Two Hundred Strands of Blood Qi!

"By the way, the bandits of Feitian Ridge rarely came down the mountain to plunder. He Xiongfei looked rough and rugged, but he was extremely cautious. He had never robbed an escort shipment before."

"But this time, He Xiongfei had a clear target—he came straight for the Su Family's goods..."

Li He left after speaking.

He said nothing more.

Many things only needed to be mentioned in passing.

He believed the Su Family would naturally understand what he meant.

Inside the Council Hall, everyone wore grave expressions.

"Investigate in secret. Find out who is pulling strings behind this."

Su Zhenzhen said coldly.

If they did not get to the bottom of this, such incidents would happen again in the future.

If the Zhenyuan Escort Agency had failed to protect the shipment this time, the consequences for the Su Family would have been unthinkable.

Over the next few days, the Su Family mobilized all its strength to investigate.

Zhang Chen had originally planned to pay respects at his parents' graves, but he postponed it by several days.

Zhang Su was not in a hurry either.

He took Blood Replenishing Pills every day and cultivated as usual.

Four days passed in succession.

Zhang Su had consumed a full sixteen Blood Replenishing Pills.

But the results were excellent as well.

Boom.

A roar erupted within Zhang Su's body.

His Blood Qi was on the verge of bursting through his body.

Whoosh.

Zhang Su opened his eyes.

He sensed the amount of Blood Qi within his body.

"Two hundred strands of Blood Qi..."

Zhang Su murmured under his breath.

He had finally reached two hundred strands of Blood Qi.

For most martial artists who did not cultivate top-tier techniques, the limit of Blood Qi they could cultivate was one hundred strands!

Yet now, Zhang Su's Blood Qi had doubled.

Moreover, two hundred strands of Blood Qi was essentially the benchmark for the Guiyuan Sect's Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples.

The most basic requirement for becoming one of the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples was cultivating at least two hundred strands of Blood Qi.

Now, Zhang Su had finally reached it as well.

However, two hundred strands of Blood Qi was not his limit.

He cultivated an unparalleled technique.

His upper limit was more than five hundred strands!

Zhang Su looked at the Blood Replenishing Pills.

Of the forty Blood Replenishing Pills he had brought down from the mountain, only sixteen remained.

They would support him for four more days at most.

Therefore, he could not remain with the Su Family for too long.

Zhang Su got up and left the room.

He planned to explain the situation to his elder brother and try to return to the mountain as soon as possible after paying respects to their parents.

"Second Brother, you came at just the right time. The investigation has yielded some clues. Come listen as well."

The moment Zhang Su found his elder brother, before he could say anything, his elder brother pulled him into the First Branch's sitting room.

His sister-in-law handed Hutou to a maid.

Only Zhang Su, Su Zhenzhen, and his elder brother remained in the sitting room.

Zhang Chen and Su Zhenzhen exchanged a glance.

Then Zhang Chen spoke. "Second Brother, the investigation has produced results. The ones secretly targeting our Su Family are the Wei Family of Qingquan Prefecture!"

"The Wei Family?"

Zhang Su carefully searched his memories.

He had very few memories concerning the Wei Family.

The Wei Family seemed to be nothing more than an inconspicuous martial arts family.

They were far inferior to the Jiang Family.

Why would the Wei Family dare target the Su Family?

Seeming to see Zhang Su's confusion, Zhang Chen explained, "The Wei Family was originally just an ordinary martial arts family, no match for the Jiang Family either. But the Wei Family produced a genius named Wei Yunzhou."

"Three years ago, this Wei Yunzhou cultivated Internal Force and became an Inner Sect disciple of the Guiyuan Sect. From then on, the Wei Family began expanding its influence on a grand scale. They even involved themselves in the businesses of various merchant associations, trying to gather vast wealth to support Wei Yunzhou's cultivation."

"It was precisely because the Wei Family was pressing forward step by step that the Jiang Family chose to form a marriage alliance with the Su Family. They wanted to borrow the Su Family's financial strength so that Jiang Cheng could also develop Internal Force and become an Internal Force martial artist. Then they could stand toe-to-toe with the Wei Family."

"As for why the Wei Family set its sights on our Su Family... the reason is actually simple: silver! Our Su Family is known as 'Su Half-City,' one of the foremost wealthy households in Qingquan Prefecture. If the Wei Family could swallow all of the Su Family's industries, they would be able to support Wei Yunzhou's cultivation even better."

Zhang Su understood.

He could not help asking, "An Inner Sect disciple of the Guiyuan Sect carries immense weight! If the Wei Family decides to use force..."

Su Zhenzhen smiled as she answered, "The Wei Family does not dare use force, at least not for now. Because our Su Family also supports an Inner Sect disciple of the Guiyuan Sect. Before Wei Yunzhou can suppress that Inner Sect disciple, the Wei Family can only resort to all sorts of underhanded methods. They do not dare act openly."

Zhang Su understood.

Right, there was sponsorship as well.

Even Gu Ying dared sponsor him. How could the Su Family possibly not sponsor someone?

With the Su Family's resources, supporting an Inner Sect disciple of the Guiyuan Sect was not much of a problem.

"But the Wei Family is advancing aggressively, so we must prepare early as well."

"Originally, we wanted to see whether we could support an even stronger Inner Sect disciple of the Guiyuan Sect. But now, it seems not worth it. Supporting a stronger Inner Sect disciple would require an enormous sum of silver, and with the Su Family currently being secretly targeted by the Wei Family, it would be difficult."

"Besides, the Inner Sect disciple we support only handles the Su Family's affairs impartially. Therefore, my husband and I have decided to support you, Second Brother. We will do so according to the first-tier support standard and give you five thousand taels of silver every month."

"As long as you can cultivate Internal Force and become an Inner Sect disciple of the Guiyuan Sect, the Wei Family's threat will naturally melt away."

Su Zhenzhen's words startled Zhang Su slightly.

Five thousand taels of silver every month?

Could the Su Family really agree to that?

Gu Ying had offered first-tier support because there had been an element of a gamble involved.

Moreover, Zhang Su had displayed his unparalleled technique at the time.

But Su Zhenzhen did not know at all that he cultivated an unparalleled technique.

And Su Zhenzhen's tone was sincere.

It was trust in Zhang Su that came straight from her heart!

"Elder Brother, first-tier support is no small matter. You..."

Before Zhang Su could finish, his elder brother interrupted him.

Zhang Chen said solemnly, "Second Brother, Zhenzhen was the one who proposed giving you first-tier support. In the future, do not let your sister-in-law down, and do not let the Su Family down."

"The Wei Family is powerful now, and you ruined their plans. When you return to the Guiyuan Sect, you must be even more wary of Wei Yunzhou. You must act with utmost caution."

"From now on, you have only one priority: cultivate Internal Force as quickly as possible and become an Inner Sect disciple of the Guiyuan Sect! Only then can you contend with Wei Yunzhou, and only then can our Su Family contend with the Wei Family!"

Zhang Su understood.

Zhang Chen and his sister-in-law were placing their bet on him.

They would no longer seek out a stronger Inner Sect disciple of the Guiyuan Sect.

After all, no matter how strong an Inner Sect disciple was, they would still be an outsider.

But he was one of their own.

This was the bond of family, and also trust!

"Elder Brother, Sister-in-law, I understand."

Zhang Su nodded.

"Good. Here are five thousand taels in banknotes. If it is not enough, have Uncle Guan bring word back in the future, and we can increase it!"

Su Zhenzhen said boldly.

Zhang Su smiled as well.

This sister-in-law truly had courage.

And she handled matters openly and generously.

Looking at it now, perhaps his elder brother marrying into the Su Family was not a bad thing after all.

That afternoon, Zhang Su returned to their old home with his elder brother and younger sister to pay respects to their parents.

Their parents were buried in Zhang Family Village.

After their parents died, the clansmen of Zhang Family Village divided up the Zhang Family's property. Even their residence had been taken back by the clan.

They claimed it was for the sake of "raising" the three siblings.

But in truth?

The three siblings all remembered clearly just how difficult their lives in Zhang Family Village had been.

Therefore, after growing up, the three of them resolutely left Zhang Family Village.

Zhang Chen had relied on his ability to read and write to make a living in the prefectural city, and later even married into the Su Family.

But whether it was Zhang Chen or Zhang Su,

neither of them had ever had any contact with the people of Zhang Family Village again.

After the three siblings paid respects to their parents, they soon returned to the Su Family.

The moment they arrived, Su Zhenzhen came forward to meet them with a grave expression.

"Husband, Second Brother, we have a guest."

"A guest?"

Judging from Su Zhenzhen's expression, she seemed very "surprised" by this guest.

Then the two went to the sitting room and saw the visitor who had come to their door.

"Jiang Cheng?"

Zhang Su truly was surprised.

Why had Jiang Cheng come?

Jiang Cheng and the Su Family were considered joined by marriage.

But Jiang Cheng's marriage alliance was with Su Mulan, of the Third Branch. It had nothing to do with the First Branch.

If Jiang Cheng came to the Su Family, he should have gone to the Third Branch.

Why had he come to the First Branch?