Chapter 312: Restructuring the Heavenly Palace
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Zhang Fashan took a look at Lu Xuan and then at Zhang Ao. He was unable to help but shake his head, feeling very disappointed.
He initially was very satisfied with that descendant of his, as someone capable of reaching such a level with cultivation despite the status of the planet at the moment, could be considered the cream of the crop.
He believed that Zhang Ao was every bit on par with even the geniuses from sects and clans that had isolated themselves from the world.
Given time, Zhang Ao would be able to butt heads with those people in the future.
He had been satisfied with Zhang Ao before, and there was no need to complain about the young man either.
However, one learned of what was superior and inferior through comparisons.
Compared to Lu Xuan, who looked younger than Zhang Ao, the latter appeared very lackluster and not cut out for big things.
The Zhang clan of the Celestial Master Taoist Sect from Longhu Mountain was never a clan that would fear making themselves enemies with the world.
Things had never been peaceful among cultivators. It was common to find cultivators going at each other’s throats and tearing each other apart over minor, petty matters and interests several centuries ago.
Zhang Fashan deemed that no man who feared taking on the world would be qualified to become a Celestial Master.
Anyone who fell short of taking up such responsibilities would be deemed to have no chance of opening up a future from the Celestial Master Taoist Sect in the great era that was to come.
Zhang Fashan had originally thought that what he deemed to be a spineless attitude was only present because Zhang Ao was still young. Yet he was all flustered and vexed, seeing how someone at Lu Xuan’s age behaved.
Zhang Ao’s face became ashen after hearing what Zhang Fashan just said.
Lu Xuan grinned and thought nothing of it. Every single sect and clan out there faced problems fostering their successors, and he deemed what he just saw to be no different.
The same case would apply even to the Zhang clan of the Celestial Master Taoist Sect.
Lu Xuan had seen too much of such situations back in his past life.
“Mr. Lu, I shall leave this failure of a grandson of mine in your care. Feel free to send him out on any dangerous missions there are to be found. We of Longhu Mountain will never blame you for anything, even if he is killed in action,” Zhang Fashan stressed adamantly.
Zhang Ao’s jaw remained agape, but given that it was something that Zhang Fashan decided on, there was simply nothing he could say to protest.
“Sure thing.” Lu Xuan nodded.
The Heavenly Palace needed more hands on deck, after all. Others in his shoes might just take Zhang Ao in as a token disciple or whatever, and be reluctant to have him participate in anything substantial, due to being wary of his background as a member of the Celestial Master Taoist Sect; however, Lu Xuan was nothing like those other people.
The news of the battle spread like wildfire all over the country after Zhang Fashan left.
Everyone was still reeling from the terrifying combat prowess Lu Xuan displayed.
“He truly was invincible. Invincible, I tell you!”
Cultivators who caught wind of the news were all utterly shocked.
Many had been doubtful when the news with that undead king spread at first. No one was able to tell just how formidable both combatants back then actually were, after all.
However, the combat prowess displayed by that Crone was laid bare for all in the world to see. She was able to escape in one piece after getting on the bad side of the Huaxian government, and that feat itself was something commonly seen. Yet, she remained incapable of holding a candle to Lu Xuan all the same.
Many were able to tell just how formidable the two combatants back then truly were, judging by the footage taken from afar alone.
Lu Xuan had been too impressive. He had never been known to suffer a loss ever since he made his debut among the cultivators.
That was a remarkable fact, unlike any other.
At present, no one doubted the fact that Lu Xuan actually had what it took to turn an entire small nation upside down if he so fancied.
Conventional weapons would have a very limited effect on someone at Lu Xuan’s current level.
If there were any out there who were determined to take out someone at Lu Xuan’s level by any means necessary, and willing to pay any cost, it could nonetheless be done. But then again, the cost would truly be deemed too high.
The power of cultivators had grown to such an extent that they had gradually shaken themselves loose from their parent nations’ control.
The many Celestial Realm fighters worldwide also seemed to finally realize that such power was truly what they were after; it was a power that would truly make them invincible.
Someone at Lu Xuan’s level would compel even nations to treat him like a VIP.
Many cultivation forces out there issued strict orders to their members, to absolutely never get on Lu Xuan’s bad side.
Lu Xuan had been listed as someone off-limits to a great many.
But then again, Lu Xuan had yet to grow so powerful that he could totally ignore every single noteworthy force, especially the likes of the Big Five. However, his power had nonetheless reached such an extent that he alone would become an intimidating factor on par with any nation.
At the very least, nations could not just do anything according to their fancy, but Lu Xuan did not have such restrictions about him.
While the world was still reeling in shock over what happened, Lu Xuan himself did not actually care about any of that. To him, that was but a troublesome Airborne Realm cultivator, and he only had to snuff it out just like any other.
No one could do anything to him about it, after all.
He then began to shift his focus on growing the Heavenly Palace’s power next.
He wanted to do so in preparation for taking on any unforeseen circumstances that were to come.
The 12 military governors were the only Celestial Realm cultivators in the ranks of the Heavenly Palace at the moment. Zhang Ao, who just joined the Heavenly Palace, was at the Celestial Realm as well.
However, Lu Xuan deemed that it was far from enough.
In the eyes of many, such a lineup would have made the Heavenly Palace the top among the top. Yet, in his eyes, it was still far from enough.
If there were to be enough Celestial Realm beings joining the Heavenly Palace’s ranks, Lu Xuan could then teach them formations. Their powers were, at the moment, limited by the world around them at the moment, preventing them from growing their powers any further.
However, if he were to be able to gather a group of them together, he could teach them ways of bringing about powers rivaling that of common Airborne Realm beings.
It was something that required massive numbers of Celestial Realm beings to work.
He nonetheless knew that common cultivation forces out there had a hard time fostering even just a Celestial Realm being in their midst, as doing so had strict requirements of all kinds, which included talents as well as resources.
However, as Lu Xuan was, at the moment, backed by a nation, he had all manner of geniuses being sent to the Heavenly Palace from all corners. All of them were considered the best among the best.
The supply of resources was abundant as well. All the resources sent to the Heavenly Palace every month alone would make even the super-elite forces out there very envious.
With those two requirements fulfilled and Lu Xuan’s way of fostering capable people, it was hardly difficult for him to foster a group of Celestial Realm cultivators.
Lu Xuan, unlike how anyone expected him to behave, did not brag about his achievements all over the place after killing the Crone. He chose to keep a low profile and develop the Heavenly Palace’s powers instead.
In the process, Lu Xuan reorganized all that he knew and learned. He structured all that knowledge into different streams of cultivation, from martial arts types, spell types, and illusory types, to other fields, such as alkahestry, crafting of items, formations, barriers, and many others. He made sure to develop a comprehensive set of cultivation methods for every single field out there.
So long as the one who joined the Heavenly Palace was able to find their particular stream in accordance with their specialties and preferences, they could easily progress to the Celestial Realm level by practicing according to the syllabus laid out.
If the world were to loosen up even more in the future, all of them might even have it easier to reach the Airborne Realm.
Lu Xuan had also restructured and modified the existing systems of how the Heavenly Palace worked. He segregated the disciples between those of the inner circle and those of the outer circle, with the former being prioritized for further nurturing.
All fresh recruits were made outer circle disciples, who needed to prove themselves to the Heavenly Palace through their deeds and merits before being allowed to become a member of the inner circle. Then they would gain access to privileges enjoyed by those in the inner circle. None of it was something that those of the outer circle could imagine.
The entire Heavenly Palace had gotten even more complete as the restructuring effort continued.