Zhu Xiaosuo naturally held no grudges.

Shen Zhuo didn't protect him with his life, indicating that Shen Ma's orders were just that.

As expected.

After Zhu Xiaosuo and Shen Ma collaborated to compete for the Vein Opening Pill, they had little contact.

I became the head of the family, you became the County Constable, and we settled our accounts.

Shen Ma didn't have Shen Zhuo sacrifice himself to protect him, which also showed that he wasn't planning to hang himself on just one tree, Zhu Xiaosuo.

Shen Ma had backup plans, likely with the support of other cultivators, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to maintain his position as County Constable.

However, the only cooperation between Zhu Xiaosuo and Shen Ma was pleasant for both, so he had a good impression of him.

If he needed someone to help stabilize the affairs in Mountain Chicken County, Shen Ma would be the best candidate.

It seemed that upon returning to Mountain Chicken County, he would need to have a chat with Constable Shen.

After traveling for half a day, they returned to Mountain Chicken County.

"Shen Zhuo, go back and inform Constable Shen that after my godfather leaves, I will visit him."

"No, it's better for Constable Shen to come to the Zhu Clan to see you."

"No worries, it's more convenient to talk at his place."

"Understood."

Shen Zhuo rode off, and Zhu Xiaosuo lifted Jieku from the saddle and placed him on Zhu Sixiu's horse.

"Sixiu, have the brothers return to the Zhu Clan first. Then take Jieku to the Empty Form Temple for a haircut. His hair is growing out and prickly, I can't even touch it."

"Yes, Master. What if someone asks where you've gone?"

"If Zhu Qigao and Zhu Liude ask, say I went to the Yang Clan and will talk to them when I return. If anyone else asks, just say you don't know."

"Understood. What if Immortal Master Zhuang asks?"

"He won't ask you directly, at most he'll ask Zhu Qigao. Zhu Qigao will find a way to deflect."

"Yes, take care, Master!"

"Alright, go on."

Zhu Xiaosuo dismounted, tied his horse by the roadside, and changed into plain clothes in an alley, wearing a bamboo hat.

After carefully observing that no one was watching, he hurriedly walked alone towards the Yang Clan.

It was his first visit to the Yang Clan, and the estate was indeed impressive.

However, he didn't plan to enter through the main gate.

His visit to the Yang Clan was not something to be publicized.

He walked to the outer wall of the courtyard, used Wind-Chasing Steps to leap over the wall, and headed straight for the most luxurious main courtyard.

But before he reached the main courtyard, he was stopped by two figures.

"Why does a fellow cultivator intrude on our Yang Clan at night?"

Zhu Xiaosuo saw that it was the Yang Clan head, Yang Linqiu, and her third aunt, Yang Shuru, both cultivators of the Yang Clan.

Zhu Xiaosuo removed his hat and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Greetings to both fellow cultivators."

"Zhu Xiaosuo?"

"Indeed, it is I. I apologize for the uninvited visit. May I come in for a chat?"

Yang Linqiu looked questioningly at Yang Shuru.

Yang Shuru nodded.

"Very well, Master Zhu, please come in."

Before entering, Yang Shuru dismissed all the servants from the main courtyard.

Since Zhu Xiaosuo sneaked in, he clearly didn't want his visit to be known.

The three of them sat down in the main hall of the courtyard.

"What guidance does Master Zhu have for us?"

"I came to establish a deeper relationship with the Yang Clan."

Yang Linqiu and Yang Shuru exchanged glances.

"If Master Zhu intends to cooperate in business, our Yang Clan would be more than happy. After all, your godfather..."

Zhu Xiaosuo raised his hand to stop her.

"I hope to form a friendship with the Yang Clan in my own capacity, unrelated to others."

Zhu Xiaosuo's words almost made it clear that his relationship with his godfather Zhuang Yun was irreconcilable.

Yang Linqiu smiled.

"Master Zhu, you must be joking. Forgive me for being blunt, but without Brother Zhuang, your Zhu Clan wouldn't have a tenth of its business."

For a newcomer at the First Layer of the Rebirth Stage like Zhu Xiaosuo to think he could dominate Mountain Chicken County was indeed a fool's dream.

"Then please, Yang Shuru, take a move from me."

Zhu Xiaosuo immediately channeled his spiritual energy and launched a "Crumbling Stone Force" punch at Yang Shuru.

Yang Shuru raised her hand to counter with the same "Crumbling Stone Force," but did not use her full strength.

Yang Shuru was a cultivator at the Fifth Layer of the Rebirth Stage. If she used her full strength, she might have killed Zhu Xiaosuo outright.

So she used slightly more power than the First Layer of the Rebirth Stage, intending to give Zhu Xiaosuo a warning.

However, she underestimated Zhu Xiaosuo's strength and was instead pushed back half a step.

Yang Shuru asked gravely:

"Second Layer of the Rebirth Stage?!"

Zhu Xiaosuo nodded.

Yang Linqiu couldn't sit still and immediately asked:

"Master Zhu, is there a master..."

"I'm sorry, but I can't say more about this."

"Yes, yes, my apologies."

Yang Linqiu smiled awkwardly.

Personal opportunities and backing should not be easily revealed.

Anything easily shown to others is not true opportunity or backing.

Yang Linqiu thought of her own failure in the first Immortal Sect examination and looked at the promising young Zhu Xiaosuo.

She replied somewhat dejectedly:

"Congratulations, Master Zhu, on getting closer to passing the first Immortal Sect examination."

Zhu Xiaosuo keenly noticed something off in Yang Linqiu's words.

Closer?

Shouldn't it be passing the examination?

He asked calmly:

"How confident does the Yang Clan head think I am?"

Yang Linqiu didn't understand why Zhu Xiaosuo asked this, so she thought for a moment and replied:

"For Master Zhu to break through to the Second Layer of the Rebirth Stage in such a short time is indeed remarkable. It seems there's a seventy to eighty percent chance of breaking through to the Third Layer before the first examination."

Zhu Xiaosuo couldn't sit still.

"Are you saying the first Immortal Sect examination requires breaking through to the Third Layer of the Rebirth Stage?!"

"You didn't know? Immortal Master Zhuang should have..."

Yang Linqiu was about to continue when her third aunt, Yang Shuru, stopped her.

Yang Shuru looked at Zhu Xiaosuo with a half-smile and said:

"I didn't expect Master Zhu, so young, to be so deep-minded, trying to extract information from my niece."

Though Yang Linqiu was the head, her third aunt Yang Shuru was clearly more experienced.

Zhu Xiaosuo didn't hide it:

"I was probing because I truly didn't know the first examination in three years required breaking through to the Third Layer of the Rebirth Stage."

"Immortal Master Zhuang didn't?"

Zhu Xiaosuo clenched his fist and said:

Search "pawread dot com" for the original.

"He told me it was the Second Layer of the Rebirth Stage."

He had thought his relationship with Zhuang Yun was initially amicable, only diverging later due to conflicts of interest.

He always believed Zhuang Yun was not good at scheming, and everything was under his control.

He was careless.

If he had believed Zhuang Yun and stopped cultivating at the Second Layer of the Rebirth Stage, he would have been unable to pass the Immortal Sect's examination.

Though he had ample resources to support him to the Bone Transformation Stage.

After witnessing Chen Qinqiu's abilities, his ambitions unknowingly grew.

The Bone Transformation Stage was no longer his goal.

To progress further, he had to pass the examination and maintain ties with the Immortal Sect.

Otherwise, he would merely be a slightly stronger head of a cultivator clan.

Zhuang Yun had cut off his path to immortality, clearly intending to control him.

To become a tool for Zhuang Yun to control Mountain Chicken County.

Perhaps Zhuang Yun's initial distribution of the Vein Opening Pill to the Zhu Clan wasn't to avenge his son.

But to establish his own power locally.