Chapter 56: Nanshan Fang's Great Reshuffle

One week later.

"No wonder, hearing Jiang Jiyue say that Lu Qiu Symbol Master initially wasn't very eager to go to the Luoxia Sect, but he eventually went."

Xiao Zhangqing looked at the failed Second-rank Talisman Script before him and sighed.

Before leaving, Jiang Jiyue had already become fairly familiar with Xiao Zhangqing.

Everyone was a Symbol Master of the Lingfu Pavilion, so they often met during work, and since Xiao Zhangqing had originally been the focus of an investment by Mu Chunfeng, Jiang Jiyue ended up being the 'middleman'.

She originally wanted to foster a happy story, but the Mu family's situation turned sharply downhill, and after a brief investment in Xiao Zhangqing they abandoned him.

It wasn't only Mu Chunfeng who felt sorry for Xiao Zhangqing; Jiang Jiyue also felt rather embarrassed.

Out of a sense of compensation, she later deliberately interacted with Xiao Zhangqing several times, and even dined with him a few times together with Mu Chunfeng; after a back-and-forth, the three became fairly good friends.

Later it was discovered that Jiang Jiyue was the niece of former shopkeeper Hong Jiantao, and Xiao Zhangqing's impression of Jiang Jiyue improved.

Unfortunately, Jiang Jiyue soon followed Shopkeeper Hong, left Nanshan Fang, and went to Da Yu's first Scattered Cultivator city in the Cultivation World, Liyang Immortal City.

Now Xiao Zhangqing also began to feel the inconveniences of Nanshan Fang.

For example, the materials needed to draw a Second-rank Talisman Script are hard to gather in Nanshan Fang.

During this week, Lin Ziyu almost traversed all of Nanshan Fang, yet still couldn't purchase a complete set of materials for a Second-rank Talisman Script; some materials could only be substituted.

Thus, although Xiao Zhangqing possessed the skill of a Second-rank Symbol Master, he could not fully employ it.

Moreover, the Silver Moon Wolf Hair Brush and the Double-wing Tiger Hair Brush in his hand are both First-rank Symbol Pens.

Although the equipment effects of these two Symbol Pens are still very useful to him, using them to draw a Second-rank Talisman Script is beyond their capability, hindering him and lowering the success rate.

"Fortunately there are shops that can obtain some materials from a Second-rank Beast, but they require waiting. Once the remaining materials are gathered, we can make the Second-rank Talisman Script later."

Xiao Zhangqing abandoned the plan to force-draw a Second-rank Talisman Script with inferior materials.

His mastery of the Talisman Path has not yet reached the stage of turning decay into wonder.

Without sufficiently good materials, forcing the drawing merely wastes Spirit Stones.

These second-tier materials are not cheap either, and cannot be wasted casually.

…

…

Time passed.

Xiao Zhangqing secretly crafted a Second-rank Talisman Script, strengthening his own reserves, while Nanshan Fang's years of hidden pressure finally erupted.

The cause of the incident was the Foundation Establishment Ancestor of the Zhang family, the weakest among the four great families, whose lifespan was exhausted and whose end had arrived.

Although the Zhang family tried to conceal the situation as much as possible, keeping the death secret outwardly, they did not want anyone to know that the Zhang Ancestor had passed away.

But on the third day after the Zhang Ancestor's passing, the news was still learned by the Cao family and the Xu family.

After a brief probing, the two families confirmed that the Zhang Ancestor had indeed returned to heaven, and they eagerly began to annex the Zhang family's assets.

As for the fact that before this the Zhang family had formed a cooperative alliance with the Mu family, nobody paid any attention.

From the Cao and Xu families' perspective, the Mu family could hardly protect itself; they thought it was already a success that they did not have to annex the Mu family, and wondered how the Mu family could still dare to meddle in the Zhang family's affairs—like risking their lives?

Even if the Zhang family wanted to give all its assets to the Mu family, a wise Mu family would not dare to accept!

But unexpectedly, at that moment the Mu family took over the entire Zhang family assets.

The head of the Mu family, the Foundation Establishment cultivator Mu Renjie, who was rumored in Nanshan Fang to be gravely injured and near death, emerged from seclusion.

Moreover, with a speed faster than thunder, he slaughtered everywhere and astonishingly killed the Xu family head!

The Xu family head, over a hundred years old, after decades of accumulation following Foundation Establishment, had not advanced to the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage, but even in the Foundation Establishment Initial Stage possessed extremely strong combat power and a deep foundation.

In comparison, Mu Renjie's foundation was much shallower; ordinarily he would not be a match for the Xu family head. Yet in the actual battle, the Xu family head had virtually no resistance against Mu Renjie and was swiftly beheaded.

Being beheaded versus being defeated is a vastly different matter.

This shows that Mu Renjie's strength does not merely surpass the Xu family head's—it completely crushes him, not even on the same tier.

Afterwards Mu Renjie did not stop; it seemed he wanted to avenge all the grievances the Mu family had suffered over the years, and set his sights on the Cao family.

The Cao family reacted swiftly; upon learning of the Xu family head's death, they were shocked and hurriedly withdrew all their clan's elite members.

Especially, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators, clan head Cao Hao and a senior elder, jointly stationed themselves at the Cao family stronghold, and together with a defensive Second-rank formation, barely held off Mu Renjie's assault.

Outsiders were unaware; only the Cao family's upper echelons knew that Cao Hao had already reached the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage.

One Foundation Establishment Mid-stage cultivator, one Foundation Establishment Initial Stage cultivator, plus the Second-rank formation, together managed to repel Mu Renjie's attack.

What does this imply? Mu Renjie's strength is at least comparable to a Foundation Establishment Late-stage cultivator! In Nanshan Fang's long history, there has never been a Foundation Establishment Late-stage cultivator, as far as anyone knows.

But at least in the past hundred years, Mu Renjie has been the highest combat power to appear in Nanshan Fang! This upheaval shocked the entire Nanshan Fang, even the Lingfu Pavilion and Baibao Lou, which are backed by the Jie Dan Sect, and they managed to remain unaffected.

The other shop enterprises within the market were almost completely reshuffled overnight.

Even the behind-the-scenes boss, one of Nanshan Fang's six Foundation Establishment masters from Lai Feng Lou, also pledged allegiance to the Mu family.

After weathering the turmoil, the previously weak Mu family annexed the two major Foundation Establishment families of the Zhang and Xu families, leaping to become Nanshan Fang's foremost cultivation clan, and even gaining a certain reputation along the southwest border of the Da Yu Kingdom.

Cultivators whose strength has reached the Foundation Establishment Late-stage are considered senior within the Jie Dan Sect, wielding considerable influence.

Meanwhile, the original leading family, the Cao family, not only failed in expansion but also fell far below its former stature, being squeezed in every aspect.

Fortunately, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Cao family suffered no casualties and remained alive; moreover, the changes in Nanshan Fang attracted the attention of sects led by the Luoxia Sect, which mediated, and Mu Renjie finally agreed to a handshake peace with the Cao family.

Now the Cultivation World of Da Yu is far from peaceful, especially on the southwest frontier, where demonic sect Evil Cultivators are advancing aggressively, seeking to spark war; all internal conflicts must be minimized, and forces concentrated to repel the invasion.

Otherwise.

Since the Cao and Xu families first provoked the Mu and Zhang families, Mu Renjie seized this leverage and would not let go, vowing an unending feud with the Cao family, leaving sects like the Luoxia Sect with nothing to say.

…

"Who could have imagined that the Mu family not only survived a desperate situation but also rose in one stroke to become Nanshan Fang's top behemoth?"

"Even Zhou Changkong, who has never held Nanshan Fang in high regard, proactively befriended the Mu family and its head?"

Xiao Zhangqing listened to the external developments and felt rather moved.

The Mu family had once invested in him, but in the end they mercilessly seized his cave dwelling.

After he was promoted to First-rank Talisman Master, some well-informed people secretly mocked the Mu family, considering them short-sighted.

Now, looking again, probably no one dares to mock the Mu family anymore.

The Nanshan Fang's first family, with strength comparable to late-stage Foundation Establishment, is valued by various Golden Core sects, its glory boundless…

Nowadays, if the Mu family only has a First-rank Talisman Master, they certainly won't be given much importance.

Xiao Zhangqing also doesn't care about this.

What he cares about is how he can benefit from this changing war.

Because the heads of the Zhang and Xu families, both major Foundation Establishment family heads, have died, countless shop owners have changed.

For a time, many precious materials appeared on the market of Nanshan Fang; these are treasures that various shops and families had kept hidden and were unwilling to bring out before.

Now, as long as one has money, they can be bought.

Among them, also included are the materials needed for a Second-rank Talisman Script…

Thanks to book friend 'Ren Fanghua' for the 2000 Qidian coin reward! Thanks to everyone for the monthly tickets! (End of chapter)