"What?" Changsun Ruoyan was greatly surprised to hear her sister's words.
"Heh, I was there all along, I just didn't tell you because I was afraid Zhou Hong wouldn't want it known. But since he's used some method to improve you so much in a short time, he probably doesn't plan to hide it from you anymore, which is why I'm telling you now."
"My heavens," Changsun Ruoyan looked incredulous.
"Alright, I don't want to ask anymore. I'm hanging up now. Keep up the good work."
"Mmmhmm!"
"Oh, right. Since you have the chance to be with him, flatter him a little," Changsun Qinghe instructed.
"I will!"
At that moment, in the room, Zhou Hong had indeed heard the conversation between the sisters in the bathroom. Zhou Hong couldn't help but let out a wry smile, not expecting Changsun Qinghe to have revealed it.
Changsun Ruoyan quickly emerged from the bathroom and looked at Zhou Hong, speechless.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Zhou Hong asked, feeling helpless.
"Zhou Hong, no, Senior Zhou, please accept my bow." Changsun Ruoyan was about to prostrate herself before Zhou Hong.
"Heh, your sister told you, didn't she."
"Mmmhmm, my sister said you even slapped away a genius on the Earth Ranking. My heavens, I never imagined you were so powerful." Changsun Ruoyan was shocked again. She had a secret crush on someone, the top genius of their Shenwu Academy, named Xiao Tianzhan, who was known in the capital as someone born to be an Earth Ranking genius. However, compared to Zhou Hong, Xiao Tianzhan was worlds apart. Xiao Tianzhan hadn't even entered the Earth Ranking yet, while Zhou Hong had already slapped away an Earth Ranking genius. They were simply not on the same level.
Changsun Ruoyan looked at the man before her, finding it hard to believe that she knew such a talented man, and that just now, she had... done that to him.
"Alright, alright, what's so great about that? It's ridiculous." Zhou Hong felt a bit overwhelmed by the worshipful look in Changsun Ruoyan's eyes. He hadn't even used a tenth of his strength, and she was already so awestruck. How was he supposed to live?
The noon passed quickly.
"Zhou Hong, the dean wants us to gather in the main hall quickly. The second round of matches starts at three this afternoon," Changsun Ruoyan called out after the lunch break.
"I'm not going. It's pointless. I've already made it into the top ten. Just let me know when the top ten ranking battles begin," Zhou Hong said without hesitation.
"Then where will you go? You're not going to spend the whole afternoon in your hotel room, are you?"
"Not necessarily. Maybe I'll just wander around the provincial capital. Anywhere is fine."
"Do you want me to accompany you?"
"No need."
"Alright then, see you tonight."
Changsun Ruoyan then left the room alone.
"Ruoyan, where's Zhou Hong? Why didn't he come down with you?" the dean asked urgently when they arrived in the lobby.
"Zhou Hong asked me to tell you that he doesn't want to go to the Martial Arts Hall anymore and to notify him when the top ten battles begin. He wants to have free time these few days."
"Alright!" The dean didn't insist. After all, Zhou Hong had already qualified for the top ten group, and he would only watch others' matches from now on.
Zhou Hong didn't know where he should go. The provincial capital was also a strange place to him.
However, even if he didn't know where to go, it was still better than going to the Martial Arts Hall to watch others compete. Competitions of this level were like playing house for kindergarteners to Zhou Hong, utterly boring.
Zhou Hong left the hotel and walked alone on the streets, aimlessly, just wandering.
Soon, Zhou Hong arrived at a large park with a big lake. He stood by the lake, admiring the park's scenery.
Just then, an old man and a woman appeared behind Zhou Hong. They looked like a grandfather and granddaughter.
Zhou Hong's brow furrowed slightly as he saw the two, recognizing them instantly.
The old man was the chief judge of the Martial Arts Competition; he had given the opening speech that morning.
And the young girl, like Zhou Hong, had also participated in the top ten elimination round that morning and had secured a spot, meaning she had also made it into the top ten.
Zhou Hong couldn't help but chuckle. He hadn't expected to bump into two people he'd seen before just by wandering around the park.
At this moment, the girl also saw Zhou Hong. She recognized him immediately and quickly said, "It's you. You also made it into the top ten during the morning's elimination round, didn't you?"
"Hello, my name is Zhou Hong. You recognized me correctly. I was present at the top ten elimination round this morning," Zhou Hong nodded and greeted the woman. The woman was of average appearance, and Zhou Hong naturally had no ulterior motives towards her; he was merely greeting her because she had recognized him.
"Hmph! You showing up here, your intentions are probably not pure," the woman said with a cold snort.
Zhou Hong frowned, not understanding what she meant.
"What do you mean by that? The reason I'm here is that I didn't want to watch others compete at the Martial Arts Hall, so I came here for a stroll."
"Don't try to deny it. You must know that my grandfather and I often come to this park to practice martial arts, so you deliberately came here. Furthermore, you also made it into the top ten this morning, so you're trying to attract my grandfather's attention." The woman seemed to have seen through Zhou Hong's mind, scoffing coldly. She seemed to look down on people like Zhou Hong.
"Hahaha!" Zhou Hong couldn't help but laugh heartily.
"I've seen too many people like you. Many so-called geniuses have always found all sorts of coincidences to 'accidentally' meet my grandfather. Unfortunately, my grandfather despises such calculating and opportunistic people the most. Do you think just because you're in the top ten, you can catch my eye?" The woman seemed very arrogant, thinking Zhou Hong had designs on her.
At this moment, the old man also spoke, "Young man, wouldn't it be better to focus your energy on cultivating martial arts? You should know that I am the chief judge of this Martial Arts Competition."
"Of course, I saw you this morning," Zhou Hong nodded and said.
"Then you should even more know that with a single word from me, I can disqualify you. Even if you made it into the top ten this morning, it would be useless," the old man said with a haughty gaze.
"Haha, I haven't offended you, have I?" Zhou Hong asked, somewhat confused. He hadn't done anything; he had just wandered into this park.
"If it weren't for my granddaughter's quick tongue, you would probably already be expressing your affection to her. Unfortunately, it's not easy to become my Huang Ruohong's grandson-in-law. Let alone just making it into the top ten, even if you were the first-place winner of the Martial Arts Competition, I might not deem you worthy. You should leave now and not disturb my granddaughter's practice, otherwise, I will truly disqualify you."