Promise!

Chapter 170, Mutation

In the east of the city, after Zhuang Jin won the duel with Qiu Yizhi at the end of last month, and after Fu Shousong and Qiu Yizhi secretly surrendered and betrayed their subordinates, the resistance has greatly decreased. It is expected that the matter can be completely resolved in February or March.

After being driven out of the north of the city, the Medicine King Gang concentrated its forces on the south side of the city to engage in a bloody war of attrition with the Shen family. Meanwhile, the Shen family sent wave after wave of martial artists to the east of the city for a purge...

It can only be said that the Medicine King Gang got what they asked for, and now they are being harassed and bleed dry.

Zhuang Jin and Fu Shousong discussed this matter and finally reached a consensus: if things continue like this, the Medicine King Gang will definitely be the first to give out and run into problems.

"Back to the east of the city, looking back now, the outcome was already predetermined two years ago," Fu Shousong sighed.

"Oh?" Zhuang Jin looked over.

"To address this issue, we must first clarify one point: martial artists value strength above all else."

This is a self-evident and extremely simple truth, but when they voted, Fu Shousong and Qiu Yizhi were blinded by inertia and short-sightedness.

Zhuang Jin nodded upon hearing this.

Indeed, it was clear from the initial vote that in high-level meetings, minor and moderate matters were subject to democratic voting, while truly important and crucial strategic decisions were made by the family head, Shen Xianhong, alone... All of this was determined by strength.

Only those at the level of worship and with the strength of the Meridian Opening Realm can attain such a status; as the only Xiantian in the Shen family, the head of the family, Shen Xianhong is a top-tier combatant and the true core and pillar of the Shen family.

This can be seen from the Medicine King Gang. In terms of combat strength below the Innate Realm, the Shen family is almost twice that of the Medicine King Gang, yet the Shen family dares not launch a full-scale attack, tacitly acquiescing to the Medicine King Gang's occupation of the western part of the city. Why? It's because they fear that if they destroy the Medicine King Gang, their Innate Realm leader will lose his restraint…

"Given the situation in the east of the city, even with the patriarch at the Innate Realm, it wasn't impossible for him to suppress it single-handedly. So why didn't he do so?"

Fu Shousong asked and answered himself, giving the answer: "Because of the lower and middle-level martial artists who are proficient in the Six Classics."

“Our ranks of worshippers, the upper echelons of the eastern city, are certainly important; the middle and upper echelons of the seventh to twelfth meridians, who connect the upper and lower levels, are also very important; but the martial artists of the first to sixth meridians, the street guards, and the ordinary martial artists, these people who carry out the work below are equally important.”

To use an analogy, the forces in the eastern part of the city are like a tree. The lower and middle-level martial artists, from the first to the sixth level, are the roots that are most grounded in the earth; the upper and middle-level martial artists, from the seventh to the twelfth level, are the trunk, connecting the upper and lower levels; and the two enshrined figures, Fu Shousong and Qiu Yizhi, are the top canopy, supporting the sky and sheltering from the wind and rain... Only when the upper and lower levels are integrated can it be considered a complete tree.

Zhuang Jin understood what he meant: "Is Master Fu referring to the point about recruiting martial arts students from outside the region?"

"That's right. Before the recruitment of martial arts students from outside, all the martial arts students were recommended internally. They were all old members of the Shen family, with deep roots and complex relationships... The patriarch could take action against the upper and upper-middle levels, but he couldn't deal with the lower and middle levels. Even if they were transferred from other places, they were still the same old people, just a change of name but not substance."

Fu Shousong sighed, "But ever since we started the war with the Medicine King Gang and began recruiting martial arts students from outside, especially as these people have gradually grown up, the situation has changed."

“These recruited and trained martial artists can replace the lower and middle-level martial artists in the east of the city. If the skin is gone, what will the hair cling to? If the lower and middle-level martial artists can be replaced, then the upper-level martial artists with seven to twelve meridians can be dealt with, and we can also move on the upper level.”

Upon hearing Fu Shousong's words, Zhuang Jin recalled them and realized that it was indeed true. The patriarch Shen Xianhong's plan was quite ingenious: when the war with the Medicine King Gang first broke out, the Seven Classics in the east of the city remained untouched, allowing them to continue to enjoy peace and tranquility, as a deception. Only the middle and lower classes in the east of the city were transferred... But those rats did not know that the middle and lower classes of the First to Sixth Classics were their base. Once this base was gone, it could be replaced, and their good days would come to an end.

This strategy of slowly chipping away at the enemy's foundation and wings, gradually weakening them, is crucial for a decisive strike when the time comes to eliminate the dragon.

“We’ll draw some of the lower and middle ranks from the east of the city and extend our reach there to lay the groundwork… With the war in the north of the city over, we’ve accumulated enough lower and middle-ranking warriors and know enough about the east of the city, so let’s make our move immediately… Last August, no sooner had Elder Zhuang left than Uncle Pang arrived.”

Fu Shousong's expression became complicated as he said this: "Looking back now, even if my old friend hadn't acted impulsively and hadn't planned to take action against Pang Shusheng, that man would still be dead."

Zhuang Jin remained silent upon hearing this, agreeing with the point.

From the moment he went to the east of the city, Pang Shusheng knew he was doomed. Shen Xuchen knew this, and Shen Xianhong knew it even more... Qiu Yizhi's reckless actions only hastened Pang Shusheng's death. Even without this incident, if Pang Shusheng had continued his investigation, he would have forced the forces in the east of the city to take action, using himself as kindling to ignite the fire...

"Throughout history, past and present, what reform has ever been achieved without bloodshed? Pang Shusheng... was a prime example of that 'necessary price'!"

Without someone like Pang Shusheng, who would shed blood, how could they break the deadlock and open up new possibilities in the east of the city? How could they highlight the ruthlessness of those rats in the east and win the sympathy and support of neutral members within the Shen family? How could they make those rats in the east, whose interests had been cut, feel at peace? 'It's all just about interests and calculations!' he sighed inwardly.

"So, looking back now, our failure was already destined from the moment we started recruiting martial arts students."

Fu Shousong exclaimed, "The patriarch is truly remarkable. I accept my defeat wholeheartedly in this round."

Hearing this, Zhuang Jin saw the patriarch Shen Xianhong more clearly: 'As the patriarch of the Shen family, Shen Xianhong prioritizes the interests of the Shen family above all else, making him more like a political creature... Don't be fooled by appearances and think he's kind, amiable, or easy to talk to, or that he's all about tenderness and affection... That's extremely foolish. If necessary, he can turn ruthless and sacrifice you instantly...'

'To avoid this situation, one must make oneself of higher value, something that cannot be easily given up... yet one must not threaten the Shen family, nor be out of control; one's innate nature is the limit...'

"In this process, one must grasp the right measure, maintain a clear mind, and abandon illusions. It's like dancing on a knife's edge while wearing shackles, yet still dancing gracefully... until the accumulation is complete, the butterfly emerges from its cocoon, and soars into the sky..."

……

In the days that followed, the events in the east of the city continued to progress, while the martial artists were investigated and sent to the south of the city to engage in attrition warfare with the Medicine King Gang.

It can be said that after the Shen family cleansed up the east of the city, the east of the city was purified and integrated, and its war potential was enhanced. In the past, the Medicine King Gang could not outlast them, but now, in a contest of attrition, the Medicine King Gang is even less able to outlast them... The opponent's territory is inferior, their foundation is inferior, their resources are inferior, their ability to produce Qingyuan Liquid is inferior, and their overall number of martial artists is inferior.

If this continues, the Medicine King Gang will only be trapped in the west of the city.

Has the Medicine King Gang so readily admitted defeat? From the Medicine King Gang's pioneering recruitment of martial arts students, its first targeting of the north of the city, and its first raid on the fleets of wealthy families in the surrounding counties... all these incidents show that the Medicine King Gang is not a peaceful organization.

However, what the Medicine King Gang should do was something that the family head, Shen Xianhong, had to consider. Zhuang Jin continued to stay at the headquarters and focus on cultivation. The one pound of Cloud Hidden Tea and the thirty thousand battle merits were only enough for two months of accelerated cultivation. They would consume one month's worth in two months and be gone by the end of March.

The monthly duty of 5,000 battle merits, plus the various tributes from subordinates, is only enough to exchange for one-third of the battle merits needed to exchange for beast tendon ointment each month.

—Xue Yandao, Lin Hong, Bi Kai and other confidants, under Zhuang Jin's protection, were spared from going to the front line in the south of the city. In return, they were required to pay a portion of their battle merits every month... This was not because Zhuang Jin was greedy, but because it was the customary practice and established rule of other patrons and subordinate forces. Under such circumstances, Zhuang Jin would not pretend to be noble and refuse.

The battle merits can solve part of the problem. As for the other part, after discussing with Chen Yun, Zhuang Jin will sell the assets they received to buy beast tendon ointment from the state city through Fu Shousong's channels. However, it will take some time before they can get it.

Well, buying animal tendon ointment through Fu Shousong's channels is a way for him to do good deeds, and it's a costless and beneficial thing. It doesn't cost any favors, and favors at the level of a patron are not so cheap.

Zhuang Jin secretly estimated that with the help of Cloud Hidden Tea and Beast Tendon Ointment, it would take about three months to complete the accumulation of the first lineage realm; without them, it would take about five or six months.

If there are resources to accelerate cultivation, use them; once they're used up, resume normal cultivation... It was under these circumstances that Zhuang Jin's cultivation level continued to advance steadily after breaking through to the second meridian.

……

Time flies, and nearly three months have passed, bringing us to the end of May.

At this point, Zhuang Jin had already completed 80% of his accumulation of the first two meridians, the Tongmai and Daimai realms.

During this period, the Shen family prospered: the matter in the east of the city was concluded, the investigation was completed, the family was integrated and digested, and they began to launch the Meridian Opening Pill...

The Meridian Opening Pill is naturally prioritized for exchange by those at the offering level. For those at the lower to upper levels, it requires great merit, such as someone like Sun Mingbi.

On May 27th, the day after Sun Mingbi broke through to the Meridian Opening Realm and held a grand banquet to honor his ancestors, news came from below: the medicinal herbs presented by the wealthy families of the three counties in the county town at the middle of the year had been looted by the Medicine King Gang!

……

(End of this chapter)