Chapter One Dire Straits Maverick
"Mr. Li, it's Zeng Weiguang from the All-Region Communications Company on the phone for you," said the secretary, Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu always wondered why her boss, Zhang Lei, who was such a savvy person, liked to associate himself with Zeng Weiguang, the leader of a shell company, All-Region Communications, and an absolute mafia boss in the business world. "I can't ask about the boss's business," she sighed and got back to work.
Zhang Lei was admired by everyone in the company for his business acumen and his ability to establish his trade company with just a small amount of capital to eventually become a company worth millions in assets within only six years. Despite the envy that Zhang had accumulated for his brilliance and unique perception in the business world, he still managed to gain respect for his courage and extraordinary deeds. Zhang was twenty-nine years old, short with dark skin, and his intellect allowed him to scrape through college with the help of his friends. With a pleasant demeanor and friendly attitude, Zhang had made many acquaintances.
"Hey, Weiguang, what's going on? I have a meeting soon...Oh, what? You want to meet? Can't it wait? Tomorrow I'll treat you to dinner and we can talk about it then, but today...no, what? Guaranteed business...I see, I'm coming right over!" Zhang Lei's face turned ashen as he hung up the phone. "Xiao Yu, cancel the meeting this afternoon and notify Peng Zidong and Jian Zai to go to room 403 at Hilton Hotel now, they need to hurry!" Hurry, Zhang Lei sped in his car to the Hilton Hotel and rushed upstairs as he saw that Zeng Weiguang was already waiting for him outside the door.
"Brother Zhang, don't panic. This situation demands a well thought out plan," advised Zeng Weiguang.
"What's going on with Ansheng Corporation?" asked Zhang Lei.
Sighing, Zeng Weiguang replied, "The CEO of their company is suspected of fraud and has fled with a large sum of money. Several companies that offered guarantees for them have become extremely anxious as well as the companies that were cheated, who have already filed a lawsuit. I wanted to inform you as soon as possible so that you could be prepared."
"I was too foolish to listen to your advice on guaranteeing their company, and now isn't the time for an apology. We haven't sorted everything out yet," said Zhang Lei, calmly and cautiously. With his shrewd eyes, he then asked Zeng Weiguang, "When did this happen?"
Zeng Weiguang was surprised at Zhang Lei's calm reaction but answered,"Around three days ago, I just found out and called you immediately."
Zhang Lei turned to leave, "Thank you, Weiguang. I'll keep in touch."
As he walked towards the door, two boys were seen waving at him from a distance, calling out, "Brother Zhang, Brother Zhang!"
"Ok, Weiguang, I'm out of here. Please keep me posted!" Zhang Lei rushed downstairs with the two boys. Once in the lobby, Zhang Lei swiftly briefed Jian Zai to look for people while telling Peng Zidong to call the department managers together for a meeting at the company when he comes back. Zhang then hopped into the car and advised the driver to move fast. He knew that he was in big trouble and had to come up with a plan, but his head was spinning, and he couldn't think of anything. Out of desperation, he took out his phone to call his girlfriend, only to hear the prompt that she had shut it off. Zhang Lei became inexplicably frustrated as he walked towards the building when the phone rang.
After answering, his face turned pale. "Go back, immediately go back to the Hilton Hotel."With a tight and gripping plot, the author skillfully creates various events and scenes to maintain a fast-paced rhythm. The atmosphere is intensified by descriptions of language and setting, evoking a sense of suspense and tension. The author also takes care to create a vivid image of characters by detailing their appearance, personality, and background, bringing them to life in the narrative. The use of dialogues, interactive scenes, and other writing techniques further enlivens the story, making it engaging and entertaining. Overall, the author's style is powerful and compelling, depicting a suspenseful and captivating novel full of rich emotional complexity.
Returning once again to room 403 at the Hilton Hotel, Zhang Lei stood outside and listened to the familiar sound of his girlfriend's laughter from within. "Weiguang, with all this money we've made, take me away with you. If Zhang Lei finds out, it'll be trouble...haha, you're so bad." "Hey, be careful not to say anything silly. Come here, my little baby." Stunned and bewildered, Zhang Lei felt everything around him had become unfamiliar. His blood boiled with anger. He stumbled over to the floor attendant, a familiar face since this was a room frequently used to entertain his friends, and demanded she open the door. Entering the room, Zhang Lei coldly stared at the two half-dressed figure on the ** bed. Without speaking, he gazed at their panic-stricken faces. Weiguangzhi stuttered out, "Br...Brother Qiang, let me explain..." Zhang Lei looked at him like a dog and calmly said, "A long time ago, when I was very poor and small, there was a guy who always bullied and humiliated me. Guess what happened?" Weiguangzhi hoped Zhang Lei would shout and scream at him, but Zhang Lei's chilling silence was even more frightening."Brother Qiang...I...I..." "Let me tell you something. I've put up with you for a long time. You probably didn't expect that one day, he bullied a good friend of mine in our class who cared about me. Guess what I did?" Zhang Lei's face suddenly twisted, and his hand, which had been hidden behind his back, lunged out and thrust a fruit knife viciously into Weiguangzhi's stomach. "You're just like him. You've both been stabbed by me!" Zhang Lei whispered menacingly in Weiguangzhi's ear. At the sound of Zhang Lei's girlfriend's screams, Zhang Lei left the room without looking back. He felt like he had been stabbed by countless sharp blades in his heart. He dismissed his driver and aimlessly drove along the road. Finally, he stopped by the lake in the suburbs, a place he had often visited with his girlfriend before. Suddenly, his phone rang. "Hello, do you remember me? I'm Fu Shan." Zhang Lei immediately remembered him as a friend he had met five years ago. He was a mysterious person who had wanted him to go with him at the time, but Zhang Lei refused as he was full of ambition back then. He had promised Zhang Lei back then, "I will come back to find you in five years. You will need my help then." For some reason, he left a strong impression on Zhang Lei, and his memory of him remained vivid even after all these years. Shaken to the core, Zhang Lei replied, "I remember." "Do you want me to help you?" "How can you help me? Where are you?""Behind you," a tall figure suddenly appeared before Zhang Lei, startling him. As he regained his composure and took a closer look at Fu Shan, he noticed the man’s tall, muscular frame, dressed in a perfectly fitting black suit with a dark blue patterned tie. His long black hair flowed elegantly behind him, and his deep-set eyes peered from beneath thick eyebrows, piercing straight through Zhang Lei. Though seemingly in his thirties, his eyes betrayed a sense of profound experience and agelessness that left Zhang Lei perplexed. Though not entirely sure what Fu Shan did for a living, Zhang Lei regarded him as a strikingly mysterious individual. Even after five years apart, Fu Shan still looked just as he did on their first encounter.
"Fu Bro, how did you know I was here?" Zhang Lei asked. Just as sirens echoed in the distance, Fu Shan glanced back and chuckled, "Looks like the police are looking for you."
Zhang Lei answered the phone, where someone shared some hilarious news that unleashed a torrent of laughter. He then tossed his phone into the lake and turned to Fu Shan, "How can you help me? You should go; I don't want to involve you. This place is surrounded."
Fu Shan chuckled and replied, "Well, I’ll ask you what I always do. Do you want to come with me?"
Feeling that Fu Shan was somewhat toying around with him, Zhang Lei shouted, "Yes! What the f*ck else is there to do?"
Sudden footsteps surrounded them, and high-frequency loudspeakers reached out, calling out, "Stay put, and don't resist. Put your hands on the car hood; do not resist."
Fu Shan grinned, "Alright, you finally agreed. Hahaha..." Suddenly, with a burst of light, the two vanished into thin air, leaving the bewildered police staring at the abandoned car by the lake.
From that moment on, Zhang Lei embarked on a journey of discovery, a surreal experience that he never imagined would be so enriching, thrilling, and implausible. "Hehe, we're here," Fu Shan said with a mischievous grin, gazing upon an ancient battlefield with no one in sight.
Zhang Lei was astonished as he watched Fu Shan, who emitted a golden light and cradled a bundle of purple light in his hands. Slowly, his body rose from the ground, looking positively divine. Unable to comprehend what he was seeing, Zhang Lei thought to himself, "Is he a god or a heavenly being? Definitely not human. With all the friends I’ve made over the years, none are quite like him."The purple light gradually emitted a dazzling brightness and hovered above Zhang Lei's head as it left Fu Shan's hand. A force of unknown nature pulled Zhang Lei into the purple light, and as he closed his eyes, he felt a powerful and warm current flowing from the top of his head down to his feet. The slowly increasing warmth soon became overwhelming, and when he tried to scream, he found he could not, nor could he open his eyes. He was trapped, painfully feeling as if someone was burning his organs. Just as he thought he could bear it no more, a cooling force swept over him, soothing the pain. Time passed, the pain subsided gradually and the initial comfortable feeling returned.
"Done, finally. Ah, what a perfect result," Fu Shan said happily. "Oh, I forgot to tell you that the 'Purple Flame Heart' has modified your appearance. You should take a look in the mirror."
"What is the Purple Flame Heart?" asked Zhang Lei, who felt something comfortable beyond words emanating from his bones. He stretched lazily, and his movement was accompanied by the sound of cracking bones.
The change in his body immediately caught his attention. He could see clearly faraway mountains, eagles soaring high in the sky, and hear the light whistle of the wind as it swept across the land. The sounds of birds chirping and horses neighing in the distance were incredibly clear. He looked down at his clothes, which had shrunk, and his pants had crept up to below his knees. Suddenly, he realized that he had grown taller.
"The Purple Flame Heart is a magical tool I use to cultivate my skills, it is specifically designed for constructing a foundation. Your ability and character fit it perfectly," Fu Shan explained with a smile.
Zhang Lei was speechless, everything was simply beyond his comprehension. "Is this the beginning of my cultivation road?" he asked.
"Yes, it is. I have laid a foundation for you, but it is up to you to fully absorb and utilize the power of the 'Purple Flame Heart' to cultivate your own strength and reach the realm of a true cultivator. Kid, the road ahead is long," Fu Shan said, surprised at how quickly Zhang Lei had assimilated himself into the Purple Flame Heart, even if it was less than one percent of its power. As expected, Zhang Lei was the one whom he had seen promise in five years ago.
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Zhang Lei still had so many questions: "Are you a fairy?"
"What is a fairy? What does a fairy do?" Fu Shan asked back with a laugh. "A fairy is omnipotent and immortal, but really, who has ever seen one? Ah, anyway, if there are fairies, then there must be the King of Hell, and the Buddha too. And, what about God? What is God for?" Zhang Lei's words became more and more muddled as he spoke, until even he was confused.With a tight and gripping plot, the author expertly weaves a story filled with suspense and intrigue through the unfolding of various events. The use of language and vivid scene descriptions helps to create a powerful ambiance that draws readers in. The author's attention to detail and character development makes the protagonists more vivid and lifelike. The use of dialogue, interaction between characters, and setting descriptions keeps the story engaging, dynamic, and enjoyable to read. This suspenseful novel showcases the author's skillful writing, packed with vivid characters and rich emotions.As Zhang Lei looked at the designer clothes on his friend Fu Shan, he suddenly asked, "Brother, I haven't seen you with any luggage. Where did you put the clothes and shoes?" Fu Shan extended his left arm, rolled up his sleeve, and revealed a three-finger-width bracelet on his wrist. The bracelet had a strange color, a dark brown with faint patterns flashing with a mysterious silver halo, and was slowly rotating inside. "Wow, this is so gorgeous. What kind of bracelet is it?" asked Zhang Lei in amazement. "It's called the 'Najia Bracelet.' It's a specialized item for high-level cultivators to store things in, and this is the best kind. I've only found this one in all these years. Oh, I have another one that I exchanged after obtaining the 'Najia.' Here, take it," replied Fu Shan. As if by magic, he produced a second bracelet from nowhere. Zhang Lei played with his new bracelet, which was a cobalt blue color and twice as wide as the Najia Bracelet. The edges of the bracelet had an irregular pattern that upon closer inspection, appeared to be a strand of cobalt blue squeezed together with silver stars sparkling underneath. "This kind of bracelet is called the 'Tan Bo Bracelet.' It's the best among all such storage bracelets. Try wearing it," Fu Shan said with a smile. "There are many things inside the bracelet that I won't use, but I'll give you everything as a gift." Zhang Lei put on the bracelet and immediately understood its mysteries. Although he didn't know how it was made, he had no trouble using it and produced a wad of cash from the bracelet, which then disappeared and was replaced by a diamond the size of a large egg. Zhang Lei cried out in amazement, "There are so many things inside the bracelet. Ah, this is a diamond, and this is...my god, it's a long knife!" The objects in Zhang Lei's hand appeared and disappeared in turn. Fu Shan looked at him with a smile and said, "Let's hit the road. Everything inside the bracelet belongs to you. Take your time exploring it later." With a light shout of "Let's go!", a white light flashed, and there was no one left on the ground.
Chapter 2 reborn
From his transformation until now, Zhang Lei had never understood how he ended up like this. Sitting in a guest room at the Jinjiang Hotel, he gazed at himself in the mirror and touched his face. "No one will recognize me now. I can't believe I could become this good-looking. But what's the use? I've lost everything - my family, friends, and company. I have nothing left."
Zhang Lei was now 180 centimeters tall with broad shoulders and a slender waist. His skin was as smooth and delicate as a baby's, with a faint red glow flowing beneath it. His muscles oozed explosive power while his slender eyes flickered with awe-inspiring brilliance. His facial lines were sharp and vigorous, not necessarily handsome but full of masculinity. He was unrecognizable from his old self, except for his mature eyes that still remained.
Fu Shan had told Zhang Lei that he would leave Earth in twenty days, and that he had to attend to some business. He would come back to pick him up soon. Zhang Lei was satisfied with his new appearance and felt great. He could start all over again with a blank slate. After taking a shower and getting dressed, he left the hotel.
The first thing Zhang Lei did was to rent a warehouse room. Since he might not return to Earth for a while, he thought he should buy as many things as possible. He should also make good use of the cash in his bracelet. If he didn't, it would be just a pile of worthless paper when he left Earth.
"Excuse me, do you have any good wine?" Zhang Lei smiled charmingly at the beautiful saleswoman in a tobacco and liquor store. The saleswoman, who was usually articulate, became speechless and couldn't take her eyes off him. Her face reddened, and she thought, "He's so handsome! My boyfriend can't compare with him."
The two young female staff behind the opposite counter whispered and giggled to each other, occasionally making ambiguous laughter.
"What did you say?" The beautiful saleswoman's face grew redder.
"Nothing." Zhang Lei smiled again. "I want to buy some good wine. Can you recommend some to me?"
The saleswoman couldn't believe it when the astonishingly handsome and rich young man bought almost all the famous brand wines in the store. He placed a thick stack of cash on the counter, told the hired workers to move the bottles, and waved goodbye to her before striding off to the next mall.
For a long time, the beautiful saleswoman remembered the handsome and wealthy young man, fantasizing what would have happened if he had been her boyfriend.
Zhang Lei shopped till late that night. He finally stopped his crazy buying spree, returned to the rented warehouse, and stored everything in his bracelet. When he came back to the hotel, it was already past eleven o'clock.
"I'll buy more tomorrow." Sitting on the bed, Zhang Lei couldn't sleep. His painful past and his struggles in the mall flashed through his mind like a movie. He stayed up all night, unable to find solace until his crazy shopping ended.With his typical writing style, the author presents a suspenseful story with a strong narrative and vivid descriptions.
After nineteen days of massive shopping spree, Zhang Lei, a businessman, finds himself spending more than 9 million RMB, or over 1 million USD, and filling his bracelet with all kinds of goods, from clothes to books, from rice to medicines. On the twentieth day, Fu Shan appears on time and the two find themselves on the mysterious planet Mars.
As they sit in a huge depression zone, Fu Shan begins to meditate to recover from the teleportation while Zhang Lei observes the surroundings. He marvels at the red cliffs and the silent sky, and wonders why he can breathe without feeling any discomfort. As he recalls a martial arts novel he read before, he attempts to perform some techniques but fails miserably.
Despite feeling lost and alone, Zhang Lei is determined to return to Earth one day, and he begins to reflect on his transformation after receiving a Ziyanyixin treatment. With his compact writing style and excellent narrative pace, the author has successfully presented a suspenseful story full of vivid imagery and complex emotions.Hold your breath, close your eyes, and calm your mind. After a long time, just when Zhang Lei was about to lose hope, there was a loud bang and he felt like his body was blasted apart. Even with his eyes closed, he could see a purple flame expanding in his body, and he knew that his "Purple Flame Heart" had been triggered. This was not something trivial. It was like throwing a huge stone into the water, creating ripples that spread out layer by layer. Now, the "Purple Flame Heart" was like the water surface, and Zhang Lei's breath-holding and calmness was like the huge stone that was thrown into it, activating the massive energy of the "Purple Flame Heart." A dazzling purple light began to emit from Zhang Lei's body, lighting up the surroundings.
Zhang Lei regretted triggering his "Purple Flame Heart" because he had no idea what to do next. He thought, "This is really a big problem! Brother Fu may not wake up anytime soon. What am I going to do?" The energy of the "Purple Flame Heart" continued to expand, and Zhang Lei could no longer sit still. He jumped out of the ground and dashed towards the nearby cliff, breaking through the protective "Five-Color Flame Robe," and smashing towards the boulder.
Looking at the approaching cliff, Zhang Lei screamed in terror, "Whoa... the mountain is falling! Help…!” As expected, the cliff collapsed, and huge rocks fell from it, rushing towards the "Five-Color Flame Robe" below in a thunderous roar. Deeply embedded in the cliff, Zhang Lei was terrified and shouted, "Brother Fu, get away quickly… Huh, why am I still alive?" Watching the rocks fall onto the "Five-Color Flame Robe," the colorful light suddenly started to spin rapidly, carrying the swirling dust that obscured the dazzling light. Gradually, everything calmed down, and Zhang Lei found that the rocks fell neatly around the "Five-Color Flame Robe" and did not smash into it.
Overwhelmed with amazement, Zhang Lei said, "This is such a great treasure! Oh my god... how do I get down from here?" Zhang Lei's body was emitting a purple light, and he seemed like a lamp hanging on the cliff from a distance. Luckily, this was on Mars. If it were on Earth, who knows what kind of shocking effect it would have.
With the continued spread of "Purple Flame Heart" energy, the rocks around Zhang Lei began to crumble. Panicking, Zhang Lei begged, "This is not fun anymore, please stop it. Don't break anymore stones. Oh no! Help!" With a thunderous sound, Zhang Lei crashed deeply into the ground and stayed half a meter down for a while, before crawling up with a mouth full of sand. He punched the huge rock beside him in frustration, venting his dissatisfaction. With another loud roar, the rock seemed to explode into pieces. "What the hell is going on? Is this because of Brother Fu turning me into a monster? I'm going to get killed!" Zhang Lei dared not move, and cautiously tried to enter the "Five-Color Flame Robe.""Hmm, why can't I get in? Brother Fu, open the door!" Zhang Lei was blocked by the "Five Color Flame Enchantment," no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't step into it. He lay on the "Five Color Flame Enchantment" pitifully, looking at Fu Shan inside. He didn't know how long had passed until Fu Shan slowly opened his eyes. What he saw was a young man with a purple flame body attached to the shield, looking at him with eager eyes, and his lower body was dangling. He shouted, "Thank God! Brother Fu, open the door!"Fu Shan was stunned. Wasn't this Zhang Lei? He waved his hand and retracted the "Five Color Flame Enchantment." Zhang Lei suddenly lost support and fell to the ground with a "pu tong" sound. Looking at Zhang Lei getting up from the ground embarrassedly, Fu Shan couldn't help laughing like crazy, "Haha... haha... brother... haha, although there is no outsider here, we don't need to be so exaggerated... hahaha!" Zhang Lei's attention was loosened, and he immediately found that he was completely naked. It turned out that after the "Purple Flame Heart" was activated, all his clothes turned into ashes. Just when he took out a piece of clothing from his bracelet and opened the package, "pu", the clothes turned into ashes in a faint green smoke.Zhang Lei was dumbfounded. Fu Shan restrained his laughter and said, "Brother, the things you brought from Earth can't be used now. The true fire emitted by your 'Purple Flame Heart' will burn anything if it cannot be controlled." Zhang Lei crossed his hands and covered his genitals, sadly saying, "If I didn't have confidence in my current appearance, I would not be able to live. I can't even be seen like this." Fu Shan couldn't help but laugh again. He really didn't expect that the guy he found this time was such a funny guy. "Don't worry, brother, I didn't expect you to enter the 'Spiritual Silence Period' so quickly. You have only been cultivating for a few days, and it's really amazing. Generally, it takes a few decades for most cultivators to enter this stage. Hey, you are really powerful, envy people ah." Zhang Lei couldn't help but puff his chest when he heard the praise, but suddenly felt something was wrong, and hurriedly bent over to cover his precious baby, calling out in embarrassment, "Brother, never mind the spiritual silence or not, think of a way quickly, don't let me be naked." "Hehehe, I was originally going to let you refine armor by yourself before the Spiritual Silence Period, but now I can't. Alright, I'll give you a set of armor I've refined, but you still have to learn how to refine armor in the future." Fu Shan walked up to Zhang Lei, revealing a set of silver armor. When he held it up, the silver armor was like a living thing and automatically attached to Zhang Lei's body. As soon as the armor was worn, the purple flames began to burn. The silver-white armor was shining, and the purple flames on the surface of the armor rippled like flowing water. Slowly, the purple flames disappeared into the armor, and the silver-white armor had a charming purple flame inside. After wearing the armor, Zhang Lei didn't feel any weight but felt cool all over his body and extremely comfortable. He was no longer surprised and had another treasure. Looking at the armor on his body carefully, Zhang Lei felt that it was nothing to criticize. It was simply an extreme work of art. He pointed to the armor on his body and asked, "What is the name of this armor? It's so beautiful... oh no..." Zhang Lei suddenly thought of a problem, "How can I take it off?""Hey hey," Fu Shan had a mischievous grin on his face. "This armor is called 'Starry Sky,' it is a top-notch internal armor that will never fall off once it's put on. However, when the soul realm cultivation ends and the Yuan Ying period begins, the armor will attach itself to the Yuan Ying and become invisible on the outside. This is when you will need to refine the second armor, which is called the true combat armor that can be put on and taken off."
"Ah, I can't take it off? What about when I have to go out in public? I can't be walking around in shiny armor. What will people say?" Zhang Lei started to panic.
"Don't worry, it's normal where we're from, and no one will make fun of you," Fu Shan reassured him. "Here, I'll give you this 'Jade Eye Book,' you can use it to learn and understand anything. Just input some of your energy and give it a try." Fu Shan handed him a black jade about the size of a cigarette box. Zhang Lei tried it and was amazed. Turns out, it was a memory stone containing a vast amount of information about items manufacturing, cultivation techniques, formations, and so on. It was just like accessing a database of knowledge.
"We should get going now, it's a bit of a journey to get to the teleportation point." Zhang Lei asked curiously, "Fu Da Ge, is the technology on the Sealing Border Star more advanced than on earth?"
Fu Shan smiled, "It's hard to compare, they are different types of technology, and each has its strengths. To be honest, coming back to Earth this time really opened my eyes; the difference is like night and day. You'll learn all about it once you get to Sealing Border Star."
"Are there many planets to visit? Is it fun?" asked Zhang Lei.
"There are many planets to visit, but it takes a lot of fairy stones and ready-made teleportation arrays to get there. It's up to you to decide if it's worth it or not."
"Can I still come back to Earth later?"
"You can, but you need to reach the 'Combined Cultivation Period' to have that ability. The ancient teleportation arrays on Earth have long been lost, so you'll need to rely on your own cultivation level to return."
Zhang Lei didn't quite understand what the Combined Cultivation Period meant. It was something that required countless years of practice. He thought he could return quickly. If Fu Shan could explain it a bit more clearly, he might have gone crazy. Fu Shan had spent over 700 years to gain the ability to come back to Earth, how much time would it take for Zhang Lei?
They arrived at the teleportation point in no time. To Zhang Lei's surprise, the teleportation point was made up of large energy stones, resembling the Bagua diagram, an ancient Chinese octagonal diagram representing the eight natural phenomena. Fu Shan chuckled, "This was also my first time using this teleportation point to get to Sealing Border Star. However, it has been abandoned for many years, and only a few cultivators remember it. If it wasn't for your low level of cultivation, I wouldn't have thought of using this."
"Okay, you stand in the center of the array and wait for me to activate it," Fu Shan began replacing some inoperative energy stones and rotating the vertices of the diagram. The energy stones began to glow, and the light flowed between the stones.
Fu Shan sighed softly, "This teleportation point has been abandoned for too long; it will take some time to calibrate the direction."