Originally, Lu Yang and his two companions planned to find conclusive evidence to expose Kang Wei’s true colors, so that Zhong Qing’er would realize that her past love was nothing but a deception.

Now there was no need, as she had moved on to another love, falling for Shi Chan.

"Senior Brother Meng, you jest," said the monk humbly. "I am merely more handsome than the average man."

"It’s a pity that people only care about my good looks and show no interest in my Buddhist teachings," he lamented.

Meng Jingzhou’s desire to punch someone grew even stronger.

Meanwhile, in a small pavilion, the drama of two men vying for one woman continued to unfold.

"Kang Wei, you are a good person, but we are not suited for each other," Zhong Qing’er said as she nestled in the fake Shi Chan’s embrace, constantly watching his expression while speaking to Kang Wei, for fear of displeasing the man she was with.

The fake Shi Chan teased her by flicking her nose lightly: "Silly girl, why would I be unhappy? You rejected him and chose me—I am too happy to care about anything else."

"Shi Chan, you’re truly kind."

"So are you."

Kang Wei: "..."

What was going on, everything was fine yesterday, how come he was being cuckolded today?

And in a dream, no less.

"Looking at Kang Wei like this, he just seems like an ordinary person," Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou said, frowning. "He doesn’t have any trace of having cultivated."

Even if a cultivator doesn’t display their cultivation level, their breathing and walking patterns differ from those of ordinary people who haven’t cultivated.

Unless the other person is purposely concealing it, or they have reached the realm of returning to simplicity and truth.

"How can an ordinary person use dream invasion techniques?" Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou frowned, wouldn’t that make the two of them look foolish?

"Let’s take action. I can’t stand to watch any longer. I’m getting goosebumps," Meng Jingzhou suggested.

Shi Chan watched his own counterfeit commit acts of affection with Zhong Qing’er, becoming a bit too much to bear, and silently nodded in agreement.

"Go!"

Meng Jingzhou yelled, startling Lu Yang with his loud voice.

"Who’s there!"

Kang Wei was the first to react, as he was lucid in the dream. Zhong Qing’er was the owner of the dream but was confused and slow to respond.

Kang Wei’s quick reaction was of no use; when the three geniuses of the current age struck, even those in the Divinity Transformation Stage had to avoid their edge and dared not confront them head-on, let alone an ordinary person like him.

The trio swarmed over and pinned Kang Wei to the ground; Shi Chan moved a thought, and a rope appeared, binding Kang Wei securely.

"I’ve had my eye on you, you little shit, keep still!" Meng Jingzhou said fiercely, his face twisted menacingly.

It was only then that Zhong Qing’er reacted: "Two Shi Chans?"

Shi Chan quietly watched Zhong Qing’er, thinking that after this matter was dealt with, he should keep as far away from the Zhong residence as possible.

Suddenly, Kang Wei’s figure began to fade, and Shi Chan swiftly conjured a talisman and affixed it to Kang Wei’s forehead, preventing any further change.

"I have stopped his awakening," the monk said. "Please, Senior Brothers, wake up and go to Benefactor Kang’s home. I will stay here to prevent any mishaps."

"All right, but how do we wake up?"

"Follow my lead." Shi Chan demonstrated a hand seal and placed it over his chest. He didn’t conceal the flow of his meridians while forming the seal, allowing Lu Yang and the others to learn just by watching once, given their talents.

The two of them gradually woke up, kicked off their covers, and sprang up in a swift movement.

They had already obtained Kang Wei’s address from Zhong Ming and, carrying Shi Chan, they ran down the streets, ignoring the surprised looks of passersby. After running through two streets, they found Kang Wei’s house.

Kang Wei’s home was just a typical brick and tile house, nothing compared to the Zhong’s three-sectioned mansion.

The two burst through the front door and found Kang Wei fast asleep inside.

"He truly is an ordinary person."

"What’s that in his hands?"

Kang Wei’s fingers were crossed over his chest, holding a pendant.

"There’s spiritual essence fluctuating from the pendant; it must be a magic instrument. His ability to invade Miss Zhong’s dreams must be related to it," they concluded.

Lu Yang shook Shi Chan awake: "Wake up, we’ve arrived."

In the dream, Shi Chan felt himself waking and hastened to throw Kang Wei out of the dream first.

If he were the only one to emerge and Kang Wei remained, the latter could potentially take Zhong Qing’er hostage.

Kang Wei and Shi Chan woke up one after another.

Kang Wei knew very well the other party was a cultivator, and he certainly couldn’t overpower them.

"Benefactor Kang, I hope you will confess the truth," the monk stated.

"Choose, will you confess willingly, or do we beat you up first and then you confess?" Meng Jingzhou rotated his wrists, making clicking noises, and pinning Kang Wei against the wall, he threw a punch near Kang Wei’s ear.

Lu Yang remained silent, extending two fingers and shooting out a three-foot-long cyan Sword Qi. With a casual swipe, the corner of a table nearby was sheared off, terrifying Kang Wei.

He was just an ordinary mortal, never having witnessed such a scene.

"I’ll confess, I’ll confess, where should I start?"

"Start with how you met Miss Zhong and where you got the pendant from!"

"Yes, yes."

"The first time I saw Miss Zhong was a month ago, by sheer coincidence. I saw her on the street and fell in love with her at first sight."

"Since then, I could neither eat nor sleep, restless and constantly thinking of her."

"But I knew that with my own standing, I was not worthy of a rich young lady. Yet, I couldn’t let her go."

"That’s when Boss Hong found me, saying he had a pendant that, if pointed at Qing’er, would allow me to enter her dreams every night. Over time, with continuous suggestion, she would fall for me."

"To buy this pendant, I even took out a hefty loan from the trading company." Explore stories on freewebnovel

"Who is Boss Hong?"

"He’s a local ruffian around here, I met him at the gambling den. He has over thirty men under him, and he even cultivated at the Bamboo Leaf Sect before. He’s a Cultivator with a Cultivation Level so profound it’s unfathomable but later committed a mistake and was expelled from the Sect."

"Even though he was expelled, it’s said he still has connections with high-ranking individuals of the Bamboo Leaf Sect in secret." Kang Wei tried to intimidate the three by dropping the name of the Bamboo Leaf Sect.

"Where is Boss Hong?" Lu Yang was unmoved, having never heard of this minor sect.

Kang Wei didn’t reply. Meng Jingzhou showed an angry visage like the legendary Acala, frightening Kang Wei into trembling and having no choice but to lead the three to Boss Hong.

Boss Hong’s residence was not far from here, just across the street.

"Hong Residence, quite imposing."

Boss Hong’s place was even larger than the Zhong family’s.

"Halt, who are you people!"

Being the local ruffian, Boss Hong had arranged manpower at the gate of Hong Residence to prevent enemies from approaching.

Lu Yang and his two companions didn’t bother to answer them, simply waving their hands to send them flying.

Inside the Hong Residence, Boss Hong’s men were carousing, making a racket while eating and drinking. Seeing the three intruders, they rushed up in an attempt to stop them.

Meng Jingzhou punched the air and the resulting shockwave from the sonic boom knocked those men out cold.

...

In a room deep within Hong Residence, Boss Hong was conversing with a young girl: "Junior Sister, your request is a bit difficult, ah. The government office is very strict about these matters, and if they trace it back to me, my life is over."

The girl smiled faintly and handed Boss Hong a wooden box: "I’ll have to trouble Hong Senior Brother with this."

Boss Hong opened the box, and his heart skipped a beat.

This was actually a Foundation Establishment Pill! And the quality was not the worst kind at that!

He collected the box without a flicker of emotion, laughing, "Though the government office is strict, what kind of man would your Senior Brother be if he had no means? However, who is it that you want your Senior Brother to kill?"

"Her name is Fu Ling, from Xuan City, at the third level of Qi Refinement, and she’s here to discuss business. But she’s just a somewhat pretty woman who dares to vie with me for Brother Qing’s affection, truly unaware of how the word ’death’ is written!"

Boss Hong chuckled nervously: "If that is so, she indeed deserves death."

Suddenly, the sound of a fight came from outside.

Boss Hong frowned: "I’ll go out and see what’s happening."

"Who are you people!"

Boss Hong emerged from the house, radiating the full aura of Qi Refinement Completion in an attempt to scare off the three intruders.

A woman followed Boss Hong out; she was dressed in beautiful clothes, well-proportioned, and looked pitiable.

At first, Lu Yang thought she was abducted by Boss Hong, but then realized she was actually at Foundation Establishment Stage.

A disciple of the Bamboo Leaf Sect?

"Is this pendant what you sold to Benefactor Kang?" Shi Chan intoned a sutra and brought out Kang Wei along with the pendant.

"What of it?" Boss Hong frowned, not expecting this to be the issue.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Selling a pendant wasn’t illegal. Why would a monk bring two Protectors in the middle of the night to find him?

Lu Yang sneered: "It’s true selling a pendant isn’t illegal, but inciting Kang Wei to seduce Miss Zhong of the Zhong family is wrong."

He didn’t say another reason: the pendant was a magic instrument, and Kang Wei, a mere mortal, was able to afford it simply through a loan, suggesting the pendant’s origin was not entirely reputable.

"Who are you to be sticking your hands in so deep!" Boss Hong had been through the underworld for many years and was not someone easily bullied. He let out a low shout, and two enormous hands made of black mist emerged behind him.

"Seek Dao Sect, Lu Yang."

Clang.

Boss Hong said nothing else, immediately kneeling on the ground with his hands clasped behind his head: "I am guilty, I surrender."