Isolated City

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of dishes.

Song Tianqing and Lin Qing were taken away by Qian Songyuan and hurried back to the Cangshan Sword Sect overnight.

Traveling at night was naturally dangerous for most people, but for Qian Songyuan, who possessed Profound Gang Realm cultivation, traveling by night was no different from traveling by day.

The others in Black Stone County also dispersed. Han Zheng had just rounded the corner of an alley when he saw Zhang Tianyang waiting there.

"Did that old fellow Qian Songyuan deal you a blow today?"

"Talent and Aptitude may be important, but they are not the most important thing."

Zhang Tianyang pointed at himself. "Back then, my aptitude was even worse. Teacher said I had almost no chance of breaking through to the Innate Realm."

"And what happened? I still fought my way through the army, carved out a path in blood, and eventually joined the Demon Extermination Division. My cultivation is stronger than his now."

"Talent and Aptitude do not determine everything. There is more than one road along the martial path."

"Thank you for the advice, Lord Zhang, but I have long known that my Talent and Aptitude are poor. It did not affect me."

Han Zheng found it both funny and exasperating.

Li Jingzhong feared he would be discouraged, and Zhang Tianyang had come to comfort him as well.

But Han Zheng truly did not care.

Naturally, joining the Cangshan Sword Sect would be good. He was confident that he could rely on the Gluttonous Crucible to rapidly raise his cultivation. Even if he started as an Outer Sect Disciple, he could fight his way into the Inner Sect.

Moreover, joining a sect meant he would immediately be taught cultivation methods, which would also make breakthroughs through the Gluttonous Crucible more convenient.

But it did not matter if he could not join. With the Gluttonous Crucible in his possession, he could still gain Satiety through bloody struggles in the martial world. His future would remain bright.

Zhang Tianyang nodded. "It is good that you were not discouraged. Over the years, top sects like the Cangshan Sword Sect have been scouring everywhere for disciples. Nearly all young people with good talent have been swept into their net."

"The Demon Extermination Division has to search the army for promising seedlings. In recent years, we have simply stopped looking at aptitude or talent. Everything is judged by strength and achievements."

"By the way, Lord Zhang, have you found anyone within the Three Harmonies Gang colluding with the Incense Cult?"

Zhang Tianyang frowned. "No, not yet. And it is not just the Three Harmonies Gang. During the last gang war in the county, I took the chance to arrest people from the Black Tiger Gang and the Sky Eagle Gang as well."

"I even went so far as to expose part of my strength, yet found nothing. It is truly strange."

"But if it was not the Three Harmonies Gang, could it be the Shen Family or the Song Family?"

Zhang Tianyang had previously speculated that these three gangs were the most likely forces in Black Stone County to be colluding with the Incense Cult.

After all, these lower-class gangs had never possessed any bottom line.

But now that the suspicions surrounding the three gangs had been cleared, only the Song Family and the Shen Family remained.

Han Zheng shook his head. "In my view, those two families do not seem likely either."

"If the Song Family were colluding with the Incense Cult, why would they send Song Tianqing to the Cangshan Sword Sect?"

"The Shen Family is even less likely. Shen Congyun is already the foremost member of Tiangang Sect's younger generation. Why would they collude with the Incense Cult? Would that not be dragging Shen Congyun down?"

"Also, Shen Chengshan wanted to send Shen Conghai into the Cangshan Sword Sect today."

"If they had colluded with the Incense Cult, then doing that would be like farting after taking off their pants—completely superfluous."

The Song Family had not colluded with the Incense Cult, but they had colluded with Demons. Han Zheng did not intend to tell Zhang Tianyang about that.

First, the Song Family had not dealt directly with the Demon. With Gao Kaiyuan dead, there was no proof left.

Second, the matter involved him, and there were still many unanswered questions. Before understanding everything, Han Zheng did not want to act rashly.

Besides, he did not trust Zhang Tianyang to that extent.

Zhang Tianyang gave Han Zheng a slightly surprised look. He had not expected Han Zheng to see things so clearly.

"My thoughts are much the same as yours. From what I saw today, the suspicions surrounding those two families are indeed slight, but they still need to be confirmed."

"Then, Lord Zhang, is there anything else you need me to do?"

Zhang Tianyang shook his head. "Not for now. Just wait for my news. But I do need to speed things up on my end."

With that, Zhang Tianyang turned and stepped into the shadows, vanishing from sight.

The county remained peaceful over the next few days. Zhang Tianyang even released the people he had arrested from the three gangs.

The Three Harmonies Gang and the other two gangs had merely fought one another. Their crimes did not warrant death, and keeping them locked up for too long would instead seem suspicious.

Moreover, Zhang Tianyang had more or less confirmed that the Incense Cult truly had no connection to Black Stone County's three gangs, so he could not be bothered targeting them any longer.

One morning, Chen Baiqing came to the Martial Arts Academy and specifically called for Han Zheng.

Inside the martial arts school hall, Chen Baiqing said to Han Zheng with a smile, "Brother Han, I have come to trouble you again. I need you to escort a Shenghe Hall merchant caravan."

"Shenghe Hall is currently short of several special Spiritual Medicines. We cannot go to Huainan Dao, but I have found another supplier in Shannan Dao. I need you to lead the caravan there and bring the Spiritual Medicines back."

"This time, I still plan to have you and Li Feng lead the group together. But the quantity is small this time, so hiring you alone will be enough."

"When you return, I will not pay you in silver. I will personally prepare a set of medicinal baths for the Xiantian Mortal Transformation Realm for you. What do you think?"

Li Jingzhong laughed from the side. "Shopkeeper Chen, you are practically using all my academy disciples as Escorts."

Chen Baiqing laughed heartily. "I trust Brother Han's work. Those escort guards are muddleheaded; I would be afraid they would ruin my Spiritual Medicine."

"So, Brother Han, are you willing to take this job?"

Han Zheng said directly, "Rest assured, Shopkeeper Chen. This is not our first time working together. I guarantee that I will bring the Spiritual Medicines back safely."

Han Zheng had already experienced the benefits of medicinal baths. Since Chen Baiqing was willing to pay with one, Han Zheng was naturally happy to accept.

The next day, Han Zheng arrived at the entrance of Shenghe Hall to wait.

This trip was much simpler than the last one. There were only four attendants and two carriages.

Li Feng and Han Zheng were already old acquaintances. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they set off at once.

This time, Li Feng did not prepare any meat dishes.

With Han Zheng around, what need was there for that stuff?

When the caravan reached the city gate, they saw many traveling merchants and commoners heading back into the city. There was even a group from an escort agency returning with dejected faces.

Li Feng and Han Zheng exchanged a glance, both finding it strange.

Had something happened outside? Why was everyone returning to the city?

Li Feng happened to know one of the escort agency's leaders. The man had previously come to him to have medicinal baths prepared.

"Chief Wu, what happened outside? Why have you all come back?"

Chief Wu looked thoroughly miserable. "Do not mention it. We cannot go to Shannan Dao anymore. The soldiers have sealed off the roads."

"They said that because the Incense Cult is causing trouble in Huainan Dao, Incense Cult fiends have already infiltrated the area around Black Stone County."

"The only passage through Jingzhou Prefecture has been blocked with checkpoints to prevent the Incense Cult's fiends from slipping through."

"Black Stone County and the two nearby counties will be impassable for the time being. The checkpoints will not be opened until the Incense Cult has been completely suppressed."

"Our escort agency had taken several jobs already, and now every one of them has gone down the drain."

Chief Wu left with his head hanging, and Li Feng wore an equally troubled expression.

"Brother Han, it looks like we will not need to make this trip. I will report back to the chief shopkeeper first."

Han Zheng nodded. Li Feng led Shenghe Hall's attendants back inside.

Looking at the chaotic scene at the city gate, Han Zheng frowned slightly.

The imperial court had actually sealed off the roads. Did that not mean Black Stone County and the surrounding counties had become isolated cities?

That was not good news.

By the time he returned to Zhenwei Martial Arts School, the county's residents had also learned of the news, and another wave of soaring grain prices erupted at once.

Black Stone County could not be self-sufficient in grain. Previously, it had relied on merchant caravans from Huainan Dao for supplies.

Later, when the Incense Cult caused trouble in Huainan Dao, merchant caravans could still transport grain through Jingzhou Prefecture, though it was more expensive.

But now even the road to Jingzhou Prefecture had been sealed. Grain prices instantly surged severalfold, and some commoners were even fighting in front of grain shops.

Guo Kai was now not only the richest man in the county. The money in his hands might exceed that of all the major merchants in Black Stone County combined.

At that moment, Han Zheng suddenly sensed something strange, a feeling as though thorns were pressing against his back.

When he turned around, he saw Zhang Tianyang standing in a corner, gesturing for him to follow.

Han Zheng followed Zhang Tianyang without betraying any sign of it. After winding through several turns, they entered a deserted alley.

"You have heard about the commotion outside?"

Han Zheng nodded. "Jingzhou Prefecture has sealed the roads. Has Black Stone County truly become an isolated city?"

Zhang Tianyang shook his head. "Not quite an isolated city. Jingzhou Prefecture seeks stability, so naturally it cannot allow the Incense Cult to spread to the prefectural level."

"But Black Stone County will not be abandoned either. At the very least, the Demon Extermination Division will not abandon Black Stone County."

"Originally, I had intended to proceed step by step, investigating each of the forces in Black Stone County one by one and uncovering the spy."

"But the Incense Cult is moving too quickly. There is not much time left for me."

"I came to ask you for one final favor. Once the matter of Black Stone County is settled, the Demon Extermination Division will not treat you unfairly."

"What is your plan, Lord Zhang?"

"There is definitely not enough time to investigate slowly. Then we might as well use the stupidest method: put the entire city on alert and turn it upside down!"

A cold glint appeared in Zhang Tianyang's eyes.

Han Zheng asked doubtfully, "But where will the people come from? When Lord Zhang came to find me before, it was because you lacked manpower."

"With those useless County Yamen runners in Black Stone County, let alone turning the county upside down, they would struggle just to turn themselves over."

"Of course we cannot use them. Those fellows are useless for anything important."

A somewhat cruel smile appeared on Zhang Tianyang's lips. "Those greedy, insatiable corrupt officials and runners have no ability when it comes to proper work, but extortion, blackmail, corruption, and bending the law are their specialties."

"Over the past few days, I casually found a few excuses to deal with them, and I really squeezed quite a bit of fat from them."

"We can use that silver to hire a new batch of temporary runners to help me."

Han Zheng immediately understood. "You want the Martial Arts Academy's disciples to serve as temporary County Yamen constables?"

Zhang Tianyang's idea was genuinely quite good.

Apart from the two families and three gangs, the only place in all of Black Stone County where a large number of martial artists could be found was Zhenwei Martial Arts School.

Although these young academy disciples might lack practical combat experience, their foundations were solid. Nearly all of them also came from respectable families, making them reliable to use.

Furthermore, only a minority of Zhenwei Martial Arts School's disciples came from well-off backgrounds. Most were commoners.

As long as Zhang Tianyang offered enough monthly pay, they would certainly be willing to serve as temporary constables for a while.

Constables were at least more imposing. They were better than Escorts or guards, no matter how one looked at it.

"Precisely. But Teacher must agree to this matter first."

"Teacher is a good man and teaches his disciples with all his heart."

"There is only one problem: he is somewhat indecisive and overly timid, always afraid of trouble."

"You are now Teacher's prized disciple. He will listen to you, so I need you to put in a good word from the side."