Grinding Cultivation Toward Martial Saint

Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Martial Arts Resources

Martial Arts Hall front courtyard.

As Zhou Xing and Zhang Tiesheng, who resembled an iron tower, entered the front courtyard, everyone started greeting them.

Hearing the voices behind him, Zhao Hu turned his head and immediately saw Zhou Xing and Zhang Tiesheng.

At this moment, Zhou Xing also looked towards Cheng Ran and Zhao Hu, smiling as he directly walked towards them.

“All the junior brothers are here! It seems I am the late one! What’s going on? Why did I hear that Junior Brother Zhao wants to spar with Junior Brother Cheng?”

He then looked at Li Qing, who was like a spot of red among a sea of green, “Sister Li is also here! Has Sister Li officially entered the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade?”

“Brother Zhou!” Zhao Hu spoke up.

Li Qing also said, “It went smoothly, I officially entered the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade yesterday.”

“Congratulations!” Zhou Xing said with a smile.

Then his gaze lingered between Cheng Ran and Zhao Hu.

“I had just stepped through the gates of the Martial Arts Hall when I faintly heard the words between the two junior brothers. Is Junior Brother Zhao intending to exchange martial skills with Junior Brother Cheng?”

Zhao Hu spoke up, “Hmph! I’ve disliked Cheng Ran for a long time! I just don’t know if he dares to accept the challenge.”

Cheng Ran looked helpless and turned his gaze towards Zhou Xing.

Zhou Xing couldn’t help but smile, then he said, “Junior Brother Zhao asking Junior Brother Cheng to spar with you is a bit like bullying!”

“Junior Brother Cheng has been in the Martial Arts Hall for less than half a year, while Junior Brother Zhao has reached the condition of small success in Martial Arts Nine Grade, and moreover, has mastered the powerful force of Tiger Form Boxing. How do you expect Junior Brother Cheng to compete?”

At this moment, Li Qing also realized something, and she wasn’t foolish, knowing full well that Zhao Hu had always had intentions towards her.

She looked at Zhao Hu with a somewhat disgusted gaze.

“Brother Zhao, this is a bit too much!”

“Too much?” Zhao Hu’s eyes blazed angrily as he glared fiercely at Cheng Ran, “Good! Cheng Ran, I’ll remember you!”

Seeing this scene, Cheng Ran’s face showed a hint of helplessness.

Jiang Ning was also inwardly clicking his tongue.

“Beauty is a disaster, the ancients truly did not deceive me!”

“Luckily it’s Senior Brother Cheng who was targeted, not me!”

At this moment, Jiang Ning had already secretly resolved to keep his distance from women.

Especially women like Li Qing who had both beauty and grace.

At this time.

Watching Zhao Hu leave, Zhou Xing smiled at Cheng Ran.

“All’s well now, Junior Brother Cheng!”

Cheng Ran bowed, “Thank you, Brother Zhou, for helping me out.”

“It’s nothing!” Zhou Xing said with a smile, “Zhao Hu is stubborn and sticks to his own unreasonable beliefs. In the future, Junior Brother Cheng, you need to be more careful!”

“I understand!” Cheng Ran bowed again.

Zhou Xing smiled in response.

As for Zhao Hu, Zhou Xing had already tried to court him in private; failing to do so, Zhou Xing naturally chose to stand with Cheng Ran today.

In his view, Cheng Ran had a good family background and decent martial arts talent.

His chances of competing with Xiao Peng for a spot in the Inspection Office were not slim; the odds were about fifty-fifty.

Thus, he naturally did not intend to stop trying to court Cheng Ran.

Getting into the Inspection Office, as he saw it, was most importantly about power; the power of the Inspection Office was too great.

Overseeing and inspecting the whole land, from royal nobles to commoners, all could be executed first and reported later.

How could he not understand how vast such power was.

For the Zhou family to flourish and rise up to be like the prestigious families of Cao, Liu, and Xie, or even surpass them and rule as the emperor of Luoshui County, the key lay in the Inspection Office.

During this particular period in Great Xia, it created unusual imperial institutions.

Thus, he planned to befriend every person who might enter the Inspection Office.

But courting Zhao Hu was truly beyond his abilities; Zhao Hu came from the lower class and inherently harbored great animosity towards him and people like Cheng Ran from influential families.

Zhou Xing also drew several invitations from his breast pocket.

“Brother Cheng, in three days, will you be willing to come to the Fenghua Building?”

“This is?” Cheng Ran asked, looking hesitant.

Zhou Xing smiled, “Three months from now, the Inspection Office will be established, and I have high hopes for Brother Cheng. I’d like to become colleagues with Brother Cheng! Inside are the terms I’ve offered; please take a look!”

Cheng Ran responded with a knowing smile, “Brother Zhou, please allow me some time to think it over!”

“No rush! No rush!” Zhou Xing said, shaking his head with a smile, “You have three days to consider!”

He then turned to Li Qing and pulled out an invitation from his robe, “Sister Li’s family is quite wealthy, and although she might not be interested in the terms I’ve proposed, I still wish to advance and retreat together with Sister Li.”

Li Qing took the invitation, glanced at it quickly, and then closed it.

“I appreciate your kindness, Brother Zhou! As fellow disciples, we should indeed advance and retreat together!”

Hearing this, Cheng Ran understood Li Qing’s intention and subsequently chuckled.

“If that’s the case, Sister Li’s words are enough for me!”

Then, Zhou Xing spoke up, “Junior brothers and sisters, I have other matters to attend to, shall I take my leave?”

“Brother, please take care,” Cheng Ran said.

Li Qing also nodded.

At that moment, Jiang Ning stepped forward with a fist salute, “Brother Zhou, please stay a moment.”

“What is it?” Zhou Xing stopped in his tracks.

Jiang Ning said, “I would like to purchase some wild ginseng from Brother Zhou to replenish my body’s consumption.”

“Ah, that’s what it is!” Zhou Xing replied with a smile, “Normally, I sell ten-year-old ginseng for ten taels of silver each to other juniors. May I know your budget, Brother Jiang?”

Jiang Ning pulled out the silver note from his robe and the two twenty-tael silver ingots sent by Jiang Li, “Brother Zhou, here are fifty taels in a silver note and twenty taels of silver. I’d like to exchange all these for wild ginseng.”

Zhou Xing took the silver note and without even checking, he pocketed it directly, appearing quite straightforward.

“Since Brother Jiang asked, naturally I cannot sell it to you for ten taels each. I’ll have my servant bring over ten roots of ginseng later, the extra three are a token of my affection.”

“Thank you so much, Brother Zhou!” Jiang Ning said, bowing in gratitude.

Zhou Xing grinned, “Since we are fellow disciples, and I being your senior, it is natural to look after my juniors. To say thanks among us seems a bit formal.”

After saying this, he gave Jiang Ning another glance and contemplated briefly in his mind, then he decided against investing in Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning had made an impression on him from the first day they met, surprising him neither too little nor too much.

So since then, he remembered Jiang Ning and his name.

But for him, it was merely a surprise.

At that time, Jiang Ning’s performance had seemed merely memorable.

Now, in his view, Jiang Ning had practiced martial arts for too short a period, his abilities were limited, and he had completely no connection with the upcoming establishment of the Inspection Office.

He missed out on this opportunity to rise dramatically in status and wield great authority.

Jiang Ning, despite having some talent, seemed to have limited future achievements.

So, although he was somewhat favorable, a simple friendship sufficed!Update by n0vgo. co

Currently, Jiang Ning wasn’t worth the significant investment.

After all, his family, although wealthy, also had large expenses, and to invest in attracting people he valued required a great amount of wealth and resources.

If he didn’t make a substantial bet, how could he gain influence?

Once the investment succeeded and the invested person seized the opportunity of the Inspection Office to soar to great heights, the Zhou family’s own fortunes would rise as well.

The favor of martial arts strongmen and authoritative figures wasn’t something that could be measured with mere money.

Investing in one’s weaker moments could yield exceptionally rich rewards if successful. @@novelbin@@

Even if they didn’t soar to great heights, being alongside him as a member of the Inspection Office, his own promotions would ensure reliable people around him.

Thus, he naturally didn’t want to waste wealth and resources on someone with no potential.

In his view, opportunities in a person’s life are limited; once missed, they are truly gone, and their future fate will be decidedly different.

Luck and opportunity are also parts of strength, and Zhou Xing strongly agreed with this saying.

After making his decision, he waved his hand and then turned to leave.

Seeing this, Li Qing also spoke, “You two juniors talk, I’ll go and see Master.”

“Senior Sister, please take care!” said Cheng Ran.

Jiang Ning also spoke, “Senior Sister Li, please take care!”