Translator: Zen Translations Editor: Zen Translations
“Big brother Little Fatty, what is it?” Dou Dou skipped around to Zhou Weiqing’s side.
As if performing magic, a chicken drumstick appeared in Zhou Weiqing’s hands. “Create a good Consolidating Equipment Scroll for this big brother here to see, then you can eat this delicious chicken drumstick.”
“Okay! Okay!” Seeing something to eat, Dou Dou’s eyes lit up. Before anyone could see her move, a Consolidating Equipment Paper floated into the air.
As the paper floated in the air, in the next moment… Abruptly, four different coloured rays of light shone forth, and the others could see that four Consolidated Equipment Brushes had appeared out of nowhere into her hands, with each hand holding two. Waving them in a rapid fashion, the brushes seemed to fly around up and down. It was as if all the coloured lights were focused and imprinted onto the Consolidating Equipment Paper.
It took barely the time for them to take three breaths, and all of a sudden, a bright flash of gold light shone, and the Consolidating Equipment Paper flew towards Yun Li. The four brushes in Little Miss Muddle’s hands disappeared, and the chicken drumstick in Zhou Weiqing’s hands moments ago appeared in hers instead.
When the Consolidating Equipment Scroll fell into Yun Li’s hands, he could only stare foolishly at it, stunned totally. After a while, he muttered to himself: “No design… Consolidating in mid air… This… this is a top Grandmaster Consolidating Equipment Scroll!”
No matter designless creation or Consolidating in mid air, these were all top level Skills for Consolidating Equipment Masters, and more so, only those with legacies passed down would be able to learn it. Yun Li also knew in theory how to learn them, after all he did have a legacy as well. However, he was extremely far from either step, and he knew that even after he reached the Zong Stage Consolidating Equipment Master, perhaps he might still not be able to learn them.
Although he had already reached the Grandmaster Stage, at his level it was still not easy for him to create any Grandmaster Consolidating Equipment Scrolls, with his success rate being extremely low. Even in the near foreseeable future, working hard, he might not reach such a state like this young lady in front him, to be able to create that scroll so easily.
Previously, he had still been bragging to Zhou Weiqing about being a Grandmaster Consolidating Equipment Master before the age of thirty, but this young lady in front of him was also a Grandmaster… one that was many times better than he was… and she looked barely twenty years old!
In that instant, Yun Li was totally shocked.
Zhou Weiqing grinned and said: “Heh heh, Dou Dou is also not yet thirty, and she is already reaching the Zong Stage very soon! Yun Li, pride is good, but too much of it or arrogance would cause one to regress. You need to work harder!”
In truth, Zhou Weiqing himself had been given a rude shock. He had not known how terrifying Dou Dou’s Consolidating Equipment Master abilities truly were. It was only because he had seen her seven-Jewels before, so he had a slightly better preparation in his heart than Yun Li.
Besides Yun Li, Zang Lang and his dozen were also standing there, jaw dropped and fully stunned. Three Consolidating Equipment Masters… it was actually three! Each scarier than the other, with one actually almost reaching the Zong Stage! Although Zhou Weiqing did not give them any actual promise, but in just this tiny courtyard, there were already three Consolidating Equipment Masters, with one almost at the Zong Stage! What better promise, what better guarantee was there?
After all, in the entire Boundless Mainland, Zong Stage Consolidating Equipment Masters were already of utmost honour and of grand status. To raise one’s level of Consolidating Equipment Master skill, each level was several times more difficult than just raising a level of Heavenly Jewel Master.
Although Zang Lang had already looked very highly upon Zhou Weiqing, otherwise he would not have made the decision to become his follower, he truly had not expected that even this proud and talented Teacher Yun would also be Zhou Weiqing’s Follower! Not to mention, there was even another Consolidating Equipment Master who was far above even Teacher Yun!
Without any further hesitation, Zang Lang knelt down on one knee, and the other eleven who had followed also followed suit quickly.
Solemnly, Zang Lang said: “Boss Zhou, please give us the Sealing then. I, Zang Lang, am willing to be your Lifetime Follower.”
Zhou Weiqing waved his hands and said: “No need, you all get up.”
Zang Lang thought that his questioning and suspicions earlier had angered Zhou Weiqing, and he immediately said urgently: “Boss Zhou, I was not suspecting you, it is just that there are so many of us, so I…”
Zhou Weiqing laughed slightly, shaking his head gently with a faint smile on his face. Beside him, Lin TianAo stomped hard on the ground with his right foot, and immediately, a powerful vibration was sent through the earth, reverberating all the way through to force the kneeling twelve to their feets. In front of Lin TianAo, Zang Lang and the rest were just no match for him.
Looking at their dejected faces, Zhou Weiqing did not pause too long, saying: “Zang Lang, and these other brothers. For you all to have come even knowing my situation, and knowing how I have been chased out by the Academy, that has already proven many things. I am overjoyed that you all are willing to be my Followers, and though Seals may be a good restriction, I have already thought things through. What I need is not a bunch of soldiers or ordinary men, but a band of brothers beside me.”
“From today onwards, you are all brothers to me, Zhou Weiqing. I do not need to Seal you all. If one day, any of you feel I am no longer worthy of being Followed, you can leave at any time.”
Making such a decision was not difficult for Zhou Weiqing. Although not a long time had passed, he was no longer the same young man who had first stepped into the Fei Li Military Academy.
Confidence rose from power, and it was exactly because of this confidence in himself, that he could deal with anything that came at him, to gain their loyalty without using the Seals. As such, he did not want to use Seals to restrict these men who would be fighting beside his side, his brothers in arm.
Hearing the words ‘brothers’, Zang Lang and the other eleven graduates who had come with him started. They had never dreamed that something like this would happen. Amongst them, some of the more sensitive ones had worried look in their faces.
Naturally, Zhou Weiqing could tell what they were worried about, and with a faint smile, he said: “You do not have to worry that I will not treat you the same without Seals. Everyone here are my brothers, and none will have a Seal as well.”
As he said that, Zhou Weiqing suddenly struck out with his palm onto Yun Li’s forehead.
With Yun Li’s cultivation level and power, being ambushed with a sneak attack suddenly, he would normally react instinctively. However, he abruptly realised that he had no chance of dodging that blow. In the first place, he had never expected that Zhou Weiqing would attack him, and more so, as Zhou Weiqing struck down with the palm, the Fetters of Wind had already been unleashed on Yun Li.
Currently, Zhou Weiqing had already almost caught up to Yun Li’s cultivation level, and they were both at the four-Jeweled stage. A highly rated Control Skill like the Fetters of Wind was not so easily broken free off for those of equal levels. Furthermore, Zhou Weiqing only needed a split second in order to complete his strike.
A dark red flash of light appeared around Yun Li’s forehead, and the symbol for the Blood Rites – Seal of Darkness flickered momentarily, and was wiped away… forever.
“Weiqing… you…” Yun Li stared at him blankly.
Zhou Weiqing laughed heartily and said: “Lying is not good after all! You are the only one in the entire place who has been Sealed… Now that I have removed it, I am indeed no longer lying. What… are you not willing to be my brother, and would rather be my Follower instead?”
Yun Li gave a humph, saying recalcitrantly: “Without the Seal, I’m leaving now.” Although he said that, but his legs did not move at all, as he looked at Zhou Weiqing with a strange look in his eyes.
Lin TianAo stood at the side, smiling faintly as he looked at Zhou Weiqing’s actions, nodding inwardly. Zhou Weiqing’s leadership, charisma and stage was already growing higher and higher. When he did these things, the charm and charisma that he unconsciously revealed… even an older, more experienced man like Lin TianAo was subconsciously affected.
Let alone those of the same age as Zhou Weiqing.
With a *Putong* sound, Zang Lang knelt down before Zhou Weiqing once more, a fire in his eyes as emotion filled him. Agitatedly, he said: “We are brothers indeed, but also loyal men who will die for you!”
These words were spoken resolutely and decisively. In the Academy, many of the nobles had dreamt and planned on how to make use of them, how to enslave them. Even though they were Jewel Masters, even Heavenly Jewel masters, but those nobles had never treated like brothers, at most like high class servants to be used well. All that Zhou Weiqing had done was using his actions alone. He did not give any promises or some pretty words, just speaking passively and calmly, but Zang Lang’s inner heart was just boiling.
The other eleven were almost in the same state, but they did not know how to express their feelings. With Zang Lang in the lead, they all followed suit instantly, kneeling down, this time on both knees. “Brothers… and loyal soldiers!”
This time, Lin TianAo did not take action to force them to their feet, and Zhou Weiqing personally supported them up to their feet one by one. He knew that he finally had his own group of men.
Lifting his head to look at the sky, it was already past noon, and Zhou Weiqing said solemnly: “I guess it is time for us to leave. We cannot stay long in the Fei Li City anymore.”
After saying that, he turned towards the room that Ma Qun and Crow were in and yelled out loud: “Are you all done yet?”
The door finally opened, and as Crow and Ma Qun walked out, all the Fei Li Battle Team members, even Lin TianAo, widened their eyes so much so that they almost popped out, and they could feel jaws drop.
Crow had always been valiant, forthright and well, not too feminine. Yet now, she was like a little bird, snuggling up in Ma Qun’s arms, who was holding on to her shoulders with a big loopy grin on his face, a content expression on his face and gentle look in his eyes as he looked at her.
Drunken Bao swallowed hard, whispering to Little Four beside him: “Am I seeing things? Is that still our Crow, the one who chops down enemies faster than anyone else?”
Little Four muttered: “I do not know… I do not know… However, I can say that only this bro’s figure can match up to her…”
Zhou Weiqing smiled. Looking at Crow and Ma Qun, how could he not know that the two of them had made up. “The two of you, stop showing off your intimacy. Are you following us, or staying back?”
Ma Qun grinned and said: “Go, of course we’ll go. Crow will also be going along with us. As the saying goes, when the husband sings, the wife will be the accompanying harmony1. Without forging a name for myself, how could I have face to go home. I do not want to be beaten to death by my dad. Crow has already forgiven me for running away from the marriage, but I have not forgiven myself yet. I must prove myself to be worthy of her before I return, and only then will we be married.”
