’Not a single one of them is a saint. In that case, I’ll drag them all down into the muck with me.’
As the one to make the first move, Liang Cheng raised his hand and offered up two shares of the profits, making a good impression on Ji Xiu.
Then, with great magnanimity, he casually walked back to his seat. He took large gulps of wine and big bites of meat, acting as if he had a perfectly clear conscience.
Instantly, the other town masters and manor masters who saw this turned pale.
’So generous! So noble! Aren’t you just incredible!’
’You’ve secured a good life for yourself, but have you spared a single thought for the rest of us?’
’Slicing off your own flesh just to curry favor with this General Leader...’
Many of them felt a knot in their stomachs, watching the scene unfold with indecision.
But...
Just as Liang Cheng sat down,
Song Chai of the Wushan Town Hunting Manor suddenly stood up and followed suit.
"General Leader, you recently hunted a Long-armed White Ape. I happened to have prepared a secret concoction of ’White Ape Marrow’ that nourishes the bones, and I’ve brought it to congratulate you!"
"As for Manor Master Liang’s profit-sharing proposal..."
"I agree as well!"
One after another, they started to speak up.
Instantly, another group of people could no longer remain in their seats.
"General Leader, my manor has several aged Bone Tempering Mountain Ginsengs..."
"General Leader..."
Watching the town masters and manor masters—who had arrived full of bluster and ready to cause a scene—now all seeing which way the wind was blowing and changing their tune in the blink of an eye,
Ji Xiu stroked the Glazed Jadeite in his hand. His gaze fell upon Liang Cheng, the Tiger Hunting Manor Master, who was casually eating and drinking, and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration.
’A man who has reached such a level in his martial arts and established his own enterprise... Even if he looks big and burly with a fiery temper,’
’his mind is as sharp as a needle. His ability to adapt, to drag down those who were trying to trip him up, and then use his own actions as an example to quietly forge a connection with me, the new Boss, and leave a lasting impression...’
’Such tactics...’
’It’s hard to feel any ill will toward him, really.’
He had won over one group, divided another, and set an example. Watching the town masters and manor masters express their willingness to follow the ’General Leader’s’ orders and continue to open and maintain the Mountain Dao trade...
Ji Xiu, hand resting on his saber, couldn’t help but break into a smile.
These Local Tyrants ruled the eighteen Hunting Manor Mountain Towns scattered across the five-hundred-li, mountain-ringed Anning County. Each was an imposing figure in their own right. With dozens of Swordsmen and Martial Artists under their command, they were forces unto themselves, bowing their heads only to the County’s major businesses and Martial Arts Halls.
In the past, would any of them have ever given him, a mere Groom, a second glance?
But from now on,
these people were his subordinates, destined to continuously funnel wealth his way.
The Hunters and Medicinal Farmers under their command would enter the mountains to gather resources in vast numbers.
Once they had a harvest, they would sell their goods to the newly established Ji Family shops, which were based in the Lin Residence. This would allow him to profit from the price difference right here in Anning County.
According to the estimates of Miss Lin Ruyue—who had been assigned by Lin Zhenhai to assist him, leaving her chambers to engage in commerce—
even after giving away forty percent of the profits to the Fire Kiln, Chai Market, Cattle and Sheep Market, and the Whale-Slaying Saber Hall to secure their manpower and support,
the income would still be nearly double that of any single one of the former Three Great Gangs!
At least fifteen hundred taels of silver a month!
Ji Xiu exhaled slowly, feeling almost light-headed. He looked at the gathering of elites, all these powerful figures who now vaguely looked to him as their leader, and couldn’t help but think to himself:
’Back when I was a groom, I used to wonder when I’d be able to start my own business. I thought that if I could become a Boss on my own little patch of land here in Anning and earn some respect, I would have finally made a name for myself.’
’But now...’
’Without even realizing it, I’ve already surpassed that goal.’
When had he ever imagined a day like this?
However,
as his gaze swept past more than a dozen tables, he caught a sudden, startling glimpse of a round wooden table in the Inner Residence. His Master, Duan Chenzhou, was drinking with Gu Baichuan, who was accompanied by Han Ying and Zhang Qing. They were looking right at him——
In that instant, it was like a sudden moment of clarity, a rude awakening that jolted him from his light-headed state. He abruptly remembered something Duan Chenzhou had said when he was ’opening his ambition,’ explaining the realms of ’Powerful Martial Artist,’ ’Qi Cultivation Grandmaster,’ and ’Titled Martial Dao’...
A single sentence he had spoken.
Do not, for the sake of temporary gains, become a short-sighted ’Miser’ in this small county town!
’That’s right.’
Ji Xiu was suddenly alert, as if he had come to a realization.
’This is nothing.’
’Being a Boss in the County, controlling the Mountain Dao trade... maybe on this little patch of land, it’s respectable. Maybe you get a seat of honor wherever you go.’
’But once you reach the Prefecture City...’
’...will the true Noble Clans of the Thirty-Six Professions even let a country bumpkin with money like you sit at their table?’
’I...’
’...must go even further!’
’One day, it won’t be enough for the local gentry to respect me as their General Leader.’
’I will also enter Jiangyin and make those great lords of the Prefecture City respect my fine robes and treat me as an equal!’
’That still won’t be enough to say I’ve made a name for myself.’
’When I reach that point...’
’...perhaps then, I can say I’m finally holding my head high!’
The road was long, and it still stretched out before him.
For now...
He was only just beginning!
At that thought, Ji Xiu began to silently calculate in his mind again.
’Four Centennial Demons to be refined into Demon Pills, plus the Jade Dew Medicinal Powder Lord Gu sent over, which I haven’t taken yet...’
’This should be enough for me to forge the Flood Dragon’s Internal Organs and push the progress of my True Flood Dragon Transformation forward by another big chunk, right!?’
His expression gradually grew calm and composed. He wouldn’t let the dazzling prosperity of the outside world disturb his Martial Arts Zen Heart as he began to ponder in secret.
At that moment...
In the distance, Duan Chenzhou, who had picked up his wine cup only to set it down again, watched him for a long moment. He nodded slightly, drained the cup in one go, and smiled.
"The boy is teachable."
...
「As the sun began to set.」
The boisterous banquet came to a close, the noise fading away.
Inside the ’Ji Residence’—which now bore a plaque with the character for Ji but had not yet been fully moved into—
Ji Xiu was in the rear courtyard, applying Medicinal Powder, consuming a Demon Pill, strengthening his internal organs, and advancing his bones and sinews!
Great tendons writhed and bulged across the surface of his skin like earthworms, making his body feel as if it were being roasted over a fire in the dead of winter!
A golden luster spread along the twenty-four sections of his spine, continuously extending from his organs, and his Qi and Blood grew immense. With his torso bare, he looked like a pillar of billowing war smoke!
[The Tutor has consumed the Seventh Grade Jade Dew Medicinal Powder and entered a state of ’Epiphany.’ Advance progress has increased!]
[The Tutor has consumed a Centennial Demon Pill, tempering the spinal column...]
[The Tutor’s ’True Flood Dragon Transformation’ advance progress has greatly increased!]
[True Flood Dragon Transformation: (14/24)!]
RUMBLE, RUMBLE.
Feeling the thrum of his heart, he could faintly hear a Flood Dragon roaring from within his organs...
Ji Xiu clenched his fists.
’Now.’
’A Centennial Demon...’
’I think I could beat one to death with my bare hands!’
He was not yet at Golden Bone Perfection.
But he had already surpassed Great Success in Bone Tempering!