Supreme Martial Venerable: Starting with the White Ape Cloak Hammer skill point allocation

"It's already a miracle that He'er survived."

"The Martial Alliance's motto is 'Those who submit to me prosper, those who oppose me perish.' They're making an example of someone to scare others, and they've gone all out against He'er."

The speaker was Cheng Jiuhe's father, Cheng Hengjiang.

"Isn't there any other way?"

Zhou Yuan asked with a furrowed brow.

Having known Cheng Jiuhe for so long, this was his first time visiting the Cheng residence. However, Cheng Jiuhe's current situation left him in no mood to appreciate the expensive gardens and courtyards that the Cheng residence had built.

Cheng Jiuhe lay in bed with broken arms and legs, and he had not yet woken up.

"His injuries to his hands and feet are manageable, but his spine is shattered and several major tendons are severed. Even if he wakes up, he can forget about martial arts. He'll be lucky if he can walk like a normal person."

Cheng Hengjiang straddles both the legal and illegal worlds, yet now he's just a heartbroken old father.

"I've heard of a miraculous medicine that can reconnect severed tendons..."

Zhou Yuan pondered for a moment.

"It does exist, but it's no ordinary medicine; you can't buy it even if you have money."

A bitter smile appeared on Cheng Hengjiang's lips.

The Cheng family is not short of money; they have even tried elixirs worth a fortune, but with little effect.

It was obvious to everyone that Cheng Jiuhe was already crippled, and with the Martial Alliance pressing ever closer, the Cheng family was facing an imminent crisis and truly had no more resources to save Cheng Jiuhe.

"Zhou Xianyuan, since you're on good terms with He'er, I'll say something presumptuous: you should make plans as soon as possible."

Cheng Hengjiang sighed and said, "I just received news that Commander Pang requires all martial artists with official titles in Gaoshan County to join the Martial Alliance. From now on, all matters related to martial artists must go through the Martial Alliance."

Escorting goods, protecting courtyards, taking on apprentices, and so on—they had to put all the martial artists on a leash.

But if a wolf is put on a leash, is it still a wolf?

That's the Pang family's dog!

…………

Zhou Yuan left the Cheng residence with a heavy heart, Cheng Hengjiang's words still echoing in his ears.

If a martial artist joins the Martial Alliance, they become a complete vassal of the Pang family.

All work must go through the Martial Alliance. Even when he sells weapons, he can no longer sell them directly to customers. Instead, he must first sell them to the Martial Alliance, and then the Martial Alliance will sell them to the customers.

The price they would fetch when sold to the Martial Alliance would naturally be low.

This is equivalent to him working for the Martial Alliance.

The same applies to the work of other martial artists.

Originally, martial artists who passed the imperial examinations could take up positions in gangs or businesses, or act as escorts or bodyguards, or even open martial arts schools and take on disciples.

But now all of this has to go through the Martial Alliance. The Martial Alliance lets you make money so that you can make money. This has cut off the lifeline of all martial artists.

Unfortunately, these methods all fall within the "rules," so Prefect Yue Zichuan wouldn't interfere.

After all, commercial guilds are a long-standing practice, and the Martial Alliance is just a martial arts guild, which is not illegal.

"Pang Yunlong already dislikes me because of the Jade Blade incident. If I join the Martial Alliance, wouldn't he have a legitimate reason to suppress me?"

Zhou Yuan pondered to himself.

Unless Pang Yunlong personally injures him, it is within the "rules" for him to exert pressure through the Martial Alliance, and Yue Zichuan will not help him.

On his way home, Zhou Yuan still couldn't come up with a good solution.

I decided to stop thinking about it and just deal with whatever comes my way.

He changed his clothes and began his cultivation.

Soon, a muffled thunderous sound echoed through the courtyard.

In the following days, Zhou Yuan rarely went out except to visit Cheng Jiuhe occasionally.

Even the sale of weapons has been temporarily suspended.

His strength steadily improved as he secluded himself to cultivate, but his silver also flowed away like water, and his savings gradually dwindled.

One day, an old man suddenly came to the door.

The old man was the steward of the Zhuo family. As soon as he entered the door, he knelt down in front of Zhou Yuan and Zhuo Changyu with a thud.

"Young master, young lady, please save the master and young master!"

The old steward wept bitterly and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Mingbo, please get up first."

Zhuo Changyu helped the old housekeeper up and looked at Zhou Yuan with a pleading expression.

Zhou Yuan was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, "Get up, tell me what happened first."

The old steward, Uncle Ming, recounted the whole story with tears streaming down his face.

Zhuo Changxiong, the eldest son of the Zhuo family, was preparing for the imperial examination in the prefecture. However, he got into a fight with someone in a brothel and injured the young master of the Pang family. He was arrested by the authorities for intentional assault.

The second son, Zhuo Changying, was escorting goods when he was detained by the river authorities for smuggling contraband.

Zhuo Wangsun went to great lengths to save his two sons, but ended up being arrested for bribing officials.

Zhou Yuan immediately understood what was going on. It was a case of the bigger the tree, the more the wind would blow against it. The Zhuo family was rich but powerless, and others wanted to take over the Zhuo family's assets.

He didn't believe that Zhuo Wangsun couldn't see through this; after all, Zhuo Wangsun was still unwilling to part with his wealth.

"It's no use begging me about this."

Zhou Yuan shook his head and said calmly, "You have to give up something to gain something. Master Zhuo is pretending to be ignorant, and I can't help him."

Changyu, see the guests out.

Zhuo Changyu hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but sigh.

"Mingbo, go back. Tell my father that even if money is gone, people are still happy. Give people what they want. As long as the family is still together, even simple meals are a blessing."

She was a smart woman, and naturally she could see the problem behind it.

Fighting among martial artists and smuggling contraband are minor matters; they're after the Zhuo family's assets.

She saw the old housekeeper to the door, then returned to Zhou Yuan's side, hesitant to speak.

"Changyu, although your father kicked you out of the house, he is still your father. If you ask, I can give it a try."

Zhou Yuan took the initiative to speak.

Zhuo Changyu shook his head. "Brother Yuan, if you really join the Divine Weapon Valley, then I will definitely beg you."

But you are still in your probationary period. If you use Elder Luo's power to seek personal gain at this time, it will be detrimental to your future. I cannot be so selfish.

Moreover, as long as my father hands over the assets, his life shouldn't be in danger. Otherwise, if the other party wanted to kill him, my eldest and second brothers would have been dead long ago.

Zhou Yuan patted Zhuo Changyu's head and smiled.

"I can ignore what happened to your father and your eldest brother, but your second brother helped me."

Zhou Yuan said, "He once gave me a Qi and Blood Pill, and I have to repay that favor."

As they spoke, Zhou Yuan took out the metal waist tag and placed it in Zhuo Changyu's hand.

"Go to the River Bureau and accept the punishment you deserve. First, get your second brother out of here."

Zhuo Changyu's eyes reddened, and she threw herself into Zhou Yuan's arms.

…………

Inside the water dungeon of the River Management Office in Mianlong Prefecture.

Zhuo Changying had a scraggly beard and was so thin he was practically skin and bones.

His lower body was soaked in sewage and was already bloated; the pain had made his eyes numb.

If things continue like this, even if he doesn't die, he'll never be able to be a man again.

Zhuo Changying tied her belt to the bars of the water dungeon.

"I've lived a life of pleasure and fun, so I'm not ashamed to die."

He put the collar around his neck.

Just then, the door to the water dungeon was suddenly opened.

"Zhuo Changying, someone is protecting you, you can go now."

The jailer hurriedly pulled Zhuo Changying off the ropes and shouted.