His Parents Were Stunned

"Again, the Lin family."

Meng Qianqiu, head of the Meng family, opened his eyes, which were filled with sharp, icy coldness.

Where there were people, there was the jianghu; where there was the jianghu, there were grudges.

Even colossal powers like the Four Great Families had their own mortal enemies.

The Lin family and the Meng family were the most typical example.

Both were among the Four Great Families.

Both were sworn enemies who could not live under the same sky.

From several centuries ago until today, that hatred had not faded in the slightest. Instead, it had only grown ever thicker!

From fighting over ferocious beast strongholds and mineral vein sites beyond the city—

To something as minor as recruiting newly emerged genius students.

The two families fought over every last inch, never yielding so much as a fraction.

"Go. Send someone to contact that little fellow named Su Zhan. Whatever amount the Lin family invested, my Meng family is willing to offer double!"

Meng Qianqiu took the handkerchief handed over by his subordinate and wiped the fragments from his hand as he said coldly, "If that little fellow knows what is good for him, then so be it. If he does not... you know what to do."

Had any other force signed him first, the Meng family would not have cared... after all, he was merely a genius. He was indeed precious, with a promising future, but not enough to make Meng Qianqiu stir up a huge fuss fighting over him.

But the Lin family was the one exception!

Whatever the Lin family wanted, the Meng family had to fight for it!

If the Meng family could not obtain it, then the Lin family should not even dream of having it either!

"Yes, Family Head!"

The news spread even faster than Su Zhan had imagined.

When he returned home, his parents were already inside, so excited that they were dancing with joy... the moment they saw Su Zhan walk through the door, the radiant smiles on their faces could not be hidden at all.

"Dad, Mom, you already knew?"

Su Zhan was surprised.

"The companies and corporations that wanted to invest in you couldn't reach you, so they contacted us instead."

His mother, Liu Huixian, said with a smile, "Even Ye Corporation specifically sent a Martial General over to discuss matters with us, hoping the Ye Family could invest in you."

"Hahahaha... what did I say? My, Su Jianguo's, son could never be lacking!"

Su Jianguo's laughter had not stopped for a moment. "Did you see Old Tian's face today? He used to butt heads with me at every turn, but now he came running over to offer me cigarettes and call me brother. Look at him—he didn't even dare breathe too loudly!"

"Alright, alright. Look at how hard you're laughing. You're an Advanced Martial Artist, at least try to be a little more composed, won't you?" Liu Huixian chided.

"My son is a genius, one in ten thousand—a genius even Ye Corporation's higher-ups value immensely! At the absolute bare minimum, he'll become a Martial General level big shot in the future... what's wrong with me laughing a little longer?" Every word Su Jianguo spoke brimmed with incomparable pride. "And you're criticizing me? Isn't your face about to freeze from smiling too much too?"

Seeing how happy they were, Su Zhan smiled as well.

He had only planned to show off a little, get into an Elite Class, and gain some extra resources... yet not only had he gained the Lin family's favor and sponsorship, he had also made his parents so proud that they laughed with delight.

"Strength really is a good thing!"

Su Zhan could not help sighing inwardly.

"Oh, right, Xiaozhan. Weren't you of the Lowest Grade aptitude? How did you... suddenly become an Advanced Quasi-Martial Artist?" Liu Huixian had not forgotten to ask the important question.

"Yeah." Su Jianguo finally reined in his smile a little. "The last time your mother and I saw you, you were still a Beginner Quasi-Martial Artist. It hasn't even been half a month, has it? Yet you've become an Advanced Quasi-Martial Artist... that rate of improvement is truly astonishing!"

The two of them were already in their forties or fifties, yet they were only Martial Artists.

Now look at Su Zhan.

He was only in his second year of high school, yet he was already an Advanced Quasi-Martial Artist. If he could reach Martial Artist by the college entrance exams, surpassing them would be a matter of minutes... how could someone with Lowest Grade aptitude possibly achieve such progress?

"I don't know either. I just cultivated normally, and before I knew what was happening, I broke through," Su Zhan said directly.

It was not that he did not trust his parents.

If he revealed his cheat, there would be nothing but drawbacks, not a single benefit!

"I see..." Liu Huixian did not know what else to speculate.

"If you ask me, the testing device must have malfunctioned!" Su Jianguo said with a serious expression. "Going from Beginner Quasi-Martial Artist to Advanced Quasi-Martial Artist in less than half a month—this advancement speed is even more outrageous than that Lin girl's Commander Rank!"

Liu Huixian clearly did not quite believe that explanation.

"Oh, right, Dad, Mom. I've already agreed to sign with the Lin family. You'll have to let the Ye Family know," Su Zhan said.

"Sign with the Lin family?"

Liu Huixian and Su Jianguo looked at each other, each seeing surprise, shock, bewilderment, and utter confusion in the other's eyes.

The Lin family had repeatedly reminded them, both openly and in private: never let Su Zhan get close to Lin Jinyu, and do not cause trouble.

And now they had actually come directly to Su Zhan to sign an investment contract?

"Yeah. Lin Jinyu's brother, Lin Baitian, came to find me personally," Su Zhan said.

His parents were even more stunned.

Wasn't Lin Baitian Lin Jinyu's brother, the one person in the entire Lin family who disliked Su Zhan the most?

Not long ago, he had even called and sternly emphasized it.

And now, in the blink of an eye...

"Xiaozhan, have you already signed?" Su Jianguo asked with a frown.

"Not yet. The official signing is tomorrow."

"Then reject it." Su Jianguo said directly, "We weren't planning to have dealings with the Lin family anyway. Besides, Ye Corporation is also one of the Four Great Families... though it can't compare to the Lin family, it's still a colossal power. Your mother and I are with the Ye Family, so choosing them would be better!"

"That's right. Besides, you already have a marriage arrangement with Linger. It wouldn't be good for you to keep wandering around the Lin family..." Liu Huixian nodded in agreement.

"Dad, Mom, I'm afraid it's already too late... I already took an advance on part of Lin Baitian's investment, and I've spent it all." Su Zhan spread his hands.

"Was it a large advance?" Su Jianguo refused to give up.

"Worth a little over a thousand gold, probably."

"Hisssss~~~"

The moment Su Zhan said that, both his parents sucked in a cold breath.

For the Lin family to be willing to advance so much showed just how highly they valued Su Zhan... if he broke the agreement now, it would be no different from offending the Lin family!

"Wait, how many years did you agree to sign for?"

Su Jianguo suddenly thought of the contract term and immediately grew nervous.

"I heard the Lin family's investment contracts all start at ten years. Don't tell me..."

Liu Huixian's expression changed slightly as well.

"Dad, Mom, don't worry. Forget ten years—even one year won't be necessary!" Su Zhan said with a smile. "What I signed was a number of times I'd make a move. After I graduate, I'll help the Lin family three times. That's all."

"Ha... ha?!"

Su Jianguo and Liu Huixian were completely dumbfounded.

It was their first time hearing of an investment contract that did not stipulate a term of service, but rather a number of times one would make a move... wasn't that something only a Guest Advisor was qualified to sign?

Guest Advisor.

Generally, they were Martial General level experts unwilling to belong to any one force. They used a number of interventions as an exchange to establish long-term cooperation with great families.

Su Zhan was merely an Advanced Quasi-Martial Artist, yet he was qualified to sign such a contract?

No matter how highly the Lin family regarded Su Zhan, surely they could not value him to that extent, could they?

"Ring, ring, ring..."

Su Jianguo still wanted to ask for more details when his phone suddenly rang.

The moment he answered, a brilliant smile appeared on his face again. "Not at all, not at all. It was all his own effort—it had nothing to do with me!"

Liu Huixian's phone was no exception. She likewise joined the ranks of those humbly denying credit.

Seeing this, Su Zhan slipped away at once.

In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived.

Su Zhan came as promised.

From afar, he spotted Lin Baitian on the second floor of the Cultivation Hall, waving at him.

What surprised Su Zhan was that Lin Jinyu was there too!