Chapter Ninety-Two: Class Reunion

Back then, when Ling Tian swallowed the inner core of the Cockscomb Snake King, it had been nothing more than a desperate move made while refining the strange heavenly fire. He had never imagined that the Cockscomb Snake King’s inner core could also grant him a body immune to all poisons. It seemed he had underestimated it after all. Though it was only a juvenile Cockscomb Snake King, its talent was extraordinary, and the power contained within its core was still formidable.

If it had not still been so young, and had not yet learned how to wield such overwhelming power, this Cockscomb Snake King probably would not have been captured so easily.

“Boss, your wound... it’s already healed?” Zhang Ding stared dumbly at Ling Tian’s completely restored skin, so shocked that his mouth would not close. Though Zhang Ding had long since grown numb to Ling Tian’s astonishing feats, he was still stunned each time he saw them anew.

Ling Tian smiled. “This little thing isn’t enough to hurt me.”

Even without the Cockscomb Snake King’s inner core, with Ling Tian’s strength he could have forced the venom out of the bamboo viper with ease.

“Boss, this bamboo viper would be perfect for making medicinal wine,” Zhang Ding said, rubbing his hands together while staring fixedly at the bamboo viper, which had already been knocked unconscious.

“You glutton.” Ling Tian rolled his eyes at him. Although Ling Tian had set up a defensive formation to protect the silverleaf herb, he still could not bring himself to feel at ease. So he had planned to keep the bamboo viper here. To his surprise, whenever he came to check on the silverleaf herb afterward, he would always find the bamboo viper dutifully crouching beside it.

Of course, every time Ling Tian came, he had to face the snake’s attack, so each visit ended with Ling Tian giving the bamboo viper a beating. After that, whenever the bamboo viper saw Ling Tian again, it obediently lay flat on the ground and did not dare move, lest it be knocked out yet again.

“Heh heh, I was only saying.” Zhang Ding scratched his head awkwardly.

“It’s getting late. I still have to attend a gathering tonight. Drive me there,” Ling Tian said, glancing at the sky. It was already nearing evening.

Zhang Ding fished out the car keys and trotted toward the door, not forgetting to ask, “Boss, are you planning to go plow the fields?”

Plow the fields!

A cold sweat sprang out on Ling Tian’s forehead. This kid had gone bad.

After getting into the car, Zhang Ding turned his head curiously and said to Ling Tian, “Boss, the way you talk is so sharp. I’d say you must have pretty rich experience, right?”

Ling Tian ignored the sultry Zhang Ding completely. He lit a cigarette, turned his face aside, and looked out the window.

The more Ling Tian paid him no mind, the more Zhang Ding got worked up, grinning as he asked, “Boss, how many fields have you plowed?”

Ling Tian turned his head, glanced at Zhang Ding, exhaled a mouthful of smoke, and said slowly, “To put it bluntly, I’ve plowed all eight nations.”

A true talent!

He had actually plowed the fields in eight countries. That was practically a godlike existence; it was hard not to admire him.

“Just keep your eyes on the road. If there’s a chance, I’ll let you taste what foreign women are like too,” Ling Tian said quickly, seeing that Zhang Ding had become a child full of curiosity. Ling Tian deeply felt that, at times, a man who hid his lechery was even more shameless than one who flaunted it openly.

Zhang Ding nodded excitedly and vowed that he would follow Ling Tian properly and work hard, so that this old workhorse of his could make a contribution to foreign beauties as well. Even thinking about it now made him feel thrillingly satisfied.

Glancing at Zhang Ding, who was in a state of extreme excitement, Ling Tian thought to himself: a textbook closet lecher.

The five-star hotel under the Nangong Family was unquestionably among the top five in the bustling city of Yunhai.

After sending Zhang Ding back, Ling Tian came alone to the entrance of the hotel. Looking at the lavishly decorated building, with its flashing neon lights and the ceaseless stream of cars and people in front of the doors, he could not even see a single vehicle worth less than a hundred thousand. Ling Tian could not help sighing.

If one wanted to live freely and unrestrained in this world, one had to have enough money in hand.

“Ling Tian, you’re here? Come on, everyone’s waiting,” said Luo Jun, who had no one knew when stepped out of the entrance, dressed in a suit and tie, and walked toward Ling Tian.

Today Luo Jun had made a point of dressing himself up, even putting on the expensive suit he usually could not bear to wear. Polished and slick-haired, he meant to show off in front of his old classmates. To be looked at with envy, jealousy, and resentment by all those classmates who had not done well in life... Luo Jun loved that feeling of showing off.

“Everyone got here this early?” Ling Tian found this somewhat unexpected. So many years had passed, and yet they were still this eager about attending a reunion?

Luo Jun smiled. “For this class reunion, a few of the classmates who’ve done pretty well really went to a lot of trouble.”

Following Luo Jun inside, Ling Tian discovered that the gathering was being held in the main hall, with five tables in all and about ten people at each. It seemed that nearly everyone from the class had come. Perhaps because it was a formal setting, everyone was dressed neatly, but many of them looked tense, likely because this was their first time in such an upscale place.

Ling Tian noticed that many of their hands were rough, and their faces carried the weariness of people who had seen too much of life’s hardships.

Clearly, these people had not done very well for themselves.

A few even brought their children. The kids, unwilling to behave, ran about everywhere, and the place was filled with stern calls and children’s laughter, making it seem rather lively.

“Look who’s here!” Luo Jun called out loudly.

Everyone turned to look. Upon seeing Ling Tian, they all greeted him warmly. Back in school, Ling Tian had been the top student and had even served as class monitor, so everyone was quite familiar with him. But after so many years, the not especially strong bonds of class friendship had already faded.

After all, everyone had built new circles of their own.

“You two keep an eye on your kids. Don’t let them run around. This is an upscale place,” Luo Jun shouted at the parents who had brought children.

Ling Tian picked a table with people he knew fairly well. Just as he sat down, he found that to his left was his best friend from school, Zhao Ming. Just like his ordinary name, Zhao Ming was an ordinary man, but he was especially loyal. It was a pity that his family had been poor, so after finishing high school he had not continued his studies.

“Zhao Ming!” Ling Tian patted Zhao Ming on the shoulder.

The dazed Zhao Ming looked up and, upon seeing that it was Ling Tian, a glimmer of light flashed through his dull eyes before they fell dark and lifeless again.

“Ling Tian... it’s been a long time,” Zhao Ming said, forcing a smile onto his face. It looked worse than crying.

Ling Tian firmly took Zhao Ming’s rough, cracked hands in his own. Looking at Zhao Ming’s dark, weather-beaten face, he felt a little sour inside. Zhao Ming had also been one of the class’s top students, and his college entrance exam results had been quite good. But because his family was in hardship, Zhao Ming had chosen to drop out and work to support his only younger sister so that she could continue her studies.

“After dinner, let’s have a good talk, just the two of us,” Ling Tian said, patting Zhao Ming on the shoulder.