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

Chapter 44 Breaking Through the Realm is of Utmost Importance
"My name is Huang Ke. I have just met Commander Chen."

Inside the military camp office in the northern city, the lean elder of the Huang family bowed respectfully, adopting a very humble posture.

"Elder Huang, there's no need for such formalities. Please have a seat."

Chen Sheng casually raised his hand in greeting, his gaze sweeping over the other person with a somewhat aloof and superior attitude.

This behavior was undoubtedly somewhat impolite, but Huang Ke showed no dissatisfaction whatsoever.

He had heard that this young commander of the Northern City was always domineering, and his current behavior was exactly as he expected. He was on a mission and had no intention of getting bogged down in formalities, so he cut to the chase after a brief exchange of pleasantries.

"Commander Chen is truly a man of extraordinary skill. This time, the Huang family has been defeated."

Huang Ke got straight to the point, his tone complex.

"The Huang family has fallen?"

Chen Sheng raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise, "It seems I haven't actually taken any action against the White Sand Gang, what makes you say that?"

Huang Ke gave Chen Sheng a deep look, his gaze carrying a hidden meaning:
"Why does Commander Chen ask a question he already knows the answer to? I am referring to... the matter of the Spirit Marrow Gu. Commander, your ability to manage people is astonishing. You were able to make someone like Li Huaisheng so willing to serve you so quickly. I truly admire you."

"Spirit Essence Gu?"

Chen Sheng remained expressionless, took a sip of tea, and said in a calm tone, "I don't understand what Elder Huang is talking about."

"Commander Chen, please don't misunderstand."

Huang Ke forced a friendly smile and quickly stated his position, "I am not here to accuse anyone, but to represent the Huang family and show our sincerity in seeking reconciliation."

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice:

"The commander took that item for the sake of the spiritual essence liquid inside, in order to break through to the marrow transformation realm. However, the commander may not know that it takes twelve years to nurture a single drop of that spiritual essence liquid, and the last time it was used was six years ago."

With all due respect, Mr. Huang, but this item, now in your possession, is utterly useless, like a chicken rib.

He observed Chen Sheng's expression and continued to offer his terms: "It would be better to return it to the Huang family. In return, the Huang family is willing to offer three thousand taels of silver as a token of our sincerity."

Furthermore, the leader may freely choose any woman from the direct line of the Huang family to form a marriage alliance, turning hostility into friendship. Wouldn't this be far better than harboring enmity and causing mutual harm?

Chen Sheng listened to the seemingly sincere advice and his heart stirred slightly.

The fact that the Huang family was so willing to lower themselves and even go so far as to arrange a marriage to exchange for the Spirit Essence Gu was somewhat unexpected, which shows how important this item is to them.

Unfortunately, they were unaware of the secret method of "draining the pond to catch all the fish," and even less aware that this substance was far more valuable to him than a drop of spiritual essence.

Although he understood perfectly well, Chen Sheng frowned at the right moment, revealing a thoughtful expression.

Seeing that Chen Sheng was interested, Huang Ke pressed his advantage and said:
"Moreover, there is no irreconcilable feud between Commander Chen and County Commandant Wu and my Huang family. The Huang family understands that County Commandant Wu intends to rectify the local area and weaken the powerful clans. But please forgive me for speaking frankly, even if County Commandant Wu can sweep away the existing powerful families in Pingshan this time, new powerful clans will still emerge on this land in the future."

Since someone has to take this position, why can't it be someone from the Huang family? As long as Commander Chen is willing to return the spirit gu, the Huang family will definitely do its utmost to cooperate in the future..."

"Well..." Chen Sheng tapped his fingers lightly on the table, appearing quite hesitant.

"As long as Commander Chen nods, I, Huang, can immediately order someone to fetch the silver notes." Huang Ke pressed on, his tone solemn.

Chen Sheng pondered for a long time before finally seeming to have made up his mind, and slowly said:

“The Huang family is so sincere, it would seem unreasonable for me to refuse. However…” He changed the subject, “I cannot hand over that thing to the Huang family for the time being.”

As Huang Ke's expression changed slightly, Chen Sheng continued:

"I want to see the Huang family's sincerity first. After this matter is over and the Gao family is destroyed, I promise to return that thing to you in its original form."

He never mentioned the words "Spiritual Essence Gu," but his words were tantamount to an admission of the matter.

Upon hearing this, Huang Ke hesitated for a moment.

The longer the Spirit Essence Gu is outside, the greater the risk becomes, so he naturally hopes to retrieve it immediately.

Upon seeing this, Chen Sheng's expression darkened, and his tone turned cold: "If the Huang family is not even willing to show this much sincerity, then there is no need to continue discussing this matter today."

"Commander Chen, please calm down."

Huang Ke quickly cupped his hands in greeting, "This matter is of great importance and cannot be decided by me alone. Please allow me to return and report to the patriarch and my uncle, and then give the commander a clear answer, what do you say?"

"That's fine."

Chen Sheng pondered for a moment, then nodded, "Then I will await good news."

The two chatted idly for a while longer, and then Chen Sheng personally escorted Huang Ke out of the North City Martial Camp. Once Huang Ke's figure disappeared, the smile on his face vanished instantly, and his gaze became deep. Whether this delaying tactic would work was still unknown, but at least it could buy him some time for his breakthrough.

It would be best if it could be accomplished naturally, but if it doesn't, it won't affect the overall situation.

Right now, crossing that "marrow transformation threshold" is the most important thing that overrides everything else!

……

The atmosphere inside the Huang residence was heavy.

Upon returning, Huang Ke immediately recounted his meeting with Chen Sheng and the conditions Chen Sheng had proposed to Huang Dongchun and his clan uncle in detail.

"Hmph, at least he has some self-awareness!" Huang Dongchun snorted coldly when he heard that Chen Sheng had not refused outright but instead put forward conditions, and his expression softened slightly.

"Knowing what's good for you? You call that knowing what's good for you?!"

The fourth great-uncle, sitting at the head of the table, frowned and slammed his cane heavily on the ground with a dull thud. He said sternly, "This is clearly Chen Sheng's delaying tactic, a stalling strategy!"
If my Huang family were to truly obey his words and stand idly by while the Gao family is destroyed, then we would be at his mercy, like fish on a chopping board. Would the power to honor his promise still be in our hands? This young man's words seem like concessions, but they are actually veiled barbs. In my opinion, he has absolutely no sincerity in handing over the Spirit Essence Gu!

"But even if he forcibly retains the Spirit Essence Gu, it will be useless in the short term. Why would he do such a foolish thing? Could it be that there is some grudge between our Huang family and him that we are unaware of?"

Another elder surnamed Huang standing nearby looked puzzled.

The Huang family's great-uncle, with a deep gaze, slowly said:

"I have heard that there is a secret method in the martial arts world that can be used to forcibly assist in a breakthrough even without the Spirit Marrow Liquid. However, this method is like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, and the price is huge. Ordinary people would never use it lightly."

This Chen Sheng either knows this secret technique, or... Wu Kuang is so determined to eliminate us that he dares not and cannot accept the Huang family's conditions.

"So, does that mean we can't get this Spirit Essence Gu back?"

Huang Dongchun's face immediately turned extremely ugly, a strong sense of resentment welling up in his heart, "If I personally take action now and force my way into the North City Martial Camp, is there still a chance...?"

"madness!"

Huang's great-uncle interrupted coldly, "Let alone whether you can succeed, even if you kill Chen Sheng, it seems to be of no use now. This time, my Huang family made a mistake. We should just admit defeat."

But this score cannot be settled so easily. Your personal intervention would draw too much attention and could easily backfire, causing Wu Kuang to turn his attention entirely towards the Huang family. The best course of action is to use the Qinglin River bandits.”

He paused briefly, a shrewd glint in his eyes: "However, on the surface, we still need to keep him calm. Huang Ke, go to the North City Martial Camp again tomorrow and tell them that my Huang family... agrees to his demands."

Huang Ke bowed and replied, "Yes, Grand Uncle."

……

The next morning, a large crowd gathered in front of the Changshan County government office.

A large number of merchants, secretly instigated and linked by the three major families, arrived together, their emotions running high. They pleaded with the government to send troops immediately to wipe out the bandits ravaging the Qinglin waterway and restore peace to the people of Changshan.

The officials were well aware of the ferocity and difficulty in dealing with the bandits of Qinglin River.

Faced with the merchants' petition, the county government could only offer words of comfort and did not immediately give a clear answer. Subsequently, County Magistrate Lin Shou urgently summoned County Lieutenant Wu Kuang to discuss countermeasures.

Suppressing bandits was the duty of the county magistrate, and Wu Kuang could not shirk it.

However, the situation in the Qinglin waterway was complicated, and the previous county magistrate had failed there. He had no choice but to be cautious. After discussing it for a long time, the two still felt it was a difficult situation and decided to adopt a delaying tactic for the time being and observe the situation.

However, the three families had anticipated this.

That afternoon, they used their enormous influence to spread the news extensively inside and outside the county, exaggerating the harm caused by the river bandits and stirring up public opinion.

Within half a day, calls for the government to send troops to suppress the bandits grew louder and louder, creating considerable public pressure and putting the county government in a rather passive and difficult position.

After careful consideration, Wu Kuang still found it difficult to make a decision.

He suddenly remembered Chen Sheng, who often came up with unexpected solutions and might offer some different ideas. So he immediately sent someone to the North City Military Camp to summon Chen Sheng for a meeting.

Unfortunately, since seeing Huang Ke off last night, Chen Sheng has ordered the doors to be closed to visitors and has entered deep seclusion, not seeing anyone for the time being.

With resources readily available and opportunities fleeting, Chen Sheng was unlikely to waste his precious time on other matters.

Breaking through to the Marrow Transformation Realm is the most important thing.
Although Wu Kuang was somewhat disappointed upon learning this, he did not insist. Instead, he solemnly instructed Yan Ming, Chen Sheng's confidant, to come to the county office to see Chen Sheng as soon as he came out of the pass.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

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(End of this chapter)