Seeds Sown by the Foundation!

Across Changlan Island.

The figures of Langya Charity Foundation stewards could be seen everywhere.

Looking out, the entire island was full of white-robed figures.

More than twenty of the foundation's flying ships had already arrived.

Large quantities of relief supplies were continuously delivered from the direction of Heavenly Severing Island.

This allowed cultivators in the disaster areas to receive treatment in the shortest possible time. Even if they could not be cured at once, at least their lives could be saved.

At the beginning,

many cultivators remained skeptical. They believed there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and even suspected that this so-called foundation was some evil Outer Dao sect. They did not dare accept the foundation's aid at all.

Especially after hearing that the foundation was connected to Young Master Wang, they became even more vigilant.

But as More and More people were rescued,

box after box of pills unloaded from the foundation's flying ships was used up.

Many foundation stewards were exhausted until their Spiritual Power ran dry. They could not even draw power from Spirit Stones, and simply fell into deep sleep.

Those who had harbored doubts fell silent at once.

If this damn thing was evil Outer Dao,

then there were no good people left under heaven.

"Miss, where did all of you come from?"

An elderly female cultivator who had been rescued clasped the hand of a female foundation steward and said gratefully, "Once things settle down here, we'll definitely come to thank you in person! Oh, right, those healing medicines you gave us earlier must not have been cheap. How many Spirit Stones were they? We'll pay you!"

The female steward smiled faintly. "Our foundation has only just been established, and its members currently mostly come from Heavenly Severing Island! The disaster relief funds were jointly donated by the island's cultivators and sects, not paid by us. So there is No Need for everyone to spend money!"

The female steward left.

Behind her rose a chorus of startled murmurs and whispers.

The disaster relief work did not end until several days later.

Autumn Leaf Island was not far from Changlan Island.

It was famous far and wide for producing a type of spirit fish called the Autumn Leaf Fish.

It was said that this fish was delicious, and when prepared through a unique method into Autumn Leaf Fish Soup, it was even greatly beneficial to cultivation.

Ye Shan was a cultivator from Myriad Snow Pavilion on Heavenly Severing Island.

His Master's two-hundred-and-eightieth birthday was approaching, and his Master loved all kinds of spirit fish.

He had come here specifically to buy a serving of Autumn Leaf Fish Soup to bring back, as a gesture of filial devotion.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, I'm not boasting, but the Autumn Leaf Fish Soup at this Hundred Delicacies House is famously delicious, ranking among the very best on all of Autumn Leaf Island!

Bring it back, and your Master will definitely be satisfied!" Ye Shan's friend Zhou Yan praised enthusiastically.

"Thank you for the recommendation, Fellow Daoist Zhou!"

The Two People entered Hundred Delicacies House. After making some inquiries, Ye Shan felt as though he had been struck by lightning.

"Sold... sold out?"

"That's right!" The Shopkeeper behind the counter wore his trademark fake smile. "Our Autumn Leaf Fish Soup has always sold extremely well, and we only sell thirty servings Every Day! You came at a very unfortunate time. The last serving of fish soup for today was just sold!"

Unwilling to accept this, Ye Shan pleaded, "My Master's birthday is imminent, and he loves fish soup most of all! Could you possibly make an exception and have the head chef prepare one more serving?"

The Shopkeeper smiled without warmth. "Rules are rules! How can they be changed so easily? Sir, why not try some of our other dishes? They are also exceptionally good!"

Ye Shan said, "I'm willing to pay more. Double the price!"

As soon as these words were spoken, laughter erupted all around them.

The smile on the Shopkeeper's face became More and More pronounced.

"If paying more could get you Hundred Delicacies House's Autumn Leaf Fish Soup, this senior would pay ten times the price and eat it Every Day!" A richly dressed, pot-bellied man in the restaurant sneered. He was clearly a regular here.

Ye Shan refused to give up. Sweeping his gaze around, he spotted a table nearby where the Autumn Leaf Fish Soup had not yet been touched. He hurriedly pleaded, "Daoist Friend, could you yield your Autumn Leaf Fish Soup to me? My Master's birthday is coming up, and he loves this fish soup most of all. I truly have no other way..."

Before he could finish, he was refused.

"What does your Master's birthday have to do with me? Go, go, go! Don't spoil my refined enjoyment!"

"..."

Every method failed.

Ye Shan let out a heavy sigh, his face Full of disappointment.

His friend Zhou Yan was deeply self-reproachful. "Fellow Daoist Ye, it's all my fault. I didn't find out clearly enough! I made you come all the way from Heavenly Severing Island for nothing..."

Ye Shan gave a bitter smile and was about to comfort his friend.

Then he heard a strange cry from behind them.

"Heavenly Severing Island? Who came from Heavenly Severing Island?" From the direction of the rear kitchen, a burly man flung up the curtain and strode out, still holding a spatula as his gaze swept over everyone.

Then his eyes locked directly onto Ye Shan.

"You came from Heavenly Severing Island?" the chef asked, Staring At him.

"Indeed!" Ye Shan did not understand why, but he still nodded.

"Then do you know the Langya Charity Foundation?" the chef pressed.

"Of course!" Ye Shan nodded. "Not only do I know it, my Master was personally named second place on the foundation's Merit List by Guild Master Langya!"

Upon hearing this,

the chef became incomparably excited. He set down his spatula, rubbed his hands against his clothes again and again, then directly seized Ye Shan's hand.

"Benefactor, benefactor!"

The chef dropped to his knees, his eyes Full of gratitude.

Ye Shan was baffled. "This... why do you say that?"

Tears had already filled the chef's eyes. "My elder brother went to Changlan Island to purchase goods some days ago. Unfortunately, he encountered a demon calamity, suffered grave injuries, and was buried beneath a mountain...

If not for the foundation's righteous heroes lending their full support—spending a day and night moving that stone mountain aside, then exhausting their pills to save him—my brother and I would have already been separated by yin and yang!

Thank you, benefactor!"

Ye Shan was somewhat dazed and hurriedly waved his hands. "To tell the truth, I did not participate in the rescue. I dare not accept being called a benefactor!"

The chef shook his head. "I already asked around. The cultivators of Heavenly Severing Island have all, more or less, donated to the foundation! Since your Master was personally named second place on the Merit List by the Guild Master, his donations must surely have been as vast as the sea...

My elder brother was able to survive thanks to the generous contributions of all the righteous heroes of Heavenly Severing Island!

Without all of you, those healing pills and disaster-relief artifacts would have been difficult to gather...

As long as one is a righteous hero from Heavenly Severing Island, they are my benefactor!"

As he spoke, he knelt on the ground and knocked his head against the floor three times in succession, each blow shaking the heart.

"Benefactor, please sit for a moment. I'll make you a serving of fish soup right away... no, three servings. Take them back and convey my regards to your Master. May he enjoy boundless longevity!" As he spoke, the chef picked up a ladle and prepared to head for the rear kitchen.

The Shopkeeper immediately grew anxious when he saw this. "Chef Wu, this is against the Rules!"

Chef Wu glanced at him and said with complete confidence, "I'm giving a few dishes to my own benefactor. What Rules are there to speak of? If you're dissatisfied, go ahead and have the owner dismiss me!"

The Shopkeeper choked on his words.

He knew that more than seventy percent of the reason their Autumn Leaf Fish Soup sold so well lay with the chef before him.

However,

before his words had even faded, several more voices rang out within the restaurant.

"There's No Need to go through so much trouble. If my benefactor wants fish, he can take my serving. It hasn't been touched!" The cultivator who had previously refused Ye Shan now had a flushed face. He bowed to Ye Shan and said, "Earlier, I did not know my benefactor's identity and said a few things I should not have said...

I hope my benefactor will not blame me!

My family was also on Changlan Island some days ago. If not for the foundation's righteous heroes helping them, I would never have seen them again!"

"And me! Unlike them, I was on the island at the time. I thought I was about to die! Fortunately, the foundation's benefactors brought out all kinds of Precious Medicine and saved my life. It's a pity they left in too much of a hurry—I did not even have time to ask their names...

Shopkeeper, bring me ten tables of your finest food!

Put it in this Spatial Ring and let my benefactor take it away!"

"..."

More and More people gathered around.

Ye Shan looked at these grateful faces, and it felt as though something had lodged in his heart.