Martial Arts: My talent multiplier increased

Even in his weakened state, Fang Yuan was still able to read quickly using his 8x power of stance training—the handwriting was Fang Yuanshan's, with deep, forceful strokes.

"Last night at midnight, Fang Ce and Fang Heng intercepted Li Jue and Zhao Biao, who were escaping from the back gate of the Li family, in the south of the city as planned. Zhao Biao put up a stubborn resistance. Fang Ce met him head-on but was overwhelmed by Zhao Biao's sword strikes for three moves. Fang Yuanshan then flanked from the side and shattered Zhao Biao's right elbow with a single punch. Zhao Biao retaliated with his left hand. Fang Yuanshan shattered his left elbow with a second punch. With both arms crippled, Zhao Biao knelt on the ground, unable to get up."

Fang Yuan's gaze lingered for a moment on the words "a punch shattered Zhao Biao's right elbow."

Fang Yuanshan. Peak of the Bone Refining Realm. Zhao Biao is also at the peak of the Bone Refining Realm.

Two punches ruined both arms.

Fang Yuanshan wasn't incapable of defeating Zhao Biao. It was just that there was no reason for him to fight under normal circumstances.

There is now.

"Li Jue." Fang Yuan looked up.

Fang Yuanshan's voice was flat, without any curve.

"He knelt down and begged for mercy. He didn't even throw a punch. Fang Heng tied him up. He wet his pants while tying him up."

Fang Yuan didn't laugh.

He continued watching.

Third line.

"At the hour of Chou (1-3 AM) that night, City Lord Xiao Zhennan urgently summoned representatives of the three major families to the council hall of the City Lord's Mansion. Fang Yuanshan attended on behalf of the Fang family. At the same time, Li Jue and Zhao Biao were escorted to the council hall."

Fang Yuan turned to the next page.

"Following the report prepared in advance by Fang Yuan, Fang Yuanshan presented the complete chain of evidence of Li Jue's treason to the city lord, Xiao Zhennan—"

I. Dates and times of Zhao Biao's three visits to the liaison point at the granary north of the city. Recorded by Tie Meng.

II. The original text of the city defense information that Li Jue transmitted to the Blood Demon Cult through Zhao Biao. The draft found in Li Jue's study. Obtained by Fang Ce after his interception and search of the Li family residence last night.

Third, external corroboration provided by Shen Youlan. The Dark Butterfly Pavilion's intelligence channels confirmed at least two months of communication records between the Blood Demon Sect branch and the Li family.

Fang Yuan's finger paused briefly on "the report that Fang Yuan had prepared in advance".

He wrote that report three days ago.

I haven't fought the Blood Bat Dharma King yet. I haven't taken the Breakthrough Pill yet. I haven't set fire to the evil cultivators in the northwest corner of the city yet.

Three days ago, Fang Yuan had already written this petition and handed it to Fang Yuanshan.

"If I come back tonight—give this to Xiao Zhennan. If I don't come back tonight—give this to Xiao Zhennan as well."

These are his exact words to Fang Yuanshan three days ago.

Fang Yuanshan didn't respond at the time. He simply put the report into his pocket.

When the report was handed to Xiao Zhennan, Xiao Zhennan's reaction—as stated in Fang Yuanshan's report:

After reading the report, Xiao Zhennan remained silent for about fifteen minutes. He tapped his fingers three times on the armrest.

Three times.

Fang Yuan was very familiar with this gesture. Last time when he was negotiating with Xiao Zhennan at the City Lord's Mansion, Xiao Zhennan also knocked three times.

That's his habit. He's always weighing the pros and cons of something.

Fang Yuanshan's report continued—

"Forty percent of the Li family's assets went to the Fang family."

This was something Xiao Zhennan had promised Fang Yuan before the war. These were his exact words.

Fang Yuan's bargaining chip with Xiao Zhennan was that Fang Yuan would eliminate the threat of the Blood Demon Sect for Liangshui City. In exchange, 40% of the Li family's assets would go to the Fang family.

Xiao Zhennan agreed.

The Blood Bat Dharma King is now dead. Li Jue has been captured. The conditions have been met.

But Xiao Zhennan added a sentence.

"All the wealth accumulated by the Blood Demon Sect branch—the evil martial arts manuals, blood refining materials, and the branch's treasury—will be taken over by the City Lord's Mansion. Fang Yuan's personal merits will be rewarded separately."

Fang Yuan's eyelids lifted slightly at the line of text.

Branch Treasury

Fang Yuan's left hand touched the blood-red token in his pocket under the table. The token fell silent. It stopped beeping after the battle. But the token pointed to the location of Qingyao Valley—the location of a branch of the Blood Demon Sect—could there still be a secret vault there that Xiao Zhennan was unaware of?

Fang Yuan's double comprehension gave an estimate.

Have.

The Blood Demon Cult couldn't possibly keep all its money in one place. A branch leader's treasury would have at least two locations. One was in a publicly known stronghold—Xiao Zhennan had it searched and taken. The other was in a hidden location on the outskirts of the stronghold—its location could only be determined using the Blood Token.

Xiao Zhennan did not have the blood-red token.

Fang Yuanyou.

"What did the instructor say?"

Fang Yuanshan tapped his finger on the table.

"I did not argue."

Fang Yuan nodded.

Fang Yuanshan is right. No need to fight. Fighting won't yield much. Fang Yuan has no use for the evil martial arts manuals. The blood refining materials are from the evil path. As for the treasury—let Xiao Zhennan take the portion he obtained. We'll deal with the hidden vault after Fang Yuan recovers.

Fighting Xiao Zhennan for the vault now would only expose the existence of the Blood Token.

Fang Yuan turned to the last page of the report.

Fang Yuanshan's handwriting changed in the last line—the strokes became three times heavier than before. It was as if he used more force with his fingers when he put the pen down.

Fang Yuanshan added a condition: Fang Yuan's merit in killing the Blood Bat Dharma King should be commended in the Liangshui City announcement. Xiao Zhennan agreed on the spot.

Fang Yuan's gaze lingered on that line of text for two breaths.

Fang Yuanshan.

The Fang family's acting instructor. He had been the head of the family for thirty years. He had weighed the pros and cons his entire life. The only time he proactively raised conditions in the council hall was not for money. Not for land.

It was so that Fang Yuan's name would appear on the bulletin board in Liangshui City.

Fang Yuan put the report back on the desktop.

Where is Li Jue now?

"The city lord's dungeon. Xiao Zhennan has him locked up with Zhao Biao. After the interrogation—" Fang Yuanshan's lips twitched slightly. "According to the law, treason and collusion with the enemy is punishable by death."

Fang Yuan did not ask any further questions.

Whether or not to execute him is Xiao Zhennan's business. Fang Yuan doesn't want Li Jue's life. He wants the fact that Li Jue's treason has been firmly established.

The facts are clear. The Li family has secured 40% of the assets.

Li Jue's fate—

Fang Yuan mentally recalled the image of Li Jue kneeling on the ground and wetting his pants.

It's not worth much.

Where is Zhao Biao?

"Both arms are useless." Fang Yuanshan's voice was flat. "In the city guard's organization, the disabled are discharged. Xiao Zhennan dismissed his squad leader on the spot."

Fang Yuan hummed in agreement.

Zhao Biao's power in Liangshui City rested on two things: his military rank as a squad leader in the city guard and his martial prowess at the peak of the Bone Refining Realm.

Now both arms are useless, and he's been dismissed from his military post.

A useless person.

Fang Yuan stood up from behind the table.

"What about the asset conversion?"

Fang Yuanshan pulled out another document from under the table. The handwriting was that of Manager Qian—Fang Yuan recognized the neat, small regular script unique to accountants.

"The total estimated value of the Li family's assets in Liangshui City is 17,500 taels of silver. This includes two shops, a mansion, 120 mu of poor land in the south of the city, the cash value of the inventory in the shops, and the Li family's gold and silver reserves."

Seventeen thousand five hundred taels.

Forty percent.

Seven thousand taels.

Fang Yuan's finger paused on the numbers for a moment.

"The discounted value of the shops and farmland is too low," Fang Yuan said calmly. "The meager farmland south of Li Family City borders the official road; its actual value is at least 20% higher than the assessment."

Fang Yuanshan's eyes twitched slightly.

"This assessment was done by Xiao Zhennan's people."

Fang Yuan knew, of course, that it was Xiao Zhennan's men who did it. They lowered the appraised value—and then the City Lord's Mansion bought up the remaining 60% at a low price.

The old fox takes two portions. One is the branch's coffers. The other is the profit from undervaluing the stock.

Fang Yuan did not intend to argue about valuation with Xiao Zhennan at this critical juncture.

Now is not the time.

"Seven thousand taels. Cash or in kind?"