Chapter 1949: 2048 and His Shared Conviction

"I must immediately inform the family to send people to Huayu City to establish a Chamber of Commerce. If we’re late, someone else will seize the opportunity first," Gao Weihu said in a buzzing voice.

"Brother Gao, you’ve recovered, and the scars no longer hurt?" Han Yan remarked, not expecting that even now Gao Weihu remained fixated on the family’s interests and couldn’t help but remind him.

Gao Weihu paused slightly, coming to a stop.

"No matter what, I’m ultimately a descendant of the Gao Family. Even if they treat me unjustly, I can only be unkind in return, but I cannot be disloyal to the Gao Family." Afterwards, Gao Weihu resolutely declared.

Han Yan gave Gao Weihu a deep look. Although it sounded somewhat rigid, it coincided with Han Yan’s beliefs. After all, those trying to put him in harm’s way were only certain Gao Family members with conflicting interests, not the entire family. Gao Weihu had narrowly escaped death and yet did not resent the family, maintaining his loyalty unwavering, which made Han Yan regard him with greater esteem.

"Brother Gao, there’s no need to hurry. First, focus on improving your cultivation. I assure you, your Gao Family will indeed have a position in the city’s Chamber of Commerce," Han Yan promised.

She knew well that, relying on the abundant exotic herbs across the mountains, Huayu City’s alchemy materials were inexhaustible, coupled with the alchemy techniques of Wu Yazi and Zhou Jilin, along with several families including Gutang Feng’s full support, Huayu City’s elixir supply was naturally endless.

Perhaps it won’t be long before Huayu City becomes a dan city renowned for its elixirs, like how Lingyu City is famous for array formation techniques, becoming known as the Array Formation City. Of course, with Wen Gaoren’s addition and Duan Cheng’an’s demise, Lingyu City was not the former Array Formation City it was; this title might also fall onto Huayu City.

In short, the future prosperity of Huayu City will undoubtedly surpass any city among the Twelve Divine Temples. Seizing the business opportunity ahead of time will surely bring immeasurable profit in the future.

Giving Gao Weihu a promise was to assure him.

"Thank you, Master Priest," Gao Weihu gratefully said to Han Yan.

This gratitude stemmed from Han Yan’s promise and her understanding. This loyalty towards the family, even in the face of betrayal and harm, staying true to one’s roots, is not something everyone can comprehend.

"Xia Xin, immediately designate these peaks as forbidden areas, send people to rigorously guard them, no one must set foot inside," Han Yan decisively instructed An Xiaxin.

In the past, even though there were all these strange flowers and herbs, Han Yan could only look and sigh, lacking enough manpower for surveillance. However, now with over a hundred priests and nearly a thousand guards ready to become priests, along with the powerful combat-skilled Mu Family, Han Yan no longer worried about manpower issues. Even the common folk, after the deadly battle against the bandits, are now full of valor, ready for battle.

"Yes, my lord." An Xiaxin promptly began arrangements.

In the days that followed, Han Yan devoted all her energy to these medicinal herbs, sending people to gather herbs, and calling upon Wu Zhou and Gutang Feng’s families to collectively refine elixirs.

The entire Huayu City was filled with the rich fragrance of flowers and herbs, mixed with a faint aroma of elixir.

With these elixirs, the temple’s recruitment of priests accelerated, and occasionally, one could hear the jubilant cheers of a family after a young member became a priest.

Meanwhile, the Huayu Commerce led by Zhu Yulan officially opened. The first business naturally involved elixirs, for relying solely on Han Yan’s funds was unsustainable; the temple must have its own sources of income.

After wrapping up all these matters, Han Yan began preparations to help Wu Yazi and others subdue the Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire.

Simultaneously, tens of thousands of miles away, a carriage entered the Life God Temple. Zhao Xinggu dressed in the splendid Divine Robe of the Penalty Priest, yet covered in wounds, alighted from the carriage, his mouth twitching heavily from the pain.

"Han Yan, I’ll make you pay the price; I’ll ensure you die without a burial place!" Zhao Xinggu inwardly roared, dragging his weary body through the temple’s towering gates.

Through the deep and solemn corridors, Zhao Xinggu casually arrived at the side hall where Right Priest handled temple affairs.

Behind a short table, the Life Temple Right Priest Zhao Xinghong was flipping through the records in his hand. Hearing footsteps, he didn’t lift his head; from the familiar rhythm, it wasn’t hard to guess who it was.

"You’re back, how did the affairs go?" Zhao Xinghong asked. Compared to Zhao Xinggu, his stature was much larger, yet his face bore a similar air of fierce menace carved from the same mold, albeit with more awe-inspiring majesty.

"Brother..." Zhao Xinggu’s legs gave way, kneeling on the ground, his voice carrying a sob.

"Xinggu, what happened to you?" Zhao Xinghong was shocked, finally lifting his gaze from the records, looking concernedly at Zhao Xinggu.

Because Zhao Xinggu lacked ambition since childhood, living indulgently later on, he lost any chance of inheriting the Family Head’s position, posing no threat to Zhao Xinghong. Their brotherhood was thus very strong, unlike other family descendants who battle fiercely over power, even turning against each other.

"Brother, you must stand up for me," Zhao Xinggu’s voice choked, tears flowing.

"What exactly happened, stand up and speak slowly," Zhao Xinghong pulled him from the ground.

Zhao Xinggu loosened his clothing, revealing a back covered in dense whip marks. Although he had taken elixirs on the journey and nursed himself for days, the wounds had yet to fully heal, remaining shocking to behold.

"Divine Punishment Whip, who dares use such brutal punishment on my Zhao Family members?" Zhao Xinghong’s eyes twitched heavily, angrily bellowed.

The Divine Punishment Whip is specifically used for punishing priests guilty of crimes, with ordinary people unable to bear the power of the Death Law within it. But even accomplished priests suffer from its harsh lashes, leaving their skin torn and bones exposed, rendering them intolerably painful.

In fact, due to the whip’s severe punishment, Penalty Priests carefully consider sentences; unless a tremendous error is committed, usually only a few to a dozen lashes are administered. However, Zhao Xinggu’s injuries indicate he suffered nearly a hundred lashes!

Of course, he knew about Zhao Xinggu’s travel to Huayu Temple to investigate Xiang Qiuzhan’s identity, but he found it hard to believe that the Huayu Temple dared to inflict such a severe punishment on a dignified Life Temple Penalty Priest, moreover his own brother Zhao Xinghong.

He even suspected if Zhao Xinghong had provoked High Priests of other Four Upper Divine Temples, receiving a fierce beating. His Right Priest identity was useful in the Life God Temple, but should Zhao Xinggu have inadvertently offended the High Priests of Death, Light, Ice Sealing, Earth, others might not respect his status.

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