465 Qin Huai’s Wealth
Two weeks later, a dragon’s roar echoed from Nine Dragons Mountain. Following that, a beam of white light streaked through the sky and vanished in a flash. From the depths of the pit, Qin Huai emerged.
“Husband,” called Li Shaoxiang, standing in the breeze. Her red dress was billowing and her hair swayed gracefully in the wind, her allure undeniable.
Beside her were three familiar faces: Old Master Tong, head of the Tong family’s Tong Treasure Shop, and his son and grandson, Tong Shou and Tong Maosheng.
“Benefactor,” they greeted, bowing their heads.
It had been two years since they last saw Qin Huai. Old Master Tong and his family were overcome with emotion.
“I never thought we’d be fortunate enough to see our benefactor again in this lifetime.”
“Please, don’t be so formal, Old Master,” Qin Huai responded, smiling. “The Tongduan Peak you built single-handedly has significantly bolstered my strength. You’ve also made Lingjiang the top forging county in the ten counties of East Qingzhou, drawing countless forging talents.”
Qin Huai’s hair now had streaks of white, but he didn’t appear aged, only more striking. Old Master Tong and the others felt an inexplicable pressure meeting his warm gaze.
“If it weren’t for your kindness, providing us with a new life and opportunities, our Tong family wouldn’t be where it is today,” the old man replied humbly.
When he learned that Qin Huai had easily killed the governor of Fan City County, a visceral prefecture realm expert, he became even more convinced of Qin Huai’s boundless potential.
The master of the Nine Dragons sect… Two years prior, he was only a newcomer at the second or third-level bone pattern realm, barely a third-rate genius in Qingzhou City, a city teeming with talent. However, in just two years, Qin Huai had soared to the top of Qingzhou City’s most promising individuals.
“Next, I’ll have to rely on Old Master Tong’s help for Lingjiang’s development,” Qin Huai said, bowing slightly.
The older man quickly replied, “If we can help you, our Tong family will definitely do our best.”
After the Tong family left, only Qin Huai and Li Shaoxiang remained on the mountaintop.
“Here’s the money I made in Qingzhou City. I don’t need it for now, so I’ll leave it to my wife to manage,” said Qin Huai, producing a thick stack of cash.
“Husband, I doubt you’re aware of how staggering Lingjiang’s monthly income is,” Li Shaoxiang said, a confident smile gracing her lips. Nevertheless, she accepted the stack of notes from Qin Huai.
“Aren’t you going to look at the amount?” Qin Huai asked, surprised.
“Lingjiang’s tax revenue last month was three million vitality pills,” Li Shaoxiang boasted.
“Thirty million taels? That’s certainly impressive.” Qin Huai clicked his tongue.
“When it comes to cultivating talent, I can’t compare to you, but in business and governance, I do have some skills,” Li Shaoxiang replied confidently.
“True, I mostly rely on the generosity of others to earn money,” Qin Huai teased.
“You’re leaving again?” Li Shaoxiang asked, standing next to Qin Huai.
“Yes, I told you, there are still crucial matters in Qingzhou that I need to attend to,” he answered.
“Then I wish you success in your martial arts journey,” Li Shaoxiang said earnestly, not showing any false pretense. “If you need anything, just send a letter… Lingjiang will do its best to help.”
“Don’t worry, if that day comes, I won’t hold back,” Qin Huai assured with a smile. “In fact, I have a favor to ask…”
“What a coincidence. I have something to ask you too.”
“Please, ask your question first,” Li Shaoxiang offered.
“When was the last visceral prefecture realm expert born in the ten counties?”
“That’s interesting, I’ve been wondering the same,” Li Shaoxiang said with a smile. “After the governor of Fan City County advanced, I already had people investigating. A year ago, a group of mysterious people entered the county governor’s estate and never came out again. In just over half a year, the county governor of Fan City County advanced.”
“I see, I’ll head out then.” Qin Huai nodded. “What’s the situation with the Balance Army now?”
“Just a few days ago, it was still an alliance of five counties. The Balance Army deserves most of the credit. They held back the other four counties and boldly set up camp at their borders. They took on four counties single-handedly and even used this as a base to forcibly take over twenty cities.”
Qin Huai raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Oh? So, could the Balance Army become the force that competes with Lingjiang for control over East Qingzhou in the future?”
“Based on the current information, it seems unlikely. They didn’t win over the hearts of the people in the city, nor did they implement any policies. They just used these cities as temporary strongholds,” Li Shaoxiang explained. “According to Elder Erlong’s reports, they may just want to fight. They’ll keep fighting to achieve their goals.”
Qin Huai was intrigued by the peculiar strategy of the Balance Army. After they had defeated the county governor of Lingjiang and the Sacred Heart sect’s army, they had unexpectedly turned around and attacked the other counties, showing no intention of seizing Lingjiang.
“Maybe they’re testing their strange armor,” Qin Huai suggested thoughtfully.
“However, it seems like the Balance Army has deliberately avoided our Lingjiang. Or rather, they might not know about the current situation of the Nine Dragons sect,” Li Shaoxiang added.