Twin Dimension Yin-Yang Mirror: Attaining immortality through the martial path
Chapter 474 - 422 Mutual Threats, The Resurgence of the Demon Subduer

Chapter 474: Chapter 422 Mutual Threats, The Resurgence of the Demon Subduer

"This gentleman is Chen Fengchi from the Pinghu Chen Family, and this one is Zeng Shihong from the Zeng Family."

Although his heart was filled with worries and awkwardness, Wu Changsong could not afford further thought; he sacrificed his own dignity to introduce the two Family Heads.

"When the Red Lotus Bandits came that day, it was too sudden; both families gathered their valuables, took their families, and crossed the river in haste to seek aid—a picture of panicked sorrow. While staying in Huangze all these days, they thought daily of their hometowns falling into bandit hands and could not hold back their tears.

When they heard that Nephew Disciple Zhou had taken back Pinghu City from the hands of the Red Lotus Bandits, they were beside themselves with joy and just wanted to return home to offer any help they could to do something for the elders there..."

As Wu Changsong spoke, he didn’t seem like a Taoist who stayed out of worldly affairs; rather, he was slick and practiced, turning "fleeing" into "seeking aid" and coming back to reclaim their lands into "wanting to contribute to the community."

Even Zhou Ping’an couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"That would be great. The Three Counties of Liyou are now in dire need of revival, especially Pinghu City, having just been retrieved from the Red Lotus Bandits. We are in dire need of capable people. If the Chen and Zeng Family Heads could recommend promising family members to come and assist, it would truly be a blessing."

Zhou Ping’an promptly agreed.

"Not just the descendants of the Chen and Zeng families; I’m also very welcoming to any other families who want to come back."

"The General is magnanimous. Being able to recover our lands and businesses, my Chen Family is deeply grateful and will certainly spread the word of the General’s formidable presence..."

"My Zeng Family also feels the same. There are a few descendants in our family with exceptional talents, who’ve obtained the Juren title this spring. They could indeed be recommended to the General. However, they plan to head to the capital for the exam next year, and I hope the General will not hinder them."

Both Family Heads smiled broadly, thanking him repeatedly.

Their initially reserved expressions also became much more genial.

"Sure, sure, then come back. No matter what, here in the Three Counties of Liyou, everyone is treated equally. I certainly won’t let your families starve."

"What?"

The faces of the Chen and Zeng Family Heads filled with bewilderment.

Will not let our families starve, what does that mean?

The Chen Family owns a full one thousand eight hundred acres of farmland, with shops, mines, pharmaceutical businesses, and grain stores, their assets spread throughout the city. They are wealthy enough to rival nobility; in the Three Counties of Liyou, they are definitely known as a significant and affluent household.

As for the Zeng Family, while slightly less influential, their ancestors once reached the rank of third-grade court official. They are known as a family steeped in culture. Even in disaster years, they would not be arrogant and would still actively buy up land. In Pinghu County, they still own one thousand five hundred acres of land.

Their descendants have spread and have their own ways of making a living, such as taverns, bookstores, pharmacies, and silk businesses; they also have their hands in plenty.

Such families, wherever they go, aren’t they treated as honored guests?

Maybe even visiting the Prefectural Governor’s Mansion, they’d be invited for a cup of fragrant tea and to discuss poetry and share life stories... You’re saying they won’t starve?

Before they could figure out the meaning behind Zhou Ping’an’s words,

Xiao Chengfeng had already lowered his head and chuckled softly.

"What about those farmlands?"

Chen Fengchi asked uncertainly, "May I know when the General plans to survey and return them?"

"Return? Brother Fengchi, what are you talking about? Let me put it this way: I welcome you to settle back down in Pinghu, but as for the farmlands, since they were originally taken by the Red Lotus Bandits, you’ll have to seek compensation and ask for them from the Red Lotus Bandits. There is a clear distinction between debt and grievance, wouldn’t you agree?"

Zhou Ping’an gently picked up a cup of tea, slowly sipping it, and leisurely spoke.

"That might be the case, but now the Red Lotus Bandits have been suppressed, and Pinghu has been reclaimed for the Imperial Court. Shouldn’t the lands be returned according to the law?"

Chen Fengchi’s expression had turned stern, sensing something ominous, he felt compelled to argue more forcefully.

Since ancient times, it has been hard to part with wealth.

If it were a small amount of money or some treasure, it could be let go. After all, facing a force so powerful and well-supplied, one couldn’t afford to offend them.

However, this was the foundation of their family’s livelihood; it could not be relinquished so easily.

"Yes, I must implore the General to think thrice before acting. If word spread that the General is withholding the farmland of major families, it might tarnish the General’s reputation."

Zeng Shihong also spoke with a heavy heart.

"Reputation? Take a look at this..."

Zhou Ping’an didn’t get angry, but clapped his hands lightly, and instantly, a servant presented a piece of paper held above his head, which was then offered up.

He took the paper and handed it to Zeng Shihong, smiling: "The Head of Zeng Family has a tradition of valuing literature and profound learning. Surely you won’t fail to understand the meaning of this Wanted notice. Am I an officer of the Imperial Court? No, I am a great bandit, a wanted criminal. This head of mine is worth ten thousand taels of silver."

He picked up the tea cup again, this time not drinking, his lips curled with a trace of mockery: "I’m not even an official; these Three Counties of Liyou have fallen into the hands of bandits. Brother Fengchi, tell me, how is it that they have been reclaimed for the Imperial Court? By what law should matters be handled?"

The faces of Chen Fengchi and Zeng Shihong turned pale in an instant.

The vividly red Wanted poster lay in front of them.

No matter how much they pinched their noses in denial, the poster represented the authority of the Imperial Court, not subject to their will.

If they acknowledged the validity of this Wanted notice, then the problem arises: if the other party is a rebel, asking a rebel for the return of your land, isn’t that a joke?

Both had not harbored much hope in the first place. If the Red Lotus Bandits took their property, then so be it, they would have to accept their misfortune. They just hoped that one day, when the Imperial Army reclaimed the territories, they could recover their assets.

If not, then there was nothing they could do.

But ever since Zhou Ping’an took over the three counties, he hadn’t committed the slightest harm to the civilians. He had treated the common people quite admirably.

Even those refugees and beggars had enough to eat.

Is this the behavior of bandits?

Calling him a sage or a gentleman wouldn’t have been an exaggeration.

There’s a saying: "You can deceive a gentleman when dealing straight." Such a good person, such a gentleman, should be able to reclaim their lands, right?

But, what they encountered was a rude awakening.

Indeed, he could be considered kind-hearted, but only to certain people. Claiming to be a rebel might not be entirely false.

The only difference from other rebels was that he hadn’t yet raised a rebel flag or shouted slogans.

In essence, there was no difference.

Seeing the atmosphere turning sour, Wu Changsong hurriedly tried to smooth things over: "How could Nephew Disciple Zhou sully himself? Cui Guangling is doing wrong, slandering good people as thieves. The people of Yunzhou will surely report his misdeeds.

"Nephew Disciple, you needn’t rush; these matters concern your reputation and require careful handling. Otherwise, once the Imperial Army comes to suppress the rebellion, it will be too late for regrets."

"Yes, right now, Master Xiao Yuanfang is leading fifty thousand Imperial Army troops to Yunzhou to oversee the suppression of the rebellion in the Four States of the Southwest. It would be disastrous to draw his attention to Pinghu."

Chen Fengchi was chiming in from the side.

This sly old man.

Zhou Ping’an glanced at Wu Changsong and understood; this elder was wholeheartedly siding with Chongyang Peak, probably having placed a heavy bet, and now he was exerting pressure on him?

Now that the rebel-suppressing army had arrived in Yunzhou, who to attack was merely a matter of listening to the suggestions of these local powerhouses.

Implicit in his words was the message that if Zhou Ping’an stubbornly played the rebel, the suppression forces would quickly arrive.

Zhou Ping’an’s eyebrows slightly raised, "I’m not afraid. If Xiao Yuanfang himself leads the army here, naturally, I won’t resist alone. The Red Lotus Army of fifty thousand that has entrenched itself in Pingshan and Lanhua is just about to cross the river and attack, aren’t they? Forming an alliance with them is also an option."

"Absolutely not!"

"Out of the question!"

Several turned pale as they spoke at once.

Though the Three Counties of Liyou might not cover a large territory, they sustained an elite force of a hundred thousand troops accustomed to doing nothing but rigorous training. Aside from receiving full meals and the occasional meat, they were even paid wages.

Such treatment was on par with a general’s personal soldiers.

A general might maintain a personal force of a couple hundred, maybe up to a thousand at most. Any more would be too expensive to sustain.

The rest of the soldiers might be called a motley crew, and while calling them utterly undisciplined was a bit harsh, it was certain they were ill-equipped and poorly trained, and the notion of being fed without working was unthinkable.

Most of their time was spent toiling in the fields, satisfied with coarse grains and thin soups, fortunate even to eat their fill.

One could imagine the combat power of such soldiers when it came to fighting.

Who treated troops like Zhou Ping’an did?

If such an army of a hundred thousand elite soldiers were to advance eastward and ally with the Red Lotus Bandits, the situation would become dire.

Whether it could be quelled afterwards was unknown.

At the very least, Huangze County wouldn’t be able to withstand it.

Yunzhou might not either...

The reasoning was simple.

In the six counties of Yunzhou, Red Lotus Bandits were rampant with numbers exceeding a staggering three hundred thousand, filled with formidable experts, already suffocating Yunzhou as it sought reinforcements from the central government.

Under such circumstances, Xiao Yuanfang had come to the Four States of the Southwest, with too many places needing rescue, not just focusing on Yunzhou alone.

Before Zhou Ping’an showed signs of rebellion, they were naturally at ease and even had the intent to probe his stance and demand fertile lands.

Once a rebellion was indeed raised, losing several counties would be inevitable, and no one could bear that responsibility.

Both, Chen Fengchi and Zeng Shihong’s hearts trembled violently; Wu Changsong’s forehead even broke out in cold sweat.

If Huangze County fell, it would be the end of what Cloud Water Sect had so painstakingly established in Yunzhou.

He thought anxiously, ’Could it be that this Nephew Disciple Zhou really harbors this plan, overthrowing Nephew Disciple Zhang and forcing Cloud Water Sect to place their heavy bets on him? If so, Nephew Disciple Zhang is in jeopardy...’

’We must act swiftly, or we won’t just fail to secure Yunzhou; even Huangze County would be lost sooner or later.’

With this in mind, he quickly managed a smile, "It need not come to that; it need not. Please be patient a little longer, Nephew Disciple Zhou. After I return, I will speak on your behalf, hoping to arrange for your pardon.

The situation is urgent and talents are needed urgently; a valiant fighter like Nephew Disciple Zhou, I believe the Imperial Court will not shut its gates; please, wait patiently..."

"Then I’ll have to trouble Uncle-Master."

Zhou Ping’an stood up with a smile and offered a cupped fist salute.

It was as if he had not mentioned the possibility of allying with the Red Lotus Army just before.

He instructed Xiao Chengfeng to escort the guests away and sat quietly in the hall, pondering for a while before he realized that indeed, now was not the time for capturing territory and plundering lands.

The troops were freshly recruited; the sowed rice, wheat, and beans were just sprouting...

With Demonic Barbarians watching from the side and Old Crocodile leading his Demon Soldiers, lying in wait,

In Guangyun County, Cui Guangling is even more treacherous and could act at any moment.

Considering the precariousness of the situation, his position here was even less secure than that of Huangze County.

The enemy still had reinforcements to rely on, while the Three Counties of Liyou depended solely on himself. Losing a single battle would mean falling apart completely, ruining all good prospects at once.

Of course, there would be no talk of gathering momentum for fortune.

His cultivation speed would also slow down.

At this rate, how many years would it take to break through to True Martial?

With these thoughts in mind,

Zhou Ping’an didn’t relax for a moment.

He instructed his servants not to disturb him and stepped into the Quiet Room.

His practice of the Sword Technique for the day was already complete.

The Sacrificial Refining of the Starry Bone could not be neglected for a second.

Since reaching the Heaven-Man Sensitivity in Qi Refining Realm wasn’t achievable overnight,

His only option was to quickly refine all 206 bones into Starry Bone.

He had tested it; even Old Crocodile’s Form Refining Technique couldn’t break his bones. If his entire skeleton became Starry Bone, synergizing strength throughout his body, his combat power would surely increase greatly.

Moreover, it should sustain the "Purifying World Lotus Body" at the Seventh Level.

By that time, even facing the True Martial Realm head-on wouldn’t be impossible.

With that thought, his heart and spirit were moved.

Suddenly, Zhou Ping’an was slightly startled to discover that the Nine Sons Subdue Demon Order, resting on the desk, suddenly hummed to life and lit up.

...

Requesting Monthly Pass.