"Alright, I've explained everything to you. What you do next is up to you. After we finish this meal, the entire China branch of the Hongmen will be in your hands!"
Huang Zhongtian smiled slightly, sat down, and clapped his hands. The waiters then brought all the dishes and food.
After several rounds of drinks and tasting the dishes, the group began to chat enthusiastically.
Lu Yang also got to know the four people present, who were the leaders of the other four sub-branches. While their cultivation was not as high as Fan Shiguo and Yang Xiping, each had a considerable number of subordinates, totaling over ten thousand people. They were the pillars of the Hongmen China branch. It was just that they usually kept a low profile and appeared to be indifferent to worldly affairs, which is why Fan Shiguo and Yang Xiping had not discovered them.
The names of the four sub-branch leaders were Su Wenlong, leader of the Divine Dragon Sub-branch; Liu Qihong, leader of the Black Ghost Sub-branch; Li Weipeng, leader of the Qi Tian Sub-branch; and Liu Haijiang, leader of the Sea Overturning Sub-branch.
The four were very respectful towards Lu Yang and swore their eternal loyalty to him.
"Since you four are so devoted to me, I shall give each of you a great gift!"
As Lu Yang spoke, he poured out four spiritual elixirs from a jade bottle he carried and placed them into the hands of the four men.
"These are elixirs refined from a spiritual medicine I obtained from a very secret place. They are called Life Elixirs. Ordinary people who consume them can be brought back from the brink of death. For martial artists like yourselves, if the opportunity arises, they can help you break through your cultivation!"
"However, you can consume them yourselves or save them for when you truly need them!"
Lu Yang said with a slight smile, looking at the four men.
"What? Vice President Lu, you mean this small pill actually has a chance to break through cultivation?"
Hearing Lu Yang's words, the four were utterly astonished. Su Wenlong, in particular, eagerly asked.
"That's right, but it's only a chance. Whether you can break through depends on your own destiny!"
Lu Yang said indifferently.
"I want to try it now!"
Su Wenlong continued.
He was already forty-nine years old, about to turn fifty, and had been stuck at the peak of Inner Strength cultivation for ten years with no sign of a breakthrough. Having received the spiritual elixir from Lu Yang, Su Wenlong could no longer resist the urge to try it.
"You may!"
Lu Yang smiled slightly.
After receiving Lu Yang's affirmative reply, Su Wenlong immediately picked up the elixir and swallowed it in one gulp.
The spiritual elixir melted instantly upon entering his body, cleansing and washing through Su Wenlong's limbs and bones.
Su Wenlong felt a ball of fire burning intensely within him, as if he were about to be turned to ash.
"Ah..."
The intense pain was unbearable for Su Wenlong, and he cried out in agony. The chopsticks in his hand instantly turned to ash as they burned.
"Your body is a bit unable to withstand this immense power. Let me lend you a hand!"
As Lu Yang spoke, he placed a palm on Su Wenlong's lower back, dispersing the medicinal effects of the elixir throughout Su Wenlong's body and guiding it to dissolve into every part of him.
After being struck by Lu Yang's palm, Su Wenlong felt an endless sense of relief. The previous pain instantly vanished. His body felt as if it had drunk from a spiritual spring, with streams of warm True Qi surging within, constantly challenging his body's potential.
With a "bang," golden light emanated from Su Wenlong's body, and an invisible wave of True Qi burst forth, spreading outwards. The other three men's expressions changed dramatically as they were pushed back rapidly by this invisible force. Lu Yang and Huang Zhongtian, however, remained seated. Although they could feel the change in Su Wenlong's True Qi aura, their powerful cultivation prevented them from being affected. They continued to eat calmly.
"He... he actually broke through to the Minor Grandmaster realm on his own!"
"Lu Yang, you are truly not human! You are a god, a god of creation capable of forging experts!"
Huang Zhongtian, who had maintained his composure initially, thinking Su Wenlong's True Qi was merely surging, was instantly stunned and shouted in disbelief as he felt the imposing nature of the True Qi.
The other three men's eyes were wide open, and their gazes towards Lu Yang were filled with fervent admiration. When they had first heard Lu Yang say that the elixirs he bestowed upon them offered a chance to break through to the Minor Grandmaster realm, they had scoffed internally, despite saying nothing aloud. After all, there were no such miraculous elixirs in the world that could help people break through. Otherwise, there would be far too many Grandmasters, and the martial arts world would not be in decline but flourishing.
But now, seeing Su Wenlong break through to the Minor Grandmaster realm right before their eyes, their adoration and reverence for Lu Yang surged like a relentless tide.
"I... I really broke through. Thank you for this second chance, Vice President Lu!"
Feeling that he had broken through to the Minor Grandmaster of martial arts, Su Wenlong, overwhelmed with emotion, knelt before Lu Yang to express his gratitude.
"You're welcome. This is merely a small token of my welcome. As long as you work hard, you will receive far greater benefits in the future than what you have received today!"
Lu Yang said with a slight smile.
"Vice President Lu, you are truly a divine being! You actually have the means to help people break through!"
"Yes, Vice President Lu, I didn't believe it before, but seeing Su Wenlong actually break through to the Minor Grandmaster realm of martial arts has shocked me. I wonder if Vice President Lu could also help me break through my current realm? I have been stuck in this realm for several years with no opportunity to advance!"
"Vice President Lu, as martial artists, breaking through to higher martial arts realms is our lifelong pursuit. As long as Vice President Lu can help us break through, we will pledge our lives and fortunes to Vice President Lu from now on. We will go through fire and water without hesitation!"
The other three looked at Lu Yang with fervent gazes.
"The time is not yet right for the three of you. Please keep the elixirs for now. When the opportunity arises, you will naturally break through!"
Lu Yang said to the other three.
"Yes, Vice President Lu!"
The other three bowed in thanks and then sat back down at the table to continue eating.
The meal, which lasted for two hours, finally concluded.
When Lu Yang returned to the room arranged for him by Huang Zhongtian, Lu Wushuang had already been waiting for a long time.
"Wushuang, is there anything you want to say to me?"
Lu Yang looked at Lu Wushuang and asked faintly. From the arrangements made along the way, Lu Wushuang was not as simple as he had imagined. If she were just an expendable assassin, she would have been killed by the Guo family long ago, and Lu Wushuang would not be alive today.
Moreover, Lu Wushuang bringing Lu Yang away from Yan Jing clearly indicated a pre-planned route, not something arranged on the spur of the moment. All of this suggested that Lu Wushuang had long been planning, waiting only for an opportunity to leave Yan Jing.