Soon, Liu Zhixiang found the individuals listed in the dossier.
Cheng Ran, an ordinary disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts School.
He had achieved full circulation of qi and blood throughout his body.
Within one to two months, Cheng Ran would refine his skin membrane, fully connecting it throughout his body, and achieve the rank of a ninth-rank martial artist.
Achieving the rank of a martial artist was the basic requirement for joining the Inspection Bureau.
The Canglang Martial Arts School had five spots, and the Sihe Trading Company knew that Cheng Ran had a good chance of securing one of them.
Moreover, his family was wealthy enough to support his further advancement in martial arts.
Xiao Peng is a true disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts School.
He also had a good chance of competing with Cheng Ran for that spot.
In the eyes of the Sihe Trading Company, Xiao Peng's advantage lay in his superior skills. He was already a true disciple of Wang Jin and was half a year younger than Cheng Ran, suggesting that his talent might be even greater.
As for the other four true disciples of the Canglang Martial Arts School, they had already secured their spots in the competition for the Inspection Bureau.
Zhou Xing and Zhang Tiesheng, in Liu Zhixiang's view, were not worth investing in.
The Zhou family, to which Zhou Xing belonged, had wealth and influence that were not far behind the Sihe Trading Company.
As for Zhang Tiesheng, he had already been recruited by Zhou Xing and had become a retainer of the Zhou family, making him inseparable from them.
The other two true disciples were Li Qing and Zhao Hu.
Li Qing, in the eyes of the Sihe Trading Company, was also unlikely to be a worthwhile investment.
After all, the Li family was on par with the Sihe Trading Company.
How could they offer help in times of need to someone like her?
Therefore, in the eyes of the Sihe Trading Company, the only three individuals worth competing for in the entire Canglang Martial Arts School were Cheng Ran, Xiao Peng, and Zhao Hu.
Zhao Hu came from a humble background, with extraordinary bone structure and high martial talent.
In terms of talent, he was not far behind Zhou Xing.
The only thing he lacked was resources.
Zhao Hu was precisely the kind of talent the Sihe Trading Company valued most.
Liu Zhixiang first approached Cheng Ran.
After introducing himself and stating his intentions, he handed Cheng Ran an invitation.
Then, he moved on to his second target, Xiao Peng.
Front Courtyard of the Martial Arts School
Cheng Ran smiled slightly and said to Jiang Ning, "Junior Brother Jiang, see? I told you there would be others who see potential in me!"
Jiang Ning smiled. "So, Senior Brother Cheng, who are you leaning toward?"
Cheng Ran replied, "In terms of closeness, Senior Brother Zhou Xing is closer to me. We share the bond of fellow disciples. But at this point, it's not about relationships it's about who offers the better deal."
"If the Sihe Trading Company offers a better investment with equally favorable terms, I'll naturally accept their offer."
"Otherwise, I'll go with Senior Brother Zhou Xing's investment."
As he spoke, Cheng Ran looked at the two invitations in his hand and then at Jiang Ning.
"Speaking of which, Junior Brother Jiang, you need this investment more than I do!"
Facing Cheng Ran's words, Jiang Ning smiled.
He knew that even without any investment, it wouldn't affect his future potential.
However, he couldn't help but feel a bit of regret.
Because he was in desperate need of resources!
With sufficient resources, his strength would improve much faster, and he would achieve the rank of a ninth-rank martial artist sooner.
The Inspection Bureau, in his eyes, held great significance.
Patrolling the nine provinces, overseeing the world, and executing first while reporting later this was a towering tree.
In the end, success in life depended on background and connections.
Unless one became a figure like the Martial Sage, capable of standing against an entire nation and suppressing the world, one couldn't ignore these factors.
These thoughts flashed through Jiang Ning's mind, and he calmly shook his head.
"With my qi and blood barely at the minor mastery level, how could I possibly catch the attention of Senior Brother Zhou Xing or the Sihe Trading Company?"
Cheng Ran closed the invitation Liu Zhixiang had just given him. At this moment, he was both contemplative and hesitant.
After the morning's spar, he knew that Jiang Ning was far more talented than he had initially thought.
In terms of fist technique skill, Jiang Ning was superior to him.
What Jiang Ning lacked was the accumulation of qi and blood, and this accumulation could be significantly accelerated with resources.
Even with resources, in Cheng Ran's view, Jiang Ning still wouldn't have enough time to pose a threat to his chances of securing a spot in the Inspection Bureau.
But as the saying goes, "Better safe than sorry."
He was somewhat afraid of the miracle Jiang Ning might pull off.
In the next moment, his gaze turned resolute.
"Junior Brother Jiang, how about you come with me to the Sihe Trading Company's banquet tomorrow night?"
"I know you need this investment more than I do. Even without it, I have resources from my father."
"But for you, Junior Brother Jiang, with your ordinary family background and a late start in martial arts, this investment is crucial."
"The Sihe Trading Company's invitation is for a discussion on investment. I want to invite you to join me at the banquet. During the banquet, I'll recommend you and try to secure an investment from the Sihe Trading Company for you. Since they value me, they'll naturally consider my proposal."
After hearing Cheng Ran's words, Jiang Ning's expression turned serious.
"Senior Brother Cheng, aren't you afraid that I might become a threat to your spot? Our martial arts school has already secured four spots, and there's only one left to compete for."
Cheng Ran chuckled. "To be honest, I've thought about that! But in my heart, you're not just a fellow disciple you're a friend I truly value. Since I consider you a friend, it's only natural for me to help you gain benefits."
Cheng Ran smiled again. "Besides, there's still Xiao Peng as my competitor. Whether I can beat him is still uncertain. If you can join the competition and secure that spot, it's better than letting Xiao Peng have it."
Hearing this, Jiang Ning felt touched.
After a moment of thought, he cupped his hands in gratitude.
"Since Senior Brother Cheng has said so, I'll follow your arrangements. In the future, I will never forget your kindness and support!"
He also wanted to seize this investment opportunity.
Because Jiang Ning knew he was in desperate need of resources and wealth.
Advancing in martial arts required wealth.
The energy points on his panel also required wealth.
With sufficient resources and wealth, his strength would grow faster, and he would gain self-protection abilities sooner.
He would also be able to ensure the safety of his elder brother, sister-in-law, and their children, as well as repay their care and kindness.
Therefore, he wanted to seize this opportunity.
At worst, it would just be a wasted trip.
But if he could secure an investment from the Sihe Trading Company, it would mean resources worth thousands of taels of silver.
That would be an immense fortune and a significant boost to his current situation.
Traveling with Cheng Ran, he wasn't worried about threats from Xu Yunfeng.
Hearing Jiang Ning's agreement, Cheng Ran was visibly pleased. He gave Jiang Ning a firm pat on the shoulder.
"Good! That's the spirit, Junior Brother Jiang! Straightforward and unhesitant it's always a pleasure dealing with you!"
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