Chapter 26: Chapter 19: The Pinnacle_1
Translator: 549690339
All under heaven is in chaos, all for the pursuit of profit.
The current situation seems like a tangled mess, but when dissected, it boils down to a two-character motive—interests!
Having successfully seized the crucial position of Hundred Broken Mountains, and no longer fearing encirclement by imperial officials and various powers, Xu Yang began the journey of trading between south and north, managing the affairs of the world.
With the unique geographical advantage of Hundred Broken Mountains and a monopoly on simple, cost-effective commodities like refined salt and colored glaze, he successfully opened up the markets of the south and the north, accomplishing the magnificent feat of becoming a world merchant.
As such, it goes without saying that the wealth he accumulated was substantial. Followers of Hundred Broken Mountains subsequently established two major trading companies in the south and north, along with four grand escort agencies in the east and west. In addition, they formed eight horse gangs and several fleets to conduct land and sea trade, dealing in salt, iron, food, horses, and even military equipment. They can be said to be rich across the Four Seas, with achievements in all directions.
However, in all things, there exists a balance. When one side rises, another must fall; when one side prospers, another must decline. The rise of Hundred Broken Mountains inevitably encroached on the interests of various parties.
The imperial court, the officialdom!
The clans, the powerful elites!
The Martial World, the factions!
There’s only so much wealth in the world, already divided and held by various powers. With Hundred Broken Mountains cutting in and taking over the market, it inevitably had to compete, snatch, and even fight with these forces.
In the beginning, it wasn’t too bad because Xu Yang’s True Qi was not yet fully formed and his martial arts skills were still shallow. Thus, he employed a strategy of profit-sharing cooperation, ceding significant benefits to collaborate with noble families, reputable sects, and even imperial officials, allowing them to also have a share of the profits, which permitted Hundred Broken Mountains to be accepted.
But as time went on, Xu Yang’s skills were refined, and after he emerged from the mountains and defeated renowned experts of the Martial World one after another, Hundred Broken Mountains’ actions became increasingly overbearing. The offered profits diminished more and more until eventually, he terminated the cooperation, forcefully dominating all major markets and squeezing the living space of the other forces.
Salt, iron, grain, silk, horses, medicine, and closely related businesses such as restaurants, inns, escort agencies, horse gangs, and fleets—whether it was the noble clans, the imperial government, or the leading sects of the Martial World, the market interests they occupied were massively infringed upon and even monopolized by Hundred Broken Mountains.
Now who could tolerate this?
No one could!
But they had to, because there was a towering mountain they couldn’t cross, pressing down on their heads.
In awe of Xu Yang’s might that subdued the Martial World, the major powers could only grind their teeth and endure.
And endure they did, for decades, until today, when they could no longer tolerate it and were ready to confront Hundred Broken Mountains head-on.
After so many years of endurance, why couldn’t they bear it any longer all of a sudden?
There’s no other reason—times have changed!
Decades ago, it was the prime of Xu Yang, and his pressure over the Martial World was unquestionable. Even the imperial court and the royal family acquiesced to Hundred Broken Mountains’ presence after a few instances of Xu Yang’s intimidating visits to the forbidden palace.
But decades later, this Heavenly King Li, who once shook the world, had reached the ripe old age of a hundred. How much strength and capability does the once myth of the Martial World, the Peerless Master, still retain after the merciless passage of time?
Furthermore, with the imperial dynasty in decline, the end of the era approaching, heroes rising up throughout the land, and regional powers becoming established warlords amid the smoke of battle, all forces began investing and betting, joining the strife for supremacy. Naturally, they could no longer tolerate the existence of a mountain like Hundred Broken Mountains above them.
Therefore, this situation inevitably came to pass.
The imperial influence represented by Princess Qingpin seeks to swallow
Hundred Broken Mountains, using the immense wealth accumulated by Hundred Broken Mountains to support the faltering state of the nation and, in the process, provoke conflicts within the Martial World to weaken all parties.
The same goes for Li Shaobai of the Sacred Fire Sect, who covets the immense wealth of Hundred Broken Mountains, aiming to seize its foundation to strengthen itself, overthrow the imperial government, and ascend to the position of emperor.
Even the reputable sects and renowned elders of the Martial World, though they lack the scale and ambition, equally covet the wealth of Hundred Broken
Mountains, as well as the fame, prestige, and martial prowess that those in the Martial World chase.
This is the Martial World!
This is the world!
All things, everything, at their root, are about those two words—fame and gain.
Therefore, Xu Yang says they are all of the same path, people who can’t tolerate his presence, can’t tolerate the presence of Hundred Broken Mountains!
But if they can’t tolerate Xu Yang, does that mean Xu Yang will tolerate them?
In this world of martial arts, he has reached the ultimate peak, subdued the Martial World for decades, unmatched and unstoppable!
But this isn’t Xu Yang’s ultimate pursuit, and the value of this world to him has not yet been fully exploited.
Today is not the curtain call of his era, nor the end of his life. On the contrary, today he will unveil a new chapter in the life of “Li Qing Shan,” starting—not creating—a whole new era!
So…
“Come!”
“Let’s see how much you’ve grown over the years!” Xu Yang boldly challenged, but below him…
There was silence!
The crowd fell silent, not daring to speak, their eyes filled with doubt and astonishment.
If things had developed as expected, they would have unquestionably joined hands and attacked together on the spot.
But now, the development of events was completely unpredictable. Who would dare to make the first move against this Defence Heavenly King, who had suppressed the Martial World for decades and had now seemingly regained his youth and mastered some unfathomable Divine Skill?
No one dared!
“You dare not?”
“No matter!” Xu Yang, seeing this, was unconcerned. “I’ll give you some courage!”
With that, he waved his hand. “All those from Hundred Broken Mountains, exit immediately! ” “This…”
“Grandmaster! “