MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 1269: A Turning Point

As Anthony bade his parents and grandparents goodbye after finishing his conversation with them, they informed him that they would be ascending in one month.

Jarod stepped in with calm, measured steps, his eyes falling on Anthony as he had already prepared food to serve him.

Anthony stared at Jarod’s clothes, shoes, sense of style, and even his cultivation. The guy was practically weak and basic across all aspects. Anthony’s mind flickered to the ten servants he had seen personally serving those Above disciples. Although they were all servants, they enjoyed a certain level of resources that ordinary servants were never supposed to have.

Although it wasn’t a competition or anything of the sort, Anthony couldn’t afford for his own personal attendant to look any less impressive compared to those people. Although it would take time for Jarod to possess the same level of poise that the other servants possessed, for now, Anthony could at least grant him a minor cultivation breakthrough along with a few fine sets of clothes and a good weapon.

As Jarod served the food, Anthony decided to bring up the matter.

"Jarod," Anthony called out as he remained seated, watching the young man place the food on the table.

"Sir," he replied.

"You’ve seen Tory’s servant, and the servants of the rest of the Above disciples, right?" Anthony asked.

Hearing Anthony’s words, Jarod couldn’t help but feel a bad feeling crawl into his chest. He couldn’t shake the thought that Anthony was about to dismiss him because he wasn’t good enough or because he lacked a certain bearing.

"I’m not looking down on you or anything of the sort. I’m someone who understands the hardships of life far more than you might think," Anthony began, not wanting Jarod to jump to any conclusions. "But with the money I’ve given you, you’ll need to buy the best clothes, the best shoes, and the best things that money can buy," he stated calmly, his eyes shifting toward Jarod as he spoke.

"But I don’t just need you to dress the part. I also need you to look the part and become the part. Of course, I understand you might be new to this, so there’s no rush. Take your time, understand, and learn along the way," he stated before pausing.

Jarod had finished serving the food and now stood with the tray in hand. Inwardly, he released a sigh of relief. He was genuinely happy that Anthony wasn’t about to send him back after he had proudly boasted to his friends earlier. The disgrace and ridicule that would have followed would have been immense.

Jarod perfectly understood what Anthony meant. Many of the servants serving the Above disciples had started out exactly like him. No, to be more accurate, many powerhouses had once stood in this exact position. They had all begun as servants to some ridiculously talented genius, and over time, they, mere servants, climbed to heights they were never supposed to reach, living for hundreds and even thousands of years simply because their loyalty now lay with their masters rather than with their sects.

Of course, earning the trust and loyalty of those geniuses didn’t happen overnight. Those prodigies were almost always arrogant, exceptionally cautious, and rarely trusted anyone. As a servant, one needed to understand their master’s personality, know when to speak, when to remain silent, and how to tread carefully according to their master’s temperament and mood.

So Jarod perfectly understood that this moment might very well become the greatest turning point in his twenty-seven years of existence. If he failed to meet Anthony’s expectations, he might simply be left behind. Countless examples throughout history proved that those who successfully served a genius from their early years often reaped unimaginable benefits later in life.

Jarod himself wouldn’t deny it. He had always fantasized about opportunities like these. He simply hadn’t expected one to arrive so soon after landing the position. But he also understood the reality of the cultivation world. If he messed up, he could be cast aside, crippled, or even killed.

There was no point in falling to his knees and shouting declarations of loyalty or making grand promises. Words carried very little weight in this world. Only actions truly mattered.

"I understand," he stated calmly.

Anthony nodded, a faint smile appearing on his lips as he waved a hand. The next moment, a bottle containing a crimson-red liquid appeared, accompanied by a small cultivation manual, a sword, and another manual containing movement and sword techniques.

"Drink the red liquid in that bottle the moment you leave here. The manuals and the sword are all for you," he stated with a calm expression.

Jarod stood frozen in place. He was genuinely speechless. Aside from the mysterious crimson liquid inside the bottle, he recognized everything else immediately. The sword was unquestionably forged from high-quality metal, perhaps even an exceptionally rare one that required Origin Essence Stones to purchase, far beyond anything he could ever afford. As for the two manuals, one was clearly a cultivation manual while the other contained combat techniques.

’Isn’t this a bit too fast?’ Jarod thought in stunned silence, feeling that Anthony was placing his trust in him far sooner than he had expected.

"I can’t ta—" he was about to decline before immediately stopping himself. He bowed respectfully before speaking in a grateful tone. "I deeply appreciate this, Anthony. I won’t disappoint you," he stated with sincere gratitude.

Anthony shook his head as he began to eat. "There’s no need to pressure yourself. I don’t really have any expectations of you, so move at your own pace as long as you aren’t lazy about it. And always remember to enjoy life once in a while as you train," he stated calmly as he placed a piece of food into his mouth. "You may leave," he added in finality.

Jarod bowed before taking the items and immediately deciding to drink the crimson liquid first. Although he had no idea what it was, he didn’t ask since Anthony hadn’t explained it. Curiosity had always gotten countless people killed, and he wasn’t about to destroy his own path toward greatness, or even a comfortable life, simply because he didn’t know when to keep his mouth shut.

The crimson liquid was simply a potion that increased one’s talent to a certain extent. It wasn’t nearly as extraordinary as the pill Anthony had given Lucian to pass on to Veronica, nor would this potion elevate Jarod’s talent to the level of an Above disciple. No, it would merely raise his talent to that of the most gifted Inner Sect disciple currently within the Null Sect, as that was the condition Anthony had specified before purchasing the potion from the system shop.

It didn’t merely improve cultivation talent. It also enhanced one’s comprehension when studying cultivation manuals, martial techniques, and even the comprehension of Laws. If Jarod continued to work diligently without slacking off and continued showing promise, Anthony might reward him further in the future. But if he failed to live up to that potential, then Anthony’s generosity would end here.

As for the cultivation manual and the techniques, they weren’t heaven-defying manuals or legendary inheritances capable of shaking the world. However, they were just Heaven Grade according to the classification system of the Hellinder Realm. To servants, obtaining even one Heaven Grade manual during their lifetime would be considered a miraculous blessing.

(Manual Grading: Earth Grade, Heaven Grade, Saint Grade, Origin Grade, Genesis Grade.)

As for things like the golden blood produced through the Blood Servant ability, which he had bestowed upon his parents, grandparents, and personal subordinates, Anthony had absolutely no intention of giving that to Jarod, nor would he ever do such a thing. He already possessed ten absurdly overpowered subordinates whom he barely had any use for. He certainly wasn’t interested in creating an eleventh monster for no reason.

Jarod simply needed to become powerful enough to keep pace with the future that awaited Anthony, not ascend to the very peak of existence overnight.

Of course, Anthony could have simply used the Authority of Severance to increase Jarod’s talents directly. However, he wanted the man to personally experience the effects of the liquid and fully understand that the potion he had just consumed was an incomparably precious treasure, something that only the highest-tier powerhouses of the Hellinder Realm could ever hope to possess. That belief alone would ensure Jarod treasured every drop of the opportunity he had just been given.