Emerald Cloud Valley

Emerald Cloud Valley lay more than ten miles northwest of Cloud Dragon County. Mountains surrounded it on three sides, and the Resonant Water River, more than ten zhang wide, flowed through it from west to east.

The Origin Mulberry Trees planted by the Firewood Gang stood inside Emerald Cloud Valley, covering more than a thousand mu.

Origin Mulberry Trees were highly dependent on the abundance of the world's essence qi to grow.

With mountains on three sides, the valley gathered a considerable amount of world's essence qi. It was thanks to this that the Origin Mulberry Trees could grow so lushly.

Several decades ago, a branch of the Firewood Gang came to Cloud Dragon County. After surveying the area, they spent a fortune to buy up all the fields in Emerald Cloud Valley and planted Origin Mulberry Trees to raise Origin Silkworms.

After years of development, raising Origin Silkworms had become an indispensable source of income for the local Firewood Gang.

At noon, Shen Mu finally reached the entrance to Emerald Cloud Valley. The Firewood Gang had built a wall several zhang high there and stationed two Market Masters to guard it.

Inside the wall were houses for the gang members to live in and raise Origin Silkworms.

"Brother, my name is Shen Mu. I'm a member of Yuan Mulberry Hall, assigned to guard the Origin Mulberry Fields. I've come to report to Deacon Hong."

Shen Mu made his way to the gate, took out the token Qin Yu had given him, and handed it to the guard on duty.

The Deacon Hong he'd mentioned was named Hong Jingcheng. He oversaw the C-Grade Field area in Emerald Cloud Valley and would be Shen Mu's direct superior. He was at the Boiling Blood Seventh Layer.

The guard took the token and, after confirming it was in order, said, "Come with me."

With that, the guard led him through the wooden wall.

Once they passed through the gate, Shen Mu saw an endless expanse of lush green Origin Mulberry Trees. Gang members from the outer areas were out picking Origin Mulberry Fruits, weaving among the fields.

"Are these all Origin Mulberry Trees?"

Shen Mu glanced at the nearest one. It was so thick that several people would have to link arms to encircle it, and it stood dozens of zhang tall. Its branches were dense with leaves, each as big as a palm, while red and green Origin Mulberry Fruits hung from the branches.

Origin Mulberry Trees are a lot like the mulberry trees used to raise silkworms in my previous life. The difference is that their leaves are bigger, and their color is different, too...

Shen Mu thought to himself.

The guard leading the way smiled and explained, "Little brother, the tree you're looking at is the ancestor of every Origin Mulberry Tree in Emerald Cloud Valley. All the others were grown from its branches."

"I see."

Shen Mu nodded, then asked, "Big brother, there's something I don't understand. Emerald Cloud Valley is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and the only entrance into the valley is fenced off by our Firewood Gang. Why do we still need to station people to guard the Origin Mulberry Fields?"

From where they stood by the wall, they could see the entire valley.

The three mountain ranges were lined with cliffs hundreds of zhang high. If outsiders couldn't enter through the valley entrance, getting into the valley from one of the cliffs wouldn't be easy.

The guard shook his head with a laugh. "Brother, don't underestimate what those people can do."

"Look at the mountains on three sides. Doesn't this place seem like a natural fortress, somewhere outsiders could never get into?"

"But over the years, who knows how many people have found all sorts of ways to sneak into the valley?"

"The most common method is to climb down the cliffs at night and steal the Origin Mulberry Fruits."

"Or they bring ropes hundreds of zhang long and rappel straight into the valley, with people waiting to help them at the top. In less than half an hour, they can easily make off with hundreds of jin of Origin Mulberry Fruits."

"Some go even further and make a giant umbrella, then leap off the cliff. After picking the fruits, they climb back up."

"Anyway, when it comes to stealing Origin Mulberry Fruits, there's nothing those fellows won't do if they can think of it."

Shen Mu asked, puzzled, "If that's the case, why doesn't our Firewood Gang station people along the three cliffs?"

The guard chuckled. "Little brother, look at how far those cliffs stretch. They wind on for more than a hundred li. How many posts would we need to set up?"

Shen Mu could only laugh wryly.

Where there were enormous profits at stake, some people would naturally risk everything.

For people at the Boiling Blood Stage, one trip to Emerald Cloud Valley to steal Origin Mulberry Fruits would leave them with enough cultivation resources for at least the next year.

Faced with such a powerful temptation, of course they kept coming, one after another.

Six Deacons had been assigned to Emerald Cloud Valley to manage the gang members stationed below. Their lodgings were also built at the valley entrance.

The two Market Masters above them had their own private courtyards inside the valley. They were rarely seen, perhaps once a month.

As for the gang members who guarded the Origin Mulberry Fields, they lived in bamboo sheds in the fields they were assigned to protect.

After the guard brought Shen Mu to Hong Jingcheng's lodgings, both of them suddenly looked a little awkward.

From behind the door came a man's barely suppressed panting, accompanied by a woman's plaintive moans.

Clearly, he'd woken up and gotten worked up again, and couldn't resist a round of morning exercise.

"Ahem, brother, you may not know this since you just got here, but apart from staring at Origin Mulberry Trees all day, life here is pretty dull. So the big shots above sometimes order takeout, and have a carriage bring over girls from the brothels..."

The guard cleared his throat, looking a little sheepish.

That's a whole new definition of takeout.

Shen Mu couldn't help thinking.

Running into this on his first day wasn't a good thing for him.

If Hong Jingcheng decided to kill him to keep him quiet, Shen Mu wouldn't stand a chance against a Deacon at the Boiling Blood Seventh Layer.

Whatever happened, he had to do what he could to keep Hong Jingcheng from growing suspicious.

That was the only way he'd avoid suddenly dropping dead that night.

With that in mind, he immediately put on a sly grin and said in a suggestive tone, "Got it. Don't worry, brother. I'm one of you now, too. Who knows, maybe I'll order takeout myself one day. I certainly won't spread the word. You can count on me."

"Since Deacon Hong is so busy, we can wait a while."

The best way to keep a secret was to become part of it—and offer up his pledge of loyalty.

He hadn't actually planned on ordering takeout, but if he acted like he didn't fit in right after arriving, how could that help build camaraderie?

The guard immediately relaxed. Shen Mu had stumbled into this situation right after arriving. If he were a straight-laced sort and went around telling people about it, the superiors might find out, and that would lead to no end of trouble. They might even send someone to investigate.

Shen Mu's "understanding" attitude also made the two of them feel less like strangers.

"Brother, wait here. I'll head back first."

Seeing no sign that things inside were about to stop, the guard feared he might get worked up if he stayed any longer. He said his goodbyes and hurried away.

Shen Mu sighed softly and stepped a little farther away, waiting for Hong Jingcheng to finish.

Another incense stick's worth of time passed before the sounds inside finally died away.

"Ahem."

At that moment, Shen Mu, who had been waiting outside for a long while, gave a timely cough.

"Who is it?"

Hong Jingcheng's impatient voice came from inside.

"My lord, I'm Shen Mu. I just joined Yuan Mulberry Hall and have been assigned to guard Mulberry Field No. 11 in the C-Grade area. I've come to report to you!"

Shen Mu spoke respectfully.

The sound of someone getting dressed immediately came from inside. Before long, a middle-aged man with a somewhat pale complexion opened the door.

Clearly, after conserving himself for so long, he had finally let himself go.

"Your name is Shen Mu?"

Hong Jingcheng furrowed his brows, a trace of murderous intent flashing in his eyes as he asked in a flat voice.

"My lord, here's my identity token. Please take a look."

Shen Mu held out his token.

Hong Jingcheng didn't take it. After merely glancing at it, he asked in a deep voice, "Did you hear anything just now?"

"My lord, I just got here. I didn't hear a thing."

Shen Mu immediately put on a puzzled expression.

"Mm."

Hong Jingcheng's expression eased somewhat. "The field you're assigned to guard is in the southeast part of the valley. If you can't find it, ask one of the gang members guarding the fields along the way."

"Keep these five whistling arrows. If a thief shows up in your area to steal Origin Mulberry Fruits, use one to sound the alarm. The other gang members nearby will come to help."

Then Hong Jingcheng took out five whistling arrows and handed them to Shen Mu.

"Yes."

Shen Mu took the arrows and said, "Then I'll be on my way."

"Mm."

Hong Jingcheng nodded.

Shen Mu said no more. He hurried toward the southeast part of the valley, following the paths between the Origin Mulberry Fields.

At that moment, the guard who had left earlier somehow returned.

"Brother Hong."

The guard greeted him with a cheeky grin.

Hong Jingcheng glanced at him, sounding somewhat displeased. "You brought him here?"

The guard put on an innocent look and protested, "Brother Hong, I had no idea you'd still be at it in the middle of the day."

Then he changed the subject. "But your humble brother thinks he's a pretty perceptive fellow. I doubt he'll spread the word. It wouldn't do him any good."

He recounted every detail of his conversation with Shen Mu to Hong Jingcheng.

Hong Jingcheng smiled. "Since he knows how to be flexible, he'll have plenty of benefits coming his way in the future."

Having a prostitute brought to him in a place like Emerald Cloud Valley could bring serious or minor consequences, depending on who found out.

If his superiors decided to hold him accountable, he might lose his position as Deacon.

Between losing his position and having an ordinary gang member die in Emerald Cloud Valley, there was no question he'd choose the latter.

He could always claim the man had been killed by thieves who'd sneaked into the valley to steal Origin Mulberry Fruits. No one would find fault with that.

Still, the guard's words had persuaded Hong Jingcheng to let go of his murderous intent.

If the man died right after arriving, what would his superiors think?

Since he'd already promised not to spread the word, it was better not to make trouble. Hong Jingcheng would wait and see how he behaved in the future.

The guard grinned. "Then I'll head back, Brother Hong."

"Mm."

Hong Jingcheng nodded, and only then did the guard turn and leave.

Shen Mu had no idea that stumbling upon Hong Jingcheng's prostitute had nearly cost him his life.

That was the art of language: a careless word could offend someone, but it could also help you escape disaster.

If he'd shown even the slightest sign of looking down on the whole affair, there was no telling—he might have ended up as fertilizer in the Origin Mulberry Fields that very night.