Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 406: Chapter 392 Return to Yang Family Village

Within Changqing Mountain, Yuheng Star Hall.

Luo Jingsong was frowning as he read the letter in his hands.

Li Chengguo and Qian Zhonghe were sitting beside him, quietly waiting.

Once Luo Jingsong finished reading the letter, Li Chengguo, stroking his long goatee, asked, “What’s happened?”

“The main hall has ordered us to kill Yang Zhenshan!” Luo Jingsong said with a grim voice, eyebrows tightly locked together.

“Kill Yang Zhenshan?” Li Chengguo’s expression also became somber.

“Mhm, the Mountain River Tower golden placard offers a reward, a single Jade Dew Spirit Peach!” Luo Jingsong announced.

Upon hearing this, Qian Zhonghe’s heart skipped a beat, “A Jade Dew Spirit Peach? Who could afford such a generous offer?”

“I do not know, but one thing is certain, the matter behind this is definitely not simple!” Luo Jingsong declared.

Who is Yang Zhenshan?

The General of Chongshan Town, the General who stabilizes the country, the Commander of the Tenglong Guard, indeed a heavy-hitting official of the court.

What’s more important is that Yang Zhenshan had just quelled the rebellion in Chongshan Town and defeated the eighty thousand Wuliang army, on the verge of being ennobled for his military merits.

At such a time, killing Yang Zhenshan, there are only two possibilities—one is the hand of foreign enemies, and the other is political struggle at court.

But regardless of which possibility it might be, Yuheng Star Hall should not get involved.

Li Chengguo, stroking his beard and contemplating for a short while, said, “Does the main hall intend to abandon us?”

Upon these words, both Luo Jingsong and Qian Zhonghe’s faces drastically changed.

“Elder, why would you say that?” Luo Jingsong asked.

Li Chengguo sighed deeply, “If Yang Zhenshan were to die by our hands, do you think Yuheng Star Hall would still stand?”

The matter was simple.

With Yang Zhenshan’s current status and position, if he were to meet an untimely death, the court would certainly seek vengeance for him and, at the very least, would need to find a scapegoat to appease the anger of Chongshan Town and the Tenglong Guard soldiers.

If Yuheng Star Hall were truly able to kill Yang Zhenshan, the court would certainly eradicate Yuheng Star Hall; it would be the perfect scapegoat.

After realizing all this, Luo Jingsong’s face turned exceedingly ugly.

“Damn it! They actually want to cast us aside?”

He felt as though he had been betrayed.

Li Chengguo, however, shook his head, “It is quite normal, to the main hall, our worth does not equal a Jade Dew Spirit Peach.”

“But we provide the main hall with one hundred thousand taels of silver each year!” Qian Zhonghe retorted discontentedly.

“How could any amount of silver compare to a Half-step Innate Martial Artist?” Li Chengguo spoke.

To measure a Half-step Innate Martial Artist with silver was an insult.

How much is a Half-step Innate Martial Artist worth in silver?

There wasn’t an exact figure.

Cultivating a Half-step Innate Martial Artist is not achievable by mere silver.

But a Jade Dew Spirit Peach could certainly cultivate a Half-step Innate Martial Artist.

The efficacy of a Jade Dew Spirit Peach is to condense a wisp of Innate True Qi, and one of the essential conditions to become a Half-step Innate is the ability to condense Innate True Qi.

Thus, a Jade Dew Spirit Peach represents a Half-step Innate Martial Artist.

A myriad of thoughts flooded Luo Jingsong’s mind.

Inside the Star Moon Sect, all was not united; there were many conflicts between the main hall and the Seven Stars Hall.

Although the Seven Stars Hall had to comply with the main hall’s commands due to the latter’s forcefulness, it did not mean that all members of the Seven Stars Hall willingly remained under the main hall’s control forever.

In fact, the Seven Stars Hall had always been striving to break away from the Star Moon Sect, but all who had tried to do so had died.

Now, two paths lay before Luo Jingsong—one was to obey the main hall’s order and willingly head to death for the main hall. The other was to choose to depart from the Star Moon Sect.

Neither path was easy to walk, both filled with the risk of death.

Luo Jingsong lifted his head to look at Li Chengguo; Li Chengguo was looking back at him too.

“Elder, do you have any advice?” Luo Jingsong inquired.

Li Chengguo shook his head slightly, “At my age, I have nothing left to cherish! Everything shall follow the Star Lord’s wishes!”

Luo Jingsong nodded, then turned to look at Qian Zhonghe; Qian Zhonghe took a deep breath, “I am willing to follow the Star Lord’s decision!”

“Alright, gather the men, we will leave the mountain tomorrow!” Luo Jingsong’s eyes flashed with brilliance, his mind made up.

…

The news that Yang Zhenshan left Chongshan Pass spread, and many Jianghu Martial Artists came toward Jizhou, because Jizhou is the necessary route from Liaodong to the capital.

Among them, some were after the Jade Dew Spirit Peach, but most actually just wanted to join in on the excitement.

With the appearance of the Jade Dew Spirit Peach, a large part of the worldly society was alerted.

Yang Zhenshan became a well-known figure to everyone in the Jianghu overnight.

News of Yang Zhenshan’s achievements also spread quickly across the Jianghu, making Yang Zhenshan quite a bit of an overnight sensation.

However, Yang Zhenshan himself was unaware of the buzz in the worldly society; he made his way unhurried.

He even made time to visit Yang Family Village.

Although it’s not necessary to pass through Yang Family Village on the way from Chongshan Pass to the capital, he took the opportunity to check on the village.

By his calculation, it has been eleven years since he last visited Yang Family Village.

Leaving home young and returning old, the village accent remains but hair has turned to grey. Children meet without recognition, laughing and asking where the traveler comes from.

Well, Yang Zhenshan couldn’t really be considered as leaving home young, as he was almost forty when he left Yang Family Village.

When he stepped into Yang Family Village, no children asked him where he came from, because it was morning and all the village children were in clan school studying.

Of course, when Yang Zhenshan rode his horse into Yang Family Village, many villagers looked at him in surprise.

One villager stared at Yang Zhenshan, first in shock, then rubbed his eyes incredulously.

“Uncle Zhengshan!”

Yang Zhenshan pulled up Red Cloud and looked at the person speaking.

“Are you Mingguang?”

He asked with some uncertainty.

Yang Mingguang’s eyes widened suddenly, “It really is Uncle Zhengshan, Uncle Zhengshan has returned!”

Then, Yang Mingguang ran off, both shocked and delighted, yes, just ran off, all the while shouting, “Uncle Zhengshan has returned! Uncle Zhengshan has returned!”

Yang Zhenshan watched his retreating figure, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

This guy seemed to be over forty years old, why was he acting so impetuously!

He had a faint memory of Yang Mingguang, just remembered he used to live next door to them.

As Yang Mingguang’s shouts spread, soon the whole Yang Family Village fell into a bustling commotion.

“Uncle Zhengshan has returned?”

“Where is Uncle Zhengshan?”

A great number of villagers came out asking around, many had already seen Yang Zhenshan and approached to greet him.

Yang Zhenshan responded cheerfully to everyone.

His return this time was impulsive.

As the saying goes, one does not know true riches until returning to one’s hometown, much like wearing brocade clothes at night.

Since it was on the way, he wanted to experience the sensation of returning home in glory.

The clansmen of Yang Family Village were naturally very enthusiastic toward him.

In a short while, he was surrounded by layers of people.

Everyone was greeting Yang Zhenshan, making so much noise that he felt dizzy and could only keep saying yes, uh-huh, right, uttering various insubstantial lines.

Luckily, his salvation arrived swiftly.

“Make way! All of you, make way, are you guys all this idle?” Yang Zhengxiang chided from outside the crowd.

People finally settled down, making way for Yang Zhengxiang.

Seeing Yang Zhenshan, Yang Zhengxiang’s aged face immediately beamed with joy, “Zhenshan!”

“Clan Leader!” Yang Zhenshan was somewhat helplessly.

Everyone was just too enthusiastic, to the point that it was a bit overwhelming for him.

“Haha, it’s good that you’re back, good that you’re back!” Yang Zhengxiang laughed heartily.

He truly wished for Yang Zhenshan to come back and visit, but he also knew that Yang Zhenshan’s current status made it difficult to find the time.

Today, Yang Zhenshan’s sudden return to Yang Family Village gave him a great surprise.