Chapter 42

Facing the covetous eyes of outsiders on these three acres of spirit fields, the villagers of Earth Mound Village naturally united against the external threat. However, within the village, undercurrents were surging, and the hearts of the people were unsettled.

The reason for this, of course, was the simple fact that there were too many wolves and too little meat. The spirit fields of Earth Mound Village had not increased by even a fraction in over a decade. This time, although Village Chief Yang spent nearly four years and a great deal of manpower and resources to cultivate these three acres of spirit fields, which were about to mature, it was a rare and significant achievement for both Wasteland Town and Mengyu County. However, for the more than a thousand households and five to six thousand people of Earth Mound Village, three acres of spirit fields were still far too few.

Even if not all of these households were spirit farmers, these three acres of spirit fields were like a drop in the bucket for Earth Mound Village. Yet, the entire village was eyeing these three acres of spirit fields with great interest. How to divide the spirit fields, who to give them to, and how much to give, were all matters of great importance. Any misstep could lead to chaos within the village. Now, all eyes in Earth Mound Village were on Yang Tiangang, hoping he would come up with a method that would satisfy everyone.

In recent days, Yang Junshan could clearly feel that more and more people in the village were greeting him and being friendly. Apart from Yang Tiangang gaining more respect in the village due to the spirit fields, these villagers also hoped to get a share of the three acres of spirit fields. As a result, they were even more courteous to the son of the village chief. Some even tried to indirectly ask him if Yang Tiangang had any plans for dividing the fields.

On his way home, Yang Junshan saw Zhang Huzi from a distance. This guy, after reaching the Perfect Realm of Spirit Summoning first among the young people of Earth Mound Village, quickly resumed his old habit of showing off. Especially since Xu Lei and Yang Junshan had not yet reached the Perfect Realm of Spirit Summoning, and Yang Junping and others were ordered to practice at home, there was no one left to challenge him among the village's young people, so he began to call himself the top young expert of Earth Mound Village.

As for the fight with Su Baozhang a few days ago, where he was at a disadvantage, he had a ready excuse: Su Baozhang was almost sixteen and about to become an adult. Was it glorious to have an advantage over him in a fight?

However, this guy recently had another topic to boast about: his family had a distant relative in Wasteland Town who was a genius cultivator and had been officially accepted as an inner disciple of the Heaven-Shaking Sect. There were even rumors that he had become a disciple of a True Human Realm cultivator.

A True Human Realm cultivator!

To the children of Earth Mound Village, who had never seen the world, a True Human Realm cultivator was like a god. If Zhang Huzi's distant cousin could become a disciple of a god, wasn't Zhang Huzi's family related to a god?

Seeing the envious expressions of the other children, Zhang Huzi felt even more proud. He then provided a more concrete piece of evidence: a few days ago, his father, Zhang the Blacksmith, had personally gone to Wasteland Town to attend the celebration for his distant nephew, during which he presented fifty stone coins and two yellow jade fruits as a gift.

Speaking of the gift, it was another recent topic of amusement in Mengyu County, with the main character being Zhang Chenghong, the father of the so-called first genius of Mengyu County, Zhang Yueming.

After Zhang Yueming returned from Hundred Sparrow Mountain and focused on cultivating the high-grade spirit, the Purple Cloud Skin, as a pre-determined inner disciple of the Heaven-Shaking Sect, Zhang Yueming's cultivation was never short of spirit pills, jade coins, and spirit sources. Despite the Purple Cloud Skin being of higher quality than the Ground Bear Gallbladder that Yang Junshan had, he successfully refined his spirit and reached the Perfect Realm of Spirit Summoning half a month ago.

His father, Zhang Chenghong, was overjoyed and immediately sent out invitations to all his relatives and friends to celebrate his son's achievement. Naturally, none of the relatives and friends refused. Even some distant relatives, seeing that Zhang Yueming was about to become a phoenix on a high branch, came to curry favor.

However, when everyone arrived at Zhang Chenghong's house, they saw six large characters in the main hall: "Contribute Love, Contribute Gifts."

In local customs, only events like weddings, funerals, or high-age birthdays involved receiving gifts, and these were all established traditions. For someone like Zhang Yueming, who had been accepted as an inner disciple by a prestigious sect, setting up a few tables for a banquet was common, but giving gifts was optional and left to the discretion of the relatives and friends.

However, Zhang Chenghong, fearing that his relatives and friends would not give gifts, hung a banner with these large characters in the main hall. This was not only rare but also embarrassing for his own relatives and friends, who felt angry inside. What was this, demanding money?

In fact, at the celebration, although most relatives and friends left gifts out of politeness, Zhang Chenghong's few brothers, perhaps because they had helped organize the celebration or were angry at his actions, did not give a single stone coin.

This made Zhang Chenghong furious. After the celebration and the guests left, he checked the gift list and raged at the door for half an hour. Finally, Zhang Yueming, unable to bear his father's behavior, coaxed and tricked him back into the house.

However, Zhang Chenghong, who had not received any money, felt a deep sense of frustration. He then claimed to be sick due to the stinginess of his brothers and lay in bed for three days before coming up with a way to make up for it.

Seven days after the celebration, Zhang Yueming was about to leave for Mengyu County to meet the Heaven-Shaking Sect cultivators who were coming to pick him up. Zhang Chenghong had already notified his brothers to come and see him off. As the most outstanding next generation of the Zhang family, his brothers naturally had no reason not to come.

However, when his brothers arrived at Zhang Chenghong's house, they saw that the banner with the words "Contribute Gifts, Contribute Love" was still hanging in the main hall.

This left no doubt. After a brief discussion, the brothers each sealed a red envelope and then happily sent Zhang Yueming off to the city in a beast-drawn carriage with Zhang Chenghong.

This incident was almost a laughing matter in Mengyu County. Zhang Huzi, who clearly did not understand the implications, thought it was impressive that his distant cousin was going to the Heaven-Shaking Sect and used it to show off to his friends, which he found very face-saving.

The reason Zhang the Blacksmith sent two yellow jade fruits and fifty stone coins was likely that he initially wanted to use one yellow jade fruit to curry favor with his distant relative, and the fifty stone coins were probably not intended to be "contributed" as gifts.

However, a medium-grade spirit fruit was a significant gift, indicating that Zhang the Blacksmith had invested a lot to curry favor with his distant relative.

Yang Junshan smiled and was about to leave when he heard Zhang Huzi continue, "At my distant cousin's celebration, my father also invited his father, the famous pharmacist Zhang Chenghong of Mengyu County, to our house as a guest. My father prepared many spirit herbs and medicines, and Zhang Chenghong has already agreed to refine them into cultivation pills. With these pills, my cultivation can advance further, and I might even break through the spirit acupoint and advance to the third level."

Hearing this, the other young people were envious again. One of them asked eagerly, "Brother Huzi, when is Zhang Chenghong coming?"

Zhang Huzi's pride increased, and he said, "In a month, in a month, Zhang Chenghong has promised to come to our house as a guest. If your family prepares some spirit herbs and gives a gift, and my father puts in a good word, maybe Zhang Chenghong will refine a few pills for you too."

...

A month later?

Yang Junshan thought for a moment. That would be the final moment when the spirit fields matured. At that time, the entire village would be focused on dividing the fields. As one of the three martial experts in the village, would Zhang the Blacksmith have the time to entertain a distinguished guest?

Unless, this guest was originally there to help him compete for the spirit fields!

However, Zhang Chenghong was not someone who would act without a clear benefit. Zhang the Blacksmith must have paid a significant price to bring him here.

Yang Junshan wondered if his father knew about this. Zhang Chenghong, with his Fifth Level Human Realm cultivation, was considered a powerful expert in Earth Mound Village. If he truly helped Zhang the Blacksmith, it would be a significant boost. More importantly, Zhang Chenghong had a good son, who was an inner disciple of the Heaven-Shaking Sect. If he truly opposed Yang Tiangang, it might sway some villagers to Zhang the Blacksmith's side.

When Yang Tiangang returned home from the county in the evening, Yang Junshan told him what he had heard from Zhang Huzi. To his surprise, Yang Tiangang merely smiled coldly and said, "Uniting with outsiders to pressure neighbors, Zhang the Blacksmith has indeed played a good move!"

Yang Junshan suddenly understood. When the Yang family moved from Chenyu County to Mengyu County, they faced the hostility of the Earth Mound Village residents. Despite Yang Tiangang's peak Second Level Martial Realm cultivation, the fierce villagers still dared to challenge him over the spirit well. Even after Yang Tiangang established his authority, the villagers were only outwardly submissive. It was only after he began to vigorously manage the village's spirit fields and gradually cultivate new ones that the villagers truly accepted Yang Tiangang as the village chief, and the Yang family truly integrated into Earth Mound Village.

Zhang the Blacksmith thought that by bringing in strong support from another town, he could enhance his family's prestige in Earth Mound Village. However, he forgot that such a move to unite with outsiders and bully neighbors was the most despised by the villagers, and it might backfire on him.

Relieved, Yang Junshan became playful and asked with a mischievous smile, "Dad, how's your search for red rust ore going?"

Yang Tiangang took a comfortable puff of his pipe, glanced at him, and asked without raising his head, "What for?"

Yang Junshan immediately became anxious, "To split the money, as we agreed. If we get ten jade coins, you promised to give me one. You can't go back on your word!"

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The successful summoning of a high-grade spirit is like the college entrance exam results, and the Heaven-Shaking Sect is like a top university, or even a 211 university. The term "Contribute Gifts" was added by the author and is not entirely accurate, but it is used to reduce the modern connotation of "Contribute Love."

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