52: Chapter 52 The chives growing all over the ground are growing so vigorously!

Inside the study, the candlelight flickered.

Jiang Feng calculated his current advantages internally; he lacked neither resources, Magic Treasure, nor Cultivation Technique.

The only thing he needed to wait for now was the east wind.

First, manpower.

Second, his own cultivation level.

Jiang Feng looked within himself; his Spiritual Root remained inferior, and the Qi vortex in his Dantian was pitifully thin. Thinking he could reach Foundation Establishment through hard work alone was pure delusion.

His gaze subconsciously turned toward the backyard, where his four pregnant wives resided—his hope for the future.

In just a few months, when the first child was born and the talent feedback began, his path of cultivation would truly skyrocket. At that time, if he could step into Foundation Establishment and then control this nine prisons peak...

By then, he would have no match in the entire Huoyang Commandery.

"Waiting is the most agonizing thing," Jiang Feng sighed softly, stood up, and pushed open the window.

A wave of hot, dry air mixed with dust, the stench of sweat, low-grade Medicinal Pill, and a faint smell of blood rushed in violently.

This was the taste of the West City: chaotic, savage, and full of uncontrolled vitality.

"For the Jiang Family to gain a foothold in this Huoyang Commandery, relying on just us few is far from enough," Jiang Feng said without turning his head, his voice drifting slightly in the wind.

Young Master Jiang Chen, who had been standing silently behind him with his Killing Intent restrained, bowed forward upon hearing this, "Second Master, what do you mean?"

"The methods from Jiangyuan City won't work here," Jiang Feng's finger pointed down at the sparsely lit slum area below, which resembled a dormant Vicious Beast. "This place gathers the most Loose Cultivator in Huoyang Commandery. They are weeds, ants, nobody cares about them, nobody asks after them, they just fend for themselves."

"But give them a little sunshine and rain, and they can grow wildly into a prairie fire."

Young Master Jiang Chen's hand tightened on his sword hilt, a flash of ferocity crossing his eyes, "Does Second Master want to recruit them?"

"Recruit?" Jiang Feng laughed, his laughter tinged with a chill, "No, the Jiang Family does not support idlers, let alone waste."

"What I want is a blade, a blade loyal to the Jiang Family, a blade that can cut down all my enemies!"

And the West City of Huoyang Commandery is the best forge for such a blade.

...

Three days later.

West City, Black Stone Plaza.

Rather than a plaza, this place was more like a patch of mud packed solid by countless footprints.

Today's atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

A dozen or so Cultivator wearing the green martial attire of the Qin Family blocked the center of the plaza. The middle-aged man with triangular eyes leading them, with the cultivation of Qi Refining Layer 9, was arrogant and overbearing. His gaze swept over the surrounding Loose Cultivator, who were as silent as cicadas in winter, as if looking at a flock of pigs and sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

"Listen well, all of you!"

The triangular-eyed man's voice, infused with Spiritual power, exploded over the plaza, "By the order of our Qin Family, starting today, all Loose Cultivator in the West City must pay our Qin Family an additional five Low-Grade Spirit Stone every month!"

"Anyone who refuses..." He sneered, drew the long blade from his waist, infused it with Spiritual power, and the blade light flashed!

"Boom!"

A stone slab used by a nearby Loose Cultivator for his stall was smashed into pieces, debris flying everywhere!

"This is the consequence!"

The plaza was deathly silent. All the Loose Cultivator lowered their heads; no one dared to speak, but in their eyes, the uncontrollable fire was almost burning out of their sockets.

It was five Low-Grade Spirit Stone before, and now another five have been added. This is not a protection fee; this is marrow-sucking extortion; this is taking their lives!

"What? You don't want to?" The triangular-eyed man's face darkened, his gaze falling on a one-armed swordsman who had just walked from the direction of the Yao Beast mountain range, covered in blood. "You, come first!"

The one-armed swordsman, Captain Zhao Du, had a livid complexion. He was a famous ruthless man in the West City, at Qi Refining Layer 8, and his swordsmanship was fierce and fearless. He stared fixedly at the triangular-eyed man, his single hand gripping the sword, veins bulging like coiling dragons.

"Damn it, do you think you're something?" A Qin Family lackey sneered and rushed up, kicking Captain Zhao Du to the ground, then stepping hard on his chest with his leather-booted foot. He spat and reached out to untie the Storage Pouch at his waist.

Captain Zhao Du's eyes were bloodshot; humiliation and anger made his whole body tremble violently, and a beast-like low growl escaped his throat.

But in the end, the light in his eyes extinguished, turning into a dead grey-white. He released his grip on the sword, allowing the other party to snatch away the Spirit Stone he had risked half his life to earn.

Resistance meant death.

The surrounding Loose Cultivator watched with clenched fists and gritted teeth, their nails digging into their palms, yet no one dared to move.

On the three-story teahouse not far away.

Jiang Feng sat by the window, taking in the scene below. He picked up his teacup, his expression calm, his fingertips lightly tracing the warm wall of the cup.

Young Master Jiang Chen stood behind him, the veins on the back of his hand gripping the sword bulging, his knuckles white, his chest heaving violently with anger.

"Second Master, this Qin Family... is bullying us too much!" His voice was squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying irrepressible Killing Intent. "I'll go down now and slaughter those bastards!"

Jiang Feng took a sip of tea and spoke unhurriedly, not even turning around to look at him.

"Slaughter them?"

"And then what? The Qin Family will send ten more at Qi Refining Layer 9, and you'll slaughter them too? Very well, then the Qin Family's Foundation Establishment Cultivator will have to make an appearance!"

Young Master Jiang Chen's body stiffened, his overflowing rage doused as if by a basin of ice water poured over his head.

"Anger is the cheapest thing in this world, Young Master Jiang Chen," Jiang Feng put down the teacup, his voice calm yet piercing straight to the heart, "Apart from making you lose your reason, it is useless."

His gaze slowly swept through the crowd.

It passed over Captain Zhao Du, who was stepped on, his eyes filled only with dead, silent Killing Intent.

It passed over the scarred man leading those huddled in the corner whispering curses, his bluster hiding his cowardice.

Finally, it settled on a scholar in green robes standing on the periphery of the crowd, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines all along.

The scholar looked weak and refined, with only Qi Refining Layer 7 cultivation, but his eyes were terrifyingly calm. While everyone else was blinded by anger, he was like a chess player detached from the game, as if everything before him had nothing to do with him.

The corners of Jiang Feng's lips twitched silently.

He let out a satisfied sigh, turned to look at the still reluctant Young Master Jiang Chen, and said leisurely, "Look, these leeks all over the ground, how delightfully they grow."

"Leeks?" Young Master Jiang Chen was stunned.

"Yes, leeks," Jiang Feng's fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound, "Angry leeks alone are not enough; you also need a good sickle, and you lack someone willing to teach them how to use the sickle—a knife sharpener."

His gaze turned once again to the scholar in green robes.

Jiang Feng's tone held a hint of appreciation, "He is calculating the positioning of the Qin Family members, calculating the reactions of the surrounding Loose Cultivator, and even calculating how much chance of winning there would be if they rebelled at this moment, and how many lives would need to be sacrificed."

"Everyone wants to be a hero, only he is thinking about how to win."

Jiang Feng withdrew his gaze, drained the tea in his cup, and ordered in a flat voice:

"Young Master Jiang Chen."

"Present," Young Master Jiang Chen replied respectfully, having understood by now.

"Go investigate that scholar in green robes. I need his name and everything about him."

Jiang Feng paused, his calm gaze reflecting the desperate and angry faces downstairs, a meaningful smile curling the corners of his mouth.

"Then, find an Opportunity to gift him an immense Opportunity."