Chapter 174 : Successfully Subjugated! The Territory Grows Stronger Like a Tiger with Wings!
Chapter 174: Successfully Subjugated! The Territory Grows Stronger Like a Tiger with Wings!
After issuing his orders—
Hang Yu delayed the scheduled summons.
Zhang Zhongjing had already gone to tour the territory.
Since the main city wasn’t very large at the moment, it wouldn’t take long for him to return. Summoning the two after he came back wouldn’t be too late.
When Jia Xu found out that Divine Doctor Zhang, who had been so elusive, had now become an honored guest of the territory, his reaction was still hard to predict. As for Wen Pin, he’d definitely have his eyes pop out.
"Let’s raise the level first."
Although his personal strength was sufficient for now, Hang Yu realized that the level of his Starsea native followers couldn’t exceed his own, and he also couldn’t recruit or contract subordinates with a higher level than himself. Thus, he decided it was time to level up.
Recently, the territory’s income had been quite impressive—
Especially with the increasing number of players and their rising levels, the base income had become higher and higher.
However, in order to grow his leek field more vigorously, Hang Yu had reinvested almost all the income from “cutting leeks” back into the leeks themselves as fertilizer.
He also needed to cultivate a new batch of Azure Dragon Guards, as well as teams of alchemists, forgers, and chefs for the territory. As such, his recent expenditures were massive, and his total Essence reserve wasn’t high. He currently had less than two million Essence freely available.
Still, that was more than enough to gain a few levels.
Hang Yu didn’t hesitate and immediately began a round of upgrading.
【Essence Reserve - 150,000!】
【You have leveled up to Level 22: HP +300, Mana +300, Strength +30, Agility +30, Spirit +30, Will +30!】
【Essence Reserve - 180,000!】
【You have leveled up to Level 23…】
【Essence Reserve - 210,000!】
【You have leveled up to Level 24…】
【Essence Reserve - 240,000!】
【You have leveled up to Level 25: HP +300, Mana +300, Strength +30, Agility +30, Spirit +30, Will +30!】
A total of 700,000 Essence was spent.
From Level 21, he rose to Level 25!
With this, his level now surpassed both Wen Pin and Zhang Zhongjing. If he could bring them under his command, he could directly apply the Starsea Mark and make them his official Starsea native followers.
This streak of four consecutive level-ups directly increased his HP and Mana by 1200, and his four core attributes by 120 points—adding up to a total of 480 stat points. The boost to his overall power was unquestionably immediate and substantial!
……
While Hang Yu was leveling up—
Zhang Zhongjing was touring the territory.
Zhang San and Li Si of the Azure Dragon Guards followed closely behind, never leaving his side.
Hang Yu had placed no restrictions on Zhang Zhongjing—he could freely tour every corner of the main city and talk to anyone he encountered. Zhang San and Li Si were merely there to explain and guide.
From the moment he stepped into the city—
Zhang Zhongjing could feel that this city possessed a unique air.
To be fair, in terms of size, Luoshui City couldn’t compare to Wan City, but it was brimming with vitality and hope.
Over the years of wandering throughout the cities of Wan territory—whether the new Wan City at its center, the six great cities, or the twenty-four hamlets—none had ever given him this kind of feeling.
Zhang San explained:
"This territory has three cities."
"Luoshui City is the core main city of the territory."
"The main city has a permanent population of nearly fourteen thousand."
"The Lord’s core forces number four thousand, consisting of the Azure Dragon Guards responsible for personal guard and law enforcement, and the Calamity Army tasked with exploration and expansion."
"In addition, there are two thousand stationed troops, mostly selected from the garrison of Sanxiang City and local militias. They mainly handle patrols, outposts, and assist the Azure Dragon Guards in maintaining order."
"……"
"Luoshui City consists of the Lord’s Fortress and the main urban district."
"Within the Lord’s Fortress are the Internal Affairs Hall, Teleportation Hall, the Lord’s Palace complex, and various auxiliary facilities."
"The large plaza between the fortress and the city proper is the Resurrection Plaza. Once we cross it, we’ll reach the city’s main thoroughfare. That road leads directly to the city gate and divides the main city into east and west halves."
"The west side is primarily for training and production. The east side is for residential, entertainment, and daily leisure functions."
"……"
As Zhang Zhongjing passed through the Resurrection Plaza—
"That’s the Miracle Doctor!"
"Greetings, Divine Doctor Zhang!"
"Is there anything we can help you with?"
"Please, Miracle Doctor, you must become a permanent resident of the territory. I still want to study medicine under you!"
"……"
He ran into Midnight Pig Slayer, Chimera Wraith, Dawnlight, and several others.
These were all Calamity Army soldiers who had recently died in the Fissure Grounds!
Although Uncle Tree had already told him the greatest secret—that the Calamity Army was undying—seeing these people, who had clearly died before his eyes, now lively and bouncing around, still left him stunned and struggling to comprehend it.
To avoid disturbing the Miracle Doctor—
Zhang San and Li Si promptly ordered the players who had come up to greet him to disperse.
As some of the earliest personal guards of the Lord, they had grown together with the Calamity Army and frequently carried out the Lord’s will directly. As a result, they were highly respected among players, who affectionately called them Third Bro and Fourth Bro, and gave these NPCs plenty of face.
After passing through the Resurrection Plaza—
A wide, neat avenue came into view.
This was the main city avenue Zhang San had mentioned—the central axis of Luoshui’s main city. Players had named it Lord’s Avenue. It was paved with smooth, beautiful bluestone, lined with trees and flower beds on both sides—grand and open yet imbued with natural harmony.
The avenue was nearly fully constructed.
The roads on both sides branched into numerous plots—
Each plot was tightly packed with ongoing construction.
Some clearly appeared to be street-facing shops, or restaurants and taverns. Others included theatres, inns, and other cultural and travel-related facilities. Each plot was at a different stage of development, with two nearly completed and expected to open for sale soon.
These stores, shops, and luxurious homes could all be bought or leased long-term using Contribution Points.
Players, natives, and employees alike could compete for them—
Some were reserved exclusively for players or Legions.
Zhang Zhongjing noticed that those working at the construction sites were all simple, honest-looking civilians.
Despite their plain clothing and simple appearance, their mental state and spirit were excellent. Under the direction of several Calamity Army soldiers, they energetically engaged in various forms of manual labor.
After some inquiry, Zhang Zhongjing learned—
These people were not originally from the main city. Most came from villages in Hexi and Wo Niu Mountain, and some were residents of Sanxiang City. Many of their villages had been destroyed under the brutal rule of another Starsea Lord.
When Hang Yu descended upon Wo Niu Mountain—
He commanded his Calamity Army—
And immediately rescued these civilians, who had been cruelly enslaved by foreign tribes.
The territory not only provided safe shelter and plentiful food—even those who didn’t work could still eat their fill. Those who chose to work or joined the army through selection could unlock their NPC panels and earn Contribution Points, with a clear, fair system for rewards and promotion.
Simply put—
Whether one wanted to be a slacker living off the system—
Or work hard and join the military—
Everyone could live the life they wanted.
This was something unthinkable in both the old era and the Abyss era.
The reason the ancients had such a low standard of living was mainly due to extremely low productivity and minimal resource output.
Only by having the vast majority of people toil endlessly in the fields could the country barely feed its people. Only through heavy taxes and forced labor could the state barely keep functioning.
Hang Yu, however, had no need to oppress the people.
After all, ordinary civilians only ate regular food.
Even if Hang Yu didn’t grow a single grain himself, he could purchase it directly through the Lord’s Hall. And such regular food was cheap, causing little burden on the Treasury—giving the common people a guaranteed basic standard of living.
And his willingness to provide the civilians with such high treatment—
Was definitely not just out of kindness or shared humanity.
These civilians, this population, this land—all were resources of the Starsea Lord!
The more territory Hang Yu possessed, the more population he controlled, the greater the boost and improvement he would gain, and the greater the income the territory would generate.
Even if every ordinary civilian did absolutely nothing—
Hang Yu feeding them for free would still not be a loss!
Under a tree, Zhang Zhongjing encountered a few men resting. They were originally from Dashi Village in Sanxiang County and had once been imprisoned and enslaved in a lizardman slave camp. Later, they were rescued by the Calamity Army dispatched by the Lord.
The group was filled with deep gratitude toward the Lord.
An older man, his temples slightly gray and skin weathered, said with great pride, “My youngest son joined the Main City Garrison Patrol Unit. He said he wants to earn Contribution Points through meritorious service and eventually get selected for the Azure Dragon Guards to become one of the Lord’s personal guards!”
All the workers praised him.
“Congratulations!”
“The Lord’s grace is as weighty as a mountain!”
“Not only did He let me eat my fill, but He also cared for my disabled elderly mother, letting us live a life we never dared to dream of!”
“It’s not easy to become an Azure Dragon Guard!”
“I heard only the most loyal and capable soldiers can join!”
“Zhou Ji and Feng Yi from our Sanxiang County are already said to be reserve members of the Azure Dragon Guards!”
“If I had a son, I’d want him to enlist and defend the territory for the Lord. Dying in battle would bring honor to the family. I just regret that I only have two daughters… I heard the Lord’s Fortress is in need of servant girls. I wonder if they’ll be selected.”
“……”
Zhang Zhongjing could see—
These fellow countrymen had all endured great suffering.
Their gratitude toward the Lord came from the heart.
If any foreign enemy dared threaten the territory, these honest and simple laborers would surely pick up their hoes and fight to the death, willing to give their lives just to protect the hard-earned life they now had.
The Abyss had descended.
The world was steeped in darkness.
People’s lives had become increasingly difficult.
Yet this city felt like a paradise apart from the world. Whether it was the vibrant Calamity Army who claimed to be from the future, or the earnest and diligent common farmers—there was a sense of hope and belief in them that was absent everywhere else.
Had he not seen it with his own eyes—
Zhang Zhongjing would never have believed—
That such a pure land could still exist in the world today.
But what truly shocked him was the message he accidentally learned next.
Zhang Zhongjing: “What? The establishment of Luoshui Main City was only two months ago?”
Li Si replied: “Yes, from the moment the Lord descended into this world, it’s only been a total of two months!”
How could that be?
It defied all common sense!
Zhang Zhongjing looked at the majestic Lord’s Fortress. That pavilion-style palace was not only towering and grand, but also intricate and aesthetically refined—no matter how fast, it shouldn’t be buildable in less than three to five years!
He looked again at the main city district—be it the Resurrection Plaza, Lord’s Avenue, the various mysterious Starsea buildings, or the sturdy, well-ordered outer walls—none of it looked like something that could be completed in two months.
Zhang San said: “Miracle Doctor needn’t doubt it. Anyone around here could tell you the same thing—just two months ago this was nothing but a barren wasteland. It was the Lord’s descent and mighty power that allowed it to transform into what it is now.”
Li Si: “And this is only the beginning. Under the Lord’s leadership, the main city and all the major cities will only grow more and more prosperous.”
Zhang Zhongjing felt immense shock.
Endless food supplies.
An undying army.
Countless miraculous means.
He had now begun to believe what the Calamity Army had told him. This mysterious human Lord truly might possess the power to save this world—to save the masses.
Then, thinking of the situation in the Wan territory—
His conviction only grew stronger.
Zhang Zhongjing had always taken the mission of saving the people as his life’s purpose, hence his dedication to the medical arts and constant wandering.
However—
Saving one person was easy.
Saving a million was incredibly difficult.
Saving this vile world was as hard as reaching the heavens.
Zhang Zhongjing felt his own healing techniques were but minor arts of rescue, while the Lord was a man of true world-saving power. Compared side by side, it was like a lonely star versus the blazing sun, a cold crow against a phoenix—completely unworthy of comparison!
He then continued to tour the various city districts.
And witnessed the Spirit Fields capable of making spiritual herbs grow a hundredfold.
Currently, Luoshui Main City had one large Spirit Field and five small ones. Though the five were modest in size, they were tended by over five hundred farmers, mainly tasked with weeding and general upkeep.
Whether it was the hundredfold growth speed of spiritual herbs—
Or the various unfamiliar medicinal plants from the Land of the Stars—
It was all like discovering treasure to Zhang Zhongjing!
He then visited various Starsea buildings one by one, such as the miraculous Skill Tower and Enlightenment Tower, the defensive and detection-oriented Arrow Towers, Detection Towers, and Barrier Towers. He also visited the Alchemy Workshop, Forging Workshop, and Territory Canteen.
As the territory continued to develop—
The number of staff continued to grow.
There were now twelve Forgers, twelve Alchemy Specialists, and twelve Chefs—thirty-six employees in total.
Zhang Zhongjing met with Chief Forger Yan Ling, Chief Alchemist Qingmu, and Chief Chef Aji and his pigman brother Abba. Through the words of these staff, he gained yet another perspective on understanding the territory and its Lord.
Whether it was the Calamity Army and Azure Dragon Guard soldiers—
Or the lowest, most common farmers and villagers—
Or these contract-bound territory employees—
In all of their eyes, Lord Hang Yu was as a godlike, supreme figure—majestic, powerful, mysterious, yet also magnanimous, benevolent, and generous—an almost flawless leader.
And this Lord—
Happened to be human.
With no racial barrier between them.
Zhang Zhongjing felt there was no need to inspect further. He felt an unprecedented sense of belonging, an unprecedented sense of motivation and mission—as if he had lived nearly three jiazi (180 years) just for the sake of this one moment of decision!
He wanted to offer whatever strength he could to this great sanctuary.
……
In the dungeon—
Wen Pin was somewhat anxious.
Though he had only been imprisoned for a single day, it was a time of crisis—Extreme Darkness would erupt within days. As a key combat force of New Wan City and a leader of one of the Three Great Clans, if he couldn’t appear on the frontlines in time, it would certainly weaken their defenses and dampen morale.
If Dian Wei and Cao Ang launched a fierce assault—
Several towns might suffer heavy losses in this round of catastrophe.
Of course, if Zhang Xiu led the powerful Blood Spear Battalion into battle, then with the aid of the Sixfold Fate Formation, they could still hold out until the end of Extreme Darkness.
What Wen Pin worried about even more was—if consensus couldn’t be reached with the Starsea Lord in time, the other party could launch a backstab during the outbreak of Extreme Darkness.
The key to Wan territory’s defensive system was the Sixfold Fate Formation.
It was a massive protective array crafted by Jia Xu, using New Wan City as the core, and the six great cities’ Fate Stones as the corners. It could effectively block the entry of Abyssal Creatures.
However, the formation had no effect on Starsea Natives or Starsea Followers.
Once the Extreme Darkness descended—
New Wan City would stand in front of the Abyssal forces' path—
Like a shield, it would block the invasion on behalf of the Starsea Lord.
Yet the outbreak of Extreme Darkness would also tie up most of Wan City's military forces.
That Starsea Lord would have every reason to seize the moment and launch a surprise attack on New Wan City while the two tigers fought.
Because in terms of population size and army strength, the Luoshui City faction was far inferior to the combined powers of Old and New Wan Cities. Only after gaining control of Wan City’s population and cities would Lord Hang Yu truly be qualified and confident to contend with the Abyss as an equal.
No matter how one looked at it, this was an enormous strategic opportunity for Luoshui City.
Once this Lord took action, even if he failed to seize Wan City in the end, it would still leave it severely weakened and drained.
As one of the Three Great Clans, Wen Pin’s stance was undoubtedly aligned with Wan City. He had no desire to see both Luoshui City and Wan City suffer mutual destruction, letting the Abyssal Natives reap the spoils. After thinking it over repeatedly, he could no longer sit still and took the initiative to request an audience with the Lord.
Several hours passed—
Without any response.
Just as his patience began to wear thin—
Zhou Cang’s tall, pale figure finally appeared before him.
He said in a low voice, “Wen Pin, your request has been approved by the Lord. You may meet with him now.”
Wen Pin secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he could have a face-to-face negotiation, there was room for maneuvering. What he feared most was the Lord completely ignoring him and decisively launching a surprise assault on Wan City, leading to mutual ruin.
“Many thanks, General Zhou!”
Wen Pin stood and stepped out of the cell.
Zhou Cang’s gaze then shifted to a figure in the corner, shriveled like a dried corpse or skeleton. “Jia Xu, you come out too. The Lord said that since you’re not dead yet, he’ll give you another chance to get some fresh air.”
Jia Xu, puppet-like and motionless like a corpse, stirred only slightly upon hearing Zhou Cang’s words. In his hollow eyes, two faint ghostly flames flickered to life, as though reconnecting after being disconnected. A dry voice rasped from his throat.
“Trying to persuade this one to surrender again? Tell the Lord not to waste his effort!”
Zhou Cang: “You’re far too stubborn. To be fortunate enough to follow the Lord is a great destiny. It’s precisely because you understand too little about the Lord that you're blinded by the leaf before your eyes, unaware of how powerful and terrifying he truly is—he is a being of omnipotent greatness!”
Jia Xu chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“I’ve already stated my preconditions for cooperation. If the Lord General Zhou speaks of is truly omnipotent, why has he still failed to provide me with clues about Zhang Ji and Zhang Zhongjing?”
Zhou Cang sneered, “You’re in no position to make demands of the Lord!”
Hearing this, Wen Pin fell into contemplation. The Lord was also searching for the Miracle Doctor—and at Jia Xu’s request at that. Why would Mister Jia do such a thing? Miracle Doctor Zhang was an extremely vital figure!
Not only did he possess top-tier medical and alchemical skills, but he was also skilled in concocting all manner of miraculous herbs—his value exceeded that of an entire army.
Such an important figure’s whereabouts could never be disclosed to outsiders. Of course, Wen Pin simply found Mister Jia’s actions hard to read, but he wasn’t particularly worried that the Lord had truly found the Miracle Doctor.
After all, over the past few years, both the Polar Yin Sect disciples and Zhang Xiu, along with the Three Great Clans, had been searching for the Miracle Doctor’s whereabouts.
But as a legendary Miracle Doctor, he had many ways of altering his appearance or aura through herbs or techniques, and his cultivation was extremely high. If he wished to hide, even face-to-face, one might not recognize him.
All the powers of the Wan territory had searched for so long and failed.
An outsider force had no chance of finding him!
There was nothing to worry about—
It might just be a ruse or a joke.
“Mister Jia, the Lord has summoned you—why not give him the courtesy?” Wen Pin tried to persuade Jia Xu. He didn’t want to waste time, and if Mister Jia could be at his side, perhaps he could offer advice and assistance.
“Very well. I shall listen carefully and hear what new words this Lord has to say.”
A few minutes later—
Zhou Cang returned to report to Hang Yu.
Wen Pin remained in an unarmed state, wearing only a plain inner robe—his white-haired, muscular physique resembled that of a former governor at his peak. Meanwhile, Jia Xu’s puppet draped a black cloak over himself, concealing his skeletal, corpse-like appearance.
Jia Xu hadn’t put much weight on this meeting, but when he saw the Lord, the ghostly flames in his hollow eyes flickered violently, and the few remaining muscles on his face twisted into an expression of astonishment.
Jia Xu could feel it clearly—
Just how powerful the Lord had become!
He had already attained a Sovereign-class position and had broken through to Tier Three—completely different from when they first met.
Wen Pin’s description had not been exaggerated—if anything, it had been too conservative. This person now had the power to break through his defenses in a single strike. Furthermore, Zhou Cang and all present Azure Dragon Guards were also Tier Three. This kind of depth was more than enough to pose a real threat to Wan City at a critical moment.
Of course—
All of this—
Jia Xu had been mentally prepared for.
Even if Hang Yu was stronger than expected—
It wasn’t enough to truly shock him.
What truly stunned him now—was the presence of another figure. A plain-dressed elder with an aura of Daoist grace sat across from the Lord, calmly sipping tea.
“That’s Miracle Doctor Zhang!”
Wen Pin’s expression changed drastically, crying out.
It was none other than the famed Miracle Doctor Zhang Zhongjing!
How could this be?
Not even in his wildest dreams—
Would he have imagined that this elusive high master would appear in this place!
Even Jia Xu, upon seeing Zhang Zhongjing, froze for a moment in obvious shock.
This was quite the slap in the face.
Hang Yu hadn’t just found Zhang Zhongjing—
He had directly brought him into his territory.
Though it was unclear how the Lord had accomplished it, there was no doubt—this Lord’s strength and capability had far surpassed Jia Xu’s expectations.
Interesting!
Far too interesting!
After a brief period of shock and confusion—
What Jia Xu felt first was not frustration or defeat, but an even greater curiosity and interest, along with a hint of delight!
“General Wen, long time no see!” Zhang Zhongjing recognized Wen Pin at a glance, then his eyes fell on Jia Xu’s puppet. “Oh? The Polar Yin Puppet Secret Technique? So Mister Jia is here as well!”
Wen Pin: “We’ve been searching everywhere for you these past few years. Why did you leave without a word, Miracle Doctor? And why have you now appeared here?”
Zhang Zhongjing: “This old one had reasons he could not stay, as for why I’ve appeared here…”
He didn’t reveal the reasons for leaving Wan City, but it wasn’t hard to infer that something must have gone wrong within Wan City’s inner circles—something that Zhang Zhongjing found intolerable, and so he’d rather go into hiding than continue being used by the powers of Wan City.
As he spoke the latter half—
He paused, stroked his long beard, and continued:
“This old man appeared in Luoshui City because I was deeply honored and favored by the Lord. I was moved by the Lord’s benevolence and ideals, and so I have decided to join the territory and devote my strength to the Lord’s great cause!”
If—
Just a moment ago—
Jia Xu had only been astonished—
Then now, even he felt truly shaken.
Zhang Zhongjing had already been recruited by this Lord?
This truly exceeded Jia Xu’s expectations!
Zhang Zhongjing was born into a noble family and had once held the position of a regional governor—he was not a mere wandering healer!
For someone to achieve such rank in Jingxiang, a place renowned for its many virtuous scholars, it was proof of his talent and ability. But due to his compassionate nature, he was unsuited for officialdom. Seeing the chaos and darkness of the world, he had chosen to leave politics and devote himself to medicine.
After the Abyss descended—
His medical skills grew even more profound, and he comprehended the secret arts of alchemy. Whether it was the great clans or City Lord Zhang Xiu, all had spared no effort to recruit him, yet over the decades—nearly a century—he had always remained neutral, never pledging himself to any power.
If Zhang Zhongjing had sought fame, he wouldn’t have become a physician.
If Zhang Zhongjing could be bought, he would have long ago become Zhang Xiu’s subordinate.
Jia Xu and Zhang Zhongjing had interacted many times, and he understood his character, virtue, and aspirations deeply. So he knew just how difficult it was to earn this man’s true loyalty.
Yet—
An outsider.
A Starsea Lord from a foreign land.
A power that had entered the Wan territory less than ten days ago—
Had so easily secured the allegiance of such a legendary figure. That alone spoke volumes.
Impressive. This Lord was indeed no ordinary man. In this light, Zhang Xiu would likely be no match for him. Certain preparations and plans might need to be advanced ahead of schedule!