Wen Ruoxi

Inside the council hall.

Zhou Ming stood with his head slightly raised, looking at the woman dressed in flowing white robes, seated high in the chief escort's seat.

Her jet-black hair was tied high, her breasts full and proud, her willow waist slender enough to fit in one hand, paired with a pure, lovely face and bright, lively eyes.

He truly could not understand how words like otherworldly, innocent, mischievous, and quirky could all appear on the same woman.

The woman blinked at him and smiled. "Escort Zhou, staring at a woman all the time isn't very charming. Why aren't you stepping forward to greet your chief escort?"

Oh?

When you were peeking at me, why didn't you think it was uncharming?

I hit her!!!

At that thought, he hurried forward, reaching the woman in just a few strides.

Once he drew closer, he inspected her more carefully, his gaze moving back and forth over her shoulder through the white gauze draped over her.

Very quickly, the woman's initially composed expression began to turn bashful, a faint flush appearing on her cheeks.

She had originally intended to tease him a little more, but under that utterly unabashed gaze, her heart raced like a startled deer, leaving her speechless.

After a moment, Zhou Ming confirmed that her shoulder had no penetrating wound and let out a breath of relief.

It would be a shame if such snow-white skin were left scarred.

Taking half a step back, he smiled and cupped his hands. "Dragon Soaring Escort Agency's newly promoted escort, Zhou Ming, greets the chief escort."

Wen Ruoxi had not expected Zhou Ming to actually cooperate so readily, and she covered her mouth as she laughed.

"Not bad. From now on, you don't need to call me chief escort. My name is Wen Ruoxi. From now on, you're under my protection."

She patted her still ample chest, even bound as it was, her lively eyes gleaming with pride.

Zhou Ming bowed slightly and clasped his fists. "Then I'll have to rely on Chief Escort Wen's care from now on. I never expected Chief Escort Wen to already be a Seventh-Rank Martial Artist at such a young age. I admire you."

It was the first time she had heard such straightforward flattery.

Wen Ruoxi deliberately put on a stern face. "Who would have thought that Dragon Soaring Escort Agency's newly promoted escort would be such a bootlicker?"

Zhou Ming said with a solemn face, "As the saying goes, if you want to improve, kissing up is the first step."

Pfft!

Wen Ruoxi's deliberately stern expression cracked in an instant. She burst into laughter, her lively eyes curving like crescent moons.

Ahem! Ahem! Ahem!

Hearing the elders in the council hall coughing, Wen Ruoxi immediately swallowed her laughter. With both hands on her hips, she fought hard to suppress her smile and forced a straight face.

"Um, Escort Zhou, sit down first. Let's discuss business."

Seeing Wen Ruoxi's smiling eyes curved like brows while she struggled to keep a straight face, Zhou Ming found it amusing. "Is it about the War God Oath? I have my answer."

As soon as he spoke, the atmosphere in the entire council hall turned solemn.

Wen Ruoxi also put away her smile and asked calmly, "Uncle Wu has already explained the terms. Are you certain you're willing to form a War God Oath with our Dragon Soaring Escort Agency?"

Zhou Ming spread his hands and immediately said, "I'm willing, but I don't know how."

Looking at Zhou Ming before her, Wen Ruoxi smiled. "I'll demonstrate first!"

She took a sheet of paper from her sleeve and used her blood qi to lift it into the air.

"I, Wen Ruoxi, chief escort of Dragon Soaring Escort Agency, am willing to form a War God Oath with Zhou Ming. I take my own martial path as the foundation of this oath and shall fulfill the promises of this oath."

Then she raised her fair right hand, lightly pressed her index and middle fingers together, and touched her brow.

A drop of blood was slowly drawn out, hovering over her fingertips.

"Go!" Wen Ruoxi called softly.

That drop of blood shot directly into the paper floating in the air.

"I, Wu Quan..."

"I, Wang Quan..."

"I, Yang Zhengxing..."

"I, Li Mu..."

Watching drops of blood enter the paper in midair.

Zhou Ming felt that this martial oath somehow resembled chopping off a chicken's head and becoming sworn brothers.

Before long, everyone present turned their eyes toward him.

He understood. It was his turn.

"I, Zhou Ming, am willing to form a War God Oath with Dragon Soaring Escort Agency. I take my own martial path as the foundation of this oath and shall fulfill the promises of this oath."

As his words fell, the contents of the contract appeared in Zhou Ming's mind.

The contract was very simple.

First, before Zhou Ming broke through to Sixth Rank, the escort agency would cover all resources needed for his cultivation.

Second, Zhou Ming had to repay the escort agency.

Third, violators would have their martial foundation collapse, and their martial path would go no further.

Zhou Ming drew a drop of blood from between his brows and let it fall into the paper.

Once his blood had completely entered the paper, the entire sheet instantly turned blood-red, then spontaneously combusted. In the blink of an eye, it burned to ashes and vanished into the air without leaving the slightest trace.

"The War God Oath has been formed. May all of you enjoy flourishing martial fortune."

Zhou Ming shuddered, startled by the voice that had suddenly sounded in his mind.

Seeing Zhou Ming's expression, Wang Quan laughed loudly. "Don't be afraid. That was the War God's voice."

After the oath had been formed, everyone took their leave one after another.

Only Zhou Ming and Wen Ruoxi remained in the council hall.

With everyone gone, Zhou Ming had no choice but to look at Wen Ruoxi beside him. "Who is the War God?"

Wen Ruoxi sat in her chair, swaying her body. "I don't know. The War God Oath has been passed down generation after generation. War God is the respectful title all Martial Artists use for that voice."

Having received no answer, Zhou Ming did not dwell on it.

He pulled out a chair and sat down, propping his head up with one hand as he looked at Wen Ruoxi. "Why were you peeking at me that day?"

Wen Ruoxi's pretty face reddened. She stood up, put both hands on her hips, stamped her foot, and snapped angrily, "Who was peeking at you?! Uncle Wu said a prodigy had arrived at the escort agency and could be considered for training. I was assessing you."

Zhou Ming stared at her without blinking. "If you were assessing me, you should have done it openly. But that was clearly peeking!"

"You hit me too!"

"I checked. Your shoulder wasn't hurt. It wasn't hurt."

The moment those words came out, Wen Ruoxi's face turned scarlet. She muttered so softly it was nearly inaudible, "You didn't hit my shoulder."

Seeing her lips move but hearing no sound, Zhou Ming asked, "What are you muttering? I couldn't hear you."

Wen Ruoxi glared at him, turned, and walked outside. "Follow me. I'll take you to collect your cultivation resources."

There was no movement behind her.

Wen Ruoxi turned around and saw that Zhou Ming had merely changed direction, yet was still staring at her.

Now, not only were her cheeks red, but her ears had also turned warm and pink like jade.

The corners of Zhou Ming's lips lifted slightly. He quickly stepped before Wen Ruoxi, his nose twitching as he sniffed.

"This fairy maiden, how old are you? Do you already have a good match?"

Slap!

A crisp slap rang out.

"Don't hit my face!"

"Ah!"

"Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me!"

A short while later, Wen Ruoxi stepped out of the council hall looking refreshed, with Zhou Ming following behind her.

His face was bruised and swollen.

A clear mark was stamped across his right cheek. Looking closely, it was a slender handprint.

In the courtyard outside the council hall, Wang Quan, Yang Zhengxing, and Wu Quan seemed to be discussing something.

When they saw Zhou Ming in that state, the three men exchanged knowing smiles.

After the two had walked away, Wang Quan smiled. "That brat just needs a beating."

"That little bastard peeked at Widow Liu bathing when he was young. I knew then he was no good," Yang Zhengxing grumbled.

Wu Quan frowned. "That happened too? His character needs to be reconsidered."

Yang Zhengxing shot Wu Quan a sidelong glance and sneered. "Quit pretending. What, you didn't watch when you were young?"

Wu Quan glared. "What did I watch? I was keeping watch for the three of you, and when it was my turn, I got caught."

Yang Zhengxing sneered. "Just say whether you went or not. That's enough."

Wu Quan's eyes widened. "Second Brother, you think you're tough again, don't you?"

Yang Zhengxing took a puff of his dry tobacco and blew it straight into his face. "Try touching me!"

At that, Wu Quan immediately rolled up his sleeves.

Wang Quan grabbed Wu Quan. "Enough, enough. Your Second Brother is already crippled. Why get angry with him?"

"Oh, oh, oh. Even crippled, I still have an Eighth-Rank Perfect Foundation. Third Brother, what are you made of?"

Wang Quan released Wu Quan and shouted angrily, "Fourth Brother, get him."