Wang Zhan waved at the young man, his expression amiable.

"Come here!"

Although he had only glanced at him, he could tell. Even if placed among the major Martial Arts Academies of the Federation, considering the young man's age, he had already reached the Martial General level; such talents were exceptionally rare. Of course, Wang Zhan himself did not belong to this category.

The young man glanced at the Martial King behind Wang Zhan, trying his best to calm his breathing. He then slowly walked to a spot about ten paces from Wang Zhan and stopped. Though somewhat uneasy, he still managed a respectful smile and said, "This... Young Master, hello, my name is Tie Xiuqing!"

Wang Zhan, maintaining an indifferent smile, looked down at him and said directly, "Do you want to join me?"

Tie Xiuqing was stunned. This Young Master is too direct! Even though he's a bit dark-skinned and just an ordinary person, who could resist such an imposing aura!

So, without hesitation, Tie Xiuqing quickly stammered in reply once he understood, "Ye...Yes! I am twenty-one years old today, a level 1 Martial General, I've broken through my limits by 40%, and I specialize in boxing, stick fighting, and baton skills. I, I am... I am very strong! As long as you give me a chance, Young Master, I will not disappoint you! Whether it's scaling a mountain of blades or plunging into a sea of fire, I, Tie Xiuqing, will always stand before you, Young Master!"

Hearing this, not only did the smile on Wang Zhan's face become more intriguing, but even seasoned individuals like Ku Zhu and Boss Chen were taken aback, thinking it rather interesting. We're long past remote antiquity; why does this kind of old-fashioned self-recommendation still exist?

Meanwhile, the martial artists still lingering nearby, observing the dignity of a Martial King and the daily life of a "Qilin child," all burst out laughing. They watched with amusement as the young man stood awkwardly before Wang Zhan, flustered, his mouth opening and closing.

"Does that kid think that noble young master will take him in just because he says a few more nice words?"

"Heh, this kid progresses quickly in martial arts, but his elixir consumption is astounding. The elixirs he's consumed to date could have cultivated two Grandmasters. If not for this, he wouldn't have lost all his support after his father's death and ended up in his current predicament. Tell me, if some young noble found out, wouldn't this kid's appetite make them cough up blood in anger? Hahaha!"

"You're right. That kid's father was quite a character; no one dared to provoke him in his prime. He spent money like water, which is how the kid became a Martial General. But after his father fell from grace, no one could afford to support him. If he wants to continue his cultivation now, it's harder than ascending to heaven..."

Little did they know, while they were observing the young Martial General and Wang Zhan, Wang Zhan, in turn, was observing them! So, as soon as he learned the hidden story behind this young man, Wang Zhan's eyes immediately lit up.

He reached the level 1 Martial General Realm two years ago but has stagnated until now due to a lack of resources? This isn't just talent; it's a heaven-sent prodigy! Hmm, he's almost comparable to me! And there are likely other reasons, too! For instance, a hidden bloodline talent... Wang Zhan mused. This is entirely possible; after all, he had a prime example right beside him—Yao Yao! Yao Yao had originally been an ordinary person with no aptitude for martial arts. However, once she came to the attention of the Original Organization and was injected with the genetic modification potion, it was as if a sleeping lion within her had awakened! First a Martial Student, then a Martial Artist, and then a Martial Master. Almost every injection allowed Yao Yao to leap across a massive threshold. Now, with the focused resources and attention from the Federal Laboratory, Yao Yao had advanced by leaps and bounds, becoming a formidable martial artist whose strength was comparable to the Martial King Realm. Of course, this referred to individual combat strength, not a comparison of realms. After all, in recent years, the Federation had only seen one individual achieve the Martial King Realm by the age of thirty—Wang Zhan's father, Wang Yidao. The Martial King Realm wasn't just a dividing line; it represented a long period of accumulation. It emphasized the principle of 'water dripping through stone'—steady, persistent effort leading to a natural breakthrough. But Wang Zhan was well aware of all this.

He had definitely found a treasure this time: a powerful individual with a potential hidden bloodline talent. Of course, Wang Zhan could also imagine. To possess such a powerful bloodline talent and be within a stronghold of the Original Organization, yet never be targeted—there had to be some hidden reasons unknown to outsiders. And this might very well explain why Tie Xiuqing hadn't been scouted by anyone, and why no one was willing to take him in. In other words, he was a genius, but also a walking trouble magnet. But why would Wang Zhan care? Heh, when it came to secrets, Wang Zhan himself had plenty. The mere fact that others had a limit to elixir consumption while for him it was as simple as eating and drinking was enough to make many flock to him. Not to mention the fact that, relying on his System, Wang Zhan broke through to new levels daily, as if cultivation realms were illusory and required no accumulation on his part. Tie Xiuqing's appearance also signified the beginning of Wang Zhan formally establishing his own power base. And this was precisely why Wang Zhan had been willing to accept Wei Daoming's request this time. So, what reason did Wang Zhan have to refuse?

He looked meaningfully into Tie Xiuqing's eyes, interrupting the young man's attempt to continue narrating his experiences, and said, "The elders say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. So, why wouldn't I accept a subordinate as talented as you, even if it means you might feel slighted doing menial tasks for me?"

However, the 'menial tasks' Wang Zhan referred to were not merely about basic chores.

Yet, Tie Xiuqing was stunned, stammering helplessly, "I... I don't mind! But Young Master, I... I eat a lot. You... you won't mind, will you?"

Wang Zhan laughed lightly. "Heh, I'm only concerned that after eating, you won't be able to keep up; I'm not worried about you eating too much. Of course, to become my subordinate, you first need to do something for me."

Tie Xiuqing immediately pounded his chest and said, "Alright! Young Master, just say the word! Even if it means charging through boiling water and searing flames, Xiuqing will definitely accomplish it for you!"

A corner of Wang Zhan's mouth lifted into a grin as he said, "Excellent! Now, go and beat up those martial artists still daring to hide nearby and watch the show. If you want to become my subordinate, I feel it's necessary to teach you some practical principles."

Fists are the only true principle!

Tie Xiuqing, however, was completely stunned. He looked up at Wang Zhan in astonishment and asked, "Young... Young Master, they're just onlookers. To attack them without any grievance or enmity... is that really... alright?"

He seemed to realize that he was about to completely refuse Wang Zhan's very first order. The more he thought about it, the less confident he felt, and his voice grew softer.

Of course, Boss Chen, even if he wanted to help, couldn't say anything; he was just an errand runner. As for Ku Zhu, it was even less conceivable. He lived for battle, would die for battle, and was to serve Wang Zhan as a coolie for a year. Therefore, he naturally obeyed Wang Zhan's commands, not needing to consider too much. Just doing it was enough. How could such a Martial King look differently upon a mere Martial General? Naturally, he chose to remain a cold bystander.

The curve of Wang Zhan's lips deepened. "Interesting! Well then, let's see if you can do it. If you can, come find me at Jinxiu Manor on Qiheng Road. If you can't, then go back where you came from."

With that, he swept his sleeves and departed. Wang Zhan hadn't come here to perform acts of charity. Kindness was acceptable, but kindness bordering on ignorance was not. Wang Zhan had naturally considered Tie Xiuqing's potential responses to this order, but in the final analysis, it all came down to the ability to execute. He urgently needed a second top-tier expert by his side, besides himself. Although Ku Zhu was a top-tier expert, whose combat power by Wang Zhan's side was undeniable, Wang Zhan disliked this kind of power that he couldn't control. It was like that madman in the domain. If they didn't obey orders or deliberately opposed him, he wouldn't mind taking some leisure time to send these eyesores to their deaths. Going soft wouldn't work at this stage!

Wang Zhan and his group paid Tie Xiuqing no further heed, departing in a grand procession. Their aura was immense; even with just a few people, it was enough to overwhelm a city. And no one dared to block their path!

Tie Xiuqing watched Wang Zhan's retreating figure, his face a mask of bewilderment. Why? I truly have no grievance or enmity with them. Is it really alright to attack them without reason?

After Wang Zhan departed, a furtive figure immediately drifted and slipped quietly to Tie Xiuqing's side.

At the same time, those busybodies who had watched Wang Zhan leave without a second glance, seeing Tie Xiuqing left alone, desolate and helpless, were even more schadenfreude-filled.

"Hahaha, he's completely disgraced his father! We're all just rats living in the Underground City; what makes him think he can climb to a higher branch? He's clearly overestimating himself!"

"Tsk tsk, isn't this better? Once this kid gives up, he'll realize that no matter how talented you are in this world, without a benefactor, you're forever a rat, and can only be a rat. The only option is to be like us, hiding in places the Federation sees but couldn't care less about, quietly scrounging for scraps no one else wants..."

"Let's go, let's go! Hahaha, what a great show! So satisfying, so satisfying!"

But what they failed to notice was that after the furtive figure appeared beside Tie Xiuqing and quietly whispered a few words,

SCREECH...

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.