Chapter 255
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
You can buy coins here to unlock advanced chapters: https://gravitytales.com/coins-purchase-page/
Chapter 255: It Will Get Better
Dongwu Town was bustling all night.
Many cultivators barely slept, with entire families hiding in their basements, trembling in fear.
They silently prayed to Huang Tian and Houtu.
Life in the outer realm was tough, and without access to the sect’s blessed land, a loose cultivator town like Dongwu was the best home they could hope for.
No one wanted their home to fall into the chaos of war.
As dawn broke, the ox carts that usually appeared on the streets and alleys had vanished.
Even the aunts and younger sisters who went out with their night soil buckets felt uneasy.
Meanwhile, Wang Chen left his house early as usual.
He headed out for breakfast.
Last night, he had caused a huge uproar at the Chang Le gambling house, killing over thirty members of the Sanjiang Association and another ten or so cultivators from Dongwu Wei Hall.
He accumulated 368 points of Heavenly Merit!
In this battle, Wang Chen not only gained a lot but also severely weakened the Sanjiang Association.
That once arrogant person who had been so bold in front of him had now turned to ashes!
With grievances addressed and vengeance taken, Wang Chen’s mind was clear.
After last night’s battle, he returned home and had a good night’s sleep. This morning, he felt refreshed and completely at ease.
His spirit was even more vibrant and clear!
For the past six months, Wang Chen had been taking Dragon-Tiger Strengthening Soup to cultivate the Heavenly Dragon Vajra True Method.
Though the effects of the soup were good, prolonged use had led to a bit of unsettling energy accumulating within his body, starting to cloud his mental fortitude.
Wang Chen understood that it wasn’t just the effect of the soup.
As he cultivated in the fourth realm of the Heavenly Dragon Vajra True Method, while it continuously strengthened his body, it also influenced his soul at all times.
If it weren’t for the Ancient Stone Tablet suppressing the Heavenly Dragon true form, it would have grown too powerful to control.
Thus, this hidden danger needed to be resolved.
The simplest methods were either Dual Cultivation or killing!
That instigator from the Sanjiang Association had no idea what he was provoking, and ended up meeting a fate of being turned to dust.
Wang Chen had a vague feeling that the more Heavenly Merit he accumulated, the purer his heart of the path could become!
With a light step, he arrived at his usual spot.
The breakfast shop owner greeted warmly, “Elder Wang, the usual?”
Wang Chen nodded, “Mm.”
He was puzzled, “Why is there no one here?”
Wang Chen noticed that the tables set up by the roadside were all empty, a stark contrast to previous scenes.
The breakfast shop owner smiled wryly, "Last night was so chaotic, it’s likely everyone is too scared to come out."
Dongwu Town isn’t too small, but it’s not particularly large either.
Wang Chen had cleaned up the Chang Le gambling house, taking down dozens of cultivators; though the process was brief, the impact was immense.
It was no surprise that the breakfast shop had fewer customers today.
Everyone was terrified.
As the owner spoke, the worry on his face deepened. “On top of that, the prices of spiritual rice and beast meat have risen again. Business is going to get tougher and tougher.”
Prices for spiritual rice and beast meat have gone up again?
Wang Chen was somewhat taken aback.
The cost of food in Dongwu Town kept climbing, and with winter approaching, how many people would struggle to fill their stomachs?
The world of cultivation is far from the paradise ordinary people imagine; it’s a dangerous place, and cultivators must build towns to protect themselves.
But food can’t simply be dug up from the ground.
Whenever food prices fluctuate dramatically, it’s always the low-ranking cultivators who suffer the most!
Wang Chen felt powerless; he could only offer a comforting, “Things will get better.”
He didn’t even believe his own words!
The breakfast shop owner sighed, “Perhaps.”
After finishing breakfast, Wang Chen headed to the marketplace.
Today was a bustling market day, and he arrived early to rent a stall. Besides selling the talismans he had crafted, he also posted a notice to buy Golden Silk Silver Ring Snakes and Crimson-Eyed Tigers, along with a few other aged materials.
Wang Chen noticed that many loose cultivators were trading at the marketplace today, and the number of battle cultivators patrolling the area had at least doubled, creating an atmosphere of tension and unease.
He had a successful day; not only did he sell most of his talismans, but he also managed to purchase a Golden Silk Silver Ring Snake.
The Golden Silk Silver Ring Snake was a high-level first-tier magical beast. Its flesh and blood were rich in spiritual energy, making it perfect for brewing spiritual wine.
The snake’s corpse he acquired was fresh, weighing nearly ten pounds.
It cost him fifty spirit fragments!
That was significantly more expensive than ordinary high-tier magical beast meat.
Wang Chen kept his stall open until evening.
He had dinner at the teahouse, ordering a pot of spiritual tea and enjoying the rice balls he had made, savoring every bite.
Of course, he couldn’t miss out on the gossip and rumors.
The hot topic in the teahouse today was undoubtedly the bloody incident that had occurred the previous night at the Chang Le gambling house.
A group of tea patrons was discussing it animatedly.
Some claimed that the Chang Le gambling house had caused someone’s death, and now the deceased’s family was seeking revenge.
Others suggested it was internal strife within the Sanjiang Association, involving the city lord’s brother-in-law, Lord Jin Snake Jun.
Everyone knew that the Sanjiang Association had aligned itself with Lord Jin Snake Jun.
Now that such a major incident had occurred at the gambling house, its future operation was uncertain.
It was as if a resounding slap had been delivered to Lord Jin Snake Jun’s face!
The reaction of Purple Palace master Xin Han remained shrouded in uncertainty.
Many had caught wind of the news, yet the truth eluded them, leading to rampant speculation and embellishment.
Listening nearby, Wang Chen couldn’t help but feel a pang of embarrassment.
As the conversation meandered, the topic inevitably turned to the skyrocketing prices of grain.
"If this continues, we might not even be able to afford tribute rice," someone lamented.
"Indeed, winter is upon us. How are we to survive the coming days?" another chimed in.
"I can no longer afford spiritual rice. While I still can, I should stock up on tribute rice," a voice declared.
"I’m heading out to buy some now!"
"Let’s go together…"
With that, a throng of people dispersed, all rushing to secure their share of rice.
Finding the chatter uninteresting, Wang Chen decided it was time to head home.
To his surprise, as he passed by the alley, he noticed a crowd gathered outside Uncle Zhu’s house.
They were all neighbors.
Spotting his acquaintance, Chen Qi, among them, Wang Chen approached and inquired, "What’s happened?"
Chen Qi’s expression was grave. "Uncle Zhu’s entire family is dead!"
Wang Chen was stunned. "How did they die?"
Just yesterday, they were fine, and now their family was wiped out?
"They severed their own lifelines," Chen Qi explained. "Aunt Sun found them. They were already cold. Doctor Zhang examined them and said they passed last night."
Passed last night!
Wang Chen fell into a contemplative silence.
The previous night, he had disguised himself as Roaming Prince Yan Qing and eradicated the Chang Le gambling house.
Beyond seeking clarity of mind, he had also hoped to lend a hand to Uncle Zhu’s family.
After all, Zhu Xiaohu was different from those incorrigible gamblers; he was honest and upright. It was highly probable that someone had ensnared him, dragging him into trouble, yet he still held the potential for redemption.
But the outcome was…
Wang Chen sighed inwardly.
