For this reason, these two forces have always acted independently and rarely joined forces.
But today, for Zhou Rui's sake, both sides have made an exception and reached an agreement!
That's truly shocking.
What they didn't know was that as soon as the morning's competition ended, Zhou Heng and Zhou Yang quickly sent Zhou Rui's combat video to the Elders' Council and the Clan Chief's desks respectively.
The decision to integrate the resources of the entire clan and focus on cultivating Zhou Rui was made jointly after emergency consultations between the two parties.
Ultimately, it was Zhou Rui's demonstrated potential that was truly astonishing.
Even the traditionally support-oriented and defensive heavy paladin was forced into a high-burst rhythm by him.
If he were to switch to one of the Zhou Family's hidden ice-based professions... the consequences would be unimaginable.
"Oh? That's good news."
Zhou Rui raised an eyebrow.
With the endorsement of both the clan leader and the council of elders, there is indeed no need to worry about being secretly hampered by other factions after returning to the main lineage.
Unfortunately, I have no plans to change careers...
He gently shook his head and said:
"I appreciate your kind offer, but I'm not considering changing jobs again for the time being, and there's no point in trying to persuade me otherwise."
"Why...?"
Zhou Heng blurted it out.
"Why?"
Zhou Rui smiled. "It's simple. I'm very satisfied with my current Paladin status and my current level of strength."
"Satisfied now, but what about later?"
"The higher a professional climbs, the harder it becomes to level up!"
"With us backing you up, you'll quickly reach level 50 and complete your third job advancement!"
He frowned slightly and spoke faster:
"For ordinary people, second-tier advancement is already top-tier combat power; but in the eyes of powerful families, legions, and large guilds, only third-tier advancement can be considered true powerhouses!"
"Currently, the commanders of the major legions are almost all above level 50; only a few leaders of smaller legions or guilds are at level 40 or above and have completed their second job advancement."
"Don't forget, I am now a disciple of Principal Wang Hui and a student at Suhang University."
Zhou Rui smiled calmly:
"Even without the Zhou Family's support, I can still obtain enough resources to steadily advance in rank."
"Principal Wang Hui?"
Zhou Heng slapped his forehead; he had almost forgotten about this!
That's right, Wang Hui, a level 46, third-tier powerhouse, is a figure standing at the very top of the pyramid in the entire Central Xia Country!
The Heavenly Feather Guild, which he founded, has five or six experts at level 60 and above, and its development momentum is astonishingly rapid!
Compared to the Zhou Family, which lost its ancestor and was burdened by a bloodline curse, they are far superior!
Zhou Rui is Wang Hui's apprentice, so he doesn't have to worry about resources at all!
"Damn it... Zhou Rui is incredibly capable, and he also has a stable supply chain behind him."
"In that case, joining the Zhou Family would hold almost no appeal for him..."
Zhou Heng looked dejected.
The nascent hope for the family's revival is about to be extinguished.
Just as he was feeling disheartened, Zhou Rui's voice rang out again:
"I personally don't plan to change jobs, but my younger sister Zhou Yun isn't level 10 yet, so we could consider her choosing your Zhou Family's hidden ice-type job in the future."
Zhou Yun? Your sister?
Zhou Heng was taken aback. "Our Zhou Family has three hidden ice-related professions, with extremely high entry requirements. You must possess Ice Bloodline, and the concentration must meet the standard."
"Ordinary bloodlines simply cannot activate the qualification for job advancement."
"The blood concentration needs to be high enough?"
Zhou Rui thought for a moment, then raised his hand and pointed at Zhou Lin:
"My sister's concentration of Ice Bloodline is about three times that of hers, that should be enough, right?"
" Zhou Lin's Ice Bloodline concentration is 3.2 degrees, three times that..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Heng suddenly opened his eyes wide and his voice abruptly rose in pitch:
"Your sister has also awakened the Ice Bloodline?!"
"Um."
Zhou Rui nodded slightly.
"Hahaha, that's wonderful! Heaven has truly blessed the Zhou Family!"
Zhou Heng was so excited he could hardly contain himself.
Unexpectedly, not only Zhou Rui, but also his sister Zhou Yun successfully activated the Ice Bloodline!
Since Zhou Rui was able to accurately determine that the concentration was three times that of Zhou Lin, given the purity of his bloodline, he would never be mistaken!
"A bloodline concentration three times that of an ordinary person means your Ice Bloodline value is approaching 10 points, allowing you to choose any of the three hidden Frost-based classes!"
Zhou Heng could not hide his excitement.
Although Zhou Rui couldn't join, Zhou Yun's willingness to join the clan, given her extremely high bloodline purity, was equally significant!
"Don't get too excited yet, I'm just asking about their intentions."
"As for whether to follow the Zhou Family's career development path, I'll have to get her consent first."
"Alright, I'll give you a clear answer first thing tomorrow morning."
For Zhou Rui, whether or not he joins the Zhou Family has little practical impact.
He has already completed his career change and there is no possibility of him repeating the course; in terms of resources, Teacher Wang Hui and the school have ample channels, and it can be resolved with a little more time.
But for Zhou Yun, it was a completely different story.
She was only in her third year of junior high school. Although her older brother secretly provided her with cultivation supplies, how could that compare to the all-out cultivation provided by an ancient family?
certainly...
Ultimately, her decision to stay or leave should be respected.
"Okay, I have confirmation. Call me directly tomorrow."
Zhou Heng suppressed the surging joy in his heart and tried to keep his tone calm.
"Brother Zhou Rui, you said that your sister Zhou Yun's Ice Bloodline concentration is about three times higher than ours. What about you? How high is yours?"
Zhou Lin blinked, her face full of curiosity.
"My own? It's hard to say."
Zhou Rui shook his head, "I can roughly sense the strength of your bloodlines, but I can't accurately measure my own."
In fact, the bloodline within him is Frost Titan and Titan, and cannot be measured by the single standard of ice...
"That's easy, a simple test will tell you."
Zhou Heng laughed loudly and took out a thin, black detector from his spatial ring.
The instrument has clear markings embedded in its middle, and a sharp, gleaming needle tip at its front.
"Take a drop of blood, and get the results immediately."
He gently pressed the needle tip against Zhou Rui's fingertip, and applied a little pressure.
The needle tip seemed to have struck an invisible steel plate, remaining completely still without even breaking the skin.
"..."
Zhou Heng was instantly filled with rage.
He finally understood why Zhou Rui had withstood so many attacks during the morning's match without getting hurt; his skin and flesh were practically comparable to forged alloy armor!
Realizing this, he increased his strength.
After all, he was a second-stage powerhouse, and this time he finally pierced the skin and successfully collected a blood sample.
Blood seeps into the probe, and the scale pointer slowly rises:
3...5...7...10...
It surged all the way up, eventually settling steadily at 17.6.
17.6?!
Zhou Heng's eyes widened, and his voice changed tone.
This is already incredibly close to the level of the Zhou Family patriarch's Ice Bloodline!
17.6?!
The entire room fell silent instantly, and the Zhou Family were all stunned.
You should know,
Even the founder of the Zhou Family, Ice Bloodline was only 18 points!
Zhou Rui was only 0.4 points away from reaching the peak!
Even during the Zhou Family's heyday before the curse was placed on their bloodline, this concentration had never been seen before!
He can be called the first person in a thousand years of Zhou family descendants!
"What a pity..."
"With such a high concentration of ice, it's impossible to follow the three hidden paths of the Zhou Family."
Zhou Heng sighed softly in his heart, then smiled and said:
"17.6, Zhou Rui, your Ice Bloodline is truly astonishing, almost on par with our ancestor!"
This number also surprised Zhou Rui slightly.
When he first fused his bloodlines, he took Felix Felicis that enhanced his luck. With the help of the potion, the Titan Bloodline were able to fuse perfectly, forging the Frost Titan.
But he never expected that the icy components could be deposited so deeply.
I originally estimated it would be past 11 or 12 o'clock at the latest, but it far exceeded my expectations.
"That's true. If Hanbing's foundation hadn't been solid enough, he wouldn't have been able to suppress the Berserk backlash from the Titan Bloodline back then."
He chuckled inwardly.
After chatting with the Zhou Family for a while, he got up to take his leave.
" Zhou Rui is gone. We can only wait for his reply."
Watching his figure disappear, Zhou Heng sighed softly.
He knew perfectly well that if he were willing to follow in the footsteps of the Zhou Family, there was hope for the family's revival, yet he was utterly helpless. This sense of powerlessness was truly suffocating.
"I just hope his sister will actually have some interest in our Zhou Family."
If ordinary branch members are unwilling to return to the main lineage, the main lineage has its own ways to exert pressure and force them to do so.
But Zhou Rui is different.
He is a recognized genius at Suhang University and a disciple personally taught by President Wang Hui.
The Zhou Family neither had the power nor the courage to force him to make any decision...
Back at the villa, Zhou Rui had a simple dinner with Jiang Churan outside before going into his bedroom and making a video call to his sister, Zhou Yun.
"Elder brother!"
A holographic image appeared in the center of the room, and Zhou Yun's figure gradually became clear.
It was only nine o'clock in the evening, and she had already changed into that soft and cute pajama set with a bear pattern.
"Brother, you look so handsome today!"
"When Wang Xuan from Qingjing University released the epic-level mechanical beast, many people in our class thought you were going to lose!"
"Then you unleashed a burst of power and completely crushed the opponent, leaving not a trace!"
Upon meeting Zhou Rui, Zhou Yun immediately began chattering about every highlight of the day's live stream.
"A lot of girls at our school are asking about you and want to add you on WeChat!"
"There are a few really outstanding ones in there, bro. Do you want me to give you their WeChat IDs? I can help you find a wife."
"They're still just kids, why are they worrying about their sister-in-law!"
Zhou Rui frowned, his tone turning serious.
Zhou Yun attends Lijiang City No. 1 Junior High School.
The oldest girl in this school was at most around her age, no more than fifteen or sixteen.
Calling them "little girls" is no exaggeration.
If you really cross that line, the country's entire set of laws and regulations are not just for show...
"What little girl? In three more years, we'll be eighteen and able to get our marriage certificate!"
Zhou Yun stood her ground without backing down, her voice clear and bright.
Zhou Rui really couldn't refute that.
After the Dark Ages ended, in order to quickly restore the population size, the Central Xia Country lowered the legal marriage age to eighteen.
It's now common for many young people to start dating in high school, register their marriage and have children right after graduation.
This is why, in just a few decades, the national population has exceeded three billion.
"Alright, stop joking around, I have something serious to tell you."
Zhou Rui dropped his joking expression and became serious.
Seeing her brother become serious, Zhou Yun immediately stopped smiling, sat up straight, and waited quietly for what was to come.
"A while ago, a few people came to my door looking for me..."