Starting as a centurion, he fought his way through the chaos of the world.

Chapter 129 The Aristocratic Families Bow Down
When the Bai family members entered the camp, their eyes showed surprise.

First of all, almost all the soldiers have entered the territory, and there is no end in sight. This number can be described as terrifying.

A powerful aura was occasionally emanating from it, indicating both Qi Refining and Dao Foundation stages.

By the time they arrived outside Lu Ming's tent, they had completely suppressed their pride.

Although Lu Ming's army was not as strong as the Imperial Guard, it was definitely a formidable force in the Southern Frontier, not to mention its large numbers and well-formed military formations.

In the eyes of the Bai family.

It has clearly become a dominant force in southern Xinjiang.

"General, Patriarch Bai has arrived."

"Let them in," a faint voice rang out from inside the tent.

Bai Tu didn't hesitate and quickly led his people inside.

As soon as they entered the tent, they saw Lu Ming sitting imposingly in the head seat.

He was holding a cup of tea, sipping it lightly, without even looking up.

Xiao Lin carefully stood below him, his hand resting on the long sword.

The entire camp had a very oppressive atmosphere.

After exchanging glances, Bai Tu stepped forward and, with his clansmen bowing, said, "Greetings, Governor!"

"Hoo!" Lu Ming blew on the tea leaves floating in his teacup, still not intending to speak.

"Thump, thump!" Heavy footsteps sounded outside the tent.

An army was approaching.

Bai Tu dared not straighten up, and gritted his teeth to continue, "My lord, I am here to congratulate you on your great victory over the rebels. My Bai family is willing to offer 10,000 spirit stones and 30 million taels of silver as military funds."

The thirty million taels of silver was a new addition he had just made.

At this moment, he could clearly sense the governor's murderous intent.

This is not fake, it is absolutely true.

Today, if I say the wrong thing, I'm afraid I'll be bleeding on the spot.

He didn't believe he could defeat the governor in front of him.

After all, the allied forces had many Golden Core experts, yet they still lost, and it's said that quite a few of these experts died.

However, Lu Ming still didn't say anything, and didn't even lift his eyelids.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Bai Tu's forehead. "My lord, my son Bai Hong is quite capable and well-versed in martial arts. I am willing to let him follow the governor and serve him loyally."

In fact, this was Lu Ming's true thought.

In his mind, it wasn't that noble families couldn't exist in his territory, but they had to be obedient.

Only those families that can act for themselves and be subject to their own constraints can survive.

Originally, he had no excuse to make the Bai family bow down.

This time, the other party walked right into the line of fire, so we can't blame him.

Only then did Lu Ming raise his head and look at Bai Tu, saying, "I've long heard that the eldest son of the Bai family is famous in the Southern Frontier for his White Rainbow Sword Technique. Since you want to join the army, I'll accept you as a vanguard general. What do you think?"

Bai Hong glanced at his father and, seeing that the other man nodded, immediately said, "Thank you for your promotion, sir. I will always be loyal to you and will never dare to have any disloyal thoughts."

Lu Ming waved his hand and said, "This time, when the army attacks Huangzhou from Yuzhou, you will lead the way."

"As ordered!"

Bai Hong immediately replied.

Bai Tu sighed helplessly.

He knew that he was now completely tied to Lu Ming's chariot, and there was no way he could get off.

Bai Hong, as his eldest son, personally led a large army to attack Huangzhou.

This represents a complete shift towards rebellion, placing them in opposition to other powerful families.

However, there was no other way; when you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head.

Fortunately, Lu Ming's strength was also quite good.

Even if a new emperor ascends the throne, the Bai family will still have leverage in negotiations and a chance to turn things around.

Then, Bai Tu said, "My lord, the spirit stones have been transported over. The silver is still at home because there is too much of it. I will go back and urge them to send it to the army as soon as possible."

Lu Ming raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, then I won't try to stop you."

While speaking, he waved his hand to signal the others to leave.

He didn't even glance at Bai Xian'er once.

This caused the other person to feel a slight sense of frustration.

After they left, Lu Ming's lips curled up; it was truly a case of someone bringing a pillow when you're sleepy.

Just when he was worried about not having any spirit stones, the Bai family sent some over.

As expected of a prestigious family, there was another important reason why he kept the other party around: to earn spirit stones.

As cultivation level increases.

Both he and his generals needed spirit stones to cultivate.

However, I don't have the channels myself right now, which means it's not allowed.

Moreover, as his subordinates grow in number and his territory expands, the power under his command also needs to be checked and balanced.

The Bai family would be a good target.

Currently, Lu Ming has Bai Yan's faction, Wang Xun and his son, Li Xun's faction, Wu Han and his men's faction, and the Baili family. In recent days, many disciples of the Baili family have entered the army.

Although these people are now firmly around him.

Moreover, as things stand, they remain loyal.

There were no major conflicts between them, but people change, and who knows what the future holds?

Therefore, Lu Ming now needs to give them a competitor.

After all, only a triangle is the most stable.

The Bai family would be a perfect fit, given their size and resources.

Moreover, their innate sense of superiority is destined to offend people. For example, the Bai family has a very deep grudge against the Bai family.

However, his men could only fight against the Bai family by relying on him, so after the conflict, they naturally had to rely on Lu Ming even more closely.

Because the Bai family was ostracized by everyone, they could only continue to survive in the governor's mansion by relying on Lu Ming.

Only in this way can everyone be united and used for one's own benefit.

This is not because Lu Ming suspects others of disloyalty, but because as a person in a position of power, he must know how to maintain checks and balances.

Then, turning his gaze to Xiao Lin beside him, he said, "Tell Zhang Mu that he will be the commander of this attack on Huangzhou, with Bai Hong as the vanguard and assistant. I will wait for the results in Yuzhou. Yuzhou and Linzhou must be captured in a short time."

"At that time, we will join forces with Grand Tutor Lin Hong to besiege the desolate state."

"As ordered!"

After speaking, Xiao Lin prepared to leave.

However, Lu Ming then seemed to remember something and said, "Oh right, there's one more thing. Tell Zhang Mu that after Huangzhou is captured, have Bai Hong surround the Li family, because they are suspected of colluding with rebels."

I'll inquire about it myself when I get there.

Lu Ming hadn't forgotten how Li He of the Li family had spoken to him in a sarcastic and sarcastic manner back then.

Now that we're meeting, I certainly won't stand on ceremony.

The Li family's influence is far less than that of the Bai family.

Moreover, the latter at least gave him some face on the surface, while Li He showed no mercy.

This time, we can only treat them as the chickens that intimidate the other powerful families.

Xiao Lin, standing to the side, unaware of Lu Ming's thoughts, simply bowed and said, "Yes, sir!"

Then he carefully retreated.

After he left.

Lu Ming also stood up and walked out of the tent.

At this time, the army had begun to set off one after another.

He leaped onto his warhorse and slowly rode forward.

At that very moment, in the capital city...

The Empress sat on the dragon throne.

The curtains swayed gently, vaguely revealing her perfect figure.

The assembled officials below dared not raise their heads.

They all had their heads down.

They were unusually cautious at this time.

"Governor-General Lu Ming of the Six Provinces defeated a million rebel troops, recovered Mingzhou, and saved my Grand Tutor of the Great Yu and 800,000 Imperial Guards from dire straits. What do you suggest as his reward?"

The Empress's clear voice rang out.

You couldn't detect the slightest hint of joy or anger in his voice.

In an instant, all eyes of the officials in the hall fell on Li Yan.

I want to see how the other person will react.

After all, this is Lu Ming's godfather.

However, the current prime minister showed no intention of making a move.

Standing still, he seemed to be asleep.

After a moment of contemplation, the Minister of War stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Governor-General Lu Ming has made outstanding contributions. I suggest that he be promoted to Governor-General of the Southern Frontier and appointed as the Grand General Who Conquers the South!"

This official position is fairly standard, and considering Lu Ming's contributions, it's even somewhat low.

However, now everyone can see it.

His Majesty has become suspicious of this governor of six prefectures.

If it weren't for Li Yan backing Lu Ming, many people would probably have already stood up to suppress him.

As his voice rang out.

The Empress, seated at the head of the table, spoke calmly once more, "This suggestion is good. Let's draft an edict to appoint Lu Ming as the Governor-General of the Southern Frontier, a third-rank General of the Southern Expedition, and bestow upon him the title of Marquis of Ceasefire, to forever guard the Southern Frontier!"

The reward is a Marquis's mansion in the capital, a thousand spirit stones, three hundred jade tablets, three hundred gold tablets, a chest of precious pearls, and one hundred thousand taels of silver!

As the voice rang out, the assembled officials were all startled.

Obviously, this was unexpected.

His Majesty's reward to Lu Ming is so generous.

Everyone was saying they were suspicious of each other, so how did he get promoted to a high-ranking official position so quickly?

Moreover, it will be a permanent garrison in the southern border region, which means it will be hereditary and unreplaceable.

Although Lu Ming's contributions are commendable, he is certainly worthy of the title.

But to do this even when there is suspicion is quite intriguing.

Even Li Yan couldn't help but open his eyes, a look of surprise flashing across them.

However, it was well concealed.

As for the others, they all respectfully replied, "Your Majesty is wise!"

"Dismiss the court!" the Empress said calmly.

The officials immediately bowed and withdrew.

After the Empress left, the assembled ministers who had emerged from the palace immediately began to discuss the matter.

It was a mess for a while.

At the same time, the Empress entered the Imperial Garden and, looking at the female officials following behind her, slowly said, "Isn't it strange why I granted Lu Ming the title of Marquis?"

"Your Majesty's decision is absolute, and this servant dares not presume to speculate," the female official hurriedly said in a flustered manner.

The Empress laughed and said, "Why are you so nervous? The Grand Tutor has submitted a memorial suggesting that Lu Ming be granted a marquisate and be permanently stationed in the southern border region. He has indeed made great contributions, so there's nothing wrong with granting him a marquisate."

After the sound was heard.

The female official quickly replied, "Your Majesty is wise."

The Empress waved her hand and said, "Stop flattering me. The most important reason is that Yao Guang Sect has used a secret technique to temporarily escape the siege of the other sects. After a while, a group of experts will move in."

At that time, we won't need to fear anyone.

The Empress let out a soft sigh as she finished speaking.

She was under immense pressure during this period.

Without the support of experts, he could only struggle on his own and was made to look very bad by those rebel kings.

Although I heard that the experts who rushed out this time were not the top experts of Yaoguang Sect, they are enough for the current situation.

Once you have confidence, you should naturally reward meritorious officials.

The female official below immediately showed joy on her face, "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

She naturally knew about Yaoguang Sect, the sect that Dayu relied on.

It is the most powerful among the seven major sects.

It was only because the Yao Guang Sect had supported the Great Yu Dynasty back then, and with the help of its supreme fortune, several Immortal Realm experts emerged from the sect. Although they are no longer here, their legacy remains.

There are at least three celestial artifacts.

Any sect would be envious.

The current Grand Elder of Yaoguang Sect is the ancestor of Dayu, and his strength is extraordinary.

It is said that at the foot of Xingguang Mountain in Yaoguang Sect, there is a branch of the royal family living there, and every member of them is a cultivator.

It is precisely because of this rich heritage that the Dayu Kingdom has been able to occupy this land for more than a thousand years.

Every time there is war, a strong person will appear to suppress it.

The reason why the current chaos has occurred is because Yaoguang Sect has been besieged by other sects.

Now, reinforcements are about to arrive.

In her view, this declining situation would soon be reversed.

"Alright, get up. I've been quite distant from the Prime Minister these days. Go to him for me and give him a ginseng root and three pearls from the sea. Tell him that I will do my best to get him a life-extending pill."

"Yes, ma'am!" Upon receiving the order, the female official left with a beaming smile.

She hadn't seen His Majesty so relaxed in a long time.

After she left.

The Queen also found a place to sit down, but the smile on her face couldn't help but fade a little.

What she just said to the female official was indeed the truth, but she had a question that she did not voice.

Since the Yaoguang Sect has a secret method that allows its disciples to break through, why not let them break through sooner instead of waiting until now?

As far as he knew, six months later, the Penglai Immortal Island, which appeared only once every ten years, would manifest. Cultivators below the Purple Mansion level could enter, climb the immortal peaks on the island, and obtain unparalleled opportunities.

Legend has it that when Tian Shu Dao Zi was in the sect, he was not particularly outstanding, only considered good. However, after going to Penglai Immortal Island, he shone brightly. While climbing the immortal peak, he actually stepped onto the mountainside and picked a top-grade spiritual fruit. From then on, his cultivation path advanced by leaps and bounds.

Before this, in the ten thousand years since the appearance of Penglai Immortal Island, only a little over a thousand people had achieved a higher level of success than him.

After all, climbing to the Immortal Peak requires not only a person's strength, but also their potential, combat power, perseverance, and so on.

The higher you climb, the greater your future achievements will be, provided you don't die.

Upon reaching the limit, the immortal mountain will bestow rewards, usually various rare and precious spiritual essences of heaven and earth.

The higher you climb, the greater the reward.

It is said that someone once obtained a celestial fruit and laid the strongest foundation for immortality.

And those who go there each time are almost all elite disciples from various sects.

Over tens of thousands of years, this number has become terrifying.

Tian Shu Dao Zi can be ranked in the top 1,000, which is an extremely rare existence.

This is truly a rare find.

Now that Penglai Immortal Island is about to reappear, the major sects will naturally not let this opportunity pass them by.

Whether the purpose of the Yaoguang Immortal Sect is to help him or to enter the Immortal Island remains unknown.

We'll talk about it once the person arrives.

Meanwhile, Lu Ming had already entered Yuzhou and was leading his personal guards straight toward the Bai family.

Now that he has the Five-Toothed Battleship and the blueprints for the Divine Arm Crossbow, he certainly won't give up the opportunity to forge it, but he really has no one he can use.

The Bai family was a prominent family.

They must have some cultural heritage, and they live by the sea.

He wouldn't believe it if you told him he didn't have anyone under him who knew how to build ships.

Therefore, Lu Ming decided to try contacting the other party.

As soon as I arrived at the door, Bai Tu came out to greet me.

"Greetings, Grand Commander."

Besides him, there were also a group of disciples from the Bai family, and this time it was much more formal.

They clearly already had the news.

The yard was even swept clean, and a carpet was laid out outside the door.

The servants stood respectfully to one side.

The procession was vast and numbered over a thousand people.

It has to be said that these powerful families are like this: when they look down on you, they wish they could trample you into the ground, but when they really need you...

They will take good care of you and make you feel very comfortable, almost without any faults.

"Why all the fuss? Let's go inside and talk." As Lu Ming spoke, he walked towards the Bai family's residence.

Last time he came, he only stood in the front yard for a moment, but this time he was led straight into the back yard.

After entering the hall and settling down...

Bai Tu cautiously replied, "Sir, I have already sent the silver to Hongdu Prefecture."

Lu Ming waved his hand. "I didn't come here to talk about that. Do you know where I can find a place to forge warships and giant crossbows?"

"Does Your Excellency intend to refine a weapon?" Bai Tu asked cautiously.

A hint of hesitation appeared on his face.

"What? Is there something you can't say, Patriarch Bai?" Lu Ming's expression darkened slightly.

Bai Tu immediately replied, "I wouldn't dare. You flatter me, Commander. What could I possibly not say in your presence?"

Then he continued, "Actually, my Bai family is quite skilled in weapon crafting. Our ancestor was a late-stage Golden Core cultivator. It is because of him that we were able to earn money in the outer realms. However, no one else knows about this."

We only tell outsiders that some of the family's magical artifacts were purchased.

After all, top-tier families like these always need to maintain a certain air of mystery to the outside world.

At this moment, Lu Ming's eyes revealed a look of understanding.

It seems that the ornaments worn by the Bai family junior I met last time were not custom-made by a famous craftsman, but were made in the family.

He knew it; how could a mere concubine's daughter possibly spend hundreds of spirit stones to buy an accessory?

Lu Ming's eyes flashed, and then he took out two blueprints. "Take a look and see if this can be refined?"

The drawing above naturally shows the crafting methods for the Five-Toothed Warship and the Divine Arm Crossbow.

Based on their classification, these items are definitely not ordinary weapons.

"My lord, let our ancestor take a look at this. I'll ask him to come out right away," Bai Tu said hurriedly.

Lu Ming nodded, without refusing.

He also wanted to see the patriarch of the Bai family.

Bai Tu quickly got up and took his leave.

A moment later, an elderly man with a full head of white hair came out, accompanied by Bai Tu.

This person is not tall; in fact, he gives the impression of being very thin and small.

But standing still, it is like a mountain.

Lu Ming's gaze sharpened.

Just then, the old man bowed and said, "This old man is Bai Fu, and greets Your Excellency."

"No need to be polite. Take a look at the blueprints first and see if the things on them can be refined." Upon hearing this, Bai Fu quickly stepped forward and took the blueprints into his hands.

A moment later, a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.

"Exquisite craftsmanship, truly exquisite craftsmanship."

My lord, this Divine Arm Crossbow is a mid-grade magic weapon. With my current skill level, I should be able to forge it.

"However, this five-toothed warship is a bit difficult to deal with. It has reached the category of low-grade spiritual artifacts, and with my level, I am really powerless to do anything about it," Bai Fu said.

Lu Ming nodded slightly. "If we were to forge the Divine Arm Crossbow, what materials would be needed, and what would their value be?"

"This divine crossbow needs to be forged in a large furnace. If the Bai family forges it in a small furnace, the efficiency will be too slow. Since you are equipping the army, the faster the better."

As for the materials, you need millennium-old black iron and the tendons of a Qi Refining level demon beast.

These all need to be purchased from beyond the realm. One pound of thousand-year-old black iron is needed for a single divine crossbow, which costs ten spirit stones. A single python tendon costs five spirit stones from beyond the realm. If you require it, I can send someone to purchase it.”

Lu Ming did the calculations.
If I were to forge a thousand Divine Arm Crossbows, I would need ten thousand pieces of Xuan Iron alone.

All he has now is this much.

That's obviously not going to work.

After a moment's thought, he said, "First, build five hundred racks, which will cost seven thousand five hundred spirit stones. Have someone deliver them tomorrow."

"Thank you for your trust, sir," Baifu said immediately, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

This person is much more sensible than I imagined.

After Lu Ming finished loading the blueprints for the Five-Toothed Warship, he left with his men.

Upon returning, he immediately dispatched Xiao Lin to deliver 7,500 spirit stones to the Bai family.

In the following days, Lu Ming cultivated almost every day, while also reviewing battle reports sent from various places.

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

During this period, many things happened. The central government was besieged by rebel kings, the dragon veins trembled once again, and powerful sect experts descended once more. It is said that some of them were so powerful that they had reached the Purple Mansion Realm.

Under Zhang Mu's leadership, Bai Hong has already captured Huangzhou and Linzhou. Now, together with Lin Hong, they are forming a pincer movement to encircle Huangzhou. Moreover, the problem of food supplies for the Imperial Guards has been completely resolved.

The imperial decree for Lu Ming's promotion has also been issued.

Marquis of Zhige, General Who Conquers the South, Governor-General of the Southern Frontier—each of these positions was extremely prestigious.

This happened on a day right after Lu Ming finished his cultivation.

Xiao Lin rushed in and said, "My lord, the Li family of Huangzhou has been taken into custody by Bai Hong. They are now waiting for you."

When the voice rang out, Lu Ming smiled and said, "I'm not in a hurry, why are you? You can step back now. We'll leave this afternoon after lunch!"

"Yes, sir!" Upon receiving the order, Xiao Lin immediately withdrew.

Lu Ming, on the other hand, opened the data panel to see what new items had appeared after his official rank was promoted.

(End of this chapter)