I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1061 - Chapter 1061 Chapter 355 My Persistence

Chapter 1061: Chapter 355: My Persistence Chapter 1061: Chapter 355: My Persistence For over a decade, Xiang Ange had sacrificed countless interests in the hopes of winning people’s hearts, but he ultimately discovered that the hearts of Chaochang’s merchants were like an insatiable abyss.

There’s a saying that those who take favors are kept short and those who eat others’ food are soft-spoken, yet the people of Chaochang, after wiping clean their plates, would offer nothing more than cheap flattery, continuing their affairs as they always had.

Sometimes Xiang Ange truly couldn’t understand what kind of magic the Yun Clan possessed to make these vicious wolves behave so tamely.

He had done his utmost, yet the Upper City District of Chaochang remained a foggy obstacle for the Xiang Family, with the situation inside impossible to discern clearly.

If soft persuasion proved entirely ineffective, then it was time to test with force, and speaking of force, what could be more useful in Chaochang at the moment than the Dutian Heavenly King’s patrol and the Arbitration Office.

“Seal off all news, have all the defense squad leaders ready, and when the time comes, lead a raid into the mansions. Just one probe and we’ll not only know the standard armed forces of these noble families but also understand their true attitude towards our race. Is this not a fine thing!”

Xiang Loulan had long wanted to take action against those duplicitous noble families in the Upper City District, and now that Xiang Ange was so decisive, he immediately accepted the command, “Father, just watch, I will handle this matter perfectly!”

No sooner had he spoken than Xiang Loulan rushed to leave, but Xiang Ange stopped him, “Wait!”

Taken aback, Xiang Loulan turned around, only to hear Xiang Ange say indifferently, “Before we launch a surprise attack on the noble families by lifting the city curfew, let the Yun End Council post a notice. Any who disobey the king’s patrol’s decree and refuse the search shall be branded rebels, to be executed by all under heaven, and have the city lord’s seal upon it!”

The always lukewarm Xiang Ange suddenly became so decisively lethal that Xiang Loulan had difficulty understanding and couldn’t help asking, “Father, why this?”

“Because the Yun Family’s eldest son may not be dead!”

Xiang Ange dropped a bombshell so alarming that Xiang Loulan turned deathly pale, “In ancient times, there existed a solidified Minor Spiritual Realm beneath Chaochang’s earth. It was because of this realm that Yun Zu settled his family in Chaochang. Back then, the Human Race of Dragon State was frequently purged by the Demon Race, and it was by relying on this realm that Yun Zu managed to keep his clan’s people intact. Later, with the grand rise of the Human Race and the demise of the Dragon State Demon King, Yun Zu turned this Minor Spiritual Realm into Chaochang’s unique sewage and drainage system, which allowed Chaochang to become a true metropolis of tens of millions.”

“However, upon examining ancient texts today, I found that this system only utilized half of the Minor Spiritual Realm. The other half had been transformed into a network of hidden pathways, but the key to this half realm is a top-secret of the Yun Clan, passed only to direct heirs, from males but not females!”

“Over the past half-month, the Wind Department’s senior officials and seasoned Arbitrators of the Arbitration Office have turned both inside and outside the city upside down, yet they’ve been unable to find a single trace. The only thing capable of blocking the Divine Symbol’s sensing and silently moving people out of Chaochang is this Spirit Realm’s secret passageway!”

“Have you ever made any connection with that ghostly assassin who suddenly appeared in the city in the last few years?”

Swallowing hard, Xiang Loulan said with a trembling voice, “Father means to say, the assassin is Yun Ji? But how is that possible? Isn’t he already dead? The entire Yun Family shrine was blown to the skies, how could anyone survive?”

“In all matters, there are exceptions,” said Xiang Ange indifferently. “Do not spread word of this. I’ve already sent Feng Ge to deal with it. Once we capture the assassin, we can naturally follow the vine to find other remnants of the Yun Family. Go ahead and arrange the search of the noble families!”

…

In the western part of Dragon State, downstream of Lingjiang,

In Jiejiang City,

That night, a severe earthquake startled the entire Martial Hall. Strong individuals from the Tang Clan gathered above the Sect Head’s residence in no time, eager to see who was causing mischief.

But all they saw was a sunken earth pit and the golden rock cage inside; whoever the opponent was, they were surely doomed.

Everyone thought so in their hearts, after all, the entire Xiling knew that if one were approached by Tang Sen, even a wild beast with divine beast bloodline could only surrender without a fight.

Feeling that there was no excitement left to watch, the strong men from Martial Hall swiftly withdrew after receiving a signal from the Sect Head’s wife. Half a day later, an unrecognizable monk was carried out from the Sect Head’s residence.

“Arrange a small team to transport this person to the Fuyun Temple outside Chaochang City,” the Sect Head commanded tersely, without giving any background or reason, simply leaving the task to Martial Hall and washing his hands of it.

Therefore, Task Hall didn’t feel too upset about this severely injured monk, casually arranging a Mortal Realm squad before setting off.

After all, compared to the mission of fighting to expand the city, this job of sending a monk to Chaochang was relatively relaxing.

It just so happened that there was a merchant ship from Longxi heading to Chaochang territory. After a quick discussion, they simply boarded the merchant ship with favorable winds and headed south.

The winds were favorable, the helmsman was skilled, and the route was correct; in less than half a month, the merchant ship entered Chaochang territory, while the transported monk lay motionless as if dead for a fortnight.

Several clan warriors were afraid that the man would pass away before they could reach the temple, so they hurried along the way, carrying the stretcher and rushing through the Wilderness, until they reached the mountain gate of Fuyun Temple outside Chaochang City.

Before they could explain their intent, the temple doors opened of their own accord, and out walked a monk whose skin was as clear as glass, his features as handsome as a celestial being.

As if already aware of their purpose, the monk thanked them and, after leaving a palm-sized note, took the severely injured monk away.

After settling the gravely wounded Yanshan in a secluded chamber, Yankong, who had been like a dead man for those dozen days, suddenly spoke faintly, “Brother, I have been defeated.”

Yanshan, who was preparing herbs nearby, replied with an unchanged expression, “In this world, everything has its cause and effect. Whether something succeeds or fails depends on its causality. Although there are people who may cause success or failure, in reality, the power lies not in their current actions but in the causes laid down by us in the past.”

“If one understands the preceding and following consequences, then adversity, smooth progress, gains, and losses are all self-inflicted. Even in the face of adversity, one should not complain or blame. One should only feel shame for not having virtue, rather than find fault with others or heaven.”

“Greed, anger, and ignorance are the Three Poisons of humanity; victory and defeat are merely illusions. Why should you, my younger brother, take them to heart?”

As a practitioner of Zen for many years, Yankong of course understood these principles, but whenever he closed his eyes, the image of the closing golden rock cage and the fierce warriors, like mad tigers, would inexplicably emerge before him.

He was not afraid, but filled with regret–regret for his arrogance and even more for his weakness. What was most unbearable was that he didn’t even have the chance to chant a spell.

If time could be reversed, and he could recite the divine incantations from the Sutra of No Suffering and Extinction, perhaps the outcome would have been different.

Defeat like this was too inexplicable for him to accept, even Yanshan’s consoling words did not ease his feelings.

“Foolish child, foolish child,” Yanshan sighed and shook his head upon sensing Yankong’s thoughts: “Here, my younger brother, you should focus on recovering from your injuries.”