King Guang?

A moment later.

After hearing everything and committing every key point to memory, Zhang Ming compared the [Mighty Bull Cultivation Method] with the [Mighty Bull Cultivation Method] deduced through [Ignite Comprehension].

To his surprise, he found the two to be highly similar. Both were Innate Realm cultivation methods.

Yet though they were highly similar, their results in cultivation were worlds apart.

"Only about twenty percent as effective as the [Mighty Bull Cultivation Method]?"

Twenty percent of the [Mighty Bull Cultivation Method] was actually already quite good. It was not weak at the Innate Realm level.

A Warrior's limit was two thousand jin of tremendous strength, the Postnatal Realm limit was twenty thousand, and the Innate Realm limit reached a terrifying two hundred thousand.

Unfortunately, compared with the [Mighty Bull Cultivation Method], it seemed rather ordinary.

One had to know that Zhang Ming had only just entered the ranks of a Postnatal Martial Artist, yet when he stimulated his Vital Energy, the brute strength throughout his body could fluctuate around thirty thousand jin.

"It's essentially the ultimate weakened version of the [Mighty Bull Cultivation Method]—tasteless to eat, yet a pity to throw away."

"No, ordinary servants at home can cultivate it in the future."

Having made plans for this cultivation method, Zhang Ming looked at Niu Kangshao, who was continuously begging for mercy on the ground, and grinned savagely.

"Continue. I ask, you answer."

A moment later.

Zhang Ming obtained more detailed information from Niu Kangshao.

This information included, but was not limited to, the composition of the Martial Arts Hall's personnel, the location of its treasure vault, and certain hidden details regarding the various Gangs in Yang City.

After learning all this, a smile appeared on Zhang Ming's face.

"Alright, you can leave now."

"Really?"

Niu Kangshao was first stunned, then overjoyed. His face was filled with disbelief.

"Of course. You can leave right now."

The moment the words fell, Niu Kangshao had no intention of lingering. He staggered to his feet and hurried away.

However... just as he was about to pass behind Zhang Ming—

Swish—

A cold gust suddenly rose. The Ring-Pommel Great Saber in Zhang Ming's hand seemed to transform into a spinning windmill as it slashed rapidly from behind Niu Kangshao.

"You... you... you have no honor!"

Niu Kangshao only had time to curse once before his body was cleaved through the middle by the great saber, split into two halves.

"What honor is there to keep with an enemy? Do you take me for a fool?"

Zhang Ming looked at Niu Kangshao's body on the ground and sneered disdainfully.

Night.

Yang City, Zhang Mansion's family banquet.

"Father, Mother, try the Demonic Beast Meat I went to great lengths to obtain."

Zhang Ming rose and ladled a small bowl of meat soup for each of his father, Zhang Yongfeng, and his mother, Li Su, carrying them before the two.

"Demonic Beast Meat? Is that real?"

"You'll know after tasting it. It's greatly beneficial to the body."

"How thoughtful. Then I must give it a proper taste."

Zhang Yongfeng and Li Su exchanged a glance, then slowly sipped the glossy, richly colored meat soup from the edges of their bowls.

In an instant.

A warm current spread from their stomachs throughout their bodies.

Both parents' eyes lit up.

"Mmm, not bad, not bad. Such strong effects! A fine treasure indeed—Demonic Beast Meat worth its weight in gold, just as the legends say."

Zhang Ming replied, "Of course. I spent a great deal of money to obtain it by chance."

"Son, you should eat too. You've only just comprehended Vital Energy and become a Warrior. This is more useful for you than for us."

"Don't worry, Father and Mother. How could I mistreat myself?"

"Haha, our son knows how to enjoy life far better than we do."

The two laughed, recalling the spices Zhang Ming had brought in from the Western Regions and overseas over the years to satisfy his appetite, as well as fruits shipped by sea from thousands of li away, preserved with saltpeter.

Faced with his parents' teasing, Zhang Ming gave a few bitter laughs.

"Father, Mother, the spice plantation has already been established. If all goes well, we'll soon be able to sell our own spices."

"As for hybrid fruits, we won't see much in the short term. But wait two or three years, and you'll understand."

Having transmigrated into an ancient-style feudal world, there were countless ways to make money.

Spices and fruits were merely commercial ventures he had inserted while improving his own life and searching through memories of his past life, so as not to waste the opportunity.

"That's right, that's right. How could you misunderstand our son? Our son is a prodigy."

Li Su teased her husband.

Zhang Yongfeng smiled and chimed in.

"My wife is right, absolutely right. This husband wronged our son."

"My Zhang Family has produced a Unicorn Child."

"Haha."

Amid laughter and cheerful voices, the family enjoyed a warm and harmonious evening.

Night.

The Zhang Family study.

A Father-Son Talk after two months apart.

"Did something unexpected happen at the Mine? Is that why you had to stay there for over two months?"

"And from the looks of it, you've only returned temporarily this time. You still have to go back to the Mine."

Zhang Ming took a sip of tea to cleanse his palate and nodded.

"Something did happen. I was just about to discuss it with you, Father. Help me weigh it up."

"Oh? Speak freely."

"Over the past few months, there has been a Mysterious Buyer at the Mine purchasing a hundred sets of armor and weapons and Strong Crossbows every month."

The matter of the Mysterious Buyer was far too significant. Zhang Ming did not dare casually use communication tools such as Carrier Pigeons to inform his father.

He had merely told his father that something needed handling at the Mine and that he would need to stay there for a while.

Thus, Zhang Yongfeng had known nothing about the affairs at the Mine before this.

"What!"

Zhang Yongfeng could no longer remain seated. He sprang to his feet.

"A hundred sets of armor and weapons and Strong Crossbows every month!"

"What are they trying to do? Rebel?"

Armor and weapons and Strong Crossbows were prohibited items under the Great Zhou court.

Yet as the court weakened by the day.

Everyone tacitly understood and secretly prepared some for themselves.

But even then, they would only prepare them on a small scale.

Who would buy them a hundred sets at a time?

Only a force harboring other ambitions would dare do such a thing.

"Father, that's what I think as well."

"Perhaps they have no intention of overthrowing the court, but they definitely harbor the ambition to carve out a domain of their own."

Zhang Ming raised his head and looked at his father, Zhang Yongfeng.

"Father, who do you think in Jiangnan Province, or the surrounding regions, is most likely to be this Mysterious Buyer?"

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Yongfeng said thoughtfully.

"The Ten Absolute Sect, Jiangnan's foremost Martial Dao sect."

"The Shu Prefecture Rebels, and Sword Pavilion of Shu Land."

"King Guang, the Five Poisons Cult, and the Cangming Sect."

"And the great aristocratic families of Jiangnan, Shu Prefecture, and Liangguang are all possible as well."

After speaking, father and son exchanged a glance. Among that long list of names.

The suspicion surrounding one particular force was self-evident.

"King Guang?"

"King Guang!"

"Father, it seems we thought of the same person."

A cold glint flashed through Zhang Yongfeng's eyes.

"King Guang is the current emperor's younger brother by the same mother, and Liangguang is his fief."

"It is said that King Guang excels in both literature and martial arts, his talent overflowing like the Eight Measures of the Dipper."

"If the current emperor had not been the late emperor's eldest son, the throne would never have fallen to the current emperor."

"And it was precisely because of this that, not long after the current emperor ascended the throne, he changed King Guang's fief to Liangguang—a place ten thousand li from the Capital City, a poor and remote land shrouded in barbarian miasma, thinly populated and desolate."

Zhang Ming continued, "It is simply that His Majesty underestimated King Guang."

"In merely twenty or thirty years, King Guang relied on his own ability and maritime trade to raise Liangguang from the bottom of the Empire to a place now surpassed only by a few wealthy provinces such as Jiangnan."

"Being capable is naturally a good thing, but capability also draws suspicion."

"The emperor, gradually aging after being hollowed out by wine and women, has long been deeply wary of King Guang, who is only middle-aged and still strong and vigorous."

Zhang Yongfeng frowned. After nodding, he shook his head again.

"On the surface, King Guang is the most suspicious."

"But..."

"Could things really be so simple?"

Zhang Ming said nothing.

Was the answer that was so easy to guess truly the right answer?

Zhang Ming did not know, and neither could his father Zhang Yongfeng be certain.

After a long while, he let out a soft sigh.

"Alas, no matter who it is, devouring a hundred sets of armor and weapons at a time is not something our Zhang Family of Yang City can withstand."

Looking at his son, Zhang Yongfeng's eyes were full of apology.

"We have burdened you."

"Father, what are you saying?"

"Do you really think your father has gone senile? They want armor and weapons, but what they want even more is you!"

"You! We are your soft underbelly."

Zhang Ming said nothing.

Because what Zhang Yongfeng said was the truth, and perhaps it was also why the Mysterious Buyer was not worried about Zhang Ming doing anything rash.

Zhang Ming even suspected that the Mysterious Buyer had people stationed around the Zhang Family at all times.

The moment Zhang Ming made any unusual move, they would act.

"Father, don't worry. Give me a few years, and I'll soon settle these trifling matters."

"Mm. Father believes in you."

There was no solution to this matter—at least, none for now.

Thus, father and son tacitly chose not to continue discussing it.