Chapter 160: Support

160. Chapter 160 Support

The Blood Crow True Immortal died, and this news caused a huge shock throughout Character: Liyang Zhenren City.

It was even more severe than the downfall of the Song Family.

Because the Blood Crow True Immortal had joined almost at the founding of Character: Liyang Zhenren City and had a decent relationship with the Character: Liyang True Immortal, he had existed longer than the Song Family.

Moreover, he was a genuine Golden Core True Immortal.

In recent years, many of the Ten Great Families in Character: Liyang Zhenren City have changed, but this was the first time a Golden Core True Immortal had been killed!

Of course, the fact that the Character: Liyang True Immortal had broken through to the mid Golden Core stage was not yet a public secret, and few knew of it.

Otherwise the ensuing turmoil would have been even greater!

As for why the Blood Crow True Immortal was killed and who did it, various rumors have been rampant, and many versions circulate among the public.

Some guessed the correct answer, for example that the matter involved Xiao Zhangqing and originated when the Blood Crow True Immortal's reckless nephew He Yuan offended Xiao Zhangqing…

But more people still think the matter had nothing to do with Xiao Zhangqing.

The reason is simple: even though Xiao Zhangqing is a Foundation Establishment Realm prodigy with a great chance of achieving Golden Core later, his influence in Character: Liyang Zhenren City is still too small to move against the Song Family and the Blood Crow True Immortal.

Most importantly, Xiao Zhangqing could not possibly slay a Golden Core True Immortal.

Thus most people believe it was the Character: Liyang True Immortal himself who acted, striking down the Blood Crow True Immortal.

As for the motive, it is mostly linked to the Character: Liyang Guard's announcement of the Song Family colluding with the Puppet Evil Lord.

The Song Family and the Blood Crow True Immortal were allies, wearing the same pants; if the Song Family committed such misdeeds, the Blood Crow True Immortal could not have been unaware.

Moreover, the Blood Crow True Immortal has never had a good reputation.

Originally, the Blood Crow True Immortal joined Character: Liyang Zhenren City not because of a close relationship with the Character: Liyang True Immortal or a desire to help build the city, but because he had many enemies; although not a marauding cultivator, his situation was still far from ideal.

Later he even provoked a mid Golden Core True Immortal, who placed a bounty on his head.

He sought to become a disciple of the Character: Liyang True Immortal, and at that time the Character: Liyang True Immortal was establishing a city and needed help; recalling their past friendship, he intervened to mediate for him.

After settling in Character: Liyang Zhenren City, with the Character: Liyang True Immortal suppressing things from above, the Blood Crow True Immortal behaved much more by the rules, unlike his earlier reckless conduct; the shady deeds he did in secret were no longer a secret among the city's upper echelons.

For example.

Back then, the blood‑sweeping of the Zhu Youlong sect was just one of his misdeeds.

Therefore, although the death of the Blood Crow True Immortal shocked the grassroots cultivators, none felt compelled to avenge him; many even clapped in secret with satisfaction.

As for the senior cultivators within the Immortal City, they cared even more about the plunder of profits.

The removal of a villain from the Cultivation World is indeed cause for celebration, but one's own interests are paramount!

The Song Family and the Blood Crow True Immortal had previously controlled the vast majority of business across several industry chains in Character: Liyang Zhenren City; the profits would be a terrifying figure, enough to make even Golden Core cultivators envious.

Now that the Song Family has been expelled and the Blood Crow True Immortal has fallen, those industries are left vacant.

Who will take over?

Among the Ten Great Families, the other nine will certainly scramble for the majority! How they seize and divide it will naturally depend on whose strength is greater and whose backing is stronger! Moreover, Character: Liyang Zhenren City has had ten families for over a hundred years; after the Song Family's removal, which family can fill the gap?

Beyond the Ten Great Families, the number of Foundation Establishment families in Character: Liyang Zhenren City is unknown, certainly more than a three‑digit count! Among the candidates, several families are qualified to compete for a spot among the Ten Great Families.

As long as one can secure the support of someone from the Character: Liyang Seven Heroes, or find a false Golden Core, or a Golden Core True Immortal as a patron, the chances become great.

Thus in the coming one or two months, ordinary cultivators may not sense anything or notice any obvious changes, but among Character: Liyang Zhenren City's upper echelons, winds will rise and clouds will swirl, with unseen blades flashing everywhere.

……

……

Jinxiu Workshop.

Gu Zongyuan came in person this time.

"Brother Bai, these are the materials you requested, costing a total of 47,000 low‑grade Spirit Stones," Gu Zongyuan tossed a storage bag to Xiao Zhangqing.

Xiao Zhangqing took it, looked it over, and nodded with satisfaction.

The materials for crafting a third‑tier puppet are now gathered.

The materials turned out pricier than Xiao Zhangqing expected; he had thought the major components for a third‑tier puppet, the Great‑Head Puppet Evil Lord, were already prepared, and the rest would cost at most 30,000 low‑grade Spirit Stones.

He didn't expect it to cost 47,000.

It seems forging a third‑tier puppet costs on the order of tens of thousands of low‑grade Spirit Stones.

Of course, Xiao Zhangqing doesn't mind the Spirit Stones; being able to purchase them is satisfying enough.

Even in the resource‑rich Character: Liyang Zhenren City, if one were in a smaller place, money couldn't buy these rare, high‑grade materials.

"Here you go."

Xiao Zhangqing quickly tossed back the storage bag filled with Spirit Stones.

Gu Zongyuan took it without counting, saying, "I won't be polite with you. You're a nouveau‑rich; I have plenty of places to use Spirit Stones."

Xiao Zhangqing said, "If you don't accept, I won't dare ask you to buy things for me again."

Blood brothers settle accounts clearly, let alone friends.

When you ask someone to help purchase materials, it's one thing not to give a commission, but it's impossible not to pay at all.

"By the way, why are you buying these high‑grade materials? Preparing to have someone forge a magical instrument, or what? Could it be... you really want to learn puppet forging?" Gu Zongyuan recalled that the last time he left the city to chase the Puppet Evil Lord, Xiao Zhangqing had mentioned his keen interest in the way of puppets.

"More skills never hurt; learning can't hurt," Xiao Zhangqing naturally didn't tell him that he was already a third‑tier, mid‑quality Puppet Master, having directly surpassed decades of accumulation by the Puppet Evil Lord, making him a rarity in the Great Yu Cultivation World.

"Alright, perhaps you're a genius with puppets..." Gu Zongyuan chuckled, shaking his head.

Xiao Zhangqing said no more, and asked, "You came in person today just to deliver the materials? Nothing else?"

"There is also another matter," Gu Zongyuan said, his expression turning serious, lowering his voice: "Brother Bai, while you're in Character: Liyang Zhenren City, are you interested in supporting a force of your own? Or, regarding the current Ten Great Families, do you back any particular one? Hmm… the ones further down the line." He then gave a rough overview of Character: Liyang Zhenren City's current situation.

The Song Family among the Ten Great Families has been eliminated, leaving a vacant slot and many profits.

Besides some being taken by the other nine families, a large portion is currently held temporarily by the City Lord's Office, which does not allow other families to take it all.

The number of Ten Great Families has remained unchanged in Character: Liyang Zhenren City for so many years; this is not due to a "market rule" but rather the City Lord's Office deliberately fanning the flames.

The City Lord's Office does not oppose the Ten Great Families competing against each other and squeezing one another.

But it is strictly prohibited for a "unicorn" to appear among the ten great families.

For example, the ten great families might be reduced to five, or a colossal entity could emerge within the ten great families, making one family larger than the other nine combined…

All of this is not allowed by the City Lord's Office.

It's not that the City Lord's Office fears a family power becoming too large and overturning it, surpassing the Office's authority.

In the Cultivation World, cultivation level and strength are the ultimate truth.

As long as Character: Liyang Zhenren is present, no power or family can develop beyond the City Lord's Office.

The City Lord's Office implements the "Great Balance Technique" because Character: Liyang Zhenren City is a city of Scattered Cultivators, relatively fair and just in all respects; if a unicorn appears and monopolizes too many industries, it would greatly disrupt the city's operation, making it become deformed.

Therefore, after the Song family is destroyed, a new foundation‑building family will certainly take its place.

And the original ten great families can also have their order shuffled.

The Song family was originally among the top three, and with Blood Crow Immortal, such huge benefits cannot be fully absorbed by a new weak foundation‑building family, so a large portion must be given to the other ten great families.

But how to allocate it depends on which family the City Lord's Office wishes to support.

For those already at the forefront, such as the strongest Lei family, which originally ranked first, the City Lord's Office cannot let them continue to grow.

As for the Beast‑taming Liu family, given their previous relationship with Gu Zongyuan, the Liu family should have been able to seize this chance to advance further, becoming second only to the Lei family.

But… during the campaign to encircle the puppet Evil Lord, the Liu family head decisively fled; although it was at Gu Zongyuan's suggestion, Gu Zongyuan did not hold the Liu family head accountable afterward.

In the end, this matter left a slight resentment in both sides' hearts.

Just as after the Song family fell, the freed‑up benefits were so many that the Liu family never dared to approach Gu Zongyuan to have him allocate some of the profits.

Thus, Gu Zongyuan naturally would not proactively seek out the Liu family.

"I see…"

Xiao Zhangqing listened and seemed thoughtful.

Faced with a channel to earn Spirit Stones—indeed a chance to collect money while sitting—Xiao Zhangqing would not refuse or look down on it.

Wealth, law, companions, and land—on the path of cultivation, regardless of realm, all require Spirit Stones.

Even though Xiao Zhangqing currently has enough Spirit Stones, he would not consider having too many a problem.

Just as the current ten great families of Character: Liyang Zhenren City each have, to varying degrees, the shadow of fake Pill or Pill‑tying Immortal behind them.

Xiao Zhangqing's present strength fully qualifies him to be one of the behind‑the‑scenes figures.

The problem is that Xiao Zhangqing only has the Lin sisters around him; beyond them, there is no one else usable.

Among the Lin sisters, elder sister Lin Ziyu is unsuitable to handle these matters, while younger sister Zixi is more suitable and more skilled.

But now Lin Zixi's cultivation is only at the eighth layer of Refining Qi, far too low.

Even if Lin Ziyu were at the ninth layer of Refining Qi, it would still be too low.

Unless one day the two sisters successfully complete the foundation stage, they could barely shoulder this responsibility.

Without a suitable candidate, they can only temporarily abandon this opportunity.

Seeking an unfamiliar family to support would be somewhat troublesome.

However, Xiao Zhangqing suddenly had a thought and recalled Jiang Jiyue and Mu Chunfeng, the two women, and their respective Jiang family and Mu family.

The Jiang family is one of the ten great families, yet it has the shallowest pedigree and the lowest ranking, fitting the City Lord's Office's current support criteria.

As for the Mu family, it is an inconspicuous foundation‑building family in Character: Liyang Zhenren City; its strongest member is at the middle stage of foundation building.

Even if Xiao Zhangqing wishes to support the Mu family, it is likely he cannot lift them up.

To be listed among the ten great families, besides having a backing power, one cannot be too weak.

Even if there are no cultivators who have completed the foundation stage, there must be cultivators in the later foundation stage, as well as a number of those in the early and middle foundation stages; otherwise the structure cannot be sustained.

"Gu brother, if possible, allocate a portion of the Song family's benefits to the Jiang family. Yes, the Jiang family, currently one of the ten great families, excels at managing Talisman Scripts," Xiao Zhangqing said after a moment's thought.

If he supports the Jiang family, Xiao Zhangqing does not intend to take any share of the profits.

Coincidentally, this counts as repaying the kindness he received at Nanshan Fang when he first crossed over in his weakest state, from Shopkeeper Hong.

At that time, Shopkeeper Hong not only gave him a chance encounter, allowing his golden finger to find a use and escape the poorest life.

Later, Shopkeeper Hong repeatedly looked after him, such as gifting a talisman brush and, fearing danger, giving him a Protection Talisman, among other things.

Xiao Zhangqing has always kept this kindness in his heart.

Now that he has a chance to repay, he will not be stingy.

Perhaps in terms of Spirit Stones, the benefits Xiao Zhangqing casually secures for the Jiang family now are worth more than a hundred times the talisman brush and Talisman Script he once received.

But in terms of friendship, it is still far lighter.

After all, sending charcoal in a snowstorm and adding flowers to brocade are completely different matters.

"Give to the Jiang family? That's naturally no problem. The Jiang family is currently the weakest among the ten great families, and their member Jiang Canghai even followed my senior brother to the southwestern battlefield to fight Evil Cultivators, so supporting the Jiang family is justifiable," Gu Zongyuan nodded, "But how did you, Gu brother, think of helping the Jiang family? Do you have a prior relationship with them?" (End of chapter)