chapter 7 When enemies meet, give them a shot first

The woman then noticed that there was a row of footprints descending the stone steps, clean and free from dust or dew, while the area around the footprints was covered in a layer of dust with condensed mist on the surface.
The elder looked down at the footprints, exclaiming, "It's him!"
"Grandpa, what ultimate master?" the woman asked in surprise.
The elder sighed deeply and said, "Yes, it's him, the young man we just encountered! He's a Qi Realm master! Because of his True Qi protection, his body repels even dust and insects! Even the ground beneath his feet repels all dust, leaving it exceptionally clean, hence these footprints."
The woman was shocked!
The Qi Realm refers to those who have cultivated True Qi within their bodies. There are only a few dozen such people in the whole province, either local tyrants or hermits. How could one appear here?
Then she remembered what the man said about her early demise. Could it be true?
The elder said, "Kanan, this master might appear again tomorrow. Let's come early to wait for him."
Concerned about the "early demise" prophecy, the woman quickly nodded in agreement, "Okay!"
Meanwhile, Cyneburg Wu bought some traditional crab roe buns on his way home.
Arlet Tang, with a keen nose, was the first to rush to the living room, exclaiming, "Wow, crab roe buns, my favorite!"
Andi Wu also came out of her bedroom, "Brother, I'm going to school today. You're taking me."
Cyneburg nodded, "Okay, I'll ride you there on my bike."
County No. 1 High School wasn't far, just a twenty-minute bike ride away. Usually, Andi took the bus to school.
After breakfast, Cyneburg brought out a bicycle from a side room, his mode of transportation in high school. The rear tire was flat.
He wiped the bike clean, pumped air into the tire, and then rode with Andi to County No. 1 High School.
"Hold on tight," Cyneburg said, and the bike shot forward like an arrow, startling Andi into a scream.
"Brother, slow down," she kept saying.
But Cyneburg didn't slow down. His Eye of Dimensions allowed him to observe an ant several kilometers away and see through obstacles within dozens of meters. His observational skills were astounding, so he wasn't worried about riding fast.
Andi was initially scared, but she quickly got used to it. Then she noticed cars and motorcycles being left behind by her brother.
As they rode, Cyneburg's eyes suddenly fixated on a light purple sports car to the left. The car's license plate was etched in his mind because that car was the one that killed his father!
Through the car window, he saw a young man inside, nodding his head to loud music, his eyes glazed, with powder on his nose, obviously having just used drugs.
"Akamu Song!" Cyneburg's eyes flickered with hatred. This man was the wealthy heir who had killed his father, the same Akamu Song.
He rode ahead for a bit, stopping parallel to Akamu Song, then pinched a fine gold needle between his right fingers and flicked it out.
"Puff!"
The needle pierced through the car window, lodging into Akamu Song's head. The latter's body trembled, then suddenly shook violently, foaming at the mouth, his eyes rolling back.
Cyneburg sneered and continued towards County No. 1 High School. That needle would turn Akamu Song into an idiot, but this was just the beginning!
After dropping Andi at school and returning, he noticed Akamu Song's car was gone. Someone must have found him acting strangely and taken him to the hospital.
He wasn't in a rush. He had plenty of time. Akamu Song's family and their accomplices, he wouldn't let any of them go!
Returning home, he found a crowd at his doorstep, two lavishly dressed Taoists reciting incantations in front of the locust tree, and the village chief, Dominic Man, was also present.
Cyneburg instantly understood. Dominic must have heard about the locust tree's spirit and summoned Taoists to perform a ritual against the nonexistent "Locust Tree Immortal."
He smirked inwardly, parked his bike, and crossed his arms to watch the spectacle.
Dominic saw Cyneburg and snorted, "Wu's boy, you're out of prison? Better behave yourself, I'll be watching you!"
Cyneburg ignored him, flicking a gold needle into Dominic's lower back. The next second, Dominic screamed in pain, feeling agony everywhere.
The Taoists were startled and rushed to check. As one of them barely touched Dominic, he howled in extreme pain.
The Taoists were taken aback and exchanged looks of confusion, not knowing what to do.
Cyneburg shook his head, "I told you, the locust tree has a spirit. You insisted on stirring up trouble." He then pushed his bike through the gate.
The crowd quickly dispersed, and Dominic was taken to the hospital, while the Taoists left dejectedly.
Back home, Louise told him that Arlet Tang had left, saying she had urgent matters to attend to. She had written down Cyneburg and Louise's phone numbers before leaving.
Cyneburg was puzzled. She had said she would stay for a while, so why did she leave so suddenly?
Not wanting to dwell on it, he bought some gifts and visited his grandparents with his mother. His release from prison had finally eased their greatest worry.
Cyneburg took the opportunity to ask his grandfather about the jade pendant. His Eye of Dimensions and all his abilities came from the pendant, so he was keen to know its origins.
His grandfather told him the pendant was a family heirloom, treasured for generations, and had been in their possession for thirteen generations.
They had lunch at his grandparents' house, and halfway through, his phone rang. It was his roommate, Carloman Lu. Cyneburg smiled and excused himself to answer, "Carloman!"
He and Carloman had a close relationship, bunkmates, and brothers. After his troubles began, Carloman had been one of the most concerned, even visiting him twice in prison.
"Cyneburg, you're out?" Carloman asked. Cyneburg had left him a message the day before, saying he was released.
"Yes, have you been so busy that you only just saw my message?" Cyneburg replied.
Carloman fell silent for a moment, then said, "Cyneburg, you should come to the university."
"What happened?" Cyneburg asked, surprised.
"You'll know when you get here," Carloman said, then abruptly hung up.
A sinking feeling in his heart, Cyneburg wondered if something had happened to Indie Sun.
Indie, his girlfriend. They had maintained contact throughout his imprisonment, with her promising to wait for him. Even while in prison, he had Carloman buy gifts for her on holidays.
He couldn't sit still any longer. He told his mother he was leaving, then boarded a train to Yunjing.
His university was in Yunjing, a standard institution in the economic center of Yanlong Country's southern region, a city rich in history and culture.
Mingyang County was over 300 kilometers from Yunjing. A high-speed train would get him there in just over an hour. Upon arriving, he saw Carloman waving in the crowd.
Carloman, tall and slim, was handsome with a crew cut, dressed in sportswear. He was excellent at basketball and one of Cyneburg's best friends.
They embraced warmly, and Cyneburg looked into his eyes, "Tell me, what's going on?"
Carloman's expression was strange as he said, "Indie Sun is here too."
Cyneburg looked back and saw his best friend, Narcisco Zhao, and Indie Sun standing not far away. They didn't approach. The two stood very close, a proximity typically seen only between couples.
His heart sank, instantly understanding what had happened.
"Let's part ways on good terms." Carloman patted him on the shoulder to offer comfort.
Cyneburg walked towards the two, his steps heavy. He had never expected to be betrayed by a friend he regarded as a brother.