Promise!

Chapter 282, Glory
'The realm of Yin Spirits!'

The group of people in the True Qi Realm circle back then—Cen Zhanshan, Hong Baoshu, Min Zhongmin, and Leng Kui—looked at Zhuang Jin's figure in the sky. The figure that was once so serene and unassuming now overlapped with his, like the dazzling light shining down from the sun, making it impossible to look directly at him.

Within the Qi Refining Realm circle, the remaining two or three people—Qin Douzhan, Xi Guiling, and Cui Pangui—also looked on with complex expressions. Because they were closer to the peak realm and had witnessed the experiences of Zhan Shengchu, Mai Yinghuang, and others, they could better understand this state of mind and comprehend that Zhuang Jin had truly broken through the blockade, transformed from a carp into a dragon, and soared into the sky.

The members of the Ji and Teng families, such as the patriarchs of the Ji and Teng families, were initially shocked, but then overjoyed. They even clutched their chests, nearly dying from excessive happiness.

—By betting on and binding themselves to Zhuang Jin like this, every time Zhuang Jin breaks through and rises in status, their own status will rise accordingly. Now that Zhuang Jin has reached the level of the head of one of the three great families, it is conceivable that their two families will also usher in a period of vigorous development, and it is quite possible that they will become innate families that will be passed down for hundreds of years in the future.

Ji Tongxiu stared intently, pursed her lips, and felt a surge of pride.

Ji Tongwei's mouth gradually widened. As a student at Bailu Martial Academy who was about to graduate, he understood even more what this realm meant. Not to mention Zhuang Jin himself, even those around him who benefited from it would find it unimaginable.

A former classmate once said he'd won everything thanks to his brother-in-law, and there had been many envious and jealous remarks about him. He could already picture those people's envious and fawning faces. At that moment, a thought suddenly occurred to him: 'My teacher is truly like my wings, carrying me to new heights!'

The three heads of the great families, Shangguan Jinfeng, Cen Chongxuan, and Ge Daoqian, remained outwardly calm, but were equally shocked. It took them several breaths to process their shock. They no longer treated the juniors with the same respect as those of their peers, and stood up solemnly, saying, "Fellow Daoist!"

Zhuang Jin returned the greeting, but in his heart, he felt that being called a "fellow Daoist of dubious caliber" by these fellow Daoists lowered his own level. However, he would not say it out loud. He looked at Xuan Yuan Zhengji with a piercing gaze and said again, "Governor Xuan Yuan, if you do not intend to give an explanation, then I will have to seek an explanation myself."

These blatant words are tantamount to: If you are not dignified, I will help you be dignified!

After being publicly questioned, Xuanyuan Zhengji was now directly threatened. As the governor of a state, a man of high status, how could he have ever suffered such humiliation? He was furious.

But considering that he had originally intended to sacrifice his dignity in exchange for safety and initiative, he held back, though he did get angry for a moment.

He knew that in this world, if you do something, you should do it to the end. The worst thing you can do is to waver, because that will only make you lose favor with both sides.

"Saving face is less important than practical benefits. Since you've decided to back down, you might as well go all the way and even become a raft for this person."

Xuanyuan Zhengji thought to himself, gritted his teeth, and, showing his ability to bend and stretch, bowed deeply under the watchful eyes of the crowd: "I was blinded by greed and did something wrong before. Today, in front of all the people of the city, I apologize to Fellow Daoist Zhuang. I will definitely send you a generous gift afterward."

These words, combined with his actions, once again stunned the tens of thousands of martial artists and civilians who participated in the public memorial service.

Originally, many people saw that Zhuang Jin was relentless and questioned him repeatedly. Although he had broken through to the Yin God realm, Xuan Yuan Zhengji was a veteran Yin God. How could they tolerate this? They were all afraid that the latter would lash out and cause a great battle, and that they would be implicated. But they never expected things to turn out this way.

This also subtly led them to make comparisons in their minds. Although Zhuang Jin had recently made a breakthrough, he was quite different. His strength and status were still above that of Governor Xuan Yuan Zheng Ji.

"Furthermore, while I was indeed out of my mind in this matter, there was also the instigation of treacherous individuals. It was the Cen family who spread the news and stirred up trouble!"

As Xuanyuan Zhengji spoke, he directly dragged Cen Chongxuan into the mess as well.

"nonsense!"

Cen Chongxuan was happy to see Zhuang Jin, this variable, clash with Xuan Yuanzhengji. He was secretly pleased with his previous plan, but unexpectedly, halfway through the gossip, he was suddenly caught in the crossfire. He instinctively shouted angrily, naturally refusing to admit to such a thing.

"If Patriarch Cen doesn't admit it, do you really want me to produce evidence?"

"Who knows whether the evidence that Governor Xuanyuan claims to have is true or false?"

……

Zhuang Jin watched the two bicker like dogs until they completely broke off relations and were almost about to fight before he finally said, "Justice resides in the hearts of the people. Whether Patriarch Cen is innocent or not, Patriarch Cen himself knows, Governor Xuanyuan knows, and I know as well. How about we have a friendly spar?"

"This……"

Cen Chongxuan hesitated, but seeing Xuan Yuanzhengji return stained with blood, he knew that this man must have suffered a great loss.

It's true that Xuanyuan Zhengji was injured in the attack by the three of them, but after two months, he should be able to suppress the injury and not affect his normal strength. However, he is still not as good as Zhuang Jin. He was beaten bloody and fled in a sorry state. He even endured the humiliation just now, which shows the difference in strength.

He himself had also made a great breakthrough, and was now on par with Xuanyuan Zhengji. If they were to actually fight, he would most likely lose, and might even get injured. In that case, he would lose all face and dignity.

After considering all these possibilities, Cen Chongxuan decided to back down: "Perhaps it was someone below who did it behind my back, but I also bear responsibility for this. I will definitely give an explanation afterward, send a generous gift, and come to apologize in person."

What does Mother-in-law think?

Zhuang Jin looked over and pulled Shangguan Jinfeng along.

“Just words aren’t enough,” Shangguan Jinfeng chuckled, adding from the side and proposing various conditions.

Cen Chongxuan's face was somber, but he still agreed.

At this moment, hundreds of thousands of people below the stage watched as the four Yin God martial artists, who were once like gods and unapproachable, argued, softened, and admitted defeat in front of everyone. At the same time, their filter was shattered, and they also had their eyes opened.

They understood even more clearly: Zhuang Jin first questioned Xuan Yuan Zhengji, then rebuked Cen Chongxuan, and the two of them backed down. What kind of power did this have?

It can be said that Zhuang Jin established his image by stepping on Xuan Yuan Zhengji and Cen Chongxuan.

At this moment, Ge Daoqian, the head of the Ge family, suddenly proposed: "Since Fellow Daoist Zhuang has broken through to the Yin God realm, his token should also be upgraded to the Dragon Token. Why don't we do him a favor today and witness it together?"

He knew that Zhuang Jin's rise was unstoppable, and since he himself was also limited by his lifespan, he might as well do Zhuang Jin a favor and add to the good fortune. Today, it would be even more perfect if Zhuang Jin obtained the Dragon Token.

—The three realms of innate energy: True Qi,罡气, and 斩尸, corresponding to the three tokens of Xuan Snake, Black Python, and Purple Serpent. This means that they all pose a certain threat to the three great families, but in the end they are all snake-type tokens. The last one, the 'Purple Serpent Token,' is also the final step before transforming into a dragon.

The Yin Shen realm corresponds to the Qiulong Token, which means "fish leaping over the dragon gate". As the saying goes, "Golden carp are not meant to stay in a pond. Once they encounter wind and clouds, they will transform into dragons", representing the highest power and status in Cangzhou.

“That’s excellent.” Shangguan Jinfeng glanced at Ge Daoqian, who had proposed the idea, and knew she couldn’t possibly disagree.

Xuanyuan Zhengji, determined to go all the way, echoed and agreed.

Seeing the situation, Cen Chongxuan knew he couldn't stop them, nor did he want Zhuang Jin to hold a grudge, so he could only force a smile and agree.

The three heads of the powerful families took out their respective tokens and activated their permissions, and a beam of light shot out from the Suspended Sky Mirror.

The purple serpent pattern on the token in Zhuang Jin's hand elongated in the light, growing long whiskers and sharp claws, transforming into a dragon. Under the stimulation of divine energy, a dragon shadow with a body a hundred feet long, a single horn, four claws, and three toes on each claw flew out and hovered in the sky.

It was the Qingming Festival, and there is a saying that "it rains incessantly during the Qingming Festival." Although it did not rain today, it was cloudy and overcast. With a wave of his hand, the dragon shadow soared into the sky and broke through the dark clouds with a clear dragon roar. Brilliant golden light fell down, illuminating the figure that was in harmony with heaven and man, like a god.

At this moment, hundreds of thousands of martial artists and ordinary people looked on, deeply remembering this scene as if it were frozen in time. After the public memorial service ended, the news of Zhuang Jin becoming the fifth Yin God of Cangzhou and shaking the balance of power in Cangzhou naturally spread like wildfire, causing a huge uproar. The impact was not limited to the prefecture city and quickly spread to the surrounding counties and prefectures.

It can be said that, by this point, Zhuang Jin's name was so well-known in Cangzhou, a city of seven million square kilometers and 110 million people, that one could say, "Who in the world does not know you?"

……

Zhuang Jin's name spread like wildfire throughout the prefecture and county, and even to other states, and entered the sights of the royal family and powerful clans—but that was a matter for later. Let's rewind to the day the public memorial service ended.

"My public reprimand and questioning of Xuanyuan Zhengji was the first stage."

Zhuang Jin's move was intended to show his attitude, to stand in opposition to Xuan Yuan Zhengji, and to give the three major families the impression that he was still one of their own. Even if they were to deal with "outsiders," by comparison, the first target should be Xuan Yuan Zhengji, who was "even more of an outsider."

In the second phase, after Xuan Yuanzheng and his ilk got into a fight that implicated Cen family head Cen Chongxuan, they pulled Shangguan Jinfeng aside to question the other party and demand compensation.

Zhuang Jin was trying to make the Cen and Ge families believe that they had a close relationship with the Shangguan family and that they were members of the Shangguan family.

At the same time, they approached the Shangguan family with a "pull" attitude; they pressured and questioned the Cen family with a "beat" attitude; and they neither pulled nor beat the Ge family, who were bystanders and neutrals... This different attitude and treatment caused divisions within the three major families regarding their own issues, thus reducing the possibility of using such unconventional methods against them.

"The third stage involves expressing my resolve within the Shangguan family, reassuring the old lady, finding a new position, gaining a degree of control, and thus creating a favorable environment for my future cultivation."

"At the same time, the old lady's surveillance and testing before and after my breakthrough to the Innate Corpse-Slaying Realm, along with this incident, have forced me to vent some of my pent-up frustration."

Zhuang Jin looked at Shangguan Jinfeng and said, "Mother-in-law, why don't we find a place to talk?"

"It's time to talk."

Shangguan Jinfeng's attitude at this moment was not as amiable as usual, but rather as cautious as if she were treating someone as an equal. She nodded slightly and disappeared with Zhuang Jin.

Previously, in front of everyone and outsiders, they all had a sense of the bigger picture and wouldn't let others laugh at them. Now that the memorial service is over, some things really need to be explained, discussed, and resolved.

……

Just after the public memorial service, during a friendly discussion between Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Jinfeng—

The Cen family.

"I never expected that Zhuang Jin would actually break through! How could he break through like that? This breakthrough has thrown everything into chaos! Utter chaos! Our excellent situation has been ruined in an instant!"

Cen Chongxuan sighed.

First, there's Zhuang Jin's strength.

Zhuang Jin's breakthrough was not achieved through shortcuts. He had already managed to make Xuan Yuan Zhengji look bad even before cultivating the Yin God Martial Technique. If he were to cultivate the Yin God Martial Technique, what would become of him?
Secondly, there's the impact of Zhuang Jin's identity.

The Shangguan family now has two Yin God martial artists, including Zhuang Jin, and will have three if Shangguan Yunchang is included in the future.

What's more troublesome is that Shangguan Yunchang, the next head of the Shangguan family, is clearly biased towards outsiders. Will the next generation still abide by the tacit understanding of the three great families of the past eight hundred years of 'fighting without breaking apart'?
This is both a direct and indirect impact. This time, Xuanyuan Zhengji has been severely tricked, and things are not easy to handle now.

—Xuanyuan Zhengji has a special background, being the governor of Cangzhou and a member of the royal family. Previously, he was held hostage by Li Shicong because he was in the wrong. Now that he has made amends, he may not be so honest in the future.

"The Shangguan family has become too powerful; that old devil from the Ge family doesn't have many years left to live, so he can't possibly make a move; and Xuanyuan Zhengji is also involved..."

Cen Chongxuan felt that the originally favorable situation had suddenly become complicated: "And there's myself. I was scheming before, but Zhuang Jin is a vengeful person. Who knows when he might do something to my Cen family again."

"Don't panic! Don't panic!"

He tried to reassure himself, but he was still a little flustered. He went to the family's secret room, looked through the records, and prepared to seek experience from history.

In the eight hundred years of the Great Qian Dynasty, it was not uncommon for independent martial artists in a single state to break through to the Yin God realm. Such cases have occurred in various ways and can be considered an intangible and valuable asset for aristocratic families.

"I've got it! It has to be the wisdom of our ancestors!"

"At Zhuang Jin's age, to have such a level of skill and strength, his martial arts will must be unwavering. It would be best if he could fool people into going to Yong'an in the capital."

"If it doesn't work, even if we let them establish a Yin God family, without the authority of a mid-grade Qingyuan Pot and a Suspended Sky Mirror, it will only last for one lifetime at most. If we tolerate them for a while, they will eventually be worn down by time and blown away by the wind and rain."

Thinking of these things, Cen Chongxuan gained confidence and changed his mindset. He no longer regarded Zhuang Jin as an enemy, but rather adopted an attitude of appeasement and sending him away.

This actually reflects the inherent flaws of aristocratic families: they are both tough and weak.

When there is a huge gap in social standing, and the government can blockade and suppress, it will resort to any means necessary, be extremely ruthless, and stop at nothing. But when it actually breaks through the blockade and sees that it is impossible to deal with, it will expose the weakness of the bourgeoisie, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand and sticking its butt out high.

……

The Ge family.

Ge Daoqian returned and summoned his eighteenth grandson, Ge Zhaoxu, who was also Ge ​​Mingzhi's father.

"Mingzhi has a classmate named Ji Tongwei?"

"Yes."

Ge Zhaoxu hadn't expected his grandfather to ask this, but he wasn't stupid. He quickly realized it was because of Ji Tongwei's older sister, Ji Tongxiu, and behind her was Zhuang Jin, who had broken through to the Yin God realm today.

“Although our Ge family is a prominent family, we don’t need to be so narrow-minded. Young people should be given appropriate encouragement and their self-demands should be respected… Zhaoxu, you are quite talented, and you should be given more responsibilities in the future.”

Ge Zhaoxu left in a daze, never expecting that her usually most rigid grandfather could say such 'enlightened' words, subtly implying that she had also benefited from her daughter's influence.

However, the one who benefited the most from this was Ji Tongwei. He won without lifting a finger and benefited from everything. Unbeknownst to him, the biggest obstacle in his marriage was removed without him even realizing it.

Only Zhuang Jin didn't know, otherwise he would probably suspect that this kid might have the potential to be a protagonist in a "soft rice" genre.

……

(End of this chapter)