Origin Mulberry

The next day.

When the rooster crowed, Shen Mu woke up right on time. He immediately focused his mind inward and observed the changes in the Martial Dao Tree.

"Just as I expected. When I'm not tempering my body, the Martial Dao Tree doesn't change at all."

"In other words, even if I eat demonic beast meat, the Martial Dao Tree won't help me digest it unless I pair it with external body tempering. My hope of lying around and improving my cultivation is probably out of reach."

Shen Mu sighed inwardly.

Still, this was within his expectations.

How could there be gains without effort?

The Martial Dao Tree tripling his progress while he tempered his body was already enough to delight him.

He got up, washed, changed into clean clothes, and left home.

"Brother Shen."

Luo Tao had been waiting at the end of the street for some time. As soon as he spotted Shen Mu, he raised a hand in greeting.

"Brother Shen, have you heard that the city's curfew now starts at midnight?"

When Shen Mu came closer, Luo Tao immediately asked.

"I have."

Shen Mu nodded and chuckled. "I went out last night and heard about it. There are probably too many martial artists passing through Cloud Dragon County, causing a lot of people to get hurt by mistake. That's why the authorities came up with this measure."

"I figured as much."

Luo Tao agreed, then sighed. "With Gu Yunfan showing up, martial artists from all over Great Yu are probably rushing to Cloud Province. Cloud Province is going to be a complete mess."

"Yeah."

Shen Mu sighed. "Until this storm passes, ordinary people like us had better not wander around outside, lest we get caught in the crossfire."

Luo Tao smiled bitterly. "After what happened the night before last, how could I dare linger outside?"

They chatted as they headed toward the Firewood Gang's headquarters.

After presenting their tokens at the Firewood Gang's gate, they made their way to the Martial Arts Arena. Many outer disciples were already there, voluntarily beginning their body tempering.

Seeing this, Shen Mu couldn't help but feel moved.

For those unwilling to accept their lot, the only way to change their circumstances was always to change themselves.

If you came from a poor family, you had even less room to slack off, even if your chances of seizing an opportunity were only one in a hundred.

A fisherman never knew whether his next voyage would bring in a full catch, but he still set sail without hesitation.

Setting sail didn't guarantee a catch, but staying ashore guaranteed none.

Shen Mu and Luo Tao had no time to idle either, and immediately joined the body-tempering exercises.

Before the morning sun had risen, outer disciples began arriving at the Martial Arts Arena one after another. By the time the sun climbed over the ridge, the arena was already packed with people.

Clearly, the determination to become martial artists had become the driving force behind every outer disciple's body tempering.

But Shen Mu knew all too well that fewer than one in ten of those present would truly reach the Boiling Blood Stage.

Even with the Martial Dao Tree speeding up the digestion of beast meat, Shen Mu didn't dare slacken for a moment.

He had even staked the only place he had in this world on it.

Success was his only option!

Instructor Mao Shouzhuo came to guide everyone for half an hour, then quickly left to temper his own body. He was only at the First Stage Boiling Blood, so there was no way he could spend the entire day teaching them. Body tempering depended on one's own discipline; if you didn't train hard, no one could save you.

Only after the sun had set did the day's body tempering finally come to an end.

"It digested another thirty percent. After another day of training tomorrow, I should be able to finish digesting the pound of demonic beast meat I ate."

Shen Mu examined the Martial Dao Tree. Its roots were now covered by roughly another six or seven percent of the crimson-red blood energy.

"Once the beast meat is fully digested tomorrow, I'll have to spend my own money to buy another pound."

Shen Mu thought to himself.

Just as everyone was preparing to leave, the middle-aged man from the day before appeared again and called out, "Everyone, form up by squad!"

Though they didn't know why, the crowd quickly assembled into neat ranks.

Meeting their gazes, the middle-aged man spoke loudly. "The Origin Silkworms raised by the gang are about to spin their cocoons, and they need more and more Origin Mulberry leaves. We're urgently short of people to harvest them. We need about two hundred workers. Those who go will receive five taels of silver per month!"

"Anyone interested can sign up with their instructor!"

At his words, the outer disciples began talking among themselves.

"Tsk, five taels of silver for a month of picking Origin Mulberry. The Firewood Gang sure is loaded."

"The pay's good, but we only ate demonic beast meat yesterday, and we haven't digested it yet. We're in the middle of body tempering, too. If we go pick Origin Mulberry, won't all that beast meat go to waste?"

"Bah, brother, you're thinking too small. We can put off body tempering, but we can't put off making money. Miss this chance and you'll have to wait until next year."

"Exactly. We can earn more silver over the next few months, then buy more demonic beast meat for training."

"..."

"Instructor Lin, sign me up!"

"I'm in!"

"..."

In no time, many outer disciples were approaching their instructors to sign up for the Origin Mulberry harvest.

"Brother Shen, what about us?"

Luo Tao's eyes showed a hint of interest as he turned to Shen Mu.

His father had once told him that Shen Mu was clever, and that at the Firewood Gang, he should just follow Shen Mu's lead.

After seeing how Shen Mu handled collecting firewood fees, Luo Tao thought his father had been right.

That was why he asked Shen Mu first, wanting to see what he would do.

Meeting Luo Tao's questioning gaze, Shen Mu shook his head. "We're not going."

He had even put his house up for sale to support his body tempering. How could he interrupt his training for a mere five taels of silver a month?

Once he reached the First Stage Boiling Blood, would earning those few taels really be so hard?

Watching the outer disciples eagerly sign up, Shen Mu couldn't help but shake his head.

When he saw Shen Mu shake his head, Luo Tao immediately gave up on signing up, too. He didn't understand Shen Mu's reasoning, but following him had never been a mistake.

The Firewood Gang had three main halls: the Beast Hunting Hall, Yuan Mulberry Hall, and Firewood Hall. Each hall had its own source of income.

The Firewood Hall collected firewood fees each month, making it the most stable source of income.

The Beast Hunting Hall organized people to hunt demonic beasts. Besides supplying beast meat to the gang's members, most of it was sold.

The Yuan Mulberry Hall raised Origin Silkworms.

Outside Cloud Dragon County, the Firewood Gang owned an Origin Mulberry Field spanning a thousand mu, where it raised Origin Silkworms. After processing, the silk they spun was called Yuan Brocade.

Clothing made from Yuan Brocade kept people warm in winter and cool in summer, and was beloved by high-ranking officials and nobles.

In just the time it took to burn a stick of incense, the two hundred workers needed to harvest Origin Mulberry had been recruited. Many who hadn't signed up in time wore regretful expressions, kicking themselves for missing this chance to earn money.

"Brother Shen, picking Origin Mulberry earns five taels of silver a month. Why aren't we going?"

On the way home, Luo Tao still couldn't hold back his curiosity and asked.

Shen Mu chuckled. "Tao, tell me: what was our main reason for spending ten taels of silver to join the Firewood Gang?"

Luo Tao answered without hesitation. "What else? To become martial artists, of course!"

"Exactly."

Shen Mu said, "Since our goal is to become martial artists, then whatever happens, everything else has to take a back seat!"

"Picking Origin Mulberry does pay well, but it'll slow down our body-tempering progress."

"Once we reach the Boiling Blood Stage and become members of the Firewood Gang, will earning five taels of silver really be so hard?"

"Tao, we can't betray our original purpose and give up our future for a little short-term gain or temptation."

Luo Tao scratched his head and grinned sheepishly. "I don't really understand what you're saying, Brother Shen, but my dad said that following you can't be wrong."

Hearing this, Shen Mu could only smile bitterly. He really had been talking to a brick wall.

Luo Tao didn't like to use his head, but his father, Luo Zhen, was an exceptionally shrewd man.

On their first day as outer disciples, Luo Zhen had told Luo Tao to stick with Shen Mu and listen to him, no matter what happened.

The two parted ways at the end of the street and headed toward their respective homes.

Shen Mu hadn't even reached home when he saw two people standing outside his door.

"Little Mu, you're back."

As soon as they saw Shen Mu, the two people waiting at his doorway came forward to greet him.

"Uncle, Aunt, what brings you here?"

Recognizing them, Shen Mu furrowed his brow.