Cultivation System: Stronger with Age

At the Black Tiger Branch, after Zhao Renxiong, Feng Menghu, and Guo Yunkui had left, Liy Ruoqing summoned Steward Qian Liu. He explained the matter of randomly capturing two to three hundred Loose Cultivators and commoners, then departed the branch, taking a few subordinates with him from the Great Marsh Prefecture.

「Two hours later, he arrived at Black Cloud City, the headquarters of the Black Tiger Gang.」

Glancing at the towering city walls of Black Cloud City ahead, Liy Ruoqing quickly entered. Before long, he stood before a rippling arched gate. The next moment, he stepped through the ripples, and the scenery before his eyes instantly transformed—a vast Secret Realm spanning hundreds of thousands of acres appeared.

High mountains and dense forests filled this Secret Realm. On the forest floor, amidst the dense woods, lay piles of white bones from wild beasts, still stained with blood. Numerous Black Tiger Demons, each about a zhang high, roamed the jungle, chasing scattered beasts. Peculiarly, these Black Tiger Demons, despite exuding strong Demon Qi, completely ignored Liy Ruoqing as they approached, showing no intention of attacking him.

Liy Ruoqing moved like a phantom among countless Demons, his eyes betraying a hint of dread as he observed the increasingly powerful Tier Two, Tier Three, and Tier Four Black Tiger Demons. He then transformed into a shadow and, in an instant, stood on the mountainside of the highest peak at the center of the Secret Realm.

From a wide, enormous cave nestled among the giant rocks on the mountainside, an old voice called out, "Ruoqing, I am discussing matters with your uncle. Please wait outside for a moment!"

Upon hearing this, Liy Ruoqing, the Master of the Black Tiger Great Marsh Hall, stood solemnly outside the cave.

「After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea,」

the old voice from within the cave finally said, "Come in!"

Liy Ruoqing stepped inside. After walking for some time through the magnificent, crystal palace-like cave, he arrived before a hall carved from beautiful jade. He looked up at Liy Hongtian, the Black Tiger Gang Leader, who wore Black Tiger Armor, his silver hair tied back, his stern face commanding respect. "Leader, what brings Uncle here this time?"

The 'Uncle' Liy Ruoqing mentioned was, naturally, Prefect Liy of the Great Marsh Prefecture, who governed millions of people.

Liy Hongtian said, "Over the years, nourished by the Celestial Demon Bone within the Secret Realm, I've finally reversed the decline of my Qi Blood and recently advanced to the Sixth Layer. He naturally came to congratulate me!

"As for what he discussed with me, what else could a Prefect want, other than to use the power of the Celestial Demon Bone from the Secret Realm to deal with the Great Demon occupying the herb-producing land?

"But the power of the Celestial Demon Bone, passed down by our Liy Family ancestors and nurtured to its current state, was not achieved easily. It took over two hundred years and millions of jin of flesh and blood from Tier Three and above Demons. How could he expect to use it so casually?

"I delayed my own Cultivation for decades, painstakingly refining the Black Soul Wondrous Jade, and had him deliver it to the Great Xia Royal Family. This was to obtain more Sunflower Water Elixirs and Wood Pills from the Royal Family—not for him to indulge his desire to play the official and blindly pledge loyalty to the Great Xia Dynasty!

"To this day, he doesn't think about how to strengthen the Liy Family's Black Tiger Gang. Instead, he spends all day pondering how to alleviate the Great Xia Royal Family's worries. Hmph! I think my elder brother has lost his sense of priorities. We just had a quarrel over it!"

Liy Ruoqing frowned. "Uncle is, after all, the one with the highest Cultivation in our Liy Family. The pressure on him in external affairs is naturally immense.

"Besides, during his years as Prefect, he has actually secured many benefits for the Black Tiger Gang. As for wanting to use the Celestial Demon Bone, it might be due to the immense pressure from the arrival of the Celestial Sect Saintess, Xiaoo Ying'Er!"

Liy Hongtian frowned. "The Great Xia Royal Family possesses twelve Celestial Demon Bones. With these, they guard the realm, intimidating and recruiting Tier Seven and Tier Eight powerhouses from all over the land.

"Since the Demon disaster has shaken the foundations of Great Xia, and the Xiaoo Family isn't using their own Celestial Demon Bone... why should our Liy Family exhaust our resources?

"As for the pressure from the Celestial Sect Saintess, how long can she stay in this barren frontier land?

"She must have come because of the Conical Hat Guest's unique Battle Armor. Presumably, once the matters concerning the Conical Hat Guest and the Ba Mountain Secret Realm are concluded, she will leave the Great Marsh Prefecture."

At this point, he looked at Liy Ruoqing. "Speaking of the Conical Hat Guest, the theft of the herbs has had a significant impact, likely causing unrest within the gang.

"But the Demons within the Black Tiger Secret Realm have been nurtured by me for many years; it's impossible to kill them for their flesh to feed the Gang Members. As for the herb shortage, have your uncle arrange it!"

Liy Ruoqing replied, "Before the Celestial Sect Saintess leaves, Uncle probably can't touch the Official Army's herb reserves!"

Liy Hongtian frowned. "Then use the gang's reserves to manage for a month or two.

"Didn't that Conical Hat Guest claim he would publicly deal with Ren Xiong on the eighth day of the ninth month?

"When the time comes, if we capture the Conical Hat Guest and present him to the Celestial Sect Saintess, the herbs he stole will naturally be recovered. It's just... I hope he actually shows up!"

Liy Ruoqing said, "Although the Conical Hat Guest's origins are mysterious, he has a strong will. He should appear on the eighth day of the ninth month. I have already discussed this with the Guo and Feng Families, and we will definitely capture him in one fell swoop! Moreover, since the Saintess is in the Great Marsh Prefecture, she might even have Guo Heilong and Hua Yanluo take action!

"With such an inescapable net, even if the Conical Hat Guest had three heads and six arms, even if he were a late-stage Sixth Layer expert, he would surely be captured!"

Liy Hongtian nodded. "Let's set aside the matter of the Conical Hat Guest for now. In the next few days, prepare to depart. You and your second brother will secretly go to the Ba Mountain Secret Realm.

"I have thirty stalks of Zhengyuan Grass here. It's enough for you two brothers to last for over a month in the Ba Mountain Secret Realm. During that time, you should have a chance to find some Heavy Water Spiritual Objects. These can be used to request the Royal Alchemist to refine Elixirs, building up a good reserve of Elixirs for the future generations of the Liy Family."