Chapter 210

Within the Han Mountain Realm, over a thousand forces; the powerful ones occupy spirit veins, collect tolls from passing merchants, mine various ores, cultivate medicinal herbs, hunt spirit beasts, etc., and then trade with the outside world!

Also, some large forces are utterly unscrupulous, specializing in capturing women and setting up brothels and gambling houses in certain mountain valleys, etc.

The weaker forces, like the Fierce Tiger Stronghold and the neighboring Clear Water Stronghold with two or three hundred people, just take odd jobs from the big stronghold—planting medicinal fields, mining small pits, and so on.

Our Righteous Scholars Gang has reclaimed a medicinal field to the west; we venture into the depths of Han Mountain a few times each month to hunt, barely avoiding starvation!

Moreover, some bandits and lone great thieves numbering ten or twenty flee into the depths of Han Mountain and can also scrape out a living.

And furthermore...

……

When night fell, torches were lit all around, and the entire Righteous Scholars Gang of ninety-two people gathered around Heng Xian, sitting in the ruins, and they laid out one by one the ways of survival of the major forces within Han Mountain.

These livelihoods sound ordinary, but they are actually extremely lucrative—take Green Mountain Stronghold, for example, whose wealth is terrifying and whose numbers of experts are also huge!

Third Chief Baldy sighed enviously, "That's all the information I know!"

Having said that, everyone stared at Heng Xian, asking, "So... how do we build a great stronghold?"

While listening, Heng Xian was calculating with the Profound Yellow Heavenly Hexagram; at that moment he waved his hand, taking out all the nearly five hundred thousand spirit crystals he had won from the Fierce Tiger Stronghold, and then looked at the Third Chief: "Take out your spirit crystals too!"

Baldy, not understanding why, obediently took out one hundred thousand low-grade spirit crystals as well.

Six hundred thousand low-grade spirit crystals piled up into a mountain, dazzling the eyes, and the members of the Righteous Scholars Gang stared, swallowing their saliva.

Bao Zhu looked away and said, "This money is enough to build a great stronghold, with a surplus!"

Heng Xian shook his head and said, "This money is not for building the stronghold; first, everyone just find a place to sleep for a few days. Half of this money will be used to buy double-tailed sable pelts, and half to purchase plague-treating flowers!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire Righteous Scholars Gang was collectively dumbfounded.

"How? Is it difficult?" Heng Xian asked.

The Second Chief rubbed his hands: "No difficulty at all! Just, the double-tailed sable spirit beast produces two litters a year, at least eight per litter; there are plenty deep in Han Mountain, and their fur naturally carries a musky odor that outsiders don't want!"

And the plague-treating flower cures bubonic plague; where would there be an epidemic this month?

Heng Xian checked the omen of the Heavenly Hexagram and said, "You don't need to worry about this; just do it—we'll go purchase tomorrow!"

The Second Chief and Baldy exchanged a glance: "Good!"

Chief Bao Yu pressed his chest and said, "I understand Brother Heng's meaning; this is a unique vision, aiming to make a fortune!"

But my injuries aren't healed yet, the Fierce Tiger Stronghold might come back again, and buying so much will surely arouse others' curiosity—some might try to stop or sabotage us; what do we do? Our brothers lack manpower!

A hint of a smile appeared in Heng Xian's eyes: "In the next couple of days we'll have plenty more hands!"

Bao Yu and his group looked at each other, bewildered.

……

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the Second Chief, Third Chief, and Bao Zhu personally led forty or fifty people to go purchase double-tailed sable pelts and plague-treating flowers.

Meanwhile, Heng Xian continued to sit in the vehicle driven by Jian Ren, heading straight for a point three hundred li to the northwest.

Jian Ren was utterly confused, but Heng Xian said nothing, and he dared not ask.

They proceeded like that until it was three or four in the afternoon before they arrived at the place.

All they saw was a vast valley, with buildings arranged in orderly layers within the valley—indeed, it was a relatively large stronghold town.

Before the valley, a large flag was erected, bearing the three vigorous characters 'Five Goat Stronghold'.

Jian Ren slammed the brakes, his face turning white with fright, and he hurriedly turned his head, saying: "Sir, uh, why are we going to the Five Goat Stronghold?"

Heng Xian sat upright: "Do you know this place?"

Jian Ren wiped his cold sweat: "This is a medium-sized force, founded by five utterly wicked rogue cultivators; I've heard these five rogue cultivators all come from a destroyed sect called the Five Goat Sect."

Within the stronghold there are!

As he spoke, leaning in cautiously, he was about to turn the vehicle around.

However, he discovered that Heng Xian had already jumped down from the vehicle and was striding straight toward the gate of the Five Goat Stronghold.

Jian Ren's soul nearly fled in terror; he hurriedly jumped down and gave chase, shouting: "Sir, sir, no way! Even if your cultivation isn't low, it's still not allowed—there are many experts inside!"

Heng Xian glanced at him: "Where does all this nonsense come from? Follow me!"

Jian Ren immediately shut up and followed behind, trembling.

Heng Xian walked with his hands behind his back, stepping on the sand step by step to the valley's main gate, stopped, and took a deep breath.

The reason we came here is solely because the omen showed:

【Northwest three hundred li, the five leaders of Five Goat have poison that has penetrated to the marrow; the poisonous demons and their hosts share deep origins, dwelling behind Five Goat Peak, tail poison, seizing people's hearts and souls!】

This is practically a delivered gang of lackeys and a great help!

Just then, a group of fierce and vicious men rushed out from within the valley, each wielding blades; their leader was a woman, nine chi tall, with dark, rough skin, like an iron tower, her eyes wide open in anger, shouting: "Where did this brat come from? Dare to storm my Five Goat Stronghold—kill him!"

"Yes!"

Ten agile men snatched up spirit blades and spirit swords, charging straight at Heng Xian and his companion to cut them down.

Jian Ren collapsed on the ground in terror; these people are at least at the fourth or fifth level of Qi Condensation—there's no way we could match them!

Heng Xian didn't move a muscle, not even blinking an eyelid, until the blades were about to reach him, then he coldly said: "Coming from the outside world, I specialize in treating difficult and miscellaneous ailments, poison, and bewitching delusions—are you sure you want to hack me?"

"Uh..."

More than ten blades came to an abrupt halt right before his head, and the group of men stared at each other.

The leading sturdy woman widened her eyes: "Can you treat difficult and miscellaneous ailments and detoxify?"

Heng Xian said with a blank expression: "I can raise the dead, restore flesh to white bone, and even recall souls that have fled to the heavens; no matter how stubborn the illness, the medicine will eradicate it!"

Today I just happened to pass by this place, sensing that the pestilential qi envelops your stronghold, and I've come to lend you a hand!

This statement was rather pretentious; the sturdy woman's lips flipped outward as she turned and roared: "Master, a medical expert has come! Come out quickly!"

His shout shook heaven and earth; not long after, an old man resembling a scholar, leading a massive crowd, came flying over and arrived before the valley, anxiously asking: "Where? Where?"

The sturdy woman pointed at Heng Xian: "This!"

The old scholar looked at Heng Xian and couldn't help but be greatly disappointed: "A child? What sort of expert is this? Fatty, watch your mouth!"

Heng Xian immediately pretended to be counting on his fingers, saying: "From the omens, five people here are seriously ill; they'll likely die and go to the Yellow Springs in a few days. Alas, a bunch of fools, judging by appearance!"

Having said that, he turned and left.

The old scholar and the crowd's faces changed instantly; seeing him leave, they hurriedly swarmed around him, each panting, sizing him up from head to toe without cease.

The five heads had fallen ill; to prevent hostile forces from taking advantage and attacking, this was a secret, strictly forbidden to be leaked — and yet this boy actually figured it out?!

This is… a true master!

The old scholar simply bowed deeply: "I, an old man, have judged by appearance and apologize, sir. Can you really tell that five people are ill? Can you really cure them?"

Heng Xian calmly said: "No need to ask more; if you delay a moment, they'll be that much closer to death."

"Oh dear!"

A great crowd, astonished, all bowed deeply: "Please, sir, save our five heads!"

The despicable fellow stared at Heng Xian, then at the crowd, utterly dumbfounded.

Heng Xian rubbed his nose, gave a light cough, and said: "Hmm, lead the way ahead!"

(End of chapter)