Chapter 60

"Receiving the transmission sword talisman from the town’s guardian, Liu Chengyu, it was revealed that Sun Zelei of Huashan Town had colluded with the Sky Wolf Sect to first kidnap the eldest son of the guardian of Ningji, Ning Bin. Then, they coerced Ningji to purchase spirit grains at high prices throughout the town. After Ning Bin was rescued, the Sky Wolf Sect, upon realizing the loss of their hostage, assassinated Ningji. Ning Bin, upon realizing his father’s demise, secretly informed the Ning family, one of the three major powers in the county. Through the Ning family, he summoned experts from the Heaven Shaking Sect, using the Sky Wolf Sect’s talisman as bait to ambush and kill twenty-three members of the Sky Wolf Sect, including six martial realm cultivators, one of whom was a high-level martial realm cultivator, twenty miles outside the guardian’s residence."

Yang Tiangang raised the transmission sword talisman in his hand and roughly narrated the content to the people present, then continued, "Afterward, Wu Fengzhu, the deputy guardian of Huashan Town, who had been feigning cooperation with the enemy, acted to eliminate the traitor Sun Zelei. Together with the Ning family and the Heaven Shaking Sect reinforcements, they attacked and broke through the guardian’s residence. The remaining members of the Sky Wolf Sect were rescued by our sect and retreated to Qiwu Mountain."

Yang Tiangang roughly recounted the events of Huashan Town to those present. Xu Sanlang curiously asked, "Why did the Sky Wolf Sect buy spirit grains from Huashan Town at such high prices? I haven’t heard of any natural disasters or human calamities in Zhang County."

Han Xiumei sneered, "Do we even need to ask? I think it’s highly likely that the Sky Wolf Sect already knew about the locust plague. It might even be something they orchestrated themselves. Don’t think it’s strange if they sell the spirit grains back to us at double the price after we suffer the disaster."

Zhang Tiesmith hesitated and asked, "This makes sense, Yang brother. Did the guardian, Lord Liu, mention in his transmission how much spirit grain Huashan Town lost?"

Yang Tiangang sighed, "The villages of Huashan Town were all attracted by the high prices offered by the Sky Wolf Sect, and a total of 1,800 shi of spirit grains were purchased!"

"1,800 shi!" The crowd exclaimed in shock, and Zhang Tiesmith even exclaimed, "How could it be so much?"

Spirit grains have a low yield. The entire Tushan Village only harvests about 1,500 to 1,600 shi of spirit grains in a year. Even someone with Yang Tiangang’s background can’t afford to eat spirit grain three times a day.

Now, just before the harvest, after half a year of consumption, there wouldn’t be much grain left in the farmers’ homes. 1,800 shi almost drained the last reserves of spirit grains from most of the spirit grain farmers in Huashan Town.

Yang Tiangang said solemnly, "This year, the conditions in Huashan Town were even better than ours. The most experienced spirit grain farmers predicted a bountiful harvest. Therefore, the spirit grain farmers in Huashan Town had no worries. Moreover, the Sky Wolf Sect offered a very high price, and the farmers were concerned about the price dropping after the harvest, so they sold their stored spirit grains."

"Of the 1,800 shi of spirit grains, 1,200 shi have already been transported back to Zhang County. The remaining 800 shi were burned by the retreating Sky Wolf Sect cultivators when the guardian’s residence was recaptured, and only about 200 shi were salvaged."

In the hall, there was a chorus of chest-beating and curses against the Sky Wolf Sect for their wastefulness. The spirit grain farmers’ attachment to their spirit fields and grains was something others couldn’t understand.

Xu Sanlang whispered, "In other words, the hope of the entire Huashan Town rests on the upcoming harvest of spirit grains. If, as Yang brother said, a major locust plague is coming, then... then the entire Huashan Town..."

The crowd fell into a silence, their hearts filled with icy cold. The Sky Wolf Sect’s actions could be said to have cut off the life of Huashan Town.

Yang Tiangang broke the silence, "Regardless of whether the locust plague comes, Guardian Liu requires all villages to be on high alert. Of course, this means being cautious of outsiders to prevent infiltrators from Zhang County from causing trouble. However, we should also take this opportunity to organize the entire village and prepare for disaster. It would be best if the locust plague doesn’t come, but if it does, we won’t be caught off guard."

The cultivators of Tushan Village exchanged glances and, led by Xu Sanlang and Zhang Tiesmith, said in unison, "We will follow the orders of the village chief."

Yang Tiangang said loudly, "Good. If the locust plague is indeed related to the events in Huashan Town, it will most likely come from the south. We should gather the highest-level cultivators in the village to defend the south. According to tradition, the village chief should hold the center, while Brother Zhang and the head of the Xu family guard the flanks. However, this locust plague might be different from the past, and our village now has four martial realm cultivators. Therefore, I propose that Brother Zhang and I defend the center to the south. What do you think?"

Before Zhang Tiesmith could nod in agreement, Xu Sanlang giggled, "So the flanks will be guarded by me and Sister Yang! However, Sister Yang has just advanced to the martial realm and doesn’t have her own magical artifact. Therefore, I will guard the southeast corner."

Han Xiumei’s eyes twinkled, and she also laughed, "I heard that the Xu family has a low-grade magical artifact. If you can lend this artifact to me, I will take charge of the southeast corner."

Xu Sanlang smiled, "Sister, you’re joking. Don’t listen to the village gossip. The Xu family only has this one magical artifact. If we had another, it wouldn’t be hidden until now!"

Ignoring the competition between the two women, Yang Tiangang continued, "Call all the able-bodied adults in the village to prepare. Although the spirit grains in the fields are not yet fully mature, if the locust plague exceeds expectations, we must immediately organize everyone to harvest the spirit grains, even if it means some loss."

Pausing, Yang Tiangang continued, "Also, there are a few families in the village who only care about their own small plots of land. Tell them that if the village can’t hold, all the spirit fields will be destroyed. They shouldn’t play any tricks and should send their spirit grain farmers to the south of the village, not to guard their own small plots!"

"Also," Yang Tiangang suddenly thought of something and added, "This afternoon, take two-thirds of the jade coins from the village’s public account. Brother Zhang, please take the people from the Xu family and Iron Ox, Green Ox, and the others to gather the grain carts and go to the guardian’s residence to buy all the spirit grains available from the merchants in the town."

Zhang Tiesmith understood the urgency and nodded solemnly, "Rest assured, I will not fail you!"

Yang Tiangang nodded, "Yes, that’s all I can think of. If anyone here has any suggestions, please speak up, and we can discuss them..."

While Yang Tiangang and the villagers of Tushan Village were discussing the defense against the locust plague, Yang Junshan was feeling bewildered due to the discrepancies between his past life’s memories and the current reality.

In his past life’s memory, after the guardian of Huashan Town, Ningji, was killed, Sun Zelei became the successor. Ningji’s son escaped from Qiwu Mountain after the locust plague broke out and, with the support of the Ning family, identified Sun Zelei as the traitor who had assisted the Sky Wolf Sect in kidnapping him and coercing Ningji.

Sun Zelei was quickly executed, and Ningji was sent to the inner sect of the Heaven Shaking Sect for cultivation. The guardian of Huashan Town then became Wu Fengzhu.

However, Wu Fengzhu, after the Heaven Shaking Sect collapsed, was the first to declare Huashan Town’s independence from Yu County and joined the Sky Wolf Sect of Zhang County, quickly becoming a forward base for the Sky Wolf Sect’s entry into Yu County. Wu Fengzhu’s role in the Sky Wolf Sect’s rapid occupation of most of Mengyu County was significant.

Previously, Yang Junshan had saved Ning Bin, hoping that his early rescue might save his father’s life, keeping Huashan Town under the control of the Ning family in Mengyu County. This way, even if Yu County changed, the southern Huashan Town could serve as a barrier to stop or at least delay the Sky Wolf Sect’s entry into Mengyu County.

However, Ningji ultimately died, and despite the early exposure of Sun Zelei, the guardian’s position in Huashan Town still fell to Wu Fengzhu. Who would believe that Wu Fengzhu was a traitor of the Sky Wolf Sect, and what evidence is there? Instead, her role in assisting the Heaven Shaking Sect in reclaiming Huashan Town was a solid fact.

Yang Junshan tried hard to make some changes, but reality took a turn and ultimately returned to the historical trajectory of his past life, making him increasingly anxious.

Because Yang Tiangang and the villagers had reached a consensus, the people of Tushan Village quickly took action. All adults who had reached the fourth level of the human realm gathered outside the village, while those without cultivation prepared to harvest the spirit grains.

In fact, the grasshoppers