Apprenticeship

"Still have to keep working hard..."

Xu Ai walked out of her room with a helpless sigh.

Although she had unlocked the Empress Ruthless avatar cheat, it didn't actually provide any direct help to Xu Ai herself.

There was no way around it; she was only an Intermediate Student, and she could only improve her physical fitness through training. It was a process of accumulation, and even Empress Ruthless couldn't help with that.

After all, when Empress Ruthless was manifested, she didn't come with any heavenly treasures...

"Morning, Xiao Ai."

A clear, melodious voice drifted over. A young girl with a ponytail had just stepped out of her room and was waving at Xu Ai.

"Good morning, sister."

Xu Ai responded with a smile.

The girl was Xu Ai's cousin, the eldest daughter of the Xu family, Xu Xin.

The atmosphere in the Xu family was quite good; there wasn't the backstabbing and infighting found in other prominent families, so Xu Ai and Xu Xin had a very close relationship.

After all, their fathers were brothers; Xu Xin's father was the eldest in the family, while Xu Ai's father was the third.

"Let me tell you a secret: War God Ruthless is coming over later. Hurry up and tidy yourself up; don't leave a bad impression on her."

Xu Xin pulled Xu Ai close and whispered into her ear, acting all secretive.

Empress Ruthless was peerless and elegant, and as an incredibly young and invincible War God, she was extremely famous among the younger generation. Almost every girl idolized her.

Xu Xin was naturally no exception; Empress Ruthless was her idol!

Xu Ai naturally knew that Empress Ruthless was coming, because Empress Ruthless was her, after all. How could she not know if she was coming herself!?

Watching Xu Xin's excited expression, Xu Ai thought for a moment and decided to go with the flow—to worship herself—bah, to worship Empress Ruthless.

Immediately, Xu Ai put on an equally excited look...

"How about we change into our training gear?"

Xu Ai said with full confidence.

"If we wear our training gear and work out, when the War God... sees how hard we're working, she'll definitely have a good impression of us."

"That makes sense!"

Xu Xin nodded, but as soon as she finished speaking, she immediately realized what she had agreed to.

"It's settled then!"

Xu Ai didn't give Xu Xin a chance to go back on her word and quickly cut her off.

Whenever the topic of training came up, Xu Xin would want to back out; this wasn't the first or second time it had happened.

There was no helping it; Xu Xin's potential as a martial artist wasn't high, and she didn't really want to walk the path of a martial artist herself.

If it weren't for her family forcing her, she probably wouldn't even meet the standards of an Intermediate Student by now.

"Wait... wait a second..."

"No waiting, let's hurry!"

Xu Ai skillfully interrupted Xu Xin's unfinished sentence again, then hurriedly pushed her into her room.

As an aside, Xu Ai was one of the people who used both threats and inducements to make Xu Xin train!

"I've been here in my memories, but this is truly my first time here in person..."

Empress Ruthless, wearing a Ghost Face Mask, stood at the main entrance of the Xu family headquarters.

After all, memories were just memories. Whether it was Xu Ai or Empress Ruthless, both had only arrived in the world of Swallowed Star recently.

This Xu family headquarters was located on the most prosperous commercial street in Yangzhou City. It was a residential complex not much smaller than Mingyue Residential Quarter. Directly facing the main gate was a flower bed, and behind it stood four buildings.

The first building from the left was the Student Building, a place for Xu family descendants and the children of HR Alliance martial artists to train.

The second was the Office Building, where daily affairs of the complex were handled.

The third was the Research Building, the territory of the research team under the Xu family.

The fourth was the Martial Artist Building, specifically for HR Alliance martial artists to train.

Behind the four buildings was a small park with a grove of trees, a small pond, and various light training facilities. Further back was the residential area, where many martial artists' families lived.

The Xu Family Old Residence was located in the center of the residential area.

As soon as Empress Ruthless appeared, Xu Yunguo at the gate immediately brought his eldest son Xu Qing, his daughter Xu Yan, and his eldest grandson Xu Gang to greet her.

"Xiao Ren, it's been a long time."

The first to speak wasn't Xu Yunguo, but his daughter, Xu Yan.

And "Xiao Ren" was the name Empress Ruthless used in Swallowed Star, her full name being Heng Ren. It was a strange name, but there was no denying that this name was indeed the origin of her title, Ruthless.

Empress Ruthless glanced at Xu Yan indifferently and nodded.

"Long time no see."

The reason Empress Ruthless became a guest elder of the Xu family was that, by a stroke of fate, Xu Yan had helped a young Empress Ruthless when she was still a child.

After Empress Ruthless became a martial artist, she continued to invest in her multiple times, which was how the Xu family came to have an invincible War God as a guest elder.

With Xu Yan taking the lead, Xu Yunguo made a gesture of invitation and said simply and clearly:

"Miss Heng Ren, please, this way."

"Mm."

Empress Ruthless nodded and walked toward the residential area of the base camp first.

Xu Yan and Xu Yunguo followed, walking on either side of Empress Ruthless.

As for Xu Qing and Xu Gang, they followed behind them.

"Little Ren, how has your cultivation been going lately? Do you need us to purchase a session in an 'Ancient Civilization' Gravity Chamber from the military for you?"

"The cultivation results are very good, no need."

"Sigh, at your level, we really can't provide you with any more cultivation resources, but if you ever need anything, you must tell us. The Xu family may not have much else, but we certainly have money."

"Okay."

Xu Yan and Empress Ruthless chatted as they walked, while the others followed along quietly.

Xu Yunguo, walking beside Empress Ruthless, was the same; there was no helping it, as after many previous attempts at forced small talk yielded little response, he had come to understand the temperament of Empress Ruthless.

Empress Ruthless had a cold and detached nature, and within the Xu family, she only truly valued Xu Yan.

Just as they were heading toward the Xu Family Old Residence, on the other side...

"Little Ai, I can't do it anymore, help me up..."

Sob, sob... I shouldn't have listened to my sister's suggestion. It really was a trap...

"Oh, big sister, Auntie sent a text saying that the War God... Ruthless has already arrived. You wouldn't want the War God Ruthless to see you looking like this, would you?"

Xu Ai supported Xu Xin, intending to say something to motivate her, but as she finished, she felt like something wasn't quite right...

However, the effect was achieved; Xu Xin perked up and, with Xu Ai's support, managed to stand up straight.

"That's right, I can't let my idol see me like this!"

"Exactly! Who knows, maybe if the War God Ruthless sees how hard you're working, she might take you on as her disciple."

Xu Ai smiled. Watching Xu Xin start to get excited, Xu Ai suddenly began to consider whether this possibility could actually help Xu Xin on her path as a martial artist...

The two supported each other, exhausted, as they walked toward the main gate of the old residence.

Sigh, there's no helping it, Xu Ai also over-trained and is worn out...

The two had just arrived when they bumped into the group of five walking in.

"What is the meaning of this?"

It was Xu Yunguo who spoke. With a distinguished guest present, the state of Xu Xin and Xu Ai was simply too embarrassing.

"Get back inside, now!"

"Wait..."

Empress Ruthless stopped Xu Yunguo and locked eyes with Xu Ai.

Xu Yunguo looked at Empress Ruthless with confusion.

"Diligent training is a good thing. How long have you two been training?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Yunguo and the others all looked at Empress Ruthless in astonishment.

This was truly the first time they had heard her speak such a long sentence since they had known her.

"About an hour."

Xu Ai replied.

"An hour!?"

Xu Yan was somewhat surprised, her eyes involuntarily shifting to Xu Xin.

To be this exhausted after only an hour meant the intensity of the training was clearly very high!

It was normal for Xu Ai, but for Xu Xin to be this worn out was truly rare.

"I am working very hard, okay..."

In front of her idol, Xu Xin still wanted to save some face.

"Oh, that is very good."

Empress Ruthless nodded and looked at Xu Xin and Xu Ai.

"I would like to take you both as my disciples. What do you think?"

"Take us as disciples!?"

Xu Yunguo, Xu Yan, Xu Qing, Xu Gang, and Xu Xin were all extremely shocked.

Having no choice, Xu Ai had to put on a look of surprise as well...

"Hmm, I think they're quite good, and I'd like to cultivate them a bit."

"That's great! That's a wonderful thing!"

Xu Yunguo's eyes lit up, and he nodded in agreement without hesitation.

Although Empress Ruthless was a guest elder of the Xu Family, in reality, her presence was sustained solely by her debt of gratitude to Xu Yan.

They didn't dare to truly ask Empress Ruthless for help; after all, favors are finite, and they would eventually run out.

This kind of relationship was extremely unstable, especially since the Xu Family currently had nothing to offer that could be of mutual benefit to Empress Ruthless.

One had to remember that Empress Ruthless didn't even live in the villa the Xu Family provided for her!

Now that there was an opportunity to deepen the relationship between the two parties, Xu Yunguo was ten million times willing in his heart!

Despite being overjoyed, Xu Yunguo still remembered to maintain his composure.

"Ahem, Xu Xin, Xu Ai, are you willing to take War God Ruthless as your master?"

"Of course we are!"

Before Xu Ai could even respond, Xu Xin, having come to her senses, was the first to nod excitedly and repeatedly.

Xu Ai smiled inwardly, then also agreed with an excited expression.

"I am willing too!"

"Good."

Empress Ruthless nodded, then looked toward Xu Yan.

Xu Yan, the translator, understood immediately and waved her hand at Xu Ai and Xu Xin.

"Go take a bath and change into some clean clothes before coming back."

"Understood..."

Xu Ai nodded, feeling a bit surprised in her heart.

She hadn't expected her aunt to actually be able to translate the meaning behind Empress Ruthless's gaze; it was truly impressive.

Sighing with such admiration, Xu Ai helped Xu Xin up and led her away.