What is this guy up to?
Jia Ren witnessed Fang Wu burying the Storage Bag, a perplexed expression on his face.
Why hide the Storage Bag under Qi Yulong’s stone bed?
Something’s not right!
This is a good thing for me. The bulging Storage Bag means there are many items inside. It could turn out to be an unexpected fortune.
Jia Ren was in no hurry. He quietly waited for a moment to confirm that Fang Wu would not return. He then sent out mosquitoes to keep watch and prevent discovery during the treasure excavation.
With everything ready, Jia Ren no longer hesitated and commanded the Corner Worm to dig through the mud wall.
As soon as the wall was dug just enough for him to slide through, Jia Ren eagerly excavated the Storage Bag, wrapped in tattered cloth, from under the stone bed. The rag was of an unknown material, effective in preventing prying eyes. The Storage Bag was heavy, indicating that the treasures within were abundant.
Jia Ren didn’t want to count his spoils in the enemy’s house. If the owner returned, an awkward encounter would ensue. He quickly dealt with the traces, restored the mud wall, and strived to return it to its original state.
Close off the passage. But that alone isn’t enough to ensure safety. If Fang Wu discovers the theft of his Storage Bag, he’ll certainly dig three feet into the ground. That would increase the risk of exposing the underground passage I used. I can’t leave such a significant safety hazard.
After completely sealing the passage in one go, Jia Ren finally felt at ease.
Now it was time to tally the unexpected gains. Jia Ren sat on the cultivation stone bed, his consciousness probing into the Storage Bag.
There were three bags of Spirit Rice, each weighing a hundred catties; over five hundred Spirit Stones of various sizes; and even more Fragmented Spirit Stones. Beyond that, there were elixirs in porcelain bottles marked with the Pill Cauldron Pavilion’s seal.
After counting, Jia Ren couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from curving upward.
One Ten Directions Storage Bag.
Three hundred and twenty catties of Spirit Rice.
Six hundred forty-nine Spirit Stones and five Fragmented Spirit Stones.
Twenty-five Spirit Bud Elixirs.
Twenty-seven Great Origin Pills.
Twenty Qi Recovery Pills.
This time I’m really going to strike it rich!
Spiritual light filled the area, dazzling to the eyes.
Did Fang Wu hide all his wealth here?
Jia Ren had never expected the Storage Bag to contain such astounding resources.
Wealth from the trade fair? Impossible! Just a few days ago at the underground trade fair, over two thousand Spirit Stones were auctioned off, most of which were handed over to Qi Yulong. Not to mention the vast amount of elixirs put up for sale, which was far more than this. This must be Fang Wu’s private wealth, amassed from managing the old stone house and overseeing the auction.
Renovating one stone house could earn three Spirit Stones; with one hundred and fifty Loose Cultivators, that would mean four hundred and fifty Spirit Stones. Who knows what other extra income he had? Over six hundred Spirit Stones isn’t that much in that context. Moreover, it wouldn’t have been difficult for Fang Wu to take out more than three hundred catties of Spirit Rice. He controlled the Spirit Rice channels and surely had his own quota to purchase. With such authority over Spirit Rice, acting like a rat feasting on it would be no trouble; it would be easy to line his own pockets substantially. If he secretly took just half a tael for every catty of Spirit Rice sold, it would amount to a significant sum over time.
Fang Wu’s ill-gotten gains have come to benefit me! Aren’t you plotting against me, Fang Wu? First, I’ll take the Spirit Stones and Spirit Rice you’ve earned as compensation for the trouble you’ve caused me and the schemes you’ve hatched.
Jia Ren had come into an unexpected windfall. He strove to remain calm as he made plans for the future.
It’s unclear when the war between the two sects will end, and I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to secure a Spirit Rice supply in the future. It’s best to prepare for the long haul as soon as possible. To maintain a daily consumption of three catties of Spirit Rice, I’ll eat two catties myself and use one catty to cultivate the Spirit Insects. With over seven hundred catties, the Spirit Rice can last for about half a year. The elixirs are all produced by Pill Cauldron Pavilion and are of good quality. I’ll keep a few consumable elixirs for emergencies and use the rest to recover Spiritual Power and improve my spell proficiency.
Transforming elixirs into strength made him feel more secure.
First, I need to confirm there are no safety risks. Just because the Storage Bag was buried under the stone bed doesn’t mean it’s absolutely safe. The original owner isn’t dead, and Fang Wu is a clever man. Who knows if he set up any contingencies? If there are risks, cultivating with the resources in this Storage Bag could lead to someone tracking me down.
Every Spirit Stone and Fragmented Spirit Stone, as well as each elixir in the bottles, was carefully checked to ensure there were no issues. The last item to check was the Spirit Rice; bag by bag, he poured it out and examined each grain. He activated the Spirit Eye Technique and scrutinized everything meticulously, searching for any potential dangers.
I didn’t expect there to be a real problem!
Jia Ren took out a grain of Spirit Rice from one of the bags. The grain looked intact on the outside but glowed faintly from within. This Spirit Rice had been imprinted with a tracking mark! If he hadn’t discovered it in time, he would still have been rejoicing over his newfound wealth, unaware that he was effectively revealing himself to Fang Wu.
The Cultivation World is full of dangers; one cannot be too careful. One slight mistake, and you could capsize in the gutter.
Jia Ren did not hesitate for a moment. He resolutely destroyed the Spirit Rice grain with the tracking mark, erasing all traces. Afterwards, he painstakingly checked everything twice more to ensure there were no mistakes before carefully putting away his spoils.
Before the next trade meeting begins, I’ll focus on cultivating in peace.
He swallowed a Spirit Bud Elixir, and the Turtle Spirit Technique slowly circulated, transforming the elixir into thick Tortoise Spirit Energy.
Time passed in cultivation. Before he knew it, it was the fifth day—the time for the fourth trade meeting to begin.
Should I inform Elder Wu that the trade meeting is unsafe?
Jia Ren remembered the secret conversation between Qi Yulong and Fang Wu. He understood that after the fourth underground trade meeting concluded, the Five Elements Sect would swoop in to capture everyone. They would seize all the Spirit Stones from the Loose Cultivators. Those Loose Cultivators, having been squeezed dry of their Spirit Stones’ value, would be rounded up by the Five Elements Sect to serve as cannon fodder on the battlefield, extracting their last bit of worth.
Elder Wu was sure to be one of those taken to serve as cannon fodder if he attended the underground trade meeting. If that happened, Jia Ren’s plan to acquire the Seeking Demon Talisman Technique would fail.
No matter what, I have to give it a try.
Jia Ren didn’t plan to risk himself; he decided to send a mosquito with a warning note.
I’ll regard it as an investment. Do what one can and leave the rest to fate. Whether Elder Wu is willing to believe it or not will depend on his own destiny. Trying might not yield results, but it’s still much better than doing nothing. If Elder Wu can escape this disaster and owes me a life-saving favor, obtaining the Seeking Demon Talisman Technique will be much easier.
Jia Ren confirmed there were no traces of his own scent or marks on the note that could be located by tracking spells. Only then did he send the mosquito off from the exit of his previous dwelling, delivering it to a conspicuous place at Elder Wu’s residence.
Having done all this, Jia Ren went to check on Elder Wu’s underground chamber. Elder Wu was still feigning sleep with his eyes closed; compared to a few days earlier, his Essence, Energy, and Spirit seemed somewhat diminished.
Jia Ren waited quietly, cultivating the Turtle Breath Technique.
I won’t pass up any opportunity to improve myself. In a world replete with crises, only my own strength can be trusted.
After waiting for two hours, Elder Wu left the underground chamber. He consumed the remainder of his meager Spirit Rice supply, conserved his strength, and readied himself to participate in the underground trade meeting.
With no security measures at the trade meeting, maintaining peak combat readiness is essential to better handle any dangers that might arise. Otherwise, even if I manage to purchase Spirit Rice, it will be impossible to bring it back safely.
Elder Wu had just returned to his stone house when he noticed a piece of paper on the stone table. It read:
"The trade meeting is a trap. The Five Elements Sect is approaching. Hide for a few days."