I Alone Reign Supreme

Within a residence in West Market, Yunlin County, the lights blazed bright and people thronged about.

This had originally been the residence of an outsider merchant. Now, it had been bought by the Yunlin Chamber of Commerce and turned into its headquarters.

Inside the headquarters' main hall, the heads of every household were present. Han Shan was here as well.

Why had everyone gathered here? Naturally, because of one question.

The Chamber of Commerce had now secured West Market and, through mutual exchange of goods, seized the initiative in the marketplace.

The businesses of every household had enjoyed explosive growth.

Thus, someone raised an objection. "Should we really keep fighting the Four Great Families? What is the point of continuing this fight?"

Xue Nanfeng wore a blue robe, with a long beard, graying hair, and refined features.

As the spokesman elected by the twelve smaller households, he was the first to speak.

"Everyone, over these past two months of fighting the Four Great Families, we have temporarily gained the upper hand and obtained West Market.

"However, our guest retainers and direct-line martial artists have also suffered grievous losses. Therefore, I propose that we end this conflict and conserve our strength."

The moment he spoke, the heads of the twelve smaller households all voiced their agreement.

"House Head Xue is right. If this continues, no one will dare join our households anymore."

"Exactly. Martial artists aren't cabbages growing in a field. If they die, the compensation alone costs a fortune."

"I agree. Harmony brings wealth. If we keep fighting, no one will benefit."

The other household heads turned their gazes toward Long Teng and Qian Yue, as though seeking their opinions.

The two sat in their chairs, utterly indifferent, as if none of this had anything to do with them.

To them, whether the fight continued or ended, not a scrap of their share of the benefits would diminish.

But they could not afford to lose the Rejuvenation Pills.

After spending this time with Han Shan, the two had gradually come to understand.

Han Shan was the one who determined the direction the Chamber of Commerce would take.

Without Rejuvenation Pills, even getting the elders in their households to act would be a problem. How could they possibly speak of resisting the Four Great Families?

As for playing the villain and saying such things, someone else could do it.

They had no desire to sour their relationship with Han Shan.

And so, the opinions became overwhelmingly one-sided. Even the heads of the two medium-sized households supported ending the conflict.

If they voted, the worst result would be sixteen against eight. The decision to stop fighting was all but certain.

Just then, Han Shan, who had remained silent until now, spoke.

"A bunch of shortsighted fools."

His icy gaze swept across the crowd. "You are satisfied by such paltry gains?

"Have you killed fewer direct-line martial artists from the Four Great Families during this time?

"Do you think they will spare you? How utterly foolish!"

Sect Master Han, but if we continue fighting, we truly..."

Xue Nanfeng spoke again, only to be cut off by Han Shan.

"Womanly mercy! Since you have already become enemies, you should cut the grass and pull out the roots. Must I teach you such a simple principle?

"As for the matter of martial artists, I will handle it. I will increase your supply of Rejuvenation Pills to forty per month.

"This medicine restores qi and blood, so naturally it can be used to break through martial arts bottlenecks. When that time comes, will you still fear a shortage of martial artists?"

As his words fell, the household heads in the hall lit up with excitement. Some even sprang to their feet.

"Sect Master Han, is that true?" Even Xue Nanfeng was moved.

Previously, Han Shan had only provided five pills each month, barely enough for one elder in a household to maintain their qi and blood.

Xue Nanfeng had used the remaining pill himself. Its effects went without saying.

Over the past two months, he had even felt that he could attempt to break through to the middle stage.

If they used them to cultivate martial artists, allowing Bone Tempering practitioners to charge into Viscera Refinement and Viscera Refinement practitioners to charge into the Blood Exchange Realm, would their chances not greatly increase?

"Of course!" Han Shan stood with his hands behind his back, a smile on his face.

Hearing his certain answer, the crowd looked at one another before nodding in succession.

"Then we will continue. We will heed Sect Master Han's command in all things."

Han Shan nodded in satisfaction. Then his tone changed, and he said solemnly, "Since I have promised you Rejuvenation Pills, I must also see results. Within two months, wipe out the Four Great Families and make the Yunlin Chamber of Commerce the sole supreme power in Yunlin County!"

Hearing that it had to be done within two months, the household heads became troubled again. Cultivating martial artists required time, after all!

"S-Sect Master Han, isn't two months a little too short?"

"Short?" Han Shan gave a cold laugh and raised his hands, lightly clapping them together.

A group of World-Saving Sect followers in white robes surged in, twenty of them in total.

Every one of them radiated the aura of the Blood Exchange Realm.

Their combined auras formed an invisible pressure that blanketed the main hall.

The household heads present could no longer sit still. What was this supposed to mean?

Even Long Teng and Qian Yue wore grave expressions.

If these people made a move, not one of them would escape.

"S-Sect Master Han, what... what does this mean?" one household head asked fearfully.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Han Shan burst into laughter. "There is no need for alarm, everyone. They are all followers of my World-Saving Sect. In other words, we are on the same side. With them, do you still fear that you cannot take down the Four Great Families?"

As soon as he said this, the invisible pressure dispersed, and everyone immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

So they were on the same side. Some people's backs were already drenched in cold sweat.

"Sect Master Han, I have a question." Xue Nanfeng's tone had become much more respectful. "Your sect possesses such strength that you could completely wipe out the Four Great Families alone. Why do you need us?"

Good question! Long Teng cheered inwardly. This was also what he wanted to know.

Hearing this, Han Shan directly revealed his reason.

"If my sect acted openly, how would we be any different from an evil cult?

"I need allies. No—or rather, I need a layer of disguise. Do you understand now?"

"But what benefit does your sect gain?" This was what Xue Nanfeng could not understand no matter how he pondered it.

Long Teng and Qian Yue inwardly praised the question as well. You knew how to ask that—why had you not asked sooner!

This was also the question they had never figured out.

Han Shan was silent for a moment, and a trace of fervor appeared on his face.

"My sect cannot spread its teachings in the Inner City. The authorities forbid it.

"I want to replace the authorities and become the local emperor of Yunlin County!"

The crowd was horrified. Had this man gone mad?

Could the authorities truly be brought down so easily?

"The taxes you pay the imperial court must be considerable. If we bring down the authorities, those taxes will be abolished outright.

"I need not spell out the benefits to you. And you surely think I am mad, do you not?

"But what if I told you that I was the one who caused Zhang Ming to suffer qi deviation? I was also the one who spread the news."

What! The crowd was shocked once more. Every one of them was a household head, and they instantly grasped the crucial implication.

Did that not mean there was an inside man within the authorities, one whose status was certainly far from ordinary? Otherwise, how could they have gained access to Zhang Ming?

At the same time, Han Shan had likely begun plotting all of this long ago.

Moreover, with the imperial court in turmoil, a remote place like Yunlin County might truly lie beyond the reach of its whip.

At that thought, greed flared in the hearts of the household heads.

A local emperor! Would that not mean Yunlin County would be theirs to command from then on?

As for why Han Shan had not chosen the Four Great Families, they understood that as well.

Adding flowers to brocade could never compare to sending charcoal in the snow.

After a long silence in the main hall, all eighteen household heads, including Long Teng and Qian Yue, rose and clasped their fists.

"Then we will gamble on this once!"

A curve formed at the corner of Han Shan's mouth. A pack of fools—go be my vanguard.

Within the Zhou Household courtyard, Zhou Muyun had been recovering from his injuries, so he simply became a teacher at home.

Naturally, his student was Zhou Tong.

Zhou Muyun did not teach her the Willow Stake or the Flurry Fist.

After all, those were martial arts of the Greenwood Martial Hall, and Zhou Tong was not a disciple.

By either sentiment or reason, he should not pass them on to her.

But he could still train Zhou Tong's physical fitness.

Horse stances, running, and lifting stone locks became Zhou Tong's daily lessons.

It could only be said that Xu Rou knew her daughter well. Zhou Tong had trained for less than two days before she began crying about the hardship.

She gave up on the fifth day, but she became deeply interested in sword arts.

As she watched, she gestured with her fingers, looking remarkably serious about it.

On the sixth day, Zhou Muyun's injuries had healed, and he planned to return to the martial hall to continue training.

Before leaving, he handed Zhou Tong the wooden sword he had made for her.

"Wow! Big Brother, you're the best!"

Zhou Tong excitedly waved the wooden sword around.

"I made you a wooden sword because I saw that you were interested in sword arts. Since you want to practice the sword, you should at least look the part!"

Zhou Muyun rubbed Zhou Tong's head, his eyes full of affection.

Whether she actually practiced swordsmanship was not important. As long as his little sister was happy, that was enough.

"Big Brother, I'll definitely practice hard. Just wait and see!"

"All right. I look forward to seeing how you do."

Zhou Muyun smiled faintly and left the house.

After he was gone, Zhou Tong held the wooden sword and began practicing the Azure Tide Sword Art according to what she remembered.

The wooden sword danced through the air as she immersed herself in it.

At that moment, she seemed like a different person, her eyes tightly closed as she lost herself in the art.

In an instant, the soil where she stood churned and flew, like azure tides sweeping past.

She was utterly unaware of it all.