Chapter 94: BU TANGSHAN (2)

Fu Hanzheng merely huffed at Bu Tangshan’s shameless words and refused to give the man the satisfaction of seeing him react.

He had dealt with Bu Tangshan for long enough to know that answering him only encouraged him, so instead of wasting another breath on his nonsense, he turned away and began walking toward the entrance of the meeting hall, his expression remaining completely indifferent despite the irritation still lingering in his eyes.

Fu Hanzheng had barely reached the entrance when a familiar figure appeared beside him again, keeping pace as though he had never been sent flying across the room.

Fu Hanzheng turned his head and found Bu Tangshan walking beside him with that same relaxed smile, apparently incapable of understanding the meaning of being ignored. He stopped and looked at the man with open disbelief before asking, "Were you an eel in another life? What do you want from me, Elder Bu? This behaviour is unacceptable for an elder!"

Bu Tangshan did not appear offended by the accusation. Instead, he leaned closer to Fu Hanzheng’s ear and lowered his voice, making sure nobody else could hear what he was about to say. "Ten days, meet me at—" He whispered the location into Fu Hanzheng’s ear before straightening again, his smile becoming even more pleased with itself as he added, "Dress nicely. I will come to pick you up in the evening, so create some time for me."

Before Fu Hanzheng could even decide whether to respond, Bu Tangshan leaned over and pressed a quick kiss against his cheek. He immediately turned away and disappeared into the night, leaving Fu Hanzheng standing at the entrance with his expression darkening as he stared into the empty space where the man had disappeared.

Fu Hanzheng huffed and rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand, already deciding that there was no possibility of him entertaining Bu Tangshan’s ridiculous antics ten days from now.

He had no intention of dressing up for that man, creating time for him, or meeting him at whatever place he had whispered into his ear. The entire arrangement was absurd, and Fu Hanzheng refused to encourage it by giving Bu Tangshan even the slightest indication that he had agreed.

After letting out an irritated hiss toward the empty night, he disappeared from the entrance and reappeared directly inside his residence.

Anyu came forward almost immediately to welcome him, carrying a tray with several pieces of freshly prepared walnut cake arranged neatly across it. He bowed respectfully and greeted him with a smile before asking, "Welcome back, Master. How was the meeting?"

"It was fine," Fu Hanzheng replied as he removed his outer robe and handed it to Anyu. "Did you finish the assignment I gave you? How many remedies were you able to complete?"

Anyu accepted the robe and followed behind him, holding it carefully over one arm while carrying the tray with the other. "I finished them all, Master. I hope they are up to your standards."

Fu Hanzheng had never doubted Anyu’s ability to complete the assignment properly. His disciple was careful with his work, and although he could still make mistakes while learning, he was not careless with herbs or the preparation of remedies.

Fu Hanzheng therefore nodded as they entered the inner part of the residence and said, "Draw me a warm bath. I will check the remedies while you do that. The ones I place on the left will be the ones I consider good, while the ones I place on the right will be the ones that need more work."

Anyu immediately bowed his head and nodded. "Yes, Master. I will get your bath ready."

Fu Hanzheng returned the nod before walking toward his room, where he reached up and removed the knot pin securing his hair.

The moment the pin came loose, his long black hair cascaded down his back and over his shoulders, changing the stern impression created by his usual appearance.

Although he was already in his forties, his face had retained a striking youthfulness that made it difficult for strangers to guess his true age, and the combination of his mature features, sharp eyes, tall frame, and powerful physique gave him an appearance that could easily make even younger men feel inadequate.

There was a particular kind of beauty that only became more dangerous with age, and Fu Hanzheng possessed it naturally. He did not need elaborate clothing or deliberate charm to draw attention, the strength accumulated through decades of cultivation had shaped his body into something that carried both masculine power and refined beauty.

Even when he was doing nothing more than removing his hairpin after a long meeting, there was an effortless dignity to him that made the sight difficult to ignore.

Anyu returned moments later after preparing the bathing area and informed his master that everything was ready. Fu Hanzheng nodded, picked up a clean cloth, and walked toward the private bathing area without another word.

The place was secluded from the rest of the residence, surrounded by enough privacy that nobody could enter without his permission, and tonight the only company he had was the quiet moonlight falling across the water.

Fu Hanzheng removed the remaining layers of his clothing before stepping into the warm bath, allowing the heat to ease the tension that had settled through his muscles during the meeting.

His broad shoulders and strong chest were visible above the water, while years of cultivation had left his body lean and powerful rather than bulky. His waist remained firm, his arms carried defined strength, and even beneath the soft moonlight, there was an unmistakable sense of restrained power in every line of his physique.

As he reached for the cleaning cloth, Fu Hanzheng’s gaze lowered toward his chest, where a faint crescent-shaped mark rested against his skin. The mark had been there for as long as he could remember, and unlike an ordinary scar or decorative symbol, it carried a meaning that could not be mistaken by those who knew what to look for.

Fu Hanzheng had never considered the mark something worth discussing with others, and his identity was not something he allowed people to casually pry into.

His cultivation, position, and reputation had always been enough to make most people hesitate before asking questions about his private affairs. Even fewer people knew what he was beneath the robes of the sect master, and Fu Hanzheng preferred keeping it that way.

His fingers brushed over the crescent mark, and his brows tightened when he remembered Bu Tangshan’s shameless behavior earlier. The place where Bu Tangshan had touched him still seemed to carry a faint warmth, making Fu Hanzheng’s expression darken as he recalled the man’s grin and those deliberately provocative words.

Being a Ger, his body reacted fiercely to the touch of the man he was attracted to —but knowing Bu Tangshan, he would never tell him that. The man was impossible.

Fu Hanzheng lowered his hand and looked down at the water surrounding him, his expression returning to its usual calmness as he reminded himself that ten days from now, he would simply ignore whatever ridiculous appointment Bu Tangshan had arranged.

No matter what that man said, Fu Hanzheng had absolutely no intention of allowing himself to be dragged into another one of Bu Tangshan’s schemes. "Tsk."