Chapter Twelve: The Original Intention
Chen Hongxu returned to the house he had commandeered, his face set in grim lines. The front door was still deserted, and peering inside, he saw Su Xiaoxiao sitting atop the bear's back in a strikingly commanding pose, at once languid and pensive, yet dazzlingly radiant. The bear sprawled on the floor, utterly lacking the demeanor of a master, while that shameless scoundrel Fan Caobao crouched beside Su Xiaoxiao, ingratiatingly massaging her calves—a sight Chen Hongxu pretended not to notice.
When Chen Hongxu came back alone, Su Xiaoxiao shifted her hips, pushed off with both hands, and sprang lightly to land in front of him, her voice tinged with concern, “He didn’t give you any trouble?”
Chen Hongxu shook his head, casting a glance at the bear now sprawled flat on the ground, tongue lolling, and at Fan Caobao, who seemed to have caught a stray kick from Su Xiaoxiao. He smiled.
Fan Caobao, rubbing his face, sidled up and buzzed, “Brother Chen, did he spar with you?”
Su Xiaoxiao smiled silently, and the bear twitched its ears, clearly eavesdropping. Chen Hongxu shot Fan Caobao a glare, laughing, “Spar? He could finish me in a second. There’s no reason he’d bother with sparring.”
“That strong?” Fan Caobao clicked his tongue in disbelief.
Chen Hongxu offered no further explanation; he’d pondered battles at that level for a long time, wondering how he might cope. The answer, he realized, was unsolvable. Masters below the grade still relied on their own strength, maximizing their force only by closing in on their opponent. But graded masters, with a wave of their hand, could summon the very aura of heaven and earth; the two modes of combat were simply not on the same plane. Of course, these were only Chen Hongxu’s provisional thoughts—he had yet to consult his martial spirit for confirmation.
“By the way,” Chen Hongxu remembered something and asked, “What measures does the state take against defectors on the Black List? Don’t tell me there are none!”
He was clearly directing this question at Fan Caobao, whose family background was formidable; who else could he ask for such information?
Fan Caobao scratched his head, troubled. “Just some rumors I heard from Dao Tu. Don’t take it seriously—I'll just say it, you just listen.”
The three nodded in unison, as if none had heard of it before.
“Apparently, they’ll send someone to eliminate them directly. I know because the old man in my family seemed to have done such things before!”
Everyone nodded expectantly, eyes fixed on Fan Caobao, waiting for more revelations.
Fan Caobao lifted his head and, after a few seconds, sensed something was amiss. He blinked, puzzled. “What’s wrong with you?”
“We’re waiting for you to continue!” someone urged.
“Continue with what?” Fan Caobao shrugged, blew at the messy strands of hair falling on his forehead, and said with a flourish, “That’s all I know!”
Chen Hongxu curled his lip, exchanged a knowing glance with Su Xiaoxiao, and said, “Useless fellow. Bear, get him—let’s waste him.”
After a bout of roughhousing, Fan Caobao surrendered, rolling on the floor without a shred of dignity. “Boss, sister, I’m starving!”
Once Fan Caobao mentioned hunger, everyone realized they were famished too. Chen Hongxu glanced at the stairway, asked Su Xiaoxiao how long Zhang Shufang had been upstairs, and, after learning she wouldn’t be coming down anytime soon, the group set out together in search of food.
The bear and Fan Caobao, carefree as ever, either didn’t want to think too much or dared not ask. Only Su Xiaoxiao, before stepping out, drew close to Chen Hongxu and declared loudly and meaningfully, “Binglong?”
...
The Southern District, serving as the temporary camp’s trading area, was naturally teeming with people—at least, compared to the other three districts. It couldn’t rival the bustling city streets of a true metropolis.
The four wandered through streets filled with hawkers’ cries. Without warning, Su Xiaoxiao raised her hand and smacked the head of Fan Caobao, who strutted ahead, head held high, hands behind his back, acting every bit the big shot.
Fan Caobao glanced at the bear beside him, and, with a quick calculation, realized that whoever had slapped him was not someone to offend. He clutched his head, shot a resentful glare at the bear’s grinning face, and turned around, whining innocently, “What’s this for?”
Su Xiaoxiao, exasperated, withdrew her hand and scolded, “You really are a fool. Do you think this is BJ City? You swagger down the street as if you’re the king of the world, but you’re just inviting trouble. That slap was mild. Behave yourself—don’t stir up trouble for no reason.”
“So that’s why!” Fan Caobao forced a smile, flattering, “Three together—there’s always someone to learn from. The ancients didn’t lie! Walking with Sister Su, I always gain wisdom.”
He turned around, shedding his earlier smug demeanor, hunching his back and shuffling forward like a pitiful child.
Su Xiaoxiao, watching his pitiable act, slapped her forehead and muttered, “Useless—like mud that won’t stick to a wall.”
Chen Hongxu was long used to their nonsensical antics, paying them no mind as he continued to observe his surroundings, his pace steady and his gaze shifting ahead, never lingering on the onlookers.
The people on the street couldn’t gauge the depth of the group’s abilities. Apart from watching warily, no one dared provoke them.
“Fresh steamed buns—don’t miss out!”
Fan Caobao stopped at a bun shop, gazing at the steaming baskets. He wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, glanced at the bear, patted his shoulder, and said, “Go buy a hundred or so, my treat.”
The bear chuckled but didn’t move forward. Instead, he dug his hands into his pockets and pulled them inside out, helplessly saying, “I have no money.”
Fan Caobao raised a brow, withdrew the hand that had been cleaned off on the bear’s shoulder, and was about to scold him when something occurred to him. He turned to Su Xiaoxiao and asked, “Sister, with all these different people here, what’s the currency for trade?”
Thinking his question was perhaps too lofty, he added, “I mean, what do we use to buy things?”
Su Xiaoxiao smiled, eyeing Fan Caobao with deep meaning, replying evasively, “Are you insulting my intelligence?”
Fan Caobao felt a chill run down his back. He clasped his hands together in supplication, begging, “Sister, please let me keep some dignity in front of outsiders—don’t make me a laughingstock. Besides, if you use up your energy without eating, it’s not worth it!”
Su Xiaoxiao had only been smiling faintly, but upon hearing this, she flared up. She seemed motionless, yet somehow moved—otherwise, Fan Caobao wouldn’t have been sent flying.
Judging by his twisted expression, it wasn’t an act. Su Xiaoxiao exhaled sharply, gritting her teeth. “How dare you call me old!”
She glanced at the crowd, who were caught between amusement and disbelief, a subtle smile at her lips. She raised her hand and pointed at a man who was doubled over in laughter. “Bear, go rob that guy. He’s enjoying our show—he should pay us for it.”
Chen Hongxu eyed the woman whose every action seemed laden with meaning. Seeing Fan Caobao and the bear gone, he voiced the question that had weighed on him for some time: “The Three-Eyed God—are you planning to use it yourself, or give it to Su Ning?”
Su Xiaoxiao paused, dropped her gaze so her expression was hidden, and answered, “Why ask? Someone like me, a viper, does everything for myself. How could I ever do something for anyone else? In my heart, it’d be best if everyone else in the world died—then I’d be the supreme one.”
“I see,” Chen Hongxu smiled, not exposing her lie. He knew that, given her usual temperament, if she really meant to use it for herself, she wouldn’t have acted so coy. She simply didn’t want Chen Hongxu to see her true feelings—thus revealing her original intent.
“When did you become so nosy?” Su Xiaoxiao realized she’d been found out, glared angrily at Chen Hongxu, stomped her foot in frustration, and, seeing the bear still hadn’t handled that man, cursed, “Can’t even manage a simple task.”
Watching Su Xiaoxiao hurry away, Chen Hongxu understood that while her methods might be unconventional, her nature wasn’t truly bad. What he couldn’t fathom was what had happened in the past to make the brilliant Su Ning fall hopelessly in love with this seemingly “heartless” Su Xiaoxiao.
Clearly, Su Xiaoxiao still harbored guilt, but her words remained cold and unyielding—she simply refused to admit it.
Hidden Saint 12 _ Hidden Saint Free Full Text _ Chapter Twelve: The Original Purpose—update complete!