Douluo: A Century-old Legend I Am the Second Uncle Chenxin

Chapter 1817 The Appeal of the Heavenly Stars and Earthly Fiends
Perhaps on Cao Tingzhu's flattering suggestion, the Imperial Guards cleverly moved over several clean wooden tables and chairs and placed them securely under the eaves at the entrance.

There was also a pot of steaming coarse tea on the table.

Chen Xiaojun naturally took his seat in the main seat, lightly tapping the table with his fingertips; Chen Mu leaned against the edge of the table, sitting with his arms crossed; Gu Yuanchao stood respectfully beside Chen Xiaojun.

A dozen meters away in the central area, the scene was orderly:

Zhu Wuneng conducted precise tests and divided the queues. Qiu Qingquan, An Mingyuan, and Ma Liang registered at temporary tables and chairs. The children lined up in front of the three of them according to their different martial spirits, making the process quieter and more orderly.

When it came to Ma Liang's group, there was complete silence.

The children who had finished registering quietly retreated to the open space on the left side of the venue, sitting cross-legged in small groups to rest. The fear in their eyes gradually faded, leaving only curiosity as they looked around.

Under the eaves on the right, the group of young women still stood in a huddle, their haggard faces hidden in the shadows, their hands, still bearing scars, clasped tightly together, a stark contrast to the relaxed demeanor of the young man on the left.

…………

"As normal?" Gu Yuanchao was taken aback, thinking he had misheard.

Seeing Chen Xiaojun's calm gaze, he understood and asked, "Young Master wants to... temper his temperament first?"

"Hmm." Chen Xiaojun nodded slightly. "A lone wolf who has been wandering alone in the wilderness for a long time has a wild and untamed nature, which is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Being too solitary makes it difficult to integrate and also makes it easy to go astray. The Bone Digging Gang tried to temper him but failed, so we will use our 'rules' to temper him."

His gaze fell on the gray-haired boy in the distance who, even after being defeated by Ma Liang, still stood straight with a cold and aloof look in his eyes.

Gu Yuanchao understood immediately: "I understand, young master. Then... what about his future training, treatment, and resource allocation?"

Chen Xiaojun's lips curled into a very faint smile: "Then it depends on his own abilities. The Chenying Guard has its own rules; whatever position he can climb to based on his strength, that's how many resources he can secure."

"There's no such thing as a free lunch. He should understand this better than anyone else, and it aligns with his current beliefs."

Chen Mu chuckled and replied, "Sixth Brother, you're planning to put him in the Chenying Guard's melting pot, let him start from the bottom, compete and advance like everyone else, right?"

"The high-pressure imprisonment and character-building methods of the Bone-Digging Gang are a misguided approach. Our Dust Shadow Guard's fair and just rules, and our progressively challenging and promotion system, are the true path to tempering!"

Chen Xiaojun affirmed, "That's right. The system of the Chenying Guard is based on survival of the fittest and respects strength, yet it is within the framework of the family, with laws to follow and paths to take."

"This is more conducive to him recognizing reality, integrating into the group, and finding his place than giving him special treatment from the beginning."

"Even geniuses must learn to grow within the rules in order to truly become pillars of society; as for the upper limit of treatment, tell Chenyingwei that as long as he can, he can be promoted to the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends."

Gu Yuanchao gasped, his eyes widening: "Heavens... Heavenly Fiends and Earthly Fiends?! Young Master, this..."

He only felt a slight tingling sensation on his scalp.

That's the ceiling for the new generation of the Chen family, the most top-tier treatment for the younger generation!
Not to mention Gu Yuanchao, even Chen Mu couldn't help but look at Chen Xiaojun in astonishment, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, clearly shaken by this huge "pancake".

It's not that Lin Dong doesn't deserve this treatment, but as a non-follower, he obtained the qualification of Tian Gang Di Sha through the Chen Ying Wei channel, since the Chen Ying Wei is the lowest level of the Chen family.

Seeing the two people's astonished expressions, Chen Xiaojun laughed and said, "No need to be surprised. In our Chen family, although the members of the Zhaowu and high-ranking families are the backbone and mainstay of the family, the Chen Shadow Guards are also the root of the Chen family tree."

“They (some have been loyal to their families for one or two generations, or even several generations, but their merits are not enough) have shed blood and served their families with unwavering loyalty. Their outstanding descendants should also have a hope and qualification.”

“At the last joint meeting of the twelve departments, my second aunt and I submitted a proposal to my father, suggesting that a few spots for the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends be opened to the Dust Shadow Guard, provided that they can meet the requirements. This proposal has been approved by my father.”

He paused for a moment: "In fact, in the future, we may even gradually extend this to external recruitment teams like the Embroidered Uniform Guard; the way of the family lies in cohesion and in giving hope to all loyal and capable people."

Gu Yuanchao's astonishment quickly turned into approval. Most of their high-ranking members came from the Dust Shadow Guard, and they were happy to see Chen Xiaojun's proposal, which broke down barriers and benefited the foundation, succeed.

Chen Mu also suppressed his surprise and nodded vigorously: "Sixth Brother's words are very wise! If these disciples of the Chenying Guard have the talent of genius, they should be able to compete with the high-ranking disciples of Zhaowu and share the glory of the family!"

However, his brows furrowed slightly, and he changed the subject: "The idea is good! But the reality is, there aren't enough spots for the Earthly Fiends!"

He shrugged, indicating that this was an unavoidable, rigid restriction.

He gained experience in the Organization Department and will most likely remain there in the future. He has to pay attention to this matter. When his father first took office in the Organization Department, he also started by offering special treatment to the top talents.

Chen Xiaojun smiled slightly, with a carefree attitude that broke with convention: "It's nothing more than a title. As long as our family has the money and resources to support us and cultivate true talents, why should we be bound by the fixed names and numbers of 'Heavenly Stars and Earthly Fiends'?"

"The key lies in the substance—to ensure that all the talents in the Chen family system, regardless of their background, can see the ladder to reach the pinnacle of the family, as long as they are good enough."

Chen Mu immediately shook his head, but his tone was unusually serious: "You don't mind changing your name, but we can't stop everyone from keeping an eye on you!"

Gu Yuanchao nodded in deep agreement, "Yes, young master."

A fleeting, undisguised pity and complex emotion flashed across his eyes. "If it weren't for... if my son hadn't died young, he would have had a spot too..."

Chen Xiaojun took in both of their reactions.

It seems he underestimated the prestige and strong cohesion of the "Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends" title within the Chen family.

It represents not only resources, but also the highest honor that the younger generation of branch families and members of the Zhaowu Gaopin family can attain.

In a large, long-established family like the Chen family, the distinction between social status and rank is a deeply ingrained concept.

It is this symbolic meaning that makes all families regard the "Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends" as a reserve echelon for their children to ascend to family power!
Chen Zhang believes that the formation of the young master's personal guard, which involves selecting members from the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends, is a good example of this.

The expectations and weight this title carries far exceed the mere number of slots available.

When there are many people with the same title, it becomes worthless.

To put it bluntly, this is a collective, subconscious effort by the Chen family, a group with vested interests, to protect their interests.

He chuckled and said, "Then just give them a new name. There are plenty of stars in the sky. Don't be bound by the names of the Heavenly Stars and Earthly Fiends. What's so difficult about creating a new system?"

Chen Mu's tightly furrowed brows instantly relaxed, and a relieved and relaxed smile appeared on his face: "That's more like it!"

This satisfies the needs of the geniuses in the Dust Shadow Guard and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, opening up their path to advancement, without directly impacting the existing "Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends" brand and the core interests of the Zhaowu High-Rank.

"As long as the treatment and resources are on par with the Heavenly and Earthly Fiends, and even some aspects are tailored to these 'outsiders', hmm... call them 'Heroes of the Dust Shadows'? 'Young Masters in Brocade Robes'? Or simply 'Heroes of the Dust Family'? The names have to be catchy and impressive!"

Chen Xiaojun laughed and said, "The name that Lao Wu thought of is not bad, but it still needs to be a name associated with a constellation; the specific naming can be discussed later. Anyway, the initial naming, treatment settings, promotion channels, and even the connection with the Heavenly Stars and Earthly Fiends are all the work of your Organization Department."

Chen Mu felt like he'd been stabbed in the back and couldn't help but spit out, "You son of a bitch."

……

Note: The Embroidered Uniform Guard is responsible for external affairs, while the Shadow Guard is responsible for internal affairs.

(End of this chapter)