Chapter 48: Who Are You Calling a Good Person?

In a small tavern, a patron was speaking loudly, attracting considerable attention.

"Have you heard?" said Lu Yang, his eyes gleaming and a smile playing on his lips, evidently thrilled to share a juicy piece of gossip. "Our county has produced a righteous hero named Qin Yuanhao, whose deeds even the people from the Five Great Immortal Sects admire greatly!"

"Really? I've never heard of such a person in Yanjiang County."

"That name sounds familiar... I recall him not being a good person."

"Everyone, quiet down. Let this young man tell us, what happened to Qin Yuanhao?"

Lu Yang paused, then continued, "This hero, Qin Yuanhao, has a respectable cultivation level, having reached the Foundation Establishment stage. He's very righteous, has a wide circle of friends, and everyone who knows him is willing to call him 'Big Brother'."

Hearing that Qin Yuanhao had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, the patrons' eyes lit up. This was truly news.

In the past, the martial arts rumors they discussed—how impressive first-rate martial artists were, their thrilling experiences—sounded formidable and exciting. But upon reflection, they knew that even the best martial artists weren't exceedingly powerful.

It was commonly accepted that top-tier martial artists were equivalent to cultivators at Qi Condensation Levels 8 to 9, which was the limit for martial arts experts.

Now that there was a rumor about a Foundation Establishment stage expert, they naturally had to listen carefully. It would be good material for bragging later.

"So, one day," Lu Yang recounted, "Qin Yuanhao and a close friend attended an auction. His friend took a liking to a treasure and asked Qin Yuanhao to lend him several thousand low-grade spirit stones. Qin Yuanhao burst out laughing and said, 'With our friendship, talking about money is vulgar. Here, take these eight thousand low-grade spirit stones; you don't need to return them.' His friend was deeply moved."

"Eight thousand low-grade spirit stones?!" exclaimed Meng Jingzhou, a passerby. "Spirit stones are the hard currency of the cultivation world. Eight thousand low-grade spirit stones are enough to buy a large mansion in the county center and a beautiful maid to serve you for life!"

With Meng Jingzhou's explanation, the patrons finally understood the significance of eight thousand low-grade spirit stones.

This Qin Yuanhao was incredibly generous, giving away eight thousand spirit stones just like that!

"After his friend successfully bid for the treasure, he was targeted by a demonic cultivator who had also been bidding. With careful planning against an unsuspecting target, the demonic cultivator successfully ambushed both the friend and Qin Yuanhao. The friend, reluctant to part with the treasure, resisted most fiercely and was killed by the demonic cultivator, who then seized the treasure. Qin Yuanhao wanted to pursue, but alas, the demonic cultivator had already escaped."

At this point, Lu Yang pointed to his throat. The patrons immediately understood his hint and eagerly offered to buy him drinks.

Lu Yang ordered a cup of grain wine, took a sip to clear his throat, and continued his tale.

"Before his friend died, he entrusted his wife and daughter to Qin Yuanhao. Qin Yuanhao, tearfully, promised to take good care of the mother and daughter."

"The mother and daughter were also rare beauties. The wife possessed an art to maintain her youth and was graceful and charming, while the daughter was lively, adorable, and delightful. Faced with such exquisite beauty, Qin Yuanhao remained completely unmoved."

"Bereft of their support, the mother and daughter came to believe Qin Yuanhao was someone they could entrust their lives to, and thus tried to seduce him. Qin Yuanhao frankly stated that he cultivated a celibacy cultivation method and could not lose his virginity."

"Qin Yuanhao upheld his promise, caring for the mother and daughter with utmost propriety, and eventually found a suitable husband to whom he entrusted them."

"There is actually such a righteous hero in the world, who is wealthy but not greedy, and unmoved by beauty!" Meng Jingzhou's exclamation resonated with those around him.

"Qin Yuanhao is truly a good person."

"It's a pity I don't know Qin Yuanhao, otherwise I'd definitely ask him for some spirit stones!"

"Who says heroes can't resist beautiful women? Qin Yuanhao certainly did!"

In a corner, Man Gu watched Lu Yang, the storyteller, and Meng Jingzhou, his hype man, thinking how impressive they were, spinning a story out of thin air without needing a script.

When would he acquire such talent?

The patrons enjoyed showing off, especially by sharing things others didn't know.

They had drunk quite a bit while listening to Lu Yang's story, so some details weren't clear in their minds. This became apparent when they were bragging after their drinks.

They couldn't admit they'd forgotten the rest of the story mid-telling; it would be too embarrassing. So, they continued to fabricate it according to their own imaginations.

Since everyone forgot different parts and invented different details, this led to a myriad of rumors about Qin Yuanhao.

...

"Have you heard about that great philanthropist named Qin Yuanhao?"

"You mean the Qin Yuanhao who secretly discovered a spirit stone mine, instantly becoming the wealthiest cultivator in the area, and from whom you don't need to return borrowed money?"

"Probably, but I heard that Qin Yuanhao isn't interested in women; he prefers men?"

"Yes, yes, that's right! I heard Qin Yuanhao cultivates a celibacy method and especially likes young boys!"

"Really? Is that how you practice a celibacy method? I thought you had to eat 'spring chickens'?"

"You're all wrong! I heard that Qin Yuanhao accidentally acquired the legendary Immortal Artifact, the 'Merit Ledger'. He made it acknowledge him as its master with a drop of blood, becoming its true owner. The more good deeds he performs, the more merit he accumulates, and this merit can be exchanged for prizes, including spirit treasures, immortal artifacts, and even cultivation levels!"

"I also heard he's the fated Lord of the Nine Netherworlds, controlling life, death, and merit. Don't look at his current modest strength; he's secretly accumulating power and developing. Once he gets the chance, he'll soar like a dragon to the heavens, becoming an immortal ancestor!"

"He endured humiliation to join the demonic sect, aiming to infiltrate its upper echelons, dismantle it, and claim the destruction of the sect as his own merit!"

"To consider the demonic sect as good as conquered—what extraordinary ambition!"

...

The Yanjiang Branch of the Demonic Sect held its regular meeting.

The demonic leaders respectfully lined up in two rows. The Branch Master sat on a chair carved from a single piece of crimson agate, its armrests adorned with dragon and tiger heads, symbolizing his authority as master.

This chair was a gift from Qin Yuanhao.

Qin Yuanhao was in a foul mood; his brow was dark, his mouth twitched occasionally, revealing beast-like teeth.

His colleagues didn't mind his demeanor. Their cultivation levels and statuses were similar, so his anger couldn't be directed at them.

That was the way of the demonic sect: why care about someone else's misfortune when it's not happening to you?

It was no wonder Qin Yuanhao was in a bad mood. Before the meeting, he had already been asked:

"Can I borrow some spirit stones? Can I just not return them? After all, you have a spirit stone mine."

"Do you know any sister pairs or mother-daughter pairs? Introduce me to one."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken you to pleasure houses to listen to music before. It must have been very painful for you to go to such places, right?"

"Big Brother Qin, I'll follow you from now on. The Merit Ledger and all that isn't important; what matters is that I value you as a person."

"Generous with wealth and averse to women—Qin Yuanhao, you truly are a disgrace to our demonic sect! You wouldn't happen to be an undercover agent from the righteous sects, would you?"

Qin Yuanhao clenched his fists in secret, vowing to chop up those who slandered and defamed him and feed them to dogs!

He was a dignified villain, so how did he become a good person?!

Who are you calling a good person?!