Chapter 520 - 315: Establishing the Group (Part 2)

Chapter 520: Chapter 315: Establishing the Group (Part 2)

"That’s no reason to handle it privately. At the very least, if you go through official channels, it can serve as a warning to others!"

Jiang Nianwei retorted.

Zhang Xunyi swayed and reappeared on another chair, since Li Jueyin had just taken the one he was standing on to sit down.

He taunted Jiang Nianwei, "Warn them about what? You and I both know that as a Martial Artist progresses through their cultivation, from Inner Qi to spiritual sense and finally to Gang Qi, they establish their own worldview. Their concepts of good and evil, beauty and ugliness, are already set in stone. A warning only makes the malicious more cautious. It’s better to just let them expose themselves!"

As he spoke, Zhang Xunyi drew a finger across his throat and said grimly, "And kill them!"

"Well, I still don’t agree with handling things privately!" Jiang Nianwei insisted.

"Enough!"

Yu Fei suddenly cut the argument short. Even when faced with the same issue, their opinions diverged, and no one could persuade anyone else. Martial Artists were strong-willed; they wouldn’t easily change their minds once they were set on something.

’For some reason, this made him think of the powers that be in the martial arts world. If there were enough Martial Saints, each possessing immense power and unshakable conviction, it’d be a miracle if they ever reached a consensus on anything!’

Yu Fei quickly brought the matter to a close. "I’ll find a way to confirm whether this theory is true. For now, this discussion is over. Also, don’t leak this to anyone else. If someone figures it out, give them a discreet warning. Otherwise, it could cause a panic."

"As for the future, we’ll deal with it when we get there. Principles are worthless without the power to back them up!"

Gao Nianzhen, from a corner of the room, timidly raised his hand. "Uh, Boss Yu Fei, don’t just say ’we’ll deal with it later.’ We came all this way to join you!"

Yu Fei had noticed Gao Nianzhen as soon as he arrived, though they hadn’t interacted much before. ’Honestly,’ he thought, ’compared to Zhang Hu’s betrayal, someone like Gao Nianzhen is a rare find. A crisis reveals a person’s true character. This is someone I can trust deeply.’

"I’m honored that you think so highly of me, senior! I’ve also been giving this matter some thought. We might as well discuss it all today!"

Hearing this, Feng Hua suddenly sat up straight. She had her suspicions but had never mentioned them to Yu Fei.

"This year, we’re third-years. Feng Hua, Qingshan, and Gao Nianzhen are fourth-years. That means you’ll be graduating in about two months! So, we need to plan our next steps."

"Frankly, even though I’ve been away for a while, our bonds run deep. My plan is to form our own battle group after graduation. We could register under the Shenxiao Corps and take on battlefield missions. As we grow stronger, who’s to say we can’t be promoted to a B-rank, A-rank, or even a super-class corps one day."

"What does everyone think?"

The moment he finished speaking, Jiang Nianwei stood up and asked, "Have you thought of a name for the battle group? Are we still going to use the title ’Yulin Army’?"

Yu Fei nodded. "Yes!"

Jiang Nianwei’s face lit up with a brilliant smile. "Then you can definitely count me in. I’m the Yulin Marshal, after all!"

Li Jueyin chimed in eagerly, "Count me in! I’ve finally figured it out. I’m an assassin, not a commander. I’ll just stick with Yu Fei. He’s such a prodigy, he might actually build a super-class corps someday. By then, we’ll be the founding members!"

"I’m definitely in!" Gao Nianzhen declared immediately.

...

Yu Fei’s proposal piqued everyone’s interest, including Qingshan’s.

Qingshan’s skills were decent, but he was easy-going, a master slacker, and hated trouble.

After this round of discussion, everyone was willing to join. Only two people had yet to commit: Feng Hua and Zhang Xunyi.

Feng Hua leaned back in her chair, her long hair cascading over her shoulders. She had one leg elegantly crossed over the other, revealing a snow-white calf.

In truth, during Yu Fei’s absence, Feng Hua had been the anchor of their small group. She was a better fighter than Qingshan, more level-headed than Jiang Nianwei, and more trustworthy than Li Jueyin.

Though everyone was clamoring to join, most of them were actually looking at Feng Hua. If she and Yu Fei had a falling out right now, at least half the people in the room would probably leave with her.

Feng Hua looked directly at Yu Fei, and she could see the sincerity in his eyes.

’This young man who defeated me the first time we met has gotten even more handsome.’

Even though his face still had a youthful air, he now carried an aura of absolute dominance—the posture of a true expert who feared nothing. It was deeply mesmerizing to her.

She suddenly smiled, a smile full of captivating charm.

"Yu Fei, the name ’Yulin Army’ is certainly better than ’Salted Fish Team.’ But if I were to join the Yulin Army, what position would you give me?"

The question made everyone’s heart tighten. Logically, the strongest member should be the battle group’s leader, and when it eventually expanded into a corps, they would naturally become the corps commander.

But for Feng Hua to ask this, it sounded like she was staking a claim for the leadership position. If the two of them couldn’t agree on this, then...

Suddenly, no one spoke. The atmosphere became tense and stagnant.

Yu Fei suddenly took a step forward, closing the distance to Feng Hua. He hadn’t seen her in two years, and she had grown even more radiant. She possessed a unique feminine charm and gentleness, but it was coupled with a strength and confidence that radiated from her very bones. She was both fierce and beautiful.

’In terms of both personality and appearance, she’s the complete opposite of my Da Mengyao.’

’If I had to compare, Feng Hua’s aura is closer to that of Senior Sister Zhuo Feiming, but with an even more heroic edge.’

"That’s exactly what I wanted to talk about. Once the battle group is formed, I’d like to ask you, Feng Hua, to be its leader!"

The crowd was stunned. From the look on his face, Yu Fei wasn’t joking!

In reality, Yu Fei had his own reasons. He planned to find a way to maximize his current talents after advancing to the Grandmaster realm, and then venture into the so-called ’Void Realm’ to investigate.

The more he saw of the world, the more confused he became. He suspected that all current Martial Artists might be on the wrong path. Perhaps unraveling the mysteries of the Boundary Zone would help him find the truth.

In his original plan, the corps was meant to be his right arm. But with his current combat system, he was already a one-man army. Numbers didn’t mean much to him anymore.

His main reason for forming the battle group was for the sake of his friends.

But then, Feng Hua suddenly stood up and moved in close to Yu Fei. They were standing so near that they could almost feel the aura from each other’s bodies.

She slowly raised a hand to his shoulder, gave it a gentle squeeze, and teased:

"No. I want the vice-leader position. You have to be the battle group leader, and the future corps commander. That’s the only way everyone will have the motivation to stick together!"

Feng Hua could smell the fiery, masculine scent coming from Yu Fei, and for a moment, she felt a little dazed. She could sense the sincerity and admiration in his words, but she wasn’t about to let herself be underestimated.

’People change,’ she thought. ’Two years ago, Yu Fei was a straightforward, sunny, handsome guy. Now, he’s a world-shaking prodigy with astonishing combat power. With such a change in status and strength, Feng Hua wanted to see what choice his heart would truly make.’

’At the Gang Qi level, it’s best for a Martial Artist’s actions to come from the heart. The more you go against your own intentions, the harder it is to cross the threshold into the Grandmaster realm.’

Yu Fei didn’t argue. He just gave a carefree smile and said, "Alright!"

He turned to look around at the others, subtly freeing himself from Feng Hua’s grasp. ’This vixen is taking advantage of me,’ he thought.

"My plan is to form the battle group first, and have our seniors join. Afterward, I’ll coordinate with the school to try and get our third-year combat missions assigned together, so we can all fight as one!"

"Yeah!"

The mood in the room was more fired up than ever, but just then, a series of coughs broke the moment.

"Ahem..."

Zhang Xunyi was still maintaining his 45-degree sideways pose, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from darting toward them.

Yu Fei feigned ignorance. "What’s wrong? You need something?"

"Aren’t... aren’t you going to ask me to join?"

Zhang Xunyi couldn’t hold back any longer. He had been waiting for Yu Fei to invite him.

"So, are you in?"

Zhang Xunyi feigned reservation, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I’ll have to consider it!"

Yu Fei didn’t mince words. A terrifying pressure bore down on Zhang Xunyi, and a ferocious killing intent flashed in an instant before vanishing. Yu Fei’s voice became distant and profound.

"Join, or I’ll break your legs!"

Zhang Xunyi suddenly leaped back, his longsword drawn. Although the blade was trembling uncontrollably, he held a firm defensive stance as his voice grew sharp.

"I’ll join, I’ll join! What’s with the threats?! Trying to scare me? I’m telling you, once I become a Martial Saint, I’ll get my revenge on you!"

Yu Fei immediately dropped the Divine Power, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

"Not bad. Your willpower is much stronger than Yu Wen Baji’s!"