---
Within the courtyard of the Jiang family.
---
Jiang Ronghai looked at Wu Tianmo expectingly,
"Patriarch Wu, would you join me for a walk?"
Wu Tianmo nodded and walked out of the estate with Jiang Ronghai.
They walked down the street and arrived at the port where there was a big ship docked.
On the helm was a large red carp statue.
Jiang Ronghai smiled at his impressive vessel then looked at Wu Tianmo,
"Patriarch Wu, you're quite the interesting person"
Wu Tianmo raised an eyebrow,
"Merchant Leader Jiang, explain your meaning"
Jiang Ronghai turned and looked back at him and sighed,
"You have come from some unknown place and raised to the same status as three other patriarchs."
He chuckled,
"From the 1st Stage of Body Reforging... to defeating a Peak Body Reforging cultivator?"
His eyes narrowed,
"That is all quite, interesting."
Wu Tianmo looked at him,
"What of it, I'm simply the patriarch of a clan with no members."
Jiang Ronghai revealed a fan and started to cool himself with the night breeze,
"That is true, for now. However, you're not alone anymore."
Wu Tianmo crossed his arms and looked at the Jiang Merchant Leader,
"Who is Jiang Ling'er to you?"
Jiang Ronghai smiled,
"She is my dear niece that has been through a lot."
He wiped his eyes while shedding crocodile tears,
"She watched her sisters become ruined in body and mind. Now the assailant goes free."
Wu Tianmo scoffed, he saw through Jiang Ronghai's intentions,
"Mortals have been enduring the desires of cultivators for thousands of years. I'm not a saint to punish all the wicked. He went after Ling'er, he was punished."
He sighed,
"As for her sisters, they're not the first victims and won't be the last. As family, I will do what I can to find a proper future for them."
Jiang Ronghai looked disappointedly back at him, his trick didn't work.
He persisted,
"Patriarch Wu is correct, however do you not feel the slightest bit of anger towards the Zhang Clan's young master?"
Wu Tianmo laughed,
"The man is going to have to live as a Eunuch for the foreseeable future. That could be hundreds of years for a cultivator. That is a lengthy time to pay for your crime."
He narrowed his eyes back at Jiang Ronghai,
"Merchant Leader Jiang, or should I call you uncle-in-law?"
He said fiercely,
"I'm not your blade to strike at the Zhang clan."
Jiang Ronghai sneered and started walking towards his ship,
"It seems Patriarch Wu isn't as interesting as I thought. Little ambition, a carp with no courage to jump over the gate. Goodbye."
---
Back at the gate of the Wu Clan Estate
---
Wu Tianmo walked slowly back up the hill, his red torn robes fluttering in the wind.
Under the "Wu Clan" signboard he saw a group of people waiting for him.
Jiang Ling'er, her sisters, father and mortal branch members all arrived and were waiting for Wu Tianmo at the entrance of his estate.
They had everything they owned that wasn't destroyed by the Zhang Clan Young Master.
Jiang Fushui and Ling'er both approached him,
"Patriarch"
Wu Tianmo nodded approvingly and looked at Jiang Fushui,
"You may take your family members and occupy one of the outer living quarters. There should be enough room for your whole clan."
Jiang Fushui looked at Wu Tianmo with eyes of pride,
This daughter of mine has really reeled in a flood dragon. If she hadn't... I don't wish to imagine the consequences.
Wu Tianmo crossed his arms,
"Let us move the wedding up to tomorrow. Ling'er I don't wish to wait."
They all were ecstatic, many times a clan had lost it's standing and the engaged party would pull out.
They all saw Wu Tianmo in a bright light, this was an honorable man.
Ling'er and her father nodded,
"Yes!"
Ling'er blushed but was still shaken up and didn't reveal much emotion,
They entered the estate and all the branch members paid their respects to Wu Tianmo, he learned that they had over ten family members.
Yet most of them were old, most of the young ones were impulsive and tried to resist the Zhang Clan.
This led to the death of over 8 Jiang family members.
This Jiang branch family would likely fade into dust within forty years.
They all made their way into the estate and Wu Tianmo went alone to the training field to cultivate under the guidance of the moon.
He repeated the battle between Zhang Minghao in his head many times, analyzing different ways he could have fought him.
He thought of the blade that shattered,
"That was a tier 2 saber, sword intent is quite useful. Without it I would have surely lost my life."
He shook his head and sighed,
"For a Patriarch I have been acting quite riskily, perhaps I shouldn't risk the Slaughter Festival... There must be other ways to free my clan member without becoming a slave myself."
How to make money....
Had I allied with Ling'er's uncle he probably would have given me the money. Though 1000 silver taels isn't worth the wrath of the Zhang Clan.
There were many routes ahead of him, yet all of them were filled with danger.
Wu Tianmo looked at the moon,
"I would rather fight hordes of beasts than play politics with these people. I suppose I need to raise a few heirs before I can cultivate in peace."
Now that is a thought... Beasts..
He started to pace, deep in thought,
My cultivation soared when I used beast blood. It seems I need to make another trip into Blackwood Forest.
He thought of the blood pool,
"Though, that tier one beast blood lost most of it's effect. It took a peak Tier One beast to breakthrough to the 6th Stage of Body Reforging... What would it take to reach the peak?"
He shook his head,
"I'll likely need 2nd Tier Beast's blood to progress any further."
I need to reach the Meridian Opening Realm before the beast tide. If I can do that, the Wu clans place in the village will be solidified and the spoils of the battle will cause my cultivation to soar even further.
He stood and grabbed a training sword,
"Forget it. I will figure it out in the morning, for now I will continue to perfect the Crimson Moon Sword Dance."
He completed the first 50 steps and paused,
The Sword Dance started to reveal deeper, hidden movements that weren't apparent before.
"I have really just scratched the surface... Could there be more hidden within? Continue!"