Study Monster Cultivation System - Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Ten Great Sects of the Martial Arts World

When Li Zheng came back down, Zhang Xiaoke had already chosen a place to shop at.

It was a long journey.

Zhang Xiaoke sat on the bike’s angular back seat.

The shop wasn’t even a kilometer away.

Her butt was about to rot.

But she was already sitting on the bike and couldn’t jump down now.

All she could do was sit on the back seat with tears in her eyes.

Someone had said that they would rather cry in a BMW than laugh on a bicycle.

Who said that?

A person would definitely cry more if they were sitting on a bicycle.

This was doubly abusing both her body and her soul.

Li Zheng was also destroyed after cycling for a kilometer.

His stamina had always been his weakness, and he never thought that giving someone a ride on a bicycle would be this tiring.

All he could do was stop his bike at a train station and force Zhang Xiaoke to take a train there with him.

…

Li Zheng was still panting when he got on the train. Zhang Xiaoke was still massaging her butt.

They were both uncomfortable.

“You… Why are you so heavy…” Li Zheng took a big gulp of water.

“Shut up…” Zhang Xiaoke had given up on covering her face.

Even though everyone on the train was staring at the strange couple they made.

However, Zhang Xiaoke was already completely numb.

Shopping was supposed to be something to look forward to.

Why did it feel like they were crossing the bridge to the underworld?

Amidst her pain, a bespectacled teenage boy approached her.

“Beauty, can you add me as a friend?”

Zhang Xiaoke didn’t even look at the boy. She turned her head and ignored him.

She was an expert in dealing with situations like this.

But the boy wasn’t discouraged. He turned to look at Li Zheng, who was wearing a school uniform. “Then younger brother, how about we add each other as friends?”

Li Zheng was shocked. “Younger brother?”

“Aren’t you brother and sister?” The boy was shocked. “Could you be… Mother and son?”

The people around them were in awe.

It was awesome.

This mother was awesome.

The whole carriage erupted into the kind of commotion that only happens in school.

Hiss.

Zhang Xiaoke crushed her bag.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, little boy…” The man retreated many steps back. “I didn’t know she’s your mother… I didn’t have any ulterior motives.”

Zhang Xiaoke had nothing to hang on to in life anymore.

“Is it too late to regret it now?” she thought.

…

During the remainder of the train ride, Zhang Xiaoke told Li Zheng about the basics of fashion.

The core of her lecture was her selection of the ten best shopping spots in Jijing.

While listening to Zhang Xiaoke, Li Zheng had the same question Liu Xin had during math class.

What on earth are you talking about?

Fortunately for him, he had his own unique way of studying.

Whenever he came across a concept he couldn’t understand, he could describe the concept using analogies.

He could use the analogy of martial arts for anything concerning shopping.

Shopping was like the world of martial arts. It was like a flurry of battles.

Shopping malls were like sects who constantly fought with each other.

The shopping malls that Li Zheng was familiar with were already the history of the last century. Only foreigners who didn’t understand this world would go searching for them.

An expert like Zhang Xiaoke had her sights set on the best sects only.

The traditional sects that harbored the luxury brands were LaoFoYe (Wudang), Wangfu Zhonghuan (Huashan), and SKP (Emei). They took up the top three spots in the Ten Great Sects.

Shopping centers that carried trendy brands were the rising stars, and they were well-liked by young people. Today, TaiKoo Li Sanlitun (Ming Sect) took the lead and was gradually consuming the territories of the traditional sects.

On the other hand, popular general shopping centers, with Joy City (Shaolin) in the lead, rocked the martial arts world with its advantage of a complete variety of products. Joy City was split into the Xidan Joy City (Songshan Northern Shaolin) and the Chaoyang Joy City (Linquan Temple Southern Shaolin). They ruled over the northern and southern parts of this world.

Furthermore, there were also shopping centers that rose due to their geographical advantage. These malls included Wangfujing APM (Quanzhen Sect), Guomao Shopping City (Beggar Clan), and Indigo (Sun Moon Holy Sect). They were not to be underestimated.

Finally, there was the Qiaofu Parkview Green (Ancient Tomb Sect) that was too highbrow to be popular. Even though it didn’t have as strong a presence as the rest of the nine sects, it had the advantage of its exquisite serenity. Merely walking there would allow one to immerse themselves in the atmosphere.

Zhang Xiaoke was young, but she had already gone to hundreds of sects, not to mention the top ten sects. This time, she was bringing along her disciple Li Zheng straight to the TaiKoo Li Sanlitun (Ming Sect), which was rising rapidly.

After exiting line number 10, the two of them walked west, following the Gongti North Street.

Li Zheng hadn’t walked very far when he sensed the fashionable atmosphere in the street.

More accurately, the atmosphere had become more seductive.

It was already deep into autumn, yet there were more and more people wearing clothes that revealed their thighs.

Li Zheng looked at them with empathy.

He couldn’t help but pull up the zipper he had pulled down on the train back up to his head.

“Are the people here not afraid of the cold?” he asked.

“They’re headed to the bars and clubs.” Zhang Xiaoke pointed in the direction of the faintly flickering neon lights and said, “It’s messy there. There’s no point going. We might as well go to the dog shelter on the outskirts if we have the time.”

Li Zheng looked at the frivolous men and women and felt as though he had stepped into the forbidden land of a demonic sect. He couldn’t help but become nervous. “I already said we should go to Shaolin, but you insisted on coming to a troublesome place like this.”

“Shaolin?”

“That means Joy City.”

“Are those two places connected?”

While arguing, the two of them arrived at Taikoo Li.

Taikoo Li Sanlitun was a cluster of glass buildings.

The lights had just been switched on, and every building was lit up with a warm, orange glow.

From far away, they looked like a bunch of rectangular beer mugs.

They were arranged messily and were of varying heights.

The men and women here were fashionable. Heads moved around in the street.

“Let’s go to Shaolin instead.” Li Zheng was a little nervous.

“Aiya, we’re already here.” Zhang Xiaoke grabbed Li Zheng’s arm and pulled him toward the abyss.

Unlike Li Zheng’s stride, Zhang Xiaoke had a relaxed pace. She moved past the buildings and led Li Zheng through the “beer mugs,” rushing to the shops she loved the most.

Li Zheng was getting more and more uncomfortable. Not only was the atmosphere here different, but he also felt like someone was spying on him.

He secretly turned his head around and clearly spotted an overweight, bespectacled man holding a phone stabilizer and filming in their direction.

“Don’t pay any attention to him.” Zhang Xiaoke pulled on Li Zheng. “People film in the streets all the time. Just ignore him.”

“Street photography?” Li Zheng lowered his head and looked at his insignia. He had a confused expression on his face. “Why is he filming me?”

“He’s filming me, of course.” Zhang Xiaoke chuckled and stroked her hair. “I can’t help it. I attract a crowd when I come shopping. Someone followed me for half an hour the last time I shopped. It was so frustrating.”

Li Zheng couldn’t help but turn his head and look at the man filming them.

He subconsciously glared due to his irritation.

The photographer winced, then quickly turned to face the other direction.

“Aiyaya~~” Zhang Xiaoke covered her face and smiled. “Sure enough, when I’m out shopping with a guy, people won’t film me because they’re scared of being beaten up.”

Li Zheng nodded and said, “Then you’ll definitely be very safe if you come shopping with Liu Xin and Sister Xia.”

“Your thought process sure is unique.” Zhang Xiaoke then pointed to a short building in front of them and said, “This is the place. Only a super insider would know about a place like this.”

…

Li Zheng walked into the building with Zhang Xiaoke. He instantly felt a wave of heat and immediately pulled down his jacket zipper.

…revealing the summer school uniform he was wearing underneath.