Popularity Eye

What was a popularity eye? It even had grades, like martial arts. Was it specifically for seeing popularity?

However, Tang Wen could only see popularity occasionally.

For instance, when he had been ambushed after returning from his second crossing, he had clearly seen the people and the aura of books even in the dead of night.

Also, the instant he completed a milestone set by the space, he could see the popularity above his newly recruited servants' heads streaming into his body. Normally, he could not see the popularity above people's heads.

If he had a popularity eye, wouldn't that mean he could see popularity whenever he wanted? That would be far more convenient.

Of course, as for what popularity could do, Tang Wen only knew that he had been able to absorb it to improve his cultivation the first time. Afterward, he could no longer do so.

He could also occasionally see the popularity above other people's heads at night to distinguish friend from foe, as he had during that ambush.

At his wits' end, he kept his guard up and gathered everyone on the drill ground after the meal.

He focused his gaze on them, but he could not see the popularity above their heads.

Finding whoever had betrayed him would be difficult. Betrayal was not written on anyone's face, so he could only remain vigilant at all times.

Thus, he quietly summoned Zhang Kui and Li Quan and told them to watch everyone's behavior and report anything suspicious to him immediately. Their second task was to protect his mother.

Zhang Kui had served his father, who had also saved his life.

As for Li Quan, he had once collapsed in the street, sick and close to death. Tang Wen had spent a considerable sum of silver to save him.

Later, Li Quan had voluntarily sold himself to the Tang family, specifically to serve Tang Wen.

Both men were therefore longtime servants of the Tang family, and for now, they were the only two Tang Wen could trust.

Although Zhan Dongwen and the others came from the same hometown, a person's heart was hidden behind their belly. Tang Wen did not dare trust them completely.

As for the Gu Family's people, Tang Wen trusted them even less.

After all, Gu Hanyan was not particularly friendly toward him.

She wore a stern expression all day. Although she performed her duties as a maidservant, he had never seen her greet him with a smile.

Of course, Tang Wen also knew that there was no everlasting trust in this world, only everlasting interests.

As long as he could bring them benefits and advantages, they would find it hard to betray him.

That made earning more money and improving his martial strength tremendously important.

Thus, that afternoon, Tang Wen did not go to the worksite to supervise. Instead, he swallowed a Foundation-Nourishing Pill and focused on cultivating.

At this stage, Tang Wen had abandoned his former Six Profound Return-to-Truth Art and switched to the Origin-Harvesting Return-to-Truth Art, the signature cultivation art Li Quan had purchased from the Zhao Family Martial Hall in Yanling Commandery.

It was the best cultivation art available for purchase in Yanling Commandery, rated lower earth tier.

Cultivation arts were divided into human, earth, and heaven tiers. Each tier was further divided into lower, middle, and upper grades.

Naturally, the better the cultivation art, the faster one cultivated.

This Origin-Harvesting Return-to-Truth Art had cost Tang Wen several hundred taels of silver.

The art could actually absorb a tiny amount of spiritual energy from heaven and earth through the pores. The Six Profound Return-to-Truth Art, by contrast, could not absorb spiritual energy from outside the body.

Although the amount of spiritual energy the Origin-Harvesting Return-to-Truth Art could absorb was pitifully small, even a mosquito had meat on it. It was better than nothing.

The art had another advantage: it absorbed medicinal power three times faster than the Six Profound Return-to-Truth Art.

Tang Wen had no shortage of money for pills, so taking spiritual pills was as easy as eating candy, and his cultivation progressed even faster.

Otherwise, it would have been hard to say whether he could break through after absorbing popularity each time he completed a goal. He needed to build a solid foundation first.

Thanks to the large quantities of pills Tang Wen provided, Li Quan and Zhang Kui had also made considerable progress in just two months.

Li Quan had entered early ninth rank, while Zhang Kui had reached middle ninth rank.

The other servants were naturally not as fortunate as those two. The estate guards, for instance, received far fewer pills.

After all, spiritual pills were far too expensive. A lower-grade Marrow-Washing Pill cost thirty taels of silver, and a Foundation-Nourishing Pill cost ten.

Middle-grade pills were even more expensive. Tang Wen could not afford to supply them to large numbers of people.

The vast majority of martial artists in the Chu Kingdom took inferior spiritual pills-the failed pills that alchemists had ruined during refinement. Even these people were relatively fortunate; at least they had pills to take.

As many as half could not afford spiritual pills at all. They could only buy medicinal herbs and boil them into decoctions, whose effects were naturally greatly diminished.

Currently, Qiao Xiao was the strongest among the Tang family's people. His strength was estimated to be around sixth rank, with attacks delivering over a thousand jin of force.

For the time being, Tang Wen did not dare buy high-quality spiritual pills to cultivate him intensively.

After all, this man had yet to reach Li Quan's level of trustworthiness.

The reason modern society could not produce good pills was not that modern alchemists lacked skill, but that they lacked good medicinal ingredients.

Spiritual herbs also needed to grow in an environment rich in spiritual energy. The air in the Chu Kingdom contained spiritual energy, while the blessed mountains and treasured lands occupied by martial sects had even more.

As for why the constables of the Six Fan Gate also improved their cultivation quickly, it was because they had the mighty financial resources of the Great Chu court behind them and received plenty of spiritual pills every year.

Toward evening, Li Quan rushed in like a whirlwind. The moment he entered, he said, "Master, we've got people."

"Where did they come from?" Tang Wen asked, startled.

"They're disaster refugees recruited by Bu Feng and the others. Bu Feng said there are more than a hundred and eighty," Li Quan said.

"Come on, let's take a look." Tang Wen's spirits lifted.

He deliberately put on his nobleman's hat before leaving the tent and discovered that Bu Feng had already arranged all the refugees in lines on the drill ground.

"This is our Lord Tang!" Bu Feng said, pointing at Tang Wen.

"Greetings, Lord Baron!" All the refugees knelt. It seemed this hat carried considerable power.

"You must have walked here. Are you tired and hungry?" Tang Wen asked.

"Master, please give us something to eat. We're starving to death," someone immediately cried out.

"Junru, make arrangements right away. Have them cook more rice and stir-fry a big basin of meat. Let everyone have a taste of meat," Tang Wen said, turning to Zhan Junru.

"All right. I'll have them light the fires and cook right away." Zhan Junru nodded.

Li Lanyue and the other women immediately got to work. Before long, delicious aromas drifted from the kitchen, making the refugees stare longingly at it, their mouths watering.

"You're all tired. Sit on the ground and rest for now. We'll discuss our business after you've eaten your fill," Tang Wen said.

He wanted them to eat their fill first and experience the benefits the Tang family could offer them.

Then, discussing the sale of their freedom would be much easier.

An hour later, the food was ready, and Tang Wen led them to the dining hall.

Seeing the neatly arranged rows of tables, the basins of food on them, and even meat, they all stared in astonishment.

"Ten to a table. Sit down first," Tang Wen said. Bu Feng arranged the seating, and before long, everyone was seated.

However, without Tang Wen's permission, not one of them dared touch their chopsticks. They could only drool uncontrollably.

"Eat. Take your time, and don't choke. When you finish your rice, get more. Have as much as you like," Tang Wen said. Immediately, the dining hall filled with a jumble of gulping sounds.

After eating, they gathered on the drill ground again. Zhan Dongwen addressed them. "Everyone, Master Tang has rules for buying servants.

"Those with greater strength receive more silver, and those with better martial skills receive even more.

"There's a row of iron weights over there. Go and lift them. We have someone here specifically to record the results.

"Your strength will determine your price."

"Master Tang, my name is Zhan Zhao. My cultivation is at half-step eighth rank. Unfortunately, I haven't had enough food, warm clothing, or spiritual pills. Otherwise, I would have entered eighth rank long ago." A dark-skinned man in his prime stood up as he spoke.

"Mm. Go lift an iron weight first." Tang Wen nodded. Zhan Zhao cupped his fists, walked up to the iron weight marked six hundred jin, and threw his arms around it with a roar.

However, he only managed to budge it, unable to lift it completely.

Zhan Zhao's face reddened. "My body has been too weak lately."

"It's all right. Try the five-hundred-jin one," Tang Wen said. Zhan Zhao moved to another iron weight and roared, "Up you come!"

Held in his arms, the iron weight slowly rose off the ground.

"Good. We'll count you as half-step eighth rank.

"Thirty taels of silver for selling yourself, and a monthly allowance of two taels.

"Two lower-grade Foundation-Nourishing Pills, and you'll join the estate guards.

"Zhan Zhao, do you agree?" Tang Wen asked.

"Master Tang, I also have a younger cousin named Luo Yue.

"She's fifteen and has recently fallen ill. I heard that you can also treat illnesses, Master Tang.

"If you can cure her, she can sell herself to the Tang family too. Neither of us will take any payment for selling ourselves.

"My cousin can also read some characters and play the zither," Zhan Zhao said.

"I can't promise to cure her, but I'll do my best," Tang Wen said.

"Thank you, Master Tang!" Zhan Zhao said, dropping to one knee.

"Zhao Yuan, strength of five hundred jin, twenty taels of silver for selling himself..."

"Luo Hongyu, strength of two hundred jin, skilled in needlework and raising horses..."

The instant the contracts of sale were signed, the voice in the space sounded again. "Ding-dong! You have accumulated two hundred strands of popularity. The great landlord system has activated. You may make your sixth spacetime crossing at any time."

Immediately, more than two hundred strands of popularity surged wildly toward Tang Wen. He hurriedly activated the Origin-Harvesting Return-to-Truth Art, frantically absorbing... refining...

A little over ten minutes later, the pain vanished, leaving his whole body comfortable. He felt as though he had opened several more acupoints.

He glanced at the large screen in the space. Not bad! The figures had updated again:

Popularity index: 608

Land area: 2,338 qing and 50 mu.

Wealth index: 25,000 taels of gold.

Martial cultivation realm: early eighth rank.

Luggage capacity: 600 tons.

Crossing duration: thirty days.

Past six hundred... What about the popularity eye?

Just as he was thinking this, the voice in the space sounded again. "Ding-dong! Tenth-rank popularity eye successfully formed free of charge."