I Grind to Martial Saint

Han Yuan said as much, but then took out another Elixir Pill. ”This is a Ginseng Essence Pill. Its properties are mild. Have Zhang Cang take it, and he should wake up.”

Huang Xian’Er put it away.

”Alright, I should be getting back to Cangshui County.”

Han Yuan had nothing else to add.

”Thank you so much for this,”

Huang Xian’Er said solemnly.

If Han Yuan hadn’t suddenly appeared and killed Cui Mingsha in a single strike, Nanyuan County Town would likely have been breached by tomorrow.

”This is as much as I can help you.”

”The road ahead will not be easy.”

”I hope everything goes smoothly for you.”

After speaking, Han Yuan put his mask back on, then vanished like a black shadow.

Huang Xian’Er also turned and left.

She knew that Han Yuan’s identity absolutely could not be revealed.

So after returning to Nanyuan County Town, she said nothing, not a single word. She simply went back to continue caring for Zhang Cang.

Yang Cangshan and the others were too courteous to press her for details.

Besides, they had more important matters to attend to.

Namely, collecting the supplies left behind by the Yuan Province Soldiers.

In any case, with Cui Mingsha having been beheaded, the crisis for Nanyuan County and Wind and Thunder County was over.

Meanwhile, Zhang Cang awoke on the third day after taking the Ginseng Essence Pill.

Huang Xian’Er didn’t hide anything from him, telling him what Han Yuan had done.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Cang shook his head slightly. ”Come to think of it, Brother Han has saved me many times now.”

Huang Xian’Er said softly, ”Then you can just save him back in the future, can’t you?”

”I’m afraid I’ll never get the chance.”

”With Brother Han’s talent, it’s only a matter of time before he becomes an Innate Grandmaster,”

Zhang Cang said faintly.

”You don’t have to sell yourself short. You have a Celestial Spirit Root and the legacy of the Wind and Thunder Temple.”

”Besides, with your friendship, you shouldn’t have to keep score, right?”

Huang Xian’Er said softly.

”You’re right...”

”Hovering between life and death this time, I seem to have had a moment of enlightenment.”

”In a way, it was a fortuitous opportunity for me.”

Zhang Cang got up from the bed.

”You should rest a bit more.”

”If you go out looking like this, you’ll probably just scare your subordinates,”

Huang Xian’Er said.

”Alright... I’ll rest for a few more days then.”

Zhang Cang nodded.

He knew that the Yuan Province Soldiers had already withdrawn and that Yang Cangshan had the situation under control, so nothing would happen even if he rested for a few more days.

”Zhang Cang... what do you plan to do next?”

Huang Xian’Er asked.

”For now, I’ll focus on defending Nanyuan County.”

In truth, Zhang Cang felt lost.

For all these days, he had been running on sheer willpower.

But now that the crisis in Nanyuan County Town was over, he felt somewhat at a loss.

After all, his original intention was simply to ensure the people of Nanyuan County could survive.

That goal had now clearly been achieved.

As for what to do next... perhaps he truly needed to think about it carefully.

...

Cangshui County Observatory.

Zhai Mu was in his main hall, handling official business.

A Flying Eagle Guard strode in quickly. ”Supervisor Zhai, something major has happened in Yuan Province!”

Zhai Mu’s head snapped up. ”Yuan Province? What happened?”

”According to our intelligence, the Director of the Yuan Province Celestial Observation Bureau, Cui Shaming, was assassinated while suppressing the Nanyuan County rebellion. He was beheaded by a mysterious expert the night before last, meeting a violent end!”

”With the death of Cui Mingsha, Yuan Province has descended into chaos.”

The Flying Eagle Guard presented the detailed intelligence report.

Zhai Mu read it over carefully, then said coolly, ”Continue to monitor the situation in Yuan Province.”

”Yes, sir!” The Flying Eagle Guard clasped his fist and departed.

Alone in the great hall, Zhai Mu lightly tapped his fingers on the tabletop.

’It couldn’t really be Han...’

’Is he really playing for such high stakes...?’

Zhai Mu had a vague inkling of the truth.

But these were things he dared not mention to anyone; he could only keep them to himself.

With that thought, Zhai Mu pushed the matter from his mind and resumed his work.

In any case, aside from Zhai Mu’s suspicions, everyone else believed that Han Yuan was truly in seclusion within the Observatory.

But Zhai Mu, of course, played dumb, pretending to know nothing.

「In the following days.」

Even though Han Yuan was not in Cangshui County, with Situ Ya and Wei Shiming holding down the fort, the county was able to maintain a degree of peace, despite the increasing number of Evil Spirits appearing and causing chaos among the populace.

However, the rest of Jianghe Province grew increasingly chaotic. Upon hearing about the situation in Cangshui County, many people packed up their families and moved there.

Of course, some also made their way to Jianghe Province City.

Gradually, the population of Cangshui County Town grew larger and larger, to the point where it was almost over capacity.

As the Prefect of Cangshui County, Wen Zhiyuan made a bold decision: expand the area of Cangshui County Town!

He even had the original city walls torn down, nearly doubling the city’s area.

According to the plans, this would make Cangshui County Town nearly the same size as Jiangshui Province City.

Of course, this was all just on paper; the final result remained to be seen.

However, the cost in manpower and resources would naturally be immense.

Yet, it didn’t cause any dissatisfaction among the local populace.

This was because the Government Office, the Huang Family, and the Lu Family were actually paying for the labor. As long as you were willing to work, you got paid.

For the common people, the work was indeed bitter and exhausting.

But they could truly earn money.

Some people even scrambled to get these jobs.

After all, as long as they worked hard enough, they could ensure their entire family, young and old, had full bellies.

...

Spirit Sun Mountain Range.

This was an enormous mountain range that spanned three counties: Cangshui, Heshi, and Yuanzhou.

The mountains were as primordial as a Wilderness Forest. Even nearby Hunters only dared to operate on the outskirts, never venturing deep inside.

This was because the depths of Spirit Sun Mountain were shrouded in a vast miasma.

Anyone who went too deep might inhale the toxic fumes, suffer various hallucinations, and meet a violent end.

Beyond that, there were also many terrifying beasts and strange legends.

All of this had turned the depths of the Spirit Sun Mountain Range into a no-man’s-land.

But in reality...

...in the deepest part of the Spirit Sun Mountain Range, there was a sprawling complex of buildings.

At the center of this complex was a massive plaza.

Many powerful figures were in the plaza, some cultivating Martial Arts, some meditating peacefully, and others sparring and exchanging pointers...

Occasionally, one could even see Abnormal People cultivating Magic Techniques.

At that moment, a young man in a green robe with an arrogant expression walked over from another area, crossing through the plaza.

Seeing this young man, the disciples cultivating in the plaza all stopped what they were doing, clasped their fists in salute, and said, ”Greetings, Eldest Brother!”

The arrogant young man’s face remained cold and stern. He didn’t respond at all and simply continued walking forward.

But no one dared not to salute him.

They knew all too well how tyrannical and monstrous their Eldest Brother was.

If he caught someone not saluting, the lightest punishment was broken bones; the most severe was being crippled.

If he happened to be in a bad mood, you might even lose your life.

And even if that happened, this Eldest Brother would face no punishment whatsoever.

Only after the arrogant young man had crossed the plaza did the tension finally leave everyone’s faces.

The arrogant youth then walked into a large hall.

Inside the hall, mist swirled about, filled with the faint scent of sandalwood.

An old man with white hair but a youthful face sat cross-legged on a cushion, seemingly meditating with his eyes closed.

”Grand Elder!”

the arrogant youth said coolly.

He didn’t even clasp his fist in salute.

But the old man didn’t get angry. He opened his eyes and said faintly, ”Liang Tian, I was observing the celestial phenomena recently and sensed that a Spiritual Land is about to emerge in Cangshui County.”

”Take some people to Cangshui County, subjugate the local Government Office and all the major powers, and then seize the Spiritual Land.”

Hearing this, the arrogant youth scoffed, ”You want me to personally handle a minor little county?”

”Cangshui County itself is certainly nothing to worry about.”

”But once the Spiritual Land emerges, the commotion will be too great. It might attract some old fossils.”

”I’ll need you there to secure the scene.”

”Besides, the emergence of the Spiritual Land will be beneficial for you as well,”

the Grand Elder said faintly.

After hearing this and thinking it over, Liang Tian said, ”Fine. I’ll make the trip.”

”Good. Take a few of your junior brothers and sisters with you. It will be good training for them,”

the Grand Elder added.