"Senior, you don't know!"
Lin Zhao clasped his fists and said respectfully, "This Flood Dragon Boat it..."
Just as he was about to launch into a long, eloquent explanation to deceive them, Xu Zhan suddenly let out an "Ouch!" and his body swayed. His face turned red, and he reached out for his disciples to support him, rubbing his temples with his right hand and shaking his head vigorously. He said, "I can't anymore, I can't anymore... Old age makes me unable to hold my liquor. We'll stop here for today, I'm dizzy... Quickly thank Lord Lin Zhao for his hospitality, and then escort your master back to the Ancestral Hall. We still need to arrange for disciples to mine spirit stones early tomorrow morning... And our Ancestral Hall's Kun Peng Immortal Boat also needs to be moved!"
"Yes, Master!"
The two eleven-realm disciples of the Mohist school exchanged knowing smiles and clasped their fists at Lin Zhao in unison, "Lord Lin Zhao, our master is drunk, so we will take our leave and return to the Mohist Ancestral Hall. We ask for your understanding!"
"It's alright, it's alright!"
Lin Zhao smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Senior Xu Zhan, please remember to repair the Flood Dragon Boat. I am willing to offer three thousand Jin Zi coins for you to repair this Flood Dragon Boat. Please consider it carefully!"
Xu Zhan waved his hand and flew away on his sword, supported by his disciples.
...
"This old fox..."
Wu Zhi narrowed his eyes and smiled, "He clearly used an excuse to refuse the repair of the Flood Dragon Boat, hmph..."
Su Shanjun clapped his hands and laughed, "This Flood Dragon Boat is severely damaged. In my opinion, it will take at least twenty thousand Jin Zi coins to fully repair it, and you are only willing to offer three thousand. Tell me, will the Mohist Ancestral Hall help you repair it? Although the Mohist school travels the world, practicing non-aggression and universal love, they still try to minimize losses in business..."
"Indeed, indeed."
Lin Zhao smiled, "But it's alright, we can wait patiently. Perhaps Senior Xu Zhan will one day want to establish a spiritual connection with our Snow Region Heavenly Pond. It's possible."
Han Buyu, carrying a pot of inferior liquor of 10g, tilted his head and gulped it down. These matters had nothing to do with him.
Tang Guangjun, however, frowned and gazed into the distance at Xu Zhan's retreating back. Why was this old fellow so evasive? Was he disrespecting him? He wondered if he should go to the Mohist Ancestral Hall to challenge him to a duel after his ten-year guardianship was complete, to let him experience the might of a military strategist swordsman.
Lin Zhao wore a smile. It didn't matter if he was rejected, his mindset had to be good. He couldn't get furious at a time like this, or he wouldn't achieve great things.
Thus, he saw off Su Shanjun, Old Sword Immortal Han, and the others down the mountain one by one. After everyone had left, he continued to return to the Natural Dwelling to draw talismans. He had to practice the military talismans taught by his senior brother more. Although he had already achieved mastery in the previous few talismans, he wondered if there were even higher realms above mastery. Practice makes perfect, but what was the pinnacle of perfection? He didn't know, but if he kept going, he would eventually see a new shore.
...
Tianji City.
A Cangnan Iron Cavalryman galloped through the city avenue, startling several players from the Seekers Guild who had just walked out of a pharmacy. The rider did not stop and rushed directly into the Marshal's Mansion of Tianji City. There, he presented a flying fish letter, entered the council hall, knelt on one knee, and clasped his fists respectfully, "Marshal, we have just received a flying fish letter from Baidi City!"
"Oh? Present it."
Chen Xi, clad in armor, with a delicate and majestic face, lightly unfolded the letter and read it. Immediately, a visible layer of frost covered her beautiful face. She angrily said, "Are all the kings and nobles in Baidi City eating shit?"
"Marshal, this..."
A ten-thousand-cavalry commander frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"
"See for yourself."
The ten-thousand-cavalry commander took the flying fish letter and read it, and immediately his anger flared, "Damn it... The people of Baidi City have no backbone. If they want to send the sheep-leading tribute, let them! Why are they assigning this task to our Yun Prefecture?"
A scholar in green robes took the flying fish letter and looked at it, his brows furrowed. "It is His Majesty's decree that ten thousand strong young men and women be selected from Yun Prefecture to be sent to the demon race as a five-year tribute. Marshal, His Majesty, the Prime Minister's Office, and the Ministry of War have all agreed. Even the Minister of War did not object. It seems they have left us no room to maneuver."
Chen Xi raised her eyebrows, "Old sir, what is your plan? In any case, I, Chen Xi, will not send these ten thousand sheep-leading tribute. If I do, I will have no face to look up to my grandfather in the netherworld."
"Hmm."
The scholar frowned and said, "Yun Prefecture has always been a land of heroes. Our Yun Prefecture Iron Cavalry once swept across the world. If we send this sheep-leading tribute, you, Marshal, will undoubtedly be criticized by the people of Yun Prefecture. But if we refuse, it will be disobedience to the imperial decree. Regardless of others, Grand Tutor Li Chunyang will be the first to attack, perhaps using your disobedience to the emperor as an excuse to seize your military power."
"How is the Cangnan Iron Cavalry?" Chen Xi asked.
"The southern barbarians have been quiet recently, and the Cangnan Iron Cavalry is currently recuperating."
The scholar's expression was grave. "Does the Marshal intend to dispatch twenty thousand Cangnan Iron Cavalry to the north?"
"Otherwise?"
Chen Xi said calmly, "Are we really going to wait for Li Chunyang to seize my military power? Grandfather passed this Cangnan Iron Cavalry to Father, and Father passed it to me. If I, Chen Xi, lose the Cangnan Iron Cavalry, how will I face the ancestors of the Chen family in the future?"
"How about this."
The old scholar frowned. "The Cangnan Iron Cavalry has been fighting the southern barbarians south of Yumenguan and has recently captured quite a few barbarian tribesmen, about seventy to eighty thousand. Why don't we order the Cangnan Iron Cavalry to escort these barbarians north and hand them over to the demon race? After all, these barbarians have repeatedly invaded northwards, so they are not good people."
"This is the only way."
Chen Xi said, "We will figure out the remaining shortfall later. If we really can't come up with a solution, then so be it. If Li Chunyang dares to attack, I, Chen Xi, will not passively tolerate it."
"Alright, your subordinate will attend to it immediately!"
...
Early morning, Mohist Ancestral Hall.
A spirit boat laden with supplies landed on the large lawn of the Mohist Ancestral Hall. A young girl in a blue long dress alighted gracefully from the spirit boat, ordering everyone to unload the goods quickly. These supplies included food, steel, and copper ore, all acquired by the Mohist Ancestral Hall from outside. Xu Qingyi, leading a few attendants, hurried across the mountain gate.
"Qingyi!"
Not far away, Xu Shuo, who was sitting on a rock and reflecting on his mistakes, raised his hand and smiled, "You're finally back at the Ancestral Hall. When will you come to drink with your senior brother?"
"No time. Senior brother, stay by yourself."
"..."
Xu Shuo glumly closed his eyes and continued to practice his sword.
Xu Qingyi rushed into the residence of the elders on both sides of the Ancestral Hall like a gust of wind and saw her father drinking morning tea. She pouted and said, "I heard on the way back that Father drank someone's wine but then just walked away, didn't you? Is the Mohist Ancestral Hall doing things so carelessly now?"
"Oh, Qingyi, you're finally back."
Xu Zhan smiled, "Why are you so eager to argue with your father as soon as you get back? I don't understand, that Lin Zhao is cunning and hypocritical. He has taken advantage of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in business dealings with you. What is so good about him that you look upon him with such favor?"
"Hmph!"
Xu Qingyi crossed her arms and stomped her foot, looking like she was there to question him. "Is that what you call cunning and hypocritical? He is resourceful and aboveboard. I voluntarily gave him concessions in the business at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, it's nothing. If we businessmen don't have such magnanimity, how can we do bigger business? Father, you are clearly in the wrong. The fact that Lin Zhao is willing to humble himself to beg you shows that he really needs that Flood Dragon Boat!"
Xu Zhan was heartbroken. Daughters always favor others, an unsolvable problem.
He said earnestly, "First of all, that Flood Dragon Boat is a giant magic artifact we are building for the Great Shang Dynasty. If I, Father, repair this Flood Dragon Boat for Lin Zhao, what will we do if the Great Shang Dynasty holds us accountable later? Second, the core power array of that Flood Dragon Boat has been destroyed, and too many components are lost. It will take at least over 20,000 Jin Zi coins to repair it, and that kid can only offer 3,000 at most. Do you know how much of a loss this business would be?"
"Dad~~~"
Xu Qingyi stepped forward, took Xu Zhan's arm, and swayed it, saying, "In the end, is Lin Zhao seeking wealth and profit for himself? Isn't he repairing the Flood Dragon Boat to fight against the four northern tribes and protect the human world behind him? Although our Mohist Ancestral Hall is secluded, if the demon race truly occupies the entire world, do you think the demon race will spare our Mohist Ancestral Hall? Father, you have a high realm and can ascend to the Upper Realm and leave, but what about your daughter? What about women and all the innocent human beings in the world? Are we to wait for death?"
"Alas..."
Xu Zhan sighed. In this life, his attainments in mechanisms and formations were enough to rival the Mohist Ancestral Hall. However, after his wife's death, he still had a weakness, which was his only daughter, Xu Qingyi. Although the saying "a daughter who grows up marries away" was like a thorn in Xu Zhan's heart, what Xu Qingyi had said was not unreasonable.
"I understand, I'll try."
Xu Zhan frowned and said, "Father hasn't had breakfast yet. Go and cook a pot of scallion noodles. One bowl for you, one bowl for Father. Father will come back to eat noodles with you after he has spoken with the Grand Master."
Xu Qingyi nodded with joy, "Yes, Dad, hurry up. I'll go cook noodles for Dad."
...
Xu Zhan tidied his robes and stepped into the Ancestral Hall.
Inside the Ancestral Hall, there was only the Grand Master of the Mohist school. The fourteen-realm cultivator smiled at his junior brother's entrance and said, "Junior brother, why such sorrow?"
Xu Zhan said, "To spend 20,000 Jin Zi coins to repair a Flood Dragon Boat, but only get back 3,000 Jin Zi coins. Do you think our Mohist school should do this business?"
"What do you think?"
The Grand Master smiled slightly and stroked his beard. "Junior brother, do you remember, in the past, our Mohist school did not do business? That was the business of the merchants, and we never rushed to do it."
Xu Zhan was stunned. "What does Grand Master mean?"
The Grand Master said calmly, "Our Mohist school has been establishing itself in the human world for many years, opening many shops and earning a lot of Jin Zi coins. There is a surplus every year. Jin Zi coins earned from unworthy places should be spent on worthy places. Do you think this is the principle? In fact, Qingyi is right. She understands things better than you, her father."
"Senior brother!"
Xu Zhan said displeasedly, "She is clearly biased towards Lin Zhao. Why are you pretending to be ignorant and lecturing me here?"
The Grand Master chuckled, "You said that yourself. I didn't say it."
Xu Zhan sighed. "So, will we help repair it?"
"Yes, we will help."
The Grand Master pointed to his nose and said, "If we don't help, someone will come to spar with me."
Xu Zhan narrowed his eyes, raising his twelve-realm aura to its limit. Only then did he see what he hadn't seen before. In the void space before him, an inconspicuous sword tip pierced through the boundary wall and rested on the Grand Master's nose. That wisp of sword intent was ethereal and intangible.
"Ding Muchi, are you still reasonable!"
Xu Zhan was furious and slammed the table, "This is going too far!"
Instantly, the sword tip retracted, and a plate of rare spiritual fruits floated in from the spatial rift, accompanied by the laughter of the scholar in green robes, "I was just joking with an old friend. Sword Immortal Xu, there's no need to get angry. Restrain your anger, curb yourself, and return to propriety. That's what scholars say, isn't it, Sword Immortal Xu?"
Xu Zhan immediately felt guilty. A fourteen-realm sword cultivator called him Sword Immortal, and he had no confidence to respond.
The Grand Master took the plate of spiritual fruits and smiled, "Alright, alright. Just send someone to inform me next time. Don't always stab through our Mohist Ancestral Hall's protective barrier, making it seem like you're so powerful."
"Yes, yes, yes!"
The scholar in green robes smiled, "I'll treat you to a drink next time, old brother!"
"I know. I will be waiting for your drink at the Mohist Ancestral Hall!"
The Grand Master looked at the spiritual fruits. There were many fruits that could prolong life and aid in fourteen-realm cultivation. This plate of fruits alone was worth at least 10,000 Jin Zi coins. This business still lost 7,000 Jin Zi coins, but it didn't matter. Dealing with this fourteen-realm military strategist sword cultivator, a small loss was a gain, and being able to give something was already good enough.