Chương 86: Claiming the Share

"You brat. Thirty four years old, and still not thinking about settling down?" Zhang Hanren seemed to recall something and fired back. Zhang Huaijin shook his head.

"Brother, I haven't hit my limit yet. Right now, growing stronger matters more to me. Besides, there's no one suitable. I know what I'm doing."

"As long as you know your own mind, that's fine. The family wouldn't be where it is today without you." The smile slowly faded from Zhang Hanren's face. His voice turned serious.

"And you've done plenty yourself. That spirit wine shop in Langya County Town is thriving. You deserve the credit, Big Brother." By now, Zhang Hanren had become a Tier 1, upper grade wine brewer.

"Without you and Father watching over things at home, what good would a thriving business do us?" Zhang Hanren's eyes burned with yearning for power.

"It would have been snatched away long ago." In the world of cultivation, only the strong could hold onto their resources.

"Don't give up Brother. Who knows? Maybe you'll successfully establish your foundation one day too," Zhang Huaijin said. He genuinely meant it. His elder brother was quiet and reserved, never saying much. But he wasn't arrogant or impatient, just incredibly calm. Without Zhang Hanren, the family's spirit wine shop would never have gained a foothold in Langya County Town. Of course, Miao Linhui was also a sharp businesswoman. The two of them worked together perfectly, making the shop flourish.

Miao Linhui had now reached the seventh level of the Qi Refining Realm. Because the Zhang family had risen to become a Foundation Establishment Realm clan, her standing in her birth family, the Miao clan, had soared. Back then, the Zhangs had needed the Miaos' protection. Now, the tables had completely turned. The Zhang family had become a power that the Miao clan could only dream of approaching. A Foundation Establishment Realm clan with two cultivators could secure two hundred years of glory.

The Miao and Yang clans could only look on with envy. This was simply fate.

"I won't give up." Zhang Hanren's voice was soft, but Zhang Huaijin could clearly hear the unshakable resolve beneath his words. He might walk slowly, but every step he took was firm. And now, his son has been tested and confirmed to have a Three Spirit Root talent. He had a successor. The weight on his shoulders had lifted. He would definitely try to walk the path to Foundation Establishment Realm, no matter what. The memory of Zhang Liliang's failed foundation attempt was still vivid.

But Zhang Hanren would not give up. Zhang Huaijin nodded. There were still ten years left. Maybe he could get his hands on a Foundation Establishment Pill. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. The brothers talked a little longer, then went their separate ways. After the first month of the year passed, Green Bamboo Mountain returned to its usual quiet. The Zhang clan now had over fifty members. For a Foundation Establishment family, their numbers were still thin.

Members of Huaijin's generation were starting to marry. Of course, only young women with Spirit Roots could marry into the Zhang clan. The union of two cultivators had a high chance of producing children with Spirit Roots of their own. And once a cultivator reached the Golden Core Realm, every child they bore was guaranteed to have a Spirit Root. Zhang Huaijin's cultivation steadily advanced. Meanwhile, Zhang Lixian had reached the peak of the second level of Foundation Establishment.

He would likely break through to the third level within a month. Zhang Huaijin went to find him.

"Huaijin, what is it?" Zhang Lixian had just finished his cultivation session and was regulating his meridians.

"The family is finally on solid ground. Our strength is stable." Zhang Huaijin's tone turned deliberate.

"It's time to discuss Langya County Town with the other clans." Zhang Lixian's expression sharpened.

"Long past time. We let them enjoy ten extra years of tax revenue without a word, and they still have the nerve to play dumb…" He gave a cold snort.

"Father, why would they be in a hurry when we weren't?" Zhang Huaijin said with a helpless smile.

"No time like the present. I'll send word today. Prepare for the Foundation Establishment competition. The Zhang family has lost ten years' worth of spirit stones. In this competition, we're taking a larger share." Zhang Lixian's voice was urgent. Every single day meant spirit stones slipping through their fingers.

"Alright. I'll handle the competition myself," Zhang Huaijin said. Zhang Lixian didn't argue. Which cultivator in all of Qingtai Prefecture didn't know of Zhang Huaijin's combat prowess? His own fighting strength wasn't weak, but compared to his son's, there was simply no comparison. Langya County Town was a trading post, jointly held and guarded by the Foundation Establishment Realm clans of Langya County. Its annual tax revenue was seven to eight thousand spirit stones, sometimes even ten thousand.

It varied from year to year. One tenth of the total went directly to the Fang family as tribute. The remaining ninety percent was divided among the three Foundation Establishment Realm clans according to their strength. Originally, the Gao clan held forty percent, the Yan clan thirty percent, and the Tian clan only twenty percent. Now, a fourth Foundation Establishment Realm clan had appeared in Langya County.

Ten years had passed since the Zhang family had risen to that level, yet they still hadn't raised the issue of their share. Naturally, the other three clans pretended ignorance. Because once a clan took a share of the county town's revenue, they had to station a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator there as a guard. Ten years ago, the Zhang family only had Zhang Lixian. If he had to stay in the county town, what would happen to Green Bamboo Mountain?

This was one of the difficulties of a newly promoted Foundation Establishment Realm clan. Everything had to be built from scratch. Each clan's share was based on their strength. Now, the Zhang clan was on solid footing. The spirit beast tide was over. They had two Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators. The time was right. As a steady income stream, they could expect to receive about two thousand spirit stones annually. That was a huge sum. No one could ignore it.

The three clans were surprisingly calm when they received the Zhang family's message. If the Zhangs hadn't made a move by now, the other clans might have started wondering if Zhang Huaijin and his father simply didn't care about the county town's income. It would have been suspicious. Only one family was truly worried. The Tian clan. During the spirit beast tide, Tian Jianwei had fallen at Blood Lion Mountain. His body had been devoured by the spirit beasts.

When Tian Jianmo received the news, he could hardly believe it. But after confirming the facts, he had no choice but to accept them. Tian Jianwei's death was a devastating blow to an already weakened clan. The Tian family couldn't withstand any more upheaval. Zhang Huaijin's terrifying combat record made Tian Jianmo especially wary. After all, Zhang Huaijin had personally killed eight Tier 2, mid grade spirit beasts back at Blood Lion Mountain. Just thinking about it made Tian Jianmo's scalp prickle.