Chapter 49: The Appearance of a Big Shot

As the two departed, Cheng Ran couldn't help but click his tongue softly.

"Senior Brother Zhou Xing certainly knows how to win people over with small favors!"

Jiang Ning gave an noncommittal smile. Zhou Xing was a clever man and a man of significant vision; Jiang Ning had recognized that much.

However, he didn't dislike Zhou Xing.

To be able to purchase wild ginseng at a price lower than the market minimum, and even receive three extra stalks for free, was equivalent to making a profit of dozens of taels of silver for nothing. Why would one hate such a person?

Cheng Ran then flipped open the invitation in his hand, glanced at it, and handed it to Jiang Ning.

"Junior Brother Jiang, take a look. This Zhou Xing certainly has grand ambitions."

Jiang Ning took the invitation and opened it, his gaze falling upon the text.

As his eyes scanned the contents, he was inwardly astonished.

The invitation contained a series of polite pleasantries from Zhou Xing, followed by a statement expressing his confidence in Cheng Ran's future ability to enter the Inspectorate, and thus his desire to invest in Cheng Ran to build a personal favor.

It also detailed Zhou Xing's terms.

One thousand taels of silver, ten boxes of high-grade Skin Refining Ointment, and three stalks of century-old wild Earth Lingzhi.

These investments imposed no excessive conditions on Cheng Ran; they were merely an exchange for a favor—a favor involving a future full of uncertainty.

Jiang Ning's gaze shifted downward.

*Three days from now, at the fourth quarter of the Xu hour, I await Junior Brother Cheng at Fenghua Pavilion for a banquet.*

"What do you think, Junior Brother Jiang?" Cheng Ran asked.

Jiang Ning replied, "It is very magnanimous. To offer so much for nothing more than an uncertain favor and an uncertain future, Senior Brother Zhou is truly generous."

Jiang Ning understood perfectly why Zhou Xing was being so magnanimous.

The personnel of the Inspectorate possessed the privilege of "acting first and reporting later," granting them immense power.

With Cheng Ran reaching the martial ranks at his age, once he joined the Inspectorate, who could guess where he might stand in ten or twenty years?

Once he stepped into the Eighth Rank of Martial Arts and received promotions, this "favor" would be worth a thousand pieces of gold, far exceeding the investment of two or three thousand taels of silver.

Cheng Ran said, "It does look very magnanimous, and it would be a great help to me! Although my Cheng family's assets are insignificant compared to Senior Brother Zhou's, I am not the type of person who is blinded by money."

"I am in no rush. Aside from Senior Brother Zhou, there should be others in Luoshui County who look favorably upon me!"

As he spoke, a look of confidence appeared on Cheng Ran's face.

Jiang Ning returned the invitation to Cheng Ran and then spoke, "Senior Brother Cheng has great spirit."

Cheng Ran laughed, "One must always compare goods from different sources. Moreover, I am currently competing with Xiao Peng for that single slot; with at least a fifty percent chance of success, I naturally have this confidence."

He then looked at Jiang Ning, a hint of dissatisfaction appearing on his face. "Speaking of which, Zhou Xing must be blind. Junior Brother Jiang, your martial talent is so high, and you are at a time when you lack resources—did he not think to send an invitation to you as well?"

Jiang Ning said, "Senior Brother Cheng, stop teasing me! Senior Brother Zhou clearly understands the importance of the Inspectorate."

As he spoke, he pointed toward Zhou Xing, who was conversing with Xiao Peng in the distance.

"True!" Hearing this, Cheng Ran sighed slightly. "It is a pity, Junior Brother Jiang, that you started your martial training a year or so late. You are destined to have no connection with the Inspectorate!"

"The Inspectorate... once you enter, you have the Great Xia Empire behind you. You hold official status and the power of life and death through the privilege of acting first and reporting later. Furthermore, your martial path will be smooth, as you will never lack cultivation methods or the resources required for advancement."

Jiang Ning nodded slightly in agreement. "Indeed."

He also felt a sense of regret for not receiving Zhou Xing's recognition.

All he lacked now was time and resources.

Zhou Xing's recognition and investment would undoubtedly solve his current shortage of resources.

With the materials worth several thousand taels of silver mentioned in the invitation, he would not only be able to refine his fist techniques faster and grind more resources in a day, but he would also be able to obtain more Source Energy points daily.

Currently, his Wood-Chopping Saber Technique had already reached perfection, and the 1,000 experience points required for a single breakthrough had long since been gathered.

The only thing limiting his breakthrough was his Source Energy points, and the acquisition of these points was closely related to his daily energy intake.

On the day he had obtained the most Source Energy points—0.6 points in a single day—it was because he had consumed thirty percent of a wild ginseng plant.

For him now, if resources were sufficient and he stayed within a reasonable range of absorbing precious medicines, it was possible to exceed 1 Source Energy point per day.

But currently, his daily growth was only 0.4 points, showing how vast the gap between the two was.

With sufficient resources and energy intake, one day's harvest of Source Energy points could equal two days' worth.

***

In the martial arts hall's backyard.

Li Qing brushed past the disciple guarding the main gate.

Then, she approached Wang Jin.

"Greetings, Master!" she said, bowing respectfully to Wang Jin.

"Greetings, Pavilion Master Shen!" she added, bowing respectfully to Shen Congyun.

At this moment, Li Qing felt somewhat restless.

Ever since she saw Shen Congyun, her heart had been filled with tension.

She was well aware of Shen Congyun's identity.

In all of Luoshui County, anyone with even a modicum of status or a decent background knew of Shen Congyun.

He was the Deputy Pavilion Master of Wanhua Pavilion stationed in Luoshui County, and Wanhua Pavilion was a superpower spanning the nine provinces of Great Xia.

Thus, to the entirety of Luoshui County, Shen Congyun was a truly monumental figure.

Although there was a Head Pavilion Master above him, as well as another Deputy Pavilion Master of equal rank, given Shen Congyun's status, who in all of Luoshui County would not grant him respect?

Li Qing was also very aware of Wanhua Pavilion's occasional habit of investing in martial arts geniuses.

For any martial genius, once they were favored and invested in by a wealthy and powerful entity like Wanhua Pavilion, it was an opportunity to change their destiny.

Even she, whose family background was not inferior to Zhou Xing's, would undergo a transformation if she were favored by Wanhua Pavilion, and her future would be entirely different.

At that time, her future would no longer be confined to this small county of Luoshui, but she would have the chance to become a dazzling martial prodigy of the Guangning Prefecture.

It was precisely because she understood this that she was so nervous.

She hoped to be favored by Shen Congyun, yet she also knew she likely wasn't worthy of it.

"Her blood and qi are abundant, and her physique has already achieved the skin-membrane stage. This girl is quite good!" Shen Congyun remarked, looking at Li Qing.

Hearing this praise, Li Qing's emotions surged, her heart filled with both anticipation and nervousness.

"Pavilion Master Shen has keen eyes to see through my martial realm at a single glance."

Upon hearing this, Shen Congyun gave Li Qing a slight smile.

Seeing that smile, Li Qing suddenly understood something.

A sudden sense of melancholy and loss welled up in her heart.

"Li Qing, has everyone arrived?" Wang Jin spoke up.

Li Qing snapped out of her melancholy and replied respectfully to Wang Jin, "All the senior and junior brothers have arrived!"

"Good!" Wang Jin nodded slightly.

He then turned to Shen Congyun and said, "Brother Shen, would you be interested in coming out with me to take a look at my bunch of useless disciples?"

Shen Congyun couldn't help but chuckle. "Is Brother Wang looking to have me cast an eye over them?"

Wang Jin laughed heartily. "It seems nothing can be hidden from Brother Shen!!"

Shen Congyun smiled. "Since Brother Wang has asked, I shall grant you this face. Since I have nothing else to do, I might as well go out and see!"

"Brother Shen, please!" Wang Jin gestured with his hand.

"Lead the way!"

(End of Chapter)