Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Time to Break Through the Cultivation Level!_1
Qingshi Town, within a luxurious estate.

Inside a room adorned with valuable calligraphy and paintings.

Tao Ji, a commanding officer responsible for a thousand soldiers, sat quietly in the seat of honor.

“Sir, Sir…”

“Didn’t you say that we only needed to discipline those families who were unwilling to offer gold and silver?”

“But why now…”

Within the room, Yue Jun, the town mayor of Qingshi, spoke to Tao Ji anxiously.

If it were really just about disciplining those families unwilling to give gold and silver, that would be one thing.

But as time went on and the soldiers unearthed more and more gold and silver, and their own pockets grew increasingly full,

The situation became somewhat uncontrollable.

Yue Jun, the town mayor, felt some fear.

If he continued to let those soldiers loot unchecked…

would he truly be able to govern this Qingshi Town,

or even, recover its vitality?

“Mayor Yue, I know moderation.”

“The reason why my soldiers are still conducting a thorough purge in Qingshi Town,”

“is mainly because there are quite a few bandits hiding within the town.”

“Mayor Yue, I… am helping you,”

“You’d better not be ungrateful!”

Tao Ji quietly picked up the cup of hot tea beside him and took a sip.

His expression remained tranquil.

His voice, however, gradually became colder.

“Sir, but…”

Yue Jun seemed to want to make an excuse.

But Tao Ji, who had been sitting in the seat of honor,

suddenly stood up and drew his Hundred-Forged Steel Knife from his waist.

One step, another step, and yet another step.

He walked to the side of Mayor Yue Jun.

Between his words, he said in a low voice laced with threat, “Mayor Yue, what do you think… about my Hundred-Forged Steel Knife?”

“Do you think the neck of a person is harder, or is it that…”

“the Hundred-Forged Steel Knife in my hand is harder?”

As Tao Ji uttered these words,

the already cold temperature inside the room dropped several degrees instantly.

Yue Jun, the town mayor, now had a face full of fear.

His body trembled slightly, daring not to move an inch.

Seeing this, Tao Ji gave a slight smile,

returned the Hundred-Forged Steel Knife that had slain countless people, which faintly emitted a chilling light, back to his waist.

He extended his right hand, patting Mayor Yue Jun’s cheek.

Then, Tao Ji quietly left the room, which was hung with many valuable calligraphy and paintings.

This massacre continued for three full days and nights.

Until, at noon on the fourth day,

Tao Ji, the so-called officer, and his soldiers, hardly different from bandits,

finally swaggered out of Qingshi Town, which had been plundered several times and from which barely any wealth could be further extracted.

“Father, those people have left…”

Qingshi Town, Luo Family Ancestral Land.

Inside the room where the Luo Family Patriarch dealt with family affairs,

Luo Chuan reported to his father as soon as he learned that Tao Ji and his soldiers had left Qingshi Town.

“They’re finally gone?”

Upon hearing this, Luo Ping finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The heavy stone in his heart also finally fell.

During this period, he had been on tenterhooks, fearing that those unreasonable soldiers would surround and attack his Luo Family.

But fortunately… the matter was finally over.

“Father, there’s something I think you should deal with right away…”

“What is it?” Luo Ping asked with some curiosity.

“Qingshi Town, having been through such a bloodbath, has seen many deaths, but this is also an opportunity for our Luo Family.”

“An opportunity to expand our family’s industry and enhance the overall strength of the family.”

“So…” Luo Chuan spoke in a low voice.

But this time, before he could finish,

Luo Ping nodded firmly and said in a low voice, “Chuan’er, you do have a point.”

“I’ll instruct your second uncle to handle this matter.”

“For such matters, I think your second uncle will be more adept at dealing with them.”

Luo Chuan: “Alright…”

After the conversation between father and son concluded,

Luo Chuan silently turned and left the room.

His original thought was to see if his father could seize the opportunity to take control of more industries under his command a bit more eagerly.

Slightly increase the influence of the Family Head within the Luo Family.

Now it seems…

There’s no need for that anymore.

The foresight of Elder Changfeng was not mistaken.

His father really was a bit too mediocre.

But even so,

What could Luo Chuan possibly do about it?

After all, Luo Ping was his biological father!

Therefore, with no other choice, Luo Chuan could only reluctantly follow behind his father Luo Ping.

Qingshi Town, Zhao Family Ancestral Land.

Inside the room where the Zhao Family Patriarch was located.

At this moment, Zhao Wu was sitting solemnly in the main seat with a gloomy expression on his face.

This time, the looting of Qingshi Town by a thousand soldiers led by Tao Ji.

Although they did not openly target the Zhao Family,

It must be said that due to Tao Ji and the large number of soldiers under his command, this action.

Caused the Zhao Family to sustain tremendous losses.

This made Zhao Wu’s mood, which had been somewhat unpleasant recently, turn even worse.

“Sir, what do you think our Zhao Family should do next?”

“After numerous lootings by that Tao Ji in Qingshi Town.”

“Though the number of families in town has decreased, the situation has become much clearer.”

“But it also means that it’s more difficult for the Zhao Family to take action lightly.”

“Previously, that old man Wang Kun said that the old man in Luo Family Ancestral Land would die within half a month due to the exhaustion of his lifespan.”

“Yet just two or three days ago, someone witnessed that old man in the Luo Family Ancestral Land.”

“If Wang Kun’s judgment is mistaken,”

“If the rumors about the Ancestor of the Luo Family reaching the end of his lifespan were deliberately spread by the Luo Family to mislead us…”

“Sir, what do you think we should do next?”

“How can we survive better in this Qingshi Town, and even…”

“Become the strongest family within Qingshi Town??”

Zhao Wu’s words echoed slowly in the not particularly large room.

And the man sitting in front of Zhao Wu, who had a thin figure and an unremarkable appearance,

looked pale and somewhat unhealthy. Gao Qi heard these words

and couldn’t help but smile slightly, whispering to Zhao Wu, “Zhao Family Patriarch, things are not as bad as you think.”

“Within the Da Feng Dynasty, it’s not only Qingshi Town that has been repeatedly looted for gold and silver.”

“The people on the court of the Da Feng Dynasty believe that this action can collect enough gold and silver.”

“They intend to suppress the current chaos of the Da Feng Dynasty with the vast quantities of gold and silver they hold.”

“However, what they don’t realize on the court is…”

“Not only will their actions not solve the Da Feng Dynasty’s immediate crises, but they will also hasten its collapse.”

“Zhao Family Patriarch, the real time of chaos is about to come.”

“Next, you only need to hoard a large amount of grain and aggressively expand the family’s private soldiers.”

“Then, when Brother Zhao unites the bandit forces outside of Qingshi Town,”

“At that time, Qingshi Town will belong to the Zhao Family alone.”

As soon as Gao Qi finished speaking,

Loud and unrestrained laughter erupted in the somewhat dim room.

“Sir, there’s one more thing.”

“What do you think about Sun Sheng…”

“Should I trust him or not?”

“Sun Sheng?” Gao Qi narrowed his eyes slightly and, after pondering for a moment, responded, “Sun Sheng has only arrived recently; there’s no question of trust or distrust.”

“If the Patriarch is concerned, you can assign him some trivial matters to handle.”

“But it’s better not to let him deal with important matters.”

After his exchange with Zhao Wu,

Gao Qi silently left the Zhao Family Ancestral Land.

Heading towards a hidden fortress located deep in the mountains outside Qingshi Town.

And within the Luo Family Ancestral Land in Qingshi Town,

In a courtyard that exuded a sense of antiquity,

As the Ancestor of the Luo Family, Luo Changfeng was sitting cross-legged.

In front of him, there was a semi-transparent golden finger panel.

[Name: Luo Changfeng!]

[Lifespan: 2 days+]

[Cultivation: Bone Refinement Perfection+ (450/500)]

[Vitality: 1330 (-0) (ps: Safe usable vitality is 133 points!)]

[Cultivation Technique: Mortal Extreme Grade · Ferocious Tiger Strength (Comprehension: 30%+), Mortal Extreme Grade · Feng Ying Steps (Comprehension: 5%+) (Incomplete)]

Looking at the golden finger panel that was unique to him,

Luo Changfeng took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

He whispered to himself, “It’s about time, my cultivation should break through…”