Recruitment, the Li Family's Invitation

During this time, Liu Changshou had basically been hanging around the Jiangnan Martial Faction nonstop. He had even braved the doubts of all New Hang students to join the Jiangnan Society!

He was the first New Hang student to join the Jiangnan Society.

Of course, it was understandable that this act was seen as betrayal of New Hang.

But in Chu Wen's eyes, someone who could bend and stretch like this would truly thrive once he entered society. No wonder he was a sales champion—his eye for opportunities was different.

Liu Changshou knew that their friendship was merely average. If he wanted to keep it going, then joining the Jiangnan Society was undoubtedly the best possible choice.

Hard work paid off. During Yuchi Yu's physical examination this time, Liu Changshou was the perfect publicity mouthpiece: Join the Jiangnan Society, and White-Haired Yama would personally formulate your growth plan.

That was White-Haired Yama, Yuchi Yu—the man who could make someone fail a course with a single glance!

It could even draw the attention of other interested teachers to some subtle changes on campus. Why not?

The happiest ones were undoubtedly the Jiangnan Martial Faction's teachers. They were practically singing Chen Dai and Chu Wen's praises to the heavens.

This was the first formal interaction between Xinhang Martial University and the Jiangnan Martial Faction.

Even Yuchi Yu probably had not expected that his actions would draw the attention of so many parties, while the physical examination's true purpose became buried beneath layer upon layer of speculation.

Fortunately, the examination results showed that only Chu Wen and Chen Dai had undergone mutations. The Jiangnan Society students simply treated it as an ordinary physical examination, using it to assess their strength and set semester goals.

"Brother Wen, over here."

Having just finished handling the Jiangnan Martial Faction's affairs, Liu Changshou brought Chu Wen to the place Zhang Liping had arranged.

Liu Changshou had never imagined that there would come a day when Zhang Liping would ask him to handle something for her. It was simply a serf turning over and becoming the master.

Once Chu Wen sat down, Zhang Liping took a gold-sprinkled invitation card from a vintage Nightingale's Kiss handbag and formally presented it to Chu Wen with both hands.

Chu Wen noticed that even the suede gloves she wore were from some Western European luxury brand. The price of a single pair was probably over two hundred million...

"We met before in the dormitory district. Liu Changshou was the one I recommended to you. Has he been satisfactory to use?"

Zhang Liping smiled. "My grandfather is a War God of the Li Family. He contributed greatly during the Jiangnan Base City incident some time ago and was even commended for it."

"My grandfather knows that you are a talent from Jiangnan Base City, so he has specifically invited you to become a martial artist of the Li Family."

Chu Wen refused outright. "Sorry, but Chaos Martial Arts Hall arranged for me to enter Xinhang Martial University. I cannot betray the martial arts hall."

"That is not what this is," Zhang Liping explained. "It is similar to a special appointment system. After you graduate, you can enjoy the Li Family's benefits. You only need to appear at important occasions and for major missions. Your usual assignments at Chaos Martial Arts Hall will not be affected."

"The Li Family ranks among the top twenty in Dragon Nation. Consider it."

"This is the contract. I brought it with me as well. They are all confidential paper files and will not be uploaded to a lightbrain. Only you and the Li Family will know about this agreement."

Chu Wen gave it a rough look. In the early stages, it imposed almost no restrictions on him and even offered massive resources. The initial funding alone was ten billion.

Even for a War General, ten billion was the harvest of a lifetime spent hunting demonic beasts—and that was assuming they hunted right up until retirement!

But in the later clauses of the agreement, if he became a War King, he would have to serve the Li Family and would need to show up on many occasions.

For things like the delivery of Beast King-grade goods, a War King certainly could not avoid showing up. Sometimes it might even involve certain gray areas. That was something Chu Wen could absolutely never accept.

"Sorry, but I have already joined Chaos Martial Arts Hall. I do not have much interest in anything else."

Seeing that Chu Wen had only glanced at the agreement, Zhang Liping blinked in confusion. "You really will not consider it?"

"These resources are not necessarily something you can obtain after graduation. The terms offered by the Li Family should not be bad."

When Chu Wen remained unmoved, Zhang Liping instead assumed he was preparing to open his mouth like a lion. Frowning, she said, "Chu Wen, you need to understand that although you took third place in Dragonspine Corridor this time, your overall ranking afterward might not necessarily reach the top ten."

"You have only just enrolled. In terms of actual combat strength and theoretical aptitude, there are still plenty of people stronger than you."

"Dragonspine Corridor only tests martial perception—that is, talent. But true powerhouses do not necessarily possess exceptional talent. You need to understand that humanity's evolution also began with ordinary people. Do not think that having potential now means you can drive up your own market price."

"You are only an intermediate warrior. Ten billion in initial funding is already more than what some beginner War Generals receive."

Chu Wen nodded. "It is not that I am not tempted by the Li Family's offer. But Chaos Martial Arts Hall has shown me kindness. If the Li Family and Chaos Martial Arts Hall were to have a conflict of interests in the future, which side do you think I should stand on?"

Zhang Liping was momentarily speechless, not knowing how to respond.

Liu Changshou hurriedly smoothed things over from the side. "Brother Wen, then talk about it when the time comes. Conflicts between major powers cannot possibly be purely black and white. With you there to maneuver between them, perhaps there will not even be a conflict in the end?"

Zhang Liping gave Liu Changshou an appreciative look. She had not spoiled him for nothing before.

"That is not how it works. If not for Chaos Martial Arts Hall, none of you would have noticed me, let alone the Li Family."

"Chaos Martial Arts Hall gave me a stage like this. I will definitely serve only Chaos Martial Arts Hall."

What a joke. He had already learned the Chaos Breathing Method. In truth, he already counted as core personnel of Chaos Martial Arts Hall!

It was simply that the outside world did not know yet. They all wanted to befriend Chu Wen.

"Since that is the case, I will not force you. If you change your mind, you can call me."

"As for what happened with the Jiangnan Martial Faction before, I was also among the many families that made things difficult for you. I apologize. This meal is on me."

Zhang Liping deliberately made a big matter small, extricating herself from it.

Chu Wen merely nodded slightly. Since she had not gone too far so far, it would not be appropriate to pursue the matter further.

After all, when facing the power of a truly great clan, he was still far too insignificant as a mere intermediate warrior. At the very least, he needed to reach the strength of a War King, perhaps even a War God!

In truth, the Li Family was not the first family to contact Chu Wen over the past few days.

A pile of letters still sat in Chu Wen's lightbrain, waiting for him to reply to them one by one.

They had undoubtedly all been sent by envoys from the great families, each accompanied by a stack of confidential contracts. As for paper contracts, the Li Family was the first.

The terms offered by the Li Family were indeed extremely generous. Some great families did not even offer initial funding, merely extending goodwill and making a simple overture.

Perhaps in their eyes, an intermediate warrior—even one with the potential to become a War King—was only a temporary prospect. Who could say what would happen afterward?

What if he died? What if he faded into the common crowd?

Seeing that the negotiation had fallen through, Liu Changshou felt somewhat awkward as well. "Brother Wen, there is no need to be so single-minded... Chaos Martial Arts Hall also tacitly allows you to earn outside money."

"The higher a martial artist climbs, the more money they burn. With money delivered right to your mouth, why refuse it?"

Liu Changshou wished he could become Chu Wen himself and accept so much money.

That was all money! How many supplements would he have to sell to earn that much!

Yet Chu Wen did not care in the slightest.

Money?

Sooner or later, he would have it. Once his strength rose again and he could casually hunt Beast Kings—

Ten billion might take only one afternoon.

Everything before him now was merely petty profit. Only his own strength could decide everything!