“You mean, serve as your junior for three years?”
Looking at Zhou Xuan, who had a smile on his face, Hei Hu and the others finally understood what he was planning.
“That’s right!”
“This…”
Upon hearing Zhou Xuan’s affirmative answer, Hei Hu and the others hesitated for a moment.
Although this meant they wouldn’t have to break their limbs or pay any economic compensation, it was equivalent to losing their freedom!
For people like them, who were accustomed to freedom and laxity, this was perhaps worse than being killed.
“What?”
“You’re still hesitating?”
“I only said three years, not a lifetime. I think I’ve been generous enough to you. Don’t be ungrateful!”
“You know, this is what you owe me!”
“You kidnapped my wife. Even if I killed all of you, you wouldn’t have a word to say, right?”
“If you don’t want to choose this path, then each of you can take a palm strike from me.”
“If any of you can survive, I’ll consider all past matters settled, how about it?”
“The two paths are laid out before you. Choose yourselves!”
Seeing their hesitation, Zhou Xuan’s expression suddenly turned grim, and he coldly urged them to make a choice quickly!
“Living is better than dying. The young lord is right. We were in the wrong from the start!”
“Today, Hei Hu is willing to lead his brothers to pledge allegiance to the young lord. I hope the young lord will treat us kindly!”
Hearing Zhou Xuan’s tone, which had clearly changed, Hei Hu and the others’ faces paled. They immediately knelt down and pledged their loyalty.
They were afraid that if they were any slower, Zhou Xuan’s palm strike would be upon them!
“Well, that’s more like it!”
“Don’t worry, since you’ve chosen to pledge allegiance to me, I won’t treat you badly!”
“Hei Hu, you’re only at the early stage of the Shaping Realm, right?”
“Believe me, as long as you serve me loyally for these three years!”
“I dare not promise you’ll break through to the Creation Realm, but I am confident in helping you reach the late or even peak stage of the Shaping Realm!”
“Young lord, are you speaking the truth?”
Hearing Zhou Xuan’s words, Hei Hu jumped up from the ground in shock.
If anyone else dared to speak to him like this, Hei Hu would have slapped them away long ago.
To break through two, or even three minor stages in three years? This was simply unbelievable, as if he hadn’t woken up from a dream!
Generally, for most people, breaking through one minor stage in three years was already an extraordinary achievement.
But the person saying this was Zhou Xuan, a super expert who had reached the Creation Realm at such a young age.
Such a person would likely not speak empty words to trick a nobody like him, right?
“Of course, it’s true. I started cultivating at the age of eight and have reached the Creation Realm in ten years!”
“Breaking through a few minor stages in three years is as easy as flipping my hand!”
“Of course, if you don’t believe me, then just pretend I never said anything!”
“I believe you, I believe you!”
“Big brother, you are now my sworn elder brother, Hei Hu!”
“From now on, you can just command me directly if you need anything!”
“I’ll go through fire and water for you without a word of complaint!”
Before Zhou Xuan could finish speaking, Hei Hu interrupted him fiercely.
What a joke! To improve his strength by three stages in three years, how could he possibly let such a golden opportunity slip by, unless his brain was filled with mercury!
If he could improve his strength so quickly, he would be willing to serve Zhou Xuan for thirty years, let alone three!
At this moment, Hei Hu had no more complaints about becoming Zhou Xuan’s subordinate; he was even vaguely looking forward to it.
He seemed to see a bright future and great prospects beckoning him!
“We are also willing to follow the young lord!”
Seeing that their leader had already “submitted,” Hei Hu’s subordinates dared not have any objections. They all knelt on one knee and greeted their new leader!
“Very good. From today onwards, I will make you the biggest gang in this Salt City!”
“I will give you the opportunity to replace the Wang family and become the true underground king of this Salt City!”
“However, I must make it clear from the outset. Although you will still be a gang, your actions must not be the same as before.”
“You can be ruthless towards enemies, but I will not allow any transgressions against ordinary people!”
“Otherwise, if I catch you, I guarantee your end will be more tragic than death!”
“Yes, we obey the elder brother’s orders!”
“Good. You may all go. For now, you will stay at the Lu family’s residence. I will inform you of any actions I need you to take at any time!”
Seeing that these desperadoes had been successfully tamed, Zhou Xuan waved his hand with satisfaction, signaling them to withdraw!
After arranging for Hei Hu and the others, Zhou Xuan also hurried back to his room!
He needed to seize the time to study the items that Lu Mingyuan had just given him.
“Is this what a cultivator at the Ascension Realm left behind?”
“It doesn’t seem that remarkable?”
Upon returning to his room, Zhou Xuan first checked the doors and windows, then carefully probed the surroundings with his true qi.
After confirming that there was no one else around, he took out the small wooden box containing the ring from his embrace.
However, when the wooden box was opened, Zhou Xuan’s expression immediately turned disappointed.
It was not for any other reason, but because the遗物 (relics) left by this Ascension Realm cultivator looked too shabby.
Zhou Xuan had originally thought that anything left behind by an Ascension Realm cultivator, even just a ring, should have some extraordinary quality.
But who would have expected the result to be like this!
When the wooden box was opened, there was nothing else inside; only a jet-black ring lay quietly within.
The surface of the ring had no ornate colors, nor any other extraordinary features.
It was as if it were just an ordinary ring, more ordinary than any other!
Even if this ring were dropped on the ground, Zhou Xuan felt that no one would bother to pick it up.
After all, it didn’t even have a diamond on it!
“Calm down, since it’s something left by a boss!”
“Then it’s understandable that it’s not remarkable by worldly standards!”
“Perhaps its appearance is what people often call returning to simplicity!”
“That’s right, it must be like this. After all, bosses are usually very low-key!”
“Let me think, according to the fantasy novels I’ve read before, when encountering such a situation, it should be a blood-binding ritual, right?”
“Let me try it too!”
Zhou Xuan encouraged himself in his heart, and slowly cut a small opening on his right thumb with his true qi.
Blood immediately dripped from Zhou Xuan’s finger onto the ring, but the ring still showed no reaction.
“As expected, novels are all lies!”
“How about trying to bake it with fire?”
“No use…”
“Drench it with water?”
“Still no use…”
“Does it require chanting a spell?”
“Open Sesame?”
“Ancient Dark God?”
“Maca-baca?”
“Damn it, what exactly is it supposed to be…”