Getting Stronger By Fighting-Chapter 502 - 503 Nature and Division into Four and Six_1
Also, the little one intended to survive in the wilderness, surrounded by beasts, to gain Wang Zhan’s approval rather than continue to be pitied like others. Of course, this was also because Wang Zhan knew what the Old Man had done. Without discussing the implications of this matter for Wang Zhan himself, it was, in short, a superb stumbling block for him to buy time. As the saying goes, haste makes waste, right! Therefore, naturally, after reaching this point, Wang Zhan’s expression calmed considerably, as if the little fellow’s situation had made him not the least bit anxious.
However, seeing Wang Zhan like this, the expression on the Old Man’s face changed instantly. He immediately sneered, "Heh, boy, you really don’t consider this Old Man an outsider, do you!"
Of course, his real intention was to mock Wang Zhan. Go on and bluff! Bluff with all your might, bluff as if your life depends on it!
Indeed, if the Old Man hadn’t already had some understanding of Wang Zhan’s obvious and easily guessable trump cards, he might have been fooled by Wang Zhan right on the spot! Who would have thought that this young man from the Federation, a mere brat who had just turned eighteen, actually possessed strength at or exceeding the Martial King realm. Furthermore, possessing a clone martial art, he had repeatedly achieved remarkable feats during the battle in the Jing State Wilderness Area when the dark conspiracies first emerged!
Therefore, later, several noble families and various individuals who were extremely interested in Wang Zhan secretly began a series of analyses on him. And from these analyses, they were shocked to discover that although Wang Zhan only had the cultivation of a Martial Master during the battle in the Jing State Wilderness Area, his true strength was definitely around the Grandmaster level, with an explosive burst power easily exceeding a hundredfold! He had effortlessly crossed the two major thresholds of Martial General and Grandmaster.
Moreover, Wang Zhan’s strength wasn’t merely limited to this. Because they discovered that while Wang Zhan’s strength was indeed terrifying, the most crucial and undeniable point was that he always seemed capable of foreseeing events, posing an immense threat to his enemies! In an era where Martial Artists reigned supreme, but the mystical divine path had long faded into obscure history, the only explanation for this was: possibly, Wang Zhan’s mental energy enhancement was utterly different from that of most ordinary Martial Artists! Moreover, his mental energy realm must have already reached an extremely high threshold. Only with such fundamental power and formidable willpower could he compel his seemingly frail body to unleash attacks of unimaginable might, reaching an unprecedented level! Otherwise, he himself would have been the first to collapse.
Thus, for the Old Man, a member of the Qin Family, from the moment he first saw Wang Zhan and identified that his mental power refining method originated from the Qin Family’s legacy, he had already understood! Never mind how much of a boost the Qin Family’s legacy could provide to this kid, Wang Zhan; the ability to achieve such devastating power under those circumstances and at that realm was enough to prove that Wang Zhan’s own innate mental energy talent already far surpassed that of countless Martial Artists, by several multiples. Coupled with the "General Outline of the Supreme Pure Thunder," a prehistoric heritage, the combination naturally multiplied his power and accelerated his progress immensely!
Therefore, the Old Man was certain that Wang Zhan’s mental energy range and amplification were definitely not inferior to anyone’s—so much so that even the Old Man himself couldn’t fully grasp their extent. In that case, wasn’t it proof enough that the Wang Zhan before him was blatantly lying, showing not a shred of sincerity towards him? Could his supposed concern for the little kid truly fare well under the scope of Wang Zhan’s mental energy? Moreover, the Old Man even suspected that this boy’s mental energy amplification might surpass his own.
So, the sneering Old Man said bluntly, "Speak up. What will it take for you to lead me there? You’re the type who won’t make a move without seeing a clear reward, boy, but let this Old Man warn you: don’t push your luck too far!"
Of course, the Old Man also understood that those little tricks he had employed hadn’t escaped Wang Zhan’s notice in the slightest; he’d seen right through them. Since a price had to be paid anyway, it was better to lay everything out clearly and avoid future disputes! However, while Wang Zhan might be gloating, if he went too far, the Old Man was prepared to just drag him along and search bit by bit. If he couldn’t find it the first time, he would search a second time! It was just a small wilderness area; no matter how well Wang Zhan hid, the Old Man refused to believe he couldn’t find what he was looking for.
But only he knew that, in his heart, this "going too far" actually meant Wang Zhan pocketing all the spoils of war for himself, keeping everything. But any sensible person with foresight wouldn’t do such a thing. So, frankly, the Old Man was already prepared to accept whatever share Wang Zhan decided to give him. After all, even though he too was a Martial Emperor—and a powerful one hiding considerable strength at that—Wang Zhan was no pushover either. That kid Wang Zhan, though he might seem like a small fry, still possessed considerable strength. Compared to the Old Man, he was at most just a slightly less formidable small fry. If it really came to blows, unless it reached a critical juncture, who could definitively say who would win and who would lose? Besides, who was to blame that he had a girl in his family whose loyalties were already leaning outward, leaving him no room to maneuver?
Of course, if Wang Zhan knew that this Old Man had such a rich inner monologue, and of this particular nature, he might have offered even less. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
Wang Zhan chuckled softly and said, "How about this: I found the item, and right now, only I know its location. However, when the time comes, I’ll still need your considerable strength, Elder, to secure it. So let’s be direct: a sixty-forty split. How does that sound?"
Eh. The Old Man, who had been contemplating how to bargain, was utterly stunned by Wang Zhan’s words. He could only stare at Wang Zhan, a strange and unreadable expression in his eyes, feeling somewhat disconcerted. "Kid, did you take the wrong medicine today, or what’s gotten into you? Since when are you so generous?"
Unexpectedly, just as the Old Man’s voice fell, Wang Zhan replied with a serious expression, "Business is business, and personal relationships are personal relationships. You are Qin Ying’s grand-uncle; as her man, I will naturally choose to respect you. However, beyond that identity, you are also a representative of the Qin Family. Therefore, I cannot treat you unfairly..."
Just as Wang Zhan said, don’t underestimate the forty percent the Old Man was receiving; it was already a huge amount, something impossible for an ordinary person to obtain. But one mustn’t forget that the Old Man represented far more than just himself. Like Qin Ying, he represented the powerful and enigmatic family and legacy behind them. Therefore, whether for official reasons or personal ones, Wang Zhan, who had already benefited immensely from Qin Ying, had to make his stance clear to them. He was not one to burn bridges after crossing them, nor was he an ungrateful person. Thus, he would do what was necessary without needing to be reminded. Take, for instance, the act of reciprocation: it might seem trivial, but if mishandled, the repercussions could be immediate and severe.
Another aspect was Wang Zhan’s own calculations. He could anticipate that even if he obtained the giant snake, his speed in deciphering its secrets would be far slower than that of the Qin Family members. They were the true hegemons of the Federation, the genuine top-tier noble family! Consequently, compared to the Wang family, which was relatively isolated and weaker, the Qin Family possessed a significant and obvious advantage in this type of research. This, then, was also an investment on Wang Zhan’s part: to delegate a large portion of the handling rights for the giant snake to the Qin Family, thereby accelerating their research progress in hopes of quicker feedback.
Of course, there was one thing Wang Zhan didn’t explicitly state: why did he insist on taking sixty percent? Since he had already decided to allocate a portion of the giant snake’s benefits to the Qin Family and pin his hopes on them, wouldn’t it have been more direct and simpler to just hand over the entire beast, thereby gaining even more goodwill from the Qin Family?
For Wang Zhan, that was a different matter entirely. It was just as Wang Zhan had stated earlier: "Personal relationships are one thing, interests are another." His insistence on claiming sixty percent of the benefits was also his way of responding to, and subtly reminding, the Qin Family that although his own family, when compared to the Qin Family, was insignificant and remarkably small, they were capable of self-reliance. They didn’t need to constantly depend on the Qin Family’s protection to survive. Therefore, since the Wang family was inherently free and independent, not easily swayed by external changes, thus, at this juncture—when the Qin Family had personally intervened, and when his relationship with the Qin Family was bound to grow increasingly intimate through the ongoing rapport between himself and Qin Ying—Wang Zhan had to demonstrate through his actions that he was an independent individual, not a pawn or a disposable tool to be manipulated by others. This was his stance, his way of operating!
Simultaneously, this was also Wang Zhan’s way of probing, to allow the Qin Family members to feel more at ease. After all, setting aside distant considerations, just look at the Old Man right before him. He was undoubtedly Qin Ying’s grand-uncle, but in Wang Zhan’s eyes, he was first and foremost a powerful Martial Emperor. A Martial Emperor who would relentlessly fight for his own interests!
