I gave Chen Yinan a look. He leaned in, whispered something into her ear, and the girl obediently stood up to follow him.

Damn, that was impressive!

The bald man who had been smoking nearby glanced at the girl, a lecherous grin on his face. "No wonder you two were so eager; turns out she's a little beauty! If I’d known she looked like that, I would’ve helped out too. I could’ve at least played the hero—maybe she would’ve offered herself in gratitude."

I felt the urge to curse at him, but Chen Yinan just smiled and asked, "Brother, you must be from Dunhuang, right?"

The bald man paused, frowning. "No, I’m a local!"

Chen Yinan led the girl forward, laughing. "If you’re not from Dunhuang, why are there so many murals on your face?"

The bald man’s face darkened instantly. He cursed at Chen Yinan, "What the hell did you say? I haven't even settled the score with you for almost hitting my new car earlier!"

Chen Yinan wasn't intimidated in the slightest, chuckling, "Brother, I know you’re straight-talking, but that doesn't mean you have to pull things out through your mouth! Can you stop following us? I actually kind of like your look—how about you come back with us and guard our shop gate? I promise to give you a bone to chew on every day!"

The guy must have been boiling with rage. He sprinted after us. Chen Yinan and I pulled the girl into the car, started the engine, and made a quick getaway!

After that bit of nonsense, the girl’s expression wasn't as gloomy as before; she even managed a faint smile. My body wasn't feeling right, so I wasn't fit to drive; Chen Yinan took the wheel. Before we even cleared the bridge, Chen Yinan swerved sharply. I looked back and saw the new BMW 530 that had nearly rear-ended us earlier had caught up. It seemed the bald man was truly incensed by Chen Yinan’s insult.

Relying on his new car, he repeatedly provoked us with dangerous maneuvers, assuming we wouldn't dare hit him. If not for Chen Yinan’s superb driving skills, we would have collided long ago.

"Old Chen, be careful!" I warned him, frowning at the car behind us.

Chen Yinan offered a slight smile and grinned, "Don't worry!"

Seeing the other car repeatedly swerving to cut us off, Chen Yinan braked to let him pass. The guy took this concession as a sign of weakness, slamming on his brakes repeatedly in front of us, trying to force a rear-end collision.

I braced myself against the seat, holding my body steady, and mentally cursed the bald man’s entire lineage. I didn't need to tell Chen Yinan how to drive; his skills were better than mine, and he knew exactly how to handle the situation.

Once off the bridge and onto the main road, Chen Yinan steered around the 530 and accelerated. But we hadn't gone far before the 530 caught up again. Clearly seeing traffic behind us, he still tried to force a lane change, obviously intent on causing a collision. The bald man even rolled down his window, pointing at us, cursing, and flashing his middle finger. Seeing no response, he grew even more arrogant, swerving repeatedly and nearly hitting us.

Thanks to Chen Yinan’s quick reflexes, we braked in time. But the guy refused to drive ahead, staying right beside us and continuing his disgusting provocations. Seeing that the road ahead had turned into a solid line, Chen Yinan’s lips curled into a smirk, and he gave the guy the middle finger back.

This infuriated the bald man, who immediately accelerated to cut us off. The 530 crossed the solid line and swerved directly in front of us, forcing his way in!

*If you have the guts, hit me! But do you dare? If not, stay behind and eat my exhaust!*

Chen Yinan’s smile widened. *As you wish!*

He slammed on the gas, and the car accelerated forward!

*BANG!*

With a deafening crash, the front of my beat-up second-hand domestic car slammed into the side door of the 530, pushing it sideways for six or seven meters before coming to a halt!

Both cars stopped; smoke was pouring from the front of the 530. The bald man poked his head out, looked at his mangled car, and shrieked in a rage, "You bastard! You actually dared to hit me! This piece of junk you're driving wouldn't be enough to pay for my repairs even if you sold it! I’ll make you pay until you’re dead broke!"

"Pay?" Chen Yinan sat comfortably in the car, smiling broadly. "Crossing a solid line, reckless driving, sudden lane changes, and cutting off traffic—that’s dangerous driving! See that up there? There are at least four cameras pointed at you. Every move you made has been recorded. Paying for damages is the least of your worries; you’ll be lucky if you don’t end up in jail!"