Chapter 174: Recruitment, I’m Not Bad Either

Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Recruitment, I’m Not Bad Either

"Lu Yuan... he actually beat Situ Yao?"

Wang Zhong slinked away from the crowd. He looked up just in time to see a figure disappear.

"Cao—"

SWISH!

Suo Huan chased after the figure. He thought, "Lu Yuan’s talent is far too terrifying. I absolutely cannot let him live; he must be eliminated as soon as possible!"

"Sigh..."

"To think that even Situ Yao lost."

"I had no idea Lu Yuan was this strong..."

The Sect members departed. They had arrived with overwhelming arrogance, but they left completely disgraced and dejected. And Lu Yuan hadn’t even used his full strength. Who could possibly withstand his final move, Thunder Annihilation?

"Alright, the match is over. Everyone, disperse," Lu Yuan said, waving his hand.

The people from the Demon Suppression Bureau were still there.

"Lu Yuan, let’s spar sometime."

"Lu Yuan, let’s grab a drink together later."

"Lu Yuan, let’s take on some missions together in the future."

"Lu Yuan..."

Many of them wanted to befriend him, uncaring about their ties with Cao Cong. These people were either rigidly principled or came from extraordinary backgrounds, allowing them to clearly see Lu Yuan’s true value.

"Yes, definitely. When I have time," Lu Yuan said, waving them off.

The Squads of the Demon Suppression Bureau took their leave.

Mu Lingche had already led his people away; he needed to find a quiet place to clear his head. Lu Yuan was the first true anomaly he had ever encountered in his life.

Only Su Wan, Chen Qian, Jiang Hongfei, Liu Zhi, and Lu Yuan remained at the training grounds.

"Lu Yuan, you’re amazing! Simply amazing!" Jiang Hongfei offered his utmost admiration.

"Lu Yuan, you’re my boss from now on! My true boss!" Liu Zhi expressed his worship.

"Congratulations, Lu Yuan," Su Wan praised him with a bright smile. "By defeating an ultimate genius like Situ Yao, your name will undoubtedly spread like wildfire through the Tremor District after today, echoing all across the East City."

"Lu Yuan, you... really are incredible!" Chen Qian’s eyes were filled with determination. She resolved to follow Lu Yuan and work hard under him from now on.

"If you work hard, you can achieve this too someday," Lu Yuan offered, returning their praise with words of encouragement.

"..."

The group exchanged glances. Could they really? The chances were probably slim.

He trained hard, and the rest of the day passed uneventfully.

After work, however, Lu Yuan was intercepted.

"The Fourth Miss requests your presence."

"Which Fourth Miss?" Lu Yuan asked.

"Fourth Miss Chang of the Chang Mansion, naturally!" The maid looked incredibly haughty, her nose pointed practically toward the sky.

Lu Yuan’s eyes flickered, and he waved a hand. "Lead the way."

"Hmph!" The maid spun around, clearly displeased.

The two soon arrived in front of a carriage parked at the intersection ahead.

"Miss, I’ve brought Lu Yuan."

"Mhm." The curtain was lifted, and Chang Xiu leaned halfway out. "Lu Yuan, come here. Step a bit closer," she beckoned.

Lu Yuan approached. "What can I do for you, Fourth Miss Chang?"

"You’ve been at the Demon Suppression Bureau for a while now. I hear you’ve been secretly targeted and haven’t had the smoothest time," Chang Xiu said slowly. "To survive and thrive in this world, the most important thing is to have a backer—a powerful backer..."

"I’m not sure I understand your meaning, Fourth Miss Chang," Lu Yuan played dumb.

"No, you understand perfectly. I know how smart you are." Chang Xiu smiled. "My reason for finding you today is very simple. I see great potential in you. I want to recruit you into the Chang Family to work for me."

"Fourth Miss Chang, you should know that I’m the son-in-law of the Lin Family," Lu Yuan said, using them as a shield. The Lin Family was no weakling, and more importantly, anyone could see that his future father-in-law had extraordinary potential. Reaching the Third Grade would not be difficult for him.

"Can the Lin Family even compare to the Chang Family?" Chang Xiu sneered dismissively. "My Chang Family has two Third Grade experts, and we’ll only have more in the future. As long as you agree to join us, you’ll lack no resources. You’ll reach at least the Fourth Grade. Even attempting to break through to the Third Grade isn’t out of the question. The Third Grade Longevity Realm—you should know what that signifies. No other family can guarantee you that."

"That is very tempting, but..." Lu Yuan shook his head and brought up someone else. "Actually, Su Wan also has her eye on me. As you can see, she’s already working under me, and she often visits my house to exchange musical pointers."

"Su Wan..." Chang Xiu gritted her teeth in hatred at the mention of the name. "Who does Su Wan think she is? Setting aside the fact that the Su Family’s strength is nowhere near ours, Su Wan still has eight older brothers above her. If you go to the Su Family, will they have any resources left for you? Would it ever be your turn?"

"Uh." Lu Yuan scratched his head. "But Su Wan took a liking to me herself. If I went to the Su Family, it would be as a son-in-law, whereas going to the Chang Family would make me nothing more than a servant. How could that be the same? Unless you, Miss Chang Xiu, were to..."

"Insolent! You think you’re worthy of harboring desires for me?" Chang Xiu’s eyebrows immediately shot up in anger. "You’re completely out of your league! Stop your wishful thinking!"

"Yes, yes, I’m unworthy! In that case, I might as well seek refuge with the Mu Family. Miss Mu Lingyan actually admires me quite a bit too. We’ve had a few friendly exchanges. Her mother and my mother-in-law are also fellow disciples. If I go to the Mu Family, I’ll surely receive some special care." Lu Yuan trotted out yet another name. Surely the Chang Family couldn’t compare to the Mu Family, right?

"Mu Lingyan fancies you too? Pah! Who do you think you are? Do you think everyone is in love with you? Are you so irresistibly charming that everyone just falls at your feet?" Chang Xiu glared with wide, furious eyes.

"As a matter of fact, I am indeed irresistibly charming," Lu Yuan said, stroking his face narcissistically.

Chang Xiu gave him a quick once-over. He actually was somewhat handsome.

"Enough of your nonsense. I’m giving you one chance right now. Swear loyalty to me, and you’ll become a member of the Chang Family from now on. Otherwise..."

"Swear loyalty to you, Miss?" Lu Yuan’s mouth gaped open in shock, and he shook his head vehemently. "No way, no way! Pledging loyalty to the Chang Family or the Great General is one thing, but swearing loyalty to you, Miss—I can’t! Absolutely not!

"Fourth Miss Chang, you don’t realize. That day at the foot of Nine Phoenix Mountain, when you rode over on your horse, your heroic bearing, your peerless grace... it was instantly and deeply branded into my heart. I was entirely smitten with you at first sight, Fourth Miss Chang!

"Fourth Miss, unless you agree to marry me! Or give me a chance, and wait for me to become a Great General so I can marry you! Otherwise, I cannot pledge my loyalty to you! I absolutely cannot!"

"You... you..." Chang Xiu was both flustered and furious, her face shifting through a myriad of expressions. "I only have Lingche in my heart! I will never like you! You... just give up on that idea! Stop your wishful thinking! Despicable! Let’s go!"

"Think it over carefully, Fourth Miss Chang! I’m really not that bad!" Lu Yuan waved.

"Hurry up and go!" Chang Xiu urged.

"Giddyap!" The coachman quickly drove the carriage away. In the blink of an eye, it disappeared from sight.

Inside the carriage, Chang Xiu suddenly asked the maid who had guided Lu Yuan earlier, "Tinglan, what do you think of this Lu Yuan?"

"I wouldn’t know," Tinglan said, shaking her head.

"He’s not even sixteen yet, but today he just defeated the Great Huang Sect’s ultimate genius, Situ Yao," Chang Xiu explained simply.

"What?" Tinglan gasped. Defeating the Great Huang Sect’s ultimate genius, Situ Yao... at not even sixteen years old... Just how astonishingly brilliant did someone have to be to achieve that?

"If I told you to marry him, how would you feel about it?" Chang Xiu asked.

"This... this..." Tinglan’s expression fluctuated wildly. "I am unworthy!"

"Mhm, you truly aren’t a match for him," Chang Xiu nodded. "But I already have Lingche in my heart. Sigh, it’s so frustrating..."