Chapter 341 - 332: Old Acquaintance from Shenghai

Of the Nine Families, only four Sacrificial Demon Officials remained.

Fu Juemin couldn't kill all the Demon Officials of the Nine Families.

Some were more obedient, while others had to be kept for his subordinates to use in the Filth Loading process.

As he walked to the edge of the garden inscribed with an Array, Mu Feng and the others waiting there immediately came forward to greet him.

"What's the situation outside?"

Fu Juemin took a cloth soaked in hot water from Mu Feng's hand, wiped his hands, and asked in a calm tone.

"They've already submitted."

Mu Feng said respectfully, "The Erner Clan has had it even worse than our Mu Family these past few years. They've been constantly oppressed by their Banner Lord.

"My Lord, by reorganizing the Lower Five Banners on behalf of the Profound Banner Helers, you've shown them a chance to get revenge and rise up. How could they possibly refuse to submit immediately?

"They're kneeling in the main hall right now, waiting for you to go and address them."

Hearing this, Fu Juemin nodded slightly and said casually, "I won't go. You and Tingzhou can handle it."

"Yes."

Mu Feng acknowledged the order.

Over the past twenty days, Fu Juemin had developed a set routine for subjugating the Lower Five Banners. After identifying a target, he would have his subordinates handle their Patriarch and Martial Tributors while he went straight to the area where they kept their Sacrificial Demon Fiend. By the time he had either subdued or dealt with the Sacrificial Demon Official, his men would usually be finished as well.

It was the most efficient method, saving him from a great deal of convoluted trouble.

"This morning, the Royal Banner's Demon Supervisor came down."

Mu Feng added suddenly.

Fu Juemin's eyes narrowed slightly. "And?" he asked.

With the Wuchen Grand Competition fast approaching, it was customary for each banner and family to first report a list of the Demon Fiends participating in the Grand Sacrifice, along with their current Official Ranks.

The Royal Banner would then dispatch Demon Supervisors to inspect the condition of each Demon Official.

This was the step where Fu Juemin was most likely to be exposed, but Mu Feng said, "...he had a cup of tea, took a bribe, and left. He never once mentioned inspecting the Demon Officials."

Fu Juemin was surprised at first, but after a moment's thought, he quickly understood.

Previously, when he'd moved against the Mu, Ning, and Chaha families, the person who showed up wasn't from the Royal Banner, but Helian.

He figured Helu must have bribed the relevant officials long ago, which was why they were letting him run rampant through the Lower Five Banners.

"...As soon as the Demon Supervisor left, Lord Lian of the Profound Banner arrived.

"He heard you were busy with the Erner Clan's affairs, so he left two chests and departed.

"I was worried it might affect your plans, my Lord, so I had the items brought here."

"Oh?"

Fu Juemin's expression flickered when he heard Helian had visited. "Take me to see," he said.

Mu Feng immediately led Fu Juemin out. They soon arrived at the main hall of the Erner Clan, who were also known publicly as the He Family.

The two large chests Helian had brought were placed in the middle of the hall. Several people knelt beside them, led by a timid, cowering middle-aged man with a long, braided queue—the current Patriarch of the Erner Clan.

Fu Juemin gave the people a casual glance, his attention focused entirely on the two chests.

He opened the chests. Inside, they were filled with thread-bound ancient tomes. Piles of Saber Technique Secret Manuals and Experience Techniques were stacked like common cabbages.

Fu Juemin rummaged through them carefully but found no trace of the >, and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

However, considering the arduous and winding path he'd taken to obtain the legacies of the Pharmacist Skill, Dragon Elephant Skill, and Bright King Skill, he figured that if he'd gotten the Secret Manual for the > this easily, he might have questioned its authenticity anyway.

At this thought, he calmed down considerably.

Fu Juemin had someone put away the two chests of secret manuals, then turned and sat in the seat of honor in the Erner Clan's main hall.

"Master, who are we going after next?"

Mu Tingzhou trotted up eagerly.

Mu Tingzhou had completed his first Filth Loading some time ago. He looked much stronger than before, but the skin around his eyes was often red, giving him a deranged and sinister look.

Ever since his Filth Loading, Mu Tingzhou had become increasingly enamored with his role as Fu Juemin's loyal hound, going around provoking and slapping people.

According to him, it was far more exhilarating than smoking opium or womanizing.

The Erner Clan had kneeled too quickly today, and Mu Tingzhou hadn't had his fill of fun. He was itching to find another Patriarch to torment.

"We're done."

Fu Juemin said lightly.

The Wuchen Grand Competition was starting in a few days. At this critical juncture, he couldn't be bothered to stir up any more trouble.

'Anyway, once the competition starts and we're inside the Trapped Dragon Array, I can devour whichever family I please.'

Mu Tingzhou retreated in disappointment, while Fu Juemin turned his gaze to Cao Tian and Zhang Yi at his side.

Over the past twenty days, Fu Juemin had subjugated five families in a row, bringing these two men with him every time.

Hong Huan, having undergone a second Filth Loading, was nearly unrivaled among the branch families that couldn't afford a Heart Intent Realm Martial Artist. Having seen Hong Huan in action so many times, the two of them finally couldn't hold back any longer and asked to undergo the Filth Loading themselves.

Fu Juemin had originally planned to capture the Erner Clan's Demon Earthworm for Zhang Yi's Filth Loading, but now, the Demon Earthworm was dead.

"Do you want to wait a bit longer?"

Fu Juemin explained the situation to Zhang Yi, then added after a moment of thought, "After the Wuchen Grand Competition, there might be a better option.

"You can use this time to think it over carefully..."

Zhang Yi pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "There's nothing more to consider. I already have a son, and I have no intention of remarrying in this life."

"There's no need to wait. Since I've chosen this path, it's just a matter of sooner or later."

"The Demon Rhinoceros will do. The sooner I undergo the Filth Loading, the sooner I can become a useful vessel for you to command, Young Master..."

Zhang Yi had once been a martial arts fanatic, but after the deaths of his parents and his first wife, he had suddenly become more stoic than anyone.

Seeing his resolute attitude, Fu Juemin said no more, tacitly approving his decision.

For Cao Tian, however, he ordered him to wait. It wouldn't be too late for the Filth Loading after he advanced to Tongxuan.

Both Cao Tian and Zhang Yi were among Fu Juemin's most trusted confidants, their loyalty far surpassing that of Hong Huan and the others. It was just that after arriving in Yingjing, their strength was indeed a bit lacking.

The >, combined with his Pharmacist Skill, could rapidly increase their combat strength.

In front of the entire Erner Clan, Fu Juemin issued orders on various matters. Then, suddenly recalling the Demon Earthworm corpse lying in the garden, he couldn't help but ask, "Do any of you know someone with extensive connections? I need to buy and sell some things...

"And preferably, their business reaches outside of Yingjing."

He had killed five Demons, and their corpses were piled in a warehouse, about to start stinking.

Fu Juemin planned to trade these Demon Corpses for military arms, or something else, to equip the Ghost Camp. In the future, if he wanted to blow up the Demon Capital, he would need a massive amount of explosives...

These five Demon Corpses couldn't be sold in the Demon Capital—or rather, they couldn't be sold there *directly*. Otherwise, the moment he brought them out, the people of the Nine Banners would know that many of the Demon Officials from the Nine Families under his control were already dead.

Those standing in the hall at this moment, such as Mu Feng and Ning Yuan, were all from the first group to follow Fu Juemin.

Both of their families had their own income streams, but they dealt exclusively in Human Pills—business that was internal to the Nine Banners.

Fu Juemin's "outside of Yingjing" requirement stumped them. As they were racking their brains, a figure suddenly stepped out from a corner of the hall and reported in a low, hesitant voice, "I do know someone who... might meet the Spirit Lord's requirements."

Fu Juemin looked at the speaker, his gaze flickering as a strange light appeared in his eyes.

It was Ning Yu, the young master of the Cyan Banner Ninggu Clan, who had been so thoroughly sidelined by Mu Tingzhou over the past month that he had become almost invisible.

"Good."

Fu Juemin was satisfied with a subordinate who knew to take the initiative. He nodded and said, "Arrange for this person to meet me.

"Whether this succeeds or not, it will be counted as a merit for you, Ning Yu."

"Thank you, Spirit Lord!"

Hearing this, Ning Yu, who had looked somewhat apprehensive, was instantly invigorated. He fell to his knees and kowtowed in thanks.

Seeing him steal the spotlight, Mu Tingzhou, who was used to monopolizing their lord's favor, stood to the side and secretly curled his lip in a sneer of contempt and jealousy.

...

In the East Jiaomin Lane area of Yingjing City, there stood a great number of Western-style buildings with red bricks, white windows, cast-iron railings, and pointed attics.

In the sea of old-fashioned, gray-tiled, and blue-bricked buildings that was Yingjing City, this area stood out like a colorful patch on a plain quilt.

At this moment, inside a three-story inn with three stained-glass dormer windows on its roof, Shen Yijun was carefully primping in front of a mirror.

He wore a gray suit, fashionable for the New Dynasty. On his head was a wig, from which he deliberately exposed a long, braided queue. He then carefully pressed it all down with a dark cyan, six-lobed Ruyi hat.

A pocket watch hung from a button on his suit, yet on his hand, he wore an archer's thumb ring.

This getup, neither traditional nor Western, looked incredibly awkward to him no matter how he looked at it.

But these days, the noble young masters of the Nine Banners absolutely adored this style.

For the sake of business, he had no choice but to temporarily abandon his own sense of style.

Today, he was going to meet an incredibly distinguished figure from the inner circle of the Nine Banners!