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

Chapter 94 The Harvest from the Massacre!

With Xu Shenzhi's final compromise and the handing over of that invaluable innate spiritual energy, the fighting within the Huang family mansion gradually subsided.

Originally, the Huang family's strength was already stretched thin in the face of hundreds of fierce and powerful soldiers from the military camp.

With the successive deaths of Huang family's pillar, Uncle Huang, and Elder Huang Ke, the Huang family's remaining will to resist was quickly extinguished, like a candle flickering in the wind.

The slaughter has begun.

Although the patriarch Huang Dongchun was still alive, both his arms were crippled and he was critically injured and on the verge of death. He could only lie on the ground like a cripple, watching helplessly as his century-old clan was mercilessly slaughtered. His eyes were filled with despair and regret.

Within a quarter of an hour, the shouts of killing within the Huang family mansion had subsided, replaced by sporadic dying groans and a nauseatingly heavy stench of blood permeating the air.

Xu Shenzhi only recovered slightly from the huge shock at this moment. Looking at the scene of corpses lying everywhere and resembling a purgatory, a trace of unbearable pity and sorrow flashed in his eyes.

However, he knew he was powerless to change it.

Before facing Chen Sheng, although he knew that this person was troublesome, he still had a sense of superiority from the aristocratic families of the prefecture and the inner disciples of the Iron Sword Sect, and believed that the other party should give him some face no matter what.

Unfortunately, he overestimated his background and underestimated Chen Sheng's ruthlessness and strength.

It wasn't until he experienced it firsthand that he realized how terribly wrong he had been.

Chen Sheng's terrifying blade light, condensed to about a foot long, was clearly a symbol of the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, or even that he had one foot in the threshold of the Innate stage.

His physical strength made him feel as if he were facing the Jinquan Temple martial monks, who were known for their body tempering, and his foundation was far more solid than that of his peers.

Xu Shen was certain that based on the strength this person had displayed, even in the hidden and powerful Ning'an Prefecture, he was considered one of the best among his peers, and rarely encountered an opponent below the Innate Realm.

What chilled him even more was Chen Sheng's unbridled style of doing things. Once he had something on his hands, he would act like a thunderbolt, without any scruples.

Therefore, even though he felt compassion, he dared not speak up to stop him again, for fear of angering this ruthless man and bringing even greater disaster upon Han Ling'er. He was not afraid of death, but he feared that Chen Sheng would once again use his junior sister to threaten him.

This time, however, he had no second source of innate spiritual energy to exchange.

The echoes of the killing still lingered in his ears, but Chen Sheng remained calm, as if the bloodshed before him was just an ordinary scene. He slowly walked towards Huang Dongchun, the head of the Huang family, who was lying on the ground.

Huang Dongchun struggled to lift his head, gazing at the approaching figure in black official robes. A flash of grief and indignation crossed his face, quickly replaced by a resigned dejection. He spoke hoarsely:
"Commander Chen."

"Does Chief Huang have any last words?"

Chen Sheng paused slightly, looking down at the once powerful and influential head of Changshan with indifferent eyes.

Recalling when he first arrived in Changshan with Wu Kuang, he remembered how arrogant Chief Huang and Gao Yuanfeng were. Although they were polite to him on the surface because of Wu Kuang, the scrutiny and condescension in their eyes were still fresh in his memory.

Times have changed, and those who once looked down on others can now only grovel on the ground, wagging their tails and begging for mercy.

The experience of power shifts and the change of the strong from the weak is truly exhilarating.

"Back then, it was our Huang family's blindness that offended Commander Huang, a crime deserving of death. We are willing to submit to the law."

Huang Dongchun, his breath weak, pleaded intermittently, "I only beg... I only beg Commander Chen to have mercy on my ignorant, lowly wives and young children, for Heaven has a heart of compassion." He offered up all the wealth accumulated by the Huang family over a century, and even the locations of several hidden treasuries.

At this point, Huang Dongchun had long since lost his previous rage and impulsiveness, and he didn't even dare to call Chen Sheng by his name anymore.

On his deathbed, witnessing the downfall of his family, Huang Dongchun was filled with endless regret.

If they hadn't provoked this killing god in the first place, perhaps the outcome would have been completely different, and they might even have been able to survive like the Yang family. Unfortunately, there's no going back in life.

The only thing he can do now is to use his last bargaining chip to try and save his bloodline.

"Chief Huang is joking."

Chen Sheng still wore that seemingly warm but actually chilling smile: "Once the Huang family is destroyed, everything in your clan will naturally belong to me. Why should you 'offer' it? As for the women and children, your wife is not a child, and your offspring are not women."

Therefore, this virtuous act of cherishing life cannot be permitted by this official.

Upon hearing this, the last glimmer of light in Huang Dongchun's eyes was extinguished. He closed his eyes in despair, and as if using his last strength, he exhaled a breath of bloody stench, muttering a curse:

"Chen Sheng, you are a ruthless killer, a mass murderer by nature. Such cruelty will surely be punished by heaven. One day, you too will suffer this utter calamity!"

"Whether that day will come or not, I do not know."

Chen Sheng chuckled lightly, his tone calm and even: "But one thing is certain, your Huang family is destined not to see it."

After saying that, he turned away indifferently.

Yan Ming, who was standing behind him, did not hesitate and brought down his knife.

"Pfft——!"

Huang Dongchun's head rolled off, blood splattering everywhere. This once illustrious head of the Huang family had met his end.

"uncle!"

Xu Shenzhi's heart trembled, and he lowered his eyes with a look of reluctance.

……

"My lord, all 453 members of the Huang family have been executed without exception."

Li Huaisheng strode forward, bowed, and reported, his voice carrying a hint of murderous intent.

Yang Yi stood to one side with his head down, remaining silent.

The bloodshed of the Huang family also included the bloodshed of the Yang family.

But this was a pledge of allegiance that the Yang family had no choice but to accept.

At this moment, Yang Yi knew clearly that the life and death of the Yang family now rested entirely on Chen Sheng's decision.

With the Gao and Huang families destroyed one after another, the Yang family has completely lost the means to compete with them. Their only hope is that Chen Sheng can keep his previous promise.

"Pass the order."

Chen Sheng's voice was calm and his reasoning clear: "First, inventory all of the Huang family's property, register it, and transport it to the military camp's warehouse. Any soldier is strictly prohibited from keeping it for himself. Violators will be punished according to military law without any leniency."

"Second, the merits of all the soldiers who participated in this battle must be determined immediately, ensuring fairness and accuracy. All rewards must be distributed within three days without delay."

"Third, take Xu Shenzhi and Han Ling'er back to the military camp and imprison them in solitary confinement under strict guard."

"Fourth, hang the heads of Huang Dongchun, Huang Ke, and other key figures on the city gate tower and announce it throughout the county!"

"Yes, I obey!"

Li Huaisheng solemnly agreed, bowed, and stepped back to make arrangements.

After Li Huaisheng left, only Yang Yi remained in the room, feeling uneasy.

“Clan Chief Yang.” Chen Sheng’s voice suddenly rang out.

Yang Yi's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly stepped forward, respectfully replying:

"What are your orders, sir?"

"The Gao and Huang clans have been wiped out one after another. I wonder what Chief Yang thinks?" Chen Sheng slowly turned his gaze to him, his tone calm but carrying an invisible pressure.

Yang Yi felt a chill run down his spine and dared not hesitate for a moment, saying decisively:

"These two clans colluded with river bandits to plot a rebellion. Their crimes were heinous, and they deserved their fate. They deserve to die!"

"Hehe, no wonder County Magistrate Wu often praised Chief Yang as a smart man."

Chen Sheng smiled slightly, then changed the subject: "Regarding the previous conspiracy between the Yang family and the Gao and Huang families, I can let bygones be bygones in the fact that you have realized your mistakes and made amends."

Yang Yi had just breathed a sigh of relief when Chen Sheng's next words made his heart tighten:
"However, while the death penalty may be waived, the punishment is far from over. As payment, the Yang family must surrender all the 'Yuan Crystals' hidden within their clan to atone for their sins and make amends for their past transgressions." Ordinary gold and silver treasures are now hardly worth Chen Sheng's attention.

After repeated raids and the extermination of his family, especially the century-old accumulation of the Gao and Huang families, plus his previous share of profits, he had become quite wealthy. But what he truly pursued was a higher realm of martial arts—the Innate Realm.

Yuanjing is a precious resource needed for the cultivation of innate martial artists, and its value is far beyond that of worldly gold and silver.

This is what he urgently needs right now.

Upon hearing that Chen Sheng was demanding Yuan Crystals, Yang Yi felt a sharp pain in his heart, but more than anything, he felt a sense of relief at surviving a disaster.

While the Yuan Crystal was indeed precious, he could clearly distinguish between what was more important and what was less important than the survival of the entire family. Chen Sheng's request for the Yuan Crystal as punishment was already an act of great leniency.

"Thank you for your magnanimity, Commander Chen. I am deeply grateful!" Yang Yi bowed deeply, his tone sincere.

Chen Sheng stepped forward, patted Yang Yi on the shoulder, and wore a calm smile that suggested he had everything under control.

"With the Gao and Huang families gone, from now on, the Yang family will be the only respectable and powerful family in Changshan County. If they manage their affairs well, the Yang family may become even more prosperous in the future than it is today."

He paused slightly, his gaze becoming deep:

"But Chief Yang must always remember what he should and should not do. If he makes another mistake, even if I want to protect him, I'm afraid I will be powerless to do so."

"Commander Chen, rest assured!"

Yang Yi immediately straightened his back, his voice resolute and his gaze firm: "From this day forward, the Yang family will follow Commander Chen's lead without question, and will obey his every command without hesitation!"

As Chen Sheng said, the former tripartite balance of power has been broken. The Gao and Huang families have vanished, and the remaining Yang family, if they can seize the opportunity, will gain far more benefits than before.

Thinking of this, the heartache of losing the Yuan Crystal seemed to lessen considerably.

Chen Sheng laughed heartily and said no more. He surveyed the scene of ruins and rivers of blood before him, his gaze unfathomable.

The powerful families and clans within Changshan have been largely wiped out; the remaining gangs are merely minor ailments and not worth worrying about.

Today, the only remaining external threat is the bandits and thieves who occupy the Qinglin River and its tributaries.

However, Chen Sheng was not in a hurry at the moment.

Having already obtained innate spiritual energy, and further aided in cultivation with the help of the Golden Jade Ointment.

The most important thing right now is to digest these hard-won resources, solidify our foundation, and even try to break through to the Innate Realm that countless martial artists dream of.

When the time comes, sweeping away those river bandits will be as easy as turning one's hand and crushing them.

The news of the Huang family's annihilation spread like wildfire, quickly reaching every corner of Changshan County.

Although many forces were not too surprised this time because they had a premonition, compared to the huge uproar caused by the destruction of the Gao family, the shock it caused still stirred up a huge storm.

After all, this is the Huang family.

Having established itself in Changshan for so long and with such deep-rooted power, it was arguably the most powerful of the three clans, a truly established and influential family in Changshan County. Yet, even with such a deeply entrenched family, and despite being prepared, it was still so swiftly and decisively uprooted, without even causing a ripple.
What a terrifying and overwhelming force this is!

What a terrifyingly ruthless and merciless approach!

With the complete annihilation of the Huang family, Chen Sheng's reputation reached an unprecedented peak.

In Changshan County, the name 'Chen Sheng' has become synonymous with words like 'life and death' and 'inviolability'.

What made other small and medium-sized forces in Changshan County even more uneasy was that two of the three major clans of Changshan had already disappeared, and the remaining Yang family had obviously submitted to Chen Sheng.

So, will Commander Chen, with his ruthless methods, turn his blade against them next?
For a time, all forces fell silent, and those who had previously tried to get in touch with Chen Sheng became more urgent and intense than ever before.

Countless people rack their brains, just wanting a guarantee to make a living.

However, Chen Sheng rarely went out, so they had no way to contact him.

In desperation, many people had no choice but to turn to the newly powerful Yang family for help. They prepared to bring generous gifts and beg the family head, Yang Yi, to speak well of them to Commander Chen, expressing their willingness to submit and seek acceptance.

"Haha, Commander Chen, you've worked hard this time."

Inside the county government office, after Chen Sheng returned with his troops and handed over the simplified list of what he had obtained to Lin Shou and Wu Kuang, the former immediately showed great enthusiasm, and even his resentment at being forced to submit earlier had quietly dissipated.

He served as an official here for several years and never amassed such a fortune in gold and silver.

Although he knew that Chen Sheng and Wu Kuang would take the lion's share of the wealth on the list, even the remaining items were still a precious fortune that he coveted.

Slaughtering an entire family and destroying their home is truly a shortcut to wealth.

Compared to Lin Shou's ecstatic joy, Wu Kuang appeared much more composed. After all, he had already experienced the wealth he had received from the Gao family once before, and had developed some resistance.

He simply smiled and said:
"Did nothing unexpected happen with this attack on the Huang family?"

After a moment's thought, Chen Sheng revealed everything about Xu Shenzhi and Han Ling'er. After all, he had defeated them in public, and it was no secret that they had offered up their innate spiritual energy.

There's no need to hide anything.

After hearing Chen Sheng's words, Wu Kuang's expression became more serious.

"Disciple of the Iron Sword Sect from the Xu family of Fucheng."

Lin Shou, who was standing to the side, spoke up:

"The Xu family has some influence in the prefectural city, but they are not a threat. If Brother Wu and I write a letter to the higher authorities, they will surely have a response. However, the Iron Sword Sect is a bit more difficult to deal with."

As a top martial arts force in Ning'an Prefecture, Lin Shou was well aware of the Iron Sword Sect's strength. Even the prefectural government was unwilling to provoke them easily, let alone Changshan County.

"This time, it was the two of them who took the initiative to interfere in the government's suppression of bandits. The evidence is conclusive. I have already had them sign and seal the document. As for what happens next, that is up to Magistrate Lin and Lieutenant Wu."

Seeing the solemn expressions on their faces, Chen Sheng immediately revealed an important message.

Upon hearing this, Lin Shou visibly breathed a sigh of relief:

"If that's the case, then they deserve what they got. With such charges against them, I doubt the Iron Sword Sect can say anything."

Wu Kuang glanced at Lin Shou and nodded:
“That’s right, in that case, we’ll just report it as it is.”

Sweeping away the powerful clans was the intention of the higher-ups in the government. The Xu family was no match for them. Although the Iron Sword Sect was troublesome, they were just ordinary inner disciples.

Why would the Iron Sword Sect be enraged by them?
He didn't even need to use his connections with Commander Nie of the Jingwu Division.

"Commander Chen, now that we've agreed on the response, what's next?"

Lin Shou looked at the list, his words carrying a hint of ambiguity.

Wu Kuang nodded slightly at Chen Sheng, who then pondered for a moment before speaking:

"Apart from the portion that must be handed over, the rest is divided into ten parts. County Commandant Wu gets three parts, Chen gets three parts, County Magistrate Lin gets one part, and the remaining three parts are distributed to the soldiers below."

What does Magistrate Lin think?

"There is no problem then."

Although Lin Shou also wanted to gain more, he knew that he hadn't put in much effort this time. Getting even 10% was already a stroke of luck, so he wasn't dissatisfied.

"Haha, Brother Lin, was what I said earlier correct?"

Wu Kuang continued to laugh.

"I, Lin, offer you both a cup of tea instead of wine. From now on, whatever you say, I will do as you say." Lin Shou stroked his long beard, his narrowed eyes gleaming with shrewdness.

"Haha, good!"

(End of this chapter)