Di Nvfeng found it hard to accept that the latest issue of the Seven Stars Gazette contained an article that was particularly vexing to her.
It detailed an incident during the Shu Mountain Summit where two powerful figures plundered the Shu Mountain's golden patterned berries.
For this reason, a disciple of the Wind Capture Hall, Zhang Xiaohan, made a special trip to Silver Sword Peak to conduct an exclusive interview, delving into the secrets of the golden patterned berries.
Little did she know, a single glance would be enough to startle her.
These seemingly unremarkable berries actually possessed miraculous effects: they could bolster virility in men and enhance beauty in women.
But the truly magical nature of these berries could only be understood by tracing their origins...
Zhang Xiaohan began her tale with "Borrowing an Umbrella by the Lake" and ended with "Stealing Fruit from the Immortal Mountain". Due to space limitations, the fascinating "Berry Chronicles" were not concluded, but she promised the rest would appear in the next issue of the Seven Stars Gazette.
Reading this made Di Nvfeng's chest heave violently, her eyes ablaze with fury, as if three corpses were jumping in anger and her five spirits were soaring, culminating in a roar of "Waaah!"
Meanwhile, on Silver Sword Peak.
It was one thing for her disciple, Chu Liang, to have an article spanning thousands of words, but even the berries had an exclusive interview... and damn it, it was spread over two issues.
And all she got was a mere "Di Nvfeng, etc."
Fuming, she was ready to storm out and confront that old thief at the Tian Shu Pavilion to settle the score.
Just as she was about to leave, Chu Liang strolled in casually, "Master, oh? Are you going out?"
"Yes," Di Nvfeng replied, fuming.
"What's the rush, Master? What do you need to do?" Chu Liang inquired.
"Beat up an old thing," Di Nvfeng answered succinctly.
Chu Liang's eyebrows twitched, and he quickly said, "Disciple has something to report to Master, please calm down for a moment."
"Speak quickly, don't let him get away if it's too late," Di Nvfeng said.
Chu Liang then reported, "Disciple has made some achievements this time, and the Sect Leader has rewarded me with the same treatment as the chief disciple, which means I'll receive five thousand Sword Coins as a monthly stipend from now on."
Hearing this, Di Nvfeng's attention shifted, "Not bad, my disciple! But why tell me this? Are you planning to share some with your master?"
"Share?" Chu Liang chuckled, "Share what? I plan to offer all five thousand Sword Coins of my monthly stipend to Master every month, as a token of gratitude for the years of nurturing."
"Ah?" Di Nvfeng's eyes widened in disbelief, "They say raising disciples is like preparing for old age, I didn't believe it... Could it be true?"
"It's my duty," Chu Liang said, pausing before adding, "However, there's another matter for which I'd like to ask for Master's assistance."
"Speak!" Di Nvfeng, now beaming with joy at the prospect of money, generously said, "From now on, let's be buddies, and don't be shy about asking for help."
"With the Shu Mountain Summit and the Seven Stars Gazette's publicity, our Silver Sword Peak's golden patterned berries have become quite famous. Surely many will come out of curiosity," Chu Liang said slowly.
"I plan to expand the plantation and create a dedicated picking garden for these visitors to enjoy picking the berries themselves, which they can then purchase at the original price."
"I've arranged for Xiao Yu to manage the orchard, with the Golden-haired Bing as security," Chu Liang finally got to the point, "But their brains aren't the sharpest, so I'd like to ask Master to oversee things, to protect our Silver Sword Peak's assets in case of trouble."
This idea had only occurred to him today.
After reading the Seven Stars Gazette and seeing many Shu Mountain disciples coming to buy berries, and others wanting to visit the plantation to see if the half-stolen orchard was real, he realized that Xiao Yu alone couldn't keep up with the harvesting. With the Gazette's publicity, more curious visitors were inevitable.
It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".
Chu Liang thought it best to simply create a picking garden, letting them pick for themselves,
saving on labor while offering visitors the fun of the experience. He could even add extra features to the garden, such as paying an extra fifty Sword Coins to skip the queue, eighty for a blessing from a cute koi, or a hundred to ride a Bing for half an hour of picking...
But he couldn't always be there to watch over things, and the security of the garden was a concern. Although the last theft hadn't been a loss, it was a wake-up call.
In the world of martial arts, one must always guard against thieves.
The only one he could rely on at Silver Sword Peak was his master.
Although in terms of wisdom, it was like adding a brainless head to another brainless head, which didn't make much difference. But when it came to martial prowess, a guardian Feng was far more reassuring than a guardian Bing.
Spending five thousand Sword Coins to hire a seventh realm powerhouse as a security guard seemed like a surefire profit.
Of course, there was a chance that Master might cause trouble, so he decided it would be best if Di Nvfeng didn't have to be there all the time, just show up when needed.
With this arrangement, the security of Silver Sword Peak's garden would no longer be a concern.
Di Nvfeng looked at him with a sense of finding a kindred spirit, "So you sought my help because of my wisdom?"
Chu Liang nodded vigorously: "Of course!"
***
On the vast sea, a solitary island.
A girl in bright red stood alone, gazing into the distance, when a bird arrived, delivering a jade scroll. She reached out to catch it, flipped through it, and suddenly her eyes widened in surprise.
"Chu Liang?" she murmured to herself.
This girl was none other than Xu Hongqiu, the young miss of the Four Seas Whale Gang.
After the disappearance of the gang leader Xu Baxan, the Whale Gang's internal situation took a sudden turn. With the election day approaching and no sign of Xu Baxan's return, the position of gang leader would undoubtedly fall into Jiang Shenting's hands. Most people began to support Jiang Shenting of the Eastern Whale Gang, with only a few still hoping for the return of the gang leader.
Xu Hongqiu had been drifting in the Western Sea searching for her father, never giving up hope.
Seeing that somewhat familiar name in the Seven Stars Gazette, she remembered their previous encounter in Glutton City. That impressive young man had indeed achieved fame.
Regardless, the fact that he had slain The Taowu was shocking. The Sky-devouring Python that had consumed her father and caused his disappearance was only a beast of the same level as The Taowu!
***
In the Eastern Domain's Chaoyang City.
As the hustle and bustle outside grew lively, Xue Lingxue, dressed in an ice-blue gown, was still disheveled and curled up lazily in a chair, looking somewhat tired.
She had just finished a tour performance the day before and had rushed over to support her junior sister Shen Qingyan.
Each tour performance for a disciple of the music sector was akin to a draining battle, leaving them exhausted in spirit and vitality.
Technically, she and Shen Qingyan were competitors, but since they were close, supporting each other with a song during their tours was a gesture of goodwill, helping to soften the rivalry between their supporters.
While waiting, she flipped through the Seven Stars Gazette beside her and suddenly noticed a name.
"Chu Liang..."
He had made a memorable impression during his performance before her own tour, and she had felt that he was destined for fame.
Had his time finally come?
***
In a subterranean world where lava flowed and the intense heat turned everything pitch black, like a fiery purgatory.
Suddenly, a robust figure leaped from the lava, bathing in the scorching liquid as if it were nothing. As the lava rolled off his body, he shook himself and dressed.
His features were sharp and defined, with a youthful appearance yet a mature demeanor. His cold face only softened by the fierce light in his eyes.
He picked up a copy of the Seven Stars Gazette, glanced through it, and casually tossed it into the lava.
"The Ming King Sect has suffered a heavy blow, it's time for Flame Demon Valley to rise."
"Chu Liang..."
Proofreader & Editor: Lotas