Longevity Reward Redemption: The Immortal Clan Starts with Farmers

63: Counterattack Zhao Ming! The Innate Pill is too difficult to refine!”Father, you were right. It seems the Zhao Family is indeed involved in this!”

Chuanwen sized up the Zhao Family’s secret guard token and instantly pieced together most of the story.

”It’s likely that Zhao Ming is the one instigating the Lin Family from the Prefecture City behind the scenes. But why hasn’t Zhao Ming made a move himself?”

A trace of doubt appeared on Chuanwen’s face. Chen Changsheng smiled, tucked the token into his robes, and said jovially:

”Zhao Ming is merely the Zhao Family’s Second Young Master; he cannot mobilize the full power of the Zhao Family. From my conversations with him, I know he’s a clever man. Clever people always worry too much; they want the benefits but aren’t willing to pay the price!”

”I suspect this is Zhao Ming’s scheme to kill with a borrowed knife!”

As Chen Changsheng and Chuanwen deliberated, they actually deduced Zhao Ming’s arrangements with complete clarity. The plan Zhao Ming considered flawless was seen through entirely by the Chen father and son.

”Father, what should we do? Counterattack?”

Chen Chuanwen’s expression was somewhat grim. After all, their Family’s only trump card, Howling Heaven, could not reveal himself, while both the Zhao and Lin families were families with Immortals to rely on.

”Our Chen Family is no longer a household of farmers who must endure everything. Of course we will counterattack!”

”However, we aren’t going to counterattack the Zhao and Lin families directly. Instead, we’ll find trouble for Zhao Ming. After all, he’s the one who started everything!”

A sharp light flashed in Chen Changsheng’s eyes. He already had a plan in mind. Previously, he had sent Xiao Er into the Viper Gang; although he hadn’t reached a core position, he had managed to fish out some information.

And that was that the Viper Gang was secretly smuggling iron ore into Ailao Mountain!

Ailao Mountain was a massive mountain range stretching hundreds of miles, separating Annan Prefecture from the Barbarians. Many Local Chieftains lived within Ailao Mountain.

These Local Chieftains refused to submit to the Imperial Court’s civilization. Every time the Barbarians caused trouble, they would actively respond.

Therefore, after several major battles, the Imperial Court had driven these Local Chieftains into Ailao Mountain and blockaded their supplies, leaving them to fend for themselves!

The Viper Gang’s greatest source of wealth was undoubtedly smuggling supplies to the Local Chieftains of Ailao Mountain. This was strictly prohibited by the Imperial Court, but the profits were enormous!

Chen Changsheng was well-acquainted with Scorched Skin, a hall master of the Black Dog Gang, and had learned a piece of news from him: members of the Zhao Family personally oversaw this business, and the current person in charge was Zhao Ming.

”Zhao Ming does not represent the entire Zhao Family. He still wants to compete with the Eldest Young Master for the position of Family Head. If we strike at his private forces, he won’t have time to find trouble with us!”

Chen Changsheng told Chuanwen the information he had gathered. Chuanwen’s eyes lit up upon hearing it, and he asked with a look of joy:

”Father, do you mean to mess with the Viper Gang’s trade route?”

Chen Changsheng smiled and patted Chuanwen’s shoulder, saying in a lingering tone:

”If the Zhao Family’s biggest source of wealth is turned into a mess by Zhao Ming, that responsibility will be enough to give him a real headache. Besides, Zhao Ming’s private forces are sustained by this trade route. If we cut it off, let’s see how he’ll win people’s hearts!”

Chuanwen felt his father’s strategy was excellent. It would cause trouble for Zhao Ming without having to face the Zhao and Lin families head-on. He said excitedly:

”Father, let me handle this matter!”

Chen Changsheng shook his head. Firstly, he was worried about Chuanwen’s safety. Secondly, he wanted to train his Black Ice Platform. Only through actual combat could true gold be forged.

”Chuanwen, you can command this operation, but the ones carrying it out must be led by Uncle Mantou!”

Chuanwen frowned upon hearing this, but thinking that he only had Bone Refining strength and was indeed prone to danger, he could only nod and say:

”Alright, I understand!”

After Chen Changsheng and his son finished their discussion, they dug a large pit by the roadside and buried the two experts from the Prefecture City. As for the Zhao Family’s secret guard, Chen Changsheng gave him a quick death and buried him in the pit as well.

Immediately afterward, the group returned to the Chen Family Courtyard House.

Chen Changsheng had Uncle Mantou and Chuanwen go and formulate a plan to attack the Zhao Family’s merchant caravan, while he himself began preparations to refine the xiantian pill.

He first went to the county town to buy the missing herbs. This time, there was no one lying in ambush, so everything went very smoothly.

Once the medicinal materials were gathered, Chen Changsheng entered the alchemy room and began refining the xiantian pill.

The first attempt was naturally a failure!

Chen Changsheng didn’t mind, treating it as getting familiar with the process. This time, he had prepared ten sets of ingredients; as long as one set succeeded, it would be enough!

Who would have thought that even after using up all ten sets of ingredients, not a single one succeeded!

The xiantian pill truly lived up to being called a ’pill’; the difficulty of refining it was not something ordinary medicines could compare to!

Chen Changsheng’s head was spinning from the alchemy. He had already mastered the basic steps, except for one point: using intense fire to burn the herbs into a pill.

He ran into problems here every time. Either the fire was too low and the herbs wouldn’t form a pill, or the fire was too high and scorched all the herbs!

With no more ingredients left to refine, Chen Changsheng had no choice but to leave the alchemy room to get some fresh air.

Just as he stepped out, Chen Changsheng saw Chuanwen flipping through a Secret Manual.

”Father, I searched a Secret Manual from those two experts from the Prefecture City. It can actually control the outward release of blood qi. It’s quite marvelous!”

Seeing Chen Changsheng emerge from seclusion, Chuanwen hurried over to let him take a look at the manual!

By now, the Chen Family no longer lacked martial arts manuals. Thus, Chen Changsheng had little interest in anything below the level of an Innate Martial Artist. He casually took the manual and asked:

”Chuanwen, how are the discussions with Uncle Mantou going?”

Compared to a martial arts manual, Chen Changsheng cared more about this operation against Zhao Ming!

”Father, I’ve discussed it with Uncle Mantou. Since we don’t have anyone who has infiltrated the Viper Gang’s merchant caravan yet, we plan to hire a merchant to join the caravan for a high price.”

”Then, this person will secretly leave markers so we can find the caravan’s location. When the time comes, Uncle Mantou will lead the ambush!”

After hearing this, Chen Changsheng thought carefully for a while. The most critical issue here was that the person infiltrating the caravan had to be reliable!

”Then how have you arranged the person to infiltrate the caravan?”

Chen Changsheng asked with a frown. At this, a smile appeared at the corner of Chuanwen’s mouth, and he said jovially:

”Father, do you know the Black Dog Gang? I’ll have the Black Dog Gang arrange the person to infiltrate the caravan this time. They’ve always wanted to strike at the Viper Gang. This time, they don’t have to provide the manpower, only a merchant team. They’ll surely be willing!”

Hearing Chuanwen’s arrangement, Chen Changsheng felt a faint sense of unease. Entrusting such an important role to outsiders would inevitably lead to accidents.

However, the youths of the Black Ice Platform had not yet grown up, so they could only make use of external forces!

”Take Howling Heaven with you this time. If everything goes smoothly, you don’t need to show your face. If an accident occurs, let Howling Heaven bring you back!”

Chen Changsheng pondered for a while and finally decided to let Howling Heaven go along to oversee things; otherwise, he wouldn’t feel at ease!

Uncle Mantou was currently his top general. It would be too much of a loss if he fell in this operation. It was most important to be well-prepared!