I Can See Your Combat Power

“Clan Leader, it’s utterly unthinkable…” Elder Tang Gaomin’s sentence was cut off by Clan Leader Tang Zhi’s raised hand.

This leader of the Tang Clan looked into Tang Luo’s eyes and asked sincerely, “What’s the name of the new division?”

“Marshal Star Pavilion,” answered Tang Luo seriously. This was the most critical part of his strength-building plan 2.0, which he wanted to arrange properly after the venture into the Fierce Realm, then travel the world. But now the situation was urgent, he had to advance the plan, and he worked on it diligently these past few days, finally perfecting it.

“It seems you’ve had this well-structured in mind for some time,” Clan Leader Tang Zhi grinned, “Aside from the proposed independent organization and shared tasks, what other support do you require?”

Whoever wanted to establish a new power required three key things: funds, population, and territory. Since Tang Zhi had agreed to affix this new division under the Martial Hall, he had no intention of coercing Tang Luo. As long as the request is forthrightly posed now, he will comply, since they would experience rapid growth post the victory over the Mi Clan, and the existing divisions of the Tang Clan alone were not enough.

Be it Tang Zuo’s Dark Thunder Hall or those sent to Chengzhou for life-and- death experience, they were all preparations for the future. One more Tang Luo was not a problem.

“Please wait, Clan Leader!”

Tang Gaomin couldn’t stand by and allow this conversation to continue. In his eyes, if Tang Zhi agreed to Tang Luo’s request, it implies that the Tang Clan would have to bear the food expenses for over a million civilians. He strongly disagreed with this meaningless loss, and said to Tang Luo, “As it’s a new division of the Martial Hall, it should follow the rules of the new divisions. How many people are you planning to enlist?”

Whenever a new division of the Tang Clan was established, the clan would provide funding and support, be it Tang Zuo’s Dark Thunder Hall or the current Marshal Star Pavilion of Tang Luo. But such support had limits, it could not be indefinitely offered because there were too many divisions in the Tang Clan to feed and priority was always given to those with the highest return.

Listening to this, Tang Luo realized that Elder Tang Gaomin misunderstood him greatly. The Marshal Star Pavilion did require considerable support from the clan, but there wouldn’t be a huge amount of money and food as Tang Gaomin imagined.

With his father, the Clan Leader, and the Great Elder all present, he planned to clarify this misunderstanding to Tang Gaomin: “Great Elder, you once said that the clan’s food and fodder are important strategic materials that cannot be exchanged for the clan’s supplies, so I won’t be thinking of ways to bypass it. You can be absolutely assured of that.”

For Tang Luo, every action had a clear step-by-step logic. The first and most important step was to understand the boundaries of the rules, and then make full use of what he could do within these rules. Since he promised the Great Elder that he won’t exchange clan supplies for food, he would not draw food from the clan by any indirect means.

Therefore, this statement is not only for Tang Gaomin, but also for the Clan Leader, the Great Elder, and everyone present.

“Since this new division is not led by the Martial Hall and the Elder Council, it won’t ask for material aid from the clan, regardless of the venue, food, or personnels, I will handle it myself, no need for the Clan Leader to worry.” Tang Luo was very open, this division was a part of his private armed forces, the Martial Hall was named for protection during its vulnerable time, not with the intention of benefiting from the clan.

However, all the people present were shrewd high-ranking members of the clan. Although Tang Luo might have only expressed his intention not to take advantage of the clan, it sounded distant to the Clan Leader and several elders, as if he was departing from the clan’s heart and faith.

Seeing Tang Luo as the Tang Siyuan of the Tang Clan’s future, how could they accept this? Hence the urgent remark: “A new division needs a backbone, a warrior from the Fierce Realm is the best. I happen to know a clan warrior who has just entered the Fierce Realm, consider this a coming of age gift for you.” Most of the warriors of the Fierce Realm in the clan are elite fighters from the Battle Hall. Although they can’t become Martial Ancestors due to their strength, they’re still strong enough to hold important industries. This gift is so heavy that it leaves Tang Luo a little stunned and confused.

Just when he was hesitating, Elder Tang Gaomin spoke again, full of contrition, “For the new division of the Martial Hall, how can we do without the support of the clan! How about this, there is a stone village on Mount Sanqing, and 800 cave dwellings can accommodate at least 10,000 people, let’s use this as the venue for the new division.”

The most regrettable at the moment was Tang Gaomin, his tone earlier was too harsh, dismissing Tang Luo as young and ignorant, but he forgot that this young man’s contribution to the Tang Clan was already beyond the measure of food and materials. If circumstances were less extraordinary, even doling out food for the city’s populace wouldn’t be an issue, but no one was better aware than him of how long this flooding would last. Although the food supply of Tang Clan was abundant now, considering the future arrangements, the situation looked rather urgent, and this was why he was determined to keep a hold on Tang Luo.

But if a food dispute caused this future pillar of the clan to harbor resentment against the clan, it would be a grave mistake.

Thus, Elder Tang Gaomin who is in charge of finances and resources, after much deliberation, gritted his teeth and said, “As for food, the new division will be supplied for a hundred thousand people monthly. What do you think, Tang Luo?”

If the gift of the Fierce Realm warrior offered by Tang Siyuan just now was a profound gift for Tang Luo, Tang Gaomin’s present offer of food for a hundred thousand people was even more astonishing.

Upon hearing this apologetic tone, he knew that the two elders have misunderstood him again, Tang Luo could only shake his head with a bitter smile and say, “I appreciate the elders’ kind intentions, but at present, the new division doesn’t need a backbone from the Fierce Realm, and for matters of food and venue I have already made plans, so the North Mountain site won’t be used.”

If he really harbored resentment, he should coldly refuse the two elders’ gifts, but Tang Luo’s sincere refusal dissolved the notion of any resentment towards the clan among the people, making things even more confusing.

“Let’s not talk about the territory for now, if you refuse to conscript from the clan, where will you find people for your new division?” Tang Siyuan asked puzzled, he really couldn’t understand if Tang Luo could summon warriors from thin air. Even when Tang Zuo established the Dark Thunder Hall, he offered a hundred million gold for clan-wide conscription, and that was with the support of Fierce Realm warriors from the clan.

Tang Luo had this planned for a long time, he replied, “Members of the new division will be selected among the one million six hundred thousand free citizens of Xiling.”

“I don’t think this is appropriate,” Tang Siyuan upon understanding Tang Luo’s idea, advised again, “Do you think the one million six hundred thousand free people of Xiling are talents hidden among ordinary people, just enough to form a division?”

“Exactly.”

“This is a big mistake!” Tang Siyuan shook his head, “Not to mention whether the story of hidden talents among the common people is true, just consider the fact that the Martial Hall has been established for nearly a thousand years, and they have been adopting orphans for over five hundred years. Do you ever wonder why the clan doesn’t increase the input to charitable houses to nurture more civilians into warriors?”

“I would like to hear more.”

“It’s because ordinary people are simply not fit to be nurtured!” Tang Siyuan responded coldly, “Every year, the Martial Hall takes in thousands of orphans, but less than one hundred can endure the hardship of Foundation Building before the age of fifteen. Among these hundred warriors, less than one can break through the mortal realm within ten years, and most of the civilian warriors break through the mortal realm when they are over twenty-five.”