Chapter 132: Notify Me Once You're Stripped Bare

Chapter 132: Let Me Know When You’re Stripped Down

Fan Shuang’er stared at Xu Yun for a long time. She still couldn’t help but wonder why her master trusted this man so implicitly. Even if he had once been an instructor for Dragon Fury, he had been away from the military for so long—was he still capable?

“Fan Shuang’er, I’ve broken through another level.” Qian Feng grinned smugly, raising an eyebrow in provocation. “Seventh level. Didn’t you say you wanted to surpass me? Well, go ahead and try.”

“Who are you trying to fool?” Fan Shuang’er rolled her eyes at him. She knew all too well how difficult it was to advance once you reached the fifth stage of a first-class master; that was exactly why she had been stuck at the fifth stage herself. The same held true for Qiu Yan, who had spent two full years just moving from the fourth to the fifth stage, and had seen no progress in her state of mind over the past year.

Qian Feng had been at the sixth stage for a year. He was naturally gifted, but breaking into the seventh stage had only happened last night, and that was with Xu Yun’s help.

Qian Feng’s smile was as smug as it could be. “Do I look like I’m lying? You think I spent last night with the boss just to sleep? I’m not like some people who have no ambition to improve...”

“What is that supposed to mean? Who are you talking about!” Fan Shuang’er glared at him, then looked at Xu Yun with newfound curiosity. Was this guy really that formidable? Still, she had to admit she was impressed; after all, the severe injuries to her arms had been handled by him with ease.

Could it be that he really helped Qian Feng level up? The prospect was incredibly tempting. As she thought about it, her eyes began to sparkle. If she could advance a level too, wouldn’t those guys back home finally look at her with respect?

Xu Yun suddenly felt a chill behind his back. Fan Shuang’er didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Xu Yun, you can’t just help Qian Feng and not me. Since you helped him break through, what about me?”

“His advancement was his own doing; what does that have to do with me?” Xu Yun felt quite helpless. He had just been there at the right time. Even if Qian Feng hadn’t broken through yesterday, he would have done so within the month. It had little to do with the meditation technique he had taught him; it was just that the guy was talented.

Fan Shuang’er didn’t believe him for a second. She stood up, slightly agitated. “Even if you were friends before, you shouldn’t be this biased. I’m also part of Dragon Fury. Why won’t you help me?”

Xu Yun rubbed his temples. “Can you keep your voice down? You’re trying to make sure everyone knows exactly who we are, right?”

Qian Feng silently regretted showing off. Although he and Fan Shuang’er weren’t exactly old partners, they had known each other for a long time, and he knew how stubborn she was. Once she set her mind to something, not even ten teams of oxen could pull her back.

Now, Fan Shuang’er was clearly convinced that Xu Yun was the direct cause of Qian Feng’s advancement, and she was going to latch onto him until he caved.

Ruan Qingshuang didn’t understand what they were talking about, but she watched Xu Yun and his two friends with interest. Xu Yun was becoming increasingly mysterious, and she found herself falling deeper and deeper for him, unable to stop.

Shan Jiahao was burning with curiosity, but he didn’t dare step forward to ask. He desperately wanted to know what this “Dragon Fury” was—it sounded incredibly impressive. Although he was fidgeting with anxiety, he held back; after all, Xu Yun hadn’t officially acknowledged him yet.

“Then come upstairs with me. We’ll talk in private,” Fan Shuang’er insisted, refusing to give up.

Qian Feng quickly tried to defuse the situation for Xu Yun. “Fan Shuang’er, you’d better think this through. The price I paid was sleeping with our boss. If you’re truly prepared to make that kind of sacrifice, I won’t stop you.”

Fan Shuang’er’s face turned crimson. What kind of weirdo was this guy?

“Get lost,” Xu Yun scolded. “Stop with the snide remarks and keep your nonsense to yourself. Go find somewhere cool to cool off. If I could help anyone level up just by sleeping with them, I’d be a national treasure—I wouldn’t have enough hours in the day. Fan Shuang’er, don’t listen to his bull.”

Qian Feng was determined to give Xu Yun some trouble, so he recited the mantra Xu Yun had taught him yesterday: “To seek stillness of the mind, one must first govern the eyes. The eyes are the masters of the spirit’s wandering; the spirit wanders through the eyes and is enslaved by the heart. Therefore, restrain the eyes to return the spirit to the heart. Fan Shuang’er, if you really want to break through, you need to learn from our boss.”

Once Fan Shuang’er heard such a logical mantra, she doubted Xu Yun’s ability even less. “Tell me, what are your terms?”

Xu Yun wasn’t foolish enough to trade his peaceful life for such a headache. If Fan Shuang’er were truly on the verge of a breakthrough, it would be one thing, but if they spent three or five days messing around with no results, she might just think he was scamming her or trying to take advantage of her.

“One hundred million,” Xu Yun stated, not mincing words.

“Why don’t you just go rob a bank!” Fan Shuang’er wanted to smack him.

Xu Yun shrugged. “Then there’s no way, unless you offer yourself.”

“If you won’t help me, fine. I’ll tell the Hedong police exactly who you are right now. Hmph, even if we leave later, they’ll definitely keep coming to you for help.” Fan Shuang’er thought of a perfect threat. “Choose for yourself: help me, or face endless trouble coming your way.”

“The most venomous heart is that of a woman,” Xu Yun sighed in defeat. He really wanted to kick Qian Feng. If it weren’t for his loose lips, Fan Shuang’er would never have proposed such an unreasonable demand. “I’ll help you, but you need to understand: if I have any requirements later and you don’t cooperate, then there’s nothing I can do.”

Qian Feng was grinning so hard his eyes disappeared. When he broke through yesterday, Xu Yun had used his internal energy to stabilize his *Shendao* and *Lingtai* acupoints on his back—which required removing his shirt. He was just setting a trap for Fan Shuang’er; besides, there was nothing else to do before the Green Ghost showed up, so why not have some fun?

Fan Shuang’er had no idea. She was determined; to advance, she was willing to pay the price. She knew she was the weakest in Dragon Fury. While many said that for a girl, reaching this level was already remarkable, she refused to accept that. She didn’t believe she was inferior to anyone.

Though she had only recently joined Dragon Fury, she had grown up in the Shenlong military unit. It was just that her previous branch had no connection to Dragon Fury. Last year, her unit was disbanded due to restructuring, and because of her exceptional aptitude, she had been reassigned to Dragon Fury, becoming its first female member.

As he watched Xu Yun lead Fan Shuang’er upstairs, Ruan Qingshuang felt a twinge of jealousy, but she trusted that Xu Yun wasn’t that kind of person. They had their own business, and since she didn’t understand it, it was better not to interfere.

As they climbed the stairs, Xu Yun said, “Once you reach a state of pure proficiency, intention turns into lack of intention, and deliberate action turns into natural action. Only then can the mind and spirit find true rest, reaching a state of no thought and no desire. Only with a clear and settled mind can you achieve a breakthrough. You understand this logic, right? If you don’t, it will be hard for me to teach you.”

“Of course I understand that logic,” Fan Shuang’er nodded. “You want to tell me that when practicing, I should keep a subtle focus on the *dantian* and breathe only from there. It should be like it exists yet doesn’t exist, present yet absent, correct?”

Xu Yun gave a thumbs up. “I truly underestimated you. Good. Then show me. Let me see exactly where your weak meridians and acupoints are.”

Fan Shuang’er felt a jolt of alarm. She knew very well that weak points would vibrate slightly during such meditation, but she also knew that this vibration couldn’t be felt through clothes! In other words, if she wanted Xu Yun to identify her weak points, she would have to take off her clothes!

“Why do you need to know where my weak meridians are?” Fan Shuang’er felt a tightening in her chest, her hands instinctively clutching her collar.

“You asked me to help you; I didn’t force you,” Xu Yun said. “If you think I’m doing this just to look at you, then pretend I never said anything. You should be able to figure out with your own common sense that if I don’t know where your weak points are, how could I possibly help you?”

Fan Shuang’er fell silent, biting her lower lip and staring at the ground, lost in thought.

“You’ve reached the level of a first-class master, so you should know better than anyone what holds you back when you try to advance,” Xu Yun said with a faint smile. “You can’t pinpoint your own weak points right now. All I can do is provide a boost to those specific areas. If you’re really at the threshold like Qian Feng was, I might be able to help, but if you’re still far off, then I can only say I’m sorry.”

The gamble was too big. Fan Shuang’er felt conflicted. It sounded like Xu Yun wasn’t guaranteeing a breakthrough, but he could definitely help her find her weak points. But the cost was stripping down... After all, they were a man and a woman.

Xu Yun shrugged. “It’s not too late to back out. I thought you understood all this, but since you’re insisting, it seems you didn’t. I advise you to take it slow. Breaking through is just a matter of time; why be in such a hurry? Besides, there are plenty of men in Dragon Fury; there’s no need for a girl like you to take on so much. You don’t need to be so hard on yourself.”

Hearing this, Fan Shuang’er’s eyes grew even more determined. Ever since she joined Dragon Fury, she had heard words like that constantly. They always said, “Because she’s a girl, so...” What about being a girl? She refused to lose to anyone, especially in a place like Dragon Fury, where she felt she would always be at the bottom.

Fan Shuang’er made up her mind. If she could break through with Xu Yun’s help, great. If not, at least she would know her weaknesses and could focus on them during her meditation to stop holding herself back.

“I insist,” Fan Shuang’er said, steeling herself and walking into Xu Yun’s room. At most, she would just close her eyes and pretend nothing was happening.

Xu Yun couldn’t refuse anymore. He had said everything that needed to be said. If she insisted on him looking, he would just look openly. “Fine. Then strip. Let me know when you’re done.”