Dominating the World (8~11)

This post was last edited by gpo1ws00 on 2014-8-27 12:33

Chapter Eight: Beauty and Gold Arrive At

dusk, Di Jinlian returned to the Guo residence, much to the delight of Guo Ba and his companion.
She immediately handed over silver notes, saying, "I've killed the ringleader, and the rest each took a thousand taels. They might get greedy and commit another crime, so be careful!"
Guo Ba said, "Thank you! How did you escape?"
"He couldn't control my acupoints, so I took the opportunity to break them and eliminate him!" "That
was close! I'm sorry! I've troubled you!"
"No! He came for me, and I plan to leave this place temporarily!"
"Ah! Isn't that inappropriate? If you stay here, we can take care of each other!"
Pang Da said, "Why don't you stay at the manor for now?"
Di Jinlian nodded, "That's exactly what I was thinking."
Saying this, she went back to her room first.
After packing her luggage, she came out to have dinner with Guo Ba and his companion.
After dinner, she chatted briefly before returning to her room to retrieve her belongings.
Soon after returning to the manor, she first cleansed herself in her room.
She angrily scrubbed her genitals.
Only after a long while did she rest.
The next day, she focused on practicing her martial arts and the "Splitting Mount Hua" palm technique.
She was determined to kill more villains.
That afternoon, another twenty men came to the Guo mansion demanding money. A disagreement ensued, and three men from each side attacked Guo Ba and Pang Da, who fought fiercely.
Workers also surrounded them with sticks.
However, six strong men stood on the rooftops of distant houses, watching the battle and whispering among themselves.
Although these twenty men were skilled, they were still slaughtered by Guo Ba and Pang Da within half an hour. However, Pang Da also felt somewhat tired for the first time; he had expended a lot of energy.
After a long howl, the six strong men had already swept through the air.
Upon seeing the six men, Pang Da was shocked and exclaimed, "The Six Swords of the Heavenly Net!"
He immediately roared, "Jinlian, come quickly! Jinlian, come quickly!"
He had witnessed these six men slaughter over a hundred people when he was a former assassin, and he was exhausted, so he knew he couldn't withstand them. Seeing this ,
Guo Ba decided to launch a swift attack.
So, as soon as the six men landed, Guo Ba slashed at the man on his left.
The man dodged to the side and lunged forward.
The other two drew their swords and attacked.
Guo Ba then launched a fierce attack on the first to approach, alternating between palm and sword.
The man scrambled back in panic.
Seeing this, the other two rushed to thrust their swords, but Guo Ba dodged to the right, his sword slashing smoothly. With a snap, a strong man's left arm was severed.
The pain of the severed arm, coupled with disbelief, caused the man to cry out.
Guo Ba seized the opportunity to strike with a palm strike, and the man immediately coughed up blood and flew away. As soon as
he landed, the workers hacked him to death with their swords.
The other two roared and attacked Guo Ba.
The three who had been besieging Pang Da immediately had one of them join the attack on Guo Ba.
Pang Da, who had been at a disadvantage, could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Hearing Di Jinlian say, "Make way!"
the workers quickly retreated to the walls on either side.
Di Jinlian darted in and glanced around.
Pang Da shouted, "Slash the one on the left!"
Di Jinlian understood and swiftly slashed.
The opponent immediately dodged.
With a loud crash, half of the left wall of the Guo residence collapsed.
The workers hurriedly retreated.
Di Jinlian continued her attacks.
The strong man dodged twelve more palm strikes, finally being struck. He screamed and flew into the distance, spitting out mouthfuls of blood. As soon as
he landed, he was torn to pieces by the workers' swords.
Di Jinlian glanced around again and slashed at the man on the left side of the three attacking Guo Ba. Before the palm strike could reach him, the man had already hastily dodged to the right.
Because the death of that strong man had terrified this man!
He dodged, and Di Jinlian relentlessly attacked.
Her abundant skill allowed her to send him flying on the eighth move.
The man screamed and coughed up blood as he flew away.
The workers immediately began to hack him to pieces.
With a thud, Guo Ba seized the opportunity to stab one man in the heart amidst the chaos.
The man cried out, but Guo Ba had already drawn his sword with a palm strike.
With a whoosh, blood spurted from his heart!
With a thud, the man's face turned into a rotten tomato.
Another man, terrified, hurriedly tried to escape.
Di Jinlian immediately raised her palm and struck.
The man, startled, quickly rolled over.
Guo Ba seized the opportunity and struck with his palm.
With a boom, the man coughed up blood and flew away.
As soon as he landed, the workers began to hack him to pieces with their swords.
Soon, he was brutally dismembered.
The remaining man hurriedly fled.
Taking advantage of the moment, Pang Da swiftly hurled his sword, which instantly pierced the man's abdomen. He let out a scream before his body fell like a broken kite towards the workers.
The workers then threw their swords at him.
With a series of thuds, six swords pierced his body.
He screamed again and fell to the ground dead.
Pang Da gasped, "Jinlian, thank you!"
"I'll give you some of my internal energy!"
"Let's see if it works!"
The two hurriedly went inside.
The workers then searched the twenty-six corpses.
Guo Ba, seeing that the swords of the six men were good, took those six swords one by one.
Soon after, he distributed all his valuables to those present.
The people happily used carts to transport the corpses and clean up the scene.
Soon, workers began building and repairing the walls. Meanwhile,
Pang Da and Jinlian returned to their room, removed their boots, and began practicing their internal energy meditation cross-legged.
Soon, Pang Da stretched out her hands and said, "Slowly channel some of your internal energy into my palms!"
"Alright!"
The two composed themselves, and she channeled two streams of internal energy and immediately stopped.
Pang Da inhaled, and two streams of energy flowed into his body along his arm.
Soon, as they approached his 'Qi Hai' acupoint, Pang Da felt a slight tremor.
He immediately realized their internal energies were incompatible.
So, he gently shook his head and immediately withdrew his hands.
He then channeled his inner energy, directing the two streams of power towards the open window.
With two loud bangs, a lily was instantly severed.
Di Jinlian asked, "Is it truly incompatible?"
"Yes! Let's test if you are compatible!"
"I...I only want to help you!"
"Thank you! Helping him is helping me!"
"Alright!"
Soon after, Pang Da invited Guo Ba into the room, and Guo Ba thanked him first.
Di Jinlian smiled calmly and inhaled, gathering her inner energy.
Guo Ba removed his boots and climbed onto the bed, sitting cross-legged before her.
Her breathing quickened slightly.
Because Guo Ba's character, family background, and martial arts skills far surpassed Pang Da's, the self-conscious Di Jinlian subconsciously dared not and felt it inappropriate to approach Guo Ba.
Guo Ba inhaled and, following Pang Da's instructions, placed his hands on his knees, pointing upwards.
Di Jinlian then placed her palms against his.
She tentatively forced out two streams of energy from his palms.
The moment Guo Ba made that thought, the two streams of energy had already reached his 'Qi Hai' acupoint. He immediately felt as if a spring breeze was caressing his face, and he was startled!
Seeing this, Pang Da immediately said, "Jin Lian, continue to slowly channel your energy!"
Di Jin Lian then channeled another stream of energy.
Guo Ba quickly absorbed it again.
Seeing this, Di Jin Lian channeled another batch of energy.
She channeled energy batch after batch.
At first, Guo Ba absorbed the energy as quickly as if the ocean were absorbing all rivers. After a short while, he absorbed another stream of energy, and his clothes suddenly billowed as if being inflated.
All his meridians activated simultaneously, and the energy circulated rapidly.
Every time his energy passed through the 'Qi Men' acupoint, it was like a whale sucking water, drawing out Di Jin Lian's energy from his palm. After Di Jin Lian tried this three times, she was so frightened that she immediately withdrew her hand.
Pang Da then transmitted his voice, "Jinlian, rest for a while, and then give me another boost of energy in one go!"
Di Jinlian nodded, seemingly understanding, and began to practice her cultivation.
Pang Da then observed Guo Ba's complexion and breathing.
After more than an hour, Pang Da noticed that Guo Ba's temples bulged high, as if two eggs had been inserted into them, and he was both pleased and envious.
Reassured, he took the pill and began practicing his cultivation on the chair.
About an hour later, he stopped practicing and looked at Guo Ba.
He immediately saw that Guo Ba's entire face was snow-white, but his breathing was deep and long.
Pang Da then transmitted his voice, "Jinlian, prepare to give me another boost of energy!"
Di Jinlian then placed her palm on Guo Ba's palm again.
Immediately, she saw two suction forces vibrate her palms, and she took advantage of this to inject her energy.
Her arms suddenly trembled, and a considerable amount of her energy had already leaked out.
Without stopping, she focused her mind and let Guo Ba absorb her energy again and again.
An hour later, she noticed he hadn't absorbed any internal energy for quite some time. Opening her eyes, she saw he was drenched in sweat, his clothes bulging, and he reeked of alcohol.
She immediately looked at Pang Da.
Pang Da smiled and transmitted his voice, "Almost done! Thank you!"
Di Jinlian immediately thought, "Little Pang has changed! He actually thanked me on Guo Ba's behalf. He used to only care about himself! He's really changed! He's become kind!"
So, she quietly got out of bed, put on her boots, and went to the next room to consume the elixir and practice her internal energy.
With a surge of energy, the previous swelling disappeared, and her energy had indeed diminished considerably.
She composed herself and focused on her practice.
At dawn, Guo Ba's body trembled twice, and his internal energy flowed like a vast ocean through every meridian, flowing freely everywhere!
He had broken through the Ren and Du meridians.
He had entered a realm that hundreds of thousands of martial artists could never achieve in their lifetimes. His whole body felt relaxed and light, and he let his internal energy flow freely.
Pang Da breathed a sigh of relief and went out to wash up.
Soon after, he instructed his servants not to disturb Guo Ba.
Shortly after dawn, he dined with Di Jinlian.
After the meal, Di Jinlian said, "You're too tired! Rest!"
"Alright! Don't disturb the young master; let him continue his training for a few more days!"
"Good!"
Pang Da then went to his guest room to rest.
Di Jinlian sipped tea and pondered in the hall.
At this moment, Zhuo Dao had just finished reading the letter delivered by the coachman. He immediately told the coachman to go and rest and rewarded him with a gold ingot. The coachman thanked him and left.
He immediately handed the letter to Lord Gan.
Lord Gan was alarmed upon seeing that Guo Ba had been repeatedly extorted and fought.
As soon as Guo Ba entered, Lord Gan handed him the letter and pondered silently.
Upon reading the letter, Ba He exclaimed, "How could this be? What should we do?"
Zhuo Dao said in a deep voice, "The situation has changed, people's hearts are in turmoil, and my influence has waned. We must join forces with the righteous path to launch a deterrent operation!"
Lord Gan nodded and said, "It is necessary. Please take the Longyuan Sword!"
Zhuo Dao said in a deep voice, "Is that appropriate? The Longyuan Sword is your fortress's treasured sword!"
"It has been dormant for too long! Let it go out and show its power!"
"Alright!"
Lord Gan immediately left his seat.
Zhuo Dao said to Ba He, "Don't worry, I will rush back and gather a group of people to help!"
Ba He said, "Thank you! Tell Ba'er to spend money freely; we are not short of money here!"
"Good! I will send someone to deliver the latest news at any time!"
"I am too kind to you, Daoist!"
"Don't panic! We are doing good deeds; Heaven will help us!"
Ba He nodded with a sigh of relief.
Soon, Lord Gan brought the Longyuan Sword into the hall.
Zhuo Dao stepped forward, took the sword, and hurriedly left. Eager to return home,
he immediately used his lightness skill to dash away.
By noon, he had already crossed the Taihang Mountains and entered Shanxi Province. He traveled in one breath, and when he smelled the aroma of wine, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
A short while later, he had returned to the gate of the Guo residence.
The gatekeeper greeted him warmly and said softly, "Greetings, Daoist Master!"
Zhuo Dao asked in surprise, "What has happened?"
"Young Master is practicing his martial arts!"
Zhuo Dao thought to himself, "The servants are so anxious; could Guo Ba have been injured?"
He then hurried inside.
As soon as he entered the hall, Pang Da, who was having his meal, greeted him in a low voice, "Greetings, Daoist Master!"
"No need for formalities! What has happened?"
"Young Master has successfully opened the Xuan Guan this morning!"
Zhuo Dao couldn't help but beam with joy.
Pang Da said in a low voice, "Please have your meal first!"
"Alright!"
As soon as the two entered the hall, Di Jinlian was already there to greet them. Pang Da said in a low voice, "Young Master's success in opening the Xuan Guan is entirely due to Jinlian's help. Daoist Master, please take your seat!"
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "Thank you!"
Di Jinlian nodded and said, "It was my duty to assist!"
The three then took their seats and continued their meal.
After the meal, Zhuo Dao went to his room to observe Guo Ba.
Soon after, he came out happily and said, "In the near future, those underworld figures will not dare to set foot here again. Thank you for your great assistance, Miss!"
Di Jinlian smiled but remained silent.
Pang Da said, "Daoist Master, would you like to rest for a while?"
"Alright!"
Zhuo Dao then returned to his room to rest with peace of mind.
Soon after, Di Jinlian returned directly to the manor to rest.
Pang Da then rested in the main hall, enjoying tea.
Seven
days later, Guo Ba slowly opened his eyes that afternoon, and Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "You have successfully opened the Xuan Guan (a point on the path to enlightenment), congratulations!"
"Thank you! Miss Di deserves the most credit, where is she?"
"She is already in the manor. You should cleanse yourself first, we'll talk later!"
Zhuo Dao then left happily.
Guo Ba then carried water into his room to bathe.
After bathing, he entered the hall with a smile. He
immediately saw Zhuo Dao and Pang Da sitting there, and Guo Ba smiled and said, "Little Pang, thank you for your help!"
"I don't deserve it! It's all thanks to Jin Lian!"
"Is she still in the manor?"
"Yes!"
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "I'll thank you another day! Look at this!"
As he spoke, he pointed to the sword on the table.
Guo Ba stepped forward and took the sword, and found it to be heavier than usual, and the scabbard was ancient. He pressed the hilt, and a cold glint flashed, revealing a blade more than two inches long. Guo Ba
then drew the sword.
A chilling aura emanated from it.
It shone brightly.
Guo Ba couldn't help but exclaim, "What a fine sword!"
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "Yes! It was forged in the Qin Dynasty. After the Gan Family Fortress was established, it was regarded as the fortress's treasured sword. This time, it will be used specifically to assist you!"
"This... isn't that inappropriate? What if it gets damaged or lost?"
"Don't worry! You just need to be careful, such an accident won't happen. Tonight, use it to practice 'Moonfall on Earth' in the mountains. I want to see its power and the strength of this move!"
"Yes!"
"I have already sent someone to deliver a letter to the Gan Family Fortress. Your father will surely be relieved!"
"Thank you, Master!"
Zhuo Dao said solemnly, "I predict that in the coming days, there will be more reckless people who want to rob us. You must quickly adapt to the Dragon Abyss Sword so that you can kill people and establish your authority!"
"Yes! Those people are too ruthless!" "
That's right! These people are always selfish and lazy. They are also most afraid of death. Therefore, you only need to unleash a massacre to frighten them away!"
"Yes!"
"With your current skill, you can already see through swords and create rainbows, meaning your arm can extend at least two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) and its power is invincible!"
Guo Ba exclaimed happily, "Really?"
"Yes! Go back to your study and check the account books!"
"Alright!"
Guo Ba sheathed his sword and followed Pang Da into the study.
Pang Da then took out silver notes and said, "In these seven days, three caravans returned safely, and three other caravans left with wine. Check the account books one by one!"
"Thank you!"
Guo Ba sat down and began to peruse the account books.
Soon, he counted the silver notes and handed over a stack.
Pang Da smiled and shook his head, saying, "I don't lack money. Keep it for future use!"
"Good!"
"The Daoist mentioned the construction progress in Qingdao, which is going quite smoothly!" "
It's all thanks to Jinlian's 60 million taels of silver!"
"You're too kind! Such a large-scale construction requires everyone's concerted efforts!"
"Let's go take a look in a few days!"
"Okay!"
At dusk, the three of them happily dined.
After the meal, the three enjoyed fruit and chatted merrily.
Half an hour later, Guo Ba, carrying the Longyuan Sword, followed Zhuo Dao away.
Upon reaching the foot of Juzhu Mountain, Zhuo Dao stopped and said, "Let's try it out first!"
With that, he retreated to a distance.
Guo Ba drew his sword and swung it twice.
Sure enough, a cold light flashed from the tip of the sword, and he was overjoyed.
He immediately inhaled and unleashed 'Moonfall to Earth.
' 'Moonfall to Earth' was originally the sixth move in Zhuo Dao's sword technique set; it specialized in transitioning between moves before the final three killing blows, encompassing a wide range of techniques.
As soon as the move was unleashed, a cold rainbow intertwined like lightning.
The earth and stones on the ground were swept up and swiftly pulverized.
With a whoosh, they flew into the distance.
Guo Ba watched with delight and repeatedly practiced the move.
Zhuo Dao smiled and thought, "Looking at the world, who can withstand this move?"
He then watched with a smile.
After a short while, seeing that Guo Ba had successfully executed the move, he smiled and said, "Stop!"
Guo Ba stopped and exclaimed with delight, "Master, you're incredibly insightful!"
"Hehe! This is just the beginning. Once you achieve perfect harmony between body and sword, your power will increase several times over. I guarantee you won't believe it!"
"Perfect harmony between body and sword!"
"Yes! Practice makes perfect. Then this sword will be like your own arm!"
"Great!"
"Go up the mountain and practice! Remember! You'll cut down many trees tonight. Try to cut down trees with your sword in one go and see what level you can reach."
"No palm strikes allowed?"
"Of course!"
"Alright! I'll give it a try!"
With that, the two of them sped off along the mountain path.
Soon, Guo Ba stopped in the forest where he used to practice his swordsmanship. After briefly surveying the scene, he took a deep breath and then officially unleashed 'Moonfall to Earth'!
A cold light over ten feet long instantly severed six large trees nearby. With a series of booming sounds, the trees fell onto nearby trees, and Guo Ba continued to unleash his attacks.
With a series of swift, swishing sounds, the cold light intertwined like a net.
Tree trunks shattered!
Branches and leaves flew in layers.
Anything that touched Guo Ba was swept away by the cold light.
Guo Ba then used Moonfall to Earth with lightning speed!
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the mountainside within twenty feet was covered with layers of tree branches, and the original eighteen large trees had been 'pulverized'!
Guo Ba became more and more proficient with his practice, and he continued to unleash his attacks with lightning speed.
The layers of tree branches on the ground were swept up and further shredded.
Zhuo Dao, watching from afar, was full of confidence!
He secretly pondered how to intimidate the evil forces.
Another hour passed, and all the tree dust on the ground had been pulverized. Guo Ba was still attacking, and the cold glint of his sword tip had grown another two feet.
Zhuo Dao watched with secret delight, saying, "Truly, Yin overcomes Yang, and softness overcomes hardness. Guo Ba's pure Yin power is now enough to sweep away thousands of troops and dominate the martial world!"
He then resolved to let Guo Ba familiarize himself with the moves and the sword in one go.
In the dead of night, the mountain wind blew fiercely, and tree dust flew everywhere
! Guo Ba seized the opportunity to attack relentlessly with his sword!
The tree dust was pulverized even more and carried away by the wind.
In less than an hour, there was no tree dust left on the ground!
Guo Ba seemed to be floating in a net of cold light!
At dawn, Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "Alright!"
Guo Ba struck out with his sword again before withdrawing his attack.
He exhaled a long breath and sheathed his sword.
He glanced around and exclaimed with delight, "I succeeded!"
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "Not bad! Continue practicing tomorrow night!"
"Yes!"
The two happily returned to their residence.
After a quick wash, they ate with Pang Da.
After the meal, Guo Ba returned to his room to take the elixir and practice his skills.
Zhuo Dao then rested happily.
That night, Guo Ba couldn't wait to go up the mountain again to practice his moves.
Zhuo Dao watched for another half an hour before returning to his residence to rest with a smile.
Guo Ba, however, practiced until dawn before stopping.
He then went up the mountain every night to practice his moves.
That morning, a group of young men had just entered the village when a resident recognized three of them as the ones who had robbed children and extorted money last time. The resident immediately sent his son to report to Guo Ba's residence.
Guo Ba and Pang Da immediately took their swords and followed.
Soon, they indeed saw the group of people walk past the school and look into it. Guo Ba was furious and decided to kill these 'trash'!
He then flew directly through the air.
With a whoosh, he had already landed more than twenty feet ahead of the group.
Amidst cries of alarm, the group immediately huddled together, drawing their swords.
They were the same thirty-six men who had previously robbed children for money; today, they had invited fourteen more to repeat the scheme, kidnapping schoolchildren and extorting money from Guo Ba.
However, Guo Ba had already appeared.
Guo Ba said in a deep voice, "You want to rob children again?"
Immediately, one of them shouted, "That's right! Be sensible and hand over five hundred thousand taels!"
"Go ask the King of Hell for it?"
The word "go" had barely left his lips when Guo Ba drew his sword and lunged forward.
A flash of cold light, like a waterfall, rippled and clashed.
A series of sharp, clanging sounds followed.
Fifteen corpses were severed by the sword.
Screams and gasps mingled.
Pang Da, seeing this, was filled with a mixture of horror and delight, and immediately retreated into the distance.
Sure enough, Guo Ba swiftly pursued them.
Soon, the fifty men were dead, their bodies mangled.
Guo Ba withdrew his attack and exhaled a long breath.
Pang Da breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Excellent!"
"Thank you!"
Guo Ba then summoned the workers in the distance and gave them instructions.
Soon, the workers had moved forward to load the corpse onto the cart and left.
A large group of workers then went forward to wash the ground.
Guo Ba rewarded them with a thousand taels of silver and immediately returned to his residence.
Not long after, he also rewarded the resident who reported the crime with three ingots of silver.
As soon as he returned to his residence, Zhuo Dao said with a smile, "Clean and efficient, isn't it?"
"Yes! The killing was quick and thorough, truly satisfying!"
"Hehe! Keep practicing, and you'll surely have an even more wonderful experience!"
"Alright! I'll first thank Miss Di!"
Pang Da, who was sitting to the side, nodded with a smile.
Soon, the two of them left the residence with smiles on their faces.
As soon as they arrived at Di Jinlian's manor, Di Jinlian came out to greet them with a smile.
Soon after they entered the hall, Guo Ba expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your help, young lady! I was able to successfully eliminate fifty bandits entirely thanks to you!"
Di Jinlian smiled and said, "You're too kind! I'm delighted to see this!"
"Thank you!"
Pang Da smiled and said, "The stronger you are, the safer everyone is!"
Di Jinlian nodded and said, "Indeed!"
The three then exchanged pleasantries.
Soon after, Guo Ba and his companion left. As soon as
Guo Ba returned home, he practiced 'Moonfall on Earth' with his wooden sword in the backyard. Because he had been so successful in his killing spree, he continued practicing with great enthusiasm.
On the afternoon of the sixth day, Bai Xingtian, the leader of the Beggars' Sect, led a thousand accomplices, while Zhou Qing, the leader of the Heroes' Gathering, led more than two thousand men. They followed the caravan returning from selling wine into Xinghua Village.
Soon, the accountant had accompanied Bai Xingtian and Zhou Qing into Guo Ba's residence.
Upon receiving the news, Guo Ba immediately went out to greet them.
After a few pleasantries, they entered the hall.
Bai Xingtian and Zhou Qing then bowed and paid their respects to Zhuo Dao.
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "Thank you both for your great help last time!"
Chief Bai smiled and said, "It's only right that I serve. Master Ba's good deeds are known throughout the land; he shouldn't be persecuted by villains. Anyone with a sense of duty is willing to help in this matter!"
"Thank you! Please tell me about the current state of affairs?"
"A hundred flowers bloom, all vying for territory; it's chaotic!"
"The underworld gangs are fighting for territory?"
"Yes! With the collapse of Shenmu Fortress, the evil forces are leaderless!"
Zhuo Dao asked in surprise, "Where is Deng Yiyan?"
"He's dead. Shenmu Fort has collapsed. It's said that Deng Yiyan was poisoned by a prostitute. This incident led to a conflict between Baima Hall and Shenmu Fort, which benefited Wu's Car Dealership!"
He then briefly recounted the events.
Zhuo Dao nodded and said, "This must have been Wu Long's doing!"
"Yes! After Wu Long's son was assassinated at Gongji Mountain, he first annihilated the Ten Great Assassin Organizations to vent his anger and force out the murderer. However, Deng Yiyan orchestrated the destruction of seventy percent of Wu Long's power by underworld figures from various regions!"
Zhuo Dao asked in surprise, "These two incidents must have caused chaos, right?"
"Yes! At least thirty thousand people have been killed or injured!"
Pang Da thought to himself, "I never imagined that my assassination of Wu Quan would cause such a massive bloodbath!"
He then listened silently again.
Zhuo Dao nodded, saying, "An eye for an eye leads to another, and Wu Long will surely face more trouble!"
Chief Bai nodded, "Yes! He's self-aware; he's already publicly established the Wu Family Gang, which currently has over eight thousand disciples, and he's still recruiting!"
Zhuo Dao nodded, "This man is ambitious and resourceful, with considerable wealth; sooner or later he'll lead the underworld and threaten the stability of the world!"
Chief Bai nodded, "Yes! Wu's Carriage Company has already demonstrated its strength!"
"What's the current situation with the Crippled Sect?"
"After Tian Yuan led his men to extort money from Wu's last gang, the Crippled Sect has rarely intervened in Jianghu affairs; no one has been seen making any moves recently!"
Zhuo Dao asked, "Are there any particularly prominent underworld gangs?"
"No!" "
Are the various Shaolin sects still observing the situation?"
"Yes!"
"Why do people keep trespassing here?"
Chief Bai replied, "Some lone wolves gather ignorant youths to rob us because Master Ba's investments in Qingdao have driven them to take this risk!"
Zhuo Dao said in a deep voice, "Master Ba didn't invest in Qingdao. He merely resettled over 400,000 poor people, and he wants to use Qingdao's resources to help them!"
"Truly admirable. However, those who don't know the truth think they can make huge profits selling alcohol, and thus come here to take the risk!"
Zhuo Dao said in a deep voice, "They will surely regret it!"
"Yes! Brother Zhou and I are willing to do our part to protect this place!"
"Welcome! How many people can join this effort?"
"Three thousand three hundred. Our gang will add one branch here and one in Qingdao!"
"Excellent! From now on, we won't have to worry about our caravans being robbed!"
“Yes!”
Zhuo Dao said with a smile, “I’m always impatient. Since you two have arranged for so many people to participate in this work, please tell me how much you should pay each month, so that those involved can make a living!”
Chief Bai said, “Five taels per person per month will suffice!”
Zhou Qing nodded with a smile, “Yes!”
Zhuo Dao looked at Guo Ba and said, “You should pay each person ten taels of silver per month!”
Guo Ba nodded with a smile.
Zhuo Dao then said, “Let’s borrow some houses from the villagers to set up our branch headquarters and accommodations immediately.”
“Alright!”
Guo Ba went inside and took out silver notes, handing them to Chief Bai and Zhou Qing.
Soon after, he and Pang Da went out to negotiate the borrowing of houses, and the villagers readily agreed.
As the sun set, the more than three thousand people had all found places to stay.
Guo Ba then hosted a banquet at his residence for Chief Bai, Zhou Qing, and Branch Head Ye.
The next morning, six hundred people had already left with the second convoy.
The rest of the people inspected the area inside and outside the village, while Guo Ba accompanied Zhuo Dao, Chief Bai, and Zhou Qing to survey the accommodations.
Within half a day, they had selected five regions: east, west, south, north, and central.
Guo Ba then purchased the land from the landowners.
The following morning, a large number of workers began building their dwellings.
Zhuo Dao and Chief Bai headed towards Qingdao.
Upon arriving in Qingdao, they met with Ba He and Chief Gan.
After lengthy discussions, they began their operation.
The following afternoon, three Beggars' Sect disciples delivered carrier pigeons and pigeon coops from Jinan. They then built pigeon coops behind Gan Family Fort and instructed three young men from Gan Family Fort.
Starting the next day, they began training the carrier pigeons.
Seeing Chief Bai's enthusiasm, Ba He and Chief Gan gifted him three cloth shops. Chief Bai expressed his gratitude and decided to establish a branch in Qingdao.
That morning, Ba He and Zhuo Dao left by car.
Upon returning to Xinghua Village, Ba He went inside to review the accounts.
The following morning, he and Guo Ba traveled south by car.
That afternoon, upon arriving in Fengyang, Ba He met with his clansmen.
The clansmen immediately presented him with banknotes and account books.
Bahe was taken aback and said, "Last year's harvest was bountiful?"
"Yes! The number of shops has increased by 30%!
" "Thank you! You've all worked so hard!" "You're too
kind! Many buyers want to purchase property here. Are you willing to part with your property?"
Another person immediately added, "The buyers are asking very high prices; you might want to consider it!"
Bahe had brought Guo Ba here to sell his property to help with the construction of Qingdao. Hearing this, he immediately smiled and nodded, "Alright!"
The clansmen were overjoyed.
The two sides then discussed the matter carefully.
Soon, they went out to inform the buyers.
The next day, Bahe sold all the fields and shops in half a day. However, he also gave each clansman a shop as a reward for their assistance.
His only condition was that the clansmen must take good care of the Ba family ancestral hall.
This was his way of honoring his ancestors.
That afternoon, Bahe and his son had already taken away a large amount of banknotes.
Guo Ba whispered, "Father has profited quite a bit!"
Ba He smiled and said, "Not just a bit, at least double!"
"Father is truly capable!"
Ba He smiled and said, "Acting with a clear conscience will surely bring divine blessings!"
"Yes!"
"You are twenty-two years old this year, aren't you?"
"Yes!"
"What are your impressions of the two daughters of Lord Gan?"
Guo Ba immediately pictured two fair-skinned women in black.
He couldn't help but blush and said, "Why did Father bring this up?"
"Lord Gan and his wife have proposed marriage to me twice. You can decide for yourself!"
Guo Ba blushed and was speechless for a moment.
Ba He said, "Although Gan Family Fortress is proud, its people are pure of heart. The two Miss Gans are both talented in literature and martial arts, and skilled in management. They will be of great help to you in the future!" 　　Guo Ba blushed and
said, "Father, please make the decision!"
"Alright! Let the Taoist priest act as matchmaker!" Guo Ba lowered his head, blushing. 　　They acted immediately. Upon returning to Xinghua Village, they set off with Zhuo Dao the next morning for Qingdao. Ba He bought gifts and prepared red envelopes along the way. 　　When they arrived at Gan Family Fortress, the two Gan sisters immediately understood Guo Ba's intentions. 　　They shyly and happily avoided him! 　　Zhuo Dao proposed marriage to the Gan Family Fortress lord and his wife, and they immediately agreed. 　　That evening, Ba He formally presented the betrothal gifts, and Gan Family Fortress hosted a banquet. 　　During the banquet, Gan Family Fortress served wine brewed in their distillery. Guo Ba took a sip and felt a cool sensation upon entering his mouth. Once the wine entered his stomach, it had an indescribable sweetness. 　　His eyes lit up. 　　Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "This wine has a unique flavor, doesn't it?" 　　"Indeed!" 　　"Once this wine is brewed, it will be sent to the ice cellar. It is expected to be transported to Jiangnan in April. Its sweetness and thirst-quenching effect will surely cause a sensation in Jiangnan!" 　　Guo Ba nodded and said, "It's quite unique. The wine tastes rather weak!" 　　"Yes! More than twice as weak. Success or failure depends on this year!" 　　"We are wholeheartedly helping others. We will surely succeed!" 　　"Hehe! Well said! Cheers! This kind of wine is best drunk in big gulps!" 　　As he spoke, he filled a bowl with wine. 　　Seeing this, Guo Ba also filled a bowl with wine. 　　He drank it down in one gulp and swallowed it smoothly. 　　Wow! Cool and refreshing, amazing! 　　He couldn't help but nod and said, "Wonderful!" 　　"Hehe! It's still cold here now. If we drank it in the sweltering heat of Jiangnan, it would taste even better!" 　　"Indeed!" 　　The group then ate the wine and dishes while chatting happily. 　　After a long time, they finally parted ways, guests and hosts alike enjoying themselves. 　　The next morning, the two sisters from the Gan family accompanied their beloved Guo Ba on a journey from the fort. They spent the day touring Qingdao, where Guo Ba was impressed by the hard work and diligence of the villagers. 　　He repeatedly expressed his determination to succeed. 　　The following day, the two sisters even took him out to sea by boat. They saw fishermen fishing and enjoyed the beautiful seascape. The two sisters happily told him about how they sold fish to earn money. 　　Guo Ba was full of confidence and praised them repeatedly. 　　On the third day, they spent the day in the distillery, kiln, and cellar. Guo Ba repeatedly praised the construction of such a large-scale distillery and cellar. 　　After all, the distillery in Xinghua Village was more than ten times smaller than the one in Qingdao! 　　Guo Ba's horizons were also greatly broadened. 　　The next morning, the three of them happily departed from Gan Family Fort with a farewell party. 　　The two families had already decided to get married during the Mid-Autumn Festival! 　　As soon as they returned to Xinghua Village, Bahe hired people to renovate and decorate the Guo residence. 　　The good news finally spread, and the villagers and workers congratulated them. 　　Everyone was filled with joy and worked even harder! 　　At this time, the major wineries in the neighboring villages of Xinghua Village were already producing large quantities of Fenjiu and Jifen, with cellars overflowing and over six thousand horse-drawn carts transporting wine back and forth. This 　　was because Fenjiu was selling even better. 　　That morning, the Beggar Clan's leader, Bai, arrived with three capable assistants. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Bai offered to sell Qingdao wine on their behalf, and Ba He immediately agreed. 　　Furthermore, he lent the Beggar Clan three million taels of silver for investment. 　　Within an hour, Bai had thanked them and left. 　　His three assistants then went to various ports along the coast to make arrangements. 　　Bai then went to Ganjiabao to discuss selling wine. 　　The head of Ganjiabao, who was worried about a shortage of manpower, readily agreed. 　　After discussions, one hundred new ships were dispatched to various ports by the military, where they met with Beggar Clan disciples and discussed matters. 　　Money makes things easier. In early April, a hundred new ships, fully loaded with Qingdao wine, set sail south. The wine was packaged in 1-jin (500g) jars, then placed in round barrels about half a person's height with ice. 　　Each barrel contained ice and fifty jugs of wine, convenient for the people of Jiangnan to sell and enjoy. 　　The fleet sailed along the Huangpu River and Hangzhou Bay, continuing towards Fuzhou's Mawei. Thanks to calm seas and the boatmen's diligent and rotating maneuvers, everyone docked smoothly. 　　Beggars' Sect members were already waiting at the port with a large cartload of local specialties. The people unloaded the wine first, then delivered the specialties. After a settlement, the Beggars' Sect paid the remaining balance. 　　The fleet then transported the specialties back to Qingdao. 　　The Beggars' Sect members then quickly delivered the wine according to their pre-arranged sales plan. 　　The people of Jiangnan had never tasted "chilled wine" before, and upon tasting it, they all exclaimed how delicious it was! 　　Within ten days, the Beggars' Sect's wine warehouse was sold out. 　　Chilled Qingdao wine thus became an instant hit. 　　The Beggars' Gang's carrier pigeons immediately carried the good news and orders. 　　The people of Ganjiabao were overjoyed! 　　Because the specialties transported from Jiangnan were of high quality and low price, they were already selling well in Shandong and the capital, and Qingdao wine was also selling well, so Ganjiabao was making money from both ends! 　　The newly added twenty ships and one hundred large ships were used to transport wine south again. 　　During the Dragon Boat Festival, Jiangnan was scorching hot, and the second batch of Qingdao wine was out of stock! 　　Upon receiving the letter, the head of Ganjiabao immediately sent five hundred ships south to transport wine. 　　More than 400,000 poor people also received three taels of silver as Dragon Boat Festival gifts. 　　They were almost ecstatic! 　　They worked even harder. 　　The distilleries continued to brew wine day and night. 　　'When luck is on your side, even city walls can't stop it,' people from the capital and Shandong flocked to Qingdao to buy Suzhou and Hangzhou fabrics and enjoy Qingdao wine. 　　Restaurants, inns, and fabric shops were packed every day. 　　Then, people from Jiangnan seeking respite from the summer heat also took ships to Qingdao. 　　Crowds poured in, staying for about ten days at a time, so all the shops were full, and Qingdao wine was selling like hotcakes every day. Ganjiabao's daily income was astonishing. 　　In addition, at least three to four thousand people took boats out to sea every day to fish and enjoy the fish on board. They were willing to pay and give tips, bringing considerable income to the crew and Ganjiabao. 　　Qingdao once again regained its former prosperity. 　　The people of Ganjiabao couldn't help but admire Master Ba's vision and boldness. 　　They were busy collecting and recording debts every day! 　　In less than three months, Ganjiabao's secret room had added ten chests of silver notes! 　　Their investment of over thirty million taels had been completely recovered! Chapter Eight: Beauty and Gold Arrive!

As dusk fell, Di Jinlian returned to the Guo residence, much to the delight of Guo Ba and his companion.
She immediately handed over a silver note, saying, "I've killed the ringleader, and the rest have each received a thousand taels. They might get greedy and commit another crime, so be careful!"
Guo Ba asked, "Thank you! How did you escape?"
"He couldn't control my acupoints, so I seized the opportunity to break them and eliminate him!"
"That was close! I'm sorry! I've troubled you!"
"No! He came for me, and I planned to leave temporarily!"
"Ah! Isn't that inappropriate? If you stay here, we can take care of each other!"
Pang Da said, "Why don't you stay at the manor for now?"
Di Jinlian nodded, "That's exactly what I was thinking."
With that, she went back to her room. After
packing her luggage, she came out to dine with Guo Ba and his companion.
After the meal, she briefly chatted before returning to her room to retrieve her belongings.
Soon after, she returned to the manor and immediately began to cleanse herself in her room.
She angrily scrubbed her genitals.
Only after a long while did she finally rest.
The following day, she focused on practicing her internal energy and the "Splitting Mount Hua" palm technique.
She was determined to kill as many villains as possible.
That afternoon, another twenty men came to the Guo residence demanding money. A disagreement ensued, and three men from each side attacked Guo Ba and Pang Da, who fought fiercely.
Workers also surrounded them with sticks.
However, six burly men watched from the rooftops of distant houses, whispering amongst themselves.
Although the twenty men were skilled, they were all killed by Guo Ba and Pang Da within half an hour. Pang Da, however, felt tired for the first time; he had expended a great deal of energy.
With a long howl, the six burly men appeared, soaring through the air.
Upon seeing them, Pang Da was horrified: "The Six Swords of Heavenly Net!"
He immediately shouted, "Golden Lotus, come quickly! Golden Lotus, come quickly!"
He had witnessed these six men kill over a hundred people in a coordinated attack when he was a former assassin. Now exhausted, he knew he couldn't withstand them.
Seeing this, Guo Ba decided to launch a swift attack.
So, as soon as the six men landed, Guo Ba slashed at the man on his left.
The man dodged to the side and swept forward diagonally.
The other two drew their swords and rushed over.
Guo Ba then launched a fierce attack on the first to approach, alternating between palm and sword.
The man scrambled back in a flurry.
Seeing this, the other two hurriedly thrust their swords forward, but Guo Ba dodged to the right, his sword slashing smoothly. With a snap, a strong man's left arm was severed.
The pain of the severed arm, coupled with disbelief, caused the man to cry out.
Guo Ba seized the opportunity to strike with his palm, and the man immediately coughed up blood and flew away. As
soon as he landed, the workers hacked him to death with their swords.
The other two roared and attacked Guo Ba.
One of the three who had been surrounding Pang Da immediately joined the attack on Guo Ba.
Pang Da, who had been at a disadvantage, could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
He immediately heard Di Jinlian say, "Please make way!"
The workers quickly retreated to the walls on both sides.
Di Jinlian rushed in and glanced around hastily.
Pang Da shouted urgently, "Slash the one on the left!"
Di Jinlian understood and swiftly slashed.
The opponent immediately dodged.
With a loud crash, half of the left wall of the Guo residence collapsed.
The workers hurriedly retreated.
Di Jinlian continued her relentless slashing.
The strong man dodged twelve more palm strikes, finally being struck by one. He screamed and flew into the distance, spitting out mouthfuls of blood. As
soon as he landed, he was torn to pieces by the workers' swords.
Di Jinlian glanced quickly and then slashed at the man on the left among the three attacking Guo Ba. Before the palm strike could reach him, the man hurriedly dodged to the right.
Because the death of the strong man had terrified him! As
soon as he dodged, Di Jinlian relentlessly slashed.
Her abundant power allowed her to send the man flying with her eighth move.
The man also screamed and flew away, spitting blood.
The workers immediately tore him to pieces with their swords.
With a thud, Guo Ba took advantage of the chaos to stab one of the men in the heart.
The opponent had barely cried out when Guo Ba slashed out with his palm and drew his sword.
With a whoosh, blood spurted from his heart!
With a thud, the opponent's face turned to a rotten tomato.
The other man, terrified, hastily tried to flee.
Di Jinlian immediately raised her palm and struck.
The opponent, startled,
hurriedly rolled over. Guo Ba
seized the opportunity and struck again. With a boom, the opponent coughed up blood and flew away. As
soon as he landed, the workers hacked at him with their swords.
Soon, he
was brutally dismembered. The remaining man hurriedly fled.
Pang Da seized the opportunity and hurled his sword, swiftly piercing his abdomen. He barely managed a scream before his body fell like a broken kite towards the workers.
The workers then threw their swords.
With a series of thuds, six swords pierced his body.
He screamed again and fell to the ground dead.
Pang Da gasped, "Jinlian, thank you!"
"I'll give you some of my internal energy!"
"Let's see if we're compatible!"
The two immediately rushed inside.
The workers then searched the twenty-six corpses.
Guo Ba, seeing that the swords of the six men were of good quality, took them one by one.
Soon after, he distributed all the valuables to those present.
The people happily transported the corpses away by cart and cleaned the scene.
Soon, workers began building and repairing the walls.
Meanwhile, Pang Da and his companion returned to their room, removed their boots, and sat cross-legged to practice their internal energy cultivation.
Soon, Pang Da extended his hands and said, "Slowly channel some of your internal energy into my palms!"
"Alright!"
The two men composed themselves, and she channeled two streams of energy into his hands and immediately stopped.
Pang Da inhaled, and the two streams of energy entered his body through his arms.
Soon, as they approached his 'Qi Hai' acupoint, Pang Da felt a slight tremor.
He immediately realized that his internal energy was incompatible.
Therefore, he gently shook his head and immediately withdrew his hands.
He pressed his energy forward, unleashing the two streams of power towards the open window.
With two loud bangs, a lily was instantly severed.
Di Jinlian asked, "Is it truly incompatible?"
"Hmm! Let's test if you're compatible, young master!"
"I...I only want to help you!"
"Thank you! Helping him is helping me!"
"Alright!"
Soon after, Pang Da invited Guo Ba into the room, and Guo Ba thanked him first.
Di Jinlian smiled calmly, then inhaled and gathered her energy.
Guo Ba removed his boots and climbed onto the bed, sitting cross-legged before her.
Her breathing quickened slightly.
Because Guo Ba's character, family background, and martial arts skills far surpassed Pang Da's, the self-conscious Di Jinlian subconsciously dared not and felt it inappropriate to approach Guo Ba.
Guo Ba inhaled, then, following Pang Da's instructions, placed his hands on his knees, hands facing upwards.
Di Jinlian then placed her palms against his.
She tentatively forced out two streams of energy from his palms.
The moment Guo Ba made that thought, the two streams of energy had already reached his 'Qi Hai' acupoint. He immediately felt as if a spring breeze was caressing his face, and he was startled!
Seeing this, Pang Da immediately said, "Jin Lian, continue to slowly channel your energy!"
Di Jin Lian then channeled another stream of energy.
Guo Ba quickly absorbed it again.
Seeing this, Di Jin Lian channeled another batch of energy.
She channeled energy batch after batch.
At first, Guo Ba absorbed the energy as quickly as if the ocean were absorbing all rivers. After a short while, he absorbed another stream of energy, and his clothes suddenly billowed as if being inflated.
All his meridians activated simultaneously, and the energy circulated rapidly.
Every time his energy passed through the 'Qi Men' acupoint, it was like a whale sucking water, drawing out Di Jin Lian's energy from his palm. After Di Jin Lian tried this three times, she was so frightened that she immediately withdrew her hand.
Pang Da then transmitted his voice, "Jinlian, rest for a while, and then give me another boost of energy in one go!"
Di Jinlian nodded, seemingly understanding, and began to practice her cultivation.
Pang Da then observed Guo Ba's complexion and breathing.
After more than an hour, Pang Da noticed that Guo Ba's temples bulged high, as if two eggs had been inserted into them, and he was both pleased and envious.
Reassured, he took the pill and began practicing his cultivation on the chair.
About an hour later, he stopped practicing and looked at Guo Ba.
He immediately saw that Guo Ba's entire face was snow-white, but his breathing was deep and long.
Pang Da then transmitted his voice, "Jinlian, prepare to give me another boost of energy!"
Di Jinlian then placed her palm on Guo Ba's palm again.
Immediately, she saw two suction forces vibrate her palms, and she took advantage of this to inject her energy.
Her arms suddenly trembled, and a considerable amount of her energy had already leaked out.
Without stopping, she focused her mind and let Guo Ba absorb her energy again and again.
An hour later, she noticed he hadn't absorbed any internal energy for quite some time. Opening her eyes, she saw he was drenched in sweat, his clothes bulging, and he reeked of alcohol.
She immediately looked at Pang Da.
Pang Da smiled and transmitted his voice, "Almost done! Thank you!"
Di Jinlian immediately thought, "Little Pang has changed! He actually thanked me on Guo Ba's behalf. He used to only care about himself! He's really changed! He's become kind!"
So, she quietly got out of bed, put on her boots, and went to the next room to consume the elixir and practice her internal energy.
With a surge of energy, the previous swelling disappeared, and her energy had indeed diminished considerably.
She composed herself and focused on her practice.
At dawn, Guo Ba's body trembled twice, and his internal energy flowed like a vast ocean through every meridian, flowing freely everywhere!
He had broken through the Ren and Du meridians.
He had entered a realm that hundreds of thousands of martial artists could never achieve in their lifetimes. His whole body felt relaxed and light, and he let his internal energy flow freely.
Pang Da breathed a sigh of relief and went out to wash up.
Soon after, he instructed his servants not to disturb Guo Ba.
Shortly after dawn, he dined with Di Jinlian.
After the meal, Di Jinlian said, "You're too tired! Rest!"
"Alright! Don't disturb the young master; let him continue his training for a few more days!"
"Good!"
Pang Da then went to his guest room to rest.
Di Jinlian sipped tea and pondered in the hall.
At this moment, Zhuo Dao had just finished reading the letter delivered by the coachman. He immediately told the coachman to go and rest and rewarded him with a gold ingot. The coachman thanked him and left.
He immediately handed the letter to Lord Gan.
Lord Gan was alarmed upon seeing that Guo Ba had been repeatedly extorted and fought.
As soon as Guo Ba entered, Lord Gan handed him the letter and pondered silently.
Upon reading the letter, Ba He exclaimed, "How could this be? What should we do?"
Zhuo Dao said in a deep voice, "The situation has changed, people's hearts are in turmoil, and my influence has waned. We must join forces with the righteous path to launch a deterrent operation!"
Lord Gan nodded and said, "It is necessary. Please take the Longyuan Sword!"
Zhuo Dao said in a deep voice, "Is that appropriate? The Longyuan Sword is your fortress's treasured sword!"
"It has been dormant for too long! Let it go out and show its power!"
"Alright!"
Lord Gan immediately left his seat.
Zhuo Dao said to Ba He, "Don't worry, I will rush back and gather a group of people to help!"
Ba He said, "Thank you! Tell Ba'er to spend money freely; we are not short of money here!"
"Good! I will send someone to deliver the latest news at any time!"
"I am too kind to you, Daoist!"
"Don't panic! We are doing good deeds; Heaven will help us!"
Ba He nodded with a sigh of relief.
Soon, Lord Gan brought the Longyuan Sword into the hall.
Zhuo Dao stepped forward, took the sword, and hurriedly left. Eager to return home,
he immediately used his lightness skill to dash away.
By noon, he had already crossed the Taihang Mountains and entered Shanxi Province. He traveled in one breath, and when he smelled the aroma of wine, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
A short while later, he had returned to the gate of the Guo residence.
The gatekeeper greeted him warmly and said softly, "Greetings, Daoist Master!"
Zhuo Dao asked in surprise, "What has happened?"
"Young Master is practicing his martial arts!"
Zhuo Dao thought to himself, "The servants are so anxious; could Guo Ba have been injured?"
He hurried inside. As
soon as he entered the hall, Pang Da, who was having his meal, greeted him in a low voice, "Greetings, Daoist Master!"
"No need for formalities! What has happened?"
"Young Master has already opened the Xuan Guan this morning!"
Zhuo Dao couldn't help but beam with joy.
Pang Da whispered, "Please have your meal first!"
"Alright!"
As soon as the two entered the hall, Di Jinlian greeted them. Pang Da whispered, "Young Master's ability to open the Xuan Guan is entirely due to Jinlian's help. Daoist Master, please take your seat!"
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "Thank you!"
Di Jinlian nodded and said, "It was my duty to assist!"
The three then took their seats for their meal.
After the meal, Zhuo Dao went to his room to observe Guo Ba.
Soon after, he came out happily and said, "In the near future, those underworld figures will not dare to set foot here again. Thank you for your great assistance, Miss!"
Di Jinlian smiled but remained silent.
Pang Da said, "Daoist Master, would you like to rest for a while?"
"Alright!"
Zhuo Dao then returned to his room to rest with peace of mind.
Soon after, Di Jinlian returned directly to the manor to rest.
Pang Da then rested in the hall, enjoying tea.
Seven
days later, Guo Ba slowly opened his eyes that afternoon, and Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "You have successfully opened the Xuan Guan (a point on the path to enlightenment), congratulations!"
"Thank you! Miss Di deserves the most credit, where is she?"
"She is already in the manor. You should cleanse yourself first, we'll talk later!"
Zhuo Dao then left happily.
Guo Ba then carried water into his room to bathe.
After bathing, he entered the hall with a smile. He
immediately saw Zhuo Dao and Pang Da sitting there, and Guo Ba smiled and said, "Little Pang, thank you for your help!"
"I don't deserve it! It's all thanks to Jin Lian!"
"Is she still in the manor?"
"Yes!"
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "I'll thank you another day! Look at this!"
As he spoke, he pointed to the sword on the table.
Guo Ba stepped forward and took the sword, and found it to be heavier than usual, and the scabbard was ancient. He pressed the hilt, and a cold glint flashed, revealing a blade more than two inches long. Guo Ba
then drew the sword.
A chilling aura emanated from it.
It shone brightly.
Guo Ba couldn't help but exclaim, "What a fine sword!"
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "Yes! It was forged in the Qin Dynasty. After the Gan Family Fortress was established, it was regarded as the fortress's treasured sword. This time, it will be used specifically to assist you!"
"This... isn't that inappropriate? What if it gets damaged or lost?"
"Don't worry! You just need to be careful, such an accident won't happen. Tonight, use it to practice 'Moonfall on Earth' in the mountains. I want to see its power and the strength of this move!"
"Yes!"
"I have already sent someone to deliver a letter to the Gan Family Fortress. Your father will surely be relieved!"
"Thank you, Master!"
Zhuo Dao said solemnly, "I predict that in the coming days, there will be more reckless people who want to rob us. You must quickly adapt to the Dragon Abyss Sword so that you can kill people and establish your authority!"
"Yes! Those people are too ruthless!" "
That's right! These people are always selfish and lazy. They are also most afraid of death. Therefore, you only need to unleash a massacre to frighten them away!"
"Yes!"
"With your current skill, you can already see through swords and create rainbows, meaning your arm can extend at least two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) and its power is invincible!"
Guo Ba exclaimed happily, "Really?"
"Yes! Go back to your study and check the account books!"
"Alright!"
Guo Ba sheathed his sword and followed Pang Da into the study.
Pang Da then took out silver notes and said, "In these seven days, three caravans returned safely, and three other caravans left with wine. Check the account books one by one!"
"Thank you!"
Guo Ba sat down and began to peruse the account books.
Soon, he counted the silver notes and handed over a stack.
Pang Da smiled and shook his head, saying, "I don't lack money. Keep it for future use!"
"Good!"
"The Daoist mentioned the construction progress in Qingdao, which is going quite smoothly!" "
It's all thanks to Jinlian's 60 million taels of silver!"
"You're too kind! Such a large-scale construction requires everyone's concerted efforts!"
"Let's go take a look in a few days!"
"Okay!"
At dusk, the three of them happily dined.
After the meal, the three enjoyed fruit and chatted merrily.
Half an hour later, Guo Ba, carrying the Longyuan Sword, followed Zhuo Dao away.
Upon reaching the foot of Juzhu Mountain, Zhuo Dao stopped and said, "Let's try it out first!"
With that, he retreated to a distance.
Guo Ba drew his sword and swung it twice.
Sure enough, a cold light flashed from the tip of the sword, and he was overjoyed.
He immediately inhaled and unleashed 'Moonfall to Earth.
' 'Moonfall to Earth' was originally the sixth move in Zhuo Dao's sword technique set; it specialized in transitioning between moves before the final three killing blows, encompassing a wide range of techniques.
As soon as the move was unleashed, a cold rainbow intertwined like lightning.
The earth and stones on the ground were swept up and swiftly pulverized.
With a whoosh, they flew into the distance.
Guo Ba watched with delight and repeatedly practiced the move.
Zhuo Dao smiled and thought, "Looking at the world, who can withstand this move?"
He then watched with a smile.
After a short while, seeing that Guo Ba had successfully executed the move, he smiled and said, "Stop!"
Guo Ba stopped and exclaimed, "Master, you're incredibly insightful!"
"Hehe! This is just the beginning. Once you achieve perfect harmony between body and sword, its power will increase several times over. I guarantee you won't believe it!"
"Body and sword as one!"
"Yes! Practice makes perfect. Then this sword will be like your own arm!"
"Great!"
"Go up the mountain and practice! Remember! You'll cut down many trees tonight. Try to cut them down with your sword in one go and see what level you can reach."
"No palm strikes allowed?"
"Of course!"
"Alright! I'll give it a try!"
With that, the two of them sped along the mountain path.
Soon, Guo Ba stopped in the forest where he used to practice swordsmanship. He briefly surveyed the scene, took a deep breath, and then officially unleashed 'Moonfall on Earth'!
A cold light, over ten feet long, instantly severed six large trees in the vicinity. With a deafening roar, the trees fell onto nearby branches, and Guo Ba unleashed a series of attacks.
With a series of swift, slicing sounds, the cold light intertwined like a net.
Tree trunks shattered!
Branches and leaves flew in layers.
Anything that touched Guo Ba was swept away by the cold light.
Guo Ba then used his Moonfall Earth technique with lightning speed!
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the mountainside within a twenty-foot radius was covered with layers of tree debris; the original eighteen large trees had been reduced to 'pulverized remains'!
Guo Ba became increasingly skilled with his practice, and his attacks continued unabated.
The tree debris on the ground was swept up and further shredded.
Zhuo Dao, watching from afar, was filled with confidence!
He secretly pondered how to intimidate the evil forces.
Another hour passed, and all the tree debris on the ground had been ground to dust. Guo Ba was still attacking, and the cold light at the tip of his sword had grown another two feet long.
Zhuo Dao, secretly delighted, thought, "Indeed, Yin overcomes Yang, and softness overcomes hardness! Guo Ba's pure Yin power is already enough to sweep away thousands of troops and dominate the martial world!"
He then resolved to have Guo Ba thoroughly familiarize himself with the moves and the sword.
Late at night, a mountain wind blew fiercely, scattering tree dust everywhere!
Guo Ba seized the opportunity to unleash a rapid attack with his sword!
The tree dust was shredded even more and carried far away by the wind.
In less than an hour, there was no tree dust left on the ground!
Guo Ba seemed to be floating in a net of cold light!
At dawn, Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "Alright!"
Guo Ba unleashed another sword strike before
withdrawing his attack. He exhaled a long breath and sheathed his sword.
He glanced around and exclaimed with delight, "I succeeded!"
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "Not bad! Continue practicing tomorrow night!"
"Yes!"
The two happily returned to their residence.
After a quick wash, they ate with Pang Da.
After the meal, Guo Ba returned to his room to take elixirs and practice his internal energy cultivation.
Zhuo Dao then happily rested.
That evening, Guo Ba couldn't wait to go up the mountain again to practice his moves.
Zhuo Dao watched for another half an hour before returning home to rest with a smile.
Guo Ba, however, practiced until dawn before finally stopping.
He then went up the mountain every night to practice his moves.
That morning, a group of young men had just entered the village when a resident recognized three of them as the ones who had previously robbed children for money. The resident immediately sent his son to report to Guo Ba's residence.
Guo Ba and Pang Da immediately drew their swords and followed.
Soon, they indeed saw the group of men walk past the school and look into it. Guo Ba was furious and decided to kill these 'trash'!
He simply leaped through the air.
With a whoosh, he had already landed more than twenty feet in front of the group.
Amidst cries of "Ah!", the group of men immediately gathered and drew their swords.
They were the same thirty-six men who had previously robbed children for money. Today, they had invited fourteen more men to repeat the same method, kidnapping schoolchildren and extorting money from Guo Ba.
Unexpectedly, Guo Ba had already appeared.
Guo Ba said in a deep voice, "Are you going to kidnap children again?"
Immediately, one of them shouted, "That's right! Be sensible and hand over 500,000 taels!"
"Go ask the King of Hell for it?"
The word "go" had barely left his lips when Guo Ba drew his sword and lunged forward.
A flash of cold light, like a waterfall, rippled and clashed.
Amidst the thuds and
clangs, fifteen corpses were severed by the sharp sword.
Screams and cries of alarm mingled.
Pang Da, seeing this, was filled with both horror and delight, and immediately retreated into the distance.
Sure enough, Guo Ba swiftly pursued them.
Soon, the fifty men were dead, their bodies mangled.
Guo Ba withdrew his attack and let out a long breath.
Pang Da breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Brilliant!"
"Thank you!"
Guo Ba then summoned the workers in the distance and gave them instructions.
Soon, the workers had moved forward to load the corpses onto carts and drive away.
A large group of workers then went forward to wash the ground.
Guo Ba rewarded them with 1,000 taels of silver and immediately returned home.
Soon after, he rewarded the resident who reported the crime with three ingots of silver.
Upon returning home, Zhuo Dao chuckled and said, "Clean and efficient, wasn't it?"
"Yes! Quick and thorough, truly satisfying!"
"Hehe! Keep practicing, you'll surely experience even greater pleasure!"
"Alright! I'll thank Miss Di first!"
Pang Da, sitting nearby, nodded with a smile.
Soon, the two had left the manor with smiles on their faces.
As soon as they arrived at Di Jinlian's estate, Di Jinlian greeted them with a smile.
Soon, as they entered the hall, Guo Ba expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your help, Miss. I was able to successfully eliminate fifty robbers entirely thanks to you!"
Di Jinlian smiled and said, "You're too kind! I'm delighted to see this!"
"Thank you!"
Pang Da smiled and said, "The stronger you are, the safer everyone is!"
Di Jinlian nodded, "Indeed!"
The three then exchanged pleasantries.
Soon, Guo Ba and Pang Da had already departed.
Upon returning home, Guo Ba immediately practiced "Moonfall on Earth" with his wooden sword in the backyard. He was still excited about his successful killing spree and continued practicing.
On the afternoon of the sixth day, Bai Xingtian, the leader of the Beggars' Sect, led a thousand accomplices, while Zhou Qing, the leader of the Heroes' Gathering, led over two thousand men. They followed the returning wine-selling caravan into Xinghua Village.
Soon after, the accountant accompanied Bai Xingtian and Zhou Qing to Guo Ba's residence.
Guo Ba, upon receiving the news, immediately went out to greet them.
After a few pleasantries, they entered the main hall.
Bai Xingtian and Zhou Qing then bowed and paid their respects to Zhuo Dao.
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "Thank you both for your great help last time!"
Chief Bai smiled and said, "It's only right to serve. Master Ba's good deeds are known throughout the land; he shouldn't be persecuted by villains. Anyone with a sense of duty is willing to help in this matter!"
"Thank you! Please tell me about the current situation?"
"A hundred flowers bloom, fighting for territory; it's very chaotic!"
"The underworld gangs are fighting for territory?"
"Yes! With the collapse of Shenmu Fortress, the evil forces are leaderless!"
Zhuo Dao asked in surprise, "Where is Deng Yiyan?"
"He's dead, Shenmu Fortress has collapsed. It's said that Deng Yiyan was poisoned by a prostitute, which led to a conflict between Baima Hall and Shenmu Fortress, but Wu's Car Dealership benefited from it!"
He then briefly recounted the events.
Zhuo Dao nodded and said, "This must have been Wu Long's doing!"
"Yes! After Wu Long's son was assassinated at Gongji Mountain, he first annihilated the Ten Great Assassin Organizations to vent his anger and force out the murderer. However, Deng Yiyan orchestrated the destruction of seventy percent of Wu Long's power by underworld figures from various regions!"
Zhuo Dao exclaimed, "These two cases must have caused chaos, right?"
"Yes! At least thirty thousand people have been killed or injured!"
Pang Da thought to himself, "I never imagined that my assassination of Wu Quan would cause such a massive bloodbath!"
He then listened silently again.
Zhuo Dao nodded, saying, "An eye for an eye leads to another, and Wu Long will surely face more trouble!"
Chief Bai nodded, "Yes! He's self-aware; he's already publicly established the Wu Family Gang, which currently has over eight thousand disciples, and he's still recruiting!"
Zhuo Dao nodded, "This man is ambitious and resourceful, with considerable wealth; sooner or later he'll lead the underworld and threaten the stability of the world!"
Chief Bai nodded, "Yes! Wu's Carriage Company has already demonstrated its strength!"
"What's the current situation with the Crippled Sect?"
"After Tian Yuan led his men to extort money from Wu's last gang, the Crippled Sect has rarely intervened in Jianghu affairs; no one has been seen making any moves recently!"
Zhuo Dao asked, "Are there any particularly prominent underworld gangs?"
"No!" "
Are the various Shaolin sects still observing the situation?"
"Yes!"
"Why do people keep trespassing here?"
Chief Bai replied, "Some lone wolves gather ignorant youths to rob us because Master Ba's investments in Qingdao have driven them to take this risk!"
Zhuo Dao said in a deep voice, "Master Ba didn't invest in Qingdao. He merely resettled over 400,000 poor people, and he wants to use Qingdao's resources to help them!"
"Truly admirable. However, those who don't know the truth think they can make huge profits selling alcohol, and thus come here to take the risk!"
Zhuo Dao said in a deep voice, "They will surely regret it!"
"Yes! Brother Zhou and I are willing to do our part to protect this place!"
"Welcome! How many people can join this effort?"
"Three thousand three hundred. Our gang will add one branch here and one in Qingdao!"
"Excellent! From now on, we won't have to worry about our caravans being robbed!"
“Yes!”
Zhuo Dao said with a smile, “I’m always impatient. Since you two have arranged for so many people to participate in this work, please tell me how much you should pay each month, so that those involved can make a living!”
Chief Bai said, “Five taels per person per month will suffice!”
Zhou Qing nodded with a smile, “Yes!”
Zhuo Dao looked at Guo Ba and said, “You should pay each person ten taels of silver per month!”
Guo Ba nodded with a smile.
Zhuo Dao then said, “Let’s borrow some houses from the villagers to set up our branch headquarters and accommodations immediately.”
“Alright!”
Guo Ba went inside and took out silver notes, handing them to Chief Bai and Zhou Qing.
Soon after, he and Pang Da went out to negotiate the borrowing of houses, and the villagers readily agreed.
As the sun set, the more than three thousand people had all found places to stay.
Guo Ba then hosted a banquet at his residence for Chief Bai, Zhou Qing, and Branch Head Ye.
The next morning, six hundred people had already left with the second convoy.
The rest of the people inspected the area inside and outside the village, while Guo Ba accompanied Zhuo Dao, Chief Bai, and Zhou Qing to survey the accommodations.
Within half a day, they had selected five regions: east, west, south, north, and central.
Guo Ba then purchased the land from the landowners.
The following morning, a large number of workers began building their dwellings.
Zhuo Dao and Chief Bai headed towards Qingdao.
Upon arriving in Qingdao, they met with Ba He and Chief Gan.
After lengthy discussions, they began their operation.
The following afternoon, three Beggars' Sect disciples delivered carrier pigeons and pigeon coops from Jinan. They then built pigeon coops behind Gan Family Fort and instructed three young men from Gan Family Fort.
Starting the next day, they began training the carrier pigeons.
Seeing Chief Bai's enthusiasm, Ba He and Chief Gan gifted him three cloth shops. Chief Bai expressed his gratitude and decided to establish a branch in Qingdao.
That morning, Ba He and Zhuo Dao left by car.
Upon returning to Xinghua Village, Ba He went inside to review the accounts.
The following morning, he and Guo Ba traveled south by car.
That afternoon, upon arriving in Fengyang, Ba He met with his clansmen.
The clansmen immediately presented him with banknotes and account books.
Bahe was taken aback and said, "Last year's harvest was bountiful?"
"Yes! The number of shops has increased by 30%!
" "Thank you! You've all worked so hard!" "You're too
kind! Many buyers want to purchase property here. Are you willing to part with your property?"
Another person immediately added, "The buyers are asking very high prices; you might want to consider it!"
Bahe had brought Guo Ba here to sell his property to help with the construction of Qingdao. Hearing this, he immediately smiled and nodded, "Alright!"
The clansmen were overjoyed.
The two sides then discussed the matter carefully.
Soon, they went out to inform the buyers.
The next day, Bahe sold all the fields and shops in half a day. However, he also gave each clansman a shop as a reward for their assistance.
His only condition was that the clansmen must take good care of the Ba family ancestral hall.
This was his way of honoring his ancestors.
That afternoon, Bahe and his son had already taken away a large amount of banknotes.
Guo Ba whispered, "Father has profited quite a bit!"
Ba He smiled and said, "Not just a bit, at least double!"
"Father is truly capable!"
Ba He smiled and said, "Acting with a clear conscience will surely bring divine blessings!"
"Yes!"
"You are twenty-two years old this year, aren't you?"
"Yes!"
"What are your impressions of the two daughters of Lord Gan?"
Guo Ba immediately pictured two fair-skinned women in black.
He couldn't help but blush and said, "Why did Father bring this up?"
"Lord Gan and his wife have proposed marriage to me twice. You can decide for yourself!"
Guo Ba blushed and was speechless for a moment.
Ba He said, "Although Gan Family Fortress is proud, its people are pure of heart. The two Miss Gans are both talented in literature and martial arts, and skilled in management. They will be of great help to you in the future!" 　　Guo Ba blushed and
said, "Father, please make the decision!"
"Alright! Let the Taoist priest act as matchmaker!" Guo Ba lowered his head, blushing. 　　They acted immediately. Upon returning to Xinghua Village, they set off with Zhuo Dao the next morning for Qingdao. Ba He bought gifts and prepared red envelopes along the way. 　　When they arrived at Gan Family Fortress, the two Gan sisters immediately understood Guo Ba's intentions. 　　They shyly and happily avoided him! 　　Zhuo Dao proposed marriage to the Gan Family Fortress lord and his wife, and they immediately agreed. 　　That evening, Ba He formally presented the betrothal gifts, and Gan Family Fortress hosted a banquet. 　　During the banquet, Gan Family Fortress served wine brewed in their distillery. Guo Ba took a sip and felt a cool sensation upon entering his mouth. Once the wine entered his stomach, it had an indescribable sweetness. 　　His eyes lit up. 　　Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "This wine has a unique flavor, doesn't it?" 　　"Indeed!" 　　"Once this wine is brewed, it will be sent to the ice cellar. It is expected to be transported to Jiangnan in April. Its sweetness and thirst-quenching effect will surely cause a sensation in Jiangnan!" 　　Guo Ba nodded and said, "It's quite unique. The wine tastes rather weak!" 　　"Yes! More than twice as weak. Success or failure depends on this year!" 　　"We are wholeheartedly helping others. We will surely succeed!" 　　"Hehe! Well said! Cheers! This kind of wine is best drunk in big gulps!" 　　As he spoke, he filled a bowl with wine. 　　Seeing this, Guo Ba also filled a bowl with wine. 　　He drank it down in one gulp and swallowed it smoothly. 　　Wow! Cool and refreshing, amazing! 　　He couldn't help but nod and said, "Wonderful!" 　　"Hehe! It's still cold here now. If we drank it in the sweltering heat of Jiangnan, it would taste even better!" 　　"Indeed!" 　　The group then ate the wine and dishes while chatting happily. 　　After a long time, they finally parted ways, guests and hosts alike enjoying themselves. 　　The next morning, the two sisters from the Gan family accompanied their beloved Guo Ba on a journey from the fort. They spent the day touring Qingdao, where Guo Ba was impressed by the hard work and diligence of the villagers. 　　He repeatedly expressed his determination to succeed. 　　The following day, the two sisters even took him out to sea by boat. They saw fishermen fishing and enjoyed the beautiful seascape. The two sisters happily told him about how they sold fish to earn money. 　　Guo Ba was full of confidence and praised them repeatedly. 　　On the third day, they spent the day in the distillery, kiln, and cellar. Guo Ba repeatedly praised the construction of such a large-scale distillery and cellar. 　　After all, the distillery in Xinghua Village was more than ten times smaller than the one in Qingdao! 　　Guo Ba's horizons were also greatly broadened. 　　The next morning, the three of them happily departed from Gan Family Fort with a farewell party. 　　The two families had already decided to get married during the Mid-Autumn Festival! 　　As soon as they returned to Xinghua Village, Bahe hired people to renovate and decorate the Guo residence. 　　The good news finally spread, and the villagers and workers congratulated them. 　　Everyone was filled with joy and worked even harder! 　　At this time, the major wineries in the neighboring villages of Xinghua Village were already producing large quantities of Fenjiu and Jifen, with cellars overflowing and over six thousand horse-drawn carts transporting wine back and forth. This 　　was because Fenjiu was selling even better. 　　That morning, the Beggar Clan's leader, Bai, arrived with three capable assistants. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Bai offered to sell Qingdao wine on their behalf, and Ba He immediately agreed. 　　Furthermore, he lent the Beggar Clan three million taels of silver for investment. 　　Within an hour, Bai had thanked them and left. 　　His three assistants then went to various ports along the coast to make arrangements. 　　Bai then went to Ganjiabao to discuss selling wine. 　　The head of Ganjiabao, who was worried about a shortage of manpower, readily agreed. 　　After discussions, one hundred new ships were dispatched to various ports by the military, where they met with Beggar Clan disciples and discussed matters. 　　Money makes things easier. In early April, a hundred new ships, fully loaded with Qingdao wine, set sail south. The wine was packaged in 1-jin (500g) jars, then placed in round barrels about half a person's height with ice. 　　Each barrel contained ice and fifty jugs of wine, convenient for the people of Jiangnan to sell and enjoy. 　　The fleet sailed along the Huangpu River and Hangzhou Bay, continuing towards Fuzhou's Mawei. Thanks to calm seas and the boatmen's diligent and rotating maneuvers, everyone docked smoothly. 　　Beggars' Sect members were already waiting at the port with a large cartload of local specialties. The people unloaded the wine first, then delivered the specialties. After a settlement, the Beggars' Sect paid the remaining balance. 　　The fleet then transported the specialties back to Qingdao. 　　The Beggars' Sect members then quickly delivered the wine according to their pre-arranged sales plan. 　　The people of Jiangnan had never tasted "chilled wine" before, and upon tasting it, they all exclaimed how delicious it was! 　　Within ten days, the Beggars' Sect's wine warehouse was sold out. 　　Chilled Qingdao wine thus became an instant hit. 　　The Beggars' Gang's carrier pigeons immediately carried the good news and orders. 　　The people of Ganjiabao were overjoyed! 　　Because the specialties transported from Jiangnan were of high quality and low price, they were already selling well in Shandong and the capital, and Qingdao wine was also selling well, so Ganjiabao was making money from both ends! 　　The newly added twenty ships and one hundred large ships were used to transport wine south again. 　　During the Dragon Boat Festival, Jiangnan was scorching hot, and the second batch of Qingdao wine was out of stock! 　　Upon receiving the letter, the head of Ganjiabao immediately sent five hundred ships south to transport wine. 　　More than 400,000 poor people also received three taels of silver as Dragon Boat Festival gifts. 　　They were almost ecstatic! 　　They worked even harder. 　　The distilleries continued to brew wine day and night. 　　'When luck is on your side, even city walls can't stop it,' people from the capital and Shandong flocked to Qingdao to buy Suzhou and Hangzhou fabrics and enjoy Qingdao wine. 　　Restaurants, inns, and fabric shops were packed every day. 　　Then, people from Jiangnan seeking respite from the summer heat also took ships to Qingdao. 　　Crowds poured in, staying for about ten days at a time, so all the shops were full, and Qingdao wine was selling like hotcakes every day. Ganjiabao's daily income was astonishing. 　　In addition, at least three to four thousand people went out to sea to fish and enjoy the fish on board every day. They were willing to pay and give tips, bringing considerable income to the crew and Ganjiabao. 　　Qingdao once again regained its former prosperity. 　　The people of Ganjiabao couldn't help but admire Master Ba's vision and boldness. 　　They were busy collecting and recording debts every day! 　　In less than three months, Ganjiabao's secret room had added ten chests of silver notes! 　　Their investment of over thirty million taels had been fully recovered! Chapter Ten: Where Profit Lies, They Rush Forward

The night was still and quiet. Guo Ba was meditating in his room at the Ping An Inn, while Young Master Zhao in the next room slept soundly. Two men patrolled his room
, one at his door and the other at his window. These four men not only carried sharp swords but also kept a close watch, not daring to be careless.
Soon, Guo Ba, still in meditation, suddenly heard six whooshing sounds of clothes rustling in the air from the northeast corner, followed by a large number of whooshing sounds, indicating that many people were approaching.
He immediately stopped his meditation and hurriedly put on his boots.
He opened the door with his sword, and the two men smiled at him.
Guo Ba pointed northeast and quickly walked towards the door.
A short while later, listening behind the inner hall door, he heard one group of people already positioned outside the right front wall, while another group quickly moved towards the left front wall.
He immediately rushed out of the hall and shouted, "Come out!"
With two swift movements, a man stood on each of the walls.
A voice shouted, "Boy, who are you? Why are you getting involved in this mess?"
Guo Ba, seeing that the two men's uniforms were the same as those of the daytime men, immediately retorted, "My name is Guo Ba, from Xinghua Village! Why is your Shuanghuan Gang still so persistent?!"
"Boy, are you the son of the Wine King?"
"That's right! Back off!"
"Boy, considering the many poor people you and your father have cared for, I'll allow you to leave immediately. Otherwise, you and these people won't see the sunrise tomorrow!"
With a whoosh, a large group of men, swords in hand, rushed in.
Guo Ba shouted, "Why are you chasing me so relentlessly?"
"Enough nonsense, are you leaving or not?"
"No! Come on!"
With a whoosh, he landed more than ten feet from Young Master Zhao's window. "
Split up and advance!"
"Yes!"
Immediately, a large group of men in black rushed towards Guo Ba.
Another thirty or so men rushed towards Young Master Zhao's window.
With a series of swift movements, over fifty people leaped from nearby rooms through the windows to meet the thirty-odd men. Guo Ba, relieved, drew his sword with full power and unleashed "Sun and Moon Obliterate!" A blinding
flash of light erupted!
Amidst screams, over twenty men were cleaved in two.
The man on the wall immediately let out three long howls.
Howls echoed from the south and north.
Guo Ba roared, "Come on!"
With that, he began his massacre.
His sword, wielding its full power, unleashed a thirty-foot-long arc of cold light, indestructibly severing human bodies and weapons with lightning speed.
In an instant, over a hundred men were dead.
The two men on the wall, terrified, immediately leaped over the wall.
Guo Ba flashed forward, approaching the window to stab the men in black.
He thrust again and again, each strike aimed precisely at the heart.
After a series of screams, he had killed eleven.
However, a large group of men in purple robes rushed in.
They shouted in unison, their momentum terrifying.
Guo Ba roared "Kill!" and charged forward, unleashing his full power with "Sun and Moon Obliterate!"
The cold rainbow slashed again like lightning.
Screams erupted!
Blood spurted out!
In an instant, over 180 people were killed.
The purple-clad men were horrified; the cold rainbow had already caught up.
They gritted their teeth and hacked back. Clang!
Swords clashed.
Splatter !
Blood spurted down again!
Soon, another group of black-clad men arrived, shouting "Kill!
" A man on the wall roared, "First room on the left, attack!" The black-
clad men rushed towards the window. Guo Ba roared, "Come and die! Come on!" With 　　that roar, he had already killed over 100 people and escaped the encirclement. Immediately, over 300 black-clad men rushed towards Guo Ba.
Guo Ba roared "Kill!" and once again unleashed his full power with "Sun and Moon Obliterate!" Clang! Clang! Splatter! Blood spurted out! 　　In an instant, over 180 men in black rushed towards Guo Ba. 　　Guo Ba roared "Kill!" and unleashed his full power with "Sun 　　and Moon Obliterate!" 　　Guo Ba hacked and slashed, killing over 250 people. 　　He charged into the group of men in black and began to slaughter them relentlessly! 　　However, over 200 men in black and purple had already reached the window. 　　The sounds of killing and screams filled the air. 　　Guo Ba frantically hacked away. 　　Soon, he broke through the encirclement and began to thrust wildly. 　　Amidst shouts, three men in black entered the room. 　　Immediately, one shouted, "No one's in!" 　　Guo Ba felt relieved and continued to hack and slash. 　　He deduced that the two men outside the door had already left with Young Master Zhao. 　　He continued his rampage, killing over 400 more people. 　　However, two more groups of men roared and rushed in. 　　A man on the wall shouted, "Kill that brat!" 　　The group swiftly attacked Guo Ba. 　　Guo Ba feared they wouldn't come, so he unleashed his full power, hacking and slashing. 　　Amidst shouts of battle, over 1600 men surrounded Guo Ba. 　　Guo Ba unleashed his full power, relentlessly slashing with unparalleled skill. 　　His icy swords flashed and swept across the room, severing men and swords 　　alike. After a fierce, head-on clash that lasted only a short while, the remaining two hundred or so men had already fled, and the two men on the wall were nowhere to be seen! 　　Guo Ba breathed a sigh of relief, and immediately saw someone inside the room say, "Please!" 　　Guo Ba stepped forward and entered the room. 　　The person then quickly accompanied him away. 　　Soon after, he encountered Young Master Zhao in another room. Young Master Zhao said, "Brilliant! If it weren't for your help tonight, we would have certainly met with disaster!" 　　Guo Ba replied, "Don't worry, Young Master, I will always protect you!" 　　"Thank you! Please go and rest in the next room!" 　　"Alright!" 　　Guo Ba entered the next room and immediately began practicing his internal energy cultivation. 　　Soon after, a large number of soldiers and laborers quietly arrived and carried away all the corpses. 　　As soon as Guo Ba entered the hall after daybreak, a waiter approached him and whispered, "Young Master Guo?" 　　"Yes! What is it?" 　　"The Beggars' Sect leaders have a letter they wish to forward to you for your reference!" 　　He then handed over the letter. 　　Guo Ba immediately thanked him and rewarded him with a piece of silver.

As soon as he sat down, he immediately read the letter, which read:
"To Young Master Guo:
According to the private accounts of those who escaped last night, they are complaining that it wasn't worth it. I believe these five factions are hired to harm Young Master Zhao. I will report the information as soon as possible.
Respectfully
submitted by Wan Taiqing." Guo Ba was taken aback and wondered, "Who is Young Master Zhao? How could five factions be hired to kill him?"
After a moment's thought, he went into the room to meet Young Master Zhao and present him with the letter.
Young Master Zhao's expression changed upon seeing the letter, and he remained silent after a long while.
After a long time, he summoned a man and said in a deep voice, "Order all the government offices to protect the Emperor!"
"Yes!"
The man hurriedly left.
Young Master Zhao said solemnly, "Guo Ba, listen, I am His Highness the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace. This time, I am here on the Emperor's orders to inspect the Yunnan-Guizhou region. You will protect the Emperor throughout the entire process!"
Guo Ba immediately knelt down and agreed.
"Please rise!"
"Thank you!"
Guo Ba stood up and stood respectfully to the side.
The Crown Prince smiled and said, "Don't be too reserved. I allow you to behave as before!"
"Yes!"
the Crown Prince replied. "I have ordered all the government offices to send soldiers to accompany you. If any more villains attack, you are to kill them without mercy, because you carry the Imperial Sword!"
Guo Ba was taken aback and stared at the sword in his hand.
The Crown Prince said, "Based on the letter I just received, I have deduced that my trip has been leaked. There will surely be more enemies in the future. I hope you will be as alert as you were last night!"
"Yes!"
Soon, Guo Ba was having a meal with the Crown Prince.
This time, he didn't eat as smoothly as he had the night before.
After the meal, a hundred cavalrymen came to report.
Soon, the cavalrymen led the way, and sixty knights escorted the carriage.
Guo Ba and the Crown Prince left the city together in the same carriage.
Nothing happened along the way. Around noon, they entered a restaurant and soon saw a middle-aged beggar hurrying around in front of the restaurant. The soldiers then focused their attention on him.
Guo Ba, upon seeing the middle-aged beggar, rose and left the hall.
The beggar whispered, "Young Master Guo?"
"Yes! Any further news?" "
The leaders of the five gangs, including Shuanghuan, just gathered here. There's a risk of poisoning!"
"Ah! Really?"
The beggar handed over a silver needle, saying, "Please use this to puncture something; it will turn black when poisoned!"
"Thank you! Could you send men to secretly assist along the way?" "
The leader of the Chang gang has already dispatched three hundred experts. They will arrive before sunset!"
"Good! We will wait here!"
"I will report this immediately!"
"Thank you!"
The beggar left immediately.
Guo Ba entered the hall and whispered the news.
The prince's expression changed, and he instructed the other two.
They immediately reached for a box and pulled out the silver needle.
Soon, they had inserted the needle into the pot.
When they pulled the needle out, seeing that it hadn't changed color, they breathed a sigh of relief.
Soon, the waiters brought out the delicacies, and the two men examined each one with needles.
Although the needles were not poisoned, the prince lost his appetite as a result.
He soon ordered the prince to stay there.
The waiters busied themselves preparing rooms and bathing facilities.
The two men carefully inspected the room inside and out.
Guo Ba, however, was directly practicing his internal energy cultivation in the room next to the prince's.
He needed to prepare for battle at any moment.
At dusk, while Guo Ba was still in meditation, over three hundred Beggar Clan masters were being besieged by over three thousand people in the northern suburbs. A passerby rushed into the city to report the news.
Soon, the middle-aged beggar arrived at the inn with the news.
Guo Ba reported to the prince and immediately left.
He rushed out of the city and indeed saw a large group besieging the Beggar Clan masters. He drew his sword and roared, swinging it directly at the outer crowd.
"Dark Green Spears, attack!"
With a whoosh, a large number of hidden weapons shot towards Guo Ba.
Guo Ba swung his sword and swiftly shattered them.
He charged into the crowd and began hacking and slashing with all his might.
The cold light reflected in the sun, and blood splattered across the scene.
Amidst screams, eighty-one men were cut down.
The sight horrified those nearby.
They scattered in panic, crashing into each other.
Guo Ba immediately continued his relentless hacking.
Screams echoed incessantly.
Over three hundred men were dead in an instant!
Guo Ba continued his slaughter.
Soon, he had joined the beggars, turned, and hacked to his left, piercing the encirclement of the gangsters like a sharp awl.
The cold light flashed alongside the blood splattering.
His clothes were instantly stained red.
He turned right and continued his relentless hacking.
His profound skill allowed him to slash back and forth with deadly precision.
In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he had killed over eighteen hundred men.
The rest scattered in panic.
Guo Ba pursued them relentlessly.
The Beggar Clan experts also chased after them.
After a short while, Guo Ba rushed in and encountered twenty-one Beggar Clan masters bandaging the wounds of eighteen of their companions. Seventeen corpses of Beggar Clan members lay on the ground.
He immediately went to offer his condolences.
Then, he handed seventeen 10,000-tael silver notes to a middle-aged beggar.
He then gave another 50,000-tael silver notes to the eighteen wounded.
After a long while, they finally took the wounded and the corpses to the branch headquarters.
Guo Ba returned to the tavern and reported the results.
The Crown Prince said in a deep voice, "How could there be so many villains? Have all the evil people in the world come here to attack this palace? Whose scheme is this?"
Guo Ba remained silent.
After a long while, a middle-aged man led three men to bring in dinner.
The Crown Prince sighed and ate with Guo Ba.
After dinner, the Crown Prince, feeling troubled, went to rest.
Guo Ba then went to the next room to take elixirs and practice his internal energy.
The following morning, 260 Beggars' Sect masters rode together in a carriage. The soldiers had already withdrawn, and another 60 knights led the way. Guo Ba was still riding in the same carriage as the prince.
More than an hour later, a carrier pigeon flew to a small cage above a carriage. A beggar approached, took the pigeon, and removed the note from its leg.
It read, "Danger in Broken Soul Valley."
The beggar released the pigeon back into the cage and flew forward.
Soon, he handed the note to Guo Ba.
Guo Ba asked, "Where is Broken Soul Valley?"
"About sixty li ahead. The valley is only passable in one direction and is easy to ambush. Young master, you might as well go and scout it out first. I'm willing to lead the way!"
Guo Ba then looked at the prince.
The prince handed him his sword and said in a deep voice, "Kill without mercy!"
"Yes!"
Guo Ba and the middle-aged beggar
then flew off. The caravan proceeded slowly.
Soon, when they were three li away from Broken Soul Valley, someone in the forest used the reflection of sunlight on the blade of a sword to repeatedly flip it, sending beams of light into the distance.
The distant people quickly used the same method to send messages.
Therefore, before Guo Ba and his companion even approached the valley, a large number of people were already lying in ambush in the forest on both sides of the valley.
As Guo Ba approached, he stopped in his tracks with the middle-aged beggar.
Guo Ba then focused his energy and listened intently.
After a long while, someone in the forest finally let out a breath.
Guo Ba immediately drew his sword and roared, "Come out!"
With that, he swiftly charged forward.
A series of swift, swift
sounds rang out as hidden weapons flew towards Guo Ba. Guo Ba swung his sword, shattering them instantly.
Poisonous water and poisonous needles sprayed out.
Guo Ba spun his sword and swept them away.
As soon as he landed, he plunged into the right wing of the forest.
He furiously hacked and slashed with all his might.
Trees fell, and people fell.
The deafening roars couldn't drown out the series of screams.
Suddenly, someone shouted, "Charge him!"
"Yes!"
The crowd rushed towards Guo Ba, sword and all.
Guo Ba hacked and slashed with all his might.
He quickly cut down the nearby crowd, but the next group of people charged in, following the corpses, forcing Guo Ba to retreat.
The group then seized the opportunity to charge again.
As soon as Guo Ba saw the corpses fall to the ground, he charged forward again with all his might.
Amidst screams, over a hundred people had been cut down.
However, more people rushed in quickly.
Moreover, large numbers of people also rushed in from the left and right flanks.
Seeing this, Guo Ba had no choice but to retreat.
The three groups of people joined together and quickly surged towards Guo Ba.
Guo Ba then used his teeth to bite the scabbard and swiftly slashed out with his left palm.
With a loud crash, over sixty people screamed and retreated.
Guo Ba seized the opportunity 　　to swing his sword to the other side.
Instantly, over a hundred people died in screams. Guo Ba continued to charge and kill, alternating between palm and sword 　　. With roars, two hundred and sixty Beggar Clan masters had already launched a joint attack on the left flank. Seeing this, Guo Ba charged back and forth with even more confidence. 　　The screams were deafening. 　　Blood once again stained Guo Ba's clothes. 　　His face was even stained with blood. 　　He continued to hack and slash . 　　He slaughtered people like a vengeful ghost. 　　He continued his attack, and the remaining three hundred or so men collapsed and fled. 　　Guo Ba pursued them relentlessly. 　　The Beggars' Sect masters chased them for a short while before retreating to defend the Prince's carriage. 　　Guo Ba pursued them into the valley for a while before emerging. 　　The crowd was horrified to see him covered in blood! 　　The Prince, however, stepped forward with a towel to wipe his face and handed him a bundle, saying, "Go into the forest and change your clothes!" 　　"Thank you!" 　　Guo Ba took the bundle and went into the forest. 　　Soon, he changed into the Prince's brocade robes and boarded the carriage to accompany the Prince. 　　Thirty Beggars' Sect masters then entered the valley to clear the way and patrol. 　　Soon, the carriage and its occupants successfully exited the valley, and the thirty men boarded the carriage and followed. 　　The Crown Prince breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "It's all thanks to you!" 　　Guo Ba said, "These people are relentless!" 　　"Damn it! As soon as I return to the palace, I will definitely investigate this matter!" 　　※※ ※※ ※※ 　　Under the bright sunshine, just as the Crown Prince approached the Yunnan region, Prefect Lü of Kunming, along with five hundred experts from Lü Family Fort and six hundred cavalry, came to greet him. The Crown Prince was overjoyed. 　　After all, he had met Prefect Lü before! 　　"Welcome, Your Majesty!" 　　"No need for formalities, let's discuss this further in the yamen!" 　　"Yes, sir!" 　　Prefect Lü then led his men on horseback to clear the way, and the caravan followed with peace of mind . 　　At this time, Pang Da and Di Jinlian were hiding in the woods on the far right. Not long after the group left, they saw two men in black emerge from behind the trees and hurriedly head north. 　　Pang Da and Di Jinlian cautiously followed. 　　More than half an hour later, they saw the two men enter Ma Family Village. Fearing they would be discovered by the guards, they hid in the woods. 　　After a long while, the two finally entered the village at their leisure. 　　They hadn't gone far when they saw the two men they'd just spoken to two middle-aged men in a tavern. There were also twelve other young men dressed similarly inside the tavern. 　　Pang Da and Di Jinlian then entered another tavern. 　　They had barely finished their tea when they saw the two middle-aged men lead their group away. 　　Pang Da left a piece of silver and followed them. 　　Soon, they were about two miles behind, following the group as they swept north through the forest. 　　It turned out that Lord Lü had received a letter from the Beggars' Sect two days prior informing him that Guo Ba and a group of Beggars' Sect masters were escorting a nobleman south, and he had asked the Beggars' Sect to take note of this. 　　Therefore, they had arrived ahead of schedule. 　　Pang Da and Di Jinlian also kept a close eye on the group. 　　They followed until nightfall before finally seeing distant firelight. 　　They slowed their pace and proceeded cautiously for a long time before seeing a large group of people roasting meat by the river. Knowing something was amiss, they hid in a tree, focusing their inner energy and listening intently. 　　A little over an hour later, the six men darted through the forest to the riverbank. The others 　　immediately rose and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Chief!" The six men nodded in acknowledgment. 　　One of them said in a deep voice, "Meet at Fengxiang Ridge on the border of Yunnan and Guizhou before sunset the day after tomorrow. Anyone you encounter with a white cloth tied around their right arm is one of us. Do not kill the wrong person!" 　　"Yes!"

"This battle must succeed, failure is not an option! Go all out!"
"Yes!"
"Advance in batches, begin!"
"Yes!"
The group departed in batches.
After a long while, only six people remained by the river. One of them said, "Brother Lü, you shouldn't have taken this job. Even if it succeeds, our Six Gangs will be severely weakened!"
"Brother Xiang, I didn't know that kid Guo would appear, let alone that he would be so fierce. Since things have come to this, let's finish this matter and then share the one million taels of gold!"
"It's too much of a loss!"
"There's no turning back now!"
"Why?"
"This..."
The other four also urged him.
Lü Feng, the leader of the Shuanghuan Gang, had no choice but to say, "If you all are willing to keep this a secret, I will tell you the truth!"
"Fine!" "
The real target is His Highness the Crown Prince, whom the Emperor has designated!"
"Damn it! Lü Feng, you'll get people killed!"
The other four cursed loudly.
After a long silence, Lü Feng said, "Sorry! The employer repeatedly instructed me!"
"Damn it! Even if this matter is resolved, it won't end well!"
"Don't worry! We can hide in Qingdao!"
"Damn it! I won't mess with Gan Yuan!"
The other four also objected.
Lü Feng advised, "Let me be honest! This deal was secretly planned by high-ranking officials in the inner palace. After it's done, once they gain power, they'll definitely arrange things for us!"
"Gain power!"
"That's right! Another faction plans to succeed His Highness the Crown Prince!"
"Damn it! You've ruined us!"
"Don't say that, we'll definitely share wealth and glory in the future!"
"Damn it! I swear I'll never deal with you again!"
"Excuse me!"
"Alright! Are those recruits reliable?"
"Hehe! No problem, they only care about money!"
"Damn it! If anything goes wrong again, I'll kill you!"
"Fine! Let's go!"
"Damn it! This is terrible!"
The six then left together.
After a long silence, Pang Da and his companion finally landed on the ground. After a brief
discussion, they sped towards Kunming.
At dawn, upon entering Lü Family Fortress, they met with Fortress Master Lü.
They immediately relayed what Lü Feng had said.
Lü Huan listened and nodded repeatedly.
Soon, Lü Huan smiled and asked, "Are they sure they will meet at Phoenix Ridge before nightfall tomorrow?"
"Yes!"
"Don't worry! I will persuade the Miao people to retreat first. Thank you both for your hard work!"
Pang Da and the other man immediately left.
Lü Huan summoned two middle-aged men and gave them some instructions.
Soon, the two men had already left quickly.
They took shortcuts along mountain paths and rushed until sunset, finally discovering a large group of Miao people roasting meat in the valley. They went up to them with smiles and greeted them.
Soon, they were conversing with the Miao prince in Miao language.
A 60,000 tael silver note was also handed to the prince.
The prince chuckled and revealed the inside story!
It turned out that the leader of the Shuanghuan Gang had sent someone with 30,000 taels of gold the day before yesterday to ask the Miao King to send someone to use a poisonous curse to bite those who did not wear white cloths, and promised to give an additional 60,000 taels of gold.
After the Crown Prince finished explaining the matter, he expressed his willingness to kill those people.
The two experts from Lü Family Fortress readily agreed.
They each drank a bowl of wine, thanked him, and left.
They rushed back to the fortress that very night to report.
Before dawn, they had already reported the matter to Lü Huan.
Lü Huan smiled and said, "The Miao people didn't lie to you two. The Shuanghuan Gang sent someone to deliver the challenge to Young Master Guo yesterday afternoon. The two sides will fight to the death at Fengxiang Ridge tomorrow night at midnight!"
The two men smiled but remained silent.
"You've worked hard! Rest!"
"Yes!"
The two men bowed and left.
Lü Huan then rushed to the government office to report the news.
Upon hearing this news, the Crown Prince was both shocked and furious.
Because he too feared the Miao people's magic!
Lü Huan then pointed at Guo Ba.
Soon after, he had left happily.
Lü Huan then met with Pang Da and the other man and told them about the matter.
Pang Da exclaimed, "Master, what a brilliant plan!"
"Haha! I intend to use Gu to force Lü Feng to reveal the mastermind!"
"Excellent!"
Lü Huan gave further instructions and then left with a smile.
In the afternoon, Lü Huan sent the two men to meet with the Miao prince.
He then led three hundred experts to join Guo Ba and the Beggar Clan experts before departing.
Pang Da and his companion had already approached Fengxiang Ridge to gather information!
Not long after nightfall, Lü Feng and his six men indeed met with the remaining nearly one thousand subordinates and over four thousand underworld figures from Yunnan at Fengxiang Ridge. He then instructed everyone to tie white cloths.
Afterward, they rested on the ridge.
Before long, Lü Feng's disciples had led the Miao prince and over seventeen hundred Miao people to the ridge. As the two sides approached, the Miao prince suddenly unleashed a silver Gu.
The Miao people swiftly responded by unleashing the Gu they had raised.
Lü Feng roared, "He Min, stop them!"
Lü Feng's disciples hurriedly gave the order in Miao language.
Unexpectedly, the Miao prince swung his curved sword, cleaving him in two.
A flash of silver light, and the sword had already entered Lü Feng's right ear.
Lü Feng, terrified, frantically dug at his ear and screamed.
The swarm of gu insects shot into the bodies of the people present, swiftly biting at their hearts and blood.
Amidst screams, over 1,700 people collapsed instantly.
The Miao people chanted incantations again, urging the gu insects to shoot out of their bodies and catch up with the others.
They quickly entered the bodies through the mouth, nose, and ears, biting at their hearts and blood.
The evil spirits fled in panic.
But the gu insects pursued them even faster.
Well-trained, they could now identify people by scent; even if the evil spirits hid in trees or caves, they were still caught and their bodies were pierced and bitten at their hearts and blood. Some of the evil spirits tried to fight
with their palms and swords, but they were no match for the gu insects.
In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, five or six thousand people lay dead on the ridge.
Only Lü Feng was covered in blood, his body mangled and bleeding.
The Crown Prince's Gu poison was still tormenting him!
After a long while, a master from Lü Family Fort stepped forward and asked, "Lü Feng, who orchestrated this?"
"You! Who are you?"
"He Min, a disciple of Lü Family Fort! Speak! I'll give you a quick death!"
"Don't...think about it!"
The man immediately dislocated Lü Feng's jaw and restrained him.
Lü Feng cried out in pain!
After a long while, he mumbled, "Confess...confess..."
He Min then closed Lü Feng's jaw and asked, "Who is it?"
"Minister...of the Ministry of Personnel...Minister Qiu..."
"Really?"
"Really...really? Ah...it hurts so much!"
He Min then severed Lü Feng's heart meridian with a single palm strike.
He stood up and thanked the Miao Crown Prince.
The Miao Crown Prince gave an order and led his men to collect the Gu poison and leave.
He Min rushed back to Lü Family Fort to report the news.
Guo Ba and the others, however, went up the ridge to bury the corpses!
※※ ※※ ※※
As soon as it was light, Guo Ba entered the Kunming government office and immediately saw the Crown Prince deep in thought in the inner hall. Guo Ba couldn't help but think, "Even great figures have their troubles?"
He immediately stepped forward and bowed.
The Crown Prince nodded and said, "Everything went smoothly?"
"Yes! A total of 5,971 people were wiped out!"
"So many villains?"
"Yes!"
"Are all the villains who attacked along the way dead?"
"Yes!"
The Crown Prince sighed and said, "Today, you will accompany me to explore the countryside!"
"Yes! Reporting…you…"
Guo Ba looked around.
The Crown Prince understood and said, "There's no one else here, let's go straight!"
Guo Ba had clearly heard someone outside the hall on the left. Upon hearing the Crown Prince's words, his heart skipped a beat, and he immediately turned and swiftly moved to the left.
He immediately saw a middle-aged man standing in front of the wall, his expression changing.
Guo Ba immediately recognized the man as one of the accompanying personnel. Before he could speak, the man nodded and said, "I'm here to protect Your Majesty, so don't worry!"
Guo Ba thought, "Worry? I didn't say that! He..."
Guo Ba couldn't help but recall the Minister of Personnel mentioned by Lü Feng. He thought, "I didn't expect the palace to be so complicated. I'd better be careful. I shouldn't be too nosy!"
He smiled and nodded, then went back into the hall.
He deliberately asked, "Can the Beggars' Sect brothers leave?"
The Crown Prince nodded and said, "Pass on the gifts for me!"
As he spoke, he handed over a silver note.
Guo Ba glanced at the amount and thought, "One million in gold, quite generous!"
He smiled, bowed, and left.
Soon, he had entered the Beggars' Sect and presented the silver note.
He thanked them for a while before leaving.
Not long after, he met with the Crown Prince again and reported the news.
The Crown Prince nodded and then dined with him.
After the meal, the Crown Prince ordered, "Let's set off!"
Guo Ba then accompanied him.
Soon, the Crown Prince was walking along the street again.
Guo Ba also wanted to see how the people of Yunnan were doing, so he silently accompanied him.
Soon, someone recognized Guo Ba and rushed over, saying, "Greetings, Young Master!"
"No need for formalities! How have you been?"
"Much better! Thank you for your great kindness, Young Master!"
"You're too kind!"
"Have you seen the gold mine, Young Master?"
"A gold mine? You really found one?"
"Yes! There are quite a few gold mines in Luoyan Valley. Heaven truly has eyes! Master Luo dug in that valley for three years before giving up. You are truly blessed, Young Master!"
"Thank you! Let's start digging!"
"No! I heard that Lord Lü has already submitted a letter to his superiors requesting permission. I heard that the common people cannot dig for gold indiscriminately!"
"Right! Work hard. If you encounter any difficulties, please ask Lord Lü for help!"
"Yes! Lord Lü has already told everyone that you gave him ten million taels of gold, right?"
"Yes! The Emperor bestowed gold upon me, and I'm keeping it here for future use. Please don't be so polite!"
"Young Master is truly a kind person!"
"You're too kind! How are the people who came down from the mountain doing?"
"Very well! Their crops have sprouted, their vegetables have been harvested, and the fruits from the mountain have sold for a good price. Everyone's lives have improved considerably. Thank you, Young Master!"
"You're too kind! I'll go take a look elsewhere!"
"Respectfully seeing off, young master!"
"I dare not accept such praise!" The
prince, who had been observing quietly, silently walked away.
Soon, many more people cheered, "Young Master Guo!" and rushed over to pay their respects.
Guo Ba then returned the greeting and inquired about their recent situation.
The six men all happily replied that things had "greatly improved!"
Immediately, more than thirty people rushed over to pay their respects.
Another group of people also came running with shouts.
The crowd that had come at the sound of the commotion appeared like a tide!
Guo Ba waved to them repeatedly.
Soon, he was surrounded by the crowd.
Seeing that the prince was not displeased, he walked along, instructing everyone to continue their efforts.
After a long while, they finally left, but soon a large crowd surged in again. Seeing the joy of the crowd, Guo Ba happily walked along, inquiring about their recent situation.
Half an hour later, they saw a group of new wooden houses, and a large number of men, women, and children rushed over to pay their respects with shouts. Guo Ba happily returned the greetings and inquired about their recent situation.
Everyone answered happily.
After a long while, Guo Ba accompanied the prince into the wooden house.
Upon seeing the owner, he said, "Thank you for the house, young master!"
"You're too kind! How have you been lately?"
"Everything is fine! My income has increased, and I'm in good health!"
"Very good! Keep up the good work!"
"Yes!"
Guo Ba then visited three more houses before accompanying the prince away.
Half an hour later, as they approached the mine, eight miners dressed in black rushed towards them, saying, "Young Master Guo, thank you! Young Master Guo!"
Guo Ba smiled and asked, "How have you been?"
"Very well! Young Master, we've found gold in Luoyan Valley!"
"Thank you! Have you had any success here?"
"Yes! We've dug out quite a bit of coal!"
"Thank you! What about the other mining areas?"
"Out of ten mining areas, seven have found coal. Lord Lü has asked the others to help with the coal mining. Everyone is doing well, thank you, Young Master!"
"You've worked hard! You're covered in black!"
"It's what we should do, to earn more money!"
"Very good! Keep up the good work!"
"Thank you, Young Master!"
Guo Ba then accompanied the Crown Prince to another location.
After they had looked at two more areas of wooden houses, the prince pointed to a small eatery along the way. Guo Ba understood and went over. The shopkeeper and his wife rushed to greet him, saying, "Greetings, young master!" "
No need for formalities! How have you been?"
"Very well! Business has increased considerably, thank you, young master!"
"Very good! Prepare some food!"
"Yes! Please!"
The woman went inside and took out brand-new clothes to wipe the tables and chairs. The prince was secretly shocked and said, "The people actually support him so much, he has succeeded!"
However, he still observed silently.
Soon, the shopkeeper brought over a pot of wine and said, "Young master, please have a drink!"
"Thank you! I need to see everyone, so I can't drink!"
"Yes! Young master, you are such a kind person!"
"I don't deserve it! How are the neighbors doing
?" "Much better! Everyone has work and lives in new houses!
" "Very good! How is business in the shops in the city?"
"Much better! Because everyone has a little money, they can buy new things!"
"That makes sense! What about the children?
" "They're in school! Didn't you ask Young Master Pang to build three hundred schools in Yunnan and hire teachers to teach the children to read for free? Most of the children are already in school!"
Guo Ba understood Pang Da's intention.
He smiled and said, "Let the children learn to read more!"
"Yes! Young Master Pang also said that in fifteen years, Yunnan will surely produce a top scholar, and then you will come to celebrate with everyone!"
"Right! Good! Encourage the children!"
"Good!"
The prince's heart was filled with emotion.
He couldn't help but think, "I never imagined Guo Ba would do so much in secret. None of the court's officials have shown such talent! I cannot lose this man!"
Soon after, they quietly began their meal.
Suddenly, another couple arrived carrying sweet and sour fish and braised chicken, saying, "Please accept this, young master!"
Guo Ba smiled and said, "Thank you! You also do business here?"
"Yes! I do business across the slope!"
"Thank you! Please accept this!"
Guo Ba handed over a gold ingot.
The couple quickly turned and left.
Guo Ba summoned the shopkeeper and said, "Pay my bill. When we have more money, we'll treat everyone again!"
"Yes!"
The shopkeeper took the gold ingot and left.
Soon after, the couple returned with silver ingots and copper coins to express their gratitude.
Guo Ba smiled and said, "Work hard! You'll surely succeed!"
"Yes! Thank you, young master!"
They bowed and left.
Guo Ba then accompanied the Crown Prince for another meal.
Seeing that the Crown Prince had a good appetite, Guo Ba happily ate as well.
The shopkeepers were overjoyed to see Guo Ba patronize their establishment.
After a long while, Guo Ba finally settled his bill and left.
Soon after, a middle-aged man in brocade robes emerged from the crowd and greeted him, "Greetings, young master!"
Guo Ba returned the greeting, "No need for formalities! You are…?"
"My name is Wu Yongxing. I have something to ask you. May I ask you to come to my humble abode?"
Guo Ba then looked at the prince.
The prince nodded slightly.
Soon, the three of them boarded two carriages and sped away.
After a short while, they entered a manor. Servants busied themselves serving tea and snacks. Wu Yongxing invited Guo Ba and his companion to sit down.
"Young master! Please!"
"Please!"
Guo Ba took a sip of tea and nodded, "Pu'er? Spring tea?"
"Yes! Please!"
"Please!"
The three continued to enjoy their tea.
After a long silence, Wu Yongxing said, "Young Master's kindness extends to Yunnan and Guizhou, his merit surpasses that of the entire world!"
"I dare not! His Majesty is the greatest benefactor!"
"Of course! However, without Young Master's intervention, the court would not have acted this way!"
"No! The court governs the entire realm, treating everyone equally!"
"Young Master is benevolent; everyone knows the court has never valued the southern wilderness of Yunnan and Guizhou!"
"No! I must speak the truth. I did a little work in Yunnan and Guizhou, and His Majesty not only granted Yunnan and Guizhou permanent tax exemption, but also bestowed upon them 20 million and 30 million taels of gold respectively!"
"If Young Master hadn't intervened, Yunnan and Guizhou would still be impoverished!"
"No! I was only one step ahead of the officials!"
"Is that so?"
"Yes! Do you know the origin of this sword?"
With that, he presented the Imperial Sword.
Upon seeing the four characters 'Imperial Sword' on the scabbard, Wu Yongxing immediately knelt.
"Please rise!"
"Yes!"
Wu Yongxing's attitude changed instantly.
Taking advantage of the situation, Guo Ba lied, "I am not an official, so why would I possess this sword? This shows that the authorities have long been concerned about Yunnan and Guizhou. Please convey this message!"
"Yes! Forgive my ignorance!"
"You flatter me!"
The Crown Prince was once again agitated!
Guo Ba asked, "You seem to have something to discuss with me?"
"Yes! I humbly request that you part with some property, as I intend to acquire some!"
"What do you intend to buy?"
"Land. I guarantee I will continue to employ the current tenants and treat them well!"
"Have you mentioned this to Lord Lü?"
"No! I think we should bring this up directly with you, young master!"
Guo Ba said. "I have no intention of getting rich through these businesses, so I have entrusted them all to Lord Lü for management. I will mention this to Lord Lü!"
"Yes! Thank you, young master!"
"You flatter me!"
"Congratulations on finding the gold mine, young master!"
"You flatter me! Even if the authorities allow me to mine gold, I will definitely use all the proceeds to develop the Yunnan-Guizhou region, and if necessary, expand to Guangdong, Guangxi, and Sichuan!"
"You are truly benevolent!"
"You flatter me!"
After a short while, Guo Ba and the prince left on foot.
They visited the people, homes, and shops along the way.
As dusk fell, the Crown Prince returned to his office and summoned Prefect Lü, saying, "Properly publicize the government's policies, lest the people be unaware of or misunderstand the court's benevolence!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Gold has been discovered in Luoyan Valley!"
"Yes! Your humble servant has already submitted a memorial requesting instructions..."
"Permit to begin mining and refining immediately; all proceeds shall belong to Guo Ba!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" "I will
travel to Guizhou tomorrow; please take good care of the people!"
With that, he handed over a silver note.
"Yes, Your Majesty! Thank you for your generous gift!"
"No need for formalities!"
Prefect Lü bowed and departed.

Chapter Eleven: Birds Die for Food, a Pity Indeed

Amid cheers, the people of Guizhou surrounded Guo Ba. Guo Ba smiled and waved to everyone, but the Crown Prince's heart was heavy as he looked at these thin, dark-skinned Guizhou people.
He understood that the people of Guizhou were truly poor and suffering!
After a long while, he entered the Guiyang prefectural government office and handed over three silver notes, giving detailed instructions to Prefect Qian. Prefect Qian immediately knelt down and said, "Thank you for your imperial grace!"
"No need for formalities!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The Crown Prince
rested briefly before setting off on his inspection tour with Guo Ba.
He had been inspecting Guizhou for half a month, venturing deep into various places, but he had always avoided revealing his identity to prevent attracting attacks from underworld figures.
That morning, as he and Guo Ba left Guizhou city, he couldn't help but say, "Please take good care of the people of Guizhou for me; they are suffering terribly!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
They traveled along the route, traveling at sunrise and resting at sunset.
That morning, they arrived again at the slope where the Shuanghuan Gang had attacked them before. Sixty knights carefully patrolled the slope and the surrounding woods.
Guo Ba stood upright on the carriage shaft
, sword in hand. After a long while, the knights gathered together before setting off with peace of mind.
The carriage sped smoothly over the slope and drove away.
The Crown Prince breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Those villains have been wiped out at Luoyan Slope!"
"Yes! Your Highness, may I report something?"
"Speak freely!"
"The accuracy of this matter needs verification; it is for reference only!"
"Speak!"
Guo Ba whispered, "The leader of these villains revealed the mastermind before his death!"
The Crown Prince asked urgently, "Who?"
Guo Ba quickly transmitted his voice, "The Minister of Personnel!"
"Ah! Who?"
Guo Ba transmitted again, word by word, "The Minister of Personnel!"
The Crown Prince's expression changed drastically!
He looked towards the carriage without speaking.
Seeing this, Guo Ba remained silent.
Soon, the Crown Prince said in a deep voice, "Vice Commander Liu!"
The middle-aged knight riding on the right side of the carriage immediately replied, "Respectfully receiving Your Majesty's decree!"
"Return to the palace. Guo Ba will escort you!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
the middle-aged knight immediately commanded.
After a series of replies, the knights galloped away.
The coachman also urged the horses onward. The Crown
Prince clenched his fists, his expression deep and silent!
Guo Ba was even less able to speak!
With this order given, the carriage sped day and night, only changing drivers and horses and delivering food along the way.
Guo Ba then discovered that the round bucket inside the carriage was actually for excrement!
He knew his single sentence had stirred up a storm,
so he silently prepared for it. He predicted he would be caught in the crossfire.
That afternoon, the Crown Prince entered the palace by carriage and sped towards the imperial palace.
Soon, he and Guo Ba quickly entered the palace.
The guards along the way bowed respectfully, but the Crown Prince merely nodded in acknowledgment.
He walked quickly and silently.
Soon, upon entering the palace, he knelt and said, "Greetings, Father Emperor!"
Guo Ba knelt behind him without uttering a word.
The Emperor smiled and said, "Rise!"
"Your Majesty, please summon the Minister of Personnel immediately!"
The Emperor nodded to the eunuch.
The eunuch bowed and hurried away. The Crown
Prince said, "Your Majesty, this man is Guo Ba, who brings blessings to the people of Yunnan and Guizhou!"
The Emperor's eyes lit up and he said, "Guo Ba, raise your head!"
Guo Ba kowtowed and looked at the Emperor.
"Hehe! Such good character, beyond my expectations, very good!"
The Crown Prince said, "Your Majesty, the reports from the officials of Yunnan and Guizhou last time are all true. Guo Ba has established a separate school to provide free education and has set aside ten million taels of gold in each of the two districts to ensure the people's safety!"
"Hehe! Very good! A great philanthropist!"
"Your Majesty, on this trip, I was first attacked by nearly a thousand people in Anhui, and more than a hundred of my guards were killed. Fortunately, Guo Ba protected me in time and saved me.
Along the way, I was attacked multiple times by six major gangs, both on the way and at night. Fortunately, Guo Ba gathered
righteous men to save me. After I arrived in Kunming, six thousand villains still attempted to attack. Fortunately, Guo Ba and the Lü brothers saved me. I request Your Majesty to reward Guo Ba and the others!"
The Emperor nodded and said, "Granted! I do not know why the villains have committed these repeated attacks?"
"According to the investigations of our patriots and the dying confession of the villain's leader, this case stems from a high-ranking official in the palace hiring six major underworld gangs to try and kill me!" The
Emperor roared in fury, "Is that true?" The Crown
Prince then stepped forward and whispered in his ear, "The mastermind is the Minister of Personnel!"
The Emperor couldn't help but exclaim.
The Crown Prince whispered, "He privately opposed my appointment before Father Emperor made me emperor!"
The Emperor nodded knowingly and said in a deep voice, "Investigate secretly!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The Crown
Prince returned to his seat and helped Guo Ba up.
Soon, an old official hurriedly entered the hall and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
The Emperor calmly said, "Rise!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The Crown Prince said, "During my recent inspection tour, I discovered that many people in various places are unaware of the court's benevolent policies!"
"This humble subject will immediately issue a document ordering all government offices to improve!"
"Officials on inspection tours should be practical and thoroughly investigate the people's grievances, and are not allowed to indulge in eating, drinking, or formalities!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The Crown Prince bowed to the Emperor and said, "This son takes his leave!"
"Take good care of Guo Ba!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Guo Ba then followed the Crown Prince away.
Soon, he entered another hall, and the Crown Prince arranged for him to enter a large room.
As soon as the Crown Prince left, Guo Ba secretly looked from front to back and discovered that there was a study, a bathroom, and a small hall in the room. He couldn't help but secretly marvel!
Soon after, two palace maids brought in brand-new silk robes and ginseng tea.
As soon as they left, Guo Ba went inside to bathe.
Curious, he opened two wooden valves and saw cold and hot water flowing into the white stone pool, along with a strange smell. He quickly shut them off.
Not knowing it was a hot spring, he hastily washed himself.
Soon after, he returned to his room and found brand-new boots and socks placed before his bed, along with six plates of desserts, melon seeds, and biscuits on the table. He changed into the boots, socks, and silk robe.
Wearing such expensive undergarments for the first time, he felt a prickling sensation all over his body.
After a while, he calmed himself and began practicing his exercises on the chair.
Meanwhile, the Emperor was already instructing the commander of the guards!
At dusk, the Crown Prince and Guo Ba dined together, with two palace maids serving them wine and food. Guo Ba secretly applauded the table laden with delicacies!
Because the Crown Prince had a good appetite, Guo Ba also ate his fill.
After the meal, the Crown Prince accompanied Guo Ba for a stroll in the Imperial Garden.
A hundred flowers bloomed in vibrant colors, their fragrance soothing the soul.
Guo Ba couldn't help but exclaim, "So beautiful!"
The Crown Prince smiled and accompanied him on a walk.
After a long while, the two returned to the palace to rest.
※※ ※※ ※※
Seven days later, Guo Ba was practicing his skills in his room when the Crown Prince suddenly knocked on the door.
As soon as Guo Ba came out, the Crown Prince whispered, "The Minister of Personnel has confessed to his crimes. Let's go!"
"Yes!"
The two left together.
Soon after, as soon as they entered the palace, they saw twelve people kneeling on the floor, and the Emperor's face was full of anger. The Crown Prince led Guo Ba into the palace and knelt down to pay his respects.
The Emperor nodded and said, "Rise!" The Crown
Prince then led Guo Ba to stand aside.
The Crown Prince was surprised to see the Empress of the Western Palace and his two younger brothers also kneeling. He sighed inwardly and immediately stepped forward and knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, no one is perfect. Please forgive us!"
The Emperor shouted, "Did you hear me? Humph!"
The Empress of the Western Palace immediately cried and begged repeatedly!
Suddenly, an announcement was made: "The Empress Dowager has arrived!" The Emperor frowned and said, "Rise!"
The kneeling officials immediately thanked him and rose.
Sure enough, a young woman in palace attire helped the Empress Dowager into the hall.
The Emperor went forward to greet her. The Empress
Dowager said in a trembling voice, "Does Your Majesty truly intend to execute the Empress Dowager?"
"Please, Mother, do not concern yourself with this matter!"
"Your Majesty, since the founding of our dynasty, no Empress has ever been executed! The Empress Dowager was momentarily confused; Your Majesty should show leniency and not let me regret it!"
"Very well! Please rest in peace, Mother!"
As he spoke, the Emperor glanced at the young woman.
The young woman then bowed and helped the Empress Dowager turn and leave.
As soon as the Emperor returned to his seat, the Empress Dowager and her retinue knelt down again.
The Emperor said in a deep voice, "The Empress Dowager plotted to usurp the throne; she is immediately stripped of her official rank. Her three sons and three daughters are to be executed along with her. The remaining officials are to be beheaded immediately, and her entire family is to be exterminated. There must be no error!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The Empress Dowager and her two daughters kowtowed and left.
The guards escorted the nine officials away and beheaded them in front of the palace.
Then, their relatives in the palace were all beheaded as well. The official
document announcing the execution of nine generations of their families was immediately sent out of the palace.
The Emperor calmly left the palace!
The Crown Prince, accompanied by Guo Ba, returned to the palace and immediately expressed his gratitude: "Thank you!"
"You flatter me! I never expected so many people to be beheaded!"
"It was only right! Otherwise, who knows how much more trouble they would cause in the future!"
"Yes!"
"This case is settled; you may leave the palace tomorrow!"
"Yes!"
The Crown Prince handed over the sword, saying, "This sword is for you to use. Kill any criminals or villains you encounter without mercy!"
"This… I'm worried I might lose it!"
"No problem! If that happens, inform me immediately; you are not at fault!"
"Yes!"
Guo Ba accepted the sword with peace of mind.
The Crown Prince then handed over a red envelope, saying, "Take good care of the people in dire need!"
"Yes!"
The Crown Prince encouraged him for a while longer before finally leaving.
Guo Ba opened the red envelope and immediately saw three ten-million-tael gold notes inside. He carefully put them into his bundle, then took the elixir and focused on his cultivation.
Early the next morning, he was escorted out of the palace by the Crown Prince.
He glanced at the distant mountains and headed straight there.
Half an hour later, he was swiftly traversing the mountains.
In less than an hour, he had crossed the Taihang Mountains and entered Shanxi Province. He soon arrived at Xinghua Village and saw the villagers!
They all greeted him warmly.
He cheerfully greeted them along the way before entering the Guo residence.
He immediately saw Ba He and Zhuo Dao each carrying an infant, Gan Xin also carrying an infant, and Gan Yu sitting with a smile. Upon seeing Guo Ba, they couldn't help but happily come out from the hall to greet him.
Guo Ba happily stepped forward and took his beloved daughter.
The two women then happily took his sword and bag and accompanied him into the hall.
Ba He was overjoyed to see his son in a silk robe, looking even more handsome!
Guo Ba then entered the hall and bowed to everyone.
Zhuo Dao smiled and asked, "Was the Forbidden Palace fun?"
Guo Ba laughed, "A golden nest or a silver nest can't compare to a doghouse, but the inner palace is truly luxurious and beautiful, and it gives one a sense of grandeur!"
Zhuo Dao smiled and asked, "What exactly happened in the inner palace? Otherwise, why would the Shuanghuan Gang and the other six gangs mobilize nearly 20,000 men to chase us all the way to Kunming?"
Guo Ba whispered, "A power grab!"
"Just as I expected, you weren't involved, were you?"
"Yes! And I was caught in the eye of the storm!"
He then briefly recounted the case and the Emperor's massacre.
Zhuo Dao nodded and said, "This situation will surely teach the inner palace a lesson, that's right!"
"Yes! The Emperor ordered me to use this street-side sword to kill corrupt officials and eliminate evil!"
"Hmm! Let me see this sword!"
Gan Yu stepped forward and took her son back. As soon as
Zhuo Dao took the sword, he immediately drew it. A
flash of cold light appeared, and Zhuo Dao couldn't help but squint and say, "Ah! A genius!"
As he spoke, he stared intently at it.
Guo Ba asked, "Is this the Mogan Sword, the number one sword of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods?"
"Yes! I never imagined it would be in the inner palace!"
"Its power surpasses that of the Longyuan Sword by a considerable margin!"
"Of course! What a fine sword!"
He couldn't help but gently stroke the blade.
After a long while, he finally sheathed the sword, saying, "Keep it safe!"
"Good! His Majesty will bestow another thirty million taels of gold!"
Saying this, he handed over a red envelope.
Zhuo Dao smiled and said to Ba He, "Please keep it safe, sir!"
Ba He laughed, "I'm already overflowing with gold!"
Saying this, he accepted the red envelope.
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "You haven't seen a gold mine before, have you?"
"Yes! The Crown Prince has approved gold mining!"
Ba He smiled and got up to take a gold bar from the cabinet. Guo Ba exclaimed happily, "Is this the gold bar refined in Kunming?"
"That's right! Lord Lü sent someone to deliver a box of gold bars for us as a souvenir!"
"Very meaningful!"
"Lord Lü stored the gold bars in a secret room in the fortress for future use!"
"That's great!"
"However, he returned the ten million taels of silver notes you left behind last time!"
"Father, keep them for future use!"
Ba He smiled and said, "Alright! By the way, the three million taels that Chief Bai borrowed last time have been returned!"
Guo Ba smiled and said, "The Beggars' Gang has finally risen to prominence!"
"Yes! Qingdao wine has made them quite a bit of money!"
"They should make that money! They're very enthusiastic!"
"Yes!"
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "Master! Let's talk about that happy event!"
Guo Ba was taken aback!
Ba He then smiled and looked at the two women.
The Gan sisters nodded with smiles.
Ba He smiled and said, "The heads of the two great families, Yuwen and Nangong, wish to choose you as their son-in-law!"
Guo Ba exclaimed and looked at the two women.
Gan Xin smiled and said, "Father is the matchmaker?"
Gan Yu smiled and said, "These two sisters are both talented in literature and martial arts, they are good helpers!"
Guo Ba was stunned and said, "How could they make this decision? It's too unfair!"
Zhuo Dao smiled and said, "You have a discerning eye for talent!"
"This... Father... is it appropriate?"
Ba He smiled and said, "Appropriate! Many hands make light work!"
As he spoke, he couldn't help but laugh heartily!
Immediately, his eldest grandson in his arms burst into tears.
Gan Xin quickly stepped forward, took her beloved son, and gently comforted him.
Ba He said, "You should agree to this matter!"
"Yes!"
"Very good! We will visit them tomorrow!"
"Yes!"
Soon, Guo Ba and the two women returned to their room.
The two women put the child on the bed and couldn't help but hug Guo Ba. Guo Ba hugged the two women back and said, "Do you really agree to this? Isn't it a bit inappropriate?"
Gan Xin smiled and said, "The Guo family and the Ba family are not many people; we should add some!"
Gan Yu laughed and said, "Daoist, someone should also carry on the Zhuo family's lineage!"
Guo Ba said, "Alright! Since you agree, I have nothing to say!"
Gan Xin said, "Father forgot something just now. Xiao Pang is going to marry Lady Yu Fang, the daughter of Lord Lü. He has been waiting for you to leave the palace before he will host a banquet!"
Guo Ba was stunned and said, "How could this be?"
"Lord Gan loves talent. As soon as Lian Mei proposed marriage, he agreed!"
"Jin Lian proposed marriage?"
"Yes! It's quite rare for the eldest branch of the family to propose marriage!"
"This... I must ask Xiao Pang!"
"Never mind! Their marriage is between people from another world!"
Guo Ba nodded and said, "Yes! Xiao Pang has established three hundred schools in Yunnan in my name, providing free education for children. He is a kind person!"
"We should learn from the virtuous!"
"Very good!"
They chatted for a long time before Guo Ba returned to his room to bathe.
That evening, they celebrated their reunion with a sumptuous feast.
Shortly after dinner, the baby cried, and the two women began to nurse.
Guo Ba glanced around and saw that Gan Yu was holding each of her children, one in each hand, and immediately went to take the daughter, saying, "Thank you for your hard work! Shall we find a wet nurse?"
"No! The women here are not in good health!" " Thank you
for your hard work!" "Don't
worry! We've been taking supplements!"
"Thank you!"
Guo Ba couldn't help but put his arm around her and pull her into his embrace.
Gan Yu nestled contentedly into her husband's arms!
All the hardships of these past few days had completely disappeared!
After a long while, as soon as the two babies fell asleep, Guo Ba couldn't help but kiss and embrace her.
She excitedly held him tightly.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the two caressed each other to their hearts' content.
Soon, their clothes were completely discarded.
Guo Ba gently stroked her body and said, "So beautiful!"
"You've gained weight!"
"Not at all! You're even more well-proportioned!"
Gan Yu smiled slightly and stood facing the brocade couch.
She leaned her upper body against the edge of the couch, her
snow-white and round buttocks immediately rising up.
Guo Ba pressed his hips against hers, his little brother sliding in smoothly.
Both of them had been 'confined' for over a year, and now they couldn't resist the urge to thrust!
Guo Ba thrust repeatedly.
Gan Yu twisted and turned repeatedly!
The crisp sounds immediately broke the silence.
Gan Xin smiled upon hearing this!
She couldn't help but recall the blissful pleasure of last year.
Guo Ba and Gan Yu played around with 'fire from across the mountain' for a while, then Gan Yu suddenly twisted her hips, releasing his little brother, and immediately turned to embrace and kiss her beloved husband.
She leaped upwards, hooking her legs around his waist.
She thrust upwards again, and his little brother was swallowed whole once more.
She thrust repeatedly!
Guo Ba opened his stance and began thrusting rapidly, his hips clasped together!
The sounds of their lovemaking filled the air!
"Brother, let's go!"
Guo Ba said, thrusting as he walked.
"Good brother!"
she cried, her thrusts echoing with pleasure!
"How did you come up with such a clever trick?"
Gan Yu blushed and whispered in her ear, "My sister and I invented it ourselves. It avoids waking the children, but you might find it a bit tiring, right?" "
No!"
he said, already thrusting repeatedly!
"Oh! Good brother!"
The two then played happily for a long time!
After a while, she felt sore all over.
She could no longer hold on!
Guo Ba put her on a chair and thrust repeatedly!
She moaned and groaned in pleasure.
She talked nonsense with satisfaction.
Guo Ba continued to ejaculate for a long time before finally releasing his sweet spring.
"Good brother!"
"Good sister!"
The two cuddled tenderly for a long time!
After a long while, the two cleaned themselves.
Soon, the two were satisfied and fell asleep in each other's arms.
Early the next morning, Gan Yu shaved Guo Ba's head and dressed him up.
More than an hour later, Guo Ba and Ba He left by car.
In less than half an hour, they entered the Nangong family residence. Nangong Zong and his wife greeted them with smiles and engaged in pleasant conversation, while Nangong Ying secretly eavesdropped from her room, blushing with delight.
Soon after, Ba He indeed arranged the marriage with Nangong Zong and his wife.
Guo Ba immediately bowed and expressed his gratitude.
Nangong Ying's beautiful face was beaming with smiles!
Soon, she was summoned to the hall and shyly bowed to Ba He.
Ba He happily presented her with a pearl necklace.
That afternoon, Ba He and his son stayed at the Nangong family residence.
A little over an hour later, the two sides agreed on an auspicious date, and Ba He and his son departed by carriage.
Around noon, they were welcomed into the Yuwen family residence.
Soon, Yuwen Ting and his wife, along with their two sons and one daughter, were there, enjoying a pleasant conversation with Ba He and his son.
Before long, the two sides finalized the marriage agreement and the auspicious date.
Guo Ba and Yuwen Mei bowed to Ba He and Yuwen Ting and his wife, and Ba He, with a smile, presented Yuwen Mei with a necklace as a gift.
After a long conversation, Guo Ba and his son departed.
At dusk, they returned to the Guo residence.
Their mission accomplished, they celebrated with food and wine that night.
After dinner, Guo Ba accompanied his two wives, each carrying a baby, for a walk in the garden.
After a long while, the three returned to their rooms.
Gan Xin took the baby to Gan Yu's room and then went to her room to bathe with Guo Ba.
After bathing, the two, naked, went to bed and embraced.
Soon, they began their lovemaking.
Excitement and passion fueled their passion. They
thrust freely, their rhythms rising and falling.
After a long while, Gan Xin moaned softly.
Guo Ba thrust briefly again before giving her his gift of love.
They then lingered tenderly.
After a long while, she put on her robe and went to her younger sister's room to retrieve her son.
She placed the baby down and then returned to Guo Ba's arms.
Soon, the two fell asleep peacefully.
The following morning, a Beggars' Sect disciple delivered a letter. Guo Ba opened it and exclaimed with delight, "Little Pang has invited us to his wedding banquet with Jinlian and Yufang!"
Guo Ba smiled and asked, "When?"
"The end of the month, eighteen days from now!"
"Go ahead!"
Gan Xin smiled and said, "Father, could you invite my two sisters to come along?"
"Sure! It won't interfere with your plans!"
"Thank you, Father!"
Soon after, Guo Ba went to the invitation from the two powerful families.
The following morning, Guo Ba, along with his four wives and children, departed by carriage. Along the way, he shared a carriage with each of the four women, while Yuwen Mei and her sister helped Gan Xin and her sister care for the baby.
After nightfall, Guo Ba took turns enjoying himself with Gan Xin and Gan Yu at the inn.
They booked the entire superior room and indulged in unrestrained pleasure.
Yuwen Mei and Nangong Ying listened for six nights in a row, their minds filled with fantasies.
The satisfied moans of the Gan Xin sisters every night had stirred their hearts!
They were both beautiful and talented, and the two powerful families were not only full of skilled martial artists but also incredibly wealthy. However, because of their exceptional qualities, they had been unable to find a husband for a long time.
The heads of the two families had considered a marriage alliance, but the two women had no such intention.
Upon seeing Guo Ba, they were immediately captivated. This
was because Guo Ba's character, reputation, martial arts skills, and wealth were all unparalleled in the world.
Therefore, they were willing to become his concubines and stay with him.
The heads of the two families were also satisfied with this arrangement, and thus the agreement was reached.
That night, as Yuwen Mei and her companion were preparing to listen to the 'live broadcast' again, Guo Ba followed Yuwen Mei into her room, making her both shy and excited with nervousness.
Guo Ba asked with a smile, "How are the Fenjiu sales?"
"Stable, a net profit of two to three hundred thousand per month!"
"Excellent! How are the workers?"
"Outstanding! They are both content and hardworking!"
"Indeed, only the poor truly appreciate what they have!"
"Yes! Father's method of resettling the poor was both beneficial to others and to himself—brilliant!"
"Thank you! Is the monthly net profit enough to cover expenses?"
Yuwen Mei nodded and said, "Enough, all the experts in the sect are very satisfied!"
"That's great! Is the Nangong family the same?"
"Yes!"
"That's great! I was worried you would suffer losses!"
"Don't worry! We'll evaluate it first before investing!"
"Brilliant! I don't understand this!"
"Sincerity conquers all; your single thought of helping others is enough to ensure success!"
"Thank you! My father and I truly only know how to help others without considering profit or loss, because we cherish and are content. We hope everyone can live and work in peace and contentment!"
"I admire you!" "
I dare not accept such praise. After witnessing the development of Yunnan and Guizhou, I am even more determined to help others, because there are too many people in the world suffering from poverty and disease!"
"Indeed, but we can't rush things. Rome wasn't built in a day!"
"I understand. Yunnan and Guizhou have stabilized; they are like seeds sprouting!"
"Yes!"
Guo Ba gently took her hand and stood up with a smile.
She trembled as if electrocuted and lowered her head to stand up.
Guo Ba lifted her chin with his fingertips, and she blushed and closed her eyes.
He then gently kissed her cherry lips.
A kiss, another kiss, and yet another!
He kissed her deeply.
Her arms, hanging down, quietly wrapped around his strong back.
They kissed passionately.
After a long while, her breath caught in her throat.
He released her lips and gently kissed her cheek.
Her heart was instantly opened by the kiss.
She let him kiss her downwards and strip her naked.
The fragrance of her virginity wafted from her naked body.
He couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
He smiled and lifted her onto his back.
He quickly stripped himself naked.
Soon, as soon as he was on the bed, she had already parted her pink legs.
Guo Ba, however, kissed her body slowly and gently.
Yuwen Mei's excited spring tide surged.
As soon as Guo Ba mounted her, his little brother gently knocked on the gate.
The slender thing plunged in.
Slight swelling and tingling sensations intertwined.
He gently pioneered.
His hands lingered on her breasts.
In less than half an hour, she was already passionately responding.
He thrust forward with renewed vigor.
She responded even more passionately.
The sounds of their passion erupted!
Their desire surged!
The two made a great deal of noise.
The Gan sisters listened with smiles, remaining silent.
Nangong Ying listened with a mixture of tension and anticipation!
After a long while, Yuwen Mei let out a soft moan.
Excessive pleasure made her tremble.
Guo Ba had been thrusting for a while before finally releasing his nectar.
She moaned with satisfaction!
Guo Ba had completely conquered her!
The next morning, Guo Ba rode with her in his carriage.
She nestled shyly and happily in his arms.
That evening, Guo Ba followed Nangong Ying into the room amidst her anticipation. She sat down with him, blushing with delight. Guo Ba smiled and said, "I heard you're quite good at accounting, is that right?"
"I wouldn't dare! I've been in charge of the accounts since I was twelve!"
"That's wonderful! Father has always worried about having too many banknotes. Do you have a good solution?"
"Establish a bank, where people can borrow money. It benefits both parties!"
"I don't quite understand!"
"Have you seen pawnshops?"
"Yes!"
"Pawnshops accept pawned goods and lend money. Both parties agree on a repayment date, and during the repayment period, the borrower must contribute a certain amount to support the lender!"
Guo Ba nodded, "That's quite fair!"
"A bank lends money to others in the same way!"
"I see! That's quite feasible!"
"Yes! The manor where Miss Di used to live is most suitable for running a bank!"
"That makes sense! It's located in the center of the village and quite spacious!"
"Yes! Currently, there is development potential everywhere, but most people are limited by financial resources and cannot expand their businesses. The establishment of a bank will definitely help them!"
"Aren't there bank shops elsewhere?"
"Yes! There are two types of banks: official and private. Official banks are difficult to lend money to, while private banks can't lend much, but the interest rates are too high!"
"Interest rates?" "
The amount the borrower subsidizes the lender is called interest. The official interest rate is 10% per year, while private rates are between 10% and 21%!"
Guo Ba asked, "10%? Does that mean if you borrow 10,000 taels, you have to pay 1,000 taels in interest every year?"
"Yes! With current operating profits of about 30%, merchants who borrow money to expand their businesses will definitely make a profit, and the risk of setting up a bank is relatively reduced!"
"That makes sense! How many people do you need?"
"No more than ten people will do, but you must find capable and honest people!"
"That's quite important!"
"I have some knowledge of bank management methods, I can train those people!"
"Great!"
The two then discussed business.
Half an hour later, the conversation paused, and Guo Ba embraced and kissed her.
She was already prepared, so she kissed him passionately.
Their hearts pounded with excitement.
Two sets of clothes were quickly stripped off!
The two then climbed onto the bed and continued their passionate kiss.
Soon, their lower bodies met in a kiss.
Bloodstains appeared, and she had already embarked on the path of life.
Under Guo Ba's guidance, she joyfully entered paradise.
In her satisfaction, she moaned and let him do as he pleased.
Guo Ba enjoyed himself for a long time before finally ejaculating.
The two embraced and kissed contentedly.
After a long while, they finally drifted off to sleep.
Thus, Guo Ba had enjoyed himself among four beautiful women.
That morning, as the carriage approached the long slope, Guo Ba instinctively looked around and told Gan Xin about his previous rescue of the prince and the massacre of the Shuanghuan Gang there.
Soon, the carriage rushed over the top of the slope, and Guo Ba's expression changed drastically.
Because he saw a large group of people standing on the official road in the distance below the slope, and these people were missing hands, legs, or eyes.
Each of them held a sharp sword,
and each sword was already drawn.
He immediately heard Yuwen Mei, sitting in the first carriage, shout, "Be careful! The Broken Sect!"
Guo Ba had no idea about this sect and was startled!
Gan Xin exclaimed in alarm, "Brother, be careful! The people of the Broken Sect all have strange moves and are extremely unusual in temperament. If they attack, you must finish them off quickly!"
"Alright!"
Guo Ba drew his imperial sword and leaned against a pillar, watching the distance.
Soon, three carriages rushed down the slope and stopped by the roadside.
Guo Ba also swiftly leaped down to a point about six zhang ahead of the group. In
a single leap, Guo Ba covered more than fifty zhang, and the group immediately felt a chill.
Guo Ba said in a deep voice, "I am Guo Ba from Xinghua Village. What brings you here?"
"My name is Tian Yuan, the leader of the Crippled Sect. You and your son have made a fortune selling wine. Everyone who sees it gets a share. You must offer me five million taels of gold, and then the world will be at peace!"
Guo Ba said in a deep voice, "No! You both possess martial arts skills!"
"You and your son are willing to help the poor, yet you refuse this?" "
That's right!"
"You've made up your mind?"
"That's right!"
"Good! I've heard you have some skill. Attack!"
Immediately, a man missing his right arm and a man missing his left arm rushed forward together. With two swift movements, they each unleashed eight sword flowers, aiming at Guo Ba's vital points.
Guo Ba then unleashed his full power with 'Sun and Moon Without Light'!
A cold rainbow flashed, and with a sudden sound, both swords were severed.
The two men were terrified and tried to turn over, but they had already been cut down.
Blood splattered, and the members of the Crippled Sect were horrified!
Gan Xin and the four women, however, were overjoyed.
Guo Ba said, "Let's go! Life is precious!"
Tian Yuan shouted, "Five Elements, move up! Six Harmonies, await orders!"
"Yes, sir!"
Five people rushed forward together.
Before they could get close, Guo Ba unleashed
a series of powerful strikes, 'Sun and Moon Obliterate the Light'! Figures darted about, followed by a series of clanging sounds.
With cries of pain, the five were cut down again.
The other six rushed over before they could even set up the Six Harmonies Formation.
Tian Yuan shouted, "Seven Stars, prepare! Eight Trigrams, await orders!"
"Yes, sir!"
Figures flashed across the scene.
Guo Ba continued to unleash his full power with 'Sun and Moon Obliterate the Light'!
Soon, he had saved six more people.
However, the other seven quickly attacked and defended with the 'Seven Stars Sword Formation'. Guo Ba struck three times but couldn't injure a single person. He immediately realized something was wrong!
So, he swiftly slashed with his left palm and thrust out the final move of the 'Chasing Clouds Sword Technique,' 'Five Thunders Shaking the Sea,' and a cold rainbow shot out rapidly for more than ten feet.
With a thud, a middle-aged man with a missing eye was pierced through the heart by a cold, rainbow-colored arrow.
He screamed and rolled more than three zhang away.
The other six were terrified, and their formation immediately fell apart.
Guo Ba seized the opportunity and unleashed his full power with 'Sun and Moon Without Light'!
With a
resounding crash, six screams rang out. With a series of thuds, twelve pieces of corpses fell to the ground.
Breaking the formation and killing people was done in one swift motion!
The other eight were terrified as Guo Ba had already unleashed 'Sun and Moon Without Light'.
The eight instinctively retreated.
Tian Yuan roared, "Go! Six Harmonies, Seven Stars, Eight Trigrams, all stand by!"
"Yes, sir!" With a shout, twenty-one men rushed forward with their swords drawn.
Amid screams, four men were already cut into eight pieces.
The other four retreated in panic, disrupting the six men who were trying to set up the Six Harmonies formation. Guo Ba seized the opportunity to unleash 'Sun and Moon Without Light', and the screams quickly ceased.
Blood gushed out.
Pieces of flesh fell everywhere.
In the chaos and panic, the Seven Stars and Eight Trigrams formations could not be set up at all.
Tian Yuan roared in fury.
The group panicked and became even more disorganized.
Guo Ba was used to wreaking havoc in the chaos, so he seized the opportunity to unleash a series of powerful strikes with 'Sun and Moon Obliterate,' his icy swords expanding into countless sharp nets.
Swords severed bodies, and
blood spurted out with screams.
The group was quickly sent to their doom.
However, three men immediately attacked the Three Talents Formation with their swords.
Guo Ba's fierce attacks quickly felled them.
Immediately, seven more men attacked Guo Ba with the Seven Stars Sword Formation.
Guo Ba immediately countered with 'Five Thunderclap Sea' and focused his palm strikes on one direction, soon killing another man, and the Seven Stars Sword Formation began to crumble.
Guo Ba seized the opportunity to unleash another powerful strike with 'Sun and Moon Obliterate'!
The other six men died amidst screams!
Immediately, eight men attacked with the Eight Trigrams Sword Formation.
Guo Ba unleashed another series of 'Sun and Moon Obliterate' strikes!
The clash of sword energy, the tripping over corpses on the ground, and the splatter of blood—three of the eight men only had one leg—quickly disrupted the Eight Trigrams Sword Formation.
Guo Ba seized the opportunity to launch another full-scale attack, sending them to their deaths.
Immediately, another eight men charged forward.
However, eight others, swords drawn , lunged at the four women.
Guo Ba, filled with panic and fear, hacked and slashed with all his might.
Yuwen Mei shouted, "Tian Yuan, you've deviated from your usual style!"
"Heh heh! It's all because Guo Ba is too strong!"
With a shout, a large number of darts shot towards the eight men from the surrounding forest.
Then, a large number of people emerged from the forest on both sides.
Yuwen Mei exclaimed happily, "Uncle Jing, thank you!"
Nangong Ying also exclaimed happily, "Uncle Cai, thank you!"
It turned out that the people who appeared were none other than the Yuwen and Nangong allied forces!
The eight crippled sect experts hurriedly swept away the darts and landed on the ground.
Tian Yuan said in a deep voice, "Retreat!"
The eight men immediately turned and retreated to their original positions.
The other seven men, before they could even retreat, were killed by Guo Ba.
Guo Ba withdrew his attack and said, "Tian Yuan, come on!"
Tian Yuan said in a deep voice, "If I give the order to fight all-out, at least two hundred people will die
with me!" Guo Ba shouted, "You dare not fight me?"
"Stop trying to provoke me, I admit defeat, let's go!"
With a whoosh, he had already darted
into the forest. The remaining seven hundred or so people quickly followed.
Soon, they had disappeared into the distance.
Guo Ba stepped forward to express his gratitude.
Immediately, a middle-aged man said, "Five days ago, the Beggars' Sect sent a letter informing us that the Broken Sect was heading south. We judged that they intended to commit crimes, but fortunately, we managed to avert this crisis!"
Guo Ba nodded and said, "Thank you!"
"After this, the Broken Sect will certainly not commit crimes again!"
"Thank you!"
The group then went forward to carry the corpse into the forest for burial and to clean the ground.
Soon, they headed north together.
Guo Ba then happily went south with his four wives.
The stench of blood in the air was so thick that it seemed impossible to dissipate!

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