Chapter 133: The Deal Is Sealed

(1/3)
Amidst the wild mountains, the rumble of thunder occasionally echoed.
Fang Junmei and Yang Xiaoman worked together, searching for spiritual roots and mystical objects scattered throughout this wilderness. Most of these were guarded by fierce beasts, making combat inevitable.
However, neither was an ordinary cultivator. Even if outmatched, their unique skills and seamless coordination allowed them to obtain their targets, albeit with some injuries.
After several days, their harvest was quite substantial.
On this day, after thoroughly harvesting the fruits from a Thunder Oak tree, they quickly fled. The fruit, called Thunder Essence Fruit, greatly enhanced the cultivation of thunder-affinity practitioners—far superior to even the finest thunder-elemental pills.
Unfortunately, neither was a thunder cultivator, so the fruits could only be sold or exchanged later.
“It’s a pity we can’t take the Thunder Oak tree with us and transplant it elsewhere. That would truly be a great gain,” Fang Junmei said, casting a regretful glance back as he mounted his sword shadow and departed.
Hearing this, Yang Xiaoman smiled and said, “Senior Brother, do you know there’s a storage item far more wondrous than ordinary storage bags or rings? It’s called a Plant Spirit Ring. Inside it exists a small, self-contained world, with space far surpassing our storage bags. It can even house unformed spiritual roots, nurturing them in an environment where spiritual energy is available for absorption.”
“Such a convenient thing exists?” Fang Junmei’s eyes widened in astonishment.
Yang Xiaoman nodded earnestly.
“Where can one buy such a thing?” Fang Junmei asked, genuinely interested.
Yang Xiaoman replied, “I’ve only heard of it. The materials and forging techniques are extremely demanding and complex. They are only found in distant, prosperous cultivation lands and certainly aren’t as common as storage bags. Among our Nine Great Sects, I doubt even half possess one. If you want one, you’ll have to seek it out in those flourishing cultivation realms.”
Fang Junmei nodded thoughtfully, then brightened after a deep breath. “Leaving the Thunder Oak behind might not be a bad thing. Someday, we’ll have disciples, and it’s good to leave some opportunities and experiences for the next generation.”
His words revealed a generous mindset.
Yang Xiaoman couldn’t help but cast a sly glance at him.
...
Unbeknownst to them, half a day after their departure, another cultivator arrived.
“Gone? Which bastard got here first?”
The newcomer was a rugged, tall young man clad in a blue tunic with sleeves rolled up, revealing strong muscular arms. A long sword-shaped magical weapon hung on his back. He was in the mid-stage of the Dao Embryo realm.
Seeing the Thunder Oak bereft of fruit, a cold gleam flashed in his eyes.
His name was Chaos Walker, one of the most talented descendants of the Chaos Clan, with his grandfather an elder of the family.
The Chaos Clan had many thunder cultivators; both Chaos Blade Lang and Chaos Walker were thunder cultivators. Before coming, his grandfather specifically told him about the Thunder Oak here and not to miss its fruit.
Chaos Walker’s first act upon arriving from the desert was to seek the Thunder Essence Fruit. However, having taken a wrong direction initially, he only managed to find the right path after much effort, only to discover the fruit had been taken.
Frustrated, a fierce light flashed in his eyes. After scanning around for signs and finding none, he pondered briefly before setting off in a direction only slightly off from Fang Junmei and Yang Xiaoman’s path.
...
The spiritual roots and mystical objects in the mountains were certainly not aligned in a straight line. When Fang Junmei and Yang Xiaoman discovered a target, they would divert to other directions, increasingly veering off course.
But fights always left behind broken traces, which could be found by those seeking them, leading to pursuit.
A day later, Yang Xiaoman suddenly turned her head and looked in a certain direction.
Fang Junmei stopped and looked there as well. His spiritual perception was still too weak to detect what Yang Xiaoman had found.

(2/3)
“There are two demonic cultivators battling a swarm of strange hornet-like beasts over there. I don’t recognize the hornet beasts, but I’ve heard that some honey produced by hornet-type beasts greatly enhances spiritual perception,” Yang Xiaoman said.
“That’s perfect, then. It would be a great help for our future quest for opportunities,” Fang Junmei’s eyes lit up. Among all cultivation matters, spiritual perception cultivation was the most troublesome for him due to lack of time.
“Shall we try to get some? They look like they’re struggling; whether they’ll succeed is another matter,” Yang Xiaoman asked with a mischievous smile.
Fang Junmei bore no strong prejudice against demonic cultivators and did not have a habit of randomly killing or robbing treasures. But if they couldn’t obtain the opportunity, that would be a different story.
“Let’s go!”
He nodded decisively and took the lead this time.
...
Soon, Fang Junmei’s spiritual perception revealed the battle scene, but he was taken aback.
In a valley carpeted with blooming flowers, a massive yellow beehive several dozen feet across hung on a cliff wall. Hornet-like beasts, about the size of fists, with menacing appearances, black yet translucent like jade, buzzed in and out, their drone chilling the spine.
The valley was beautiful with blooming flowers, but the overwhelming swarm of black hornet beasts made it perilous. Any reckless movement would invite a fatal sting.
At the valley entrance, two cultivators were locked in fierce combat with the black hornet beasts.
One was a young female cultivator in a pale yellow dress, her delicate appearance almost girlish, only in the mid-stage of the Mortal Realm. The other was none other than Chaos Blade Lang.
Chaos Blade Lang wielded his long sword, lightning flashing wildly.
The female cultivator wielded an unfamiliar strange magical artifact resembling a burning long piece of wood, emitting thick white smoke. With her other hand, she manipulated the smoke, blowing it gently toward the valley, her movements light and smooth.
Using smoke against hornet-type creatures was a common tactic. This smoke was no ordinary kind; it bore the scent of careful preparation.
Yet the black hornet beasts seemed unfazed, continuing their attacks undeterred. Those deeper in the valley even flapped their wings to create a storm-like airflow, blowing the white smoke back.
“Fang Junmei, you bastard! Rushing over here in such a hurry, what do you want? To steal my stuff?” Chaos Blade Lang spotted Fang Junmei’s arrival and shouted with a warning tone.
“Brother, I’ve told you before, those folks from the Dao Sect are all hypocritical scoundrels. Don’t trust them,” chirped a plaintive voice like a thrush. The female cultivator was Chaos Blade Lang’s sister, Chaos Liangyan. It was unknown how these siblings had passed the Crystal Forest.
“Scoundrels exist everywhere. What’s the difference between Daoists and demons?” Chaos Blade Lang retorted.
Fang Junmei listened, amused and helpless.
Had it been someone else, he wouldn’t have cared, but he had some friendship with Chaos Blade Lang.
“Senior Brother, you know them?” Yang Xiaoman asked.
Fang Junmei nodded. “That’s Chaos Blade Lang. I once teamed up with him.”
“What shall we do now?” Yang Xiaoman asked, perceptive of Fang Junmei’s loyal nature and her own lack of strong prejudice or bloodthirstiness toward demonic cultivators.
“Should I decide?” Fang Junmei considered, looking at Yang Xiaoman.

(3/3)
Yang Xiaoman nodded.
“Thank you, Senior Sister,” Fang Junmei said, cupping his hands politely.
Turning back, he didn’t notice Yang Xiaoman’s face flush slightly, suddenly feeling their brief exchange and his gentler demeanor just now seemed like a married couple’s awkward moment, memories of the scenes in the Lotus Blossom Flower rising unbidden in her mind.
“Brother Blade Lang, if you and your sister can take all the honey, my Senior Sister and I won’t set foot in that valley. It’s my way of repaying your help last time,” Fang Junmei slowed his pace, approaching and spoke loudly with sincerity. Yang Xiaoman stayed by his side.
They landed beneath a tree a few hundred yards away, watching from a distance. Fang Junmei added, “If you can’t or won’t take all the honey, don’t blame us for stepping in.”
His voice grew lazy, as if ready to watch a show.
Chaos Blade Lang’s face darkened. Though he was straightforward, he hadn’t reached a stage of complete trust with Fang Junmei. With two strangers watching his sister and him fight, could they really relax? What if they suddenly attacked?
“What kind of business is this!” Chaos Blade Lang muttered.
“Brother Blade Lang, don’t grumble. At least I can give you a promise. If it were others, they’d start grabbing immediately,” Fang Junmei smiled. Even if he offered help for free, Chaos Blade Lang and his sister wouldn’t believe it, nor could Yang Xiaoman be convinced.
“Also, a reminder: the smoke you’re releasing is rising high into the sky. If there are other cultivators nearby, they’ll definitely be drawn here,” Fang Junmei added.
Upon hearing this, the siblings’ faces grew even more troubled.
The battle continued.
...
Fang Junmei and Yang Xiaoman watched honestly from the sidelines.
Chaos Blade Lang and his sister fought hard, pushing forward against the black hornet beasts while communicating through spiritual transmissions.
“Fang Junmei, you bastard, you’re in on this too. Hurry and help! The honey split is seventy-thirty: we take seventy, you get thirty!” Chaos Blade Lang said impatiently after a while, looking resigned.
“Sixty-forty!” Fang Junmei countered directly. “You two take the larger share for discovering it first. I know that’s your bottom line. Agree quickly, don’t waste time.”
He easily guessed their true intentions.
“That bastard’s silver tongue is as sharp as ever!” Chaos Blade Lang’s face darkened further as he cursed inwardly.
“Deal. Let’s do it!” Chaos Blade Lang agreed.
iqqs
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End of page 3 of 3.