I Cheated While Cultivating

Chapter 45: Obstructing

Under the cover of night, the silver moon hid amidst the clouds.

Midnight.

Atop the roof of Zhou Heng’s house.

Pei Luoling sat there, her bright, wide eyes staring expectantly at Zhou Heng, unable to resist urging him,

“And then? What happened next?”

"Was this genius named Xiao Yan really just allowing himself to be bullied? And why did his cultivation regress? Was someone framing him?”

"Ah, the story you tell is so much more interesting than the one the storyteller narrates!”

"Hurry up, quick, keep going, please-”

At this moment, she was like a hungry chick waiting to be fed by Zhou Heng.

And, on the way, he learned this little girl’s name.

She claimed her name was

“Luoling.”

But in fact, thanks to a System prompt, Zhou Heng already knew her name was

“Pei Luoling.”

– This little girl unconsciously used light-body martial arts when she walked, and after seeing this, Zhou Heng naturally received System prompts and proficiency.

However, after bringing Pei Luoling home, Zhou Heng did not continue the storyteller’s narrative.

Instead, he suggested telling her a different story.

Assuredly more interesting than something like

“The Love and Hatred Entanglement of Zhou Heng and Miss Wang of the Wang Family.”

Because that was just too embarrassing.

Even if Zhou Heng was motivated by the prospect of making easy money, he still found it difficult to speak of.

Initially, Pei Luoling disagreed.

So Zhou Heng began by telling her the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Pei Luoling became so engrossed in the tale.

She immediately lost interest in the continuation of Zhou Heng and Miss Wang’s story.

And agreed to Zhou Heng telling her other stories.

Zhou Heng, who had written web novels on Earth in his previous life, knew exactly which stories would be surefire hits for such

“newbies” who had not heard many stories before.

Battle Through the Heavens!

Indeed, just as he expected, with just the beginning, Pei Luoling listened with rapt attention, completely captivated.

Seeing her eagerness, Zhou Heng smiled, shook his head, and said,

“Miss Luoling, it’s not that I don’t want to continue, but it’s getting late, and tomorrow I must go to the martial arts hall and need to rest.”

"But I’m so looking forward to the rest of the story…” Pei Luoling looked a bit aggrieved, but then she brightened up and said,

“Then, then I’ll give you another hundred silver notes if you keep going, is that okay?”

My goodness!

This girl is too wealthy!

Zhou Heng was stunned internally, but still shookhis head and said,

“No, I really need to sleep.”

Tomorrow was the day the Longxing Martial Arts Hall’s master would reward him and there would be all kinds of things to handle, so best to rest early to maintain ample spirit.

"Two hundred silver notes!” Pei Luoling promptly upped her offer.

"Let me think about it?” Zhou Heng was tempted, but he resisted.

I am a new-era martial artist with perseverance, integrity, and aspirations.

How can I bow down for two hundred silver notes??

But two hundred silver notes…

That’s enough for twenty practices of Palm Thunder!

"Three hundred silver notes, I want to hear the continuation!” Pei Luoling took out three silver notes from her bosom and placed them in front of Zhou Heng.

Zhou Heng was heartily moved, but after a fierce internal struggle, he decided to shake his head and say,

“Miss Luoling, I really have important matters tomorrow, why don’t you come back tomorrow night to listen?”

After saying this, he felt as though his own heart was bleeding.

Three hundred silver notes!

What job could earn you three hundred silver notes in one night?

The world has too many wealthy people!

"Alright then.” Pei Luoling seemed a little disappointed.

However, she did not take back the silver notes but instead left them in Zhou Heng’s hand, saying,

“Then take these three hundred silver notes first. I’m booking the story for tomorrow night.”

Then, she directly dropped off the rooftop and with a few leaps, left, disappearing into the night.

Zhou Heng held the three silver notes in his hand, slightly dazed, thinking, “Should I change careers and become a storyteller? Is being a Literary Pirate in another world this easy to get by?

” Sss, why is it a bit cold??”

For some reason, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

It was as if a cold night breeze had poured in, but after looking around, he didn’t find anything unusual, so he leaped off the rooftop to go back inside and rest.

Preparing to go to the martial arts hall first thing tomorrow morning.

The next morning, at dawn.

Longxing Martial Arts Hall.

The hall master Lei Xiuyan, who rarely showed himself, patted Zhou Heng on the shoulder and said with a smile,

“Young Zhou, such an excellent youth! Seventeen years old and Ninth Grade, truly a future without limits.”

"Master Lei flatters me.” Zhou Heng replied politely.

Lei Xiuyan was a middle-aged man in his fifties, tall and burly with well- defined muscles. His strength was also remarkable, at the peak of Eighth Rank, and it was estimated that in another couple of years, he would reach Seventh Rank.

His martial talent was not bad, having reached Ninth Grade in his thirties and Eighth Grade in his forties. If not for the worries and efforts he had put into the martial arts hall, he might have already been at Seventh Rank by now.

Naturally, he was very pleased that someone like Zhou Heng, a young genius, had emerged from his martial arts hall.

As for the specific details regarding Zhou Heng, Lei Xiuyan had already heard them from Lin Cang.

He was extremely satisfied.

If Zhou Heng could be chosen to be an outer disciple of Changxing Gate, then Longxing Martial Arts Hall would receive significant support from them, greatly improving all aspects quickly.

Even if Zhou Heng was not selected as an outer disciple by Changxing Gate, the label

“Seventeen years old and Ninth Grade” could still be used as a golden signboard for Longxing Martial Arts Hall in the future.

With this golden signboard, recruiting quality apprentices would become much easier, and more money would come in, allowing the hall to expand its scale and gradually develop.

Thus, under the leadership of Lei Xiuyan, in front of all the trainers and apprentices, Zhou Heng was allocated an independent training room, along with the privilege to learn Eighth Rank martial arts for free, including benefits like free lunch.

This series of benefits filled the apprentices with envy, and even some of the trainers envied him since they needed to accumulate teaching credits to learn Eighth Rank martial arts.

But Zhou Heng could learn it directly.

Indeed, people should not compare themselves to others, and certainly not to geniuses.

In the end, Lei Xiuyan also awarded Zhou Heng the position of a newly- appointed trainer with a monthly salary of ten silver notes, completely freeing him from the status of a martial arts student.

This salary was a notch higher than that of a normal new trainer, which was eight silver notes.

However, nobody objected.

As members of the same martial arts hall, it was only natural to establish good relations with a genius like Zhou Heng.

After completing the commendation for Zhou Heng, Lei Xiuyan called Lin Cang along to the Prefectural city’s

“Buwu Office.”

They were there to help Zhou Heng apply for support from the prefectural city.

They also planned to apply for some support for Longxing Martial Arts Hall.

– Da Qi valued martial prowess, and the provincial and prefectural governments had support policies for martial arts halls and outstanding young martial artists, as long as certain conditions were met to apply to the Buwu Office.

However, these conditions were quite stringent, and with only one quota available each year, it was not easy to succeed in the application.

In pastyears, Longxing Martial Arts Hall didn’t even qualify to apply.

Of course, now with Zhou Heng who stepped into Ninth Grade at seventeen, Longxing Martial Arts Hall undoubtedly met the requirements.

According to the support policy of Huangtong Prefectural city,

If the support was granted, Longxing Martial Arts Hall would receive a funding of two thousand silver notes for teaching and development.

Zhou Heng himself would also get a reward of two hundred silver notes and the right to one weapon forging worth three hundred silver notes.

Among the weapons of Lower Third Rank, those forged by the Imperial Court were undoubtedly the highest quality, significantly stronger than the average weapons in the hands of commoners in the pugilist world.

Moreover, one could design the appearance and special functions of the weapon.

This weapon forging right was actually a very excellent form of support.

Buwu Office Hall.

Lei Xiuyan and Lin Cang had already submitted the necessary application materials.

They were now waiting for the result.

"Master, can we really get the application approved?” Lin Cang asked quietly, a bit anxious as it was his first time accompanying someone to apply for this support policy.

"Don’t worry,” Lei Xiuyan smiled and reassured,

“With a seventeen-year-old Ninth Grade like Zhou Heng, our application can’t possibly fail. Stop worrying, Old Lin.”

"That’s true. With a genius like Zhou Heng, we’ve surely secured the Buwu Office’s support.” Lin Cang said with a laugh, feeling somewhat more at ease.

"Is that so?”

A voice tinged with a hint of mockery suddenly rang out.

A slender young man emerged from the inner hall of the Buwu Office. He looked at Lin Cang and Lei Xiuyan with a smile that was not quite a smile and said,

“In this world, there’s no such thing as a certainty. Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

After saying that, he left the Buwu Office Hall and strode away.

Lin Gang’s and Lei Xiuyan’s expressions immediately turned grim.

"That was Tao Feng from Changsheng Martial Arts Hall, a Ninth Grade trainer.” Lin Gang’s brows furrowed as he spoke in a solemn voice,

“What’s he doing here at the Buwu Office? Changsheng Martial Arts Hall hasn’t had any notable achievements this year.”

"There’s something fishy going on.” Lei Xiuyan also furrowed his brow, but he still comforted,

“There shouldn’t be any issues. With Zhou Heng’s achievements, the Buwu Office definitely won’t stonewall us.”

Just at that moment, a minor official in a green robe came out from the inner hall, holding an envelope, which he handed over to Lei Xiuyan and Lin Cang before heading back.

This envelope likely contained the results of their application review.

"See, I told you there would be no problems,” Lei Xiuyan said with a smile as he opened the envelope. But after seeing the contents, his smile froze, and his expression turned to one of disbelief and confusion.

"How, how is this possible!?”