Chapter 115: Human Hearts

Zheng Fa did not know that, in a single night, both of Jiushan Sect's two Nascent Souls had been muttering his name.

After returning home, he devoted himself entirely to cultivation.

Since adjusting the Right-Side-Up Shadow Seal and Frost Blade Seal, he felt his cultivation had become slightly smoother, and he vaguely sensed he was on the verge of breaking through to Foundation Establishment Level Three.

Zheng Fa had researched the cultivation speeds of various elemental affinities.

The gap between single and dual elemental affinities was actually vast—

Generally speaking, a single-element cultivator could reach Foundation Establishment Level Ten and attempt Foundation Establishment within about a year.

But someone like Zheng Fa, with a dual elemental affinity, even with diligence, needed three to five years to reach Foundation Establishment Level Ten.

If burdened by livelihood concerns and numerous distractions, spending eight to nine years was common.

This was very common—single-element disciples often had their masters' support and needed only to focus on cultivation, while dual-element disciples rarely received such treatment.

After reaching Foundation Establishment Level Ten, attempting Foundation Establishment was another hurdle—Foundation Establishment Pills were scarce and extremely valuable.

Foundation Establishment disciples had no means to purchase such pills; they often needed years of painstaking savings.

Thus, achieving Foundation Establishment within ten years was exceedingly difficult.

Therefore, Jiushan Sect granted only ten years of subsidies to new disciples—this was barely enough for dual-element disciples, let alone those with three or four elemental affinities.

Jiushan Sect's time limit amounted to leaving dual-element disciples with only a narrow window; disciples with lower aptitude had no slit at all.

For example, Han Qi, a three-element disciple, had once dreamed of achieving Foundation Establishment upon entry.

Over time, in the immortal sect, survival became the only pursuit.

As for Foundation Establishment, it became a youthful, naive dream of overreaching ambition.

Most low-level disciples were like Han Qi—either numb or furious.

But Zheng Fa's cultivation speed far surpassed that of ordinary dual-element disciples; his progress was only slightly slower than that of single-element disciples.

For instance, Zhou Qianyuan reached Foundation Establishment Level Two in just over thirty days.

Zheng Fa took less than fifty days.

At first, Zheng Fa himself did not understand the reason.

Later, after observation, he understood.

On one hand, it was certainly due to the Method's Idea of Seal Path Foundation Establishment—by his current estimate, his Qi absorption speed was about two or three tenths faster than that of an ordinary dual-element disciple.

On the other hand, he had to thank the modern world.

The modern world had no Qi, but Zheng Fa was naturally diligent and still practiced Qi circulation according to the Red Sky Scripture every day.

At first, it was merely habit, but later he discovered the benefit: cultivating in the modern world did not increase Qi, yet it gradually purified it, forging an exceptionally solid foundation.

Others needed time to adapt to their growing Qi before continuing to inhale and exhale.

Zheng Fa did not—he needed only to surge forward in the Xuanwei Realm.

He felt that even without completing the Yang Yuanfu Foundation, he might catch up to Zhou Qianyuan's cultivation speed.

As he cultivated, Zheng Fa felt a surge in his dantian, a sense of fullness spreading from within.

In his inner vision, his dantian was now brimming with Qi—compared to the thin stream at the start of cultivation, the Qi now surged like a mighty river.

Foundation Establishment Level Three had been reached.

Zheng Fa opened his eyes and smiled faintly—a small celebration—

After all, he saw Zhang Shijie and Yuan Shijie, both Jin Dan, every day.

Even among market disciples, Foundation Establishment cultivators were not rare.

Breaking through Foundation Establishment Level seemed unremarkable.

Perhaps they didn't even bother to look.

"Zheng Fa has broken through!" On the Eighth Peak of Jiushan, True Person Pang's eyes gleamed silver as he gazed from afar at Zheng Fa's courtyard, exclaiming as if witnessing a rare miracle: "Extraordinary talent!"

"Um… Master, I broke through recently too," Zhou Qianyuan said quietly beside him.

"You broke through too?" True Person Pang blinked, glanced at him, and sneered: "What's special about Foundation Establishment Level Three?"

Zhou Qianyuan: "...?"

…

The next day, Zheng Fa could no longer cultivate all day at home.

The reception boat had returned.

There were many people aboard—the boat had visited three nearby sects and two merchant gatherings of hermits, bringing back over a hundred newcomers.

With so many new customers, the market suddenly had a flood of tasks.

Zheng Fa spent two consecutive days at the market, assisting Yuan Shijie with various issues:

Some merchants, seeing these customers were not from their sect, planned to cheat them.

Some came solely for the free boat ride and couldn't afford anything, yet caused trouble in the market.

Some merchants had little faith in Zheng Fa's method's idea, sold out their goods, then begged Zheng Fa and his team to find new sources.

For a time, the entire market was overwhelmed.

Not just Zheng Fa and Yuan Shijie.

The market duty disciples were also running back and forth without pause.

Once the customers departed and others could rest, Zheng Fa still remained busy—he had to calculate the profit from the reception boat's round trip.

"This trip, our tax revenue was about twenty Spirit Stones, plus profits from selling talismans on the boat—totaling roughly fifty Spirit Stones."

After calculating, Zheng Fa told Yuan Shijie, who waited beside him.

Rent could not be changed for now.

The Spirit Stones Zheng Fa and his team gained from the reception boat came only from the markup on talisman sales.

Everything else came from transaction taxes.

The tax rates for various transactions differ, but on average they fall between ten percent and twenty percent.

Yuan Shijie was quite pleased to hear this figure: "Two trips a month, that's one hundred spirit stones a month!"

"Shijie, we still have to deduct the consumption of the reception boat, and pay the wages to the various Shixiong on the boat—these past two days the disciples on duty in the market have been very busy; we probably need to give some bonuses to soothe them as well."

"... How much is that?"

Zheng Fa didn't have an exact number either; he just roughly calculated in his mind: "The remaining net profit should be around twenty spirit stones."

"That's a bit little..."

Zheng Fa nodded.

Being little is one thing.

The main issue is that everyone worked hard but seemed to see no results—people will probably start spreading nasty rumors.

Han Qi and the other two walked toward the market, preparing to patrol—they were now considered under Zheng Fa's command and also members of the market disciples.

Along the way, there were also some other Shixiong heading to the market.

Some were Shixiong they had gotten to know slowly on the reception boat; the three greeted them along the way, quickly walking together and gathering into a group.

"Did you hear? After all that fuss, they only earned twenty spirit stones."

"... I think this reception boat operation can't go on." A disciple said, curling his lip.

"We worked so hard, we smiled our faces off on the way, and came back exhausted... and in the end we only earned twenty spirit stones... What can't we earn that much doing?"

The others were also discussing it, and although they spoke quietly when using vulgar terms, Han Qi and the other two still heard them.

Han Qi and the other two felt a bit awkward and angry.

After all, they considered themselves Zheng Fa's people.

Now, these people's words, both explicit and implicit, showed some dissatisfaction with Zheng Fa; although no one mentioned his name directly, everyone could tell.

The tall, thin one opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to speak, but Han Qi pulled his sleeve to stop him.

The three's steps gradually slowed as they watched that group of Shixiong walk further away.

"Shixiong, why didn't you let me scold them..."

"What did they say?" Han Qi glared at him: "What were you planning to scold them for?"

"..."

"Besides, these people were extremely respectful in front of Zheng Shidi."

"People who hide daggers in their smiles!"

The tall, thin one cursed bitterly.

"Zheng Shidi's foundation is still too shallow, and his cultivation is a bit low." Han Qi sighed: "This group fears Zheng Shidi only because of Zhang Shijie and Yuan Shijie, but the majority still don't feel convinced in their hearts."

"But Zheng Shidi did earn spirit stones this time!"

"He did earn them, but making such a big fuss..." Han Qi sighed: "They will probably think that if they were given such great power, they could have earned even more."

The tall, thin one fell silent.

Han Qi continued: "Moreover, this reception boat can't keep going to the same place; this time it was close, but what about in the future when it's far? —then the earnings will be even lower."

"This... will Zhang Shijie blame Zheng Shidi?"

"She certainly won't blame him, but whether this matter can continue will probably need to be seen."

Han Qi's face was also full of worry.

With not-so-pleasant moods, Han Qi and the other two arrived at the market.

As soon as they entered the market, the three sensed something unusual.

"Shixiong! You've worked hard these past two days! Eat a pancake!"

As the three walked by, a vendor selling meat pancakes shoved three pancakes into their hands, saying with a beaming smile.

"You didn't eat this morning! Take a date cake to tide you over!"

"Just eating food will choke you; three Shixiong, hurry and drink some water!"

Having walked just one street, the three's arms were already filled with many things.

Not only them, but the Shixiong on duty who had arrived earlier were also stuffed with all sorts of miscellaneous foods.

The whole group stood stunned, bewildered by the vendors' behavior.

None of them could figure out why these vendors were so enthusiastic.

"Shixiong... when we used to see disciples on duty, we couldn't run away fast enough, but now they are..."

Han Qi blinked his eyes, then suddenly smiled: "The market didn't make money, but the vendors did!"

"Ah?"

Han Qi turned around and looked toward the small building where the Huang Guanshi of the market was located.

Inside the small building, Zhang Shijie also had a smile on her face as she spoke to Zheng Fa about this matter: "Before today, the stalls that couldn't be rented are now being fought over by people wanting to rent them."

"Not only that... the important thing is the hearts of the people." Zhang Shijie looked at Zheng Fa meaningfully, then said firmly: "This reception boat must continue to be dispatched; even if it doesn't make money, it must be dispatched!"

Zheng Fa nodded, understanding Zhang Shijie's meaning very well in his heart.

Now, within the Jiushan Sect, those who suffer the most grievances are these lower-level disciples—the stall vendors are mostly these people.

One trip of the reception boat, and almost every vendor made a small profit.

This sum isn't much for Zheng Fa and his group, but for these people, it might be the profit of an entire month in the past.

For Zhang Shijie, making the Jiushan Sect's higher-ups give the lower levels a bigger slice of the cake is something she cannot do and will not agree to.

But bringing people from other sects and markets to consume—that is cutting a piece of someone else's cake to distribute among the Jiushan Sect disciples.

Then the more the better!

Yuan Shijie walked up from the first floor carrying a pile of things, her face looking a bit dazed: "Zheng Shidi, these are from the vendors left at the first-floor entrance; they all have your name written on them—and there are so many, I can't carry them all!"