Chapter 147: Big Talk
“Could Lu Yun become a Grandmaster in the future?” Everyone was already staring at Lu Xian in unison. Hearing Lu Shang’s words, their eyes immediately widened, and they perked up their ears waiting for Lu Xian’s answer.
Although this Vice Sect Master was not very reliable in other matters, on the Martial Arts Path, he was one of the few authorities under heaven.
“Otherwise, why would I personally teach him?” Lu Xian replied with a perfectly natural expression: “Of course it’s because he has exceptional talent and will definitely become a Grandmaster in the future… of course, under my guidance!”
“What!” The courtyard immediately exploded. The group of Elders and Stewards could no longer sit still and all jumped up shouting. The noise was so loud it even reached the ears of the Clan Members watching the excitement outside.
“What’s going on inside?!” The Clan Members were simply dying of curiosity. When had they ever seen the Stewards and Elders, who wouldn’t change color even if Mount Tai collapsed before them, make such a fuss?
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Generally speaking, as long as a Heavenly Rank Grandmaster is stationed, the fortune of a family Noble Clan will not be cut off. Even if in a temporary trough, there is no need to worry about being swallowed up by others; there will always be a chance to turn things around.
It must be known that opening the Ren and Du Meridians allows one to be called a Grandmaster. A Grandmaster can establish a sect and be admired by millions; this is already the pinnacle that martial artists can aspire to but rarely achieve. On the Investigative Bureau’s Grandmaster list, there are only a little over one hundred and twenty Earth Rank Grandmasters. They are also seen as the limit ordinary people can reach, hence called Earth Rank.
As for the Grandmasters, numbering only twelve, they are existences beyond mortal imagination. They can use Lingbo Weibu, kill from a hundred steps away in thin air, fight one against ten thousand, and take the head of a general from amid ten thousand soldiers!
In the eyes of ordinary martial artists, they are the heavens high above! Thus they are honored as Heavenly Rank! With a Grandmaster holding it up, the sky won’t fall! This is the common knowledge formed over many years…
Every Heavenly Rank Grandmaster is a one-in-ten-thousand genius, with world-shocking talent, supremely fortunate opportunities, and incomparably perverse diligence and self-discipline. Without these three points gathered in one person, it is absolutely impossible to become a Grandmaster. And the prerequisite for these three points is the first one. First, you must have that talent to even talk about the latter two!
The truth is, becoming a Grandmaster cannot be achieved through diligent study and hard practice alone. For so many years, the Lu Clan from top to bottom has been deeply troubled, unable to find a good seedling with aptitude like Lu Xian. Otherwise, with the Lu Clan’s cultivation methods and resources, and countless disciples, it wouldn’t be that they only have one Grandmaster now.
So, it’s no wonder the Lu Clan high-level members lost their composure; Heavenly Rank Grandmasters are simply too rare, and even seedlings who can become Grandmasters are extremely scarce!
“Are you serious?!” Lu Shang grabbed Lu Xian’s arm, his excited old face flushing red.
“Does the Clan Leader doubt my vision?” Lu Xian withdrew his arm and said indifferently: “Then why let me teach any disciple?”
“No doubt, of course no doubt, it’s just…” Lu Shang was somewhat excitedly incoherent for a good while before saying with a bitter smile: “You know how long I’ve been hoping for this day!”
Lu Xian nodded and smiled at Lu Shang: “Sect Master, let’s make a deal here. When this disciple of mine becomes a Grandmaster, you let him take the Vice Sect Master position, so I can fulfill my long-cherished wish and go into secluded cultivation in some beautiful mountain with clear waters.”
“This…” Lu Shang couldn’t help but bitter smile: “If he really is as you say and becomes a Grandmaster at a young age, forget Vice Sect Master, even Clan Leader would be fine!”
“Clan Leader is no good, too many worries that delay cultivation.” Lu Xian didn’t want Lu Yun to be Clan Leader yet, but the second half of his words could scare people to death. “I can sign a Military Order with the Clan Leader guaranteeing he will become the youngest Grandmaster and Heavenly Rank Grandmaster in history!”
If these words came from someone else’s mouth, the Lu Clan high-level members present would definitely think he was bragging. But since they came from Lu Xian’s mouth… well, it still sounded like bragging!
Because Lu Xian had exaggerated too much about Lu Yun; overdoing it! A seedling who can become a Grandmaster is already enough to drop jaws, but Lu Xian went on to say Lu Yun could become the youngest Grandmaster and Heavenly Rank Grandmaster in history. Could Lu Yun be even more amazing than Zhang Xuanyi?! How is that possible?
According to the Investigative Bureau’s records, the youngest Grandmaster in history is Zhang Xuanyi, who advanced at twenty-one. The youngest Heavenly Rank Grandmaster in history is also Zhang Xuanyi, who advanced at twenty-seven…
Who is Zhang Xuanyi? A once-in-two-hundred-years martial arts genius, the number one Martial Arts Path Grandmaster under heaven! How could Lu Yun compare to him? How is that possible? Even if the words came from Lu Xian’s mouth, the people present didn’t believe it…
Several Elders couldn’t help but look at each other, the meaning in their eyes very clear: had Lu Xian gone astray in his cultivation practice and completely ruined his brain? How could he spout such nonsense with eyes wide open!
Although Lu Xiu and the others didn’t think Lu Xian’s brain was damaged, they no longer mentioned letting Lu Bai and the other two also take him as master… Lu Xian had made it very clear: only those with enough aptitude to become Heavenly Rank Grandmasters would he accept as disciples. The implication was that their sons and grandsons didn’t meet that standard yet, so how could they have the face to ask again?
“However,” Lu Xian glanced at Lu Bai and the other two with faces full of disappointment and said indifferently: “I’ve already promised Lu Yun that I’ll allow him to pass on the essentials of what he’s learned to you. What he comprehends is actually more suitable for you. If you diligently study and practice hard in the future, who knows, maybe you can slap my face.”
“Great!” Lu Bai and the other two were overjoyed upon hearing this and looked at Lu Yun with faces full of gratitude, tears seemingly shining in their eyes.
Lu Yun smiled at them, but felt somewhat guilty inside. Actually, using passing on teachings to the three as a condition for taking him as master was largely selfish. Not only did it make him seem righteous and increase Lu Xian’s favor toward him, but more importantly, it would make these three utterly devoted to him… The three themselves were a force in the Lu Clan that couldn’t be ignored, not to mention their fathers and ancestors were key figures of great importance in the Lu Clan. Lu Yun wanted to help Lu Xin ascend to the Clan Leader position; these people were ones he had to strive for.
Lu Yun felt a bit sad inside. Just now he had despised Lu Shang for mixing personal matters into official business so blatantly, but wasn’t he doing the same?
But why did he feel so guilty? Lu Yun was somewhat confused… Because they treated him as a friend, and he treated them as friends too?
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While Lu Yun was lost in thought, the ceremony also reached its end. As per convention, naturally the Clan Leader would be invited to say a few closing words.
Lu Shang looked deeply at Lu Yun; this was the first time he had carefully examined this youth. He saw that he had an extraordinarily handsome and beautiful appearance, without a trace of worldly dust on his whole body. Perhaps influenced by Lu Xian’s words, Lu Shang felt that Lu Yun really didn’t seem like a mortal being, but more like an immortal child who had sneaked out of the Jade Pool.
“No matter what happens in the future, this child is an object that our Lu Clan must focus on protecting.” Composing himself, Lu Shang looked at the group of Stewards and Elders and said in a deep voice: “I don’t want a single word of the conversation in this Bamboo Forest to leak outside! Everyone got that?”
“We will strictly follow the Clan Leader’s orders.” The group of Stewards and Elders hurriedly responded. Most of them could understand Lu Shang’s concerns. If Lu Yun was really as Lu Xian said, he naturally needed strict protection to prevent other Noble Clans from prematurely killing off this rare seedling. At the same time, they had to prevent praise and flattery from inside and outside the Lu Clan from spoiling this sixteen- or seventeen-year-old youth. After all, to become a Grandmaster, talent alone was far from enough; he needed a suitable growth environment and his own unremitting hard work.
Moreover, if they boasted publicly that Lu Yun was a future Grandmaster, and even one surpassing Zhang Xuanyi, if he failed to advance in the future, wouldn’t the Lu Clan become a laughingstock?
So, keeping it confidential was still very necessary.
