Chapter 229: Stealing a Man

"Lord Lei Shen said! He doesn't want you to build a temple!" Xiao Qing walked through the crowd, shouting to everyone, "Disperse."

But these people, upon hearing Xiao Qing's words, simply did not move, only looking at Xiao Qing.

"You... you won't even listen to Lord Lei Shen?"

"It's not that we won't listen..." The leading man turned his head to glance at the crowd, then said to Xiao Qing, "It's that we feel insecure."

Xiao Qing was stunned.

Then he heard him continue: "We can't just take Lord Lei Shen's mountain mushrooms for free."

"..."

"What if... Lord Lei Shen feels we don't know gratitude, and leaves?"

Xiao Qing's face went pale, and actually slowly nodded her head.

"So you've betrayed us?"

Looking at Xiao Qing beneath the divine statue, Zheng Fa was somewhat speechless.

Are they that afraid of me running away?

Xiao Qing said awkwardly: "Well... what they said does have some merit."

Zheng Fa was still not very willing to build a temple; this group had only just had two good days, and building a temple was a project too large, exhausting the people and wasting resources.

If it truly brought him some benefit, it would be one thing.

But all he wanted was Heavenly Merit; it was more important to him that this group lived well...

"Here, go tell them to prepare the land in the river valley below the mountain."

"Prepare the land?" Xiao Qing said blankly, "What does 'prepare the land' mean?"

"..."

Zheng Fa intended to use the Heavenly Stele Realm as the base for the Jiushan Sect.

He liked to make the worst possible preparations for everything—

For instance, because of researching new methods, the Jiushan Sect might be jointly hostile towards by the Immortal Sects and Demon Sects.

Then the Heavenly Stele Realm must possess higher productivity—able to produce spiritual plants and spiritual materials, able to sustain the Jiushan Sect, and even able to provide the Jiushan Sect with a continuous stream of junior disciples.

Developing agriculture was an inevitable matter.

Zheng Fa did not know if the Half-Mountain City had ever had the habit of farming, but now they certainly did not.

They lived a hunting and fishing lifestyle.

Therefore, Xiao Qing didn't even know what preparing the land meant.

Previously, Zheng Fa did not let them reclaim fields; first, because his control over Thunder Arts was insufficient, making it hard to provide a stable climate environment for crop growth.

On the other hand, it was also considering the physical constitution of the Half-Mountain City residents—their previous constitution was such that farming might even cause deaths.

Now that these people had been well-nourished for two months, Zheng Fa felt a bit more reassured.

More importantly, even without mastering the Spiritual Wood Thunder, Zheng Fa had a train of thought for cultivating spiritual plants thanks to the Fusang Tree.

Preparations for farming could now begin.

River Valley.

The people of Half-Mountain City split into two groups.

One group cast nets in the river to catch fish.

The other group, led by Xiao Qing, was clearing wasteland by the river.

Most of those clearing the wasteland were women and children; the work was not heavy—the soil in the river valley was very soft, originally formed by silt accumulation, and was very fertile, making plowing relatively easy.

Their main task was simply to pull out weeds and clear stones from the ground.

Beside Xiao Qing was a little boy; he pulled weeds while looking at the boats in the river.

Or rather, he was looking at the lively, jumping fish on those boats.

As he watched, the boy's mouth began to water.

"What? Want to go fishing?" Seeing his state, Xiao Qing smiled.

"No!" Who would have thought that the little boy wiped his mouth and shook his head repeatedly.

"Hmm?"

"I want to work for Lord Lei Shen!" The little boy looked up and smiled: "My father even envies me and my mother!"

"..."

"He also wants to work for Lord Lei Shen!"

Zheng Fa sneakily and furtively walked into the Hundred Treasures Hall.

Last time, when he exchanged so many spiritual materials in the Hundred Treasures Hall, Xiao Yuying's face was sour.

He felt he had been a bit too showy.

This time, he promoted mushroom cultivation on the sealed earth, and used the Rain-Stopping Thunder to regulate clouds and rain several times.

The Heavenly Merit on the God-Sealing Book was even greater than last time, increased by a lot—fully over seven thousand points.

Exchanging it in front of people again would be far too conspicuous.

This time, he simply waited until everyone had left before running to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to exchange.

After searching on the jade stele for a while, Zheng Fa exchanged another spiritual material needed to cultivate the secret method of the "Divine Sky Thunder-Controlling True Art."

With the remaining Heavenly Merit points, he exchanged them all for cheap, large-quantity spiritual materials.

After exchanging the spiritual materials, Zheng Fa did not leave the Hundred Treasures Hall; he directly summoned the God-Sealing Book and began to cultivate.

On the Thunder Field, the Fusang Tree gently swayed its branches, as if seeking praise.

Raising this thing is indeed a bit expensive.

But it has worked very hard... it deserves a reward!

Zheng Fa swallowed the spiritual material he had just exchanged, and streams of pure spiritual Qi flowed toward the Thunder Field.

Zheng Fa watched the Fusang Tree with full expectation...

The spiritual materials he had consumed before and after were enough to fully cultivate the Foundation Establishment of the "Divine Thunder True Art".

No matter how hard this Fusang Tree is to raise, it should at least bloom, right?

Indeed, after absorbing so much spiritual Qi, the Fusang Tree began to grow violently—its trunk gradually thickened, and profound and mysterious patterns grew on the bark.

Zheng Fa felt his dantian become warm. The meridians throughout his body itched even more, as if they were growing and cheering.

But...

It didn't bloom!

Looking at the Fusang Tree, which still had only a trunk and not even a single branch.

Zheng Fa twitched the corner of his mouth—this thing does seem to have some use.

But its appetite is way too huge!

As long as the Fusang Tree doesn't bloom, Zheng Fa's realm in the "Divine Thunder True Art" remains stuck at the stage of nurturing the Thunder Seed.

In other words, his cultivation is still at the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

Zheng Fa could only take out three other spiritual materials—Purple Thunder, Wind-Thunder Fruit, and Five-Thunder Grass.

The previous two times, he exchanged some materials for cultivating the secret techniques of the "Divine Thunder True Art"; combined with the Wind-Thunder Fruit exchanged this time, he could now cultivate the second secret technique passed down by his master—the "Wind-Thunder Body".

Compared to the first secret technique, the "Heavenly Net Thunder Web", he valued the "Wind-Thunder Body" a bit more.

Because this is a movement technique.

Of course, Zheng Fa believed his emphasis on the Wind-Thunder Body was not because he was cowardly and always thinking about how to escape, but because of the principle behind this movement technique.

The "Heavenly Net Thunder Web" was merely controlling electric current.

But the "Wind-Thunder Body", in Zheng Fa's view, seemed to have already begun touching upon the control of electromagnetism.

The principle of the Wind-Thunder Body is somewhat like a magnetic levitation train; only that the magnetic force of a maglev train is mostly used for levitation, while the "Wind-Thunder Body", by generating magnetic fields within the body and around it, not only allows a cultivator to levitate but also creates thrust behind them for rapid flight.

In Zheng Fa's view, cultivating the "Wind-Thunder Body" could not only improve his ability to protect his life.

More importantly, it would help him further explore the relationship between thunder arts and electromagnetism—thereby better assisting him in controlling the Spiritual Wood Thunder.

The cultivation of the "Wind-Thunder Body" proceeded extremely smoothly.

After exiting the Book of Sealing Gods, electric light flashed around him; in almost the blink of an eye, he rushed out of the hall.

The speed was so fast that Zheng Fa was caught off guard, his head heading straight for the tightly closed main hall door.

He couldn't help but close his eyes, only to find that the hall door opened without wind, and he flew directly into the main hall.

After steadying himself, Zheng Fa's mind was full of question marks.

Before, there were others who wanted to enter this main hall to take a look.

Xiao Yuying had tried and was also blocked.

Could it be... this door needs to be pushed with one's head?

Inside the main hall, it was pitch black; nothing could be seen clearly.

Zheng Fa activated the "Void-Piercing Spiritual Eye", but before him it was still pitch black.

Xiao Yuying had mentioned this to him before—when the Green Yang Dao Body caused trouble and the Fusang Tree emerged, the main hall door had opened too, yet Xiao Yuying had only seen a patch of darkness.

This time, the Fusang Tree didn't evolve either?

The next moment, the Book of Sealing Gods gave him the answer.

The thing flew out from his chest, floated in mid-air, and emitted a blinding light.

"Thunder God Zheng Fa, having accumulated ten thousand merits, is specially granted the Divine Seal..."

A loud and majestic voice resounded in the main hall—only then did Zheng Fa understand that he had probably accumulated enough Heavenly Merit Points, and the Book of Sealing Gods had upgraded again.

Indeed, within the light, the Book of Sealing Gods slowly shrank into a ball, revealing a square bronze seal inside.

But Zheng Fa didn't look at the bronze seal; instead, he stared blankly at the great hall, slightly illuminated by the seal's light.

At the very back of the hall, there seemed to be a high platform, with a rectangular shadow standing upright upon it.

It looked like a tombstone...

Outside the Heavenly Stele Realm.

"Immortal Xiao, are you not leaving yet?"

Yan Wushuang looked at Xiao Yuying, who remained here, and asked tentatively.

"You haven't left either, have you?"

Xiao Yuying glanced at him indifferently, her gaze containing some mockery.

Yan Wushuang gritted his teeth—he thought it over and over, but still did not want to give up persuading Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa's talent was one aspect.

On the other hand, he had not actually told Zheng Fa Han Lao's exact words: if he could persuade Zheng Fa, Han Lao would agree to consider helping him.

This was the Sunset Sword Immortal!

Someone who constantly entered and exited the threshold of Soul Transformation!

Therefore, after leaving the Heavenly Stele Realm, he waited here, attempting to talk with Zheng Fa again.

But... someone was snatching the man!

Xiao Yuying was also waiting here.

He knew that Xiao Yuying also had the intention of winning over Zheng Fa.

The two exchanged a glance.

The corner of Xiao Yuying's mouth lifted slightly, as if she were very confident.

Yan Wushuang was genuinely a bit deflated — of course his cultivation differed from Xiao Yuying's; a Nascent Soul was always stronger than a Jin Dan.

That would be fine, after all he still had the identity of the son of the Tianhe Sect's Sect Master.

But the problem was that what he was doing was exactly the opposite of what the Tianhe Sect stood for!

That identity was utterly useless!

To be honest, if he were Zheng Fa and truly had to cooperate with someone, he would probably also have to choose Xiao Yuying.

"Xiao Xianzi, our two goals don't conflict…" Yan Wushuang's eyes lit up, feeling he had fallen into a misconception.

"Conflict." But he didn't expect Xiao Yuying to shake her head: "I don't know what you want Zheng Fa to do, but if he follows me, I won't sit by and watch him go to his death."

"…"

As Yan Wushuang fell silent, the stele before them suddenly trembled.

Both felt some doubt in their hearts; they looked up and saw golden light flickering above Zheng Fa's name — it seemed to be precisely this flickering that kept the stele trembling.

"This…" Yan Wushuang was stunned for a moment, then suddenly said: "On the stele of my Tianhe Sect, the name of the Tianhe Founder is also golden…"

"I absolutely will not sit by and watch him go to his death." Xiao Yuying was silent for a moment, then repeated.

"Xiao Xianzi…" Yan Wushuang suddenly said, "then I really must compete with you for him."

Xiao Yuying frowned slightly, looking at him.

"Elder Han was right!" Yan Wushuang's expression was full of determination, "Brother Zheng will be the next Founder!"

(End of this chapter)