165: The Marquis of Zhengxi, a huge fortune

This place is where the Grand Elder of Myriad Sound Valley cultivates in seclusion, and it is also the location of Myriad Sound Valley's core Legacy.

The valley's Chinya Mind-Cultivation Technique, 'Miao Yin Sacred Art', is placed here. This technique uses sound to kill, and it is quite profound.

[Peerless Martial Art · Miao Yin Sacred Art (Not Yet Mastered)]

This Cultivation Technique can be integrated into the main Cultivation Technique.

There are very few books placed here, less than ten in total.

'Yun Province Unofficial History'

'Si Province Unofficial History'

'Myriad Sound Valley Secret History'

'Myriad Sound Valley Relationship Network'

'Three Great Formations of Myriad Sound Valley'

'Records of Hundred Herbs Oddities'

'Spiritual Value Cultivation Method'

...

"Why are these great sects so fond of gossip?"

Chu Jiang saw that out of less than ten books on the shelf, unofficial histories and secret histories accounted for half.

'Myriad Sound Valley Secret History' tells how Myriad Sound Valley rose to prominence and how its ancestors toiled to achieve their current success, without a single negative detail.

Chu Jiang casually flipped through it and tossed it aside.

As for 'Myriad Sound Valley Relationship Network', it describes the connections Myriad Sound Valley has established over hundreds of years using various means, including money and beauty.

It includes people of all levels: high officials, powerful experts from great sects, and strongmen from other provinces.

If the 'conquest' is successful, a checkmark is placed after that person's information; if it's ongoing, a circle is placed; if it fails, an 'X' is drawn.

Almost eighty percent of the Yunze County Governor, Chief Clerk, and local high officials have been integrated into Myriad Sound Valley's system.

Even Tuolong Army's Zhao Yue is on this list.

However, it shows that the 'conquest' is ongoing and not yet successful.

Purple Flame Demon Sect, Grand Elder, Hong Tianxiao, conquest successful.

Golden Saber Gate, Elder Xuanqing, conquest successful.

Blood River Sect, Sect Master Blood Hand Butcher, conquest failed. All Disciples sent died unnatural deaths. Proceed with caution.

Poison Sect, Elder Fat Snake, conquest successful.

Profound Darkness Sect, External Affairs Elder Tie Jixing, conquest successful.

...

Among the Seven Great Sects in Yun Province, except for Yu Xu Palace, even Profound Darkness Sect had a 'nail' driven into it.

This level of infiltration is truly astonishing.

Myriad Sound Valley has been able to pass down its Legacy for over a thousand years; it truly has some tricks up its sleeve. Moving against her would be like stirring up a hornet's nest.

"Hmm?"

Chu Jiang noticed a name from another province that was particularly striking.

It was marked in red pen.

Fire Province, Marquis Zhenxi, Han Fei, Fourth-Rank Marquis, a top power in Fire Province. Han Fei is the second-generation Marquis Zhenxi...

There were more than a dozen 'X' marks above it, with only a question mark at the very end.

And the person who took on this task had also been deliberately erased.

Han Fei's father was a powerful figure who dominated Fire Province, with outstanding achievements, and was conferred the title of Third-Rank Marquis by the imperial court.

Marquis titles are not hereditary. Unless their descendants achieve great merits, they inherit a downgraded title.

Marquis titles are divided into four ranks.

If the descendants are incompetent, the title will generally be downgraded to Earl after four generations.

However, titles of non-imperial kings can be hereditary. As long as there are descendants, they can theoretically inherit the title indefinitely.

However, the imperial court later changed the rules. Even with immense contributions, one can only be conferred a Marquis title.

No more non-imperial kings are conferred.

The seven non-imperial kings currently existing within Great Chu were all established over a thousand years ago. Even if their descendants are incompetent, they can still inherit the kingship.

Except for a few who can maintain their former prosperity, most are fallen nobles.

In terms of martial prowess alone, it is quite normal for some non-imperial kings to be even weaker than newly conferred Fourth-Rank Marquises.

One is the first generation to be conferred a Marquis title, at the peak of their power, while the other is a fallen noble who has inherited the title countless times.

The two cannot be compared.

"This Marquis Zhenxi, as the second generation, is definitely not weak!"

Chu Jiang muttered, just the Marquis Zhenxi Manor alone likely has two Transcendent Realm experts.

Transcendent Realm individuals can live for a thousand years.

And the Marquis Zhenxi was only conferred the title in the last hundred years.

It's unlikely he would have died.

Pulling up a radish brings out the mud.

This Myriad Sound Valley truly has astonishing methods, able to establish connections even with the Marquis Zhenxi, who is far away in Fire Province.

Assume the worst.

Let's just assume he was successfully 'conquered'.

Suddenly, he felt that being a Peerless Grandmaster was not so safe after all.

Those in the Transcendent Realm are far beyond the imagination of those in the Mortal Realm. Even the most Heaven-Defying person would find it very difficult to resist the Beyond Mortal Realm while in the Mortal Realm.

The gap between a Peerless Grandmaster and a Peerless Grandmaster is like the difference between clouds and mud, let alone the Transcendent Realm.

Between the two, let alone combat power, even in terms of life essence, they are not on the same level.

Once this matter is settled, it would be best to return to Yun Province as soon as possible to fuse with Golden Core-level martial arts and step into the Transcendent Realm.

Chu Jiang then turned his attention to 'Records of Hundred Herbs Oddities'. This book records some relatively rare Spiritual Plants and Heaven And Earth Treasures, including some High Grade ones.

Among them, it recorded the First-Grade Spiritual Plant, Dragon Blood Grass.

It was also an extra gain.

This Dragon Blood Grass, cultivated by Myriad Sound Valley, should not be for their own use, as Myriad Sound Valley does not cultivate the Physical Body.

It was probably for those with whom they had established connections.

"Among the people on the list, only Marquis Zhenxi is worthy of Myriad Sound Valley spending such a huge capital."

Now, it has benefited him.

...

Myriad Sound Valley Main Hall.

The sweep by three thousand people continued until late at night, and this scavenging operation gradually came to an end.

"Reporting to Commander Chu, Myriad Sound Valley's resources have basically been confiscated!" Zhao Yue respectfully said.

"Weapons: one thousand Low Grade, eight hundred Medium Grade, two hundred High Grade, thirty Peerless Grade, seven Peerless Grade!"

"Cultivation Techniques: one hundred twenty Innate-Grade, fifty Vajra-Grade, twenty Grandmaster-Grade, four Peak-Grade!"

"Medicinal Pills: two thousand various Medicinal Pills!"

"Alchemy Materials: three thousand portions, Artifact Refining Materials: eight hundred portions!"

"Eight million taels of silver, one million taels of gold!"

"Five hundred High Grade warhorses, seven griffins!"

"In addition, Myriad Sound Valley also owns various mineral resources."

"One Profound Gold Mine, a small mine, estimated remaining output of sixty thousand catties."

"Five Profound Iron Mines, medium mines, estimated remaining output of eight hundred thousand catties."

"Various wineries, Red Mansions, weapon shops, trade associations spread throughout Yunze County... their value cannot be estimated at once!"

Chu Jiang listened to Zhao Yue's report. Even though Myriad Sound Valley's thousand-year accumulation of resources was constantly being consumed,

the remaining stock was still astonishing.

These resources would definitely allow the Demon Suppression Guard to expand by another two thousand people. Recently, the Yun Province Demon Suppression Guard suffered significant losses.

Just from Liu Sanlang's betrayal, five hundred Demon Suppression Guards were lost.

After several missions, the total number of people was already less than three thousand.

"Take out one hundred thousand taels of silver to reward the Tuolong Army. In two days, the Demon Suppression Guard will transport it back to the Demon Suppression Division!"

Chu Jiang pondered for a moment and said.

"As for Myriad Sound Valley's industries..."

This was a problem. Various mines and industries in major cities would certainly require manpower to manage.

The Demon Suppression Guard was already short of personnel in fighting demons, making it difficult to spare so many people to take over these industries.

But they couldn't abandon them either.

The income generated by these industries each year was an astronomical figure, which could be used to subsidize the Demon Suppression Division.

"Commander Chu, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should!"

Zhao Yue raised an eyebrow and suddenly spoke.