Three days later, the poison in Han Li's body had gradually been cleared away. Once it was gone, he returned the Warm Sun Jade to Chen Ming, then bade him farewell.
In fact, Han Li did not leave Jiayuan City right away. Several days later, word spread that a small gang in Jiayuan City called the Four Peace Gang had a new leader.
Just as in the original story, Sun Ergou became the leader of the Four Peace Gang, and its upper ranks were likewise put through a bloodbath.
As the saying went, the plot points that had to happen had pretty much all happened, without a single one missing, hadn't they?
A few more days passed before another piece of news arrived: Ouyang Feitian, the master of Dominating Mountain Manor, and his only son had suddenly died under mysterious circumstances. Chen Ming did not even have to think to know who had done it. Who else could it have been but Han Li?
Only after Sun Ergou passed along news of the Tai Nan Gathering did Han Li follow that lead!
In fact, Chen Ming had not revealed any of the plot he knew to Han Li. Even if he had told him, someone as suspicious as Han Li would not necessarily have believed him!
Chen Ming merely followed silently behind him, arriving in Guanggui City at the southernmost end of Lan Province. It was a small city with only a few hundred thousand residents, one-fifth the population of Jiayuan City, the province's largest city.
Mountains surrounded it on three sides, while a lake bordered the fourth. Its beautiful scenery made visitors linger and reluctant to leave, making it a fine tourist town.
It was an excellent place for wealthy families to spend their leisure time. Moreover, several rare specialty fruits grew here that could not be found anywhere else, giving the little city a fair amount of fame.
Chen Ming casually bought a fruit called a "golden light melon." It looked like a chicken's rump, was the size of a fist, and had golden skin. When he peeled it open, the flesh was pale blue, dotted with black seeds. It tasted like rice that had been left sitting for a week!
Chen Ming took one bite and immediately threw it away, retching nonstop. Was this thing even fit for human consumption?
Chen Ming wandered through the city and spotted Han Li not far away. Instead of following him, however, he stopped at a stall selling masks.
"Boss, how much is this?"
Chen Ming picked up a white fox mask and asked the stall owner.
"Five copper coins each!"
Hearing his question, the stall owner quoted the price.
"Mm! All right, I'll take this wolf-head one!"
Chen Ming took out five copper coins, put down the fox mask, and picked up a wolf-head mask instead. After paying the stall owner, he put it on.
Tai Nan Mountain lay a short distance west of Guanggui City. Standing over three thousand meters tall and shrouded in mist all year round, it was the fourth-highest mountain in Lan Province.
(Shouldn't this three-thousand-meter setting be changed a little? Even if ordinary people could climb up there, they might not survive! Personally, I think this setting is really a bit absurd!)
He strolled up the steps. The level stone stairs looked as though they had been specially worked, with pines and cypresses planted on either side. A hexagonal pavilion stood roughly every hundred paces, and there were actually dozens of them along the climb from the foot of the mountain!
A small temple-Tai Nan Temple-had also been built at the summit. Its divinations and fortune sticks were said to be remarkably accurate, so every year, officials and dignitaries made the arduous journey to burn incense and pray, donating large sums of money to the temple. As a result, incense offerings never ceased, and its reputation spread far and wide.
For the past few days, Chen Ming had worn his mask and followed behind Han Li, quietly keeping an eye on the Tai Nan Gathering. These independent cultivators were called independent cultivators, but most actually belonged to cultivation families. Strictly speaking, Han Li was the only genuine independent cultivator among them!
Seeing so many novel things at the Tai Nan Gathering opened Chen Ming's eyes. To put it plainly, the Tai Nan Gathering was a scheduled trading fair where independent cultivators set up stalls to sell their wares!
Chen Ming browsed around and marked out several independent cultivators with relatively low cultivation. After finishing his tour of the Tai Nan Gathering, he followed the others to the so-called Ascension Assembly!
The Ascension Assembly was the only opportunity these independent cultivators had to join the Seven Great Cultivation Sects. Anyone under twenty who had reached the tenth Qi Refining layer had a chance to join. Those whose spirit roots tested well could also join even if their cultivation was a little lower!
Another way was to possess an Ascension Token, like Han Li. Legend had it that, long ago, these tokens had been awarded to people who had made great contributions to the Seven Great Cultivation Sects. Very few people had ever received one, and they were mostly the stuff of rumor!
The Ascension Assembly was held once every five years, yet over the past several decades, no one had been seen producing an Ascension Token. Gradually, many people began to think the rumors about them might be false!
As the Ascension Assembly slowly drew toward its end, Han Li approached an old man from Yellow Maple Valley and produced the Ascension Token he had obtained. Only when everyone saw him take out Yellow Maple Valley's Ascension Token did they realize the tokens were real. Ascension Tokens really did exist.
With Han Li joining Yellow Maple Valley, the Ascension Assembly officially ended, and the independent cultivators began leaving one after another.
Wearing his mask, Chen Ming followed two men, one fat and one thin, who were only at the seventh and eighth Qi Refining layers, until they reached a dense forest.
A ruthless glint flashed in Chen Ming's eyes. He circulated his spiritual power and instantly rushed up to the skinny young man at the eighth Qi Refining layer. Three punches flew in succession, and the young man collapsed at once, blood spilling from his mouth!
"You..."
Seeing that the man had fallen, Chen Ming slid over to the fat man at the seventh Qi Refining layer. Just as the man opened his mouth, Chen Ming landed several punches in an instant. He promptly collapsed, unable to make another sound!
After taking everything the two men carried, he hurried in the direction another pair of cultivators had left together. They, too, were only at the seventh and eighth Qi Refining layers.
Chen Ming intercepted four groups in succession before leisurely taking his leave. Reaching a pool, he removed his mask, stripped off his clothes, and set aside the things he had stolen. Then he cast the Fireball Technique, instantly reducing his clothes and mask to ashes, before jumping into the pool.
He changed into a fresh set of clothes he had prepared beforehand, then opened up his stolen loot and began counting it. Most of it consisted of spirit stones; the rest was medicinal herbs and a few talisman papers!
There were twelve hundred low-grade spirit stones in total, twenty-five medicinal herbs of various kinds, and seven talisman papers. No wonder great heroes never lacked money.
"System, recharge! Open the system panel!"
Chen Ming called out with a smile.
Character: Mo Juren Cultivation: Tenth Qi Refining layer Spirit root: False Attribute: None Energy: 1,201 Sufficient energy detected. The system will begin upgrading automatically! Please wait!
When Chen Ming heard that electronically synthesized voice, his happy expression instantly darkened. Upon hearing the words about upgrading automatically, he punched the large rock beside the pool. Shattered stone flew everywhere, and even the medicinal herbs resting on the rock were pulverized by the blow!
"This is absolutely outrageous!"
Chen Ming was furious. How could it keep doing this every time? Recharge, my ass!
System upgrade complete. Level Three Lottery System! Character: Mo Juren Cultivation: Tenth Qi Refining layer Spirit root: False Attribute: None Energy: 201 Level Three Lottery System: Each draw requires 1,000 energy points!
If he could, Chen Ming really wanted to drag the system out and beat it up.
Chen Ming slumped to the ground. Only after a long while did his emotions settle. Next time, I have to control the amount properly. I can't recharge too much at once.
He brushed the dust off his backside and slowly headed toward Jiayuan City!
"What an interesting fellow."
Watching Chen Ming leave, a young-looking man stepped out of the shadows. There was not a trace of expression on his face, and he wore the robes of a Yellow Maple Valley disciple.