Chapter 229: Steal a Man

"The Thunder God said! Don't build temples for him!" Xiao Qing walked through the crowd, shouting to everyone, "Disperse now."

But upon hearing Xiao Qing's words, the people didn't move at all—they just stared at her.

"You… aren't even listening to the Thunder God?"

"It's not that we won't listen…" The lead man turned to glance at the crowd, then spoke to Xiao Qing, "It's just that we're uneasy."

Xiao Qing froze.

He continued, "We can't just take the Thunder God's mountain mushrooms for free."

"…"

"What if… the Thunder God thinks we're ungrateful and leaves?"

Xiao Qing's face turned pale, and she slowly nodded.

"So you betrayed him?"

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

Are you really that afraid I'll run off?

Xiao Qing muttered awkwardly, "Well… they do have a point."

Zheng Fa still didn't want to build a temple. These people had only just had two days of good fortune—building a temple would be too massive an undertaking, draining their labor and resources.

If it truly benefited him, that'd be different.

But all he wanted was Heavenly Merit. For him, it mattered more that these people lived well…

"Here's what you do—go tell them to level the land in the river valley."

"Level the land?" Xiao Qing stared blankly. "What's leveling the land?"

"…"

Zheng Fa intended to make the Heavenly Tablet Realm the base of the Nine Mountains Sect.

He always prepared for the worst-case scenario—

For example, his research into new methods might make the Nine Mountains Sect enemies of both Immortal and Demon sects.

Then the Heavenly Tablet Realm would need higher productivity—able to produce spiritual plants and materials, sustain the Nine Mountains Sect, and even supply it with a constant stream of new disciples.

Developing agriculture was inevitable.

Zheng Fa didn't know if the people of Banshan City had ever farmed before, but they certainly didn't now.

They lived a hunter-gatherer-fisher lifestyle.

That's why Xiao Qing didn't even know what "leveling the land" meant.

Previously, Zheng Fa hadn't let them till fields—first, because his Thunder Law control was insufficient to provide stable climate conditions for crops.

Second, he'd considered the villagers' physical condition—their bodies were too weak; farming might kill them.

Now, after two months of proper care, he felt somewhat reassured.

More importantly, even without mastering the Spirit Tree Thunder, Zheng Fa had developed a method to cultivate spiritual plants using the Fusang Tree.

It was time to begin preparing for farming.

…

River Valley.

The people of Banshan City split into two groups.

One group cast nets into the river to fish.

The other, led by Xiao Qing, was clearing land beside the river.

Most of those clearing land were women and children—the work was light—the soil in the valley was soft, formed from silt deposits, and extremely fertile; turning it was relatively easy.

Their main task was pulling weeds and removing stones from the ground.

Beside Xiao Qing was a little boy, who pulled weeds while staring at the boats in the river.

Or rather, at the fish leaping wildly on the boats.

Watching, the boy's mouth watered.

"Want to go fishing?" Xiao Qing chuckled at his expression.

"No!" The boy wiped his mouth and shook his head vigorously.

"Huh?"

"I want to work for the Thunder God!" The boy looked up, grinning. "My dad's even jealous of me and my mom!"

"…"

"He wants to work for the Thunder God too!"

…

Zheng Fa crept stealthily into the Hundred Treasures Hall.

Last time he exchanged so many spiritual materials there, Xiao Yuying's face had been sour.

He'd felt he'd been too showy.

This time, he'd promoted edible mushroom cultivation across the fief, and used the Rain-Stop Thunder to regulate rainfall several times.

The Heavenly Merit on the Divine Sealing Scroll had increased even more—over seven thousand points.

Exchanging them openly again would be too conspicuous.

So this time, he waited until everyone had left before slipping into the Hundred Treasures Hall.

After searching the jade tablet for a while, Zheng Fa exchanged for another spiritual material needed to cultivate the Divine Thunder Sublime Law.

He spent all remaining Heavenly Merit on cheap, abundant spiritual materials.

After exchanging the materials, Zheng Fa didn't leave the Hundred Treasures Hall—he summoned the Divine Sealing Scroll and began cultivating.

On the Thunder Field, the Fusang Tree swayed gently, as if boasting.

Feeding this thing was indeed expensive.

But it had worked hard… it deserved a reward!

Zheng Fa swallowed the newly acquired spiritual materials, and pure spiritual energy surged toward the Thunder Field.

Zheng Fa watched the Fusang Tree with great anticipation…

The total spiritual materials he'd consumed could have already brought the Divine Thunder Sublime Law to Foundation Establishment completion.

Surely this Fusang Tree, no matter how hard to raise, would at least sprout something?

Indeed, after absorbing so much spiritual energy, the Fusang Tree began growing violently—its trunk thickened, and intricate, mysterious patterns emerged on its bark.

Zheng Fa felt his dantian grow warm. His entire meridian system tingled, as if rejoicing and growing.

But…

It didn't bloom!

The Fusang Tree still had nothing but a trunk—not a single branch.

Zheng Fa twitched his lips—it seemed this thing really did have some use.

But its appetite was enormous!

…

Since the Fusang Tree hadn't bloomed, Zheng Fa's Divine Thunder Sublime Law remained stuck at the Thunder Seed stage.

In other words, his cultivation base was still at Foundation Establishment early stage.

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

He'd exchanged for some spiritual materials to cultivate the Divine Thunder Sublime Law twice before, and now with the Wind-Thunder Fruit he'd just acquired, he could finally begin cultivating his master's second secret technique—Wind-Thunder Body.

Compared to the first technique, Heavenly Thunder Net, he valued Wind-Thunder Body more.

Because it was a movement technique.

Of course, Zheng Fa didn't value Wind-Thunder Body because he was a coward always thinking of escape—he valued it for its underlying principle.

Heavenly Thunder Net merely controlled electric currents.

But Wind-Thunder Body, in Zheng Fa's view, seemed to have begun touching the control of electromagnetic forces.

The principle of Wind-Thunder Body resembled a maglev train—except maglev trains use magnetism mostly for levitation, while Wind-Thunder Body generates magnetic fields within and around the body, enabling not just levitation but also thrust behind the cultivator for rapid flight.

In Zheng Fa's view, cultivating Wind-Thunder Body would not only improve his survival ability.

More importantly, it would help him further explore the relationship between Thunder Law and electromagnetic forces—thus better aiding his control of Spirit Tree Thunder.

The cultivation of Wind-Thunder Body went extremely smoothly.

After exiting the Divine Sealing Scroll, electric light flickered around him—he shot outside the hall in the blink of an eye.

The speed caught Zheng Fa off guard—he slammed headfirst into the closed main hall door.

He shut his eyes, but the door opened without wind—he flew straight into the main hall.

Once steady, Zheng Fa's mind was full of questions.

Others had tried entering the main hall before.

Xiao Yuying had tried—and been blocked.

Could it be… that the door required head-on impact to open?

Inside the main hall, darkness swallowed everything.

Zheng Fa activated the Void-Sight Divine Eye—still only blackness before him.

Xiao Yuying had mentioned this before—when the Qingyang Dao Body had acted up and the Fusang Tree emerged, the main hall door had opened, yet she'd seen only darkness.

But the Fusang Tree hadn't evolved this time either?

The next moment, the Divine Sealing Scroll gave him the answer.

It flew out of his robe, hovering midair, emitting blinding light.

"Thunder God Zheng Fa, accumulated one thousand merits; specially granted the Divine Seal…"

A loud, solemn voice echoed through the main hall—Zheng Fa finally understood: his Heavenly Merit points must have reached the threshold, and the Divine Register had upgraded again.

Indeed, within the light, the Divine Register slowly shrank into a bundle, revealing a square bronze seal within.

But Zheng Fa did not look at the bronze seal; he stared blankly at the hall, faintly illuminated by its glow.

Deep within the hall, there appeared to be a raised platform, upon which stood a rectangular shadow.

Like a tombstone…

…

Beyond the boundary of the Heavenly Stele Realm.

"Miss Xiao, aren't you leaving yet?"

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

"Aren't you staying too?"

Xiao Yuying glanced at him coolly, her eyes tinged with mockery.

Yan Wushuang clenched his teeth—he had thought it over and over, but still could not bring himself to abandon persuading Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa's talent was one reason.

The other was that he had not told Zheng Fa Han Lao's exact words: if he could persuade Zheng Fa, Han Lao would consider helping him.

This was the Setting Sun Sword Immortal!

A man who had come and gone at the threshold of Soul Transformation!

Thus, after leaving the Heavenly Stele Realm, he waited here, hoping to speak with Zheng Fa again.

But… someone else was after the man!

Xiao Yuying was waiting here too.

He knew well that Xiao Yuying also intended to win Zheng Fa over.

The two exchanged glances.

Xiao Yuying's lips curled slightly, as if brimming with confidence.

Yan Wushuang felt a pang of defeat—he and Xiao Yuying were of course at different cultivation levels; Nascent Soul was superior to Golden Core.

That was forgivable, since he still had the status of the Grand Void Gate Sect Master's son.

But the problem was, his actions were against the Grand Void Gate!

That title was useless!

Honestly, if he were Zheng Fa, and had to choose a partner, he'd likely pick Xiao Yuying.

"Miss Xiao, our goals don't conflict…" Yan Wushuang's eyes lit up, realizing he had been misled.

"They do," Xiao Yuying shook her head: "I don't know what you want Zheng Fa to do, but if he follows me, I won't let him walk to his death."

"..."

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

Both felt surprise and suspicion; they looked up to see Zheng Fa's name glowing gold, and it was this glow that caused the stele to shake.

"This…" Yan Wushuang blinked, then said: "On the Grand Void Gate's Heavenly Stele, the name of our Ancestral Master is also golden…"

"I absolutely will not let him walk to his death," Xiao Yuying paused, then repeated.

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

Xiao Yuying frowned at him.

"Han Lao was right!" Yan Wushuang's face was filled with resolve. "Brother Zheng is the next Ancestral Master!"

(End of Chapter)