Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

The reason was simple, Yang Zhenshan was spending too much on the Four Seas Navy, the Ministry of War's armaments, the Ministry of Revenue's money and grain, and the Ministry of Industry's warships, stepping on the toes of certain individuals.

However, no one impeached Yang Zhenshan because everyone knew it would be futile.

At most, they would grumble to Emperor Yanping.

After the morning court session ended, Emperor Yanping returned to the Imperial Study Room. After reviewing several memorials, he couldn't help but complain.

"Marquis Jing'an really doesn't make things easy for me!"

Beside him, Zhang Mingzhong chuckled and said, "Your Majesty should understand that Marquis Jing'an has always liked to stir things up!"

He wasn't speaking ill of Yang Zhenshan, but stating the truth.

Yang Zhenshan had always been synonymous with stirring things up, whether in the Tenglong Guard or in Chongshan Town, he had caused quite a few incidents.

Just thinking about the ten million Silver debt of Chongshan Town, one would understand how much he liked to stir things up.

Anyone else would never dare to owe such a large sum of Silver.

Emperor Yanping also understood Yang Zhenshan; his complaints were just that, without any dissatisfaction towards Yang Zhenshan.

"Allocate half a million Silver from the inner treasury and send it to him! The Ministry of Revenue probably has no more Silver Coin left!" Emperor Yanping instructed.

These days, the Ministry of Revenue was constantly coming to him claiming poverty, making him very annoyed.

Fortunately, his inner treasury still held a good amount of actual Silver, which could be sent to Yang Zhenshan first.

Having money in hand, one is calm at heart.

Emperor Yanping was now quite a wealthy man, with the Imperial Commerce Bureau earning him two to three million Silver each year, most of which he had scarcely touched.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Zhang Mingzhong complied and went to transfer the Silver to Yang Zhenshan.

...

Zhao Wu Guard.

In the dead of night, Yang Zhenshan stood in the small courtyard, watching the sky filled with gloomy clouds.

It was going to rain!

And a heavy downpour at that!

In the next moment, a ghastly white lightning flashed abruptly in the pitch-black night sky, as if the firmament had cracked open.

Boom~

The thunderous sound echoed, resounding through the heavens.

Soon, large raindrops began pouring down heavily.

Yang Zhenshan's mind stirred slightly, a faint greenish glow appearing on the surface of his body, forming a thin film that repelled the raindrops.

With the rain pouring down, he stood quietly in the rain.

He was like a statue, and if it weren't for the flashes of lightning, probably no one would notice his presence.

Time passed by the second, until the lower areas of the courtyard were filled with water, then Yang Zhenshan finally turned and went inside.

"Marquis!"

Inside, his personal follower, Li Chang, called out softly.

"Mm, you go rest, don't mind me!" Yang Zhenshan said and then entered the inner chamber.

Li Chang didn't bother with him and just sat on the stool, leaning against the wall and dozing off.

The personal followers had gotten used to Yang Zhenshan's temper and ways. This mysterious standing in the yard pretending to be a statue was not the first time Yang Zhenshan had done such a thing.

After entering the inner chamber, Yang Zhenshan's thoughts stirred, and he entered the Spiritual Spring Space.

Inside the Spiritual Spring Space, the Three Yellow Plums and Ice Heart Fruits had ripened.

The two Ice Heart Fruit Trees yielded a total of thirty-six Ice Heart Fruits, and the single Three Yellow Plum Tree bore only twelve Three Yellow Plums.

The number of fruits yielded by the Ice Heart Fruit Trees was fixed, bearing fruit once every three years, with each bearing only eighteen fruits.

The number of fruits from the Three Yellow Plum Tree would increase with the tree's age.

This year was the first time the Three Yellow Plums bore fruit, yielding only twelve.

Yang Zhenshan had already gathered all the fruits, but these past few days he had been continuously refining the Jade Bone Ice Heart Pills.

A single Ice Heart Fruit could be refined into a Jade Bone Ice Heart Pill, and he would refine one each night, having already produced four Jade Bone Ice Heart Pills.

Once Yang Zhenshan refined all the Ice Heart Fruits into Jade Bone Ice Heart Pills, he would have twelve Three Yellow Plums and thirty-six Jade Bone Ice Heart Pills in his possession.

With so many Three Yellow Plums and Jade Bone Ice Heart Pills, he could even accumulate enough to produce an Innate Martial Artist.

If he waited another decade or so for the Star Origin Fruits to bear fruit, by then the entire Da Rong's Spirit Fruit resources would not compare to what Yang Zhenshan held.

More importantly, the Spiritual Spring Space was large enough to continuously cultivate more Spirit Fruits. The thought of having an endless supply of Spirit Fruits in the future filled Yang Zhenshan with anticipation.

After spending two hours refining a Jade Bone Ice Heart Pill, Yang Zhenshan then tended to the Treasure Medicine Garden within the Spiritual Spring Space and took the time to bond with his horse.

It was not until dawn that Yang Zhenshan finally stepped out of the Spiritual Spring Space and began practicing with his spear in the courtyard.

The Xuan Tie Spear moved effortlessly in his hands, displaying terrifying power with every move.

While Yang Zhenshan was practicing, An Yuxing somehow found himself sitting on the wall, sipping from a wine gourd intermittently.

"Why do you practice spear every day?"

He asked, somewhat puzzled.

Once a Martial Artist reaches the Innate Level, it is actually unnecessary to practice spear or sword techniques daily. As the saying goes, 'the formless overcomes the formed,' Innate Martial Artists are not constrained by technique; every move should be as the heart desires.

Typically, Innate Martial Artists would practice their spear or sword techniques once every few days just to maintain their skills.

There are especially unique individuals who have discarded spear or sword techniques altogether, such as An Xingyu, who in his early years practiced with a hard whip that could shatter rocks with a single lash. Yet now, he spends his days either holding a wine gourd or carrying a wine pot, never carrying a whip.

"Out of habit!" Yang Zhenshan replied with a smile as he put away his spear.

"That's not a good habit. You would be better off comprehending the subtleties of the Mystical Mechanism with that effort," An Yuxing said nonchalantly.

"Aren't those subtleties reflected in each and every move?" Yang Zhenshan disagreed.

The so-called 'Mystical Mechanism' refers to the specific traits of Innate True Qi. Innate True Qi of different properties holds unique mechanisms, and each Martial Artist's understanding of the Innate is different, resulting in distinct comprehensions of this profound subtlety.

Thus, the Mystical Mechanism varies from person to person.

There is no such thing as the strongest mechanism in the world, only the mechanism that suits one best.

While An Yuxing may seem to spend his days drinking like a drunkard, to him, drinking is also a form of cultivation.

An Yuxing glanced at Yang Zhenshan and suddenly waved his sleeve; in an instant, water condensed into arrows and shot towards Yang Zhenshan.

Yang Zhenshan thrust his spear, and with a single thrust, more than a dozen spear lights emerged, each accurately hitting the water arrows.

The sound of 'pop pop' echoed continuously as True Qi collided and scattered, leaving behind minuscule holes on the ground and walls.

Seeing this, An Yuxing's face showed surprise.

"This is!"

Yang Zhenshan stroked his beard and smiled, "What do you think of this move?"

An Yuxing rubbed his chin, "It seems you've touched the threshold of Ruwei and found the key on the path of the Mystical Mechanism."

"But it's still far from surpassing your senior!" Yang Zhenshan said.

Controlling the qi with his spear and instantaneously forming more than a dozen spear lights was indeed one manifestation of Ruwei.

As for the Mystical Mechanism, the nature of the Yimu Chang Chun True Qi is versatility; Yimu represents life in spring like peach and plum blossoms, in summer like crops, in autumn like paulownia and cassia, and in winter like wondrous flowers.

Growing all things continuously; in the heavens, it is wind, on the earth, it is trees, known as Yin Wood.

With Jia in the Celestial Stems and Yin concealed in the Earthly Branches, it is said to be where kites tie to the pine and cypress. Assisted in spring and supported in autumn, thus suitable for spring and autumn, meaning it adapts to all seasons.

Supplemented by Chang Chun, there is an added persistence to its versatility – spring is everlasting in spring and autumn, everything is in the springtime, Yimu may be gentle, yet Chang Chun withstands the long gaze.

Yang Zhenshan's understanding of the Yimu Chang Chun Skill is exactly this versatility and persistence.

Combined with the spear techniques and forms he was accustomed to, it allowed his every move to carry many variations.

Of course, this was only his current understanding. He was right; whether it was the Mystical Mechanism or Ruwei, he was still far behind An Yuxing.

However, An Yuxing didn't think so, "You've only entered the Innate Realm for a few years, while this old man has been in the Innate for nearly fifty. Perhaps in a few more years, you might surpass this old man!"

Yang Zhenshan smiled, put away his spear, and did not elaborate further.

If it were about surpassing An Yuxing, he still had some confidence. But regarding the journey ahead, he felt quite lost.

In the way of the Innate, he only saw two paths—Mystical Mechanism and Ruwei. As for truly Entering Tao, he was still utterly clueless.