Chapter 109: Chapter 106: Invitation
"Brother Zhongshan, is there some important matter that brings you here?"
After a round of pleasantries,
Shen Changchuan didn’t waste any more words and asked directly.
He could tell from their expressions that they were here on business,
and he knew they hadn’t just dropped by for a casual visit with nothing better to do.
Since they were all young men,
Shen Changchuan decided not to beat around the bush and got straight to the point.
"Well... Young Master Changchuan, have you heard the local rumors?"
Shen Zhongshan didn’t answer directly, asking a question of his own.
"Are you referring to the matter of the Wu Family possibly controlling a Secret Realm that produces Cyan Essence Water Grass? Of course, I’ve heard of it. The chaos that has engulfed the Border Desolate Land recently is all due to that rumor."
"Correct. That is precisely why we are here!"
Shen Zhongshan nodded.
He paused to think for a moment, then continued:
"Actually, this isn’t our first time here. We came once before, several months ago, and stayed at the Wu Family Collection."
"Our purpose back then was also due to hearing that traces of Cyan Essence Water Grass had appeared in this area twenty or thirty years ago."
"At that time, our goal was indeed the Cyan Essence Water Grass."
"Although we ended up wasting several months in the Border Desolate Land on that last trip and found nothing, we were fortunate enough to uncover a few clues."
"Regarding the rumors about the Wu Family, we can guarantee they are not baseless!"
"We’ve taken the liberty of visiting you this time to invite you, Young Master Changchuan, to join us in a treasure hunt in the mountains."
"If we can find even a single trace of the Cyan Essence Water Grass, even if we don’t soar to new heights overnight, the rewards will certainly be far greater than what you’d get from holing up in a mountain village managing a few acres of Spirit Fields!"
Shen Zhongshan said in a clear, loud voice.
His words,
were filled with temptation.
Seeing Shen Changchuan furrow his brow as if in thought,
he immediately upped the ante:
"To be honest with you, I have some contact with a clan uncle who is at the Soul Emergence Realm. He places great importance on this matter. During the last attack on the Wu Family Collection, that very uncle was on the scene."
"However, he had urgent business to attend to and couldn’t stay for long, so he has left for now."
"But before he left, he told me that if we could find any news of the Cyan Essence Water Grass, he would reward us handsomely!"
"This time, we don’t even need to pinpoint the location of the Secret Realm controlled by the Wu Family. Perhaps just finding a few clues will be enough to receive a tremendous benefit from that clan uncle!"
"We wouldn’t even have to put in too much effort searching."
"After all, with so many Cultivators from the outside world pouring in, this desolate mountain forest is about to be turned upside down. When that happens, no matter how well the Wu Family has hidden their Secret Realm, they won’t be able to withstand everyone’s searching."
"If any clues get out, all we have to do is collect them and pass them on to our clan uncle. We’d gain favor with a Soul Emergence Realm senior from our own clan and get a reward. Isn’t that a wonderful proposition?"
At this point, Shen Zhongshan’s heart was already filled with confidence.
Such a wonderful opportunity, with such simple effort and such a great reward,
he didn’t think the other party would have any reason to refuse.
’To be honest,’
’if it weren’t for getting trapped in a cave for over a month by a plague of mountain leeches during the rainy season on our last visit,’
’which made us realize it’s best to have a local to act as a guide in this Border Desolate Land,’
’and with the Wu Family Collection having been attacked and now sealed off to outsiders, we’re strangers in a strange land and can’t find a trustworthy guide,’
’we couldn’t be bothered to come to this Dawan Village,’
’and drag this person along to enjoy the benefits!’
’After all, his Cultivation is merely at the Qi Introduction Fourth Layer. He’s weak and powerless. If he came into the mountains, he’d be nothing but dead weight.’
’Besides, for someone of the Patriarch’s bloodline,’
’to be kicked out to a godforsaken corner like this, there must be some inside story. It might even involve a struggle among the family’s upper echelons.’
’If we get mixed up in that, it’ll be huge trouble.’
’One wrong move, and we’d get dragged into a mess we couldn’t explain our way out of.’
Shen Zhongshan had been very reluctant to bring him along.
But he had no choice.
’We’re strangers in a strange land, and with all this chaos, a fellow clansman is more trustworthy. For the sake of gaining Senior Shen Tingchu’s favor, a little risk is worth it.’
’And this might actually be a good thing.’
’Even though this guy is weak, he is ultimately of the Patriarch’s bloodline. With him around, we won’t have to worry about that senior going back on his word. We might even be able to leave a deeper impression...’
As Shen Zhongshan spoke,
numerous thoughts flashed through his mind.
At the same time, he had already figured out
how to use Shen Changchuan’s status to gain even more benefits.
He felt that everything was under his control.
...
"To have such a great opportunity right in front of him and refuse it just because he’s afraid of danger! It’s like spitting out the food heaven itself puts in your mouth! What Patriarch’s bastard son? He’s a complete piece of trash!"
"No wonder someone of the great Patriarch’s bloodline ended up exiled to this godforsaken corner! He damn well deserves it!"
"Brother Zhongshan, I bet that coward is scared of the struggles back at the Shen Family Mansion, so he’s hiding here like a rat!"
"Hmph! The son of a servant girl is still the son of a servant girl. Trash like that will never amount to anything!"
「An hour later.」
On the road outside Dawan Village.
A group of people was stomping angrily through the forest.
These people,
were none other than
Shen Zhongshan and his group, who had just invited Shen Changchuan to join them.
Judging by the anger on their faces,
it was clear their discussion had not ended well.
In the group,
Shen Rongguang was cursing loudly without any restraint,
as if trying to vent all the frustration he had built up recently.
As for Shen Zhongshan, who was usually the calm leader of the group and rarely showed his emotions,
his expression was now incredibly ugly.
He had originally thought,
’That Shen Changchuan is just some bastard son of the Patriarch, and exiled here at that. He must be an expendable character who has to earn all his Cultivation Resources on his own.’
’With a chance to strike it rich placed right in front of him, there’s no way he would give it up.’
But who would have thought,
that kid would actually refuse, citing danger as the reason!
Shen Rongguang was right.
’He really is a coward, more timid than a mouse!’
"Forget it."
"Since he’s unwilling, there’s no need for us to force him. We’re not the ones losing out."
Shen Zhongshan’s temperament was, after all, much steadier.
He stopped Shen Rongguang’s cursing.
He glanced back at the distant Dawan Village, his eyes filled with contempt.
"The Immortal Dao must be fought for! Throughout history, has there ever been anyone who achieved greatness on the Immortal Dao who was afraid of death, rather than being a fearless warrior who charges forward?"
"Those who are content with a life of ease are nothing but pigs and dogs being fattened in their pens."
"Let’s ignore him. We’ll come back in a few years and see where he’s at."
’A timid, hesitant person can never achieve anything great.’
’In a few years,’
’I might have already reached the Qi Introduction Ninth Layer and have a chance at the Soul Emergence Realm.’
’By then,’
’he’ll probably be thanking the heavens if he’s managed to advance to the Qi Introduction Fifth Layer!’
’I’ll come back then to have a good laugh.’
Hearing this, Shen Rongguang
found that much of his anger had dissipated.
He couldn’t agree more.
