Chapter 148: Advancing the Plan Step by Step

Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Advancing the Plan Step by Step

One could only imagine how wealthy those Cultivation Sects were. Wasn’t all that money squeezed from the blood and sweat of the common people?

The three incomplete Martial Techniques were won by the Profound Celestial Sect, the Cyan Cloud Sect, and the Xuandao Sect, respectively.

As expected, after they returned to their Sects, the Sect Leaders and Elders would be the first to practice these Martial Techniques. Gradually, they would allow some of the more talented disciples to train in them as well.

There were still nearly fifty days until the eighth day of the first month. That was more than enough time for them to realize the power of these Martial Techniques, and they would surely do everything in their power to find the missing halves.

This was Chu Fan’s opportunity.

None of the auction attendees knew that on this very day, the newly established Great Xia Kingdom had launched a war of annihilation against the Xin Yue Kingdom.

An Expeditionary Army of twenty thousand Mercenaries formed the vanguard, followed by one hundred thousand soldiers from the former Shuoyue Kingdom, plus another one hundred thousand troops assembled from the forces of the former Huaiyang, Upper Wu, and Bei Chen kingdoms. In total, an army of two hundred and twenty thousand strong descended upon the Xin Yue Kingdom like a plague of locusts.

The Xin Yue Kingdom had no time to react. In a single day, all eight of its County Cities outside the National Capital fell. By dusk, two hundred thousand soldiers had surrounded the Xin Yue National Capital, sealing it off completely.

The Sovereign of the Xin Yue Kingdom, who had only been on the throne for two years, had no choice but to offer his surrender.

However, Liu Yisheng, the commander of the army, did not decide the fate of the Xin Yue Sovereign. Instead, he had the entire Xin Yue royal family and its nobility escorted back to Shuoyue City for the Empress to pass judgment.

After the auction, everyone was shocked to hear that the Xin Yue Kingdom had been annihilated in a single day. However, they had no mind to concern themselves with such matters. Their top priority was to safely transport the expensive items they had just won back to their Sects.

That night, Liu Yicai and Ji Bufan came to the guest courtyard where Chu Fan was staying. Liu Yicai was holding a wooden box.

"Sir, these are all the silver banknotes from today’s auction," Liu Yicai said, placing the wooden box on the table next to Chu Fan.

"You don’t need to show me. Take the auction house’s commission and the proceeds from the items we provided. Give the rest to the Empress. After all, the Great Xia has just been founded, and there are many complicated affairs to handle. We’ll need a lot of money, especially with the upcoming wars against other small kingdoms. Military expenditures will certainly be the largest expense."

"Sir, I will hand all of this over to the Empress, then. In addition, Mr. Hong’s Auction House will contribute an extra five billion taels of silver to support the Empress’s cause."

Liu Yicai was quite tactful. He didn’t say he was supporting Chu Fan’s cause, but the Empress’s. This way, the favor was given, but it didn’t seem like he was trying to take credit in front of Chu Fan.

Chu Fan gave a wry smile. "Very well. The Eastern Domain is in chaos right now, so grain is the absolute top priority. I previously ordered Che Dagui and you, Bufan, to temporarily blockade the grain routes of those small kingdoms unwilling to submit. However, once a kingdom is annexed into Great Xia, grain must be delivered immediately. I don’t want a single citizen of Great Xia to starve to death."

"You are benevolent, Sir. How could I not do my utmost to serve you?" Ji Bufan said with a bow.

"Since you’re here, does that mean the Xin Yue Kingdom has been dealt with?"

"Reporting, Sir. The Xin Yue royal family and nobility are on their way to Shuoyue City under escort. The Empress has also arranged for people to take control of the Counties in Xin Yue. I guarantee there will be no delays in important matters, nor will any commoner die unjustly because of this," Ji Bufan said.

’These eight were originally just fugitives from the Hua Xu Empire who risked their lives to enter Dingfeng Slope.’

’In just over three years, every one of them has reached such heights in their respective fields.’

’Success truly depends on human effort!’

Chu Fan was filled with emotion. ’What were they like when I first met them? They had only received a little guidance from the Xiezhi.’

’Now, these eight have become his indispensable key players.’

’Without them and their current achievements, he would never have dared to launch this great undertaking to unify the Eastern Domain.’

"Where is Lan Bing now? Never mind. I have two jars of wine here. Arrange for them to be delivered to the Celestial Heart Hall and the Earth Universe Pavilion. Inform Jing’an and Lan Bing that this wine can be diluted with ten times the amount of water. It has the effect of Purification of Essence and Marrow, but its side effect might cause the drinker to fall into a deep sleep for a year. This wine will have a miraculous effect on the disabled children under Lan Bing’s care."

As he spoke, Chu Fan took out two jars of Drunken Immortal Brew from the Jun Tianjian World.

Chu Fan had always kept in mind that Lan Bing’s Earth Universe Pavilion had taken in many disabled children. Since this wine had the effect of Purifying the Essence and Marrow, it could most likely heal their physical disabilities as well.

He only suggested diluting it tenfold because the children’s bodies were still too weak.

Upon hearing this, Ji Bufan and Liu Yicai stared wide-eyed. ’Such a wine actually exists in this world?’

"Inform Jing’an that I have more of this wine. Once the affairs of the Great Xia Kingdom are in order, I’ll give a bowl to Jin Chuhong. However, drinking that one bowl will put her to sleep for three years. I have also prepared a Cultivation Technique specifically for her. Once her Purification of Essence and Marrow is complete, I will give the technique to her. And as for you two, if you have a woman you love, bring her to see me. You will, of course, be treated the same."

"When Liu Yisheng and Qi Biao return to Shuoyue City, have them come see me as well. I have a Military Book to give them."

However, something Chu Fan had not expected happened the very next day after the two jars of Drunken Immortal Brew were sent out—something that caught him completely off guard.

After Jing’an received the Drunken Immortal Brew and learned of its effects, he naturally didn’t dare to be careless. He didn’t even trust the Sect’s Elders with the task. Instead, he took the brew back to Shuo Mountain to dilute it himself.

During a brief moment while diluting it, Jing’an had to step away for less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. His young disciple, Wen Ang, smelled the aroma of the Drunken Immortal Brew and snuck inside.

Unable to resist the temptation, he poured a bowl and drank it down.

That one bowl was enough to make him fall unconscious.

When Jing’an returned, he saw Wen Ang lying on the floor. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if he were just drunk and asleep, but Wen Ang’s skin had turned blood-red. An immense power, so vast that even Jing’an dared not approach, was churning inside his body.

It seemed as if Wen Ang could be blown to smithereens by this force at any moment.

Not daring to delay for even a second, Jing’an immediately took to the air and flew to the auction house to get Chu Fan.

Chu Fan was also extremely astonished when he heard what had happened.

When he arrived at the Celestial Heart Hall and saw Wen Ang on the floor, Chu Fan was also at a complete loss. ’What should I do?’

It was obvious that at such a young age, Wen Ang’s body couldn’t handle the immense power and alcoholic potency contained within the Drunken Immortal Brew.

Just imagine: back then, he and the Little Monk Hui Ke were both at the Nascent Soul Realm. A single bowl had forcefully raised their Cultivation to the Nascent Soul Realm Peak. How terrifying was the power contained in that one bowl of wine?

’This little chubby kid really has some nerve, daring to sneak a drink without even knowing what it was.’

Just as Chu Fan and the others were racking their brains, at a complete loss, a little girl about the same height as the chubby kid ran in.

When the little girl saw the chubby kid lying unconscious on the floor, she immediately burst into tears with a loud "WAAAH!"

The middle-aged woman who had followed the little girl in had an ashen face. She probably restrained herself from lashing out because an outsider, Chu Fan, was present.

The little girl wailed as she ran to the chubby kid’s side. "Wen Ang," she sobbed, "I already explained to my mother! I was the one who kissed you that day! Your master shouldn’t have punished you! Please get up and talk to me, okay?"

The moment the little girl’s hand clasped the chubby kid’s, something unexpected happened...