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"A foundation built on the blood of our ancestors is not worth having!" Wei Wenhe said coldly. "Clan Head Yang can enjoy this ill-gotten wealth with a clear conscience, but I cannot stomach this man-meat steamed bun!"

Hearing Wei Wenhe's reply, Yang Ling's expression immediately turned grim.

"Is Lord Wei not planning to leave us any way to survive?"

"I gave all the families a chance three years ago!"

"You wanted us to destroy our own ancestral halls and let you slaughter us – that's the way to survive?! Wei Wenhe, since you refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit, then prepare for Heyuan County to run red with blood!"

"Poof~"

Golden flames leaped up, then the letter burned to nothingness. Yang Ling's figure also vanished.

"What a waste," Wang Long sighed. "Such a good item fell into the hands of that old thief Yang Ling."

"Indeed, to be honest, senior brother, I was tempted for a moment just now," Wei Wenhe chuckled. "I almost agreed, pretended to go along with him, and planned to get my hands on that Five Dragon Token first."

"Then why did you change your mind, Wenhe?"

Wei Wenhe shook his head. "It's a trap. How important is the Five Dragon Token? How could Yang Ling give it to me so easily?"

"This was merely a test. That old thief Yang Ling, despite having the upper hand, is feigning humility to beg me. He just wants to confirm whether the court's wind is true."

"They only know there's a wind of opposition in the court against destroying sects and temples, but they don't know if this news is true or false."

"The destruction of sects and temples was proposed by our Grand-Ancestor. If even I hesitate, or actually agree to him, wouldn't that be directly telling him the news is true?"

Wang Long asked in a low voice, "Wenhe, is this news true or false?"

Wei Wenhe shook his head. "There have been opposing forces for years, but they've always been hidden. Now that it's out in the open, I don't know if it's good or bad. The family's lips are sealed tight, so I can't judge."

Wang Long frowned, falling silent.

Wei Wenhe said solemnly, "However, regardless of whether the Son of Heaven will eventually issue an order, the Li and Yang Families have committed countless evils and plagued the region – that is absolutely undeniable! My resolve to eliminate evil will not change! As long as those two Yin Gods are destroyed, even if their golden bodies are rebuilt later, without their previous accumulation, it will be impossible for a family as powerful as the Li and Yang Families to appear in Heyuan County again within twenty years!"

"As long as the successor isn't too incompetent, with my groundwork laid, Heyuan County can have decades of peace. Being able to achieve this, I will have lived up to my Grand-Ancestor's high regard and the Son of Heaven's grace."

Wang Long said, "Wenhe's dedication to the people is admirable, senior brother. However, the ban has been in effect for over twenty days now, and rumors are spreading within the county yamen, causing widespread panic. In the last three days alone, over ten people in our Martial Arts Department have either resigned or defected."

"Steward Liu is also facing a large number of village heads entering the city to air their grievances."

"Earlier, the Li Family Head widely invited all the major and minor families in the city to a banquet. A celebration banquet will be held in ten days. If we don't do something soon, I'm afraid those smaller families in the city will once again lean towards the Li and Yang Families."

"If this continues, we might lose the hearts of the people, and all our efforts over the past three years will be in vain."

Wei Wenhe stared at the map, lost in thought for a long time. After a while, he finally turned around and sighed.

"Senior brother is right. I was too fixated on finding the whereabouts of those two Yin Gods."

"I originally intended to eradicate those two Yin Gods directly. Now it seems I must first kill a group of people to weaken the Yin Gods' strength!"

"Since that's the case... the ban will remain in place for now, but senior brother, you can take those people and the temple edicts out of the city in secret."

Wei Wenhe suddenly waved his hand, and a green token appeared. With a murderous aura, he declared, "Wang Long of the Martial Arts Department, heed my command!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"I order you to carry twenty temple edicts, leave the city, and proceed to Anyang, Hekou, Phoenix Mountain Ridge, and Guluo to slay wicked thieves!"

"Remember, destroying the subsidiary shrines of the Yin Gods is the primary objective, and killing Xiantian Martial Artists is secondary! You must return and report within ten days!"

"Your subordinate obeys!"

Inside the city, at Cloud Smoke Tower.

Shen Zhui, Zhao Hu, and two others were sitting in Cloud Smoke Tower.

Among them was a young man with a square face and a long beard named Han Mao.

Han Mao was born into a wealthy merchant family in Heyuan City. He loved martial arts from a young age and disliked business. He was known for his straightforward and generous nature. He not only had good relations with the people in the Martial Arts Department but also got along well with other departments.

On their way out of the county yamen, Shen Zhui and Zhao Hu were invited by Han Mao to gather at Cloud Smoke Tower.

Another young man with sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, with a resolute appearance, was named Yan You.

Yan You came from a poor background and was Han Mao's cousin. He usually appeared very quiet and rarely interacted with others. This time, he was brought along by Han Mao.

Both were at the Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm. Yan You, although only three years older than Shen Zhui, was already at the Peak Houtian, making him a rare martial arts prodigy.

Shen Zhui initially only knew Han Mao by sight, and had barely spoken to Yan You. He was merely accompanying them when they took their seats.

However, Zhao Hu and Han Mao were both locals with a considerable friendship. Through Zhao Hu's connection, after some casual conversation and toasts, Shen Zhui also grew closer to the two of them.

After three rounds of drinks, Zhao Hu brought up the old topic again, his eyes red as he looked at Han Mao.

"Brother Han, I heard the Li family has some relation to you. What conditions did the Li family offer you this time? I bet it's higher than what I, Zhao Hu, was offered!"

Han Mao naturally knew Zhao Hu was joking and not questioning his loyalty. He was clearly saying this for others to hear.

So, he picked up his wine cup and smiled at Shen Zhui. "We do have some relation. A distant cousin of my wife is a branch of the Chunling Li Family. But honestly, I only met him once seven years ago when he got married, and we rarely keep in touch."

"The Li family sent him to our door four days ago to try and persuade me, promising five hundred mu of land and houses, and over a thousand taels of gold and silver. As soon as he opened his mouth, my wife chased him out with a broom. I only found out when I got home."

"That spendthrift wife of mine, not even taking some benefits before chasing him away, what a miscalculation!"

"Hahaha." Zhao Hu couldn't help but be amused by Han Mao, raising his cup and draining it.

Shen Zhui also smiled and raised his cup in a toast.

"What about you, Brother Yan You?" Zhao Hu asked again.

Yan You glanced at his cousin and said in a low voice, "About the same as my cousin, with an extra Human-grade Bead."

"Damn Li Mingtai, who knows how much ill-gotten wealth he's hoarded," Zhao Hu spat.

Although he definitely wouldn't defect to the Li Family, being the same Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm and being offered such a low price made Zhao Hu unhappy.

"A hundred mu of land and a mansion to get rid of me, they really look down on me."

Han Mao laughed heartily. Zhao Hu had only recently broken through to the Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm, so it was likely they were still using the purchase price for an Eighth Stage of Acquired Realm.

He turned to Shen Zhui.

"Brother Shen, did you receive your letter?"

Shen Zhui nodded. "Three hundred mu of fertile land, a mansion, and a thousand taels of silver to help me reach Xiantian."

"Oh? Brother Shen is worth more than us," Han Mao said, slightly surprised.

Although Shen Zhui seemed inferior to himself and Yan You, money and land were not as valuable as the cost of improving one's cultivation.

Like his cousin Yan You, land and silver were secondary; the main part was the Human-grade Bead that could boost cultivation.

Because Yan You was at the Peak Houtian cultivation level, gifting him a Human-grade Bead was catering to his preferences. However, whether he could reach Xiantian was still uncertain, making it a one-time deal.

The conditions promised to Shen Zhui, without actual items, implied they would definitely help Shen Zhui reach Xiantian. This treatment was entirely different.

"The Li Family wouldn't make a losing deal. Spending this much to buy over Shen Zhui, does it mean the Li Family thinks Shen Zhui is more important than my cousin?"

Han Mao had heard about Shen Zhui's feat of defeating a Ninth Stage Martial Artist while being an Eighth Stage Martial Artist before. But due to the advantage of the "Blood Burning" Cultivation Method, Han Mao believed he could also deal with an ordinary Ninth Stage Martial Artist when he was at the Eighth Stage of Acquired Realm, so he hadn't paid much attention to Shen Zhui.

Now, hearing that Zhao Hu had no objections, it was clear Shen Zhui wasn't lying. Han Mao immediately looked at Shen Zhui with a hint of eagerness, and Yan You, standing beside him, also took a second look, feeling a bit curious.

Just as Han Mao was about to inquire further, the tokens on the waists of the four men vibrated simultaneously.

"Hurry to the Martial Arts Department hall!"

Vote, friends~