Chapter 56: Scattered Cultivator Chen Hu

Zhao Ningxiang disagreed with Wang Changxing, retorting, "In my opinion, cultivators already defy the heavens, so joining a cultivation sect is the best approach. In another year, the Four Great Sects will hold the Immortal Ascension Grand Meeting. Do you want to participate? The chances of obtaining a Foundation Establishment Pill are much higher if you join a cultivation sect. Didn't Cousin Yuxin join the Purple Cloud Sect, acquire a Foundation Establishment Pill through her own efforts, successfully establish her foundation, and even find an ideal husband? It's truly enviable."

At this point, her beautiful eyes showed a look of longing, and she became somewhat excited.

Lin Yujiao shook her head with a bitter smile and said, "We can't be envious of that. Fourth Sister has dual spiritual roots. She joined True Master Qingyuan of the Purple Cloud Sect at the age of six and established her foundation at sixteen. She's incredibly talented; we can't even come close."

"Established foundation at sixteen?" Wang Changyu's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise as he spoke in an envious tone, "Fellow Daoist Lin, it seems that within a century, your Lin family will produce a Core Formation cultivator."

Wang Changsheng's face also showed an envious expression. Lin Yuxin had established her foundation at sixteen, while he had only reached the fourth level of Qi Refining at that age. Comparisons truly make one green with envy.

When Lin Yujiao saw the envious expressions on Wang Changsheng and the others, a hint of pride flashed in her eyes.

Although she would marry out in the future, the stronger her maiden family was, the higher her status in her husband's family would be.

After dinner, they prepared to pay the bill and leave.

Although Lin Yujiao was a member of the Lin family, she wasn't extravagant enough to spend over a hundred spirit stones on one meal. However, she didn't take advantage of Wang Changxue and paid half of the spirit stones.

After leaving Tianxiang Residence, Wang Changsheng and his three companions parted ways with Lin Yujiao and her two companions, each returning to their own homes.

Upon returning to Baigu Pavilion, a figure quickly walked up to Wang Changxue, forcing a charming smile onto his face. "Immortal Wang," he said softly, "you're finally back. I've been waiting for you for a long time."

A hint of disgust flashed deep within Wang Changxue's beautiful eyes. She said indifferently, "Is there something you need, Fellow Daoist Lin?"

Lin Yuting paused slightly in surprise. He had never expected that Wang Changxue, who had greeted him with smiles just two days ago, would suddenly become a different person.

When he saw Wang Changsheng and Wang Changxing, he suddenly realized the reason, and a hint of irritation flashed deep within his eyes.

Lin Yuting maintained the smile on his face and said enthusiastically, "Immortal Wang, 'Food of the Immortals' has released a few new dim sum items. They taste quite good. I'd like to invite you to try them."

Wang Changxue's face remained indifferent as she shook her head and said, "No, thank you. I don't like dim sum. Fellow Daoist Lin, please find someone else."

Witnessing this scene, Lin Yuting knew his efforts were futile. He gave an awkward smile and quickly departed.

After Lin Yuting had walked away, Wang Changyu spoke, "Second Sister, well done. You shouldn't be so polite to people like him."

Wang Changxue shook her head and said, "He is, after all, the son of the Lin family's patriarch. The Lin family has Lin Yuxin, and she might reach the Core Formation stage in the future. It's better not to offend anyone from the Lin family."

Wang Changyu nodded in agreement.

Upon returning to his room, Wang Changsheng sat cross-legged on the wooden bed and began to cultivate, circulating the incantation of the second level of the Cloud Rain Art.

A large amount of water spiritual energy appeared out of thin air and surged into his body. Under his guidance, it circulated along specific meridians before finally gathering in his dantian.

***

Chen Hu was born in a remote fishing village. As is common for children from poor families, he matured early, going out to sea to fish with his father from a very young age.

Life for fishing families was not easy; besides paying fishing taxes, they were also extorted by martial arts gangs.

Chen Hu greatly admired those martial artists who ate meat and drank wine freely. He longed to become someone important, rather than spend his whole life as an honest, bullied fisherman.

At the age of ten, Chen Hu's father pulled some strings and sent Chen Hu to the Sea Sand Gang as an odd-job worker.

The Sea Sand Gang was a martial arts gang with tens of thousands of members.

Although he was just an odd-job worker, Chen Hu did not lose his fighting spirit. After finishing his chores, he would run to the training grounds and secretly watch the outer disciples of the Sea Sand Gang practice martial arts.

This went on for seven years, but as an odd-job worker, he had no opportunities to prove himself.

At the age of eighteen, a leader of the Sea Sand Gang was murdered by an enemy, and the gang leader ordered severe punishment for the killer.

A hall master located the killer's hiding place and prepared to lead a team to apprehend them.

To make a name for himself, Chen Hu took out his years of accumulated wages and bribed a distant relative of the leading hall master to accompany the expedition as an odd-job worker.

Unexpectedly, it was a trap. The enemy had set up an inescapable net, and over a hundred disciples were all killed in battle. Chen Hu, however, jumped into the great river with the heavily wounded hall master on his back, saving him.

Afterwards, the deputy leader of the Sea Sand Gang led a team to eliminate the killer.

The hall master was the deputy leader's nephew. Because Chen Hu saved the hall master, he transformed from an odd-job worker into an outer disciple, gaining the opportunity to participate in missions.

Chen Hu was fearless in fights, always charging to the front, earning himself the nickname "Desperate Sanlang."

Chen Hu was daring and aggressive, and with the hall master's patronage, ten years later, he had become a protector in the Sea Sand Gang, enjoying a life of luxury and unparalleled prestige for a time.

At the age of thirty, the Sea Sand Gang was besieged by government forces. The vast gang was annihilated by government troops in less than a month.

Chen Hu fought desperately to break through the encirclement and jumped into a river to escape.

As a protector of the Sea Sand Gang, he was a wanted man by the authorities. He dared not show himself easily, hiding in the deep mountains and living like a wild man.

By chance, he discovered a cultivator's former dwelling in a cave and obtained a cultivation technique.

At the time, he didn't know it was a cultivation technique. However, the technique's name, "Evergreen Scripture," was quite imposing, and he originally thought it was a peerless martial art. So he began to cultivate according to its incantations.

At the age of forty, Chen Hu, then at the second level of Qi Refining, met his current dual cultivation partner, Lu Erniang.

Lu Erniang was also a rogue cultivator who had stumbled upon the path of cultivation by chance.

Both had similar cultivation levels and backgrounds, so they decided to become husband and wife, supporting each other. They lived by hunting demonic beasts, and their lives were very difficult.

At the age of fifty, Chen Hu, then at the fifth level of Qi Refining, and Lu Erniang encountered a heavily wounded Purple Cloud Sect disciple.

They became greedy, killed the dying Purple Cloud Sect disciple, and found over a thousand spirit stones on the body.

With these resources, they purchased spirit tools and elixirs, gathered several rogue cultivators, and formed a team to hunt demonic beasts. Their lives gradually improved.

At the age of fifty-nine, Chen Hu finally cultivated to the ninth level of Qi Refining. The cost was losing an arm and sustaining three terrifying scars on his head, while several of his companions also died at the hands of demonic beasts.

With his ninth-level Qi Refining cultivation, Chen Hu found hunting demonic beasts much easier and accumulated a large sum of spirit stones.

The best age for cultivators to establish their foundation is before sixty. Learning that an item assisting in Foundation Establishment would appear at the Tianhe Meeting in Ning Prefecture, Chen Hu rushed to Tianhe Market with his newly recruited subordinates, preparing to participate in the bidding for the Foundation Establishment spiritual item.

Early in the morning that day, a long queue formed at the entrance of Tianhe Tower. Cultivators participating in the auction entered one after another after paying their spirit stones.

Qi Refining cultivators wishing to attend this auction had to pay one spirit stone for admission. One spirit stone was not much, even rogue cultivators could afford it, and just from this, the auction organizers made a significant profit.