Promise!

Chapter 200, Departure

"So that's how it is. The Medicine King Gang somehow obtained the inheritance of Chu Yun of the Iron Fist Society from five hundred years ago, as well as the broken mid-grade Qingyuan Pot?"

"Also, the eldest son, Shen Xuhong, failed to break through to the Innate Realm and died suddenly?"

Zhuang Jin was initially puzzled. The Shen family should have no shortage of secret methods to survive failed breakthroughs, so why was that young master...? But as he watched, he understood.

This was also related to him, because his report revealed the secret, and the Shen family's investigation uncovered the Medicine King Gang's trump card. This was both an opportunity and a life-or-death crisis for the Shen family.

—The Qingyuan Pot of the Medicine King Gang is a damaged medium-grade pot, which can only cultivate medicinal herbs for a maximum of nearly a hundred years. It can cultivate Tongxuan Grass that is nearly a hundred years old. Perhaps Shi Jie, the younger brother of the Medicine King Gang leader, will break through to the Innate Realm sometime because of this. Although the possibility is small, what if it happens?
If Shi Jie really breaks through, then the Medicine King Gang will have two innate masters, and the Shen family will be at a complete strategic disadvantage!

It can be said that in such a critical moment of life and death, Shen Xuhong inevitably felt a sense of urgency to 'seize the time and fight for the life of the Shen family'.

In Shen Xuhong's view, if he failed to break through, he would be useless to the current situation as a mere Eight Meridians Breathing Martial Artist. So, with the idea of ​​"either succeed or die trying," he cut off his own escape route.

The third of the three innate barriers is the 'divine barrier'. In such matters, cutting off one's own retreat and burning one's bridges can be useful. For example, when one is almost there, success may be achieved simply because of this mental fortitude.

However, it was clear that Shen Xuhong had only recently completed the accumulation of the Eight Meridians and his foundation was shallow. Moreover, he had used the core treasure of his family and taken secret medicines. Unlike Zhuang Jin, he did not naturally awaken his innate spiritual light. The difficulty of the last two stages of the three innate stages increased dramatically... The gap was too great, and even a desperate attempt to save the situation could not turn the tide. In the end, he died and his Dao dissipated.

"Based on my understanding of the eldest son, he is kind, magnanimous, and has a broad mind. He is indeed the kind of person who would do such a thing. On the other hand, it is unlikely that the fourth son, Shen Xujing, would do the same."

"And the failure to break through is also reasonable. It seems I'm not the protagonist of some novel." Zhuang Jin nodded slightly and joked to himself.

In novels and stories, it is extremely difficult for the protagonist to break through a certain realm, but once the protagonist breaks through, that realm suddenly becomes worthless, as if it has become as common as cabbage, and any Tom, Dick, or Harry can break through to that realm.

The reality is that, regardless of whether Zhuang Jin breaks through or not, the difficulty of the three innate barriers remains unchanged. It won't increase or decrease because of his breakthrough. It's not like the eldest son, Shen Xuhong, will suddenly burst into action and break through just because Zhuang Jin broke through.

If it were that simple, there wouldn't be so few innate martial artists in this world, and their status wouldn't be so prestigious.

"The example of the eldest son, Shen Xuhong, should serve as a warning to the future. My talent may indeed allow me to ignore bottlenecks and enter a breakthrough state, but I absolutely cannot let it make me reckless. Daring to be reckless and gamble will truly lead to my demise!"

"When facing future major hurdles, we must understand them clearly and be fully prepared. We must not shrink back or hesitate when it's time to be courageous and diligent, nor act rashly when caution is necessary!"

After silently admonishing and reminding himself of the consequences, Zhuang Jin put down the letter and pondered the implications: 'My move exposed the issue of the Medicine King Gang's Qingyuan Pot, pushing the situation forward. Now, the entry point I've been waiting for has arrived.'

"Therefore, it is time to return to the capital city and obtain the subsequent innate cultivation methods of the Black Fiend Technique, as well as various innate martial arts, at the lowest possible cost. This will also settle the karmic debt and bring an end to the seven or eight-year-long struggle between the Shen family and the Medicine King Gang."

He got up and told Chen Yun and the others about returning to the prefectural city. They then packed and prepared to set off today.

……

Because of the Shen family's information blockade against the Medicine King Gang, the Medicine King Gang learned of the sudden death of the Shen family's eldest son around the same time as Zhuang Jin, or even slightly later.

The reaction of Shi Yong, the leader of the Medicine King Gang, was that the Shen family had probably discovered some clues. It was after the incident of fighting for the Yin-Yang Dragon in Qinghe County that he saw his younger brother Shi Jie's Eight Meridians and became somewhat anxious, making a mistake in his haste.

When Shi Jie learned of this, he was terrified.

At this time, he had already taken a hundred-year-old Tongxuan Grass once, but had not awakened his innate spiritual light. Now that he knew about this, he was even somewhat glad that he had not awakened it. Awakening innate spiritual light with secret medicine made from beast beads or beast cores would greatly increase the difficulty of the last two of the three innate levels. Awakening with Tongxuan Grass would almost double the difficulty. How could he possibly compete with that?
"To truly awaken one's innate spiritual light and enter the breakthrough process, wouldn't it be a near-death experience? Even if one survives a failed breakthrough using a secret method, their meridians will be damaged, making it difficult to maintain the Eight Meridians Realm, and they will also suffer a great loss of vital energy and shorten their lifespan!"

When Shi Jie thought about the consequences, he couldn't help but feel a sense of retreat.

Shi Yong knew his younger brother well enough to understand him. Seeing him like this, he sighed inwardly, feeling quite disappointed.

Many people would love to have such a condition, yet this younger brother dares not break through it.

Back then, he obtained the Azure Origin Pot and the cultivation technique from that disciple of the Medicine King Clan, but he had no other resources. His conditions were far worse than they are now, and he didn't even have a secret method to ensure he wouldn't die if he failed to break through. Yet, under those circumstances, he persevered with the thought that "a true man should not fear death; success brings wealth and glory, while failure means losing his soul in the Yellow Springs."

If Shi Jie knew what his elder brother was thinking, he would surely think to himself, 'How can we be compared? How can I compare to a freak like you, brother?'

Shi Yong was indeed a freak, with broad shoulders, a wide waist, and thick meridians. He was a natural talent for martial arts and possessed a fierce spirit. The "Indestructible Golden Body Technique" had some external martial arts characteristics, and it was extremely painful to cultivate, like being cut into a thousand pieces. However, Shi Yong gritted his teeth and never uttered a sound. Relying on his own aptitude, compatibility, and this tenacity, he managed to cultivate the "Indestructible Golden Body Technique" successfully.

After that, he hid for several years and came to the innate pass. He awakened his innate spiritual light with the Tongxuan Grass. The difficulty of the physical and spiritual passes almost doubled, but he managed to get through them by virtue of his extraordinary talent and his extraordinary temperament.
Shi Jie only practiced the "Great Vajra Skill". Shen Xianhong thought this was a strategic deception by the Medicine King Gang, but he didn't know that Shi Jie was fundamentally incapable of practicing the "Indestructible Golden Body Skill". He didn't have the aptitude for it and couldn't withstand the pain.

"If you don't want to, I won't force you."

Seeing his younger brother's lost spirit, Shi Yong knew that forcing a breakthrough would almost certainly lead to failure. He sighed inwardly, "It seems I still have to rely on myself to break through to the second level of the Innate True Qi Realm—Qi-Driven Thunderous Sound—as soon as possible!"

"Brother,"

A look of shame appeared on Shi Jie's face as he said, "In that case, since we can't strengthen ourselves, we might as well weaken others! Of the other Nascent Soul martial artists in the Shen family, only that genius Zhuang Jin might not have taken any pills to break through the bottleneck... Shen Xuhong is dead, and Shen Xianhong is likely to bet on this person. We might as well completely cut off the Shen family's hopes."

Upon hearing this, Shi Yong waved his hand listlessly: "Alright, alright, what you said makes sense. Then I'll give you this simpler task. Go, take some men and kill Zhuang Jin!"

"However, if this succeeds, you must return immediately and hide in the headquarters of our Medicine King Gang. Do not leave until you break through to the Innate Realm."

……

Linji County, residence in the north of the city, southeast courtyard.

Zhuang Jin followed the spiraling stone steps to the pavilion atop the earthen hill in the courtyard, where Chen Yun was indeed.

At this moment, Chen Yun was staring blankly at a potted tree.

This is the bonsai tree brought from the prefectural city. It was once said that a good bonsai tree takes at least thirty or forty years of effort from planting to pruning. Zhuang Jin was also looking forward to seeing what the finished product would look like. In recent years, Chen Yun has taken good care of it, and it has gradually taken shape.

Zhuang Jin slowly walked up to the bonsai tree, placed one hand on it, and his true energy surged, causing the branches and leaves of the bonsai tree to glow with silvery-white light, attracting a pair of butterflies.

"Husband!"

Chen Yun glanced back, then looked at the pair of butterflies with delight. She reached out her slender, pale fingers to touch them, startling them into flight. But the next moment, as her hands joined together, silvery light formed streaks, and the pair of butterflies returned to their original positions.

They lingered on their fingertips for a moment, then fluttered their colorful wings and slowly took flight, swirling and ascending in the shimmering light and shadow. "But having been here so long, leaving so suddenly feels a little reluctant?"

"Yes, Linji County is far from the hustle and bustle, but it is like a paradise. The two or three years I spent here were the happiest days of my life!"

Chen Yun turned her head and leaned on Zhuang Jin's shoulder, watching the pair of butterflies fluttering into the sky. At this moment, all they could hear was the sound of flowing water and cicadas. The flowing water relieved the summer heat and brought coolness. Tiny specks of light, like broken silver, pierced through the shade of the trees and fell on the two of them.

"We have a long road ahead, Yunniang, let's go!"

Zhuang Jin pulled Chen Yun, who was holding a potted tree in her other arm, down the stairs. Chen Yun looked back one last time. The midday sun shone through the clouds, casting their shadows behind them as they gradually disappeared into the distance.

……

Zhuang Jin and his party prepared to leave without making a big fuss, but they also did not try to keep it a secret. As soon as they gave the order to prepare ships, the news spread like wildfire.

The word spread quickly among the people, who put down their business and went out.

When Zhuang Jin, Chen Yun, and the others finished packing and left the mansion in a carriage, dozens or even hundreds of people had already followed them at the gate. As they headed towards the dock, more and more people followed them, eventually forming a huge, bustling crowd.

This is during the hottest days of summer!

It's hard to imagine that so many people would spontaneously gather in such sweltering heat, and many of them didn't come empty-handed, bringing eggs, fruits, and all sorts of other things.

The servant Yue Song and his entourage stepped forward to politely refuse, but many people simply stuffed the items into their arms and turned to leave. Finally, seeing that their arms were full of things and they couldn't put any more in, the people put their belongings on the luggage carts at the back.

The people who saw them off looked reluctant and earnest, hesitant to speak, yet remained silent.

The silence at this moment... was deafening!
"Husband!" Chen Yun gently tugged at Zhuang Jin's sleeve.

Yu Xiaoxiao and Song Lan were even more emotional, and their eyes were already red.

"I did not do much in Linji County and felt unworthy of the position. Now that I am leaving, Magistrate Teng is still here. I will do my best to keep Qinghe County peaceful as it is today... Thank you all for seeing me off. It is very hot today, so I will stop here. Please go back now!"

Seeing the crowd that couldn't be persuaded and still insisted on following him forward, Zhuang Jin was moved. He took a deep breath, quickened his pace, and led Chen Yun and the others onto the ship.

……

"Tsk tsk, to be seen off by so many people, it's truly enviable!" Teng Yuansong exclaimed as he saw Zhuang Jin off onto the boat.

“When Magistrate Teng leaves in the future, it will be the same, even worse.”

"Haha, I hope so!"

Teng Yuansong sighed, "With Zhuang Gongfeng gone, I don't know who will take over as the county magistrate, but whoever it is, I'm afraid I'll never be able to live so easily and peacefully again!"

"I don't know about this matter either. However, the county governor was set up to guard against the Medicine King Gang. Perhaps the struggle between the Shen family and the Medicine King Gang will end soon... At that time, the county governor will no longer be necessary. Moreover, there are two powerful families in Linji County who are not in office. Even if two powerful families are reassigned, their foundation will be weak. Linji County will still be under the control of Magistrate Teng."

"What's the fun in being all-powerful? Nothing beats the freedom of eating, drinking, and having fun."

As Teng Yuansong spoke, he gave Zhuang Jin a deep look, but did not ask further about the statement that "the struggle between the Shen family and the Medicine King Gang may soon be over." He had guessed about the fleeting, ferocious threat he felt that day, but he decided to remain ignorant and pretend not to know.

At this moment, he handed over a jade pendant: "This is my token. If you go to the city in the future and have any small matters, you can go to the Teng family... However, I am only at the second level of the Meridian Opening Realm, so I may not have much influence in the family. With your current level, you may not necessarily need the Teng family, which doesn't even have a Xiantian Realm."

"What are you saying? The more of these things, the better. It's always good to be prepared! By the way, Magistrate Teng, haven't you thought about going back to the prefectural city?"

What would I do if I went back?

Teng Yuansong shook his head with a complicated expression: "On the contrary, it is young people like you, Zhuang Gongfeng, who should go to the state city as soon as possible. As I once said, the state city is more wonderful than the prefectural and county cities because of the immortal treasure - the Suspended Mirror and various strange places. In comparison, the prefectural and county cities below are really like eating raw meat and drinking blood."

"The city is so prosperous and dazzling that it dazzles the eyes. When Zhuang Gongfeng first arrives, he will surely exclaim, 'Can there really be such a place in the world?!'"

"But if you stay there long enough, you'll find that everywhere is made up of people, and it's all the same... Lower-level martial artists are exploited, while middle and upper-level martial artists strive to reach the top. Their determination to break through social classes is unimaginable to ordinary people. They work hard for generations to support their children... Then you'll eventually realize that the state capital... is ultimately nothing more than that!"

Zhuang Jin listened to these words and nodded slightly. Although she didn't understand them yet, she knew that she would understand them one day.

“No matter what, even martial artists have a choice, but ordinary people in the Great Qian have no choice. Of the hundreds of millions of people in the Nine Provinces, they are the ones who suffer the most! I hope that no matter what position Zhuang Gongfeng attains in the future, he will at least not harm others without benefiting himself, and not cheat them!” Teng Yuansong shook his head and said.

Zhuang Jin glanced back at him, nodded slightly in agreement, and then tossed a box to him: "This is for you, you're welcome!"

"I no longer seek breakthroughs in my martial arts. You taking it back... cough cough, how could I possibly accept that? I'll just keep it!"

As Teng Yuansong pushed it back, he opened it and glanced at it, but after just one glance, he quickly withdrew his hand, which was halfway through pushing it.

Among them is a dragon whip. This guy always complains that something is too hard on his kidneys. Giving this to him can strengthen his body and improve his yang energy.

After Zhuang Jin and his party boarded the ship, it slowly set sail with the shouts of the sailors.

On the dock, the densely packed crowd, witnessing this scene, finally erupted in a burst of pent-up emotions. They knelt down, their cries mingling with the shouts of "Lord Zhuang, have a safe journey!"

"Alas, for such a person, Linji County is ultimately just a stopover; they can't be kept here, besides..."

Teng Yuansong silently added in his heart: 'Besides, their momentum is already established; they're like a dragon soaring in the sky!'

He watched as Zhuang Jin's fleet set sail, parting the shimmering silver water under the afternoon sun, gradually disappearing into the distance, heading towards the boundless horizon where the water and sky meet, a place of vast expanse and boundless horizons.

……

(End of this chapter)