C6 The Femme Fatale

As evening approached, Mo Fanchen left the Su family's home.

Declining the Su family's kind invitation to stay for dinner, Mo Fanchen embarked on his journey home alone.

Upon arriving home by taxi, an uneasy Mo Fanchen cautiously opened his front door.

The house was as it always was, devoid of the feared parental uproar. Naturally, his mother's scolding and nagging were also absent.

"It looks like the Su family managed the situation of my overnight absence quite well! I'm curious about the excuse they used to cover it up from my family."

Mo Fanchen internally marveled at the Su family's influence. After informing his parents that he had already eaten, he retreated to his room.

In this age of information overload, the internet is the best tool for investigation.

Thus, the first thing Mo Fanchen did upon entering his room was to power up his computer and feverishly scour community forums and Tieba for any leads on warriors.

As time ticked away, Mo Fanchen came up empty-handed amidst the plethora of novels and humor.

"It seems that the affairs of the warrior world have escalated to a level beyond my reach!"

After shutting down his computer, Mo Fanchen sat cross-legged on his bed, hands resting on his elixir field, silently reciting the Raging Bull Force mantra while gradually adjusting his breathing to a pattern of three inhales and five exhales.

Before long, Mo Fanchen sensed a barely perceptible warmth in his elixir field, which began to travel through his meridians, circulating within his body.

"Hah? Is this the genuine energy that Su Qinghe spoke of? It worked! Su Qinghe's teachings are indeed effective!" Mo Fanchen's eyes snapped open in delight. "It appears that guidance from a mentor is essential in cultivation!"

Reflecting on the Raging Bull Force technique, Mo Fanchen assumed an odd posture, then with eyes closed, he channeled the energy throughout his body, rhythmically pulsing through his eight meridians with each breath.

After roughly a minute, Mo Fanchen collapsed onto the bed, exhausted, as the subtle genuine energy faded within his meridians.

Undeterred, Mo Fanchen resumed his practice, determined to continue his cultivation journey.

He continued this routine well into the night.

Once he set his mind to a task, he was unwavering in his commitment!

This was Mo Fanchen's principle, and the reason he continued to pursue Su Muyan despite being rejected for three years.

...

"Mo Fanchen! How's your training going?"

Today was the deadline for college applications, and the school was abuzz with students. Among them, Su Muyan spotted Mo Fanchen.

Mo Fanchen was pleasantly surprised when Su Muyan approached him. It was unprecedented for her to initiate a conversation with him at school, given that she used to avoid him at all costs.

"Wow, breaking news! Su Muyan is actually talking to Mo Fanchen!"

"Could it be that after three years, Mo Fanchen has finally won Su Muyan over at the last minute? Man, I should have pursued our goddess too! I mean, I'm way better looking than Mo Fanchen!"

"It's tough to say. I bet Su Muyan is about to hand Mo Fanchen the ultimate 'nice guy' card right before graduation, just to make him lose all hope."

"What? You guys, listen. I heard from a reliable source that Mo Fanchen spent a night at the Su family's house! As for what happened, well, that's for you to ponder!"

"Su Muyan just asked Mo Fanchen about his training! Could it mean...?"

"Whoa, the old driver is speeding! Let's not jump to any scandalous conclusions!"

The rumors swirling around made Su Muyan blush with embarrassment. She quickly handed Mo Fanchen a package and hurried away.

Mo Fanchen, the subject of all the speculation, didn't even check what Su Muyan had given him before he swiftly made his way to his classroom.

Their actions only fueled the students' curiosity, leading those with lingering doubts to believe there was more to their relationship.

Watching Mo Fanchen's hasty retreat, a burly and tall male student in the crowd glared with malice.

"Damn it! That little jerk Mo Fanchen is still bothering Su Muyan! Laowu, find a way to draw Mo Fanchen out. We're going to give him a 'graduation present' he won't forget!"

Upon returning to the classroom, Mo Fanchen was greeted by a welcome respite of quiet. But the tranquility was short-lived as a dashing classmate sidled up to him.

"Mo, look at you! You've been sneaky, winning over Goddess Su without letting us in on your secret! Come on, how did you pull it off?" he teased.

"What are you talking about?" Mo Fanchen feigned confusion.

"Oh, cut the act!" the handsome boy chuckled, giving Mo a playful shove. "You spent the night at Su Muyan's place after our drinks, didn't you? No need to ask how I know. I was the one who covered for you with your family, told them you were at my house! It was Su Muyan who asked me to take the heat for you!"

"Hehe, the things that can happen after a few drinks, it's just too delightful to think about!" he added with a wink.

"Will you stop spouting nonsense?" Mo Fanchen, now fully aware of the misunderstanding, replied with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Yes, I did have too much to drink that night. Su Muyan found me, but since she didn't know where I lived, she let me stay over. And for the record, the night was uneventful—none of the sordid affairs you're imagining took place!"

"Mo Fanchen!"

Just as he finished clarifying, a sweet and pleasant female voice rang out from the classroom doorway.

"Could you step outside for a moment? I need to speak with you."

At this, the other boys couldn't resist letting out a mischievous, wolfish howl.

With graduation on the horizon, declarations of affection were not uncommon among the students. Boys confessed to girls, girls to boys, and while these moments were often kept private, the school did not intervene. They understood the importance of leaving no regrets in the tender years of youth.

"Old Mo, you must've stepped in some kind of incredible luck last night, with all these romantic developments!" the handsome boy said, a hint of envy in his voice.

Feeling the weight of the room's intense stares, Mo Fanchen made a swift exit, not bothering to respond or explain further.

The girl, head bowed shyly, said nothing as they walked together toward the secluded grove by the sports field.

Mo Fanchen wasn't in a rush to press for answers, opting instead to silently follow the girl. As the secluded grove loomed closer, his heart began to pound uncontrollably.

Su Muyan had been stringing him along without making her feelings clear. Mo Fanchen mused that perhaps starting a romance with another girl wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

He watched the girl's charming figure ahead of him, his thoughts running wild.

The pair walked in silence until they reached the depths of the forest, where the girl abruptly stopped. She turned around, apologized to Mo Fanchen out of the blue, and then dashed off like a shot!

Before Mo Fanchen could gather his wits, a sense of danger surged within him. A group of over ten muscular and towering boys emerged from behind the trees, their intentions far from friendly.

Mo Fanchen immediately recognized them as members of the school's sports team, led by Zhang Xiaolong, who was also vying for Su Muyan's affections.

"Hehe, the adage 'a beautiful woman is a source of trouble' couldn't be truer! Who knew that a simple honey trap would lure this kid out so easily! I'm starting to regret not heeding my teacher's advice to study harder," Zhang Xiaolong sneered, cracking his knuckles menacingly.

Mo Fanchen knew better than to confront them head-on, especially since he was up against a group of formidable athletes. Unless he suddenly channeled the spirit of Ip Man, the idea of him effortlessly taking down his adversaries was laughable.

He wondered if the Mad Bull Fist and Raging Bull Force techniques he'd been practicing lately could turn the tide in his favor.

"Xiaolong, is there perhaps some misunderstanding between us?" Mo Fanchen asked, his voice steady, as he faced the approaching group with a confident smile.

"Misunderstanding? Competing with me, Zhang Xiaolong, for a woman? There's only one way this ends for you—death! Brothers, take him down!" Zhang Xiaolong's laugh was cold and menacing as he launched his fist toward Mo Fanchen.

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