I Seriously Didn't Want to Be the Martial Alliance Leader

Xu Feizhou had always held a position within the Main Hall. He had no experience governing a region or taking charge of a Prefecture City.

How was an Inspector like him, parachuted in from the Celestial Martial Guard, supposed to establish a foothold in a new territory?

It was simple, really. Chen Yuan was the perfect example.

You had to rely on absolute strength to suppress all opposition, both internal and external. You had to kill until the local Jianghu Forces turned pale at the mere mention of your name, until they no longer dared to challenge you. Only then could you be said to have truly established yourself.

But Chen Yuan had that kind of strength and audacity. Did Xu Feizhou?

He didn’t want to go to a pit of fire like Yangshan Prefecture. He wanted to come to Kaiping Prefecture, which Chen Yuan had already integrated to perfection, and reap the rewards.

The question was, did he have the strength to claim those rewards?

Yang Zhicai and the others exchanged a look, and a knowing smile spread across their faces.

In Chen Yuan’s presence, they would never dare to feign compliance while secretly disobeying him.

The example of Huo Tianying was a recent memory. Anyone who dared play such games with Chen Yuan would be swatted down and killed on the spot.

But just because they wouldn’t use such tactics against Chen Yuan didn’t mean they didn’t know how. Now, with Chen Yuan’s orders, they had plenty of tricks up their sleeves.

Chen Yuan then produced two bottles of Top Grade Elixirs. He gave one to Cui Guan, and the other to Lu Li and Yang Zhicai.

"Cui Guan, your strength is already at the Late Stage of the Sea of Reincarnation Realm. This bottle of Top Grade Elixirs will be enough to help you break through to the Condensing Truth Realm.

Lu Li and Yang Zhicai, you two are slightly weaker. Even if I gave you too many elixirs, you wouldn’t be able to refine them all.

Split this bottle between you. It will be enough for you to cultivate to the middle or late stages of the Sea of Reincarnation Realm."

Then, Chen Yuan gave Guan Zhenshan a cultivation manual. It was an Earth Level Technique Chen Yuan had found in Shangguan Yun’s Qiankun Bag, likely intended for a side branch of the Shangguan Family.

A technique of this level was no longer of use to Chen Yuan, so it was perfect for rewarding his subordinates.

"Master Guan, your Guan Family’s inherited technique is too one-dimensional. This technique should serve as a good complement."

"Thank you, my lord!"

Guan Zhenshan accepted the manual, his hands trembling slightly with excitement.

This wasn’t a one-time boost like an elixir, but a Cultivation Technique that could be passed down through generations!

The Guan Family already owed Chen Yuan a life-debt. Now, Guan Zhenshan swore a silent oath in his heart. ’It doesn’t matter if Xu Feizhou is Feng Wushang’s godson. Even if he were Chao Hongtu’s godson, he can’t dream of challenging Lord Chen in Kaiping Prefecture!’

Cui Guan accepted the elixir without a word of thanks, his expression unchanging. He simply drew a finger across his neck.

"My lord, Xu Feizhou also just broke through to the Condensing Truth Realm. Give me half a month. Once I reach the Condensing Truth Realm myself, I’m eighty percent confident I can kill him."

Chen Yuan was speechless.

’Cui Guan’s methods are so simple and brutal. I wonder how Liu Suifeng taught him.’

"Killing him would be the crudest approach. Subduing a superior is not the same as committing insubordination. If you kill Xu Feizhou, you’ll just give Feng Wushang an excuse to intervene and create trouble for Military Advisor Liu."

Chen Yuan narrowed his eyes. "Xu Feizhou can die, but not in a way that anyone can find fault with. In short, if he tries to play hardball, then you can make your move."

Cui Guan nodded.

He had never been one for overthinking things.

If Chen Yuan told him not to kill, he wouldn’t. If Chen Yuan told him to kill, he would eliminate Xu Feizhou without a moment’s hesitation.

"Xu Feizhou is still at the Main Hall. He should be arriving to take up his post in a few days.

Master Feng is quite fond of his godson, so he certainly won’t let him come alone. He’ll probably bring some men with him.

I’m heading to Yangshan Prefecture to assume my new post. Here in Kaiping Prefecture, you will all have to adapt to the situation as it develops."

After giving his instructions, Chen Yuan prepared to leave for Yangshan Prefecture.

"My lord, do you need to take some men with you?"

Lu Li added, "If bringing men from Kaiping Prefecture is against regulations, I can have my father send some people over from Linyuan City."

"No need. The situation in Yangshan Prefecture is unique. The trouble isn’t inside the Inspectorate’s Mansion, it’s outside."

...

「Yangshan Prefecture, within the Inspectorate Office.」

As the largest Prefecture City in the White Tiger Hall’s territory, the Inspectorate Office was naturally quite large. However, the number of White Tiger Guards stationed within was pitifully small—fewer than a hundred men. It was even worse off than the Garrison Envoy’s Mansion in a small city like Linyuan City.

Furthermore, most of these White Tiger Guards were on the older side; there were hardly any young faces to be seen.

Inside the Council Hall, three Captains of the Qi Casting Realm, with an average age of over fifty, were listlessly playing cards out of boredom.

A Captain in his early fifties, his face etched with the hardships of time, walked in and frowned at the scene.

"The appointment of the new Inspector has been announced. You still have the leisure to sit here playing cards? Aren’t you going to prepare a welcome?"

"Look at the state of our Yangshan Prefecture. We’re a bunch of old, weak, sickly, and disabled misfits. What’s there to welcome? We might just scare the new Lord Inspector away."

One of them laughed self-deprecatingly. "Relax, Old Zheng. I’ve got it covered. I already sent someone to watch the city gate. We’ll clean this up when the Lord Inspector arrives.

Lord Yu was pretty resilient, all things considered. He lasted quite a few years in Yangshan Prefecture. I wonder how long this new lord will last. I bet he won’t even make it three years."

Old Zheng shook his head. "I have some friends at the Main Hall, and I’ve heard a few things about this new Lord Inspector’s deeds.

This new lord is different from the others. At a young age, he took control of the entire Kaiping Prefecture and made all the local Jianghu Forces bow in submission.

What’s more, he’s a true prodigy of our Zhenwu Hall. He’s on the Hidden Dragon Rankings, capable of contending with the chosen from the great Sects and Noble Families.

With someone like that serving as the Inspector of Yangshan Prefecture, maybe things will finally start looking up for us?

You lot, straighten out your armor. Let’s make a good impression on the new Lord Inspector."

"Kaiping Prefecture and Yangshan Prefecture are two different worlds. Do you think the rules of Kaiping can be applied here? Old Zheng, you’re still too naive."

Despite his words, the man stood up, gathered the cards from the table in the Council Hall, and straightened his own open collar and crooked armor.

Just then, a voice suddenly drifted in from outside. "What’s so different about Kaiping Prefecture and Yangshan Prefecture? Are they not both territories under the jurisdiction of my Zhenwu Hall? Or could it be there are other rules here?"

Chen Yuan strode into the Council Hall.

The Captains present froze for a moment. Seeing the armor Chen Yuan wore, they instantly realized who he was.

Stunned by his youth, they hastily bowed. "Your humble subordinates greet you, my lord!"

Chen Yuan had slipped into the Inspectorate’s Mansion unnoticed, wanting to see for himself what the local White Tiger Guards were really like.

From what he could see, these White Tiger Guards weren’t arrogant or rebellious. They didn’t seem to harbor any resentment toward him as the new Inspector.

However, they were completely devoid of fighting spirit, utterly dejected. Calling them old, weak, and crippled wasn’t far from the truth.

Chen Yuan waved a hand. "Dispense with the formalities. A moment ago, you said the rules in Yangshan Prefecture are different from other prefectures. Now, explain in detail. What exactly is so different?"

Old Zheng gritted his teeth and spoke directly, "My lord, I am Zheng Qu’an, a native of this very Yangshan Prefecture. I joined the Zhenwu Hall back in the days of the Celestial Martial Alliance.

Even back then, the Yang Mountain Four Sects called the shots in Yangshan Prefecture, and they heavily oppressed Independent Martial Artists like us.

I thought that by joining the Zhenwu Hall, I could finally hold my head high. But every Inspector since has appeased and tolerated the Yang Mountain Four Sects, causing the Inspectorate’s Mansion to become an empty shell, existing in name only.

As you can see, my lord, our Inspectorate’s Mansion has barely any White Tiger Guards left. Anyone with connections who could arrange a transfer has already gone.

As for our monthly tax revenue, it’s practically zero. We only get anything when we go begging to the Yang Mountain Four Sects during the new year and other festivals, and even then, they just toss us a few scraps like we’re beggars.

You must be aware of Master Feng’s temperament. The various Inspectorate Offices are expected to send money up to him; he would never send any down.

As a result, our Yangshan Inspectorate Office often can’t even afford to pay the monthly stipends for its own White Tiger Guards. That’s how we ended up in this sorry state."

He was speaking very frankly for a new acquaintance. Logically, he shouldn’t have revealed all this to an Inspector who had just arrived.

But over the years, Zheng Qu’an had become utterly suffocated by the situation in Yangshan Prefecture.

Chen Yuan’s appointment to Yangshan Prefecture gave Zheng Qu’an a sliver of hope. This young Inspector seemed different from all the others.

At least, that’s what the rumors suggested.

So he was taking a gamble—a gamble that this Inspector could change the status quo in Yangshan Prefecture, that he could at least let them live with some dignity, not like beggars.

If he lost this gamble, the worst-case scenario was that he would just retire. With his cultivation, he could make a living anywhere.

But Yangshan Prefecture was his home, after all. As long as there was even a shred of hope, he didn’t want to leave it behind.

Chen Yuan tapped his fingers lightly on the table, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.

’What I heard from Du Tianfeng before was only the surface of the problem.’

’Now, hearing Zheng Qu’an’s account, the White Tiger Guards of Yangshan Prefecture have truly been pushed to the absolute limit.’

’But in my eyes, this is all Feng Wushang’s fault.’

’He’s the Hall Master of White Tiger Hall. When the Yangshan Inspectorate Office couldn’t keep the Yang Mountain Four Sects in line, he did nothing. Of course the Four Sects wouldn’t take the Inspectorate seriously.’

Seeing that Chen Yuan remained silent, looks of despair began to creep onto the faces of Zheng Qu’an and the other three Captains.

’But it’s understandable,’ they thought.

’The situation in Yangshan Prefecture wasn’t created overnight. A string of Inspectors failed to get it under control. What could Chen Yuan possibly do?’

Just then, Chen Yuan suddenly spoke. "The Zhenwu Hall... the Hall for Pacifying the Martial World. If it can’t even pacify these Jianghu Forces, does it even deserve the name?

It’s almost the New Year. Send a man to the Yang Mountain Four Sects with a message. Tell them to pay everything they owe, and to spit out everything extra they’ve taken.

I don’t care what the rules in Yangshan Prefecture used to be. From this moment forward, I am here, and Yangshan Prefecture will obey *my* rules!"

Zheng Qu’an was stunned, then asked in disbelief, "Should the message be that... direct?"

It was a good thing that Chen Yuan was willing to challenge the Yang Mountain Four Sects, but he had never imagined his style would be so aggressive, leaving no room for negotiation.

The words were certainly domineering, but delivering them so directly to the Yang Mountain Four Sects was tantamount to a declaration of war.

"What? You don’t dare?"

Before Zheng Qu’an could reply, an aged voice suddenly drifted in from outside.

"Lord Chen, what a commanding presence! Truly, each generation produces its own heroes. A useless old fossil like me really ought to retire."