Chapter 7, Ingenuity and Kin Reunion

Translator: Raznick

 

Red Stone Market, Immortal Hailing Tavern.

 

Zhou Chun purchased wild ginseng from the open market and then temporarily closed up his stall, moving to this tavern where he booked a room for cultivation.

 

All towns like Red Cliff Markets had official inns, which charged according to time and room type.

 

The second-grade cultivation room for a Qi Refining cultivator cost one spirit coin per twelve-hour period, with fees accumulating over time.

 

For example, a Qi Refining cultivator at the sixth layer could only meditate and train for two hours per day.

 

Coming here on his first day and paying the one spirit coin to register, he could keep coming for the next five days and practice for two hours each time without charge.

 

During his stay in the market these few days, he had also rented a cultivation room to meditate.

 

To be honest, the feeling of cultivating in the training room was undoubtedly far superior to that of outside.

 

Without the interference of the Savage Qi, the sensation cultivation felt truly delightful and addictive.

 

Alas, his few meridians and acupoints limiting his cultivation time, as well as his few spirit coins, made it really hard to just stay in the training room every day, locking himself away, not coming out until he reached the twelfth layer.

 

However, Zhou Chun’s entry into the training room was not for cultivating.

 

He activated the small soundproofing array in the training room and then took out the stone jar from his storage bag.

 

Inside the stone jar, there was still half a jar of Spiritual Water that had not been used yet.

 

Zhou Chun glanced at the stone jar containing the Spiritual Water and hesitated for a moment before placing the wild ginseng, which had cost him twenty-four spirit coins, into it to soak.

 

The Spiritual Water in the stone jar could cleanse and remove the Savage Qi accumulated within wild herbs and ores. This information was obtained by Zhou Chun from his original’s memories.

 

He didn’t doubt this at all. But since he now had an opportunity to test it, he naturally wanted to give it a try.

 

After a short while, the blue Spiritual Water in the stone jar had a lighter color.

 

After the color of the Spiritual Water ceased to change entirely, Zhou Chun retrieved the wild ginseng once more.

 

The wild ginseng at this moment had become much more eye-catching in appearance. Its yellowish-white skin was even glowing faintly, exuding a subtle ginseng aroma.

 

Now, all the Savage Qi in the wild herb had been completely removed, making it equivalent to a herb cultivated in a spirit field.

 

Such magical herbs, of the same age, were priced double their wild counterpart!

 

That meant, any wild herb, once it fell into Zhou Chun’s hands, just had to be soaked in the stone jar of Spiritual Water, and he’d have a double return once sold!

 

Thinking along these lines, Zhou Chun paused for a breath and then excitedly exclaimed, “A gold mine! This is an actual gold mine!”

 

In an instant, his mind was filled with all sorts of thoughts, as if he could see himself making big money by buying low and selling high with the stone jar, thereby achieving a successful life.

 

But as he thought on, a very practical issue suddenly came to mind.

 

How could he explain to others the origin of his spiritual herbs?

 

Earlier, that old rogue cultivator selling wild ginseng also mentioned that in the cultivation world, the methods to remove and purify the Savage Qi were only known to factions and sects.

 

[If I were to sell this purified herb, wouldn’t people inevitably suspect its origins?]

 

Even if he could wait until after joining the Zhou Clan and sell them under their name, once the volume of goods sold increased and the variety of items expanded, it wouldn’t withstand an investigation, would it?]

 

And according to his knowledge from memory, even in a cultivation clan’s herb garden, there were many herbs planted. But most of those herbs belonged to the clan as common property and couldn’t be sold for one’s gain.

 

Generally, they either used it directly or engaged in bulk trade with other factions, or put it up for sale at clan-run shops.

 

“Unless I can sell it through official channels in the future or do it anonymously, I can’t easily put this spiritual herb up for sale!”

 

The thought of this point caused the look of joy in his eyes to fade, and Zhou Chun quickly regained his composure.

 

Then he looked at the herbs in his hand, packed them in jade boxes that could effectively prevent the loss of their properties, and put them into his storage bag.

 

After further cultivating in the training chamber for more than an hour, Zhou Chun resumed his usual routine of setting up his stall at the open market to gather information.

 

Three days later, Zhou Chun finally found out the current whereabouts of the Zhou Clan from a newly arrived rogue cultivator who had set up a stall.

 

According to that rogue cultivator’s account, the Zhou Clan had now taken the Nine Peaks in the eastern part of Mist Province as their bae. In doing so, they had clashed with a gang of rogue cultivators that previously occupied the area. Even two Foundation Establishment cultivators were killed in the altercation.

 

Upon learning of this, Zhou Chun had no desire to remain longer in the Red Stone Market.

 

On the morning of the second day, he quickly packed up his stall and rushed to a particular shop.

 

In this shop renowned for its talismans, Zhou Chun purchased a large number of talismans worth over a hundred spirit coins at once and was then about to leave the market to head for the so-called Nine Peaks.

 

Just as he was about to reach the exit, he suddenly encountered a group of three cultivators walking in.

 

As he casually glanced over the three individuals and was about to leave, a sudden outcry caused him to halt his steps.

 

“Aren’t you Brother Chun from the Panther Pen?”

 

Zhou Chun hastily looked up and saw that the person who had spoken was a long-faced young man, a few years his senior, with a rather noticeable black mole right below his ear.

 

At this moment, his memory flashed back to a familiar figure. He couldn’t help but ask, “Brother Yong from the Monkey Pen?”

 

Upon hearing these words, the long-faced young man’s face immediately brightened with joy, and he couldn’t help but burst into laughter: “Ha ha ha! You really are Brother Zhou Chun! You’re safe and sound, that’s great!”

 

It turned out that this long-faced young man, Zhou Yong, was a peer among Zhou Clansmen who had a Sixth Layer of Qi Refining cultivation.

 

Before, both of them had worked in the Three Absolute Sect’s beast pens, with Zhou Chun in charge of managing the panther area, while he was responsible for the monkey area.

 

Since they often worked together in the same place, the two got along quite well. That was why when the long-faced young man saw Zhou Chun, he immediately recognized him.

 

At this point, upon their mutual recognition, Zhou Yong’s account prompted Zhou Chun, relying on his memory, to gradually recall the names of the other two individuals as well.

 

After all, they were cultivators from the Zhou Clan. Even though there might not have been any personal connections, in important clan gatherings, their names had been mentioned as well.

 

Of the other two individuals, the eldest among them was Zhou Fei, already in his forty-seventh year, with a cultivation reaching the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining.

 

The other was Zhou Jingwen, a 35-year-old female cultivator at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.

 

After this round of greetings, Zhou Chun’s thoughts began to churn. He didn’t wait for Zhou Yong and the others to inquire about his own affairs first.

 

As soon as he saw them, he appeared extremely delighted and called out, “It’s wonderful to meet you here, Uncle Fei and Brother Yong! I heard that our clan has settled at the Nine Peaks and I was just about to go there and join the clan!”

 

Upon hearing these words, Zhou Fei and Zhou Yong, immediately revealed smiles on their faces, clearly quite satisfied with his words.

 

It helped clear some misunderstandings.

 

So Zhou Fei immediately replied, “Chun’er, that’s kind of you. Since we were fortunate to meet, after we finish our business, we will naturally take you back to see the Clan Leader and Elders.”

 

The other senior, Zhou Jingwen, nodded repeatedly as well, saying, “Indeed, indeed! Our clan has just settled in Jing Kingdom, and we are in need of capable people. Since you, Brother Chun, have such excellent qualifications among our clansmen, upon learning about your return, the Clan Leader and Elders will surely be delighted.”

 

“Seniors are right, Brother Chun, you can rest assured to return with us. The clan will look after you.”

 

Zhou Yong also joined in the discussion.

 

Looking at the attitudes of these three, Zhou Chun seems to have a grasp on the current situation of the Zhou Clan.

 

It was obvious that after the sect broke up, the Zhou Clan placed great importance on every returning clansman.

 

This was also similar to what he had anticipated beforehand.

 

A recently liberated cultivation clan from the sect’s constraints, in order to strengthen clan cohesion, would focus on attracting and cultivating the younger generation to ensure peace of mind.

 

With these words, he should no longer worry about being treated like a workhorse.