Chapter 132: The Times Have Changed

"Mr. Gao, the first installment of your endorsement fee of ten million, along with the ten million service fee, has been transferred to your company account..."

In the enclosed soft-sleeper carriage, Zhou Qingyun was briefing Gao Wu on their progress.

The video of Gao Wu slaying demons in Changling had gone viral within private channels, boosting the popularity of the "King of Northern Youth" campaign dozens of times over. The main reason for this was that the video could not be released publicly, forcing a massive volume of private traffic toward the campaign's activities.

This terrifying level of exposure had instantly made the "King of Northern Youth" a trending topic across all major online platforms. As a media operator, Zhou Qingyun naturally understood what this flood of traffic signified. Regardless of whether the campaign could continue, the sheer volume of engagement had already fulfilled their promotional goals, far exceeding their most optimistic expectations.

Zhou Qingyun even suspected that the attack had been orchestrated by Song Yunkun. From a results-oriented perspective, Gao Wu was the secondary beneficiary, while the primary ones were the Dragon Energy beverage series, the Longteng Corporation, and the "King of Northern Youth" campaign itself. Given Song Yunkun’s capabilities, planning such an attack wouldn't be difficult, though the risk was high; still, despite his aggressive nature, she doubted he would dare go that far. Regardless of the truth, she and the campaign were benefiting, and that was what mattered.

The parent company was delighted and had directly paid the first installment, including the roadshow service fees. These fees were technically for Gao Wu’s entire team. The contracts for Shang Qingjun, Zhou Hongying, Shen Yue, and even Security Manager Song Mingyue specified appearance fees. Song Mingyue’s pay was the highest, at fifty thousand per event.

Capitalizing on this momentum, Zhou Qingyun had drafted several more commercial promotion plans. While roadshows were no longer viable, they could maintain the buzz through interviews and various activities, including leveraging the prestige of Anjing University.

Song Mingyue sat beside Gao Wu, quietly reading a book, paying no mind to Zhou Qingyun’s words. Shang Qingjun and Zhou Hongying, sitting on the other side, listened intently. As sophomores, based on their limited experience in commercial activities, they found Zhou Qingyun’s plan to be excellent.

Gao Wu waited patiently for Zhou Qingyun to finish. He flipped through the printed proposal in his hands before closing it.

"Sister Zhou," he said, "I don't know much about commercial planning. However, I understand that we are in an attention economy, a traffic economy. If we want to maintain this level of heat, we must convert private traffic into public traffic and achieve an effective transformation."

Zhou Qingyun looked puzzled. "What do you mean, Mr. Gao?"

"It’s actually quite simple. If we release my demon-slaying video into the public domain, it will ignite the internet again and draw all that traffic over," Gao Wu said calmly.

"That’s impossible!"

Zhou Qingyun had considered this long ago. The video was too bloody; even with blurring, it wouldn't pass the review filters of short-video platforms. Furthermore, it involved followers of the Demon God, an extremely sensitive topic. Only the Alliance was permitted to discuss such matters in public; no other organization dared touch it. To touch it was to invite ruin. This was an unwritten red line. The first thing one learned in public relations was what could never be touched and what could never be mentioned. Zhou Qingyun understood this well and explained the situation to Gao Wu patiently.

Gao Wu smiled. "In the past, yellow robes were for the Emperor. Anyone else wearing one would be executed. Today, the person wearing a yellow robe is likely just a delivery driver. The reason is simple: the times have changed."

He looked deeply at Zhou Qingyun. "Sister Zhou, today is different from the past. How do you know it won't work if you don't try? If we succeed, as the first to eat the crab, we will feast to our heart's content. If we fail, there is nothing to lose."

Zhou Qingyun hesitated. Gao Wu's rhetoric was simple yet direct and powerful, and his low, gravelly voice was filled with temptation. She admitted she was moved. *That’s right, how would I know if it wouldn't work without trying? Nothing stays the same! Perhaps the times really have changed!* Even in the worst-case scenario, the resources invested would help build connections; there wasn't much to lose.

If they truly succeeded, she would leap to the next level.

Zhou Qingyun left; she needed to return and carefully consider the specific steps to create a detailed plan to persuade Song Yunkun. With the strength of the Longteng Corporation and Song Yunkun’s capabilities, it was entirely possible to navigate the various approval barriers.

"What do you mean the times have changed?" Zhou Hongying asked impatiently once Zhou Qingyun was gone.

"Martial Arts Academies are expanding enrollment, Demon God followers are staging terrorist attacks in public, and the void mutation is accelerating. Everything points to the fact that the era of peace and stability is over," Gao Wu said with great seriousness. "Within three to five years, there will be earth-shattering changes that will plunge the world into chaos and danger."

His skyrocketing mental power allowed him to perceive changes in space more intuitively. As Origin Power continued to seep in, countless tiny voids had appeared in space. According to this trend, it wouldn't be long before the entire planet transformed into a massive secret realm. Then, under the constant erosion of Origin Power, these realms would merge with the Otherworld. As to what the Otherworld was or how it differed from cosmic space, the question was too vast and profound—not only could he not fathom it, but all of humanity's strongest experts likely couldn't either. With current technology, even if they could build a few ships to leave the planet, they wouldn't get very far.

The future was like a surging flood. Since it couldn't be avoided, one had to learn to swim, prepare a lifebuoy, and it would be even better to build a ship.

Zhou Hongying found this hard to accept. Her bright, alluring eyes widened. "Really? Don't lie to me just because I haven't read much..."

"How could I lie to you, Sister Ying?" Gao Wu looked sincere and extremely serious.

Zhou Hongying grew uneasy and looked to Shang Qingjun for help. Shang Qingjun was also skeptical. "Xiao Wu, will it really be like this?"

"It will," Gao Wu said, his expression grim. "When the concentration of Origin Power increases tenfold and the world turns into a massive secret realm, only martial artists will be able to survive effectively. You two should focus on your training! Even if the world doesn't change for the worse, it’s always good for you to grow stronger."

Shang Qingjun and Zhou Hongying fell into deep thought. Gao Wu’s logic seemed sound, but in reality, human energy was limited. To succeed in martial arts required massive investments of time and resources. Both had previously felt they wouldn't achieve much in the martial path, which was why they had focused their energy on their studies. Changing their established paths was a major decision for them. Even though they trusted Gao Wu, they couldn't make such a decision instantly.

Gao Wu only offered a reminder. No matter how close he was to Sister Jun, he couldn't make decisions for her. Furthermore, martial arts really depended on talent and aptitude; mere effort could only reach a certain baseline. Unlike them, he had his peerless artifact; no matter how rugged and difficult the martial path might be, for him, it was a smooth, open road.

The next morning, when they arrived in Anjing, Song Yunkun actually came to the station to meet them in person, which caught Gao Wu by surprise. Inside the extended business vehicle, Song Yunkun and Gao Wu held a brief meeting. He only asked one thing: was Gao Wu certain that the times were changing?

As a Martial Master, Song Yunkun could naturally feel that the real world was being rapidly eroded by Origin Power. As the Vice General Manager of Longteng, he had also heard whispers. He just wasn't sure where the changes would begin.

Gao Wu provided a perspective: this change would likely start on online platforms. The Alliance would gradually release information to guide the public to heighten their vigilance. Topics like the Demon God followers might also be gradually opened up. After all, if they were to educate the public, the topic couldn't be sealed forever. The video of Gao Wu slaying many followers in public might serve as a starting point.

If it could truly succeed, it would be extremely advantageous for him. The transformation of a great era would bring even more opportunities. At such a time, one had to push forward with all their might. The higher the position, the more resources one could obtain, and the more benefits one could reap.

Song Yunkun was convinced by Gao Wu; he was willing to exhaust all his resources to try.

Two business vehicles drove directly into Anjing University, dropping Gao Wu and Song Mingyue off at the Azure Dragon Branch, while Zhou Hongying and Shang Qingjun were taken to the Biological Branch. Anjing University offered excellent conditions; dormitories were open during summer and winter breaks, with water, electricity, and internet fees waived within a set limit, along with dining subsidies. Shang Qingjun and Zhou Hongying needed to coordinate with Zhou Qingyun, so staying in the dorms was more convenient.

Gao Wu and Song Mingyue did not have dorms, but they had notified the Dean, An Ziru, in advance. She had specifically assigned an assistant to handle their check-in procedures. As geniuses with Grade-A contracts, they were housed in the Evergreen Garden—a complex of eighteen two-story villas where they were assigned one to share. Each villa had individual bedrooms, bathrooms, and a private martial arts practice room, with a shared living room.

The villas were surrounded by greenery and evergreen ornamental trees, with a small pond in the center. The layout was simple, clean, and quiet. Gao Wu was satisfied with the environment. He and Song Mingyue chose Villa 18, located in the deepest part of the garden, where no one else would pass by, offering excellent privacy. In front of the villa were Western-style umbrellas and outdoor furniture, facing a large expanse of plants and flowers.

They tidied up briefly. The daily necessities in the room were brand new, and Gao Wu could use them immediately. Song Mingyue, however, was a germaphobe; she insisted on replacing everything from water cups to bedsheets with her own, causing quite a commotion for a while.

At noon, they ate lunch at the Qinghua Building. Their identification had been handled by the assistant, so dining, housing, and transportation were all authenticated via mobile, allowing for seamless access. The number of students in the Azure Dragon Branch was actually quite small—less than five hundred across all five grades. Excluding the very few geniuses, everyone else often ran into each other in the cafeteria. Even if they didn't know each other, they became familiar faces.

As newcomers with striking appearances, Gao Wu and Song Mingyue naturally attracted a lot of attention while eating. Gao Wu, dressed in a white shirt and jeans, was quickly recognized. After all, his videos had been spreading wildly in private channels over the past two days. Younger martial artists, in particular, had watched the videos dozens, if not hundreds of times. Seeing Gao Wu in person made everyone excited.

The students of the Azure Dragon Branch were relatively reserved; no one asked for photos or even struck up a conversation. Privately, however, they were secretly taking pictures with their phones and sending videos and photos in group chats. Gao Wu’s appearance in the Qinghua Building, suspected to be a new student, caused a sensation in the student groups. The small actions of the surrounding students couldn't be hidden from Gao Wu, whose mental power had surged. He didn't mind; being a celebrity meant facing such issues.

After lunch, Gao Wu and Song Mingyue returned to their villa to rest for a while before going to visit An Ziru at 2:30 PM, as previously arranged. An Ziru was not only a Martial Arts Master but also the Dean of the Azure Dragon Branch and had close ties with the Hunter Association, making her daily schedule very busy. She held Gao Wu and Song Mingyue in high regard, which was why she had specifically set aside time to see them.

"Hello, Dean," Gao Wu said, smiling and bowing on behalf of Song Mingyue.

An Ziru nodded and stood up from behind her desk. "Let's go. I've already arranged an appointment with Master Lu; I’ll take you to see him now."

She added seriously, "Master Lu is a stern person who doesn't care for pleasantries. Do not be disrespectful in front of him. If you are lucky, you might be able to apprentice under him directly..."

Gao Wu and Song Mingyue felt a sense of awe. Dean An was actually taking them to visit the Martial Arts Grandmaster Lu Yuan. Across the entire Northern Province, he was a top-tier powerhouse! Even within the Alliance, Lu Yuan was a renowned figure, a martial expert who commanded respect from all sides.

Gao Wu, who usually liked to joke around, became solemn. This visit to Lu Yuan was an invaluable and crucial opportunity for him.