Watching Li Huai Sheng being trussed up and escorted away by the soldiers, Wu Kuang couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head:

"This man is truly... one of a kind."

They had assumed that with his Marrow Transformation Realm cultivation and mastery of bizarre Poison Skills—not to mention his ability to threaten experts of the same rank with a surprise attack—he would have some of a master’s bearing. They expected him to show at least a little backbone, even if captured.

Who would have thought he would surrender so decisively? It was both absurd and laughable.

"He’s just looking out for himself, cherishing his life. If we can use him well, perhaps he could bring some unexpected benefits in the future."

Chen Sheng commented in a flat tone.

He didn’t think much of Li Huai Sheng kneeling and begging for his life. A man like that could be used, but never trusted. Judging by his actions, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t betray his master again if faced with a greater threat or a better offer.

Whether he could be used, and whether he *should* be used, was something he still needed to consider.

"This is a matter for you to decide. The art of managing subordinates is ever-changing; the key is to strike the right balance."

Wu Kuang smiled and said no more. His expression then turned curious as he changed the subject. "However, I am quite curious. How did you so accurately predict that an assassin would come tonight?"

When Chen Sheng had first asked him to come and oversee the situation, Wu Kuang had been skeptical. He only agreed because he valued this subordinate.

He never expected to actually catch such a "big fish." It astonished him, and he even wondered if Chen Sheng had managed to plant a spy deep within the core of the local powerful families.

"I dare not hide it from you, my lord. In truth, I merely made a deduction based on some clues..."

Chen Sheng had already prepared his story.

He explained that he had recently noticed an unusual atmosphere in the camp. Combining this with the fact that tonight was the defensive rotation for the North City Military Camp—a time when security would be relatively lax—he deduced that if the enemy wanted to make a move, this would be the perfect opportunity.

To be on the safe side, he had asked Wu Kuang to come and personally take charge of the situation.

Hearing this explanation, Wu Kuang showed no suspicion. Instead, an appreciative expression appeared on his face, and he nodded repeatedly.

"This is what I admire most about you! Meticulous in thought, thorough in action, and steady in character. Good, very good! With this mindset, you will be able to go higher and farther in this thorny world!"

His tone held undisguised expectation. Then, his gaze sharpened, and a murderous intent surfaced.

"These local families are getting more and more audacious. To dare to openly attack and kill an official appointed by the court—it’s simply lawless! They’re courting their own destruction! It seems the time to make a move against them cannot be delayed much longer."

’If they dared to attack Chen Sheng today, who’s to say they won’t target me, the County Captain, tomorrow!’

Although Wu Kuang was greedy and preferred to act cautiously, as a man from the military, he had no lack of ruthlessness or decisiveness in his bones. When he had suppressed rebellions in the past, he had spilled no small amount of blood.

"My lord is absolutely right," Chen Sheng agreed deeply.

Wu Kuang fell silent for a moment, as if weighing the entire situation. After a long while, he opened his eyes, his gaze falling upon Chen Sheng, filled with scrutiny and expectation.

"Observing your aura today, your cultivation is already quite stable. Your progress can be called divinely fast. Not bad."

Then, his tone shifted slightly as he got to the main point, frowning. "I have always intended for you to have the position of Grand Commander of the Changshan County Military Preparation Camp. It’s just a pity... your cultivation is still shallow and your seniority is lacking. If only you had the strength to rival the Marrow Transformation Realm..."

Since Chen Sheng’s transfer to his command, Wu Kuang had taken note of his aptitude, temperament, and ability, and was very satisfied.

His only shortcoming was that he was too young, and his cultivation lacked maturity.

The position of Grand Commander of the Military Preparation Camp was one of high status and great power. If one’s methods were exceptional enough to control the situation, the authority of the office could even be said to be third only to the County Magistrate and the County Captain.

Only by holding this position firmly in their hands could they truly be free from the constraints of the three great families.

In contrast, the current Grand Commander, Chuyue Mountain, was a fence-sitter. Although he was nominally under Wu Kuang’s jurisdiction, he was far too close with the local powerful families and County Magistrate Lin Shou. Wu Kuang had long seen him as a nail that needed to be pulled.

But if he hastily replaced him with Chen Sheng, who lacked both seniority and strength, he worried that Chen Sheng wouldn’t be able to command respect and it would backfire.

Therefore, he was internally hesitating, wondering whether to transfer someone from the Prefecture City or to observe Chen Sheng a while longer.

Chen Sheng understood.

With his current strength at the Bone Forging Realm, he was indeed not yet capable of confronting a Marrow Transformation Martial Master head-on.

Between Bone Forging and Marrow Transformation, there was a huge chasm in strength, a significant gap.

It was precisely for this reason that, after foreseeing that Li Huai Sheng was a Marrow Transformation Realm Poison Dao expert, he had gone to the trouble of asking Wu Kuang to personally intervene to ensure a foolproof plan.

However, he had now reached the peak of the Bone Forging Realm and was not far from breaking through to the Marrow Transformation Realm.

Seeing Wu Kuang’s hesitation and realizing he might be considering bringing someone else in, Chen Sheng was unwilling to let someone else snatch away what was already in his grasp. After a moment of thought, he spoke with a serious expression:

"I dare not hide it from you, my lord. Since taking the Tiger Bone Pill you granted me, coupled with some recent insights, my cultivation has indeed progressed rapidly. I believe... the day I reach your expectations should not be too far off."

He said this, firstly, to temporarily placate Wu Kuang.

Secondly, it was to lay some groundwork in advance so that Wu Kuang wouldn’t be too shocked by his cultivation speed later on. As for the matter of the Earth Core Spirit Milk, he had no intention of revealing it.

After all, a treasure like that was a huge temptation even for someone like Wu Kuang, who was in the late stage of Foundation Establishment. If he learned that Chen Sheng had secretly refined it himself, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t create a rift between them.

"What’s the rush?"

Wu Kuang laughed heartily at his words, seeing the hidden desire and eagerness in Chen Sheng’s eyes. He teased him slightly:

"In the path of cultivation, the foundation is paramount. You must not rush ahead in pursuit of quick success. As for this Grand Commander position, I still have my heart set on you for it. Unless the situation deteriorates so badly that I have to call someone in from above, I will not consider anyone else."

He spoke these words from the heart. Compared to parachuting in an outsider with an unknown background, he was naturally more willing to cultivate and promote a loyal subordinate he was optimistic about.

"My lord misunderstands. I am not being impatient."

A perfectly measured, ambitious smile appeared on Chen Sheng’s face as he explained:

"I just... really want to share my lord’s burdens, and I really want... to improve."

"See? Rushing again."

...

In stark contrast to the relaxed atmosphere between Chen Sheng and Wu Kuang.

The next day, when news spread that Li Huai Sheng’s night raid on the North City Military Camp had been met with an ambush, the patriarchs of the three great families all had ashen faces. The atmosphere was so heavy you could cut it with a knife.

This was especially true for Patriarch Huang Dongchun of the Huang Family. Having lost a Marrow Transformation Realm Poison Dao expert—a Tributor supported by the family at great expense and considered one of their trump cards—he was sick with anguish. In a fit of rage, he immediately turned on Patriarch Yang Yi of the Yang Family and demanded in a harsh voice:

"Yang Yi! You must have leaked this to that whelp Chen Sheng! Otherwise, how could the Government Office have arranged things so meticulously, as if they already knew exactly when and where Li Huai Sheng would appear? What is your explanation!"

Although Li Huai Sheng’s direct combat ability was somewhat lacking, his Poison Skill was bizarre and unpredictable, making him invaluable for assassinations and sneak attacks.

Now that he had fallen into the hands of the Government Office, it was an unbearable loss for the Huang Family.

"Huang Dongchun, don’t you dare slander me!"

Yang Yi’s face flushed with anger, and he shot to his feet. "This matter concerns the common interests of our three families! It was decided by us in a secret meeting. Why would I destroy my own foundation by leaking such a secret to that Chen Sheng?"

"Hmph! If it wasn’t you, who else could it be?"

Huang Dongchun refused to listen to any explanation, slamming his palm on the table so hard the teacups jumped.

"Your Yang Family has been ambiguous lately! You’re apprehensive about the Government Office, yet you’re also trying to arrange a marriage alliance with that Chen Sheng to curry favor with Wu Kuang. It’s clear you’re trying to play both sides!

"The time and place of Li Huai Sheng’s operation were known only to the four of us present! If Chen Sheng hadn’t received precise information, how could he have laid such an inescapable trap? Or what, can he predict the future?!"

His words were sharp, each sentence striking a vital point.

Given that the Gao Family’s hatred for Chen Sheng ran ocean-deep and that Li Huai Sheng was a Tributor for the Huang Family, Yang Yi—whose attitude had been wavering and who was pursuing a marriage alliance—was the most suspicious of the four people present.

In an instant, the hall erupted in argument. Yang Yi and Huang Dongchun clung to their own narratives, pointing fingers at each other. Their voices grew louder and louder, shattering the veneer of harmony they had once maintained. The crack in their trust widened dramatically in that moment.