Ding Zhen's Guidance

"How did Xiang Pichi die?"

"I saw it. A terrifying crimson thunder blade."

"A Thunder Cultivator!"

The Blood Soul Valley Demon Cultivator's techniques did not fall under the five elements and could not be suppressed by ordinary cultivators' spells. They were ghostly, ever-changing, and impossible to guard against.

But. The Lightning Spiritual Root, a freak of heaven and earth, did not counter the five elements—it specifically countered evil spirits!

It was the natural enemy of Blood Soul Valley Demon Cultivators!

Though the two of them were at the seventh and eighth layers of Qi Refinement, with countless tricks up their sleeves, they could even fight a Qi Refinement Great Perfection cultivator.

But this Thunder Cultivator could take on both of them at the same cultivation level without any issue.

The Fat Demon Cultivator had lost all his earlier arrogance, his face full of gloom.

"Damn that Xiang Pichi, how did he provoke a Thunder Cultivator! And he exposed our identity—we can't go to the Xiang Family in Qingshi County anymore."

"He died in the Demon Wind Forest."

"Then don't go to the Demon Wind Forest anymore either. What rotten luck!"

"No rush. If it's a Thunder Cultivator who just entered Qi Refinement, now is the perfect time to eliminate him. Ding the Helmsman knows a lot about the cultivators near Qingshi County. Let's go ask him first before deciding."

The Skinny Demon Cultivator spoke calmly.

"Let's go! We're going to find Old Ding."

"What wind blows the Fat and Thin Daoists over here?" Ding Zhen said flatly, without the warmth of a fellow cultivator.

"Helmsman Ding, you were once in charge of purging the Qingshi County marketplace, but you failed due to interference from a powerful cultivator. During the time you were lying low, did you ever see a Thunder Cultivator?"

"A Thunder Cultivator in Qingshi County?"

Ding Zhen's expression shifted slightly, then he asked indifferently, "Why the sudden inquiry?"

"One of our men in the Xiang Family was killed by a Thunder Cultivator. The Soul Seal is right here with me. You know how much of a threat a Thunder Cultivator is to us. If he hasn't grown yet... hehehe~"

The Fat Demon Cultivator let out a sinister laugh.

"Since the Xiang Family in Qingshi County has been exposed, we can't go there to collect Spirit Food anymore. Why not just massacre Qingshi County outright and scatter that Rogue Cultivator Market completely? It's been years since anyone from that area joined our Blood Soul Valley."

The Skinny Demon Cultivator found that orderly Rogue Cultivator Market utterly disgusting. Cultivation was about seizing the fortune of heaven and earth—where was the harmony in that!

If there was no robbing and killing, could it even be called cultivation?

After hearing this, Ding Zhen's mind conjured the face of a mortal and the words he had spoken with force while standing on a stone table that day.

"Just because it's always been this way, does that make it right!?"

"Slaughter and plunder are a pit you can never escape. In the end, no one gains anything."

"I have a dream!"

"To return the marketplace to its purest original purpose!"

Yes, the purest original purpose—wasn't it just friendly exchange between fellow cultivators?

If his own father had bought pills at the Qingshi Marketplace back then, would he still be tilling that one acre of Spirit Field at home? Shouting at him every day to eat more Spirit Rice?

"Helmsman Ding?"

Hearing the Fat Demon Cultivator's voice, Ding Zhen snapped back from his thoughts.

"Oh, speaking of Thunder Cultivators, I can't help but recall events from back then. Do you know why I ultimately didn't make a move that year?"

"Why?"

"It was because of this Thunder Cultivator—the Eldest Senior Sister among the Inner Disciples of the Xuan Shi Sect, Murong Ziyan, a Foundation Establishment Realm Thunder Cultivator!"

"Sss!!!"

Even the Skinny Demon Cultivator, who had kept his face blank all along, couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.

Murong Ziyan's name thundered through the ages!

The number one natural enemy of Blood Soul Valley!

Over the years, she had slain countless of their fellow demon cultivators.

Forget Qi Refinement—even the Blood Soul Valley's Foundation Establishment Great Perfection protectors dared not cross her path.

"Why isn't she cultivating at the Xuan Shi Sect, showing up in the Demon Wind Forest next to Qingshi County?"

"That I wouldn't know, but I do know that Murong Ziyan gave a mortal a Xuan Shi Walker talisman that can summon Xuan Shi Sect disciples. You'd best be careful."

"A tiny place like Qingshi County actually has such deep backing? I always thought it was just that Bai Heyu watching over the marketplace. Since that's the case, forget it. I'll report back to the Valley Lord. The Xiang Family's Spirit Fields in Qingshi County—we'll abandon them from now on."

"Not worth losing our lives over. Thank you for the honest information, Helmsman Ding. If you ever need the Fat and Thin Daoists' help in the future, we won't refuse."

Seeing the two demon cultivators about to leave, Ding Zhen suddenly spoke:

"I see a bloody aura thick around you, Daoists, and your cultivation has advanced. I imagine... you've recently refined quite a few people, haven't you?"

"Hehe~ Just a small town, a few thousand mortals."

"The taste of those two Innate Grandmasters was quite good. Their souls are still struggling in my Soul Summoning Banner."

Upon hearing this, Ding Zhen's eyes flickered with disgust, but he quickly broke into a chuckle: "Mortal souls are still too weak. My men just spotted several Xuan Shi Sect disciples gathering herbs together on Medicine King Peak."

"Oh? What cultivation level?" The Fat Demon Cultivator's eyes gleamed with sharp light.

A cultivator's soul was a true tonic for him, especially since Xuan Shi Sect disciples were all well-off. If he could intercept and kill a few, the gains would far exceed raiding an entire Qingshi County!

"At most, Qi Refinement fifth layer."

"Thanks! This Fat and Thin Daoist owes you a favor."

The Fat and Thin Demon Cultivator hurried off excitedly—such an opportunity was rare!

Neither of them had a mount, but the Soul Summoning Banner formed a mass of black fog beneath their feet, within which countless souls seemed to race. In just a few breaths, it carried them far away.

After they left, Ding Zhen sighed. "It's a pity that Yang Shi is but a mortal, or he might have become a kindred spirit of mine. I hope Qingshi Marketplace can remain as it is."

He naturally knew that the Thunder Cultivator in Qingshi County was not Murong Ziyan, because she was currently on Medicine King Peak.

Time sped forward rapidly.

In the blink of an eye, the day of the Yang Family's ancestral worship arrived.

[Your descendant Yang Shi has successfully completed this year's Ancestral Worship Ceremony]

[Incense Value +10]

[You have received offerings from Yang Family members: 1000 jin of Spirit Wheat, 1 Bone Strengthening and Muscle Regenerating Pill, 1 basket of assorted Spirit Fruits, 10 boxes of Spirit Soil.]

[Will you bestow rewards upon the Yang Family descendants?]

Yang Genshuo gave Yang Shi a bag of hybrid Spirit Rice seeds improved by Cheng Bo, along with this year's 3000 packs of Grain-abstinence Biscuits.

"Plant these in the Spirit Field at Demon Wind Forest."

Yang Shi acknowledged.

Cheng Bo had said these hybrid seeds would increase yield but also required more fertilizer. The Spirit Field beside the Spirit Lake, with its high Spiritual Energy Concentration, was clearly the most suitable.

These 10 large boxes of Spirit Soil were also dug from there, with a Spiritual Energy Concentration as high as 5 points!

Absolutely high-nutrient soil.

"These 10 large boxes of high-concentration Spirit Soil will speed up Dao Ye's research."

He then took out the Small Jade Bottle containing the [Bone Strengthening and Muscle Regenerating Pill] from the offerings, drilled a small hole in it with an electric drill bit, threaded a sturdy red string through the hole, and turned it into a jade bottle necklace.

Hanging it around his neck, his sense of security soared!

"I really like one line from the Insurance Company: You never know which comes first, tomorrow or the unexpected."

"This one, I'll keep to save my life."

A First-grade Immortal Pill, specializing in external injuries—it could even save someone whose bones were shattered by a heavy collision.

With such a great cheat item, he didn't want to suddenly die at the hands of some drunk beast of a driver.

Munch munch~

Eating various small Spirit Fruits from the trees around the Spirit Lake, rich in Spiritual Energy, tender and juicy, with a mellow flavor.

"Those Black Ghosts really know how to enjoy themselves. Hunting beasts every day, picking some fruit, then lying around sunbathing after eating—all of them in great shape!"

But these ordinary fruit trees wouldn't be kept in such numbers this year. Most would be cleared away to plant the higher-yield, more practical Spirit Rice and Spirit Wheat.

Still, the fruits offered to the Old Ancestor every year would never be lacking.

"It's a pity there aren't any high-level Spirit Fruit trees with attributes like the [Lava Fruit]."

That was a good thing that could catalyze beasts into evolving intelligence.

"I see there are plenty of fish in the Spirit Lake too. Before next year's ancestral worship, I'll have Huzi catch a few for me to eat."

Yang Genshuo leisurely crossed his legs, eating fruit.

His body was also being washed and gradually improved by Spiritual Energy.

Just as Yang Genshuo was enjoying his easy life, his phone rang.

It was his mother, Li Xiufeng, shouting anxiously on the phone: "Shuo, come home quick! Your father... he fell off the roof!"