Chapter 495 - 29: Half-Human, Half-Demon

A new emperor, a new court. A change of dynasty always meant a redistribution of interests.

Merchants and industries that had once been attached to the Qingyi Gang were doomed to a miserable fate if they didn’t change allegiances in time.

The reasoning was simple.

Yet some people were always blinded by what was right in front of them.

Qian Weng,

was one such person.

After the Qingyi Gang fell and the Qian Family’s business suffered, his first reaction was, surprisingly, to curry favor with his suppliers, distributors, and even his competitors.

...such as the Zhu Family.

This decision obviously didn’t solve the problem, and the Qian Family’s situation saw no improvement.

「One month later.」

His suppliers of silk cut him off, leaving him with no cotton or flax. Meanwhile, downstream shops demanded their shipments, but payments were hard to collect...

In business,

cash flow is paramount.

When downstream shops made excuses to delay or withhold payment, he could manage in the short term. But over time, the operational chain would snap, leading to bankruptcy.

Then,

people demanding wages and payments would come knocking on his door.

If someone took the opportunity to fan the flames, with a mastermind pulling the strings from behind, destroying a family would be all too easy.

Zhu Ju had successfully allied himself with the Zhou Family, and his Cloth Workshop’s business improved daily. The Qian and Li families, on the other hand, had failed to change course in time. They were now targeted by the many hungry wolves lurking in the darkness, ready to devour the spoils.

「Two months later.」

Qian Weng finally realized what was happening. He took out the Qian Family’s accumulated savings and scrambled to find a way out.

But alas,

it was too late!

The hunt was already on. The forces that coveted the Cloth Workshop’s business and sought to replace it made their moves one after another.

Creditors hounded the Qian Family’s shops, and their doorways were blocked with trash.

The Nursing Directors of the Qian Mansion left one after another, and the long-term workers and servants even began to secretly make off with the family’s valuables.

"Pay us back!"

"A life for a life, a debt for a debt—it’s the law of nature! If the Qian Family won’t pay what they owe, then don’t blame us for what happens next."

"..."

BOOM!

A crowd of people stormed into the Qian household, plundering and pillaging.

Using debt collection as a pretext, they ran amok and destroyed everything, knowing that even the city’s Officials wouldn’t interfere.

「A few days later.」

Qian Weng’s body was discovered in a stinking sewer ditch in West City.

*

*

*

A carriage traveled down the long street. Nursing Director Zhang rode alongside on horseback, his eyes constantly scanning their surroundings.

Ever since the Sanhe Gang had replaced the Qingyi Gang, the city’s powers had been undergoing a purge, and the streets were inevitably less peaceful.

There was no great turmoil,

but minor disturbances were constant.

On the surface, Zhu Ju was only a mid-Ninth Grade Martial Artist, so he needed Nursing Director Zhang to accompany him on the streets.

Of course,

Nursing Director Zhang was well aware that if they were to face any real danger, he would be of little help. The best he could hope for was not to be a burden.

"Young Master."

"Recently, we acquired two more shops and bought several boats to transport goods along the Sanhe Gang’s water routes."

"Our business is already on par with what it was when the old master was still alive."

Nursing Director Zhang took a deep breath and continued,

"And this is just the beginning. Once we’ve fully established the water routes, the Zhu Family’s business could double what it was in its heyday."

"Or even more!"

It was practically a foregone conclusion.

"Mm," Zhu Ju nodded.

"How are you finding the work of handling the business?"

"Well..." A look of embarrassment crossed Nursing Director Zhang’s face as he scratched his head.

"Young Master, I’m just a Martial Artist. I can handle my duties as a Nursing Director, but all this business is really too much for my head."

"I’m..."

...a bit overwhelmed."

"I know," Zhu Ju sighed.

"Things are too hectic and chaotic for the family right now. Just help Old Liu handle things for the time being. I’ll find someone suitable to take over the business as soon as I can."

"Yes, sir." Nursing Director Zhang breathed a sigh of relief.

He knew Zhu Ju was short on manpower, which was why he himself was stretched so thin.

He was acting as an attendant and bodyguard, serving as the Martial Arts Master for Zhu Ying and the others, and helping to oversee the business simultaneously.

He was busy beyond belief.

Thankfully...

it was all worth it.

The moment he thought of the two Sixth-Grade Cultivation Techniques he had acquired, Nursing Director Zhang felt a jolt of energy, and his eyes gleamed with fervor.

He had no hope of ever reaching the Sixth Grade, but if he pushed himself, he still had a chance of advancing to the Seventh Grade.

Moreover,

Zhu Ju had promised him that the Thunder Shocking Force could become a legacy of the Zhang Family, to be passed down through their bloodline.

For that reason alone, Nursing Director Zhang was willing to serve Zhu Ju to the death.

"How are my younger brothers and sisters doing?"

Zhu Ju asked.

"Have you discovered any with decent Talent for Martial Arts?"

"Miss Zhenzhen’s Talent is exceptional. The others... are also adequate," Nursing Director Zhang replied.

"They’re still young and need to finish building their foundations, but with a Sixth-Grade legacy technique at their disposal, they are certain to become accomplished with time."

"Hmm..." Zhu Ju narrowed his eyes and asked,

"In your opinion, how long will it take them to Enter a Grade?"

"Well..." Nursing Director Zhang hesitated for a moment before saying,

"For an ordinary person learning martial arts, let’s take joining a Martial Arts Hall as an example. With a minimum expense of ten taels of silver per month, assuming they are around ten years old, have superior Talent, and get enough nutrition, they can Enter a Grade within a year."

"With average Talent, it takes three years."

"For those with poor Talent, it might take seven or eight years, but they can still do it."

"The total expense is somewhere between two hundred to five hundred taels of silver. That’s an extremely difficult sum for an ordinary family to bear. But you, Young Master, are spending one thousand silver taels a month. Even if the young masters and misses have only average Talent, they will be able to Enter a Grade very quickly."

"Especially Miss Zhenzhen. It’s highly likely she’ll advance to the Eighth Grade before she turns eighteen!"

He explained in great detail.

Money might not be everything, but it could significantly close the gap between a poor student and a top one.

While an ordinary family would find it incredibly difficult to produce even one Grade-Entering Martial Artist, the young masters and misses of the Zhu Family could aspire to the Seventh Grade.

Such was the power of wealth.

"Hm?"

Lost in thought, Zhu Ju’s brow suddenly twitched. He swept aside the carriage curtain and shot out like a bird in flight.

In a pitch-black alley,

several figures were surrounding a small, scrawny person.

"You little brat!"

one of the men said, panting heavily with furious eyes,

"Go on and run!"

"Why’d you stop running?"

"You little bastard. You’re a good runner, I’ll give you that. But you can run, but you can’t hide."

"Get him!"

"Do it! And I want him dead!"

"Yes, sir."

The men responded and rushed toward the scrawny figure.

They were all burly, grown men, and there was even a Grade-Entering Martial Artist among them. Yet the target of their assault was merely a child.

For the child, any one of their punches or kicks could be lethal.

THWACK!

THUD!

The scrawny figure was knocked to the ground. Covered in blood, they knelt and wailed in agony, their breathing growing steadily weaker.

On a nearby wall,

Zhu Ju frowned, watching the scene unfold as a complicated look passed through his eyes.

’Were my senses mistaken?’

’But it was so clear...’

"Huh?"

His eyebrows shot up. His gaze fell upon the dying child, and his expression slowly turned peculiar.

ROAR!

Suddenly,

just as the child’s life force was about to fade, a savage and violent aura erupted from within their body.

The ferocious aura was so substantial it seemed to take the form of an all-devouring tiger, roaring in the void.

A silent shockwave battered the onlookers’ Divine Souls.

The group of adult tormentors froze, their faces going slack and vacant. Then, a figure lunged.

The scrawny figure was like a young tiger, fingers bent into claws, as it pounced on one of the men, aiming for his heart.

RRRIP—

Skin and Flesh were violently torn open, the man’s beating heart forcibly crushed.

Another man had just regained a sliver of consciousness when the small figure tackled him to the ground and tore out his throat with its teeth.

"Demon Race bloodline?"

Watching this unfold, Zhu Ju stroked his chin, a look of stunned surprise on his face.

"This bloodline..."

"...is something else!"