Peerless Bodyguard of a Stunning Beauty

Chapter 89: Chapter 77: Smooth Sailing to the Top, Becoming the Second Sect Leader

Soon, all the disciples of the Quanzhen Martial Sect had gathered on the drill ground. The previously empty field was now packed with a dark mass of people.

Mage Yizhen and Zhao Rong stood on the dais. Since there were so many disciples, Mage Yizhen had to use a microphone.

”Disciples of the Quanzhen Martial Sect, I have called you all here today to announce an important matter.”

Upon hearing that the Sect Leader had an important announcement, the disciples below looked up at the vast dais. Seeing only Sect Leader Yizhen and Zhao Rong standing there, they began to murmur among themselves.

”What’s Zhao Rong doing up there? Hasn’t he been with our Quanzhen Martial Sect for less than a month?”

”Yeah, when Zhao Rong joined, he was only at the tenth level of cultivation. He’s practically a novice.”

”That kid must have offended some big shot in our sect, so the Sect Leader is about to publicly reprimand him.”

Just as everyone thought that Zhao Rong—a greenhorn who had only recently joined the Quanzhen Martial Sect with a very low cultivation level—was definitely about to be criticized...

Mage Yizhen suddenly announced to all the disciples, ”I, Mage Yizhen, as the Sect Leader of the Quanzhen Martial Sect, hereby declare that Zhao Rong, the new student from First Year, Class One, will replace Alchemy Instructor Johnny. From now on, Zhao Rong will be the sole Alchemy Instructor in our Quanzhen Martial Sect. You are to respect your Alchemy Instructor, Zhao Rong, as you respect me. Furthermore, if you encounter any difficulties while learning the Art of Alchemy, you may humbly seek guidance from Instructor Zhao Rong.”

Hearing that Zhao Rong—who had been at the school for less than a month, had a very low entry-level cultivation, supposedly knew nothing about alchemy, and spent all his time goofing off with three beautiful women—had miraculously become the school’s Alchemy Instructor, and the only one at that, the students below the stage gasped in amazement.

A curious student asked, ”If Zhao Rong is the new Alchemy Instructor, then what about our previous one, Instructor Johnny?”

Hearing this, Sect Leader Yizhen explained, ”Right, I forgot to announce one more thing. Effective immediately, Alchemy Instructor Johnny is officially expelled from the Quanzhen Martial Sect. He has three days to pack his things and get out.”

Standing in the crowd below, Instructor Johnny had thought that, at worst, he would be allowed to stay in the Quanzhen Martial Sect doing odd jobs to make a living. He never imagined he would be expelled.

He collapsed onto the ground, utterly defeated. It’s over. I completely underestimated Zhao Rong’s capabilities.

Johnny even started to wonder if Mage Yizhen had taken a special liking to Zhao Rong. Could he want Zhao Rong to be his son-in-law? Otherwise, why would Mage Yizhen treat him so well?

When Mage Erzhen heard that his relative, Johnny, had been kicked out of the Quanzhen Martial Sect by Mage Yizhen, he gritted his teeth in fury.

Zhao Rong, I will get my revenge for this, he thought.

After the announcement, Mage Yizhen invited Zhao Rong to speak. Asked to address such a large crowd for the first time, Zhao Rong felt a little nervous. He stood before the microphone, silent for a long moment, before finally squeezing out a few words.

”Since I am to be your Alchemy Instructor, I want everyone to eat well and drink well... Only when you are full and hydrated will you have the strength to learn the Art of Alchemy.”

After he finished, Zhao Rong felt that his words, for a new instructor, were terribly uninspiring and that the students would surely laugh at him. To his surprise, however, the moment he stopped talking, a wave of enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd.

The students cheered for him, shouting, ”We’ve been at the Quanzhen Martial Sect for so long, and we finally have an instructor who tells it like it is and is so down-to-earth!”

”Instructor Zhao Rong is right!”

”Instructor Zhao Rong speaks with such sincerity!”

”Instructor Zhao Rong’s got style!”

”We all support Instructor Zhao Rong! We’ll be sure to eat and drink well!”

When Sect Leader Yizhen saw the students’ overwhelmingly positive reaction, he congratulated Zhao Rong, ”Not bad, kid. You have a real talent for boosting morale when you speak. It seems even I have something to learn from you in that regard.”

Hearing this, Zhao Rong was startled. Wow, it seems I not only have a talent for cultivation, alchemy, and charming women, but also for public speaking.

Then, Mage Yizhen made another shocking announcement. He stepped forward on the dais and solemnly declared, ”From today onward, our Quanzhen Martial Sect, in addition to myself as the Great Sect Leader, shall have two second-in-commands: one will be Mage Erzhen, and the other will be Zhao Rong.”

Hearing that Zhao Rong had transitioned so rapidly from student to instructor, and now from instructor to a potential successor for the sect’s leadership, the students below were utterly stunned. After the shock wore off, they burst into cheers.

”With Zhao Rong as a second-in-command, there’s hope for the revitalization of our sect!”

”That’s right! The rise of the Quanzhen Martial Sect now rests on Zhao Rong’s shoulders!”

”Zhao Rong is mighty! Zhao Rong is formidable! Only he can lead our Quanzhen Martial Sect to its pinnacle!”

As Mage Yizhen finished his announcement and listened to the students’ cheers, he couldn’t help but think to himself, Damn, this Zhao Rong kid is really popular. It seems he has even more influence among the students than I do.

When Zhao Rong heard Mage Yizhen appoint him as a second-in-command, he was floored.

The Sect Leader’s intention is crystal clear, Zhao Rong thought. First, he makes me a second-in-command, and next, he’ll groom me to take his place as the Great Sect Leader. But Lili’s father, the richest man in the city, also wants me to be the successor to his company. Should I become the chairman of Lili’s father’s company, or the successor to the Sect Leader of the Quanzhen Martial Sect?

The choice between two such incredible opportunities left Zhao Rong momentarily stumped. However, he quickly found a solution.

Since everyone has such high hopes for me, I’ll just take on both roles! I’ll be the successor to the chairman and the successor to the Quanzhen Martial Sect. There’s no conflict, right?

In contrast to the jubilant cheers of the crowd, Mage Erzhen was dumbfounded when he heard the news.

Is Mage Yizhen challenging me directly? he fumed internally. Clearly, you don’t want me to succeed you as Sect Leader... That’s why you set up this kid, Zhao Rong, to be a pot-stirrer... Mage Yizhen, I, Mage Erzhen, will settle this score with you for your treacherous schemes sooner or later!

When Wang Jingang saw that Zhao Rong, after less than a month of following Mage Yizhen, had already become a second-in-command, he was completely flabbergasted.

I, Wang Jingang, have followed Mage Erzhen for so long and I’m still just a lackey, he thought bitterly. I can’t even begin to compare with Zhao Rong... Damn, it’s true what they say: follow a dog and you’ll eat shit, follow a wolf and you’ll eat meat... If I had just been smarter when I joined the Quanzhen Martial Sect and followed Mage Yizhen, I might have become a second-in-command by now, on equal footing with Mage Erzhen... Instead, I’m still stuck at the bottom like a lapdog.

Nearby, Huang Mao and Da Sha were also filled with regret. They hated themselves for backing the wrong horse while Zhao Rong had chosen the right one. Zhao Rong, having made the right choice, was on a meteoric rise from apprentice to second-in-command. Meanwhile, Huang Mao and Da Sha, having made the wrong choice, were not only berated by their master and senior brother daily but were sometimes even beaten. It was truly a case of compare and despair.

When the three beauties in the audience heard that Zhao Rong had become a second-in-command and might one day become the Great Sect Leader, their hearts sank.

Miss Lili said unhappily, ”If Zhao Rong becomes the Sect Leader of the Quanzhen Martial Sect, how can he possibly take over my father’s position as chairman in the future?”

Yu Lan also grumbled, ”My father is in real estate and is worried sick about finding a successor. If Zhao Rong becomes the Sect Leader, who will take over from my father to develop his properties?”

Xuelian thought gloomily, What’s so great about being the Sect Leader of the Quanzhen Martial Sect? He’d be better off coming home with me to meet my parents and becoming the successor to my father, the financial tycoon.

***

Ever since Zhao Rong became a second-in-command of the Quanzhen Martial Sect, his classmates, who used to treat him as an equal, instantly changed their tune. Many of them now schemed for ways to get close to him and curry favor.

Thus, a particularly large student took the initiative to approach Zhao Rong. Finding his chance, the chubby student asked, ”Second-in-Command Zhao, are you free this afternoon?”

Normally, whenever a classmate approached him asking if he was free, Zhao Rong would refuse. He had grown tired of the endless dinner invitations. But before Zhao Rong could even speak, the chubby student immediately added, ”Second-in-Command, if you’re free this afternoon, I can take you to find... the ladies who stand on the street corners...”

Zhao Rong was taken aback. Seriously? I’m a second-in-command now. If I’m going to go out for some fun, I should at least be going to high-class places like bathhouses or clubs. Why would I go to some back alley to find... that?

Just as Zhao Rong was about to refuse, the chubby student, as if reading his mind, said, ”Second-in-Command, if you’re not interested in back alleys, I can take you to the Red Surfing Bath Center.”

The name ’Red Surfing’ sounded vaguely familiar to Zhao Rong. He thought for a moment and said, ”What kind of place is that? Don’t you dare invite me for some boring foot massage...”

Hearing this, the chubby student gave a lewd grin. ”Of course no foot massages. At most, we can... push the little cart...”

Zhao Rong’s interest was piqued. ”You little rascal. We can skip the foot massages, but ’pushing the little cart’... that’s something I can consider...”

Thrilled that he had finally managed to entice the second-in-command, the chubby student said excitedly, ”Great! We’ll go to Red Surfing this afternoon for a good ’push’!”

As Zhao Rong fantasized about it, his excitement quickly turned to frustration. I’m shadowed by three top-tier beauties every single day. They follow me wherever I go. There’s no way to shake them... It’s hard enough for me to slip away to a bar or a club, let alone a place like Red Surfing.

So, after some thought, Zhao Rong said, ”Forget it, let’s not go to Red Surfing. I really can’t get away.”

Hearing this, the chubby student paused, his mind immediately picturing the three gorgeous women who were always trailing Zhao Rong. After a moment, he said, ”Second-in-Command, if you’re willing to come with me, I have a way to guarantee they won’t follow you.”

Curious, Zhao Rong replied, ”Right now, I’m like a magnet for those three. You really have a way to get us separated for half a day?”

The chubby student grinned slyly, leaned close to Zhao Rong’s ear, and whispered his plan.

As he listened, Zhao Rong’s eyebrows shot up.

This plan... could actually work...