By this hour, the carriage had already departed South Remote City.

Chongxuan Sheng lowered the carriage curtain, a playful smile gracing his lips as he addressed the old man seated opposite: “Comparing oneself to Chongxuan Zun’s handsomeness is utterly unnecessary, isn’t it? A man of great virtue, how can one possibly judge victory or defeat based on mere appearance?”

The short, portly old man smiled with remarkable kindness. “It’s skin,” he murmured. Turning his head, he looked at Jiang Wang and repeated, “It’s indeed skin.”

Jiang Wang, feeling a profound resonance with this sentiment, nodded his head vigorously.

Chongxuan Sheng, unfazed, seized the opportunity to introduce Jiang Wang: “This esteemed elder is my own paternal uncle. Due to my remarkable handsomeness, he has doted on me since childhood. Do not be fooled by his current gentle demeanor; in his younger days, he was known as the ‘Fierce Butcher,’ a name so fearsome it could silence a child’s cry at night!”

The Fierce Butcher, Chongxuan Chuliang, is the current head of the Chongxuan clan’s own younger brother, the youngest of that generation. While the name Chongxuan Chuliang might not resonate with many now, mention the fierce Qi-Xia conflict of thirty years past, and few would be unfamiliar with the Fierce Butcher’s reputation.

That very battle was the one that cemented the Qi realm’s status as the eastern domain’s hegemon. As a formidable challenger to Qi in the eastern domain, the Xia realm’s military prowess was extraordinary. The conflict between the two realms raged for a full four months. It was Chongxuan Chuliang who, at the head of a detachment, suddenly infiltrated the enemy’s rear, slaughtering and razing cities, severing supply lines, and sowing utter chaos in the Xia realm’s heartland.

In that conflict, the Xia realm, which had once flourished and spanned across the southeast, was utterly crippled. They were forced to cede vast territories, abandon numerous vassal states, and retreat entirely back to the southern domain. Had the Jing realm in the central domain not intervened for the sake of maintaining balance, the Xia realm would have surely perished. And it was due to his exceedingly brutal leadership style in that war that Chongxuan Chuliang was thereafter bestowed the title of the Fierce Butcher.

Perhaps due to a shared stoutness and narrow eyes, among the younger generation, it was the orphaned Chongxuan Sheng who, from a young age, found favor with him. Chongxuan Sheng, like Chongxuan Zun, is a direct grandson of the current clan head, Chongxuan Yunbo. By lineage, they are first paternal cousins. However, Chongxuan Sheng’s father met an early demise, a point where he was inherently disadvantaged compared to Chongxuan Zun. Yet, the generation of Chongxuan Sheng’s father was largely devoid of exceptional talents. Otherwise, the right to inherit the family headship would not have fallen to the generation of Chongxuan Zun and Chongxuan Sheng to contend for.

Chongxuan Zun’s father is no exception. His standing within the clan is still considerable, but there is no possibility of him rising further. However, he had long since come to terms with this and is now solely focused on propelling his son to prominence. The majority of the clan elders maintain an ambiguous stance. The only one who unequivocally supports Chongxuan Sheng is none other than Chongxuan Chuliang. In South Remote City, with but a single sentence, he forced back the grand eunuch of the Inner Mansion realm from Jiang Wuyong’s side. This demonstrates that although years have passed, the Fierce Butcher’s might has not been entirely forgotten.

“Greetings, Senior.” Jiang Wang, with genuine respect, offered his salutation. He held no direct impression of this stout old man’s fearsome power, only finding him quite affable and approachable.

Chongxuan Chuliang smiled, his narrow eyes crinkling, seeming to regard Jiang Wang with considerable appreciation. “Sheng’er’s judgment of people is not entirely amiss. You are indeed not bad. Your sword techniques possess a certain flavor.” For a powerful individual such as he, “possessing a certain flavor” was already high praise.

Jiang Wang frankly accepted the compliment. Sharing a carriage with a master of such caliber was a rare opportunity. He seized the chance to inquire about certain impediments to his cultivation. Chongxuan Chuliang patiently answered each question, one by one, providing him with significant insights.

After their discussion on cultivation matters concluded, the carriage had traveled a considerable distance. Chongxuan Sheng intended to proceed directly to Handan, the Qi capital, to resume his unfinished affairs. Jiang Wang, after a moment’s thought, realized that after his confrontation with Jiang Wuyong, appearing in Handan at this juncture was not entirely suitable. Even if Jiang Wuyong held no desire to settle old scores, seeing him constantly before his eyes would be difficult to stomach. Thus, he proactively asked Chongxuan Sheng, “Now that my sword artifact has been forged, and these Dao techniques require time to familiarize myself with, breaking through realms will be challenging in the short term. Sitting idly is useless. Is there any matter I can assist with?”

His relationship with Chongxuan Sheng was not a simple one of host and guest. With the layer of cooperation involving Lian Que, they were bound even closer, their honor and disgrace intertwined. Chongxuan Sheng did not stand on ceremony with him. Bringing Jiang Wang to Handan at this moment would likely bring more trouble than assistance. He pondered seriously for a moment before speaking, “Indeed, there is one matter. My Chongxuan family possesses a Tianqing Stone mine vein in the Yang realm. It occasionally yields a portion of precious Tianqing Cloud Stone. When this mine vein was initially acquired, it was estimated to have thirty years of mining yield remaining. However, for reasons unknown, after only five years of mining, it seems to have been depleted, with production declining rapidly. This is one of the matters I am currently overseeing. If you are interested, you can represent me and make a trip to the Yang realm to assess the situation.”

The Qi realm, as a powerful nation in the world, not only boasts vast territory but also has numerous vassal states. So-called vassal states are those that acknowledge the Qi realm as their suzerain. Each year, they must offer tribute and resources, and should the Qi realm embark on a campaign, the various vassal states are required to dispatch a certain number of troops to follow. In turn, the Qi realm is obligated to protect these countries from invasion by others. The Yang realm is one of the Qi realm’s vassal states. It is perfectly normal for a prestigious clan like the Chongxuan family in the Qi realm to possess industries in surrounding countries, especially in vassal states like the Yang realm.

A mine vein with a full thirty years of estimated yield experiencing a sudden decline in production undoubtedly points to something amiss. While Tianqing Cloud Stone is certainly a good material for forging magical artifacts, the accompanying Tianqing Stone mine is not particularly high in yield. In the past, among the industries Chongxuan Sheng oversaw, its value might not have been significant. However, with the connection to Lian Que, its value has completely transformed. In Chongxuan Sheng’s eyes, it is no longer mere ore, but already formed standard magical artifacts! This is why he attached such importance to this matter and entrusted Jiang Wang to handle it.

Of course, from another perspective, although Jiang Wang’s current strength is not insignificant, his role in the internal struggles of the Qi realm is limited after all. His true value lies in his divine ability, his Inner Mansion realm qualifications, and his future. Achieving a wave of renown, then venturing out to accumulate strength in foreign lands, realizing his potential, and then returning – that is the path of a king.

Jiang Wang readily agreed without much hesitation. After all, to him, both the Qi realm and the Yang realm were foreign lands; there was no difference where he went. He agreed to help Chongxuan Sheng with this endeavor, not out of any sense of obligation, but simply to do his best.

“Right,” Chongxuan Sheng suddenly remembered something and added, “Your journey to the Yang realm will conveniently take you through Fengxian County. I received news that Zhang Yong of Fengxian County recently had his entire clan exterminated. You and Zhang Yong were quite amicable, weren’t you? You can conveniently stop by and offer him some solace.” The implied meaning was for Jiang Wang to help recruit him, but there was no need to state it explicitly; Jiang Wang naturally understood.

“Exterminated clan?” Jiang Wang thought of the shy and introverted youth and involuntarily frowned. “Have you ascertained who was responsible?”

Chongxuan Sheng shook his head. “Not yet.”

“Very well, I understand.” Jiang Wang’s thoughts were elsewhere. A Fengxian Zhang clan already in decline, who would harbor such deep hatred and enmity? And to commit such a cruel act precisely when a talent had emerged from their ranks, presenting an opportunity for their resurgence.

On the official road, one carriage separated from the Chongxuan family’s procession. The wheels rolled, carrying Jiang Wang directly towards Fengxian County.