Chapter 281: The Beggar Buys the Tycoon

Wu An had underestimated the situation. In his view, Liu Wushuang and the son of the Fiery Wolf General were only at the Nascent Soul stage. Even if he was careless, he could easily capture them. After all, the difference between the Imperial Realm and the Nascent Soul stage was as vast as a Nascent Soul cultivator dealing with an Innate stage cultivator—it was effortlessly simple. However, that sudden strike had caught him off guard.

The Imperial Realm—the opponent was a formidable Imperial Realm expert, not weaker than himself! In the final moment, Wu An even saw who it was—it was Ah Da! How could Ah Da be here?

Thrown back, Wu An's body was enveloped in a protective aura. Despite being scorched and tattered, his formidable Imperial Realm physique protected him from severe harm. However, with three thousand fireballs rushing towards him, the sky seemed ablaze with fiery explosions.

"Boom~~~"

The protective barrier shattered, and his clothing was burnt to cinders. Fortunately, his robust Imperial Realm body remained unharmed. With a wave of his hand, a strong wind swept away the flames, revealing a battered but furious Wu An.

Glaring down below, Wu An's eyes flared with hatred, locking onto Zhong Shan and Ah Da standing atop the Fiery Wolf General's son. His anger peaked upon seeing Zhong Shan.

"Zhong Shan!~~~" Wu An roared furiously.

"Long time no see, General Wu An. How have you been?" Zhong Shan responded with a hearty laugh.

"How? How could I be fine?" Wu An's heart seethed with rage. Zhong Shan had made him a laughingstock. If not for being King Ju Lu's trusted aide, he would have been punished long ago. Even so, Wu An's hatred for Zhong Shan was boundless.

"Do you hate me that much?" Zhong Shan asked directly with a grin.

"I wish I could tear your flesh and drink your blood!" Wu An spat venomously.

"Many hate me, but more love me. I am still Zhong Shan, one more of you makes no difference, one less of you is inconsequential." Zhong Shan retorted mockingly.

Once he identified an enemy, Zhong Shan would always try to create disadvantages for them. Though it sounded like a boast, it was actually a psychological attack to destabilize his opponent. As expected, Wu An's anger was further fueled.

At this moment, Liu Wushuang excitedly addressed Zhong Shan, "Greetings, sir!"

Ah Da remained vigilant, keeping an eye on Wu An. Zhong Shan, feeling assured, turned to Liu Wushuang, saying, "It's been three years, you haven't disappointed me."

"Thank you for your guidance back then. Without your words, I might have lost my sanity by now. It's because of you that I and Xiao Yan became friends." Liu Wushuang expressed sincerely.

"Oh?" Zhong Shan's eyes lit up, showing his delight. Observing Liu Wushuang's admiration, Zhong Shan inquired, "Liu Wushuang, do you plan to stay in these mountains forever?"

"Huh? What do you mean, sir?" Liu Wushuang asked, puzzled.

"Would you like to follow me out into the world, to fight for glory, build a legacy for a thousand years, gather the world's fortune, and become renowned and feared?" Zhong Shan asked, his gaze fixed on Liu Wushuang.

Liu Wushuang froze, deeply moved by the vision Zhong Shan painted of the future.

"It's alright, take your time to think about it. I am currently a commander of the Da Luo Heavenly Dynasty. If you ever wish to join me, let me know anytime." Zhong Shan said with a smile.

"Yes, I'll think about it," Liu Wushuang replied.

"Hmm, for now, have all the wolves slowly retreat to those distant hills," Zhong Shan instructed Liu Wushuang.

The wolf under Liu Wushuang's feet howled twice, seemingly communicating with the other wolves. Finally, under the guidance of a large wolf, the entire wolf pack began to retreat.

Slowly, the wolves withdrew.

To Wu An, the wolves' retreat seemed due to Liu Wushuang's command since the wolf beneath him was the Fiery Wolf General's son. Little did he know that this was all because of Zhong Shan's authority.

The wolves retreated from the flat terrain and slowly moved up to the hilly area. Zhong Shan had considered the wolves' nature; at least in those hills, the wolves were less restricted than humans and the terrain was more suitable for them to fight.

The sky still echoed with rumbling.

It wasn't until the wolves had fully retreated that the battle in the sky seemed to pause.

Both the Ju Lu King and the Fiery Wolf General paused momentarily.

Who was commanding the wolves? The Ju Lu King wondered if another wolf general had appeared. On the other hand, the Fiery Wolf General thought it was unlikely that Xiao Yan would give a disorderly command.

"Whoosh~~~"

"Whoosh~~~"

The Ju Lu King and the Fiery Wolf General ceased fighting and swiftly flew back to their respective camps.

As they approached, both raised their eyebrows in surprise.

The Ju Lu King's eyes narrowed as he recognized two familiar faces. What a coincidence.

But the Fiery Wolf General's pupils contracted upon realizing Zhong Shan's identity. Wasn't this the person Xiao Yan mentioned last time? The one who made Xiao Yan more independent and mature with his argument about the differences between wolves and dogs?

"Fiery," the Fiery Wolf General addressed Zhong Shan without much reverence.

"Zhong Shan," Zhong Shan introduced himself.

"Zhong Shan!~~~" the Ju Lu King suddenly called out from a distance.

"Ju Lu King," Zhong Shan responded, looking in the direction of the voice.

"All archers, prepare your arrows and aim at Zhong Shan," the Ju Lu King commanded his troops.

"Yes!" Nearly fifty thousand soldiers among the hundred thousand troops suddenly raised their powerful arrows, aiming directly at Zhong Shan.

The tension was palpable. If Zhong Shan made any move, a volley of arrows would certainly follow.

The Ju Lu King smiled slightly and said, "Zhong Shan, I appreciate talent. Would you consider joining our Da Yu Empire?"

"Appreciate talent? Then what about the time when you surrounded me with eight hundred thousand troops...?" Zhong Shan asked the Ju Lu King.

"That was then, and this is now. If you join our Da Yu Empire, I will guarantee you a high position," the Ju Lu King promised.

"And if I refuse?" Zhong Shan asked thoughtfully.

"If you refuse, these fifty thousand powerful arrows will be the last thing you see in your life," the Ju Lu King threatened.

"Hmph," the Fiery Wolf General snorted coldly, and Ah Da stepped forward.

"Oh, don't worry. If I want to kill you, I will spare no effort. With Wu An and me holding off Ah Da and the Fiery, the remaining hundred thousand troops will focus solely on killing you. Do you think you stand a chance of surviving? Hahaha," the Ju Lu King laughed arrogantly.

"If you want to buy someone, you need sufficient leverage. It's like a beggar trying to buy a tycoon with the money he collected in a day. Your offer is simply insincere," Zhong Shan mocked with a shake of his head.

"Humph! You are courting death!" the Ju Lu King roared in anger.

"Cluck, cluck, cluck! Ju Lu King, Zhong Shan is absolutely right. Your offer is far too low," a series of crisp laughs suddenly echoed from a nearby valley.

The voice interrupted everyone, and all eyes turned toward the valley.

From the valley emerged a woman dressed in black.

It was Nian Youyou, wielding a whip.

No one expected Nian Youyou to have been hiding there all along. Her sudden appearance left everyone uncertain about whose side she would take. Nian Youyou, with her Royal Supreme Realm strength, was undeniably a significant player.

"Nian Youyou?" the Ju Lu King called out, frowning.

With a slight step, Nian Youyou flew toward Zhong Shan.

The Fiery Wolf General was about to intercept her, but Zhong Shan said, "It's okay."

The Fiery Wolf General frowned slightly but allowed Nian Youyou to stand beside Zhong Shan.

"Zhong Shan, you really know how to cause explosive commotions wherever you go," Nian Youyou suddenly laughed.

"Miss Nian Youyou, you're teasing me," Zhong Shan responded politely.

"Don't call me Miss Nian Youyou; just call me Youyou!" Nian Youyou said with a hint of coquettishness.

Everyone found it very peculiar, as if this beautiful woman was pursuing Zhong Shan, who, in turn, seemed to be keeping her at arm's length.

It wasn't that Zhong Shan was pretending; he understood that Nian Youyou was putting on an act, though he wasn't sure why or what she hoped to gain from it.

"Nian Youyou?" the Ju Lu King shouted angrily from the other side.

Turning to look at the Ju Lu King, Nian Youyou smiled slightly and said, "Ju Lu King, I wasn't wrong. Zhong Shan is the new top scholar of the Da Luo Heavenly Dynasty. You want him to give up his position as the top scholar of the Da Luo Heavenly Dynasty to become an official in your Da Yu Empire? Isn't that like a beggar trying to buy a tycoon? Your offer is too low."

"Top scholar?" the Ju Lu King exclaimed, eyes widening.

Others were also surprised and turned to look at Nian Youyou.

"The Da Luo Golden List has already been released. Zhong Shan's 'Man Jiang Hong' stirred the heavens, and celestial signs manifested. Once he receives the imperial decree, he will immediately hold a prestigious position. Coupled with his status as the commander of Wushuang City, do you really think your small official post could sway him? Unless you're willing to give up your position, why would someone of his caliber serve your empire?" Nian Youyou explained leisurely.

After Nian Youyou finished speaking, everyone looked at Zhong Shan. Stirred the heavens? A top scholar?

Everyone believed her, but amid the confrontation, there was no time to marvel at it.

"Nian Youyou, how can you repay the Da Yu Empire like this? Do you intend to oppose me?" the Ju Lu King asked coldly.

"Repay? I've already repaid. That matter involved my master and the former emperor of Da Yu. My master, out of gratitude for a past favor, asked me to repay it. I've already done that. It's not my fault you didn't utilize it well. I have no further obligations to the Da Yu Empire," Nian Youyou said with a smile.

"You... you go back on your word!" the Ju Lu King said angrily.

"Women are fickle, didn't you know that?" Nian Youyou replied with a mischievous smile.

This response left the Ju Lu King speechless.

"Humph, let's go!" the Ju Lu King ordered.

Although the Ju Lu King lacked the strategic genius of Wu Yiyan or Zhong Shan, he was decisive in military matters. Knowing the situation was hopeless, he chose to leave quickly. Besides, the Ju Lu King wasn't the only one searching here. He didn't want others to benefit from their battle.

The Ju Lu King left unchallenged. The Fiery Wolf General, standing on top of a wolf, watched coldly with a frown.

"Zhong Shan, how did you know I was here? Did you come specifically to find me?" Nian Youyou teased Zhong Shan.

But Zhong Shan was used to this by now.

"Wait here. I have something to discuss with Fiery," Zhong Shan said.

"Oh?" Nian Youyou's eyes sparkled as she nodded.

"Ah Da, wait here," Zhong Shan said.

"But sir, what if..." Ah Da expressed concern for Zhong Shan's safety.

"I'll be fine, don't worry," Zhong Shan reassured.

Then Zhong Shan flew towards the Fiery Wolf General on his sword, and the Fiery Wolf General, understanding the situation, stepped onto a cloud, carrying Zhong Shan to a distant mountain peak. With a wave of his hand, he set up a soundproof barrier.