’He wants to pledge allegiance to instead?’
’Was he thoroughly beaten into submission? Or... did my heart-piercing words actually have an unexpected effect?’
He recalled the scene from that day. He hadn’t held back, severely injuring Xu Shenzhi.
’Could it be that those few words, which seed mocking but were actually ant to provoke him, made him feel indebted?’
’Or perhaps, he wants to use my power to get revenge on the Han and Wang Families?’
Chen Sheng’s eyes flickered as he fell into deep thought.
.....
Night fell, and the lights of Changshan County Town began to twinkle on one by one.
Xu Shenzhi wandered the streets, utterly dejected. He reeked of alcohol, his face was gaunt, and his clothes were disheveled—a far cry from the dashing Noble Young Master he once was.
The blow of Han Ling’Er breaking their engagent in public was simply too much for Xu Shenzhi to bear.
The two were childhood sweethearts, having known each other since they were young.
To save her life and preserve her innocence, Xu Shenzhi had not hesitated to give Chen Sheng the Innate Spiritual Qi he had nurtured for years—a resource crucial to his own cultivation path. Yet all he got in return was a flippant "sorry" and a broken engagent, announced by Miss Wang herself in front of everyone.
This was tantamount to tearing off the Xu Family’s face and stomping it into the ground!
Xu Shenzhi could already imagine it: once word got back to the Prefecture City, the Xu Family would beco the laughingstock of the entire Ning’an Prefecture!
He felt especially ashad when he saw his father’s face, livid with suppressed rage.
Moreover... he still hadn’t dared to confess to his father about losing his Innate Spiritual Qi.
If this were to be exposed, it would undoubtedly be like pouring salt on the wound.
After a long talk with his father, he chose to stay behind instead of imdiately returning to the Prefecture City.
Xu Shenzhi had tried to drown his sorrows in alcohol, but the more he drank, the more Chen Sheng’s cold, alluring words from that day echoed in his ears.
"If you feel humiliated, you should be thinking about how to pay it back tenfold, a hundredfold, in the future!"
He wanted to redeem his honor; he wanted Han Ling’Er and Wang Zilan to pay the price for breaking the engagent.
But the Wang Family’s foundation was deep and their influence widespread. Let alone him, even the entire Xu Family seed weak and insignificant before them.
The only person he could see who might have the power to challenge the Wang Family was, ironically, his forr "enemy"—Chen Sheng!
According to what his father had privately revealed in their conversation, this Chen Sheng was suspected to have a shocking background and was likely in Changshan just for training. Furthermore, his Cultivation progress was unbelievably fast. Before leaving, his father had strictly forbidden him from causing any more trouble for the family.
The Xu Family was even prepared to temporarily set aside their grudge over the Huang Family’s destruction.
An idea thus began to form in Xu Shenzhi’s mind.
Since Chen Sheng had a profound background and formidable strength, could he use Chen Sheng’s power to deal with the Wang Family?
However, when he reached the gate of the Military Preparation Camp, Xu Shenzhi hesitated again.
’We have a history of conflict, after all. Will he even accept ?’
’If I go and get the cold shoulder, or even get humiliated, wouldn’t I just be asking for it?’
Reason and impulse clashed violently in his mind. Finally, Xu Shenzhi gritted his teeth and smashed the wine jug in his hand onto the ground. The shattering sound was particularly piercing in the quiet night.
"Forget it! Let them humiliate . Could any humiliation be worse than having my engagent broken in public?!"
Xu Shenzhi straightened his robes and walked resolutely toward the gate of the Military Preparation Camp.
’If Chen Sheng doesn’t even deign to humiliate ... then I’ll offer up that secret as my Pledge of Loyalty.’
"Halt! This is a military encampnt. Unauthorized personnel are not to approach!"
The mont Xu Shenzhi neared the gate, the guards shouted sharply, crossing their spears to block his path.
Xu Shenzhi instinctively started to raise a hand to cover his face but forced himself to stop halfway. He took a deep breath, clasped his fist in salute to the guards, and tried his best to keep his voice calm.
"Please inform Commander Chen that... Xu Shenzhi from the Prefecture City has co to see him."
The guards sized him up. Seeing that despite his disheveled clothes and the sll of alcohol, he carried himself with an extraordinary air, they exchanged glances. One of them said:
"Wait here."
He then turned and went inside to report.
A mont later, the guard returned and cupped his fist toward Xu Shenzhi.
"Young Master Xu, the Commander will see you."
A great weight lifted from Xu Shenzhi’s heart, and he breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
"Thank you for your trouble."
.....
Inside the Commander’s Tent
Flickering candlelight brightly illuminated the interior of the tent.
Chen Sheng, dressed in the standard uniform of an eighth-rank military official, sat in the seat of honor. His eyes were slightly closed, as if he were resting his spirit or contemplating the opportunity foretold by the Celestial Book. In his hand, he toyed with a crystalline jade cup filled with fine wine sent over by the Yang Family.
Only when footsteps and the sound of a report ca from outside the tent did Chen Sheng slowly open his eyes.
Xu Shenzhi entered the tent with a bow, his gaze imdiately falling upon the figure before him.
At the sa ti, a leisurely voice tinged with mockery rang out:
"Ah... if it isn’t Young Master Xu."
Chen Sheng glanced at the sowhat pathetic-looking Xu Shenzhi, the corners of his mouth curling into a smirk.
"In Commander Chen’s presence, I wouldn’t dare presu to be called Young Master."
Xu Shenzhi quickly lowered his head, adopting an extrely humble posture.
"Young Master Xu, you didn’t return to the Prefecture City with your esteed father to enjoy a life of comfort. To what do I owe the pleasure of this late-night visit to my humble camp?"
Chen Sheng asked, feigning ignorance, his tone flat and unreadable.
Hearing this, Xu Shenzhi hesitated no longer. He abruptly lifted the front of his robes, dropped to one knee with a THUD, and looked up at Chen Sheng, his voice laced with determination.
"I have drifted through my life, Commander, only to regret my youthful ignorance and poor judgnt of character, which brought sha to my family and humiliation to myself. I have co here brazenly today because I wish to pledge my service to you, Commander Chen.
"From now on, I am willing to be your attack dog, to do your bidding without question, even if it ans dying ten thousand deaths. I hope... I hope the Commander will take in!"
Chen Sheng set down his wine cup, leaned forward slightly, and sized up the kneeling Xu Shenzhi with great interest. He chuckled lightly.
"Pledge your service to ?"
He paused, his tone laced with amusent.
"I am currently but a lowly eighth-rank official. If you join , the most you could be is a ninth-rank Vice Commander. Young Master Xu, are you... content with that?"
"I dare not deceive you, Commander."
Xu Shenzhi looked up, his gaze firm. "With the Commander’s Cultivation, achievents, and potential, being promoted to the Prefecture City and holding real power is only a matter of a month or two.
"My insight may be shallow, but even I can see that the Commander is a hidden dragon lying in the abyss. Therefore, I am not content to be just a Vice Commander. I wish to follow you, Commander, and fight for a future."
Seeing that Chen Sheng remained noncommittal, Xu Shenzhi steeled himself and hurriedly added:
"If... if the Commander is willing to take in, I am willing to offer two opportunities as a show of my loyalty."
"Oh?"
Chen Sheng raised an eyebrow, his interest seemingly piqued. "Let’s hear it."
He then leaned back slightly, assuming a listening posture, as if everything was already under his control.
Xu Shenzhi took a deep breath, lowered his voice, and said, word by word:
"First, within the Prefecture City’s Han Clan, there is a hidden ’Hundred-Year Earth Heart Lotus.’ Its leaves can be used in Alchemy, but its seeds... can be consud raw. They can greatly advance one’s Innate True Qi. For a Martial Artist who has just entered the Innate Realm, its effects are comparable to a Miracle Elixir.
"A single lotus seed is equivalent to several months of arduous training for an Innate Martial Master. What’s more, the seed’s dicinal properties are gentle, and it also has the effect of tempering the physical body.
"The Han Family has always ground the lotus seeds into powder to help their core disciples with Foundation Establishnt and Body Refining. If you, Commander, could obtain and refine it, your Cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds."
At this point, Xu Shenzhi paused slightly to observe Chen Sheng’s reaction. Seeing a flicker in his eyes, he felt a bit more at ease and imdiately dropped his second, even more shocking secret:
"Second, that legitimate daughter of the Wang Family, Wang Zilan... possesses a very rare Profound Yin Body. The Cultivation Technique she practices is called the ’Ice Heart Jade Cold Scripture.’ This technique complents her constitution perfectly, allowing her to nurture a strand of suprely pure Profound Yin Origin within her body. If you, Commander... could find a way to take her Yin Yuan, you would save at least ten years of arduous cultivation.
"Of course... the lower one’s Cultivation is, the greater the boost after refining it."
As Xu Shenzhi said this, a complex expression flickered across his face, and he added through gritted teeth:
"These... are all secrets that Han Ling’Er inadvertently revealed to in the past, which I have committed to mory. Now, I wish to offer them all to you, Commander, to show the sincerity of my pledge."
————
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