The Bizarre Mist Maiden departed, leaving behind a field of desiccated corpses and their safely preserved Storage Bags.
Inside the Storage Bags was their entire fortune, which made people's eyes burn with covetousness.
The chilling presence of the Bizarre Demons couldn't suppress the greed in human hearts.
The most audacious of the Loose Cultivators took the lead, rushing out from the Guardian Formation of the Great Wilderness Market and charging towards the desiccated corpses. The bold thrive, while the timid starve! For low-ranking Loose Cultivators, it was difficult to change their fate, and opportunities to strike it rich were scarce; missing out was simply not an option.
"This is mine!"
"Get lost!"
"Dare to snatch my Storage Bag, and I'll kill you!"
More and more Loose Cultivators joined the fray, which eventually devolved into a chaotic scramble with fifty or sixty people fighting over the spoils. Many sought to take advantage of the chaos, targeting the Storage Bags of others. In the struggle for wealth, a large-scale brawl erupted among the Loose Cultivators.
The weaker Loose Cultivators were the first to die. In battles between Cultivators, only the strongest could laugh last.
Jia Ren didn't act like a Carrion Vulture; he stood at a distance, using the Spirit Eye Technique to observe. Large-scale battles among Loose Cultivators were uncommon. Observing fellow Cultivators' combat methods could compensate for his lack of fighting experience. The path of cultivation was long, and one never knew when such observations might prove useful.
Is there still evil energy? Jia Ren's gaze swept across the brawling Loose Cultivators, settling on those who had touched the corpses. The Spirit Eye Technique revealed that those who touched the corpses were tainted with a faint evil energy. Though not as strong as the Bizarre Mist Maiden's aura, it's still an infection… Can evil energy be transmitted through contact? The Bizarre Mist Maiden incident isn't over, and Evil Warding Talismans are likely to rise in price. I must earn Spirit Stones quickly to buy Evil Warding Talismans!
An unprecedented sense of urgency rose within Jia Ren. I don't want to end up like those old Cultivators I saw in the Market, who, after being corrupted by evil energy, desperately pleaded for Evil Warding Talismans to no avail, their hearts filled with resentment. It's better to rely on myself than to ask others for help! Purchasing Evil Warding Talismans to prevent trouble before it starts is the best strategy.
Time to earn some Spirit Stones! Jia Ren couldn't help but recall the pest infestation. Was it, as I conjectured, a man-made event? Almost two days have passed since then; there should be some news by now.
"Daoist Yang Bingzhi, may I inquire about the outcome of the pest infestation?" Jia Ren had exchanged Sound Transmission Talismans with Yang Bingzhi before and now used one to ask about the situation.
Previously, he definitely wouldn't have wanted to get involved. But without his bait business, he could only rely on pest extermination to earn some Spirit Stones.
On his way to the Market, he bought an Evil Warding Talisman for ten Spirit Stones. Thankfully, the vendor hadn't heard any news, so the price of Evil Warding Talismans hadn't increased yet.
After spending ten Spirit Stones, his savings plummeted to just two Spirit Stones and seven Fragmented Spirit Stones. Spirit Stones are spent so quickly! I don't even have enough to buy that Spirit Beast Bag I liked.
"Daoist Jia, let's meet and talk in detail."
The two agreed to meet at the West District Market. It wasn't long before Jia Ren met Yang Bingzhi. Compared to before, Yang Bingzhi seemed elated and full of spirit.
"I haven't yet thanked you for your help, Daoist Jia. Let's head to the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion."
Yang Bingzhi led Jia Ren into the gorgeously decorated Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion. He found a private room and ordered a pot of Spiritual Tea and two plates of pastries. This alone cost three Spirit Stones—truly extravagant.
Once the soundproof barrier was activated, Yang Bingzhi, no longer needing to be discreet, recounted the events of the past two days in detail.
"Daoist Jia, your foresight is remarkable! There was a renegade among the Spirit Farmers. Last night, someone was caught red-handed sneaking in Corner Worm Eggs."
"The Spirit Rice fields and Spirit Vein of Grand Wilderness Mountain suffered serious damage. The Five Elements Sect was enraged and is determined to investigate this matter thoroughly."
"The entire Pest Removal Team has been disgraced and summoned by the Law Enforcement Office. The news is being kept under tight wraps; very few people know."
"Daoist Jia, you've helped the Spirit Farmers immensely!"
"Otherwise, we would have been completely swindled by those bloodsucking leeches!" Thinking back on it, Yang Bingzhi still seethed with hatred. If Jia Ren hadn't suggested the pest infestation might be man-made, Yang Bingzhi certainly wouldn't have reported it to the Five Elements Sect. Furthermore, he wouldn't have discovered the disgusting practices of those bloodsucking leeches. The Spirit Farmers would not only have been charged exorbitant pest removal fees but also burdened with unpayable debts. It was truly like they were being bled dry, driving the Spirit Farmers to their doom!
So my guess was correct? Jia Ren was overjoyed. With the hidden threat of the Pest Removal Team gone, pest extermination was now a viable option.
"The Five Elements Sect is taking this matter very seriously. There are even rumors that the higher-ups intend to reward me."
"Daoist Jia, you played a significant role in this. I'll split the reward with you!"
A reward from the Five Elements Sect? I wonder what it will be? With the Five Elements Sect's resources, even the smallest bit leaking from their fingers would be a vast fortune for low-level Loose Cultivators like me.
The disaster in the Spirit Fields had a significant impact. The Spirit Veins were also greatly affected, with losses far exceeding a mere thousand or two Spirit Stones. This is shaking the very foundation of the Five Elements Sect! No organization or power would tolerate such an incident; they would undoubtedly resolve it with thunderous might. The Five Elements Sect discovered this matter largely thanks to Yang Bingzhi's report. The sect would surely reward him generously, using it as an incentive. In the future, if similar incidents occurred, Cultivators would naturally compete to report them.
"Daoist Jia, thank you for your help with the Corner Worm disaster. You are truly my lucky star." A broad smile spread across Yang Bingzhi's face; the Corner Worm disaster had been perfectly resolved.
"But the reward might not be so easy to obtain!" Jia Ren cautioned. "Although the Five Elements Sect is strong, the hidden forces daring to cause trouble are not weak. It's not guaranteed they'll all be caught in one go. If even one slips through the net, it could mean disaster for both of us—one we cannot bear. It would be best to take the reward, change our appearances, and leave Grand Wilderness Mountain."
Yang Bingzhi, like Jia Ren, was a Cultivator at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement. A Cultivator at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement receiving a reward from the Five Elements Sect would surely attract envious eyes. Whether it was retaliation for reporting the pest disaster or greed incited by the Five Elements Sect's reward, it was possible someone might target them.
"Yang Mou understands. After this matter is settled, I will leave Grand Wilderness Mountain." Yang Bingzhi knew that heeding good advice was always wise. Now that the Spirit Farmers' pest disaster was resolved, he wasn't about to risk his life.
"I have a matter I'd like to ask for your help with, Daoist Yang," Jia Ren said. "My bait business has run into problems, so I'll have to rely on pest extermination to make a living for a while. I hope you can help me with some introductions."
If he were to offer pest extermination services unannounced, the Spirit Farmers definitely wouldn't trust him. However, it would be relatively easier and the barrier to entry lower if he had a familiar acquaintance to introduce him.
"My rate for pest extermination is five Spirit Stones per ten acres."
Spirit Farmers didn't have many Spirit Stones. Jia Ren didn't intend to profit excessively from their misfortune; a normal rate for pest extermination would suffice. His efficiency was several times faster than typical pest exterminators, so his rate of earning Spirit Stones wouldn't be slow. Most importantly, it would increase his Proficiency Level.
"Daoist Jia, on behalf of the Spirit Farmers, I thank you!" Yang Bingzhi exclaimed. "First, you discovered the pest disaster and helped solve the root of the problem. Now, you're not taking advantage of our plight and are offering pest extermination at the usual price. Daoist Jia, you truly have a noble character!"
"I'm short on Spirit Stones lately," Jia Ren said. "Let's go to Heavenly River Square and earn a good sum."
Yang Bingzhi was a trustworthy person, worthy of befriending. An ordinary Cultivator would have definitely kept the entire reward from the Five Elements Sect for themselves, not even mentioning splitting it with Jia Ren. Since Yang Bingzhi treated others with sincerity, Jia Ren naturally believed in repaying kindness with kindness.
"Earn Spirit Stones at Heavenly River Square?" Yang Bingzhi asked, puzzled. "Daoist Jia, you're not thinking of going to the Heavenly River Square casino, are you?! Absolutely not! Daoist Jia, don't get involved with gambling. No matter how many Spirit Stones you have, it'll never be enough to fill that pit!"
Hearing Jia Ren mention earning Spirit Stones at Heavenly River Square, Yang Bingzhi's first thought was of its infamous casino. What truly made Heavenly River Square famous wasn't its underground money-lending operations, but its casino. Everyone has a gambling streak, whether big or small. The Great Wilderness Market was fiercely competitive. Low-level Loose Cultivators who saw no future often placed their hopes on striking it rich overnight at the Heavenly River Square casino. Striking it rich rarely happened; going bankrupt, however, was a common occurrence. Zhou Lezhi was a prime example. Whenever he had a little money, he threw it all into Heavenly River Square. Now, effectively working as a lackey for Heavenly River Square, he was likely indebted and controlled by them.
"I'm not going to gamble," Jia Ren clarified. "I intend to take out a loan from Heavenly River Square!"
Undoubtedly, Heavenly River Square must have been implicated in the Corner Worm incident and suffered for it. If I can borrow a sum of Spirit Stones before the Five Elements Sect moves to dismantle Heavenly River Square, then once it's gone, the debt will become uncollectible.
He explained his speculation to Yang Bingzhi, whose expression grew excited as he listened.
"Invite a few more Spirit Farmers," Jia Ren added. "If there are Spirit Stones to be made, let's all earn them together!"
Bringing in more people would allow them to act as 'Carrion Vultures' towards Heavenly River Square. Unlike the life-and-death struggles outside the Market, this plan involved much less risk. His intention in involving more Spirit Farmers was to spread the risk. Otherwise, Jia Ren 'fleecing the sheep' alone would be too conspicuous and could easily attract unwanted attention and resentment.