Chapter Twenty-Five: Bai, I Was Bullied

"The mountain hermit always has his own clever plan. Come, you and Chen Xiaoxuan join me for a grand meal today—let’s make up for yesterday," Lan Tian said with a mysterious smile, deliberately changing the subject. "By the way, remember to get someone to clean up the paint for me."

Wasn’t Zou Tao only so arrogant because his father had money? It seemed now that the least of Lan Tian’s worries was anyone trying to outdo him in wealth...

"Hey, you! You’re always so secretive, plotting something shady all day long. I feel like I should keep my distance, or one day you’ll sell me off and I won’t even know it!" Wang Lingjiao chided, then feigned a frightened look on purpose.

"Haha, how could that be? Who would I sell you to, anyway? You're not worth much," Lan Tian burst out laughing, driving the car out of the garage and signaling for Wang Ling to get in.

"Jerk!" Wang Ling shot him a fierce glare with her bright, sparkling eyes, yet she still opened the car door and got in.

As for her BMW Z4, it was naturally parked in Lan Tian’s family garage. With a luxury car and a driver at her disposal, only a fool would drive themselves!

"You seem pretty free lately—no cases to handle?" Lan Tian asked as they drove.

"Why? Does it make you happy to see me working myself to exhaustion?" Wang Ling shot him a sidelong glance.

"Of course not, I’m just concerned about you," Lan Tian replied with a helpless smile.

"Hmph, that’s better. I’ve been in a bad mood after arguing with my dad, so I haven’t wanted to take on any cases," Wang Ling huffed. "And another thing—remember the night we left the Jinning Hotel? I asked him to help me teach Zou Tao a lesson, and he just brushed it off! Unforgivable! I’m not speaking to him for a while."

"Tsk tsk. So you really did put in a word for me. Thank you," Lan Tian said, genuinely grateful. He’d thought she was just saying it at the time, but given Zou Tao’s comments yesterday about someone pressuring his father, it was clear it had been Wang Ling’s father.

"My, the mighty Lord Lan is suddenly so polite—this is new!" Wang Ling teased, feigning surprise, making Lan Tian laugh even harder.

What followed was a true display of feminine endurance. After calling Chen Xiaoxuan, the two women dragged him shopping all morning. Poor Lan Tian, the great tycoon, was reduced to nothing but a bag carrier...

It got worse after lunch—they wanted to keep shopping! When they finally tired themselves out, Lan Tian thought he’d be free at last, only to have the two of them insist on going to see a movie…

At the end of the day, if not for his recently enhanced physical condition, he’d have been too exhausted to stand.

Finally, after seeing the two terrors off, Lan Tian returned home past eight in the evening. Bai had long since woken up, and had even nagged him several times during the movie.

"Those two women aren’t bad—when are you going to make them yours?" Bai’s projection appeared as Lan Tian entered, wearing a mischievous grin.

Lan Tian was speechless. "What do you mean, 'make them mine'?!"

"Oh, come now, no need to pretend with me. In the universe, it’s perfectly normal for men to have multiple wives and concubines. Some powerful beings have countless women on a single planet—let alone just one. How could anyone be content with only one planet?" Bai raised his brows and gave him a knowing look.

"Please, I’m not that kind of person. You don’t understand love—when I love, it’s only one. Once someone occupies your heart, there’s no room for anyone else," Lan Tian scoffed, refusing to discuss love with a mere computer.

After what happened with Li Mei, though he was gradually letting go, he still couldn’t accept anyone new for now.

"By the way, Bai, I was bullied," Lan Tian began, preparing to set his plan for revenge in motion. But whether it would work depended on Bai’s approval, so he deliberately feigned a wounded look.

"You were bullied? What’s that got to do with me? Just bully them back! With your current strength, who on Earth could possibly beat you?" Bai replied coolly.

"It’s not about who can win a fight. You know as well as I do that on Earth, individual strength doesn’t decide everything. At my current level, I can’t act without restraint," Lan Tian retorted, exasperated by Bai’s constant advocacy of brute force.

"How troublesome. Then hurry up and cultivate! Once you reach Energy Condensation Level 19, you can do as you please on Earth," Bai seized the opportunity to brainwash him again into focusing on his training.

"I don’t buy it. Are you telling me that at Level 19, even nuclear bombs are nothing to worry about?" Lan Tian was skeptical.

"Believe it or not, if you reach Energy Condensation Level 19, nuclear bombs won’t matter," Bai replied with certainty.

"Seriously?! Hang on, let me recall what Level 19 actually entails." Seeing Bai so confident, Lan Tian began to search his memory for the relevant cultivation methods.

"Let’s see... Before Level 18, it’s all about physical transformation. At Level 19, spiritual power becomes tangible, allowing for... mental control, psychic shock, telekinesis?" Lan Tian muttered as he remembered, then suddenly snapped to attention, eyes wide. "Telekinesis?!"

"Exactly—telekinesis!" Bai nodded. "Everyone has spiritual power, but it’s usually feeble. The first 18 levels strengthen not just your body, but also your spirit. Otherwise, how could I claim you could stay alert for three days and nights without sleep? That’s the effect of increased spiritual power."

"Once you reach Level 19, your spiritual energy becomes tangible, resulting in a dramatic boost in ability! All the spiritual strength quietly accumulated over the first 18 levels comes fully into play."

"At that point, your body still can’t directly withstand a nuclear blast, but you can use telekinesis to alter the bomb’s trajectory before it reaches you, or even control it outright. Wherever you want it to explode, it will explode."

Lan Tian’s eyes shone with excitement, his blood surging. If not for the limits of his body, he’d want to train day and night without rest. With that kind of power, what on Earth could possibly harm him?

But food must be eaten one bite at a time, and the path must be walked step by step. Cultivation couldn’t be rushed—nor could it be forced.

After a bout of excitement, Lan Tian calmed himself and focused on the present. "Level 19 is a long way off. But right now, I’ve been bullied. Bai, will you help me get my revenge or not?"