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

Chapter 90 Root and Bones

early morning.

When the first ray of sunlight shines into the military camp.

Zhou Yuan had already finished practicing his boxing routine when the city guards, led by Zhou Shun, began their drills.

As for the "head coach" Gundam, he wouldn't appear on the training ground until the sun was high in the sky.

That's how capricious geniuses are.

After a quick wash, a soldier brought up breakfast and reported the news.

"The new leader of the Martial Alliance is already waiting."

"Wait here, I'll be there after I've finished eating."

Zhou Yuan ate breakfast at his own pace before slowly walking into the main tent.

As soon as he entered the tent, he saw a slender woman standing there, looking at the city defense map of Gaoshan County with great interest.

The woman looked to be around twenty years old, with an amazing figure and a face as exquisite as a painting.

Who would have thought that such a delicate woman would become the new leader of the Gaoshan County Martial Alliance?

"Wang Linglong, leader of the Martial Alliance of Gaoshan County, greets Commander Zhou."

Hearing footsteps, the woman turned around gracefully and greeted them with a fist and palm salute, exuding a chivalrous air.

"It's really not easy to see Commander Zhou. If it weren't for his status as the leader of the Martial Alliance, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to meet him."

"What brings Leader Wang to our county's military camp?"

"Please speak frankly; I have official duties to attend to."

Zhou Yuan glanced at her and said coldly.

Wang Linglong curiously sized up Zhou Yuan, but seeing that Zhou Yuan's eyes were clear and he didn't even glance at her, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

She knew her assets; when those men saw her, their eyes practically burned with lust.

Even Dong Hailou was no exception.

But Zhou Yuan doesn't seem to be interested in her at all. Could it be that Commander Zhou is... not good enough?

The delicate and pitiful young lady at home is clearly still a virgin.

Yes.

The commander is definitely not interested in women this week!

Wang Linglong made a decision in her mind, her expression turned serious, and her temperament immediately changed, becoming less charming and more dashing.

"The Martial Alliance and the City Guard are of one mind. I am also acting on the orders of Magistrate Dong to cooperate with Commander Zhou in protecting the peace of Gaoshan County."

Wang Linglong said solemnly, "Lord Dong has ordered that all procurement of weapons, provisions and other supplies for the city guards must go through the Martial Alliance from now on."

"I've come to ask Commander Zhou which merchant we should use to procure our city guard's weapons and provisions?"

The procurement of weapons and provisions for the three hundred city guards each year was a considerable business, which was also where the commander of the city guards made his fortune.

Whichever company Zhou Yuan gives this business to, they will have to give him some kind of tribute.

Generally speaking, these decisions are made by the commander of the city guards; the county magistrate wouldn't interfere that much.

But Dong Hailou clearly had no intention of following this established rule.

Wang Linglong may have come to seek Zhou Yuan's opinion, but from another perspective, wasn't she also there to demonstrate her power?

Weapons and provisions are the lifeblood of the city guards. What's the point of letting them fall into the hands of others?

"Since the county magistrate has entrusted these matters to Alliance Leader Wang, then it is naturally up to you, Alliance Leader Wang, to make the decision."

Zhou Yuan said calmly, "I don't care where the weapons and provisions are purchased from, as long as they are of good quality and in sufficient quantity."

.

"Here's what I'm thinking: I heard that before you became the commander of the city guards, you made a living as a blacksmith."

As the saying goes, it's better to do the unfamiliar than the familiar. How about the Martial Alliance purchases the weapons needed by the city guards from Commander Zhou?

Whether you build it yourself or buy it from someone else, I don't care.

Wang Linglong looked at Zhou Yuan and said meaningfully.

"The full strength of the Gaoshan County City Guard is three hundred men. Each guard needs to be equipped with cloth-covered iron armor, waist knife, long spear, bow and arrow, and wooden shield. The total cost of fixed wear and tear and repairs is 1,600 taels of silver per year."

She paused for a moment.

"One thousand six hundred taels per year."

She emphasized her words.

The market price is 1,600 taels, but in reality, the purchase price would be much lower than the market price.

Previously, Zhou Yuan had entrusted this business to the Cheng and He families, who would return five hundred taels to him every year and he would still make a profit.

"I can make the decision to increase this amount to two thousand taels per year in the future."

Commander Zhou, you don't need to show your face. I will sign the procurement contract with Sister Changyu myself.

A captivating smile appeared on Wang Linglong's lips.

Zhou Yuan remained silent.

This Wang Linglong is the Wang family elder sister that Zhuo Changyu mentioned as having ulterior motives.

The other party definitely had malicious intentions.

Zhou Yuan was certain of Zhuo Changyu's judgment.

The business deal worth two thousand taels of silver per year was signed with Zhuo Changyu, which is clearly a way of giving money to Zhou Yuan.

The city guards' annual losses are already inflated, so even with normal expenses, they can still earn at least half of those two thousand two weeks' worth of resources.

If he were any more ruthless, he could easily embezzle all two thousand taels of silver.

However, if he agrees to Wang Linglong's request, he will be completely tied to her.

Embezzling military funds can be a serious or minor offense.

With such leverage in someone else's hands, his life or death is no longer in his own hands.

"Zhou has not been blacksmithing for a long time, and as the commander of the city guards, he should avoid suspicion."

My wife doesn't do business either, so Lord Wang, please find someone more capable.

Zhou Yuan said, "If there's nothing else, please go ahead, Alliance Leader Wang. In the future, for these kinds of procurement matters, Alliance Leader Wang can contact Deputy Commander Gao or Zhou Shun."

He served tea and saw the guests off.

"Commander Zhou, if you change your mind, the Martial Alliance's doors are always open for you."

Wang Linglong said this to Zhou Yuan before she left.

After she left, Zhou Yuan put the matter out of his mind.

Even without the profits from purchasing military equipment and provisions, he had other sources of income.

This little thing won't affect his martial arts practice.

Zhou Yuan cultivated until sunset before returning home before dark.

After killing Gao Liang and his son Chen Huojia, Zhou Yuan no longer needed to hide in the military camp.

Having a beautiful wife at home, although it's not time to consummate the marriage yet, it's still something to look forward to cuddling her soft and fragrant body every day.

"Yuan-ge'er, Wang Linglong is here again today."

As soon as he got home, Zhuo Changyu couldn't wait to tell him.

"As we agreed, I'll ask for an exorbitant amount—"

Before she could finish speaking, she noticed that Zhou Yuan's expression was a little off, and her voice involuntarily softened.

"I bet she said yes right away?"

Zhou Yuan said, "She also came to see me at the county military camp today."

Wang Linglong is the newly appointed leader of the Martial Alliance.

"what?"

Zhuo Changyu exclaimed in surprise, his face turning pale. "Did I make things worse?"

She wasn't the kind of woman who couldn't read or write, so she naturally knew what the leader of the Martial Alliance meant.

"Tell me first, how much did you ask her for?"

Zhou Yuan shook his head and said calmly.

"She wants a pair of short swords made. I'm asking for three Qi and Blood Pills, plus two hundred taels of silver."

Zhuo Changyu said weakly.

An ordinary weapon can cost anywhere from a dozen to several dozen taels of silver, and even the best one would cost at most a hundred or so taels.

Even at the highest price, you can buy weapons of exceptional quality.

Two hundred taels of silver is already an outrageous demand, not to mention the three Qi and Blood Pills to be added.

This price is more than enough to buy two high-level weapons.

Zhuo Changyu was a little excited when Wang Linglong agreed.

She knew that Zhou Yuan had been wanting to buy Qi and Blood Pills, but the shops in the county had never had them in stock.

"When someone is treated with courtesy, there is always an ulterior motive."

Zhou Yuan said, "Wang Linglong's ambitions are far greater than I imagined; it seems she has very big plans."

He told Zhuo Changyu about Wang Linglong's visit to him today regarding the procurement of weapons.

"I'll just return the items to her; we're not doing this deal."

Zhuo Changyu said with some alarm.

"Why not do it?"

Zhou Yuan said, "Armerie procurement is an official matter, but this deal is a private matter."

The imperial court does not prohibit officials from earning extra income through their craftsmanship. If others are willing to pay a high price for the weapons I forge, it means they appreciate my craftsmanship.

Even if an arrow is coated with honey, we must lick the honey clean and throw the arrow back.

Zhou Yuan's analogy made Zhuo Changyu stick out his tongue in disgust.

"I understand. Just keep firing your weapons. If she tries to use this as an excuse to ask you to do anything else, you must firmly refuse."

Zhuo Changyu said.

"clever."

Zhou Yuan said with a smile.

Wang Linglong really went all out; she hadn't even seen anything yet, but she had already given Zhuo Changyu three Qi and Blood Pills as a deposit.

Zhou Yuan carefully examined the three Qi and Blood Pills, and only took one after confirming that there were no problems.

In the days that followed, Wang Linglong did not appear in front of Zhou Yuan again.

However, the Martial Alliance continues to make moves.

The delicate Wang Linglong was quite shrewd. In just one month, the Martial Alliance had been completely transformed, and all the major forces in Gaoshan County had come to acknowledge her existence.

During one of Zhou Yuan's visits to Cheng Jiuhe, Cheng Jiuhe excitedly told him that Wang Linglong had found a precious medicine that could reconnect severed tendons.

By combining kindness and strictness, Wang Linglong's reputation grew increasingly well-known in Gaoshan County.

Even County Magistrate Dong Hailou entrusted many important matters to Wang Linglong.

On the contrary, Zhou Yuan, the commander of the city guards, became increasingly insignificant.

Zhou Yuan was happy with this arrangement; with no one to disturb him, he could finally focus on practicing martial arts.

With the new Qi and Blood Pill, he once again experienced the feeling of his free points accumulating rapidly.

In the middle of the night, Zhou Yuan was practicing his boxing when a thought suddenly struck him.

He brought up the system panel, where he saw that the results of yesterday's efforts had been calculated.

Name: Zhou Yuan

[Free Points: 150]

[Realm: Blood Transformation Realm]

【功法：白猿披风锤圆满、白猿通臂拳大成（600/3000）、断水刀法大成（100/3000）、八方雷音大成（6900/7000）、八步赶蝉圆满（90/3000）、兽王金身第三重（300/1000）】

[Skills: Advanced Blacksmithing, Basic Weapon Forging (600/3000)]

[Equipment: Plum Blossom Hidden Arrow]

After a month of persistent effort, 90% of the blood in his body has been replaced, and the blood transfusion is now complete.

Looking at the Eight Directions Thunder Sound, which was about to reach the perfect state, Zhou Yuan was also somewhat excited.

Since he began practicing martial arts, the most difficult skill to master was the Eight Directions Thunder Sound.

A major achievement alone requires 7000 free points.

But its power is commensurate with its difficulty.

According to Li Lin, the Eight Directions Thunder Sound is a simplified version of the ultimate technique of the Divine Weapon Valley.

The ultimate achievement in cultivation is the Blood Transformation Realm, and the Perfect Realm has the effect of altering one's fundamental constitution.

"Even a genius like Gao Da, with the worst aptitude, can reap three points of rewards for every point of effort. Even someone with average aptitude can reap one point of rewards for every point of effort. But I only reap one point of rewards for every ten points of effort."

Zhou Yuan thought to himself, "The Eight Directions Thunder Sound can change my physique. I wonder to what extent it can change my inferior physique. Even if it can't become superior physique, if it can be changed to medium physique, my work efficiency will definitely improve."

, 7

With that thought in mind, he no longer hesitated and added all 150 free points he had just gained to the Eight Directions Thunder Sound.