Becoming a god by following the natural order and seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

Chapter 36 Want to make progress too much

Watching Li Huaisheng being bound hand and foot and led away by the soldiers, Wu Kuang couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.
"This person is truly...unique."

They originally thought that with this person's cultivation at the Marrow Transformation Realm, coupled with his mastery of strange poison techniques, he would be able to threaten experts of the same level unexpectedly. He should at least have some of the bearing of an expert, and even if he were captured, he would still be somewhat tough.

Who would have thought that the other side would surrender so readily and decisively, which is truly both laughable and absurd.

"Be wise and protect yourself; cherish your life. If you can use this wisely, you may have some unexpected joys in the future."

Chen Sheng commented in a flat tone.

He didn't take Li Huaisheng's kneeling and begging for mercy seriously. However, while such a person could be used, he should never trust him easily. Judging from his behavior, if faced with a greater threat or benefit in the future, there was no guarantee he wouldn't betray his master again.

He still needs to think about whether it can be used and whether he should use it.

"You can decide for yourself. The way to manage subordinates is ever-changing, and the key is to grasp the right measure."

Wu Kuang smiled and said no more. Instead, he looked curious and changed the subject, "However, I am very curious about how you so accurately predicted that there would be assassins coming tonight?"

When Chen Sheng first invited him to come and oversee things, Wu Kuang was still skeptical, but he agreed to come only because he valued this subordinate.

To his utter surprise, this "big fish" actually appeared, which astonished him and even made him wonder if Chen Sheng had already planted spies within the core of the local powerful families.

"I dare not conceal this from you, sir. I was merely making inferences based on the slightest clues..."

Chen Sheng had already prepared his explanation.

He explained that he had noticed something unusual about the atmosphere in the camp recently, and considering that tonight was the time when the defenses of the North City Military Camp were being rotated and the defenses were relatively weak, he deduced that this was the perfect opportunity if the other side intended to do something wrong.

Just in case, they asked Wu Kuang to come and keep an eye on things.

Upon hearing this explanation, Wu Kuang did not doubt it; instead, he showed appreciation and nodded repeatedly.

"This is what I admire most about you! You are meticulous, thorough in your actions, and calm in your character. Excellent, very good! With these qualities, you will be able to go higher and further in this thorny world!"

His tone was filled with undisguised expectation, then his eyes flashed with a sharp, murderous intent:
"These local tyrants are getting bolder and bolder, daring to openly attack and kill officials of the imperial court. They are simply lawless and courting death! It seems that we cannot delay taking action against them for too long."

If they dare to attack and kill Chen Sheng today, they might very well target him, the county magistrate, tomorrow!

Although Wu Kuang was greedy for money and sought to act cautiously, his military background meant he was never lacking in ruthlessness and decisiveness. He had stained his hands with blood during the suppression of rebellions.

"What you say is absolutely right, sir," Chen Sheng said, expressing his deep agreement.

Wu Kuang pondered for a moment, as if weighing the overall situation, before finally opening his eyes and fixing his gaze on Chen Sheng with scrutiny and expectation:
"Judging from your aura today, your cultivation is quite stable, and your progress is remarkably rapid. Not bad."

He then changed the subject slightly, bringing it to the main point, and frowned, saying, "I have always favored you for the position of Commander of the Changshan County Military Camp, but unfortunately... your cultivation is still shallow and your qualifications are insufficient. If you could possess strength comparable to the Marrow Transformation Realm..."

Since Chen Sheng was transferred to his command, Wu Kuang has seen his talent, temperament, and ability and is very satisfied with him.

The only drawback is that he is too young and his cultivation level is slightly lacking.

The position of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is a high-ranking and powerful position. If one is exceptionally capable and can control the situation, their authority can be considered as great as that of the third-highest-ranking official after the county magistrate or county commandant.

Only if they can firmly grasp this position can they truly be fearless of the constraints imposed by the three major families.

In contrast, the current Grand Commander Chu Yueshan is two-faced. Although nominally under his command, he has close ties with local powerful figures and County Magistrate Lin Shou, and has long been regarded by Wu Kuang as a thorn in his side that must be removed.

However, if he hastily replaced Chen Sheng, who lacked both seniority and ability, he worried that Chen Sheng would not be able to win over the people and would instead make things worse.

Therefore, he was hesitating whether to transfer people from the prefectural city or to wait and see what Chen Sheng would do next.

Chen Sheng understood.

With his current Bone Forging Realm strength, he is indeed outmatched in a direct confrontation with a Marrow Transformation Martial Master. There is a significant gap in strength between Bone Forging and Marrow Transformation.

That is why, after learning that Li Huaisheng was a master of poisons at the Marrow Transformation Realm, he went so far as to ask Wu Kuang to personally take action in order to ensure everything went smoothly.

However, he has now reached the peak of Bone Forging and is not far from breaking through to the Marrow Transformation Realm.

Seeing Wu Kuang's hesitant expression, as if he intended to send reinforcements—something that was practically his—Chen Sheng was unwilling to let someone else steal his thunder. After some thought, Chen Sheng solemnly spoke:

"I dare not hide it from you, sir. Since I took the Tiger Bone Pill that you bestowed upon me, and with some recent enlightenment, I have indeed felt my cultivation progress rapidly. I think... the day I reach your expectations should not be too far away."

He said this to temporarily appease Wu Kuang.

Secondly, he wanted to lay the groundwork in advance so that the other party wouldn't be too shocked by his cultivation speed later. As for the Earth Spirit Milk, he didn't intend to reveal it.

After all, such a good thing is a great temptation for Wu Kuang, who is in the late stage of Foundation Establishment. If he finds out that he has secretly refined this thing, it is hard to guarantee that some rift will not arise.

"No hurries?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Kuang laughed heartily, seeing the hidden longing and eagerness in Chen Sheng's eyes, and said with a hint of teasing:

"In the path of cultivation, a solid foundation is paramount; one must avoid rash advances and greed for quick results. I still highly value you for the position of Grand Commander. Unless the situation deteriorates to the point where a transfer from above is necessary, I will not consider any other option."

He was speaking from the heart. Compared to parachuting in an outsider whose background he didn't know, he naturally preferred to cultivate and promote subordinates he trusted and who were loyal to him.

"Your Excellency misunderstands. I am not impatient."

Chen Sheng revealed a perfectly timed, ambitious smile as he explained:
"I just... really want to share your burdens, and I also really want to... improve myself."

"Look, he's in a hurry."

……

In stark contrast to the relaxed atmosphere between Chen Sheng and Wu Kuang.

The following day, when news spread that Li Huaisheng's night raid on the North City Martial Camp had backfired, the heads of the three major families all turned ashen-faced, and the atmosphere was so tense it seemed like water could drip from it.

Huang Dongchun, the head of the Huang family, was particularly heartbroken at the loss of a highly valued poison master at the Marrow Transformation Realm, one of the family's trump cards. In his fury, he directly targeted Yang Yi, the head of the Yang family, and demanded an explanation:

"Yang Yi! This matter must have been leaked to that brat Chen Sheng by you. Otherwise, why would the government have made such a meticulous arrangement, as if they already knew that Li Huaisheng would appear at that time and place? What is your explanation for this!"

Although Li Huaisheng is slightly inferior in direct combat, his poison skills are unpredictable and invaluable for assassination and sneak attacks.

Now that they have fallen into the hands of the government, it is an unbearable loss for the Huang family.

"Huang Dongchun, don't you dare make false accusations!"

Yang Yi's face flushed with anger, and he stood up abruptly: "This matter concerns the common interests of our three families. It was decided by us in a secret meeting. How could I destroy my own foundation and leak such a secret to Chen Sheng?"

"Hmph! If it wasn't you, who else could it be?"

Huang Dongchun ignored all explanations and slammed his hand heavily on the table, causing the cups and saucers to rattle.

“Your Yang family has been acting ambiguously lately. You have many concerns about the government, yet you intend to form a marriage alliance with Chen Sheng to curry favor with Wu Kuang. You are clearly trying to have your cake and eat it too!”
Only the four of us present knew the time and place of Li Huaisheng's actions. If Chen Sheng hadn't received concrete information, how could he have laid such a trap? Could he possibly be a prophet?!

His words were sharp and incisive, each sentence piercing to the heart.

Given the deep-seated hatred between the Gao family and Chen Sheng, and the fact that Li Huaisheng is a retainer of the Huang family, among the four people present, Yang Yi, whose attitude has been wavering recently and who has made moves to arrange a marriage, is the most suspicious.

Suddenly, a quarrel broke out in the hall. Yang Yi and Huang Dongchun each stuck to their own version of events, accusing each other. Their voices grew louder and louder, and the superficial harmony they had maintained in the past vanished. The rift in trust widened rapidly at this moment.

(End of this chapter)