"Dead?"
Zhou An was taken aback for a moment.
After he came to his senses, he carefully scrutinized Zhang Yao a few times and, noticing that his clothes were not torn, he couldn't help but sigh, "It seems your strength is more formidable than I imagined, truly surpassing my former self."
"This little trick is nothing."
Zhang Yao shook his head and said, "Recently, Changping City has not been very stable, with undercurrents surging, and chaos has already emerged."
"In the Governor's Mansion, I feel it most clearly; the Wang Family has secretly arranged many actions."
"That's normal."
Zhou An nodded, implying, "The Wang Family has ruled Changping City for decades, thanks to that one Jade Pillar holding up the sky."
"Now that the Celestial Pillar is about to collapse, the Wang Family naturally needs to plan for the future, form alliances on various fronts, and strive to stabilize the situation to continue their rule."
Zhang Yao was silent for a while, then softly asked, "Master, just how old is that old master of the Wang Family?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou An carefully recalled before cautiously saying, "That old master, achieved Grandmaster at over fifty, has protected the Wang Family's peace for decades."
"If not a century old by now, he should at least be in his eighties or nineties."
"So at least over ninety!"
Zhang Yao squinted and said, "Even though Martial Arts Grandmasters have long lifespans, at such an age, life should run its course."
"Indeed."
Zhou An agreed, "However, a Grandmaster can lock their vitality and maintain their physical form until just before dying."
"Don't be fooled by his ninety-plus years; he can still exert sixty to seventy percent of his strength, and in Changping City, he remains invincible."
"Even if four or five Absolute Peak Experts join forces, they cannot be his match."
Zhang Yao took a deep breath and asked, "Do you think the Wang Family can survive this crisis?"
"It's difficult."
Zhou An shook his head, cautiously saying, "The Wang Family was merely a small family in earlier years, rising suddenly due to that Grandmaster."
"After their rise, they've acted very domineering and tyrannical; all the forces in the city have dared not speak out against them."
"Even in recent years, despite slightly better conduct, they still maintain all-around oppression, offending too many!"
"Put simply, as long as that old master is alive, the Wang Family's status remains secure, and at most, other forces dare only make minor moves."
"But if he dies, the Wang Family might be attacked from all sides, likely facing annihilation!"
Zhang Yao was silent for a while before quietly asking, "What if he goes mad before dying, slaughtering all strong factions in the city like Martial Arts Associations, noble families, and Commerce Associations?"
"That's impossible."
Zhou An shook his head, saying, "The few Absolute Peak Experts in the city are no lambs to the slaughter. At such times, they are more cautious and won't gather together to give him a chance."
"In his state, he might kill one or two people before passing prematurely, which would only lead to chaos spiraling out of control."
"I understand."
Zhang Yao solemnly nodded, and the plans in his heart became clearer.
...
Lü Cang's death didn't stir much in Changping City.
Besides a few curious individuals paying attention, the most significant change was probably the Wang Family actively seeking out Zhang Yao and raising his annual salary to four hundred and fifty taels of silver.
Zhang Yao did not refuse and accepted it with peace of mind.
While pondering the secrets of the Grandmaster, he closely observed the changes in the city's situation, visiting his master Zhou An at the martial hall every few days.
Two months went by, and the situation in Changping City grew tenser. Though seemingly harmonious on the surface, chaos had long brewed underneath.
The Wang Family's activities became more frequent, and Zhang Yao even discovered they were secretly transferring some direct descendants to Lingjiang City, a hundred miles away.
"It's time to act."
Feeling the time was right, Zhang Yao quietly left the Governor's Mansion one evening and took the initiative to visit Thunder Martial Arts Hall, seeking an audience with Zhao Donglai.
After the gatekeeper informed him, Zhao Donglai soon met with him.
"Hall Master Zhao, forgive my abrupt visit."
Zhang Yao politely cupped his hands in greeting.
"Hahaha, my dear nephew is really too courteous; Lao Zhou and I have decades of friendship after all..."
Zhao Donglai appeared very enthusiastic, instructing his attendants to serve tea.
He placed great importance on Zhang Yao, a young yet powerful Perfect Martial Artist.
He knew some of the inside stories from seven years ago and was convinced that Zhang Yao had the potential to achieve Absolute Peak Expert status in the future, so naturally, his attitude was different than towards others.
"Hall Master Zhao."
After a few pleasantries, Zhang Yao signaled, "Could we speak privately?"
"Hmm?"
Zhao Donglai's expression shifted slightly, immediately understanding, and he ordered a few attendants to leave and guard the hall doors from afar.
"Dear nephew, you may speak freely."
He lowered his voice, saying, "There's no one else here; there's no risk of news leaking."
"Alright."
Zhang Yao nodded, and straightforwardly said, "The Wang Family is unpopular, the Grandmaster's death is imminent, and their downfall is near."
"At this critical juncture, I wish to join forces with Hall Master Zhao, agreeing to advance and retreat together in the future."
"Hmm?"
As he heard this, Zhao Donglai was taken aback.
He initially thought Zhang Yao had some insider information from the Governor's Mansion and wanted to trade with him.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Yao spoke so bluntly, even proposing a collaboration?
"Collaboration..."
Zhao Donglai squinted his eyes, scrutinizing Zhang Yao in silence.
Though he said nothing, his gaze clearly signaled—what qualifies you to join hands with me?
"Hall Master Zhao."
Zhang Yao smiled slightly and extended his hand, "Lend a hand, will you?"
"You..."
Zhao Donglai looked at him with uncertainty but did not refuse.
"Good!"
The two's hands collided and immediately separated, echoing a dull sound in the hall.
Zhang Yao's body wavered slightly but quickly steadied himself in the chair.
Zhao Donglai's hand trembled, his knuckles subtly whitening, unable to help but change his demeanor.
"I didn't expect this, truly unexpected..."
His gaze fixed on Zhang Yao, seemingly unable to believe the outcome, revealing a complex array of emotions:
"Dear nephew, you're truly hidden deep, taking me by surprise!"
"At such a young age, with this strength... Grandmaster potential! Grandmaster potential!!"
By the end, his tone turned intense, barely suppressing envy.
"Hall Master Zhao praises me too much."
Zhang Yao shook his head, his voice low, "The Grandmaster Realm... I currently see not the slightest hope."
"But with my strength, I should qualify to collaborate with Hall Master Zhao now, right?"
"Of course!"
Zhao Donglai's face broke into a broad smile, "My dear nephew, coming to me is a wise move!"
"We're all people of the Martial Arts, and your master has been my close friend, we're naturally meant to be allies!"
Zhang Yao did not comment on his words, shifting the conversation, "Hall Master Zhao, I'm lost within the Governor's Mansion."
"I wish to ask, exactly how far has the city's situation progressed?"