SWDnovel Chapter 54, 2 dogs fell behind.
Chapter 54, 2 dogs fell behind.
"Ergou, why are you so late?" Yang Changsheng looked up at him, his tone flat, revealing little emotion.
He noticed that Wang Ergou's aura was still stagnant at the second level of Qi Refining, showing almost no progress compared to two years ago.
Aside from going with him to the now-renamed Liujiagang Immortal Cultivation Town and making a small fortune, the other party didn't have any other opportunities.
With low-grade spiritual root aptitude and low income as a novice fisherman, it's naturally impossible for him to grow quickly.
"I just went to the Lu family's external affairs hall... I was delayed."
Wang Ergou glanced at Yang Changsheng, who was surrounded by two women, sat down in an empty seat, picked up the cold tea on the table and took a big gulp before explaining, panting.
I was very curious about when the relationship between the group had become so good.
"To the Foreign Affairs Office? Is there some explanation for this attack?"
Su Wanqing frowned slightly. As someone who dealt in elixirs, she was more sensitive to interpersonal relationships and the flow of resources.
This naturally refers to the robbery and murder of the Lu family's fishermen by the Wang family's men in black a few days ago.
"What they said? The Foreign Affairs Office only said they would increase patrols and provide compensation to the wounded and killed comrades and their families..."
Wang Ergou shook his head, a bitter look on his face.
I was lucky to escape unharmed during that attack that night, but it truly terrified me.
If it weren't for the timely arrival of the Lu family's law enforcement cultivators, he might have really died.
He gestured with lingering fear, his fingers trembling slightly, and said, "Brother Changsheng, you know, that feeling..."
Yang Changsheng nodded slightly, his memories of Black Wind Pass flooding back. The ruthlessness of the Three Fiends of Flowing Clouds and the ferocious face of Zhao Kui were still vivid in his mind.
If I hadn't been prepared in advance and broken through in body refinement, I might have died a violent death in the wilderness like those day laborers.
He could understand Wang Ergou's lingering fear.
But what's more concerning is that Wang Ergou's reason for going to the Foreign Affairs Hall doesn't seem to be to seek an explanation.
"These past few years have been incredibly tough. Crystal shrimp seem easy to raise, but the yield just won't go up. I'm not very smart, and after years of learning and trying every method, the shrimp larvae either die or grow very slowly, and the yield just won't increase. Now..."
Seeing Yang Changsheng remain silent, Wang Ergou continued to pour out his grievances, with an almost desperate urge to confide.
Yang Changsheng didn't speak, but he had shared some of his breeding experience during the small gathering.
Unfortunately, sometimes the gap between people is too great, and the other person simply cannot learn it.
The other three did not interrupt, but listened quietly. Perhaps some of them would be leaving this very small group of mutual aid groups for immortals today.
"The more I look at the third level of Qi Refining, the more insurmountable it seems. Even with pills, I'm reluctant to take more, always feeling it's a waste of effort... Brother Changsheng, Sister Wanqing's Marrow Cleansing Pill is good, but with my foundation, even if I take it... sigh."
Wang Ergou sighed heavily, his calloused hands gripping the edge of the table, his face filled with disappointment.
Yang Changsheng obtained three spirit stones while besieging the demon beasts, and then gave away more than five spirit stones to the cultivator he killed. With his own savings, he was short of money after breaking through to the second level of Qi Refining.
Relying solely on income from crystal shrimp farming and meditation is simply not enough to make any progress.
A moment of silence fell over the private room.
Wang Ergou's predicament was laid bare before everyone. With mediocre talent, scarce resources, and poor skills, he could hardly survive even in the most basic breeding business of the Lu family.
Before he arrived, the four of them discussed cooperation, hoarding, and profiting from the war.
These games, which require skills, connections, and capital to participate in, are as distant as stars in the sky for Wang Ergou at this moment.
Yang Changsheng, Su Wanqing, and Liu Xiaoying have all gained some understanding of alchemy, talismanic arts, and puppetry.
They have been able to establish themselves in their respective fields and possess the ability to either protect themselves or profit from chaos.
Wang Ergou, however, seems destined to be left behind by this cruel path to immortality.
Yang Changsheng looked at Wang Ergou's dejected face, but his heart was not greatly disturbed.
He's not a saint; he won't feel obligated to help someone or lend a hand just because they've been through life and death together or have known each other for years over drinks.
The path to immortality is long and arduous, requiring one's own strength to forge ahead at every step.
It's perfectly normal for some to fall behind and others to perish.
During these three years of gatherings, apart from occasionally buying a few relatively cheap Marrow Cleansing Pills from Su Wanqing, Wang Ergou did not provide any valuable assistance or information.
There is affection involved, but not enough for him to waste his scarce resources and energy to fill a bottomless pit.
A connection to the immortals is precious, and each person has their own destiny.
"So you're going to the Foreign Affairs Hall?" Yang Changsheng steered the conversation back to the original topic.
"I...I want to change jobs. I don't want to raise shrimp in the water anymore. I feel more at ease tending to the land and watching the seedlings grow strong than spending all day in the water fighting with shrimp!"
Wang Ergou seemed to have perked up a bit, and with a do-or-die determination, he said, "So I want to go farming, to grow spirit rice on other estates of the Lu family, or on the lands of smaller families affiliated with the Lu family!"
The time he spent in Liujiagang Town was the most hopeful period of his life. He could see the rewards of his hard work. Although it was tiring, he was happy.
As soon as he said this, several pairs of eyes fell on him.
Su Wanqing frowned slightly, Li Qingshan showed some surprise, and Liu Xiaoying looked concerned.
Yang Changsheng tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his eyes thoughtful.
"Farming?"
Su Wanqing spoke first, her tone admonishing, "Junior Brother Wang, it would be better to plant jade crystal rice in the remote spirit valley estates of the Lu family. It's always better than now. Biyue Lake is the foundation of the Lu family and also the main target of the Wang family. This attack is just the beginning. Staying in the water will be quite dangerous in the future."
Her words were brief, but the meaning was clear: leaving the center of the vortex and going to the relatively stable Spirit Field area was a good choice for him.
Yang Changsheng's heart stirred.
Wang Ergou's idea coincided with a certain thought in his heart.
He is now a proper first-tier low-grade puppeteer, capable of independently creating and selling Xuan Tie woodcutters, combat puppets, the profits of which far exceed the hard work of raising dragonfish.
More importantly, puppet making requires a quiet and stable environment and a relatively large amount of time.
The Bishui Lake area, especially the crayfish he was responsible for raising, was not a high-risk business, but the returns were not top-notch.
Moreover, the Bingyin 73 waterway is not only located on the edge of the central region, but is now also filled with potential dangers due to the threat posed by the Wang family.
Staying there would require expending daily energy caring for the fish fry and constantly guarding against potential attacks, which is not a long-term solution.
With the mark of the ancient golden tree, the market, especially the Bichao Lane, is full of spiritual energy and is a gathering place for many artisans such as alchemists, talisman masters, and weapon refiners.
This is the best option for him to use his special abilities, safely acquire resources, and steadily improve his cultivation.
The meager profits from the crayfish are negligible compared to the profits from puppetry.
Exposing oneself to danger for this gain, and potentially delaying more important puppet studies and training, is truly not worth it.
"Changing professions... Will the Lu family approve the spiritual contract we signed back then?" Yang Changsheng pondered, asking the most crucial question.