A large bowl of piping hot dicinal soup—Wang Chen gulped it down entirely in one go.
He smacked his lips, feeling sowhat depressed.
The concoction that Wang Chen had just consud was, in fact, the Dragon Tiger Strong Soul Soup, simred from the essence of Black Kui Snake and Spotted Tiger's flesh and blood.
It was ant to aid the practice of the Heavenly Dragon Vajra thod.
However, up to this day, the soup made following this recipe had only a minimal effect on his improvent.
To continue drinking it would be nothing but a waste of Spirit Stones.
To advance further, the only option was to change the main ingredients of the soup recipe.
Replace the Black Kui Snake with the Golden Silk Silver Ring Snake, the Spotted Tiger with the Red-Eyed Tiger, and also increase the age of the auxiliary ingredients.
Such a blend of concoction would be able to significantly improve his current situation.
But whether it was the Golden Silk Silver Ring Snake or the Red-Eyed Tiger, or even the higher-aged dicinal ingredients, gathering them all in Dongwu Stockade was undoubtedly a difficult task.
If only the Four Seas Comrce Association and Myriad Treasures Pavilion were still around, with enough Spirit Stones, one could easily buy or order these items, or even materials of higher tiers.
Regrettably, the branches of the Four Seas Comrce Association and Myriad Treasures Pavilion had long since withdrawn from the Cloud Sun Old Land.
If he wanted to do business with them, he would need to travel thousands of miles to other Immortal Cities.
Lands of the Guiyuan Gate or Five Peaks Mountain!
Wang Chen shook his head, changed into a robe, and left the underground chamber.
No sooner had he settled down at the breakfast stall than three young cultivators dressed in dark green and black attire took a seat at the neighboring table.
One of the cultivators slapped the table impatiently and clamored, "Boss, bring us fifteen beast at buns with lean at filling, three bowls of tofu pudding, and ten fried Evil Wraiths!"
The busy stall owner by the cauldron hastily agreed, "Just a mont, coming right up!"
"Hurry up!"
The young cultivator huffed, "If it's too slow, I'll flip your stall over!"
The stall owner incessantly nodded and smiled apologetically, imdiately instructing his wife to serve the tofu pudding and fried dough sticks.
These fried dough sticks, which should have been served to the custors waiting in line, were seized by those who demanded service first.
Yet, this behavior by the owner did not incite protest or opposition from the other diners.
Everyone bowed their heads to eat their own breakfast, none dared to glance at the three green-robed cultivators.
It was as if one more look could bring disaster upon themselves!
What had happened here?
Wang Chen wondered silently.
In the past five days, he had been cultivating in isolation within the underground chamber, oblivious to the outside world.
Clearly, so changes had taken place in Dongwu Stockade during this ti.
At least, these three haughty young cultivators were strangers to Wang Chen.
He noticed that on the left chest of each of them was embroidered a golden hook emblem!
Without revealing his thoughts, Wang Chen ordered his usual three items.
The three cultivators from the neighboring table wolfed down their food, cleanly polishing off everything served to them with voracious speed.
Then they got up and left without paying a di.
Not only did the stall owner not collect the al fee, he even bowed and nodded towards their retreating backs, "Take care, co again."
Such utter servility!
And while Wang Chen's buns and dough sticks had yet to be served, he overheard a diner next to him exclaim in surprise, "Five Broken Spirits? Weren't the beast at buns just three Broken Spirits each? How did they go up so much?"
With a pained expression, the stall owner's wife replied, "We have no choice, the prices of beast at and White Jade Rice have been rising, and starting this month, the dues for the City Lord's Mansion have doubled."
"We make a small profit and rely on you, our regular custors, to support us. If there was any other way..."
As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.
The diner fell silent and after a mont requested, "Then give three fatty at buns instead."
This breakfast stall sold two types of buns: beast at and fatty at. The forr was made from real Monster Beast at, which was good for strengthening Qi-Blood and nourishing the physique, and was therefore relatively expensive.
The fatty at bun, on the other hand, used pork fattened by farrs, a re belly-filling food rich in fats.
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Just like with the Tribute Rice.
In fact, the flour used for fatty at fire cakes is made from Tribute Rice mixed with gray wheat!
Where one used to eat fire cakes with beast at, now eating those with fatty at is obviously a sign of consumption downgrade.
Have the price of beast at and Spirit Rice gone up?
Have the fees due to the City Lord's Mansion doubled?
Although these two issues have nothing to do with Wang Chen.
He had previously acquired a considerable amount of loot, and the Spirit Rice and Monster Beast at stored in his Storage Bag could last him ten years.
There was no need for him to make additional purchases.
Wang Chen also didn't run a business.
Besides having to pay for Spirit Stones to rent a market stall, he had no obligation to pay any fees.
However, these two issues, along with the previous incident involving the three arrogant young cultivators, gave him a faint feeling that chaos was brewing!
A feeling of irritation inevitably crept into Wang Chen's heart.
He had painstakingly chosen Dongwu Stockade, a remote place, as his base to quietly survive until he reached Complete Qi Cultivation or even made his Breakthrough Mansion, and then to search for a way to the Upper Realm.
Over the past half year, not only had Wang Chen taken root in Dongwu Stockade, his cultivation was also going smoothly.
The Five Elents Skill, Heavenly Dragon Vajra thod, Thunderbolt Sword Technique, and even the Mystical Mirage Dragon Jue had all made considerable progress.
Complete Qi Cultivation was within reach!
Wang Chen genuinely hoped that Dongwu Stockade, the place that sheltered him—a Loose Cultivator—would remain peaceful and stable.
But reality seed to always be against him!
When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. If sothing were to happen to Dongwu Stockade, how could Wang Chen possibly continue to hide?
The underground nest he had painstakingly dug out might have to be abandoned once again.
How exasperating!
What annoyed Wang Chen the most was that he didn't even know who to curse at!
In an effort to find answers, Wang Chen quickly finished his breakfast and then hurried to the teahouse to "listen to the broadcast".
Interestingly, the breakfast shop owner did not charge Wang Chen more for the Spirit Stones.
He indicated that he would do so at the new prices next ti.
But Wang Chen still gave ten extra Fragnted Spirit Stones, not wanting to take advantage of the small benefit.
The owner really had a hard ti.
It wasn't until half a two-hour period had passed while sitting in the teahouse that Wang Chen pieced together the truth from the idle chatter of a group of patrons.
Five days ago, on the day he began his retreat, the lord of Dongwu Stockade, Xin Han—the Superior—accepted a female cultivator into his sect.
Then the next day, this Purple Mansion Superior announced the establishnt of the Dongwu Defense Hall and summoned a group of family retainers and Guest Elders to join.
The one appointed as the Hall Master of the Defense Hall was none other than the younger brother of Xin Han's new Dao Companion.
Golden Snake Gentleman, Jin Liancheng!
Just like that, a powerful force erged in Dongwu Stockade, a Loose Cultivator's stronghold.
The cultivators from Dongwu Defense Hall began patrolling the streets, collecting double the fees from shops and businesses.
They wouldn't take Spirit Stones when going to restaurants!
In just a few days' ti, they turned Dongwu Stockade into a miserable place.
Everyone spoke about the newly established Dongwu Defense Hall in hushed, fearful tones, their voices brimming with suppressed anger but cautious.
The atmosphere in the teahouse beca oppressive!
Wang Chen also heard a rumor that Xin Han's Dao Companion was a female cultivator from the Hehuan Sect.
This Purple Mansion Superior was said to be utterly bewitched!
At last, Wang Chen knew whom to curse at.
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The first installnt is here.
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