"I’ve wrapped it in sheet iron, which is why no one is feeling anything right now."

"I plan to acquire more of these and place them at the entrances and exits of the Inner Mountain. I’ll also position them along other easy access points to the forest. This will ensure outsiders can’t reach us, and it will keep our own people from wandering past the Inner Mountain Pass, preventing any leaks about our situation here."

Fearing they wouldn’t believe him, he peeled back a small section of the iron sheeting.

Instantly, everyone present felt a wave of dizziness that came from nowhere.

The old man’s reaction was the most severe; he nearly toppled over.

With swift reflexes, Zhou Hansong hurried to support his father. Cheng Zongyang just as quickly sealed the iron sheet shut again, pressing it tight to diminish its effect.

Only then did everyone stare, shocked, at the object in Cheng Zongyang’s hand.

Cheng Guanghai frowned. "Is its effect really that strong? Just now, I felt my head spin."

Cheng Zongyang nodded. "That’s what it does, and that was just a tiny bit of its influence. If I were to remove the iron sheeting completely and fully expose it, even I would pass out right here."

At this, a look of terror appeared on their faces as they stared at the object.

"It’s that terrifying?" Zhou Zhenyuan murmured.

Cheng Zongyang nodded. "That’s why there were so many animal skeletons there. I only managed to dig it out thanks to a specific technique I used."

"But I also learned some ways to protect against it. So, given this thing’s effect, I plan to place them at all the entry and exit points to ensure the safety and secrecy of our Cheng Family Village."

"The situation outside is grim. The fighting will likely reach Jade Peak County before long. That’s all the more reason we need to set up our defenses!"

Hearing this, their expressions turned serious as they all nodded in agreement with Cheng Zongyang’s plan.

Regardless of the situation in the outside world, protecting the stable ground they had fought so hard to secure was paramount.

They were even willing to seal this place off.

Cheng Zongyang was responsible for all of the village’s external affairs, so they naturally trusted his judgment.

Everyone’s goal was the same: to make life better and to make this place safer.

Cheng Guanghai spoke up and asked, "If we set these things up, what if someone wanders in by mistake and no one finds them?"

"Don’t worry about that. I’ll place some subtle markers in the area and make sure everyone knows what they mean. I’ll also have some of the Guard Team patrol the mountains to reduce the chance of accidents."

Next, Cheng Zongyang explained the boundaries of the zones he and Ma San had planned out, along with the methods they would use for deployment.

However, Cheng Zongyang didn’t reveal the exact locations. He only told them the overall size of the area and what was being put in place.

When everyone learned that the area covered was even larger than Golden Bridge Village itself, they were quite surprised.

But their concerns were eased when they learned that most of the area consisted of land for farming and raising livestock.

Cheng Zongyang knew that the 100 Geomagnetic Stones he had procured might not be enough. He decided on a targeted approach, supplementing the stones with venomous insects and poisonous creatures to ensure the areas had overlapping defenses, making Cheng Family Village even more secure.

After the meeting, Cheng Zongyang entrusted his father with handling the subsequent matters concerning the rice.

As for the Geomagnetic Stones, he would have to wait until he finished placing them before having his father hold a meeting with the villagers to explain the meaning of the markers.

For now, the village’s internal affairs were largely managed by his father in coordination with a few of the other elders.

Some of the duties he was responsible for were also gradually handed over to two of his cousins and two uncles, except for some matters he had to manage personally.

Starting the next day, Cheng Zongyang began to lay out the Geomagnetic Stones according to the map he had drawn.

He carried Stone Hide, which protected him from the effects of the Geomagnetic Stones. He also deliberately used the stones’ effects to easily gather venomous snakes, poisonous insects, and animal carcasses.

It took him two days to circle all the easily accessible points, completing his deployment plan by creating a layered defense of Geomagnetic Stones, venomous creatures, and animal carcasses.

At the same time, along the inner edge of the Geomagnetic Stone fields, Cheng Zongyang placed some obvious stacked-rock markers to let the villagers know that this was an area where they should stop.

Once he had finished, he explained everything to his father.

He also set aside five Geomagnetic Stones as reserves. He gave four of the iron-wrapped stones, along with four Stone Skin Purses, to four elders, including his father. He explained the protective effects of the Stone Hide and told them that if they ever encountered danger while outside, they could take out a Geomagnetic Stone to use against their enemies.

Even Exotic Beasts were susceptible to the effects of the Geomagnetic Stones. As long as someone carried Stone Hide for protection, they could definitely use a Geomagnetic Stone as a weapon when faced with danger.

Only the clan elders would possess this Stone Hide. In addition, Cheng Zongyang also left a portion of it in the ancestral hall as a reserve.

The Geomagnetic Stones were quite potent. He placed the last one in the mountain cave used for storing valuables. The cave’s rock walls would contain its effects, preventing them from reaching the outside. Only clan elders were permitted to enter the cave; children were strictly forbidden. Any outsider attempting to enter would naturally be affected by the stone.

This greatly enhanced its security.

As for the ancestral hall, it didn’t need one for now, as nothing of value was kept there.

Later, Cheng Guanghai held a village-wide meeting to let everyone know about the situation outside.

To ensure they understood the effects, Cheng Zongyang gave a live demonstration, letting them experience it for themselves. Once they had felt the danger, he explained the meaning of the stacked-rock markers, warning them to avoid accidentally entering the areas and risking their lives.

Meanwhile, with the advent of the new rice strain, the Storehouse issued more tasks for reclaiming arable land and increased the rewards accordingly.

This also led many of the newly arrived villagers, who lacked many skills and were eager to live a better life, to join the tasks of reclaiming wasteland.

This was also the fastest way to earn Contribution Points.

The goal for Cheng Family Village was to secure at least three hundred mu of arable land before the spring planting season began next year. To that end, the rewards for the task were high, with bonus contribution rewards for any land cleared beyond the initial goal.

And so, throughout the lands of Cheng Family Village, the newly arrived villagers threw themselves into their work with fiery enthusiasm.

They knew that through their own labor, they could live a good life—a vanishingly rare prospect in times like these.

Watching the original villagers, they could see that this better life was real, not some empty promise. This, along with their envy, gave them a powerful reason to strive with all their might.

’If they didn’t work their hardest with such a good life in sight, what was the alternative? To go back to being wanderers outside?’

They had had enough of that nightmarish, precarious existence, never knowing if they would see the next dawn. They never wanted to go back.

Thus, when they saw that Contribution Points could be exchanged for grain, used to build their own homes, allow their children to study and pursue Martial Arts Training, pay for medical treatment, and even rent land, they worked with even greater fervor.

Countless trees were felled. Even the children, who lacked great strength but were eager to help their families earn Contribution Points, pitched in by dragging logs back to be exchanged. Weeding, moving stones, repairing roads...

No task that a child could perform was left undone.

A vibrant, energetic atmosphere permeated all of Cheng Family Village.

Standing at the entrance to the ancestral hall, Cheng Zongyang watched the bustling activity in the Henei and Beyond the River regions, a smile touching his lips.

’This was what he wanted!’

With the Geomagnetic Stones in place, his worries about Cheng Family Village’s security were largely put to rest.

Unless the danger came from deep within the Inner Mountain, or was brought by people from that place, no outsider would be able to approach, let alone discover, Cheng Family Village.

’Things in the village have mostly gotten on the right track,’ Cheng Zongyang murmured to himself. ’It’s time to compile some written works.’ With that, he entered the ancestral hall.

’Education in the clan’s ideology is crucial!’

「Meanwhile, in the region Beyond the River.」

The building that once served as the ancestral hall was now the Cheng Family Village’s Sect Hall.

While Zhou Hansong, who was in charge of handling the Sect Hall’s affairs, was dealing with some matters, a nervous Zhang Guangwen arrived at the doorway.

With everyone in the village busy working, there was no one to spare, so the entrance to the Sect Hall was left unguarded.

Zhang Guangwen saw that Chief Steward Zhou was inside, so he knocked on the doorframe and called out, "Chief Steward."

Zhou Hansong, who was handling matters, heard him and looked up. Seeing Zhang Guangwen at the door, he said, "Zhang Guangwen? Come in."

He was fairly familiar with the handful of Martial Artists from the Martial Arts Hall.

Upon hearing the invitation, Zhang Guangwen entered, his demeanor respectful and restrained.