The next day, Wei Fei came looking for Wei Tu, carrying his appointment certificate in hand, complaining bitterly.
After reading through Wei Fei's appointment document, Wei Tu realized that his situation was even worse than his own. He had only been assigned the position of Dujiaotou—Chief Instructor of the Garrison.
This position required him to conduct drill training for the garrison troops every three days. Not only was it tedious and exhausting, but among all the garrison officers, it was one of the lowest-ranking roles.
"I'm just waiting for our fourth brother to climb up the ranks and pull me up with him," Wei Fei sighed. "I only hope he won't forget what he promised when we swore our oath of brotherhood."
He let out a self-deprecating laugh.
Compared to Wei Tu's composed attitude, Wei Fei clearly couldn't let go of his frustration over being suppressed by He Zhifu.
After all, he didn't lack money.
With no real future prospects, a mere chief instructor position wasn't enough to elevate his status.
"Fourth Brother is a man of honor," Wei Tu reassured him. "He won't forget the bond we share."
He understood that Fu Zhizhou was the key to their brotherhood pact. If Fu Zhizhou broke his word, then their alliance would gradually become nothing more than a passing joke.
"We'll see in a year or two."
"Time will reveal a man's true nature."
Wei Fei shook off his gloom and let out a laugh.
Between Fu Zhizhou and Wei Tu, he clearly trusted his fellow county man more.
Two days later, Wei Tu and Wei Fei officially assumed their posts in the county garrison as Military Commandant and Chief Instructor.
Everything went smoothly within the garrison. Neither of them faced exclusion from their peers nor any targeting from the soldiers under their command.
It wasn't because the military discipline was strict—far from it.
It was because the county garrison had completely deteriorated.
Every time there was roll call, less than half the officers and soldiers actually showed up—sometimes not even a third.
"The world is about to descend into chaos."
Wei Tu observed this scene and immediately recalled what his father, Wei Bao, had told him about Baiyang County three years ago.
The relief granary there had been embezzled by local officials, with 70% of the grain stolen, and the remaining 30% was mostly rotting old stock from previous years.
Such rampant corruption was a clear sign of an impending crisis.
If a peasant revolt broke out in Qingmu County, Wei Tu seriously doubted whether these garrison troops could defend against an uprising.
All it would take was one natural disaster, and Qingmu County would be engulfed in rebellion.
But Wei Tu simply shook his head.
"That has nothing to do with me."
"The deep-seated corruption of Zheng Kingdom's local administration isn't something I can change. If I act recklessly, He Zhifu might just use it as an excuse to frame me for treason."
Wei Tu turned a blind eye to the decay of the garrison.
He understood history well.
And he knew what happened to officials who tried to reform the system.
Five days into his role in the garrison, Wei Tu finally met the elder from Martial Luck Pavilion that Fu Zhizhou had warned him about in his letter.
In a quiet alley, an elderly man with graying hair suddenly blocked his path, smiling as he addressed him.
"Sir, you must be Wei Wu Shi?"
His hair and beard were completely white, and his temples were slightly sunken, making him appear frail with age.
But his movements were strong and steady, exuding an undeniable presence.
Wei Tu narrowed his eyes.
"Who might you be?" he asked cautiously.
Although he had some guesses about this man's identity, he wasn't completely sure.
—If such a figure existed in Qingmu County, he would have certainly heard of him before.
The old man chuckled.
"I am Xue Du, an Elder of Martial Luck Pavilion."
His voice was calm, offering no pretense.
"This time, I have come to Qingmu County specifically to invite Wei Wu Shi to join Martial Luck Pavilion."
"If Wei Wu Shi agrees, Martial Luck Pavilion will fully support your cultivation and advancement."
"I can personally guarantee—if you join Martial Luck Pavilion, you will have a chance to reach the Xiantian Realm before the age of fifty."
"A Xiantian master can live for two hundred years."
Xue Du enunciated his words clearly, laying out Martial Luck Pavilion's offer.
As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Tu felt his heart waver.
At that moment, he finally understood why Fu Zhizhou had repeatedly warned him not to give in to temptation.
Because Martial Luck Pavilion's offer was simply too generous.
A Xiantian master could live for two centuries.
Joining Martial Luck Pavilion would grant him the chance to double his lifespan.
Who could resist such an offer?
Especially someone like him…
His Late Bloomer destiny meant that the longer his lifespan, the greater his potential achievements.
If he truly reached the Xiantian Realm, then perhaps he would even have the opportunity to seek the immortal path that might exist in this world.
But after a brief pause, Wei Tu finally quelled his inner desires. He took a deep breath and said,
"I am already an official of the imperial court. Since I have entered the government, it would not be appropriate for me to join Martial Luck Pavilion. I must decline."
Elder Xue Du furrowed his brows and pressed further.
"Are you sure? This is the Xiantian Realm we're talking about."
After all, Wei Tu had only trained for three years, yet he had already achieved such remarkable results. Xue Du wasn't willing to let go of such a promising martial talent so easily.
Wei Tu shook his head.
"I appreciate Elder Xue's recognition, but I do not pursue martial arts for its own sake. To me, it is merely a tool to achieve success and status."
Hearing this, Xue Du sighed in disappointment and ultimately gave up on persuading him further.
He flicked his wrist, tossing Wei Tu a bronze token, and said,
"If you ever change your mind, take this token to Tonghu Mountain. There, you will find our sect's envoy waiting."
With that, Xue Du flung his robe, stepped onto the alley wall, and leaped effortlessly onto the rooftop. Within a few graceful movements, he disappeared into the distance, leaving no trace.
Wei Tu's brows twitched slightly.
"Qinggong?"
From what he had just witnessed, he could estimate Xue Du's strength.
Although external martial artists often had superior raw combat power, they generally fell short in certain aspects compared to internal cultivators.
For example, the lightness technique Xue Du had just displayed.
Wei Tu could also use his strength to leap onto a rooftop, but his movement wouldn't be nearly as smooth and effortless as Xue Du's.
Moreover, from his observations, Xue Du was not only an internal cultivator, but he had also practiced external foundation-building techniques.
Still, Wei Tu remained skeptical.
"He claims that Martial Luck Pavilion can help disciples reach the Xiantian Realm… yet he himself is still stuck at this level. If he can't do it, why should I believe I can?"
"Besides, the government is already watching Martial Luck Pavilion closely. Right now, it's hardly a safe haven."
Wei Tu shook his head and buried the matter deep in his mind.
However, before leaving the alley, he thought for a moment and then hid the bronze token beneath a large Chinese toon tree at the end of the alleyway.
The next day.
Wei Fei came to find Wei Tu and revealed that Xue Du had also approached him, but he had flatly refused the offer.
His reasoning was exactly what Wei Tu had suspected.
Apart from their prior agreement in the provincial capital, there was one more reason—both of them had already recognized that Martial Luck Pavilion was a sinking ship.
Boarding that ship now…
Would be nothing short of suicide.
No matter how powerful Martial Luck Pavilion was, it could never match the authority of the Zheng Kingdom imperial court.
This was something that all martial scholars understood.
If Martial Luck Pavilion was truly capable, why would they recruit government-sponsored martial scholars instead of simply training their own experts to establish a rival government?
The fact that they were seeking out court-recognized martial scholars proved that they lacked the strength to oppose the imperial system head-on.
Having both turned down Martial Luck Pavilion's invitation, Wei Tu's life returned to a stable daily routine.
Until—
The results of the provincial martial examination were delivered to Qingmu County's government office.
"Fu Zhizhou actually placed ninth in the provincial examination?"
When Wei Tu and Wei Fei saw the rankings, they were thrilled at first—then gradually, a sense of unease crept in.
Originally, Fu Zhizhou's family background had already been superior to the other three brothers in their sworn brotherhood.
Now that he had passed the provincial examination, he had pulled ahead of them once again, officially earning the title of Martial Juren, and would soon be appointed as an eighth-rank military officer.
Would he still remember the oath they had once sworn together?
Would he still honor it?
That… was a question with no clear answer.