Chapter 1600 — Let's Play a Game

"Haha, that was just a joke!" Zhong Yongliang laughed. "Wei Zhao, since you're here, shall we get on with the next part of our program?"

"Sure," Wei Zhao said evenly. "Though I wonder - can your arms still move? You look rather... exhausted. Need me to give you a treatment? After all, I'm a doctor too! I drank too much earlier and felt all heated up, so I gave myself some acupuncture and then slept it off - perfectly fine now!"

Wei Zhao had no real intention of punishing Zhong Yongliang at the moment. After all, beating him up in front of so many classmates would bring the whole reunion to an end. And ironically, though Zhong Yongliang had tried to harm Wei Zhao, Wei Zhao had actually ended up benefiting from it!

With that in mind, the hatred Wei Zhao harbored toward Zhong Yongliang had faded considerably - a few barbs would suffice. Wei Zhao truly did not consider a small fry like Zhong Yongliang worth his attention anymore. The real threat was Zhang Naipao, the man beneath him!

At Wei Zhao's words, Zhong Yongliang's face went pale instantly!

Wei Zhao's meaning had been plain enough: he knew he had been drugged, but had resolved it with acupuncture. And by mentioning his arm's weakness, he had surely guessed what Zhong Yongliang had been up to... This left Zhong Yongliang momentarily at a loss for words.

"I... don't really need treatment. It's my rheumatism - a chronic condition," Zhong Yongliang said awkwardly.

"Oh?" Wei Zhao smiled with an odd edge. "I was the one who gave all the girls here the day off - sent them home."

The conversation between Wei Zhao and Zhong Yongliang might have seemed disjointed to anyone else, but both men knew exactly what they meant. Only after hearing Wei Zhao's remark did Zhong Yongliang finally understand why he hadn't been able to find any of the hostesses no matter how hard he looked. So it had been Wei Zhao's doing all along!

Zhong Yongliang suddenly recalled that the Tiandi Resort belonged to Zou Tiandi's family, and that Zou Ruoming had been as servile as a beaten dog before Wei Zhao. He instantly understood what had happened: Wei Zhao had deliberately set him and Gao Xiaofu up!

And yet, he couldn't utter a single word of grievance. He had no choice but to swallow his broken teeth whole! Hadn't he brought all of this upon himself?

Still, there was one thing he was relieved about: nothing had happened between Gu Mengyao and Wei Zhao. Although he hadn't seen anything in the room earlier, and when Gu Mengyao had walked over afterward her gait appeared perfectly normal with nothing amiss, Wei Zhao's own admission that nothing had happened between them did put Zhong Yongliang's mind at ease.

Even though he envied and resented Gu Mengyao for refusing to be his girlfriend, the goddess of his heart was still someone he wouldn't want sullied by another man unless it came down to the wire. Since ruining Wei Zhao was off the table, why not find a way to get intimate with Gu Mengyao himself? That wouldn't be bad at all!

Zhong Yongliang had given up hoping Gu Mengyao would ever like him. By now he understood that neither Gu Mengyao nor Shen Yushu had ever had feelings for him. So, the chance to steal a few moments with Gu Mengyao was very much his dream!

Since Wei Zhao hadn't laid a finger on Gu Mengyao, Zhong Yongliang didn't mind having a go himself! Wei Zhao's earlier forbearance had given Zhong Yongliang a boost of courage. In his mind, the reason Wei Zhao hadn't come after him was probably because of Zhang Naipao!

True, Zhang Naipao's meridians had been completely destroyed, but that very destruction had unlocked the second level of the Chrysanthemum Manual's cultivation technique. This was earth-shattering news, and Wei Zhao must have heard about it too - which explained why, after being drugged with an aphrodisiac, Wei Zhao had exacted no revenge whatsoever and had merely tossed off a few cutting remarks!

"So it was your doing." Having sorted through all of this, Zhong Yongliang grew smug again. "But no matter - I'll take it as a workout. Tell me, were you having just as good a time?"

"Ah, right - I really should thank you," Wei Zhao said with a slight smile. "Your man Zhang Naipao helped me break through to the late stage of the Profound Rank. And the aphrodisiac you slipped me? That pushed me to the peak of the late stage! You two are my lucky stars!"

Zhong Yongliang was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Wei Zhao to have broken through yet again, becoming a top fighter at the peak of the late Profound Rank - and all because of the drug Zhong Yongliang had given him! A pang of regret shot through him. Damn it! If I'd known it would turn out like this, I never would have messed with him!

On the surface, however, Zhong Yongliang refused to back down. "By the way, Paozi asked me to pass along a message - thank you for crippling his martial arts and blowing out his meridians! The Chrysanthemum Manual he cultivates follows the principle of destruction before creation. Without being turned into a cripple, you can't possibly cultivate the second level!"

"Is that so..." Inside, however, Wei Zhao's mind was thrown into turmoil. He had believed Zhang Naipao was finished for good; even if he recovered, it couldn't have been that simple. He never imagined that his own actions had, in a roundabout way, actually helped the man?

What was this? Mutual assistance? Squared accounts? The absurdity of it all made Wei Zhao almost want to laugh! Zhang Naipao and Zhong Yongliang had helped him leap up two full levels in cultivation, and in return, he had helped Zhang Naipao unlock the second level of his training!

By that reckoning, neither side had gained much advantage over the other. Although - Wei Zhao had risen two levels, so he was technically in the stronger position.

Seeing the flicker of change on Wei Zhao's face, Zhong Yongliang gloated inwardly. It seemed he had won one back! Which meant Wei Zhao still feared Zhang Naipao!

Little did he know that while Wei Zhao did look at Zhang Naipao with new eyes, "feared" was far too strong a word. And as for Zhong Yongliang himself - Wei Zhao had no need whatsoever to trouble him. Wei Zhao could see clearly now: Zhang Naipao seemed to live for nothing but avenging Zhong Yongliang. If Wei Zhao were to do something to Zhong Yongliang now, that wretch might actually summon those old ancestors of the Tomorrow-and-Tomorrow Sect to wage war against him!

With so many enemies already at his throat in these turbulent times, Wei Zhao was in no position to take on the Tomorrow-and-Tomorrow Sect. Letting Zhong Yongliang off for now was not a compromise - it was wisdom.

Zhong Yongliang laughed aloud, then dropped the subject with Wei Zhao entirely. It was time to spring his Plan Number Two! He glanced at Gao Xiaofu, signaling him to speak!

"Everyone's had plenty to eat and drink, and the night is still young with no chance of sleep," Gao Xiaofu said. "I propose we all play a game together. What do you say, everyone?" In truth, Gao Xiaofu was merely the mouthpiece for Zhong Yongliang - this proposal to play a game had been Zhong Yongliang's idea all along!

"Sure! Let's play a game!" The proposal drew immediate enthusiasm from the crowd!

After all, they couldn't just sit around chatting in the resort lobby with nothing better to do! What would be the point of gathering together? They might as well just chat in their group chat online.

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