Seduction?

Wang Sheng's eyes lit up slightly when he heard the news, and he nodded.

He was desperately short of money right now. If he could gain the full support of a wealthy household, he might reach the hidden strength stage in a short time.

And if he became a hidden strength Martial Artist, he would count as a figure of some standing in Ershui City. The various parties would usually show him some respect.

"Hehe, Senior Brother, if you ask me, the best option is to marry into the Liu family. The Liu family's favored choice before, Senior Brother Lin Shu, is gone. Their legitimate daughter, whom they had planned to marry off in an alliance, was left on their hands. No Lineage on the Liu family's level would marry this legitimate daughter now. She'll have to marry beneath her station!"

"They say the Liu family's legitimate daughter has a face like a flower and a moon, gentle and virtuous. What a pity her fiancé died just like that. Even her own reputation took a heavy blow along with it."

"So, Senior Brother, your chance has come. If you can truly gain the Liu family's support and marry that legitimate daughter, Senior Brother Fang Mingguang will never dare provoke you again."

The more Ge Xiaogu spoke, the more excited he became, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

What he failed to notice was that Wang Sheng's expression had turned somewhat strange.

"Beat Lin Shu to death, then marry his fiancée, use his fiancée's family resources to cultivate, and not to mention possibly having his fiancée bear his children and taking concubines later. Isn't that bullying him a little too much?"

Wang Sheng thought to himself.

"No, even if Lin Shu isn't a ghost now, he should at least still be a placenta. He isn't human, so it doesn't count as bullying!"

Thinking this, Wang Sheng genuinely began considering the possibility of becoming a live-in son-in-law.

After all, the Liu family was simply too tempting.

That Blood Stacking Technique seemed to have been obtained by Lin Shu from the Liu family.

There were surely some precious martial arts inheritances within the Liu family as well.

After a while,

Wang Sheng spoke up to stop Ge Xiaogu from chatting and told him to hurry off and cultivate.

Ge Xiaogu had deliberately come to make conversation with him and build a closer relationship, tending a cold stove.

Of course, Ge Xiaogu had not hung himself from a single tree. At the same time, he was tending the cold stoves of the others who had helped him back then. As long as even one of them achieved manifest strength, it would be a profit for Ge Xiaogu.

Wang Sheng did not reject Ge Xiaogu's approach. It was quite good, saving him a great deal of time.

"I still need to cultivate!"

"War could come at any time. Time is too precious to waste."

Wang Sheng sighed, rose to his feet, and began cultivating Forging Gold Body.

His daily several hours of cultivation in the Great Tablet Shattering Hand had already ended. Spending more time on it would bring only negligible gains, so he might as well use that time to cultivate Forging Gold Body and rapidly increase his strength.

Seven days later.

On this day, Wang Sheng had just gained entry into the body-tempering method Forging Gold Body when he received a message from his master telling him to enter the inner courtyard.

"As expected of a body-tempering art. I've only just entered the door, yet it can already greatly reduce the damage caused by force, by roughly thirty percent."

Thinking this, Wang Sheng entered the inner courtyard.

Quite a few people were already standing in the inner courtyard. Wu An, Li Chaodong, and the rest had all entered the martial path but had yet to reach minor mastery and produce manifest strength.

Under the great willow tree, Zhao Jie and several elders of the older generation sat on stone benches, drinking tea and chatting.

After having his body tempered by force and cultivating Forging Gold Body, Wang Sheng's ears and eyes had become sharp. He keenly detected quite a few women whispering and peeking from the guest rooms nearby.

"Looks like the marriage candidates are here!"

After understanding, Wang Sheng consciously stood together with Wu An and the others, allowing those elders of the older generation to inspect them.

"This is my disciple Wu An. He has been in the school for less than a year, cultivates diligently every day, is exceedingly hardworking, understands etiquette, cares for his junior brothers, respects his master and elders, has passed the xiucai examination, and is handsome. Back where they come from, he is considered a well-known fine young man!"

Zhao Jie praised his disciple as much as possible, hoping they could secure bright futures.

After all, they were pulling in investments now. The more they pulled in, the more it would help him if another manifest strength disciple emerged in the future.

Hearing Zhao Jie's praise, Li Chaodong and the others curled their lips but did not dare make a sound.

Wu An had clearly been in the school for nearly two years already. He bullied the weak and feared the strong, and knew jack shit about etiquette. Other than being handsome, even his diligent cultivation had only begun recently because of that Bone Strengthening Pill.

Wang Sheng's mouth twitched when he heard Zhao Jie's words.

Passing the xiucai examination did not mean he had become a xiucai. With just a few words, Zhao Jie had draped Wu An in a trace of a scholar's refined elegance.

Wu An straightened his back, his expression solemn as he tried hard to appear more spirited.

Unfortunately,

After pondering for a moment, the several aged old men all shook their heads in turn.

They clearly had some information on these people and would not let a large sum of silver go down the drain.

Wu An's face fell, while Li Chaodong and the others visibly raised their brows, delighting inwardly.

Just as Zhao Jie also thought there was no hope and intended to move on to the next disciple, a young maid suddenly emerged from the guest room beside them. She hurried over to Zhao Jie and the others, handed over a slip of paper, then hurriedly ran back.

After seeing the writing on the slip, one of the elders fell silent for a moment. Then he gave a bitter smile, sighed, and said, "Young Hero Wu is gifted in both talent and appearance. My Dan Family is willing to form a marriage alliance with you. Would you be willing?"

Wu An immediately became radiant with joy. Greatly excited, he nodded repeatedly. "I'm willing! I'm willing!"

Li Chaodong and the others' faces darkened at once. They glanced toward the guest room, unable to tell which woman was so blind that she had actually taken a fancy to Wu An.

Wang Sheng felt that it was probably Wu An's appearance that had attracted the Dan Family woman in the guest room.

After all, without excellent care, the skin of most martial practitioners was rough.

Wu An was already the most handsome among them.

"So I have a chance too!"

Wang Sheng thought of how he was not bad-looking either.

Seeing that Wu An had secured resources, Zhao Jie was quite satisfied and began introducing the next one, Li Chaodong.

Since Wang Sheng had arrived last, he was to be introduced last.

Very quickly,

Time flew by.

By the time it was Wang Sheng's turn to be introduced, not only were the elders exhausted, even Zhao Jie was rather weary.

To praise these disciples, Zhao Jie had practically wrung dry every word he could think of.

"This is my disciple Wang Sheng, who only recently entered the school. He is hardworking and diligent, respects his master and values learning, studies eagerly, and is handsome. More importantly, I believe this disciple of mine may have enormous untapped potential. Gentlemen, do not let him slip by!"

Zhao Jie said.

"Master Zhao, which of your disciples isn't hardworking, diligent, and respectful of his master and education? You've used those words so many times that you've started fooling us with potential, haven't you?"

The Dan Family elder said with a smile.

They held little, but quite important, information on these disciples.

For example, Wang Sheng had only barely entered the school after two months. This was his greatest and most fatal flaw. It was difficult for these wealthy households to accept.

"I can't accept him."

"Young friend, do not lose heart. There will be opportunities in the future."

"No."

The other three elders also gave their answers in turn.

Wang Sheng had not been chosen.

Wu An, Li Chaodong, and the others relaxed, smiles appearing on their lips.

Just then,

Another young maid emerged from the guest room beside them and handed a slip of paper to one of the elders.

"Again!"

Li Chaodong and the others' hearts sank at the sight.

Zhao Jie was also rather speechless. His disciples' talent had failed to attract these old men, yet their looks had seduced those women instead!