parentshiftbook Chapter 66: The Unexpected News
Chapter 66: The Unexpected News
Nangong Mu's face stiffened.
A strange black aura flowed into his body through the large hand pressing on his shoulder.
I can't move my body!
His blood and energy were blocked, and he couldn't even lift a finger!
"Who are you?" His lips moved numbly, his voice muffled.
The person behind him remained silent, causing his blood and qi to flow backward. The impact struck, and Nangong Mu's vision went black; he fainted.
"hehe……"
Under the moonlight, a long shadow stretched out.
When Nangong Mu opened his eyes again, he found himself lying in his own room in the Nangong family.
"I…?"
After a brief moment of confusion, the memory of what happened at the Sitong Martial Arts School flashed into his mind like lightning. All color drained from his face.
"Guards! I need to see the head of the family!"
The study is filled with the fragrance of ink, and bookshelves stand tall.
Nangong Feiyan twisted the edge of a scroll: "You mean, Zhang Ping has a powerful backer?"
She looked up at the still-shaken Nangong Mu, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.
"It's absolutely true, Patriarch." Nangong Mu dared not omit any details and recounted the entire encounter in its entirety.
"In my judgment, that person must be at the Bone Forging Realm! His qi and blood are also strange, able to completely suppress me!"
"Bone Forging Realm..." Nangong Feiyan tapped her knuckles lightly on the table. "I underestimated Zhang Ping's background. Let's suspend monitoring of the Sitong Martial Arts School's actions for now."
"Yes, sir!"
……
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
The eighteen martial arts schools that had come to challenge them all delivered their money to the Lu family. Lu Wanrou held the silver notes, feeling both delighted and somewhat at a loss.
She only asked Zhang Ping to resolve the trouble and bring peace to the Lu family in the future, but she never expected that she would make a fortune from it!
"Take this silver."
Beside the garden pavilion, Lu Wanrou pushed a thick stack of silver notes in front of Zhang Ping, her fingers curling on the notes.
This was his achievement, so how could she have the face to stay?
Zhang Ping raised his hand and pressed it on the banknote, then gently pushed it back.
"Sister Rou, the money isn't urgent. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
"Brother Zhang, just say it! As long as the Lu family can do it, we will not shirk our responsibility!" Lu Wanrou said solemnly.
What business does the Lu family currently operate in?
"Business?" She was taken aback, then blurted out, "In the past, it was mainly trading, buying and selling medicinal herbs, jade, rare treasures, demon materials, and secret medicines between the prefectural city and the southern county towns."
"Later... as you know, the family fortunes declined, and trade ceased. In addition, demons were rampant in the south, cutting off trade routes. Now, we only make a living by buying and reselling materials in the prefectural city."
She explained it carefully.
Zhang Ping listened and nodded, lost in thought.
The outcome of the chaos in the south is uncertain, but its impact on him is currently limited. However, in any case, improving his strength is of utmost urgency.
The key to becoming stronger lies in branding yourself with beast markings to gain powerful abilities.
Therefore, a large number of demon materials are needed for selection. Relying solely on individual hunting is too inefficient and too risky.
He planned to have the Lu family handle the acquisition.
The Lu family's business in the prefectural city already included purchasing demon materials from independent martial artists, processing them, and then selling them or making them into low-level secret medicines. However, due to insufficient strength in the past, this business was very small in scale.
Given his relationship with Lu Wanrou, they could easily cooperate.
He provided military support to the Lu family, while the Lu family focused on expanding the scale of their acquisition of demon materials.
He selects the necessary skills from the materials, and the Lu family can also grow stronger through this. It's beneficial for both sides.
With demons and monsters running rampant in the south, now is the perfect time to seize the opportunity.
Zhang Ping explained his idea for cooperation. Lu Wanrou looked worried: "Brother Zhang, the demon materials are related to the secret medicine, and the major powers in the prefecture city have always controlled the lion's share. If we expand, I'm afraid it will bring trouble..."
"Don't worry, Sister Rou, leave it to me," Zhang Ping said confidently.
Seeing his assurance, Lu Wanrou gritted her teeth and said, "Fine! I agree!"
……
Walking back to the Sitong Martial Arts School, Wang Dashan found a long queue in front of the training grounds. He explained that they were all apprentices who had come to learn from Ghost Blade's reputation.
He barely hinted at it, and a flood of people responded.
Zhang Ping had no intention of getting involved; the daily operations of the martial arts school were basically handled by Wang Dashan, and he only held the title.
A few days later, with no external constraints and a large sum of new funds, the Lu family began to secretly adjust its industrial focus, converting some of its mortal businesses into businesses specializing in various demon materials.
This action angered some people. A family of alchemists, whose main business was materials, had their business robbed and threatened to teach the Lu family a lesson. As a result, that very night, two of the family's alchemists died mysteriously.
This incident caused a stir in the city. Xu Rulin from the Demon Extermination Bureau once again went to the Lu family to investigate, but ultimately returned empty-handed.
This day marked the beginning of summer.
A torrential downpour, carrying the dampness of the south, drenched Lanjiang City. The mountains outside the city were swallowed up by the rain, their outlines obscured.
A shocking piece of news shook the entire prefecture!
South of the Guitian River, the three county towns sandwiched between Lingchuan County and Songping County were all breached by demons in just three days! Corpses littered the fields, and blood flowed like rivers!
The powerful warriors sent by the prefectural city to suppress the demons suffered three defeats in three battles! The demons' arrogance has reached unprecedented heights!
Half of Lanjiang Prefecture's territory has fallen into the hands of demons. Only Songping County remains, struggling to hold on. The retreat route from Guitian River has been cut off by demons, and the official road to the east has also been outflanked by demons. Their forces have even penetrated into the neighboring prefecture, Taiwu Prefecture.
At this moment, Songping County has become an isolated island, in grave danger!
"How could this be?!"
Just as Zhang Ping stepped out of the cultivation room, Fu Huiying rushed over with a message. He clutched the letter, his brow furrowed.
"Are all the people in the Demon Extermination Division useless? Why didn't they use swift and decisive methods to wipe them out earlier? How could the powerful experts they sent have been defeated?"
This guy deserves to be called a strongman?
The mighty Great Wei Dynasty, with its nine prefectures and thirteen states, had its Demon Extermination Bureau headquarters located in the capital, surrounded by numerous experts, yet it was unable to quell this demonic chaos.
Fu Huiying was equally puzzled: "I heard that the capital did indeed send people down to join the Lanjiang Demon Extermination Bureau Chief in a personal operation to suppress them in the southern border. It seems... they have failed."
"Is this really true?" Zhang Ping was taken aback, as he knew nothing about it. If even the people from the capital, including the Director of the Blood Essence Realm, suffered repeated defeats, then the demonic forces were probably truly beyond control.
"What's the Demon Exorcism Division up to now?" he pressed.
Fu Huiying shook her head: "I don't know yet. The news just arrived this morning."
Zhang Ping paced back and forth in the hall several times, then said in a deep voice, "I'm going to the Nangong family to inquire. Madam, stay home and don't go out."
Arriving at the Nangong family home, they were told that Nangong Feiyan had gone to the Demon Extermination Bureau and had not yet returned. Unexpectedly, they met Xiao Ling'er.
Xiao Ling'er's eyelids were red and swollen, clearly indicating that she had been crying for a long time.
"Zhang Ping, do you think... my father can come back?"
Zhang Ping remained silent for a moment, then comforted him, "Lord Xiao is a master of bone forging, with extensive experience. Even if he is no match for him, escaping should not be a problem."
After waiting for a long time, Nangong Feiyan returned to the mansion, but refused to see him.
Zhang Ping's suspicions deepened, and he turned around and went to the Lu family's house again.
Lu Wanrou led him to the pavilion in the backyard, her face full of worry: "The Demon Extermination Bureau just issued a conscription order! All forces in the city must send people south to attack Gui Tianhe!"