At the Ge household, the pretty young widow drifted about like a ghost, performing a marvelous sweeping art as she tidied the messy room.
It had all been the work of Fei Zhonggan, a clerk from the Political Investigation Department who had left not long ago. He had insisted on showing off his [Fat Monster Body], and his hideous, bloated monster form had nearly burst the shabby little house apart.
The Broom Spirit was quite happy to clean up. As she worked, she glanced toward the Young Peddler on the bed.
She had noticed it long ago!
Ever since that night when he had practiced Cai Bu, this wanton young man seemed to have grown up.
He no longer pursued love and romance with single-minded greed. Instead, he sought to cultivate and strengthen himself.
Though he had picked up a few odd habits, like hauling all sorts of strange and dangerous things home, and he still kept making a broom look after the house.
At that moment, Ge Huolang, whom the pretty young widow was sneakily watching, stared at the wooden chest not far away, half excited and half troubled.
Everything he had gained tonight was inside.
"Prayer Beads for Protection, Club for Attack, Jade Pot for Escape."
"They're all generous souls. They haven't even managed to recruit me, and they've already given me their treasures."
"It's just a pity I truly don't know which to choose. All three groups seem like they'd be easy to get along with, and joining any of them should bring plenty of benefits..."
After thinking it over for a while, Ge Xian decided to put it aside for now.
He reckoned he could still manage. Besides, who knew if some other backer might show up later with even more tempting terms?
"If all else fails, what's wrong with being a double agent—or a triple agent?"
"As long as I play my cards right and don't let the two, three, or even more sides run into one another... Hmm? I sound just like a scumbag dating several people at once. It's all the original owner's fault."
"The most pressing matter now is my cultivation. I'm only one step away from fully manifesting the [Evil Dragon Aspect] and advancing to the Foundation Establishment Realm."
"The situation is chaotic. Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators may not have much chance to make a name for themselves, but they should at least be able to protect themselves."
"Unfortunately, I've already snatched up and devoured nearly all the 'dragon qi' around the county city. Gathering that last little bit won't be easy. And there's nothing more to find in the Anle Zishen's Logbook."
"Never mind. I'll go out and look around first, see if there's anything new to discover. Or perhaps these foreign Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators might have something I want."
As soon as he settled on the idea, the pretty young widow had finished cleaning the house.
Ge Xian glanced outside. Morning had passed, and the bustle from the streets of Qiantang County was beginning to fill the air. He had spent the entire night meeting with the backers of three different spy organizations, so that was perfectly reasonable.
As for broad daylight, any scout with even a little sense wouldn't choose this moment to come calling.
The peddler was anxious about breaking through to Foundation Establishment, so he once again told the pretty young widow to keep watch over the house and to beat the Soul Drum if necessary, then hoisted his Peddler's Pole and set out.
Perhaps it was a matter of luck!
Or perhaps all the dragon qi that was easy to acquire around Qiantang County really had been scraped clean by Ge Xian.
He spent more than half the day at places where news converged, such as taverns and teahouses. He listened, stirred things up a few times, and still failed to learn anything useful.
Though he did broaden his horizons along the way.
After all, Qiantang County had drawn so many Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators that it felt just like the scenes from the martial arts novels he had read in his previous life—except with an eerie, horrifying twist.
"These days, the Guǐ Wǔ practitioners have stolen the spotlight across Qiantang County."
"Most evil spirits, monsters, and demons are savage and deranged, but faced with this rising tide, many will probably lie low. After all, anyone who has even taken their first steps in Guǐ Wǔ cultivation can, in a sense, count as a Dao Entry Realm cultivator... Guǐ Wǔ cultivation tops out at the Mortal Transformation Realm, but it's far quicker to learn than other paths and has fewer restrictions. That's why there are so many practitioners."
"Ah, I'm only short that last little bit of dragon qi. I can't very well follow Wei Dashou's example and make offerings on the Qiantang River, then trade with that despicable, shameless Qiantang River God for a dragon-qi treasure, can I?"
Ge Xian passed beneath a grand tavern called Wanghai Tower, carrying his Peddler's Pole and brooding to himself.
Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted inside the tavern.
Before Ge Xian could make out what was happening, young men and women with the aura of Guǐ Wǔ cultivation rushed out of Wanghai Tower by various means, heading for the city gates at speeds beyond any ordinary person.
Cries of surprise rose behind them.
"What happened? Why are all these young martial heroes rushing out of the city together? Did they discover some Daoist ruin and go treasure hunting?"
"What treasure? They're going out of the city to fight and see who's stronger."
"Not so. These young people come from major martial sects like the Beggar Sect, Heavenly Dragon Temple, Emei Sect, Qingcheng Sect, and Sky Hawk Gang. When they gather, of course they'll compare their strengths. But the Martial Discussion Convention and Martial Arts Competition for Marriage are being held at Sunset Mountain the day after tomorrow. They don't want to offend Sect Leader Li, so they've decided to settle things another way."
"Oh? What sort of way?"
"Simple. They heard there's a dragon clan living in the Qiantang River outside the city. The fish, shrimp, crabs, and turtles on the riverbed have all been imbued with dragon qi. Some even have faint dragon aspects, so they're going to fish for dragons."
"Whoever catches something with the strongest dragon aspect and the greatest strength wins."
"Good heavens, aren't they afraid of offending the Qiantang River God? No matter how skilled these Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators are, how could they match a god of the river?"
"What's there to fear? Everyone knows the Qiantang River God is bound by all sorts of commandments and can't easily leave the Dragon Palace. I hear they were established years ago by Lord Yelü, the current chancellor of Jiangzhe Province, back when he served as Qiantang County Magistrate... Just look at how many Orthodox Gods have fallen and run amok, while the Qiantang River God hasn't. That tells you everything."
"Great, this'll be quite a spectacle. Come on, let's go watch!"
Hearing this, Ge Xian first froze. Then, as if something had occurred to him, he broke into a smile and followed the crowd of onlookers.
Ordinary county folk really couldn't watch this spectacle. Nothing more complicated than the fact that they couldn't keep up.
Most of the spectators were low-level martial wanderers who had practiced only inferior forms of Guǐ Wǔ.
Of course, a few among them were fairly capable.
Ge Xian blended in with the crowd. Before long, he had left the city and reached the riverbank, where he joined the other Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators in looking toward the dozens of young heroes standing atop the long embankment.
The men and women were evenly divided, and all had a strong flow of qi within them. They were only a little weaker than the Evil Cultivators cultivated by the wealthy gentry inside the city.
That was only a comparison of magical power, though. If it came to a fight, those Evil Cultivators had plenty of tricks and rich experience in combat. Just five or six of them could sweep aside these young masters and misses, who had only just set out into the world.
In just a moment, the dragon fishing began.
Dozens of thick fishing rods were set up along the embankment. The moment they began baiting their hooks, the air grew thick with hostility.
Ge Huolang knew little about the "Guǐ Wǔ martial world," but whenever there was a spectacle like this, there were always plenty of enthusiastic commentators around.
And soon, their voices rang in his ears:
"Look! Young Sect Master Zhuang Hongshi of the Beggar Sect is certainly generous. He's soaked his bait in the sect's Hundred Snake Wine. Its fragrance will travel through the water without fading. That one cast will probably draw every fish and shrimp on the riverbed. Seems a bit like cheating, doesn't it?"
"Cheating? It would be cheating if the Young Sect Master brought out the Myriad Snake Dragon Transformation Pill he's carrying. He could probably even catch the Qiantang River God with that."
"The beggars sure know how to brag. As if your sect's the only one with good stuff! Look at Six-fingered Monk Duan Feihong from Heavenly Dragon Temple. Now that monk's the generous one. He isn't using bait at all—he's fishing with a Bodhi Fruit. That's a sacred fruit from Heavenly Dragon Temple. It bears dragon blood and dragon patterns, and it's been steeped in Heavenly Dragon Zen Sound for years. The creatures beneath the river must find it irresistible."
"And Guo Qingyu, the Emei Sect leader's direct disciple, is quite clever too. She knows that the dragon-imbued creatures of the water yearn to shed their animal forms and transform into dragons. So she's using a Red Carp Pill. It's a strange name, but it's one of the finest breakthrough pills in the martial world, refined from over a hundred Red Carp Spirit Fish imbued with dragon qi. A truly precious thing."
"Wonderful, truly wonderful. Settling things with a contest of dragon fishing lets them display their personal cultivation and their sects' foundations. Best of both worlds."
"It's a pity there are no young heroes from Wudang, Shaolin, or the Ming Cult, those major Guǐ Wǔ sects. Even if these ten-odd people settle the contest, they still won't be the true champions of the younger generation."
"Heh. If Eight-armed Buddha Master Xuanxin of Shaolin, Gu Shexianzi Ashang of Wudang, and Young Sect Master Zhang Shenji of the Ming Cult joined in, there'd be no point in anyone else competing. The three of them could settle it among themselves. Word is they've already reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. They only lack the secret technique to cross that threshold and glimpse the Mortal Transformation Realm."
"Once Sect Leader Li of the Ancient Tomb Sect reveals the secret technique, dozens of Mortal Transformation Realm experts may spring up across the martial world."
"A golden age! The golden age of Guǐ Wǔ is about to begin!"
As the conversation gradually drifted off topic, Ge Xian wasn't at all displeased.
He was interested in the path of Guǐ Wǔ cultivation too.
He listened with keen interest to those fantastical and outrageous rumors from the martial world.
And listening didn't keep the fellow from sizing up the young heroes on the embankment with a sharp eye and gauging their strength.
They were all at the Dao Entry Realm!
Not one was close to Foundation Establishment.
Most looked like greenhorns, with little experience in combat or spell-fighting. They could barely even manage to fish.
What made Ge Xian's heart itch and set him longing more than anything was the "wealth" these young heroes carried.
He wasn't particularly interested in their other possessions.
What he couldn't resist were the treasures connected to dragon qi, such as the Myriad Snake Dragon Transformation Pill, the Heavenly Dragon Bodhi Fruit, and the Red Carp Pill.
Ge Xian knew they couldn't compare to the Centipede Dragon Pearl or Dragon Earthworm qi-blood, but he was only one step from the breakthrough. He didn't need to find a treasure of the same rank.
A little added together could still have a wondrous effect.
Still, Ge Huolang wasn't reckless. He had no intention of making a move in front of such a large crowd.
Instead, he quietly watched the spectacle and occasionally steered the conversation, drawing information and secrets about the sects from the onlookers.
He didn't have to wait long. This lively, attention-grabbing Dragon Fishing Convention soon came to an end.
The winner was Guo Qingyu of the Emei Sect. Using a single Red Carp Pill, she had caught a green fish as big as a millstone. It already had golden scales and long whiskers—signs of a dragon aspect. After it ate the Red Carp Pill, golden scales sprouted all over its body within seconds. If the other young heroes hadn't rushed to help,
the golden carp would have slipped off the hook and escaped.
After all, they were all young heroes and prodigies from different sects.
Once the winner had been decided, the young men and women didn't sulk or storm off. Their friendship had actually deepened, and they agreed to find a quiet spot where they could drink, discuss martial arts, and learn from one another.
Naturally, they wouldn't allow so many onlookers to attend this next gathering.
So the dozens of spirited young men and women laughed heartily, each displaying their light-footed skills as they headed toward a nearby scenic mountain, the best place to watch the tides.
They were, after all, disciples of major sects. Once they got serious, the crowd of low-level Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators couldn't keep up at all.
Unfortunately, not one of the young heroes noticed the tail that had appeared behind them.
Before long, all of them had entered the mountain.
After admiring the scenery for a moment, the Beggar Sect's Young Sect Master Zhuang Hongshi used a movement technique called "Carefree Roam" to dart to the front. Pointing to the pavilions atop the mountain, he called out with confidence:
"Everyone, we've made some progress in martial arts and have only just entered the world. We ought to discuss our techniques with one another. That pavilion is called the Sea Gazing Pavilion. It's the perfect place for us to discuss martial arts and laugh proudly at the martial world."
"Well said, Brother Zhuang!"
"Let's still settle things with a contest of words. No hard feelings, and we can compare our skills again."
"Excellent!"
It was a lovely sight.
The young prodigies of all the renowned sects had mastered their signature arts and were about to laugh proudly at the martial world.
Sadly, the scene was cruelly shattered by someone the very next moment.
In the blink of an eye, clouds and mist billowed up in the mountain and surged toward the dozens of young heroes. An old hand would have grown wary at the sight.
But these greenhorns mistook it for a beautiful view and let the clouds and mist wrap around them.
Before they could react, the snow-white mountain fog abruptly turned a ghastly green.
Only then did the dozens of young heroes come to their senses. They roared and tried to flee in every direction.
But how could they possibly be fast enough?
Lightning burst within the mist, and electric snakes laced with Baleful Intent ran wild. In less than fifteen seconds, the dozens of young heroes—who might have put up a fight if they'd banded together—were all sprawled out, foaming at the mouth and charred from head to toe.
Only then did a Dragon Shadow rise through the swirling mist.
While unabashedly rummaging through the young heroes' belongings for strange treasures, it clicked its tongue and said:
"Don't panic, young heroes. It's only a mild poison. It won't take your lives."
"I happened to pass by and heard you were using pills and sacred fruits to fish for dragons."
"Well, what do you know? I'm a dragon myself."
"You don't need to go to all that trouble to fish me out. I've come to you."
"Tut, tut. This pill's called the Myriad Snake Dragon Transformation Pill. The fragrance is so rich. Excellent, excellent."
"And this bottle? Red Carp Pills? Mm, these smell good too. I'll gladly accept them, gladly accept them."
Ten breaths!
Ge Dahualang had pulled off a remarkably clean robbery in just ten breaths.
Of course, that was because he hadn't robbed anyone of their virtue, only their goods.
When the clouds and mist that covered half the mountainside finally dispersed, a few persistent low-level Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators arrived late. They happened to see the young heroes who had been so full of themselves just moments earlier, boasting that they would laugh proudly at the martial world, now sprawled all over the ground.
No one knew what they had been through. Their clothes were perfectly fine, but every one of them wore a look of utter despair, as if their souls had been ravaged.
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