Chapter 609

Chapter 609: Teach a Man to Fish

The celestial realm is no paradise; where there are people, there will always be strife!

Since settling near Feixu Valley, Wang Chen had been quietly tending to his fields, avoiding any conflicts with others.

Yet, even living such a peaceful life, he couldn’t escape the troubles that came knocking at his door.

Wang Chen knew all too well that he was likely caught up in something he had no part in.

Fortunately, he was no longer the naive youth he once was; in the face of danger, he kept his cool and managed to navigate through the crisis.

Just moments ago, he had discreetly handed the tall, thin cultivator a storage bag containing fifty Intermediate Spirits.

He had prepared three such storage bags!

Wang Chen was convinced that without this bribe, even with his registration proof, the others would find excuses to make life difficult for him; resolving the situation without some loss would be nearly impossible.

The reason was simple: they had come in full force; returning empty-handed would be a blow to their pride.

How could they simply let it go?

It must be acknowledged that the adage "money makes the world go round" holds true across countless realms, and the Haotian Celestial Realm is no exception.

Li Chengdong probably had to part with something as well.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t as much as what Wang Chen had offered.

At that moment, a figure swiftly approached.

"Brother Wang!"

It was Zhang Mushan.

Seeing Wang Chen safe and sound, he breathed a deep sigh of relief, "I’m glad you’re alright."

Zhang Mushan explained, "Someone just informed me that Li Chengdong had boarded the inspection flying ship and was heading this way."

Sensing something was amiss, he hurried over immediately.

Wang Chen smiled, "Yes, he just left."

Wang Chen briefly recounted the events to Zhang Mushan, concluding, "Thanks to you, Brother Zhang, I was able to obtain the Yongle loose cultivator status; otherwise, I would have been in real trouble."

Without that identity token, he would have been on the run once more.

As for the bribe he gave the tall, thin cultivator, Wang Chen didn’t mention it at all.

There was no need to.

After listening, Zhang Mushan’s face turned grim, and he said in a deep voice, "Li Chengdong was targeting me!"

The two had always had a contentious relationship, and Li Chengdong had often stirred up trouble in the past.

This time, it was clear he intended to create an opening through Wang Chen.

Wang Chen’s ability to cultivate and farm outside Feixu Valley was largely due to Zhang Mushan’s guarantee.

If Wang Chen were captured, Zhang Mushan would also face serious repercussions!

He let out a long breath, "I’ve dragged you into this, Brother Wang."

Wang Chen shook his head, "It’s my fault for involving you, Brother Zhang."

"You and I are brothers, so let’s not stand on ceremony," Zhang Mushan said with a wave of his hand. "This time, I must teach Li Chengdong a lesson!"

After such an incident, if he remained indifferent, he would surely be seen as weak and easy to bully. Now that Li Chengdong’s scheme had backfired, it would be foolish not to take advantage of the situation and strike while the iron was hot. Moreover, what Li Chengdong had done was utterly despicable.

It was worth noting that Zhang Mushan was not the first member of Feixu Camp to vouch for outsiders. In the area surrounding Feixu Valley, cultivators like Wang Chen were a common sight. Who would want the inspection team prying into their affairs? Zhang Mushan could easily use this to corner Li Chengdong!

"I’m heading back to camp now," Zhang Mushan said, hesitating for a moment. "Brother Wang, why don’t you come and stay in the valley with us?"

Wang Chen was no longer an illegal resident, and with Zhang Mushan’s guarantee, living in the valley for a while, even without joining Feixu Camp, wouldn’t be an issue.

"No need," Wang Chen politely declined. "I’m used to being alone, and I still need to tend to these spirit fields. Living in the valley would actually be inconvenient."

Zhang Mushan’s home wasn’t large, and Wang Chen didn’t want to intrude on their lives.

"Alright then," Zhang Mushan said, not pressing the matter. "If you need anything, just send me a talisman. As long as I’m not away, I’ll come right over."

"Thank you, Brother Zhang," Wang Chen replied. "Actually, there’s something I need your help with."

He pointed to the spirit fields and said, "These spirit rice require a lot of beast meat to thrive. I want to go hunt some magical beasts, but I’m not sure where the best hunting spots are."

Zhang Mushan chuckled. "I’ve told you before, green Japonica rice is easy to plant but hard to yield, and it requires a significant investment."

After a pause, he added, "I have some beast meat here. You can take it for now."

Wang Chen shook his head. "Brother Zhang, it’s better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. I want to go and hunt for myself."

"Fair enough," Zhang Mushan said, unable to argue. He pulled out a scroll from his storage bag. "This map marks the main hunting spots within the jurisdiction of Yongle Immortal City, including areas around Feixu Valley. Use it to track down magical beasts."

"But be very careful!" Zhang Mushan warned. "The Haotian Realm isn’t a celestial realm for human cultivators. The demon forces are incredibly powerful, and even within the human territories, countless demons roam freely. It’s entirely normal for cultivators to hunt magical beasts, and for demons to hunt human cultivators. In fact, for someone like you, joining the Hunting Team from Feixu Camp would be the safest option. Unfortunately, you don’t qualify yet."

"Although there are other non-Feixu Camp teams," Zhang Mushan continued, "human hearts are unpredictable. It’s wiser to proceed with caution on your own. Besides, Yongle Immortal City has rivals and enemies. It’s not uncommon for hunting cultivators to be ambushed by hostile immortal city forces. In any case, it’s best not to stray too far from Feixu Valley to avoid trouble."

After Zhang Mushan gave Wang Chen a thorough warning, he took his leave.

Wang Chen, now in possession of the hunting map, didn’t rush off to hunt. Instead, he continued tending to his dozens of acres of spirit fields, rising early and returning late, quietly building up his strength.

In terms of cultivation environment, the Haotian Realm far surpassed the Mountain-Sea Realm. This world not only offered a higher ceiling for cultivation but also brimmed with spiritual energy, making the practice of techniques far more efficient. Wang Chen’s Preheaven Five Element Technique had reached the sixth level of the Purple Palace. Although his progress had slowed, upon arriving here, he found himself back at the pace of the first and second levels. At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before he ascended to a higher level of the Purple Palace!

Between farming and cultivating, Wang Chen also made time to visit Feixu Valley a few times to gather cultivation resources. As a gathering place for loose cultivators, Feixu Valley had its share of shops and inns. However, the prices were exorbitant, and Zhang Mushan had advised him to avoid them unless absolutely necessary to prevent being overcharged.

Fortunately, Feixu Valley also had a market that opened periodically, allowing cultivators to trade with one another, mostly through bartering. Of course, no one would turn down spirit stones. Talismans, elixirs, and various everyday magical tools were becoming scarce in Wang Chen’s Xumi Ring as his spirit stones dwindled. Much of his original stash had been spent on crafting his life treasure, and arriving in the Haotian Realm had further drained his resources. By now, he was feeling the strain, struggling to make ends meet!

Therefore, when the spirit rice began to sprout, Wang Chen decisively set out on the path of hunting to replenish his resources.