Chapter 58: Stability
Facing Xiao Man’s request.
Chen Shun’an’s face was cold and indifferent. He pushed her away, tightened his belt, tossed down a few large coins as gratuity without any reluctance, and strode away.
Public resources for private use?
Chen Mou wasn’t that generous!
At most, once he made it big later, he could build a vegetable garden, keep some clean canaries, with songbirds and swallows dancing, lutes and harps in harmony—what a wonderful life!
……
This day, something amusing happened at the water station.
Scarred Liu, that brute, sat unmoved amid temptations on the flower boat. Seeing Chen Shun’an and the others all enjoying themselves, he secretly slipped off the boat and ran back to Weihang Street.
Without a word, he stripped naked and plunged into the Grit Well with a splash, soaking there for the entire night!
The well water was icy cold, like steel needles pricking into his apertures.
He didn’t know if it was Scarred Liu’s illusion, but he truly felt his qi and blood stimulated, circulating faster than usual by a few degrees, and moving it was even more efficient and swift!
Scarred Liu suddenly understood!
It seemed he had grasped Master Chen’s secret to opening the apertures!
So he stayed in the well for a whole night.
In the morning, the furious Instructor Lin fished out Scarred Liu, who was dazed from soaking, from the well and gave him a beating. Scarred Liu righteously declared,
“I just wanted to test if stumbling and falling into a well really helps with opening the apertures! Instructor Lin, I heard your realm has been stagnant for a long time—why not give it a try yourself?”
Naturally, Instructor Lin’s merciless iron fists were the response to Scarred Liu.
From this day on, the Grit Well gained another rule—
No one in the well.
Water Carrier, only carry water on the ground.
Violators will have one month’s wages deducted; repeated offenses will result in dismissal and expulsion!
……
Days passed one by one.
Ah Hua’s death seemed to concern no one.
Everyone continued delivering water and joking around, though occasionally a water carrier from Weihang Street, passing by Ah Hua’s place, would spit a thick glob of phlegm or shake his head with a sigh.
However, Ah Hua’s death did have some effect.
Weihang Street and the other water stations conducted internal inspections and actually found some water carriers who were betraying the trade and breaking the rules.
Naturally, those to be dismissed were dismissed, and those needing three cuts and six stabs were served accordingly.
New rules were set for night watch and well inspections, in pairs, led by senior water carriers.
At the same time……
Many ‘new vacancies’ emerged.
Actually, after the bizarre incident of a water carrier falling into a well and dying, the water stations were already short-staffed, and plans to recruit water carriers were already in place.
Even quite a few official positions were left vacant.
It was just that with the predecessor’s body not yet cold, it wasn’t suitable to make a big fuss, lest it chill the brothers’ hearts, so the plans were kept under wraps.
And Ah Hua’s death might be the opportunity.
The higher-ups acted boldly, recruiting water carriers, enlisting warriors, prioritizing promotions from internal elites to fill the real vacancies.
Partial personnel adjustments were made at the Grit Well.
Some left, some stayed, and some young water carriers were promoted, successfully claiming official spots.
It was that person named Xiao E.
He didn’t have a good relationship with Ah Hua.
Seeing Xiao E’s similarly young and tender face, weeping with joy upon hearing the promotion news, Chen Shun’an felt somewhat touched.
Haste makes waste, desire for speed leads to failure.
If Ah Hua had done nothing, he might have claimed a real vacancy by now.
Now it was Xiao E weeping with joy.
But he was too hasty, too reckless, single-mindedly seeking speed.
“Still too young.”
Chen Shun’an shook his head, pushed his cart to deliver water, and headed to Li Mansion.
《Golden Snake Coiling Silk Hand》’s cultivation progressed with extreme speed.
Although Steward Zhao was somewhat annoyed with Chen Shun’an as this ‘older apprentice,’ he still taught martial arts and resolved doubts earnestly, without holding back.
Chen Shun’an also quietly mastered Illusion Yin Finger, Union Finger, Soul-Seizing Finger, Snake Form Step, and other techniques, gradually catching up to 《Meat Flying Immortal》’s progress.
Chen Shun’an felt he had somewhat underestimated the effects of Qing Ji’s promotion and Tiger Tendon Leopard Vein.
Human Movement Armor Horse was merely tendon and vein extension, limited root bone alteration.
Cloud Movement Armor Horse, however, had nearly turned Chen Shun’an inhuman, with all his meridians like tiger tendon leopard vein.
And in many legends, deities’ true forms possessed features like leopard tails, tiger teeth, snake pupils, and elephant bodies.
This also made Chen Shun’an immensely curious about the effects of Divine Movement Armor Horse, Crane Feather Flying Tour, opening new meridians and growing inch-long tendons.
《Golden Snake Coiling Silk Hand》’s cultivation proceeded smoothly without waves.
It was just that when Yi Yan feigned severity, saying Chen Shun’an should give up his secret medicine share, then guiltily offered compensation in other ways, Chen Shun’an almost laughed.
Yi Yan truly had the appearance of a scheming old fox who couldn’t quite figure things out.
Chen Shun’an had no interest in tangling with this bastard son and promptly agreed.
At this point,
The true culprit behind the scenes was uncovered, resolving the greatest life-and-death crisis.
Pushing carts to deliver water, diligently cultivating—everything fell into smooth order.
Chen Shun’an also breathed a sigh of relief.
Being schemed against by these young lads with ill intentions was truly tormenting for an old man.
However, Chen Shun’an showed no slack whatsoever; instead, he began planning his future again.
He had three current goals.
First, second-rate realm nearing perfection—obtain the follow-up cultivation method for 《Meat Flying Immortal》 from the Zhang family. If not, fall back on 《Golden Snake Coiling Silk Hand》, preparing both hands.
Second, after exposing second-rate strength, he had taken a small step forward in the water station workplace, but he was still a few steps from claiming the landlord position at a Spring Well.
The most important among them was becoming Well Shopkeeper!
Basically, every landlord started as Well Shopkeeper, qualifying them to invest and purchase a Spring Well from the Five Rivers water merchant association.
Once shopkeeper, Chen Shun’an would have great autonomy in water delivery, whether adjusting drinking water fees, selecting clients.
Or delivering ‘sweet dew,’ ‘bone-setting pain-relief water,’ ‘bone-dissolving water,’ ‘fetal-stabilizing water’……
He would have reasons fitting his status.
As for scheming to compete for the shopkeeper position, Chen Shun’an decided on a method utterly different from that young Ah Hua.
Solve the landlord’s worries, expand and strengthen—everyone rises and gets rich together!
Third, appropriately seek immortal fates like Azure Gang Yang Huo, extract essence, build the Divine Palace—this was the foundation of his Path of Divinity.
Three-line goals, balancing short, medium, and long term.
Stopping the water cart, wiping sweat from his brow, Chen Shun’an smoked dry tobacco while watching vendors lining the street, banners fluttering at teahouses and taverns.
A scene full of vitality, marketplace bustle.
Chen Shun’an smiled,
“But no matter what, life has finally become a bit more stable, right?”
……
West of the County, Eight Treasures Tower.
Today Zhao Guangxi was hosting, inviting the group of second-rate martial artists who had chased Ah Hua that night and besieged Wanlong Pounding House to attend banquet.
Eight Treasures Tower was a proper restaurant, not comparable to marketplace dives like Second Meat Shop.
Even the most ordinary third-class spread featured various chicken, duck, and fish meats, all refined grains and fine dishes—no less than ten taels of silver.
Second-class spreads offered mountain delicacies and seafood, foods from all over, with medicinal meals beneficial even to second-rate martial artists quite common, prices fluctuating between dozens of taels.
That first-class spread was even more extraordinary, rarely prepared even once in years—saying it was drinking immortal nectar and eating dragon meat wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
Even the bowls and dishes were azure floral exquisite porcelain, crystalline, thin, and light—a typical family’s entire fortune might only buy one soup spoon!
