Chapter 137: Changing Political Structure of Great Qian

One had to know that at this age, Lu Yang had only reached the peak of Body Tempering Realm in his previous life.

Yet, in this life, he had already reached the Fifth Stage of Spirit Awakening Realm.

The difference was astonishing.

At this rate, he might reach the Essence Gathering Realm before turning fifty.

According to the standards of the cultivation world, someone who reached the Essence Gathering Realm within sixty years of starting cultivation possessed the potential to enter the Qi Sea Realm.

If Lu Yang continued progressing at his current pace, he would possess such potential himself.

However, he did not become complacent just because of that.

Potential was only potential.

There were countless cultivators throughout history who possessed extraordinary talents but ultimately failed to reach their desired heights.

Moreover, the higher one climbed, the more difficult each subsequent breakthrough became.

Lu Yang did not dare to underestimate that difficulty simply because he was progressing quickly until now.

For the time being, he would continue cultivating quietly. There was no need to rush.

After all, he still had decades ahead of him.

At the same time, during the six years that had passed, many things had changed beyond the Imperial Capital.

One of the most significant developments concerned Zheng Hui.

Ten years had passed since Lu Yang first provided him with the silver needed to rebuild his business and started cooperating with him.

At that time, Zheng Hui possessed nothing more than a few remaining connections, a ruined family business, and the determination to start over.

Now, his businesses had successfully established a foothold in Luoyun Prefecture.

What was once a small operation confined to a county town had expanded into a considerable commercial network.

Clothing stores, restaurants, general stores, and businesses dealing with cultivation resources had gradually spread into neighboring county towns and even the Luoyun Prefecture City.

His annual profits had long since reached several thousand taels of silver.

Naturally, Lu Yang’s share was no longer an insignificant sum.

For someone who possessed no particular desire for extravagant luxuries, this income was more than enough.

Even after accounting for his cultivation expenses and other occasional expenditures, his finances were much more comfortable than before.

However, the real value of Zheng Hui’s business was not just the silver it generated, but also the network he had built.

Through Zheng Hui, Lu Yang had gradually collected numerous Body Tempering Realm cultivation methods, martial techniques, and combat arts.

Some were ordinary, while others possessed certain unique characteristics.

Although most were inferior to the techniques Lu Yang already knew, they were not entirely without value.

After all, a technique that was unsuitable for him might still contain something worth studying.

Besides, Lu Yang was not limiting his preparations to his current life.

Anything that could be preserved and passed into his future reincarnations might prove useful eventually.

His collection had also begun to include several Spirit Awakening Realm cultivation methods and martial techniques.

Unfortunately, their quality was quite ordinary.

The martial techniques and combat arts were only for the early stages of the Spirit Awakening Realm, and none contained anything particularly remarkable.

Nonetheless, Lu Yang was satisfied.

As for Zheng Hui himself, Lu Yang had already made plans for his future.

Once he reached the Essence Gathering Realm, he would help Zheng Hui transform his existing businesses into a Chamber of Commerce.

By then, with a powerful cultivator standing behind it, the Chamber of Commerce would have far greater opportunities to expand.

Of course, this was still a matter for the future, so he did not dwell on it much.

The initial years of Zheng Hui’s expansion had also not been entirely peaceful.

As his businesses entered Luoyun Prefecture City, several established forces attempted to obstruct him.

After all, a newcomer attempting to seize a portion of an existing market was rarely welcomed by those who already controlled it.

Some attempted to pressure Zheng Hui through commercial means, and some tried to exploit his lack of connections within the prefecture city.

Unfortunately for them, they had overlooked one important detail: Zheng Hui was not operating entirely on his own.

When Lu Yang learned of the situation, he made a discreet move.

He did not need to reveal his identity, merely allowing the local forces to understand that a cultivator at the middle stages of the Spirit Awakening Realm stood behind the Zheng Family.

That alone was more than enough to deter countless people.

In a prefecture city, a middle stage Spirit Awakening cultivator was already a local powerhouse.

Such an individual might not be capable of challenging every major force, but few would willingly offend one without sufficient reason.

After all, the established factions had their own concerns.

Those possessing later stage Spirit Awakening cultivators had little reason to expend resources against a small merchant family just to seize a little more profit.

And those without comparable strength had even less reason to provoke a mysterious expert whose background was unknown.

Consequently, the trouble subsided.

Zheng Hui’s business continued expanding, while the local forces gradually learned to leave it alone.

As for Zheng Hui, he understood that the assistance he had received was not something he could take for granted.

He continued conducting his business carefully, remembering the conditions Lu Yang had imposed upon him ten years earlier.

So far, he had not disappointed him, which Lu Yang was very satisfied with.

This year, Lu Hanqing would also turn eighteen.

Lu Yang had watched his younger brother grow up over the years, and the siblings had a very good relationship.

Meanwhile, Lu Shishui’s official career was progressing smoothly as well.

Given his previous achievements and the support he had gradually accumulated, there was a possibility that he would be promoted to Prefect of Canglan Prefecture next year.

If that happened, the Lu Family’s circumstances would improve further.

Naturally, Lu Yang intended to visit Wuyuan Province this year.

He wanted to see his family, check whether anything unusual had occurred, and obtain the latest information from Zheng Hui.

However, there was another reason for his decision.

The political situation in Great Qian had changed considerably over the past few years, and these changes were becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.