Peach Blossom Dual Cultivation

“I haven’t even used my true energy yet, and it’s already this powerful? If I wanted to punish this guy, wouldn’t one slap be enough to send him flying? It seems I’ve truly become a master. From now on, I’m no longer the weakling that everyone used to bully.”

This realization startled not only Duan Xiaohu, the ponytail girl, and the others, but even Zhou Lang himself was surprised.

“How dare you hit my man! Liuzi, stab him!”

Duan Xiaohu, still oblivious to the danger, hesitated only briefly before urging his other henchman to attack Zhou Lang.

If it had been any other thug, he might have immediately begged Zhou Lang for mercy. But Duan Xiaohu, used to being arrogant and relying on his uncle Duan Wei’s influence in Feiyun City, didn’t take anyone seriously.

What he didn’t realize was that even if there were a hundred men like Liuzi, they wouldn’t be a match for Zhou Lang. Zhou Lang was now a Cultivator, belonging to a completely different realm. Defeating someone like Liuzi was easier for him than squashing an ant.

“Boss…”

Even Liuzi, despite his lack of intelligence, knew that Zhou Lang was formidable and not easy to deal with. He hesitated, unwilling to attack, especially after seeing what had happened to Gangzi.

“Are you saying my orders don’t matter anymore?”

Duan Xiaohu shouted angrily.

Reluctantly, Liuzi pulled out a gleaming knife. Driven by Duan Xiaohu’s intimidation, he gathered his courage and charged at Zhou Lang.

Zhou Lang’s mind flashed with the martial arts techniques he had learned earlier in the day.

To avoid drawing too much attention, Zhou Lang swiftly disarmed Liuzi with a technique called Empty Hand Entering the Blade. With a crack, Liuzi’s wrist was dislocated, and he dropped to the ground, clutching his hand and sweating profusely.

“Useless,” Duan Xiaohu cursed Liuzi in frustration. He then grabbed a machete from the corner of the cabin and held it to the ponytail girl’s neck, shouting, “Don’t come any closer, or I’ll kill her!”

Zhou Lang froze. After all, he was just a student with no experience handling such situations. The ponytail girl had now become Duan Xiaohu’s hostage.

“Stop standing there! Throw the knife to Liuzi and tie yourself up with that rope! Otherwise, I’ll kill her. Don’t even think about taking Liuzi as a hostage. If you move, I’ll kill her!”

Duan Xiaohu pressed the machete tighter against the girl’s neck and barked at Zhou Lang, pointing to a rope lying nearby.

“Don’t do anything rash,” Zhou Lang quickly said.

“Then be obedient,” Duan Xiaohu sneered.

“You think you can take me on? You’re still too green.”

“I’ll do as you say. Just don’t hurt her,” Zhou Lang said helplessly, tossing the knife back to Liuzi and walking toward the rope.

The ponytail girl closed her eyes slightly, tears welling up. She had hoped Zhou Lang could save her, but now it seemed they had both been outsmarted by Duan Xiaohu.

As Zhou Lang complied, Duan Xiaohu smirked, feeling triumphant. He planned to not only torment the girl but also Zhou Lang afterward.

But before he could savor his victory, Zhou Lang suddenly flicked the rope like a flying snake. It silently wrapped around the machete’s hilt.

Before Duan Xiaohu could react, Zhou Lang gave the rope a firm tug, sending the machete flying into his hand.

“What the…”

Duan Xiaohu was momentarily stunned, and Zhou Lang seized the opportunity. With a swift run and a flying kick, Zhou Lang sent Duan Xiaohu crashing into the cabin wall, knocking him out cold. Liuzi, terrified, ignored the pain in his dislocated wrist, bolted out of the cabin, and dove into the water to escape.

Zhou Lang didn’t bother chasing Liuzi. He knelt beside the ponytail girl and, with a quick flick of his knife, cut through her ropes without leaving a scratch on her skin.

“Can you walk?”

Zhou Lang asked gently.

“How did you save me?” the ponytail girl asked, opening her eyes in disbelief. She had sobered up after being captured, despite drinking a lot at the bar.

“We can talk after we leave here,” Zhou Lang replied.

“Thank you for saving me.”

The ponytail girl tried to stand but stumbled after just a few steps.

Zhou Lang quickly caught her.

“My legs are numb from being tied up. Can you carry me?” she asked, speaking frankly without the shyness typical of most girls.

Zhou Lang lifted the ponytail girl into his arms.

She didn’t shy away and even wrapped her arms around his neck.

Zhou Lang carried her back to the shore, where she regained the ability to walk.

After finding his bike, Zhou Lang asked, “Where do you live? I’ll take you home.”

“I don’t have anywhere to go. Can I come with you?” she asked, somewhat embarrassed.

“Those guys took all my money, leaving only my ID.”

“My name is Zhou Lang. I’m a third-year medical student at Dianxi University, living in the dorms. But our school has strict rules—I can’t bring you in,” Zhou Lang explained after some thought.

“My name is Zhao Xiaorou. I’m an orphan and unemployed. You can call me Xiaorou,” the ponytail girl replied.

“If you can’t take me to your dorm, you could get a room at a hotel or a guesthouse.”

“Are all girls so forward these days?”

Zhou Lang wondered, though he quickly dismissed the thought after seeing her innocent face.

He then took Zhao Xiaorou to a guesthouse near the university and booked a single room.

Nowadays, many university students have relationships, so guesthouses like this cater to Dianxi University’s students.

A single room cost 100 yuan, and while it was clean and had a private bathroom, paying for it made Zhou Lang’s heartache. He only had 800 yuan left. If Zhao Xiaorou stayed here for a few days, he might not even have money left for food.

“Xiaorou, get some rest here. I’ll be heading out now,” Zhou Lang said after settling her in the room.

“Could you… not leave? I’m a bit scared,” Zhao Xiaorou said.

“Alright, I’ll sleep on the floor and stay in the room with you. Does that make you feel better?”

Since Zhao Xiaorou didn’t mind, Zhou Lang agreed. Besides, she had been through a lot today, and he couldn’t bring himself to leave her alone in the room.