Chapter 234: When Gods Fight, Mortals Suffer
Looking at the shopkeepers before him, some with drooping heads and listless expressions, others speaking without thinking and showing anxious looks on their faces, a trace of disappointment flashed in Shopkeeper Li’s eyes.
It seemed he could only ask Old Chen if there was any way.
“Will Chen Shun’an come to work today or not?” Perhaps having waited impatiently, Zhang Jinghe said with displeasure on his face,
“As I say, even if he comes, so what? He’s now Leader Zhao’s favorite in front of him. How could he step forward, risking offending Leader Zhao to speak up and advise? He shows up once every three days, putting on more airs than Landlord Zhao back in the day!”
In the end, Chen Shun’an was just an old man in his fifties, a second-rate martial artist!
As everyone was talking, they heard a burst of clamor coming from outside the well shed.
“Shopkeeper Chen is here?”
“Greetings, Shopkeeper Chen!”
“Master Chen, I’ve warmed your tea bowl for you. As usual today, Sparrow Tongue Tea?”
The cloth curtain outside the well shed was lifted.
A blast of cold air immediately rushed in along with the chill, making the charcoal fire on the ground flicker uncertainly, causing everyone to involuntarily squint their eyes.
Then, a figure in a blue cloth long robe squeezed in, almost blocking out the daylight, completely covering the well shed’s entrance, so that snow from outside couldn’t drift in, nor could the wind blow in.
In a daze, everyone seemed to see a towering mountain silently standing there, even their heartbeats skipping half a beat.
“This aura…”
“Oh no, did Shopkeeper Chen really break through to True Intent Realm?”
“No way, I heard he wanted to slay the Mind Thief first. Did he succeed?”
Whoosh!
A residual shadow flashed by, and Lin Shou Zhuo appeared in front of Chen Shun’an, his expression filled with shock and doubt. He subconsciously wanted to reach out and pat Chen Shun’an’s shoulder, but then felt it improper and withdrew his hand.
“Old Chen, you…”
“Mm.”
Chen Shun’an nodded lightly, acknowledging it, then walked straight to his Grand Tutor’s Chair.
There was a shopkeeper sitting on his Grand Tutor’s Chair.
At this moment, sensing the aura emanating from Chen Shun’an, this shopkeeper was stunned for a moment, then suddenly reacted and said enthusiastically,
“So Shopkeeper Chen is here! A day’s absence feels like three autumns. Quick, quick, take a seat. The brothers are all waiting for you!”
“Thank you.”
Chen Shun’an politely cupped his hands.
Moments later, Chen Shun’an roughly understood what had happened.
Zhao Guangxi had ordered that all water wells in Wuqing County water stations be drilled down several feet again.
The water wells in various places that could produce Five Wheels Eight Treasures Immortal Water basically had a fixed output each month.
It was a case of drawing water in a thin stream for long-term flow, storing and harvesting fruit.
Generally, it would only spurt out a sufficient amount of Immortal Water every few months.
But if one wanted to speed up production, there were ways.
Drilling down the well was akin to killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
It could stimulate the Water-suppressing Stone Rhinoceros, weakening its guarding power over the cave below, making it easier to spurt out more Immortal Water in a short time.
However, the cost was also enormous.
The water quality would become turbid, and the output volume would wither. Even the Freshwater Ancient Well, after this, would likely only be slightly better than the Turbid Water Well for a long time.
So, it was no wonder the group of shopkeepers reacted so intensely to this matter.
And in reality, the impact on Chen Shun’an was naturally even greater.
However, Chen Shun’an vaguely sensed something off about it.
Zhao Guangxi was not such a shortsighted person and naturally knew the harm this would do to the various water wells.
Moreover, those who could consume such a large batch of Five Wheels Eight Treasures Immortal Water were few and far between in the whole Wuqing County.
So…
A sharp glint flashed in Chen Shun’an’s eyes.
“Is it the immortal’s decree behind Zhao Guangxi? Xie Chou, the tiger with glaring eyes?”
……
Zhao Guangxi’s residence.
Looking at the group of shopkeepers gathered together, Zhao Guangxi showed a helpless expression,
“Why have you all come too?”
Then, Zhao Guangxi swept his gaze over everyone, a trace of coldness gradually appearing in his eyes. Finally, his gaze fell on Chen Shun’an standing in the crowd, and he said,
“Old Chen, are you blaming me too?”
Damn it!
Chen Shun’an cursed inwardly, glancing at the other shopkeepers who had been arguing fiercely at the Crouching Tiger Well earlier but were now all silenced and keeping quiet.
The current Chen Shun’an could no longer hide or evade.
He, who had broken through to True Intent Realm and slain the Mind Thief, was extremely conspicuous even if he hid in the crowd.
Everyone would only protect him in front.
Clearly, the other water stations were also quite dissatisfied with Leader Zhao’s order, and batches of people had already been sent one after another to inquire.
Chen Shun’an was silent for a moment, then said,
“Leader Zhao, is this the intention from above the Five Rivers Branch?”
Hearing this, Zhao Guangxi finally showed a few traces of bitter smile on his face and said,
“Old Chen still understands me… It’s Consul Xie from the branch, who asked me to gather more Five Wheels Eight Treasures Immortal Water to gift to Transport Chief Zhu Tao of the Caobang Stone Chamber Nunnery.”
At this point, Zhao Guangxi’s expression became solemn, and he said,
“This Zhu Tao is a proper Bai Shan Ren with pure roots. He has been studying at the Fengchi Daoist Academy in the past. Now he needs so much Five Wheels Eight Treasures Immortal Water, probably to cleanse his martial bones and undergo Houtian Transformation to forge a Three Refinements Martial Body… He’s likely aiming for the Grandmaster Record as well.”
The so-called Grandmaster Record was essentially the lingering intent of a grandmaster, like ink, influencing the present world, splashing ink to paint, already transforming the landscape, stripping away Dao Rhyme, turning into a ‘small heaven and earth’ that only inscribed a segment of this grandmaster’s past intent.
This small heaven and earth might just be an ordinary tomb, burying the grandmaster’s remains; or it might be a hall of transmission, requiring one to continue the grandmaster’s will and obtain permission from his intent to receive his mantle.
Or, like Master Tie Yu, whose intent does not perish, infecting a vein of iron ore.
But no matter which kind, entering the Grandmaster Record allowed one to comprehend the dao and principles unique to a Martial Dao Grandmaster.
So, if one could enter the Grandmaster Record before attending the Four Great Daoist Academies’ Year-end Grand Celebration and gain something, it could greatly increase the chances of passing the Year-end Grand Celebration.
This also explained why many young talented persons who had already left Wuqing County returned to compete for this opportunity.
When the group of shopkeepers learned that this was an order from Tongzhou City, they couldn’t help but look at each other, knowing that the matter was probably hard to change.
After all, if it was really Zhao Guangxi’s impulsive decision,
Everyone could still ‘deceive the gentleman with reason,’ soft-soap and pressure him to retract the order.
But facing the Five Rivers Branch, everyone was truly helpless.
Hearing this, Chen Shun’an’s heart stirred.
Fengchi Daoist Academy?
As expected, there were traces of immortals behind this matter.
Probably, these immortals had made some exchange of interests, leading Director Xie to choose to overdraw the potential of Wuqing County’s water stations.
Unfortunately, when immortals fight, mortals suffer.
Some fleeting glories from above, when falling on the people below, become as heavy as Mount Tai, and a slight carelessness could get one crushed to death.
Even in the end, one wouldn’t know why they died or who the enemy was.
Zhao Guangxi sighed and said,
“These talented persons from Tongzhou City are all aiming for the Grandmaster Record and won’t stay too long. At latest, they’ll leave by the Year-end Grand Celebration. It’ll be fine once they’re gone.”
Zhao Guangxi had no good solution either.
He could only endure!
The group of shopkeepers helplessly cupped their hands and left.
“Lin Shou Zhuo, Chen Shun’an, you two stay.”
In the end, Zhao Guangxi suddenly called out to Chen Shun’an.
Had some things these two days, so updated less. Will resume 6k updates tomorrow, and make up the owed content with extras this month… Forgive me, forgive me.
