Chapter 127: Chapter 101: A Great Opportunity to Enhance Cultivation
’He wants to pledge allegiance to me instead?’
’Was he thoroughly beaten into submission? Or... did my heart-piercing words actually have an unexpected effect?’
He recalled the scene from that day. He hadn’t held back, severely injuring Xu Shenzhi.
’Could it be that those few words, which seemed mocking but were actually meant to provoke him, made him feel indebted?’
’Or perhaps, he wants to use my power to get revenge on the Han and Wang Families?’
Chen Sheng’s eyes flickered as he fell into deep thought.
.....
Night fell, and the lights of Changshan County Town began to twinkle on one by one.
Xu Shenzhi wandered the streets, utterly dejected. He reeked of alcohol, his face was gaunt, and his clothes were disheveled—a far cry from the dashing Noble Young Master he once was.
The blow of Han Ling’Er breaking their engagement in public was simply too much for Xu Shenzhi to bear.
The two were childhood sweethearts, having known each other since they were young.
To save her life and preserve her innocence, Xu Shenzhi had not hesitated to give Chen Sheng the Innate Spiritual Qi he had nurtured for years—a resource crucial to his own cultivation path. Yet all he got in return was a flippant "sorry" and a broken engagement, announced by Miss Wang herself in front of everyone.
This was tantamount to tearing off the Xu Family’s face and stomping it into the ground!
Xu Shenzhi could already imagine it: once word got back to the Prefecture City, the Xu Family would become the laughingstock of the entire Ning’an Prefecture!
He felt especially ashamed when he saw his father’s face, livid with suppressed rage.
Moreover... he still hadn’t dared to confess to his father about losing his Innate Spiritual Qi.
If this were to be exposed, it would undoubtedly be like pouring salt on the wound.
After a long talk with his father, he chose to stay behind instead of immediately returning to the Prefecture City.
Xu Shenzhi had tried to drown his sorrows in alcohol, but the more he drank, the more Chen Sheng’s cold, alluring words from that day echoed in his ears.
"If you feel humiliated, you should be thinking about how to pay it back tenfold, a hundredfold, in the future!"
He wanted to redeem his honor; he wanted Han Ling’Er and Wang Zilan to pay the price for breaking the engagement.
But the Wang Family’s foundation was deep and their influence widespread. Let alone him, even the entire Xu Family seemed weak and insignificant before them.
The only person he could see who might have the power to challenge the Wang Family was, ironically, his former "enemy"—Chen Sheng!
According to what his father had privately revealed in their conversation, this Chen Sheng was suspected to have a shocking background and was likely in Changshan just for training. Furthermore, his Cultivation progress was unbelievably fast. Before leaving, his father had strictly forbidden him from causing any more trouble for the family.
The Xu Family was even prepared to temporarily set aside their grudge over the Huang Family’s destruction.
An idea thus began to form in Xu Shenzhi’s mind.
Since Chen Sheng had a profound background and formidable strength, could he use Chen Sheng’s power to deal with the Wang Family?
However, when he reached the gate of the Military Preparation Camp, Xu Shenzhi hesitated again.
’We have a history of conflict, after all. Will he even accept me?’
’If I go and get the cold shoulder, or even get humiliated, wouldn’t I just be asking for it?’
Reason and impulse clashed violently in his mind. Finally, Xu Shenzhi gritted his teeth and smashed the wine jug in his hand onto the ground. The shattering sound was particularly piercing in the quiet night.
"Forget it! Let them humiliate me. Could any humiliation be worse than having my engagement broken in public?!"
Xu Shenzhi straightened his robes and walked resolutely toward the gate of the Military Preparation Camp.
’If Chen Sheng doesn’t even deign to humiliate me... then I’ll offer up that secret as my Pledge of Loyalty.’
"Halt! This is a military encampment. Unauthorized personnel are not to approach!"
The moment Xu Shenzhi neared the gate, the guards shouted sharply, crossing their spears to block his path.
Xu Shenzhi instinctively started to raise a hand to cover his face but forced himself to stop halfway. He took a deep breath, clasped his fist in salute to the guards, and tried his best to keep his voice calm.
"Please inform Commander Chen that... Xu Shenzhi from the Prefecture City has come to see him."
The guards sized him up. Seeing that despite his disheveled clothes and the smell of alcohol, he carried himself with an extraordinary air, they exchanged glances. One of them said:
"Wait here."
He then turned and went inside to report.
A moment later, the guard returned and cupped his fist toward Xu Shenzhi.
"Young Master Xu, the Commander will see you."
A great weight lifted from Xu Shenzhi’s heart, and he breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
"Thank you for your trouble."
.....
Inside the Commander’s Tent
Flickering candlelight brightly illuminated the interior of the tent.
Chen Sheng, dressed in the standard uniform of an eighth-rank military official, sat in the seat of honor. His eyes were slightly closed, as if he were resting his spirit or contemplating the opportunity foretold by the Celestial Book. In his hand, he toyed with a crystalline jade cup filled with fine wine sent over by the Yang Family.
Only when footsteps and the sound of a report came from outside the tent did Chen Sheng slowly open his eyes.
Xu Shenzhi entered the tent with a bow, his gaze immediately falling upon the figure before him.
At the same time, a leisurely voice tinged with mockery rang out:
"Ah... if it isn’t Young Master Xu."
Chen Sheng glanced at the somewhat pathetic-looking Xu Shenzhi, the corners of his mouth curling into a smirk.
"In Commander Chen’s presence, I wouldn’t dare presume to be called Young Master."
Xu Shenzhi quickly lowered his head, adopting an extremely humble posture.
"Young Master Xu, you didn’t return to the Prefecture City with your esteemed father to enjoy a life of comfort. To what do I owe the pleasure of this late-night visit to my humble camp?"
Chen Sheng asked, feigning ignorance, his tone flat and unreadable.
Hearing this, Xu Shenzhi hesitated no longer. He abruptly lifted the front of his robes, dropped to one knee with a THUD, and looked up at Chen Sheng, his voice laced with determination.
"I have drifted through my life, Commander, only to regret my youthful ignorance and poor judgment of character, which brought shame to my family and humiliation to myself. I have come here brazenly today because I wish to pledge my service to you, Commander Chen.
"From now on, I am willing to be your attack dog, to do your bidding without question, even if it means dying ten thousand deaths. I hope... I hope the Commander will take me in!"
Chen Sheng set down his wine cup, leaned forward slightly, and sized up the kneeling Xu Shenzhi with great interest. He chuckled lightly.
"Pledge your service to me?"
He paused, his tone laced with amusement.
"I am currently but a lowly eighth-rank official. If you join me, the most you could be is a ninth-rank Vice Commander. Young Master Xu, are you... content with that?"
"I dare not deceive you, Commander."
Xu Shenzhi looked up, his gaze firm. "With the Commander’s Cultivation, achievements, and potential, being promoted to the Prefecture City and holding real power is only a matter of a month or two.
"My insight may be shallow, but even I can see that the Commander is a hidden dragon lying in the abyss. Therefore, I am not content to be just a Vice Commander. I wish to follow you, Commander, and fight for a future."
Seeing that Chen Sheng remained noncommittal, Xu Shenzhi steeled himself and hurriedly added:
"If... if the Commander is willing to take me in, I am willing to offer two opportunities as a show of my loyalty."
"Oh?"
Chen Sheng raised an eyebrow, his interest seemingly piqued. "Let’s hear it."
He then leaned back slightly, assuming a listening posture, as if everything was already under his control.
Xu Shenzhi took a deep breath, lowered his voice, and said, word by word:
"First, within the Prefecture City’s Han Clan, there is a hidden ’Hundred-Year Earth Heart Lotus.’ Its leaves can be used in Alchemy, but its seeds... can be consumed raw. They can greatly advance one’s Innate True Qi. For a Martial Artist who has just entered the Innate Realm, its effects are comparable to a Miracle Elixir.
"A single lotus seed is equivalent to several months of arduous training for an Innate Martial Master. What’s more, the seed’s medicinal properties are gentle, and it also has the effect of tempering the physical body.
"The Han Family has always ground the lotus seeds into powder to help their core disciples with Foundation Establishment and Body Refining. If you, Commander, could obtain and refine it, your Cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds."
At this point, Xu Shenzhi paused slightly to observe Chen Sheng’s reaction. Seeing a flicker in his eyes, he felt a bit more at ease and immediately dropped his second, even more shocking secret:
"Second, that legitimate daughter of the Wang Family, Wang Zilan... possesses a very rare Profound Yin Body. The Cultivation Technique she practices is called the ’Ice Heart Jade Cold Scripture.’ This technique complements her constitution perfectly, allowing her to nurture a strand of supremely pure Profound Yin Origin within her body. If you, Commander... could find a way to take her Yin Yuan, you would save at least ten years of arduous cultivation.
"Of course... the lower one’s Cultivation is, the greater the boost after refining it."
As Xu Shenzhi said this, a complex expression flickered across his face, and he added through gritted teeth:
"These... are all secrets that Han Ling’Er inadvertently revealed to me in the past, which I have committed to memory. Now, I wish to offer them all to you, Commander, to show the sincerity of my pledge."
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