Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun said nothing and brushed past them. Whether in his previous life or this one, he had seen plenty of such things—those who trampled the high and flattered the low.
Shaking his head, Zhou Xun continued onward.
Just then, a tall figure approached and asked with concern,
"Brother Zhou, I heard you were dismissed from Mystic Talisman Pavilion?"
The man had refined features and a broad-bladed butcher's knife, a foot long, hanging at his waist. He appeared to be in his forties.
"Brother Gao, even you heard about this?" Zhou Xun cupped his hands in salute.
This man's surname was Gao. He also lived in Green Willow Alley and was a Spirit Butcher.
When spiritual fish, Demon Beasts, and the like were slaughtered in the Cultivation World, they often required special handling. Otherwise, their Spiritual Qi would dissipate, greatly diminishing their value. Thus, the profession of Spirit Butcher was born.
This middle-aged man surnamed Gao was a Spirit Butcher whose craft had been passed down through his family. His skill in slaughtering spiritual fish was especially unmatched.
He now worked at the largest cultivator restaurant in Red Leaf Square, where he was responsible for slaughtering spiritual fish.
"Your affair has already spread through the entire alley. Why not let me put in a word for you? You can work as a waiter at my restaurant. It may not compare to Mystic Talisman Pavilion, but at least it would give you a place to settle down and make a living!" the middle-aged man said sincerely.
Warmth rose in Zhou Xun's heart at his words, but he still refused.
When Zhou Xun had first crossed over, he had already felt that Brother Gao was unfathomable. Now that he had the Ningshun Sutra in hand and the Danbao Pavilion apprentice opportunity before him, he tactfully declined.
"Thank you, Brother Gao, but I still want to look around on my own. If I truly find no way out, I'll have to trouble you then!"
"Very well. You're young and should try a few more opportunities. If nothing works out, come find me!"
Zhou Xun nodded in agreement, then hurried home with the Qi Induction Pill tucked against his chest.
Upon returning home, Zhou Xun impatiently shut the front door.
He then took out the medicine bottle, gently pulled out the stopper, and was immediately met by a medicinal fragrance mingled with faint Spiritual Qi.
Zhou Xun's spirits lifted. He examined it carefully for a while before replacing the stopper.
"Once I've eaten my Spirit Rice and the Spiritual Qi in my body is full, taking it then will surely yield twice the result with half the effort!"
Though his heart was somewhat stirred, Zhou Xun still restrained himself.
At that moment, a knock sounded outside the door.
Knock, knock, knock—
Zhou Xun hurriedly stuffed the medicine bottle into his robes and patted it securely. Only after making sure no one could discover it did he rise and open the door.
"Brother Zhou!" A robust voice rang out.
Before him stood a tall, dark-skinned youth around Zhou Xun's age. The youth carried a snow-white rabbit in his hand, one that weighed more than ten jin.
"Da Hai, when did you return?" Zhou Xun asked in delight.
This person was Shan Xiong Hai, Zhou Xun's childhood friend. He was one year younger than Zhou Xun and thus addressed him as elder brother.
The rabbit in his hand was precisely the delicacy Zhou Xun had never forgotten: a Snowy Mongoose Rabbit.
"It's a long story. Let's go inside and prepare this Snowy Mongoose Rabbit. We can talk while we eat!" As he spoke, the youth smacked his lips several times.
"Please, please—"
Zhou Xun quickly welcomed Shan Xiong Hai inside.
Before long, the Snowy Mongoose Rabbit had been prepared, and the two ate and chatted.
Shan Xiong Hai reclined sideways in his chair, unceremoniously tearing off a huge rabbit leg and devouring it with great relish.
"Da Hai, I've seen quite a few Demon Beast hunters returning to Red Leaf Square in groups these past few days. Did something happen?"
Remembering the bands of Demon Beast hunters he had seen in Red Leaf Square over the past two days, Zhou Xun asked.
"Big Brother, you're still as clever as ever," the youth said indistinctly through a mouthful of rabbit meat.
"No one knows what happened in the heart of Hundred Savages Mountain, but it caused a large number of Demon Beasts to start spreading toward the outskirts!"
"Spreading toward the outskirts?" Zhou Xun asked doubtfully.
Hundred Savages Mountain stretched on for countless tens of thousands of li, and within it lived innumerable Demon Beasts.
The closer one got to the center, the higher the Demon Beasts' ranks. The Demon Beast hunters of Red Leaf Square made their living on the outskirts of Hundred Savages Mountain by hunting low-ranked Demon Beasts.
"That's right. Some people even claim they saw Tier 2 Demon Beasts. Those are equivalent to Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators! In the past, one only appeared every few years, but this time, there have already been reports of no fewer than five!"
"Because it happened so suddenly, a great number of Demon Beast hunters were killed or injured. My Second Uncle planned to return to Red Leaf Square first and lie low for a while."
So that was it. Zhou Xun nodded.
Normally, Demon Beasts spreading toward the outskirts would have been a feast for Demon Beast hunters like them.
But with even Tier 2 Demon Beasts appearing, it was no longer something Qi Refinement cultivators like them could provoke. Returning to Red Leaf Square was only proper.
The two then began recounting what had happened since they parted. Shan Xiong Hai mostly spoke of his experiences hunting Demon Beasts. Though he made them sound ordinary, Zhou Xun understood the dangers hidden within.
Demon Beasts were born with powerful bodies, and with their innate spells, their strength was formidable.
Thus, human cultivators of the same rank were generally no match for Demon Beasts.
That was also why Zhou Xun had refused Second Uncle Dan's invitation years ago to hunt Demon Beasts in Hundred Savages Mountain together.
"Oh, right. You don't know yet—I've already reached the peak of the third level of Qi Refinement!" Shan Xiong Hai said, releasing a dense, powerful aura of spiritual power.
Feeling that aura, Zhou Xun could not help but feel a little sour.
"Oh, right. What about you?" Shan Xiong Hai asked.
At those words, Zhou Xun's heart felt dry, but he still recounted his experiences. Aside from the Wei Brothers, he told him everything.
When Shan Xiong Hai heard that Zhou Xun had been dismissed, he became somewhat angry.
"Those motherless bastards! Once I find a chance, I'll catch that manager and beat him black and blue!"
"What will you do now? Have you found work?" Shan Xiong Hai asked with concern.
"Not yet," Zhou Xun said, shaking his head.
Shan Xiong Hai pondered for a moment before slowly speaking.
"Big Brother, I actually came today for another matter."
"Oh? What matter is that?" Zhou Xun asked curiously.
"Yesterday, while returning to Red Leaf Square, I happened to discover a nest of Goldspirit Rats in a valley. You worked at Mystic Talisman Pavilion, so you should know the value of that beast."
"Of course I know," Zhou Xun said with a nod.
Goldspirit Rats were low-grade, Tier 1 Demon Beasts of the metal attribute, their bodies covered in a golden gradient.
Their blood could be used to refine Spirit Ink, their whiskers to refine Talisman Brushes, and their hides to refine talisman paper. Even their Demon Beast Meat could sell for two or three Spirit Essences. All told, an adult Goldspirit Rat was worth more than sixty Spirit Essences.
"Since you don't have work right now, why not come with me and slaughter this nest of Goldspirit Rats? We can exchange them for quite a few Spirit Essences and ease this pressing need!"
At the same time, in a valley several thousand li from Red Leaf Square, a nest of Goldspirit Rats squeaked away inside a hidden cave.
What was astonishing was that the Spiritual Qi in the cave was far denser than outside.
The Spiritual Qi throughout the entire valley seemed to be guided by something, gathering within the cave in an exceedingly strange manner.
"Second Uncle Dan is an expert at the fifth level of Qi Refinement. Wouldn't hunting this nest of Goldspirit Rats be as easy as turning his hand over?" Zhou Xun asked doubtfully after hearing Shan Xiong Hai's words.
"The matter in Hundred Savages Mountain arose too suddenly. Second Uncle still had some matters to arrange, so he didn't travel with me."
Zhou Xun nodded upon hearing this, but he did not immediately agree.
"Can the two of us manage it?"
"Big Brother, don't worry. Though Goldspirit Rats are low-grade Tier 1 Demon Beasts, their combat strength is weak. They're easy to deal with!" Shan Xiong Hai said, patting his chest.
If he alone could have wiped out the entire nest of Goldspirit Rats in one sweep, he would not have asked Zhou Xun for help.
However, Zhou Xun needed to devote the coming month entirely to preparing for Danbao Pavilion's apprentice recruitment. He could not afford to be distracted, so he explained the reason.
Shan Xiong Hai burst into laughter upon hearing this. "Big Brother, just focus on preparing for the apprenticeship. This won't happen immediately, and this month will give me time to make some preparations as well!"
The two then began talking about other things they had seen and heard.
By the time Shan Xiong Hai left, it was already night.
Zhou Xun bathed, then entered the Meditation Chamber and lit a low-grade stick of Spirit Soothing Incense.
This item contained a small amount of primordial spirit grass. It helped cultivators calm their minds and cost two Spirit Essences.
As the faint sandalwood fragrance lingered around his nose, Zhou Xun's mind quickly settled.
He picked up the medicine bottle before him, gently removed the stopper, and poured the round Qi Induction Pill into his palm. He then pinched it between two fingers and gently placed it in his mouth.
Once the pill entered his stomach, a surge of pure Spiritual Qi spread out, flowing through his meridians and throughout his body.
Zhou Xun hurriedly circulated the Essence Cultivation Art to refine that Spiritual Qi.
Early the next morning, the door to the Meditation Chamber opened, and Zhou Xun walked out.
Thinking back on yesterday's experience, he truly did not know whether he should rejoice or grieve.
After taking the Qi Induction Pill, he had not dared slack off and immediately circulated his cultivation art to refine it.
Before you continue