Chapter 163: Turmoil and Recruitment

At his peak, Zhuang Tie was an expert at the middle stage of Blood and Qi; although he has since fallen in realm, his experience and accumulation remain.

He and Zhou You share a relationship of both teacher and friend, so he naturally does not begrudge his guidance.

After sending off his mentor Zhuang Daqiang, he had no more attachments, becoming a man of no desires or demands.

Nowadays, his only lingering thought is to see with his own eyes how far Zhou You can go. "The human body is a great treasure; the process of folding and compressing Blood and Qi is like exchanging copper coins for silver, then silver for gold, and then for priceless jewelry, and so on."

"After entering the middle stage of Blood and Qi, Blood and Qi is compressed to store boundless power within a limited vessel."

"A single drop of blood from an Advanced Martial Master can blast a hole the size of a millstone when it hits the ground."

"Blood and Qi that has been sublimated and compressed is the cornerstone for washing and tempering the physical body to step into the level of a Martial Master."

True teachings only require two or three sentences; there is no need for long-winded speeches.

Zhou You could not help but sigh; even his master, Wang Jianxiong, had never been so devoted to him.

Before bidding farewell to Zhuang Tie, he mentioned the matter of Li Hao, and the other party agreed.

Zhuang Tie felt a bit emotional; he, the sole successor of the Dazhuang Fist, had become an extracurricular tutor for the Jianxiong Martial Arts Hall.

Sometimes, this thing called fate is truly quite wondrous.

After a busy day, Zhou You went home to eat as usual.

The case of the Huasheng Mei sect being wiped out triggered turmoil in the city; this time, not only ordinary folk but also martial artists were filled with panic and unease.

If a dignified Blood and Qi warrior could have their entire family wiped out at home, who could still feel safe? It is said that many Disciples and Apprentices have begged the Hall Master to allow them to move their parents into the martial arts hall to live.

The weight of a Martial Master is enough to deter the Huasheng Mei and protect one's own kin.

It is said that the Jianxiong Martial Arts Hall is the same; the first to move his whole family into the hall was Lu Jianqing, the most favored Disciple.

Zhou You had heard a little about it; it is not easy to move into the martial arts hall, as the Hall Masters are unwilling to let their halls turn into messy, chaotic compounds—the thought of all the chickens flying and dogs jumping is enough to give one a headache.

"Have you heard? Another Blood and Qi Fist Master has joined the City Gate Guard."

Besides this, joining the City Gate Guard is also a path.

The City Gate Guard is the nemesis of bewitching creatures, and many martial artists without support join them in search of protection.

Zhou You pondered that it was no longer safe for his parents to live at home, and they should also move into the martial arts hall.

"………"

After dinner, Zhou You went out for a walk, and a carriage was parked on the only road home.

"Junior Brother Zhou, have a moment to chat?"

The uninvited guest in the carriage was none other than the Inner Courtyard's most mysterious Second Senior Brother, Qi Fengzhang.

After Zhou You entered the carriage, the space was spacious and quiet, as if it were separated from the outside world by two different realms.

A conservative estimate is that the cost of this carriage is worth ten times that of the house his family rents.

The luxury of a noble family's scion can be seen from this.

"Junior Brother Zhou, any interest in coming to help me?"

Qi Fengzhang got straight to the point without beating around the bush; he wanted to poach someone right from the start.

Zhou You had become immune to recruitment; it seemed everyone thought he wouldn't stay long at the martial arts hall!

He couldn't help but become interested—what kind of conditions could the other party offer on behalf of a noble family? "Join my Qi Family, and the treatment will be generous. If you can advance to the middle stage of Blood and Qi before the age of 30, you can marry a concubine-born daughter of the Qi Family, and your descendants will all be members of the Qi Family."

No matter how euphemistically it was put, it was still marrying into the family.

And judging by Qi Fengzhang's attitude, this was not a humiliation, but a tremendous opportunity.

He toyed with a seal in his left hand and said softly, "Junior Brother Zhou, among the Inner Court Disciples, I think most highly of you."

"It is not because of your deep capacity, nor because of how well you can fight, but because you took Ceng Fuzi as your master."

"A martial artist is not worth mentioning; only by clinging to famous scholars and gentlemen can one have a bright future." Zhou You's heart skipped a beat; this Second Senior Brother had grand designs!

In Gongliang City, the two great noble families are the undisputed kings; the so-called gangs and martial arts halls are all claws and teeth extended by them.

The Second Senior Brother does not hold a dominant position in the Qi Family and is destined to serve the future Clan Head.

He recruited Zhou You, valuing the influence of Ceng Fuzi, to build his own base of support; he has private ambitions.

The other party's promise was also very tempting: as long as he joined the Qi Family, his parents could receive the protection of the noble family and move into the Inner City, which is safer than any martial arts hall or City Gate Guard.

Many martial artists cannot even find a way to sell themselves as slaves to a noble family!

Zhou You exhaled, "Many thanks for your favor, Second Senior Brother, but I cannot decide for the moment."

"No matter, my door is always open to you."

Qi Fengzhang's attitude was clear: to defect to the Qi Family is to defect to him personally; they were originally fellow disciples, and in the future, they should work together.

His status is higher than Shen Sijing's; one can imagine that once one defects, there is only the distinction between master and servant.

After Zhou You returned home, although he said nothing, his parents could see he was heavy-hearted.

"You'er, it hasn't been peaceful in the city lately. How about we move back to our hometown?"

The old couple had never left Gongliang City in their lives, but with the market becoming increasingly chaotic, they also harbored thoughts of retreating.

It is said that the countryside is still relatively peaceful.

A few days ago, Zhou Laodie increased his contact with their hometown and knew the old house was still there.

Zhou You shook his head repeatedly upon hearing this; they could not go back.

He had just returned from outside and knew that while the city was chaotic, the area outside the city was a true hell.

The seemingly peaceful and serene countryside cannot withstand the slightest turmoil; a drought or an epidemic can destroy it into flat land.

Even near where Commander Chen is stationed, there are countless bandits running amok, not to mention other directions.

"You'er, don't worry about moving yet. The old house is going to have its Ancestral Hall repaired. You are the only male in our family; go back."

Zhou Laodie kept a low profile in front of his son; he knew his son had no feelings for their hometown or clansmen.

He left home in his teens to work and marry in Gongliang City; neither his wife nor his son had any impression of their unfamiliar hometown.

The only thing connecting them to that side was nothing more than his, Old Zhou's, obsession.

Zhou You saw the pleading in his father's eyes, and his heart softened, so he agreed.

"Fine!"

What did those distant, unrelated relatives have to do with him? It was nothing more than settling a matter on his father's mind.

Mature charm-beings were causing disasters, hiding among the crowds to strike when the opportunity arose, harming people everywhere.

If it was like this even in a city with high walls for protection and many martial artists, what would it be like in villages with no defenses at all? People absolutely could not live outside the city; he had to persuade his parents to stay within the city, or even move into the martial arts hall, no matter what.

……

"Where is Big Senior Brother?" Zhou You arrived at the martial arts hall on the second day and happened to run into Shi Gaofei, so he asked him.

This lazy tiger Senior Brother had an ostensible strength that ranked last among the Inner Court Disciples, but for some reason, Zhou You always felt he was holding back, disguising himself with a philosophy of self-preservation.

"He went to Fucheng to handle some business and hasn't returned yet. Are you looking for him?"

The old man had recently withdrawn a large amount of money to purchase property in Fucheng; he did not trust anyone else, only his eldest disciple Lu Qiang was reliable.

This was a case of a wily rabbit having three burrows, preparing a way out in advance!

Wang Laohu also harbored thoughts of retreating; how long could the precarious Gongliang City actually hold out? Zhou You heard a commotion in his ears and saw several families walking into the backyard with large and small bags, looking full of joy.

Upon asking, he learned they were the family members of Zhong Shaoying, entering the backyard to work as servants under the guise of serving the young lady.

(End of chapter)