Chapter 163: Like A Hen Hatching Eggs, Like A Cat Catching A Mouse
Without mentioning anything else, just this boldness of throwing away a thousand gold pieces alone made quite a few people secretly alarmed.
In this way, Crouching Tiger Well now had a full fifty-plus Water Carriers, among whom the proportion of Second-rate Experts was close to half!
How much monthly income would it take to support such a large group of people?
Shopkeeper Chen, where to find the money?
On his first day taking office, Shopkeeper Chen caused such a big stir.
Quite a few people who originally had some ulterior motives also silently dispelled their stray thoughts.
Decisive and vigorous, bold and daring, with extensive connections.
A person like this is not easy to provoke.
Under the sunshade, the thunderous snoring gradually stopped.
Old Fei San rubbed his bleary eyes and sat up, only feeling that Crouching Tiger Well was unusually noisy at noon today, preventing anyone from sleeping peacefully.
He strangely glanced at the crowded Crouching Tiger Well, somewhat dazed.
But what scene has he, Old Fei San, not seen before?
Following his own rhythm, feeling it was about time to start his shift, he leisurely walked to the well edge and unhurriedly pumped water.
……
That evening, by rights, there should have been a welcome banquet.
The Water Carriers pooled money to give Chen Shun’an a welcome.
Inviting seven or eight elegant singing and dancing courtesans, then opening a feast and booking a few coquettish wenches—this was the tradition of the Sacred Dynasty for promotions and ennoblements.
But Chen Shun’an politely declined all these invitations.
Even after Zhao Guangxi was promoted to Wellhead, he traveled at night in brocade clothes without holding a welcome banquet—how could he, Chen Shun’an, lack such eyesight and steal the Landlord’s thunder?
Of course, the welcome banquet could be skipped.
But the ‘taking office rule’, following the thousand-year-old custom, must be accepted.
The taking office rule is one of the fine traditions of officialdom in the Sacred Dynasty: when a new official takes office, his subordinates and local gentry must pool a sum of “meeting gift” or “settling-in fee” to present.
This is the rule for taking office.
Therefore, various businesses, including the Water Station, also carry forward this fine tradition, taking its essence.
And the amount of the Water Station’s taking office rule depends on the Water Carriers’ annual income, with this proportion roughly around ten percent.
It is the minimum ten percent, with no upper limit.
Don’t think ten percent seems small, but there are also the three festivals and two longevity gifts, ice tribute, coal tribute.
Ten percent here, ten percent there, by the end of the year, how much grain do the Water Carriers have left?
This isn’t forcing the Water Carriers to take crooked paths and turn bad!
Chen Shun’an was previously one of the victims.
Drifting in the capital for a year, earning what he should earn, spending what he should spend, not a penny left!
And now, Chen Shun’an had transformed and seemed to have become the kind of person he once ‘despised’ the most.
Also the kind of person he now liked the most.
Buttocks, firmly seated.
“Brother Fei, you worked hard today. In the future, pumping water at the well will rely heavily on you.”
Off duty, calling a horse-drawn carriage to load the taking office rule, Chen Shun’an spoke in a mild tone, full of smiles, and cupped his hands toward Old Fei San.
Seeing Chen Shun’an’s actions today, Old Fei San had been somewhat suspicious and ghostly worried, fearing Chen Shun’an would remove his prized water pumping job.
At this moment, seeing Chen Shun’an like this, he immediately felt as if he had swallowed a weight in his heart, and said contentedly,
“Shopkeeper Chen is too polite, no hardship, no hardship.”
“Hehe…”
Chen Shun’an strode away and boarded the horse-drawn carriage.
Under the banyan tree.
Elder Feng’s eyes opened and closed, indifferently glancing at Chen Shun’an, then with a strange expression glancing at Old Fei San who was still excited, and couldn’t help secretly thinking,
“There really are such fools in the world… But this Chen Shun’an is quite a character, no wonder Little Zhao values him so much. It’s just a pity his strength is too weak; he can only be a capable talent, not a general. In the short term, it’s hard to convert his potential into realm…”
Elder Feng had Slain Five Thieves, hiding his energy in the abyss, unmoving like Zen; his Martial Path had reached an unimaginably profound realm.
He had even long since, like Chen Shun’an, plucked the Martial Dao divine.
Reversing to black hair, shedding old teeth, sloughing off scarred skin, far from illness and pain.
He was just one step away from Six Thieves Perfection, with hope of becoming a Martial Dao Grandmaster.
So in his view, even if Chen Shun’an possessed the Three Refinements Martial Body, it could only be said that one day, Chen Shun’an might have hope of catching up.
And now Wuqing County was in turmoil, with demon troubles outside and man-made disasters inside, and even the year-end grand celebration approaching.
Chen Shun’an was already too late to the game.
And this was opportunity and fate.
Time waits for no one.
“What a pity.”
Elder Feng sighed faintly and sank back into deep meditation.
The old banyan tree had branches and trunk stretching like coiling dragons, with hanging aerial roots as thick as beams and pillars, deeply embedded in the mud.
And in the same way, it seemed Elder Feng’s legs were too.
Starting from the hem of his robe, the skin color gradually turned deep brown, extending out like living root systems.
Seamlessly connecting and fusing with the banyan tree’s exposed surface roots behind him, like giant pythons.
The night was cool as water, a wheel of clear cold autumn moon high in the sky.
The banyan tree unmoving, Elder Feng also steadfast and unchanging.
In a daze, it made it hard to distinguish who was the banyan tree and who was Elder Feng.
Or perhaps, the two had already become one.
……
One late night.
Nanguan Street’s lights were dim, the watchman’s call and the sound of striking the wooden clapper approaching from far to near.
“Dry weather, beware of fire…”
Old Man Fang the watchman carried a dim yellow lantern, dragging a long shadow, walking on the empty bluestone street.
Arriving at Crouching Tiger Well.
A cold wind suddenly drilled into his neck.
Old Man Fang couldn’t help shivering,
He habitually wanted to avoid that perennial damp and humid air, but in the instant he raised his eyes, his whole body stiffened.
Only to see a warm jade-like yet brilliantly dazzling Treasure Light shooting straight into the sky from the bottomless Crouching Tiger Well!
Like solidified moonlight, with countless tiny light points flowing.
Strands of Auspicious Clouds arising without wind, swirling mistily, presenting five colors.
In an instant, shadows of Flying Immortals riding cranes circled, then with the moonlight, they poured into Crouching Tiger Well.
Old Man Fang saw this scene and subconsciously held his breath, staring fixedly.
And the night guard Sun Xiao seemed to see it too, couldn’t help gaping in astonishment.
Niu Dabiao was stunned for half a beat, seemingly not reacting.
Sun Xiao flicked a strand of dark energy, not light not heavy, right on his head.
Only then did Niu Dabiao react, his mouth open wide enough to fit an egg.
Then the three showed incredulous expressions, almost in unison saying,
“Immortals in crowds like hemp, Auspicious Clouds come to celebrate—this well, could it have gained spirituality?”
Elder Feng in meditation by the banyan tree slowly opened his eyes, somewhat strangely looking toward Crouching Tiger Well.
Nothing unusual.
Calm and peaceful, moon bright and stars sparse.
What five-colored Auspicious Clouds, what immortals in crowds like hemp—I can’t see any of it?
I’ve guarded this Crouching Tiger Well for decades; whether it’s a treasure well or not, don’t I know?!
Even with Elder Feng’s Martial World experience, at this moment he was fooled by Old Man Fang and Sun Xiao’s superb acting, left dazed.
Then, he suddenly understood something and couldn’t help secretly cursing in his heart,
“Playing tricks to deceive gods and ghosts, unscrupulous merchant tactics… No wonder Little Zhao values him so much; just don’t lead Little Zhao astray!”
Thus, starting from this night, rumors spread like wildfire that Crouching Tiger Well had gained spirituality, and on every full moon night, there might be illusory shadows of Immortals and Treasure Light shooting out.
At first, it was only Sun Xiao, Old Man Fang, and Niu Dabiao saying so.
But as time passed, the ‘witnesses’ grew more numerous.
Three men make a tiger, rumors melt gold.
The more people talked, the more believed it.
Attracting many Martial World people to risk it and night probe Crouching Tiger Well.
But all met disastrous failure, their legs broken by a mysterious force.
Eyes closed and opened, shaken flying dozens of feet away.
Not even seeing a shadow of Crouching Tiger Well.
Especially when a bandit Fortress Lord who roamed Wuqing County, with Slay Two Thieves strength, capsized in the gutter, trying to sneak into Crouching Tiger Well to see what Treasure it was, if it was really so divine.
As a result, he didn’t even see who struck, and when he opened his eyes again, he was already in the heavenly prison.
Instantly, rumors that Crouching Tiger Well had gained spirituality and produced a Well Immortal thoroughly exploded and spread throughout Wuqing County.
Many foolish men and women, who clearly had never come to Nanguan Street in their lives, spoke with certainty, saying they saw Crouching Tiger Well manifesting in their dreams at night!
For a time, those seeking water came in an endless stream.
……
Stars gradually fading, dawn breaking in the east.
In the abandoned rice barn.
Chen Shun’an clacked his teeth three times, tongue against the upper palate, a mouthful of saliva slowly trickling down, circulating silently with his breathing.
On inhale, Internal Breath like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, sinking deep into the Dantian, hidden tracelessly, and the mouth gained an extra mouthful of saliva;
On exhale, Qi and Blood surged upward powerfully, sweeping the saliva, as if to break through the crown gate and acupoints, penetrating deep into the Mud Pill.
If a person who had attained the Dao were present, they could detect a faint glow circulating at Chen Shun’an’s glabella, like the first dawn glow, gathering momentum.
And with the glow circulating, in Chen Shun’an’s ears, there seemed to be shrill screams ringing out, then abruptly stopping, dissipating with the wind.
Finally, that ray of refined light, with his prolonged breathing, slowly receded back into his body, transforming into Sweet Spring that moistened the Meridians.
Instantly, his aura grew several times stronger.
Opening his mouth, a clatter of teeth all fell out, revealing bare gums.
Lips even collapsed into the mouth.
But the next instant, the gums itched and tingled, one by one white new teeth sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain.
Compared to before, even more neat and hard, free of cavities or wisdom teeth troubles.
Even refined iron demon bones, Chen Shun’an had no doubt he could bite through with one chomp!
Chen Shun’an continued to circulate Qi and Blood.
After several full cycles like this, he finally gathered his breath and ceased.
When he opened his eyes, a trace of surprise flashed in them.
“This is Slaying Five Thieves already? The Tongue Thief is just gone like that?”
The shrill scream in his ears just now was naturally the Tongue Thief’s final struggle before death.
After returning to Wuqing County, Chen Shun’an had found time to go to the Liangjiang Military Academy to redeem the second batch of Azure Dragon Gall.
His remaining merits were still a bit short, unable to redeem the third batch of Azure Dragon Gall.
He had thought it would take more days to smoothly slay the Tongue Thief.
Unexpectedly, just taking the second string of Azure Dragon Gall, the saliva in his mouth turned to Mysterious Light, rushing into the Mud Pill, helping him break through.
“The benefits of opening the Mud Pill are actually so significant? Or rather, the True Intent Realm is inherently a tempering of Divine Essence; I opened the Niwan Acupoint, mixing the hundred gods, hitting it right by accident.”
“And this is just the effect of two-footed Ran Yi Fish. If the Divine Aspect upgrades, Mud Pill Grows Golden Lotus—what would that be like? Presumably, even the pass to Martial Dao Grandmaster would be negligible to me?”
Chen Shun’an’s thoughts wandered a bit.
Outside, the first snow of early winter had fallen.
The snowflakes were extremely light, brushing past withered branches and leaves, only forming a thin layer on the ground.
At this time,
Chen Shun’an pushed open the door and came out, wearing only thin underclothes, yet feeling no chill at all.
He was like a hen brooding eggs, like a cat hunting mice, squatting there dazedly, neither eating nor drinking, day and night yet scorching hot.
Whatever yin cold energy, whatever deviant fire and crooked winds, even the torment of grains and cereals, none could harm Chen Shun’an’s body.
Three Refinements Martial Dao, already Slain Five Thieves, only the Mind Thief remaining.
First slay the formless Six Thieves, then slay the tangible self.
Slay out a perfectly rounded body, penetrating all acupoints, Three Refinements Combined of muscle strength, Jade Tree, True Intent into a Martial Saint body!
Moments later, Chen Shun’an awoke as from a dream, shaking off the snow salt grains from his body, grabbing his clothes, and vanishing.
Chen Shun’an was somewhat curious: now, how many moves could Tian Xuan Saint last under his hand?
He could cross-border counterattack again.
