113: Chapter 113 Expansion and Annexation

The news of the entire Ning Family being exterminated overnight caused a shock in Xiaoshan County far greater than the Wang Family had anticipated.

At first, a few Loose Cultivators who frequently lingered on the edges of the Ning Family's territory noticed something was wrong; the Ning Family Cultivators who usually patrolled back and forth along the official road had completely vanished, and the manor gates bearing the Ning Family flag were wide open, with absolute silence reigning inside.

Someone bold climbed over the wall to take a look, and when they came out, their face was completely pale, stumbling and crawling as they ran to the county yamen to report the crime.

The magistrate of Xiaoshan County personally brought a coroner and constables to the premises, but after entering for barely the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, he retreated with a livid expression.

Over three hundred corpses, ranging from the Qi Refinement Stage clansmen to dependents, the elderly, and the children, and even the Foundation Establishment Ning Family Clan Chief Ning Shengli, not a single one was left alive.

The news spread like it had grown wings, spreading across the Three Counties in just two or three days—the entire Ning Family had been wiped out.

"Who did it?" "Unknown."

"How was it done?" "Unknown."

The only thing that could be confirmed was that the person who committed this extermination case used extremely ruthless and neat methods, not even giving the mountain-guarding array time to be fully activated.

Moreover, an array-breaking hammer, suspected to be the unique Magical Artifact of Black Fiend, was found at the scene.

Of course, it wasn't a complete array-breaking hammer, otherwise it wouldn't have been called suspected.

For a time, the Three Counties were in an uproar, and all kinds of speculations ran rampant.

All of this had nothing to do with the Wang Family.

At least not on the surface.

The Xiaoshan County yamen soon posted a notice: "Since the Ning Family has been destroyed, all industries under their name, such as spiritual fields, Ore veins, and shops, shall be confiscated by the government, and will be publicly auctioned at the county yamen in half a month, with the highest bidder winning."

The magistrate of Xiaoshan County was surnamed Zheng, a short and chubby middle-aged man with a Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation level.

He knew the value of this batch of spiritual fields better than anyone—the Ning Family had entrenched themselves in Xiaoshan County for nearly two hundred years, occupying the river valley with the densest Spiritual Qi within Xiaoshan County, boasting no less than two hundred mu of spiritual fields, several Ore veins with verified reserves, and thriving shops in the market city.

Normally, these industries would never flow into the market; now that the Ning Family had died out completely, ownerless items naturally reverted to the county yamen, to be sold under his auspices.

This was the magistrate's power, and also the magistrate's perk.

But he also had a headache.

This batch of industries was too much of a hot potato.

The reason for the Ning Family's extermination remained unclear to this day; in case the murderer was still lurking in the shadows, whoever won the bid for this batch of spiritual fields might become the target.

The news had been released for several days, but among the Three Counties, the families interested in bidding were few and small, and the few small local families in Xiaoshan County simply feigned ignorance.

Magistrate Zheng was so anxious that blisters broke out on the corners of his mouth: if this batch of spiritual fields failed to sell, where would he, the magistrate, put his face? What would he use to fill the holes in the tax ledger?

Until the people of the Wang Family appeared at the entrance of the county yamen.

Wang Yaowen personally led the team, a group of more than ten people in green robes, with lotus emblems embroidered on their collars.

Magistrate Zheng personally went out to greet them at the second gate, smiling so hard that the wrinkles on his face bunched together.

The auction was held in the main hall of the county yamen.

Except for the Wang Family, only representatives from three or five small families were present, sitting sparsely in two rows.

As soon as the land deed for the first spiritual field was shown, Wang Yaowen raised his plaque, his tone as casual as if he were buying Chinese cabbage: "One thousand Spirit Stones."

The representatives of the few small families nearby looked at each other in dismay, none daring to follow suit.

"Are you kidding, the Wang Family came to buy everything in bulk, who would dare to bid against the Wang Family?"

Not to mention that the Wang Family was currently at the zenith of its power with two Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the Family, the rumor of the Ning Family's extermination that night alone was enough to make these people press their bidding hands firmly against their knees.

When it came to the sixth spiritual field, finally a Loose Cultivator merchant from out of town tentatively raised a plaque: "One thousand two hundred."

Wang Yaowen didn't even glance over there, picked up his teacup and took a slow sip, then raised his plaque and said: "Two thousand."

The merchant's mouth twitched, and he silently put down the plaque.

The auction ended faster than anyone expected.

All spiritual fields, Ore veins, and shops under the Ning Family's name, totaling more than ten properties, were all won by the Wang Family at the reserve price, with not a single bidding war exceeding three rounds.

Magistrate Zheng personally struck the final hammer, the smile on his face unable to be hidden—everything was sold, not a single item failed to sell; once this political achievement was reported, the Ministry of Personnel evaluation would be another top grade.

He personally handed a thick stack of land deeds to Wang Yaowen, cupped his hands and smiled: "Clan Chief Wang has a magnificent spirit; for these spiritual fields to fall into the hands of the Wang Family is also the blessing of Xiaoshan County."

Wang Yaowen took the land deeds, exchanged a few polite words, but inwardly calculated the cost of the auction.

Even at the reserve price, when more than ten properties were added together, it was still a considerable sum.

The Ning Family had operated in Xiaoshan County for nearly two hundred years, and the Family fortune they had saved up was truly substantial—two hundred mu of spiritual fields, several Ore veins, thriving shops in the market city, and several manors.

If calculated by normal market prices, these properties would be worth at least two to three hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

Now, although they were won at the reserve price, counting all expenses, it still cost close to one hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

However, it was worth it, extremely worth it.

Just those two hundred mu of spiritual fields alone would yield a steady income of spiritual grain every year.

Not to mention those Ore veins—the Ning Family founded their clan on Artifact Refining, and the reserves of several Ore veins were not bad, among which a profound iron mine was one of the best quality Ore veins in Xiaoshan County.

Coupled with several thriving shops in the market city, the Wang Family's Spiritual Fish and Puppets would henceforth have a direct sales channel in Xiaoshan County, no longer needing to go through middlemen for commissions.

These properties were pillars in the hands of the Ning Family, but in the hands of the Wang Family, they were the icing on the cake. With the advantages of the two families superimposed, who else among the Three Counties could contend with the Wang Family in the future?

When he walked out of the county yamen, the setting sun of Xiaoshan County was just right.

Wang Yaowu was waiting outside the door, and seeing him come out, asked eagerly: "How much did it cost?"

Wang Yaowen put the land deeds into his Storage Pouch, the corners of his mouth curving slightly: "Less than one hundred thousand, bought out the entire Ning Family."

Wang Yaowu drew in a sharp breath of cold air, then grinned broadly, laughing so loudly that the bailiffs at the entrance of the county yamen all turned back to look.

Wang Yaowen patted his shoulder and whispered a sentence that made Wang Yaowu laugh all the way back: "Go back and tell Sixth Uncle and Big Brother, from now on Xiaoshan County also bears the surname Wang."

Lotus Pier, council hall.

Wang Yaowu spread a thick stack of land deeds and account books on the table, and Wang Yaozu flipped through a few pages, his brows knitting together.

One hundred thousand Spirit Stones—even with the Wang Family's current foundation, this sum was by no means small.

The active Spirit Stones searched out from the Ning Family's treasury were just over fifty thousand, and the various items in the Storage Pouch of Black Fiend's group of bandit Cultivators added up to less than twenty thousand, leaving a gap of thirty thousand right there.

The Ores of the earth fire branch veins had not yet been sold outside, and the newly acquired Ore veins had not yet started working. The active Spirit Stones in the treasury, gathered back and forth, were still short by a segment.

"How much is short?" Wang Yaozu asked.

"Thirteen thousand Spirit Stones." Wang Yaowen had managed clan affairs for many years, and the accounts were well-known by heart: "The Ores cannot be turned into cash in time, and those shops of the Ning Family have not yet been transferred out. There are only this many active Spirit Stones."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Wang Yaozu's fingers tapped lightly on the account book a few times, then he raised his head, his tone calm yet unquestionable: "Allocate a batch of the Spiritual Fish hoarded in the treasury, leave enough breeding fish and this year's quota, and liquidate all the rest in the market city. Cloud Carp has no trouble selling in the Three Counties; lower the price a bit, and the funds can be recovered within three to five days."

Wang Yaowen nodded, quickly jotted down a few notes in the account book, and added another sentence: "Also, a batch of non-combat Puppets accumulated over Qingcheng's side a while ago was originally intended to be sold slowly. If we urgently need Spirit Stones, we can sell them together as well."