Chapter 92: Is There Land to Farm There?
Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Is There Land to Farm There?
Experiencing the Flying Sword for the first time, Chen Mo finally felt what true speed was.
Although the Spirit Snake Body Technique was by no means weak, it was still limited to running on two legs. No matter how fast it was, it couldn’t hold a candle to Sword Flight. What would originally be a journey of one or two hours took barely a few minutes in the air.
To put it in concepts from Chen Mo’s past life, it was the difference between walking on foot and riding a high-speed train. Otherwise, given the vastness of the Cyan Yang Sect, traveling from one peak to another would likely take days! Let alone traversing the continents and nations that lay beyond the Immortal Sect!
Without the means of Sword Control, one could forget about ever leaving the Cyan Yang Sect’s Earth Realm to witness the sheer scale and magnificence of the entire Cultivation Realm in this lifetime.
In the blink of an eye, the three men and one chicken descended upon the Ancient Dust Marketplace. As they walked along the bluestone Great Dao, the most eye-catching sight was not this soon-to-be Pavilion Master of the White Snake Marketplace, but rather the Spirit Chicken that stood taller than a grown man! Such an exaggerated presence would draw stares no matter where it went.
After walking a few hundred paces, the trio arrived at the Fragrance Pavilion. Before they could even enter, Hong Yan led two Female Cultivators, Yu Xi and Yun Rou, out to greet them with beaming smiles.
"Shopkeeper Song? You haven’t graced us with your presence in years!" Hong Yan said, her tone carrying a hint of playful reproach. "Since you didn’t come, Fellow Daoist Chen refused to visit as well! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve invited him."
"Do you think Brother Chen is like me, who likes to spend all day wallowing in the laps of women?" Song Yunxi teased self-deprecatingly.
"Not at all. Please... come right in."
Song Yunxi and Chen Mo strode inside, while Mei Hua stood at the entrance, not taking a single step further. This was his first time. In the past, he simply didn’t have the qualifications to accompany the Shopkeeper to the Fragrance Pavilion, leaving him momentarily torn over whether to enter or not.
"Come in!" Song Yunxi turned his head and said sternly. "I’m counting on you to manage the family business in the future. How can you be so inexperienced?"
Hearing these words, Mei Hua was instantly deeply moved. Cradling the massive Spirit Chicken, he moved to follow them inside.
"H-hold on," someone stammered.
"Ah?" Mei Hua thought the staff of the Fragrance Pavilion were barring his entry!
"Is... is this a chicken?"
"Oh, right!" Song Yunxi explained. "This is the chicken my Brother Chen raised. Well? Isn’t it huge?"
"Indeed, they are both very big!" Yu Rou, standing to the side, nodded earnestly.
The crowd was baffled.
"Go, find a top-tier chef to prepare a full Spirit Chicken feast today. Put the cost of the necessary side dishes on my tab!"
"Right away!"
Hong Yan was also a Cultivator; it was just a Spiritual Bird, after all. She could certainly handle it. Mei Hua handed over the chicken in his arms and quickly caught up with the others as they headed up to Earth Character Room Two. This place had practically become Song Yunxi’s designated private room; he was seated here every time he visited.
The three of them took their seats, and their drinks were soon served. Song Yunxi took the initiative to raise his wine cup, draining it in a single gulp.
"Where has Brother Song been all these days?"
"Ugh! Don’t even ask. I was locked up by my uncle for two years!"
"Ah?!" Mei Hua was startled.
Chen Mo, on the other hand, asked with a smile, "I suppose you were in secluded cultivation to break through to the Qi Refining Eighth Layer?"
"As expected, Brother Chen understands me best!"
"You flatter me. What about the good news you mentioned?"
Song Yunxi wasn’t in a hurry to answer. Instead, he replied with a question of his own, "My matters can wait. Brother Chen, I have something to ask you."
"Please speak."
"How do you view me, this unlikely big brother of yours?"
Chen Mo furrowed his brow slightly, sounding a bit displeased. "What kind of question is that? I treat others as they treat me! If others treat me well, I will treat them well in return!"
"And if they treat you poorly?"
"If people leave me alone, I leave them alone. If they cross me, I’ll kill them if I can. But if I can’t..."
"If you can’t? What then?"
"If I can’t, I’ll ask my big brother to do it for me!"
"Hahaha! Excellent! Excellent!"
Chen Mo’s words put Song Yunxi in a fantastic mood! Although their hobbies were entirely different, he felt that the more they talked, the more like-minded they became.
"Brother Chen, if I were to ask you to move to a different place, would you be willing?"
"Is there land to farm?" Chen Mo asked in return.
"You’re not going to ask where?"
"I don’t care where it is, as long as I can grow crops and raise chickens."
Listening from the side, Mei Hua’s eyes widened. He genuinely couldn’t fathom what was so great about being a Spirit Plant Cultivator.
"There is! There definitely is!"
"Then I’ll go."
As a Spirit Plant Cultivator, Chen Mo’s only assets were a house and a chicken coop that had cost him fifty taels of Spiritual Sand to build. Compared to how much Song Yunxi had looked after him, these worldly possessions were absolutely nothing. If he had to abandon them, so be it!
"Great! Then in two days, you’ll come with me to the White Snake Marketplace?"
"The White Snake Marketplace?"
KNOCK! KNOCK KNOCK! A crisp series of knocks echoed from outside the door.
"Who is it?" Song Yunxi called out.
"Fellow Daoist Song, I am Cui Ji. I have come to pay a visit."
Cui Ji? Chen Mo furrowed his brows slightly, still remembering the man. Back then, it was this very Steward of the Niu Mansion who had crossed his name off the roster.
"I’m busy! I won’t see you!"
Hmm? Chen Mo looked at Song Yunxi in surprise, but he quickly understood. They were heading to the White Snake Marketplace; naturally, there was no longer any need to give face to a mere Steward.
"Will you not see me either?"
A deep, hearty laugh drifted in from the corridor as the door was pushed open. "Master Song, surely you must give Old Niu a little face?"
Niu Youliang?! Shocked, Mei Hua hurriedly sprang to his feet. The man standing before them was none other than the Pavilion Master of the Ancient Dust Marketplace! Who didn’t know him? Who hadn’t heard of him?
While Mei Hua was reeling in shock, Chen Mo turned his head in astonishment to look at Song Yunxi. "Pavilion Master?"
"Haha! Brother Chen! Do you have any idea how much I suffered during my two years of secluded cultivation? I had no Female Cultivators to sleep with, and no good wine to drink. It was miserable, utterly miserable."
Chen Mo couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Ever since he had arrived in this world, he had spent almost every single day in grueling cultivation. Was it miserable? Chen Mo thought about it for a moment. It actually was pretty miserable.
"Mind if I take a seat?"
"Please do, Master Niu!"
Song Yunxi was a shrewd and tactful man. Since the other party had hurried over at this time, it was clearly to build goodwill. After all, Marketplaces would inevitably have dealings with each other in the future, wouldn’t they?
With a wave of Niu Youliang’s hand, Cui Ji, who stood behind him, took a bottle of wine out of his Storage Ring. "Today is a joyous occasion; drink mine!"
"Then I won’t be polite."
"And this is?"
"Song’s brother."
Niu Youliang looked Chen Mo up and down, seemingly having a faint impression of him. He appeared to be a Spirit Plant Cultivator from the Ancient Dust Marketplace! Logically speaking, a lowly Spirit Plant Cultivator wouldn’t even have the qualifications to meet him, let alone sit at the same table! At this moment, however, Niu Youliang didn’t put on any airs. Instead, he took the initiative to offer, "Will you also have a cup, fellow Daoist?"
"There’s no rush! No rush at all! How about we wait until the food is served before drinking?" Song Yunxi shook his head, gently pushing the wine cup back down.
"Food? What good food could possibly come from a pleasure house?" Niu Youliang said disdainfully. "Master Song, don’t blame me for being a coarse man, but the Spirit Rice, wine, and food here really aren’t anything special."
"Just wait a little longer. Have some patience."
Song Yunxi smiled as he tapped the edge of the table. This scene left Niu Youliang utterly baffled.
Finally, after about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the steady sound of approaching footsteps echoed from outside the door. Then, the door opened, and a whole roasted chicken—larger than a grown man—was served!