The room was not very large, resembling a conference room.
Inside stood five elderly men clad in white robes.
Each bore a kind, benevolent countenance, their eyes filled with warm smiles. Judging from the auras emanating from their bodies, every single one of them had reached the Shackle Realm. Yet upon closer inspection, one would find they had only broken one or two genetic shackles.
The moment the five saw Lu Yuan enter, they stood up to welcome him without the slightest hesitation.
They all knew that the young man before them was far stronger than they were. Even though he did not display even a fraction of his might right now, they already knew everything about his accomplishments.
The leader among them was the oldest, with snow-white hair and beard, yet his complexion was ruddy and youthful.
He walked over to Lu Yuan, extended his right hand, and offered a warm smile. "Greetings, King Lu. I am Ji Huaiyuan of Wanglong Pavilion."
The old man spoke, stating his name.
As for the name "Wanglong Pavilion," ordinary people would likely be baffled upon hearing it. But Lu Yuan knew very well that Wanglong Pavilion was an awakened organization established by the highest authorities.
In the future, it would step into the government's role, taking total charge of all related domestic affairs. Whether it was the Defense Army or Zhendan Academy, everything would fall under its jurisdiction. In other words, it held supreme authority.
Moreover, Wanglong Pavilion did not have many members—seven at most. Five of them were standing right before him.
This showed just how much importance the leadership placed on him. After all, these individuals would not show themselves even when dealing with foreign nations unless an affair of truly momentous consequence was at stake. Every one of them wielded immense influence.
Furthermore, all of these men were Shackle Realm experts, representing the current leadership's strongest foundation.
"You are too polite, elder. You may simply call me by name," Lu Yuan replied, devoid of any arrogance.
In his previous life, it was precisely these few elders of Wanglong Pavilion who had made crucial decisions at pivotal moments, preserving the lives of most citizens across the country. It was thanks to them that Huaxia had survived the chaotic early days of the New Era. Thus, these five elders were deeply worthy of respect, and he naturally would not put on airs before them.
"King Lu, you stepped forward and repelled two beast tides in succession, saving countless citizens. We would feel ashamed to stand in comparison to such feats, so addressing you with honor is only right."
Ji Huaiyuan smiled as he spoke. Although the other elders did not say anything, they nodded in full agreement.
One had to realize that today's supercities were nothing like those of the old era; each one housed over a hundred million people. Once overwhelmed by a beast tide, the consequences would be unimaginable. Even with thorough preparation, the casualties would have been catastrophic. Yet Lu Yuan had held back all the mutated beasts outside the city entirely on his own, virtually eliminating all casualties and losses. If that was not a monumental achievement, what was?
Lu Yuan did not dwell on the matter, while Ji Huaiyuan gestured for everyone to sit down and talk.
"King Lu, I won't waste words on pleasantries. I hope to invite you to join Wanglong Pavilion." The moment they sat down, Ji Huaiyuan spoke with a solemn tone and an exceptionally earnest expression.
*Join Wanglong Pavilion?*
Hearing this, even Lu Yuan was momentarily taken aback.
This was the highest authority among the nation's Awakened. Leaving all else aside, the sheer volume of benefits was virtually limitless. In the future, the vast majority of resources would be at one's disposal and enjoyment. More importantly, it wielded supreme authority, placing one's status directly above figures like Dean Zheng. For an ordinary person, this would be reaching the heavens in a single leap.
Yet after a brief pause, Lu Yuan shook his head slightly. "Elder Ji, I truly have no such intention."
Power sometimes came with heavy obligations. He was used to being on his own and had no desire to be bound by anything. To him, that was equivalent to losing a degree of freedom, something he was naturally unwilling to accept. As for power and status, Lu Yuan cared little for them.
"This..." Ji Huaiyuan's eyes dimmed slightly, but he quickly continued, "I understand your concerns, King Lu. How about this: you don't need to formally join Wanglong Pavilion. We can grant you the status of a guest elder, which would also make things more convenient for you in the future."
He knew very well that the more powerful an individual was, the less they liked being constrained. Approaching the matter from this angle by offering a guest elder position was ultimately in the hope that Lu Yuan would lend a hand at crucial moments.
Lu Yuan understood this and nodded in agreement. In truth, if an occasion truly demanded his intervention, he would not hesitate anyway, so accepting the title of guest elder was a tacit agreement.
"In that case, we thank you, King Lu." A look of joy surfaced on Ji Huaiyuan's face.
Prior to this meeting, his impression of Lu Yuan was of a domineering man who recognized no taboos. Otherwise, he would not have struck against key figures of Wuzhou Group and Longevity Genetics so decisively. Because of this, the elders had worried that their conversation might prove difficult. Now it seemed they had overthought it.
"Surely you didn't invite me here just for this one matter?" Lu Yuan smiled. He knew that since he was already meeting with the highest leadership, there was no way it was for a single issue. The occasion was far too formal. His smile seemed to see through everything.
The five elders exchanged glances, looking somewhat sheepish.
Indeed, inviting Lu Yuan here and proposing that he join Wanglong Pavilion was merely laying the groundwork for what was to come. Having been turned down, it felt awkward to bring it up, but since Lu Yuan had broached the topic himself, there was no harm in speaking plainly.
Finally, Ji Huaiyuan cleared his throat and continued, "Following the great upheaval, famous mountains and rivers across the country have undergone drastic transformations. Most of them now harbor countless spiritual fruits and strange herbs, alongside dangerous demonic beasts. Yet among the most extraordinary are places like Mount Tai and Mount Kunlun.
"Not long ago, we old men devised a plan to take complete control of Mount Tai."
Beside him, Lu Yuan nodded as he listened. Mount Tai was the sovereign of the Five Great Mountains, the sacred site of imperial Feng Shan sacrifices. For millennia, countless scholars, poets, princes, and generals had left their footprints there. It was an undeniable cornerstone of Huaxia civilization, and after the world's mutation, it had naturally become even more extraordinary.
Yet he did not interrupt, quietly listening for what came next.
Ji Huaiyuan did not hide anything and continued, "Three months ago, we detected powerful energy fluctuations at Mount Tai and preliminarily determined that vast fortunes lay within. However, when we sent personnel to investigate, we found it completely different from Ancient Mount Shu.
"Mount Tai is shrouded in mystery and populated by numerous powerful mutated beasts. Among them resides an exceptionally terrifying mutated beast king. We have preliminarily determined that it is in the Golden Body Realm, making it a presence we cannot overcome."
At this point, the other elders lowered their heads.
They had indeed attained the Shackle Realm, but before such an entity, they were hopelessly outmatched. Ascending the mountain would be nothing short of suicide.
Ji Huaiyuan's meaning was straightforward. The fortunes on Mount Tai might very well be the hope for Huaxia's future, allowing them to nurture a large number of Awakened to stabilize the nation's situation—much like the role of Ancient Mount Shu. But with the authorities' current strength, they were simply powerless to manage it, at least in the short term.
"So you hope I will step in when the time comes?" Lu Yuan smiled. With things laid out so clearly, how could he fail to understand?
It was entirely reasonable; after all, the strength he had displayed was simply too overwhelming.
"Indeed, ten days from now," Ji Huaiyuan said, continuing, "Rest assured, King Lu, we will coordinate with heavy conventional weapons. Furthermore, if you encounter true danger, you may withdraw at any time—there is no need to force yourself. Naturally, we will also offer a reward to show our gratitude."
Lu Yuan had no obligation to take on such a task, so benefits had to be provided as compensation. As members of Wanglong Pavilion who controlled vast resources, they would certainly not be stingy.
Moreover, the elders held complete faith in Lu Yuan's strength. The South Sea Giant Demon was formidable, wasn't it? It had already reached the Golden Body Realm, yet what was the outcome? It had still been crushed by the man before them. What did it matter how strong the beast on Mount Tai was?
Even so, they made sure to emphasize that if danger arose, he could pull back.
"I will go to Mount Tai," Lu Yuan said with a smile. "There is no need for compensation. If we succeed, I only ask to take one item from Mount Tai."
Just as the authorities speculated, Mount Tai held countless fortunes in the form of spiritual fruits and strange herbs, which could undoubtedly produce a large batch of Awakened in a short time. If taking action could shift the domestic situation and better combat the mutated beasts, he had no reason to refuse. Furthermore, he knew that Mount Tai housed an incomparably powerful divine relic. Since they had brought it up, he might as well make the trip.
"Good, good, excellent!" Ji Huaiyuan looked delighted.
With Lu Yuan's agreement, their chances of success were vastly improved. The other four elders beamed with smiles as well, as this was their primary goal in requesting today's meeting.
The group continued conversing for some time.
During their discussion, Lu Yuan learned a great deal about the broader domestic situation. All in all, the conversation went pleasantly, though Ji Huaiyuan still felt a tinge of regret over Lu Yuan's refusal to join Wanglong Pavilion.
"By the way, King Lu, I know there is friction between you and Wuzhou Group, so I must advise you to be wary of the Zhou family," Ji Huaiyuan said, his eyes turning serious. "Their foundations run remarkably deep. Recently, they have launched several satellites into deep space in succession, seemingly plotting something.
"There is also that Winged Celestial. While his strength falls short of yours, his bloodline is exceptionally potent, and he does not hail from this world."
Lu Yuan simply nodded in response.
When it came to the Zhou family, he likely knew far more than the authorities did. Having lived through ten years of the future, he was privy to all sorts of secrets. Even so, Ji Huaiyuan's warning confirmed that the Zhou family was truly unfathomable if even Wanglong Pavilion felt the need to remain wary of them. It mirrored how Lu Yuan knew they were an ancient Huaxia clan, yet their true origins remained elusive.
The Zhou family was far more mysterious than one might imagine. But what of it? He still offered his thanks for their goodwill.
"In addition, there is the matter concerning the Vatican Church," another elder chimed in, evidently in charge of foreign affairs. "You slew their Twelve Apostles, and that Holy Angel will certainly not let the matter rest. While he is no match for you, the Western nations require vigilance."
Lu Yuan was, after all, a citizen of Huaxia, and none of them wished to see him come to harm, especially under the crosshairs of the Holy Angel. Recently, they had gathered intelligence indicating that the Vatican Church intended to move against Lu Yuan. Although the authorities had already taken countermeasures, they still wanted to provide a fair warning.
"Is that so?" Lu Yuan chuckled upon hearing this.
The Twelve Apostles had initiated the provocation, and after slaughtering them, he had assumed the matter was settled. Little did he expect that the so-called Holy Angel still refused to give up, apparently biding his time and gathering strength in secret. In that case, it seemed he might have to pay a personal visit to the Vatican in the future.
Looking back toward Ji Huaiyuan and the others, he remarked, "The world has mutated, and a grand era has arrived. From the looks of it, this world has no need for so many factions."
The elders exchanged puzzled looks, unable to fathom his meaning.
Lu Yuan, however, had no intention of explaining. He rose to his feet and smiled again. "Notify me when it's time to set out for Mount Tai. I will remain in Shencheng for now."
He still had a great deal of accumulated foundation left to digest, and this period provided the perfect opportunity. Once the journey to Mount Tai concluded, he would proceed with his next plan.
"Understood," Ji Huaiyuan and the others replied, regaining their composure.
Lu Yuan then stepped out of the room.
Outside, Dean Zheng and the others were still waiting. When they saw him emerge, they nodded in greeting. Though they did not know what had been discussed inside, everyone understood that the authorities' attitude toward Lu Yuan was extraordinary—his standing might very well surpass their own.
Returning their gestures with a smile, Lu Yuan headed back to the quarters Commander-in-Chief Zhang had arranged for him.
This time, however, he did not immediately enter secluded cultivation. Instead, he retrieved several objects from the Ziwu Heaven-Mending Furnace.
They were the sacred relics left behind after he had slain the Eleven Apostles in Shanghai. These items could facilitate the evolution of the Daluo sword core, so he certainly had no reason to let them go to waste. Moreover, there was a fair quantity of them, which would bring tremendous benefits to the sword core.
After tossing the sword core and the sacred relics together and leaving it to automatically consume the divine materials within, Lu Yuan fell into contemplation.
*Mount Tai, the sovereign of the Five Great Mountains, the place of imperial sacrifices... In my previous life, I never had the chance to go there. In this life, that item should be within my grasp.*
He had told Ji Huaiyuan and the others that he would assist on the condition that he could take one item from Mount Tai. That was one of the core reasons he had agreed. Before long, Mount Tai would undergo another mutation; attempting to claim it then would prove far more troublesome, making now the ideal time.
Exhaling a breath of turbid air, Lu Yuan cast aside all stray thoughts and glanced at the Daluo sword core beside him. The core would devour the divine materials and evolve on its own without needing his supervision.
Next, all he had to do was await the expedition to Mount Tai ten days from now. In the meantime, he could continue digesting his reserves to break through more genetic shackles.
Before long, Lu Yuan entered seclusion once more. Given his current status and strength, no one would dare disturb him.
As Lu Yuan cultivated in seclusion, time ticked away.
In the outside world, the fervor and news surrounding him finally began to subside, overshadowed by several other major events.
First, the official leadership announced plans to take full control of Mount Tai. In ten days, they would deploy various means to drive out or eliminate the mutated beasts within, with King Lu officially invited to participate.
Furthermore, someone on Mount Kunlun sighted the emergence of a white dragon.
The white dragon stretched a thousand meters long and possessed a pair of wings, soaring through the heavens—suspected to be none other than the legendary Yinglong!
Chapter 87