Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Zhang Hongyang was overjoyed to hear that. He had only been a lone cultivator before, and he saw being able to get to Martial Arts Legend level to begin with as a blessing from the heavens. There was no doubt that he’d only been able to get to National Guardian level after that because he served under the right boss.
But right there and then, the opportunity to know Deity-level powers was personally presenting itself, something he had never even dreamed would happen. The difference between National Guardians and Deities was truly a vast gap to a cultivator specializing in mental powers like himself.
Once he made a breakthrough to Deity level, his mental strength would become so vast that he would even be able to conjure tangible objects, which would truly enable him to affect reality with his mind.
By then, his powers would see a 180-degree change. At the very least, he would become ten times as powerful as he was at the moment.
Such a cultivation level would allow him to practically reign supreme in all of Southeast Asia.
He’d never before thought that the day where he would get to Deity level would come. Or rather, he thought doing so would have taken him many more years, assuming that he was even able to get to such a stage to begin with.
This was because he’d never had anyone to show him the way before, and he had had to figure out every step of the way on his own.
It would still have been possible for him to get to Deity level, but only if he were to search incessantly for years.
There was no way he would feel anything but joy at the moment, seeing how a clear path leading to the heavens was laid out right before him.
Truly, he had not been putting his life on the line for Lu Xuan’s family for nothing.
Zhang Hongyang’s disciples were just as elated, as this meant that they too gained the chance of breaking through to Deity level, something they’d found unimaginable in the past.
What had happened now only solidified their intentions of continuing to serve Lu Xuan with all their hearts.
Lu Xuan was not someone who was stingy with rewards. After teaching Zhang Hongyang the ways of honing his mental powers to Deity level, he left.
He took a flight to the Capital City.
At the Special Task Force headquarters in the Capital City, Lu Xuan finally met the Dragon in person.
Without a doubt, the Big Boss’s bearing paled in comparison to how he had been back in Lu Xuan’s past life, but the Dragon did look a lot younger than he had back when Lu Xuan had known him.
“Your reputation precedes you, Mr. Lu,” the Dragon said with a smile, cupping his hands in welcome.
“The same goes for you. I’ve long heard of your deeds, Chief Dragon. You look even more dashing than your reputation led me to believe. A fine hero of the era through and through.” Lu Xuan complimented him with a smile. He hardly ever felt anything that extraordinary seeing anyone.
Things with the Dragon, however, were different. The Dragon had provided plentiful aid to Lu Xuan back in his past life. But even without that, the Dragon’s many years of fighting and crushing numerous foreign schemes alone were more than enough to earn Lu Xuan’s reverence and respect.
“It was all thanks to your help, Chief Dragon, that the Holy Dragon Corporation decided to give up taking their revenge against me and let my family live in peace,” Lu Xuan continued, smiling.
The Dragon looked at Lu Xuan and said, “I didn’t do anything. Truth be told, they were just scared of you, that’s all. You’re a clan-razing force on your own, after all, and they were right to be wary of you.”
“Furthermore, the outsiders all thought that I was covering for you, but to be honest, I was covering for them instead.” The Dragon looked at Lu Xuan and continued plainly, “If I don’t knock some sense into them, and they end up doing something rash, you’ll probably end up annihilating the entire Holy Dragon Corporation on your own eventually. I believe you’re capable of that much.”
Lu Xuan was stunned for a moment. He never thought the Dragon would be able to speculate that much from such a tiny bit of information.
It was indeed just how the Dragon had put it. If the leaders of that corporation decided to keep coming at Lu Xuan, he would be compelled to annihilate them all, and it would end with him wiping the Holy Dragon Corporation completely off the face of the planet.
The Holy Dragon Corporation was backed by the Holy Dragon Syndicate, and one could imagine just how formidable they were. Things were different with Lu Xuan, as he had been the Celestial Lord in his past life, which meant that he had all sorts of means at his disposal. Even the likes of the Holy Dragon Corporation could be eradicated if he were to set his sights on them.
“I never expected that you’d be able to speculate accurately to such an extent, Chief Dragon. I’m truly impressed,” Lu Xuan said plainly.
The Dragon grinned and continued, “I have no idea what kind of legacy you’ve inherited, and I’m not very interested in finding out. At the very least, you’ve shown that you know the rules thus far, which is why I’m willing to fight alongside you.”
The Dragon gave this subtle warning before changing the subject. “I’ve had rune masters testing the methods that you sent us for the crafting of runic ammunition, and the ammo has proven to pack quite a punch indeed.”
Rune masters were cultivators who specialized in crafting runes as their means of attack. The protection talismans, for example, were filled with such runes.
“The runic ammunition is a significant boon to all of us at the Special Task Force.” The Dragon did not bother to conceal anything and spoke his mind freely. “I’m sure you realize the value of the runic ammunition. We will suffer considerably smaller losses when armed with such rounds. Coupled with the protection talismans we purchased from you, we will risk losing far fewer common staff in our ranks. I’d like to offer my thanks, on behalf of all who serve in the Special Task Force.”
Lu Xuan grinned and replied, “You’re too kind, Chief Dragon. This is all a fair deal to me. You owe me nothing.”
Lu Xuan had not thought much of it to begin with. The runic ammunition had been crafted by the Special Task Force through the efforts of the Dragon’s researchers back in his past life in the first place. The ammunition was simply being made available to the agency some years earlier than it had been that time around.
The Dragon shifted to a more serious tone, seeing how Lu Xuan thought so little of his own feats. “Your powers are so profound that few in the world would be able to stand toe-to-toe with you, Mr. Lu. You might not have felt it, but the Special Task Force consists mostly of common folks, and they have to deal with extremely ferocious, extremely brutal cultivators when they are out on their missions. Casualties were high until you came to us with the protection talismans. Only since then have we been able to limit our casualties, to a certain extent. You have no idea how many families you saved by that one deed alone. What you’ve done was of greater significance than what the credit you’re giving it.”
“I’m flattered indeed, Chief Dragon,” Lu Xuan replied, shaking his head.
“Don’t forget that I’m considered part of the Special Task Force, too, and this is what I should be doing anyway, so there’s no need to overthink it.”
The Dragon laughed and continued, “Well, you do have a point, Mr. Lu. You are indeed the consultant of the Special Task Force. But now, I’d like to hire you as a special consultant to the headquarters of the agency, and you’d be treated as my equal. What do you think?”
Lu Xuan knew just how meaningful that arrangement would be. Although the Chief had indeed been meaning to buy Lu Xuan, the arrangement between him and the Special Task Force being offered at the moment was nonetheless one of mutual cooperation. He would have an easier time of things, too.
“That would work,” Lu Xuan nodded. He still needed the Special Task Force to protect his family, after all, so he did not see any problem with such an arrangement.
“That’s great to hear!” The Dragon nodded and flashed a beaming smile.
“Your addition to our ranks here at the headquarters will be like adding wings to the back of a tiger.”
Lu Xuan had been considered outside of the Special Task Force’s structure before, as he was just an individual loosely attached to the Min Province Special Task Force. Now, the Dragon’s invitation made it so that Lu Xuan was finally considered an official member of the Special Task Force.
Lu Xuan and the Dragon talked for quite a while after that, especially about their thoughts regarding cultivation. Although the Dragon did know a lot, ultimately the conversation was practically just a lecture given by Lu Xuan.
The Dragon learned quite a lot from that exchange. Both parties chattered away for days and nights on end. The conversation lasted for seven days before the two decided to call it a day.
