Family Rise: Beginning with Grandfather.

Chapter 714 The Great Zhao Kingdom in complete chaos

Three more days passed, and the sea became calm and peaceful. The scorching sun blazed down its intense heat, and a layer of golden scales covered the azure sea. The gentle sea breeze caressed everyone's face like a tender hand.

The sailors and guards lazily basked in the sun on the deck, enjoying the gentle sea breeze.

By this time, they had already left the stormy sea area. According to the information provided by Zhou Tianci, they had entered the sea area of ​​the Great Zhao Dynasty. However, since they did not know their exact location, they could only head east until they saw islands or land.

Three days were enough for everyone to recover. Their complexions were no longer so pale, but had a rosy glow, and they were no longer so tired, but became more energetic.

Yang Zhengshan also had the leisure to play chess with Xuanzhen, while Li Shangyuan pulled Lü Hua aside to drink.

They had crossed the stormy seas together and had become sworn brothers. Li Shangyuan and Tang An, master and apprentice, had completely integrated into Yang Zhengshan's group and gained everyone's approval.

Even when facing him, Lü Hua's attitude became much gentler. He took off his mask, and the two sat together, chatting and drinking.

Just as everyone was enjoying the peace and tranquility, the lookout on the watchtower suddenly shouted, "Master, is there land ahead?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Zhengshan stood up without saying a word, quickly walked to the bow of the ship, and looked eastward.

However, when he got up, he accidentally bumped the chessboard, and the chess pieces on the board immediately became a mess.

Xuanzhen, who was about to make his move, saw this and his lips twitched slightly. "Shameless bastard!"

Although Yang Zhengshan was standing on the bow of the boat several feet away, he could still hear his cursing.

However, without blushing or skipping a beat, he looked seriously towards the east.

That means we won't lose another game, haha~~
Sure enough, the outline of land appeared in the east, and high mountains could be faintly seen in the distance.

Have we finally arrived at the Great Zhao Dynasty?
A happy expression appeared on Yang Zhengshan's face.

He was filled with anticipation for the Great Zhao Dynasty, no, he should say he was filled with anticipation for the world east of the Stormy Sea.

Legend has it that the world to the east of the Stormy Seas possesses far more powerful martial arts, incredibly magical rune techniques, and numerous auxiliary cultivation skills far surpassing those of Da'an and the Wanli Seas, such as alchemy, weapon forging, tea making, and winemaking. In all aspects, it boasts craftsmanship and technology far exceeding those of Da'an.

In particular, the Way of Runes is said to have the power to turn the rotten into the magical, enabling ordinary things to possess various miraculous effects and abilities.

Yang Zhengshan only knew about the Way of Runes through hearsay and was not very clear about it. There was no inheritance of the Way of Runes or any items related to the Way of Runes in the area west of the Storm Sea.

Zhou Tianci had only heard of the Way of Runes, but had never come into contact with any items related to it.

In fact, Zhou Tianci was really terrible. He had been in the Great Zhao Dynasty for six years, but he didn't have a deep understanding of many things about the Great Zhao Dynasty.

This is mainly because Zhou Tianci did not truly integrate into the Great Zhao Dynasty. He went off to become a pirate and did not delve into the Great Zhao Dynasty at all, nor did he gain any in-depth understanding of it. He only thought about seizing spiritual fruits and cultivation resources.

Of course, Zhou Tianci cannot be entirely blamed. When Zhou Tianci came to the Great Zhao Dynasty, it was during the most chaotic period of the dynasty, with all the forces fighting each other to the death. As an outsider, it was difficult for Zhou Tianci to gain the trust of the local forces, let alone obtain resources from them. That's why he had no choice but to become a pirate.

As the land drew ever closer, Yang Zhengshan breathed a slight sigh of relief.

The land ahead is not an island, but a vast continent, which is very likely the main territory of the Great Zhao Dynasty.

Moreover, it doesn't look like a prosperous area, but rather a desolate wilderness.

Arriving here and landing here is actually advantageous for Yang Zhengshan.

Based on Zhou Tianci's experience of failure, outsiders like them are not suited to settling in a prosperous place from the start.

The best way to start is to find a secluded place to settle down, and then gradually learn about and integrate into this new world.

"Master, shall we log in?" Li Chang asked as he approached.

Yang Zhengshan nodded and said, "Log in!"

Before me stretched a vast, rolling mountain range, with no sign of human habitation.

The coastline is all cliffs and steep slopes, making it unsuitable for ships to dock.

However, these things are not a big deal. Now that they have landed, they should not need the ships for the time being.

After all, Yang Zhengshan had no desire to become a pirate.

The ship slowly approached the cliff. Xuanzhen first flew up the cliff on the wind, then threw down a rope, and the sailors and guards climbed up the rope.

Once everyone had gone up, Yang Zhengshan looked up and saw that no one was looking down at the cliff. So he simply returned the boat to the Spirit Source Land.

By the time he jumped off the cliff, everyone was already checking the surrounding area.

It's just an ordinary mountainous area, nothing special.

After discussing it for a while, the group headed deeper into the mountains and forests.

However, the mountains were far more vast than they had anticipated. After trekking through the forests for six or seven days, they still hadn't made it out of the mountains, making Yang Zhengshan wonder if he had gone the wrong way and if they had been going around in circles.

Finally, on the tenth day, the mountains and forests in front of them were no longer towering peaks, but low hills, which meant that they had reached the edge of the mountain range.

"Master, we've spotted a village ahead!"

While Yang Zhengshan, Xuanzhen, and the others were resting in the mountains, the guards who had scouted ahead ran back and reported.

"It exists, so is it there?" Yang Zhengshan asked.

"It's just ahead, you'll see it once you cross that hill!" the guard said, pointing to the hill ahead.

Yang Zhengshan stood up and said, "Wait here for a moment, I'll go take a look!"

"Ok!"

"it is good!"

Xuanzhen and the others responded.

They had grown accustomed to Yang Zhengshan's leadership over the years, including Li Shangyuan. Although they didn't say it, everyone regarded Yang Zhengshan as their leader.

Yang Zhengshan then flew towards the eastern hilltop, and from there he could see a small village nestled in the valley.

Let's go over and take a look!

Yang Zhengshan, accompanied by two guards, headed down towards the village.

The village is a very normal village, with about thirty or forty households, including the elderly, women, and children, but it looks very poor.

There is not much farmland around the village, and most of it is barren and thin.

This place is actually not suitable for people to live in; there is neither fertile land nor other resources.

"Master, this place seems very poor!"

The three hid under a tree on the hillside and quietly observed for a while.

Yang Zhengshan frowned and gave a soft "hmm".

Too poor!
They seemed like a group of savages. He saw many villagers, all of them emaciated and without any decent clothes. He also didn't see any martial artists.

"Could they be a group of people fleeing the war?" Yang Zhengshan wondered.

These villagers lacked resources, were often hungry and cold, and had to face wild animals from the mountains. Despite living in such a harsh environment, they did not think about leaving, but instead persevered.

This only proves one thing: they dare not go outside the mountains.

The world outside the mountains may be even more difficult than this place.

"Let's go!"

Yang Zhengshan didn't bother the villagers, because there was no need.

Such a remote mountain village could not provide him with any useful information.

After returning, they set off again, bypassing the unknown mountain village, and continued eastward for two more days.

They encountered several villages in the past two days, but they were all extremely poor, no different from the mountain village they had met before.

When they finally emerged from the mountains and stood atop a low hill, gazing at the boundless plains before them, they saw something different.

It is still a village, but it is a very large village.

The village is surrounded by vast rice paddies, where golden rice ears droop heavily, and a gentle breeze causes the rice to ripple and rustle.

Inside the village, there are rows of houses with blue tiles and white walls, their roofs weathered by wind and rain, giving them an ancient and dignified appearance. Large trees also grow in the courtyards or in front of each household.

It is clear that this is a village with a long history.

"Should we go take a look?" Xuanzhen asked.

Yang Zhengshan waved his hand, "No need!"

"Why?"

“This is no ordinary village; it’s a martial arts family!” Yang Zhengshan said in a deep voice.

Although the village looked no different from any other village, Yang Zhengshan could still spot the difference at a glance.

First, there is a sizable martial arts training ground on the north side of the village, and there is also a temple inside that resembles an ancestral hall.

Secondly, he could tell that some of the villagers clearly possessed martial arts skills; although their cultivation level was not high, they were definitely martial artists.

This village is very similar to the old Yangjia Village.

Yang Zhengshan didn't want to show himself right now, since they were nobody here.

Their identities are not important; what matters is that they should not reveal anything about the stormy seas.

"go!"

Yang Zhengshan led his men southward along the mountain forest. After leaving the village, they found a secluded hilltop to settle down temporarily.

After changing the ten guards into ordinary coarse cloth clothes, Yang Zhengshan instructed them: "Go out and scout around. Don't go into any villages you encounter. It's best to find a town and go in to investigate!"

"Remember, no matter what happens, you must be back in five days. If you don't come back, I'll assume you've all perished!"

Most of the villagers are quite familiar with each other, so the appearance of outsiders easily attracts their attention.

In contrast, the population in towns is much more diverse, and it's not difficult to blend in.

Yang Zhengshan needed to know where they were, what the situation was, and what the court and government were like.
Without knowing these things, they should not act rashly.

This is not the vast sea, nor is it Da'an, or Da Yue or other similar places.

In those places, Yang Zhengshan could do whatever he wanted, with complete impunity.

Here, however, Yang Zhengshan must restrain his sharpness and act cautiously to avoid running headlong into a brick wall.

God of War!
Yang Zhengshan was filled with longing for the God of War, but he was also wary of him.

He didn't want to face a Martial God-level expert right from the start; that could be fatal.

The ten guards split up into two groups and left, while the rest waited for them to return in the mountains and forests.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye, and the ten guards returned one after another.

“Master, there is a town about fifty miles to the south called Nanshan Town. According to the people in Nanshan Town, this place is under the jurisdiction of Guan County, Lushan Prefecture.”

"However, Lushan County is not ruled by the Great Zhao Dynasty, but by a sect called the Hanyue Sect!"

"That's right, the Hanyue Sect is a powerful sect. It is said that it has more than 30 innate martial artists and 3,000 acquired disciples!"

"A hundred miles east of here is Guan County. There are disciples of the Hanyue Sect stationed in Guan County. It is said that they are a half-step Xiantian martial artist named Zhang Mingcong. This man is extremely arrogant and licentious, with hundreds of concubines. Moreover, he is extremely domineering and often does some heinous things!"

"Patriarch, the Great Zhao Dynasty is now a mere shell of its former self. The entire Great Zhao has now become the domain of martial arts sects, with many of them occupying territory as kings and exploiting the people!"

“We saw a lot of messy things in the county town. Those martial artists are different from us!”

The guards chatted amongst themselves, their faces looking rather grim. It wasn't from exhaustion or injury, but from the sights they had witnessed on their recent trip that had distressed them.

After they finished speaking, Yang Zhengshan had a basic understanding of the Great Zhao Dynasty.

The Great Zhao Dynasty had thirty-six prefectures, and they were currently located near Nanshan Town, Guan County, Lushan Prefecture.

The former Great Zhao Dynasty was fragmented, while the current Great Zhao Dynasty is in complete chaos.

Many sects broke free from the control of the imperial court, occupied territories, and established their own small courts.

Other things are still unclear, but one thing is certain: Lushan County is the domain of the Hanshan Sect, not the domain of the Great Zhao Dynasty.

Yang Zhengshan stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, then turned to Xuanzhen and the others behind him and asked, "What are your thoughts?"

"Should we first check if the Hanyue Sect has any Martial God Realm lineage?" Xuanzhen asked.

Their goal was clear: to find a way to break through to the Innate Realm. As for anything else, they didn't care at all.

But where can I find a way to break through to the Innate Realm?

Imperial court, sects!
The Great Zhao Kingdom was far away from them, but the Mountain-Shaking Sect in front of them was very close.

"That's not a good idea. We should find a place to stay first, and then proceed slowly. Making a rash move could bring us a lot of trouble!" Li Shangyuan said softly.

Xuanzhen glanced at him and said in a deep voice, "This humble Taoist priest does not have much time to waste!"

Chen Zhongshu also spoke up, saying, "Even if we're in a hurry, a couple of years won't make a difference! Judging from your appearance, you should be able to live for another twenty or thirty years without any problem!"

(End of this chapter)