I will eventually become a god through sheer hard work.

But... Pei Youguang had a bit of the rebellious and awkward thoughts of a young man. If it were him, he would definitely be happy to take the initiative to please Jing-ge. But after his father mentioned it like that... he felt a little awkward and inexplicably unwilling to do as his father wished.

For this reason, although Xue Jing had been back from Yuancheng for several days, Pei Youguang had not taken the opportunity to speak with Xue Jing, but instead silently blended in among the many students as if he were invisible.

Unexpectedly, Xue Jing would take the initiative to strike up a conversation with him...

"What, you don't want to eat with me?" Xue Jing asked, raising an eyebrow.

Pei Youguang quickly replied, "No, I was just too happy and didn't react for a moment!"

His eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and he was deeply moved.

Pei Youguang came from a wealthy family. Although he was not valued, he was more aware of human relationships than other teenagers his age due to his environment.

He knew all too well how high Xue Jing's status was now, yet he was still willing to treat him, an insignificant person, like a friend—what a rare thing that was…

Just by Xue Jing taking the initiative to invite him to dinner, his status within the Hidden Dragon Dojo will be greatly enhanced. There will be no possibility of the bullying and humiliation he suffered at the Golden Wind Dojo from his fellow disciples. He can hold his head high in front of his father when he goes home, and his family will treat him like a precious treasure...

Xue Jing laughed and walked with Pei Youguang toward the gate, chatting as they went.

"...I haven't been to school for a long time, and the affiliated high school has been like this lately..."

The two appeared to be chatting casually like friends, which surprised many of the students and disciples.

"You Guang... he actually has such a good relationship with Junior Brother?"

……

In the evening, countless expensive luxury vehicles kept driving into the parking lot near the Canglong Dojo.

The venue doors were open, and guests came and went in an endless stream. They were all distinguished by their refined demeanor, heads held high and chests out, their powerful aura self-evident. At a glance, they were all extraordinary individuals.

"Master Chen, it's been a long time!"

"Master Li, it's an honor to meet you!"

"Nephew, aren't you from Gucheng? What brings you here?"

"I heard that the Hidden Dragon Clan is going to set up a challenge for all the heroes present, and the champion is still Xue Jing. How can I sit still? I definitely have to come and see what's going on..."

Countless martial artists greeted each other with clasped hands. Since many of them were from the same circle and saw each other frequently, they chatted quite familiarly.

"Have you noticed that many of the people who came don't seem to be from Qingcheng?"

The tall Li Zhaoquan stood at the door, stroking his chin as he spoke.

Standing next to him, Zhang Daqing glanced at him and said, "You just realized? Your eyes are probably almost blind."

He gestured with his chin in one direction, indicating that Li Zhaoquan should look over there:

"See that hunky guy?"

"This physique is too conspicuous. It can't be hidden in the martial arts world of Qingcheng. He must be a master from out of town."

Li Zhaoquan looked up and saw a figure that was even more imposing, domineering, and taller than himself, and his eyes lit up immediately.

"What a great physique! How did he get that massive, muscular build? Let's go over and have a chat with him!"

Zhang Daqing responded with a "Wait a minute, what's the rush?"

Li Zhaoquan, however, had already strode over to the burly man and bowed to him, saying:

"Brother, may I ask where you're from? Would you like to be friends?"

The muscular man turned and glanced at him. Before Li Zhaoquan could reply, he raised his head and puffed out his chest, saying:

"I forgot to introduce myself first. I am Li Zhaoquan, a disciple of the Tiger Soul Dojo. I once fought alongside Brother Xue Jing from the Hidden Dragon Dojo, chatting and laughing, and faced the monsters of the border area together... I even fought him once, and we were evenly matched, with no clear winner."

Zhang Daqing, who was following behind Li Zhaoquan, saw the muscular man turn around and his expression froze.

"Oh? You and Brother Xue... are evenly matched?"

Surprisingly, this muscular man, who was even more muscular than Li Zhaoquan, spoke with a clear and sweet girlish voice.

Yin Muhu curiously sized up the man named Li Zhaoquan a few times.

This person looks like an ordinary noob... how come he can go toe-to-toe with Brother Xue? Could it be that she misjudged him? Or is this person hiding his true strength?

"Sigh, that's all in the past," Li Zhaoquan said modestly, waving his hand.

“Back then, he and I… um? What are you doing?” Li Zhaoquan turned to look at Zhang Daqing, who was tugging at his clothes.

"...This person is Yin Muhu, a direct disciple of Rongcheng Vajra Dojo, a U19 finalist, and someone who has faced off against Xue Jing on the field."

Zhang Daqing spoke in a low voice at a very fast pace.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhaoquan's expression froze.

“Since he is an old acquaintance of Brother Xue, that’s perfect. Come with me to see him, and we can catch up and exchange ideas.”

Yin Muhu said with a smile.

"Uh...this..."

Li Zhaoquan chuckled awkwardly, a hint of hesitation on his rugged, resolute face.

Before he could think of an excuse to decline, a greeting came from not far away:

"Yin-mei, it's been a long time. How's your health?"

The voice sounded very familiar, and Li Zhaoquan immediately shrank back, trying to run away, but his wrist was tightly gripped by a large hand, making him unable to move.

"Brother Xue!" Yin Muhu grabbed Li Zhaoquan's wrist, looked at Xue Jing who was walking towards them, and greeted him happily.

"Thanks to you, he has basically recovered... Brother Xue, is this your apprentice?"

Her gaze fell on the little girl next to Xue Jing.

"Her name is Zong Shichan... Chan'er, greet her and call her Uncle Yin."

Xue Jing patted his little apprentice's head gently.

"Uncle Yin~" Zong Shichan called out sweetly and obediently, her pretty appearance quite endearing.

Yin Muhu immediately beamed with joy and reached out to pat her head: "Good child."

"Hmm? Who are these two?" Xue Jing looked at Li Zhaoquan and Zhang Daqing, who had turned their heads to the side, with a puzzled expression.

Yin Muhu introduced, "This Brother Li, Li Zhaoquan, says he's an old acquaintance of yours. He once fought Brother Xue and they were evenly matched, neither gaining the upper hand..."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhaoquan's face fell, and he looked as if he had practiced a bone-shrinking technique, his head almost retracting into his torso like a turtle.

Xue Jing was still pondering when he had ever been evenly matched with someone when Zong Shichan frowned beside him: "A draw with Master?"

She looked closely at the man's appearance, and her eyes widened immediately:

"Li Zhaoquan, what are you doing?"

As the granddaughter of the former master of the Tiger Soul Dojo, she recognized him as one of the disciples of the Tiger Soul Dojo.

"Uh... Miss." Li Zhaoquan had no choice but to turn around with a long face.

Oh no, this guy's bragging has backfired on the person in question...

……

Chapter 298 The Challenge Begins, Old Feuds Revenge Arrive, Celestial Phenomena Control Thunder and Golden Wind (4K)

"You and my master... are evenly matched?"

Zong Shichan looked at Li Zhaoquan, scratched his head, and was a little puzzled.

This incident felt to her as absurd as Krillin claiming to be evenly matched with Frieza.

No, how much did you drink?

Xue Jing glanced at the tall, muscular man several times before suddenly realizing what he meant:

"Ah, it's you."

A few months ago, he took on a job as a group of second-generation bodyguards at the Ruizhu Hotel, where he encountered his first cockroach-like man... Many other disciples from various dojos also took on that job, and the man in front of him was one of them.

I remember this person talking to him and then putting their hands together.

"Eh? Master, you know him?"

Zong Shichan was even more surprised.

In her eyes, Li Zhaoquan, this disciple of the Amber Dojo, was far too different in rank from her master. It felt like the Monkey King pointing at one of the 100,000 heavenly soldiers and saying he remembered him...

When the heavenly soldiers boasted that they were evenly matched with the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, everyone just laughed it off. But when the Great Sage himself said that he had an impression of the heavenly soldiers, it took on a different meaning.

Zong Shichan immediately began to look at Li Zhaoquan with new respect.

Unaware of how much his family's old farm owner's granddaughter had insulted him in her heart, Li Zhaoquan's eyes lit up with surprise when he heard that Xue Jing still remembered him, but he immediately looked embarrassed.

"Brother Xue... uh, it's been a long time."

He scratched his head and chuckled awkwardly.

Xue Jing smiled and said to Zong Shichan, "I have worked with this Brother Li before. We handled a case together. I met him at the time and we even lent a hand. We were evenly matched."

Zong Shichan's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief: "Huh? He actually said that he and Master were evenly matched?"

The little girl stared at Li Zhaoquan intently, as if she were seeing him for the first time.

Li Zhaoquan was deeply moved, not expecting Xue Jing to be so accommodating.

He used her as material to show off, yet he didn't care at all, didn't hold a grudge, and even helped smooth things over... What a magnanimous heart, what a great character!

Brother Xue, you are so gentle!

However, although Xue Jing was willing to flatter him, Li Zhaoquan dared not accept it and quickly added:

"Back then, Brother Xue had only been practicing martial arts for a short time and wasn't as skilled as he is now. In fact, I lost back then; my hand bones were even fractured, but I was too proud to say it!"

Zong Shichan suddenly realized, "Oh, I see."

If it happened when the Monkey King was still a little monkey, then it makes sense.

Yin Muhu, who was standing nearby, said, "Brother Xue, I heard that the Hidden Dragon Clan is going to set up a challenge later, and you're going to be the champion?"

Xue Jing nodded: "I cannot disobey my master's orders."

Yin Muhu looked strange: "This senior Dragon King... truly worthy of being a good friend of my master."