Chapter Forty-Nine: A Bountiful Harvest

Since both friends had spoken, He Song naturally had no intention to argue. If there's a benefit to be gained, he would claim it first and consider the rest later. As for repaying the favor, that could be done in due time. After all, he had a long life ahead of him. If he couldn't repay them immediately, he could always make it up to their descendants.

With this thought, He Song casually gathered up the pile of items before him, then cupped his hands in gratitude to the two standing across from him. The pair merely waved away his thanks, indicating they didn't mind.

The matter of Chen Zhou was settled.

He Song's fingers lightly caressed the storage pouch in his hand, and he let out a deep breath of relief. Dead was good. Dead was best. Only the dead could never pose a threat to him.

Someone like Chen Zhou, whom he had once offended and who had begun quietly inquiring about him—He Song would never grant such a person a chance for revenge. He would not allow an enemy to grow, to one day become a threat. The moment he sensed danger, he would move swiftly to eliminate it. If he did not strike, so be it—but if he did, it would be with thunderous force.

If he couldn't do it himself, that was fine—he could always ask his friends for help, which would be just as effective. Though calling in a favor came at a cost, once his cultivation advanced and his spirit stone income increased, such a price would amount to little.

Moreover, Chen Zhou's death had brought him a storage pouch and several dozen spirit stones in profit. These things would eventually have to be repaid, but having them early would only help He Song grow stronger sooner.

A few dozen spirit stones—if spent on spells, they might bolster his strength by some measure. Perhaps not much, and it would take time to master the techniques, but it would certainly be an improvement.

Only when his power was sufficient and his enemies relatively insignificant would He Song consider handling threats himself, snuffing them out before they could grow.

He carefully replayed in his mind the moments from his meeting with Chen Zhou to Wei Fan's recent return with the urn of Chen Zhou’s ashes. Gradually, his heart steadied. He had managed this crisis with perfection: from the moment he offended the man to the delivery of his ashes, less than a day had passed. Such swift action, eradicating the threat, left almost no room for error in He Song's mind.

As for Chen Zhou—he likely could never have imagined that having merely offended someone that morning—not even in an open confrontation, but only by discreetly probing for information—by evening, he would be utterly destroyed. Not only his body reduced to ashes, but those ashes sealed in a small jar and presented to He Song.

He likely died never knowing who had wanted him dead.

But now, with Chen Zhou gone, He Song only needed to occasionally keep watch for anyone seeking vengeance. With Wei Fan and himself so well-connected in Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, they would hear of it right away. There was little to worry about.

He Song’s brow gradually smoothed. Beside him, Wei Fan and Meng Guan began discussing what each had experienced over the past three years. Listening, He Song gained some understanding of the changes that had come to Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market and the Chiling Gold Mine in that time.

Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market: what Wei Fan knew was much the same as He Song. Since the return of Master Chengshan three years prior, the market had begun recruiting unaffiliated cultivators en masse. This, however, had led to a decline in the quality of new members.

Some, like He Song, had been accepted as early as the first stage of Qi Refining. Others, like Chen Zhou, had joined only in the middle stages. Most, however, were unaffiliated cultivators at the second or third Qi Refining stage.

There were distinctions among these three groups.

First: those like He Song, who joined at the earliest stage, quickly adapted to life within the market, advanced steadily in cultivation, and caused no trouble. Three years back, when internal disciples were being recruited, they were chosen for their purity of mind, untainted by the hardships of a rogue’s life. If such disciples managed to build a foundation, they would join the Earth Sect, which preferred pure-hearted recruits for smoother advancement.

Second: those like Chen Zhou, who joined in the middle stages, were more obedient after joining but retained the rough habits of their wandering days. Take Chen Zhou, for example—bad-tempered, bullying the weak, extorting spirit stones, engaging in all manner of misdeeds. While the market’s leaders grumbled about such characters, they turned a blind eye for now, needing their labor. But once these unruly types were no longer needed, they would likely be cast aside, much like the proverbial hound after the hare is dead.

Third: the largest group, unaffiliated cultivators at the second or third Qi Refining stage. These had tasted the hardships of the rogue’s path, knew its dangers, and, being weak, had become cautious and unassuming. Though numerous, they kept their heads down and rarely made trouble. Having survived such difficult times, few of them caused any issues.

Beyond that, over the past three years, there had been occasional rumors of demonic cultivators appearing outside the market, but few cared unless these outlaws attempted to enter the market itself.

After Wei Fan finished explaining these changes to Meng Guan, ensuring he understood the recent developments in Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, both Wei Fan and He Song turned to Meng Guan.

With two friends regarding him expectantly, Meng Guan knew it was time for him to speak.

Thus, He Song and Wei Fan soon learned the hidden truths of the Chiling Gold Mine.

According to Meng Guan, the mine was rich in Chiling Gold. Three years ago, after an attack by several Foundation Establishment masters left most of the laborers dead, the mine began recruiting new workers from the ranks of unaffiliated cultivators.

During the three years Meng Guan served as a minor overseer, the shafts grew ever deeper. Often, a worker would die on the spot after uncovering something strange. Occasionally, someone might unearth a treasure and be rewarded. But mostly, the deeper they dug, the richer the veins of Chiling Gold became.

Fortunately, as an overseer, Meng Guan did not have to dig himself, thus avoiding countless dangers.

At this point, Meng Guan could not help but thank He Song and Wei Fan once more. When he first set out for the mine, only they had tried to dissuade him. Wei Fan, in particular, earned his deep gratitude for warning him in advance. Without that warning, he would never have become an overseer; forced to dig with the others, he might well be dead and gone by now.

He had promised three years ago to thank them properly upon his return, and now was the moment to fulfill that vow.