Youyang Kingdom, White Cloud Mountain.
The Shameless Cat stared dumbfounded at the barren mountain peak, bare except for wisps of spiritual energy. Turning to Yang Zhen, it asked blankly, "Kid, is this the place you were talking about... the place that produced a super, super genius?"
Yang Zhen was even more bewildered than the Shameless Cat. He even rubbed his eyes, but when he opened them again, they were still so barren.
"Damn it, something's not right. When I left here, why wasn't this place so barren? No, it wasn't just barren, it was utterly impoverished! How can anyone cultivate with such a meager amount of spiritual energy?"
It's too barren, a bare mountain with only a few scattered trees and crooked rocks. Even the soil on the mountain has a kind of poverty about it!
If Yang Zhen hadn't been able to sense the location of the Shangyuan Sect, and even that there were people cultivating and living inside, Yang Zhen would have almost thought he had gone to the wrong place.
He came from this barren place, a place so poor that even a single drop of True Essence essence couldn't be gathered within a hundred miles. How did the patriarch of the Shangyuan Sect choose such a 'feng shui treasure land'?
The Shameless Cat looked at Yang Zhen with disdain. Yang Zhen, unusually, didn't argue with him, as he was completely bewildered by the scene before him.
Yang Zhen couldn't help but wonder if something had happened here when he left.
But even the vital energy of heaven and earth shouldn't disappear so quickly.
Within a radius of 500 li, even Yang Zhen, whose vital energy was depleted, felt somewhat breathless.
Upon hearing Yang Zhen's words, the Shameless Cat's eyes widened suddenly, then it burst into laughter, rolling around on the ground and pointing at Yang Zhen, saying, "Did I hear that right, kid? You came from this place. Such a lousy place, even birds don't want to poop here. You still have the nerve to call yourself a genius?"
Yang Zhen slapped the Shameless Cat on the head and cursed, "Damn it, I'm not in the mood to mess around with you right now. Quick, help me take a look. Something must have changed here. How come the True Essence of heaven and earth is so thin?"
The Shameless Cat curled its lip and said, "What are you looking at? There's nothing to look at. This place hasn't changed in at least a thousand years. You don't need to worry about that."
Yang Zhen paused, muttering to himself, "Impossible, then why is the Spiritual Qi so thin!"
With that, Yang Zhen leaped into the air, intending to go to the Shangyuan Sect to find out the truth.
"Kid, are you crazy?"
The Shameless Cat quickly stepped in front of Yang Zhen and said, "What if someone with ulterior motives discovers you and seeks revenge after you leave, and you dare to return to the sect at this time?"
At this point, the Shameless Cat suddenly paused, then looked at Yang Zhen with a strange grin and asked, "Kid, what was your cultivation level when you left here?"
" Foundation Establishment Realm..." Yang Zhen was stunned, then shook his head and said, "No, Essence Condensation Stage, damn it, I forgot."
The Shameless Cat stared wide-eyed at Yang Zhen, utterly bewildered, and asked, "What's the difference between the Foundation Establishment Realm and the Essence Condensation Stage? Can you sense any of the heaven and earth's spiritual energy at that stage?"
Yang Zhen opened his mouth. "Is that how it is?"
In fact, Yang Zhen had already figured it out in his heart. When he first walked out of here, his cultivation level was too low, and he couldn't sense whether the primordial energy between heaven and earth was thin or dense.
Now that I've returned, I've reached the Void Refinement Realm stage. Having spent so much time in places rich in spiritual energy, like famous mountains, great rivers, and the coast of the East Sea, I can naturally sense the barrenness of White Cloud Mountain.
Having figured this out, Yang Zhen leaped up, and the Startling Thunder Sword beneath his feet suddenly burst forth with a burst of light, transporting him to the depths of the white clouds in mid-air. Looking down, he immediately took in the surrounding world, then returned to the ground, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes.
The Shameless Cat stared blankly at Yang Zhen, hesitant to speak. Knowing that Yang Zhen was comprehending or contemplating something, it didn't disturb him. Later, getting bored while waiting, it simply left.
Yang Zhen sat there for three days.
Five days had passed since the agreed-upon month. Yang Zhen, with a few fallen leaves clinging to his body, suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.
"I see!"
Over the course of three days, Yang Zhen discovered through the Heavenly Book: Profound Principles Chapter that the reason why the True Essence essence of heaven and earth here was so thin was not because this place was an ancient barren land, but because the Yuan Gate was sealed by several surrounding mountains.
After Yang Zhen stood up, he gave Shangyuan Sect a deep look and murmured to himself, "After all, it's a matter of cause and effect. Although I don't care about this thing, giving you a chance to make a fortune can be considered settling this fate!"
For the next two weeks, Yang Zhen would choose a location around the Shangyuan Sect almost every day and use the geographical environment to create a Heaven and Earth Nexus. Although it was man-made, with Yang Zhen's current understanding of the Heavenly Book: Profound Principles Chapter's Profound Principles, it could influence the aura of the surrounding mountains and rivers, if not ingenious.
On the fifteenth day, the Shameless Cat suddenly appeared out of nowhere and looked at Yang Zhen with a curious expression, asking, "Kid, what are you doing?"
Yang Zhen said mysteriously to the Shameless Cat, "Before you leave, do you want to make a small fortune?"
"Get rich?"
Upon hearing this word, the Shameless Cat's eyes lit up, and it hurriedly asked, "How do I get rich?"
Yang Zhen waved his hand and said, "I still have some things to do. Five days later, go to a place called Sword Attendant Sect and cause some trouble. It doesn't have to be too big, just enough to let them know you're here."
"That's simple, I'm the best at..." The Shameless Cat's eyes suddenly widened, and it asked with a strange look, "What did you say, 'cheap sect'?"
" The Sword Attendant Sect, what's wrong?" Yang Zhen looked at the Shameless Cat with a strange expression.
The Shameless Cat said shyly, "No need for five days. I've calculated that they already know you're here."
Yang Zhen was taken aback, glanced at the Shameless Cat's paws, and said disdainfully, "You even know how to calculate with your fingers? You have fingers... What did you say?"
Now you know he's here?
Oh shit!
Yang Zhen picked up the Shameless Cat and stared into Shameless Cat eyes, saying, "Have you been to the Sword Attendant Sect?"
No wonder that Shameless Cat has been missing for so long; it turns out that bastard actually went to the Sword Attendant Sect.
The Shameless Cat curled its lip, turned its head away, and said, "Kid, put me down. Don't I have any dignity?"
Yang Zhen was holding the Shameless Cat by the neck, the Shameless Cat's four legs and one arm dangling down, looking quite pathetic.
"What were you doing there?" Yang Zhen asked, glaring at the Shameless Cat.
The Shameless Cat chuckled and said, "I was just passing by that scoundrel sect when I caught them picking spiritual herbs. Damn it, just thinking about it makes me angry. A sect of such stature, and they only have so few spiritual herbs. I ate most of them myself, and those bastards chased me across three mountains!"
Yang Zhen stared at the Shameless Cat in disbelief, then slapped it across the face. "You worthless thing! How many good things could a small sect like the Sword Attendant Sect possibly have? They've been cultivating spiritual materials for years, and you've eaten most of them! Enough nonsense, hand over the remaining half right now!"
"Why should I?" the Shameless Cat roared, dodging Yang Zhen's slap. Suddenly, it covered its mouth and shook its head, saying, "That's all! I didn't take the rest, I really didn't!"
Yang Zhen was both amused and exasperated. He cursed under his breath and said, "Fine, don't give it to me then. Do you think I, this Sage of Saunter, am as spineless as you? Oh dear, let me see, this is a new storage ring. Is it filled with some grass?"
The Shameless Cat's expression changed drastically. It hurriedly clutched the brand-new storage ring and took two steps back, saying warily, "Don't even think about taking my spiritual materials! You haven't told me how you're going to get rich!"
Yang Zhen chuckled and said, "Just wait here. If I'm not mistaken, a big fat sheep will come knocking in two days."
"This is great! This is great! I want to eat cumin lamb!"
"Eat your sister!"
"I have only given birth to one child in this lifetime, so where would a younger sister come from?"
"You daughter!"