Blue Card Starry Sky

Chapter 185 The City Lord's Plans

Lan Tian followed the guards to a quiet courtyard in the imperial city, away from the bustling palace, a place that was both peaceful and solemn.

This is a secluded courtyard, surrounded by high walls and heavily guarded. The servants inside are all stunningly beautiful, young and voluptuous! I wonder what kind of place this is, so luxurious and extravagant!
Upon entering the front hall, one immediately sees the young master from before, the one who caused a sensation and broke through the hundred-square beam of light once in a century.

"Hi"

"Hello there!"

"Your beam of light just now caused a sensation throughout Tianlong City; it's a rare sight indeed."

"You flatter me!"

……

Lan Tian and this young man hit it off immediately, becoming familiar with each other in no time. They chatted about everything and developed a strong liking for one another.

From their conversation, Lan Tian learned that this young master was Hao Zichen from Tianhuang City. He was the young master of the Hao family, a highly valued genius. He possessed extraordinary talent for cultivation from a young age, and to have reached such a level at such a young age was truly remarkable and unique!
While waiting to be received by the city lord, the two young men chatted animatedly! They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't even notice the city lord's arrival. Long Xiao didn't interrupt their exchange; from the reactions of their beams of light, he already knew they were extraordinary, different from others. This was a rare and auspicious sign for Tianlong City!
Long Xiao knew perfectly well that these two were promising figures for the future, and that they represented an opportunity for Tianlong City to regain its glory and for the city to produce unparalleled talents. They were talents that he had to win over by all means.

"cough!"

Long Xiao coughed lightly, causing the two men to turn to look at him. Their eyes met, and information was exchanged between them.

"Greetings, Lord City Lord!"

Hao Zichen clearly recognized Long Xiao, and he immediately bowed respectfully to Long Xiao. Lan Tian also bowed to Long Xiao as well.

When Lan Tian first met Long Xiao, the city lord of Tianlong City, he was a handsome and imposing man, two heads taller than Lan Tian and his companions. He wore a golden robe and was both dignified and kind, giving off a gentle and refined air.

Indeed, Long Xiao is already an old man! He has been the city lord of Tianlong City for a long time, and he himself doesn't even know how many years have passed!
This was the first time in all these years that Long Xiao had encountered such an unusual reaction from the light pillars of two young people.

The reaction was so great that when the report came back, he himself couldn't believe it. How many years had it been since this had happened? When the report came back again about the blue sky's pillar of light, he was overjoyed once more. A golden pillar of light! That was the manifestation of divine power, indicating that this person had divine blood. Nothing could compare to it!
They were destined for greatness! Long Xiao looked at the two young people, his heart filled with joy.

"Don't be nervous, sit down, sit down!"

"Ok!"

"You two are the most special people I've ever met, and you're the ones I have the highest hopes for!"

Long Xiao intended to win over these two young men. He had met Hao Zichen before; the Hao family was a powerful force in the desolate region, and Hao Zichen was a promising young man. He had heard of his reputation long ago, and now, after being tested by the light pillar, he was indeed a promising talent! If he could be used and nurtured by Long Xiao, he would become a great hero!
Long Xiao had never seen a young man react so strongly to the golden beam of light before. The young man seemed ordinary in both build and appearance; he couldn't understand why he would react this way. However, to be recognized by the beam of light, especially a golden one, meant he must be someone with experience and a distinguished background. With a little guidance, he could surely rise to the top and become a peak expert, someone he could use for his own purposes—wouldn't that be wonderful!

Long Xiao is meticulous and shrewd! Hao Zichen and Lan Tian wouldn't understand. They still thought this old man was a kind and trustworthy person!
"Lord City Lord, it is an honor to receive us in person." "I admire your abilities, and you deserve this honor."

"Wait a moment, you two will accompany me to meet the people of Tianlong City and let them know that you are my designated disciples. I will personally teach you the techniques and personally nurture you to stand out from the crowd."

Hao Zichen and Lan Tian were surprised to hear what Long Xiao said. The old man had caught them off guard right away, and they didn't know how to respond.

Indeed, Hao Zichen's intention in coming here wasn't to join the Long family or become Long Xiao's personal disciple. He simply came to see the excitement in Tianlong City and test his light pillar reaction. He never expected to cause such a stir throughout the city and alarm this old man! He insists on making him his disciple—what is he to do now!

Lan Tian was completely bewildered, unsure of what to do. If he became this old man's disciple and cultivated under him to improve his cultivation, he would inevitably expose his identity sooner or later, and who knew how he would die then! Lan Tian had just sensed the city lord's unfathomable power; he was no match for him. What should he do? How could he fabricate his identity in the desolate region? How could he avoid being exposed and protect everyone?
Lan Tian's mind raced, rapidly fabricating history to deal with this crisis. This was the first truly life-or-death situation he had encountered since entering the wasteland.

Long Xiao noticed that the two didn't immediately respond, which was within his expectations. Such a significant matter couldn't be left unresolved with their families and parents. Therefore, he didn't insist on their agreement right away; it was just a suggestion. If it worked out, great; if not, no rush. There would be a way!
Hao Zichen and Lan Tian exchanged a glance, understanding each other's thoughts. Neither confirmed immediately, instead postponing their decision until they could discuss it further.

At this moment, the tacit understanding between the two was as deep as that between brothers, which further deepened their friendship.

Long Xiao understood that there was no rush to force them to agree at this time, since they all had powerful families, and the Hao family wasn't so easy to deal with. As for this person who called himself Lan Yi, his background was unknown. In the past, the Lan family was very mysterious, and information about them was rarely heard! This made Long Xiao unsure of his chances, and he wouldn't do anything reckless.

"It's alright. Today, I'm just giving an explanation to the people of Tianlong City. As for whether there are such talents, my Long family will definitely provide full support! We will nurture you to make you stand out. Just give me your answer when you get back."

"Thank you, Lord City Lord!"

"Now you are my prospective disciples. As long as you are willing, the Long family of Tianlong City welcomes you to join us at any time."

"Thank you, Master."

"Very well, this is the Dragon Clan's waist token. With this, you can freely enter and leave Tianlong City and the Imperial City. Our clan's gates are always open to you."

"This is the best arrangement for me now, to avoid embarrassing them," Long Xiao said. "I wonder what these two will choose!"

Hao Zichen and Lan Tian exchanged glances, and, as if on cue, reluctantly accepted Long Xiao's waist token—a peerless blue jade token from the Dragon Clan, adorned with a lifelike sculpture of a flying dragon. Holding it in their hands, they could feel an energy fluctuation, suggesting a hidden mystery within.

With the differences temporarily resolved, Long Xiao led Hao Zichen and Lan Tian to the Imperial City Tower, where they received the city's blessings on the highest and most prestigious floor, and distributed Long family benefits.

When Long Xiao announced to the entire city that Hao Zichen and Lan Yi would become prospective disciples of the Long family and enjoy VIP treatment, the crowd erupted in cheers, chanting Hao Zichen and Lan Yi's names. This was the biggest news and the best outcome of the city lord's anniversary celebration.

The entire imperial city erupted in cheers and applause, shouting encouragement for them. Such a scene hadn't been seen for many years.

Finally, Long Xiao, along with Hao Zichen and Lan Tian, ​​attended the meeting with those who had been received by the city lord today. These were all high-level experts, martial artists whose light pillar reactions had increased by more than ten levels. Many of these individuals would become members of the Long family's forces, contributing to the strength of Tianlong City.

(End of this chapter)