Zodiac Guardian

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Hai Ruyue coldly spoke from the side, "This isn't a place for sparring. Uncle Zhou, take him to the training room. Qi Yue and Ming Ming, come with me." Leaving these words behind, she turned and walked back into the villa.

Uncle Zhou smiled and said, "Don't take it to heart. Miss is always like this, but she is a good person."

Ji De shrugged and said, "Such a woman might have trouble getting married. Whether she is good or not doesn't concern me, Master, let's find a place to spar."

Uncle Zhou responded with a faint smile, "There's no need to look elsewhere, we can spar right here. Qi Yue, you and Miss Mingming can go in first. The student you have brought for me, I need to test him. From what I see, he was originally trained in external martial arts before switching to internal Kung Fu. However, his current form of martial arts appears to be fixed, whether he can inherit my martial arts lineage remains to be seen."

Qi Yue glanced at Ji De and admonished, "Best of luck to you." Saying this, he and Ming Ming headed towards the villa.

Ji De hailed from a special forces background, he was typically a violent wrecking ball. After seeing the others leave, his expression instantly calmed down. Anyone familiar with him would know that this was a sign that he was about to make a move. In the Blue Dragon Special Forces, a calm Ji De was known as an impending storm.

Uncle Zhou stood there, smile on his face, looking up at the far taller Ji De, his feet apart, equally calm, "Come on, as long as you can make me move my feet, I consider it your win."

Ji De was taken aback, "Master, you mustn't be too careless."

Suddenly, Uncle Zhou's aura shifted slightly, his face held a faint smile, right arm extended, slightly bent, his body seemed to be slightly shaking yet also appeared still. At that moment, Ji De sensed something strange, it felt as though Uncle Zhou had merged entirely with his surroundings. Startled, he realized he had encountered a master.

While they were getting ready to spar, Qi Yue and Ming Ming had already entered the villa, the two followed Hai Ruyue to a living room on the second floor.

"Sister Ru Yue, don't be angry. You know the purpose of us Zodiac Guardian Warriors. Since we are to protect the East, we must cooperate with the army." Looking at Hai Ruyue's icy expression, Ming Ming couldn't help feeling apprehensive. Before coming here, she had hesitated, but the words of Qi Yue had not only sparked Ji De's curiosity, but she too was curious to see who Qi Yue was bringing to be her brother's master.

Hai Ruyue replied indifferently, "Ming Ming, I am aware of your identity. However, there's something you need to understand. Even though we cooperate with the state, do you think us Zodiac Guardian Warriors have the qualification to do that right now? Our power is far from enough. Master Zageru had said that until the Zodiac Guardians are fully manifested and possess their own unique abilities, we must do our best to stay hidden. The Zodiac Guardians have lasted for thousands of years. To protect the East, we have paid a heavy price in blood. Similarly, we have enemies hidden in the East. Once our identities are exposed, we may face destructive attacks. I know you're always careful, but I don't wish for anyone else to know about our identities, especially that of Qi Yue. As the weakest Kylin, your most important responsibility is to protect him."

Ming Ming lowered her head and replied, "Yes, Sister Ru Yue. I will be careful."

Qi Yue plopped down on a nearby sofa saying, "Okay, enough with the reprimanding, Ming Ming. It was me who brought Ji De here. Tyrannosaurus, I came here because there's something I wanted to tell you. You go first, or shall I?"

Hai Ruyue was startled, "You have something to tell me?" The tone towards Qi Yue had somewhat softened. Obviously, not because Qi Yue had improved his demeanor, but because in a short period, he had managed to find three Zodiac Guardians. Whether it was luck or ability, it forced Hai Ruyue to reassess him. The earlier the Zodiac Guardians awakened, the sooner the strongest Eastern Guardian team would attain their full strength.

Qi Yue nodded and glanced at Hai Ruyue, "The business I need you for is quite simple. I remember you are a corporate executive. I would like you to give me a job. Part-time is fine."

"You want a job?" Hai Ruyue thought she had misheard.

Qi Yue resolutely stated, "Yes, I want a part-time job. I can work when I'm not in school. My salary should be proportional to my capabilities. The amount does not matter, but I must be fed during working hours. That's not an unreasonable demand, is it?"

This time Hai Ruyue was genuinely curious, "Can you tell me why you want to work?"

Qi Yue replied somewhat annoyed, "Why else would one need a job? Obviously for money. I have to support myself. Isn't it apparent that I've been relying on state welfare benefits? Now that I have to go to school, I owe you a lot for my tuition. Do you think I don't need to pay that back? I'm not in the habit of living off a woman. I am perfectly capable of standing on my own two feet and earning a living."

Hai Ruyue's gaze altered slightly as if something had just dawned on her. A flicker of change crossed her face. It was only for a split second, but Qi Yue caught it.

"So, President Hai, do I get a chance?" Qi Yue impatiently asked.

Hai Ruyue responded, "What are you capable of doing? From what I understand, your education is only at the middle school level."

Qi Yue was momentarily speechless, "Well...I can always serve dishes. I just want to earn enough for meals and I'm not asking for much. Now that I am King of the Zodiac Guardians, I can't return to a life of petty theft, right?"

Ming Ming widened her eyes, "What? You've done that before?"

Qi Yue's face froze in embarrassment, "I...I was only joking."

Hai Ruyue chuckled slightly, "Okay, once your winter vacation begins, I will find a job for you. You do need to pay back what you owe me. However, whatever the job maybe, you must be committed to it. You won't have to serve dishes, but you will have to work hard."

Qi Yue grinned, saying, "Thank you then. Now, it's your turn. What did you want to discuss with us?"

Hai Ruyue's expression tightened, "This matter is of great importance; it pertains to our standing as Zodiac Guardians among the Eastern Guardians. Yesterday I received a notice. Three months from now, on the tenth of January next year, all Eastern Guardians will gather in Capital City for a convention at Tianxiang Mountain."

"Tianxiang Mountain, I know it well! It's about thirty kilometres' drive from where I live and is one of the closest mountains to the western part of Capital City. What can be so serious about a convention?" asked Qi Yue.

Hai Ruyue answered seriously, "Do you think it's a pleasure trip? The convention is going to take place on Ghost Seeing Sorrow, the highest peak of Tianxiang Mountain. Despite being dubbed a 'convention', it is, in essence, an examination of each participant's strength. Don't assume that just because we're Eastern Guardians, we're all united. There are numerous power struggles within our ranks. The appearance of Zodiac Guardian Warriors is unpredictable, but every time they emerge, they become leaders among the Eastern Guardians. This dynamic doesn't sit well with the ancient powers within our ranks, who always try to make things difficult for us. However, they do understand that once all Zodiac Guardians unite, no power in the East can oppose us. Hence, they carefully time their efforts to disrupt us when the Zodiac Guardians aren't strong enough."

Qi Yue frowned, "These guys are nuts. Don't they worry that after defeating us, they might be wiped out by the Ancient Beasts?"

Hai Ruyue said calmly, "Some people only see the short term. That being said, they just want to suppress us to ensure that we don't gain too much influence among the Eastern Guardians. They don't really want direct confrontation. After all, the Zodiac Guardians, no matter their circumstances, will always step up to protect the East once they are strong enough."

Qi Yue grimaced, "Looks like this convention is just a power and reputation struggle. Let's just let them have it. If we simply don't show up, wouldn't the problem be solved?"

"Nonsense." Hai Ruyue's voice suddenly turned icy, a wave of dominant energy radiating from her, "As the King of the Zodiac Guardians, how can you speak such words? For us, reputation might not be the most important, but if we lose it, how are we supposed to lead the Eastern Guardians in the future? I've told you before: there are more than one powerful factions in this world. For the Eastern Guardians to surpass all other powers, we must unite all the Eastern Guardians. If we are attacked by foreign powers without full cooperation, an unimaginable disaster will befall the East. Do you know why the Eastern Guardians sent me an invitation? It's because you emerged."