Chapter 1607: Chapter 64: The Only One

The shadow that should have been vague now tumbles in the Sea of Consciousness, the graceful figure wrapped in white gauze and black skirt is so enticing.

As two patrons boasted, the imagery in the Sea of Consciousness became increasingly vivid and lifelike. Only then did the swordsman of Yuanzhou realize in surprise that the lady from Danmu Town had already chiseled a crack in his heart.

…

Danmu Town, Zhan Clan

No matter whether it be a great or minor family, all experience rises and falls in fortune.

The sudden decline of the Zhan Clan began when they lost the old patriarch, a powerful being from the Fierce Realm.

Without their most important martial support, the Zhan Clan’s prestige greatly diminished, and even some minor families from the streets started to rise up.

Recruitment and purchasing of forces, struggles for power, and fierce competition made Danmu Town suddenly turn intense.

The town’s various powers re-shuffled, and every street, every alley, every well, and every field had to be redivided.

The reason why the competition was so fierce is ultimately because Danmu Town, located in a remote area with poor resources, had neither metal mines nor many suitable crops for salinized land to plant, with most lacking any edible value.

As a result, the main source of income for the people of Danmu Town was mostly from fishing and gathering, industries that depend on the weather, which are not conducive to population growth.

Furthermore, being remote, even if merchants came, their visits were short, taking months to return, and their trade was either passing through or in small quantities.

Over the years, these merchants siphoned off the scant wealth of Danmu Town, causing the overall situation to deteriorate.

Anyone with discernment could see that staying in Danmu Town meant there was no prospect for development, and thus many young people left for the great cities in the Southern Heavens.

But there were also young heroes who stayed, wishing to lead Danmu Town towards a different future.

However, the smaller the place, the harder it is to spontaneously form cooperative alliances, because everyone was weak and no one was willing to submit. More importantly, people grown in a poor environment tend to be short-sighted.

A little benefit could lead to a bloody struggle, a little accomplishment could lead to a competition of power.

If there were a strong figure with sky-reaching abilities to restrain them, it would be fine, but without such a person, they were destined to fight independently, dragging each other down, fearing that the other would fare better than oneself.

This is the meaning of “more chaos in a smaller temple, more bullies in shallower waters”, originally thinking that Danmu Town would remain chaotic for another thirty to fifty years.

Unexpectedly, the oldest son of the Zhan family suddenly broke through the realm and practiced an extremely domineering evil technique, capable of countering the Five Elements Spirit Technique.

Now like a Flood Dragon leaping from the shallows, in just three days, the oldest Zhan son defeated the ten top experts of Danmu Town one by one, securing his position as the first of Danmu.

Unlike the old patriarch Zhan, who had a gentler approach, Zhan Jingquan was quite domineering in his actions; after subduing a family, he would demand their allegiance and submission, or else he would destroy them completely.

Such domineering behavior naturally met with resistance, and the oldest son of the Zhan family indeed dared to kill. The entire Liu Family on Tainan Street, thirty-nine members, from the eldest to the servants, were all dead in half a day, none survived.

“If I say I’ll kill your entire family, then I will kill your entire family!”

With a sinister air, Zhan Jingquan knocked down the outer wall of the Liu Family, letting those outside clearly see the horrifying scene of corpses sprawled across the courtyard.

“I have now mastered a supreme divine technique, capable of breaking all laws in the world, and soon I will ascend from seclusion to compete with the world’s heroes!”

Zhan Jingquan, stepping on a broken wall, addressed the onlookers, “To fend off outsiders, one must secure one’s own home first. If I want to bring the surrounding villages and towns under my control, I still need more helpers!”

“Those of you who don’t want to eke out a living on the streets, can join the Zhan family as retainers. As long as you dare to fight and kill, glory and wealth are right before your eyes.”

“And all of you self-proclaimed gentry, those from great families, listen well. From now on, there will be only one voice in Danmu Town, and that is mine, Zhan Jingquan’s voice!”

“I command you to go east, you shall not head west. Disobey, and you’ll end like the Liu Family!”

“Take my words to your family elders, then, get lost!”

In the crowd, some cheered, while others scattered and fled.

An ancient sage once said that people in despair are irrational. They are lost and insecure. If someone stands to show them a path, even to hell, they would follow gladly.

With Danmu Town streets lacking in industries, many loafers witnessed Zhan Jingquan’s actions, not intimidated, but rather filled with admiration.

Thinking a great man should be just like this.

After the Liu Family was exterminated, seventy percent of the wandering martial artists lined up in front of Zhan Mansion.

And Zhan Jingquan did as he said, accepting all who were beyond the Mortal Realm without rejection, and even considering acceptance of peak-level felons from the Mortal Realm.

In a short time, the atmosphere of the whole Danmu Town changed. The once peaceful and idyllic fishing village now had a group of street-tigers wearing retainers’ robes bearing the “Zhan” character, swaggering arrogantly through the streets.

On the other hand, the other clans of Danmu Town, unwilling to be controlled by the Zhan family, were secretly uniting in private, planning to rise up in resistance.

And the place they chose for discussion was the Zhen Mansion.

Because the entire Danmu Town knew, once Zhan Jingquan truly rose to power, they would be the most pitiful.

…

Midnight, Zhen Mansion, inner courtyard

“Madam, these people are not here to unite in resistance, they have come to bully you!”

Having listened to the contents of the alliance meeting from start to finish, Dongmei, unable to contain her grievance, pulled on Zhen Ping’er’s hand and angrily said after sending everyone away, “These people who claim to be gentry show no ounce of courage, and if they are resentful towards Zhan Jingquan, they should take up swords and fight against him. Lacking the bravery to resist, yet they want Madam to submit to Zhan and poison him at the right moment, how is this reasonable?”