Chapter 87: Hanming Country's Response

“Seventeen slots have been confirmed since yesterday. After a meeting between the Prime Minister and members of Congress, these individuals are now undergoing survival training for ‘Ancient Martial World’ at the capital.”

The speaker was a woman with shoulder-length black hair, recently transferred from the capital to liaise with Yang Kai. The emergence of the Hermit Union demanded significant attention, especially as “Joker Card Holder” Duan Wenxuan hailed from An City, elevating its importance dramatically. This prompted the Prime Minister to assign a dedicated representative solely responsible for Duan Wenxuan.

Around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, she exuded a masculine demeanor through her features, indicating her strong-willed character. Appropriately, she had a somewhat unisex name—Tan Yibai.

Born into a prestigious military family, Tan Yibai received rigorous military education from birth. Her background, capabilities, and most importantly, unwavering loyalty to Hanming Country were unquestionable.

Similar to the Jindar Empire’s distribution, the Southeast Alliance received three hundred slots. One hundred were reserved for ordinary citizens without any restrictions, while the remaining two hundred fell under official government control.

The capital city unapologetically claimed one hundred seventy spots, with thirty allocated to An City’s local administration and another fifteen designated for Maplewood Gardens district. The Prime Minister had no choice but to be considerate; he needed to appease both the local government and Maplewood Gardens, given that it was firmly within Duan Wenxuan’s sphere of influence.

Yang Kai began taking notes as Tan Yibai spoke, then smiled once she finished, “Don’t be so serious… Alright, we’ve already selected our fifteen individuals here. However, you know some of them are descendants of influential figures, so they’ll require special attention.”

“Rest assured, such cases arise everywhere, even among those from the capital. As long as it doesn’t go too far, it’s manageable. Additionally, my primary purpose for this visit is to meet Liao Yangsu.”

Liao Yangsu was initially an emergency room doctor, but through a series of coincidences, Tang Tianlu took him as his disciple, and since then, he has been closely mentored by Tang Tianlu.

The An City government had indeed shown considerable favor to Liao Yangsu. During the recent spiritual tide outbreak, his family sought refuge in the underground base. As this was essentially a martial arts world, Tang Tianlu, Liao Yangsu’s master, hailed from an ancient martial lineage and undoubtedly possessed extensive knowledge about such realms.

Tan Yibai had already arranged a meeting with Liao Yangsu before arriving, even inviting Tang Tianlu along.

Recently, the elderly Tang Tianlu hadn’t returned to the Duan residence, instead dedicating himself to patiently teaching Liao Yangsu. Over time, they developed a deep bond akin to that of grandfather and grandson.

Soon, Tan Yibai met Tang Tianlu, dressed in neatly tailored silk garments. Despite his fully white hair, the old man walked with impeccable posture, his gaze sharp like an eagle’s—clearly indicative of an inner strength master who maintained exceptional control over his vital energies.

Liao Yangsu, once showing signs of suboptimal health, had also undergone a remarkable transformation. Clad in similar attire and wearing black cloth shoes, his short, neat haircut complemented his tanned complexion. His eyes now exuded confidence and vitality, a stark contrast to his appearance just months earlier.

“Master, please take a seat.”

Liao Yangsu waited for Tang Tianlu to sit before doing so himself. This gesture went beyond mere respect for his teacher; he genuinely appreciated Tang Tianlu’s guidance and support throughout his martial journey. As Liao Yangsu progressed further in his training, he increasingly recognized the immense opportunity Tang Tianlu had provided.

Tan Yibai shed his earlier cold demeanor, adopting a more relaxed and amiable expression when addressing Tang Tianlu, even hinting at a warm smile. “Old Tang, I believe you’re already aware of this matter. We’ve granted Mr. Liao a spot as well, not seeking any favors in return but because we lack information and require your assistance.”

Tang Tianlu sighed; while he held little attachment to his country, as someone growing older, finding successors meant taking responsibility for their future.

“I was merely a minor retainer initially, with only limited knowledge about the Hermit Union, nothing substantial to share. However, regarding the martial world mentioned by the Hermit Union this time, I do have some insights.”

“Please elaborate.” Tan Yibai and Yang Kai leaned forward attentively.

“I’ve vaguely heard about the Hermit Union’s existence; it’s actually quite a large organization with two blessed lands under its control. As for the development of the other blessed land, I had no prior knowledge until this recent disclosure revealed that it was initially a somewhat peculiar world.

Developing such blessed lands is generally challenging and prone to complications. However, considering the unique abilities of the Hermit Union’s license holders, their primary focus is likely on the Western Alliance’s world.”

Tan Yibai furrowed his brow. Based on Tang Tianlu’s explanation, it seemed the Western Alliance still held an advantage. The Hermit Union’s control over that world would naturally reduce the risks involved. Of course, there was little choice, as the Hermit Union originated from the Western Alliance itself.

“My knowledge of this martial arts dynasty stems from overhearing Young Master Duan conversing with Mr. Gongsun once. They mentioned that some secret martial techniques from this martial arts world were exchanged by the Hermit Union for certain items with the Duan family.

Martial training requires innate talent, especially when it comes to mastering inner strength. Over time, you must have realized how vast the gap is between those endowed with talent and those without.”

“The nature of the Hermit Union dictates that its members are predominantly ordinary individuals,” Tang Tianlu explained. “For them, martial arts techniques and inner strength practices aren’t particularly useful, as many lack innate talent for such pursuits. So I surmise, to avoid wasting this small blessed land, they chose to exchange some techniques with the Duan family.”

“In other words, does the Duan clan have records about this martial world?”

Tang Tianlu shook his head, “I’m not sure. If Mr. Gongsun were here, he might know more. As for me, I truly can’t assist you further. In the Duan clan, I am merely an old martial instructor, lacking the authority to access their library.”

Tan Yibai felt slightly disappointed but managed a smile nonetheless. “Then do you think such a world would be highly dangerous?”

“Certainly. This martial world far surpasses the Duan clan’s small blessed land, evident from the fact that they could offer matching inner strength manuals. Within the Duan clan, inner strength manuals are considered extremely valuable.”

In this type of world, most people seek swift retribution, and conflicts leading to widespread killings are common. As for the government, it largely depends on the Hermit Union’s stance. If the Hermit Union allows the government to remain weak, the situation would likely worsen; conversely, if they intervene, things might improve somewhat.

However, I’m not entirely clear on the specifics. This time, sending Yang Su in, my primary concern was ensuring his survival. Additionally, Yang Su isn’t aiming to become a license holder; his goal is to learn martial arts within the competition. During his training with me, he has already grasped the concept of hidden force in external martial techniques, so now, developing inner strength is crucial.”

Considering Liao Yangsu’s average talent, his progress has been quite rapid. The main reason lies in Tang Tianlu’s relentless investment in his training, including daily cultivation of Longevity Inner Strength to build his foundation. Without these efforts, Liao Yangsu wouldn’t have achieved his current level at all.

This level of dedication was likely only possible because Tang Tianlu had just one protégé; otherwise, few masters would invest such effort.

Liao Yangsu remained silent, expressing no opposition to the path Tang Tianlu had laid out for him. The allure of becoming a license holder, gaining immense power without enduring the hardships of martial training, was tempting. However, Tang Tianlu had explained that this power ultimately relied on external unique items, which the Hermit Union could revoke at any time.

In contrast, mastering martial arts, though arduous, granted abilities that belonged solely to Liao Yangsu, with no one capable of taking them away. Realizing this, Liao Yangsu lost interest in becoming a license holder.

After their discussion, Tang Tianlu declined Tan Yibai’s suggestion to have experts train Liao Yangsu in ancient knowledge and survival skills relevant to martial worlds. Tan Yibai did not insist further.

It was clear that Tang Tianlu had his own plans for his disciple. Even Ye Youyou suspected that Tang Tianlu might be withholding some information, but there was little she could do about it.

At Maplewood Gardens.

Duan Wenxuan had returned home through the gate, and Zong Cheng was accustomed to his sudden appearances and disappearances. After all, as the ‘Joker’ of the Hermit Union, Duan Wenxuan undoubtedly possessed numerous peculiar abilities.

Upon arrival, Zong Cheng promptly recounted everything that had transpired at Maplewood Gardens during his absence.

“So, the ‘bidding event’ has already taken place?”

Zong Cheng smiled and nodded, “It was my first time witnessing such an array of luxury cars and wealthy individuals. Anyone with less than a billion yuan net worth wasn’t even allowed entry.”

Duan Wenxuan flipped through the documents in his hand. Phases one and two of Maplewood Gardens were virtually sold out, with some original residents even being forcibly ‘kicked’ out.

However, due to Duan Wenxuan’s slight benevolence, he prohibited any coercive buying practices. As a result, many departing homeowners were either half-deceived or enticed away by incentives.

Not everyone remained rational; when faced with millions or tens of millions of cash right before their eyes, some were willing to move despite the devaluation of money. While currency might be losing value, it still served as the primary medium for purchasing food. With the world becoming increasingly chaotic and jobs harder to find, holding onto a house without funds became impractical.

Additionally, some residents simply did not trust Duan Wenxuan. With the slime enveloping the area, creating a faintly pink mist all around, it appeared quite eerie, making relocation another appealing option.

In any case, everything had now become settled.

The most expensive houses were located near Duan Wenxuan’s residence, primarily occupied by his relatives, Zong Cheng’s parents’ relatives, and even his girlfriend’s family members. The neighboring houses also followed a similar pattern based on closeness of relationships.

It was only human nature; everyone has their biases.

One could say that Maplewood Gardens, originally an average residential neighborhood, is now predominantly inhabited by various wealthy individuals, including some politically influential figures. Just stepping outside, one would encounter either the affluent or the powerful at every turn.

“Fifteen spots… equal to what An City’s local government received. They’re certainly showing respect,” Duan Wenxuan remarked with a smile, referring to the allocation mentioned by Zong Cheng.

“These fifteen spots are exclusively for Maplewood Gardens, and the selections have been made. Here’s a list containing brief introductions of the chosen individuals. Additionally, this is a bank card. Do you know how much money is in it?”

Zong Cheng, being both a genius and composed, still felt the weight of responsibility as he held that pitch-black bank card. The auction fees for houses in phases one and two, along with the sponsorship costs for fifteen slots, amounted to truly astronomical figures.

Duan Wenxuan casually set aside the bank card. With experience from multiple worlds, he had become desensitized to money’s value. Instead, he joked, “Would you like to go to that martial arts world or perhaps even the medieval-themed world offered by the Western Alliance? Adding an extra slot doesn’t matter much to me.”

Zong Cheng chuckled but declined, “No thanks, practicing the martial arts you’ve already given me is enough. I don’t need to get involved in this competition. Besides, someone needs to look after things here.”

“Thanks,” Duan Wenxuan replied.

While Duan Wenxuan and Zong Cheng discussed the recent turbulent events in An City, the allocation of random spots sponsored by the Western and Southeastern Alliances continued to trigger various incidents outside.