Promise!

Chapter 182, The Four Meridians

On his return trip to Linji County, Zhuang Jin felt relaxed, as there was nothing much to do... Oh, there was something to do when he got back. The Yao family's investigation and consolidation was indeed a lot of work, but since the capable are given more responsibilities, he handed it over to Teng Yuansong and that was it.

They stopped for sightseeing along the way, and returned to Linji County ten days later.

Not far from the government office, in the northern part of the city, is my residence.

Zhuang Jin had been here before; it was here that he had orchestrated the treacherous banquet against the Yao family father and son. He was quite familiar with the place and led Chen Yun and the others around to see it.

This is a five-courtyard complex. The front is spacious and dignified, but there's not much to say about it. The main thing is the back.

The flower garden behind is about three acres in size. In this garden, two ponds were dug on the east and west sides. Water flows in from outside the southwest wall, flows between the two ponds, and branches in three directions. One stream flows south to the main kitchen for daily use; another flows into the eastern pond; and the third flows north and then west, spraying into the western pond through the mouth of a stone carp, then around to the northwest corner, where a sluice gate is set up to release the water, which then flows through the water gate and into the stream.

Several streams flow day and night, their murmuring sounds refreshing the ears, especially pleasant on a summer day.

Where there is water, there are naturally trees. The bamboo and trees provide dense shade, so thick that you can't see the sky when you look up. To the west is a pond with a pavilion in the middle, surrounded by lotus flowers on both sides. To the east are a study and a training ground, facing south. There is also a grape trellis in the courtyard, with square stones placed underneath, where you can play chess or drink wine.

To the west are three pavilions. Sitting in the pavilions, one can admire the chrysanthemum fields and listen to the sound of flowing water. It is truly a scene of falling flowers and flowing water.

The south side of the pavilion has a school gate that leads to the inner rooms. Beneath the north window of the pavilion, there is another small pond, in which koi and other fish live. Further north of the pond, there is a small temple, where the Old Man of the Moon and the Flower Goddess are enshrined.

A three-story building was built in the park, its height level with the city wall. From the top, the rivers looked like ribbons and the mountains like screens.

Zhuang Jin chose to stay in the south of the garden. The house there was shaped like a ship, with an earthen hill in the courtyard and a pavilion on the top. Climbing up the hill would offer a panoramic view of the garden, surrounded by lush greenery and free from the summer heat.

"This is truly the best residence I have ever seen in my life!" As expected of a married couple, Zhuang Jin had long anticipated that Chen Yun would like it, and Chen Yun's reaction today confirmed it.

Chen Yun has a temperament that dislikes jewelry and clothes, but prefers books and calligraphy. She has the elegance of a talented woman, so this kind of residence is naturally to her liking.

Of course, she was not the kind of person who was extremely materialistic. Even in a simple environment, she could be content with her lot and find joy in hardship. She made the best use of her existing environment and lived a leisurely and elegant life. Influenced by Zhuang Jin's ideas, she would not force herself to endure hardship. Naturally, it would be better to have such conditions.

"Yes!"

Yu Xiaoxiao and Song Lan nodded repeatedly, exclaiming in amazement. Their eyes were bright and clear, clearly showing their appreciation and feeling that their horizons had been broadened.

"Linji County is not as prosperous as the prefectural city, but its remoteness has its advantages. We can find this place, blessed with natural beauty, and have skilled craftsmen repair it, thus preserving its natural charm..."

Zhuang Jin spoke with a faint smile on her face.

If he were alone, he wouldn't want to live in such a quiet place, but with Chen Yun here, he's willing and can appreciate its beauty.

Yu Xiaoxiao and Song Lan went to pack their things, while Zhuang Jin pulled Chen Yun behind and told her about Zhi'er who was outside.

He doesn't hide things from others or deliberately leave hidden dangers for himself. He prefers to resolve issues in their infancy. He avoids the kind of melodramatic situations where one person says, "I won't say anything for your own good," while the other says, "I'll wait for your explanation and won't ask," leading to misunderstandings, mutual friction, and dramatic love stories.

Chen Yun, upon hearing this, indeed didn't care and even urged him to go see the other party: "It's already been half a month since you came and went, my husband should go and see her as soon as possible!"

Zhuang Jin chuckled. His wife was pushing him to sleep with the woman she kept on the side; the feeling was truly...

He joked, "Yunniang, aren't you afraid I'll get tired of you?"

"It's like papaya and fermented bean curd; my husband didn't like them at first, but he gradually got used to them... Although I am ugly, my husband has long been in love with me!"

Zhuang Jin smiled upon hearing this. He had heard a saying: When you feel love gradually fading, true love has just begun. Perhaps this is what is meant by "love at its peak turns to thinning"?

Now, their relationship has indeed gradually transcended romantic love and become more like that of family, inseparable.

……

In Linji County, south of the city, there is a small courtyard.

Zhuang Jin came over and comforted Zhi'er.

Afterwards, Zhi'er lazily did her makeup and asked, "Young Master Zhuang, shall I go and see him...?"

"No need."

Zhuang Jin glanced at the woman, knowing that this was a test from her, and sighed inwardly, 'A woman's words are deceitful.' She had said, 'As long as you don't drive me away, and if you think of me and come to see me, even if it's only two or three times a month, I'll be satisfied.' Why has she changed her mind now?
That won't do. If you're going to be a spy, then be a spy properly. How can you give up halfway and try to get in or even rise to a higher position by changing tracks?
He thought for a moment, his expression serious, and added, "Don't do anything unnecessary, or I'll be very unhappy."

"I know it."

Zhi'er saw Zhuang Jin off, and as she watched his retreating figure, a hint of disappointment appeared on her beautiful face.

Zhuang Jin is handsome and capable in many ways. It wouldn't be love, but as they spend more time together, she's developed a slight liking for him. This liking is more pragmatic; she knows Zhuang Jin is the best match for her in life. If he were to accept her... she'd have a powerful backer, and the Medicine King Gang could be cut off from her...

But now it seems that the road ahead is long and we still need to work hard!
Once outside, Zhuang Jin's smile faded, replaced by a cold expression. She instructed her attendant, Yue Song, "Secretly increase the number of men and keep an eye on her!"

"Yes, Master Zhuang!"

……

The day after returning, Teng Yuansong came to complain that Zhuang Jin was unethical. He said that Zhuang Jin ran away back to the prefectural city just before the integration of the Yao family, dawdling on the way back. By the time he returned, the investigation and integration of the Yao family had already been completed. He really knew how to time things.

These complaints stemmed more from the need to work things out with Zhuang Jin. One was the magistrate of Linji County, and the other was a county garrison commander dispatched by the Shen family. They would be dealing with each other for a long time to come, and they also had ties of interest, so they naturally couldn't afford to become estranged.

All the previous sarcastic remarks and jokes were intentional, meant to build rapport. So far, the two have gotten along quite well and seem to be on the same page.

Teng Yuansong came here mainly to deliver money... The Yao family is also a prominent family in Linji County. After investigation, this share of the profits will be another large sum of money, needless to say.

In the following days, nothing much happened, and Linji County returned to complete peace. The Fei and Yao families existed in name only, and Zhuang Jin supported and controlled puppets. He allocated a portion of his ample share of Qingyuan Liquid to cultivate the medicinal herbs in the formula for accelerating cultivation, and his cultivation once again entered a fast track. He took a break every ten days and went out for a trip with Chen Yun.

The scenery in Linji County is indeed beautiful, such as the water garden surrounded by streams, the serene and ancient Xiangji Temple, the steep and precipitous Yixiantian (a narrow gorge), and the Anlan Garden with its winding corridors and towering trees...

Zhuang Jin had taken Chen Yun to all these places.

Teng Yuansong was quite satisfied with Zhuang Jin's style. Unlike the Fei and Yao families of the past, who oppressed the people and did all sorts of nonsense, with cases never ending.

If I don't do anything, I'll be betraying my official position; if I do manage, it's difficult and impossible to manage... I can only write it down in my little notebook, and I can't even enjoy myself in peace.

It's good as it is now. No need to worry about these things. You can eat, drink, and enjoy yourself in peace. Take the profits from the two big families, keep beauties, drink fine wine, and live a life of extravagance. Set an example and support the development of the entertainment industry in Linji County.

Zhuang Jin focused on cultivation, occasionally traveling and enjoying himself, while Teng Yuansong was content with his leisure. These two, who truly determined that Linji County would not cause trouble, and with the Fei and Yao families, who had been purged and were now reduced to only a handful of people, they dared not cause any trouble either...

As a result, the people of Linji County were blessed.

Ordinary people are easily satisfied. If the government doesn't cause trouble, doesn't act recklessly, and doesn't over-exploit them, but provides a relaxed environment and favorable weather, they can create wealth and grow on their own. That's what a prosperous era is.

Compared to before, they are now extremely satisfied. The two mountains of Fei and Yao are gone, no one is oppressing them, they have a good living environment, and even the surrounding areas are attracted and thriving.

Whether people are living well or not is a matter for the people themselves to judge. Under these circumstances, Teng Yuansong and Zhuang Jin are both highly respected in Linji County.

Well, through their mutual deference, the people were repeatedly guided and, in the midst of the debate, both became even more famous. Many people even erected shrines in their homes in honor of the two.

Time passed quickly, and three or four months went by in this environment.

……

October 23.

On this day, Zhuang Jin once again felt a slight swelling in his meridians, knowing that he had completed the accumulation of the three meridians realm. However, he did not immediately begin the breakthrough, but instead took out two items.

This is a secret technique for enhancing internal energy attributes and improving physical constitution, which was traded with Fu Shousong, along with a secret medicine made from the beast treasure of the You Sha Python, which is at the minor completion stage of the Yi Jin Jing realm.

The goods were secretly delivered by a fleet of ships.

Zhuang Jin looked at the two items and thought about the current situation in the prefecture: the Medicine King Gang robbed the medicinal materials offered by the wealthy families of the three counties in the middle of the year, which provided temporary relief, but it was ultimately a temporary solution and not a fundamental one. Repeating the same trick would not work. His own martial artists at the Meridian Opening Realm were being watched by the Shen family's retainers. Even if he went to great lengths, he could only send out one or two people at most, which would not be of much use.

The Medicine King Gang could only target the Shen family's medicinal fields... As a result, even those at the rank of Offering Master began to occasionally make moves.

Anyone with eyes to see can see that it's only a matter of time before the war between the Shen family and the Medicine King Gang escalates further, and the positions of the other four county garrison commanders have suddenly become highly sought after.

'That's none of my business. I've already escaped the vortex of the prefectural city; I should focus on improving myself!'

Zhuang Jin sighed inwardly, setting aside the secret technique he already knew by heart, and picked up the secret medicine: 'I've repeatedly deduced this technique and medicine myself, verified it through Teng Yuansong's channels, and even consulted with the family head, Shen Xianhong, to confirm there are no problems or risks. Even if it doesn't work, it can still improve one's foundation to some extent, so its safety is guaranteed.'

"According to the secret method, this item is best used when breaking through a cultivation level, as it can accelerate the conversion of internal energy, such as from the second to the third meridian, and now from the third to the fourth meridian as well."

'The fourth meridian is the Yin Wei meridian, which is the intersection of all Yin meridians. It originates from the Shao Yin meridian, passes through the abdomen and chest, and ends at the throat...'

Zhuang Jin took the secret medicine, refined it according to the secret method, and then mobilized his internal energy to enter the Yin Wei Meridian without any hindrance.

hum!
Unlike before, this time, the internal energy circulates through the twelve regular meridians, and the four meridians of Chong, Dai, Yangwei, and Yinwei, while undergoing a qualitative and quantitative leap, begin to be tainted with a touch of darkness.

This is a change in the internal energy attribute!

After a cup of tea.

Zhuang Jin opened his eyes: "Four Meridians Realm, achieved!"

"As expected, the secret technique is effective. It can enhance internal energy and improve physical fitness. But can it truly allow me to create another ultimate killing move, just as I wish?"

He stood tall, carefully savoring the experience, and then began practicing the Black Fiend Palm. As he further refined his understanding of the Black Fiend Palm, he suddenly unleashed a palm strike at a certain moment.

Swish!
The originally colorless force turned into a light ink color as it left the body, splitting into two spirals that transformed into two dragons that strangled each other, each a foot and a half apart!
boom!
The wooden stake that was hit shattered instantly, exploding into dust, each grain resembling a layer of frost.

'Did I really succeed? I've mastered another deadly technique?'

Zhuang Jin's expression was pleased: "My cultivation technique is the Black Fiend Skill, and the beast treasure I use for my secret medicine is the Netherworld Fiend Python, a rare beast at the Lesser Completion level of the Tendon-Changing Technique. Both contain the character 'fiend,' making them compatible and perfectly combined. This allows my inner energy to generate a kind of poisonous fiend... My killing martial art is also the Black Fiend Palm. The three complement each other even more perfectly. When I fight an enemy, the palm wind and force contain poisonous fiend, which will affect the opponent, requiring them to expend more inner energy to resist."

"And in this ultimate killing move, the poison is even more potent... The palm is imbued with poison, and its strikes are like being covered in frost. Let's call this move 'Frost Poison Kill'!"

"By the way, the Yin Wei Meridian is the intersection of all Yin meridians, connecting all Yin, regulating Qi and blood, and strengthening the heart... Once opened, it can support a martial artist's stronger bursts of power. Now that I'm at the Four Meridians Realm, I can also support the three layers of the ultimate technique 'Triple Waves.' I wonder if Triple Waves and Frost Poison Kill can be combined?"

Zhuang Jin thought about it and began to conduct the rehearsal and experiment, which was then activated.

With the first palm strike, the two forces transformed into two dragons shaking their heads and wagging their tails, becoming even more ferocious!

With the second palm strike, the two dragons formed from the two forces expanded directly, becoming thicker!
The third palm strike resulted in three intertwined forces, transforming into three dragons that spiraled together, collided, and merged into one, resembling an ink dragon!
"As expected, this move will be called Triple Frost Poison Kill! This dual-fusion ultimate technique greatly enhances my strength. I've just broken through to the fourth meridian realm, and my combat power should already be top-tier among those at that level. Combined with the high-grade Earth-level beast hide armor, even a martial artist at the fifth meridian realm could suffer a great loss if they're not careful."

"Having reached this level, I'm already considered upper-middle tier among the Shen family's retainers, with only a handful ahead of me... and in this remote county town, far from the emperor's reach, it goes without saying!"

Zhuang Jin pondered to himself, only to find that he couldn't even find someone to test his skills against. He felt a sense of utter desolation, like someone who had drawn their sword and looked around in bewilderment. He could only stand with his hands behind his back and sigh with melancholy, "Life is truly as lonely as snow!"

……

(End of this chapter)