novelzi Chapter 206 Invitation
Chapter 206 Invitation
"Yes, of course."
Lei Zhen nodded, then gave a bitter smile. "But 'guest cultivator' is just a fancy title. In reality, it's nothing more than being a dog for a great family. I may be down on my luck, but I, Lei Zhen, refuse to stoop so low."
Hearing this, Luis gently tapped his fingers on the seat, the rhythmic sound echoing softly.
Lei Zhen appeared honest, but in truth, he was quite shrewd. Before Luis could even finish speaking, Lei Zhen had already cut him off.
If he refused to be a lackey for a great family, then why would he willingly serve the Hartmann family?
After all, while the Hartmann family was acknowledged by the influential clans of Guang'an Prefecture, there was still a gap between them and the truly powerful families in terms of strength and foundation.
To outsiders, the Hartmanns were formidable, but still inferior to the Zhou and Yang families.
Since Lei Zhen had rejected offers from those two families, why would he consider joining the Hartmanns?
Realizing that recruiting him would be difficult, Luis didn't seem bothered. Instead, he smiled and asked, "May I ask, General Lei, how old are you this year?"
Lei Zhen's expression darkened slightly, but he still clasped his fists and answered, "I am 87 years old this year."
Eighty-seven years old. Eighth level of Foundation Establishment.
Luis' expression turned serious. "Are you a cultivator with a natural spiritual root?"
"Yes," Lei Zhen nodded. "But compared to you family cultivators..."
He shook his head in disappointment.
So what if he had a natural spiritual root? They were rare—only one in a million—but with millions of cultivators in Guang'an Prefecture, there were still at least hundreds of them.
Across all of Cangzhou, the number of cultivators with natural spiritual roots had increased tenfold—perhaps even dozens of times.
In the vast expanse of the Ten Thousand Star Sea, which spanned dozens or nearly a hundred states, such cultivators were considered gifted. However, they were far from being called true prodigies.
Only sword cultivators like Zhou Mubai could be considered true geniuses. Not only were they unrivaled among their peers, but they could even fight across realms, their strength almost inhuman.
Luis finally understood why Lei Zhen was so proud and refused to serve as a guest cultivator for any great family.
He had reached the eighth level of Foundation Establishment at eighty-seven. In less than ten years, he would likely reach the ninth level.
By then, he would need to refine his true essence and prepare for the breakthrough to Golden Core.
Given that Foundation Establishment cultivators could live up to two hundred years, Lei Zhen would still be under one hundred and ten when he perfected his true energy—leaving him with ample time to attempt a breakthrough.
If he returned to the front lines and accumulated enough resources, he might truly have a shot at reaching the Golden Core Stage.@@@@
The only drawback was that Lei Zhen had no family backing. He had to earn every resource himself.
Had he been born into a great family, he would have been nurtured as a core member long ago—just like Zhou Mubai and Yang Gongwan.
With this in mind, Luis no longer hesitated.
He smiled and said, "If my Hartmann family is willing to provide all the resources you need to break through to Golden Core, would General Lei be willing to serve as a guest cultivator for my family?"
"You mean... all the resources needed for the Golden Core Stage?"
Lei Zhen was so shocked that he even forgot to use honorifics.
"That's right!"
Luis nodded. "Not only that, but in the future, my family is willing to help you establish your own immortal cultivator lineage, ensuring that your Daoist tradition is passed down for generations."
Lei Zhen's breathing quickened. He cupped his fists and asked, "Commander—no, Lord Luis, are you serious?"
Luis nodded. "Lei Zhen is also on our side now. He's already connected to the vortex."
Hearing This.
Biggs' face lit up with joy.
"Congratulations, Boss!"
"Now, the only ones left are Zhou Mucheng from the Zhou family, Wei Lidao from the Wei family, and that stubborn independent cultivator at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment."
When he mentioned Captain Wan—the tactless wandering cultivator—Biggs' expression darkened.
Biggs reported the situation to Luis.
In other major clans, independent cultivators were also recruited as guest officials. However, those clans would simply send people at random to handle the task. No one did it the way Luis did—offering genuine benefits to secure their loyalty.
Yet, the most surprising part was that the man actually refused.
This made Luis feel uneasy. At the same time, he was vaguely confused.
'Is he really that proud?'
It was hard to believe that someone could turn down such immense resources.
Luis was confident that the conditions he offered were already generous enough. But since the man was unwilling, he naturally couldn't allow him to continue holding the position of captain in the Western Defense Zone Allied Forces.
If he couldn't use him, then having such a person under his command would only be an eyesore.
As the commander of the Western Defense Zone, Luis had every reason to dismiss him.
The Allied Forces Headquarters wouldn't make a fuss over such a minor matter. Otherwise, all the investments Zhou Minghao had made in him would be wasted.
Taking a deep breath, Luis nodded and said, "Let him in."
"Yes, Boss."
Biggs bowed, then sent a message to the person waiting outside, instructing him to enter.
A Closer Look.
Luis quickly recognized the ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator standing before him.
An old acquaintance.
It was the same ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator Luis had met during his first visit to Zhou Main City.
"Zhang Daoyou,"
Luis stood up with a smile. "It's been a long time since we last met. I hope you've been well, Brother Zhang."
The man before him had a handsome face, a tall figure, and an imposing presence.
Zhang Zhixian felt an invisible pressure weighing on him.
It was hard to believe that this was the same person he had met months ago—a mere low-level Qi Refining cultivator at the time.
And yet, in just a few months...
The young man had not only broken through to Foundation Establishment, but he had also risen to become the master of this vast and majestic city.
How could Zhang Zhixian possibly process such a drastic change?
"Junior Zhang Zhixian greets Senior Luis!"
Despite their past encounter, Zhang Zhixian did not dare act casually. He quickly bowed, showing utmost respect.