That Job You Pulled Wasn't All That Big, Kid

The sky was vast, the winds calm, the waters still.

On a large ship, Great River Gang leader Wang Haichao stood at the bow, listening to his subordinate's report behind him.

"Last night, we attacked seven Mountain Shattering Gang strongholds in the Outer City Area. The gains were enormous!"

"One Second-Order Demon Beast tiger hide, over a thousand pieces of low-grade spirit material, and tens of thousands of Spirit Stones."

"The brothers' personal gains weren't included. As you ordered, whoever seized it kept it."

"Gang Leader, we really struck it rich this time!"

Wang Haichao did not even turn his head. "Just small-time skirmishing. We only achieved this because we drew their attention into the mountains."

With a listless sigh, he patted the railing.

"Xiao Gao, how were our losses last night?"

The subordinate called Xiao Gao was not tall at all. He was short and stocky, with a fierce expression.

His black martial garb outlined the muscles on his arms in striking detail.

"Our losses were minor. Only a few dozen gang members at Qi Refining Fourth and Fifth Layer died. None above Qi Refining Seventh Layer even suffered severe injuries. Oh, Ding Yilong was a little unlucky. He ran into Wang Yuan and Broken Blade Xu Renke, who had rushed back from the mountains to provide aid. Those Two Blades chopped his High-Grade Magic Tool and Spirit Turtle Shield to pieces."

Xiao Gao spoke with a smile. He looked fierce enough without smiling, but the smile made him look even more vicious.

Wang Haichao smiled. "Then his losses really were rather severe. Set aside one High-Grade Magic Tool from this haul for him. Don't let him end up without even a handy magic tool when he fights in the future."

After saying that, he frowned again.

"The Mountain Shattering Gang's Two Blades are becoming troublesome."

The Mountain Shattering Gang had over a thousand members and nearly a hundred Late Qi Refining Stage cultivators.

Its leader, Old Man Mi, was a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator like Wang Haichao and rarely acted personally.

Usually, it was his capable subordinates who handled matters.

There were Two Blades at headquarters and seven man-eating tigers at the seven strongholds.

Compared to those seven hall experts, the Two Blades were the ones that stuck in the Great River Gang's throat like fish bones.

Mad Blade Wang Yuan, Broken Blade Xu Renke.

Broken Blade Xu Renke had been famous for many years. He had drifted through several marketplaces before Old Man Mi recruited him, after which he remained at Great River Market.

But Mad Blade Wang Yuan had cultivated for only ten years.

In his debut battle, he had killed several Mid-Stage Cultivators across levels all by himself—men who had once robbed him.

After that, while hunting in the mountains, he had clashed with others many times. In the end, Old Man Mi personally recruited him as well, and he joined the Mountain Shattering Gang.

But after that, Wang Yuan did nothing earthshaking.

On the contrary, all these years he had been doing the Mountain Shattering Gang's dirty work.

He specialized in selling secondhand magic tools, cultivation methods, and the like whose origins were unclear.

It was only recently, when he fought one against three and returned with the heads of three Great River Gang members, that people noticed the man who had spent years doing dirty work.

At first, they thought that had merely been good luck.

But no one expected that over the following month, he would guard the mountain road alone with a single blade and slaughter the Great River Gang until they were sent sprawling in all directions.

Experts of the same level could not withstand even one exchange against him. Luo Renjie of the Qi Refining Eighth Layer had died by his hand.

Even when a Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator from the Great River Gang personally intervened, after a fierce battle, he still proved no match for him.

In just one month, he had thoroughly forged the name Mad Blade.

Even Broken Blade Xu Renke openly declared that Wang Yuan's combat strength was no weaker than his own and that he possessed the bearing of Foundation Establishment!

It was precisely because of Broken Blade Xu Renke's recognition that Wang Yuan earned the title of one of the Mountain Shattering Gang's Two Blades.

Hearing his gang leader's words, Xiao Gao fell silent.

As the number one person beneath the Great River Gang leader, he had always thought highly of himself.

Broken Blade Xu Renke was no more than an even match for him. If they fought on the Great River itself, he was even confident that he could easily defeat him within a hundred exchanges.

But when it came to Mad Blade, he could not quite get a handle on him.

He had heard that the man was also highly skilled in water combat.

Why had such a person appeared?

He was already so fierce at Qi Refining Seventh Layer. If he reached Qi Refining Ninth Layer, wouldn't he dare to challenge Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators?

"Forget it. We're merely working for others. Someone will naturally deal with those Two Blades."

Wang Haichao stretched lazily and asked casually, "Where's your little brother?"

"I don't know. He said he wanted to get a Storage Bag, and he also joined last night's attack on the Mountain Shattering Gang's seven halls. But he still hasn't returned."

"You aren't worried something happened to him?"

"Haha, I gave him the Wu Earth Cover you gave me. As long as he doesn't run into someone at Qi Refining Ninth Layer, he won't be in danger." Xiao Gao was not worried in the slightest. He added, "Besides, he has a Swift Travel Talisman. If he wants to run, even a Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator can't catch him."

Wang Haichao nodded. With the Wu Earth Cover and a Swift Travel Talisman, there truly was no one below Foundation Establishment who could threaten Xiao Gao's younger brother.

"Fine. Keep a closer eye on the gang's affairs lately. The Mountain Shattering Gang may launch a counterattack next, but our reinforcements will arrive soon as well."

Reinforcements?

Did he mean experts from the Connecting Cloud Commerce Alliance?

Xiao Gao sank into thought.

Great River Market, Inner City, in a small room within the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion—the tallest building in the city.

Sun Shou tore strips from dried beef and fed them into his mouth one thin piece at a time.

"Though it doesn't contain much spiritual power, the taste is truly excellent. Little Luo, if you stop cultivating in the future, you could open a beef restaurant when you return to the mortal world. It would definitely flourish."

Luo Chen smiled shyly.

Return home?

It was impossible for him to return home in this lifetime.

He did not even know where the road home was.

After finishing the dried beef in his hand, Sun Shou clapped his hands and opened his mouth, which had only a few teeth left.

"Go on, what do you need me for? Your house isn't due for rent yet."

"I want to rent a house!"

"Mm, renting a house is indeed proper. That Southwest Corner is too remote and too dangerous. Go on, where do you want to rent? This old man won't eat the dried beef you offered for nothing. I'll find you somewhere spacious and safe."

As he spoke, he casually picked up a compass.

When he poured spiritual power into it, densely packed lights instantly lit up across its surface. At a glance, there seemed to be over ten thousand.

But with a sweep of his hand, more than ninety percent of those densely packed lights dimmed.

The lights that remained were vacant houses in the Outer City Area.

Luo Chen's eyes lit up. "Spacious?"

"What, you don't trust your Grandpa Sun?"

Sun Shou was one hundred and twenty-one years old and an Outer Disciple of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect. In terms of age, he truly was qualified to be Luo Chen's grandfather.

Of course, Luo Chen did not mind.

It was only a form of address. He called Old Taoist Chen uncle every day, after all.

As long as Sun Shou could truly rent him a good house, he could call Sun Shou "Grandpa" all day long!

"I want to rent in the Inner City!"

"The Inner City? Let me see... Hm? The Inner City?"

Sun Shou looked at Luo Chen suspiciously. "You used to live in a place that cost half a Spirit Stone a month and rent a stall for half a Spirit Stone a month. Now you want to jump straight to the Inner City?"

After examining him, Sun Shou suddenly smiled.

A different robe from before, and that faintly discernible Baleful Qi.

This kid had pulled off a big job!

Now, he wanted to come enjoy himself in the Inner City.

"Fine. I'm not one to make empty promises. Houses in the Inner City must be inspected in person. I'll take you there myself."

He put the compass into his Storage Bag and stood up shakily.

Luo Chen hurriedly supported his shoulder, afraid the old man might accidentally fall to the ground and die.

Who knew what sins he had committed? At such an advanced age, instead of remaining in the sect to enjoy retirement, he had come to this godforsaken backwater to work.

Truly, he worked until old age and devoted his entire life to the sect!

"This house is large enough, isn't it? It's close to Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion. Kid, I'm afraid you've never even tasted a woman before."

"Too expensive."

"How about this one? The previous tenant was a Body Refinement Cultivator from the sect. There was enough room even for his usual body-tempering exercises. It's definitely spacious enough."

"Too expensive."

"Looks like you want something cheaper. The north side of the city is cheap enough. I'll take you there to have a look."

Two hours later.

Sun Shou shook off Luo Chen's hand and said angrily, "Looks like that job you pulled wasn't big enough after all, kid. Why come to the Inner City to squander money?"

Luo Chen argued righteously, "Gang fights break out outside every day. I'm afraid I'll end up as a corpse in the street if I'm not careful."

"Fine! This old man's word carries a thousand pieces of gold. I'll definitely find you a big house!"

Sun Shou gritted his teeth and led Luo Chen into the depths of the alleys.

They walked through twisting, winding alleys for who knew how long. Female cultivators occasionally appeared by the roadside, warmly greeting Old Sun.

Then suddenly, after the dark willows and bright flowers, a courtyard appeared before them.

It was a single-courtyard four-sided residence.

After entering through the residence gate and walking around the screen wall, Sun Shou headed straight for the longest and widest large room.

"This is it. The Rear Room. It has the largest area. If you squeeze in a little, housing seventeen or eighteen people won't be a problem."

Luo Chen surveyed the room with satisfaction. Its area was no smaller than his previous house with its little courtyard.

Its only flaw was the lack of natural light, which made it seem gloomy and sinister.

"How many Spirit Stones?"

"The lowest price: ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones a month, three months' rent in advance plus a deposit."

Three months' rent in advance plus a deposit meant he had to pay forty Spirit Stones in one go.

It had to be said, that hurt a little.

But finding a house in the Inner City with such a large area and such a low price truly was not easy.

If Sun Shou had not been extremely familiar with housing listings throughout Great River Market, ordinary people really would not have been able to find this place.

"Also, you must pay one Spirit Stone a month as a management fee, and another Spirit Stone for night soil removal."

Luo Chen's eyes widened. "A management fee? What's that?"

Old Sun rolled his eyes. "Someone has to deal with the waste you produce, doesn't he? If neighbors have disputes but aren't allowed to fight, sooner or later they'll come to this old man to mediate. Shouldn't I be paid something for that?"

"But..."

"No buts."

"Then what about night soil removal?"

"Do you want to imitate the Outer City Area and relieve yourselves anywhere you please, until the stench of shit and piss is thicker than spiritual qi?"

Fine!

I accept!

When one is under the Jade Cauldron Sect's eaves, one has no choice but to bow one's head!

"Oh, there's one more thing I should remind you of."

"There's more?"

Luo Chen's fists hardened, but when he remembered that the old man before him was at Qi Refining Ninth Layer, they went soft again.

He could not beat him. He could not beat him.

Sun Shou pointed at a pile of firewood outside the door of the main hall opposite.

"If you plan to cook over a fire, remember to burn smokeless firewood. If it produces smoke, I suggest you rent a magic tool from me that can collect the smoke."

"Ah, why is that?"

Luo Chen was completely dumbfounded.

"Heh, where are we? This is the Inner City, a place of cultivation built upon a First-Order Spirit Vein. If there's too much Turbid Qi, do you still expect to cultivate?"

Even the Cultivation World had to care about environmental protection?

Dazed, Luo Chen accepted a magic tool from the old man called the Faint Smoke Sparse Rain Pavilion.

It was square, with a pointed roof. When used, it only needed to be installed at the boundary between the inside and outside of the house.

After signing a contract and paying forty-three Spirit Stones, the large room belonged to Luo Chen for the next four months.

As he saw the old man off, Luo Chen casually asked a question.

"Although the lighting is a bit poor, it shouldn't be this much cheaper than other houses of the same size, should it?"

"Why do you think that is?"