Chapter 648: Pendant

Luyang and his companions had originally planned to find concrete evidence to expose Kang Wei's true nature, making Zhong Qing'er realize her previous affections were all a deception. Now, that was no longer necessary; she had moved on and fallen for Shi Chan.

"Senior Brother Meng, you jest," Shi Chan said. "This humble monk is merely handsomer than the average person. It's a pity that the world only values this monk's good looks, remaining indifferent to my Buddhist principles." Meng Jingzhou's urge to hit someone grew even stronger.

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

"Kang Wei, you're a good person, but we're not a good match." Zhong Qing'er nestled in the fake Shi Chan's arms, observing his expression as she spoke to Kang Wei, afraid of displeasing him.

The fake Shi Chan playfully tapped Zhong Qing'er's nose. "You little silly, how could I be unhappy? You rejected him and chose me; I'm overjoyed."

"Shi Chan, you're so good."

"You too."

Kang Wei was speechless. *What's going on? Everything was fine yesterday, but today I've been cuckolded? And in a dream, no less.*

"Looking at Kang Wei, he's just an ordinary person, without any trace of cultivation." Even if cultivators didn't display their power, their breathing and walking patterns differed from uncultivated ordinary people, unless they deliberately concealed it or had reached a state of perfect naturalness.

"How can an ordinary person use a dream-entering technique?" Luyang and Meng Jingzhou frowned. *Doesn't this make the two of us look stupid?*

"How about we just act?" Meng Jingzhou suggested. "I can't stand to watch this anymore; I'm getting goosebumps." Shi Chan watched his fake self and Zhong Qing'er's mutual affection, also finding it unbearable. He silently nodded in agreement.

"Charge!" Meng Jingzhou roared, his voice so loud it startled Luyang.

"Who!" Kang Wei was the first to react, being conscious in the dream. Zhong Qing'er, the dream's host, was muddled and slow to react. Kang Wei's quick reaction was useless. When the three top talents of this era attacked, even those in the Soul Transformation stage would avoid their might, not daring to confront them directly, let alone an ordinary person like him.

The three rushed forward, pinning Kang Wei to the ground. With a thought, Shi Chan conjured a rope and bound Kang Wei securely.

"We've been watching you, kid! Behave yourself!" Meng Jingzhou said fiercely, his face contorted.

Zhong Qing'er only then reacted, "Two... two Shi Chans?" Shi Chan silently watched Zhong Qing'er, thinking that after this matter was dealt with, he should stay as far away from the Zhong family mansion as possible.

Suddenly, Kang Wei's figure began to fade. Shi Chan, with quick reflexes, conjured a talisman and stuck it on Kang Wei's forehead, preventing further changes.

"I've stopped him from waking up. Please, two senior brothers, wake up and go to Benefactor Kang's house. This humble monk will stay here to prevent any further issues."

"Okay, but how do we wake up?"

"Learn from me." Shi Chan demonstrated a hand seal, placing his hands before his chest. The circulation of meridians during the hand seal was not concealed, and with Luyang's and Meng Jingzhou's talent, they could learn it in one glance.

The two slowly woke up, kicked off their blankets, and sprang to their feet. They had already found out Kang Wei's address from Zhong Ming. Carrying Shi Chan, they jogged along, ignoring the surprised stares of passersby, and ran two streets until they found Kang Wei's house. Kang Wei's house was a very ordinary brick-and-tile house, far inferior to the Zhong family's grand three-courtyard mansion. They kicked open the door and found Kang Wei sleeping soundly inside.

"He really is an ordinary person."

"What's he holding?" Kang Wei's fingers were interlocked over his chest, gripping a pendant.

"The pendant has spiritual energy fluctuations; it must be a magical artifact. His ability to invade Miss Zhong's dreams is related to this pendant." Luyang shook Shi Chan. "Wake up, we're here."

In the dream, Shi Chan felt himself waking up and preemptively threw Kang Wei out of the dream. Otherwise, if only he woke up and Kang Wei didn't, the latter might hold Zhong Qing'er hostage. Kang Wei and Shi Chan woke up one after another. Kang Wei knew perfectly well that they were cultivators and he stood no chance.

"Benefactor Kang, this monk wishes you to confess truthfully."

"Choose: will you confess willingly, or will we beat you up first and then you confess?" Meng Jingzhou rotated his wrists, making cracking sounds, then pinned Kang Wei against the wall and punched the air beside his ear. Luyang remained silent, extending two fingers. A ten-foot-long azure sword qi shot out, and with a casual swipe, a corner of the nearby table broke off, terrifying Kang Wei. He was just an ordinary mortal; where would he have seen such a spectacle?

"Confess, I'll confess everything! Where should I start?"

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

"Yes, yes. I first saw Miss Zhong about a month ago. It was a chance encounter; I saw her on the street and fell in love with her at first sight. From then on, I couldn't eat or sleep, restless, with her constantly on my mind. But I knew that with my own circumstances, I was not worthy of a wealthy young lady, yet I couldn't let her go. That's when Boss Hong approached me. He said he had a pendant, and if I pointed it at Qing'er, I could enter her dreams every night. Over time, with constant suggestion, she would fall for me. To buy this pendant, I even borrowed a lot of money from the merchant guild."

"Who is Boss Hong?"

"He's a local big shot around here. I met him at the casino. He has over thirty subordinates and once cultivated in the Bamboo Leaf Sect. He's a cultivator with unfathomable power, but he committed a mistake in the sect and was expelled. Although he was expelled, I heard he still has private contact with the Bamboo Leaf Sect elders." Kang Wei tried to use the Bamboo Leaf Sect's name to scare off the three.

"Where is Boss Hong?" Luyang was unmoved, having never even heard of such a minor sect. Kang Wei didn't answer. Meng Jingzhou showed a furious expression, like the legendary Acala, terrifying Kang Wei into trembling. He had no choice but to lead the three to find Boss Hong.

Boss Hong's residence wasn't far, just across the street. "The Hong Estate, quite grand." Boss Hong's residence was even larger than the Zhong family's.

"Stop, who are you people!" As a local tyrant, Boss Hong had arranged guards at the gate of his mansion to prevent enemies from showing up. Luyang and the two wouldn't answer them; with a casual wave, they sent them flying. Inside the Hong Estate, Boss Hong's subordinates were making a ruckus, eating and drinking. Seeing the three intrude, they swarmed forward, trying to stop them. Meng Jingzhou punched the air, and the resulting sonic boom directly knocked these people unconscious.

Deep within the Hong Estate, Boss Hong was talking with a young woman: "Junior Sister, your request is a bit difficult. The authorities are very strict about this kind of thing. If it's traced back to me, my life might be over." The young woman smiled slightly and handed Boss Hong a wooden box: "Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother Hong." Boss Hong opened the wooden box, and his heart skipped two beats. It was actually a Foundation Establishment Pill! And not even one of the lowest quality! He calmly put away the box and chuckled, "Although the authorities are strict, what kind of person is your Senior Brother? How could I not have a way? But who do you want me to kill?"

"Her name is Fu Ling, from Xuancheng, with a cultivation of the first three layers of Qi Refinement. She's here on business, just a somewhat attractive woman, yet she dares to compete with me for my 'sweetheart.' She truly doesn't know what the word 'death' means!" Boss Hong chuckled apologetically, "If that's the case, she truly deserves to die."

Suddenly, sounds of a struggle came from outside. Boss Hong frowned, "I'll go out and see what's happening."

"Who are you people!" Boss Hong emerged from the room, radiating the aura of a perfected Qi Refinement stage, intending to scare off the three. A beautifully dressed, well-proportioned, and pitiful-looking woman also followed Boss Hong out. At first, Luyang thought she was abducted by Boss Hong, but then he realized she was actually in the Foundation Establishment stage. *A Bamboo Leaf Sect disciple?*

"Did you sell this pendant to Benefactor Kang?" Shi Chan chanted 'Amitābha,' holding up Kang Wei and the pendant.

"So what if I did?" Boss Hong frowned, surprised this was the reason. "Selling a pendant isn't illegal. What do you want, a monk with two protectors, coming to me in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

Luyang sneered, "Selling a pendant isn't illegal, but it's wrong for you to instigate Kang Wei to deceive Miss Zhong." He had another reason he didn't state: the pendant was a magical artifact, and Kang Wei, being an ordinary person, could somehow afford it just by taking out a loan. The pendant's origin was likely questionable.

"Who are you people? Aren't you overstepping your bounds!" Boss Hong, having been in the underworld for years, wasn't easily bullied. He roared, and two large, dark hands made of black mist appeared behind him.

"Dao-Seeking Sect, Luyang."

Thud. Boss Hong immediately knelt on the ground, hands clasped behind his head. "I'm guilty, I surrender."