[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult":3,"chapter-don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-chapter-81":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Don't Mock the Poor Old Man: Gains a Year of Cultivation Every Day!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2312573,4520,"Chapter 81: The Death-Scorpion! Jiang Ye","don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-chapter-81",81,"\u003Cp>“Kill intent?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye blinked slightly, his aged eyes flickering with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that cold, yin, sinister, and poisonous aura was kill intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what use could such kill intent possibly have?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just moments ago, it had circled his body once, then receded like a tide, vanishing without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to grasp it, to sense it—but could no longer find any trace of it, as if it had all been an illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could I perhaps cultivate it using the Qi Nurturing Method?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment this thought surfaced, he himself found it absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who in this world would deliberately cultivate kill intent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi Nurturing Method cultivates the Five Elements of heaven and earth—upright, righteous Dao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kill intent is cold, sinister, and poisonous—it stands in direct opposition to the righteous path; how could there be any corresponding technique for it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There probably isn’t any Qi Nurturing Method designed specifically to cultivate kill intent...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head slightly, suppressing that overly bold thought for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for kill intent, he could learn more about it after returning to the sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lifted his gaze toward the few wooden huts nearby, his eyes sharpening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Matters of importance came first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain Zhao, Young Shi, did you hear the battle cries from outside?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guards, bound tightly with iron chains, had been slumped in despair on the ground—but now each perked up, straining to listen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The noise is enormous!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone must have broken into Black Wind Fortress!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who dares invade Black Wind Fortress?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could it be Master Liu?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of Liu Qingshi, the guards’ eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he was wounded, Liu Qingshi had led them on several trade routes; his steady, mountain-like presence and loyal, righteous nature had been deeply etched into every one of their hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Gang, his body riddled with wounds, gritted his teeth against the searing pain and growled: “I hope it’s not Master Liu coming.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Shi Lei, equally covered in injuries, clenched his teeth and nodded firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both Zhao Gang and Shi Lei knew Black Wind Fortress was a den of dragons and tigers—five leaders, all at the Transformation Stage, plus over a hundred desperate outlaws; even if Liu Qingshi came alone, his chances were slim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would rather die here than have their Master risk his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet barely moments later, the thunderous clamor abruptly ceased—as if severed by a single blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did those beasts suddenly stop screaming...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could they have already dealt with the intruder...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men inside exchanged glances, their faces filled with bewilderment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Gang and Shi Lei’s hearts sank sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the intruder truly was Master Liu, then did that mean...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, don’t let it be Master Liu!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both silently prayed, their usually resolute eyes now flickering with rare panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A muffled crash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wooden door was shattered into a thousand splinters by an overwhelming force, shards flying everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, a figure in gray robes, hair streaked white, stepped slowly into the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his hand he carried a blood-red curved blade, its tip still dripping slow, crimson drops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Jiang Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant he stepped inside, an indescribable aura spread through the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was kill intent—like a mountain of corpses and seas of blood, icy and brutal, as if countless tormented souls wailed behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every person in the room, including Zhao Gang, a Transformation Stage martial artist, trembled in their core, as if stalked by an ancient beast, unable to utter a sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guards with weaker cultivation bases instinctively lowered their heads, trembling violently, too terrified to even lift their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye’s gaze swept subtly over Zhao Gang and Shi Lei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two young men, battered and bruised, yet still standing tall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said nothing—only flicked his wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A slash of blood-red moonlight flashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The iron chains binding them all snapped cleanly, clattering to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve killed most of the bandits; only a few sentries remain outside. Take care of yourselves and leave the mountain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye’s voice was as calm as still water, as if describing a trivial matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had he finished than his figure blurred—and vanished outside the door like a ghost, leaving only wood splinters and broken chains behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room fell into deathly silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men stared at the broken chains, at the empty doorway, stunned for a long while before finally coming to their senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re... saved!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was the first to cry out in relief—then the guards erupted into wild cheers and jumps, tears streaming down their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being trapped in this bandit den had been torture every single moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All those bandits—those beasts—were killed by that elder just now!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heavens! How did that old man kill so many bandits in Black Wind Fortress...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Gang and Shi Lei exchanged glances, eyes wide with disbelief and shock, yet also filled with the relief of survival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Lei stared blankly at the doorway—his eyes held gratitude, awe, and a strange familiarity he couldn’t explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hurry!! Faster!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chief, Zhou Laoguai, pushed himself to his absolute limit, sprinting desperately down the steep mountain path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept glancing back—behind him lay dark, silent woods, with no trace of the white-haired elder chasing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet his inner unease only grew thicker, like an invisible hand crushing his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I reach that spot, slide across—I’ll be safe!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Laoguai ran faster, finally arriving at the cliff’s edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, only a single iron cable, as thick as an arm, connected to the opposite peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cable swayed slightly in the night wind, creaking—below lay an abyss, pitch-black and bottomless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was his secret escape route, unknown even to the other chiefs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced down at the abyss—the endless darkness made his legs tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a deep breath, a look of resolve flashed in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gripped the sliding clamp on the cable, unleashed his internal force, and shot across like an arrow loosed from a bow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, he finally reached the opposite peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment his feet touched ground, his legs buckled, nearly collapsing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet his face, thick with muscle, burst into a wild, relieved laugh:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahahaha! I’ve lived to see another day!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to look back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the cliff’s edge, the white-haired elder finally appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He caught up so fast?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Laoguai’s heart tightened—he yanked his longsword from his waist, unleashed all his internal force, and slashed violently at the iron cable connecting the two peaks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparks flew—the thick cable snapped cleanly; half of it shot into the abyss with a whoosh, its fall echoing nowhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Laoguai’s tense heart finally eased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood up, his face twisted into a snarl as he glared at the elder across the chasm and roared: “Old man, if you’ve got guts, fly over here—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he finished speaking—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder on the other side lightly tapped the ground—and rose into the air like a light, graceful bird!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed no aid—he simply stepped through the air, moving like a true flying bird, speeding toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is this possible?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Laoguai’s cruel grin froze instantly, his eyes wide with impossible horror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression was as if he’d seen a ghost in broad daylight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even those at the Condensation Stage, let alone the legendary Qi-Condensation masters, were said to be able to fly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So stunned was Zhou Laoguai that he forgot to flee—he stood frozen, watching the figure draw nearer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he finally realized he should run, Jiang Ye had already landed gently before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant he landed, Jiang Ye slashed backward with his knife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blood-moon blade light, streaked with crimson-gold true qi, tore through the air and struck straight for Zhou Laoguai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Laoguai instinctively surged all his strength, raising his sword to block.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A metallic clash rang out!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The steel longsword in Zhou Laoguai’s hand snapped like tofu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blood-moon blade light’s momentum remained unspent, slamming hard into his body!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pfft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Laoguai’s upper torso nearly split in two; a deep gash, bone-visible, tore across his chest, flesh flayed and charred at the edges, exhaling a faint stench of burning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He collapsed like a cut kite, crashing to the ground, spitting a spray of blood foam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye had deliberately held back—if he hadn’t, that single slash would have sent Zhou Laoguai straight to join his brothers in death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh... huh...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Laoguai gasped for breath, blood gushing endlessly from his mouth and chest wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared fixedly at the white-haired elder before him, eyes filled with terror and venomous hatred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t even ask why Jiang Ye was killing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bandit like him, who lived by the edge of the blade, had made too many enemies—everyone wanted him dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know why I’m letting you live?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye looked down at him with cold indifference, his voice as flat as still water, revealing no emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard you’re good at making money. You must’ve saved up a fortune over the years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lowered his gaze slightly and spoke coldly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spit it out—tell me where you hid your money, and I’ll make your death quick.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew these bandits’ habits—they loved playing the “three burrows” game, splitting stolen silver across hidden caches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to make the boss himself confess than waste time searching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you just want silver...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Laoguai let out a bitter smile, his left hand lifting slightly, as if pointing toward some direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black shadow shot from his sleeve like lightning, lunging straight for Jiang Ye’s throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye, already prepared, didn’t even blink—he casually extended two fingers and pinched the shadow firmly between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deathscorpion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a jet-black scorpion, its tail stinger gleaming with a cold, You blue light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d read about this poison creature in the Manual of Poison Mastery—it was potent, lethal on contact with blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You like playing little tricks on me, huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye smirked without amusement at Zhou Laoguai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Laoguai had already resigned himself to death—but seeing Jiang Ye dare to grab the Deathscorpion barehanded, a twisted gleam lit his eyes again. “This fool doesn’t know how vicious a scorpion’s sting is!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, the Deathscorpion writhed violently in Jiang Ye’s grip, arching its tail upward, raising its lethal stinger high—then driving it straight into Jiang Ye’s wrist!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A soft sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deathscorpion’s stinger snapped off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahh...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Laoguai went utterly numb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared wide-eyed at Jiang Ye, his gaze as if facing a monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lips trembled violently, his voice warped: “Y-you... practiced hardening arts!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment, he knew he was certainly dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gritted his teeth, raised his hand still clutching the broken sword, and moved to slash his own throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye moved faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One foot came down—CRACK—the right arm of Zhou Laoguai shattered, the broken sword clattering to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now you want to die? Too late!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye sneered, the smile chilling under the moonlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled a jade box from his robe and opened it gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since you’re so uncooperative, I won’t make it easy for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sssss!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crimson figure shot out like lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A figure finally arrived at the mountain path’s entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore a green robe, his face resolute—it was Liu Qingshi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up at the dark, night-shrouded Heisong Mountain, drew a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhao Gang, Shi Lei—I’m coming.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped forward, entering the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>",1920,"2026-06-20T12:57:27.461Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a2d802d71d9cba747e7819872a96fb6f9eb59246b6a8332c759325ae15337907","don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-chapter-82","don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-chapter-80",268,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdon-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-cover.jpg"]