Swallowing the Stars: The Wind Sword Master.

Chapter 33 Manager Dongfang

Ning Hua frowned and asked, "Is your sword damaged?"

"Yes, I took damage when I fought against the high-level beast general monster." Ning Ze said with some worry.

The weapon is too expensive. It's the A9 model, which corresponds to an S-class monster. Even at half price, it still costs 15 billion. This is for fighting against a high-level lord.

Considering his rapidly increasing strength, he will soon possess the power of a War God, at which point he will inevitably fight against low-level and mid-level lords.

The A8 model is for intermediate lords, but it will suffer minor damage during battle. You should buy the more robust A9 model instead, otherwise it won't last long.

The combat suit isn't really a concern; he only reaches the same strength as a monster at five times the normal power. If he gets hit, he'll likely be either killed or seriously injured, and the suit won't offer any real protection. He can buy a cheaper one; just enough to prevent injury from the monster's minions during a group attack.

Which model of weapon do you want to buy?

"A9, could you please contact Chief Instructor Wu Tong for me? Weapons can be purchased through someone else, but my contribution level is only two stars, so I can't enjoy the half-price discount."

"A9 model, are you sure?" Ning Hua's eyes were full of scrutiny. The A9 (S-grade) Light Swallow Longsword was equivalent to a high-level War God!

Ning Ze nodded again and said, "We do need the A9 model Light Swallow Longsword."

Hearing this, Ning Hua fell silent. His family didn't even have 15 billion RMB in total, so he could offer Ning Ze almost nothing now.

"Okay, you decide. I'll help you contact Wu Tong, and you can transfer the money to him later."

After discussing the matter, the two went downstairs at the same time, and could hear the happy laughter of three women on the stairs.

"What are you talking about? What's making you so happy?" Ning Hua asked loudly.

Li Wan turned her head, put her hand on Shu Yi's shoulder to stand up, and said with a smile, "How about we let our son and Xiao Guai get married in the next two months?"

Ning Hua was slightly taken aback, then nodded and smiled in agreement, "It's good to get married sooner. That way I can focus on my cultivation."

We can't just let our son cultivate, but he never finds a woman in the end. After all, cultivation doesn't necessarily require a virgin.

Dating is the most mentally taxing thing; things become more stable after marriage.

Ning Ze raised his eyebrows upon hearing this and looked down in surprise.

Shu Yi lowered her head and stole glances in their direction.

Her rosy face looked stunningly beautiful, and her radiant smile bloomed like a fleeting flower, revealing the immense joy in her heart.

The two looked at each other, Shu Yi's eyes filled with pride, yet also a hint of shyness.

Ning Ze had no idea of ​​the pressure Shu Yi was under. He really didn't expect that this girl would actually dare to do that!

"Son, what do you think?"

Li Wan turned her gaze away, her eyes carrying a hint of coercion. She had already reached an agreement on this side, and if the other side was unwilling, it would hurt the girl's feelings and be a waste of her efforts.

When it comes to their children's marriage, parents are always very proactive and often feel pressured.

Ning Ze stared at Shu Yi. At this moment, she was breathtakingly beautiful! He was so captivated that he was almost in a daze. Scenes of the two of them together flashed through his mind like a slideshow.

The two had known each other for over ten years, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were childhood sweethearts. They had officially been in a relationship for four years, and she was already deeply etched in his heart. He had long considered her to be his wife and life partner.

A joyful smile appeared on his lips.

marry?

It seems pretty good?

He doesn't have as much energy to spend with her now as he did when he was in school, nor does he have as much time to rush around looking for her.

Bringing her home would be great! It would also protect her.

It's really time for the two of them to get married.

"If Xiaoguai has no objections, I'll listen to you."

My mom has put in so much effort, she deserves a vote to feel more accomplished.

Upon hearing the affirmative answer, Shu Yi glanced at Ning Ze with joy in her eyes, followed by an overwhelming blush. He had even proposed today! She simply buried her head in her chest. This wicked man had been pressured by his family to get married but hadn't told her, otherwise she wouldn't have felt so miserable before. Now, the two of them were finally getting married! A strong sense of happiness filled her heart, and her eyes glistened with tears.

Li Wan was overjoyed and wished she could agree immediately, but since the girl was still there, she had to ask her in person, "Little darling, Auntie agrees to your marriage. What do you think?"

"I'll listen to Auntie too."

Shu Yi barely raised her head, replying in a muffled voice, so soft it sounded like a bee's buzz; Li Wan wouldn't have been able to hear her if she hadn't been so close.

"Xiaoguai agrees, that's great! Xiaoze will accompany you back later, and then we'll discuss it with your parents."

Upon hearing this, Ning Ze quickly said, "Mom, it might not be convenient today. The Shu family has run into a small problem. Dad and I will ask about it, and if it's resolved in a couple of days, I'll go over and discuss it then."

Li Wan was taken aback and looked down at Shu Yi, having not told her this.

"What's wrong?"

"From the company's perspective."

"Alright, let's wait a couple of days." Li Wan's initial excitement waned considerably. She had thought she could quickly get things done and bring her daughter-in-law home, but it turned out she would have to wait two more days.

"I'm going to the main city area to find Manager Dongfang," Ning Hua said before walking outside.

"Where did your dad go?" Li Wan asked.

"Go ask about the special training, and then ask around for Xiao Guai's family." After replying, Ning Ze smiled with a hint of curiosity. "Mom, I'm leaving Xiao Guai in your care now. I'm going to cultivate."

"Okay, go ahead," Li Wan said casually, and sat down.

Shu Yi never interfered with his cultivation. She simply glanced at him and gave him a bright smile, her eyes seeming to say, "Go ahead, I'm fine."

in the afternoon.

Around 2 o'clock.

Ning Hua arrived at the Extreme Club in the main urban area of ​​Jiangnan.

This is a vast area, with a towering, deep blue skyscraper in addition to the extended silver-white walls.

The skyscraper has four large characters on it that can be clearly seen from miles away: Extreme Martial Arts Hall!

This is the headquarters of the Extreme Martial Arts Academy in Jiangnan Base City. The academy's "Four Giants"—one president and three managers—are all here.

Entering through the main gate of the courtyard, Ning Hua easily made his way to the villa area, finally stopping in front of a retro-styled villa. This villa occupied a huge area, even larger than an ordinary branch martial arts school in Yangzhou District.

At the entrance of the villa stood four fully armed soldiers, their heads held high and their eyes sharp.

As Ning Hua approached, a soldier whirled around and asked, "What brings you here to see Supervisor Dongfang?"

Ning Hua cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said, "My name is Ning Hua, and I am the branch manager of the Extreme Martial Arts Academy in Yangzhou. I previously reported a genius, and Supervisor Dongfang said that I could come and report the news at any time. This time, that genius has made some progress, and I would like to ask Supervisor whether he has reached the level required to meet the standards."

"Okay, please wait a moment, I'll go in and inform them."

After saying that, the soldier turned and went inside.

He came out again less than a minute later and said, "The supervisor wants you to come in."

"Okay, thank you for your help."

"It's okay."

Walking through the East Gate leads to a small courtyard, surrounded by vibrant flowerbeds, creating a tranquil environment.

Upon reaching the innermost house, the soldier announced, "Lord Dongfang, Ninghua has arrived."

"Come in."

The voice was very clear and crisp, and as soon as you heard it, a cheerful face would come to mind.

Ning Hua nodded to the soldier, pushed open the door, and went inside. As soon as he opened the door, a faint aroma of tea wafted out. He quickly greeted, "Sir."

Directly in front, a young-looking man sat at the tea table. His face was clean and his light gold robes gave him an air of nobility. His movements as he poured tea were very elegant, and the rising steam made him truly a man of exceptional grace.

"Come in, don't stand there, sit down."

Manager Dongfang put down the teapot and casually invited Ninghua to sit on the opposite side.

Ning Hua's eyes were filled with excitement, but her face also showed some hesitation. "Supervisor, it's not appropriate for me to be sitting here."

Manager Dong shook his head and chuckled, "If you didn't come here to have tea with me, then what are you doing here?"

The implication was that if he wasn't going to sit down, he should just go outside and have some tea, so as not to disturb him.

"Well... I'll just sit down."

Ning Hua also sat down directly opposite.

It's no wonder he's so cautious. The four giants of the Limitless Martial Arts Academy represent the entire academy. Even if they only have the strength of high-level warriors, their connections must involve the God of War.

However, powerful figures like the God of War wouldn't personally get involved in managing affairs; such powerful figures usually hold sinecure positions so as not to interfere with their cultivation.

There are five in each country, and only two in each country. With such a large scale, the Limitless Martial Arts Academy naturally has a lot of things to do, which is why a senior warrior was chosen to handle these matters.

"I received news that Ning Ze should have mastered the second level of the 'Wind Slash'. Are you here to ask about the special training?"

"Yes, you have excellent insight, sir. I did want to ask on behalf of my son," Ning Hua complimented, readily admitting it.

The Eastern supervisor nodded slightly, then frowned as he thought about the timing and said, "Since you're here, I'll ask the War God at the communications headquarters."

Ning Hua's face showed surprise, and he immediately contacted the God of War! Then, his eyes lit up with joy, and he said shyly, "Supervisor, wouldn't this be inconvenient?"

"Hehe, he should be very free right now." Manager Dongfang chuckled and initiated a communication.

hum!

A beam of light from the table was projected onto another wall, and the image gradually became clear, revealing a scene of a hot spring.

"Mr. Wu," the manager from the East greeted politely.

Beside the bathtub, a handsome, slender young man lazily asked, "Dongfang, you didn't call me about geniuses again, did you?" He opened his eyes, and upon seeing two people, his expression froze as he sat up. "There's someone else?"

Ning Hua respectfully greeted, "Lord Wu."

"Oh? Someone was looking for you earlier?" Manager Dong seemed a little surprised. "That was the father of that genius. He's also the branch manager of our Extreme Martial Arts Academy."

"Is that so?"

Old Wu lay back down lazily and said, "Li Minghao asked me about this before too. You all like to ask me serious questions at this time." He completely ignored Ning Hua.

"Are they not hiring over there right now?" Manager Dong asked.

"It's not that we're not hiring, it's just that the timing is problematic." Old Wu remained nonchalant. "As you know, there was a life-or-death trial here in August, and it just ended. Those kids are all working hard to cultivate, so we don't need to teach them for now."

"How about this, contact me again in two months. I'll be very 'free' then and will start the recruitment search for next year. If you're talented enough, you might get directly into the elite training camp."

He was just saying nice things; deep down he didn't really care.

Getting into an elite training camp isn't that easy.

Only 30-40 people are selected each year, two-thirds of whom are chosen from the basic training camp. That's only about ten spots in total, but they come from the five major countries.

Martial artists also rely on genetic inheritance. Martial artists and war gods also prefer safety. Hongning Base City has the highest proportion of martial artists and also has the most talented ones.

Furthermore, even the armies of the five major powers need to allocate quotas, which reduces the quota by half again, leaving only five quotas.

Even geniuses, only the most outstanding geniuses have the opportunity to directly enter the elite training camp.

In a large country, it's considered good if a martial arts school can naturally recruit one genius a year. In the Jiangnan Base City, it's considered good if one is recruited every five years.

Manager Dongfang paused for a moment, then said, "Alright, I'll contact you again later. I'll have that kid practice harder. Sorry to bother you."

"Okay, I'm going to take a nap now."

After saying that, the communication ended. This was the war god of headquarters, whose status was higher than that of the Eastern supervisor, and he acted quite casually.

"Supervisor, thank you so much." Ning Hua quickly thanked him. He had felt a chill when he heard that the elite training camp was indeed not easy to get into, and there was even a life-or-death trial!

What are the trials of genius like? If they can be called death, then the danger must be extremely great!

He kept the news of Ning Ze's successful cultivation to himself. Going later wouldn't matter; Ning Ze had only been a martial artist for two months, and they weren't rich right now.

Manager Dong shook his head and said, "That's alright. I'll also get a contribution if I can recommend a genius."

"Actually, given Ning Ze's age of nineteen and his physical condition as a junior warrior, being able to successfully cultivate the second level of 'Wind Slash' is already enough for him to join the elite training camp."

"However, resources are limited over there, and they've been controlling the number of places. It's only during non-enrollment periods that things get more difficult. For now, we can only wait two months and see."

Actually, it depends on the person. Some headquarters war gods will directly give young people a chance. This war god Wu seems a bit lazy and doesn't have much confidence in Ning Ze.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you." Ning Hua said, but then hesitated, her expression faltering.

Manager Dong smiled slightly and said, "What's the matter? Have you encountered some difficulties?"

"She is my son's fiancée." Ning Hua stated the relationship first before talking about the Shu family.

After listening, the Eastern supervisor's eyes were filled with anger. "The underground alliance really has connections everywhere. They can even bribe the quality control department for combat uniforms. They're quite skilled at making fakes that are indistinguishable from the real thing."

He made a sarcastic remark, and then his mood calmed down.

"I will have someone investigate this matter. If it's true, we must make an example of them to deter others! Otherwise, if they do this today, they'll do it tomorrow. Who knows how audacious these people will become if they engage in private dealings? They dare to joke around with combat uniforms; it will be too late if they do something truly disheartening!"

"Thank you so much, Supervisor." Ning Hua quickly expressed his gratitude.

Manager Dong nodded and said, "Let that kid work hard in his cultivation. If he can advance another level, I can also speak to headquarters and it's not impossible for him to enter the elite training camp ahead of schedule."

"Yes. I will urge him to keep an eye on it."

"If there's nothing else, you can go downstairs."

"Yes."

Ning Hua closed the door, left the villa, and returned home more than an hour later.

It was nearly evening when Ning Ze finally emerged from the cultivation room.

Ning Hua also told him about the elite training camp.

"Two months is fine, I need to earn more money to buy the secret manual."

Ning Ze had no regrets about this. Staying at home didn't mean he wasn't improving his skills, and he would be even more confident going to the elite training camp in two months.

Ning Hua's expression was somewhat silent. He couldn't help at all when it came to making money. With his crippled body, he would have a hard time even fighting a low-level beast general.

"It's fine to stay for two months. You and Xiaoguai should hurry up and get married, then I'll have someone to keep me company. If you two hurry up, I might be a grandmother next year." Li Wan was very enthusiastic about having a grandson.

Ning Ze blinked and glanced at Shu Yi, whose face was flushed and who had nowhere to hide. She looked like a cute little rabbit, and he felt a flutter in his heart. His thoughts suddenly turned to something fun.

"Cough cough."

"Let's talk about this after the child gets married," Ninghua suggested, defusing the situation.

"Oh, right, right, right. Let's all wash our hands and get ready to eat," Li Wan quickly corrected herself.

(End of this chapter)