Behind him stood, Bai Long, a disdainful expression mounted on his face.
"What do you think about Jiang Shaoliu?" Li Xiang spun around in his chair and stared at Bai Long. "Are you sure you can beat him in a fight?"
Bai Long held up two fingers and sneered: "Two moves, three at most, and I can defeat him."
"Crap." Li Xiang stood up and began pacing around the room. "I thought he was a master, but he turns to be a noob. I'm wasting my time watching this video."
Bai Long shook his head and said: "Brother Xiang, there isn't much to say about his power, but we should to pay close attention to his special technique."
"His technique?" Li Xiang picked up the remote control and rewound the footage back to the point when Jiang Shaoliu began to fight before letting it play at one eighth normal speed.
Jiang Shaoliu was acting rather slowly on the screen, he was still calm and there was certain kind of rhythm hidden on his chest that cooperated with him. As if it allowed him to stretch in order to change the steps, his techniques were so fluid that they were even aesthetic to watch.
It was when Jiang Shaoliu punched the security guard's head off that Li Xiang and Bai Long stopped the recording and looked at each other.
"That's strange," Li Xiang frowned. "What kind of technique is that?"
Bai Long shook his head. "I've seen it before. We have someone who can do this, but they are not as good or as fast as him."
"Interesting." Li Xiang scratched his nose, his face sinister. "We must acquire it."
Bai Long nodded in agreement.
…
Back at the hotel, Jiang Xianyun explained: "Bai Long is the grandson of the Hongfa Group's CEO, he's Li Xiang's cousin. He's extremely powerful. I've seen him destroy any type of monster without even breaking a sweat."
Jiang Shaoliu nodded thoughtfully. He could defeat monsters easily too.
It seemed Jiang Xiaoyuan didn't know very much about that master and he wouldn't get a lot of useful information from her.
"Keep away from Bai Long in the future," he said gravely, "he looks dangerous. And that Li Xiang is an evil person, you'd better leave him."
Jiang Xiaoyun looked downcast. "Brother…" she began, but Jiang Shaoliu held up a hand to silence her.
Ever since her youth, their parents had fawned over their beloved daughter and could never bear to scold her.
Jiang Shaoliu was four years older than her and took his responsibilities as an older brother very seriously. He was always equally kind and strict with his beloved younger sister.
"Brother," Jiang Xiaoyun said indignantly, "I haven't agreed to be his girlfriend! I know what kind of person he is, but he's been very good to me."
Feeling the atmosphere heat up, Xiao Bai shook his big head and rubbed gently against Jiang Xiaoyun's arm.
The tiger could feel that Jiang Shaoliu was upset and didn't dare to provoke him further. It only wanted to show intimacy to Jiang Xiaoyun and enjoy her scent.
"I'm thinking of what's best for you!" Jiang Shaoliu grumbled. "If you don't do what I say, I will send you to our parents and you won't get out until it's safe enough outside."
Jiang Xiaoyun's trembled with indignation, but deep down, her reason told her that her brother would never hurt her and he was right.
"I'm not his girlfriend, but he's my good friend, so please don't hurt him, alright?" she sobbed.
Jiang Shaoliu fumed, but he had nothing to say to that.
Xiao Bai lay flat on the ground and whimpered, his head hidden under his two front paws, peeking up from between his claws in case he attracted too much attention.
Ever since learning the Great Sage's Formula, Jiang Shaoliu had become extremely perceptive and sensitive to the world around him. His intuition screamed at him that Li Xiang was an evil bastard.
He loved his younger sister very much, so it was difficult for him to accept that she trusted Li Xiang.
"Xiaoyun," said Jiang Shaoliu with a forced smile: "It's okay for you to be friends with him as long as he's not hostile, but always remember that you are only friends."
Jiang Xiaoyun snuffled, grumbling, "But we' ARE just friends..."
On the carpet, Xiao Bai yawned lazily. He thought they were about to fight each other, but it turned out not to be so. It seems he would never come to understand humans.
Ringringring!
Jiang Xiaoyun took out her mobile phone and answered, glancing sheepishly at her brother: "Hello. Li Xiang?"
"Xiaoyun, how's your brother?" came Li Xiang's voice. "I've arranged a beast of a dinner for us. Go get him and let us foodies give it a try!"
He sounded very caring. Loving, even.
Jiang Xiaoyun smiled. "You are a real foodie."
Li Xiang laughed heartily. "It's in VIP room number one. You can bring the white tiger too. Everything is ready, so come on over before it gets cold."
After he hung up, Bai Long murmured behind Li Xiang: "Brother, Jiang Xiaoyun is a simple commoner. She doesn't deserve you."
"Don't you know the saying, 'the heart wants what it can't have'?" Li Xiang stood up and walked across the room to a full-length mirror to tidy himself up. "I know Jiang Xiaoyun," he said, absentmindedly rubbing his nose. "She doesn't care about money or power. She's just a beautiful girl with good values."
As he said so, he turned back and walked outside the room. "It'll be a real treat to enjoy this kind of girl. I can't wait to see her cry when I dump her afterwards! It's just a nice challenge for me to chase her…"
Bai Long followed him closely.
"I love a challenge."
…
The VIP Hall on the first floor of the Hongfa Hotel.
This was the biggest room in the building. The lights were bright but not overwhelming. The décor was both simple and extravagant at the same time, far more impressive than any ordinary hotel's dining hall.
There were four chairs around the huge red mahogany table which was especially prepared for them. In the corner of the room was a basin filled with large, succulent and aromatic chunks of meat.
That was Xiao Bai's bowl, too big and not suitable to dine at the table.
A maid bowed and opened the door politely as they approached. "Please enjoy, Mister and Miss Jiang."
Jiang Shaoliu thanked her graciously.
With a set of fresh clothes on, he looked noble and dignified. He had become more handsome after his long weeks of training, which helped him get rid of the impurities in his body. He held himself proudly and spoke comfortably.
His simple 'thank you' nearly caused the young maid to swoon.
As the maid left, Jiang Xiaoyun smiled and nudged him playfully: "Brother, I think she likes you. What do you think of her?"
"What's it matter?" Jiang Shaoliu gave her a look and said: "I have a high standard for girlfriends, so don't joke."
Jiang Xiaoyun covered her mouth and giggled: "Everyone knows you're just looking for a female vet."
He rolled his eyes and smiled.
Jiang Shaoliu was glad to see his younger sister laughing happily, but he didn't want to talk too much on this topic.
The moment Xiao Bai entered the room, he immediately identified the basin of meat and charged to devour it, ignoring the oil dripping everywhere amid the loud chomping. Gigantic predators will be gigantic predators.
"Sorry I'm late, I had to deal with something first," Li Xiang and Bai Long entered the room, briefly locking eyes with Jiang Shaoliu. Then they turned to look at Xiao Bai. "Well," Li Xiang laughed, "seems I'll have to send your tiger's compliments to the chef!"
Xiao Bai didn't even raise his head from the delicious meat, only growling to acknowledge his presence.
"Oh, you're so considerate!" Jiang Xiaoyun laughed, brightening the room with her cute dimples.
"I shall pluck the moon from the sky if it puts a smile on your face."
The four sat down and platters of delicious foods were served at once by a string of waiters. Every dish includes the meat of beasts, and even the lean meat and tendons came from a beast with a life ring, which had tough, chewy flesh.
Li Xiang had even arranged for a bottle of soda for Jiang Xiaoyun, who didn't drink.
They ate and drank until they were slightly tipsy. Li Xiang raised a toast: "Shaoliu, I will call you my brother, and maybe you will be my brother-in-law in the future. To you!" he threw back his drink.
Jiang Xiaoyun pouted and glanced at Li Xiang without saying anything, but her face flushed bright red.
"Just call me by my name." Jiang Shaoliu finished his wine with a frown.
Li Xiang smiled and clapped loudly.
The maid from before quickly appeared, holding a pure silver tray covered by a red silk cloth. A powerful fragrance spread across the room, overpowering even the smell of Xiao Bai's basin of meat.
The blushing maid approached Jiang Shaoliu and slowly removed the red silk, revealing a strange fruit as big as a fist, as colorful as agate and emanating a faint glow.
"What's the meaning of this?" he squinted suspiciously at Li Xiang.
Li Xiang held up a hand and the maid put the tray down in front of Jiang Shaoliu and turning back to leave, giving him one last coy look-over before going.
Bai Long snorted disdainfully.
"Ever since the great change, human masters of varying levels of power have walked the earth." Smiled Li Xiang: "I don't want to mention the things that happened today, but I just want to ask you one thing: do you want to be a real powerful master, Shaoliu?"
Jiang Shaoliu stretched his hands and folded them up suddenly, which forced out a great explosion of air that shook the candelabra on the ceiling.
"I am a master."
Bai Long immediately leaped from his chair with readied fists. The lights in the room flashed crazily as electricity crackled and sparkled on the floor around him.
Creeping from the corner, Xiao Bai growled and bared his sharp fangs, fierce eyes shining.
No matter how powerful he was, Xiao Bai would fight him if he attacked Jiang Shaoliu.
"Bai Long!" shouted Li Xiang.
Bai Long snorted coldly before turning back to his chair.
All color drained from Jiang Xiaoyun's face.
Li Xiang paid no attention to her. He stared at Jiang Shaoliu and waved a finger at him: "I meant you can be stronger, Shaoliu."