However, this did not mean that his dad's cultivation over this period had made him a match for early-stage Ming Jing powerhouses. It was just that, thanks to the medicinal pills, his dad's physique had improved, and his explosive power was now comparable to that of an early-stage Ming Jing cultivator.

Next, Chen Zheng repeated the process, guiding everyone except for Li Yitong. He watched as they all entered the proper state and nodded in satisfaction.

Finally, Chen Zheng also sat down and began to circulate his cultivation technique. He felt as if his body had merged with the world. His True Qi had been depleted, flowing out like a gentle stream. However, he now possessed the sharp sword of a cultivation technique, allowing him to recover through his own practice.

After an hour, his dad was the first to awaken, his eyes sparkling like stars. He clenched his fists, and his knuckles let out a sharp crack.

"How does it feel, Dad? Not bad, huh?" Chen Zheng's voice was like melodious music.

"Great! I feel like I could kill a pig with one punch!" his dad said excitedly, as if he could already see his own valiant figure.

"That's wonderful! With the help of the pill, your strength has surpassed the bounds of ordinary humans. You and Mom should stay here for now. I'll have Yi Tong teach you Xing Yi Quan, and you can leave after you've mastered it."

Chen Zheng had already thought it through. Although his Baji Quan was unrivaled, its technical requirements were extremely high, making it unsuitable for his parents to imitate. Therefore, he decided to teach them Xing Yi Quan. As long as they could protect themselves, that was enough.

"I'm in!" his dad agreed without hesitation.

Immediately, Li Yitong began to demonstrate the mysteries of Xing Yi Quan to everyone.

Night fell, and moonlight spilled across the land. The group was still immersed in the world of Xing Yi Quan, as if time had stopped and fatigue was a foreign concept. Knowing they had to face reality, everyone headed to the Food Court with great enthusiasm for breakfast before plunging into a new day of work.

Chen Zheng sent his parents home and then returned to the Food Court to lend a hand.

The days that followed were peaceful and orderly. The garden villa, bathed in the glow of the sunset, looked like a quiet castle. Every evening, Li Yitong would be there teaching Xing Yi Quan. When they grew tired from practice, they would switch to cultivating the Longevity Technique, their enthusiasm unmatched.

"Ah... cultivation is so addictive!" Chen Zheng sighed, sitting alone on the living room sofa. He gazed at the beautiful figures of Li Yitong, Liu Qianqian, and Wei Zixuan, his eyes filled with longing.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye, and Li Hao's birthday quietly arrived.

At six in the evening, Chen Zheng was driving his parents toward the Food Court. Suddenly, a piercing siren sliced through the tranquil night. Chen Zheng quickly pulled the car to the side as the wailing vehicle sped past.

"Is there a fire somewhere? Why are they in such a hurry?" his dad murmured, watching the fire engine's silhouette disappear into the distance.

"It must be near that place," his mom whispered a prayer from inside the car, her eyes flickering with worry. "I hope everything is safe."

Chen Zheng didn't respond. He just increased his speed slightly, his heart filling with unease.

The three of them soon saw thick smoke rising in the distance—it was coming from near the Food Court's location.

"Mom, Dad, hold on tight." Chen Zheng's voice trembled slightly as he pressed down on the accelerator, his fear accelerating with the car.

A few minutes later, they finally arrived at the Food Court. The area was quiet, with no alarms breaking the tranquility, which gave Chen Zheng a slight sense of relief. Then he looked behind the Food Court, where smoke was wafting up. The sirens were coming from that direction.

That must be the bustling commercial street and the large shopping center.

At that moment, his mother suddenly asked, "Huh, Zheng, where are Li Hao and Zhao Gao?"

Chen Zheng glanced at the Food Court. There were only a few employees, and the area behind it was empty.

"It must be over there. Let's go take a look," Chen Zheng said, waving to his parents before leading them toward the commercial street.

Just a minute later, they were standing in the center of the street. A massive fire was raging on the second floor of the shopping mall, the smoke so thick it nearly blotted out the sky. Under the control of firefighters, water cannons blasted streams of water tens of meters into the air like the spears of gods, aimed directly at the roaring flames. However, the fire showed no signs of being contained and was still spreading wildly, with flames now engulfing the first floor of the mall. The surrounding crowd was in a panic as firefighters set up a cordon.

"Son, that's Li Hao and the others!" his mother cried out.

Chen Zheng turned and saw Li Hao, Zhao Gao, and the others just on the other side of the police line.

"Let go of me, Gaozi! Don't you dare stop me, or our friendship is over!" Li Hao's furious roar thundered in their ears.

Something's gone wrong! That was Chen Zheng's first reaction. He immediately strode toward them.

"Li Hao, no matter what, I can't let you rush in there to die!" Zhao Gao's eyes were filled with sorrow, his voice like a howl in a storm.

An employee clutched Li Hao's arm tightly, his expression fraught with urgency. "Brother Hao, you have to stay calm! You must stay calm!"

"What happened?" Chen Zheng's figure appeared among them as he gently placed a hand on Li Hao's shoulder.

Li Hao's body instantly went rigid, unable to move. Seeing Chen Zheng, Zhao Gao and the others breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"Brother Zheng," Zhao Gao quickly explained, "Qiao Qiao had reserved some clothes for Li Hao. The shop wasn't busy, so she came over to pick them up a little while ago. That's when the mall suddenly caught fire. We haven't found her since!"

Li Hao's eyes were filled with desperate resolve, and tears streamed down his face. His voice was thick with pain and determination. "Qiao Qiao is in there! I'm going to find her! If anything happens to her, I won't live either!"

"Don't be rash. Qiao Qiao might not be in there," Chen Zheng comforted him gently, but his eyes remained fixed on the fire, his expression grim.

"No, Brother Zheng, I know she's inside! I have to go find her!" Li Hao struggled desperately, but he was still unable to break free from Chen Zheng's grasp.

"Almighty firefighters, I'm begging you, please save my beloved daughter!" A woman knelt before a firefighter like a statue of despair, her eyes filled with pleading.

The firefighter immediately crouched down, patting her shoulder gently. "Please stay calm. We're doing everything we can. Can you tell us exactly where she was?"

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