Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains

"Big brother, we agreed that I'd take the lead this time. While you were away in Tianling County, those bastards kept provoking me. If you hadn't told me to hold back, I would have struck them down long ago and slaughtered that worthless bunch!"

Hearing Hou Yuxiao's words, Hou Yucheng was fiercely agitated. He stepped forward, and the great sword at his waist made a sound as if it, like its master, could hardly be contained any longer.

Seeing Hou Yucheng's demeanor, Hou Yuxiao frowned darkly.

Those thirty or so people from Nanling Mountain, weren't they all killed by you? Yet, you have the nerve to say you've been holding back...

"Don't rush, tell me about the current personnel situation of the Hou Sect so I can make proper arrangements!"

To concentrate their strength, all of Hou Family's martial artists had been placed under Hou Yuxiao's unified command in the Hou Sect- the strongest military force of the family. Naturally, the leaders were the five siblings, with initially five Great Dragon Head positions planned; however, with the Fifth Brother Hou Yuduan persistently refusing to join, there were only four Great Dragon Heads left.

As the Family Head and naturally the Great Dragon Head himself, Hou Yuxiao was followed by Hou Yucheng, Hou Yuling, and Hou Yujie.

The Upper Hou Gate was managed by the Second Dragon Head, Hou Yucheng, while the Lower Hou Sect by the Fourth Dragon Head, Hou Yujie. The Third Dragon Head, Hou Yuling, was currently in charge of the family business, handling operations involving iron ore and medical herbs, often traveling between Tongling County and the surrounding two counties, thus also carrying the responsibility of gathering intelligence from the martial world.

When Hou Yuxiao inquired about the situation of the Hou Sect, Hou Yucheng and Hou Yujie nodded and responded in turn.

"Currently, the Upper Hou Gate still only has the Kui Sector led by Hou Fei. Hou Fei, this Dragon Head, has Open Body Eightfold cultivation, with thirty subordinates under him, eight of whom are at the Sixth Level, and the remaining twenty-two at the Fifth Level."

"While all twelve earthly branches of the Lower Hou Sect have established their positions, only the Zishu Faction is at full strength. The Zishu Faction leader, Hou Cun, has Seventh Level of Body Opening cultivation, leading a hundred men, fifty-four of whom are at the First Level, thirty-two at the Second Level, and fourteen at the Third Level.

Apart from the Chenlong Gang Leader Hou Ying, who has Seventh Level of Body Opening cultivation and leads six men, the other ten faction leaders all have Six Levels of Body Unsealing cultivation, each commanding four men, all at the First Level of Body Opening."

After hearing this series of numbers, Hou Yuxiao pondered briefly and then roughly understood: the Upper Hou Gate had a total of 31 people, and the Lower Hou Sect had a total of 163 people, perfectly matching the current number of 194 martial artists in the family.

There was only one martial artist at the Open Body Eightfold level - Hou Fei, two at the Seventh Level - Hou Cun and Hou Ying, ten martial artists at the Sixth Level, twenty-two at the Fifth Level, fourteen at the Third Level, thirty-two at the Second Level, with the remaining 111 people all at the First Level of Body Opening.

Counting the five of them, the total number of martial artists in the family was now 199, just one shy of breaking through the two-hundred mark!

Critically among the five of them, aside from Hou Yuduan, the other three had Body-Opening Ten Layers Marrow-Cleansing Realm cultivation. Hou Yuxiao himself was a master at the Half-step Gang Qi Realm. In the entire Zhaoyang County, he only needed to be wary of Ren Feng.

"Unknowingly, has the family really gathered such an astonishing force?"

The only one to express amazement was Hou Yucheng, but the breathing of the other two, Hou Yujie and Hou Yuling, evidently became heavier.

Only Hou Yuduan did not seem moved. He was in charge of the family finances and was well aware of the number of martial artists, so these numbers didn't surprise him. Instead, a trace of worry appeared in his eyes.

Seeing the excitement in everyone's eyes, he couldn't help but throw cold water on them and spoke leisurely from the side.

"The number of people has indeed grown, but so have the expenses. Ever since big brother established the martial artists' salary system, every month, in addition to the necessary cultivation expenses, the salaries for these 194 martial artists alone amount to about 1500 taels, and that's excluding Hou Cun, Hou Ying, and Hou Fei, the three highest-cultivated retainers who don't take salaries.

Then consider the monthly doses of Body Opening Powder for each person at 5 taels apiece, that's another 1000 taels a month just for that. Plus the aftermath affairs for brothers who get injured or even die, just these three items together cost the clan 3000 taels a month, which adds up to 36000 taels a year.

Apart from the martial artists' expenses, the clan also has over eight hundred regular household members, costing at least 1600 taels a month.

Not to mention other incidental expenses. For example, big brother took 6000 taels with him on his last trip to Tianling County."

At this, Hou Yuduan cast a reproachful glance at Hou Yuxiao.

"I only took over the family's accounts at the beginning of this year. Back then, big brother gave Ren Feng a hefty gift and we were left with just over thirty thousand taels. Buying a hundred nags for Hou Fei and the Zishu Faction cost us five thousand taels, and with the clan's training consumption and big brother's recruiting, the money was gone in less than three months."

"There's only one month left in the year, and the iron and herbal businesses of Nanling Mountain, after accounting for various costs and excluding the four-tenths tribute we paid to the county government, can earn at most 24000 taels, which is barely 2000 taels a month.

Right now, these two businesses are the most profitable for the family, yielding about 2000 taels a month, and adding the protection fee from the Changle Street, we can collect about 1000 taels from the hundred or so shops there, for a total monthly income of 3000 taels.

I've calculated the expenses, and all together, we need at least 5000 taels a month. The family's current revenue is far from sufficient to cover this. The only reason we've lasted until now is thanks to the thirty thousand taels from the start of the year.

But as of yesterday, I have less than 3000 taels left in my hands. If this continues, not to mention two hundred martial artists, I fear the clan will soon hardly be able to afford even the servants..."