Divine Brilliance

Turning around to take a look at Zong Shou’s expression, which had dimmed back down, only then did Xunayuan Yiren realize that something was wrong. Her brows furrowed, thinking that before this matter Zong Shou had taken a trip to Oblivion Cloud Ocean. A tragic gaze appeared in her eyes, “You didn’t manage to find father-in-law?”

Zong Shou laughed awkwardly inside, and knew that Xuanyuan Yiren misunderstood him.

What he was worried about had nothing to do with this matter. However, the matter of Zong Weiran being still alive shouldn’t be easily told to others.

He trusted his future wife, but this place wasn’t the right time to talk about all that.

Shaking his head and not answering, Zong Shou casually threw the Saint decree towards the dustbin on the side, showing no signs of respect towards it, annoying Kong Yao. He didn’t bother with that, turning his eyes to the side of Xuanyuan Yiren.

An old man was sitting there. He looked like he was seventy years old, but the amount of energy and lifeforce he had was something that even he as a young man couldn’t compare to.

“May I ask, is this old man the sect leader of Pill Fountain Sect, Yiren’s teacher, Old Man Mingdan?”

The old man’s eyes opened slightly. Without needing Xuanyuan Yiren to introduce him, he stood up.

“I am Mingdan, greetings to Ruler! This time what happened within my Pill Fountain Sect, Ruler must have ridiculed us.”

“Why would I?”

Zong Shou laughed, like he didn’t mind at all, “The spiritual wave is about to arrive, these external race members rushing over, especially this Shadowless Demon race which is really hard to deal with. In the ancient era numerous sects and dynasties fell to their hands. For me to be able to protect my legacy, Pill Fountain Sect, is a huge credit. This matter is also unrelated to you, only…”

When he said those words, Zong Shou’s tone changed, his expression also turned serious, “As a Ruler I must be unbiased, punishing and rewarding people fairly. This battle was still started by Pill Fountain Sect. Giving face to Yiren, I won’t dish out any punishment. However all the sales of pills from the sect in the future, forty percent must be handed over to Gantian Mountain…”

Xuanyuan Yiren was startled when she heard that. Right as she was about to speak, Zong Shou stared over viciously.

It was natural to punish, but this forty percent sum was simply too huge…

He had obviously already recovered and fixed the weaknesses of the Mysterious Moon Wood Brilliance Method. However, he was like a turtle hiding and not coming out, letting Xuanyuan Yiren take up all the pressure by herself. Even if this person had many reasons for doing so, it was tough for her to forgive him.

Why would he be nice to this Mingdan?

Mingdan heaved a sigh, instead grabbing Xuanyuan Yiren and bowing towards Zong Shou. “Mingdan follows your orders. Ruler has saved our sect from being wiped out, our entire sect is really grateful! This kindness is like building the sect again from new, if you have any orders for us, we will follow without hesitation.”

Said by Mingdan like that, Zong Shou felt embarrassed.

Unfortunately, forty percent of pill sales, no matter what, he won’t relax on that. He was rich, but ever since he got that Book of Eon Extreme Life, he was just a poor man…

Thinking of how dark his future was, he gave out a powerless laugh as he looked towards Leidong and Jin Buhui.

He had to deal with so many matters, and nearly forgot about these two brothers.

At this moment there was still Zhao Yanran at the side, who looked over with her eyes wide, like she had something to say.

Only he decided to act like he didn’t see that crazy woman…

——

A fragrant, thick, cool, and sweet wine surged into his throat. When it entered his stomach, it instantly turned into a ball of flames, causing his body to heat up while also feeling extremely comfortable and enthusiastic.

“Great wine! Is that Blazing Flame Fragrance? To be able to brew such a good wine, as expected from a talented woman. This Miss Zhenru, if I have the chance I would really want to meet her! Give me another cup!”

At this moment, Leidong’s face was ashen white, there seemed to be stars spinning in his eyes. His consciousness was muddy, and he was unable to think straight anymore. He was about to fall to the ground at any moment, and he only knew one thing…

He could never drink this beer again!

Zong Shou laughed. Today he took revenge for when they formed their brotherhood, and as such he wasn’t going to go too hard on him.

Jin Buhui sighed at the side, “Senior brother Leidong has been smart for his entire life, today he was really destroyed here!”

His tone was filled with deep pain and a bit of regret, but his brows were totally gloating.

Reaching out with a finger and waving it in front of Leidong, he asked how many numbers it was. When Leidong answered doubtfully that it was eight, he couldn’t take it anymore and burst out laughing.

His expression turned serious as he asked Zong Shou, “Brother Shou has returned from the east, did you head to Gong Xinran’s grave? Looking at your worried expression, was it because of that matter?”

“That’s right!”

Zong Shou’s expression turned cold and serious. “Looking at the situation there, I think within one or two years that Nine Yin Death Witch will act. Who knows if at that time if it will still be her or not…”

Jin Buhui’s brows rose up, knowing what Zong Shou meant. If Gong Xinran had some consciousness left, then maybe both sides can talk about their relationship. If not, then they could only fight to the death.

“I was originally worried about that, too! However with the Blood Cloud Cavalry in your hand, even if that Death Emperor came out now, what do you have to fear?”

Zong Shou shook his head and didn’t speak. Netherworld spells countered the Blood Cloud Cavalry.

Jin Buhui said, “After I go back I will ask master for a way, to ask the sects to come together to seal it. Each Nine Yin Death Witch that appears dyes the ground red for thousands of miles. This isn’t just relating to your land…”

Only then did Zong Shou smile. However, it wasn’t right for him to comment about the sects working together.

This matter was just a hopeless illusion, one can imagine that it would definitely not succeed and that it would be totally useless. What he could really rely on was the Common People Path.

His senior brother was a warm-hearted person, as long as one was deemed as a friend he would go all out to help them.

Since the battle weeks ago, when he led his troops alone to take the risk to save him, one could tell his character.

It was best if he thought about another solution for this Gong Xinran.

Jin Buhui was in deep thought. He hesitated for a long while before opening up, “Brother Shou has already unified Donglin Cloud Continent, your troops’ strength is the top overseas. Are you interested in the Central Continent for the next step?”

Zong Shou smiled, as he knew that Jin Buhui would ask about this matter. Although Haoxuan Sect was a cultivator sect, it was largely connected with that of the Confucians. In some way or another, they were serving Great Shang.

If he intended to challenge that emperor, then Haoxuan Sect and Jin Buhui would be in a spot, and a tough situation.

Zong Shou didn’t hesitate at all, shaking his head. “I don’t intend to! Before Great Shang collapses, I won’t step a foot into the Central Continent. If I have a way, I want to try conquering outer regions…”

Jin Buhui heaved a sigh of relief. If this was the case, then it would be for the best. But the last sentence caused his body to freeze, “Outer regions?”

What he heard was preposterous and inconceivable.

“Yes, outer regions! Are we just going to allow people to invade our Cloud World and not take action to attack back?”

When he spoke, Zong Shou’s eyes shone brightly.

These words weren’t said by him, but that person. The current him was already prepared to conquer those outside worlds…

Jin Buhui still found it really preposterous, and didn’t understand it. He turned around and looked out at the view.

The three of them weren’t people who cared much about rites and customs. Although they weren’t disrespectful, they were all broad-minded.

The place they chose to drink was in the Hanyan Palace, close to the cliff of the peak.

Looking down now, one could see the entire city. He said leisurely, “These few days I have run around Gantian Mountain. Here, your people are all delighted and love their life, smiling really brightly. Within aa thousand miles, the farmers are actually tax free, really inconceivable…”

Eh?

Zong Shou was startled and shocked. Their Gantian Mountain had already stopped collecting taxes from the farmers? Why didn’t he know about that?

Thinking about it carefully, Zong Shou tried really hard to remember before he roughly recalled something.

A few months ago when he returned to Gantian Mountain, Renbo let someone carry over a huge stack of documents for him to sign.

At that time he didn’t care much, the few in the cabinet had already discussed it. It also didn’t involve the military, so there wasn’t anything inappropriate about it. Thus he didn’t pay much attention and agreed to them all.

It was said that the current Gantian Mountain’s commerce was blooming. Just the tax alone was in the tens of millions, many times that of before. Their current Cloud Ocean hunts could also bring them many gains.

Compared to agricultural tax, that was like the hair of an oxen. To continue to collect it would instead give the officials a chance to be corrupted.

Why not remove them all, so as to reduce the number of tax officials.

Moreover with the commerce prospering, most of the people ran over to the city to be servants to earn more. There weren’t many who were willing to farm and do tiring jobs.

At that time he didn’t say much, generously agreeing to the matter.

Thinking about it, now he was really filled with regret, smacking his own chest. This Renbo really wasn’t a good person!

The key was that he was really rich in the past and didn’t care. Now he was really really rich and his eyes turned green looking at all financial sources.

It seems like he needed to think of a way to try to increase taxes or increase the national treasury and his personal treasury ratio…

Awkwardly smiling, Zong Shou heard Jin Buhui continue, “His Majesty in Great Shang ruled for decades and is really intelligent and smart. However, the people in his nine states are definitely aren’t as prosperous as your Gantian Mountain. It is really unfair. You practice and cultivate every day and didn’t think about ruling, so how did this happen? Actually these last few days I have been thinking… if you were the Great Shang Emperor, what would happen?”

Just as he said that, Leidong’s body shook, he slipped, and rolled down the roof. The two of them exchanged glances and instantly burst out laughing.