Only Master Zhuang Sponsors Others

As dusk approached, the first day of the Grand Competition came to an end.

In the afternoon, the disciples who had achieved a grade of A-minus or above in the Grand Competition were mostly approached by representatives of various factions.

Naturally, this included Yan Pingsheng.

“Young Master Yan, the terms our Zhou family is offering are ten taels of silver per month, with all food and medicinal soup expenses in the academy fully covered, plus one meal of precious meat per week for a year.” The Zhou family manager raised his fingers one by one.

“As for our requirements, we only ask that Young Master Yan offer guidance to our Zhou family disciples in the academy on their cultivation of the Wanxing Body-Tempering Technique, and serve our Zhou family for ten years after becoming a martial artist.”

“What do you think, Young Master Yan?” He asked with a smile, clasping his hands behind his back.

“Thank you for your appreciation, Manager, and that of the Zhou family.” Zhuang Xun cupped his hands in a polite bow, a look of hesitation on his face. “However, as this concerns my future prospects, I still need to... consider it for a few more days. I hope you can understand, Manager.”

“Indeed, it's only right to give it some thought.” The Zhou family manager nodded understandingly.

“Though it might sound a bit arrogant, the terms our Zhou family offers are the absolute best. No other family can top them. Once you've made up your mind, Young Master Yan, you can find me at the Zhou Family Precious Meat Firm. I will be waiting for you at any time.”

“Understood. Take care, Manager.”

Zhuang Xun watched the retreating back of the Zhou family manager.

It was indeed as the Zhou family manager had said. Zhuang Xun had just been in contact with other factions, and the Zhou family's conditions were the best. As for the requirements, every family asked for more or less the same, with the Zhou family actually being slightly more lenient.

However...

“Wanfu Restaurant presents one hundred taels of silver! We wish Chief Bai a bright future and that all your wishes come true!”

“The Lin Family Transport Agency presents eighty taels of silver! We wish Chief Bai a smooth path to the clouds and a brilliant future! Chief Bai, it is my son's honor to share the same courtyard with you...”

“The Mountain Gathering Gang presents eighty taels of silver! We wish Chief Bai...”

He didn't seem to be short on money anymore.

Looking at the crowd of people rushing to give him money, Zhuang Xun didn't know how to react, so he simply maintained his aloof, transcendent posture, remaining silent and quiet.

“Jinzhu presents one thousand taels of silver! I wish Senior Brother Bai prosperity in his martial path!”

Forcing down the physical urge to swallow hard, Zhuang Xun nodded calmly. “Junior Sister Chen, you are very thoughtful.”

“Hehe.” Chen Jinzhu's phoenix eyes curved into crescent moons. Just as she was about to take this opportunity to speak with Bai Yujing, her voice was drowned out by the loud announcements of other gifts.

...

“Pingsheng, Zhang Tie, you guys came at the perfect time! Quick, help me listen in on how much is appropriate to gift Senior Brother Bai!”

“Why are you giving money to Senior Brother Bai?” Zhang Tie looked in surprise at the anxious An Dafu.

“My family's business relies on the academy. Now that there's an opportunity to send a gift, of course we have to send one.”

Zhang Tie looked toward Bai Yujing, who was surrounded by the crowd in the distance. “Holy crap, so many people are rushing to give gifts... Dafu, with so many senders, are you sure Senior Brother Bai will even remember yours?”

An Dafu sighed and said in a profound tone, “You don't understand. If you send one, he might not remember you. But if you don't send one, he will definitely remember you.”

Nonsense! Am I that kind of person? Zhuang Xun felt his character was being insulted.

“Quick, quick, quick! Go over there and help me find out how much others are giving. I need to prepare. If I give too little, I'll also be remembered.”

Zhuang Xun snapped back to reality and said, “It seems to be mostly between eighty and a hundred taels. I heard them when I walked past just now.”

“Aiyah, Pingsheng, you're the only reliable one!”

An Dafu's face lit up with joy. He pulled a thick purse from his bosom, gritted his teeth, and said, “Then I'll send one hundred and fifty taels! Combined with the fact that I share a courtyard with Senior Brother Bai, he should be able to remember me.”

“One hundred and twenty taels... Or maybe one hundred and thirty taels.”

He pulled a few silver ingots from his purse, stuffed one back in, and ran over in a hurry.

...

At night, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The faint chirping of insects could be heard.

Inside Bai Yujing's dormitory.

By the light of an oil lamp, Zhuang Xun stared at a chest filled to the brim with silver, still unable to fully process it.

“Over five thousand taels... This came way too easily...”

He now felt that his decision to create a high-profile clone with maxed-out Skeletal Structure and Comprehension to enter the academy was a stroke of absolute genius. In a single night, he had received an amount of money he wouldn't have been able to earn even after years of hard labor.

And this was only the tip of the iceberg. When the master-apprentice ceremony arrived at the beginning of next month, even more people would come to give him gifts.

It all felt incredibly dreamlike.

Just yesterday, he was still thinking about being sponsored.

But now...

Now, only Master Zhuang would be the one sponsoring others! (Grandly)

“The changes brought about by strength and status are truly fascinating,” Zhuang Xun lamented. He closed the chest and went out to cultivate.

An Dafu and Zhang Tie always said that Zhuang Xun didn't work hard in his cultivation, but what they didn't know was that Zhuang Xun controlled Bai Yujing to cultivate for at least sixteen hours a day.

Using Yan Pingsheng to read storybooks was merely his way of relaxing.

Reading about these scholars fantasizing about all kinds of furries was actually quite entertaining, adding a bit of fun to his dry cultivation journey.

...

Over on Yan Pingsheng's side.

Having controlled him to finish bathing, Zhuang Xun lay on the bed reading a storybook. This time, it was a love story between a scholar traveling for the imperial exams and a mouse from a ruined temple.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. People of ancient times really knew how to live.

Seeing this as he returned to the dormitory, Zhang Tie immediately grumbled, “Brother Pingsheng is reading storybooks again. Sigh, life is so damn unfair. I worked my ass off cultivating for a month, and my results still aren't as good as yours when you play around all day.”

Seeing that Yan Pingsheng was ignoring him, he turned to strike up a conversation with Li Zigeng. “Zigeng, which family's sponsorship did you choose in the end?”

“The Chen family's,” Li Zigeng replied.

“Is it Senior Sister Chen Jinzhu's Chen family?” An Dafu asked.

“Yes.” Li Zigeng nodded.

“How much do they sponsor per month?” Zhang Tie asked curiously.

Li Zigeng hesitated slightly, but ultimately felt it would be rude not to answer. “All food and medicinal soup expenses are fully covered, plus one meal of precious meat per week for a year.”

Zhang Tie clicked his tongue. “Holy crap, how much does that cost per month?!”

An Dafu was also shocked. “That much? The requirements must not be low, right?”

Li Zigeng nodded. “Yeah. I have to obey Senior Sister Chen inside the academy from now on, and once I become a martial artist, I have to serve the Chen family for ten years.”

Doesn't that basically make him their dog? Half of the envy in Zhang Tie's heart instantly vanished. He turned to ask Yan Pingsheng,

“Pingsheng, whose sponsorship did you accept?”

“Hmm?” Zhuang Xun looked up from the storybook. “I'm still considering it.”

He didn't want his roommates to know too much. Even though he had no intention of accepting any sponsorship, he wouldn't tell them outright.

“What is there to consider? Just pick the one that gives the most money and call it a day. Oh, I get it...” Zhang Tie put on an expression of having seen through everything. “You didn't fancy any of them, did you? Well, that makes sense. A young master like you is so rich, why would you need anyone else's sponsorship?”

Zhuang Xun said helplessly, “There you go with the young master stuff again. I really am considering it.”

“Still acting, Pingsheng?” Zhang Tie pointed at Yan Pingsheng and laughed. “What ordinary person would even hesitate? If they heard someone was offering that much money to sponsor their martial arts training, they'd accept immediately.”

An Dafu also laughed. “Pingsheng, with your amazing results this time, your family's reward must be substantial, right? Tsk, tsk, tsk. If I had results as good as yours, my grandfather would probably have me inherit the family estate directly.”

Zhuang Xun shook his head in silence and looked back down at his storybook.

He had clearly explained that Yan Pingsheng came from a hunter's background, but these two stubbornly insisted on believing he was a wealthy young master from outside the city.