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Tang Zuo, with a perfectly symmetrical face, was clad in a cyan-purple python robe, with a white-patterned rhino-hide belt around his waist. His raven black hair casually scattered over his back giving off an air of casual elegance. Amidst the applause, he emerged from the curtain, bowed to Tang Zhi, positioned himself in the middle of the stage and revelled in the crowd’s cheers.

He silently waited for the applause to slowly fade away before speaking again, and the first sentence spoke sent shockwaves through the hall.

“I am Tang Zuo, and I have returned.”

He said this looking straight at Tang Sen.

From the elevated platform, Tang Zuo locked eyes with Tang Sen standing below. The audience could almost feel the sparks flying between their staring contest.

Fortunately, Tang Zuo’s intention was not to engage in a staring contest with

Tang Sen, but to make a significant announcement.

-The Elder Council has already approved my proposal to establish a new hall.

Therefore, the first order of business is to institute a levy.”

-Alas.” The hall erupted into chaos. The so-called levy was a clan custom requiring each family to contribute Mortal Realm warriors for the use of the Martial Hall during wartime.

Not every branch family was as wealthy as Tang Sen’s. Sometimes a branch might only contain two to three clansmen who were warriors. The new rule meant that one of them would have to be levied, a sacrifice akin to physical pain.

Everyone knew that Tang Zuo was full of antagonistic intentions. They just didn’t expect his first move upon returning would be to institute a levy. This disastrous turn of events left the once jubilant hall filled with grim faces. The expression on their faces was as if they had swallowed a rotten orange.

Having received the Elder Council’s approval, these family heads couldn’t find excuses to refuse. However, their applause was clearly lacking enthusiasm as everyone was contemplating which warrior should make the sacrifice.

Tang Zuo observed the clansmen in front of him, hands folded behind his back before opening his mouth again, “This levy only requires five hundred Mortal

Realm warriors under thirty.”

The faces of clansmen below changed again. They silently cursed Tang Zuo’s audacity. It was indeed saving face for many clans to levy just five hundred individuals from thousands of branches. Although it was a relief for those not selected, the ones chosen now faced a situation akin to physical pain.

The distinction between a Mortal Realm warrior under thirty and one aged forty was vast. Tang Zuo’s condition, to select elite warriors from each family, was simply ruthless.

Seeing the clansmen’s reactions, a look of contempt flashed across Tang Zuo’s face.

All he was asking for was one insignificant Mortal Realm warrior, yet this seemingly mundane request caused the clansmen to agonize over it. Clearly, the once revered unity of the Tang Family had eroded. Since obtaining the Wancheng Treasure Ship, both Tang Clan and Mi Clan had seen exponential growth in power. Consequently, with an abundance of personal wealth, every clansman began caring only for their own benefits.

No one cared about the new Dark Thunder Hall or where these warriors would be assigned. Everyone was only counting their own gains and losses, resembling petty merchants. Clearly, the Tang Clan needed a shakeup!

A flash of coldness appeared in Tang Zuo’s eyes before he continued speaking with a smile, “The institution of the levy is out of necessity. Hence, for each Mortal Realm warrior provided, the clan will compensate two hundred thousand gold. This is reparation for the loss suffered by various branches.” What an intimidating presence, commented Tang Luo, as he admired Tang Zuo on the high platform.

Collecting levies was a thankless task. Yet his uncle managed it deftly – suppressing first and then letting up, making it appear more effortless than it was. Not only did he handle it efficiently, but he also managed to maintain his reputation.

Of course, this was based on his formidable power. The compensation of two hundred thousand gold for each warrior meant that five hundred warriors would cost the Tang Clan a lump sum of a hundred million gold. It appeared that his uncle had gained substantial wealth during his voyage at sea; he was splurging money right upon returning.

For the branch families sitting below, this was like a windfall. Two hundred thousand gold was not a small sum. For many branches, this compensation was likely more than their annual income. Thus, they immediately expressed their full cooperation with the levy and pledged to support Tang Zuo’s work.

The painful experience of the levy had seemingly vanished, and the atmosphere was jovial once more.

Only Tang Sen’s table maintained their calm throughout.

“Father, did you know about this beforehand?” Tang Luo asked.

“Yes.”

“Did Uncle bring back some extraordinary treasure from his voyage?” asked

Tang Luo.

“A secret technique and a set of martial arts skills.

“A secret technique, impressive.” Tang Luo glanced at Tang Zuo, who was sitting at the clan leader’s table, and exclaimed.

For martial artists, the most valuable things boil down to two.

The first is cultivation. As long as one’s personal cultivation is solid enough, even if one squanders all of one’s fortune, becoming rich again is only a matter of course.

The second is their secret weapon. What makes you invincible in battles of equal realm is relying on that extraordinary part. The simplest of these are either having a spiritual instrument or something akin to divine physical powers, or something more unique like inherited talents. The most universally applicable, and the most discussed, are secret techniques.

After all, instruments are external possessions and bloodline talents can only be envied, so secret techniques that everyone can practice are the most attractive.

And for a clan, a powerful secret technique can even give birth to a powerful tactic or style.

For instance, the Xianyu Tianyu of the Mi Family, traced back to its origin, was nothing more than a secret technique for training celestial birds.

Centered on this technique, the Mi Clan began to focus on training archers who could ride celestial birds like the wind. Even though each archer might not have a high realm, when they gathered as a group, they formed an unstoppable power.

All of this was attributed to a single secret technique. With this technique, the Mi Clan was able to stand toe-to-toe with the Tang Clan, remaining strong even in the era when the Tang Clan was at its zenith.

The only constraint on the growth of the Mi Clan was the difficulty in raising celestial birds and their slow maturity. Whereas martial artists could come of age in thirty years, celestial birds required sixty or seventy years before they could be ridden. Hence, after hundreds of years, the number of members in the Xianyu Tianyu of the Mi Clan was still less than two thousand.

Now, Tang Zuo was able to bring back a secret technique. Even if it was a relatively rudimentary one, it could cause a significant leap in the strength of the entire Tang Clan.

No matter the rift between him and Tang Sen, Tang Zuo more than deserved the position of the head of a branch with this substantial contribution. However, such a treasure as a secret technique is often a clan’s most important secret. How did Tang Zuo acquire it? It was unfathomable.

Longzhou Calendar, 1779, the second day of the first month.

Tang Sen’s family who had spent two days at the clan’s headquarters returned to their mansion, all the while listening to Xu Shuhui’s heated complaints.

Tang Sen, a man of few words, listened quietly, while Tang Luo could only respond with a wry smile.

All people hustle for their benefits.

With Tang ZUO’S generous offer and only five hundred slots available, which branch would not want a piece of the pie? Tang Zuo had just returned and sat with the clan leader, it was no wonder that people flocked to him with continuous toasts and flattery for days on end.

It was no surprise that Xu Shuhui was upset when comparing the number of people offering them toasts and the scale of the queues lining up for Tang Zuo. What upset her the most, however, was when Tang Zuo personally appeared and offered a toast to Tang Sen’s family.

After finishing his pleasantries, Tang Zuo looked at the two brothers and said, “The two nephews are very talented. I wonder if the Sect Head is willing to part with them?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Shuhui, who had been smiling, immediately turned icy cold.

She now despised Tang Zuo even more because he dared to set his sights on her two precious sons.

But what infuriated her most was not this, but the fact that Tang Sen had calmly nodded and said, “It’s up to them.”

That blockhead actually did not oppose it. The rage in Xu Shuhui’s heart almost exploded. She really wanted to knock open Tang Sen’s head and see whether it was filled with mashed potatoes or rocks..