Ling Tian never imagined that his fourth master, Xiang Yuntian, would command a top assassin organization like Tiandao.
This was undoubtedly a terrifying force that would keep opponents on edge and in constant dread.
However, what frustrated Ling Tian was that his fourth master hadn't informed him of this matter.
Next, Ling Tian's fifth master, Gu Tianxi, began to speak about Ling Tian's third master, Gong Heming of the Medical Saint lineage.
Although the Medical Saint lineage was passed down through generations as a single inheritor, and Ling Tian initially believed his third master practiced medicine alone, he couldn't fathom how his third master, residing on the mountain, accumulated so many patient records. Furthermore, many of his research topics were cutting-edge medical studies.
Now, he finally understood that his third master commanded a vast medical conglomerate.
This medical conglomerate was a colossal multinational corporation, with subsidiaries in many countries that were leaders in their respective national medical fields.
The pharmaceutical group under his third master owned over a dozen pharmaceutical factories worldwide, hundreds of large hospitals, and thousands of laboratories and research institutions.
The patient records from these hospitals and the research findings from the laboratories were fed back to his third master, Gong Heming, in real-time. This was precisely why the Medical Saint lineage could remain at the forefront of medicine and not be left behind by the times.
Although Ling Tian's Bing Tian Pharmaceutical Industry already held significant influence and generated immense profits daily, it paled in comparison to the enterprises under his third master's command.
Upon hearing the explanation, Ling Tian finally realized that this master was also a case of "hiding one's strength." He just couldn't understand why his masters had kept these matters from him.
The introduction then moved on to Ling Tian's eldest master, the Daoist Master Daoyuan.
Ling Tian had previously only known that his master held a very high seniority within the Daoist sects, with many sect leaders addressing his master as grand-uncle or great-grand-uncle.
Now, Ling Tian discovered that his master was actually an honored guest of the China Taoist Association. Not only was his eldest master of extremely high seniority, but he also wielded considerable influence within the association.
In fact, many individuals within the Chinese Daoist community would seek his eldest master's help when facing difficulties. His eldest master never refused, always finding ways to assist them through their hardships as long as their requests were reasonable.
While his eldest master, Daoist Master Daoyuan, did not possess his own distinct faction like his other masters, if Longpan Mountain were ever in trouble, a single phone call from his eldest master would ensure that the entire Daoist community would not stand idly by.
Speaking of Ling Tian's masters, the most low-key among them was his second master, Monk Jienu. This second master had become a monk at Shaolin Temple from a young age and was deeply immersed in martial arts, having no understanding of interpersonal relationships or worldly affairs.
Therefore, second master Monk Jienu was truly a lone wolf.
However, as a martial monk of the Shaolin Temple's Scripture Repository, Monk Jienu commanded a certain degree of respect.
If any matters required Shaolin's assistance, a word from his second master would ensure that Shaolin would never refuse.
After listening to his fifth master's explanation, Ling Tian realized that his masters were far more formidable than he had ever imagined. He also understood why no one dared to cause trouble on Longpan Mountain so readily. It wasn't merely due to the personal bravery of his masters; their backing in terms of power and connections was also astonishingly vast!
Second master Monk Jienu spoke, "Amitabha, Ling Tian, you must be troubled now, wondering why your masters kept this from you."
Ling Tian nodded; he indeed wanted to know.
"Heh heh, Ling Tian, you are our successor. We have passed on all our lifelong learning to you without reservation.
The power and connections we command will also belong to you in the future.
However, the influence our masters wield is too immense. If you were to learn of it too early, or if we were to hand it over to you too soon, we feared you might lose yourself and your drive to become stronger!
Therefore, we decided decades ago to conceal our true strength from you. Only when you become sufficiently powerful, capable of avenging your family, will we reveal this to you and bestow these powers upon you to aid your journey!"
Ling Tian was deeply moved by his second master's explanation. His masters cared for him immensely.
They not only provided him with meticulous care but also imparted their skills, and even went to great lengths to ensure his healthy and robust growth.
Ling Tian solemnly knelt on the ground and kowtowed to his masters.
"Your disciple thanks all esteemed masters for your guidance."
After Ling Tian finished paying his respects, Daoist Master Daoyuan finally allowed him to rise.
Fifth master Gu Tianxi then instructed, "Ling Tian, we have now revealed our true capabilities. You can call upon these forces whenever you need them.
However, we do not intend to hand over all matters to you yet, as managing these powers requires immense dedication.
For now, you must continue to focus on improving your own strength. These forces will remain under our management.
Nevertheless, you should also begin cultivating your own influence. At the very least, in the future, you will need loyal subordinates who can eventually take over the powers we have established!"
Ling Tian hesitated for a moment and replied, "Fifth Master, with Aurora and Bing Xia helping me, shouldn't that be enough..."
At this point, sixth master Yan Yu spoke.
"Ling Tian, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but...
Those girls are indeed exceptional and worthy of you.
However, they are women after all. In the future, they will have children and need to focus on raising them.
It's said that pregnancy makes one foolish for three years. If they have your offspring, they won't have the capacity to manage much else.
You wouldn't want to be a kept man, would you..."
Ling Tian felt a surge of exasperation upon hearing his sixth master's words. How had he become a kept man?
However, upon further reflection, Ling Tian admitted that he indeed needed a team. After all, his future opponents might be formidable powers like the Dark Temple or the American Demon Hunter Guild.
No matter how powerful he was, even with Ali's help, how many nails could he hammer with just one iron?
"Alright, Master, I understand!"
Gu Tianxi said, "Of course, Ling Tian, finding talented individuals is difficult, and finding loyal ones is even harder. But you don't have to start from scratch. We have capable people among our subordinates. You can select a core group from them.
Furthermore, regarding the cultivation of your influence, if you need funds or resources, just ask. I will help you resolve it!"