Chapter 1235 - Approval and Authorization
A black Mercedes-Benz SUV sped fast on the wide highway. While driving, Tang Xiu glanced smilingly at Ah Lang, who sat on the front seat, from time to time. He had been driving for 10 hours non-stop after leaving Qinchuan prison. During these 10 hours, he gave Ah Lang six books, all of which were related to cultivation but were not cultivation techniques.
The boy himself completed those six books within 10 hours and could recite them all perfectly, though he was still a bit overwhelmed even with his improved memorizing ability and clear mind.
Huff...
When Ah Lang closed the book in his hand, he secretly exhaled and turned to look at Tang Xiu. “Master, I’ve finished reading this one and memorized the contents. But there are many things I don’t understand from the previous five books.”
“Just ask!” Tang Xiu replied smilingly.
Ah Lang closed his eyes and recalled the summary he summed up in his head. He then began to continuously ask the parts he didn’t understand in the books. Both of them were then engaged in Q&A and quickly, an hour passed.
“I understand now, Master.” A beaming smile appeared on Ah Lang’s thin face. He felt very content even though he looked a bit weary.
“Go have some sleep. We still have a long way to go,” Tang Xiu said, “Continue to study after you have a good rest.”
“Alright.”
Ah Lang was indeed very tired already. He closed his eyes after speaking and quickly fell asleep.
A few hours later, Tang Xiu left the highway to a city and used the GPS map to find a bookstore. After parking his car outside the store, he went in and bought some books, most of which were about art, war, and Taoism.
After hitting the road again and driving for about 500km, he stopped at the rest and service area. Ah Long, who had been asleep for nearly 10 hours, woke up from his deep sleep.
“Where are we now, Master?”
“In front of us is Anxi City, the capital of Shaanxi Province. We’re just halfway from our 4,000km trip,” Tang Xiu replied with a smile.
“You have yet to rest all the way here?” Ah Lang was surprised and amazed.
“I’ll still be fine without sleeping, eating or drinking for 10 or 15 days.” Tang Xiu smiled.
Ah Lang was awed and then said, “You make me really want to see how powerful you are, Master.”
“Do you really want to see how powerful I am?” asked Tang Xiu with a smile.
“That’s of course.” Ah Lang nodded and then said, “I already know what it means treading on the cultivation path, cultivation level and the might a cultivator may have at each realm. But all that is just written information in the book. I haven’t witnessed it with my own eyes. That’s why I’m kind of unsure about it.”
Tang Xiu let out a light smile and restarted the car. After driving fast to the highway for several minutes and seeing no vehicles behind and in front, Tang Xiu then smilingly said, “Let’s do it here.”
The moment after, Tang Xiu conjured a secret technique while staying in the car, but the car blasted forward like a sharp arrow at extreme speed. Ah Lang, who sat on the front seat, could only see the scenery on both sides rushing past and couldn’t see anything on both sides.
With a horrified look, Ah Lang glanced at the console on the dashboard and suddenly asked, “What’s going on here, Master? How is the speed shown on the dashboard’s speedometer point zero? Is it broken because the car is too fast?”
Tang Xiu was at a loss whether he had to cry or laugh and snappily said, “That would be a hell of a thing if the speedometer got wrecked due to speeding over the limit! I just used a spell to make the car float a few centimeters off from the ground and blast forward.”
Ah Lang spaced out for a while before expressing a worshipping expression and said, “You’re amazing, Master!”
Tang Xiu smilingly replied, “You haven’t really seen the real thing yet.”
Having said that, Tang Xiu’s aura burst out and nearly in an instant, the car and both of them flashed forward and appeared more than 10km away. The car then landed on the road again and the speed sharply reduced and eventually maintained a speed of 120km/h.
Ah Lang shook his head to shake off his dizziness. His lips shivered for a while when he saw the scenery outside and asked, “C-can I become as powerful as you in the future if I cultivate diligently?”
“You’ll definitely be 1,000 or even 10,000 times more powerful than the current me in the future. At that time, let alone controlling the car to fly, you can even manipulate a plane or carrier. You can even traverse in the universe. Alright, there are some books in the back seat for you to study.”
Tang Xiu kept driving moderately on the road even though his cell phone rang a few times. The calls were all from Duanmu Lin, but he didn’t pick it up at all.
He never wanted to be hostile to the country, but he didn’t want to be stared at either. What he did now was just a silent complaint to Duanmu Lin. He would just put aside the plan he had previously prepared and would no longer see Duanmu Lin anymore if this man hadn’t removed the intel operatives around the Longquan Mountain.
Finally, right as Tang Xiu arrived in Shanghai, he received a call from Chen Shaohua that all the intel operatives had been dismissed.
The Everlasting Feast Hall.
When Tang Xiu arrived by car here, he noticed that there were many suspicious people in the vicinity of the Everlasting Feast Hall even though it was still open for business. Many of these people exuded fierce and aggressive auras which meant that they were powerful experts and each of them had at least strength at the Martial Arts Grandmaster level.
“You finally showed up, Kid!”
Duanmu Lin appeared outside the restaurant’s entrance and called out with a forced smile when Tang Xiu got out of the car.
Tang Xiu faintly smiled in response and spoke to Ah Lang on the front seat, “Go and find a spot for us to have a meal. We’re going to have some discussion soon.”
“Understood!” Ah Lang curtly replied and headed to the front door half-running.
Tang Xiu then shifted to Duanmu Lin and indifferently said, “Why did you come here to find me if you don’t trust me, Senior Duanmu? I think there’s no need for the plan we’ve talked about to be implemented anymore.”
Duanmu Lin wore a helpless expression and said, “Isn’t it over already? I’ve withdrawn all the intelligence personnel from Longquan Mountain and even helped you to release a man from Qinchuan Prison, haven’t I? Is that not enough compensation for you? Besides, my men have also detained and jailed those brigands for you. It won’t be easy for them to come out for the rest of their lives.”
Tang Xiu’s expression eased a little, but he still rolled his eyes at him. “Alright, let’s cut the nonsense. Have they come here?”
“They have come and are now waiting for you.” Duanmu Lin nodded.
“Let’s go, then.”
Tang Xiu and Duanmu Lin went into the Everlasting Feast Hall. Four hours later, he had filled his belly while Ah Lang spent hours reading books.
After the negotiation, Tang Xiu gave up control of the base due to the reminder from the Seniors of the state. He realized that getting fully occupied and be rather overwhelmed by the hard work to control the overall situation wouldn’t make sense to him since he would leave sooner or later. This meant that those high-tech products, starships, and space force would bound to become the machine of the country.
The place designated for the base was Taklamakan Desert, while Duanmu Lin would be the person in charge of the site.
Duanmu Lin wore a smiling face as Tang Xiu send him off to the entrance. Then, he smilingly said, “We’re going to three-star vestige 6 months later to get that starship out and move all the machines and techs there to Taklamakan Desert.”
“Just make sure to build the underground base in the desert first before that!” Tang Xiu lightly said, “You’ll be held responsible as the chief person-in-charge if you don’t deliver what you’ve promised.”
“No worries!” Duanmu Lin smiled and said, “I’ll make sure to get it done.”
Tang Xiu didn’t bother replying to him anymore and left with Ah Lang. Then, he slowly said, “I’m sure you’ve heard clearly about everything I’ve discussed with them. Who do you think benefits from this in the end?”
“It’s a mutual benefit,” Ah Lang replied.
“That’s right.” Tang Xiu nodded with satisfaction. “This is indeed mutually beneficial. China will keep providing me with cultivation resources and will open the door and give some privileges to me in various fields. That will be very beneficial for us as a whole, while those advanced technologies are not that important to us. Keep in mind that that genuine foundation for people like us is our own strength. You can even blow up an interstellar battleship or the whole galaxy with just a single punch or a kick. You have to keep in mind that no matter how powerful technology is, it’s not as important as your own power.”
“I understand what you mean, Master,” Ah Lang replied. “I’ll become very strong in the future.”
“Alright.” Tang Xiu slightly smiled and said, “Someone will take you to Nine Dragons Island and you’ll be trained when you get there. You’ll be sent to another place after you’ve passed the first stage training. Also, I’m giving you a trial, Ah Lang. You must break through to the Spirit Formation Stage within 10 years.”
10 years?
A firm look filled Ah Lang’s eyes and he resolutely nodded. “I’ll do my best, Master.”
****
Bluestar Villa Complex.
After Tang Xiu brought Ah Lang to his home, he took a shower and then changed his clothes. As he was about to call Mu Wanying to tell her that he was back, his cell phone suddenly rang.
“Sect Master, something happened to Chen Zhizhong.” Gu Xiaoxue’s voice came from the mobile phone.
“What happened to him?” asked Tang Xiu with a frown.
“I have no idea about the details. Chen Zhizhong left Nine Dragons Island this morning and the speedboat he used was found on the 9th deserted island by our men,” Gu Xiaoxue said. “We also found some traces of fighting there and more than a dozen foreigner bodies. However, we haven’t found any traces of Chen Zhizhong. I suspect he’s been captured.”
A chilling light flashed in Tang Xiu’s eyes. He was always one who protected everyone under him, and Chen Zhizhong was his disciple. Some people had captured him and they had literally crossed his bottom line.
Furthermore, Chen Zhizhong himself should be perfectly aware that nobody could take him away as long as he stayed on the 9th deserted island. But still, why did he leave Nine Dragons Island and gave the opportunity to the enemy?