21. Bandits Attack
As the moon shone high in the sky, He Chen arrived under its light, feeling refreshed and invigorated. If he had such energy and a pure heart when he was Zhuangzi dreaming of being a butterfly, where would he have reached in his life?
The sound of the door opening startled He Chen; he already sensed it. Someone had brought Xie Huayu back, presumably after they had recaptured the caravan. Hearing the voices, he said, "You can go back now. We'll discuss other matters tomorrow!"
Moreover, he himself is a first-tier person. It seems that he cannot underestimate the people of this world. He just killed Steward Hai and gained 350 kill points. With the others added together, he now has a total of 900 kill points.
While she was pondering this, Jie Huayu had already returned to the Taoist temple. Seeing He Chen waiting for her, she was deeply moved.
He said, "Thank you. The entire caravan now belongs to me. Once I achieve great success on this trip, I will definitely humiliate that wretched woman severely and drive her out of the Xie family. Let's see if she can still smile then!"
It seems that he really hates his opponents!
He Chen remained silent. He didn't want to concern himself with such matters. It was just a casual act, a simple act of revenge to avoid being seen as a fool. He still wanted to travel across the beautiful land in the future!
Then, she was embraced around the waist, and a whispered message came from her ear, "Thank you, thank you so much!"
The quiet night was suddenly disrupted by the strange cries of wild birds in the distance. Two hours later, exhausted, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
As dawn broke, He Chen was already in a cheerful mood!
After swallowing a Qi-Nourishing Pill, I felt every cell in my body was filled with joy, as if I had taken a super-strengthening tonic. The medicinal power penetrated my entire body, and my body became fuller again!
I ate the other one too, and I felt so lazy all over!
Looking at the 900 kill points, He Chen added them all to the Thunderfire Heart Technique, holding the Three-Leaf Golden Fungus in his hand, ready to eat it at any time.
The Thunderfire Heart Technique instantly leveled up to 340. Observing himself...
Divine Skill: Three Thousand Layers of Divine Bell Shield, currently at the three thousandth layer of bronze-level Divine Bell Shield.
Swordsmanship: One strike, three thousand cuts; currently, one strike, five cuts.
Weapon: Gentleman's Blade, Sturdy and Sharp, Level 11
Inner Strength Technique: Thunderfire Inner Strength Technique, Level 340
Realm: Rank 3
Kill Points: 100
Exchangeable items: Contract of Life and Death, Spatial Ring, Cloud Piercing Arrow
The power of the cultivation technique has increased significantly, the spiritual energy within my body is more concentrated, a great cycle has been generated, and my cultivation level has risen to the third rank!
Ordinary candles have a temperature of around 350 degrees Celsius. Now, the power of the Thunderfire Heart Technique is more than double that of before. The higher the level of the Heart Technique, the more the power increases!
Having cultivated his true body through the power of heavenly thunder and earthly fire, at this moment, all impurities, both tangible and intangible, within and without his true body, including his mind and consciousness, have been expelled, rendering him impervious to all magic and further strengthening his physical body.
One step is estimated to be a hundred feet high and far. Only by using the physical body as a boat can one reach the other shore. Immortals regard the physical body as a shell, while the soul and consciousness are immortal. Who is right and who is wrong is not important. There are thousands of great paths, and what suits you is the right one!
He Chen pushed off the ground with his feet and soared upwards, flying a hundred feet high. He looked down at the entire market and saw everything. There wasn't even a single sparrow flying around! In the distance, pedestrians were cautiously making their way to the market in oxcarts!
Then he slowly descended, and Xiang felt so good! Moreover, he didn't feel particularly hungry. It seemed that the effects of the cultivation pill had been stored in his cells, or perhaps he had been in a deficit before.
So I stopped worrying and ate all the ginseng and the three-leaf golden fungus. I was so full that my cells felt like they were about to burst!
The sounds of cooking came from the kitchen. Sister Lan got up to cook. After a while, Xie Huayu also got up, came to her side, and snuggled into her arms, suggesting, "My lord, let me hire a few helpers to cook, so Sister Lan can rest more."
"Okay," He Chen nodded, "I'll talk to Sister Lan about it later."
In addition, children also need to learn about reading. There are no schools in this market, only in the county town. But if you don't read, something is always missing. In the world of butterflies, reading can't completely change your life, but at least you can learn something!
He Chen stepped out of the door, and Jin Luo and others were waiting in the main hall. Jin Luo saw him and immediately went up to report.
"Sir, we've received intelligence that some bandits in the surrounding mountains may attack today. Our market has seen a large influx of people and a high volume of transactions these past few days, so we may have been targeted by bandits."
'These messages are being secretly passed around by various people. We're now the eyes and ears of the entire market. Anyone willing to provide accurate information is being paid a hefty sum. We've been spending quite a bit of money lately.'
He Chen nodded and said,
"It's alright. We're not short of money these days. Go to Steward Weng's place later and get some. The information is very important, so spending a little more is fine. Don't be stingy. Keep a close eye on the bandits."
This market is developing rapidly; you can recruit a few more people to gather information and intelligence, so you won't have to worry about expenses!
Steward Weng also said, "Yes, sir, our market tax revenue has been very good recently, exceeding three thousand taels. The silver is all stored in the chest in your backyard. Please check it when you have time. Moreover, many villagers are willing to come and trade. Your sir's prowess has attracted many people from the surrounding area."
Such a little flattery, yet it makes everyone happy!
He Chen smiled happily, "Okay, if we don't have enough people, we'll expand our own. We need to select the right people, not slackers, and have someone infiltrate us."
As for the bandits, just send people to keep watch on the crossroads. If they come, don't worry. If they dare to come, just make sure they don't leave alive!
"Steward Weng, could you please find someone in the market who is relatively literate? I'm planning to open a school for the children of the market to learn to read. Anyone from any family is welcome to come. We can teach during the busy farming season and the off-season. Both boys and girls are welcome. Lunch will be provided, and a steamed bun will be given for dinner!"
Butler Weng, Jin Feng, and Jin Luo were all stunned. This was incredibly good news.
They bowed in unison and said, "Your Excellency is merciful."
He Chen thought to himself, 'No, it's not that I'm merciful; I'm not qualified to be merciful. It's just that in Zhuangzi's butterfly dream, everyone can read books. Only the strong are qualified to be merciful and benevolent, and I am not yet one!'
He continued, "Also, Jinluo, ask the village if they'd be willing to relocate here. The benefits will be the same, 25%."
Jinlu quickly thanked him, "Yes, sir, I will send someone there immediately!"
Steward Weng found an experienced teacher to open a school, allowing all children from the market, regardless of gender, to attend. Lunch was provided, and a steamed bun was given in the evening! This news spread quickly, and the people of the market and the villages that had moved there couldn't believe it.
Studying is never cheap; the poor study literature, the rich study martial arts. Even studying literature is not something one family can afford! The sense of unity among the market participants instantly surged!
All sorts of news were quickly gathered into Jinluo's hands!
The night was slightly chilly, and the wind grew stronger as darkness fell. We huddled together under the covers for warmth. It was another restless night, but after a long day of cultivation, I finally fell into a deep sleep.
He Chen felt something in his mind and gently took out his hands and feet that were being pressed down. Then, he went into the courtyard, stepped on the ground, and burst into the air. In less than the blink of an eye, he was already flying high, hundreds of feet high. From a distance, a group of people and horses came in the darkness!
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