Promise!

Chapter 257, the whole story

Shangguan Yunchang, taking advantage of Zhuang Jin's shameless use of the term "our grandmother," did not refute it, but simply said, "First, answer the first question: when did your grandmother start keeping an eye on you?"

"That day, during the round table cleanup, to avoid your involvement, I invited you to Taiyuan Lake. After that day, you came into my grandmother's sight."

"As the head of the Suspended Sky Bureau, my grandmother didn't actually have much to do, and given her age, she had very little fun. Her temper, well..."

Out of respect for the elders, Shangguan Yunchang didn't explain it too clearly, but only gave a look.

But Zhuang Jin already understood. People get bored when they live a long time and get old, and they like to find some fun. Also, because he was chosen by Shangguan Yunchang, the next head of the family, it was a relatively important matter. Therefore, he came to keep an eye on things and secretly observed for many days.

"Back then?"

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly.

He was well aware that as he had more and more contact with Shangguan Yunchang, he would inevitably come under the scrutiny of a higher level. He was usually cautious in his words and actions, and he had been even more so these days. However, he did not expect that the Yin God Ancestor of the Shangguan family would come directly to observe him personally.

"So down-to-earth, so quick-witted... how can those villains in novels who clearly possess overwhelming power but refuse to fight, instead feeding the protagonist wave after wave of enemies from the bottom up... possibly bear this?"

Zhuang Jin sighed inwardly, recalling the past few days. He hadn't done anything out of line, so he felt relieved. He had no hidden bottlenecks and had always kept his mouth shut. As long as this one thing wasn't exposed, everything else was harmless.

Indeed, as long as the Shangguan family doesn't know that Zhuang Jin has no bottleneck, due to the information gap, they believe that he has cultivated the Black Fiend Technique and therefore cannot break through to the Yin God realm.

—The aristocratic families know better than anyone how difficult it is to break through to the Yin God realm. Their divine souls are naturally strong, and the cultivation of the third version of the Five Elements Mutation Technique is a miraculous fruit that helps them break through to the Yin God realm. Even so, they still need to rely on the authority of the Suspended Heaven Realm and the energy of the Suspended Heaven Mirror to break through. How can Zhuang Jin, who cultivates the Black Fiend Technique, rely on that?
If one cannot break through to the Yin God realm, then one will not truly threaten the aristocratic families and will not be afraid of being turned on. After marrying into the family, one will only add a new innate Corpse Slaying Realm warrior to the Shangguan family.

Because of this marriage-to-be arrangement, Zhuang Jin's children will bear the surname Shangguan and belong to the Shangguan family; others will also belong to the Shangguan family.

A martial artist at the Innate Corpse-Slaying Realm has an eternally youthful face, undiminished internal organs, and unspoiled bones and blood. In other words, they can still work before they die. What is this? A person who can work for hundreds of years, what a fine ox or horse... cough cough, a son-in-law!
Shangguan Jinfeng now knows about Zhuang Jin's Holy Spirit Pearl, but she has no particular interest in it. After marrying into the family, once he passes away peacefully, all the opportunities, savings, and inheritance for his children will eventually belong to the Shangguan family, won't they?
The time concept of aristocratic families is different from that of ordinary people; they have the patience to slowly assimilate, bind, and digest.

Especially after investigating Zhuang Jin's family background, which is the area where aristocratic families excel, if they cannot gain Zhuang Jin's genuine approval and be gradually assimilated, then the Shangguan family is unworthy of being called an aristocratic family.

In short, in Shangguan Jinfeng's eyes, Zhuang Jin was a perfect grandson-in-law, as he could bring glory and prosperity to the Shangguan family while he was alive, and leave a legacy after his peaceful death.

Compared to other aristocratic families who exchanged sons-in-law for marriage, those families were so stingy that they couldn't even afford to give up a single Innate Qi Realm cultivator, only an Innate True Qi Realm cultivator. And because of the ideas instilled in them since childhood, they ate and drank the food of the Shangguan family, yet still thought of their own family and were loyal to their own. Compared to them, what kind of trash were they? They wouldn't even accept a dog. Zhuang Jin is much better!

Well, Zhuang Jin wants to use the Shangguan family's protection to avoid the Xuantian Division's attacks, obtain a safe environment, and acquire some necessary items to make up for his shortcomings, using this opportunity to break through to the Yin God realm; the Shangguan family wants Zhuang Jin to genuinely accept them and gradually assimilate, so that he can bring benefits to the Shangguan family both before and after his death. Everyone has their own ideas and calculations, and it remains to be seen who is more skillful.

……

"And Zhan Shengchu?"

Shangguan Yunchang said with a slightly cold expression: "This person's relationship with my family is such that he is not a member of my family, or a knife. At first, he was not, then he could barely be considered one, and after that, he was not."

"This is a long story, and it all started with the small roundtable meeting."

The two had plenty of time today, and seeing that Zhuang Jin was interested, Shangguan Yunchang began to explain in detail.

“About five years ago, before you came to the state capital, the Round Table Society already existed. Zhan Shengchu was the founder, but at that time it was a very small circle of only a dozen or twenty people. Later, my Shangguan family gave it a push from behind, and it expanded rapidly.”

At first, Zhan Shengchu was quite happy, but when he realized that the Round Table Conference was expanding rapidly and becoming increasingly out of control, and could no longer be stopped, he knew that as the founder of the Round Table Conference, he would be the first to be affected, and would inevitably be attacked by the Suspended Heaven Division. In his panic, he also had a glimmer of hope.

It was at this time that I accepted the test of the family head ordering seeds, made contact, and cooperated with him under the guise of an opposition faction within the family, promising to help him cover up and delay. The Freemasons and the Tongmenghui were all preludes to this cooperation.

"I see."

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly. Now that all the information had connected, he felt enlightened: "But, Zhan Shengchu just believed you and agreed to cooperate?"

"There's no such thing as trust; it's just a matter of each taking what they need."

Shangguan Yunchang said calmly, "The purpose of the Suspended Sky Division is to fish, cleanse, and obtain evidence to justify their actions. After this model is explored and matured, they will reap the rewards and various benefits. Zhan Shengchu also knows that he is dealing with a tiger for its skin. He takes advantage of the expanded roundtable meeting to obtain information about the Funiu Mountains, search for resources such as corpse-slaying and Yin Gods, and improve himself."

The Celestial Bureau knew this was like raising a tiger to cause future trouble, but they were confident they could handle it. Zhan Shengchu also knew that the Celestial Bureau would make its move sooner or later, but being the weaker party, he had no choice but to continue, even if it meant drinking poison to quench his thirst, gambling that he could break through to the Yin God realm faster, or that he could make a fortune and withdraw before the Celestial Bureau actually made its move.

At the time, Zhan Shengchu was only at the peak of the third level of the Innate Qi Realm, but before that, he had already reached the half-step Three Corpses Severing Realm. This was the result of his benefit.

During this phase, Zhan Shengchu was not considered a member of the Shangguan family; their relationship was merely one of cooperation.

"It seems that our family has the superior skills after all," Zhuang Jin said, playing the straight man.

"Yes."

Shangguan Yunchang glanced helplessly at Zhuang Jin and nodded slightly: "Zhan Shengchu gained a lot from the roundtable meeting and was reluctant to give it up. He didn't expect us to make a move suddenly, or rather, he thought he still had time and was hoping for the best."

"The roundtable meeting fell apart, and the Suspended Sky Division took advantage of the situation to remove Zhan Shengchu's public double and secretly found him to do some dirty work, eliminating talented people who were not involved."

'What a brilliant tactic!'

Zhuang Jin sighed inwardly: "This move not only made Zhan Shengchu act as a black glove, but also used his actions to prove the previous Round Table Meeting's perverse actions, thus highlighting the righteousness of the Suspended Heaven Division in eliminating the Round Table Meeting."

This also allowed Zhan Shengchu to draw attention and divert hatred from the previous purges; compared to his lawlessness, the actions of the Xuantian Division and the three major families were not unacceptable, thus maintaining stability in the state capital.

"In exchange, I promised that once the matter was accomplished, my family would not be involved, and I would allow Zhan Shengchu to leave Cangzhou with his entire family."

Shangguan Yunchang summarized: "This is the second stage. Zhan Shengchu is in an absolutely passive position. It wouldn't be unreasonable to say that he is the one who is at the mercy of the Shangguan family."

"How could Zhan Shengchu have suffered a backlash? I heard him mention Cen Guangsheng earlier. Is this the work of the Cen family?"

"To be specific, it was only Cen Guangsheng from the Cen family. If it were the head of the Cen family who made the move, his methods would not be so naive."

When Shangguan Yunchang mentioned the head of the Cen family, a deep sense of apprehension appeared on her face. She continued, "I became the designated head of the Shangguan family by virtue of my success in the Round Table Meeting. I went into seclusion to break through my current limitations and handed over many things to others... Because the purge of the Round Table Meeting was a joint effort by the three families, the cleanup was also handled by the three families. This is the final stage."

“That idiot Cen Guangsheng, for his own selfish reasons, wiped out Zhan Shengchu’s entire family and instigated revenge against the Shangguan family. He himself died at Zhan Shengchu’s hands, which led to what happened before.”

The three major families of Cangzhou also have internal struggles. For example, the Tongmenghui (Revolutionary Alliance) and the Shangguan family once used Feng Qingyin to trick the Cen family. This time, Cen Guangsheng was just being clever, but in the end, he got himself into trouble.

"Grandmother was watching this matter closely and knew about it. However, she thought it was good to eliminate the Zhan family completely. If the Cen family were to take action, the Shangguan family wouldn't have to bear the infamy of being untrustworthy. With Zhan Shengchu dying in front of everyone, the families of the innate martial artists he killed would have an outlet for their hatred. It would also allow the Round Table Meeting to come to a complete end and usher in the Yuan Qi Tide next month."

"At the same time, the Shangguan family has been too prominent in this incident. As the next head of the Shangguan family, my dangerous and embarrassing situation can help many people balance their emotions."

"Finally, it's about making use of Zhan Shengchu, a useless person, to test your true feelings."

In short, they ate the fish in many ways, countless times.

"However, I was unaware of this matter; I only found out about it recently."

Previously at Tongfu Inn, when Zhan Shengchu was about to self-destruct, Zhuang Jin stood in front of him at such a dangerous moment. This deepened Shangguan Yunchang's feelings for him. Considering Zhuang Jin's feelings, she did not want to leave any lingering resentment.

"Actually, Grandmother also considered this. There is no problem with safety. Not to mention that she is watching us in secret, my Three-Part Heavenly Mirror authority is enough to ensure that we Yin Spirits cannot be harmed within the three rings of the city."

Because she cared, she was nervous. After she finished speaking, she looked at Zhuang Jin nervously. This time, the Shangguan family had indeed lost the argument.

"This matter has nothing to do with you. Do you think I'm someone who can't distinguish right from wrong and would take my anger out on you, Yun Chang?"

Just as Shangguan Yunchang said, she didn't know about this beforehand. When they met at Tongfu Inn, her breathing was unstable, clearly indicating that she had just broken through recently. Yet she came over after Zhuang Jin's invitation. Under such circumstances, to make unreasonable demands and ask for more would be bullying the weak and fearing the strong, showing a lack of gratitude and a forced shifting of responsibility. It was a sign of incompetence and cowardice.

Zhuang Jin knew very well that Shangguan Jinfeng was playing the villain this time. Although he had a lot to say about the so-called 'test', he was helpless now and understood a principle: if you can't resist, you have to accept it.

'However, in the future, once I break through to the Yin Spirit realm, that kind grandmother, though she might not really do anything, could still find an opportunity to play a joke on me and repay me in a small way,' he thought to himself.

Shangguan Yunchang, unaware of Zhuang Jin's lofty ambition of 'filial piety to the world,' looked relieved and took out a jade bottle: "This is a Corpse-Subduing Pill, which my grandmother asked me to deliver."

This is also the compensation from the Shangguan family for this incident. Shangguan Jinfeng approved such precious resources because after passing the 'test,' she completely regarded Zhuang Jin as one of her own and was confident that she could assimilate and absorb him into the Shangguan family in the future. Therefore, she had nothing to be reluctant about. If you want to take something, you must first give something!
Zhuang Jin naturally understood, but even so, he secretly admired the magnanimity of the Shangguan family.

Take Zhan Shengchu for example. If he had this pill, he would never have ended up in that ghostly state. His own soul is strong, and although it is unlikely that something bad would happen during his breakthrough, having it would be a good precaution.

After all, the chaos caused by the corpse worms during the breakthrough to the Innate Corpse Severing Realm is no joke; a single mistake can severely damage one's foundation, so it's always best to be prepared.

"Also, Grandmother said that November 18th is an auspicious day, and we can set our wedding on that day. Do you have any objections?"

Shangguan Yunchang glanced at Zhuang Jin, her face slightly flushed, and spoke in a rare display of girlishness, a rare sight for someone as poised, confident, and capable as her. This gave her a unique charm.

This was also for the sake of the bigger picture. Through this marriage, the warriors of the city could be appeased, their attention diverted, and the chilling atmosphere of the previous cleansing diluted, so as to welcome the new wave of vitality next month.

"That's fine, I'd be more than happy to accept that." Zhuang Jin stepped forward and took Shangguan Yunchang's hand.

He originally wanted to wait and lie low for a while, but now that he has been exposed, the situation is different, so there is no point in waiting any longer.

Things in this world never unfold exactly as people wish. Sometimes, an unexpected event can lead to completely different situations, causing planned schemes to collapse.

'Water has no fixed shape, and military tactics have no fixed form. People should also be flexible and adaptable. Now that my level has been exposed, I might as well make a change and go with the flow. This is the best choice for me,' Zhuang Jin thought to himself.

……

Zhuang Jin agreed and confirmed, and the Shangguan family immediately released the news and began preparations.

So, a series of news that day left many people in Cangzhou City overwhelmed: first, Zhan Shengchu, in a fit of madness, broke into the Erhuan Zhenxiufang restaurant and launched a terrorist attack, causing a huge commotion; then, Shangguan Jinfeng, the patriarch of the Shangguan family, took action and had Zhan Shengchu beheaded and executed; before this shocking news could be digested, news of Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang's marriage also spread.

When Zhan Shengchu was executed, the families of those he killed were naturally greatly comforted.
The attack and disheveled state of Shangguan Yunchang, the next head of the Shangguan family, brought an indescribable sense of satisfaction and a greater sense of balance to many martial artists in the state city.
Many intelligent people also understood the implications behind Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang's marriage. This roundtable meeting has now come to a close, and they can't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Many lower- and middle-level martial artists, now free from the obstacle of Zhan Shengchu, are preparing to welcome the year-end surge of vitality.

However, many top figures in the city, as well as those associated with the Shangguan family and Zhuang Jin, had different focuses. They paid more attention to the impact of this marriage, which caused a huge uproar behind the scenes.

……

(End of this chapter)