"The feeling of being an Advanced Quasi-Martial Artist really is different!"
It was a full half hour before the Cultivation Room's door opened again.
Su Zhan emerged with delight written all over his face, his smile radiant.
After testing himself once, Su Zhan had not hurried off. He had tested himself several more times to determine his true strength.
His base strength was roughly 550 kilograms.
With the Advanced Jade Body activated, it rose to around 600 kilograms.
Then, with the Intermediate Nine Fire Saber stacked on top, it shot straight up to between 700 and 730 kilograms!
With that level of strength,
even among Advanced Quasi-Martial Artists, Su Zhan counted as above average. He was in no way inferior to those so-called Martial Sciences elites and Martial Sciences geniuses!
At least for now,
among all the students at Heaven City High School, fewer than ten could surpass Su Zhan!
He could absolutely rank among the top ten!
"Once I wait a little longer and officially step into the Martial Artist realm, there probably won't be anyone in Heaven City High School besides Lin Jinyu who can stand shoulder to shoulder with me!"
Su Zhan was incredibly excited.
As he headed toward the classroom, he fantasized about the future.
Suddenly, a tall, slender figure blocked his path.
Su Zhan focused his eyes.
Oh?
Lin Baitian—Lin Jinyu's older brother. An old acquaintance!
"You again?"
Su Zhan folded his arms across his chest and said coolly.
According to the memories of his former self,
Lin Baitian had caused him plenty of trouble before. Not only had he blocked him downstairs from his home and told him not to get too close to Lin Jinyu,
he had even dragged him into an alley near the school and mocked him, telling him to stay away from Lin Jinyu.
That was also why Fatty knew about it.
Although Lin Baitian had given him enough face at the time, whenever Su Zhan recalled being looked down on and belittled in every possible way, how could he possibly show a pleasant expression?
"So you really are an Advanced Quasi-Martial Artist..."
Lin Baitian had already sensed the surging vitality and blood energy emanating from Su Zhan. His eyes burned as he stared at him. "Kid, you only broke through to Intermediate Quasi-Martial Artist ten days ago, right? How did you become an Advanced Quasi-Martial Artist already?"
"How did you pull that off?"
Su Zhan frowned.
How did he know that?
"What does that have to do with you?"
Su Zhan said expressionlessly.
"Alright. Now that you have some strength, your backbone's grown too. You're much better than you were before, all timid and trembling with fear."
"Tell me, with such a rapid rate of advancement, what rank is your aptitude?"
Lin Baitian continued, "Commander Rank? Or Marquis Rank?"
"Like I said, what rank my aptitude is has nothing to do with you," Su Zhan said blandly.
"Hey, you're a man at least... why are you so petty?"
Lin Baitian said irritably. "I was a little rash when I came looking for you before. I apologize."
"Can you tell me what aptitude you have now?"
This time, Su Zhan was surprised.
Lin Baitian had actually taken the initiative to apologize to him?
This was completely different from those melodramatic novel plots where a rich second-generation heir flew into a rage from humiliation!
"What do you want to know that for?"
One did not strike a smiling face. Since the other party had apologized to his face, it would not be right for Su Zhan to keep clutching at it. His tone softened slightly.
"You managed to break through to Advanced Quasi-Martial Artist in such a short time. Your aptitude definitely isn't low."
Lin Baitian said directly, "In one sentence: I want to invest in you on behalf of the Lin Family!"
Just as expected.
Su Zhan raised an eyebrow.
This guy really had investigated him behind his back!
Su Zhan had thought he was already keeping a low profile, yet someone had still noticed him.
It was common knowledge that corporations and conglomerates invested in high school students.
Every year, some students with exceptional aptitudes received olive branches from major corporations and conglomerates. They were willing to spend heavily to invest in them, providing the best cultivation environments, the finest cultivation resources, and the best instructors.
They helped these students improve and advance rapidly, giving them a better chance of entering one of the four supreme academies: Qing Martial University, Bei Martial University, Long Martial University, or Hua Wu...
At the very least, they had to enter a key university one tier below those.
If they failed, that was one thing.
But once they succeeded,
after graduating, the students had to fulfill their contracts and join the corporation or conglomerate, serving it for three to five years. Some were even bound for life!
"Invest in me? How do you plan to invest?"
Su Zhan was intrigued as well.
What did he lack right now?
Cultivation resources!
Cold, hard cash!
Wasn't this a sucker... no, a big patron delivering himself right to his doorstep?
"It increases according to your realm."
"You are currently an Advanced Quasi-Martial Artist. A full set of Intermediate Spirit Weapons, intermediate armor, a Space Ring, and so on are standard. Each month, you receive one bottle of Second-grade Pills, around six or seven pills per bottle. They are all excellent pills that can effectively improve cultivation efficiency and raise your cultivation."
"At the same time, you can receive an investment allowance of 10 Gold Coins per month. You will be granted access to browse techniques below Elite Grade in the Lin Family's Technique Repository."
"As for Heavenly Treasures, forging minerals, and the like, they are not distributed on a fixed quota. They will be issued from time to time."
"Once you advance to Beginner Martial Artist, your monthly Second-grade Pills will become Grade 3 Pills, your investment allowance will rise to 30 Gold Coins per month, and you will be granted permission to cultivate Earth Grade Techniques!"
"Once you reach Intermediate Martial Artist, Advanced Martial Artist, or an even higher realm, your treatment will rise accordingly and rapidly!"
"Not only that, if you need pills refined, weapons forged, or anything similar, you can receive internal prices with at least a twenty percent discount."
"These are only the broad terms. As long as you are willing to join my Lin Family, the benefits will be endless!"
It had to be said that Lin Baitian truly was a good salesman.
Several points he mentioned made Su Zhan's heart pound with excitement.
The monthly pills, monthly Gold Coins, and access to Earth Grade Techniques... all were things he had long yearned for!
Even his father, Su Jianguo, was an Advanced Martial Artist, yet he only earned a hundred Gold Coins a year serving the conglomerate... The investment amount Su Zhan would receive now was already enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with his father!
However, Su Zhan was not blinded by the benefits.
Behind such generous treatment lay a steep price he would have to pay.
"The terms are indeed generous."
Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Su Zhan nodded and said calmly, "How long is the contract?"
"Ten years!"
Lin Baitian said directly, "After graduation, you only need to serve my Lin Family for ten years!"
"Ten years is too long."
Su Zhan waved his hand and refused on the spot.
Ten years?
Was this a joke?
With his cheat-like aptitude, let alone Martial Marshal level, reaching Martial Marquis level in ten years would not be a problem!
Have a Martial Marquis serve your Lin Family?
Of course, Su Zhan could take the benefits first and go back on his word later... But the Lin Family was Lin Jinyu's Lineage after all. Just because of that connection alone, Su Zhan did not want to leave a bad impression on them.
"Then tell me how you want to sign it."
Lin Baitian handed the initiative to Su Zhan.
"Not based on years. Based on occasions."
Su Zhan's gaze flickered. "As long as your Lin Family supports me, I will be willing to help your Lin Family three times in the future!"
"You?"
"Help my Lin Family?"
"Three times?"
Lin Baitian was speechless. "If you want to refuse me, just say so. Don't beat around the bush!"
His Lin Family had a Martial Commander guarding it, several Martial Generals and Martial Masters under its command, and countless Martial Artists... No matter how gifted Su Zhan was, at most he would be a Martial General level expert by graduation. What could he possibly do to help the Lin Family?
"What if I said that I'm confident I can become a Martial Commander after graduation—or even reach the higher Martial Marquis level?"
Before you continue