Zhou You looked out of the window and saw a man and a tiger playfully chasing each other. He turned to Shao Qi and asked, exasperated, "The tiger is not yet mature, but aren't you supposed to be?"

"Hey, it took me a lot of effort to set that display, and before you could even see it, he ruined it. Doesn't that warrant a punishment?"

"I saw it. Come in and eat something. We just had a simple meal for lunch."

"I don't mind. A feast in the evening will suffice. I'll skip lunch." Shao Qi began to notice that Zhou You seemed able to go without food for extended periods. What kind of mystical practice was he cultivating?

Zhou You casually cooked him a bowl of noodles, adding some precooked delicacies. Despite his initial reluctance, Shao Qi ended up having a fulfilling lunch. In the afternoon, he tried to assist Zhou You in the kitchen but only ended up causing more chaos, which resulted in Zhou You playfully kicking him out.

"Such a kitchen disaster," Zhou You remarked with a wry smile. He feared that cooking duties would now solely fall upon him. He even suspected that Shao Qi was sticking close to him primarily due to his culinary incompetence.

At six in the evening, when a lavish spread was finally ready, Shao Qi neatly arranged the dishes and poured the wine, then started to massage Zhou You's shoulders, saying, "Mr. Zhou, you've worked hard. From now on, let me take care of you."

For Zhou You, at his current energy level, cooking was not strenuous. But, having someone serve him was indeed delightful. "Alright, let's see how well you serve. If you're not up to the mark, you might go hungry for the next few days."

"Come on, relax your shoulders. After that, I'll feed you and pour you wine. Once you're full, we can take a bath together, followed by a full-body massage. I guarantee you'll feel utterly relaxed."

Shao Qi was true to his word. Throughout the meal, he practically cradled Zhou You, feeding him. The scene might've been unbearably mushy to any onlookers. Zhou You reclined against Shao Qi, simply pointing to a dish and Shao Qi would serve it, even meticulously removing any bones or thorns. The only thing left undone was feeding mouth-to-mouth.

Tonight's wine was quite ordinary, and Zhou You only had a sip. Both of them focused more on the dishes. After dinner, they went out to enjoy the fireworks. It seemed like everyone at the base was celebrating the New Year.

"On reflection, our current life isn't too bad. The food and drink varieties have only increased over time. The base isn't confining, and though transportation might not be as convenient and the population is dwindling, life now has more thrill than before."

"Times have changed, and so has the way of life. It's not surprising that tensions between martial artists and ordinary folks have escalated. Once the chasm between these two groups becomes pronounced, reconciling their differences becomes impossible."

"So, is your goal to bridge the gap between these two classes?" Zhou You understood that Shao Qi aimed to enhance the combat capabilities of ordinary people, to popularize martial arts education. Relying solely on schools to educate the next generation was too slow and not always effective.

"A person is a person, there's no need for hierarchical distinctions. However, if given an opportunity and one chooses not to seize it, then they have no one to blame but themselves. In our society, the redundant are always the first to be phased out."

"Let's keep pushing forward and strive to be invaluable. Tonight, stay with me and let's examine the manuscript fragments we brought back last time. Let's see if there are any hidden treasures." Zhou You pulled him inside, and together, they poured over the fragments. However, none seemed superior to the Taiyi Heart Sutra, and some were so damaged that Zhou You felt helpless.

Chapter 161: The Mysterious Sect.

On New Year's Eve, in Yang City, an unexpected event unfolded. The ever-mysterious sect suddenly announced the opening of a martial arts school for adults, specifically teaching the sect's inner techniques. As for the enrollment criteria, they referred interested parties to their official website.

Initially, this announcement garnered little attention. Some who came across it believed it was exclusively for martial artists, not for common folks. However, a recently laid-off worker, with a glimmer of hope, dialed the contact number provided, inquiring if he, a mere commoner, could apply. To his surprise, he was told that enrollment was open to the entire society. The selection criteria could be found on the official website.

Filled with newfound hope and a touch of skepticism, he mused, "I wonder what the criteria are. Would the very first rule disqualify ordinary people? Is this just a publicity stunt?" He then opened the website, where the enrollment details prominently displayed. Reading through, he felt he met all the criteria. Still in disbelief, he filled out the application and shared this revelation in all his chat groups.

As expected, others were skeptical.

"Jin Shen, have you lost your mind? How could a sect like this possibly accept commoners like us without any qualifications?"

During those turbulent years, new martial sects sprang up like bamboo shoots after rain. Everyone had once dreamt that if they were chosen as an apprentice, they might become a warrior and thus have a completely different job nature and social status.

Yet, the chance of being taken as an apprentice was rare, and many of these opportunities turned out to be scams. Over time, ordinary people became resigned to this reality.

"Jin Shen, don't get fooled. My aunt's nephew was deceived by some bogus martial sect last month. He paid five hundred points, and when he got in, he ended up doing menial tasks. They told him it was an assessment for outer sect disciples and would last five years."

"Xuanmen? Just by its name, it sounds mysterious. Probably some arcane nonsense."

"Don't be naive. This kind of scam is all over the internet. I bet their registration process seems very straightforward, and they'll pass the interview. But the day you report, they'll ask for money."

"Paying would be the least of it. I've heard some use this as a means of human trafficking. Once they take them out of the base, they vanish without a trace."

"Some even deceive people into harvesting their organs."

"And there's more..."

Hearing everyone say this, Jin Shen's elation evaporated instantly. He cautiously revisited the website. The official site looked the same, and the announcements were still there. Could the website be fake? Scammers nowadays come up with myriad ways, and creating a fake website is a piece of cake.

However, he had already submitted his application form. He thought that at worst, he'd just ignore them if they asked for money. They couldn't possibly deduct funds directly from his account, or so he hoped.