Chapter 128: Rising To Fame
While Huang Xing was pondering, the back hall door curtain was suddenly flung open.
A figure hurried into the back hall with an anxious expression; it was Yue Ting, who had just finished helping with the fire.
Yue Ting’s face was unusually grave: “Landlord, something terrible has happened!”
Huang Xing’s brows suddenly furrowed tightly as he asked: “What happened?”
Yue Ting glanced at the people in the room.
Huang Xing waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave.
Confirming no eavesdroppers nearby and that only he and Huang Xing remained in the room, Yue Ting lowered his voice and spoke extremely quickly,
“Nie Zheng is dead. There’s also a Slay Four Thieves expert hidden in the county today… Guo Lu Society members took the corpse away… Water Carrier under Zhao Guangxi, Chen Shun’an is a Three Refinements Martial Body…”
“There’s such a thing?”
Even with Huang Xing’s extensive experience, he was shaken to the core by this series of earth-shattering news, momentarily losing his composure.
Nie Zheng’s death, mysterious expert, Guo Lu Society seizing the corpse…
These were somewhat distant from Wanlong Pounding House; after his brief shock, he could still forcibly steady his mind.
But upon hearing the three words “Chen Shun’an” and his circumstances, a sharp glint suddenly burst from his eyes.
“Chen Shun’an? That old man who caused the original Wanlong Pounding House to be completely destroyed? He actually has such fortune?”
So, was the current Chen Shun’an considered to have soared into the sky and come into prominence?
Yue Ting said worriedly: “That’s right, it’s him. Chen Shun’an already had a grudge with our Wanlong Pounding House, and now he possesses a Martial Body, plus he saved Hong Junxian and is highly valued by him.”
In particular, Yue Ting had an unrealistic, almost fantastical guess deep in his heart.
Could Chen Shun’an be that Slay Four Thieves expert who killed Nie Zheng?
This was completely illogical and baseless, merely a sudden whim from Yue Ting.
But it still made him uneasy.
“Landlord Huang, what should we do…” Yue Ting asked urgently.
“Send a gift, send a generous gift.”
Huang Xing interrupted him, his tone calm to the point of coldness.
“See what Chen Shun’an lacks now. If he lacks a house, give him a fine house in a good location; if he lacks resources, send him pills and Great Medicine. Handle it personally.”
“What?!”
Yue Ting exclaimed in shock, his expression stunned.
Chen Shun’an had done much evil and was cunning and calculating; shouldn’t they hurry to find a chance to eliminate him?
Why instead send gifts to show goodwill?
Huang Xing raised his hand to stop him, signaling him to sit, personally pouring him a cup of hot tea, and slowly said,
“Brother Yue, you’ve only thought of the first layer, not the second. Now that Chen Shun’an has not only confirmed his identity as a Late Bloomer, but also earned fame in the Martial World for fearlessly saving the Martial World Elder Hong Junxian from the Sea of Fire, defying the Guo Lu Society’s ferocity.”
“Now his reputation is soaring; he’s no longer just an obscure ordinary Water Carrier. Making an enemy of him now would be extremely unwise.”
At this point, Huang Xing paused, his voice deepening,
“Since that’s the case, why not turn hostility into friendship? Taking the initiative to show goodwill not only resolves the old grudge but also earns our Wanlong Pounding House a good reputation for cherishing talent and magnanimity. Isn’t this far more beneficial than fighting to the death?”
There was one thing Huang Xing didn’t say.
When a person dies, debts are cleared; why should he, Huang Xing, continue the grudge between the previous Landlord Zheng Shicheng and Chen Shun’an and others?
Wanlong Pounding House was a rice shop and Pounding House, not some Martial Arts School that inherits grudges!
No grudge should delay making money or affect Wanlong Pounding House’s normal livelihood!
Reputation seemed ethereal and intangible.
But it was enough to influence a person’s martial fortune and future.
To some extent, it was even more precious than a thousand taels of silver or ten thousand taels of gold.
Between two young people with the same background and aptitude, placed before an elder about to pass away and select a disciple to pass on his mantle, naturally the one with high reputation and excellent character would be prioritized.
The Guo Lu Society’s trip to the Capital City to petition the throne and eradicate Hibiscus Paste Fire held the moral high ground, winning support from a considerable number of northern martial arts experts. Without their repeated secret assistance, even risking death to pass information,
The Guo Lu Society’s Brothers, no matter how formidable, would have long been wiped out by the court.
After all, for the Sacred Dynasty, the greatest enemies were not the Guo Lu Society and other rebels waving apricot-yellow banners under the pretext of acting on heaven’s behalf.
Rather, they were the unassuming yet increasingly dissatisfied grassroots commoners and Martial Artists from the vastest and most expansive depths.
“I see, Landlord has a brilliant insight!”
Yue Ting suddenly understood, his face full of admiration,
“Rest assured, Landlord, I’ll go handle it right now and make sure it’s done beautifully!”
Watching Yue Ting’s hurriedly departing figure, Huang Xing’s gaze was profound.
What a Chong He Martial Tendon Body.
The Water Station truly has a wealth of talent, even producing such a post-heaven Three Refinements Martial Body.
So… is he the one Tian Xuan Saint is looking for?
A faint, inscrutable smile curled at the corner of Huang Xing’s mouth.
Whether he is or not doesn’t matter.
Merchants pursue profit; maximizing interests is paramount.
Regardless of whether it’s Chen Shun’an, Huang Xing planned to wait until his own people infiltrated the Water Station, even falsely taking the Wellhead position, before having someone else inform Tian Xuan Saint.
Keeping Tian Xuan Saint in the mortal world as a backer for the Four Great Pounding Houses, and finding excuses every few days to ask the Saint for various benefits, would be most advantageous for Huang Xing.
Hong Lao Wu and Tian Xuan Saint confronting each other at Yanziwu.
That was both their choice and a delicate balance that many forces in Wuqing County, even the Capital City, were happy to see.
……
With the water flowing, the Golden Scaled Perch and Silver Scholar kept in the tile basin fish tank joyfully swam over upon seeing the High God return, tails swishing.
The former spat out a string of fine bubbles, while the latter leaped up, splashing a cluster of crystalline water droplets.
As Chen Shun’an’s Grass Talisman progress gradually increased, the majestic Divine Might of his divinity also rose in tandem.
In the eyes of these two fish, he appeared ever more radiant and awe-inspiring, like a true god descending into the world.
Especially the Silver Scholar; at first, when captured and kept in this small tile basin fish tank, it would secretly badmouth Chen Shun’an behind his back, full of complaints.
But now, it showed a trend of resigned acceptance, adapting quickly like “marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog.”
What else could it do, escape? Just make do.
‘Gaga gaga…’
After fawning over Chen Shun’an, the palm-sized Silver Scholar eagerly hugged a Grass Carp head even larger than its own and began gnawing on it with relish.
The Silver Scholar eats meat.
So the frightened Golden Scaled Perch and other goldfish, Grass Carp huddled in the corner of the fish tank, trembling.
“Silver Scholar, don’t eat, I’m scared.” The Golden Scaled Perch’s voice trembled with a sobbing tone.
“Among a thousand things, eating is the big one. My appetite is huge; just endure it.” The Silver Scholar didn’t look up, replying righteously.
Chen Shun’an stood by the tank, frowning slightly at the scene.
He naturally wouldn’t intervene in the Silver Scholar’s habits.
Rather, this tile basin fish tank was too cramped for these Precious Fish with differing natures.
Not to mention occupying half a river to raise water monsters.
At least they needed a pond or waterside pavilion.
“Making money isn’t as fast as taking loans. Who knows how much silver I can get from Guanghui Money House next time; it’s about time to buy a new residence, get a big courtyard.”
Chen Shun’an’s mind stirred.
The Golden Scaled Perch provided around 2 points of Wish each day.
The Silver Scholar, with higher intelligence, provided around 4 points of Wish daily.
It was also one of Chen Shun’an’s stable sources of Wish.
The Golden Scaled Perch loved some mulberry pulp wet powder, mainly wheat flour and rice flour mixed with egg yolk, sesame powder, distillers’ grains, etc., steamed and formed into small pellets for feeding.
It counted as fine fish feed, more expensive than ordinary grain.
The Silver Scholar often ate common fish and preferred Precious Fish, like that big black fish it had sucked dry.
For the current Chen Shun’an, it was a money pit, a bottomless hole; for now, he could only feed it mixed feed.
Today, Chen Shun’an, Sun Xiao, Cheng Bin and others had been busy with the fire; Shopkeeper Li generously allowed everyone half a day off, no need to push carts for water delivery.
However, Chen Shun’an still delivered Blessed Water to the beneficiaries as if completing his daily task before returning to Chaodou Hutong.
Rome wasn’t built in a day; the steady daily trickle of Wish was precious to Chen Shun’an.
It was still early, just past the Shen hour.
The autumn sun was already feeble, merely casting lukewarm light obliquely into the alley.
Wan Niang wasn’t home; she had gone to Needle Market Street to select raw medicinal herbs for her own preparation and storage.
As Wan Niang said, some of Chen Shun’an’s daily medicinal baths and Foundation blood-nourishing Great Medicine didn’t need to be sourced outside.
It was costly and prone to errors when handled by others.
Better to be self-sufficient…
Plus, she could practice on Chen Shun’an, testing medicines and acupuncture, treating him as a ready-made ‘human acupuncture copper figure.’
Chen Shun’an, feeling his skin tough and flesh thick, let Wan Niang tinker with him.
Chen Shun’an habitually checked the house; no outsiders had intruded, nothing unusual.
Only then did he change into loose old clothes, draw well water to wash his hands and face.
The icy well water splashing on his skin made the muscles tense all day suddenly relax.
The older a person gets, the more they fear death.
Chen Shun’an was no exception.
Today’s events, especially Iron Buddha Nie Zheng bullying the old and young, and Hong Junxian being disrespectful in his age, both pressing step by step, truly made Chen Shun’an’s heart race and sweat coldly.
Scared, he had no choice but to strike with heavy blows.
Stuffing a piece of Ginger Candy into his mouth to replace the emptiness after quitting smoking, Chen Shun’an’s thought moved, and lines of text appeared at the corner of his eye.
【Wish +642】
【Wish: 35—>677】
【Grass Talisman（52/100）】
【Ran Yi Fish remaining Fish Scales: 103/108】
Seeing the Wish that had surged again, Chen Shun’an couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction.
In his mind, murmurs echoed endlessly.
Some from Guo Lu Society, some from the Wuqing Stick Bureau’s Martial Artists.
Surprise, suspicion, fear, awe, curiosity…
Unfortunately, none from Lu Jing.
Not even a hint of curiosity.
Otherwise, Chen Shun’an could have slightly spied on the thoughts of Leader Lu, a prominent figure in Wuqing County and guest of honor among major forces.
Presumably, Lu Jing’s cultivation was profound; even the strength Chen Shun’an had revealed wasn’t enough to shake his mind, let alone generate much curiosity to convert into Wish.
Without hesitation, Chen Shun’an converted all Wish into Incense and invested it into the Grass Talisman.
