Promise!

Chapter 301, Volume Three, The Torrent

Zhuang Jin and his party set off from Cangzhou, passed through Lanzhou, and then took the route through Yunzhou. Along the way, they witnessed the different landscapes of each prefecture.

"I am already familiar with the Funiu Mountains in Cangzhou, and the Donghua Wuyuan in Lanzhou, but unfortunately it was not on my way and I did not see it. Now I have seen Longze Lake in Yunzhou, and it is indeed well-deserved of its reputation."

Zhuang Jin gazed at the vast, ever-changing lake in the distance and sighed in admiration.

“This gathering of aristocratic families will probably be delayed for several days. If you are interested, my husband, you are welcome to visit Longze Lake,” Shangguan Yunchang said.

"good!"

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly.

His trip to the capital, Yong'an, was for the purpose of obtaining secret techniques to aid in breaking through to the Yang God realm, Yang-attaining divine objects, and cultivation resources after reaching the Yang God realm. Shangguan Yunchang claimed to be accompanying him, but she also had ulterior motives.

In order to deal with the beast tide and to counter the three major clans of Mu, Shi and Gongshu, the Great Qian Dynasty issued a decree to open up new lands. As aristocratic families have always been cunning and resourceful, they would naturally not let go of such a great opportunity to establish branches and expand their foundations.

The caravan that Zhuang Jin was traveling with carried some resources, and its members were carefully selected—the advance scout team from the Cangzhou aristocratic families.

Otherwise, how could Shangguan Yunchang persuade that old lady, Shangguan Jinfeng, to come out with Zhuang Jin? Could she say, "Grandmother, my husband and I are going out to travel and have fun, so please come back and cover for me for a few years?"

If that's the case, how could that scheming old woman possibly agree? Only by using the family's name could she persuade her.

This overland journey served not only to oversee the scouting caravan and continue observing the situation in the capital, but also to recruit talent for the grand plan.

This land reclamation order is a tremendous opportunity not only for aristocratic families, but also for their powerful clans, wealthy households, and their collateral branches from humble backgrounds.

These are only one aspect of the preparations. On the other hand, the aristocratic families of Kyushu know that they are weaker than the powerful clans. In recent months, they have been communicating more and more frequently through the Hanging Mirror, and they are gradually showing signs of uniting. The gathering in Yunzhou during this journey is a microcosm of this.

……

The Dragon Token is valid in all states. When Zhuang Jin and his party entered the third ring of Yunzhou, the token was 'connected' and had already caught the attention of the Yunzhou aristocratic families. Representatives came to visit them that very day.

This is Meng Duangui from the Meng family, a second-level Yin Spirit Realm cultivator, just like Shangguan Yunchang. It is extremely rare for aristocratic families to break through to the Yin Spirit Realm on their own. He even prepared a gift for us, which included a Water Spirit Pearl: "Distinguished guest from Cangzhou, you have come from afar. I have not been able to greet you properly. My apologies!"

"Due to distance and route constraints, this small gathering of aristocratic families involves representatives from five states. One or two are still en route, so please wait for two or three days."

This person had clearly done their homework, inquired about Zhuang Jin's preferences, and presented a water spirit pearl as a gift. They were also very courteous and tactful in their interactions with others. Knowing that Zhuang Jin and her party were newcomers, they made a brief introduction and then wisely left.

"A single Water Spirit Pearl is a rather valuable gift for a meeting; noble families never give gifts for nothing," Shangguan Yunchang reminded her.

"Don't worry, Yun Chang, I know what I'm doing."

Zhuang Jin toyed with the water spirit orb, a playful expression on his face: 'Even if it's a sugar-coated bullet, you just eat the sugar coating and return the bullet.'

With his current strength, he has the confidence to back it up.

……

"Father, is this gift too heavy?"

"If it were another prefecture, it would be a bit too much, but Cangzhou... is just right."

Meng Duangui paused for a moment, then said, "Five years ago, Xuanyuan Shiji went to Cangzhou as an inspector. Due to his greed, he returned with little to show for his strength. This demonstrates the power of the powerful families in Cangzhou."

"That was back then. Now, these two are probably much stronger. Leaving a bond between them will make things much easier when they go to the capital to cooperate in the future."

Besides…

He recalled the message from the Grand General in the capital: to approach the prominent families of Cangzhou and inquire about the details of the "Chun Disaster" in Cangzhou five years ago.

……

Three days later, the prominent families gathered, and through their connections, representatives from the five states of Cang, Yun, Lan, Jiao, and Yuan were present.

Apart from the host state of Yunzhou, the situation in the other three states was similar to that of Zhuang Jin's group, with each state having an advance force overseen by a Yin deity.

—The fact that these powerful families in each state can mobilize Yin God warriors in addition to their local power is related to the 'Torn Calamity' of the last large-scale Yuan Qi Tide in Cangzhou. Some powerful families in the state were frightened and used their reserve resources to improve their own strength, and then other powerful families were forced into an 'arms race'.

The representative of the Yunzhou aristocratic families at this gathering was Meng Duangui.

The representative of the Yuanzhou aristocratic family, named Yang Shiji, was a serious-looking middle-aged man.

The prominent family of Lanzhou is led by Lu Sizhe, who has an honest and kind appearance.

The family of Jiaozhou was led by Mou Zonglun. Perhaps due to the environment of Jiaozhou, their clothes were hooded, which was considered unusual attire.

The other two prominent families in Yunzhou, the Lou and Qiu families, need not be discussed in detail.

All those present were spirits of the underworld, each possessing their own unique aura.

"The root of the current situation lies in the dramatic change that occurred several months ago, when the late emperor suddenly collapsed. We do not know the specific reasons for this. Does anyone have any information about the details?" Meng Duangui began, opening the conversation.

"Emperor Qianyuan was nearing the end of his life, so his sudden death is not surprising."

"Indeed, the late emperor was at the Yang Shen realm and lived deep within the palace, heavily guarded. Who could possibly have the means to harm him?"

"It's just that his departure was too sudden, as if he didn't even have time to make arrangements for his final affairs. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been any later events..."

……

Everyone made their own guesses.

Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang exchanged a glance, both understanding that these people were unaware of the origin of 'spiritual energy,' so they were naturally clueless about it and even less likely to connect it to the methods of immortals.

Back then, the leakage of spiritual energy in Cangzhou was known only to a handful of Yin spirits, including Zhuang Jin. Later, Emperor Qian Yuan received a secret report from Xuan Yuan Zheng Ji and sent an envoy to investigate. He did not publicize such matters and even strictly ordered a cover-up.

"I heard that the capital was first hit by an earthquake, and then by a beast tide. It seems to be somewhat similar to the large-scale primordial energy tide that occurred in Cangzhou last time?" Meng Duangui's heart stirred, and he deliberately steered the conversation.

"That's right. After the last time, my Cangzhou family was also weakened for a period of time. The imperial court even sent an inspector to investigate and find out the truth."

Shangguan Yunchang responded, using misleading language—this kind of secrecy and information asymmetry might be very useful at times, and she was unwilling to reveal it unnecessarily, thus creating trouble for herself.

"Regardless of the reason, the current situation has led to a split among the five major clans."

Zhuang Jin chimed in, diverting everyone's attention: "After the late emperor's death, when there were differing stances within the royal family, Empress Dowager Yuwen swiftly resolved the situation and, with the cooperation of her own faction, helped the young emperor ascend the throne. Even now, there are still divisions within the royal family."
The Yuwen clan, led by General Yuwen, entered the capital, extending their reach into the city.

"Now, both sides are vying for power with the three major clans of Mu, Shi, and Gongshu, and the issuance of the land reclamation order presents us with an opportunity."

"Indeed, when facing powerful clans, our families are weak and outnumbered. We should help each other and advance and retreat together."

"That's how it should be."

"Great kindness."

...With all parties aligned on their positions, an exchange meeting was subsequently held. Zhuang Jin exchanged some unused pills from his previous cultivation level, along with a secret technique from an immortal's ruins, for an Ice Spirit Pearl, which was an unexpected surprise.

……

Yunzhou First Ring Road, Zhaixing Tower.

hum!
Under a devouring force, the ice and water spirit orbs shattered and turned into dust, their essence being refined and absorbed by the Holy Spirit Orb.

Zhuang Jin watched this scene and nodded slightly: 'They've already absorbed four spirit orbs—ice, water, wind, and wood—only six more remain: yin, yang, metal, fire, earth, and thunder. Perhaps they can gather them all on this trip to Yong'an.'

The gathering continued in the afternoon, but he didn't go.

In Zhuang Jin's view, the alliance of the nine powerful families was somewhat similar to the "eighteen warlords' campaign against Dong Zhuo." They might be able to cooperate in the early stages, but it was hard to say what would happen in the later stages when they faced each other's interests.

However, at least it can attract the attention of the five major clans, allowing him to survive one more wave and break through to the Yang God realm.

In the afternoon, Zhuang Jin did not go to the gathering, but went to Longze Lake to find a mount for himself. After two days of investigation, he had found a target.

—After the 'Chun Disaster' in Cangzhou, the Funiu Mountains produced that bluebird in the past few years. He tamed it and sent it to Chen Yun and the others. This time, he plans to get a bluebird from Yunzhou for free.

After the morning gathering, Zhuang Jin mentioned the matter briefly. Meng Duangui seemed to have designs on him and readily agreed. However, he thought it was just a beast at the Blood Exchange Realm, unaware that Zhuang Jin now looked down on anything below the Vajra Realm and was planning something big.

That afternoon, Meng Duangui and his group finished their gathering and had just stepped outside when they sensed a surge of energy in the direction of Longze Lake, which subsided after a short while.

Suddenly, a cloud of mist came straight in, within which was a mirage dragon at the fifth level of the Vajra Realm, its entire body covered in golden-green scales that shimmered with light and shadow, making Zhuang Jin appear like a god.

—The bluebird in the Funiu Mountains had just entered the Vajra Realm, but due to the limitations of the conditions at the time, it was not Zhuang Jin's limit. This mirage dragon is far from that level either. He suppressed it in no time. The previous upheaval of the heaven and earth's primordial energy was due to this.

"This this……"

When Meng Duangui saw this scene, he almost vomited blood.

He thought Zhuang Jin was only going to choose a mount at the Blood Transformation Realm, but who knew he would be eyeing this mirage dragon.

This mirage dragon is different. There is a saying that "water is not important for its depth, but for the presence of a dragon." Wherever it is, the primordial energy of heaven and earth gathers in the primordial tide, and there is a high probability of generating water-attribute natural treasures. The water spirit pearl that was given as a gift before was just like that.

Because of this attribute, the Yunzhou aristocratic families were reluctant to kill this mirage dragon during the "Jiazi Demon Slaying" event, but now it has been abducted by Zhuang Jin.

But it was agreed beforehand that Zhuang Jin could choose any mount he wanted, and this mirage dragon had already been tamed by Zhuang Jin. The representatives from the other three states were also watching. They couldn't go back on their word or threaten Zhuang Jin with the powerful Suspended Mirror to force him to hand it over, could they? Wouldn't that destroy the unity that had just been achieved?

No, it's really not that bad!
They could only swallow their pride and accept it, consoling themselves that Zhuang Jin was eliminating a potential threat for them.

The representatives from the other three states, witnessing this scene, also raised their opinion of Zhuang Jin even higher.

Because Zhuang Jin performed a miracle in front of the people of Yunzhou Sanhuan in order to exert pressure, the matter quickly caused a sensation. Zhuang Jin's past deeds, such as his breakthrough to the Yin God realm, which had been circulating in other states for a while, were quickly dug up by storytellers who saw a business opportunity and told the story again.

Out of consideration for the land reclamation order, the expansion of territory, and the need for talent, the Yunzhou aristocratic families did not stop this. Instead, they added fuel to the fire by publicizing the origins and purpose of Zhuang Jin and his party, encouraging them to go to Yong'an in the capital to "seek their fortune," which further fueled the enthusiasm.

……

"I heard this gentleman is from Cangzhou. Cangzhou, huh? My ancestors were from a prominent family in Cangzhou!"

Zhuang Jin was showing off his divine powers in front of people. At the entrance of a shop on the third ring road of Yunzhou City, an old man was beaming and boasting to his two employees.

This old man, known as 'Old Ge,' was at the embryonic breathing stage and ran a shop in the Third Ring Road area.

The short, martial arts-skilled waiter beside him nodded in agreement, thinking to himself, "Judging by your stingy, exploitative nature, your ancestors must have come from a powerful family."

Another unassuming and plain-looking apprentice named Mei Weichen listened to these words with a complicated expression.

As for connections with powerful and influential families, he does have them. His ancestors were from a powerful clan, but his own family was a branch that had separated from the main branch and was quite distant. He was also the third son, and his family could only support him up to the seventh level of Qi Condensation. So he came to the city to make a living and is now part of the Meridian Opening lineage, working as a shop assistant in the Sanhuan shop.

Having enjoyed the spectacle, life had to go on, so Old Man Ge took his two men back home.

When he spread the story of Zhuang Jin outside and encouraged people to go to the capital, he became a little anxious and scared them by saying, "At the end of last year, the emperor died, and there was a beast tide in the capital. It's in chaos... Under the emperor's nose, there are many high-ranking officials and nobles. You can easily offend or clash with them if you're not careful... In short, the capital is not a good place to go. It's not as safe and stable as our Yunzhou City."

Seeing that the two men seemed frightened, Old Ge nodded in satisfaction. But he couldn't let them go; if they really left, it would be difficult to find replacements in a short time.

Don't underestimate the job of this shop assistant!

First, the waiter needs to be at the Meridian Opening Realm, possessing the perception and insight to see through some of the guests' tricks and prevent them from causing trouble in front of him; at the same time, he should also be able to intimidate the guests to a certain extent.

In addition to these basic requirements, one must also be eloquent, law-abiding, and honest.

It's really hard to find someone who meets all the criteria and has experience.

Mei Weichen appeared to be persuaded, but in his heart, he had some ideas.

As luck would have it, it was his thirtieth birthday. That evening, he bought a piece of meat from a Yi Jin Jing beast at a discounted price, found a restaurant to cook it himself, and also bought a pot of Qingzhu wine, which he then packed up and returned to the shop.

—The city's third ring road is rich in spiritual energy, so being able to sleep here is a perk for the staff. Of course, it also counts as guarding the shop, but stingy old man Ge won't give him an extra contribution point for it.

Mei Weichen originally wanted to share and celebrate with his roommate, but the other person was not there. He knew that the other person had probably gone to the Ascension Pavilion. After the other person was stuck at the bottleneck, he spent most of the contribution points he earned on that matter, so he could only eat by himself.

Even the meat of a beast at the Yi Jin Realm was a rare delicacy for him. He wiped the last bit of meat off with a flatbread, ate it, let out a burp, and felt his body digesting the beast meat and his blood and qi becoming more active. He then began to sit cross-legged and cultivate.

It wasn't until late at night, when the effects of the beast meat wore off, that Mei Weichen got up to go to sleep. But for some reason, he couldn't fall asleep, tossing and turning in bed. Looking at the moonlight streaming through the window, he suddenly felt an indescribable loneliness.

In Yunzhou City, he did not marry. The good ones didn't want him, and the less desirable ones didn't want him either. He would think about women and wanted to go to the Immortal Ascension Pavilion many times, but he gritted his teeth and endured it, using his contribution points for cultivation.

But lately, Mei Weichen has felt increasingly lost, unsure of the meaning of his efforts. In this vast city, he feels as if he has never belonged and often feels alienated.

He knew that he had good talent, but without a great opportunity, it would be difficult for him to break through to the embryonic breathing stage in his lifetime, let alone the innate stage. He probably wouldn't be able to stay in this state city.

Can we return to the prefectural city?
Being a retainer of a powerful family is no easy task. The family's power structure is deeply entrenched, and all the members are vested interests. There's no room for you. Without resources, it means the end of your martial arts career.

Besides, his family has always boasted to outsiders about how successful he is in the state capital. Going back in such a humiliating way would be an unbearable blow.

Unable to stay or go back, Mei Weichen felt a numb sense of bewilderment. He had once been someone else's child, had his moments of glory, and had lofty ambitions. But the trials of reality made him realize more and more that many things a person is born without will probably never be theirs.

Someone like him is merely an individual within a great era. If there were no unforeseen events, he would probably remain like this for his entire life, just like the many promising yet ultimately unsuccessful outsiders of the Great Qian Dynasty over the past eight hundred years.

Lying in bed, Mei Weichen suddenly recalled the rumors circulating in the prefecture about the emperor's tomb collapsing and the great upheaval in the capital, the legends of opportunities galore in the capital, and the tales of Zhuang Jin's exploits he had heard today. He made a momentous decision: 'Tomorrow I'll prepare to resign from my job at the shop, leave Yunzhou City, and venture to the capital!'

……

Like Mei Weichen, there were many others. The changes in Yong'an, the capital, created a rare and unprecedented gap in the solidification of social classes, giving many people an opportunity and hope. Like moths to a flame, they flocked to it. It was these individuals who gathered together to form the torrent of the times.

Getting back to the main point, after a small gathering at the Yunzhou aristocratic families, Zhuang Jin and his group set off together with teams from the other four prefectures, and after more than a month, they finally arrived in the capital.

……

(End of this chapter)