He Was the True Genius!

"Junior Brother Zhou, Senior Brother Ye!"

Jiang Yan walked over and greeted them first. From the looks of it, he was the leader among their group.

"Is there something you need, Senior Brother Jiang?"

Zhou Chen returned the greeting. He was not particularly close with these people normally. Since they had come specifically to find them, they surely were not here merely to exchange pleasantries.

Sure enough, Jiang Yan got straight to the point with a smile. "There is indeed something I'd like to discuss with you two brothers. Have either of you noticed the changes in the Outer City lately?"

"Changes?" Zhou Chen frowned slightly. Ye Lingtian stood at the side, his gaze shifting faintly, but he said nothing.

"Looks like you aren't too clear on it. Then let me explain briefly. Since our new city lord took office, the Outer City has appeared calm and tranquil on the surface, but beneath it, the various factions are secretly building up their strength, keeping their blades sheathed for now. At present, the city is roughly divided into three sides. First are the local forces led by the Four-Family Alliance; second are the outsiders led by the new city lord; and there is also a small group of aristocratic families and martial halls that have yet to take a stance and are still watching from the sidelines. The Lian Household is one of the latter."

Jiang Yan gave them an explanation.

"Senior Brother Jiang, let me get to the important part."

At that moment, Wan Yingying spoke up as well. Her looks were ordinary, but her figure was exceptionally eye-catching; her tight-fitting robe could barely contain the fullness of her chest. "By now, almost all the brothers in our academy have chosen a side. Some, like Junior Brother Zhang and Senior Brother Shen, have thrown in with the new city lord. Others, like us, have joined the Four-Family Alliance or the aristocratic families affiliated with it. To draw in people, these forces are offering monthly salaries more than double what they used to be. We came here to persuade you two to leave the Lian Household and join the Four-Family Alliance."

"The undercurrents in the Outer City are surging, but the Lian Household only wants stability. Staying with them will only make you miss opportunities. Those of us from ordinary backgrounds should seize every hard-won chance that comes our way!"

Then she pointed at Chu Lin beside her, whose face was somewhat pale. "A few days ago, Junior Sister Chu helped the Cheng Household, one of the Four-Family Alliance, with a task. Although she was injured, she received quite a few rewards. Once she recovers, her strength will surely rise another step. Do you see? This is opportunity. Staying with the Lian Household may be stable, but it also cuts off your path upward. We all come from ordinary backgrounds, and we were afraid you two brothers could not see the situation clearly, so we came to give you a reminder."

"And you know Junior Brother Zhang, right? Recently, he has truly been in the limelight. He earned the new city lord's favor at that banquet, received plenty of resources, and had long since reached First-Rank Major Accomplishment. Now he holds a post in the Azure Guard established by the new city lord, serving as a squad leader. What kind of position is that? What kind of progress is that? He came from poverty just like us, but he seized his chance. If we keep standing still and waiting, he will soon reach heights so far above us that we will not even be able to see him when we crane our necks."

The Azure Guard she spoke of was a private army the new city lord had formed over the past few months. It was called the Azure Guard on the surface, but in truth, its training methods and rank arrangements were not much different from the Azure-Armored Army, the private army of Azure City's Inner City.

Most of the Azure Guard consisted of people from the Wang Household and Qi Household, affiliated families brought from Azure City, as well as members of the two great martial halls, Clearwind Sword Monastery and Black Dragon Sect. A smaller portion was recruited from Black City aristocratic families that had pledged allegiance.

"Junior Brother Zhou, I know you have progressed quickly lately, but times have changed. Once your resources are cut off, you will understand our suffering. Every month, you work yourself to the bone, and the money you earn is only enough to keep your Blood Vitality from declining. There is no possibility of breaking into a higher realm. Even the white meat you consume daily to maintain your Blood Vitality contains Miasma Poison. The longer you remain stuck at this realm, the more Miasma Poison accumulates, and the more hopeless advancement becomes."

Wan Yingying spoke with genuine sincerity.

Yet Zhou Chen and Ye Lingtian exchanged a glance, then said in unison, "Thank you for the reminder, but we'll pass on this."

Their unexpected synchronization made things awkward for a moment. Ye Lingtian explained again, "We only obtained the chance to hold our posts because Eldest Senior Brother thought highly of us. If we withdrew rashly now, wouldn't that chill Eldest Senior Brother's heart?"

"Right."

Zhou Chen nodded as well.

But that was only one aspect of it. Neither he nor Ye Lingtian wanted to get dragged into these muddy waters. They only wanted to practice martial arts in peace.

Resources were not much of a concern for him. With the Divine Statue, there was no problem.

Besides, this looked like fellow disciples recruiting and helping one another, but in reality, if they were persuaded to join, Jiang Yan, Wan Yingying, and the others would surely gain considerable benefits as well.

"It's fine. You two brothers can think it over some more."

Jiang Yan did not say anything further. He cupped his fists and left with the two women.

Once they reached a secluded spot nearby, Wan Yingying said irritably, "I thought we could recruit them smoothly, but who would have thought they were both blocks of wood? They couldn't even seize such a huge opportunity. Honestly."

Though she said that, what angered her more was missing out on the reward for recruiting people.

"No need to be upset. Everyone has their own opportunities. If they cannot seize theirs, they have no one to blame but themselves." Jiang Yan recovered quickly, though a trace of disdain showed in his eyes. "As martial artists, we must dare to venture and dare to fight for what we want. If they remain as timid and cautious as this, missing one opportunity means missing a stretch of road. Without resources, the road ahead is cut off. They will live mediocre lives all their lives, and they will have no one to blame."

Chu Lin said nothing at the side. She bit her lip, seemingly lost in thought.

Zhou Chen truly had not realized that the undercurrents in the city had already surged to such a degree. As he pondered it, Ye Lingtian reminded him from beside him, "Junior Brother Zhou, before long, turmoil may break out in our city. Be careful."

"Alright."

Zhou Chen had sensed the scent of danger as well.

But compared with that, what he needed now was to raise his strength quickly, so he could deal with the threat of the Clear River Gang.

Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted from the direction of the street, mixed with many startled cries and sobs.

Zhou Chen and Ye Lingtian looked at each other, then headed outside together. It was not just them; all the academy's disciples poured out, and even Zhao Tianhong put down the stance frame he had been practicing and strode out after them.

On the main street outside, a troop of burly men dressed in blue, with blue cloth bands wrapped around their arms, marched neatly and orderly in a certain direction. Their steps were uniform, and they carried an unconcealable murderous aura. Their gazes were as fierce as hungry wolves, and there were roughly a hundred of them.

The several squad leaders at the front were First-Rank Martial Artists. Their Blood Vitality boiled fiercely, and their imposing presence forced pedestrians at the roadside to retreat one after another.

At the head of the formation, a centurion rode on horseback. He was none other than Shen Ao, and beside him strode a spirited figure—it was Zhang Shaojiu, whom they had not seen in many days.

Today, he wore a brand-new Azure Guard uniform, a saber hanging at his waist. Arrogance clung to his every step. As he faced the disciples flooding out from the martial hall entrance, he deliberately turned his head and glanced back.

When his gaze landed on Zhou Chen, a flash of shock passed through his eyes. He had not expected Zhou Chen to have reached First-Rank Major Accomplishment as well.

How had Zhou Chen caught up again?

A trace of coldness appeared on Zhang Shaojiu's face, but he quickly suppressed it and turned away to console himself.

He had already seized his opportunity and broken free from his old circle. Resources would flow to him without end, and his progress would only grow faster and faster. Zhou Chen could never catch up to him!

Martial arts were not about fighting for a momentary advantage!

Zhou Chen came from poverty, had shallow horizons, and poor natural talent. How could he compare to him?!

What was more, he was now following Shen Ao. Whether in ambition or vision, Shen Ao far surpassed Lian Taoze, that Eldest Senior Brother who loved fighting crickets. If he had followed Lian Taoze back then, perhaps his will would have been worn away too, leaving him like Zhou Chen, too afraid to fight and contend.

How could he have the glory he had today?

He would prove that he had followed the right person. He was the true genius!

Standing amid the crowd, Wan Yingying stared at Zhang Shaojiu's retreating back, her eyes filled with envy. "Junior Brother Zhang is truly impressive now... It won't be long before he tempers his Blood Vitality to Perfection and charges at the Second-Rank Martial Artist realm, right? And Senior Brother Shen, with the new city lord supporting him, the Shen Clan has been basking in boundless glory lately as well."

Jiang Yan deliberately raised his voice by half a pitch. "This is what happens when someone seizes an opportunity! If certain people do not dare to stick their heads out or dare to fight, they can only stand where they are and watch others go farther and farther away, until they cannot even catch sight of their shadows."

His words struck exactly where they needed to. The eyes of quite a few disciples who had still been watching from the sidelines shifted.

With Shen Ao and Zhang Shaojiu standing before them as living examples, and with Jiang Yan's words landing at just the right moment, some had already begun quietly calculating their next step in their hearts.