Stronger with Crimson Modifier-Chapter 72: Meeting [3]

The short-haired woman stared at the closed door, her expression faltering for a moment. Then, with a hint of disappointment, she turned and walked away.

Her companion, waiting in the distance, saw this and couldn’t help but tease her.

"Well now, what’s wrong with my girl? Spring hasn’t even arrived yet. Don’t tell me you’re already lovesick?"

"Hey! You’re asking for it!"

Outside, the sounds of their playful bickering faded into the distance.

Hu Qi refilled the food and water for his Camphor Tea Duck, then changed into a fresh set of clothes.

After a moment’s thought, he slung the bag containing his Horizontal Blade over his back and headed out.

Soon, Hu Qi arrived at Wang Luo’s office.

He reached out and knocked lightly on the door.

"Hu Qi, right? Come in."

Hearing Wang Luo’s voice, Hu Qi pushed the door open.

Inside, two other people were in the room besides Wang Luo.

One was a woman with blonde hair, red eyes, and a cold expression. She carried a Longsword on her back. It was Helinta, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.

The other was a man who looked to be in his forties or fifties.

The man wore a gray Martial Arts Uniform and had a placid expression. What stood out was his long braid, which hung all the way down to his waist.

The moment he saw the man, Hu Qi’s heart skipped a beat. He instantly recognized him as Jiang Zuo, the Sect Leader of the Shexin Sect, whom he had read about in the basic information manual.

However, compared to the description in the book, the man before him seemed much younger. There wasn’t a single silver strand in his hair or a wrinkle on his skin; he looked to be in his early forties at most.

"Hu Qi, you’re here. This is the Sect Leader, and this is your Second Senior Sister."

Wang Luo introduced them.

At his words, Hu Qi recalled that the basic manual had mentioned the Sect Leader’s age.

Then there was the fact that he wore a braid, even in this day and age.

Such a custom only existed during the fallen dynasty that preceded the Longyuan Empire.

Hu Qi’s mind raced. Without a moment’s hesitation, he emulated the etiquette of that dynasty from several hundred years ago—something he’d seen online—clasping his fists and bowing. "Greetings, Sect Leader. Greetings, Second Senior Sister."

"Mm, not bad."

A kind smile appeared on Jiang Zuo’s face as he watched Hu Qi’s gesture.

"Strong bones, vigorous Qi and Blood. In just over twenty days, you’ve managed to cultivate the Snake Form Posture to the Fifth Layer. Your aptitude is even more outstanding than Helinta’s."

Jiang Zuo chuckled, and as his gaze fell upon Hu Qi, the young man felt as if he were being seen through completely.

"Not at all. I was just lucky, thanks to the Snow Snake Ointment that Second Senior Sister bestowed upon me."

Hu Qi replied humbly.

He could feel Second Senior Sister’s gaze fall upon him after Jiang Zuo finished speaking.

’Fifth Layer?’

Nearby, Wang Luo’s expression was strange. ’How many days has it been? The kid actually broke through again.’

But with Jiang Zuo present, he didn’t dare speak up.

"You needn’t be so modest. The Snow Scale Ointment is merely a supplement, after all. If your own aptitude were lacking, it would be useless even if you’d been soaking in it since childhood."

Jiang Zuo said with a faint smile. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Then, his tone shifted. Without beating around the bush, he asked directly, "Do you know why I summoned you here today?"

Hu Qi’s eyes flickered. After a moment of silence, he said, "If I’m not mistaken, you wish to take me as your disciple, Sect Leader?"

’He hadn’t made any effort to hide his rapid cultivation progress. He’d announced it publicly, and not just for the sake of showing off.’

’It was to attract this very attention. And now, it seemed he had successfully piqued their interest.’

"Haha! You’re not wrong. I do intend to take you as my disciple."

"But your current performance alone is far from enough."

"If you can reach the Third Transformation of Qi and Blood within three months, I will accept you as my Direct Disciple!" Jiang Zuo said, shaking his head.

At this, he paused, his gaze shifting to the Horizontal Blade strapped to Hu Qi’s back.

"I hear you’ve been practicing the Ghost Slaying Saber lately but have made no progress. This Sword Technique is very powerful, but it also has extremely high aptitude requirements for a Secret Martial Artist. If you want to reach the Entry-Level, the best way is to engage in true life-and-death combat."

"Your Second Senior Sister did the same."

"If you’re so inclined, you can accept some of the missions posted by Zhu Xi. You’ll gain practical combat experience, and it will help you reach the Entry-Level quickly."

With that, he waved his hand, dismissing Hu Qi.

"Thank you for your guidance, Sect Leader!"

Hu Qi clasped his fists and bowed again. He then walked out, closing the door behind him.

As he walked down the stairs, Hu Qi replayed the entire encounter in his mind. Once he confirmed he hadn’t made any mistakes, he let out a long sigh of relief.

However, just as he was about to exit the building, a voice suddenly echoed in his ear.

"Be extra careful for the time being. With your aptitude, you might attract unnecessary trouble. You must understand, the Shexin Sect has many enemies."

After these words, the voice vanished without a trace, as if it had never been there at all.

Hu Qi recognized the owner of the voice—it was Jiang Zuo.

He scanned his surroundings but found nothing. A chill went down Hu Qi’s spine. Not daring to look any further, he turned and quickly walked away.

’I’m at least a hundred meters away,’ he estimated silently, ’and there are doors and windows between us. For him to transmit his voice so clearly into my ear... it’s unbelievable.’

’It reminded Hu Qi of an ability from his past life that he had only ever seen in movies and on TV—Sound Bundling.’

’It seems not all the Schools are on friendly terms with one another.’

Hu Qi had already anticipated this.

As the saying goes, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.

He wouldn’t have been so conspicuous if it hadn’t been necessary.

But if he hadn’t, he never would have gotten their attention.

Still, as long as he didn’t run into a truly powerful Martial Artist or a Lower-Rank Black Blood Species, he was confident he could escape.

Besides, he had an unparalleled advantage: as long as he had enough Modification Points and an Entry-Level Skill, he could rapidly increase his power.

Once he obtained a truly powerful Secret Martial Arts, he could use his Modification Points to enhance it and would no longer have to worry about such threats.

Until then, taking a few risks was worth it.

’Playing the pig to eat the tiger, or being high-profile and ostentatious—both strategies have their merits. It all depends on the person and the situation.’

...

"Looks like it won’t be long before I have a new junior brother."

Back in the office, after Hu Qi had left, the ever-perceptive Wang Luo had also excused himself.

It didn’t matter that it was his office.

Only after he was gone did Helinta, who had been standing to the side, finally speak.

"Heh, all we can say is that his aptitude is acceptable. His temperament and other qualities still need to be tested."

"You must understand, we have seen geniuses even more monstrously talented than you and your senior brother. But they are all dead. Only you two have survived."

Jiang Zuo chuckled softly.

"You should know that for us Secret Martial Artists, true strength doesn’t come from exceptional aptitude, but from a powerful will."

"If one doesn’t even have confidence in oneself, then what does it matter how gifted they are?"

His words seemed to carry a hidden meaning.

"Master, I’m sorry. I have disappointed you."

Helinta said, taking a deep breath.

"No, you have done more than enough."

"Some things become harder to achieve the more you force them. You are too eager for quick success, and that is actually a detriment."

Jiang Zuo reached out and patted Helinta on the shoulder.

"I won’t be back for long. The situation at the Celestial Pool has become a huge mess, and we’ve only managed to temporarily contain it."

"Your senior brother is currently in seclusion, so I’m temporarily leaving the Shexin Sect in your hands. As for this new prospect, don’t interfere with him too much."

"Furthermore, if you encounter any special circumstances, discuss them with your junior brothers and sisters. Don’t act rashly. Wait for my return before making any major decisions."