Chapter 15: So, I’m just a trial run?

The individuals in question could indeed be deemed as hostages. If the tribe failed to contribute food or other valuable items after a year, these hostages would be relegated to slaves. Those demonstrating considerable resistance or inciting problems could even face execution. Undoubtedly, the situation didn’t paint a pleasant picture.

However, if these tribes were able to deliver food as promised, the circumstances wouldn’t be entirely unfavorable.

During their one-year term in Hongyuan City, they would have to work, but at least they would never go hungry. They received meals comprising both meat and vegetables every day and even earned wages.

Previously, young teenagers sent to Hongyuan City as hostages returned to their tribes healthier and more robust. Aside from the typical calluses on their hands, they exhibited noticeable physical growth.

Zhang Shen escorted a group of preteens to Hongyuan City.

Having been brought up in the Endless Wilderness, these youngsters were no strangers to tackling mountains and ridges and didn’t voice complaints or show signs of exhaustion, considerably lightening Zhang Shen’s load.

It took five days to hand over the children to the family and report the completion of his mission. It was then that he heard from the family’s intelligence unit about the Wang family members who had been ambushed by rogue cultivators and mercenaries in disguise near the Poison Abyss.

“Don’t let the Wang family’s misfortune fool you. They managed to escape in the end, taking with them valuable resources from a hidden illusion array. Rumor has it that there was a small milky-white lake in that secret area, brimming with Pure Lotus Leaves and Twenty-Petal Life-Sustaining Lotus Flowers. Unfortunately, the Wang family stripped the place clean, leaving nothing but bare stalks behind,” shared Zhang Si, one of the clan’s intelligence operatives, with a tone of envy as he narrated these details to Zhang Shen.

“The Wang family’s monopolizing actions roused public anger, leading to their attack. However, it’s a shame that the Wang family reacted swiftly and managed to extricate their besieged members. With this influx of resources, the Wang family is set to flourish even more in the future,” remarked Zhang Si, a trace of concern evident in his voice.

The rising power of nearby forces did not necessarily bode well for Hongyuan City.

“Indeed, it is quite concerning,” Zhang Shen wanted to chuckle, but he refrained.

A smile now could make him appear deranged. It was sufficient to silently observe the Wang family’s misfortunes. There was no immediate need for any action.

Zhang Shen returned to his place without sharing his recent yields with Zhang Tianlong this time.

Unlike the magic items and ores he’d procured before, this plunder held far too much value. Zhang Shen worried that the shock might be too much for Zhang Tianlong, possibly leading to a stroke.

The implications were too substantial, the stakes too high. Before Zhang Shen had the power to offset the risks of revealing what happened, he wouldn’t share this information with anyone.

“Having reaped such a large amount of resources and obtained the complete inheritance leading to the True Core Stage, I need to fully devote myself to cultivating for a while,” he muttered. It would be immensely foolish not to convert these gains into power.

“I anticipate it’ll take a considerable period to fully assimilate these gains. Because of my recently completed family tasks, no one would challenge my extensive use of family resources. But it isn’t advisable to stay home indefinitely and neglect family duties.”

Zhang Shen had grown accustomed to doing tasks to stay active. Hence, he sought advice from Zhang Xun and Lin Yanqing the following day.

His parents suggested that Zhang Shen could consider teaching at the academy or nurturing the younger generations within the family.

Although Zhang Shen was merely a few months shy of thirteen, his cultivation had almost reached the late Acquired Stage, positioning him as one of the family’s most formidable forces.

Regardless of which task he chose, nobody would object. In this world where strength reigned supreme, martial prowess was everything. Furthermore, either role would grant him substantial private time, satisfying his need for secluded cultivation.

After weighing his options, Zhang Shen had no desire to deal with the youngsters who had just broken through to the Acquired Stage–energetic, brimming with curiosity. Their enthusiasm was bound to drive him up the wall. Having finally graduated from the academy, he had no intention of returning. Therefore, he had no choice but to opt for the latter.

These types of family tasks were released annually, and the leading martial forces within the family took turns mentoring exceptional younger members who had graduated from the academy. This was akin to an advanced form of schooling, focusing on deep cultivation.

Every year, two or three such skilled individuals were appointed to provide guidance. If there weren’t enough volunteers, the family would forcefully delegate the duty.

Only a comprehensive cultivation system could consistently nurture extraordinarily Acquired martial artists or even Innate practitioners.

Allowing those who had just graduated from the academy, those on the peak of the Acquired 3rd Layer and mainly Acquired 1st and 2nd Layer, to self-study would be a recipe for disaster.

The path to mastery in cultivation was riddled with detours and risks of deviating from the correct path. Without proper guidance, relying solely on martial techniques for enlightenment would inevitably end in failure. One would be lost even when attempting to find a book containing the experiences of previous practitioners.

Zhang Shen had managed to reach his current level of cultivation mainly due to the teachings of his parents and grandfather.

Though he could now study independently, this was only possible due to his deeply ingrained foundational knowledge and advanced level of cultivation. Still, he often engaged in discussions with the family’s experienced practitioners, which saved him from countless arduous hours of practice.

After discussing these matters, Zhang Shen intended to chat about everyday life with his parents. However, Zhang Xun and Lin Yanqing, through a silent glance, asked him to leave, not wanting to disrupt their private time.

Zhang Shen couldn’t help but feel slightly odd. It hadn’t been long since they last spoke, yet he felt as if he was being treated as an outsider.

Once he left the room, Zhang Shen’s keen hearing picked up his parents’ conversation.

“Yanqing, I think it’s time we have another child,” his father, Zhang Xun, was saying. “Look at how excellently we’ve raised our son. We must extend our efforts to raise a few more,” he added.

“Husband, I’ll follow your decision,” Lin Yanqing responded. “We were always concerned about our lack of experience as parents, but after raising Shen for over a decade, we’ve accumulated a wealth of experience. We can wholeheartedly devote ourselves to raising our next child.”

Listening to his parents’ whispered exchange left Zhang Shen momentarily speechless.

‘So, I’m just a trial run, an experimental case for them to gain experience?’ Shaking his head, Zhang Shen left, somewhat amused by the revelation.

His level of cultivation had long since surpassed that of his father, who was at the Acquired 4th Layer, and his mother, at the Acquired 3rd Layer. He had shared some of his own Acquired resources with his parents, but whether they had made use of them or not was unclear.

“My uncle is only around ten years older than my father,” he mused. “Yet, one is already at the pinnacle of the Acquired 8th Layer, on the verge of breaking into the Acquired 9th Layer, while the other still lingers at the 4th Layer, having shown no progress for many years. Their differing attitudes toward cultivation couldn’t be more apparent.”

Yet, that’s how families were, everyone had a different temperament, and all those diverse characters were needed.

Like several well-off uncles in his family, for example, who had fathered twenty to thirty children and were still going. But were these family uncles wrong? Not in the least.

In the high-mortality wilderness, a family needed not just formidable warriors but also prolific progenitors. Otherwise, what would remain at the end? Just a handful of warriors, scarcely a family at all.

“I suppose I should keep an eye out for rare treasures that might extend one’s lifespan,” Zhang Shen sighed.

Following this, he shared his plans with his grandfather, Zhang Tianlong, who wholeheartedly agreed.