Selling Oneself

Several days ago.

"Who goes there?!" the sailor on guard suddenly shouted, tightly gripping the longspear in his hand.

A suspicious human-shaped dark figure crawled out from the bushes, glanced at the sailor, and then plunged headfirst onto the ground, fainting.

The sailor froze, cautiously approaching the unconscious mysterious person, and nudged the man's shoulder with the longspear, turning his face upward to face the sky.

Although the face was pitch black and covered in terrifying burns, the sailor frowned for a moment and still recognized the identity of this mysterious person.

"It's Huang Zao!!!"

"Huang Zao is still alive."

"Captain Lan Zao, your younger brother is still alive, he's back."

The sailor shouted and hollered, alarming the exploration team members throughout the entire camp.

A crowd swarmed over. Lan Zao, who led them, had a robust physique, possessing the stalwart build of two adult men combined, with a dense and profound Bronze-level aura.

Seeing the unconscious Huang Zao, Lan Zao was first in disbelief, then mixed with joy and surprise. He hurried to squat down, lifting Huang Zao's head so he lay half-propped.

"Brother, brother, wake up quickly!" Lan Zao shouted loudly.

Although unconscious, Huang Zao was still murmuring in his mouth: "Water... water..."

With a stretch of Lan Zao's hand, other sailors immediately handed over a waterskin.

After being moistened by the water, Huang Zao finally slowly awakened.

His blurred vision gradually cleared. Seeing Lan Zao's rugged face, Huang Zao almost shed tears: "Brother, I'm Huang Zao, I'm back, I snatched my life back!"

Huang Zao's voice was extremely hoarse and weak to the extreme.

Chasing the main force all by himself, it had not been easy in this crisis-ridden forest.

"Huang Zao, what on earth happened? We all thought you were dead. Captain Lan Zao wanted to go back and look for you several times, but everyone stopped him; no one believed you could survive. Lan Zao shed tears for you several times." An old man squeezed into the circle of people.

His face was covered in wrinkles, his figure emaciated, and he wore a pair of cracked glasses. He had a large handful of gray-white beard. Because he had been exposed to the wind and rain and had not cleaned up for a long time, the white beard had turned pitch-gray and black, looking like a rag that had been used for a long time.

This old man was none other than Cang Xu.

He was an old scholar who had served nobles for many years.

The entire exploration team respected him greatly because it was through his guidance that the exploration team walked out of the desert.

"Thank the gods, thank fate, you're still here, you're still alive. Heavens, this really is a miracle!" Lan Zao shouted loudly.

"Quickly tell your older brother, what on earth did you encounter?" Lan Zao was also extremely curious.

Huang Zao said with an angry, cold snort: "I didn't die at all. It's just that I temporarily passed out at that time..."

He briefly told the development and outcome of the matter.

Lan Zao felt a great deal of emotion: "Huang Zao, you really did snatch your life back, how thrilling."

The people around echoed one after another, uttering words of amazement or congratulations.

The old scholar Cang Xu, however, turned solemn in expression: "We have trouble, everyone, it seems we have trouble."

"What trouble?" Someone then asked.

"No matter how much trouble there is, I will not abandon my younger brother! We'll fight the spider swarm to the death!" A murderous intent flashed in Lan Zao's eyes, and his attitude was extremely resolute.

Huang Zao said, "There are no spiders following me, everyone can rest assured. As long as we escape their hunting ground, those spiders will crawl back up into the canopy. I stayed with them for several days, after all."

"Besides, with that final big fire, the spiders were probably all burned to death."

Huang Zao's tone carried pride. The danger had passed, and his escape experience this time had turned into capital for bragging.

The old scholar shook his head: "I am not talking about the spiders, I am talking about those two people."

"Those two people must have died long ago, although it's somewhat a pity," Huang Zao said. He did not directly confess the matter of his routing in the face of battle, but instead said that the Eight-Legged Spider attacked Zhen Jin and the others, and that he was relatively lucky, and after being spared, seized the opportunity to escape.

"Not necessarily dead," the old scholar sighed.

Lan Zao muttered, "Lower-tier magic and Battle Qi are forbidden on this island. Could those two young people have such great ability to escape the wrathful Eight-Legged Spider leader?"

The old scholar still furrowed his brows: "Black Iron-level strength is indeed subjected to restrictions on this island. But what about the Silver-level? The Gold-level? We have no such powerhouses among us, so we cannot be certain whether such strength is also subjected to restrictions!"

Huang Zao couldn't help but widen his eyes: "Mr. Cang Xu, do you think those two are Silver-level experts, or even Gold-level powerhouses? That's impossible, the two of them are too young. Besides, I never sensed any Silver or Gold aura from them. On the contrary, that young girl seemed to be a Black Iron-level mage."

The old scholar let out a laugh and shook his head slightly: "Are young experts in short supply? White Wolf General of Cold Iron City is only seventeen years old; Shui Si, the great mage of the Golden Rose Family, is only a sixteen-year-old girl. Killer Luo Shi, who has risen recently and was excavated from commoners by the Killer Alliance, is rumored to be only eighteen years old."

"No way, these people are all future big figures, too far away from us. Could it be that I just casually bumped into someone like that?"

The old scholar lowered his voice: "The probability is very high. According to your description, that young girl is young and yet possesses Black Iron strength. She herself cannot be ignored, so what kind of level of force cultivated her then?"

"That young girl respectfully addresses the youth as Lord, so what on another note are this youth's status and strength? You all can ponder this."

The crowd fell into deep contemplation, and the expressions of the two brothers, Huang Zao and Lan Zao, visibly began to turn ugly.

After waiting for a moment, the old scholar continued speaking: "I think that youth not only has a high status, but his own strength is also very strong. Gold-level cultivation is not very likely, but he is very likely a Silver-level expert."

"Mr. Cang Xu, have you grasped any evidence?" Lan Zao retorted, "Why do you feel this way?"

Cang Xu smiled: "We can look at it from another angle. Suppose you discovered someone asking for help, and to rescue this person you would face more than a dozen Bronze-level Eight-Legged Spiders. And your teammates, including yourself, number only two people in total. If you aren't Silver- or Gold-level strength, how would you dare to provoke these spiders and risk your life to save someone?"

Lan Zao opened his mouth wide, unable to speak for a moment.

"So, these two people likely haven't died. I offended a Silver expert, and possibly even a Gold-level powerhouse?" Huang Zao muttered to himself, the corners of his mouth twitching somewhat.

"I shouldn't have run away, I should have returned the dagger to them! I was wrong, I committed a huge mistake!!" Huang Zao tightly gripped Lan Zao's arm, crying out repeatedly.

Compelled by enormous psychological pressure, he finally chose to confess.

Hearing that he had fled in the face of battle and even taken away the crucial dagger, everyone's expressions changed.

"Mr. Cang Xu, what can be done about this?" Lan Zao also lost his ideas and could only cast his seeking-advice gaze toward the old scholar.

"No one panic." Cang Xu raised a hand, first stabilizing everyone's emotions. "Things have not yet reached an irredeemable point."

"Everything before was just my speculation. The two of them very likely have already become food for the spiders or perished in a sea of fire. Isn't that right?"

"But didn't you just say, old sir, that it's more likely these two solved the trouble and are pursuing us? We left markers all along this road." Lan Zao's expression was incomparably tangled.

Cang Xu nodded, staring at Lan Zao with a deep gaze: "Therefore, we must now reverse direction and head back. We need to confirm whether those two are alive or dead."

"If they are dead, we might just scavenge some excellent equipment."

"If they are still alive and falling into some kind of predicament, we must step forward to help them, repaying the debt of saving Huang Zao's life, and atoning for Huang Zao fleeing in the face of battle."

"If they are hunting us down, I strongly suggest to everyone that unless it is an absolute last resort, do not resist. Think carefully, can we match a powerhouse who could wipe out an Eight-Legged Spider swarm?"

"Surrender! Surrender is a very good option."

"Don't forget, we were all people on the same ship, and we've all fallen here. They need us; big figures all need subordinates, at least they need enough manpower to operate the vessel."

Scholar Cang Xu's words caused everyone to nod successively.

"Then, then what should I do?" Huang Zao asked anxiously.

"Rest assured, I'm here, brother." Although Lan Zao said this, his tone obviously lacked confidence.

Cang Xu looked sincerely at Huang Zao: " Confronting them head-on is merely seeking your own destruction. Even if you blindly evade, where can you run? Escape into the forest and be eaten by wild beasts? Following my method is your greatest chance of survival. Remember, if those two big figures are still alive, you must do your utmost to display the value of your survival. Do not begrudge your wealth; even though big figures certainly won't think much of it, you must still contribute it, and you must fully demonstrate your remorse."

Huang Zao nodded continuously, desperately engraving Cang Xu's words into his heart.

Just like that, this group reversed direction and returned along their original path.

At the mountain spring location, they encountered Zhen Jin and Zi Di.

They took the initiative to reveal themselves, and Huang Zao stepped out ahead of the crowd, walking up in front of the youth and maiden.

"It's you! Hmph, we've finally caught you, Huang Zao."

Zi Di was displeased, while Zhen Jin maintained silence, his gaze unkind.

Huang Zao's heart trembled.

How much he wished Zhen Jin and Zi Di had perished just like that. But now the two people were standing safe and sound right in front of him.

Even though Huang Zao was a rough fellow and muddle-headed by nature, the meaning contained within this had long been explained thoroughly and clearly by the old scholar Cang Xu.

Immediately following, Huang Zao caught sight of the "new-style weapons" equipped on Zhen Jin.

These battle spears, sickles, and longswords were obviously assembled using spider forelegs paired with timber!

"They wiped out that Silver-level spider leader!"

"How am I so unlucky to have run into two big figures?!"

Clatter.

The scimitar in Huang Zao's hand was thrown onto the mountain rocks.

Then, with a thump, Huang Zao knelt on the ground, his forehead heavily slamming against the ground as he took the initiative to beg for mercy: "Lord and Lady! I am Huang Zao, and it was I who fled in the face of battle. I was wrong, I committed an unforgivable crime! This humble person will not resist; execution or slaughter, it is entirely up to the disposition of you two lords!"

The youth and maiden looked at each other, both somewhat bewildered.

What kind of situation was this?

After they were surrounded, they even thought these people were going to be unfavorable to them. As a result, Huang Zao directly confessed and surrendered.

"Respected lords, this old man is named Cang Xu, a scholar who once served the Shata Family for thirty-eight years." The old scholar also walked over at this time.

Behind him followed a stalwart man, precisely Lan Zao.

Zhen Jin did not speak, while Zi Di stepped forward half a step and took the initiative to voice out: "I am Zi Di, current guild master of the Purple Vine Merchant Guild. Now I have the honor to introduce to you all—the lord before you is the bearer of a noble bloodline, his bloodline tracing back to the legendary magical beast Golden Needle Bee Queen. He is the sole heir of the Hundred Needles Family, a Temple Knight, and also a candidate for the White Sand City Lord this time."

"The Purple Vine Merchant Guild?" The moment Zi Di began to speak, some among the crowd couldn't help but let out low gasps.

This renowned merchant guild was something these people had heard of to varying degrees.

"A Temple Knight?" When Zi Di spoke up to this point, it provoked yet another wave of exclamations.

Lan Zao's body rocked for a moment. Huang Zao knelt on the ground, not daring to raise his head, his ears beginning to ring.

"The Hundred Needles Family..." Old scholar Cang Xu's pupils contracted slightly.

His understanding of nobles far exceeded that of Lan Zao, Huang Zao, and the others. Cang Xu was clear: the Hundred Needles Family was by no means simple. Although this family suffered heavy blows for opposing the empire, they were, after all, a former major southern nobility with a profound foundation. The current Hundred Needles Clan Leader was a Gold-level powerhouse; although he had suffered heavy blows, he still could not be underestimated. And the youth before his eyes was the sole heir of such a family?

Respectful expressions surfaced on Cang Xu's face. He bent over in a bow and said in a deep voice: "Cang Xu is honored to pay respects to the two lords here."

Lan Zao knelt on both knees to the ground: "Lan Zao kowtows in greeting to the two lords. My lord, Huang Zao is my own younger brother. I am willing to use my life as a price to earnestly implore the two lords to forgive his transgression!"

"Brother!" Huang Zao raised his head, straightening his upper body, looking at Lan Zao in shock. His forehead was already covered in bloodstains.

Zhen Jin was expressionless and silent, such demeanor bringing mounting pressure to those nearby.

"Respected lords," the old scholar spoke again. "Please allow this outsider to confess all the facts that I have seen."

"Speak," Zhen Jin finally uttered his first sentence.

Cang Xu exhaled a breath of turbid air and continued: "Huang Zao committed an unforgivable crime, yet he exerted all his strength and finally rushed back to his older brother's side. He was panicked, terrified, and weak to the point of fainting momentarily."

"This reckless and cowardly young man indeed fled in the face of death. But after he settled down, he was plagued by even greater guilt and self-reproach for the sins he bore."

"He fell into deep remorse and self-blame, yet without the slightest concealment, he told us all the truth and pleaded for everyone's help to rush back to the spider forest and rescue you two lords."

"It is precisely because of this that we are fortunate to meet you two lords here."

"I still ask the two lords, bearing in mind that Huang Zao has a heart of repentance and atonement, to deal with him leniently."

Huang Zao and Lan Zao cast grateful gazes toward Cang Xu.

Zi Di glanced at the two kneeling brothers and couldn't help sneering: "This lowly and cowardly villain deceived Lord Zhen Jin, concealing the existence of the Silver-level magical beast for his own selfish motives. Afterward, he even fled in the face of battle, putting a noble bloodline bearer in mortal danger, returning enmity for kindness! Scholar, do you advise us to deal leniently with such a person?"

Cang Xu nodded repeatedly, smiling: "Meeting the two lords for the first time, old official said these words were indeed far too presumptuous and overstepping. But in fact, these two are not imperial soldiers, merely sailors on the Pig Kiss. To speak of fleeing in the face of battle, it doesn't quite count, does it?"

"Alas, these two brothers are actually both pitiable people. Coming from a family of fishermen, they lost both parents early on, and the brothers could only rely on each other to survive. If my lord wishes to execute the younger brother, I fear the older brother will not live on alone."

"Lord Zhen Jin, you are a Temple Knight, a knight among knights. You are noble by birth and possess a vast future, akin to the clouds in the sky. While these two brothers are merely ants in the dirt. Lord Zhen Jin, you will undoubtedly be the future White Sand City Lord. By then, your radiance will surely illuminate the entire city, and your grace will nourish all city residents. Why be stingy toward these two tiny ants?"

"If my lord pardons these two pitiable and lamentable little ants, I believe the two of them will surely repent for a lifetime, firmly remembering your compassion and benevolence, and they will definitely give their all to repay my lord's kindness!"

Zi Di raised her brow and took a deep look at Cang Xu, but she did not speak.

Cang Xu gently kicked kneeling Lan Zao with his foot.

Lan Zao gave a start and hurriedly said in a loud voice: "My lord, please show boundless mercy and give us two brothers a chance to confess, reform, and repay this life-saving great grace! Please, in your magnanimity, reluctantly take us in as two lowly servants. From this day forward, we await my lord's dispatch!"

Huang Zao didn't speak, only kowtowing incessantly.

The posture of the two brothers begging so bitterly moved the others present.

"My lord." Zi Di looked toward Zhen Jin, adopting a subordinate posture awaiting the latter's decision.

Everyone looked toward Zhen Jin.

The old scholar Cang Xu, however, lowered his head, his gaze directed toward the ground.

Seeing the two brothers covered in bloody grime, Zhen Jin only then expressionlessly and slowly spoke: "Healing the wounded and rescuing the dying, upholding the weak—this is originally the creed of my Temple Knight order. Because of this, back in the spider forest, I chose to rescue you."

"One must not overestimate people, nor underestimate them. This sentence is the family motto of my Hundred Needles clan. Therefore, Huang Zao, Lan Zao, I am willing to give the two of you a chance, hoping you can use loyalty and concrete actions to change my view of you."

"Thank you! Thank you, my lord!" Huang Zao and Lan Zao were overjoyed.

The surrounding people all breathed sighs of relief. When they looked back at Huang Zao and Lan Zao, envy inevitably leaked into many of their gazes.

Although these two brothers sold themselves into slavery and lost their freedom from then on, leaning on a big figure like Zhen Jin meant they might soar to success in the future.

Cang Xu bowed once more in salute, saying: "Lord Zhen Jin, your magnanimity is like the earth, and your benevolence rivals the sun. Praise be to you; you shall be our banner, and under your leadership can we humble folk march forward correctly."

Zhen Jin looked at the surrounding people, his figure standing as straight as a spear, his calm voice clearly conveying to everyone's ears.

"The radiance of the sanctuary shrouds every inch of land. The imperial military flag shelters every imperial citizen. Follow me, and I will lead you out of here alive."

"Yes, my lord!" The crowd responded in unison, successively kneeling half-down on the ground.