Chapter 149: Master Wanjie Wang: The Shadow Monarch's Recruitment

Lu Qingshan followed Lei Huanwang and soon arrived before a luxurious palace at the halfway point of the central mountain range of Thunder Island.

This luxurious palace was not only situated on the mountainside, but also occupied an enormous area, spanning a full hundred kilometers, and looked incomparably majestic.

"Lei Huanwang!"

At the palace entrance, an Immortal-level guard, upon seeing Lu Qingshan and his master appear, quickly said respectfully: "Zifeng Zifeng Zunzhe is waiting inside for you and King Qingshan!"

"Mm!" Lei Huanwang nodded slightly, then immediately led Lu Qingshan as they stepped into the palace together.

After following Lei Huanwang into the palace's great hall, Lu Qingshan quickly saw two figures sitting together and conversing inside the hall.

One of the figures was burly as a mountain, clad in a suit of bright silver battle armor, with a relatively short single horn on his head, and a pair of eyes that seemed to contain immeasurable radiance, with a gentle, jade-like aura emanating from his entire body;

The other figure seemed both real and illusory, shrouded in a layer of hazy black mist, looking incomparably mysterious!

The moment Lei Huanwang appeared in the great hall, he immediately bowed and said: "Teacher, Shadow Monarch!"

Seeing this, Lu Qingshan also hurriedly followed Lei Huanwang in bowing and said: "Greetings, Grandmaster, greetings, Shadow Monarch!"

"Lei Huan!"

Venerable Yao Guang quickly looked toward Lei Huanwang, then said with a smile: "Your luck this time is truly not bad, to have taken on such a fine disciple as Qingshan!"

Hearing these words, a trace of surprise involuntarily flashed across Lei Huanwang's face.

One must know that even when he had previously brought Ji Dianwang to pay respects to his teacher Venerable Yao Guang, Venerable Yao Guang had never spoken such words of praise.

But now, Lu Qingshan had merely cleared the eighteenth level of the Tongtian Bridge, and already received such an affirming evaluation from Venerable Yao Guang?

At this moment, Venerable Yao Guang looked directly at Lu Qingshan, then asked with a smile: "Qingshan, can you tell me how you obtained the method of creating a clone?"

"Method of creating a clone?"

Lei Huanwang, standing beside Lu Qingshan, was instantly somewhat dumbfounded.

His disciple actually possessed a clone?

Yet Lu Qingshan's heart at this moment was relatively calm, because the moment he had seen Shadow Monarch, he had already guessed this matter!

After all, Shadow Monarch had appeared in the original work, being the person in charge of the intelligence departments of the Virtual Universe Company, and even the entire human race and the Hong Alliance!

And after he cleared the eighteenth level of the Tongtian Bridge, he would certainly be examined by the upper echelons of the human race; with Shadow Monarch, this person in charge, present, it would be a joke if they failed to discover that he possessed a clone!

And at this moment, Shadow Monarch was also looking at Lu Qingshan, though his attitude was very mild.

After all, over their long lives, they had long since witnessed countless super geniuses; although Lu Qingshan, who possessed the ability to create clones, could also be considered quite fortunate, compared to those super geniuses he could only be considered mid-tier at best.

But whether genius or powerhouse, after obtaining special opportunities and special treasures, under normal circumstances they were unwilling to make them public.

After all, everyone has selfish motives, and it is precisely because of selfish motives that one strives to cultivate and grow stronger, strives to protect one's kin, strives to protect one's race!

Therefore, these super beings clearly understood in their hearts that such matters could not be forced or questioned, otherwise it would only arouse the displeasure of the one being questioned!

It was precisely because of this that Shadow Monarch had not directly summoned Lu Qingshan, but instead chosen to have Venerable Yao Guang, this grandmaster, conduct the inquiry!

This way, even if Lu Qingshan was unwilling to answer, he would not develop any displeasure toward them.

"Reporting to Grandmaster!"

Lu Qingshan, who had long been prepared in his heart, quickly answered: "After becoming an Immortal God, your disciple once, by a fortunate coincidence, received a talent secret art bestowed by the will of the Primordial Universe's origin, which allowed me to nurture a new clone!"

"Bestowal by the will of the Primordial Universe's origin?"

After hearing Lu Qingshan's words, Venerable Yao Guang and Shadow Monarch could not help but be slightly taken aback.

One of them was the direct disciple of Lord Bingfeng, the other was the person in charge of the Hong Alliance's intelligence department; the information they understood was naturally more than that of those ordinary Universe Venerables in the human race.

Although a bestowal by the will of the Primordial Universe's origin was very rare, they had also heard of it; they simply had not expected that such an incomparably rare event would actually happen to Lu Qingshan!

As for Lei Huanwang beside them, he was already numb at this point!

Previously, the matter of his disciple Lu Qingshan possessing a clone had already shocked him immensely; now, the bestowal by the will of the Primordial Universe's origin that Lu Qingshan spoke of was something he had never even heard of!

"So that is how it is!"

Venerable Yao Guang quickly nodded slightly and said: "Qingshan, it seems your fortune is no small matter either, to be able to cultivate and become a Sealed King Immortal!"

Hearing these words, Lu Qingshan quickly said: "Actually, your disciple is just rather lucky!"

"Hahaha, luck is also a part of strength!"

Venerable Yao Guang said with a smile: "Although you have only just cleared the eighteenth level of the Tongtian Bridge, with your astonishing will and the method of creating a clone, in the future you will certainly be able to become a powerhouse whose name shakes the myriad races of the universe!"

Hearing these words from Venerable Yao Guang, Lu Qingshan was also slightly surprised in his heart.

He had originally thought Venerable Yao Guang would continue to press him about how he obtained his opportunity; he had even prepared himself for it, but he had not expected Venerable Yao Guang to simply move past the matter!

"Qingshan!" Venerable Yao Guang said with a faint smile.

"Grandmaster!" Lu Qingshan listened respectfully.

"I watched several battles of your clone on the Extraterrestrial Battlefield!"

Venerable Yao Guang quickly said with a smile: "Being able to create top-tier sword arts, body arts, and soul attack arts, your comprehension is indeed quite impressive!"

"This is all thanks to my teacher's dedicated guidance!" Lu Qingshan quickly said modestly.

"You don't need to be so modest!"

Venerable Yao Guang began to praise: "What level Lei Huan is at—could I possibly not know? He might be able to give you some pointers on soul attack secret arts, but when it comes to body arts and sword arts, he cannot help you!"

"Moreover, since you have cleared the eighteenth level of the Tongtian Bridge, you should also attempt to create higher-level secret arts, and he will be even less able to help you!"

"How about this: from now on, come here to cultivate, and I will personally arrange suitable opponents for you to train against!"

After hearing these words from Venerable Yao Guang, Lu Qingshan was naturally very willing; after all, having someone to guide you versus having no one to guide you when creating secret arts were two entirely different rates of progress, and his teacher Lei Huanwang also wanted Venerable Yao Guang to guide him.

But even so, Lu Qingshan still turned his head to look at Lei Huanwang beside him.

And Lei Huanwang, upon noticing Lu Qingshan's gaze, hurriedly nodded to signal Lu Qingshan to agree.

As for Venerable Yao Guang, upon seeing Lu Qingshan's action, he was even more immensely satisfied.

After all, Lu Qingshan still respected Lei Huanwang's opinion in front of him, clearly making him a person who honored his teachers and valued the Dao!

And Lu Qingshan at this moment also quickly said respectfully: "Your disciple thanks Grandmaster for your guidance!"

"Hahaha! You are a powerhouse of my lineage; guiding you is naturally what I should do!"

Venerable Yao Guang smiled and said, "Qingshan, you have great talent in creating secret techniques. In the future, you should be able to create peak-level secret techniques. If you then break through the twentieth layer of the Heaven-Piercing Bridge, your strength will be roughly enough to catch up with your master!"

"Moreover, since you possess a clone, accumulating wealth will surely be much easier for you than for your master. By then, you might even have the chance to enter the Invincible King level!"

"This disciple will definitely strive!" Lu Qingshan said quickly.

Lu Qingshan had been studying under Lei Huanwang for a very long time, so he had gained a certain understanding of Lei Huanwang's strength.

The current Lei Huanwang is absolutely among the very top of the Limit Kings; the biggest gap between him and the Invincible Kings is probably his collection of heavy treasures!

"Mm!"

Venerable Yao Guang nodded slightly, then continued asking, "Qingshan, you broke through the eighteenth layer of the Heaven-Piercing Bridge this time and entered the King level. The Company will definitely grant you a King title afterwards!"

"Do you want to change your previous 'Marquis Qingshan' to 'King Qingshan', use the title you earned by breaking through in the Foreign Battlefield, or think of a new one yourself?"

Hearing this, Lu Qingshan's heart quickly stirred.

Using a title from the Foreign Battlefield is naturally not a good choice; after all, his identity in the Foreign Battlefield was known at most to the high-ups of the Human Race, but it was not exposed in the Alien Camp. Would it not be too foolish to expose it himself voluntarily?

Besides, the titles 'Flame-Spirit King' and 'Blood-Sword King' are not very famous either.

As for King Qingshan, although it is named after him, it is far too ordinary!

"The greatest opportunity on my body is the Myriad Realms Chat Group; why not call it 'King of Myriad Realms'!"

Lu Qingshan thought silently in his heart: "I hope that in the future I can become the Lord of Myriad Realms, the True God of Myriad Realms, the God-King of Myriad Realms, or even the Overlord of Myriad Realms, becoming a super existence capable of truly roaming the Myriad Realms!"

Thinking of this, Lu Qingshan said quickly, "Grandmaster, this disciple wishes to use the title 'King of Myriad Realms'!"

"King of Myriad Realms?"

Venerable Yao Guang pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "This title can be used. Later, I will inform the relevant high-ups within the Company about this title of yours!"

A title is merely a code name; unless it is too ugly or violates taboos, others will not forcibly interfere with a title chosen by a strong one themselves.

"Thank you, Grandmaster!" Lu Qingshan said respectfully quickly.

"This is all I should do!"

Venerable Yao Guang continued, "The Virtual Universe Company cultivates geniuses; usually, those with higher talent and potential receive more resources! Although you are already an Immortal King, you are actually still in the cultivation stage! After you are officially titled a King, you will be able to learn about some of the benefits the Company provides to Immortal Kings; at that time, you only need to apply for the relevant benefits yourself!"

"This disciple understands!" Lu Qingshan nodded and said quickly.

"Very well!"

Venerable Yao Guang smiled and said, "You have just broken through the eighteenth layer of the Heaven-Piercing Bridge; I imagine you will have many things to handle. Go with your master!"

"Yes!" Lu Qingshan said respectfully.

But just at this moment...

Yin Ying Junzhu on the side spoke up to stop them, "Don't rush to leave, wait!"

Venerable Yao Guang looked at Yin Ying Junzhu, then smiled and joked, "Yin Ying, do you have something else?"

"It has nothing to do with you; I have something to say to Lu Qingshan." Yin Ying Junzhu looked directly at Lu Qingshan.

"He is my grand-disciple; how could it have nothing to do with me!"

Venerable Yao Guang smiled and said, "Qingshan, in my opinion, you should better focus on cultivation! Very well, since Yin Ying has something to ask of you, you can chat with him for a while, and leave with your master later!"

"Yes, Grandmaster!"

Lu Qingshan first responded to Venerable Yao Guang, then respectfully bowed to Yin Ying Junzhu, saying, "Yin Ying Junzhu!"

"Qingshan!"

Yin Ying Junzhu smiled as he looked at Lu Qingshan, then asked, "Do you have any thought of joining our Intelligence Department?"

"The benefits and treatment our Intelligence Department offers to Immortal Kings are absolutely the highest within the Company. Moreover, you are skilled in Soul Attacks and your will is very strong; if you can join our Intelligence Department, you will surely be able to achieve great things!"

"Replying to the Venerable!"

After hearing Yin Ying Junzhu's words, Lu Qingshan answered quickly, "This subordinate currently only wishes to strive for cultivation, striving to break through the nineteenth layer of the Heaven-Piercing Bridge as soon as possible, so I have no thought of joining the Intelligence Department!"

"Joining the Intelligence Department does not conflict with your striving for cultivation!"

Yin Ying Junzhu continued smiling and said, "You possess a clone; you only need to send one clone to work in my Intelligence Department! Rest assured, if you work in my Intelligence Department, the speed at which you accumulate wealth will absolutely not be slower than your adventures in the Foreign Battlefield!"

"Moreover, my Intelligence Department has many benefits; various precious treasures and resources are supplied with priority!"

Hearing this, Lu Qingshan's heart still felt no stir at all.

After all, he is very clear about the work of the Intelligence Department; it is nothing more than infiltrating the territories of hostile races to develop spies, assassinate alien geniuses, and so on!

Although the treatment is very good, it is extremely dangerous!

With Lu Qingshan's current strength, when adventuring in the Foreign Battlefield, even if he encounters danger, at most his clone will perish, and he will lose some wealth;

but if he really goes to work in the Intelligence Department, once he is sent to operate in alien territories, he might encounter Universe Venerables skilled in Soul Attacks, or even Universe Masters; at that time, he would be doomed!

Why is Yin Ying Junzhu trying to recruit him to join the Intelligence Department?

It is nothing more than because he is extremely skilled in Soul Attacks, has even enslaved alien geniuses in the Foreign Battlefield, and also possesses a clone!

Once he goes to alien territories, he can completely soul-enslave many alien Immortal Marquises, and then develop a huge intelligence network!

"King of Myriad Realms!"

Seeing that Lu Qingshan remained unmoved, Yin Ying Junzhu said quickly, "Our Human Race cultivates strong ones, and naturally, strong ones need to shoulder responsibilities! The stronger the strength, the greater the responsibility!"

"With your strength, you can absolutely play a huge role in my Intelligence Department! If you join my Intelligence Department, just consider it as making a contribution to our Human Race; how about it?"

"Rest assured, I absolutely will not send you to complete those jobs that easily encounter fatal danger!"

Hearing this, before Lu Qingshan had thought of how to refuse, Venerable Yao Guang on the side spoke up: "Yin Ying, stop forcing my grand-disciple with these grand principles!"

"How long has he been cultivating? His strength is still in a stage of rapid improvement; wouldn't sending him to your Intelligence Department to be a spy be a waste?"

"Furthermore, hasn't Qingshan's killing of those aliens in the Foreign Battlefield been making a contribution to the race?"

"I remember Qingshan previously enslaved the super genius of the Meng Yao Zu's Royal Lineage, the Cycle-Return Cong-Eye Snake, in the Foreign Battlefield; how many people in your Intelligence Department can do that?"

"Previously, our Intelligence Department just killed an peerless genius of the Meng Yao Zu!"

Yin Ying Junzhu quickly refuted, "If we hadn't annihilated the opponent, the Meng Yao Zu might now have added another Universe Venerable!"

"Yin Ying, I didn't say your Intelligence Department makes no contribution to our Human Race!"

Venerable Yao Guang said quickly, "It's just that even if you want to recruit Lu Qingshan, there's no need to use the great righteousness of the race to force him, is there!"

"Then how about this!"

Shadow Monarch looked at Lu Qingshan again and said, "Lu Qingshan, I won't ask you to join our intelligence department anymore! However, if in the future you are able to enslave powerful beings of foreign races on the extraterritorial battlefield, try your best not to let the other party reveal their identities as long as you can!"

"As long as you can enslave such powerful beings who remain in the foreign race's camp, and hand them over to our intelligence department for control, our intelligence department will absolutely issue you a huge reward, far more than what you would gain by letting those foreign slaves reveal their identities!"

"If your contribution is sufficient, even exchanging for a heavy treasure used by a Universe Venerable is not impossible!"

"Moreover, those foreign slaves whose identities have been exposed can also be handed over to our intelligence department. For example, the genius from the Samsara Cong-Eyed Serpent lineage you enslaved before — we will likewise issue you a large reward!"

"This condition is still quite good!"

After Shadow Monarch finished speaking, Venerable Yao Guang beside him quickly nodded and said, "Lu Qingshan, the conditions Shadow has given you this time are still quite good. You can agree to them!"

"Like your teacher, back then he handed over the many soul servants he had enslaved to the intelligence department, and then helped our human race kill quite a few foreign geniuses!"

Hearing these words, Lu Qingshan suddenly realized.

No wonder Lei Huanwang, as a sealing-wang limit powerhouse skilled in soul attacks, had no soul slaves under his command — it turned out they had all been handed over to the intelligence department.

For the intelligence department, those enslaved foreign beings whose identities had not been exposed were naturally very good spy candidates.

Even those powerful foreign beings whose identities had been exposed could be treated as operatives for killing foreign geniuses — cannon fodder, discarded pieces…

Just like that flame Immortal divine spirit in the original work who once assassinated Luo Feng in the Garbage Starfield — to a certain extent, he belonged to the discarded pieces!

Thinking of this, Lu Qingshan quickly nodded and said, "This disciple understands!"

Then Lu Qingshan looked at Shadow Monarch again and said, "Venerable, when this subordinate was roaming the extraterritorial battlefield before, I once, by a stroke of luck, beat several Immortal military masters and Marquis Immortals into severe injuries and slumber. However, this subordinate did not enslave them, but thought about selling them to other powerhouses in the future. I wonder if the intelligence department is willing to purchase them?"

"Of course we are willing!"

Shadow Monarch immediately said with a smile, "How about this — I will later send our intelligence department's 'Qingping Wang' to negotiate these matters with you. Rest assured, our intelligence department's offer will absolutely be a bit higher than what you'd get selling to other powerhouses!"

"Many thanks, Venerable!" Lu Qingshan quickly expressed his gratitude.

"Shadow, are you done?"

Venerable Yao Guang quickly asked, "If there's nothing else, I'll let the two of them, master and disciple, leave!"

"Nothing else!" Shadow Monarch said with a smile and a nod.

"Then alright!"

Venerable Yao Guang immediately turned to look at Lu Qingshan and his master, then gave the order, "You two, master and disciple, go now!"

"Yes, Teacher (Martial Ancestor)!"

Lu Qingshan and Lei Huanwang immediately nodded and said, then respectfully withdrew from Venerable Yao Guang's palace.

(End of this chapter)