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nTranslator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

nShe knew how much the world had changed metaphysically in the past several years. It was just that common folks were unable to completely perceive such changes.

nHowever, regardless of the changes throughout the world, few were able to reach where Lu Xuan was at the moment.

nFurthermore, that was but the tip of the iceberg to Lu Xuan’s ability. No one had seen what he was truly capable of just yet.

nSo even National Guardians were not enough to make him fight to his fullest, eh? she thought.

nMing Yueyao felt a headache coming on as she thought of this.

nSouthern Min was coincidentally within her jurisdiction, and there was no way she was able to rest easy, seeing how one such figure was on her own turf.

n“We’ve had our experts in psychology in the bureau evaluate him. He probably has no antisocial or anti-establishment tendencies. All in all, he looks rather normal and trustworthy. We can rely on him when the time comes.”

nYun Sheng made his conclusion and eventual judgment.

nMing Yueyao nodded when she heard that. The results matched what those experts in the headquarters had decided.

nCommon-level cultivators in the province were a dime a dozen. As the one at the top of the hierarchy in the province’s Special Task Force, there was no need for her to look into everything personally. But things were different with Lu Xuan, as he was currently number one in all of the province, as well as the only National Guardian.

nLu Xuan was oblivious to the fact that the stack of information printed in the bureau regarding him was several meters thick, which included evaluations from all sorts of experts.

nSuch a figure would figuratively shake the entire world of cultivation in the province if he were to so much as sneeze, after all.

n“Well, there is no need to think too much about it. While his strength is indeed immeasurable, we at the bureau are not easy to deal with, nonetheless.”

nMing Yueyao said, “When I was receiving guidance from that man back at the headquarters and was training in isolation, it was thanks to you and Wang Junming taking care of things over here. But, I need you guys to hold out for a little while longer on your own. I need to get back to isolation again, but I won’t be long this time. By the time I get out of isolation, I’ll be a National Guardian myself.”

nYun Sheng was elated to hear that. While the Special Task Force was backed by the government, they had to rely on their own powers most of the time. There was no way they could have kept so many cultivators in the province in check if they lacked the power to do so.

nThe very reason why Yun Sheng was able to command two Level Six Martial Arts Legends, despite him being a Level Five Baodan Grandmaster, was more than because he was the Chief of the Fu City branch of the Special Task Force. The more important reason was that it was Ming Yueyao, who was more or less considered number one in the province, backing him up.

nOne had to consider the forces behind the people they were dealing with, after all.

nIf Ming Yueyao were able to advance into becoming a National Guardian, the Special Task Force would have gained greater authority, and it would have been easier to keep the likes of Yang Chengsi on a leash.

nThe dignity of a master was something earned through solid prowess.

n“Oh, right, the ones up there rewarded us with some pills. It’s for you guys to help make a breakthrough into becoming Martial Arts Legends. With things getting increasingly uncertain at the moment, you guys won’t be able to keep those people on a leash unless you are Martial Arts Legends,” Ming Yueyao added.

n“Thank you, Chief,” Yun Sheng said right away.

n“And yes, there are also the protection talismans you spoke of. Feel free to buy more, just in case,” Ming Yueyao continued.

n“Will do,” Yun Sheng added.

nLu Xuan arrived home the next morning. Everyone back home had either gone to work or to school. All of them seemed to have gotten used to Lu Xuan disappearing all of a sudden and then appearing out of nowhere.

nZhang Hongyang, who had been watching over the area, showed up at his door all of a sudden just as he was done with breakfast.

n“Greetings, young master,” Zhang Hongyang bowed and said.

n“Something up today?” Lu Xuan lied on the couch and said plainly.

nZhang Hongyang looked at Lu Xuan and continued, “I need to stay in isolation for a while to solidify my own training.”

nZhang Hongyang seemed to be struggling to suppress his excitement when he said that, feeling surprised that he was actually near making a breakthrough into the National Guardian Level. It all seemed like a surreal dream to him.

n“I plan to call upon two of my disciples to serve you in my stead, for the time being, Young Master, just so that you can always have someone at your beck and call. Of course, I’ll still be in the area, Master. I’ll be able to come as soon as possible if anything happens.”

nLu Xuan thought about it and said, “Sounds doable, but I’m not gonna let someone I don’t trust be around me all the time.”

nZhang Hongyang understood what Lu Xuan meant. Those people had to be like him—people whose lives would be surrendered for Lu Xuan without hesitation.

nThere was no way Lu Xuan would have let people of an unknown background be near the family he cared so much about.

n“I understand.”

nZhang Hongyang nodded. That was the solemn decision he made after being around Lu Xuan for a while.

nLu Xuan was not a tyrant. Truth be told, he was easy to approach most of the time. He cared about little else most of the time, so long as his family was not endangered.

nWhile his life was indeed in Lu Xuan’s hands, the truth was that so long as he knew his place and was not going around looking for trouble, there would be no actual threat to his life.

nFurthermore, he actually had the chance of getting to the level of National Guardian because he followed Lu Xuan.

nThat had been something that he had never even dreamed of.

nThat was why he was able to make the decision to have two of his disciples to serve Lu Xuan as well.

nWhile their lives were in Lu Xuan’s hands, they would have gained a better future as well.

nHe was a lone cultivator himself, so he knew well just how difficult the path of a lone cultivator truly was. Without Lu Xuan’s help, there would be no way for him to ever reach the National Guardian Level in his life.

nEven if all that was needed was but a word of guidance, he would not have been able to get that key guidance otherwise.

nThe tale of Journey to the West told its readers that even a lazy *ss like Zhu Bajie had been able to become a Bodhisattva, making it clear just how important it was to serve the right master.

nLu Xuan was a gleaming pillar in that sense, which would have undoubtedly been one great opportunity benefiting Zhang Hongyang’s disciples.

n“Alright, tell them to come then,” Lu Xuan said.

n“Thank you, young master,” Zhang Hongjie replied.

nZhong Hongyang’s two disciples came to Lu Xuan’s place the next morning.

nThe eldest disciple looked to be in his thirties. He had a lithe build and looked ordinary.

nHis younger disciple was someone who looked to be in his late twenties, and there was also a woman of medium build, who was plain-looking.

nHowever, both of them obviously emanated energy fluctuations different from everyday folk.

nLu Xuan found that Zhong Hongyang’s eldest disciple was just like his master—an Awakened one. However, his level of awakening was far below that of Zhang Hongyang, which made him a Level Five Awakened at best.

nZhang Hongyang’s second disciple was a warrior through and through. She was somewhat weaker than the elder disciple and was barely at Level Five.

nThey were both more or less at the same level as Lin Sheng and the Square-faced Fatso from before.

nBoth of them stood respectfully before Lu Xuan, even though they were feeling rather curious about the young man who looked to be in his late teens before them.

nThey knew, deep down, that the young man was absolutely someone beyond their league, so much so that even their teacher, whom they practically saw as a god, had to kneel before him.

n“So, these are your two disciples?” Lu Xuan asked.

n“They are indeed, Young Master. Here is my eldest disciple, Shi Danze, and my second disciple, Ding Zhuxuan,” Zhang Hongyang answered.

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