With much difficulty, Gu Zuo sorted out his state of mind. He raised his eyes, and saw that Hu Chang’an and the siblings were practically sitting on pins and needles. It seemed that they were somewhat embarrassed.
It had to be said that Hu Chang’an possessed the Myriad Leaking Body, while Hu Changfeng and Hu Changbi were pharmacists with excellent aptitudes. All three of them had boundless potential. But in actuality, they were of no use at the present stage. They came over by seeking refuge. Compared to the ones they originally couldn’t deal with, that Wu Clan which had completely thrown its support behind his big brother, how could they be feeling any better?
Unfortunately, Gongyi Tianheng hadn’t given them any commands, so they couldn’t help but overthink things.
Of course, Gu Zuo didn’t feel that his family’s big brother had forgotten them. Thus, he kept silent.
Sure enough, Tianheng finally looked at the three Hu Clan siblings, and said: “Chang’an has a special constitution. He requires many medicinal ingredients for awakening and training to increase his combat strength. Meanwhile, Changbi and Changfeng need nurturing. Thus —” He swept a glance towards the Wu Clan Head, “Wu Xing, after settling down your Wu Clan, I’m handing these three Hu Clan members over to you to take care of. Their ages aren’t high, and their capabilities haven’t been improved yet. You must do your best.”
Once these words were uttered, the three Hu Clan siblings gave uniform, blank stares.
On the contrary, Wu Xing was shrewd and rather deep. Although his mood was also strange, he still answered with solemnity: “Young master, please rest assured. This subordinate shall deliver Young Lady Hu and Little Young Master Hu to a Grand Elder in the clan for instruction and guidance. As for Young Lord Hu, this subordinate shall make arrangements to look after him. His constitution shall be developed, and he will become a valiant general for the young master!”
Hu Chang’an held no fondness for the Wu Clan, but he knew that with his refugee identity and lack of capability, anything he said would be groundless nonsense. When Tianheng didn’t have enough manpower, such arrangements were the most reasonable ones. Hence, after hinting at his two younger siblings, all three spoke together: “As the young master commands.”
Also, while restraining their complicated moods, they said to Wu Xing: “Many thanks for watching over us, Wu Clan Head.”
Wu Xing smiled: “We both serve the young master. There’s no need to stand on ceremony.”
It was considered that the Wu and Hu Clans had temporarily reconciled.
However, Hu Chang’an was still a bit hesitant. He looked at Gu Zuo.
Gu Zuo understood his intent, and simply said: “Since everyone is going all out to serve my big brother, I also won’t be stingy with some of the prescriptions in my possession. The method to awaken the Myriad Leaking Body is related to Brother Chang’an, so you can handle it personally. In this respect, I have no suggestions or complaints.”
A hint of gratitude flashed through Hu Chang’an’s eyes. Although he didn’t deliberately express his thanks, he marked this friendship inside his heart.
The best stroke of luck in Hu Chang’an’s entire life was probably picking up Brother Ah Zuo along that road and bringing him back. If it wasn’t for Brother Ah Zuo, he would’ve quickly been imprisoned by the cadet branches who had made preparations early on. It also would’ve been hard to preserve the lives of the three siblings — After all, so long as they existed, those cadet branches who desired to become the main branch would forever be illegitimate in word and name.
Gu Zuo didn’t speak further with Hu Chang’an. Right now, it was his big brother’s home field. He couldn’t impede how his big brother handled matters just because of his friendship with Hu Chang’an.
Hu Chang’an also clearly comprehended this fact. Everyone’s mutual understanding would allow their friendship to last longer.
After handing these matters over, Tianheng listened to the reports from these nonhuman races concerning the opening of his properties and shops. He was especially interested, and didn’t want to miss a single thing.
At the present time, the properties he could open were mainly spirit weapon shops and liquor stores. Because the latter required large amounts of time invested, the ones that had sites and personnel arranged were the spirit weapon shops.
The efficiency of the Iron Ox Race and Gold-Devouring Mouse Race was quite high. Right now, they had already spread out to forty-something major bronze-ranked cities. Storefronts occupied the streets that belonged to Ten Ultimates Sect. Each storefront was set up with five ox race members and one mouse race member. For the time being, they started refining weapons.
It was just that, if one thought about opening more shops, there wasn’t any way to accomplish this in the short term.
To reiterate, Tianheng had been able to select servile races that consisted of five hundred people. But in reality, this population wasn’t that fixed. So long as the number didn’t exceed a thousand people, it would be within the selected population range of five hundred servile race members.
As a result, there were actually five hundred twenty-seven members in the Gold-Devouring Mouse Race. Among them, three hundred were hale and able-bodied, a little over a hundred were elderly or female mice, and close to a hundred were juvenile mice.
Although a mouse’s reproductive capability had always been strong, that pertained to ordinary mice. It didn’t extend to the members of the nonhuman, mouse race. In particular, it was hard for those races with innate powers like the Gold-Devouring Mouse Race to reproduce easily. What’s more, every time they reproduced, their offspring would be distributed between several branches, and sent out and arranged for other powerhouses or talents.
There were even more people in the Iron Ox Race with a surplus of eight hundred members. Among them, five hundred were able-bodied, a little more than two hundred were female, a dozen or so were elderly, and the juveniles didn’t reach a hundred… This racial group didn’t have very strong reproductive capabilities. However, they matured quickly. They were diligent, and were willing to bear hardships. Overall, this racial group made pretty good helpers.
The population of the Enlightened Hundred-Spirits Monkey Race was even greater. For this racial group, only those who reached a certain age were considered enlightened. The rest were classified as hundred spirits. There were no less than nine hundred twenty monkeys. Among them, there were forty to fifty Enlightened Monkeys, a little more than seven hundred adult Hundred Spirits Monkeys, and about a hundred juvenile monkeys. Their reproductive capabilities were ordinary. While juvenile monkeys matured quickly, reaching the enlightened stage required not only age, but innate skill, too.
The Enlightened Monkeys possessed unusual skills and abilities. They were enlightened to hundreds of medicines, they could recognize medicinal properties, and they were excellent assistants to pharmacists. As for the Hundred Spirits Monkeys, under the instructions of the Enlightened Monkeys, they would harvest medicinal herbs and fruits, and refine them into wines. As time passed, quantitative changes would beget qualitative changes, and these Hundred Spirits Monkeys would also become Enlightened Monkeys.
At first glance, the number of people seemed high. Half of the mouse and ox races were sent out to open storefronts and to expand the properties in dozens of bronze-ranked cities. However, after Gu Zuo heard Tianheng’s following words, he realized that his family’s big brother was far from closing this situation. There wasn’t nearly enough manpower!
This was because there were hundreds of bronze-ranked forces among the subordinates of Ten Ultimates Sect, this veteran silver-ranked organization. In other words, within Ten Ultimates Sect’s foundations, there were at least several hundred bronze-ranked cities!
Stores were only opened in one out of ten cities at best… No matter how anyone looked at it, this was rather weak.
Gu Zuo swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
When he came to Ten Ultimates Sect, he felt that the capital of his family’s big brother was already quite robust. However, it seemed that one had to give it their all if they wanted to sit securely in the position of a prodigy.
This wouldn’t be easy…
Subconsciously, Gu Zuo thought about his own assets.
There was the monkey race to help prepare medicinal ingredients. There were the Wu Clan’s pharmacists to act as his assistants. There were the countless pill prescriptions at the profound-level and below in his possession. This had the tempo of him opening a medicine store!
So to say, he was useful, too?
After this, Gu Zuo turned his head to look at Tianheng.
Tianheng flashed a smile at him.
[Ah Zuo, I’ll need you to help me a lot.]
[Big brother, rest assured. I’ll definitely give it my all to help you!]
The two looked at each other, and smiled.
Gu Zuo suddenly turned away and averted his gaze. He didn’t want to blush due to this kind of tacit understanding.
En. Everything remained unspoken, so he knew that it was okay. T-there wasn’t any need to look…
Tianheng also turned his eyes away. He needed to say one final matter concerning this time’s summons: “The Gold-Devouring Mouse Race took the lead in finding Ah Zuo for me. As a result, they shall be greatly rewarded. There are two options, and you all may choose freely.”
He paused, and his sight swept across the palace hall: “First, within one year from this date, I will increase the resources allocated to the Gold-Devouring Mouse Race by one level. Or second, the Gold-Devouring Mouse Race may pick one juvenile mouse to learn a martial skill from me. This skill will be compatible with the mouse race, but it can’t be passed onto other members of your race without my permission. Otherwise, you will be punished severely! What will you chose?”
The members of the Gold-Devouring Mouse Race listened to these rewards, and immediately boiled with excitement. However, while they were wild with joy, they didn’t dare to speak up.
A mouse race elder stepped forward: “Young master, please allow these servants to discuss it.”
Tianheng flicked out his sleeve: “You may.”
At once, numerous members of the mouse race started whispering into each other’s ears. Beneath all this, there were a lot of discussions going on.
Their racial group seemed to possess a method to communicate with one another. Messages were exchanged quite a few times. Gradually, the information converged towards the mouse elder’s location. On the mouse elder’s expression, there was a trace of unswerving determination.
After that, the mouse elder bowed: “These servants have chosen a juvenile mouse. We ask for the young master’s guidance.”
Tianheng faintly nodded his head: “Since it’s like this, I’ll give you all three day’s time to deliver this person to me. If you’re late, this matter will be dropped.”
Naturally, the mouse elder repeatedly acquiesced, and didn’t dare to disobey.
The other two races listened to these great rewards, and were rather green-eyed with envy. If their resources were increased by another level, they would’ve been able to raise many young. If these young could learn a school of martial skills, the geniuses with the best resources would have the hopes of advancing to become powerhouses. This would also grant the entire racial group all of the benefits thereafter.
It was only a pity that their two races couldn’t compare to the investigative abilities of the mouse race, which allowed it to set up this huge contribution. But at the same time, because they knew their household’s young master held such strong affections for that Pharmacist Gu, perhaps there was a way they could curry favor from Pharmacist Gu’s side.
Within the Enlightened Hundred-Spirits Monkey Race, there were many monkey elders who were twirling their mustaches and nodding their heads.
Their monkey race had been set aside for Pharmacist Gu, so they would hold nothing back. It was also fortunate that the young master regarded them with some importance.
As for Wu Xing, as he looked at the attitudes of the nonhuman races, his eyes flickered with a radiant light.
The young master he followed was clear in rewards and punishments. Even though that mouse race member handled matters poorly, because they really had found Pharmacist Gu, they were rewarded accordingly. Calming the previously agitated mouse race made them even more meticulous… This kind of master, who was magnanimous and fair, was not to be underestimated.
Not long after, this summons was concluded. Tianheng commanded some battle slaves to lead everyone down and to make arrangements. Meanwhile, Tianheng pulled Gu Zuo’s forearm, gathered him into a half-embrace, and carried him up to the summit.
At this moment, those eleven battle slave powerhouses were also permitted to follow along.
As they travelled, Tianheng instructed: “Ao Ying, I previously asked you to follow me. Many days have since passed, and you’ve gained my trust. Henceforth, follow by Ah Zuo’s side, and carefully protect him. Additionally, Xi Ying and Feng He, you two shall receive Ao Ying’s assignment, too. You’ll act as Ah Zuo’s personal bodyguards. You can’t let him come to harm in the slightest. Do you three understand?”
Ao Ying was always calm and steady. He naturally agreed with a respectful voice.
Xi Ying was a slim youth with an average appearance. Feng He had a beautiful complexion and fierce temperament. They had witnessed some of Tianheng’s ways of doing things, and they were equally deferential. They accepted one after another.
Gu Zuo heard this, but his brows furrowed instead: “Then, what about big brother? If you give them all to me, then what’ll big brother do?”
Tianheng smiled, and gently poked Gu Zuo’s forehead: “The Wu Clan also has an Ascendant powerhouse. I’ll just send them over.”
Gu Zuo pursed his lips.
How could the Wu Clan’s Ascendant Realm powerhouse compare to an Ascendant Realm battle slave…
T/N: The next four chapters are all triple-length. Due to my studies, I’m tentatively aiming on releasing each chapter once a week.
Thanks for the corrections, Charysa.
Please don’t forget to support the original author.