Counterattack

"Patriarch..."

"No need to rise."

Song Tonghai stepped forward and pressed down on Song Yun, who had been about to get up, then spoke in a deep voice:

"How do you feel?"

"My life is not in danger."

Song Yun's expression was dim. "I failed to see where the attacker came from..."

"It's no matter. Rest and recover in peace first."

Song Tonghai offered a word of reassurance, then gave Song Lingxue a look. The two turned and left the room.

"Father, Luofeng City has likely already changed. Should we summon the overseers from throughout the city first, lest..."

Worry was impossible to hide in Song Lingxue's eyes. To openly attack and wound someone at the city gates, disregarding the law—clearly, they did not even hold the Great Zhou court in their eyes.

"The Song Family is not worthy of those immortal sects acting personally. The attacker was likely acting under orders, and their purpose is to force us to seek aid from Ling Qing or the Phantom Spirit Sect."

Song Tonghai's face was utterly calm, betraying neither joy nor anger. "The Government Office has sent no reply at all. Clearly, someone has made arrangements there as well."

The Song Family's greatest source of income was its escort agency. Now that even the escorts could not leave the city, guarding shipments for merchants was nothing but empty talk.

"Lingxue, in your opinion, how should we respond now?"

Suddenly, Song Tonghai spoke and asked for Song Lingxue's opinion.

"Song Yun's injury is only the first step. More outrageous actions will surely follow."

Killing intent surged in Song Lingxue's eyes, and her tone turned faintly cold. "Our best course now is to find those responsible and kill a batch of them first."

If they showed no reaction at all, these people would only grow more and more excessive. Better to go at it openly, torches blazing and weapons in hand, and force out whoever stood behind them.

"Then we kill!"

Song Tonghai clearly shared the same thought and immediately said:

"Tonight, you will leave the Manor with me."

One snowfall brought one measure of cold.

As dusk approached, scarcely a soul could be seen on the streets. Winter was bitterly cold, charcoal and firewood were scarce, and most commoners, if they could avoid moving about, would simply huddle at home.

The young ladies of wealthy households wished they could admire the snow every day, unaware that the cold after snowfall added countless frozen bones by the roadside.

Chu Zheng did not linger in the streets. He went to several grain, rice, and oil shops, intending to stock up on dry provisions in case of emergencies, making travel more convenient.

He was still far from the realm where one could abstain from food. Only upon reaching the Spiritual Transformation Realm, when the yin and yang qi within his body formed their own cycle, could he cast off the drawbacks of consuming the five grains.

"The grain is sold out."

"My sincerest apologies, but these have already been reserved by other customers."

"We are not open for business today."

After visiting several shops in succession, Chu Zheng came away empty-handed. Even with silver in hand, he could not buy a single scrap of food. The excuses came in every variety, but they simply would not sell.

Chu Zheng quickly sensed that something was wrong. The problem was not with him, but with the clothing of a Song Manor servant he wore.

Someone had clearly begun targeting the Song Family.

Chu Zheng rubbed his brow, an unconscious habit whenever he encountered trouble. It helped clear his mind.

The Song Family had been the local tyrant entrenched in Luofeng City for over three hundred years, its influence deeply rooted. If outside forces had invaded, someone might have warned the Song Family long ago.

So many shops had all received warnings at once; the shadow of the Government Office was likely behind this.

Within Luofeng City, the only force greater than the Song Family was the imperial court.

Great Zhou was currently at the height of its prosperity. The court's authority was greater than the heavens, and if the Government Office spoke, naturally no one would dare defy its orders.

After pondering for a moment, Chu Zheng turned into a small alley and took off his servant's outer robe. He then entered a tailor shop, bought a ready-made padded coat, and wrapped a thick headscarf around himself, changing his appearance.

He turned back the way he had come. This time, he encountered no difficulties and smoothly bought dried meat and flatbread.

"You clearly still have plenty! Why won't you sell?!"

Pulling off the stifling headscarf, Chu Zheng was about to return to the Manor when a familiar voice sounded beside his ear.

Following the sound, he saw Xiao Cai standing by the street not far away, hands on her hips and fury written across her face:

"Others can buy from you, but I cannot? I haven't shorted you a single coin! What kind of business are you running?"

Chu Zheng looked up and saw that it was a small shop selling firewood and charcoal. Large quantities of dry wood and charcoal were visibly piled inside.

The shopkeeper looked to be past fifty, his hair streaked with white, and his face was currently full of distress.

At a glance, Chu Zheng had already guessed the whole story. After considering for a moment, he slowly stepped forward, reached out directly, and pulled Xiao Cai aside.

He still owed Xiao Cai a favor, so naturally he could not pretend not to see this.

"Chu Zheng? What are you doing here?"

Seeing Chu Zheng, Xiao Cai was somewhat surprised, but anger quickly rose on her face again:

"You came at just the right time. I..."

Before she could finish, Chu Zheng cut her off. "What did you come here to buy?"

"The smokeless charcoal in the young lady's room has run out. I wanted to buy some to replenish it, but I went to several shops. Their shelves were clearly full of charcoal, yet they simply refused to sell any to me."

The more she spoke, the angrier Xiao Cai became. She could not help muttering curses under her breath, "Those dog bastards, they're downright outrageous."

"Don't panic. Go back first. I'll find a way to get the charcoal."

Chu Zheng soothed Xiao Cai for a while and signaled for her to return to Song Manor first.

After Xiao Cai left, Chu Zheng returned to the shopkeeper.

"Shopkeeper, twenty jin of smokeless charcoal."

"Are you from Song Manor?"

Watching Xiao Cai walk away, the charcoal seller suddenly spoke up and asked Chu Zheng a question.

"No." Chu Zheng naturally shook his head.

"That's good."

The shopkeeper nodded repeatedly, concern in his eyes. "Will twenty jin be enough? Why not buy more? I'll give you a cheaper price."

"Fine."

Chu Zheng nodded slightly, thoughtful.

It seemed that it was not that no one wanted to help the Song Family. It was simply that no one dared step forward openly.

After returning to Song Manor with the charcoal, Chu Zheng went back to his quarters and used all of today's refreshed repair attempts on the Dragon Tiger Body.

Currently Repairable: Grand Cycle Qi Circulation Compendium Upper Chapter (0/1000), Dragon Tiger Body Upper Chapter (15/100)

Chu Zheng had already roughly read through the Dragon Tiger Body Introductory Chapter. Even if practiced to its highest level, it would merely compare to a Grandmaster, perhaps not even enough to enter the ranks.

But the subsequent Upper Chapter required the same number of repairs as the Grand Cycle Qi Circulation Compendium Introductory Chapter, so it was likely different.

These five repair attempts were truly but a drop in the bucket for Chu Zheng.

Yet all he could do now was repair as many things as possible, raise his Restorer level, and see whether any changes might occur.

Dinner had shrunk considerably from before. There were only three steamed buns and a dish of side dishes. Chu Zheng ate some of the dried meat he had bought, barely managing to fill his stomach.

That was enough to show that the Song Family's circumstances were deteriorating sharply.

The following morning.

After completing eighteen cycles, Chu Zheng headed to the Storehouse as usual.

Not long after arriving, he heard a piece of news chilling enough to make one's hair stand on end.

Overnight, every flagpole atop Luofeng City's walls had been hung with human heads—several dozen in all.

Most crucially, one of them belonged to a Grandmaster-level figure renowned throughout the martial world.