Clan Cultivation: Starting from Beast Taming-Chapter 689 - 352: Righting Wrongs【Subscribe Request】_2

Chapter 689: Chapter 352: Righting Wrongs【Subscribe Request】_2

Now that the power struggle had taken place, Zhou Chun certainly needed to interrogate and clarify the truth of the matter.

However, when faced with Zhou Chun’s interrogation, Fu Changqing did not give a direct answer, instead replying softly, “Taoist Friend, please understand, although Fu participated in the struggle for power and sealed Taoist Friend Lin, I had no prior knowledge of Tian Fengyi’s harm towards Taoist Friend Lin. Otherwise, I would have definitely stopped him!”

“Don’t try to fool me with evasive answers, I didn’t ask you that!”

Zhou Chun’s eyes grew cold, and he said in an icy tone, “I’ll give you one more chance. Who is the person behind all this?”

These words, laden with killing intent, made Fu Changqing’s eyelids twitch.

In the end, he could not withstand the pressure and sighed softly, “It was the Huoyang Hermit! It was Tian Fengyi who colluded with him, using threats and temptations to bewitch us, forcing us to commit actions unworthy of Senior Lin and Taoist Friend Lin!”

“What is the cultivation level of this Huoyang Hermit?”

A glint of sharpness flashed through Zhou Chun’s eyes as he questioned again.

Now that Fu Changqing had confessed, he no longer kept any secrets and promptly responded, “The Huoyang Hermit is also at the late stage of the Purple Mansion Realm. He once fought with Senior Lin, and it seemed he was slightly inferior, which is why he has always held some grudge against Senior Lin!”

“Is that so? Then tell me all about your collusion with the Huoyang Hermit, and the plot against Elder Lin, leave no detail out!”

Zhou Chun nodded thoughtfully and immediately asked Fu Changqing to recount everything that had happened.

From Fu Changqing’s own perspective, his and the others’ seizure of power was largely a move of desperation.

Since Lin Hongyu had not appeared for several years, although Lin Wan’er asserted that she was in closed-door Core Formation in the Great Zhou Kingdom, nobody could verify it.

Furthermore, even if it were true, everyone knew that Core Formation was not something that could yield results in less than a decade, and it had a very low chance of success with a non-negligible risk of perishing upon failure.

Under such circumstances, for Fu Changqing and the others to obediently follow Lin Wan’er’s orders all these years and hand over the majority of the stronghold’s income to her was understandably difficult to accept.

After all, Fu Changqing and the others were not young anymore. In another ten years or so, they would be nearing the end of their life spans.

Another scenario was that the Huoyang Hermit, who had long harbored a grudge for his previous defeat to Lin Hongyu, also wanted to take advantage of her absence from the Hongyu Peak Stronghold.

Despite the Huoyang Hermit’s own reservations due to fears of Lin Hongyu actually succeeding in her Core Formation and returning, he had colluded with a few bold and reckless individuals like Tian Fengyi, putting internal pressure and threats on Fu Changqing and the others.

If Fu Changqing and his group didn’t cooperate with the coup to take down Lin Wan’er, their lives would be at risk.

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Under these internal and external pressures, coupled with the allure of the benefits promised by the Huoyang Hermit, Fu Changqing and his colleagues had no choice but to initiate the power struggle, sealing Lin Wan’er’s cultivation level and detaining her.

However, compared to aggressive individuals like Tian Fengyi, Fu Changqing and the other senior cultivators were relatively more prudent.

They didn’t dare to send Lin Wan’er to the Huoyang Hermit; instead, they detained her first, wanting to observe the situation before making a decision.

After seizing power, they also saw the Huoyang Hermit’s reservations and were no longer worried that he would personally come to take over Hongyu Peak.

However, Fu Changqing and the others had not expected Tian Fengyi to be so bold as to take the opportunity while guarding Lin Wan’er to make a move against her.

Nor had they anticipated the existence of the Zhou Family, a force behind Lin Wan’er.

Now, with the appearance of Zhou Chun, their coup had become a joke, and the several aggressive individuals had met their end on the spot.

This turn of events filled Fu Changqing with many emotions and immense regret.

Having understood the sequence of events, Zhou Chun also gained an understanding of the situation at Hongyu Peak and knew what he would have to do going forward.

After a moment of contemplation, he said to Fu Changqing, “From now on, stay here, and don’t you dare take a single step outside. Otherwise, do not blame Zhou for being ruthless!”

Having said that, he left the Golden Winged Tiger in the courtyard to watch over Fu Changqing, while he himself entered the room to check on Lin Wan’er’s condition.

After a period of meditation, Lin Wan’er had mostly suppressed the raging fire of desire within her body. When Zhou Chun entered, she was able to rise and converse with him.

After standing up, she first straightened her somewhat disheveled clothing, then bowed to Zhou Chun and said, “Tonight, I truly owe Clan Leader Zhou a debt of gratitude. Had the Clan Leader not arrived in time, I would have undoubtedly fallen into the clutches of those villains. This kindness, this sentiment, I shall never forget for as long as I live!”

Seeing this, Zhou Chun hurriedly stepped forward to support her wrist, helping her up as he said, “Elder Lin is too solemn. You have traveled to foreign lands to expand the territory of the Zhou Family, establishing great merits for our family. As the Clan Leader, how could I stand by and do nothing when you are in distress!”

After saying this, he released his hands, his grasp of propriety very proper.

Despite Zhou Chun’s words, Lin Wan’er continued, “I am indebted to you without end. The kindness you have shown today has been taken to heart. Should an opportunity arise in the future, I will repay this debt, even at the cost of my life.”

Having finished speaking, she looked at Zhou Chun and said, “I estimate that I will need to enter seclusion for a few days to recover my essence energy. During these days, I will have to trouble the Clan Leader to help stabilize the situation. Once I emerge from seclusion, I will discuss the details of this place with the Clan Leader!”

“No problem, Elder Lin. You just focus on your secluded recovery. With me here, nothing will stir into chaos!”

Zhou Chun agreed without hesitation, full of confidence in his ability to stabilize the situation.

However, before Lin Wan’er began her seclusion, Zhou Chun left the stronghold for a while to bring back the Golden Armor Rock Turtle and the Wood Charm.

After escorting Lin Wan’er to Lin Hongyu’s cave dwelling to begin her seclusion, he then proceeded to take over the running of the stronghold.

He called the remaining three Foundation Establishment cultivators at the stronghold to him and began to address them directly.

“Listen well, all three of you. Even if Senior Lin has just gone to the Great Zhou Kingdom for secluded Core Formation, even if she truly were not present, this Hongyu Peak Stronghold still remains the territory of the Zhou Family, and it is not your place to vie for power!”

“If the three of you behave and serve the stronghold as before, then all the various treatments and benefits due to you will not be reduced.”

“If anyone dares to scheme or play tricks in front of me and I find out, don’t blame me for not having warned you now!”

By the end, Zhou Chun’s tone also carried an unmistakable chill of murderous intent.

He knew that to deal with these crafty loose cultivators, only instilling genuine fear in them would keep them in line.

If they thought they could deceive others, these characters would try to get away with as much as they could.

At this time, the residual authority from the four he had recently killed was still potent, and when it was known that a powerful family backed him, Fu Changqing and the others felt both frightened and astonished and dared not entertain any further scheming thoughts, hastily assuring him of their compliance and loyalty.

After this address, Zhou Chun had them bring the personnel and financial records of the stronghold for his review.

Although the true purpose behind the establishment of the Hongyu Peak Stronghold was to provide cover and convenience for the mining of Earth Origin Crystal Jade, it did not mean the place wasn’t profitable.

As a stronghold for individual cultivators, it was extremely attractive to them, and the renown of Lin Hongyu as a late stage Purple Mansion cultivator was enough to make the place well-known.

Cultivators who came here to practice had to pay in Spirit Coins, and whether setting up a stall or shopping within, they contributed to the stronghold’s income.

A significant portion of this income was clear profit, with no need to share with the Qi Refinement cultivators below. It all went to the Foundation Establishment cultivators and Lin Hongyu above.

During the best times, the stronghold could earn tens of thousands of Spirit Coins in a year, half of which would be taken by Lin Hongyu, leaving only thirty to forty percent to be distributed among people like Fu Changqing.

Precisely because the profits were so substantial, in the wake of Lin Hongyu’s prolonged absence from the stronghold, individuals like Fu Changqing sought to seize power.

After all, if they could take over Lin Hongyu’s share of the income, each of them could earn over a thousand Spirit Coins a year, which was more comfortable than what the Foundation Establishment Elders of the Zhou Family received.

The income from the previous several years was appropriated mostly by Lin Wan’er on behalf of Lin Hongyu. As Lin Wan’er was detained, that wealth was then divided by Fu Changqing and others, with a fair amount also donated to the Huoyang Hermit.

Fortunately, the related account books were still intact, and Lin Wan’er herself could testify.

At this point, Zhou Chun checked the accounts, first having Fu Changqing and his group return the items they had taken from Lin Wan’er, then began to inventory the possessions left by the slain Tian Fengyi and his companions.