Jiang Chen wasted no time. That very day, he led a batch of his subordinates and stormed toward Pill Fire City in full force.
Pill Fire City had sent nearly ninety percent of its elite forces to pick a fight, leaving behind only a tenth to guard the city gates and watch over the estates.
However, the remaining fraction of experts had already heard about what happened at Glazed Jade City. Every last one of them had lost the will to resist. Long before Jiang Chen arrived, they had fled in a mad rush, taking with them a vast hoard of Pill Fire City's resources.
By the time Jiang Chen reached Pill Fire City and declared his takeover, there wasn't a single soul left inside. The entire city was gripped by panic.
After seizing control, Jiang Chen immediately launched a series of sweeping reforms, completely dismantling the harsh system that Pill Fire City had enforced for years.
At first, the common folk living under Pill Fire City's jurisdiction, along with the minor factions, small families, and even petty vassal lords, were all deeply worried about Glazed Jade City taking over. They feared that Jiang Chen, once in power, would intensify the repression, take revenge on Pill Fire City, plunder its wealth, and drain it of every last resource!
Yet as Jiang Chen's measures rolled out one after another, people gradually came to realize that the Pill Fire City under his rule was in no way inferior to the old one. In fact, it was even better.
At the very least, under Jiang Chen's control, everything ran smoothly. The exorbitant taxes, extortion, and arbitrary exploitation of the past were completely gone.
An image of fairness and integrity spread ever wider through the city.
Three months on, everyone in Pill Fire City had long since forgotten who Emperor Pill Might even was. They far preferred the atmosphere of the new Pill Fire City.
No exploitation. No oppressive authority. No autocratic rule…
All of this was the fruit of Jiang Chen's early experience managing Pill Fire City. Had he taken a heavy-handed approach at this stage instead of employing the strategy of overcoming hardness with softness, he would have faced resistance at every turn, both in the open and in the shadows.
Suppressing the martial forces of a place was easy. Winning over the hearts and minds of its people — that was a far more difficult undertaking.
But Jiang Chen had pulled it off. Through his unique personal charisma and his distinctive methods, he had successfully embedded his philosophy into Pill Fire City, gradually making the city far more orderly than it had ever been before.
Of course, Jiang Chen also heeded Emperor Jingzhong's advice. In secret, he recruited powerful rogue cultivators and lured them into Pill Fire City.
"Young Master, the rogue cultivators who have reached the Emperor realm possess talent and aptitude no inferior to those leading the great sects. The only thing they lack is resources and a solid foundation. So if you, Young Master, are truly eager for talent and willing to give these rogue Emperor cultivators a chance, they may well bring you pleasant surprises."
Emperor Jingzhong's strategic vision had always been exceptional.
He tended to look at problems from a long-term perspective. In the long run, gathering scattered rogue Emperor cultivators under the umbrella of an organized faction would build a tower of sand rather than leaving it as a shapeless pile.
As a disorganized heap, rogue cultivators were always the most disadvantaged in the martial world. When cultivators of the same rank clashed, a rogue cultivator stood absolutely no advantage against a sect powerhouse.
More often than not, even after being bullied, they had to swallow their anger in silence.
If all the rogue Emperors could be brought together, it would undoubtedly prove immensely beneficial for the next phase of operations against the demon race.
Jiang Chen considered for a moment, then nodded. "Brother Hui, your foresight is unmatched. Among the rogue cultivators, your vision is absolutely the finest."
"Heh heh, Young Master Jiang Chen flatters me. I simply mull these things over in my spare time — even a fool who thinks a thousand times is bound to hit upon one good idea!" Emperor Jingzhong was modest about it.
"No need for modesty, Brother Hui. This proposal to rally the rogue cultivators has many merits beyond simply gathering a group of powerful fighters. Rogue cultivators are scattered far and wide. If the demon race begins to make its move, the easiest targets for them to strike would be the rogue cultivators."
"Second, the rogue cultivator world is divided and acts independently. If we can bring them together and gradually foster a sense of collective pride and belonging, it will be invaluable for the great cause of resisting the demons in the future. The power of unity and the power of a scattered pile of sand are not the same thing at all."
"And third, Brother Hui, you command great prestige and respect in the rogue cultivator world. With you presiding over this effort, we will get twice the result with half the effort. That is why, Brother Hui, I intend to entrust this entire matter to you."
Jiang Chen was not an authoritarian person.
On the contrary, whenever he recognized someone's talent and capability, he was more than happy to delegate authority.
Especially with someone like Emperor Jingzhong, whose character and integrity were beyond reproach — he believed in the principle of never doubting those you employ.
He handed full responsibility for the overall situation at Pill Fire City over to Emperor Jingzhong. Jiang Chen himself then returned to Glazed Jade City.
Glazed Jade City was Jiang Chen's true root. His foundation lay here, and he could not remain stationed in Pill Fire City's territory for long.
Upon returning to the Young Master's residence and seeing his loved ones, Jiang Chen's mood finally eased considerably.
His campaign against Pill Fire City, though smooth in execution, had weighed heavily on his mind the entire time.
A civil war among the human race — no matter how great the victory or how remarkable the achievements, Jiang Chen simply could not bring himself to feel joy.
"Stupid brother, my master has already returned to the Moon God Sect. She told me she's too ashamed to face you, that she let you down. She asked me… asked me to apologize to you on her behalf."