Chapter 115: Human Hearts

Zheng Fa did not know that within a single night, two Nascent Soul elders of Jiushan Sect had been murmuring 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 nearing a breakthrough to Qi Refining third level.

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

The gap between single and dual elemental affinities was in fact enormous—

Generally, a single elemental affinity could reach Qi Refining tenth level and attempt Foundation Establishment within about a year.

But someone like Zheng Fa, with dual elemental affinity, even with diligence, needed three to five years to reach Qi Refining tenth level.

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

This was very typical—single elemental affinity disciples often had their Masters guiding them, needing only to focus on cultivation, while dual elemental affinity disciples rarely received such treatment.

After Qi Refining tenth level, Foundation Establishment was another hurdle—it required a Foundation Establishment Elixir, which was scarce and extremely valuable.

Qi Refining disciples had no means to purchase such an elixir; they often had to save painstakingly for years.

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

That was why Jiushan Sect only provided ten years of subsidies to new disciples—barely enough for dual elemental affinity disciples, let alone those with three or four elemental affinities.

The Jiushan Sect’s time limit effectively offered disciples with dual elemental affinity just a crack of a window; disciples with lower potential had no opening at all.

For example, Han Qi, a triple elemental affinity disciple, had once dreamed of achieving Foundation Establishment upon entry.

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

Foundation Establishment had become a childish, naive dream of youth.

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

But Zheng Fa’s cultivation speed far surpassed ordinary dual elemental affinity disciples; his progress was only slightly slower than that of single elemental affinity disciples.

For instance, Zhou Gan reached Qi Refining second level 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 realized it.

On one hand, it was certainly due to the “Seal Dao Foundation Establishment Method”; based on his current estimate, his spiritual energy absorption rate was about two to three tenths faster than an ordinary dual elemental affinity disciple.

On the other hand, he owed it to the modern world.

The modern world had no spiritual energy, but Zheng Fa was naturally diligent and still practiced spiritual power circulation daily according to the “Red Xiao Jue.”

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

Others needed time to adapt to their growing spiritual power before continuing to inhale spiritual energy.

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

He felt that even without completing the Divine Seal Foundation, he might catch up to Zhou Gan’s cultivation speed.

As he cultivated, Zheng Fa felt a sudden swell in his dantian, a sensation of fullness spreading from within.

In his inner vision, his dantian was now brimming with spiritual energy—compared to the tiny stream at the start of cultivation, it now resembled a roaring river.

Qi Refining third level—achieved.

Zheng Fa opened his eyes, a faint smile appearing on his face—a small celebration—

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

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

Breaking through Qi Refining level seemed unremarkable.

Perhaps they didn’t even bother to look.

“Zheng Fa broke through!” On the Eighth Peak of Jiushan Sect, True Person Pang’s eyes glowed 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 Gan whispered beside him.

“You broke through?” True Person Pang blinked, glanced at him, and sneered: “What’s special about Qi Refining third level?”

Zhou Gan: “...?”

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

The reception boat had returned.

There were many people aboard—it had visited three nearby sects and two merchant gatherings of cultivators, bringing back over a hundred new customers.

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

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

Some merchants, seeing these customers weren’t from their sect, planned to cheat them.

Some had come solely for the free boat ride, couldn’t afford anything, and caused trouble in the market.

Others, lacking faith in Zheng Fa’s ideas, sold out their goods and then begged Zheng Fa and his team to help 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 rest.

Once the customers departed and others could rest, Zheng Fa still worked—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.

Tax rates varied by transaction type, but averaged between one and two percent.

Yuan Shijie was delighted upon hearing the number: “Two trips per month—that’s a hundred spirit stones monthly!”

“Sister, we must deduct the boat’s operating costs and pay the wages of the crew—these past two days, the market duty disciples worked hard too; we should give them bonuses to appease them.”

“...How much would that be?”

Zheng Fa had no exact figure, but estimated roughly in his mind: “The net profit left over would be about twenty spirit stones.”

“That’s a bit low...”

Zheng Fa nodded.

It was low, yes.

But the main issue was that everyone had worked hard and seen little result—someone would surely complain.

Han Qi and his two companions walked toward the market, preparing for patrol—they were now under Zheng Fa’s command and considered market disciples.

Along the way, other senior disciples also headed toward the market.

Some were seniors they’d grown familiar with on the reception boat; the three greeted them, soon joining together in a group.

“Did you hear? After all that effort, they made only twenty spirit stones.”

“...I think this reception boat scheme won’t last,” one disciple sneered.

“We worked our tails off, smiled through the whole trip, came back exhausted—and ended up with twenty spirit stones? What else could we do that wouldn’t earn us more?”

Others murmured in agreement; though they spoke softly when using vulgar terms, Han Qi and his companions heard every word.

Han Qi and his two companions felt both embarrassed and angry.

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

Now, these people’s words carried clear dissatisfaction toward Zheng Fa—even if they didn’t name him outright, everyone understood.

The tall, thin one opened his mouth as if to speak, but Han Qi tugged his sleeve to stop him.

The three slowed their steps, watching the group of seniors walk farther away.

“Senior, why didn’t you let me curse them...”

“What did they say?” Han Qi glared at him. “What exactly would you curse them with?”

“...”

“Besides, in Zheng’s brother’s presence, they’re all extremely respectful.”

“Hypocrites!”

The tall, thin one spat angrily.

“Zheng’s brother still has shallow roots and low cultivation,” Han Qi sighed. “They fear Zheng’s brother only because of Zhang Shijie and Yuan Shijie, but most still resent him.”

“But Zheng’s brother did earn spirit stones this time!”

“He did earn them, but he made such a big fuss...” Han Qi sighed. “They probably think that with such authority, he could have earned far more.”

The tall, thin one fell silent.

Han Qi continued: “Besides, the reception boat can’t keep going to the same place. This time it was nearby—what if next time it’s far away? Then the profit shrinks even more.”

“Then... will Zhang Shijie blame Zheng’s brother?”

“She won’t blame him, but whether this project continues will depend on further observation.”

Han Qi’s face was filled with worry.

With a gloomy mood, Han Qi and his two companions arrived at the market.

As soon as they entered, they sensed something was off.

“Senior! You’ve worked hard these past two days! Have a cake!”

As the three passed, a meat-pie vendor shoved three pies into their hands, smiling warmly.

“Didn’t eat breakfast, did you? Take these jujube cakes to fill your stomach!”

“Eating too much without water will choke you—quick, drink some water, senior brothers!”

After walking just one street, their arms were full of goods.

Not just them—even the senior brothers who had arrived earlier and were on duty had been handed piles of random snacks.

Everyone stood stunned, bewildered by the vendors’ behavior.

None of them understood why these vendors were so eager.

“Senior brother… before, when we saw on-duty disciples, we ran away as fast as we could—now they’re…”

Han Qi blinked, then suddenly laughed: “The marketplace didn’t make money—but the vendors did!”

“Huh?”

Han Qi turned and looked toward the small building where the marketplace overseer was stationed.

Inside the building, Zhang Shijie smiled as she told Zheng Fa: “The stalls that couldn’t be rented out before are now being fought over.”

“It’s more than that… what matters is the hearts of the people.” Zhang Shijie gave Zheng Fa a meaningful look, then declared firmly: “We must keep sending the reception boats—even if they don’t make a profit, we must send them!”

Zheng Fa nodded, fully understanding Zhang Shijie’s meaning.

Right now, in Jiushan Sect, the most mistreated are these low-level disciples—the very ones who set up stalls.

On this one reception boat, nearly every vendor made a small profit.

To Zheng Fa and his group, this sum was trivial—but for these people, it might equal a whole month’s previous earnings.

For Zhang Shijie, she could not—and would not—ask Jiushan Sect’s upper echelons to give more of the pie to the lower ranks.

But bringing in customers from other sects and marketplaces—that was carving a slice from someone else’s pie and giving it to Jiushan disciples.

The more, the better!

Yuan Shijie came upstairs carrying a pile of items, her expression dazed: “Zheng Shidi, these are the things the vendors left at the first-floor entrance—all labeled with your name—and there’s so much more, I can’t carry it all!”