Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Chief Yuan He frowned deeply and looked at the strategist Sima Yan. He couldn't understand why the strategist, who had always supported him, was so opposed to the surrender and even contradicted him directly. This was unprecedented.

However, Yuan He patiently waited to hear Sima Yan's opinion.

Yuan He knew that without Sima Yan's support, there would be no Zhuxian Village today.

The fact that all members of Zhuxian Village were able to cultivate, and even that the six leaders were able to reach the Food Disaster Realm, was all thanks to the cultivation resources that Sima Yan had managed to obtain for them. He made a great contribution to the development of Zhuxian Village.

Even though Yuan He was the chief, he still had to listen to Sima Yan's opinions on crucial matters.

"Military Advisor Sima, if you think it's unacceptable, I hope you can give me a reason that can convince me."

Upon hearing this, Sima Yan cursed himself for his loose tongue. He had just belittled Qiu Qianchi to the point of being worse than a dog. Now, he couldn't very well say that Qiu Qianchi was scheming and trying to lure them to their deaths, could he? That would be like slapping himself in the face.

With a change of heart, Sima Yan put it another way: "Chief, it is precisely because Qiu Qianchi is greedy for merit and money and arrogant that we have to be on guard. Such a person has no brains and will do anything to gain merit."

Yuan He pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "So that's what the strategist is worried about. Actually, it's not difficult to deal with."

“I will choose the negotiation location, then deploy troops around the location for defense and security, and have Qiu Qianchi bring a few followers. If he is truly sincere, he will surely dare to come.”

“If he comes to negotiate openly but secretly sends a large force to follow, it won’t be hidden from my brothers.”

"With just one command from me, I can capture him in the blink of an eye."

Sima Yan said, "What are the brothers' opinions?"

Yuan He stroked his beard: "It's nothing, we're just going to have a talk, it's not like we're going to surrender immediately."

Sima Yan saw that Yuan He was determined to shed his bandit clothes and become an official, and knew that there was no point in saying anything more. So he bowed, clasped his hands, and said with a smile, "I will call the brothers in now."

Yuan He nodded slightly: "Go."

Sima Yan walked out of the Hall of Righteousness with a smile and called in the five leaders who were waiting outside.

He slowly walked out of the cave entrance, stood on the sand by the river, plopped down on the beach, and looked at the water shimmering in the sunlight, sighing and rubbing his forehead.

"Sigh, what a mess. I was doing so well at work, and now the boss doesn't want to work here anymore."

Sima Yan watched the river rushing past him, still maintaining a kind smile, though this kind smile seemed somewhat fake and stiff, and his face gradually lost its vitality.

Sword Tower City, Ma Family Mansion, Ancestral Hall.

The ancestral hall was filled with a large number of terracotta figurines. One of the figurines suddenly opened its eyes, stepped out from the pile of figurines, looked around, faced a coffin, and bowed slightly: "Young Master Ma, Sima Yan has something to report."

"Speak," came Ma Dalang's voice from inside the coffin.

Ma Dalang lay in the coffin, inhaling the corpse's energy to heal his injuries, having after all received a punishment from the Hall of Punishment.

Although it didn't kill him on the spot, it did seriously injure him and greatly reduced his strength.

This has made it impossible for Ma Dalang to even maintain a basic human form, and he hasn't left the house for several months.

"Young Master Ma, is there a centurion named Qiu Qianchi in the Sword Tower Army?"

Silence fell over the coffin. After a moment, Ma Dalang's voice came: "What happened?"

Sima Yan said, "Qiu Qianchi wants to pacify Zhuxian Village, and the chief Yuan He is willing to surrender. If this continues, I'm afraid that thousands of cultivators from Zhuxian Village will surrender to the Sword Tower in the blink of an eye."

The coffin lid was suddenly flung open, and Ma Dalang sprang to his feet. Ma Dalang had eight arms, disheveled hair, a ferocious face, fangs, and a yellowish glow. His golden eyes were fixed on Sima Yan in front of him.

The next second, Ma Dalang appeared in front of Sima Yan in an instant, exhaling corpse gas: "Do you know how much money and resources I've spent over the past three years to raise this group of cultivators? And you're telling me they want to surrender to the Sword Tower?"

Over the past three years, he had misappropriated so much money from the five major workshops, all of which had been used to support these cultivators who were away from home.

This is the power I secretly cultivated behind my mother's back.

By controlling Sima Yan alone, he controlled thousands of cultivators in Zhuxian Village.

Even if something goes wrong at Zhuxian Village, it's impossible to trace it back to me.

Because secretly raising a large number of cultivators behind his mother's back, this is tantamount to treason.

Although he had no intention of rebelling, he simply wanted to start his own business and establish his own independent entity.

After all, a great man is born between heaven and earth; how can he remain subservient to others for long?

If my mother finds out about this, it will probably backfire.

Therefore, I was very careful in this matter. Even if I misappropriated the money from the five major workshops, only I and Sima Yan knew where the money went. No one else could find out no matter how hard they tried.

Because he was in charge of protecting the city, intercepting information about Zhuxian Village, and leaking information about villages and caravans in various places, Zhuxian Village was able to plunder resources, and he also supported the workshops with the money.

Only then could Zhuxian Village remain safe and sound, and smoothly develop and grow to its current size.

It looks like it will be a big thing in another year or two.

At this moment, Sima Yan ran over and told Ma Dalang, "Boss, the fruit we've been growing for three years is almost ripe, but someone wants to steal it halfway through." How could Ma Dalang not be so angry that he would flip the coffin lid on the spot?

Sima Yan lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry, Young Master Ma, Yuan He used to listen to me very well."

Ma Dalang roared, "I don't want an apology, I want Zhuxian Village to obey me!"

He had a large army of zombies under his command, but zombies are just zombies; you can only rely on a group of zombies to kill enemies.

However, if one wants to establish their own independent entity and manage a city, what they need is a team of thousands of cultivators.

Rather than those zombies that only kill and suck blood.

I had already made my plans, but now the city of Yumi is destroyed and its inhabitants are dead, leaving hundreds of miles of unclaimed land.

Once he recovered from his injuries, he led the Ma family's two thousand members, tens of thousands of blood slaves, a zombie army, and a thousand cultivators from the Zhuxian Village as his core force, and went to occupy Yumi City, declaring his independence.

The thousands of cultivators in Zhuxian Village are a major asset for our independence; how can we allow them to be lost?

Sima Yan knelt on one knee and lowered his head: "Yes, I know what to do."

Upon hearing this, Ma Dalang snorted coldly, his figure flashed, and he instantly returned to the coffin. His yellow magic power pulled the coffin lid back on: "I will send someone to investigate Qiu Qianchi's background. I will give you news by tomorrow at the latest."

Sima Yan got up and returned to the pile of terracotta warriors, slowly closing his eyes.

Meanwhile, far away in the bandit den of Zhuxian Village on Tiger Might Ridge, a glimmer of life slowly reappeared on Sima Yan's face.

"Sigh, someone has to work two jobs to earn only one salary."

"I'm so miserable." Sima Yan looked at his handsome face reflected in the water, then touched his smooth, shiny hair, and sighed repeatedly: "It's not easy for working people to earn money these days. I really don't want to work hard anymore."

"Military Advisor Sima!" a bandit called out to Sima Yan.

Sima Yan reached up and lightly brushed a strand of hair from his forehead, revealing a professional working-class smile, and turned to ask, "What is it?"

"The chief wants you to come to the Hall of Righteousness to discuss important matters."

"receive."