Chapter 434: The Early Bird

As the saying goes, it’s better to resolve conflicts than to create them. Commander He, seeing Xu Sanyan’s remarkable cultivation level at such a young age, recognized his limitless potential. Even if they couldn’t become allies, they certainly couldn’t afford to become enemies. Securing Xu Sanyan’s forgiveness in exchange for his son’s minor injuries would be the ideal outcome.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xu Sanyan suddenly hesitated, as if wanting to say something but struggling to find the words. Commander He sighed inwardly and took the initiative to ask,

“Brother, did you come here for a specific purpose?”

“To be honest, Brother, I do have a matter to discuss.”

“Please speak freely.”

Xu Sanyan abandoned all pretense and laid out his request, concluding, “If this matter succeeds, it would greatly benefit my understanding of formations. Opportunities to arrange such a Great Formation are exceedingly rare, which is why I’ve come to you, Brother…”

As he spoke, Xu Sanyan grew increasingly embarrassed, feeling as though he were imposing on Commander He.

Commander He pursed his lips and lowered his head in thought. The matter was both simple and complex, depending entirely on the prefect’s stance.

If the prefect disagreed, Commander He wouldn’t dare act on his own authority. But if the prefect agreed, where would they obtain the materials needed to construct the Great Formation?

From the prefectural treasury?

A Great Formation couldn’t be deployed on a whim. It required countless spirit stones, and its subsequent maintenance would be a considerable expense.

After careful consideration, Commander He wanted to refuse, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it directly. Instead, he cautiously remarked, “Qianzhou City already has a Great Formation in place. Re-deploying it would surely be no easy task, would it?”

Seeing a hint of softening in his tone, Xu Sanyan quickly assured him, “There will be absolutely no interference. The formation I propose aligns perfectly with the natural Five Elements, free from any martial intent or offensive capabilities. It harmonizes the earth veins using the Five Elements’ energies: wood in the east, drawing upon the vitality of life; water in the north, harnessing the essence of its nurturing power; earth at the center, coordinating all directions…”

“Once this formation is established, it will not only avoid interfering with the city’s existing Great Formation but actually enhance it, reducing maintenance costs and amplifying its offensive power.”

“I see,” Commander He nodded slowly. Lacking expertise in formations, he planned to consult Master Danzhen later.

“But the materials required to set up the formation would be a considerable expense. If we were to draw from the Prefectural Treasury, I fear some would object…” Commander He said, his face troubled. Setting up a formation was never a solitary endeavor; such a massive undertaking required coordination from all parties. A single flaw in one area could jeopardize the entire operation.

Hearing this, Xu Sanyan immediately rose to his feet, patted his chest, and declared, “Brother, rest assured. I will personally cover the cost of all necessary materials. When I left my sect, my Master gifted me a vast trove of treasures. Not a single spirit stone will be drawn from the Prefectural Treasury.”

Commander He’s face registered surprise. This young man is so wealthy?

Then understanding dawned. Of course. With his cultivation level and status, wealth must truly be a trivial matter to him.

Commander He replied, “Since you’ve gone this far, Brother, it would be ungrateful of me to refuse. However, this decision isn’t mine alone to make. We still need the prefect’s approval.”

Xu Sanyan bowed in gratitude, then added, “I would be honored if you would accompany me to see the prefect, Brother. Your presence would greatly facilitate the discussion.”

He then produced a storage pouch and placed it on the table. Before Commander He could decline, Xu Sanyan quickly added, “This is a gift for your young master, Brother. Please, do not refuse.”

The phrase “It’s for your son, not for you” had the same effect as “It’s for the children, not for you,” leaving Commander He speechless and forcing him to accept the gift.

He was curious about what someone of Xu Sanyan’s status would offer, but he couldn’t bring himself to examine it openly. Instead, he casually placed the storage pouch on the table.

“It’s getting late. How about I accompany you to see the prefect tomorrow after the Prefectural Examination concludes?”

“I’d be grateful for your assistance, Brother He.”

After a few more exchanges, Xu Sanyan rose to take his leave.

Once Xu Sanyan had departed, Commander He opened the storage pouch. Inside lay only a single booklet, its cover emblazoned with five large characters: Subduing the Heart-Ape Method.

“What’s this…?”

Commander He flipped through the pages, scrutinizing the contents. The more he read, the more his heart raced, his face betraying barely suppressed excitement. “This… this…”

Madam He returned at that moment. Seeing her husband’s exhilarated expression as he stared at the booklet, she couldn’t contain her curiosity and leaned in to examine it. “What’s so special about this cultivation method?”

“You wouldn’t understand. This method is no less valuable than the Divine Shattering Palm, perhaps even more so. It’s a treasure for cultivators in the Dao Seeking Realm. As expected of a disciple of such a master—his gifts are truly extraordinary!”

Madam He was startled. Her cultivation level was too low to comprehend the significance of this cultivation method, but she knew that the Divine Shattering Palm was a secret art passed down through the He family, a treasure of immense value. She never imagined this gift could be even more precious!

The Subduing the Heart-Ape Method was a chance acquisition by Xu Sanyan, specifically designed to quell distracting thoughts. When he first entered the Chaotic Cloud Mountains, the Chang Family had attempted to seduce him with Soul-Summoning Incense, but Xu Sanyan had used this very method to break free.

Now that the technique was of little use to him, offering it to Commander He was a way to make good use of something he no longer needed.

Madam He remarked, “This cultivation method is perfect for Shu’er. If he can subdue his distracting thoughts, he might finally stop frequenting the Flower Pavilion.”

“Hmph, him? If he actually masters this, I’ll call him ‘Father’ myself!” Commander He scoffed, his lips curling in disdain. The method might be good, but its difficulty was equally high. He had little faith in his son.

“Keep it for Huan’er instead.”

Huan’er was his youngest son. With his elder son’s cultivation path now ruined, Commander He had pinned all his hopes on the younger boy.

“Very well.”

Madam He was about to leave when Commander He sighed deeply. “Wait… give it to Shu’er to look at. Who knows, he might actually succeed.”

“Mm.” Madam He smiled.

Xu Sanyan left the He Residence and walked home alone. The night was deep, and the streets were nearly deserted, a stark contrast to the daytime bustle.

Although Qianzhou City had no curfew, few ventured out at night. Those who did were mostly cultivators with considerable cultivation levels.

Gazing at the wide, clean streets and the houses brimming with the warmth of human life, Xu Sanyan imagined how soon this place would become a ghost town, his heart filled with regret.

What a wonderful place… Why must it suffer such a calamity?

Xu Sanyan couldn’t understand it. Perhaps the feng shui was poor? Otherwise, why would the Qian Kingdom, with so many cities, choose this one specifically?

Fate is fickle…

Xu Sanyan shook his head and sighed, casting lingering glances at every corner of the city while pondering how to collect human blood.

Suddenly, a surprised voice called out beside him, “Eh? Brother Liang? What are you doing here?”

Xu Sanyan turned his head, a smile instantly spreading across his face. The person who would help him collect human blood had arrived.

“Patriarch Huang? What a coincidence.”

The portly middle-aged man before him was none other than the Huang Family Head. They had seen each other at the Prefectural Examination earlier that day, though Xu Sanyan had been seated in the second row while Patriarch Huang sat in the third.

A glint flashed in Xu Sanyan’s eyes as he quickly assessed the Huang Family Head’s cultivation level: Perfected Dao Seeking, capable of planting a Demonic Seed.

This realm wasn’t low, sufficient to establish oneself in a remote city like Qianzhou City. After all, even Commander He was only at the Initial Stage of Soul Refinement.

Patriarch Huang approached with a beaming smile. “Indeed, what a coincidence! No wonder the magpies were chirping so joyfully on the branches as I left home. It seems they were heralding my encounter with Brother Liang!”

“Heh…” Xu Sanyan grinned, and a Demonic Seed slowly materialized in the void. Just as Patriarch Huang sensed the danger, the seed instantly merged into his sea of consciousness.

Clearly, the magpies had chirped too soon.

(End of the Chapter)