LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 353 Annexation into Territory
Tao Yu's words didn't anger Xi Chuang.
If it were him at such a young age with that kind of strength, he could have been even more flamboyant.
And there's nothing wrong with men liking beautiful things, is there?
Wasn't that the same for him?
But as someone who had been through it all, he still smiled and said,
"I've heard some rumors about you; you have quite a few confidantes among the natives, but none of that really matters. We're all men here, and no one is going to hold that against you. But you still need a legitimate wife for a proper marriage, right? If you want your own family to slowly grow stronger, it has to be this way.
"And such a wife naturally needs to be someone who can help you out. There aren't many whose talent and achievements can match yours, so you can look at it from a material perspective. Finding a wealthy woman can save you many years of detours. Rest assured, not only will we not interfere with you after you marry into the family, but we will also provide you with substantial funding right away.
There are five hundred thousand Yuan Force as betrothal gifts when you get engaged, and after you join, you can receive an unconditional investment of five million resources. If your growth speed meets the standards, there will be additional investments later on..."
It has to be said that, just on the surface, the Longxi Clan wasn't lacking in sincerity this time.
They are not one of the Floating City families after all, and although the family's heritage has accumulated to a considerable extent by now, five million in liquid funds is certainly not as easy for them to come up with as for a little rich girl.
Especially at a time when the Longxi Clan itself is fully preoccupied.
However, if one considers Tao Yu's worth in the equation, it seems a bit more subtle.
The stock values of the 'Scripture Depository,' 'Dada Company,' and 'Alien Breeding Farm' combined are already in the tens of millions at least, and are expected to rise in the long term. Any intention to buy now would certainly come at a premium.
If there really were a marriage contract and something were to happen to Tao Yu, he didn't believe his family could compete with such a clan.
Although he indeed hadn't felt any hostility from Xi Chuang, this was a latent threat, and besides, he had no intention of agreeing.
"Sorry, my ambition lies elsewhere., and for a legitimate wife, I too wish to find a beautiful one."
Hearing this, Xi Chuang still wasn't giving up, and then said,
"I have a niece who, because of her aversion to these changes, hasn't undergone any implantations; she's a beauty with a focus on learning battle techniques. How about meeting her? The terms remain the same!"
If conditions allowed, of course, he would want his own daughter to rise to the position, but if that failed, he'd have to settle for the next best thing, trying to keep the good meat in his own pot.
He even gave examples, saying,
"I don't know if you are aware of the current Inner City Captain Serke – he rose to power by clinging to the Ann family's coattails..."
"He just got beat up by me. Thighs are thighs, strength is strength. These days, one has to rely on their own fists."
Tao Yu spoke calmly, looked at Xi Chuang with a faint smile, and said,
"Also, I learned from him that yesterday, more than ten senior partners died, and there was even a World Breaker among them. You seemed to be in a hurry to come to my door; surely it wasn't your clan's patriarch who passed away?"
Tao Yu's words made Xi Chuang's expression freeze, then he sighed deeply and frankly acknowledged,
"It wouldn't have been kept secret for long, but I didn't expect you to already know. Alright, I understand your stance, yet I hope that you, Tao my nephew, will think it over more. The terms are still negotiable, as you know. Without our patriarch, we'll want to quickly stack resources to nurture a World Breaker – a massive amount of resources!"
Xi Chuang couldn't help but keep tempting.
Tao Yu also didn't doubt his words, but unfortunately, those massive resources were more likely to be invested in himself, since he had that potential, only previously his foundations were damaged.
Now, they might choose to spare no cost.
"I will never be a direct descendant of the Longxi Clan."
Such pragmatic words from Tao Yu made Xi Chuang withdraw his last hope, and he nodded,
"So be it. I bid my farewell. I apologize for the presumptuous visit, and I ask that you please accept these gifts and look over our family a bit in the new Development Zone when you have the chance."
"Sure thing."
It was similar to when they approached Master Wang; even though they didn't succeed, they still left some gifts behind.
The items might not be expensive, but they were a gesture of goodwill, a way to maintain relations.
If there's no falling out, why suffer a greater loss, right?
However, Tao Yu didn't know what they would think if they found out he was the one who had killed their patriarch...
...
"Little Seven, are you okay?"
Tao Long was somewhat worried. The Longxi Clan – that was a mighty entity of the Inner City, a top ten family.
"It's nothing serious. Their patriarch died. Now they're probably busy making concessions and keeping a low profile. Uncle Hu is fine too, all settled."
Tao Yu gave an OK gesture, leaving Tao Long completely unable to keep up with the changes in his own son.
That was the Clan Leader of the Longxi Clan!
Yet they were able to converse on equal terms, and even though their negotiation failed, they still left gifts!
Tao Yu also made a point of checking the gifts they left.
Recognizing reality, the Longxi Clan had not tampered with the items, which included uncontaminated Yuan Force herbs – directly accessible via the world's will for relevant explanations and information – and some common supplements...
...
As time went on, the events of that night began to ferment and spread, subsequently escalating!
The Inner City family alliance launched a surprise attack during Gu Qiu's absence, yet it ended in a crushing defeat!
The Supreme Elder of the Longxi Clan, a World Breaker ranked among the top ten in the Inner City, died!
The old clan leader of the Lion Battle Clan was captured by the Inspector, and because he had been warned once before, this time he was directly assigned ten fear-class vengeful spirit missions.
He likely won't be able to obtain freedom for quite some time.
Meanwhile, news also came from the old Development Zone that Gu Qiu severely injured the current clan leader of the Lion Battle Clan, turning the tide of battle.
Coupled with the death of more than a dozen high-level partner-level warriors, in comparison, the issues of the Liu Yi family couldn't even make a ripple.
And without a doubt, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Even though the headquarters of the Chaoyang Society was burned down, suffering heavy losses, this incident, once known, actually broke through the original effect of silent terror.
It emboldened many who were sympathetic to the Chaoyang Society but too afraid to act, and surprisingly, there was a trend of expansion after this event.
On the other hand, the family alliance seemed to have been demoralized.
Eventually, the Gan family, which had always maintained neutrality, stepped forward to mediate, and the two sides initially reached some ceasefire agreements.
The supply of 'Happiness' from the Inner City to the Outer City was restricted to the North City District of the Outer City.
Many who were addicted to 'Happiness' and couldn't break free had no choice but to move towards the North City District...
...
That night, the Thieves Guild.
Tao Yu looked at the closed bar and was somewhat speechless at the sign outside indicating a temporary halt in business.
"So cautious? They didn't silence me last time, so they surely won't this time. No trust at all, sigh~"
After sighing, he once again jumped into the shadows and then returned home.
Demonization's second-stage Deification was indeed handy; it allowed for some shape-shifting, a real boon for changing identities.
"I should use Demonization regularly in the future and specifically revert to my previous form when needed, to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings and associations," Tao Yu decided, and then calmly spent the remaining days.
The rich young lady was coming back a day later than him, but he could go over and see how things were on that side first...
...
Back in the world of Great Tang, Tao Yu first addressed the zombie issue, using the Art of Corpse Refinement upgraded through second-stage Deification to summon and eliminate the quota of both Cao Shaolin and Wino.
He then transferred the demonized BOSS from Wino's body to the strongest zombie under Shi Shaojian's command.
It was unclear where he had obtained this zombie, but it was stronger than Qu Ao and several others, with combat abilities comparable to a top Grandmaster, emitting various filthy and evil energies.
Although its movements were still somewhat stiff, the contaminated and evil aura made it an outstanding assistant in restraining opponents—more than sufficient for a supporting role.
Named A-Da by Tao Yu, the zombie became the head of the zombie contingent and joined Tao Yu's shadow alongside Dugu Feng's zombie.
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The other five, Qu Ao, Huang Gongcuo, Li Mi, Dugu Feng, and You Chuhong, made all seven zombies fully operational.
Those that couldn't merge with the shadow, Tao Yu buried them outside, as he could summon them remotely anyway. When needed for work in a stable area, he would summon them; otherwise, walking around with them might scare others.
"If I get the chance to capture a vengeful spirit, I can enhance them even more. With the Big Dipper's leader dead, forming the Celestial Pole Big Dipper Formation would be ideal, but it's a shame they still fall short against the old lizard. That old guy has too much brute strength, one force breaks all methods..."
When Tao Yu returned after dealing with the issues, he had already drawn some conclusions...
"Sect Master, the charter has been set, please have a look and confirm," said Bai Qing'er sweetly, presenting the results of the past few days' discussions to Tao Yu.
It was still a draft, but it had taken shape.
Kou Zhong becomes the Emperor, taking Song Yuzhi as his Empress.
The cabinet is controlled by the current major separatist forces; resources sacrificed to the Buddhist Sect will be used to swiftly soothe the Chaotic Era, and the distribution of power has already begun to take shape.
The Yin Gui Faction also has a representative in the cabinet, who doesn't handle affairs but has veto power over important proposals, representing both Tao Yu and the new Development Zone.
"It's good, let's go with that. Tomorrow, my superior will start the journey here, bringing a Vitality Communication Device with them. There is a frequency limit for using it – in emergencies only. No crisis means just send a monthly safety report and a brief summary," Tao Yu made a slight modification and took the document back.
A full domination by Development Zone personnel was impossible to achieve, as even a puppet government needs to provide concessions. It might as well be like it is now, where they can guide the direction as needed.
Plus, he and Kou Zhong had a good private relationship, which was even better.
Tao Yu had thought about laying fiber optic cables before, but the rich young lady had taken out a special Vitality device designed for such situations, which made him realize he was a bit old-fashioned.
She would bring two sets this time: one for Luoyang and one for Bright Summit, meaning the three Martial Worlds could be officially incorporated into the new Development Zone's sphere of influence.
They would have ample autonomy, but for the native inhabitants who couldn't use Vitality, many of their interests would ultimately be absorbed by the new Development Zone...