In just six or seven days, Yang Zhenshan received a report that all the Divine Wood Seven Islands had been taken.
On the tenth day of February, Yang Zhenshan arrived at Divine Wood Island.
Divine Wood Island has a small pier only on the northeastern coast of the residential area. Previously, the Divine Wood Sect did not allow outsiders onto the island, and even they would only use small boats to land, so there was no large dock or port.
However, nearby Divine Forest Island and the eastern Guiyun Island both have sizable ports, especially Guiyun Island, which is the end of the Divine Wood Island chain and also a necessary stop on the northern route through the Ten Thousand Miles Sea Domain. Forces around Da Rong wishing to trade with the central and eastern parts almost always have to go through the northern route and resupply at Guiyun Island.
Thus, Guiyun Island is an extremely prosperous island and was previously the most important economic source for Divine Wood Island.
Divine Wood Island used to rely on collecting fees from Guiyun Island, including docking fees and fees for merchant ship supplies.
Now, with the Yang family occupying Star Moon Island and the Divine Wood Seven Islands, the two connected into a chain stretching a thousand miles. Although there is not much land territory, strategically it occupies an advantageous position on the trade route.
In the future, the Yang family will only need to ensure the regular operation of ports on North Ring Island and Guiyun Island and then charge a small passage fee, making the Yang family essentially the controllers of a golden trade route.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that earning two to three million taels of silver a year would be quite easy.
Yang Zhenshan traveled first by large ship to the sea near Divine Wood Island, then transferred to a smaller boat to land on Divine Wood Island.
Yang Mingzhi, Yang Minghao, and Xue Ping were already waiting for him at the pier.
As he disembarked, the three immediately approached to greet him respectfully.
Yang Zhenshan jumped off the boat and looked up at the island.
With his eyesight, even the scene ten miles away was clear, and what poured into his eyes was the lush, green forest.
Calling it a forest is no exaggeration; the key is that this single tree is like a mountain. From afar, it looks like a green hill.
"How are the casualties?" Yang Zhenshan asked.
Xue Ping replied, "Uncle need not worry, casualties were minimal. The other six islands almost had no resistance, only Divine Wood Island put up some resistance. However, we sent a truly elite force to land first, so we practically took it with no casualties!"
"Hmm!" Yang Zhenshan nodded and then walked toward the island, "What about the followers of the Divine Wood Sect?"
"According to Uncle’s instructions, those who needed to be killed were killed, leaving none on Divine Wood Island. On the other islands, there are probably still tens of thousands of people, with the most on Guiyun Island. Among the Divine Wood Seven Islands, Guiyun Island is the most open, and faith in the Divine Wood Sect is the weakest!" Xue Ping said.
The more open they are, the weaker their faith, which indeed sounds reasonable! Check latest chapters at novel※fire.net
As for the followers who were killed, Yang Zhenshan was too lazy even to ask.
Six islands only have tens of thousands left; it sounds like a lot, but don’t forget that the Divine Wood Sect had five or six hundred thousand followers, meaning around four hundred thousand were slaughtered by the Tenglong Guard!
Yes, it sounds quite brutal, but this is reality.
In the Ten Thousand Miles Sea Domain, various forces continuously struggle, with rise and fall happening cyclically. The common people at the lowest level are the easiest to slaughter.
Even if news of the slaughter spreads, other forces will simply view the Yang family’s methods as somewhat brutal, perhaps complain a little, but definitely no one will come to uphold justice.