In his heart, the Emperor and the court still held great power, and sect forces like theirs shouldn’t provoke the Emperor and the court’s authority.
Ji Hai fell into deep thought, while Ji Zhen stroked his beard, also contemplating.
Unlike Ji Hai’s considerations, Ji Zhen was pondering the future path of the Hengdao Sect.
Jizhou is the gateway to Liaodong. Although in the past decade, Liaodong’s development through maritime trade has greatly affected the commercial trade on the Jizhou side, Jizhou’s importance hasn’t diminished.
Especially in terms of strategic significance, Jizhou is undoubtedly the most important strategic location in Liaodong. This update ıs available on N0velFire.ɴet
From Jizhou, one can march southward into Shuntian Prefecture, or swiftly advance northward deep into Ping Yuan and Liao Yuan provinces. To the west, you can move upstream along the river to enter Liaoxi, Beiyuan Town, and Longyuan; to the east, you can follow the current, where the Jiao Long emerges into the sea.
Since ancient times, Jizhou has been a place of contention among strategists. Occupying Jizhou allows military might to extend over two thousand miles around.
Such a strategic location, if occupied by the Hengdao Sect, would surely become a target of many.
The Hengdao Sect definitely cannot occupy Jizhou, or even entertain such an idea.
The court would not allow the Hengdao Sect to do so, nor would Liaodong.
"Master, how many Innate Martial Artists does the court have?" Ji Hai suddenly asked.
Ji Zhen shook his head slightly, "I don’t know! Probably a dozen or so!"
Without Sanshan Valley and Cui Xia Valley, the court still has so many nobles, the royal family, and Innate experts within the Imperial City.
"A dozen or so!" Ji Hai took a deep breath, "As far as I know, there are three Innate Martial Artists in Chongshan Town: Yang Mingwu, Luo Feiyu, and Han Fei!"
"In Beiyuan Town, there are also six Innate Martial Artists: Zhou Lan, Song Dashan, Yang Mingzhen, Yang Chengxu, Yang Chengze, and Wang Yunqiao!"
"The Tenglong Guard has two Innate Martial Artists, Yu Tonghai and Xue Ping!"
"And not just these, there are surely other Innate Martial Artists around Marquis Jing’an, Yang Chengye."
"Master, that makes more than ten Innate Martial Artists!"
Ji Zhen’s expression shifted slightly.
He knew there were quite a few Innate Martial Artists in Chongshan Town and Beiyuan Town, but he didn’t know the specifics under his command.
Like Song Dashan and Yang Mingwu, they broke through to the Innate Realm nearly twenty years ago; Ji Zhen was aware of them. But younger successors like Wang Yunqiao and Han Fei, he was not very familiar with.
Especially Han Fei, he hadn’t even heard the name before.
"Wang Yunqiao, I know, a disciple of Yang Zhenshan, but who is Han Fei?"
Ji Hai replied, "Han Fei, currently the Assistant General of the Daning Guard on the West Road in Chongshan Town. His father, Han Cheng, followed the old Marquis for over thirty years and later served as a Commander in Tenglong Guard."
At this point, Ji Zhen understood that Han Fei was definitely a close associate of the Yang family.
But Ji Hai continued, "In his early years, Han Fei served as a personal follower of the old Marquis. When the old Marquis took charge as the General of Chongshan Town, Han Fei was promoted to Guerrilla General of the Camp."
"This person is almost like a disciple to the old Marquis, just without the formal title of master and disciple!"
Ji Zhen nodded slightly, "So, the younger generation of the Yang family has also grown!"
"Indeed, they have more than just grown. Many outstanding young members have emerged from the Yang clan these years, such as the Assistant General of the Fuzhou Guard on the North Road of Chongshan Town, Yang Qinhua. This man is only forty years old and has reached the Half-step Innate Realm. Then there’s the Guerrilla General of the Left Camp, Yang Qinfu, who is not yet forty but has already reached the Postnatal Ninth Layer!"
"These are just descendants of the Yang clan. As for what the rest of the Yang family’s descendants are like now, I am not very sure!"