Ding Huan returned to the patrol guard when Yan Mei and Lao Liu were happily counting the crystal stones inside.
"Brother Huan..." Seeing Ding Huan's return, Lao Liu immediately rushed forward.
It's not usually this eager; the main reason is that it realized it can't consolidate its foundation here no matter how hard it tries.
Since it can't consolidate its foundation, the world loses its color and becomes dull.
However, today, it found its value and color in existence.
Riding roughshod over the city of West Wind with a gang of lackeys, or acting as an official representative—it certainly wasn't building its foundation for such showmanship, was it?
As for seeking revenge for the previous life, well, since it can't even build its foundation, what kind of revenge is there to seek?
"Huan brother..." Yan Mei greeted him as well.
Gu Bin, Wu Xun, Behol, and Peng Lei, seeing that Lao Liu and Yan Mei all called Huan Ge (brother Huan), quickly followed suit and also called out "Huan Ge."
Ding Huan swept his spiritual consciousness over the ground, revealing a heap of crystal stones, tens of thousands of them.
Looks like this time, Yan Mei and Lao Liu have come up with quite a lot of harvest.
"Good job. From now on, you can call me Captain. Sit down, let's chat for a while." Ding Huan was quite pleased.
Only after everyone had sat down did Ding Huan say, "From today onwards, the patrol guard will take over the entire West Wind City."
"Happy... Captain, what about the City Lord's Manor?" Yan Mei didn't understand the details and immediately asked.
After all, in terms of rank, Ding Huan's position as the patrol guard captain is miles below that of the City Lord in the City Lord's Manor.
Ding Huan waved his hand:
"Don't worry about the City Lord's Manor. If he dares to interfere, Lao Liu can handle it directly."
Upon hearing this, Lao Liu immediately pounded his chest:
"Huan Ge, let me handle it."
Whether it's a captain or not, it simply doesn't take it to heart. In its eyes, a place where you can do something is better than a place where you can't.
Gu Bin and the others were frightened and worried, as in the previous division of power, their patrol guard had been under the City Lord's Manor.
Now that Ding Huan opened his mouth, he clearly doesn't take the City Lord's Manor into account, which means he is planning to overthrow the City Lord.
However, thinking about the Iron Force Alliance that was destroyed by Yan Mei and Lao Liu today, as well as the dozens of shop owners who helped the Iron Force Alliance and were killed, they wanted to say something but were afraid.
The captain they have now is not someone who wavers in his actions.
"Yan Mei, you should be unable to consolidate your foundation in the short term. If you want to join a sect, you'll have to wait. If you don't want to join a sect, why not follow me and cultivate?"
Ding Huan looked at Yan Mei.
Yan Mei said without hesitation, "Huan Ge, I will cultivate with you."
Ding Huan's aptitude may not be the best, but the Jiying Duan (extreme shadow escape) technique he taught Yan Mei is undoubtedly a top-tier and powerful martial art.
And today, he saw Ding Huan's method of killing—those intangible wind blades, which were so powerful they were almost unimaginable. He suspected that even foundation-level cultivators wouldn't necessarily be able to dominate Huan Ge.
"Alright, I've found a place to stay. It's in the Big Crystal Zone. After you finish your affairs and return, I'll teach you the martial art technique we practiced." Ding Huan immediately said.
He is currently lacking a foundation cultivation technique. His search for small courtyards in the Big Crystal Zone is aimed at creating his own foundation cultivation technique.
Given such ideal conditions, if he doesn't go in search of a foundation cultivation method that suits him, then being trodden upon by others in the future is just what he deserves.
"Captain, you just tell me what to do," Yan Mei replied without the chest-thumping enthusiasm of Lao Liu, but his tone was resolute.
He was the one who understood Ding Huan's intentions the best. Hiding and avoiding were not the goals, finding a quiet place to enhance one's strength was the true purpose.
Ding Huan chose West Wind City, and he would never just stand still there.
He believed in his own eyes and choices. The first time he selected the Double Soul Sect was due to lack of experience, but if he made the same mistake again, then it would truly be a sign that he was mediocre.
Ding Huan felt that talking to Yan Mei, a smart person, was straightforward:
"Yan Mei, you take Lao Liu and the four people here now, and recruit a patrol guard force in West Wind City. The number... let's set it at 1,200 men."
"Ah..."
The people who were envious of Yan Mei just a moment ago, including Gu Bin, were shocked by Ding Huan's words.
Recruit 1,200 men? Is this a rebellion?
When Ding Huan said earlier that he didn't need to worry about the City Lord's Manor, and that Lao Liu could handle any resistance from the City Lord's Manor, that was already bordering on rebellion.
"Captain, I think, I mean... " Gu Bin gritted his teeth and decided to say what he knew.
Today has been incredibly exciting, and I don't know how many times I've gone through life and death.
"Now that everyone in the patrol guard is family, just say whatever you want," Ding Huan said to Gu Bin.
He felt that Gu Bin had wasted his potential. The guy still had some talent left in him.
With Ding Huan's approval, Gu Bin hurriedly said:
"Actually, there is an alliance leader named Pan Qi in the East and South Cities, and another alliance leader named Gao Zhanjian in the North and West Cities."
"Both of these guys are ruthless. They've killed countless people from our patrol guard. If we recruit more men, they're bound to make a move against us."
Ding Huan laughed heartily: "Later, you take a few people to clean up the bodies on Shengdao Street. I killed Pan Qi and Gao Zhanjian just before I came. There's no need to worry."
The huge surprise left Gu Bin and the others speechless for a while.
In reality, although Yan Mei and Lao Liu led them in taking down the Iron Force Alliance, they didn't feel safe.
As long as Pan Qi returns, there's even a possibility that he might attack the patrol guard.
"Captain, please rest assured... not, Captain, I guarantee that I will complete the task assigned by you, Gu Bin."
Gu Bin was so excited that he almost mistook Ding Huan for the City Lord.
Ding Huan stood up:
"Gu Bin, you will serve as Yan Mei's second-in-command and recruit a patrol guard force of 1,200 people in West Wind City. The monthly salary will be one crystal per person."
"Moreover, the patrol guard will take over the city guards of West Wind City. Not everyone can come and go as they please..."
In order to not be disturbed by my cultivation and also for the sake of a quieter West Wind City.
Ding Huan not only recruited more than a thousand patrol guards but also requested Yan Mei to take over the city defense. At the same time, he established new laws for the West Wind City based on the laws of Zhuoxing Leader's Domain.
Including the collection of management fees from merchants, some tax fees, the prohibition of fighting, the recovery of all houses in West Wind City without a house deed, or houses that were seized by force...
Not only that, but even the Happy Branch was prohibited from circulating by Ding Huan.
This thing is a drug. Since Ding Huan has taken over West Wind City, it must be banned.
Two hours later, Ding Huan finally left the patrol guard and returned to his residence.
It's just a few days of hard work. After West Wind City stabilizes, he'll have it easy.
...
When Ding Huan returned to the small courtyard in the Big Crystal Zone to study the several storage bags, Xue Bu's face turned ashen at the City Lord's Manor of West Wind City.
Not only was his face iron-gray, but his hands were also trembling.
Ding Huan is just too arrogant. A mere patrol guard captain, he dares to recruit patrol guard soldiers in West Wind City.
Since the guard troops of West Wind City were dissolved, there have been no permanent guards in West Wind City for decades.
"City Lord," at the moment when Xue Bu's emotions were turbulent, a woman's voice echoed from outside.
"Yi Clothing has returned, come in." Xue Bu tried to calm down his emotions.
A moment later, a black-clad woman walked in.
She was Xue Bu's trusted aide, Cang Yi yi. She bowed to Xue Bu before speaking.
"I have investigated, City Lord. Ding Huan's strength is very strong. He easily killed Pan Qi, Gao Zhanjian, Sheng Fu Er and Kong Xin in one go, without anyone else's help or even using any magical artifacts. He just used wind blades..."
Suddenly, Xue Bu calmed down after still being angered by his dark complexion. Pan Qi, Gao Zhanjian, Sheng Fu Er, and Kong Xin were all existences whose cultivation was roughly equivalent to his own.
"Is Ding Huan a foundation-cultivating cultivator?" Xue Bu asked in a hoarse voice.
How could he kill those four people who were all level nine of the Practicing Dao realm at the same time if he wasn't a foundation-cultivating cultivator?
Cang Yi yi shook her head: "I'm not quite sure about that. But if he has consolidated his foundation, why would he come to West Wind City?"
Xue Bu remained silent for a long time before saying:
"I need to close my cultivation in the near future and focus on consolidating my foundation. Even after I have consolidated my foundation, I will still kill that son of a bitch if I leave West Wind City."
"Yi Clothing, you keep an eye on the people at the City Lord's Manor and just collect the shop taxes from Zhongcheng District. Don't go against Ding Huan's patrol guards."
Cang Yi yi remained silent.
"What? Is there a problem with that?" Xue Bu furrowed his brow.
Cang Yi yi uneasily said:
"I just received a message, Ding Huan has taken over the entire West Wind City, including the Central District."
"Essentially, except for the City Lord's Manor, all shops are now under the responsibility of the patrol guards. The taxes and management fees have to be paid to the patrol guards as well. Even the household registration bureau has been taken over by the patrol guards."
There's one more thing she didn't say; she suspects that in a while, even the City Lord's Manor might have to pay management fees to Ding Huan.
"Good, good..." Xue Bu said the two words before calmly coming down.
It was another half incense stick before he sighed:
"Since that's the case, then let's just do the business of the Happy Branch and not compete with him."
Cang Yi yi reluctantly said again: "The Happy Branch's business has been officially prohibited by the patrol guard, we might not be able to do it in the future."
"Slap!" Xue Bu slapped the tea table with his palm, and also stood up.
He tried his best to control his emotions, but again couldn't help but explode.
Who is the City Lord of West Wind City, him Xue Bu or that Ding Huan?
"Go and call Ding Huan here, say that there is something important to discuss at the City Lord's Manor." After walking a few rounds in the room, Xue Bu decided to confront Ding Huan directly.
If he Xue Bu doesn't get any benefits, will he starve to death here? Will he be able to consolidate his foundation?"
"City Lord, I am worried that Ding Huan may have ill intentions..." Cang Yi yi couldn't help but add another sentence.
Xue Bu sniffed.
"He dares not. Although the Zhuoxing Leader's Domain is no longer concerned about West Wind City, if the city lord is killed, they will definitely not stand idly by."
Cang Yi yi realized this too. West Wind City has existed for so long, various changes have occurred, but no one has dared to touch the city lord.
Xue Bu knew in his heart that he was not a match for Ding Huan, but he still had some confidence within the City Lord's Manor.
As long as Ding Huan hasn't consolidated his foundation, he can use the prison-killing array within the City Lord's Manor to kill Ding Huan.
In his judgment, Ding Huan's chances of consolidating his foundation were extremely slim, and he could at most kill someone who was a level higher than him.
A cultivator who has consolidated their foundation has no reason to stay in West Wind City.
