Chapter 2244 - 2239: Grain Base?

Chapter 2244: Chapter 2239: Grain Base?

"What he said makes a lot of sense."

Tang Ming and Hu Jiusheng exchanged a look, and both of them nodded.

"What you know is all very one‑sided. Niu Hao used to be Lord Tang Mosheng’s friend. When West Continent City was founded, the old master of Bull Horn Mountain was still alive, and back then Bull Horn Mountain hadn’t yet split into Left and Right Bull Horn. Bull Horn Mountain had always been West Continent City’s grain base."

Hu Jiuze glanced sidelong at Fox Bachang, then spoke.

"A grain base? That’s impossible. If the people of Right Bull Horn really had a way to grow grain on demonized land, they wouldn’t have thrown in their lot with that old demon of the West Desolation."

Fox Bachang stood up in surprise.

You have to know, planting grain on demonized land was something that, back when Tang Mosheng controlled West Continent City, had been under constant research.

But they had never managed to succeed. That is also why, when Tang Ming was able to restore demonized land to normal soil, all the Demon Foxes of the Fox Spirit Mountain Range were so shocked.

The main reason Fox Bachang could accept Wang Chuan becoming City Lord of West Continent City and Commander over the Fox Spirit Mountain Range was this.

"Yes. I heard Lord Tang Mosheng mention before that Dou Niu Mountain paid a huge price to be able to grow grain on demonized land. That was also the main reason Dou Niu Mountain later split apart."

Hu Jiuze said with a serious expression.

"So that means, if we want to win over Niu Hao of Dou Niu Mountain, using grain as a lure is useless, but offering land improvement would be a good approach?"

Zhou Mo lifted his head and looked at Fox Bachang and Hu Jiuze.

Hu Jiuze nodded, then said: "Personally, that’s how I see it. However, the fact that Tang Ming can improve land is our top‑level secret. If it leaks, the West Desolation is likely to plunge into chaos. Our foundation now isn’t all that solid. If we start thinking about Dou Niu Mountain this early, I’m afraid it might not be a good thing either."

"Let me and Aunt Jiuzhe make a trip to Dou Niu Mountain then. Since Aunt Jiuzhe is familiar with Clan Leader Niu Hao, we’ll go sound them out."

Tang Ming stood up and looked at Hu Jiusheng.

Hu Jiusheng shook his head. "No, the two of you can’t go. I’ll send an Envoy to invite Clan Leader Niu Hao over instead."

Hu Jiuze slapped the table and stood up. "Hu Jiusheng, this concerns the entire Fox Spirit Mountain Range. You need to shoulder some responsibility. You can actually say something like ’ask Niu Hao to come over’? Ask yourself, will Niu Hao come?"

Hu Jiusheng lowered his head, somewhat embarrassed. Fox Bachang hurriedly coughed. "Sister Jiuzhe, don’t be angry. How about this, I’ll accompany Tang Ming on a trip to Dou Niu Mountain?"

"I know what you all mean. I’ve become a Ghost Cultivator, my strength is far worse than before. I can’t protect Tang Ming and might very well die on Dou Niu Mountain, is that it? I, Hu Jiuze, will say this one last time today: it’s not that I, Hu Jiuze, look down on you, it’s that among you lot, aside from Ba Chang and Sanqiu, the rest of you—I truly don’t take you seriously."

Hu Jiuze swept her gaze over everyone in the council hall, then spoke.

"Hu Jiuze, back then the Fox Spirit Mountain Range wronged you—we all know that. So everyone’s been putting up with your sarcasm. But you can’t go too far either. What do you mean you ’don’t take us seriously’?"

Hu Erleng, whose strength was no less than Fox Bachang’s, slapped the table and stood up. He was hot‑tempered by nature, and Hu Jiuze’s words had really riled him.

Seeing Hu Erleng stand up, Hu Jiuze chuckled, then said, "Hu Erleng, whether I think highly of you or not is my business. I think, if you could figure out why I look down on you, you’d still count as a talent worth cultivating. Thinking about it now, when the old Clan Leader named you Erleng, he wasn’t wronging you in the slightest."

Hu Erleng’s strength truly was no less than Fox Bachang’s, Hu Sanqiu’s, or Hu Jiusheng’s. But in terms of strategy and utility, compared with the other Elders, Hu Erleng was indeed several notches behind.

On this point, never mind the other Elders of the Fox Spirit Mountain Range—even Hu Erleng himself was perfectly clear.

Having been mocked right back by Hu Jiuze, Hu Erleng truly didn’t know how to respond as he stood there.

The Demon Clan’s temper is straightforward to begin with, and Hu Erleng was notorious for saying whatever came to mind.

He reached up and scratched his head. "I’m not as clever as Eighth Sister or Third Sister, sure, but I’m strong."

"We know you’re strong. Now shut up."

Hu Sanqiu glared at Hu Erleng, scolding him in a half‑playful tone.

Tang Ming slowly stood up. "All right, everyone stop arguing. We’ll just do as Aunt Jiuzhe said—the two of us will make a trip to Dou Niu Mountain."

"Little Sanqiu, come with me to prepare some gifts. Going to see an old friend with nothing in hand—won’t that make our Fox Spirit Mountain Range look stingy?"

Hu Jiuze stood and spoke.

Hu Sanqiu glanced at Fox Bachang. Seeing Fox Bachang nod, she followed Hu Jiuze out.

After Hu Jiuze left, Hu Jiusheng let out a long sigh. "Ba Chang, you’ve spoiled Ninth Sister too much."

"Then why didn’t you say that when your elder sister was still here? How could you possibly understand the bitterness in Sister Jiuzhe’s heart?"

Fox Bachang snorted, her gaze falling on Tang Ming.

Tang Ming smiled and said, "Aunt Jiuzhe just has a knot in her heart over what happened with my uncle back then, that’s all. In her heart, she’s still thinking of the Fox Spirit Mountain Range."

When Tang Ming brought up the events of those years, Hu Jiusheng fell silent, while Fox Bachang coughed lightly. "Tang Ming, let me tell you a few things. When you go to Dou Niu Mountain, you must show proper respect to Niu Hao. That’s the kind of man he is—if you treat him with respect, he’ll treat you more kindly. Words are like food: easy to swallow when you speak them smoothly, hard to choke down when you speak them harshly."

"I understand."

Tang Ming nodded. Fox Bachang could be called both a good teacher and a helpful friend; she was always subtly teaching Tang Ming about matters of governance.

Ordinarily, when Tang Ming listened to Fox Bachang, he only felt that her words made sense and didn’t think much of them. But in hindsight, he realized Fox Bachang had been quietly changing some of his ways, making him more like a leader.

From how Fox Bachang now rarely speaks up, to how the various Elders of the Fox Spirit Mountain Range treat Tang Ming with respect, one can see this is the prestige Fox Bachang helped him build, laying solid groundwork for Tang Ming to become City Lord of West Continent City in the future.

"Mm. I believe you’ll do well. With Dou Niu Mountain, West Continent City is already halfway risen. I believe you’ll definitely be even more outstanding than your father."

Fox Bachang smiled at Tang Ming, then finally walked out of the council hall.

Hu Mei’er came over to Tang Ming’s side. "Eighth Aunt really worries herself sick over you. Lately she’s held so many meetings in the Fox Spirit Mountain Range just to get everyone to accept you as the master of the Fox Spirit Mountain Range."

"I won’t let you all down. With Dou Niu Mountain, we’ll have vast tracts of grain fields. With grain fields, the Demon Slayer Clan will sooner or later come over to our side. Once that happens, the West Desolation will be ours for the taking."

The corners of Tang Ming’s mouth lifted slightly as he spoke.