Chapter 172: Turning The Crisis Into Nothing
The river wind, carrying moisture, brushed past the ferry crossing.
“Yun Ruo, Shi Yanzhi, you two come with me!”
Lu Jing touched his toes, and his figure appeared over ten zhang away. His robes fluttered in the wind, and without stopping, he headed for the Fish Manor.
Yun Ruo coughed, her face growing even more haggard. She sighed faintly, her almond-shaped eyes like autumn pools, filled with a touch of self-pity, hinting at a gentle death wish.
Working for Leader Lu meant no possibility of rest.
I really owe him.
Shi Yanzhi’s face was taut, and without a word, he quickly followed… grabbing the reins of a steed, he mounted it and galloped away.
The three left in succession.
And not far away, where the water sparkled, amidst the reed clumps.
A silver fish, as thick as a chopstick and entirely white, quietly emerged from the water.
Behind it followed a round, plump, and short grass carp.
The two fish silently gazed in this direction.
They then glanced at the porpoise that was riding the waves, using a sampan as a toy to push and shove.
The evening wind blew through the reeds, the silver fish gently nudged the golden scaled perch with its tail fin, and they both submerged into the deep water.
“I need to hurry and report to the High God… Sigh, stupid goldfish, grasshoppers that only know how to chirp, and the old skinflint Chen sitting firmly on the throne… No, I mustn’t slander the High God behind his back.”
“This household would have fallen apart long ago without me.”
The fish were all shaking their heads.
…
Ever since returning from the Fish Manor, for a whole day, Chen Shun’an couldn’t put down the heart-piercing nail, polishing it at all times.
Even when talking with Wan Niang or settling accounts under the well shed, he couldn’t help but take it out to play with it carefully.
“What a treasure, my good treasure!” Chen Shun’an was overjoyed and couldn’t be without it for a moment.
He had tested it carefully. This heart-piercing nail was truly miraculous, far surpassing so-called officially made precious weapons, almost the pinnacle of ordinary craftsmen’s work.
It had two effects.
Firstly, it was hard!
Simple, crude hardness. In front of it, a bronze wall of iron would be like tofu!
Even with Chen Shun’an wearing the Ziwei Gauze Soft Robe, circulating the Jade Network Connected Robe, boosting his qi and blood, and concentrating his defense, it only caused slight obstruction. It could still easily pierce into his flesh and blood.
Of course, piercing it was one thing.
Whether it could hit its target and keep up with Chen Shun’an’s speed was another matter.
Secondly, cold aura!
Chen Shun’an wasn’t sure what the texture of the heart-piercing nail was or how it was forged. He also didn’t know what special strength flowed within it, which surprisingly contained a cold aura.
Not only could it freeze the qi and blood circulation, but it could also directly freeze one’s conscious spirit and divine essence.
So, when the two effects combined, along with Chen Shun’an’s divine movement speed and the technique of the Golden Snake Coiling Silk Hand…
“Can I, Chen Mou, also cross realms to kill enemies, facing a half-step grandmaster at the peak of Slaying the Six Thieves?”
Chen Shun’an’s heart, which had been silent for many days, began to pound.
He felt a vigorous youthful spirit, like grass growing and all things flourishing.
Then he immediately withdrew his intent, returned to his Divine Palace Throne, cleared his mind of distracting thoughts, and subdued his arrogant conscious spirit.
When he returned to reality, he was once again a cautious old man.
Chen Shun’an’s eyes revealed a hint of depth.
It was a pity that the heart-piercing nail had a flaw.
He rubbed the minute crack on the heart-piercing nail, his brow furrowing slightly.
It required a great deal of essence blood. Using it once or twice was fine, but if used repeatedly within a day, it would be like a vicious cycle.
It was likely that even the essence blood of a True Intent Martial Artist wouldn’t be enough to satisfy it.
Otherwise, it would betray its master!
Moreover, the more Chen Shun’an looked at the heart-piercing nail, the more it resembled the legendary methods of immortal swordsmen and spell talismans that could take a person’s head from a thousand miles away, or spells and talismans.
Although it was a weakened version, in essence, it had some similarities.
So, Chen Shun’an was somewhat dazed.
If a Martial Dao Grandmaster at Third Refinement Perfection, with his essence, qi, and spirit all combined, were to additionally sacrifice some mysterious items from the martial world.
Would he truly be considered just a brute who only understood qi and blood?
Why couldn’t he be considered a cultivator?
Chen Shun’an spent a day or two secretly familiarizing himself with the heart-piercing nail.
Every day, he diligently cultivated （ and battled drowsiness ）, honing his intent.
Meanwhile, affairs at the well shed, selling water and gambling for sweet dew daily, gradually fell into place, requiring no further attention from Chen Shun’an.
He let those below him handle it; he only needed to grasp the general direction and oversee the situation.
Chen Shun’an’s wish power also accumulated like a snowball.
On average, he gained nearly two hundred points of wish power daily.
Moreover…
【 Wish Power +612】
【 Grass Talisman （73/100）】
【 Wish Power: 175—>987】
Looking at the text flowing before his eyes, Chen Shun’an’s lips curved slightly.
Nearly three hundred points of the wish power he obtained were directly or indirectly acquired after Chen Shun’an slew Owl Third Master.
For the past two days, the Fish Manor, which had been destroyed by fire and reduced to ashes, had been quite lively.
Batches of people came and went.
Among them were even figures like Lu Jing.
Chen Shun’an did not hesitate; he converted all his wish power into incense and poured it into the Grass Talisman.
【 Grass Talisman （80/100）】
Instantly, Chen Shun’an underwent some indescribable changes.
He felt a sense of clarity all over his body, as if unseen threads were weaving within his divine soul.
Divinity surged and finally calmed.
Chen Shun’an’s progress on the Path of Divinity was quite pleasing.
It was a pity that even with Chen Shun’an’s monstrous aptitude and Three Refinements Martial Body, it was a fantasy to achieve new breakthroughs in the Martial Path in such a short time.
He hadn’t even touched the threshold of Slaying Mind Thief.
If he relied solely on diligent cultivation, it would probably take a year or two.
Too slow.
As expected, he still needed to rely on his connections and exchange more provisions and Great Medicine from the Treasury of the Wuqing Stick Bureau.
“Old Chen, why are you here drinking tea again? I finally found you!”
On this day.
Lin Shou Zhuo, after submitting his mission, returned wind-blown from Banye Ferry Crossing and came to Crouching Tiger Well to look for Chen Shun’an.
He found Chen Shun’an with his legs crossed, drinking Sparrow Tongue tea, leisurely resting in a teahouse not far from Crouching Tiger Well.
The warm winter afternoon sun filtered through the teahouse’s bamboo blinds, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone slabs.
Chen Shun’an’s eyes were half-open, half-closed, neither fully awake nor asleep.
Tea smoke curled, full of ease, like an immortal in a dream.
The nearby tea patrons couldn’t help but lower their voices, not daring to disturb him.
Hearing Lin Shou Zhuo’s familiar hoarse voice, Chen Shun’an slowly woke up and unhurriedly poured Lin Shou Zhuo a cup of Sparrow Tongue tea.
“What is it, Old Lin? Come, rinse your mouth with Sparrow Tongue tea. Let me tell you, my tea is from Miyun…”
Lin Shou Zhuo strode into the teahouse, his hem still carrying the moisture from the ferry crossing.
He directly grabbed the teacup and drank it down like a whale, then smacked his lips and muttered,
“It doesn’t taste like anything. What were you saying just now? What about Miyun?”
Chen Shun’an: “…”
Chen Shun’an’s eye twitched almost imperceptibly.
A wild boar can’t appreciate fine bran.
Next time, he wouldn’t give Lin Shou Zhuo Sparrow Tongue tea.
If the relationship is right, they are one of us; there’s no need to treat them with such precious tea.
Some Gao Sui tobacco tea would suffice.
Doubting Zhao Guangxi, understanding Zhao Guangxi, becoming Zhao Guangxi, surpassing Zhao Guangxi.
Chen Shun’an seemed to understand.
“It’s those Fish Huo! They’re all dead! Even the Fish Manor was burned down!”
Lin Shou Zhuo’s face lit up, and he forced a smile, saying,
“Owl Third Master and Qu Jiu, the leaders of those two fortresses, their bodies are nowhere to be found. They say not even their corpses were found, only ashes! Now the county’s Four Great Huo… no, now there are only two and a half Huo, and they’ve descended into chaos!”
Lin Shou Zhuo subconsciously reached for the teapot, but Chen Shun’an, moving faster, subtly moved the teapot away.
Instead, he had the shop assistant Xiao Liu bring a pot of ginger and date tea.
Lin Shou Zhuo, not understanding, looked strangely at Chen Shun’an but didn’t mind. He drank it down again like a whale, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he quickly downed the pot of ginger and date tea that dispelled cold and invigorated blood.
Chen Shun’an’s expression was somewhat calm, only feigning a touch of surprise, and then he asked,
“What did the Government Offices and the Wuqing Stick Bureau say?”
“What else could they say? They pretended to search a bit, then swept it under the rug and let it go! That’s how it is!”
Lin Shou Zhuo, with a slightly guiding and instructive tone, slowly said to Chen Shun’an,
“Old Chen, after all, you’ve just become the shopkeeper of Crouching Tiger Well and haven’t reached the True Intent realm. Don’t look at these Huo. They might usually act arrogantly and domineeringly, but they are merely thugs and black gloves kept by the government offices and various prestigious families.”
“Including those four fortress lords, to put it nicely, they are True Intent Masters, but to put it bluntly, they are just stray dogs living off others…”
“When they are useful, they are thrown a bone to bark; when trouble arises, like this time, the Fish Manor was uprooted overnight, and two True Intent Masters vanished without even a grunt. The strength of the perpetrator is unimaginable. They’re probably aiming for Slaying the Four Thieves. Who would want to stick their neck out?”
At this point, Lin Shou Zhuo seemed to think of something, let out a cold snort, and slammed the table heavily, saying,
“And it’s bad enough that these Huo bully men and women, but they also break up their units and peddle Heart Clearing Paste everywhere… They deserve to die! If I could meet that righteous person, I’d offer them three hundred cups!”
“Indeed, indeed…”
Chen Shun’an echoed a couple of sentences, as if he felt the same way.
Afterward, Lin Shou Zhuo went to Crouching Tiger Well to pay his respects to Elder Feng.
He seized the opportunity to ask for guidance, for Elder Feng to give him a few pointers.
I must say, it’s really good that Old Chen is the shopkeeper of Crouching Tiger Well.
Not only does he have affordable Sweet Water to drink, but I also have a reason to shamelessly pester Elder Feng.
Wait, did Old Chen just call me ‘Old Lin’?
Good for you, Chen Shun’an. You don’t even want to call me Instructor Lin anymore?!
Never mind, after all, you are the shopkeeper.
I’ll do as you say, I’ll do as you say.
Zhao Guangxi will hold an inauguration banquet at the Eight Treasures Tower in the county tomorrow, with second-class seating, widely inviting influential figures from Wuqing County.
Lin Shou Zhuo naturally had to support him.
So, after a brief stop, he left satisfied, heading directly for Landlord Zhao’s mansion.
“Xiao Liu, note down the expenses, we’ll settle them all at the end of the month. Keep the Sparrow Tongue tea and Miyun Cold Sweet Spring well-preserved.”
Chen Shun’an slowly got up and instructed.
Many teahouses in the Capital City offered services for guests to store their tea leaves and have them brewed.
There were even special ice cellars to keep sweet springs like Sparrow Tongue cold, which required special water sources.
Xiao Liu nimbly brought over a flying notice, recorded Chen Shun’an’s consumption for the day on it, and then personally escorted Chen Shun’an to the door, saying,
“Don’t worry, Master Chen, your Sparrow Tongue tea is locked up in the cabinet, and the Miyun water is also being kept well-frozen! Please take care, sir!”
Xiao Liu bowed and stood by the roadside. After Chen Shun’an had walked away, his dark eyes rolled around a few times.
