Forced to Marry a Female Billionaire CEO

This was why Xu Ke was so eager to study the Dragon Ring right after treating his wound. He wanted to know how to absorb the Dragon Essence within it.

However, due to the painful lesson from the previous night, Xu Ke didn't dare to touch the Dragon Ring rashly this time, fearing the Dragon Essence might accidentally invade his body. This wasn't just the seven or eight strands of Dragon Essence from Zhou Hongsheng's body; this was an entire mass of it.

I need to find a helper, Xu Ke thought, stroking his chin. I'll need some outside help to test the absorption method.

「...」

「Half past four in the afternoon.」

Dapeng Trading Company, Villa No. 1.

This was the same place where Xu Ke had killed Yang Dong and retrieved the IOU.

"How did you get so injured?" The first words out of Duan Chongfeng's mouth when he saw Xu Ke were about his injury. The bandages on Xu Ke's neck were impossible to hide.

"Scratched by an old fellow named Wong Hongsheng," Xu Ke said with a smile, sitting down opposite Duan Chongfeng.

"Wong Hongsheng?" Duan Chongfeng's eyes narrowed. "Wang Yu's man?"

He had even managed to get intel on Xu Ke killing Ouyang Shuang. It was no surprise he knew who Wong Hongsheng worked for.

Duan Chongfeng cursed, "Sending an Innate Martial Artist to deal with you… they're really fucking generous."

He arched an eyebrow at Xu Ke. "Should I hire someone to take care of this for you? I guarantee it won't be traced back to you or me."

The Dapeng Trading Company wasn't supposed to take sides, officially, but of course, a few small tricks were no problem.

"No need." Xu Ke chuckled. "She's Qi Fu's aunt, after all."

Duan Chongfeng spread his hands. "Alright. Speaking of which, you just finished a press conference. Why did you rush over here?"

Xu Ke got straight to the point. "I need your help."

"Help me? How?"

Xu Ke took out the Dragon Ring. "Just like last night."

Duan Chongfeng's pupils constricted. "You mean?"

Xu Ke nodded.

The external help Xu Ke was looking for was Duan Chongfeng, the very person who had helped him subdue the Dragon Essence the night before. Only Duan Chongfeng's True Qi could help him suppress the Dragon Essence. Otherwise, Xu Ke would have just asked Wang Wu to stay and help him when he was dropped off at the Junyue Residence. Unfortunately, Wang Wu was too powerful, and his True Qi was too fierce and vigorous for Xu Ke to control.

Duan Chongfeng held back for a long moment before asking, "...This thing is so sinister, why are you still messing with it?"

He couldn't understand it. The "evil energy" in this ring had made Xu Ke bleed from all seven orifices just last night. Was he really going to be so reckless again today?

"It's very helpful for my breakthrough," Xu Ke said with a small smile, not explaining further.

This Dragon Essence is too mysterious to explain properly. And if I were to explain it to Duan Chongfeng, I'd have to start with my use of the Heaven-Defying Fate Change Technique... It's probably better to just stick to the important points.

"Helpful, huh..." Duan Chongfeng smacked his lips. "I'm just afraid you'll start bleeding from all your orifices and faint again."

"Don't worry, I guarantee I won't faint," Xu Ke said, patting his chest.

Seeing his determination, Duan Chongfeng didn't fuss any longer. "Alright, then how do you need me to cooperate?"

"First, let's find a quiet place," Xu Ke said, standing up and looking around.

"Come with me to the inner room. The place where you treated me last time," Duan Chongfeng said, getting up.

「...」

In the inner room.

"Brother Duan, I'm going to start the absorption," Xu Ke explained. "If I need you, I'll call out. Then you just do what you did last night."

In truth, he didn't know if the Dragon Ring would unleash its entire mass of Dragon Essence into his body at once. That's why he sought out Duan Chongfeng, just as a precaution.

Duan Chongfeng nodded. "Understood."

Without further ado, Xu Ke picked up the Dragon Ring. Gritting his teeth, he began to channel his True Qi and make contact with the ring.

In an instant, the Dragon Ring burst into a brilliant red light!

Seeing this, Duan Chongfeng's pupils contracted.

The next moment, Xu Ke yelled, "Fuck!"

CLANG.

He threw the ring to the floor.

Duan Chongfeng's expression changed drastically. "Do you need my help?"

"No..." Xu Ke kept his eyes closed, his face contorted in pain, but he still managed to grit his teeth and force out the word.

Duan Chongfeng was utterly baffled. What in the world is going on?

But since Xu Ke said he didn't need help and was closing his eyes, clearly in the middle of cultivation, Duan Chongfeng didn't dare to intervene. He eyed the Dragon Ring on the floor with trepidation. What kind of cursed object is this?

「...」

Xu Ke was currently trying to suppress the wisp of Dragon Essence inside his body. The moment he had touched the Dragon Ring, he had learned two things.

The first was good news: the ring wouldn't release a large amount of Dragon Essence all at once. Instead, it would invade his body one wisp at a time. This meant Xu Ke wouldn't need to specifically find Duan Chongfeng for help every single time.

But before he could even feel relieved, the wisp of Dragon Essence that had entered his body made his blood boil, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of it.

This was the second piece of news—the bad news.

The power of this single wisp of Dragon Essence far exceeded his imagination. With his current strength, he could at most subdue one wisp per day. To break through from the Postnatal Late Stage to Great Perfection, he needed at least double the six or seven wisps from the previous night.

A quick breakthrough is absolutely impossible!

But overall, it was much more bearable than yesterday's dire situation.

「...」

「Five o'clock.」

After a long half-hour struggle, Xu Ke was drenched in sweat. "Finally got it under control." His Postnatal Late Stage cultivation had advanced another step.

Duan Chongfeng pointed at the Dragon Ring on the floor. "Shall I put it away for you?"

"I'll have to trouble you, Brother Duan!" Xu Ke sighed.

Duan Chongfeng nodded. He then picked up a pair of chopsticks he had prepared and carefully used them to place the Dragon Ring back into its box.

Though drenched in sweat, Xu Ke couldn't help but be amused. "Is that really necessary?"

"This thing is so sinister, I'm scared of it," Duan Chongfeng said cautiously.

Before the Blood Jade Monarch had injured him internally, he had no sense of reverence for natural treasures. But after being plagued by his old ailment for many years, the now middle-aged Duan Chongfeng maintained a sense of awe for all unknown treasures, especially something as sinister as the Dragon Ring.

Xu Ke laughed heartily.

「...」

Duan Chongfeng placed the box in front of Xu Ke. "Is this ring that important for your breakthrough?"

"Important," Xu Ke confirmed with a nod.

Duan Chongfeng sighed. "It's such a sinister item. I was going to advise you to throw it away."

Xu Ke wiped his sweat with a tissue. "It's alright. I know my limits."

"Okay, then. That's all I'll say on the matter," Duan Chongfeng said, changing the subject. "By the way, what compensation do you plan to ask for from the Zhou Family?"

"Ask for what?" Xu Ke threw the tissue away and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Elder Master Zhou already gave me something this valuable. I don't plan on asking for anything else."

He had initially intended to use the Zhou Family's power to help Wong Qifu, but how could he have the nerve to ask for anything more now? The Dragon Ring was unearthed from the Gaojing Imperial Mausoleum; Zhou Hongsheng must have paid a fortune for it. For him to simply give it to Xu Ke, Xu Ke naturally wouldn't want anything else.

"That's it?" Duan Chongfeng frowned, looking at the box again. "Elder Master Zhou got rid of that thing like it was the plague. He definitely didn't intend for it to be your thank-you gift. I think you should seriously consider what to ask from the Zhou Family."

Xu Ke was about to refuse, but Duan Chongfeng waved his hand. "You don't need to feel embarrassed.

"First, you saved Elder Master Zhou's life. For the sake of face alone, they have to give you a substantial gift. Otherwise, if outsiders found out that the life of the Zhou Family Head was only worth a broken ring, it would damage their own reputation.

"Second, with your current medical skills and cultivation level, the Zhou Family would be eager to give you more just to strengthen their relationship with you. Based on Zhou Qingzhi's attitude last night, if it weren't for Wong Qifu... ahem, if my sister-in-law wasn't so domineering, he probably would have already asked you to become his son-in-law."

Xu Ke was stunned. "Son-in-law?"

"Yeah. He knows we have a good relationship, so he secretly asked me last night..." Duan Chongfeng mimicked Zhou Qingzhi's hushed, sneaky tone, "Brother Duan, do you think my Yi Yi is a good match for Doctor Xu?"

With Zhou Yi Yi? Xu Ke nearly choked on his own saliva. He couldn't even bear to imagine that scenario.