Chapter 219: No Mood Left

In Banshan City, every household sent up smoke from their hearths, and even the wind along the mountainside carried the sweet aroma of fish and meat.

Children's laughter rang from the river valley all the way to the mountain peak.

Xiao Qing hummed a tune, smiling as she entered the temple, knelt on the mat, and bowed three times with sincere devotion to the deity's statue before rising to clean the temple, muttering as if chatting with a neighbor:

"Lord Thunder, folks haven't caught so many fish in ages."

"They can't finish it all—they're planning to smoke and store it."

"Banshan City hasn't been this happy in a long time!"

"…"

It was clear she was delighted, her words never pausing.

Xiao Qing first mentioned that no one in the city had starved these past two months.

Then she said a neighbor's child had slipped her two pieces of meat just now—sticky, but delicious.

Her chatter was disjointed and lacked focus.

Zheng Fa had been checking the Heavenly Merit points on the Divine Register.

Over these three days, the Heavenly Merit points had risen significantly, surpassing three thousand.

One came from following the Divine Register's "weather forecast" and granting the river valley three clear days.

The other was because the first half of the month in Banshan City had been starving; many frail elderly might have barely held on.

The fish and shrimp harvested these past three days likely saved many lives.

Combined, the Heavenly Merit points rose faster than striking people with heavenly lightning.

As he calculated, he listened to Xiao Qing's words, and couldn't help feeling a quiet satisfaction.

Then Xiao Qing continued:

"But they dare not eat much—I heard Hong Jie say they plan to smoke the fish and store it, rationing it so it lasts half a year or more."

Zheng Fa froze, suddenly remembering his own cured meat.

The meat preserved for the New Year could last half a year…

Xiao Qing kept chattering:

"They said once it's done, they'll send some straight to you, Lord."

Zheng Fa didn't know what to say: "Didn't I say I don't want offerings?"

"I told them," Xiao Qing sounded frustrated. "But if they don't send this, what else can they send?"

"…"

Outside the door, a dense clatter of footsteps approached.

More than a dozen people stood at the temple entrance, each carrying bamboo baskets piled high with smoked fish.

Whether they knew Zheng Fa preferred solitude or feared Xiao Qing would refuse, they didn't say.

They set down the baskets, bowed twice at the temple door, and ran off.

They gave Xiao Qing no chance to speak.

"Lord Thunder…" Xiao Qing stared blankly at the baskets on the ground, mouth agape: "This…"

She walked over, examining each basket of smoked fish:

"They sent you the biggest fish…"

"They've given you at least a third of all the fish caught these past three days…"

"This… Lord, should I still distribute some to the elders?"

Zheng Fa paused, then told Xiao Qing: "Give some to them. The rest—I have a task for you."

"What task, Lord?"

"Find a few people who know the mountain mushrooms best. I need to ask them something."

Xiao Qing left, confused.

Zheng Fa watched her retreating figure, thinking of his plan—to gain Heavenly Merit points, besides mastering the remaining two Thunder Arts, he must nourish the people.

Other cultivators would likely focus solely on immortal techniques.

But Zheng Fa had long realized: beyond immortal arts, directly boosting productivity could drastically improve these people's lives.

He needed vast Heavenly Merit points now—of course, he must master the Thunder Arts.

But he had no intention of abandoning this approach.

He had consulted Teacher Tian in the modern world: in places like Banshan City—wet, rainy, with little sunlight—farming was nearly impossible.

Banshan City's infrastructure was too poor for any high-cost industry to take root.

As for his other territories, they were even worse.

Yet one technology could be adapted here—edible mushroom cultivation.

Edible mushroom cultivation wasn't new; ancient texts already recorded methods, but yields were extremely low.

Soon, Xiao Qing brought several men from the city—seasoned mountain foragers, intimately familiar with the types and habits of local mushrooms.

After asking two questions, Zheng Fa ordered them to gather rotting wood with mushrooms, wood shavings, and straw.

Xiao Qing and the others didn't understand what Lord Thunder intended, but they obeyed without question.

Zheng Fa reflected on Teacher Tian's advice.

The greatest difference between ancient and modern mushroom cultivation techniques lay in two areas:

One: pure strain cultivation.

Two: sterile environments.

Poor control of either led to contamination and reduced yields.

Zheng Fa had them place the wood shavings and straw into over a dozen ceramic jars, arranged before the deity's statue.

This was the most basic culture medium Teacher Tian had taught him.

Zheng Fa ordered Xiao Qing and the others to leave, then channeled his spiritual power along the path of Cloud, Rain, and Thunder, sending a beam of ultraviolet light toward the jars.

Banshan City had no sterilization technology…

But now, Cloud Rain Thunder could emit laser light!

Modern strain purification required more tools, but its core was using microscopes to select the best strains:

Lucky—he still had his Void-Spirit Eye!

Even if new contaminants appeared, Zheng Fa could eliminate them instantly.

"Divide up these fish. Xiao Qing, you must not come near this place again."

Zheng Fa's goal now was to determine which culture medium worked best and select the highest-yield strain.

Xiao Qing and the others left the temple, bewildered.

"Xiao Qing, what's Lord Thunder trying to do?"

Xiao Qing didn't understand. After deep thought, she suddenly clapped her hands:

"My grandfather said Lord Thunder performs enlightenment!"

"Enlighten mushrooms?" Others stared: "What good is that?"

"How should I know?"

"Then where's the light?"

"The light? Mortals can't see it!"

Xiao Qing spoke with certainty.

Not just the others.

Even Zheng Fa thought her explanation made sense…

…

In the Baobao Hall, the number of cultivators had increased these past days.

They gazed at the spirit-materials on the jade tablet, chatting among themselves.

"If not for the Baobao Hall and its spirit-material exchanges, I'd have left Tianbei already."

"Who can deny it? With those two around, is there even room for us?"

"Not just us—didn't you notice Yan Wushuang didn't come this time? Probably crushed by Lady Lingye and Zheng Fa."

At this, everyone nodded.

Those paying attention had noticed Yan Wushuang was absent from this Tianbei entry.

Rumors spread that Yan Wushuang had abandoned Tianbei.

"What do geniuses have to do with us? I saved up for months just to get a hundred Heavenly Merit points," a man shook his head. "Exchanging for a ten-year Purple Lightning Flower isn't bad."

"I've got a hundred twenty—enough for a Lightning-Struck Wood."

"Lightning-Struck Wood costs too many points, younger brother. If you're refining a treasure, I recommend this—it saves ten points."

With no competition, their relations had grown harmonious; they chatted freely, discussing how to conserve Heavenly Merit points and acquire more needed spirit-materials.

A figure entered the hall.

All voices fell silent; all eyes turned to the newcomer.

It was Xiao Yuying.

Xiao Yuying didn't cut in line—she waited behind them, as if ready to exchange after they finished.

Yet as a Nascent Soul cultivator with her reputation, those ahead dared not delay—they quickly exchanged their desired spirit-materials and yielded their place to her.

Xiao Yuying nodded to them, stepped before the jade tablet, and began scanning the spirit-materials, seemingly deciding what to exchange.

The other cultivators exchanged glances, halting in place, watching her curiously.

She didn't mind, merely moving her fingers across the jade stele, pausing here on one spiritual material, there on another, as if struggling to decide which to choose.

Yet her expression carried an odd sense of indulgence, as if she lingered over every spiritual material, meticulously weighing every Heavenly Merit point.

She had abundant Heavenly Merit points, but chose slowly, spending a long time.

Nearby, the other cultivators watched, their hearts souring—between them all, the total spiritual materials they could exchange amounted to less than half of Xiao Yuying's.

When Zheng Fa entered the Hall of Ten Thousand Treasures, Xiao Yuying was still hesitating between two spiritual materials.

Zheng Fa glanced at her, then at the several cultivators beside her, bowed slightly to them, and waited behind Xiao Yuying.

He recognized the expression on her face—the kind of woman who browses an online shopping app for hours, stares at eight hundred outfits, and buys nothing.

They probably just loved the process itself…

Half an hour later, Xiao Yuying still hadn't decided. She seemed embarrassed, turned to Zheng Fa, and said, "You go first."

"No need, I'll wait."

"I still need to think," Xiao Yuying insisted. "Don't rush on my account."

Zheng Fa nodded gratefully at Xiao Yuying. "I'll be quick then."

Everyone watched as he stepped up to the jade stele.

Zheng Fa first selected two spiritual materials required to cultivate the Divine Thunder Sublime Law.

Then he flipped the jade stele to the first page—the one with the cheapest spiritual materials—and swept his finger down in a rapid, unbroken line, taking every single item without exception.

He now needed to nourish his Fusang Tree, and his Thunder Field demanded vast quantities of spiritual materials—he didn't care what it was, as long as it was abundant and cheap.

His motion carried the boldness of a diner telling a waiter, "Give me everything on the menu."

Behind him, Xiao Yuying watched, her lips slowly tightening.

The several cultivators beside her stared in stunned silence at Zheng Fa's actions, then at Xiao Yuying's sour expression. They exchanged glances—and suddenly felt better:

We're jealous, and so is Immortal Xiao. That means we're on the same level as Immortal Xiao.

Zheng Fa swiftly finished selecting his materials and turned back to Xiao Yuying with a smile. "I'm done. Your turn, Immortal Xiao."

Xiao Yuying gave him a silent look, then tapped randomly on the Heavenly Stele.

She muttered under her breath, "Not in the mood anymore."