Fang Xin heard the other party's opening remarks.
This indicated that Old Master Fang must have had contact with him before.
"How should I address you?" Fang Xin asked.
The newcomer introduced himself warmly, "My name is Kou Tianlin. Everyone on the streets calls me Second Young Master. My own people call me Second Brother Kou. Since you are Old Master Fang's grandson, if you don't mind, just call me Second Brother!"
Fang Xin observed the man in front of him, who walked with a swagger. Through his keen senses, he detected no malice from the other party.
However, behind the other party's seemingly straightforward demeanor, Fang Xin clearly sensed a strong killing intent.
Although this killing intent was not directed at Fang Xin, Fang Xin could feel that the other party's hands were surely stained with blood.
"Second Brother Kou!"
Kou Tianlin squeezed Fang Xin's shoulder, "Sit down, Xiao Xin. Old Master Fang has been in hiding for many years. I didn't expect that when he reappeared, his grandson would be so grown up and so outstanding!"
Fang Xin replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "You flatter me." He paused, then continued to ask, "May I ask when you last saw my grandfather?"
"About half a month ago! Old Master Fang met with my grandfather, and I was fortunate enough to be present!"
"What did you talk about?" Fang Xin asked again.
Kou Tianlin candidly said, "I heard the few polite words they exchanged when they met. As for what they discussed specifically afterward, I don't know. After Old Master Fang left, my grandfather told me to instruct the Kou Family Army to ask clearly before acting when they encounter new Ninth Division cadets in the future. If there's one named Fang Xin, don't kill him. If Fang Xin is willing to join our Kou Family Army, he's always welcome!"
Fang Xin was stunned by these words. "Do you know where my grandfather went?"
Kou Tianlin took out a pack of cigarettes, tapped two out, and said, "I don't know. He didn't say, and we wouldn't dare to ask, after all, your grandfather was once the head of the Divine Generals with a fearsome reputation in the Divine Court."
"Do you smoke?"
Fang Xin shook his head.
"You don't mind if I smoke, do you?"
Fang Xin assented.
Zhao Roujun, who was standing by, quickly came over to light Kou Tianlin's cigarette. It was clear that Zhao Roujun looked at Kou Tianlin with admiration and awe.
Kou Tianlin, with a cigarette in his mouth, glanced at Fang Xin, "No smoking, how about drinking?"
"No drinking!"
"Still a virgin, right? I run a film company, with many celebrity artists under me, sexy ones, pure ones, you pick one, or all of them, to break your virginity?"
Fang Xin was immediately embarrassed, "Second Brother Kou, you..."
Kou Tianlin shrugged with the cigarette between his fingers, "For any Awakened, lust is a hurdle that must be faced. Many have fallen because of this word, especially young men your age, who are full of vigor. Some young boys, at eleven or twelve, can't control their little 'thing' and are full of fantasies about the opposite sex. After awakening, it's easy to be led astray by the opposite sex and focus all their energy on that. Letting you experience these now, firstly, can prematurely diminish your excessive fantasies about the opposite sex, and secondly, it can prevent your state of mind from being easily disturbed by lust, allowing you to single-mindedly hone yourself."
At this point, Kou Tianlin looked at Zhao Roujun, "How about you accompany him tonight?"
Before Zhao Roujun could say anything, Kou Tianlin asked Fang Xin again, "Is one enough, brother? If not, I can call a few more for you?"
Fang Xin's mouth twitched, "No need, I can control myself!"
Kou Tianlin, holding the cigarette, said, "Whatever you prefer! If you ever have that idea, you can always tell me!"
Seeing Fang Xin's expression, Kou Tianlin laughed, "Are you thinking that I don't respect the artists under me?"
Fang Xin smiled.
Kou Tianlin saw this and laughed, "I never force anyone. Those people do these things voluntarily. They work for me, and I provide them with resources to help them advance further. It's a type of transaction. Society is just this cruel. Everyone shouts about equality, but have you truly seen equality? Since the dawn of human history, when has there ever been true equality?
Societal resources are always unbalanced, with a large amount of resources held in the hands of a small number of people. This is reality. Equality is a grand promise drawn by the strong for the weak. Using one's body to exchange for resources, thereby gaining the opportunity to become strong, is a shortcut that goes against the grain. It's scorned by the public morally, but in the cruel reality, it's also a kind of unconventional way of survival! When you reach the top, there will naturally be great scholars to argue on your behalf!"
Seeing Fang Xin a little dazed, Kou Tianlin laughed, "What's wrong, Xiao Xin?"
Fang Xin looked at Kou Tianlin, "I'm done for! I actually think what you said makes some sense!"
Kou Tianlin burst out laughing, "No matter. The education you received in school from a young age was all about benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness, gentleness, kindness, frugality, and humility. What I'm saying sounds like heresy and sedition to normal people. Of course, you can listen to what others say, but don't be hasty to believe it. You must have your own independent thinking ability and think and act in the way you believe is right!"
Fang Xin observed Kou Tianlin. The man known as Second Young Master seemed to possess an indescribable aura, which was probably why Zhao Roujun looked at Kou Tianlin with such admiration.
"Second Brother Kou, if I may ask, you are from the Eternal Night Army, aren't you?"
Kou Tianlin flicked his cigarette ash, joking, "Yes, I am a member of the Kou Family Army, under the Eternal Night Army. My grandfather is the Kou Family Army's commander. What, do you feel uncomfortable with a Ninth Division member sitting with the Eternal Night Army?"
"Not at all, I have a question!"
"You want to ask how I knew you were here?" Kou Tianlin voiced Fang Xin's thoughts.
Fang Xin nodded.
Kou Tianlin exhaled a straight stream of smoke, "Because we have an inside man at Sky Shield Academy. Who it is, I can't tell you yet."
Sure enough!
Fang Xin slowly leaned back, "Then you're here to find me, you're not trying to get me to be your inside man, are you?"
"Not quite. Your Sky Shield Academy midterm test will be held in the God and Demon Ruins. The Eternal Night Army will also be there. Take this item. When you encounter members of the Eternal Night Army, just show this, and there won't be any conflict! Even if you meet other organizations of the Stranger, seeing the Kou Family Army's token will earn you some respect!"
Kou Tianlin flicked his thumb, and a warm, smooth jade token flew over. The character 'Kou' was carved on it.
"Is that all?"
"You have a Strength Talent, right?" Kou Tianlin suddenly asked.
"Yes!"
Kou Tianlin smiled, "Then I've found the right person. I'm sure you've heard that when you enter the God and Demon Ruins, your cultivation realm will be suppressed."
"I've heard!"
"One of our predecessors once went there and accidentally stumbled into a forbidden area. That place can only be endured by people with Strength Talent due to the overloaded gravitational pressure. I know you're thinking, 'Can't the Eternal Night Army find a Strength Talent?' Awakened with Strength Talent are easy to find, but SSS-rank Strength Talent Awakened are not!"
"So, you mean for me to go rescue him? Is that it?"
Kou Tianlin revealed his ultimate goal, "Not to rescue him, that senior has already fallen. We hope you can bring his body back!"
"That senior's body is very useful to us, but you've probably already realized that the difficulty of bringing the body out is very high. Someone went in before and estimated that it would require an SSS-rank Strength Talent Awakened with at least five-star combat power. You currently have four-star combat power. For the midterm, reaching five-star seems quite difficult. So, this time you go in, just explore the periphery, confirm the location, and familiarize yourself with the environment. By the time of the final exam, you should be able to reach five-star combat power, and then you can bring the body out!"
Kou Tianlin extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray, "After all that, I haven't heard you agree yet. What do you say?"
Fang Xin paused, "What if I don't agree?"
"If you don't agree, then don't agree. No need to be coy!
Oh, I forgot to mention the benefits. After you succeed, I'll give you a tenth-tier offensive treasure, a tenth-tier defensive treasure, and a bonus of one hundred million! If you don't succeed, but you make the attempt, you'll still get half of these rewards. Of course, if you think it's not enough, you can propose more conditions! As long as they are within a reasonable range, I can fight for them for you!"
Fang Xin immediately waved his hand, "Second Brother Kou, we're all brothers, talking about these things makes it seem tacky. Here's my card number!"
Kou Tianlin saw this and laughed, "Roujun, write down the card number and transfer fifty million to Xiao Xin first!"
Fang Xin quickly withdrew his card, "Just kidding! I'll go in and take a look first. If it works out, I'll give you a definite answer, okay?"
"No problem!"
Kou Tianlin glanced at the time, "It's getting late, you should rest. Here's my contact information! You can come find me to hang out anytime you're outside Sky Shield Academy! You can also come to me for anything!"
Fang Xin took a textured black business card. Kou Tianlin paused, then continued, "Also, outwardly, the Sky Shield Bureau seems calm, but the power struggles among those people are very intense. If you can't continue working at the Sky Shield Bureau, the Kou Family Army's doors are always open for you!"
Facing the olive branch extended by Kou Tianlin, Fang Xin replied cleanly, "Okay!"
Kou Tianlin raised his chin, "It's a bit lonely living alone at night. How about I let Roujun accompany you? Her acting talent is very strong; she can portray any role you desire! Don't worry, she hasn't been touched by anyone else; she's clean!"
After he said that, the burly man with a rose tattooed on his head visibly flushed, but he could only dare not speak his anger.
Zhao Roujun pursed her lips, her expression somewhat complex, but she looked as if she was prepared to offer herself.
Fang Xin immediately refused. As the saying goes, lust is a knife to the head. A few days ago, Fang Xin had even read the story of 'one shot harming three sages'.
"No need!"
Kou Tianlin glanced at Ma Wenbing, who stood stiffly to the side, hardly daring to breathe. Kou Tianlin left with a remark about returning to the Kou Family Army.
He watched Kou Tianlin and his people leave.
Fang Xin let out a breath; this Second Young Master's aura was too strong.
He toyed with the jade token Kou Tianlin had just given him.
He pondered the matter of going to the God and Demon Ruins.
Suddenly, Fang Xin sat up. There was more than one God and Demon Ruins. How did Kou Tianlin know that Fang Xin would go to the place where their senior had fallen?
After a moment of thought.
Fang Xin stroked his chin.
New machine, chattering, chattering, chattering!
There is only one truth!
Mom saved it (not)! (Translator's note: This is a playful self-correction, likely referencing a meme or common phrase, and is best left as is without further explanation.)
Grandpa said it!
The jade token spun nimbly between Fang Xin's fingers like a small fish.
He also Awakened two skills tonight.
It's easier to do things at night.
Xingquan City was an ancient battlefield during The Chaos of the Gods.
First, summon an undead to test it out.
Fang Xin pricked the tip of his index finger.
Holding his breath, he concentrated.
He drew and wrote in the void.
A blood-red circle, formed by arcane and obscure blood-red runes connected end-to-end, floated vertically in mid-air.
Fang Xin spread his five fingers and reached into the circle.
"In my name of slaughter! I command the ghosts and gods from all directions to appear!"
Time passed by minute by minute.
Suddenly.
