Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

Chapter 220: Chapter 131: Complete Chaos!_2

The heads of the slightly weaker family heads, such as the Wang family and the Sun family, began to flicker with uncertainty.

In its current state, the strength of the Lu family might not necessarily surpass theirs.

...

Gu’s Manor.

Gu Jingang had already sent people back with the news, recounting the events of tonight.

Shock rippled through the entirety of Gu’s Manor.

None had expected Zhao Honglie to tear off his façade and directly confront Liu Yuanhu. Though it hadn’t yet escalated to a life-and-death battle, there was now little room left for compromise. It was either you die, or I live.

Gu Changming’s face was grim. After leaving some Martial Artists to continue patrolling, he instructed everyone else to return and rest.

There wouldn’t be any further surprises tonight. Liu Yuanhu would likely dispatch people in secret to defend Gu’s Manor, so there was no need to worry about Black Sand Gang’s subsequent reprisals.

Gu Sheng had already heard about the news from the Lu family’s Martial Artists, so he wasn’t particularly surprised.

Currently, he was in the courtyard calculating the spoils of this operation.

He had killed Lu Ming and twenty other Martial Artists, then directly stormed the Lu family’s stronghold, looting its treasures completely. The haul made even Gu Sheng exclaim in satisfaction.

First were the gold, silver, jewels, and other valuables.

If everything were sold off, it would amount to at least twenty thousand taels!

This was truly a sudden windfall!

It further solidified Gu Sheng’s determination to act on his plans. If he didn’t take advantage of Canghe County’s chaotic state to plunder as much as he could, there would never be another golden opportunity like this.

The massive Lu family couldn’t possibly have only twenty thousand taels in wealth. However, their stronghold served mostly as a fighting ground for their Martial Artists and stored little else of significance.

By Gu Sheng’s estimation,

the most valuable treasures of the Lu family were likely known to only a select few, possibly just the Family Head himself. Even Lu Ming and Lu Dazhi might not have been privy to them.

Besides silver,

there were also pills.

Body Refining Ointment, Blood Nourishing Powder, and even two Blood Strengthening Pills—such rare and precious items that couldn’t be bought even with ample money. Though Gu Sheng himself didn’t need them anymore, they could still be exchanged or repurposed.

”It’s a pity there weren’t any Bone Protecting Pills; that would’ve been even better.”

Gu Sheng lamented inwardly.

But he also understood that such thoughts were wishful thinking. Bone Protecting Pills were exceedingly rare in all of Canghe County. The three he currently possessed had been acquired through grueling effort from swindling a disciple of the Fire Worship Sect.

Anyone else who obtained Bone Protecting Pills would immediately consume them rather than allow their enemies to gain an advantage.

Even if there were any family treasures containing such pills, they would be extraordinarily well-hidden.

Fortunately, Gu Sheng already had enough Bone Protecting Pills to break through to the Bone Refining Realm, so he wasn’t too disappointed. He could slowly acquire more in the future, but money remained paramount for now.

”What I need now is time. In just over ten more days, I’ll successfully advance to the Bone Refining Realm. Hopefully, Zhao Honglie and Liu Yuanhu will remain locked in a stalemate for a while longer.”

Gu Sheng contemplated silently.

Based on tonight’s events, however, Zhao Honglie seemed unlikely to engage Liu Yuanhu in an all-out battle just yet.

If he didn’t have enough time to advance to the Bone Refining Realm, Gu Sheng, with his current strength, could still barely take part. However, the benefits he could reap might not be as substantial.

As for safety,

as long as Gu Sheng didn’t court death, there would generally be no issues.

He shook his head, dismissing these stray thoughts from his mind.

Besides silver and pills, there were also martial arts manuals.

The Lu family lived up to their name, boasting a respectable collection of martial arts manuals. However, Gu Sheng didn’t find any that suited him perfectly, so he simply viewed them as assets, things he could reference in the future.

Even if he didn’t cultivate from them, merely using them to enhance his Martial Arts foundation would suffice.

This way, practicing other techniques later would come much easier for him.

Back when he first began learning martial arts, it took him nearly a month to barely achieve entry-level proficiency with the Iron Stone Fist. Now, with his current abilities, it would only take a day or two at most—a qualitative leap.

Securing all his spoils in the hidden chamber, Gu Sheng leaned back on his bed to rest.

During tonight’s assault, his astonishing archery skills had stunned the entire Gu’s Manor. Everyone had come to realize the terrifying prowess of a master archer. Moving forward, Gu Sheng’s status would undoubtedly become extraordinary, though this didn’t matter much to him.

In a little while, it would be about time for him to leave anyway.

...

The aftermath of last night’s assault was still reverberating.

Though the attackers had been repelled, the villagers of Gu’s Manor were all shaken, realizing the chaos of the situation. Many began cutting back on expenses and stockpiling food at home.

Like ants sensing imminent calamity, the common folk exhibited a remarkable instinct for major upheavals.

Gu Erniu and others who were on friendly terms with Gu Sheng flocked to him for information. Though Gu Sheng and the other Martial Artists had been instructed not to reveal too much, Gu Sheng discreetly hinted at the situation, and the others quickly understood, returning home to prepare.

But this only represented a small aspect of the bigger picture.

The true turmoil was in Canghe County.

Last night, many forces that had pledged allegiance to Liu Yuanhu, as well as divisions in Black Water Town, were attacked. Naturally, Liu Yuanhu retaliated tit-for-tat.

The city gates were sealed shut.

Liu Yuanhu began his cleansing operations.

The Wang family, Sun family, and several others with industries and direct-line descendants in the city became convenient scapegoats.

Heads rolled at the city gate, blood flowing like a river.

The stench of blood filled the air. Amidst the curses, Liu Yuanhu’s expression remained unchanged, his heart a mixture of satisfaction and regret. He had deliberately chosen the city gate as the execution site, hoping to flush out some of the family members, but to his disappointment, they proved far more cold-hearted than expected.

Looking at the castaway descendants cursing him, Liu Yuanhu sneered:

”Your family heads are the ones harboring treachery against this county. Now they’ve abandoned you. Your curses are misplaced; they should be directed at your cold-blooded family heads!”

For a moment, complete silence reigned.

”Carry out the execution!”

Liu Yuanhu turned and left.

Sobs and wails filled the air.

Those pampered children of prominent families, unaccustomed to such horrors, began hurling abuse. But now, their ire was directed at their own family heads.

As Liu Yuanhu had pointed out,

they had become expendable pawns.

Many of them had been previously marginalized family members, only to be suddenly favored and entrusted with managing shops over the past month. Little did they know this privilege was merely a prelude to them being served up as sacrificial lambs.

Beyond the city walls,

the family heads gazed upon the grisly scene of rolling heads with grim faces. Though they displayed outward stoicism, there was no way their hearts were unmoved. They were human, after all, not devoid of emotion.

Rather than question themselves, they channeled all their anger and resentment toward Liu Yuanhu.

”That scoundrel Liu Yuanhu! Someday, I’ll kill him to avenge you all!”

They turned and left one by one.

Everyone understood this: Canghe County was about to descend into utter chaos!

...

When Gu Sheng learned that Liu Yuanhu had bloodily purged the remnants of the clans within the city and attacked numerous Black Sand Gang divisions, he merely shook his head.

It was inevitable.

Once the two sides had torn off the pretense of civility, only one would survive.

What would follow were waves of unrest.

From the Martial Artists quietly stationed in Gu’s Manor, it was evident Liu Yuanhu had begun deploying his strategies. If the Black Sand Gang attempted another sudden assault as before, they would likely end up with broken teeth!

Gu’s Manor might become a target for Black Sand Gang’s retaliation.

But Liu Yuanhu was on high alert.

This was a good thing for Gu’s Manor, as their security drastically improved.

Gu Sheng was perfectly content with this. Without needing to intervene himself, he could focus all his time on cultivation, striving to achieve the Bone Refining Realm as soon as possible.

Time passed quietly.

Day by day, Canghe County grew increasingly chaotic. The Black Sand Gang and Liu Yuanhu’s forces had practically entered a state of mutual slaughter.

Today, one of your strongholds would be destroyed.

Tomorrow, one of your caravans would be ambushed.

It was an incessant back-and-forth, growing in scale with each attack. Every day, Martial Artists perished in battle.

Many villages and forts were dragged into the fray, though thankfully, Gu’s Manor was not among them.

Despite the Lu family’s desire for revenge, they knew Gu’s Manor was likely part of Liu Yuanhu’s strategic focus and refrained from launching any attacks.

Amidst this increasingly chaotic environment,

Gu Sheng had yet to break through to the Bone Refining Realm. Surprisingly, it was Gu Xiaojiang who made the breakthrough first.

Perhaps pressured by the dire circumstances,

Gu Xiaojiang succeeded in condensing Qi Blood Power, officially becoming a Blood Refining Realm expert. Ecstatic, he dashed into Gu Sheng’s courtyard.

”Asheng, I have great news for you!”