The doors closed, and the office fell silent.
Lu Fengnian and Long Yuan sized each other up without saying a word.
The younger the man before him looked, the more alarmed Lu Fengnian became.
It wasn't because the other man was only a little less handsome than the dear reader. It was because he couldn't see through him, no matter how hard he tried.
He was an eightieth-level Soul Douluo, after all!
Though he was surprised inside, as an old fox, he showed not the slightest sign of it.
Ha!
Long Yuan suddenly laughed.
What a joke. You dare put on airs in front of me? You really think you're a big deal?
Then the power of his divine sense burst forth, pressing down on the other man like a mountain.
"Ugh—"
Lu Fengnian felt a tightness in his chest. A mouthful of blood surged up, but he forced it back down to his throat.
Long Yuan pulled out a chair and sat down without a hint of restraint. He leaned back, regarding the branch tower master before him with unhurried composure.
Suddenly, the mountain pressing down on Lu Fengnian vanished, and his whole body felt light again.
"Huff—huff—"
He gasped for breath, his eyes fixed on the young man before him with suspicion and uncertainty. Relief at having survived a calamity spread through his heart.
"Was that your daughter just now?"
"Yes, that was my daughter." Lu Fengnian wiped away his sweat.
Long Yuan nodded. "She's reached level thirty at just thirteen. I imagine she's an exceptional talent at Eastsea Academy. But... I didn't know the Spirit Pagoda hired child labor."
Lu Fengnian hurriedly replied, "Ke Ning only comes to lend a hand during her vacation. As for being a genius, she doesn't deserve that praise. There are plenty of students at Eastsea Academy with better talent than hers."
Long Yuan smiled and didn't pursue the subject.
Negotiation was an art of language. The trick was to draw the other party into your rhythm, so you could secure greater benefits for yourself.
That was why he'd used his divine sense to threaten the other man as soon as they met. Bringing up his daughter, Lu Kening, as a way into the conversation had served the same purpose.
"I believe I said that I want to be listed as a member of your Spirit Pagoda."
"Listed?" Lu Fengnian wasn't sure what this little ancestor was after.
He thought it over, then ventured, "Technically, anyone who wants to become an honored guest of the Spirit Pagoda must be reported to headquarters. And they have to be at least a Soul Douluo or an eighth-level Mecha pilot..."
Mm, that was reasonable enough. But Long Yuan was a dragon.
And as everyone knew, dragons didn't care about reason.
So—
"Smack—"
Long Yuan slammed a palm down on the desk in front of him. The blow was so powerful that it caved in the sturdy alloy tabletop.
Six golden Soul Rings rose behind him in a line. Dragon Might ran rampant, and bursts of sound rang through the air.
Though he hadn't released his Martial Soul, Lu Fengnian was already trembling.
A dragon!
Lu Fengnian could feel his Martial Soul shaking. His Martial Soul was a Wind-Chasing Dragon, a type of lesser dragon. It could even be called a top-grade Martial Soul, yet in the face of this terrifying Dragon Might, he couldn't summon the slightest will to resist!
"Wait, wait! I just remembered, the Spirit Pagoda has a special cultivation program!"
"Oh? Tell me about it."
The Dragon Might faded. Long Yuan withdrew his Soul Rings and sat back down, calm and unruffled as if nothing had happened.
Lu Fengnian gave a bitter smile. "The Spirit Pagoda has an internal talent cultivation program. Its goal is to nurture geniuses who can at least break through to the Titled Douluo level. Our Lu Family happens to have a recommendation quota, so we can recommend you for the program. Everyone on the list receives Level Nine benefits."
Perhaps worried Long Yuan wouldn't understand what that meant, Lu Fengnian explained, "The Spirit Pagoda has nine levels of benefits, just like the secondary profession rankings. Above those are the elders, the four Spirit Envoys, the two Vice Tower Masters, and the Tower Master."
Long Yuan narrowed his eyes. The other man's proposal was quite good. After all, it was hardly realistic for a newcomer like him to take an elder's position. Generally speaking, that rank was reserved for branch tower masters in major cities. In places like these, Level Nine benefits were enough to make someone a Vice Tower Master.
"Good. Then it's settled." Long Yuan nodded with satisfaction.
His reasoning was simple: once he had the backing of a major power, a lot of things would be easier.
After weighing his options, he'd chosen the Spirit Pagoda.
The Federal Military and the War God Temple were basically private preserves for the great clans. If commoners wanted to get in, they had to work their way up one step at a time.
Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect were his enemies, and they were extremely exclusionary. They were even harder to get into.
The Spirit Pagoda, on the other hand, was less a faction than a gathering of the many clans led by the Qiangu Family. The Spirit Pagoda served as a platform for them to interact.
Qiangu Dongfeng, as Tower Master, wouldn't interfere with decisions made within the individual clans—and he couldn't, either.
"In exchange, take this." Long Yuan stood up and took a small container from his pocket.
He'd swiped it from the hotel. Inside was a drop of blood that gave off a golden light.
It was blood he'd casually created by simulating the essence of the Golden Dragon King.
"This is a treasured secret of our family. It can strengthen the power of dragon-type Martial Souls and promote beneficial mutations. I saw that both you and your daughter have lesser dragon Martial Souls, so it should suit you."
With that, he tossed the container to Lu Fengnian and left without looking back.
"Old Plant, is that person gone?"
After a while, Lu Kening slipped inside.
Lu Fengnian no longer had the energy to dwell on his daughter's teasing nickname. He stared at the blood in the container. The dragon's tail inside was unmistakably the same as the one he'd sensed on Long Yuan.
"A Hidden Clan with dragon-type Martial Souls... Could they be the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? But they're clearly surnamed Yu."
"Dad? What are you thinking about? Are you thinking about that gentleman from earlier?"
When her father didn't answer, Lu Kening suddenly raised her voice.
Only then did Lu Fengnian notice his daughter, who had somehow come in without him realizing. He set the container aside and said softly, "Yes. I'm wondering which Hidden Clan he belongs to."
"Do you have any idea, then, Dad?"
"How would I know?" Lu Fengnian replied with a bitter smile. "There are so many Hidden Clans in the world. How could I know them all? Still, his Martial Soul is a dragon. Maybe he's from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"
Lu Kening didn't say whether she agreed. She turned her gaze to the container. "What's this?"
"This? It's something good. It's also what I got in exchange from him."
"Something good?" Lu Kening was puzzled. It looked like nothing more than a drop of blood.
"Heh, don't underestimate it. Once you absorb it, you'll understand."
Lu Fengnian smiled. His potential had already reached its limit, so he decided to leave this treasure that strengthened Martial Souls to his daughter.
"By the way, when did you break through to level thirty?" Lu Fengnian suddenly remembered what Long Yuan had said.
"Huh? How did you know, Dad?" Lu Kening asked in surprise. "I was planning to surprise you!"