Zhu Baixu did not conceal anything and directly shared his observations from the past month, along with his speculations, evidently showing his utmost trust in Senior Brother Lu Yun.

Don't even mention seventy or eighty; even if East Ridge had over a hundred at the Cold Resistance Level, they wouldn't normally be in contact with a town-level camp. After all, which of the Moao Nine Towns doesn't have thousands at the Cold Resistance Level?

The issue is apparent to everyone: Master Lu Yang and this group from East Ridge have a distinctly different attitude towards Beishuo Town compared to us natives of Beining Mountain.

It's not just about scolding Inspector He Wuyang; when speaking of Beishuo Town, Master Lu Yang, Mountain Yu, Zhao Hu, and others don't show even a hint of servility and occasionally even speak disrespectfully, which Zhu Baixu and others find utterly perplexing.

Apart from the fact that Master Lu Yang and others also come from town-level camps, they really can't find any other reasonable explanation.

Lu Yun didn't answer Zhu Baixu's question immediately but instead looked around at the eighteen people in the room and said softly, "There are nineteen of us, all disciples under Master. As the senior brother, I won't hide from you all; I'm not sure if Master is from a town-level camp, but I am certain that the camp he was in before was strong, probably not much weaker than Beishuo."

With the confirmation from Senior Brother Lu Yun, the teenagers in the room were suddenly shocked, and their expressions began to change rapidly.

Lu Yun continued, "You all can see the situation in East Ridge. And this past month, the Spirit Pills, fine wine, refined salt, and Martial Arts Skills that Master rewarded and taught us—have you ever seen these before? Those things, even Beishuo Town might not have them."

Interestingly, among the nineteen teenagers in the room, Lu Yun probably had the lowest background. Zhu Baixu and five others were sons of leaders, and the remaining thirteen were offspring of those at the Cold Resistance Level. Due to their backgrounds, they naturally had access to many good things, including some miraculous medicines brought back by elders from Beishuo Town.

And indeed, this past month, among the items Master Lu Yang awarded while teaching them, none were inferior to those from Beishuo, and some might even be unavailable there.

Seeing his fellow disciples deep in thought, Lu Yun seized the opportunity and continued, "Dear Junior Brothers, I know most of you came to East Ridge thinking you were being used as hostages. But this past month, you've all seen how Master treats you."

He paused slightly, then continued, "Though you might not be given everything, at the very least you are genuinely being treated as disciples, not just hostages. I've been under Master for over two years, and only until last year did I get the treatment you have now. Putting aside other matters, refined salt, Beast Spirit Pills, Blood Sore Pills, and aged wine—these four items, among the remaining hundred eligible to exchange at the Camp Supply Department, we nineteen are part of them."

The teenagers, although not yet fully mature, found Lu Yun's words quite true. Over the past month, Lu Yang truly didn't treat them like hostages but genuinely exercised a master's responsibilities, which slightly moved them.

Noticing the change in the group's expressions, Lu Yun knew his words were having an effect. He stood up and said in a loud voice to everyone, "Dear Junior Brothers, although I am the senior brother, I am also an East Ridge native. Many of you were present at the Zhu Ling contest details a month ago and know more than I do. Who's right or wrong in your hearts is surely clear.

I admit, Master having you at East Ridge as disciples was with the intention to leverage you against the Beining Mountain camps. But ask yourselves, if Beining Mountain stops targeting East Ridge and coexists peacefully, what's the point of having you as hostages?

In the past month, haven't you met with your families twice? Have you heard Master ask your Five Camps to do anything?

To have you here, Master not only waived many of your camp debts but also funded your cultivation, treating you genuinely as disciples. If there are still reservations about accepting Master sincerely, I think..."

"Senior Brother, there's no need to say more. I am aware of how Master treated me in the past month. A teacher for a day, a teacher for a lifetime. From today, I will no longer see myself as a hostage."

Bai Wuji interrupted Lu Yun, his voice full of determination. Half a month ago, Lu Yang personally taught him a saber technique and even spent a day with him in the Snow Forest practicing, which he still remembers vividly.

"I feel the same; if Master treats me sincerely, I must reciprocate with sincerity. Although I am still young, I can distinguish between sincerity and pretense."

"Nothing else matters; in this past month, my strength has increased by more than nine hundred pounds, faster than when cultivating at my own camp, not to mention how my prowess has grown. Master's focus on my cultivation exceeds even my father's; he never viewed me as a hostage."

.............

Hearing Bai Wuji, Wan Qingyu, Nie Shen, Yang He, and others speak one after another, warmth spread across Lu Yun's face. As the voices began to fade, he nodded solemnly and said, "I haven't misjudged you, dear junior brothers; truly, you understand the reality well."

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