Laughing Proudly in the Jianghu, Evil Dragon Robs

In the Ge family's house, the pretty young woman drifted about like a ghost, performing a wondrous sweeping technique to tidy the messy room.

It was all due to Fei Zhonggan, a clerk from the Political Investigation Department who had left not long ago. He insisted on showing off his [Fat Monster Body], and his ugly, bloated monstrous form had nearly burst the humble room.

The Broom Spirit was quite amused, tidying up while glancing at the young peddler on the bed.

She had noticed it long ago!

Ever since the Cai Bu incident that night, this dissolute youth seemed to have grown up.

No longer solely focused on romance, he was now seeking to cultivate and strengthen himself.

Although he had developed some peculiar habits, like bringing all sorts of strange and dangerous items home, and always leaving her, a mere broom, to guard the house.

At this moment, being secretly watched by the pretty young woman, Ge Huolang stared at the wooden chest not far away, a mix of excitement and worry on his face.

Tonight's haul was all inside.

"Prayer Beads for Protection, Club for Attack, Jade Pot for Escape."

"They're all generous sorts. They gave me treasures before even trying to recruit me."

"It's a pity I really don't know how to choose. All three factions seem viable to mingle with, and the benefits should be substantial once I join..."

After a moment of thought, Ge Xian temporarily gave up.

He felt he could still handle the situation. Besides, who knew if other handlers wouldn't visit later with even more tempting offers?

"If all else fails, what's wrong with being a spy?"

"As long as I play it right and don't let the parties, or the three parties, or the multiple parties meet... Hmm? This sounds exactly like a player juggling multiple relationships, all thanks to the original body."

"The most urgent matter now is my cultivation. I'm just one step away from fully manifesting the [Evil Dragon Aspect] and advancing to the Foundation Establishment Realm."

"The times are chaotic. Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators might not have many opportunities to achieve great deeds, but self-preservation should be possible."

"However, there are hardly any 'dragon qi' left in the vicinity of the county city that I can plunder and devour. It will be difficult to gather the last bit. The Anle Zishen's Logbook also doesn't contain any more records."

"Fine, I'll go out and scout around first. See if there are any new goods or discoveries? Or perhaps these visiting Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators might have something I want."

As his thoughts settled, the pretty young woman had also finished sweeping the room.

Ge Xian glanced at the sky outside. Morning had passed, and the hustle and bustle from the streets of Qiantang County were beginning to drift in. Meeting the handlers of three spy organizations consecutively throughout the night was perfectly reasonable.

As for the daytime, any scout with a bit of sense wouldn't choose this time to show up.

The peddler was anxious about advancing his cultivation. He once again instructed the pretty young woman to guard the house, telling her to ring the [Soul Drum] if necessary, and then picked up his peddler's pole and went out.

Perhaps it was a matter of luck!

Perhaps it was because all the easily obtainable Dragon Qi in the vicinity of Qiantang County had already been plundered by Ge Xian.

He spent more than half a day in places where information converged, such as restaurants and teahouses in the city, listening and even subtly guiding conversations, but still found no useful news.

Although he did broaden his horizons in the process.

Nowadays, Qiantang County was filled with many Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators, giving it a sense of déjà vu from the wuxia novels he read in his past life, albeit a more bizarre and horrifying version.

"Currently, the area of Qiantang County has been overshadowed by these cultivators of Guǐ Wǔ."

"Most of those evil spirits, monsters, and demons are ferocious and insane, but facing this trend, they will likely choose to lie low. After all, anyone who has even slightly begun cultivating Ghost Arts is, in a sense, a Dao Entry Realm cultivator... The upper limit of Ghost Arts is Mortal Transformation Realm, but entry is much faster and has fewer restrictions than other Dao Veins, hence their sheer numbers."

"Sigh, only a little more Dragon Qi is needed. I can't possibly learn from that Wei Dashou, go to the Qiantang River to make an offering, and then exchange for Dragon Qi rare items from that despicable and shameless Qiantang River God, can I?"

Beneath a large restaurant called Wanghai Tower in the city, Ge Xian passed by carrying his peddler's pole, thinking helplessly.

Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted from inside the restaurant.

Before Ge Xian could listen carefully, he saw young men and women, all with Guǐ Wǔ Qi signatures within them, flying out of Wanghai Tower using various techniques, heading out of the city at speeds unattainable by mortals.

Behind them, exclamations followed.

"What happened? Why are all these martial arts prodigies rushing out of the city? Could they have discovered some Dao Vein ruins and are going treasure hunting?"

"What treasure? They're going out to fight and settle their differences."

"Not so. These young people are from major Jianghu sects like the Beggar Sect, Heavenly Dragon Temple, Emei Sect, Qingcheng Sect, and Sky Hawk Gang. When they gather, naturally, they'll establish a hierarchy. However, the Martial Discussion Convention and martial arts competition for marriage proposals are to be held at Sunset Mountain the day after tomorrow, and they don't dare to offend Sect Leader Li's face, so they've decided on a different, more civilized method."

"Oh? What kind of civilized competition?"

"Simple. They heard that a dragon resides in the Qiantang River outside the city, causing many Fish, Shrimp, Crabs, and Shellfish at the river bottom to be imbued with Dragon Qi. Some even possess faint dragon characteristics. They're going to try and fish for dragons."

"Whoever catches something with the strongest dragon characteristics and power will be declared the winner."

"Hiss, aren't they afraid of offending the Qiantang River God by doing this? Even though these Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators have some cultivation, how can they be a match for a river god?"

"What's there to be afraid of? Everyone knows the Qiantang River God is bound by many rules and cannot easily leave the Dragon Palace. It's said that these rules were established by Lord Yelü many years ago when he served as the magistrate of Qiantang County... You only need to look at how many righteous gods have fallen and are causing chaos, yet the Qiantang River God remains untainted, to know why."

"Great, this sounds like fun! Hurry, let's go watch."

Hearing this, Ge Xian was stunned for a moment. Then, as if struck by an idea, a smile appeared on his face, and he directly joined the crowd heading to watch the spectacle.

Ordinary county residents truly couldn't keep up with this excitement; their foot speed was insufficient.

Those who truly went to watch were mostly low-level Jianghu Guests who had cultivated some minor Guǐ Wǔ.

Of course, there were a few decent individuals among them.

Ge Xian mingled with the crowd, quickly left the city, and reached the outskirts. Together with the other Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators, he looked towards the dozens of young prodigies standing on the long embankment not far away.

Half male, half female, the Qi energy within their bodies was not weak, only slightly inferior to the evil cultivators nurtured by wealthy families within the city.

However, this was merely a comparison of magical power. If a real fight were to break out, a mere five or six of those evil cultivators, with their numerous tricks and extensive combat experience, could easily wipe out these young masters and ladies who were just stepping into the world.

In just a moment, the dragon fishing had begun.

Dozens of thick fishing rods were set up on the embankment, and the air was already thick with tension from the moment the bait was prepared.

Ge Huolang was not very familiar with the "Guǐ Wǔ Jianghu," but fortunately, in such lively spectacles, there were always plenty of enthusiastic commentators.

Thus, his ears were filled with:

"Look quickly, the Young Sect Master of the Beggar Sect, Zhuang Hongshi, is truly generous. He's actually using the sect's rare Hundred Snake Wine to soak the bait. Its exotic fragrance won't dissipate in the water. With this cast, it's likely to attract all the fish and shrimp at the bottom of the river. Isn't that a bit of a cheat?"

"Cheat? If the Young Sect Master were to take out the Myriad Snake Dragon Transformation Pill he carries, then it would truly be cheating. At that point, they might even be able to fish up the River God of the Qiantang River."

"You beggar bragging. Does only your sect have good stuff? Do other sects not? Look at Six-fingered Monk Duan Feihong from Heavenly Dragon Temple. This monk is truly generous. He didn't use bait but instead used a Bodhi Fruit for fishing. That's a Buddhist fruit from Heavenly Dragon Temple, possessing dragon blood and dragon patterns, and it's been steeped in Heavenly Dragon Zen Sound for years. The aquatic creatures at the bottom of the river probably can't resist its allure."

"The direct disciple of the Emei Sect, Fairy Guo Qingyu, is also quite clever. She knows that aquatic creatures touched by dragon Qi most desire to transform into dragons. She actually took a Red Carp Pill for fishing. Although the name of this pill is strange, it's a top-tier spirit pill for breaking through realms in the Jianghu. It's made by refining hundreds of Red Carp Spirit Fish that have absorbed dragon Qi, and it's extremely precious."

"Good, truly good. Using dragon fishing as a literary duel can showcase both personal cultivation and the sect's heritage. It's a win-win situation."

"It's a pity that the talents from Wudang, Shaolin, and Ming Cult, these major Guǐ Wǔ sects, are missing. Even if these dozen or so people decide on a winner, they can't be considered the true elites of the younger generation."

"Heh, if Master Xuanxin, the Eight-armed Buddha of Shaolin, Gu Shexianzi Ashang of Wudang, and Young Sect Master Zhang Shenji of the Ming Cult were to join, then the rest wouldn't even need to compete. Just these three would be enough to decide the victor. Rumor has it that these three have already stepped into the Foundation Establishment realm, only needing a secret technique to glimpse the Mortal Transformation realm."

"Once Sect Leader Li of the Ancient Tomb Sect announces the secret technique, the Jianghu will likely see dozens of Mortal Transformation realm powerhouses emerge overnight."

"A golden age, a golden age of Guǐ Wǔ is about to arrive."

Ge Xian did not feel any dissatisfaction as the conversation gradually shifted.

He was also interested in the path of Guǐ Wǔ.

He listened with great interest to those fantastical and exaggerated Jianghu rumors.

Furthermore, listening to them did not prevent him from observing the many elites on the embankment with his sharp eyes, quickly judging their strength.

All were in the Dao Entry Realm!

Not a single one was close to Foundation Establishment.

And most of them appeared to be greenhorns, lacking much combat experience, even fumbling with their fishing.

What made Ge Xian's heart itch the most and filled him with desire were the "wealthy" fortunes of these young heroes.

He didn't really care about the other treasures.

The truly irresistible impulses were for treasures related to Dragon Qi, such as the [Myriad Snake Dragon Transformation Pill], [Heavenly Dragon Bodhi Fruit], [Red Carp Pill], and so on.

Although Ge Xian knew they couldn't compare to the Centipede Dragon Pearl, Dragon Earthworm Qi and blood, he was only a step away from his goal and didn't need to find equally ranked rare items.

Accumulating small amounts can also yield miraculous effects.

However, he, Ge Huolang, was not a reckless person and had no intention of making a move in broad daylight.

Instead, he quietly watched the excitement, occasionally interjecting to guide the crowd and elicit information and secrets about these sects.

He didn't have to wait long. Soon, the incredibly lively and attention-grabbing Dragon Fishing Tournament concluded.

The final winner was the Emei Sect disciple named "Guo Qingyu." She successfully used a Red Carp Pill to hook a large green carp the size of a millstone. It already had golden scales and long whiskers, resembling a dragon. After consuming the Red Carp Pill, it grew golden scales all over its body within seconds. If not for the assistance of the other young heroes present, This golden carp would have likely escaped.

After all, they were all heroes of the martial world, the prodigies of their respective sects.

After the competition, these young men and women didn't get angry or part on bad terms. Instead, their friendship deepened. They agreed to find a quiet place to drink, discuss martial arts, and test each other to improve.

This subsequent gathering naturally wouldn't allow for so many onlookers.

Thus, the dozens of spirited young men and women laughed heartily and each displayed their agility skills, heading towards a nearby mountain peak with beautiful scenery, most suitable for watching the tide.

As expected of those from major sects, when they got serious, the many low-tier Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators in the area couldn't keep up at all.

It was a pity that none of these young heroes noticed they had gained a tail.

In a short while, the dozens of people had entered the mountain.

After taking in the beautiful scenery for a few moments, Zhuang Hongshi, the young sect leader of the Beggar Sect, who had rushed to the front using a movement technique called "Carefree Roam," pointed to the pavilions and towers on the mountaintop and declared with high spirits:

"Everyone, our martial arts have reached a certain level, and we are just entering the martial world. We should discuss and explore with each other. That pavilion is called the [Sea Gazing Pavilion], which is perfect for us to discuss martial arts and laugh at the world."

"Brother Zhuang speaks well!"

"Let's stick to intellectual sparring and not harm our friendship. We can also compare our skills again."

"Excellent!"

This scene was truly wonderful.

The young prodigies from various renowned sects, having mastered their signature skills, were about to roam the martial world with pride.

Unfortunately, in the next moment, this scene was brutally disrupted by someone.

Suddenly, the mountain mist surged and rolled towards the dozens of them. An old hand would have become wary at this sight.

But these younglings mistook it for beautiful scenery and allowed themselves to be enveloped by the mist.

Before they could react, the originally snow-white mountain mist abruptly turned a ghastly green.

Dozens of young talents finally snapped awake, roaring in unison, attempting to scatter and flee.

Unfortunately, how could they possibly be fast enough?

Lightning flashed and exploded within, electric snakes crackling with malevolent energy darting wildly. In less than ten breaths, the dozens of young talents, who could have resisted together, all lay sprawled out, foaming at the mouth and charred black.

Only then did a dragon shadow surge from the mist.

While unceremoniously beginning to rummage through the wondrous items and treasures on these young talents, it clicked its tongue and said:

"Don't panic, young heroes. It's just a minor poison; it won't take your lives."

"This lord happened to pass by this place and heard you intended to use spirit pills and spirit fruits to lure a dragon."

"What a coincidence, this lord is the dragon."

"No need for you to laboriously fish for me; I'll come to you to take what I want."

"Tsk tsk, this pill is called the [Myriad Snake Dragon Transformation Pill]. Its aroma is quite strong, very good, very good."

"And this bottle, the Red Carp Pill? Hmm, also very fragrant. I accept it, I accept it."

Ten breaths!

In just ten breaths, Ge Dahualang had completed an extremely outstanding robbery.

Of course, this was because he didn't rob them of their virtue, only their wealth.

When the cloud mist that had covered half the mountain dispersed, some persistent, low-tier Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators arrived late. They happened to see the group of young talents, who not long ago had been high-spirited and declared they would roam the martial world freely, now lying neatly on the ground.

No one knew what they had experienced. Their clothes were intact, yet every single one of them had a look of their souls being severely ravaged, devoid of the will to live.