Chapter 43

Wang Xiancheng stumbled down the mountain in a daze. He had thought all night but still couldn't figure out what kind of communication had taken place between Yang Chen and Master Xuanhong. Why could just a few hundred words almost make Master Xuanhong lose his composure?

There were too many things he couldn't understand, but Wang Xiancheng, who was sent down the mountain by his master to Jinzhou to learn skills from Yang Chen, saw Master Xuanhong returning from the Elders' Hall with a face full of unrestrained joy before he left.

Thinking to himself, if someone could make Master Xuanhong lose his composure, they must not be a mere charlatan, right? Well, no matter what he could learn, it would be better than staying in the deep mountains and enduring a life of eating only radishes and cabbage every day!

Once he figured this out, Wang Xiancheng's mood brightened.

It wasn't until he got on the train that he remembered to call Yang Chen. When Yang Chen answered, he told him that he wasn't in Jinzhou but was staying in Luoyang City, Nanhu Province!

"Did you go to Long Mengze's trade fair?" Wang Xiancheng was stunned, his face turning into a bitter gourd. "What should I do? I only brought enough money for the train ticket to Jinzhou when I came down the mountain..."

"Is your Chongyang Palace always so stingy?" Yang Chen on the other end of the phone was also puzzled. He asked, "Last time, and this time... isn't your master, Master Xuanhong, afraid you'll starve to death outside?"

"Leaving the mountain for training without money is a rule of the sect..."

"Then you'll have to use your wits and find a way to earn some money to get through these few days." Yang Chen shrugged. "I won't be back in Jinzhou until the 9th or 10th. You're a grown man; you won't really starve to death, right?"

"But I want to go to Long Mengze to find you..." Wang Xiancheng said hesitantly.

"If you want to come, just come. I'm not stopping you."

"But I don't have money for the ticket..." Wang Xiancheng's face was already flushed with shame.

"… I'm not your father, why should I give you money for the ticket?!" Yang Chen said matter-of-factly. "Either earn the money yourself or go to Jinzhou and be a beggar for a few days! I'm hanging up, I have things to do."

"Wait... Eh?" When he heard Yang Chen was about to hang up, Wang Xiancheng panicked. He wasn't stupid, but he had no concept of money. Only when he desperately needed it did he realize its importance.

Right now, he couldn't think of any other way to get money except from Yang Chen...

Unfortunately, Yang Chen didn't give him a chance to speak again and quickly hung up.

When Wang Xiancheng called back, it showed that the other party had turned off their phone...

Sitting in his seat, looking at the rapidly receding scenery outside the window, Wang Xiancheng was extremely frustrated...

Just then, a middle-aged man sitting next to him, with a heavy accent, asked in Mandarin, "Hehe... looks like you're short on money, little brother?"

...

"Was that a call from the kid from Chongyang Palace?" The Mad Taoist stood next to Yang Chen, smiling and asked.

"His potential is good, but he's naturally a bit slow and has no concept of money." Yang Chen put down his phone and responded, adding silently, "No wonder he never had the authority to manage funds even after becoming the head of Chongyang Palace!"

The side conversation was quickly forgotten.

Yang Chen continued the previous topic, saying to the Mad Taoist, "With these three talismans, the Zhu family's issue is basically resolved... So these few days, you'll need to help the Zhu family organize the trade fair. I have some other things to take care of during this opportunity."

"In other words, you get the meat, and I get the broth. All the hard work is on me, while you just sit back and relax. If you put it nicely, it's called taking a break from a busy schedule; if you put it bluntly, it's called being lazy!" The Mad Taoist rolled his eyes.

Yang Chen smiled awkwardly. He had no choice; things were already busy. If he didn't take care of some trivial matters while all the major sects of the metaphysical world were gathered, he'd have to travel all over the country later.

Seeing that the Mad Taoist only complained a bit and didn't show any signs of quitting, Yang Chen said, "The Jinyang Spirit Grass cultivation base in Ming Mountain Town, Zhenglong County, needs people to manage it. When handling the Jinyang Spirit Grass, there also needs to be someone knowledgeable to assist... I have a list, and I need to finalize it in these few days..."

"You plan to poach people from other sects?" The Mad Taoist looked at Yang Chen in surprise.

That day, after he went to Ming Mountain Town, he had personally conducted experiments and confirmed that Yang Chen's method was indeed effective.

However, maintaining the spirit array for a cultivation base wasn't something the Mad Taoist could handle alone. After a long talk with Yang Chen, the Mad Taoist realized just how ambitious Yang Chen was!

A lot of follow-up work required the participation of cultivators from the metaphysical world. The Five Peaks Temple was out of the question for now, and Yang Chen had no other useful people besides the Mad Taoist, so he was short on manpower.

But when he heard that Yang Chen planned to poach disciples from other sects to participate in the Jinyang Spirit Grass cultivation in Jinzhou, the Mad Taoist couldn't help but frown. "How many do you plan to poach?"

"There are about twenty on the list. I'm confident I can bring back about seven or eight." Yang Chen recalled the faces on the list in his mind and said uncertainly, "If I'm lucky, maybe ten or so."

"From which sects?"

"From Buddhist sects, Taoist sects, and feng shui lineages. The feng shui lineage is the best choice for maintaining the spirit array... Of course, there are also a few useful talents from martial arts sects that practice qi cultivation..."

"Do you plan to poach everyone?!" The Mad Taoist widened his eyes and said, "Aren't you afraid the elders of these sects will come after you?"

"What's there to be afraid of? I never planned to poach the young ones..."

"..." The Mad Taoist was speechless, then looked at Yang Chen with a mix of amusement and frustration. "What? Do you plan to poach their sect leaders to help you farm?"

"I do have that plan..."

"You must be crazy!" What was originally a joke, but Yang Chen actually nodded! The Mad Taoist was exasperated. "Who would listen to a young upstart like you? Aren't you being too confident?"

"Why not?" Yang Chen glanced at the Mad Taoist, disdainfully. "Aren't you a person?"

"I..." The Mad Taoist was speechless, then slumped onto the sofa, rubbing his temples and laughed bitterly. "Then tell me, who do you plan to poach?"

"Hmm... Let me think... The Abbot Kongwen from Yunlong Temple, the leader Zhang Qianfei from Jiangtao Pavilion, the owner Chen Yuan from Yulong Manor, the head Song Datong from Jingxin Temple..." Yang Chen actually started counting on his fingers.

Unable to bear the shock, the Mad Taoist got up and left Yang Chen's guest room, muttering as he left...

"Either fifth-rank or peak fourth-rank. I think you're not trying to poach people, but have lost your mind!"

Yang Chen didn't care about the Mad Taoist's ridicule. He just smiled faintly... Since he dared to put these people on his list, he had his reasons!

Win some, lose some, create momentum at the grassroots level, and then tackle the upper echelons to solidify his position... This was Yang Chen's plan, and the main purpose of his trip to Long Mengze in Nanhe Province!

He didn't believe that with the knowledge in his head, he couldn't handle these mere fourth- and fifth-rank "elementary school students"!