Da Yu was splendid, heaven bestowed upon many nations.
Ancestral spirits complied with the divine mandate, our Divine Dynasty followed suit.
The bestowed blessings were boundless, our clan shared virtues.
The great-grandson continued the succession, enjoying divine pairing to the extreme.
This was a sacrificial hymn known by everyone during the heyday of the Great Yu Dynasty a thousand years ago.
In fact, even today, the common people across the thirteen provinces of the world still remember this hymn.
One can hardly fathom that over 1500 years ago, when Yu Shenzong was in power, the Great Yu Dynasty governed the thirteen provinces, established counties, promoted civil and military examinations, gathered talents from all over, decreed rivers and mountains, cultivated flora and tamed monsters, upheld morality and valued humanity, exerting immense pressure both within and beyond this realm.
At that time, not even demons, evil spirits, outlaws, hermit practitioners, or even the strong foreign races outside the realm dared to disobey.
The Great Yu Dynasty governed through martial power, transformed the human race into a martial clan, reminding everyone to constantly remember to strengthen themselves through martial arts. It also broke down regional barriers among the thirteen provinces. Back then, everyone considered themselves part of the martial clan and took pride in it.
Everyone believed that such a magnificent era of the Great Yu would continue for thousands of generations and they were happy to think so.
But nobody expected that beneath the lavish facade of prosperity, a fatal crisis was lurking.
In the year 2832 of the Great Yu Calendar, Yu Shenzong died suddenly and was succeeded by Jiang Tianming of Yu Wuzong. In just a hundred and fifty years, chaos spread throughout the Empire, and the Great Yu fell from its divine pedestal.
In less than a century afterward, the thirteen provinces of the empire began governing themselves. The Great Yu was gone, and the ten Great Saintly Powers took over this world, inaugurating a new era, which people refer to as the New Yu Era.
Why call it the New Yu Era?
First, because the Great Yu had not completely disappeared. A decayed ship still has three thousand nails, let alone the Great Yu Dynasty that had once carried the empire. After the chaos, Jiang Tianming of the martial clan, seeing that he was unable to continue managing the mess, preserved his power and holed up in Tianzhou for self-preservation.
After the chaos passed, the Great Yu still preserved considerable strength. Although it couldn't compare to the previous dynasty, it was still one of the top ten Great Saintly Powers of today, and it remained nominally the Supreme Sovereign of the World.
Second, people also wanted to commemorate that great era of the Divine Dynasty. So much from that time in the Great Yu was pioneering and is still in use today, like the current important systems of counties and official roads, which were inherited from the Great Yu.
The term "New Yu", in reality, was not very fitting, because logically, people always prefer the new over the old; the new should be better than the old. But when comparing the New Yu Era with the Great Yu Era, this logic clearly does not apply.
If you were to ask the common people whether they thought the New Yu Era or the Great Yu Era was better, almost everyone would answer the latter!
......
December 17, Year 1321 of the New Yu Era
On the northern side-road of Nanling Mountain, there was first a massive cloud of dust kicked up, followed by a burst of galloping horse hooves. Over thirty martial artists dressed in black, with stern faces, sped through the forest trail, led by Hou Yucheng and Hou Fei.
"Since the beginning of the year, more and more people from the righteous martial world have been coming from Tianling County, and the demand for iron ingots has suddenly increased. The price of iron ingots has risen from four liangs at the start of the year to six liangs. All four of our families' iron mines produce about the same, about one thousand iron ingots a month, which can now sell for six thousand liangs of silver!"
Hou Yucheng, although not very familiar with family business, was quite sensitive to the amount of silver involved, and his eyes lit up at the prospect of earning so much more.
Speaking of which, Tianling County and Zhaoyang County were neighbors, but one belonged to the Demon Path of Yongzhou and the other to the Righteous Path of Xuzhou. They had little contact, and even less so in terms of business.
However, in reality, things were different. Once merchants saw sufficient profit, all fears and distinctions between good and evil were tossed aside.
After all, being part of the Demon Path meant Yongzhou was inherently not adept at managing businesses, and since Zhaoyang County was situated on the eastern border of Yongzhou, it had long been neglected economically and was far behind its neighboring county, Tianling.
So, not only the small forces with legitimate businesses frequented there, but even wandering martial artists often took risks and conducted business in Tianling County.
Items like Yuan Gang Beads, essential for a martial artist at the Tenth Level of Body Opening to break through to the Gang Qi Realm, couldn't even be found in the vast Zhaoyang County. Hou Yuxiao had to go to Tianling County to buy them, which was a solid testament to the disparity between the two areas.
"In light of the recent rise in the price of iron ingots, all four families must have increased their mining efforts, right?" Hou Yucheng stroked his chin, a gleam of cunning shining in his eyes.
Hou Fei nodded, responding, "Indeed, we've bought five hundred more mine slaves at our mine site, and along with the original five hundred, they are working in shifts, putting their backs into it, aiming to push this month's production to three thousand. The other three families are likely doing something similar!"
"So, these three families' mine sites must have quite a few finished iron ingots by now?"
Upon hearing these words from Hou Yucheng, Hou Fei immediately understood and a trace of alarm flashed in his eyes, he said, "Second Elder, are you thinking of robbing them?"
"Robbing sounds so harsh... I'm just going to borrow some...just borrow some..."
Hou Fei's expression hesitated for a moment. He intended to say a few words of persuasion, but looking back at the thirty men from Kui Sector behind him, he remained silent.
Eight sixfold martial artists, twenty-two fivefold martial artists, plus himself as an eightfold martial artist, and Second Elder as a Warrior of the Tenth Level of Body Opening, indeed they had the credentials to borrow.
The iron reserves of Nanling Mountain were public knowledge. Twenty years ago, the four families jointly hired a divination master to survey. At that time, the master said that if the iron deposits in Nanling Mountain were fully mined and forged into iron ingots, it would amount to over four million pieces.
This was already worth 16 million liangs. Even if costs and profits were deducted, it was still worth at least 10 million liangs. At that time, many in Tongling County were envious. Fortunately, Hou Tong was clever, bringing in Ren Feng, otherwise it would still be disputed who truly owned the mine.
Ren Feng only held a 20% non-operational stake, not responsible for providing manpower. The operation was entirely managed by the four families. Thus, twenty years ago, the four families split the Southern Mining Area of Nanling Mountain into four, each occupying one part. Among them, the Hou Family took the east, the Green Wolf Gang took the south, while the west and north areas were taken by the Flying Eagle Sect and Happy Forest.
Hou Yucheng, leading more than thirty men on horseback, hastened towards the southern mining area controlled by the Green Wolf Gang. They soon saw a simple three-meter-high wooden gate.
Martial artists traveling in the martial world could not do without horses.
Horses weren't cheap at all. Even the cheapest and least decent nags cost between thirty and fifty taels of silver, while the more expensive ones with better breeds could almost reach one hundred taels.
Hou Fei's group from the Kui Sector, all thirty of them, were the core strength of their family at the moment, and Hou Yuxiao's treatment of them was generous. They were each provided with a type of nag called Black Scales, each costing around a hundred taels.
The sight of over thirty horses rushing forward was frightening enough, let alone the fact that the riders were all powerful martial artists, none weaker than those at the fifth level of body refinement.
As Hou Yucheng and the others approached, the two Green Wolf Gang members guarding the entrance noticed, and quickly went in to report it.
"Sigh..."
Seeing that Hou Yucheng halted his horse, the others reined their steeds in as well.
These horses, having stayed with their owners for over half a year, had developed a perfect understanding with them; at a single command, over thirty horses promptly stood still on the spot, at most just tossing their necks and stamping their legs without changing positions.
What was initially a noisy procession quieted down in an instant, but the silence that followed made the atmosphere even heavier as the people and horses remained silent.
The lone guard at the gate, witnessing this somber scene, immediately felt a lump in his throat. Despite his fear and recalling the enmity between the Green Wolf Gang and the Hou Clan, he gritted his teeth and stepped forward, pointing at Hou Yucheng, said, "Hou Lao Er, you..."
Slap...
"Did I allow you to speak?"
Hou Yucheng's words were actually redundant, as his slap had already sent the first-level guard reeling like a kite with its string cut, smashing the gate in the process.
Seeing the guard lying unconscious on the ground, his face swollen like a pig's head, Hou Fei's face twitched violently, and the thirty men from the Kui Sector behind him, remembering that slap, shuddered.
The temper of Second Elder...
"Hou Lao Er, for you to come to our Green Wolf Gang's mine and attack people unprovoked, you must explain yourself today or don't expect to leave here alive!"
A furious and aged voice rang out; about thirty individuals dressed in green, wolf-embroidered tunics emerged from the mine. Leading them was an old man with white hair and a fierce demeanor, evidently the source of the furious voice.
Though the Green Wolf Gang had over a thousand members, only a little over ninety were core members who wore the wolf-embroidered tunics. The Nanling Mountain iron mine, being one of the larger assets of the gang, was secured by Tan Gang placing not only the deputy gang leader Tan Fei there but also a significant number of martial artists.
Regrettably, the last time they encountered Hou Lao Si, over ten of their members were killed, leaving only about thirty remaining.
Thinking about what happened with Hou Yu Jie last time, Tan Fei's forehead furrowed as he suddenly realized the real reason for Hou Yucheng's visit today!
"You're sure it's me who should explain, not you?"
Hou Yucheng, sitting high on his horse, looked down imposingly at Tan Fei with a domineering expression.
Seeing his arrogant demeanor, Tan Fei felt as if his chest was about to explode with anger, his fists clenched tightly. But observing the thirty men behind Hou Yucheng then looking at his own, he forcefully suppressed his rage and said calmly, "Not only is your Old Fifth unharmed, but Hou Lao Si also killed over ten of our men that day. With your Hou family acting so aggressively, do you really think the Green Wolf Gang is afraid of you?"
Far from being intimidated by Tan Fei's appearance, which clearly showed his anger reaching his head, Hou Yucheng even moved his horse two steps closer.
After pondering for a moment, Hou Yucheng still maintained his domineering look, glancing down at Tan Fei.
"Aren't you afraid?"
"You're courting death!"
Facing such humiliation in front of so many of his members, Tan Fei could no longer hold back and shouted angrily.
As his anger surged, his palms suddenly shimmered with a green glow before he leaped high over the horse, fiercely striking towards Hou Yucheng's body.
"Green Wolf Gang's third-rate unique skill, Wolf Poison Palm!"
Hou Fei instantly recognized the eerie green color on Tan Fei's palms as he commented on its origin.
In Zhaoyang County, there were known to be three third-rate martial arts: Hou Clan's Black Dragon Thirteen Forms, Green Wolf Gang's Wolf Poison Palm, and Flying Eagle Sect's Buddhist Knife Decision.
Except for Hou Yuxiao, no one else in the Hou Clan had any talent in wielding long staves, hence no one else practiced the Black Dragon Thirteen Forms.
Hou Yucheng, who was famously fond of knives in Zhaoyang County, had only practiced a mediocre blade technique known as Fast Knife Technique. He and Tan Fei were both cultivators at the Body-Opening Ten Layers Marrow-Cleansing Realm with comparable strengths, competing only in their proficiency of martial arts.
A mediocre blade technique colliding with a third-rate martial skill, the outcome was clear...
At that moment, Tan Fei, seeing Hou Yucheng appear stunned and silent on his horse, thought he had been frightened silly. With a sneer, the force of his palms increased even more violently.
"You, Hou Lao Er, may be a talent, but it's a pity that with all your cultivation, you only practiced an insignificant blade technique. Today, I will send you to your death!"
Hearing Tan Fei's words, Hou Fei's face tensed up, and as he was about to rush forward to help, he heard a casual remark from Hou Yucheng, causing him to stop in his tracks.
"A mediocre blade technique is still enough to kill you!"