Forging Swords for Civilization

Before long, Wang Xundao saw Fang Yu and Wang Mo out of the restaurant, and a private car took the two of them back to the school. "Well? How was he?" the burly, bald Uncle Gu inquired. "A very shrewd, greedy, but also remarkably frank young man," Wang Xundao said with a smile. "Gu Qing, take a look at the preliminary letter of intent we drew up." Wang Xundao handed him a handwritten sheet of paper. Uncle Gu's real name was Gu Qing. "Twenty million a year? Plus a compensatory contract worth fifteen million in total?" Scanning through it, Gu Qing was taken aback. His own annual salary was only twenty million Star Coins. Of course, after adventuring on the Primordial Star for so many years, he had amassed no small fortune. His current salary carried little risk and was essentially a retirement pension. "He only gets twenty million if he awakens an Upper-Rank Star Aspect," Wang Xundao remarked with feeling. "Fang Yu is extremely confident, and he has a gambler's streak—he didn't even ask for a base endorsement fee. If he truly manages to awaken an Upper-Rank Star Aspect, I think he has a shot at becoming a second Wang Heng." "Rival Wang Heng? Him?" Gu Qing was rather skeptical. Wang Heng, as the most powerful junior college student in history, had become a legendary martial artist recognized throughout Xia Country. "As long as he achieves even a fifth of what Wang Heng did, Shengchuan will turn a profit," Wang Xundao said calmly. "The moment he breaks into the Alliance Martial Arts Tournament and his fame skyrockets, we'll have a chance to rapidly expand the reach of many of our businesses across the entire province." Having built corporate revenue into the billions within the boundaries of a single city, Wang Xundao was naturally ambitious. "But he only signed for five years," Gu Qing said, frowning. "Which is why we have the second contract as a safeguard," Wang Xundao smiled. "The exclusive endorsement within Wuling City is for ten years." "Aren't you worried he won't awaken any star aspect?" Gu Qing asked. "If he doesn't awaken a star aspect, my loss is only five million Star Coins," Wang Xundao replied with a smile. "No matter what, he'll become an Advanced Martial Artist at the very least." "True enough." Gu Qing nodded. He was not particularly adept at business, but he trusted Wang Xundao's judgment. Wang Xundao had not laid out everything. His willingness to invest in Fang Yu was driven by another consideration as well: Wang Mo. *If Fang Yu truly grows into an Earth Martial Artist or even a Sky-Patrolling Martial Artist, my son will have an extra layer of martial protection,* Wang Xundao thought. *A bond of brotherhood like that can't be bought for any amount of money.* *If he awakens a star aspect, this partnership will yield enormous profits.* *If he doesn't, spending five million Star Coins to secure a close, loyal Advanced Martial Artist in my son's corner isn't much of a loss either.* Wang Xundao saw things clearly. Martial artists hired purely with money were rarely sincere. By contrast, most martial artists placed great importance on having their thoughts run clear and free of lingering debts. Fang Yu would owe him a favor and shared a brotherly bond with Wang Mo; if Wang Mo ever fell into trouble down the road, Fang Yu would most likely step in to help. *Unless he turns out to be an utterly selfish, callous, and ungrateful person,* Wang Xundao thought. ... In the car on the way back to school. "Old Mo, about your dad and me..." Fang Yu began. "Old Fang, no need to tell me the details. I don't need to know, and I don't want to know," Wang Mo said, shaking his head. "To be honest, personally, I didn't want you getting entangled with my family. If too many other things get mixed into our friendship, I'm afraid it'll sour down the line. "I don't have many good friends left," Wang Mo sighed. Fang Yu looked at Wang Mo. Wang Mo had plenty of flaws, but when it came to friends and brothers, he was truly beyond reproach—one could see as much from the way he had handled things with He Jiyu. Throughout their three years at the junior college, Wang Mo rarely brought up money in his dealings, taking great care to protect both his and He Jiyu's self-esteem. "Still, there's one thing I know even better. "You're in need of money right now." Wang Mo looked at Fang Yu. "You're different from me. I know my own limits—my mind is pulled in too many directions, my talent is average, and I'm not that fanatical about martial arts... But you are the most hardworking cultivator and the purest when it comes to martial arts out of everyone our age I've ever known. "You have the highest talent for technique, too," Wang Mo added. "All you lack is an opportunity. The Golden Age Bracket only lasts a few years, so you have to make every moment count." "Old Wang..." Fang Yu couldn't help but say. "Old Fang, let me finish," Wang Mo said, shaking his head. "That's why when my dad told me he wanted to sign you, I didn't flatly object. You haven't officially signed the contract yet, right?" "Not yet," Fang Yu replied. "Good." Wang Mo looked solemnly at Fang Yu. "Old Fang, just remember one thing: Shengchuan Group doesn't belong to me. You have to calculate your own worth objectively. "My dad has a pure businessman's mindset. Give him an inch, and he'll take a mile. Whatever you do, don't hold back for the sake of my face. "Take whatever you deserve. If you take less, I'll be the one who's unhappy. And if you feel his terms are too harsh, then don't sign. In short, my intention was to help you, not to put you in a bind." Wang Mo grinned. "In this lifetime, I've got no hope of becoming an Earth Martial Artist or a Sky-Patrolling Martial Artist. "However! "If my good brother can roam the heavens and earth under his own power one day, or even patrol the stars beyond the sky... that alone will be enough for me to brag about for the rest of my life." Wang Mo's eyes shone brightly. ... In the end, Fang Yu did not tell Wang Mo the specific details of the contract. Just as Wang Mo said, his only intention had been to help Fang Yu... Back in the dormitory, Fang Yu gave it a moment's thought and sent a message to Martial Senior Jiang Wei about the upcoming signing with Shengchuan Group. Jiang Wei did not keep him waiting long. "That's a good thing. Don't worry. Once you arrive at the university tomorrow, I'll make the arrangements... The university is more than happy to see students receive sponsorship and nurturing from major corporations while enrolled," Jiang Wei replied. Fang Yu's mind was completely put at ease. *Borrowing momentum goes both ways,* Fang Yu reflected. *Letting Shengchuan Group see that Huguang Martial University values me will make them even more confident that I will rise.* *Likewise, letting Martial Senior Jiang Wei see that a major corporation is investing in me will make him think even more highly of me.* *Tell Dad?* The thought had barely surfaced before Fang Yu pushed it back down. Calm returned to his heart. *No rush.* *Only after officially signing tomorrow will I receive the five million Star Coins. Only after awakening a star aspect will there be any hope of getting the ten million from the supplementary agreement and the first year's endorsement fee from the formal contract,* Fang Yu thought. *Right now, nothing is certain.* *I don't want to get Dad's hopes up for nothing.* *Better to wait until the money actually hits the account before telling him.* Fang Yu understood a simple truth: plans succeed through secrecy and fail through disclosure. Before the dust had settled, the less said, the better. *Practice fists first.* With a tranquil mind, Fang Yu headed straight to the communal martial arts room on the dormitory's second floor and began practicing the Basic Twenty-Four Fist Forms. Practicing his fists allowed him to reacquaint himself with his dramatically enhanced body. He cultivated until past ten o'clock before returning to his room to rest. ... August 17, eight o'clock in the morning. Seen off by a group of teachers, Fang Yu, Wang Mo, Li Tao, and the others—eleven in all—boarded the special shuttle prepared by the school and set off swiftly toward Xingsha City, the provincial capital of Huguang Province. Several hours later. The shuttle arrived in the outskirts of Xingsha City. This area was sparsely populated, with few pedestrians coming or going, and armed military checkpoints on patrol could occasionally be seen. Even though their shuttle had been registered in advance, it still underwent two inspections. "The security at Huguang Martial University is this strict?" Zhang Tao couldn't help asking. "Yes. "Across all of Huguang Province, there are only two martial universities: Huguang Martial University and Jingchu Martial University," explained Yan Fu, the teacher accompanying them. "Each university gathers the province's future martial powerhouses, including many future Advanced Martial Artists, Earth Martial Artists, and even Sky-Patrolling Martial Artists. "If they were ever hit by a surprise raid by alien powerhouses or suffered covert sabotage, the losses would be staggering. Naturally, security is airtight." Yan Fu sighed with emotion. "Junior colleges like ours don't have to worry about any of that." "Alien powerhouses? "Alien powerhouses can strike all the way to Blue Star?" Fang Yu, Wang Mo, and the others were astonished. This was something they had never considered before. In the past, they had occasionally heard mentions of alien powerhouses. Yet it had always been mere hearsay. "Forget Blue Star—they've even reached New Moon. Take New Moon Martial University, for instance; in history, it suffered an assault by formidable alien powerhouses that resulted in heavy casualties among the students," Yan Fu remarked with feeling. "The school never mentioned it in the past because most Martial Junior College students will never encounter an alien powerhouse in their entire lives. But you are all undergraduates now, and many of you will soon be heading to the Primordial Star to fight, so it's time you knew. "Why do martial artists hold such high status? "For no other reason than this. "Without the sacrifices of martial artists, how could there be peace in the old lands of Blue Star and on New Moon?" Yan Fu was filled with deep sentiment, as if recalling the past. Suddenly, he pointed into the distance. "We're almost at the main gate." Fang Yu and the others followed his gaze. As the vehicle took another turn, a building of exceptionally unique design came into view at the end of the straight, wide boulevard. At first glance, the building looked like a divine sword half-buried in the earth. It stood over a hundred meters tall. Across the front of the tower were fifteen massive characters: *Forging swords for civilization, whetting blades for humanity—martial artists are the Great Wall.*