Chapter 53: Jiuchuan City

As Hongyuan City was in full mobilization, Li Wu, Zhang Feng, and Zhang Miaohao returned with welcome news. Together with the patrolling squad, they had apprehended several individuals harboring nefarious plans.

“Members of the Wang family?” Zhang Shen asked when he reached the scene.

The three young men were visibly elated, slightly disheveled but buzzing with enthusiasm.

“We noticed we were being followed, so we discreetly alerted the patrolling squad and arranged a secret ambush,” they recounted.

“Excellent work,” Zhang Shen said, not holding back on the praise.

Lying on the ground were several Wang family members, beaten and bruised, resembling lifeless dogs.

“Initially, we were extending our borders without any formal pretext. Now, however, we are fully authorized to wage a punitive campaign,” Zhang Shen mused, his eyes glinting menacingly. His cold gaze as he looked at the captured men was bone-chilling.

Days later, a large force from the Ancient Covenant arrived, joining forces with those from Hongyuan City.

“Elder Zhang Si, Li Zhong, you have only one mission. After I’ve subdued Jiuchuan City, you are to secure control of the entire city as swiftly as possible,” Zhang Shen instructed.

From the outset, Jiuchuan City and the other cities had little chance of resisting. Zhang Shen deployed a massive force to capture all possible advantages swiftly, leaving no time for the five cities to reallocate their resources.

Over the years, the meteoric rise of Hongyuan City has exerted immense pressure on these five cities, Jiuchuan City included.

The two late-stage Innate Ancestors from the Wang family had long wanted to eliminate the growing threat of Hongyuan City. Initially, their hesitation was due to the Zhang Shen’s absence of, whom they feared would rise to prominence.

As Hongyuan City’s power saw a dramatic surge, doubling in just a few short years, the Wang family came to realize they could not take it down single-handedly. They then covertly formed alliances with the other five cities.

Unbeknownst to them, they were completely ignorant of the existence of the Ancient Covenant and clueless about the rapid and extraordinary growth of Hongyuan City’s power in recent years.

Isolated from human territories and surrounded by an endless wilderness, the Wang family was painfully uninformed about the world at large. The family’s Innate Ancestors were engrossed in heated discussions, strategizing ways to eliminate the perpetual nuisance that was Hongyuan City.

“Wang family’s Innate Ancestors, come forth,”  a voice, thunderous and commanding, reverberated from the sky above.

The thirteen Innate Ancestors of the Wang family were both shocked and incensed. The audacity to summon them so imperiously.

They soared into the air, with the two late-stage Innate Ancestors emerging last. Just as they prepared to vent their wrath–

An overpowering aura suddenly enveloped them all.

Thirteen crisp sounds followed one after another.

The Innate Ancestors of the Wang family found themselves kneeling, their legs shaky. Luckily, their meeting was a private affair, only one or two guards, who were equally weakened, bore witness to their disgrace.

Other residents of Jiuchuan City sensed the disturbance, but apart from a brave few, none dared to draw near. And even these daring souls found themselves halted in their tracks, unable to withstand the overwhelming pressure.

“Your, Your Excellency…” stuttered Wang Sen, one of the elder Ancestors, a sense of dread overwhelming him. Internally, he was screaming, ‘True Core! This has to be the work of a True Core expert! What could bring someone of such power to Jiuchuan City?’

Among the thirteen Ancestors, it was Wang Shi who recognized the mysterious newcomer.

“It’s Zhang Shen! That has to be Zhang Shen.”

“What?”

“Are you sure that’s Zhang Shen?”

“Can’t be, wasn’t he just a…”

The shocking revelation from Wang Shi made the Ancestors momentarily forget about the looming presence of Zhang Shen above them, eliciting gasps and exclamations of disbelief.

They were reluctant to believe it, but the unmistakable look of genuine shock on Wang Shi’s face left them no choice but to acknowledge the reality.

While they had always been cautious of Zhang Shen, considering him a prodigy to be wary of, only a few actually knew what he looked like. Other than Wang Jing, who had already met his end at the hands of Zhang Shen, only Wang Shi knew who he truly was.

Hearts pounded wildly, blood coursing so quickly that the shock nearly induced cerebral hemorrhages.

“It’s convenient that someone recognizes me. It saves me the trouble of lengthy introductions,” Zhang Shen declared as he descended before the thirteen. As he got closer, the oppressive aura he exuded intensified even further.

“My purpose here is straightforward. I aim to annex Jiuchuan City under my dominion, and the Wang family will serve as a vassal under my command.” Zhang Shen was explicit, there was no need for him to be cryptic.

“You have two options. Willingly accept my sovereignty, or reject it and face death.”

The frosty tone of his voice made it abundantly clear that Zhang Shen wasn’t merely posturing. Wang Sen, Wang Shi, and the others knew that he was deadly serious.

The abruptness of the situation had left them disoriented. For a moment, they couldn’t fully comprehend the ramifications of Zhang Shen’s ultimatum.

Before they had a chance to fully digest his words, Zhang Shen’s icy voice echoed again, “So, what will it be, submission or annihilation?”

Resignation filled the hearts of Wang Sen and the rest. Zhang Shen had cornered them, leaving them with hardly any choice. After all, who would opt for a course of action that would doom their entire family?

Though still in a state of shock, they knew what they had to do next.

“We submit! The Wang family will submit,” Wang Sen exclaimed in a disheartened tone.

“Very well,” Zhang Shen affirmed, casually tossing a few severed heads to the ground. The heads belonged to Wang family members who had been apprehended for their nefarious schemes.

“We are all humans, struggling for survival in this endless wilderness. The Wang family of Jiuchuan City, however, acted unjustly in planning an assault on Hongyuan City and sending assassins after its residents. This makes Hongyuan City’s counterattack and subsequent occupation of Jiuchuan City a righteous act.”

Zhang Shen fixed his gaze on the thirteen Innate Ancestors. “Should anyone ask, this will be your official account.”

The complexions of Wang Sen and the others drained of color.

In the endless wilderness, the idea of moral authority was a joke. Strength was the only law, the only currency that had any real value. Still, words were not entirely without power. They could be instrumental in swaying public sentiment, particularly among the people of Jiuchuan City.

“Don’t even think about resisting. I heard every word of your earlier conversation in the room,” Zhang Shen announced, instantly dissipating any vestiges of discontent among the Innate Ancestors of the Wang family.

They broke into a cold sweat.

“We thank you, my lord, for sparing our lives,” Wang Sen, Wang Shi, and the others kowtowed hurriedly. They understood that, if the roles were reversed, they would not have shown the same mercy.

“Don’t get too comfortable. I intend to claim a portion of your resources and your family’s legacy,” Zhang Shen continued. “You also owe me an explanation for what happened to the Innate Ancestor from Hongyuan City that came into your possession during the beast tide a decade ago.”

The event of years past was a well-known secret. Who had lured the high-level spiritual beast into Jiuchuan City was now irrelevant. With Hongyuan City holding the balance of power, Jiuchuan City had no option but to submit. Zhang Shen was effectively undermining the Wang family’s foundation. Yet, they couldn’t afford to defy him, especially since he had chosen not to annihilate them.

“Good. My forces will be arriving soon. Go greet them and help them take control of Jiuchuan City without delay,” he instructed. “No missteps. Any resistance will only deplete your power.”

His order was a death blow as much as it was a strategic move, leaving Wang Sen and the others with no choice but to obey. They also feared that any rash actions from their subordinates could incite incidents, leading to instant execution. Far from an ideal outcome.

As expected, despite the formal announcement of surrender and the directive for full cooperation with Zhang Shen’s troops in taking over Jiuchuan City, some members of the Wang family remained defiant.

This led to several violent clashes.

But when their pillars of support had already surrendered, what could these lower-ranking members do?

Their acts of resistance only served to further weaken the power of the Wang family.

After several days of meticulous efforts, the Ancient Covenant had successfully seized complete control of Jiuchuan City.

On this particular day, the sky was awash with fluffy white clouds, painting a serene picture.

Zhang Shen was seated in a meditative posture on the top floor of a lofty tower within the city. Normally immersed in his quiet cultivation practices, relentless training had become an integral part of his daily routine. However, today he was interrupted by a lone visitor.

Wang Shi arrived with copies of every martial art technique and cultivation method that the Wang family possessed.

“Sir, these are the items you requested,” Wang Shi said, handing over a storage bag.

Zhang Shen received the bag and emptied its contents. What spilled out could fill three entire bookshelves. He promptly stored everything in his own spatial storage bag.

Noticing Wang Shi’s hesitancy, Zhang Shen asked, “Is there something else on your mind?”

Gathering courage and with his heart pounding, Wang Shi spoke, “Sir, as the Ancient Covenant entered Jiuchuan City, our Wang family captured all the spies from the other four cities to ensure no information would leak out.”

Zhang Shen raised an eyebrow. “Interesting. What are you proposing?”

Wang Shi cautiously continued, “Would you like us, the Wang family, to send messages to the other four cities, soliciting their aid? Once their armies are at our gates, we can publicly declare our treacherous actions and use that momentum to subdue those cities.”

Wang Shi surmised that Zhang Shen, having attained the True Core stage in cultivation, would naturally aim to annex this entire region. Given Zhang Shen’s overwhelming strength, resistance seemed futile.

Yet, Zhang Shen’s ambition reached beyond mere annexation. He sought full control. He didn’t want these cities merely as tributaries but as territories firmly within his grasp. A manifest display of his strong controlling tendencies.

For that reason, Zhang Shen preferred not to annex these cities through their willing submission. Doing so would make his subsequent control appear slightly awkward or undignified. 

Although Zhang Shen was not one to easily feel embarrassed, he would take an opportunity to save face if it presented itself.

His handling of Jiuchuan City was a clear example of this approach.

Given a morally justifiable reason, Zhang Shen would have no qualms about raising the banner of righteousness.

Wang Shi focused on this tendency and prepared to give Zhang Shen exactly such a justification for annexing the other four cities.

“A clever strategy. But don’t you worry about tarnishing the reputation of the Wang family afterward?” Zhang Shen asked curiously. While he stood to gain immensely, he wondered if Wang Shi had concerns about settling scores later under his rule.

“Of no concern. Any sacrifice from the Wang family is inconsequential when it comes to your grand designs,” Wang Shi declared passionately.

“Sir, the Wang family wishes to serve as your faithful subjects!” With this statement, his loyalty was undeniably pledged.

Zhang Shen chuckled, “The Wang family? Do you have the authority to speak on their behalf?”

“Wang Sen is my grandfather,” Wang Shi replied.

“I see,” Zhang Shen nodded, understanding the situation. “Why didn’t Wang Sen come himself?”

Wang Shi, visibly sweating, responded, “My grandfather is preoccupied with other affairs. However, he will come immediately if you require his presence.”

“Very well,” Zhang Shen said, eyeing Wang Shi intently. He’d discerned the Wang family’s gambit, but he was indifferent to it.

“Do you know why I haven’t exterminated your family?” Before Wang Shi could answer, Zhang Shen continued, “It’s unnecessary. Your lives are irrelevant as long as I am alive. If I die, not only your family but even Hongyuan City and the Ancient Covenant will crumble. Therefore, it’s more advantageous to keep you around to create value for me.”

Zhang Shen spoke coldly, “As long as there’s no betrayal on your part, the question of your actual loyalty becomes irrelevant.”

Wang Shi felt his heart tremble. He had never anticipated that Zhang Shen would possess such a perspective. At that moment, he realized the true terror of Zhang Shen lay not just in his formidable cultivation but also in his chilling pragmatism.