NOVPUBChapter 758: 183. The Si Family’s Expert’s Jaw Drops (7000 words)
With these thoughts in mind, Fang Ze couldn’t help feeling that he was indeed enjoying phenomenal luck today. Not only had he obtained a completely loyal Mortality-Shedding stage expert, but he had also secured an opportunity for his subordinates to advance to the Mortality-Shedding stage!
It was practically like a supermarket’s grand giveaway, a buy one, get one free deal!
However, upon further consideration of this being his first investigation into the Mortality-Shedding stage and the valuable intelligence he had gathered, he could somewhat understand his fortune.
After all, such opportunities were few and far between.
Having thought this, Fang Ze pulled his thoughts back to the present and began to contemplate whom to give the invaluable Mortality-Shedding Fruit to.
First, he ruled out himself.
It wasn’t that he was so selflessly altruistic, but rather because, as Sima Liu had said, the advancement of the Yang Transformation stage was different from other stages; it was a cultivation of the “heart.”
This rendered all of Fang Ze’s previous experiences with advancement through “high-interest loans” irrelevant. Moreover, since he had no clue about how to cultivate in this stage, he was uncertain when he would be able to reach the pinnacle of the Yang Transformation stage. Therefore, there was no need to reserve such a high-value item for himself so far in advance.
After all, Fang Ze’s belief had always been: use what you have, or eventually it will end up benefiting your enemies!
Next, Fang Ze dismissed a rather naive thought: to give the Mortality-Shedding Fruit to his nine subordinates in the Yang Transformation stage and let them decide among themselves who should use it.
Fang Ze harbored this idea because he believed that the three at the pinnacle of Mortality-Shedding were trustworthy and deserving of the fruit. Compared to Fang Ze, those in the Yang Transformation stage were in a better position to know who deserved the chance the most.
But then it struck Fang Ze that this was not a viable strategy! He was now the Family Head of the Si Family, representing not only himself but the entire Si Family. This meant that often, he had to consider things from the family’s perspective: the methods of governance dictate that power must never be delegated entirely to others.
These several hundred men were loyal vassals of the Si Family, and there was no problem with their loyalty, but loyalty can vary in execution: obeying orders is loyalty, taking care of all the household affairs is also loyalty.
Completely trusting subordinates and repeatedly distributing power would ultimately only lead to the core family being marginalized.
A weak lord with strong vassals is a taboo that can lead to the loss of family power.
Only by exercising his authority as Young Master time and again, could he make these four hundred-odd people understand who was the true master of the family, ensuring that the family remained firmly in his grasp.
Thus, having thought it through, Fang Ze made up his mind after a moment of contemplation: Black Bull.
He was not entirely sure who among the three Yang Transformation stage peaks had the most potential, or who had contributed the most during their years on the run. But he did know that Black Bull was undoubtedly the most loyal among them.
Moreover, considering Black Bull’s straightforward nature and his former high status within the Si Family, Fang Ze felt that choosing him might not be the best solution, but it certainly wasn’t a mistake.
After determining who would advance to the Mortality-Shedding stage, Fang Ze then discarded the idea of having Black Bull quietly advance: he needed to establish his authority in front of the several hundred members of the Si Family, and he needed to show the power and heritage of the Si Family to all the forces that were secretly observing him and harboring ulterior motives.
So, what better way to achieve both objectives than to publicly bestow the method of advancing to the Mortality-Shedding stage, allowing Black Bull to advance under the scrutiny of all powers?
Thinking this, Fang Ze decided,
“It seems not only do I have to do it, but I have to do it in a grand manner!”
“I must personally bestow the advancement on Black Bull in front of hundreds of elders of the Si Family, letting them know that even though the Si Family has been destroyed once, its heritage is still unfathomably profound, filling them with confidence and awe for the rebuilding of the Si Family!”
“As for the other forces, there’s no need to invite them to witness the event. But when Black Bull breaks through, the aura he releases will let all forces know that within just a short week of the Si Family’s vassals returning, a Mortality-Shedding stage has been born.”
“This way, they will hesitate because they can’t gauge the full extent of what the Si Family has leftover and will hold back their scheming and little moves.”
With these thoughts, a smile couldn’t help but appear on Fang Ze’s face.
After setting his future plans, Fang Ze began to calculate the forces he currently commanded, both openly and in secret.
In the open, the Si Family had one Mortality-Shedding stage expert (forthcoming), nine Yang Transformation stage experts (including himself), and over four hundred seasoned soldiers ready to advance to Fusion at any moment.
In secret, the Devil Sect had one Mortality-Shedding stage expert (Sima Liu), one Yang Transformation stage expert (Jiang Cheng), and over three hundred initial-stage Awakeners.
Unbeknownst to him, either force, when taken individually, would be considered a leading noble house in the state and was already capable of standing on its own!
Combined with his own rapid progression in strength, for a moment, Fang Ze felt the coming days were getting better and better…..
…..
Meanwhile.
As Fang Ze was indulging in his vision of the future, far away in the Emerald City,
Emerald City, the Governing Hall.
In an office that was the complete opposite of Jiang Cheng’s in terms of simplicity and plainness, the man in a suit who called He Weidao “teacher” was discussing matters with Gu Qing and Xun Yi.
From the ease among the three of them, it was clear they had known each other well and that this was not their first meeting in recent times.
Holding a document, Gu Qing spoke to the man in the suit across from him with a serious face, “Senior Brother Jing Tai, following the leads you provided, we sent a team of Fusion stage experts to thoroughly investigate the organization known as ‘Devil Sect.'”
