Chapter 73

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Lin Zheng maintained a calm expression and tentatively asked, "Lord City, may I take a guess? Is this matter related to the Seven Cities?"

"Oh? I didn’t expect you, young Lin, to know about this as well?" The City Lord’s tone was quite surprised, but his face showed no hint of surprise.

"Lord City, let’s not beat around the bush. This is my fiancée, Li Ruoshui, daughter of the Li family of Ze Shui City. I believe you have also received the news, right? Moreover, the Wen and Tie families have a good relationship with me. Through these few days of interaction, I naturally learned some things. Also, Duke Kang Zhi’an has told me some things, so it’s not surprising that I can guess this matter," Lin Zheng said frankly.

"Ha ha, young Lin, you speak your mind. I naturally know that you have a general understanding of this matter. I invited you here today precisely to ask for your opinion."

"Please, Lord City, explain in detail!"

"This is a long story. The Tianxuan Empire controls one-third of the land on the barbaric continent. On this continent, countless small countries coexist. These small countries often engage in wars, so we, the Seven Cities, are the local forces that suppress these small countries. However, each of our seven cities needs supplies from the Tianxuan Empire and some resource allocation. Each city does its best to expand its influence, so every five years, there is a competition, which is the Seven Heroes Struggle you have heard about!"

"Seven cities can suppress these small countries? To be honest, I haven’t seen the true strength of Wushuang City. Could it be that Wushuang City is just a front, and in secret..." Lin Zheng didn’t finish his sentence, just looking at the City Lord with his eyes.

"Ha ha, you are indeed smart. I can’t reveal the specifics to you, but you should know that each of the seven cities has the ability to wipe out any small country under the Tianxuan Empire, and they can do it effortlessly!" The City Lord’s words were calm, but they exuded an unprecedented sense of grandeur.

"En, perhaps this is also the reason why the five major families in Wushuang City are wary of the City Lord’s residence. These major families don’t seem weak, but they are very respectful in front of the City Lord. It seems that this time, there is a real chance to approach that so-called lost history! It seems that this City Lord is not as simple as he appears!" Lin Zheng thought to himself, then after some contemplation, he raised his head and said, "Since Lord City has spoken, I, Lin, will naturally not refuse. Please give your instructions, Lord City!"

"Ha ha, good, very good! With this, Wushuang City’s chances of entering the top three this year have greatly increased!" A hint of joy flashed in the City Lord’s eyes, and he continued, "Good, I will first explain the rules of the Seven Heroes Struggle in detail so you can prepare in advance!"

"Actually, the Seven Heroes Struggle is quite simple. All the countries under each city will select their elites to participate in this competition. These countries are actually under our seven cities, don’t be surprised, a city’s strength can surpass some countries. You will understand this in time. After this competition, it will be decided who will receive the largest resources in the next five years, who will expand their territory, and who can rise to the upper echelons of the imperial city! Also, who will gain the favor of the Six Paths and other true powers? All of this will be decided after the competition!"

The City Lord’s words were not yet finished, but Lin Zheng’s heart was already in turmoil. Finally, he heard news about the Six Paths. No matter what, he must participate in this competition and perform outstandingly. Only then can he come into contact with the true major powers on this continent and obtain information about his brother.

Lin Zheng strongly suppressed his inner excitement and listened to the City Lord’s narration without showing any signs. It was mostly about the rules of the competition, but the City Lord explained it quite simply. Since there were still three months until the competition, there was plenty of time to discuss these matters later.

"I wonder why Lord City chose us? Don’t you suspect our backgrounds?" Lin Zheng asked after the City Lord had finished speaking.

"Ha ha, to be honest, I had someone investigate you. You are all from a small village at the foot of Wu Kong Mountain, and you are a disciple of Wu Kong Sect. You remained silent for three years, then made a stunning appearance. You killed Zhao Yu of the Zhao family during the sect’s assessment and forced back the head of the Zhao family and his group! Later, you stayed in the village for a year before coming to Wushuang City, where you met Luo Lingling’s grandfather and killed bandits along the way. Later..." The City Lord recounted the intelligence he had gathered, and Lin Zheng didn’t interrupt, just listened quietly. It was clear that the City Lord’s methods were not to be underestimated, as he had thoroughly investigated them in just a few days.

"I suppose your family must be a fallen noble family?" The City Lord suddenly asked.

"I didn’t expect Lord City to guess it. Yes, our family has fallen, and we have been living at the foot of Wu Kong Mountain for years. This time, we came to Wushuang City just to stay temporarily. To be frank, we came here to create a cause and restore our family’s prestige!" Lin Zheng’s words were half true and half false, but they were flawless.

"Ha ha, young Lin, rest assured. No matter the outcome of this competition, Wushuang City will definitely help you restore your family’s prestige!" The City Lord’s eyes showed no hint of doubt, and he left a huge temptation for Lin Zheng. Of course, the condition was that Lin Zheng would be tempted by this benefit. To restore a family’s prestige, for an ordinary family, the support of a powerful city like Wushuang City would be more than enough. As one of the Seven Cities, Wushuang City wielded absolute power, and supporting a family was no problem. However, how could the City Lord imagine the glory and might of Lin Zheng’s original family? Even if the entire Tianxuan Empire were to pour all its resources, it might not restore that glory!

Lin Zheng calmly bowed to the City Lord and said, "Thank you, Lord City, for your kindness. I hope you will help us when the time comes. Additionally, I will do my best in this competition!"

"Ha ha, good! Very good! If young Lin needs anything, just send someone to ask. Whether it’s crystals, pills, secret techniques, all the resources of Wushuang City are at your disposal!"

These words deeply moved Lin Zheng and Li Ruoshui. After learning about the strength of Wushuang City, the City Lord could still say such things, clearly wanting Lin Zheng and his group to make large requests. On one hand, it was to display the city’s strength, and on the other, it was to show favor to Lin Zheng and his group. In terms of respecting talent, the City Lord of Wushuang City did it flawlessly!

They chatted for a while longer, but this time it was just casual conversation. Lin Zheng didn’t directly ask about the specific strength behind Wushuang City, and the City Lord didn’t ask about Lin Zheng’s strength. They chatted about everyday matters, and Li Ruoshui responded calmly. She was more familiar with many things than the newcomer Lin Zheng. They chatted until noon, made some arrangements, and then Lin Zheng and Li Ruoshui left.

Back home, Lin Zheng gathered everyone and recounted everything that happened at the City Lord’s residence. Everyone’s expressions were different, but they all showed a hint of joy!

"Lin Wen, check how many crystals we have left," Lin Zheng said.

"En, no problem. The Tang family has already delivered the stakes from that night’s banquet, and they added quite a bit more to the original amount. It seems they are trying to make amends. It’s not just because of the leniency of my third brother that night; the City Lord must have done some work behind the scenes! With this, we have enough crystals to last us for a while!" Lin Wen thought for a moment and analyzed.

"En, that’s good. It seems the battle is coming soon!" Lin Zheng said thoughtfully.

"By the way, everyone should go into seclusion and practice these days. Lin Wen, you should be busier, interacting more with the City Lord’s residence and the Wen and Tie families. The rest of you should try to improve your strength as much as possible. I have a feeling this competition is not as simple as it seems!" Lin Zheng thought for a moment and added, "The Seven Cities are far more terrifying than they appear. If the Tianxuan Empire is divided into seven, each city controls one-seventh of the empire. This one-seventh is a terrifying number, with trillions of people. How many sects and martial geniuses are there? It’s probably countless. The fact that the Seven Cities can firmly control this world is enough to show their strength!"

Lin Dao, Lin Qian, and Lin Wen all nodded, with serious expressions. Only Lin Qin had a bitter face. For her, the tedious practice was not suitable, but she didn’t object. She knew that if she really encountered danger, it would be bad enough if she couldn’t help, but if she became a burden, she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself.

Sigh! Well, well! I’ll just practice well this time! Lin Qin shook her head and sighed to herself.

Lin Zheng naturally knew what Lin Qin was thinking, but in this situation, he had no choice but to let her. After all, this was a crucial step. If they couldn’t take this step, or if they took it poorly, their future actions would be much more difficult.

For the rest of the day, Lin Zheng met with Wen Tianqing and Tie Mu Zhan. To his surprise, they both said they would be practicing with their elders for the next few days and might not be able to visit often. However, if the Lin residence needed anything, their families would not refuse. Lin Zheng immediately understood that they were also preparing for the Seven Heroes Struggle. He didn’t hide anything and told them about the City Lord’s residence. Both were surprised for a moment but then very happy, thinking that having a powerful expert join would greatly increase Wushuang City’s chances of winning. They encouraged each other, and Wen Tianqing and Tie Mu Zhan then left.

Even Kang Zhi’an came over, both to advise Lin Zheng and to say goodbye. Kang Zhi’an’s illness had been cured, and he had advanced to the Sage realm, so he was returning to the army. He left all his assets in Wushuang City to Lin Zheng, including farmland, mansions, and shops, without leaving a single thing. Lin Zheng didn’t refuse, as he didn’t value these things much, and as a Duke and now a Sage, Kang Zhi’an naturally viewed these things even more lightly.

Thus, Lin Zheng made a huge fortune, almost making the old Luo faint. When had he seen so much wealth? As for Luo Lingling, her eyes sparkled with excitement, and she immediately started organizing all the assets. By evening, she had handed a detailed list to Lin Zheng and the others. Even Li Ruoshui, from a noble family, was surprised by the assets on the list. This time, without lifting a finger, they had gained such wealth. In terms of assets, Lin Zheng’s net worth was now on par with any noble family.

PS: First day of June, first update