I'll Take It On

"Oh?"

Zhou Muzhi grew a little interested.

There were still moves they could make under these circumstances. It seemed the Zhou Family did have some resources to draw on.

He decided to hear him out first. "Go ahead, Second Brother."

Zhou Buren breathed heavily as he voiced his plan. "In this city, the Qian Family is powerful, but it isn't the only dominant family.

"The Zhong Family is no weaker. What's more, its main undertaking is the County Book Academy. Generations of scholars who left Suming have benefited from the academy. Even the Qian Family would have to weigh things carefully before confronting them."

The county magistrate, the Qian Family, and the Zhong Family made up the power structure of Suming County. These three forces had divided almost everything in this small city among themselves.

Of course, the county magistrate represented the Song Kingdom's court and could not be lumped together with the others.

Most of the other small clans were constrained by these three forces. Relatively independent small clans like the Zhou Family were few and far between.

Zhou Muzhi followed up on his words. "What you said is certainly true, Second Brother, but why would the Zhong Family help us?"

"They will!"

Zhou Buren said, "Eldest Brother graduated from the Zhong Family Academy before going to the Commandery City to sit the examinations for scholarly honors. As one of their promising pupils, he should count for something. They have personal ties and their own reputation to consider."

Zhou Muzhi fell silent. The Zhou Family's four sons each had their strengths. In his memories, the eldest had been born for scholarship and had loved reading since childhood.

Thus, he had taken the scholar's path. With the current Song emperor valuing literary pursuits, the family had now sent him off to sit the examinations for scholarly honors.

Still, that connection alone probably would not be enough.

Zhou Muzhi spoke softly. "Eldest Brother is certainly capable, but the Qian Family also has promising scholars. Even if the Zhong Family steps in, they'll only stop things out in the open. They probably won't concern themselves with whatever happens behind the scenes."

Hearing this, Zhou Buren opened his mouth several times to speak, but in the end, he did not know what to say and could only stare blankly.

It seemed the truth was just as his fourth brother had said. The Zhong Family would only settle things on the surface.

At this point, Zhou Muzhi rose from his chair and began pacing, his voice carrying a steadiness unshaken by trouble.

"There's no need to worry, Second Brother. Our parents are in the True Immortal Temple now. Even the Qian Family can't send assassins into a place like that.

"What we need to do now is have a showdown with the Qian Family. Besides, Lao Xu may have knocked on the gate, but I'm no slouch either. I'm at the same level."

He was still understating things, afraid that saying too much would be more than his second brother's heart could bear.

Just as it was now: Zhou Buren, whose mind had been something of a muddle, gave a sudden start, and his heart finally settled back into his chest.

"Fourth Brother, you!"

He had only known that his fourth brother was indeed about to attempt Gate Knocking. He had not known that he had already entered the Blood Gate. His progress was astonishingly fast.

News like this was no less significant than Eldest Brother succeeding in the examinations for scholarly honors.

Of course, in the world as it stood, success in martial cultivation still fell a notch short of winning scholarly honors.

"Then, as for Master Li...?"

Zhou Muzhi nodded and confirmed, "I've already taken Li Jingfei as my master. Once this matter draws to a close, I'll go to the sect behind him to study martial arts."

Those words put Zhou Buren's mind completely at ease. Having such a master behind them as their backing was nothing like the Zhou Family fighting alone.

Before, a single finger could have crushed them. Now, at least, it would take a palm.

After reassuring his second brother, Zhou Muzhi began laying out his own plans, which would also be the focus of the Zhou Family's efforts going forward.

"Second Brother, although my master is backing us now, he has said he won't intervene in conflicts between members of the same generation.

"A showdown with Qian Zhen is something we have to face."

Zhou Buren grunted in agreement. "That's true. Calling in our elders over a matter between peers really wouldn't do."

Seeing that the moment was about right, Zhou Muzhi stated what he needed.

"I need you to help me with a few things, Second Brother. These concern the Zhou Family's continued survival."

"Please, go ahead, Fourth Brother." Zhou Buren was now placing most of his hopes on Zhou Muzhi.

Over this period, this fourth brother of his had imperceptibly gone from an unreliable young wastrel to one of the pillars of the entire Zhou Family through his martial strength.

Zhou Muzhi quickly laid out the words he had prepared. "From now on, I want the whole Zhou Family to focus on searching for old objects, like the Buddhist amulet you gave me last time. There's no need to buy them. Gather information about them and report it to me. I'll go there myself."

"Then there's Half-Immortal Xu. I've already reached an agreement to work with him, and he needs people. We must give him all the manpower and financial support we can going forward."

Zhou Buren had listened attentively throughout. Toward the end, some doubts arose in his mind, so he voiced them.

"Fourth Brother, the family doesn't have much money. Would three thousand taels of fine silver do for the first installment? That's all the ready cash I can draw on."

Zhou Muzhi smiled. "That's far more than necessary. This mainly requires manpower. I've already sent two of the household guards over, but if we want to speed things up, we'll still need to put in people and money."

With that made clear, Zhou Buren nodded in understanding. He had thought they were going to buy incense-making materials outright. For things tied to saving lives, no amount of silver would ever be enough.

"Then what about the Qian Family going forward?"

Zhou Muzhi waved a hand. "Let them come. I'll take them on. As it happens, I've had nowhere to put the martial arts Master taught me to use. I'll consider it collecting a little interest first."

Zhou Buren remained cautious. He understood the Qian Family's power, and his hand brushed over the smooth desktop.

"You still need to be careful of them, Fourth Brother. The Qian Family's martial strength is bound to be formidable. As long as we stay within the rules, though, we have nothing to fear."

Zhou Muzhi stopped pacing and returned to his chair. "I understand all that. I'm not an arrogant man."

"Good. As long as you know where things stand, Fourth Brother. I'll also pay the Zhong Family a visit. Before, we would have been begging for help. Now the situation has changed, and perhaps we can negotiate a little. The Qian Family has acted without restraint these past years, and it has even begun to pose a threat to the Zhong Family. There's a great deal we could accomplish with this!"

Zhou Muzhi indicated that he had no objection.

The brothers continued hammering out the details. Only when the candle was about to burn out had they finished considering the various situations they might face and how to deal with them.

For instance, Lao Xu had to guard Zhou Buren day and night, the market employees were to avoid going out alone, and large orders from strangers were to be refused outright, among other measures.

Only after Zhou Muzhi left did Zhou Buren return from the study to his own quarters, worry in his eyes.

The next day.

The daylight was dim, and gray clouds with curling edges blocked out every ray of sunlight.

The weather was frighteningly gloomy that day.

In the Zhou Family's rear courtyard.

On a patch of open ground.

Standing in the spacious center, Zhou Muzhi wore a belted purple martial robe, iron bracers on both arms, tightly bound leg wraps, and sturdy boots-the full attire of a martial artist.

After standing still for a moment, his hands suddenly moved, delivering one heavy blow after another. A simple set of health-nurturing boxing techniques erupted with astonishing power in his hands.

With the added enhancement of Light Body qi, his original strength of three thousand jin struck the air, actually producing explosive reports.

Bang, bang, bang!

His feet moved. Without using any movement technique, relying on the purest instinct alone, he was fast enough to escape any ordinary person's sight.

Even a Blood Gate Martial Artist would find him extremely difficult to track.

A quarter of an hour later.

Zhou Muzhi dropped his stance, his expression unchanged, as though he had not been the one testing his moves all this time.

His cultivation realm was sufficient for now. To advance further, he would have to find new, extraordinary supernatural things.

The cultivation method Zhou Muzhi had obtained was powerful indeed, but its requirements were equally high. Scorching Fire True Intent could only help him enter One Qi.

Further advances in his cultivation realm would require more things of a similar nature. At the final Five Qi stage, once the Five Qi merged into one, he could bring it upon his body and thus establish the strongest foundation.

It seems I'll need even more resources, Zhou Muzhi murmured inwardly.

Fortunately, the entire Zhou Family had already sprung into action. He believed they would bring good news soon.