Chapter 8, Waiting

Eight months later, the senior disciple failed to overcome the challenge and perished due to losing control over his mind

Upon this thought, Jiang Mu's gaze swept over the two peaks in the southwest, following the Yudai River southward, entering Yun Lake, and finally resting on Yun Lake Town at the northwest corner of the lake

In Yunhu Town, there is also a market belonging to the Floating Cloud Sect, aimed at cultivators. Five hundred years ago, during the generation when the Floating Cloud Sect was on the verge of prosperity, it was once one of the five major markets in Qingge County

Even if I could achieve the level of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, I would still be unable to surpass the barrier that arises fifty years later, when the five major super sects emerge and form alliances with the royal family, creating an entirely different situation

Having experienced eighty tumultuous years in a past life, Jiang Mu's perspective on issues has changed significantly

In a moment, Jiang Mu had many thoughts, but very few could be immediately implemented. On one hand, he had to consider the constraints imposed by the senior brother, and on the other hand, the interference from the second senior brother

Jiang Mu felt a heavy heart as he thought, it is a pity that in his previous life he had to hide and evade, and for the last thirty years he lived in constant fear like a lost dog. He only occasionally heard about certain events but did not understand much more. Now, upon careful reflection, ever since the five major super sects formed alliances with the Great Qin, many things have indeed seemed rather strange.

Ah, the situation! The plans I have now can at most sustain us for the first ten years. In thirty years, when the Great Qin's founding emperor establishes the Qin Dynasty, it will undoubtedly be conquered, and it will be far inferior to the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect

It seems I need to sell a few treasured items from my master earlier than planned

But this is only the surface

Then, after careful observation and constant deliberation, it was also thanks to his tumultuous past life, which had broadened his horizons and given him a deep understanding of the ways in which mortals build cities; otherwise, even if he wished to construct a city today, he would be at a loss.

Without these two, even if that wretched Ji Yao were to return, she would not be able to stir up any trouble

Jiang Mu remembered that in his previous life, the top sect of the Five Prefectures of Western Shu, the Wandu Sect, released a poisonous mist to cover an area of five hundred miles in order to protect itself. This not only isolated the crazed cultivators but also cut off the ordinary people. However, fifty years later, it was ultimately breached by the Demon Capture Division of the Great Qin in conjunction with the five major super sects, leaving no survivors.

With this in mind, Jiang Mu took out a blank jade talisman for recording and began to document the changes in the terrain and topography surrounding Floating Cloud Mountain one by one

This location is quite good; firstly, it is by the lake, situated at a high elevation, offering a broad view, free from the intrusion of water disasters. It is said that the initial construction of Yunhu Town was overseen by a certain generation of the leader of the Floating Cloud Sect, so the choice of location is indeed sound

Prior to this, whether it was the hidden cultivators posing as ordinary people or the cultivation sects that took refuge under small families and minor powers, as long as they did not cause trouble and were not evil cultivators or demons, the Great Qin Dynasty would not exert excessive pressure. However, when the five major super sects collaborated with the Great Qin Dynasty to expand the scale and authority of the Demon Capture Division, a bloody storm of hunting down cultivators and the remnants of sects ensued, which is referred to as the reckoning, lasting for a full thirty years without any signs of abating

Secondly, one must have financial resources and spiritual stones to accomplish tasks

In fact, during the twenty years that Jiang Mu has been in charge of the Floating Cloud Sect, Yunhu Fangshi has not only failed to contribute a single spirit stone to the sect, but has also had to pay approximately one thousand spirit stones each year to support some of the disciples who have come down from the mountains. Almost all the taxes collected from Yunhu Town have been spent on this.

San Lai, he is short of people under his command, and even though he has a few close disciples, he cannot just let them do something that sounds utterly unreasonable.

For instance, building a city is something that any casual sect of cultivation would not take seriously as a legitimate endeavor

However, after he outlined a defensive perimeter based on the five outlying peaks, he always felt that something was missing

This city is built right here! Jiang Mu, filled with determination, made a decision while simultaneously focusing his thoughts on Yunhu Town

Upon this thought, Jiang Mu secretly admonished himself; his state of mind had indeed become somewhat impatient. The various experiences of his past life were undoubtedly heart-wrenching, yet he must not lose the most fundamental rationality.

In his second life, is he unable to protect even the three hundred miles around Lianyun Lake?

Thirdly, Yunhu Town is only fifty li away from the Southwest Second Peak, connected by the Yudai River, allowing for both land and water transportation, with several locations on both banks suitable for ports

Anyway

As of now, only the four major markets remain in Qinge County, and this Yunhu Market has already become a mere name without substance

The Demon Catching Division even went to great lengths to embellish the events of the past, spreading various tales among the populace about the terrifying aspects of cultivators. As a result, all mortals came to loathe cultivators to the core. However, if any trace of their existence were to be revealed, it would lead to immediate reporting.

Secondly, Yunhu Town is backed by Yunhu, with vast plains and fertile fields in front. Once cultivated, these lands become excellent arable land. As for why there was no large-scale cultivation before, it is naturally because the Floating Cloud Sect did not permit it

However, this Cloud Lake City must be placed under the protection of the Mountain Guard Array in the early stages, at least to withstand the chaotic first three years

Therefore, merely preserving the mountain gate of the Floating Cloud Sect is insufficient; I must at least safeguard the population of several million in Qin Ge County

In three months, Master Yao Cheng will begin his retreat and will not attend to external affairs

However, no matter what, he is unable to prevent the tragedy from recurring and can only strive to save more innocent mortals

Cultivators may not be skilled in this area

These measures, if said to be entirely the directives of the founding emperor of the Qin Dynasty, would be somewhat far-fetched. The role played by the five major super sects in this matter is certainly not as glamorous as it appears.

This place is indeed a land of fish and rice

This place is an important stronghold of the Floating Cloud Sect in the mortal world, and it is also a significant industry. Throughout the generations, few disciples of the Floating Cloud Sect who were unable to cultivate have returned to their hometown, while most have settled here, raising families and spending their entire lives.

From the Second Peak of the Southwest to the plains surrounding Cloud Lake, it is possible to sustain at least one million mortals. Therefore, why must we insist on building a city relying on Floating Cloud Mountain?

Do not allow your few direct disciples to mistakenly believe that you have been possessed by evil forces and lost your mind

Jiang Mu pondered that as the spiritual energy dissipated, even the most powerful magical treasures would be difficult to activate. It would be better to sell them off early and exchange them for spirit stones, in order to purchase a better protective mountain formation

Unless I can train an army of 30,000 mortal warriors within ten years, equipped with black iron armor, wielding black iron weapons, along with a substantial number of strong bows and crossbows, complemented by a mountain-protecting formation, and no fewer than 100 Golden Core cultivators, as well as a significant reserve of spirit stones, only then can I rely on the city walls to defend it; otherwise, it would be nothing but an illusion, a fleeting joy.

Is it really possible to keep it this way

Six months later, Second Brother Xu Yi returned injured, with his foundation damaged

The cultivator can fly and traverse the earth, capable of anything, yet you ask us to build a city

And these mortals may very well be his greatest trump card

Therefore, he does not need to do anything; he just needs to wait patiently

Thus, Yunhu Town is quite prosperous, with a population of over 100,000. It governs six fishing villages along the lake, twelve farming villages, and five tea villages that cultivate Yunhu tea

He constructed a circle of city walls, trained thirty thousand mortal warriors, stored sufficient grain and spirit stones, and summoned all his disciples back. Can such defensive power truly compare to the Ten Thousand Poison Sect

Of course, this matter must wait until Master Brother Yao Cheng has passed away; otherwise, the old man will likely fight him to the death