Chapter 574: Purging Qing Province, Obstinately Unrepentant

Tian Kun hadn’t changed much from over a year ago. If anything, he simply had a few more white hairs at his temples.

He gazed at Wu Liangchen’s back, a torrent of emotions swirling within him.

Over a year ago, when the young man had left Qing Province, he had already begun to show great promise, but he was still just a Martial Cultivator with an uncertain future. Who could have imagined that upon his return, he would be a titan who wielded the power of the alliance, capable of shaping the world to his will!

Beside Tian Kun stood Tian Zhong Mountain, who was now the de facto leader of the Tian family. He stood with a slight bow, his eyes filled with undisguised reverence and an imperceptible trace of relief.

‘He was thankful for his foresight, thankful that he had forged that positive connection when he did.’

As for his older brother, Tian Junxi, he stood slightly behind them with a complex expression, a mixture of resentment and profound powerlessness. He understood that the dust had long since settled on the struggle between him and his younger brother for the position of Patriarch. The man before him was the very hand that had tipped the scales.

Tian Yushi was also in the crowd.

She wore a simple, elegant dress and stood quietly behind her father, her gaze lowered to hide the turbulence in her eyes.

She could clearly feel the warlike personality in her subconscious trembling, issuing a constant, sharp warning: ‘This man is extremely dangerous. Do not provoke him!’ This shudder, originating from the very depths of her soul, was more direct than any rational analysis.

Just then, Wu Liangchen slowly turned, his calm gaze sweeping over the crowd. The sea breeze at the docks tugged at the hem of his clothes. A subtle but overwhelming pressure emanating from him made everyone present feel their breath catch in their throats.

“Mr. Wu.” Tian Kun was the first to speak. His voice was tinged with an imperceptible hoarseness, but his face was wreathed in a warm smile. “Your return to Qing Province is truly a blessing for us all.”

Wu Liangchen gave a slight nod. “You’re too kind, Patriarch Tian. I’ve come for two reasons. First, to revisit an old haunt. Second, to clean up some of the deep-seated problems within the alliance. Things in Zhongjing are more or less settled, so it’s time to address things here in Qing Province.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but it reached every person’s ears with perfect clarity.

The moment he finished speaking, the expressions of the Qing Province dignitaries behind Tian Kun changed in unison. They had all heard the rumors of the rivers of blood that had flowed in Zhongjing, but they had assumed the heavens were high and the emperor was far away. They never expected this fiend to arrive in Qing Province so soon.

A chill went through Tian Kun, but he didn’t hesitate for a second. He immediately bowed and said, “Your foresight is profound, Mr. Wu. The Tian family is willing to cooperate completely! For years, certain families in Qing Province have indeed acted without restraint. It is high time they were brought to heel.”

“The Tian family is willing to voluntarily contribute seventy percent of our assets to Starfire as a show of our sincerity. We only hope to do our small part for the future of the alliance and for the future of Qing Province.”

“Oh?” Wu Liangchen raised an eyebrow, glancing at Tian Kun with a hint of surprise. ‘This old fox is certainly decisive.’

Tian Kun’s declaration was like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, sending ripples through the crowd. The representatives from the other families looked at one another in dismay, cursing their luck. Yet, they didn’t dare hesitate. The Tian family had already taken the lead and drawn blood; the consequences of not following suit were all too easy to imagine.

“The Li family is willing to offer sixty percent of our assets!”

“The Wang family will offer fifty percent!”

“The Zhao family…”

For a moment, voices pledging fealty rose one after another. Wu Liangchen merely listened in silence, his expression unreadable.

At the Tian family’s arrangement, Wu Liangchen took up temporary residence in the most luxurious manor in Qing Province. Over the next few days, the major powers of Qing Province racked their brains trying to curry favor with the alliance’s new master. A constant stream of rare treasures, antiques, and artworks was sent over, only to be politely turned away by the Starfire members at Wu Liangchen’s side.

So, they changed their approach. Seeing that Wu Liangchen was all alone, without even an attendant to pour his tea, the various great families came to a tacit understanding. They began sending over their own meticulously raised daughters and granddaughters, all of them paragons of beauty and talent.

Ostensibly, they were there to attend to Mr. Wu’s daily needs. For a time, the manor where Wu Liangchen resided was filled with a bevy of beauties of all shapes and sizes. Even the women sweeping the courtyards and pruning the flowers were young mistresses who were normally used to a life of pampered luxury.

These women, who were normally so arrogant they looked down on everyone, were now on pins and needles in Wu Liangchen’s presence, not daring to be the slightest bit negligent.

Tian Yushi came as well.

She hadn’t been sent by her family, however. She had come of her own accord.

While Wu Liangchen’s aura terrified her, it also captivated her. It was a fascination born from the split personality she’d had since childhood.

‘She desperately wanted to know what this man had been through to have undergone such a drastic transformation in just over a year.’

Wearing no makeup, she was a stark contrast to the other women who were all deliberately trying to showcase their charms.

But even so, Wu Liangchen didn’t spare her a single glance.

Wu Liangchen had no interest in any of this. His only thoughts were on how to get stronger, how to consolidate his power as quickly as possible, and how to face the coming crisis.

Thus, all the families’ schemes were a wasted effort. Wu Liangchen paid the women no mind whatsoever.

The night was as cool as water.

Deep within the manor, in a quiet meditation chamber, Wu Liangchen sat cross-legged with his eyes lightly closed. His aura was calm and heavy. His True Qi surged through his body like a raging river, and with every completed cycle of circulation, he could feel his power grow.

Suddenly, his ears twitched. His divine sense spread out like a tidal wave.

‘Someone’s here.’

And more than one. Their auras were condensed, their footsteps light—clearly, they were masters of stealth and assassination. The one with the strongest Cultivation was actually a martial arts expert at the Divine Sight Realm.