Origin Energy

"Younger Brother Su, how much do you know about the vital energy of heaven and earth?"

One of the young men present asked with a smile.

Shen Mu remembered that when the man introduced himself earlier, he had said his name was Guo Jinchuan.

The vital energy of heaven and earth was one of the most important substances in this world. It was also what made it possible for people to become martial artists.

Shen Mu said, "Once body tempering reaches the peak of the Boiling Blood Stage, you need to draw on the vital energy of heaven and earth to cleanse and strengthen your body before breaking through to become a Ninth Grade martial artist and entering the Ninth Grade Tendon-Changing stage. Vital energy is also indispensable for the cultivation that follows."

Guo Jinchuan nodded and smiled. "That's right. Vital energy is the key to becoming a martial artist."

"The first-release website domain is ??????????.??????"

"Then do you know why Origin Mulberry Trees can only survive here in Emerald Cloud Valley, when there are hundreds of miles around Cloud Dragon County?"

Shen Mu pondered for a moment. "If my guess is right, it's because the vital energy of heaven and earth is so abundant in Emerald Cloud Valley that Origin Mulberry Trees can flourish here."

Guo Jinchuan nodded, then continued, "Now, back to your earlier question. You asked why we call them Origin Cicadas."

"Origin Mulberry Trees grow by absorbing the vital energy of heaven and earth. As a result, they themselves contain a considerable amount of vital energy. This allows them to grow while also sustaining the growth of Origin Mulberry Leaves and Origin Mulberry Fruit."

"The sap contained in an Origin Mulberry Tree also holds vital energy."

Shen Mu's expression shifted slightly. Then he asked in surprise, "You mean, Brother Guo...?"

"That's right. Outside Emerald Cloud Valley, a cicada is just a cicada. But once it comes here and feeds on Origin Mulberry Sap, it absorbs some of the liquid vital energy into its body."

Hong Jingcheng picked up the explanation, smiling. "The vital energy that fills the world is extremely impure. Even martial artists need to refine it before they can use it to temper their bodies and improve their martial cultivation."

"But the vital energy in Emerald Cloud Valley is absorbed by the Origin Mulberry Trees, which is like putting it through a round of tempering. Then the Origin Cicadas feed on it and digest it, leaving behind extremely pure Origin Liquid in their bodies."

"These Origin Cicadas fetch an extremely high price outside!"

Shen Mu was still puzzled. "If Origin Cicadas are worth so much, hasn't anyone above thought of sending people here to catch them?"

Everyone smiled at that.

"Brother Shen, there's something you don't know."

Wei Bo chuckled. "The secret of the Origin Cicadas was discovered thanks to a Market Master. He once served as a Deacon in Emerald Cloud Valley. At the time, he had reached the peak of the Ninth Stage Boiling Blood. By pure chance, he learned the secret of the Origin Cicadas."

Shen Mu's mouth twitched.

If he had to guess, that Market Master had probably been bored while serving as a Deacon, so he'd caught cicadas in Emerald Cloud Valley to go with his wine—and only then discovered the potent, pure vital energy hidden inside them.

Wei Bo continued, "To keep profiting from the Origin Cicadas, the Market Master kept the matter secret. So no one outside knows about it yet. And to keep obtaining the Origin Cicadas in Emerald Cloud Valley, he told Deacon Hong about it..."

Seeing Shen Mu look over, Hong Jingcheng smiled. "Do you know what price the Market Master offered for them?"

Before Shen Mu could answer, Hong Jingcheng gave it to him.

"One silver tael per Origin Cicada!"

Shen Mu's heart leaped.

The price was certainly startling.

One Origin Cicada was worth a whole silver tael?

Emerald Cloud Valley had a thousand acres of Origin Mulberry Fields. Even if they caught just one Origin Cicada per acre, that would be at least a thousand cicadas, worth over a thousand taels of silver.

But after turning it over in his mind, Shen Mu quickly calmed down.

Since Hong Jingcheng had summoned all the Guardians under his command, catching Origin Cicadas couldn't be easy.

Otherwise, why spread the word? Wouldn't it be better to keep all the money for himself?

He could have kept the profits to himself, yet he had sought them out. That meant the job was probably too much for him to handle alone...

Imagine a Deacon catching cicadas in the Origin Mulberry Fields every day. What would the other Guardians think?

Might they stumble onto the secret of the Origin Cicadas?

If that happened, the Origin Cicadas in Emerald Cloud Valley might be wiped out...

Shen Mu looked around, then said, "I understand. Brother Hong gathered everyone so we could catch the cicadas together and sell them to the Market Master?"

"But with so many of us catching them, wouldn't we alert the other Guardians?"

Wei Bo chuckled. "Brother Shen, that's exactly why Brother Hong gathered us."

"There are only so many Origin Cicadas in Emerald Cloud Valley. If we want to keep profiting from them next year, we can't catch every last one of them at once."

"Origin Cicadas have trouble moving around at night, which makes them easy for us to catch. But to keep the commotion from giving away the secret to the other Guardians..."

"We'll need to use sleeping smoke to put them to sleep early on the night we catch the cicadas."

Shen Mu couldn't help sighing inwardly. As expected, when there was enough profit to be made, people didn't shy away from difficulties.

"After we catch the Origin Cicadas and sell them to the Market Master, how will the silver be divided?"

Shen Mu asked.

The question was a little pointed, but he still asked it.

The split had to be discussed beforehand. Otherwise, if a dispute broke out over the money, that was the last thing he wanted to see.

Even if they caught over a thousand Origin Cicadas and split them among nearly twenty people, each person would only get about fifty taels.

It wasn't worth fighting and killing over that little money.

As a Deacon, Hong Jingcheng probably wouldn't care about such a trifling sum. And since he had organized the operation, he wouldn't agree to an equal split.

Everyone turned to look at Hong Jingcheng.

Meeting their gazes, Hong Jingcheng smiled. "Even if Brother Shen hadn't asked, I would have brought it up."

"For the past three years, I've partnered with some of the people here, as well as others who have since left Emerald Cloud Valley."

"The division is simple. I'll use the sleeping smoke to put the other Guardians in Emerald Cloud Valley to sleep, and the rest of you will catch the Origin Cicadas."

"Once we've counted them all, I'll take fifty percent, and the other fifty percent will be split equally among everyone else here!"

Fifty percent?

Shen Mu raised an eyebrow.

But then again, if Hong Jingcheng didn't use the sleeping smoke, and someone else had to do it, the other Guardians would probably notice. Then both sides would end up in a clash.

The others looked unperturbed, so they must have agreed to Hong Jingcheng's arrangement.

He was only at the First Stage Boiling Blood. Here, he was nothing but a small fry. Did he really think he could object?

If he did, Hong Jingcheng would probably slap him dead and turn him into fertilizer for the Origin Mulberry Fields.

From the moment he had followed Wei Bo here, he had already climbed aboard. To keep the secret, if he tried to back out now, he would probably be killed.

Besides, catching Origin Cicadas wasn't particularly dangerous. It was practically like being handed money.

With the money from catching Origin Cicadas, plus a few months of wages, he would have enough to advance to the Fourth Stage Boiling Blood.

Hong Jingcheng smiled. "Brother Shen, what do you think of this arrangement?"

Everyone turned to look at Shen Mu as well. The atmosphere suddenly grew tense, as if they wouldn't let him leave alive if he dared to refuse.

Shen Mu nodded with a smile. "I agree to this arrangement."

The tension in the room eased, and smiles returned to everyone's faces.

"Since Brother Shen agrees, that's how we'll divide the proceeds."

Hong Jingcheng's expression turned serious. "But this is Brother Shen's first time taking part, so there are two things I need to warn you about. Someone has already lost their life over this."

"Everyone, remember this. After catching an Origin Cicada, do not try to eat it."

"Someone once ate one after catching it, hoping to use it to boost their blood energy."

"But they didn't know that Origin Cicadas couldn't increase their blood energy. The vital energy they contained was extremely violent, and a martial artist in the Boiling Blood Stage wasn't strong enough to withstand it rushing through their body. Their meridians ruptured, and they died on the spot. I had to go to a lot of trouble to cover it up."

"Do not take any chances!"

Shen Mu's heart gave a little jump.

He really had thought about eating one after catching it, just to see if it would help nourish his blood energy faster.

He hadn't expected that someone had already tested it for him—and even paid with their life...

"There's one more thing."

Hong Jingcheng continued, "Once you advance to the Fourth Stage Boiling Blood, you can return to the gang and claim a new position."

"But I hope everyone will keep the secret of the Origin Cicadas after leaving Emerald Cloud Valley."

"You should all understand that the Market Master told us this secret, giving us the chance to earn money from the Origin Cicadas."

"If the secret is ever exposed, and the Origin Cicadas in Emerald Cloud Valley are caught without restraint, the Market Master will no longer be able to profit from them. He'll inevitably take his anger out on us."

"I should remind you all that the Market Master has a list of everyone who knows this secret."

Inside the bamboo shed, everyone fell silent, and the atmosphere grew heavy.

Wei Bo laughed as he tried to lighten the mood. "Why so serious, everyone? If it weren't for the Market Master, we wouldn't have had a chance to earn a bit of silver."

"If anyone dares to let this secret slip and make the Market Master take his anger out on us, leaving everyone with nothing to earn, I, Wei Bo, will be the first to object!"

Shen Mu smiled and chimed in, "Brother Wei is right. We get to earn a bit of silver from this, like finding money on the ground. Anyone who turns against us after that is making an enemy of everyone here—and deserves to die!"

Then Shen Mu changed the subject. "Brother Hong, when are we catching the Origin Cicadas?"

Everyone turned to Hong Jingcheng.

Hong Jingcheng smiled. "Tomorrow night, just before dawn. Everyone gather here!"

They talked through a few more details about the next night's hunt, then left for the Origin Mulberry Fields they were responsible for guarding.

"I never imagined Emerald Cloud Valley was hiding a secret like this."

Back at his own bamboo shed, Shen Mu couldn't help wearing a strange expression.

If he hadn't happened to be assigned under Hong Jingcheng, he wouldn't have had a chance to earn this silver for free. He might even have ended up as one of the Guardians knocked unconscious.