TRWSB – Chapter 127 The so-called admired person

Cloud Tiger looked at the wild boar lying on the ground with a triumphant grin and said, “So, how about that? Didn’t I tell you? Stick with your Tiger Bro, and there’s always meat to eat.”

Qi Shaorong: “…” This idiot—how big is his heart supposed to be?

Cloud Tiger crossed his arms and turned toward Zhuang Hao with an air of authority. “I wouldn’t have guessed—you’re small, but you weigh quite a bit! You actually flattened such a huge wild boar in one go. But seriously, how did you fall out of the tree?”

Zhuang Hao frowned, his heart skipping a beat.

Cloud Tiger suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said boldly, “Oh, I get it! You were scared out of your wits, weren’t you? So scared you fell right out of the tree?”

Throwing an arm around Zhuang Hao’s shoulders, he gave him a hearty pat. “Brother! You’re already this old, and you’re still such a scaredy-cat. That’s no good!”

Qi Shaorong glanced at Zhuang Hao’s twisted expression and rubbed his nose. Over the past few days, Zhuang Hao had probably hit his lifetime quota of embarrassing moments.

Qi Shaorong said to Cloud Tiger, “Tiger Bro, let’s head back already.”

Cloud Tiger nodded. “Right, right, we’ve got to head back.”

He tried dragging the wild boar but couldn’t move it. Zhuang Hao stepped up to lend a hand.

Cloud Tiger looked at him in surprise. “Hey, little thief, you’ve got some serious strength!”

Zhuang Hao: “…”

“With that kind of strength, you should put it to good use, you know?” Cloud Tiger lectured.

Zhuang Hao gritted his teeth. “I swear I’ll turn over a new leaf and never sneak around doing petty crimes again.”

Qi Shaorong glanced at Zhuang Hao. “You okay?”

Zhuang Hao nodded. “I’m fine.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

After much effort, Cloud Tiger and Zhuang Hao finally dragged the wild boar back home.

Cloud Lark looked at the boar on the ground and asked, “Little brother, how did you get this wild boar? Don’t tell me it ran into a tree and knocked itself out, and you just got lucky.”

Cloud Tiger puffed out his chest. “Sis, you don’t know! I hunted this boar myself.”

Cloud Lark gave him a dismissive glance. “Little brother, do you think I don’t know your limits?”

Cloud Tiger protested, “Sis, I’m telling the truth! I must’ve been extra amazing today…”

Cloud Lark stared at him. “Stop bluffing, little brother.”

Cloud Tiger insisted, “Sis, I was like a god of war today! You wouldn’t believe how heroically I charged at that wild boar and struck it down—it didn’t stand a chance!”

Cloud Elder hobbled out with his cane and examined the boar. “Strange. Its skull is completely crushed, as if it was hit with tremendous force.”

Cloud Tiger’s eyes widened. “How could that be?”

Qi Shaorong explained calmly, “It must have been injured before we found it.”

Cloud Elder looked skeptical. “Is that so?”

“Absolutely,” Qi Shaorong replied confidently.

Cloud Tiger tugged at Cloud Elder’s arm. “Well, no matter what, Grandpa, we can eat meat tonight! This boar’s big enough to last us for days.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

Qi Shaorong and Zhuang Hao sat at the table as a large bowl of braised pork was set before them.

Having been spoiled with gourmet delicacies, Qi Shaorong had little appetite for the greasy dish. Cloud Tiger, however, was a different story.

He wolfed down the meat at an alarming pace, the pile in the massive serving bowl shrinking rapidly as his cheeks bulged like a chipmunk’s.

Cloud Lark frowned at his table manners. “Little brother, slow down! You’ll choke.”

Cloud Tiger gave an embarrassed chuckle.

Qi Shaorong was stunned by Cloud Tiger’s appetite and was equally surprised by Cloud Lark’s substantial one.

“Big sis, did you hear anything interesting in town today?” Cloud Tiger asked, mouth still full of food.

Cloud Lark rested her chin on her hand. “I heard the mayor’s daughter went to Red City and bought a set of beauty products from Enchanting Beauty. It cost her a thousand gold coins.”

Cloud Tiger jerked his head up. “A thousand gold coins? Is the mayor’s daughter crazy? Do you know how much pork that could buy?”

“You’re the crazy one! Do you think the mayor’s daughter, of all people, has her head full of pork like you? She doesn’t lack food,” Cloud Lark retorted.

Cloud Tiger grumbled, “No way I’d ever marry someone that wasteful.”

Cloud Lark rolled her eyes. “As if the mayor’s daughter would ever consider someone like you!”

Cloud Tiger glared. “Sis, stop looking down on me! I’m going to be a great captain one day!”

Cloud Lark laughed sarcastically. “Future captain, eat your meat.”

Cloud Tiger bit into a piece of pork. “Sis, do you think the owner of Enchanting Beauty makes so much money that he eats like this? Or does he feast on delicacies every day?”

Qi Shaorong gnawed on the pork and mumbled, “He eats pork—it’s filling. If he doesn’t eat, he’ll starve.”

“How could he possibly starve? He’s so rich! You’re joking, right? You have no sense at all,” Yun Hu said, raising his head high.

Qi Shaorong: “…” What’s the use of wealth when it’s all locked away in a spatial ring and can’t be accessed?

“I heard that Qi Shaorong has gone missing,” Yun Que said, propping her chopsticks on the table.

Yun Hu’s head shot up. “Qi Shaorong is missing? How did that happen?”

Yun Que shook her head. “I don’t know. That’s just what people are saying. Apparently, the Merchant Alliance has issued a bounty of one million gold coins for information on the whereabouts of Qi Shaorong and Zhuang Hao.”

“One million? Gold coins? Wow! That’s so much money! If I found them, I’d be rich,” Yun Hu exclaimed.

Yun Que rolled her eyes at him. “Brother, stop dreaming. They disappeared in the capital of the Li Kingdom, which is tens of thousands of miles away from us. Do you really think you’d have a chance? Why don’t you focus on figuring out how to break through to become a Level 3 Dou Qi Practitioner instead?”

“If you can achieve Level 3, you can join a mercenary group. Once you’re in, you’ll have a guaranteed salary of 20 gold coins a month. With good harvests, you might even get bonuses. Eating pork would no longer be an issue,” she added.

Yun Hu furrowed his brows and said dejectedly, “I feel like I’m on the verge of breaking through, but something always interrupts me.”

“It’s not your fault, grandson,” Yun Ping, leaning on his cane, said apologetically. “I haven’t been able to afford proper Dou Qi manuals for you. You’ve had to make do with incomplete training techniques.”

Zhuang Hao lowered his head. It was a cruel reality. Noble children far outperformed commoners in training because they had access to superior resources from birth. Nobles could choose from countless training manuals, while commoners with potential often lacked suitable techniques. Many talented individuals wasted their potential due to inadequate resources.

Now Zhuang Hao understood why Yun Hu, despite being on the cusp of a breakthrough, couldn’t make it—it was due to the incomplete manual.

Yun Hu clenched his fist. “Don’t worry, Grandpa! I’ll break through no matter what!”

The next morning, Yun Hu stood in the courtyard practicing his punches.

Seeing Zhuang Hao, he called out, “Hey, thief! You’re up! Want to practice with me?”

Zhuang Hao, looking exhausted, replied, “No thanks…” Too much had happened in the past few days, and he didn’t feel like expending energy on punching exercises.

Yun Hu glanced at him. “Being lazy won’t do you any good! Look at me—my muscles are bursting with power! And look at you, as scrawny as a little chick.”

Zhuang Hao rested his chin on his hand. “I think being like me is fine. Lots of people don’t like muscles.”

“Yeah! Why don’t girls these days like muscular men? Why do they prefer weaklings like you? What’s so great about you delicate guys?” Yun Hu grumbled.

“Just keep punching. I’ll watch and… observe,” Zhuang Hao replied casually.

Encouraged by Zhuang Hao’s words, Yun Hu became even more enthusiastic, throwing his punches with gusto.

Having spent some time with Yun Hu, Zhuang Hao realized this guy was a chatterbox.

“Hey, thief, do you know who I admire most?” Yun Hu asked.

Zhuang Hao glanced sideways at Qi Shaorong and guessed, “Is it Qi Shaorong?”

“Nope, it’s Zhuang Hao,” Yun Hu replied.

Zhuang Hao’s interest was piqued. “Why? Because he’s skilled?”

Yun Hu shook his head. “Nope. Because that guy managed to get engaged to Qi Shaorong! That pretty boy is amazing—marrying such a rich wife. He’ll live off her forever! Why don’t I have that kind of luck…”

Zhuang Hao: “…”

Qi Shaorong walked over and said, “Zhuang Hao and Qi Shaorong are just engaged. They haven’t gotten married yet.”

Yun Hu nodded. “Yeah, that means Zhuang Hao still has to wait to live off her. But who knows, maybe Qi Shaorong will fall for someone like me—muscular, manly—and ditch that delicate pretty boy.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”
Zhuang Hao: “…”

“Your punches seem off,” Zhuang Hao commented.

Yun Hu stared at him. “How would you know?”

“I used to chop wood for a noble household. I saw the young master there practicing punches, and it didn’t look like this,” Zhuang Hao explained.

Yun Hu’s eyes lit up. He grabbed Zhuang Hao excitedly. “Really? I didn’t know you’d seen a noble practicing! You’re lucky. Come on, show me how it’s done.”

Reluctantly, Zhuang Hao stepped forward and corrected Yun Hu’s movements.

Once corrected, Yun Hu’s previously awkward punches became smooth and powerful.

A surge of Dou Qi flowed rapidly through his meridians, and with a loud “bang,” Yun Hu’s body emitted a series of crisp sounds—he had successfully broken through to Level 3!

Yun Hu let out an ecstatic roar and burst into tears of joy.

Watching the bawling Yun Hu, Qi Shaorong couldn’t help rubbing his temples. This guy, despite his age, was crying like a baby!