Becoming a god by following the natural order and seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

Chapter 22 Earth Spirit Milk
The main hall of the ancestral hall of the Gao family.

The air seemed to freeze, filled with a suffocating stillness and oppression.

All the core members of the Changshan Gao clan gathered here, totaling nearly thirty people.

To be listed as a core member of the Gao family, the primary condition is to reach the Foundation Establishment stage – which means that there are nearly thirty Foundation Establishment martial artists gathered in the hall at this moment!

Even though most of them were only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, this force was still remarkable and could be considered a force to be reckoned with in Changshan County.

At this moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on a corpse covered with a white sheet on the ground, their eyes filled with suppressed rage and humiliation.

This body was "sent" back by the government not long ago. After receiving the body, clan chief Gao Yuanfeng immediately rang the bell for an emergency meeting.

How many years has it been...

Since the Gao family rose to prominence and became one of the top powers in Changshan, when have they ever suffered such a humiliating disgrace?
A core member of the clan, a member whom the family had wholeheartedly supported, was brutally murdered in the military camp in full view of everyone! In the end, he was even accused of "insubordination and deserving of death"!

Once this matter becomes widely known, the Gao family will lose face and suffer a great loss of prestige.

Even more frightening is the potential for a series of chain reactions. The position of top powers is not invincible; the Gao family holds numerous interests, which have long been the envy of others.

Even the Huang and Yang families, who outwardly maintain harmony with them, are secretly vying for power and encroaching on each other's territory. Once the Gao family shows signs of decline, they will inevitably face a situation where they are surrounded by wolves.

Although the possibility seems low at present, they have to be on guard and vigilant!
The eldest of the four great-uncles, sitting at the very center of the head table, with his white hair and beard, slowly swept his cloudy yet sharp eyes across the entire room. He struck the ground heavily with his ebony cane, producing a dull sound that drew everyone's attention.

"It seems... this might be the final answer that County Magistrate Wu gave us." The fourth great-uncle's voice was old but carried an undeniable weight. "What did the Huang and Yang families say?"

The current clan leader, Gao Yuanfeng, replied in a deep voice:
"Fourth Grand Uncle, the Huang and Yang families said they would put pressure on the government together. They suggested that we give Wu Kuang a real 'show of force' so that he would understand who really calls the shots in Changshan County!"

"That's right! That's how it should be done! That bastard surnamed Wu and that madman named Chen Sheng must pay the price!"

"The people of the Gao family must not die in vain!"

Several hot-blooded young core members immediately echoed this sentiment excitedly, their faces full of indignation.

"Shut up!"

Fourth Uncle's voice deepened slightly, and he slammed his cane on the ground again, making an even louder sound. Only after the hall fell silent again did he slowly continue:

"Those two families have certainly made a good plan, encouraging us to be at the forefront... The government is still the government after all. If things really escalate to an uncontrollable point, the consequences... will be difficult to handle later."

"Don't worry, Fourth Uncle, I understand the importance of this matter."

Gao Yuanfeng quickly bowed and said in a low voice, "This time, the Huang and Yang families are willing to give up some of their interests as compensation afterward. Moreover, I do not intend to completely break ties with Wu Kuang."

Since this turmoil was instigated by Chen Sheng, the commander of the Northern City, let's target him first. This will also allow us to gauge Wu Kuang's reaction and bottom line before deciding on our next move. What do you think... is this a prudent approach?

Fourth Uncle was silent for a moment, his wrinkled face revealing neither joy nor anger, before finally speaking slowly:

"You are the clan leader, so you can make the decision on this matter. But remember not to gamble everything. The Gao family is no longer what it used to be. There are hundreds of clan members. If one thing is done, the whole family will be affected."

Everything requires weighing the pros and cons, thinking one step ahead, and considering the consequences if things escalate.

After giving his advice, he said no more, and slowly left with his cane and the help of his servants.

Only after the figure of this pillar of the clan disappeared did the suffocating atmosphere in the hall ease slightly. Several young clansmen looked at the clan leader again, their eyes still filled with resentment and a desire to fight.

Gao Yuanfeng glanced at everyone, his gaze returning to the composure and indifference of a family head.

"The third child."

"Brother, I'm here."

A middle-aged man with a sharp, wiry face immediately stood up and responded. He was Gao Yuanfeng's third brother, Gao Yuanhe, and one of Gao Yuanfeng's key aides. "Go tell Ma Changhai," Gao Yuanfeng said calmly, but with an unquestionable command, "to have the Seven Star Gang 'make some moves' in the north of the city. Doesn't the government value 'stability' the most?"

"Let the north of the city descend into chaos first. I want to see what methods Chen Sheng can use to deal with the unrest in his jurisdiction!"

"Yes, brother, I'll take care of it right away!"

A fierce glint flashed in Gao Yuanhe's eyes, and he quickly bowed to accept the order.

Gao Yuanfeng watched his third brother's departing figure and sighed inwardly.

In fact, when he first met Chen Sheng, the calm and capable young commander, at Juxianlou that day, he had a very good impression of him and even considered the idea of ​​winning him over through marriage.

However, things are unpredictable, and in the blink of an eye, they have reached the point of armed conflict and confrontation.

Now, he only hopes that Wu Kuang will be pragmatic, know when to back down, and not escalate the confrontation.

Otherwise, once the facade is completely torn off, the aftermath will likely be difficult to resolve. He clearly remembered that the previous county magistrate had ultimately left in disgrace under the combined attack of several major forces.

Although this incident once made the local aristocratic families proud, according to his investigation, it also displeased some important figures in the prefectural city.

If this matter escalates too much and completely angers the prefectural government... even though the Gao family has deep roots in Changshan and some backing, they have absolutely no confidence to confront the entire government head-on.

……

Inside the military camp and government office in the northern city.

Chen Sheng sat cross-legged, his blood and qi flowing slowly around him like a stream, his mind immersed in cultivation.

[Basic knife skills perfected (45/2000)]

[Mastery of the Golden Bell Body Forging Method (15/1000)]

[The Secret Technique of Fishing for Toads (Minor Success) (4/500)]

[Minor Mastery of the Three Ultimate Demon-Slaying Sword Techniques (50/500)]

With Gao Qiheng dead, the troublemakers lurking in the North City Martial Camp were indeed silenced, and no one dared to show their faces easily anymore.

Chen Sheng was able to calmly make arrangements and begin to reorganize the camp affairs according to his own will. His "testing the waters" was complete, and the focus of the pressure shifted to Wu Kuang and the prefectural city.

Although based on his analysis and the information revealed in the previous "Seeking Good Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune" heavenly book, it can be inferred that the attitude of the prefectural city should be inclined to support the rectification of the local area, Wu Kuang was, after all, a newcomer with an unstable foundation, and was inevitably uneasy, fearing that he would become a pawn to be abandoned by his superiors.

With the situation still unclear, all Chen Sheng can do is continue to lie low, diligently cultivate his skills, and constantly improve his own strength.

While someone at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, Bone Forging Realm, could be considered a master in Changshan County, they were far from being able to act with impunity.

Even with lofty ambitions, before the real storm arrives, he can only remain like a dragon hidden in the abyss, enduring and accumulating strength.

Just as he was immersed in circulating his inner energy, the page of the Heavenly Book of "Seeking Good Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune" that had always been hanging quietly in his sea of ​​consciousness suddenly trembled without warning, emitting soft yet clear golden halos!
Chen Sheng's heart stirred, and he immediately focused his mind on introspection.

On the celestial book, the originally stable handwriting was slowly fading, and new, more hasty handwriting was gradually emerging:

My name is Chen Sheng. When you see this sentence, I will be filled with regret... Because of the killing of Gao Qiheng, the Gao family was furious. However, due to Wu Kuang and other considerations, they did not dare to completely break ties with him and instead turned their attention to me.

They instructed the Seven Stars Gang to create chaos in the north of the city, keeping me constantly on the run and putting me in a passive position. Later... due to a moment of impulsiveness and radical actions, I made a grave mistake.

Although Wu County Magistrate protected me, the reply from the prefectural city did not arrive, which led to me being reprimanded in court by Magistrate Lin Shou for "incompetence in handling affairs," and I was almost transferred away from the North City Military Camp! Because of this turmoil, some of my secrets were secretly discovered, which made Ma Changhai alert and fearful. In the end... he chose to offer the secret treasure left by my father to the Gao family.

Later I learned that... the treasure left by my father was no ordinary object, but a drop of extremely rare Earth Spirit Milk. If I had been able to restrain my anger at the time, perhaps the outcome would have been different. I always regret it when I think about this.

(End of this chapter)