NOVEL NEXT Chapter 243: Each Elevating
Zhang Tianyang was the only one who knew Han Zheng from the time he was weak.
At that time, Han Zheng was just an apprentice at the Martial Arts Hall, accidentally getting involved in the disputes of the Martial World, his life hanging by a thread.
But now, Han Zheng had become the Demon Sweeping Captain of Southern Mountain, a prominent figure in the entire Southern Mountain Demon Cleansing Department.
Back in Black Stone County, Yuan Longshan was so powerful that, even grievously injured, he almost claimed Han Zheng's life.
But now, even if Yuan Longshan were to come back to life, it would be easy for Han Zheng to kill him.
Watching the younger brother he had mentored now sit at the same level as himself, Zhang Tianyang felt not the slightest envy or discomfort, only joy.
This proved he had the ability to recognize true talent!
Han Zheng also said with a smile, "Lord Zhang, it's been a long time, hasn't it? Well, not too long really, but it feels like everything has changed."
"Yes, indeed, everything has changed," replied Zhang Tianyang with a sigh, probably thinking of Yuan Longshan.
Then he gently patted Han Zheng on the shoulder, "Stop calling me 'Lord.' We are both Demon Sweeping Captains now, and who knows, I might have to call you 'Lord' one day. Just call me 'Big Brother,' okay? By the way, when did you all get so close?"
Zhang Tianyang looked towards Su Wuming and Ye Liuyun.
Su Wuming smiled at Zhang Tianyang, and given Ye Liuyun's previous good relationship with Zhang, he chuckled and said, "Of course, it was when you weren't around, Big Brother Zhang. Today, since Brother Han has returned, how about I reserve a table at the Splendid House to welcome him?"
"Well, then I have no choice but to accept your kind offer."
An hour later, at the Splendid House, Han Zheng and others, including Yang Tianqi and Ye Caiyun, were present.
First, they drank a few rounds to welcome Han Zheng.
Setting down his cup, Han Zheng asked everyone, "Without seeing each other for months, it seems like everyone's cultivation has made significant progress."
Previously, Ye Liuyun was at the Half-step Xuan Gang Realm, now he had reached the Early Stage of the Xuan Gang Realm.
Su Wuming had failed to progress to the Xuan Gang Realm but had now reached the Middle Stage.
The fastest breakthrough in cultivation was achieved by Zhang Tianyang, who went directly from the Half-step Xuan Gang Realm to the Half-step Dan Sea Realm.
Ye Liuyun smiled and said, "To speak of quick development, Brother Han, your strength has improved the most impressively."
With that, they briefly shared their recent experiences.
Really, compared to Han Zheng, there wasn't much significance in their stories.
Ye Liuyun's case was the simplest; he was already at the Half-step Xuan Gang Realm. After Han Zheng left, he and Su Wuming jointly undertook a mission to slay a Great Demon, gaining some opportunities. Afterward, he exchanged his merit points for an Elixir and, with the insights about breaking through to the Xuan Gang Realm that Han Zheng provided, he naturally stepped into the Xuan Gang Realm.
Su Wuming, who had failed an earlier attempt to enter the Xuan Gang Realm, benefitted from the principle of accumulating over time. He exchanged all his merit for Elixir, stepping into the Xuan Gang Realm and continued to take Elixir in his practice. Unexpectedly, he encountered no accidents this time and even advanced to the Middle Stage.
It's normal for consecutive breakthroughs in realms to lead to unstable foundations.
However, Su Wuming's breakthroughs had been fraught with so many setbacks that his foundational strength was extraordinarily profound, almost like one layer of foundation on top of another.
With such accumulated depth, his consecutive realm advancements surprisingly showed no signs of instability, which was quite extraordinary.
Han Zheng was more curious about Zhang Tianyang.
Keep in mind, Zhang Tianyang's background was different from those of hereditary Martial Arts families like Ye Liuyun.
He had entered the military of Great Zhou in his early years simply as an ordinary soldier fighting in battles, only joining the Demon Cleansing Bureau later, so the total time he spent cultivating Martial Arts wasn't as long as Ye Liuyun's.
Yet now, Zhang Tianyang had reached as far as the Half-step Dan Sea Realm, and the difficulties this involved could only be imagined.
Zhang Tianyang took a big swig of his drink and mentioned that, as he had said, his rapid advance in cultivation also depended on luck and opportunity.
After the incident in Black Stone County ended, Zhang Tianyang went to Huainan Road to meet Chen Baxian, and he followed Chen in the campaign against Smell Fragrance Sect.
Chen Baxian obtained a secret medicine from the Smell Fragrance Sect which not only healed Zhang's injuries but also reversed some of his intrinsic physical talents.
Zhang Tianyang was also like Han Zheng, naturally having an average Martial Arts talent; it seemed he might peak at the Xuan Gang Realm.
But with the help of Chen Baxian this time, the peak potential of Zhang Tianyang was raised substantially.
Although combating the Smell Fragrance Sect posed great risks, the rewards were also immense.
The Smell Fragrance Sect had ravaged through Huainan Road, plundering numerous treasures from local major Sects and aristocratic families.
After the Smell Fragrance Sect was defeated by the Demon Cleansing Bureau, these treasures naturally became the spoils of war for the Bureau.
As for whether to return them or not, such a foolish question was never even raised.
It was with these items that Zhang Tianyang could be said to have grown stronger with each battle, his cultivation progressing rapidly.
Indeed, the same was true for the trio of Cui Zeyuan.
Before, only Tang Jue among the three of them had reached the Half-step Xuan Gang Realm.
But after the campaign against the Smell Fragrance Sect, all three had entered the Middle Stage of the Xuan Gang Realm.
At this point, Zhang Tianyang suddenly said angrily, "I've heard this time it was Wu Yunfei who forcefully took your Smoke Wave Prefecture to give it to Cui Zeyuan.
This action was a bit too much, relying on his merits to be arrogant, really thinking this Southern Mountain Demon Cleansing Department solely depended on their achievements?"
Ye Liuyun and others didn't yet know about this; they thought Han Zheng was simply here to report some situations and didn't expect he was actually forced to willingly cede the Smoke Wave Prefecture!
Su Wuming frowned tightly and said, "This is against the rules!"
Ye Liuyun snorted coldly, "That group has always been domineering. When have they ever followed the rules? So, Brother Han, did you really give the Smoke Wave Prefecture to Cui Zeyuan?"
Han Zheng took a sip of wine and said, "They have accrued a lot of merit in Huainan, and this was condoned by Lord Chen Baxian.
If I had forcibly refused to hand over the Smoke Wave Prefecture, the higher-ups wouldn't have seized it by force, but Chen Zhenfu would naturally compensate Cui Zeyuan elsewhere.
But the problem is, if I were to act like that, it would make it difficult for Officer Wen and Elder Xu, and it would also disrespect Chen Zhenfu while giving Cui Zeyuan undue advantages.
However, as compensation, Chen Zhenfu assigned me to lead the Kui Character Camp, and I'll be relying on you, Brother Su and Brother Ye."
Su Wuming chuckled lightly and nodded.
Before, no one wanted to work with him on assignments, except for Han Zheng who didn't care about these things.
Besides, he wasn't very good at giving orders, so having Han Zheng as his superior was naturally fine by him.
Ye Liuyun also smiled and said, "That's perfect then. After Officer Wen was promoted to Garrison Captain, I was wondering who should take over the Kui Character Camp.
If it were Cui Zeyuan's group, I certainly wouldn't accept them, but with Brother Han taking over, it's truly a win-win situation."
The Kui Character Camp, as a force of this strength, definitely couldn't be led by Ye Liuyun, who was only at the Early Stage of the Xuan Gang Realm, so he had no illusions about it.
But he would be displeased if it were Cui Zeyuan and the others taking over.
"By the way, Big Brother Zhang, now that you're back, has the upper echelon arranged any position for you?"
Han Zheng looked at Zhang Tianyang.
Zhang Tianyang paused for a moment, sighed, and shook his head, "Not yet; the five Garrison Captains will discuss matters tomorrow. We'll wait for their arrangements.
Mountain Character Camp was deliberately led by Yuan Longshan to Black Stone County for an apparent death, sacrificing some of them, and then again in Huainan resisting the Smell Fragrance Sect, sacrificing others.
Now the camp has fewer than fifty men left and might be disbanded."
The numbers in the camps of the Southern Mountain Demon Cleansing Department were quite flexible, and their strength was certainly not judged merely by numbers.
But most comprised between two and five hundred men.
Now that the Mountain Character Camp had even fewer than fifty men left, the risk of being disbanded was indeed looming.
Zhang Tianyang had been with the Mountain Character Camp since joining the Demon Cleansing Bureau and was naturally feeling mixed emotions now.
After a hearty meal and drink, everyone returned to the Demon Cleansing Department's government office, waiting for the next day's meeting.
With Wu Yunfei and the other three Garrison Captains returning, eighty percent of the Demon Cleansing Department's strength had finally returned to Southern Mountain.
During the campaign against the Smell Fragrance Sect, some were inevitably wounded, while others had accrued merits, so the entire positional hierarchy of the Southern Mountain Demon Cleansing Department would be adjusted.
Tomorrow's discussions among the five Garrison Captains and their participation as Demon Sweeping Colonels were aimed at reorganizing the entire job structure of the Southern Mountain Demon Cleansing Department.