Origin Cicada

Shen Mu carried the strong liquor and beast meat as he made his way back to the Origin Mulberry Field under his protection.

After salting the beast meat to preserve it, Shen Mu walked out of the Bamboo Shed and couldn't help looking at the Origin Mulberry Tree before him.

"At midnight tonight, I should pick twenty pounds of Origin Mulberry Fruit. That ought to be enough for brewing Origin Mulberry Wine, right?"

Shen Mu pondered.

It wasn't that he didn't dare pick more. The wine gourd he'd brought simply didn't have room for any more.

"The beast meat I've bought so far should be enough to nourish my blood energy and push me into Second Stage Boiling Blood."

"But once I reach Second Stage Boiling Blood, advancing to Third Stage Boiling Blood will require at least thirty pounds of unranked beast meat."

"I only have twenty taels of silver left. But with next month's pay and beast meat added in, I should have nearly enough."

"It's just that after reaching Third Stage Boiling Blood, advancing to Fourth Stage Boiling Blood won't be so easy."

Shen Mu watched the outer sect members in the distance busily tread on the Origin Mulberry Leaves, his thoughts already turning to the future.

Reaching Fourth Stage Boiling Blood would require at least forty pounds of unranked monster meat.

If he relied solely on his pay to nourish his blood energy, it would take him five months to save up enough money.

Having a Martial Dao Tree to aid his cultivation, only to be held back by the old problem of a clever housewife being unable to cook without rice, was undoubtedly frustrating.

"Forget it. It's still too early to worry about all that. The silver I have should last until I reach Third Stage Boiling Blood, and that's at least two months away."

Shen Mu shook his head. There was no point fretting over something that wouldn't happen for another two months.

He took off his shirt, picked up the Moon Embroidery Saber, and resumed his training.

The sun sank in the west. After practicing the Army-Breaking Saber Technique once more, Shen Mu collapsed onto the ground as if utterly spent, quietly taking in the stillness around him.

"Gurgle, gurgle..."

A fierce hunger gnawed at his belly, and Shen Mu knew the beast meat he'd eaten had been completely digested.

After resting for a while, he returned to the Bamboo Shed, set water to boil, and dropped in a pound of Red-Armored Ox meat to poach.

Suppressing his disgust at the intense bloody smell, Shen Mu wolfed down the pound of Red-Armored Ox meat. A sense of fullness washed over him again.

He focused his mind and looked at the Martial Dao Tree in his consciousness.

The second root was now five percent covered by Scarlet Mist.

After he'd recovered a little strength, Shen Mu picked up Moon Embroidery and went out to train again.

The silver moon hung high, and stars filled the sky. Shen Mu lay atop the Bamboo Shed, enjoying the breeze against his face. Before long, he sank into a deep sleep.

But at midnight, Shen Mu awoke right on time.

"Time to take care of business."

Shen Mu sat up again. Everything around him was silent, the perfect time to pick Origin Mulberry Fruit for brewing wine.

"Someone's coming?"

Before he could make a move, he spotted a dark figure speeding across the distant fields toward his Bamboo Shed.

"Could I really be this unlucky? Someone's coming to steal Origin Mulberry Fruit on my second day here?"

Shen Mu's expression turned peculiar. He silently jumped down from the Bamboo Shed and took out a signal arrow.

If the other person tried to steal Origin Mulberry Fruit, he would light the signal arrow to drive them away.

Anyone who dared come to Emerald Cloud Valley was probably at least at First Stage Boiling Blood. Shen Mu absolutely wouldn't risk confronting them himself.

The next moment, however, Shen Mu's expression darkened as he stood inside the Bamboo Shed.

The other person hadn't sneaked into the Origin Mulberry Field. They were heading straight for his Bamboo Shed.

"Are they coming for me?"

Shen Mu's heart gave a thump.

"Who goes there?"

When the figure was still fifteen feet from the Bamboo Shed, Shen Mu called out in a low, wary voice.

The dark figure stopped at once and said, "Brother Shen, don't misunderstand. It's me, Wei Bo. I took you to meet Deacon Hong yesterday."

"Wei Bo?"

Shen Mu was taken aback. Why had Wei Bo come to see him at this hour?

"Brother Wei, it's so late. What brings you here?"

Shen Mu didn't lower his guard. He still held the signal arrow in his hand.

If the other man so much as made a move, Shen Mu could light the signal arrow at once and summon the other Guardians nearby.

"Oh, it's like this: Deacon Hong asked me to come find you. He has something important to discuss."

Wei Bo had already seen how cautious Shen Mu was.

He'd even divided his silver and hidden it in separate places. The man was clearly careful to a fault.

Wei Bo had assumed he'd be fast asleep by now. He hadn't expected Shen Mu to spot him before he even reached the Bamboo Shed.

Did this fellow sleep with his eyes open?

"Deacon Hong?"

Shen Mu was taken aback again, then asked, "Did Deacon Hong say what it was about?"

"Heh, Brother Shen, you don't need to worry. This is definitely a good thing for you."

Wei Bo grinned.

Shen Mu fell silent, lost in thought.

What did Hong Jingcheng want with him at this hour?

One thing was clear: it wasn't something they could discuss openly. Otherwise, why summon him in the middle of the night?

"Did he find out I was planning to steal Origin Mulberry Fruit?"

Shen Mu furrowed his brow.

He hadn't even made his move, and they were already taking precautions?

Since Zhang Bohan could brew wine from Origin Mulberry Fruit, pilfering from Emerald Cloud Valley must be a common occurrence.

If that wasn't the reason, then why had Hong Jingcheng summoned him?

Wei Bo said it was a good thing. Could it be some way to skim a little off the top in Emerald Cloud Valley?

He hadn't expected to win their trust so soon after arriving.

Seeing that Shen Mu still hadn't replied after a long wait, Wei Bo finally lost patience.

"Brother Shen, if you think it's inappropriate, then just pretend I never came—"

Before Wei Bo could finish, Shen Mu smiled and said, "Since Deacon Hong sent for me, of course I'll go."

Shen Mu walked out of the Bamboo Shed and said with an apologetic smile, "Brother Wei, I'm sorry about that just now. At this hour, it's only natural to be on edge. I was abrupt with you. I hope you'll forgive me."

Wei Bo wasn't the least bit bothered. He laughed and said, "Ha! What are you saying, Brother Shen? As the saying goes, caution keeps a ship afloat for ten thousand years. We're responsible for guarding Emerald Cloud Valley. Without a little vigilance, who knows when we might lose our lives?"

"But there's no need to worry, Brother Shen. I came to find you with some wonderful news. Once you meet Deacon Hong, everything will become clear."

"Oh?"

Shen Mu raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Then I'm in your care, Brother Wei."

"What care? We're brothers now, all one family."

Wei Bo smiled. "No time to waste. Come with me, Brother Shen."

Shen Mu followed Wei Bo through the moonlight to a Bamboo Shed.

He remembered asking the Guardian of this Bamboo Shed for directions when he'd arrived yesterday. If he wasn't mistaken, the man's name was Zhou Xuan.

No candle burned inside the Bamboo Shed. But outside, on the open ground, besides Hong Jingcheng, there were several other gang members responsible for guarding the valley and under Hong Jingcheng's command.

Thanks to Wang Jin's explanation, Shen Mu already knew the general situation in Emerald Cloud Valley.

Emerald Cloud Valley had two district heads, both at Ninth Grade Tendon-Changing. They rarely showed themselves, leaving the six Deacons below them to manage the valley's affairs.

Each Deacon had sixteen gang members under him, responsible for guarding the Origin Mulberry Fields in Emerald Cloud Valley.

As for the outer sect members who picked Origin Mulberry, their numbers swelled to several hundred when the Origin Silkworms were about to spin their cocoons.

"Brother Hong, I brought him."

Wei Bo walked up to Hong Jingcheng and spoke with a smile.

"Mm."

Hong Jingcheng nodded, then looked at Shen Mu and smiled. "Now that Brother Shen is here, we've got everyone."

"Wei Bo, bring over the brothers keeping watch nearby."

"Sure thing."

Wei Bo grinned, took a tinderbox from his clothes, opened it, and blew on it. A spark immediately flared in the night. He then closed the tinderbox again.

Before long, rustling sounds rose from the surrounding Origin Mulberry Fields.

In an instant, more than a dozen people had gathered outside the Bamboo Shed.

Shen Mu was startled by the sight.

One of them had come running from the path he'd just crossed.

In other words, they'd posted guards all around the Bamboo Shed, within a radius of a hundred yards?

What were they doing that required such secrecy?

Shen Mu counted roughly. Apart from him, there were seventeen people present. That meant every Guardian under Hong Jingcheng had come.

Hong Jingcheng entered the Bamboo Shed first, and the others filed in after him.

In the dim candlelight, everyone's eyes turned to Shen Mu in unison, a hint of wariness in their gazes.

Hong Jingcheng looked around. "Let me introduce him. This is Shen Mu. He just arrived yesterday."

"Why don't you all introduce yourselves?"

Everyone nodded to him in greeting.

"Yuan Wenxuan."

"Sun Jing."

"Ji Shixian."

"..."

After everyone had introduced themselves to Shen Mu, Hong Jingcheng smiled and said, "Brother Shen, these are the other men under me who guard the Origin Mulberry Fields."

Shen Mu nodded and smiled as he clasped his fists to greet them, then waited for Hong Jingcheng to continue.

"Have you ever heard of the Origin Cicada, Brother Shen?"

Hong Jingcheng asked with a smile.

Shen Mu looked puzzled. "The Origin Silkworms raised on Origin Mulberry Leaves?"

At that, smiles spread across everyone's faces.

Wei Bo, standing beside him, explained, "You've misunderstood, Brother Shen. The Origin Cicada Brother Hong means is the kind of cicada that sings in the Origin Mulberry Fields. It isn't the Origin Silkworm raised on Origin Mulberry Leaves."

"Oh, so it's a cicada?"

Shen Mu said, puzzled, "But why is it called the Origin Cicada?"