Almost a year had passed since Maitreya’s defeat in Jiangnan.0

Although there were still occasional skirmishes between the various southern factions, the conflicts were relatively minor in scale. Most families were focused on restoring production, as well as tending to the wounds left by Maitreya’s devastation.0

Driven by their ambitions for autonomy, none of the factions pursued the remnants of the Maitreya Cult too aggressively. Instead, they absorbed the scattered cultists under the guise of “refugees,” redirecting them back to agricultural production. The Tang Clan was particularly adept at this practice, quietly assimilating tens of thousands of Maitreya’s defeated forces. The most capable among them were even reorganized into military units.0

With economic revitalization as the priority, Jiangnan’s recovery progressed swiftly, aided by its solid foundation. In particular, the Tang Clan’s stronghold in Gusu and Hangzhou had regained much of its former prosperity. Given the rapid expansion of maritime trade, the Ningbo port had become a strategic location.0

As the trio disembarked, they were greeted by the bustle of a thriving port—merchants hawking their wares, the air alive with voices, and fluttering silks adorning every balcony. The scene outshone even the vibrancy of ...0