Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 576: Chapter 496: The Martial Order is issued, the worldly society is shaken. _2

Later, Zhang Luan succeeded in inheriting the noble title and continued to be promoted to the ranks of Assistant General and General, while Li Zhen, under his patronage, achieved the rank of Guerrilla General.

However, after Zhao Pingshan passed away, Li Zhen resigned his official post and returned to the Tiger Sect to take up the position of Sect Leader.

At that time, Li Zhen’s cultivation was only at the Postnatal Seventh Layer, and at his age of around forty, it was theoretically impossible for him to reach the Innate Realm.

But the wonder lies precisely here; after returning to the Tiger Sect, Li Zhen’s cultivation advanced at an astonishing speed, reaching the Half-step Innate Realm in just ten years.

Another ten years later, as he approached the age of sixty, he became an Innate Martial Artist.

Moreover, under his leadership, the Tiger Sect also flourished day by day, transforming from a third-rate Sect with no foundation to the strongest Sect force in Longnan Province today.

Li Zhen is a Martial Arts Strongman who achieved greatness later in life.

In his youth, his talent was only considered outstanding, definitely not a genius.

He had been in the military for over a decade, and although his cultivation improved rapidly, it was a result of potential unleashed in life-and-death struggles.

It was only after returning to the Tiger Sect and coming into contact with Innate Cultivation Techniques that his cultivation pace far surpassed others.

The Tiger Sect, unlike the Hengdao Sect, did not have an exquisite appearance; the Tiger Sect atop Tiger Mountain looked like a mountain village.

Just ordinary brick and tile houses, devoid of the imposing aura befitting a powerful Sect.

Only the main hall in the middle of the Sect had a slightly imposing look, with green bricks and red tiles making it look somewhat significant.

At this moment, Li Zhen sat in the main hall, also looking at the Martial Order, but there was no sign of surprise on his face.

It was in his Tiger Sect that Marquis Jianchang, Zhang Luan, had received the imperial edict, and before leaving, he had discussed the establishment of the Martial Arts Temple with Li Zhen.

Although Zhang Luan had not elaborated at the time, Li Zhen had already anticipated something in his heart.

”What are your thoughts?” Li Zhen looked at the four people in the hall.

Among these four were his son, Li Zhongzhen, and three of his Disciples: Ye Defu, Zhang Qingyu, and Lu Zhihua.

Ten years ago, he had already passed on the leadership of Tiger Sect to his son, Li Zhongzhen.

Normally, he rarely appeared in public, preferring to live in seclusion in a separate courtyard behind Tiger Mountain.

It is only today, due to the Martial Order, that people like Li Zhongzhen invited him out of his seclusion.

”Dad, this Martial Order seems great, but once we accept the official position conferred by the court, we will be at the court’s mercy from now on!” Li Zhongzhen said with some concern.

He was unaware that Zhang Luan had previously stayed for a time in Li Zhen’s separate courtyard and did not know about the discussion between Zhang Luan and Li Zhen regarding the Martial Arts Temple before his departure.

Li Zhen, tall and burly, was now of an advanced age, but his physique was still robust.

”At the court’s mercy?”

”Do you all feel the same way?”

He looked towards his three Disciples.

The three exchanged glances, and Lu Zhihua frowned and spoke up: ”Master, I think this is an opportunity!”

”Being granted official status is just one part, and in reality, this official status is not of much use but provides us with a nominal justification.”

”I think the Martial Arts Temple has more significant potential. It’s said that Disciples from the Sect can join the Martial Arts Temple, so why shouldn’t we strive for higher positions within it?”

”If we can secure higher positions in the Martial Arts Temple, our Tiger Sect is sure to become a first-class Sect, the strongest in Longnan!”

”By then, with the Sect Leader holding a third-rank official position on the inside, and Disciples holding office in the Martial Arts Temple on the outside, who in the whole Longyuan region would dare to dismiss the Tiger Sect as a nouveau riche without foundation!”

Lu Zhihua said sternly.

Currently, the Tiger Sect is indeed the strongest Sect in Longnan, but this strength is propped up by Li Zhen.

Without Li Zhen, the Tiger Sect could only be considered a second-rate Sect in Longnan.

Due to the shallow foundation of the Tiger Sect, many other Sects in Longyuan, Longnan, Longxi provinces look down on the Tiger Sect.

It’s an unavoidable issue, the Tiger Sect’s shallow foundation is a fact.

Even with Li Zhen now being an Innate Martial Artist, it doesn’t alter this reality.

The foundation of a Sect is mainly reflected in several aspects: first is resources, some of which can’t be bought with money, such as Treasure Medicine. Some long-standing Sects have their medicinal fields, cultivating Treasure Medicine perhaps for a hundred years.

Second is connections; the longer a Sect’s legacy, the more extensive and complex its network of relationships.

The third aspect is the inheritance of Cultivation Techniques and cultivating insights. While many may practice the same Cultivation Techniques, a Sect with a long inheritance will have numerous experiences and insights left by predecessors.

These experiences and insights can save Disciples from taking many detours.

The biggest flaw of the Tiger Sect is its short history of inheritance, which only barely adds up to a hundred years.

Li Zhen, looking at Lu Zhihua, nodded in satisfaction.

”Right, at the court’s mercy, huh? Do you think we are not at the mercy of the court now?”

He looked at Li Zhongzhen and asked, ”Tell me, if the court issues a command now, could we disobey?”

What is called a Sect is essentially an entity surviving under the court’s control.

You can despise the court and even resist it, but you must not defy the court’s decrees.

If it were just a Magistrate coming to the Tiger Sect, then the Tiger Sect could completely turn them away.

However, if a governor or an Inspector General came to the Tiger Sect, the Sect would have to open its doors wide and welcome them cordially.