Chapter 483: Between Laugh and Tears
A wise saying said that a geezer who had yet to die had no regard for others [1]. Tang Guosheng could be regarded as a senior citizen, an elderly who had lived pretty long in the whole country. His astuteness and shrewdness had already been carved deep in his bones. He placed his fingers gently on the chessboard, rhythmically knocking it as he spoke with an indifferent expression, “Secretary Liu, your security department does possess big power and privileges, but what can you prove merely based on suspicion? I’m very well aware of the situation regarding Xiu’er, for I sent some people to investigate his life experiences after finding him. There wasn’t any information pertaining to any mysterious bunch of people whatsoever.”
There was a vacant look on Liu Changxi’s face, as he immediately forced a wry smile and said, “Senior Tang, I know I shouldn’t suspect Tang Xiu, but…”
Waving his hand, Tang Guosheng interrupted him and lightly said, “Secretary Liu, feel free to investigate him if you don’t believe me. However, my grandson is not someone easily provoked. Though the present Tang Family is not what we used to be in the past, yet a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse. Whoever dares to fix their eyes on him, I’ll make sure to make them feel that the teeth of my House of Tang are still very sharp.”
"I…"
As someone who elevated his position and status to today’s status, Liu Changxi was an astute and smart person. He could instantly understand the meaning behind Tang Guosheng’s words, and said with a smile, “Since Senior Tang has spoken, I’ll have this matter end here. But Senior Tang, please persuade Tang Xiu. If he’s willing to join our security department, I’ll certainly joyously welcome him.”
“All right!” Tang Guosheng nodded indifferently.
A few minutes after Liu Changxi’s departure, Tang Guoshou grabbed a black piece of chess, as his eyes were suffused with a pensive glint. Afterward, he slowly said, “Dozens of people who are extremely skilled in counter-tracking and counter-detection, and they seem to have secretly eliminated some of those extremists as well. To think that these mysterious experts didn’t get noticed and alarmed the Ministry of State Security and police force’s people meant something. That is, they are very good! It seems like our grandson really have cards in his hand that we know nothing about.”
Tang Guosheng picked up a white piece chess and lightly said, “I have always known that Xiu’er had some cards hidden in his hands, but I never thought that it’d be something like this. Regardless, I can rest my worries. Even if I’m going to see Buddha now, I won’t have to be worried about the future of the Tang Family. However, I’m still alive, so I can never let anyone threaten him. Youngest, since you’re still strong and healthy, move that Liu Changxi’s ass! He’s no longer suitable to stay at the Ministry of State Security.”
“Eldest, I’m afraid that we have to pay quite a price to kick him somewhere else,” said Tang Guoshou with a frown.
“No matter how big the price is, you must do it!” Tang Guosheng sneered. “Just find some way to transfer him somewhere else. He’s quite smart, so I believe that he won’t easily investigate the matters he experienced in Shanghai later.”
“I hope the cards in Xiu’er’s hands can exceed our imagination, though. Otherwise, we’ll suffer quite a loss,” commented Tang Guoshou with a nod.
“We won’t suffer the slightest loss,” said Tang Guosheng with confidence. “Merely these dozens of experts have already made me overjoyed. You don’t know the ability of the guys in the security department, do you? All of them are specially trained elites, yet even they were left speechless. Hehehe…”
“True that!”
****
Shanghai, Bluestar Villa Complex…
The philosophy that the powerful reigned supreme and people revered the strong regardless of the time and places had already been carved deeply in Tang Xiu’s bones. Therefore, he pushed himself harder in his cultivation. He was now sitting cross-legged on his bed, silently circulating the restless star force inside his body. The force inside him echoed with the stardust in the universe while constantly absorbing the power of the stars.
Now, he was wearing the jade ornament gifted by Li Laoshan on his neck. The energy emitted from the Dragon Soul of the Nine-Clawed Crimson Dragon, even if it was weak, still greatly benefitted Tang Xiu. Between each exhale and inhale, faint traces of the Dragon Soul’s power were absorbed into his body.
Dragons have an extremely formidable body, while Phoenixes have an all-powerful soul.
Tang Xiu himself was practicing the Heavenly Art of Cosmic Genesis cultivation technique, which was precisely a supreme cultivation technique that emphasized in tempering one’s body into that of a Demon’s formidable physique, and thus was in line and suitable with the Dragon’s formidable body.
Therefore, after the Dragon Soul’s power had been absorbed into his body, not only did its power nourish his body, it also washed away the impurities within it, as well as tempered his body. Coupled with the magical effect of the Heavenly Art of Cosmic Genesis cultivation technique, his physical strength was promoting at a very rapid rate.
“Huh? The black hole’s entrance inside my dantian is shrinking and the star force pouring out of the black hole is increasing? What exactly happened inside the black hole? My spiritual sense is unable to get inside, yet I can feel this is not simple, whatever it is. To what extent can learn about it?”
Tang Xiu eyes slowly opened. He let the star force inside his meridians circulate freely, while silently pondering about this puzzling matter.
Buzz…
All of a sudden, an invisible suction force radiated out from his dantian. Accurately speaking, it was sent out from the black hole. The huge suction force was as though it was able to devour everything. The seed of the Heavenly Path Universe Tree that floated motionlessly inside his dantian was easily pulled in by the engulfing power and swallowed inside.
"Damn it!"
The color was drained from Tang Xiu’s face as his expression drastically changed. The seed of the Heavenly Path Universe Tree was too important for him. Possessing it meant that his chances of entering the Gods Realm could increase ten million times!
In the next moment, the indignant expression on Tang Xiu’s face froze. It was because after the seed of the Heavenly Path Universe Tree was swallowed into the black hole, a life force came rushing out from it. This life force was akin to a spring that nourished Tang Xiu’s body and soul, even causing the star force inside his meridians to get excited.
However, that was not the most important thing. The most important thing was the life force itself. The vast majority of it was fused into his soul crown. When Tang Xiu broke through to the Supreme Realm in the Immortal World, he was able to use his perception to “see” this soul crown, yet he could “see” it clearly now.
The soul crown was only needle-sized, and could only be clearly visible when he zoomed in, while the naked eyes could only see a tiny bit of luminous light. However, after that rushing life force fused into it, his soul crown suddenly increased by about ten times.
"I…"
Tang Xiu blinked his eyes, yet words were unable to express what he felt. He could, however, understand and grasped it by instinct that the enhancement brought by this life force was strengthening his soul strength, which was akin to the extension of his lifespan. He could feel that this life force had increased his lifespan by at least a thousand years.
Reasonably speaking, the limit of his lifespan was 200 years with his current cultivation level. However, the rushing life force had bestowed him a thousand years more. If this kind of matter were known to those Immortals in the Immortal World, their eyes would probably turn wide and full of envy, wishing to exchange it for everything they had.
The death of a man is like an extinguished lamp, for all one’s hope and efforts come to nothing in the end. Hence, being alive is the most meaningful thing!
Tang Xiu floated in the air and quietly came to the window to look at the dark scenery outside. Joy, hope, and fear mingled inside his heart. He didn’t know whether the seed of the Heavenly Path Universe Tree was still there or not, thus adding another mystery to him.
Suddenly, as if realizing something, he strode out of his room and came to the living room on the first floor. He smelled a think fragrance of dishes from the kitchen, where five small and thin figures were busying themselves. Among them, Tang Xiaomu’s face was stained white with bread flour.
“You… are you cooking something?” Tang Xiu was surprised when he came to the kitchen.
Tang Xiaojin looked back and replied, “Boss, we just noticed that there are a few dishes in the refrigerator, as well as flour and other vegetables in the cupboard, so we just did a bit of cooking. Anyways, are you hungry? If you are, wash your hands and we’ll have our meal immediately.”
Her reply took Tang Xiu aback as he walked into the bathroom to wash his hands. After returning to the dining room, he saw that the children had already brought several dishes to the table. Though the dishes looked ordinary, the aroma exuding from them was very strong.
“Boss, when we were five years old and got adopted by Grandpa, he told us that food is what matters to humans, so he taught us to cook. Later on, after we learned it, we did the cooking by ourselves every day. You… please have a taste,” said Tang Xiaomu in a low voice.
In a flash, Tang Xiu understood. He picked up the chopsticks and started tasting the dishes, as he nodded and said, “It’s very good. You guys are great!”
“Please eat more if you like it, Boss,” said Tang Xiaomu with a smile. “We’ll cook for you every day later.”
“No,” Tang Xiu shook his head. “The food you made is indeed very delicious, but your most important duty is to learn and cultivate. Hence, the cooking will be handed over to the housemaids later. Some housemaids will come here very soon; they will take care of your daily necessities.”
“But, Boss, please don’t waste money on us. We can take good care of ourselves,” replied Tang Xiaomu in a low voice.
“I know that you are able, and I’m very proud of you,” said Tang Xiu. “But your later studies and cultivation duties are bound to be very arduous, so you cannot waste your mind and energy on other things. In the future, when you’ve finished your studies and your cultivation has reached a level that can make me satisfied, you are free to choose what you like.”
“All right, then!” Tang Xiaomu nodded and replied softly.
Di, di…
The sound of a car’s horn sounded outside the villa’s courtyard.
Tang Xiu’s face flickered. He released his spiritual sense and instantly “saw” a car outside the courtyard’s gate with Ouyang Lulu inside it pressing the horn. After taking out the house keys, Tang Xiu pressed the button and, two minutes later, Ouyang Lulu entered the living room while carrying her handbag. Smelling the aroma, the first thing she did was straightly rush to the dining room.
“Good gracious, what a good coincidence! Gimme me a pair of chopsticks and tableware, I’m gonna wash my hands first.”
After saying that, she tossed her bag in a chair and strode toward the bathroom.
Tang Xiu rolled his eyes and muttered to himself inwardly, This girl really doesn’t think herself an outsider at all.
Quickly after, Ouyang Lulu came back to the dining room and looked smilingly at the dishes on the table, and then said with a smile, “Tang Xiu, I didn’t know that you had hired a housemaid. These dishes may look ordinary, but they really smell very good! I gotta taste them first!”
Tang Xiu patted her hands and snappily said, “It’s late, how come you haven’t eaten yet, huh? Just wait for a while, will you? The children aren’t done cooking all the dishes yet!”
“Children? What children?” Ouyang Lulu was taken aback and stared blankly, looking at Tang Xiu with a queer expression.