Chapter 1

### Chapter 1: Treasure Found on the Street

The sun was pouring its heat into the sky without a hint of wind. The roadside greenery drooped, the branches hanging listlessly, standing silently on both sides of the road, devoid of any vitality. The grass in the lawn looked like eggplants hit by frost, devoid of any luster. The cicadas on the trees were loudly chirping, "It's so hot, it's so hot..." The asphalt road seemed to be softened by the heat, and walking on it, one could feel the warmth through the soles of their shoes. A basin of water poured on the ground instantly turned into steam and rose into the sky. The cars on the road had their air conditioners on full blast, making the road even hotter, mixed with the smell of gasoline, suffocating people and making them even more irritable.

This place was a seaside resort and summer retreat by the Bohai Bay—Port City. From May to October, it was the peak tourist season. During this period, people from all over the country and even the world flocked here to enjoy the summer. It was now August, the peak of the tourist season, and a large number of tourists were coming to Port City to escape the heat. However, in recent days, Port City had been hit by an unprecedented heatwave. The sea, which should have brought some coolness, instead, due to the sun's intense heat, made the entire city feel like a sauna. Every breath felt stifling, making it unbearable.

It was the hottest part of the afternoon, and most people were sitting in their offices or homes, enjoying the air conditioning or fans to escape the oppressive heat. Only those who had to work for a living were still out on the streets, most of them in a hurry, almost all drenched in sweat. A few tricycle vendors had clothes as wet as if they had just been washed, sweat pouring down continuously. A young man, wearing a faded T-shirt, blue jeans, and flip-flops, was walking hurriedly down the road. His face and head were drenched in sweat, his T-shirt soaked through the front and back, with sweat trickling down his pant legs and onto his feet, then dripping onto the ground through his flip-flops.

His name was Wang Yong, 25 years old, about 1.7 meters tall, very thin, and looking rather listless. He lived in a rural area of Lixian County. A few years ago, his parents died in a car accident when he was in high school. With the compensation money and some savings, Wang Yong and his younger brother, who was six years younger, relied on each other for survival. Fortunately, the compensation was enough to see them through university. With the help of his uncles and aunts, their lives were relatively comfortable. After the college entrance exam, Wang Yong went to a third-rate junior college in the provincial capital to study tourism management. Two years later, he interned at a bathhouse under construction in the city. His younger brother, Wang Liang, went to a junior high school in the countryside and began living independently. After graduation, Wang Yong successfully stayed at the bathhouse and was promoted to a department manager, and he had a beautiful girlfriend who also worked at the bathhouse. At that time, he was full of confidence, mixing with all kinds of people, from gangsters to government officials, and he was well-known in the city. However, no one knew the inner troubles and pressures he faced. For his introverted personality, serving people was not an easy job. Every day, he encountered all sorts of guests and their demands, and he had to endure all the委屈 and hardships silently. He was not good with words, but he had to force a smile and deal with all kinds of people. Although he was a department manager, his monthly salary was only 2,000 yuan, which was decent at the time, but for someone with a girlfriend and a sense of pride, it was not enough to save much money. Every day, he was overwhelmed by various issues. Finally, one day, Wang Yong lost control and, along with a few employees, severely beat a troublemaking guest, causing trouble. Although the boss smoothed things over, Wang Yong still resigned, leaving the company with the boss's regret.

For half a year after resigning, Wang Yong couldn't find a job. His temper worsened, and he often lashed out. He avoided socializing, feeling inferior and losing confidence in himself, spending most of his time in his rented room. His girlfriend, who initially tried to comfort him, eventually became disappointed and distant, eventually breaking up with him. Wang Yong agreed without trying to retain her. He knew he couldn't give her the life she wanted. With no power or money, he could only bring her hardship and suffering. Friends advised him to reconcile with his girlfriend, but he only said one thing and never discussed it again:

"It's not that I'm afraid to love, or that I don't want to love. I'm just afraid that love can also be a form of harm."

Finally, Wang Yong made up his mind, returned the rented room, and bought a ticket to leave the provincial capital where he had lived for six years, returning to his hometown. He first visited his younger brother, Wang Liang, who was studying at a county high school, asked about his situation, and left him some money. Then he came to the city to clear his mind and decide what to do next. He had been staying at his cousin's house in the city for the past two days, wandering around aimlessly and not contacting any friends or classmates from his hometown.

After lunch today, Wang Yong felt restless, sensing that something was about to happen. He couldn't calm down, so he went out into the scorching sun. After just a few steps, he was drenched in sweat. Seeing a supermarket ahead, he thought about buying a bottle of chilled mineral water and cooling off in the air conditioning.

Just as he was about to step forward, he heard a light sound behind him, as if something had fallen to the ground. Wang Yong thought it was his phone that had fallen out of his pocket, but when he reached to check, it was still there. He turned around and was stunned.

A small, silver, saucer-sized object was floating about a meter above the ground, occasionally flashing with a silver light. Even in the intense heat, Wang Yong broke out in a cold sweat. He had encountered an unidentified flying object. What was it going to do? Take him away for experiments? Dissect him? Or... A series of thoughts about UFOs flashed through his mind. He instinctively looked around, wanting to see if anyone was nearby and call for help. Suddenly, the flying saucer shot toward his head in a silver flash, moving so fast that he couldn't react. "I'm done for!" Wang Yong tried to shout but couldn't make a sound. Before he could think more, the light reached his forehead, and he felt a sharp pain, like a needle prick. The white light disappeared, and the flying saucer vanished. Wang Yong stood motionless on the roadside for a few seconds before gradually regaining his senses.

"Incredible, truly incredible," Wang Yong muttered to himself. The small flying saucer turned out to be a storage treasure cultivated by a cultivator after traveling countless planets. It was based on the highest technological achievement of a highly developed planet, the interstellar trading brain, and was refined using various divine methods. The internal planting space of the brain was nurtured into a small world. In a later conflict, this treasure was lost in a time tunnel and eventually landed on Earth. Since Wang Yong was the first intelligent being it encountered, it automatically executed the recognition program and merged with him. Understanding the origin of the small flying saucer, Wang Yong instantly entered the small world. The small world, due to a lack of spiritual energy, had been shrinking. It was surrounded by a gray mist that seemed to block him from entering deeper. The small world was about two mu in size, with a small stone pile in the middle, about half a meter high. In the center of the stone pile was a small spring, with clear water flowing into a small pond about one meter in diameter. The spring continuously filled the pond, but it never overflowed. The rest was black soil, rich and fertile, perfect for growing crops. According to the information left by the brain, this land could be used to grow various plants, which would release spiritual energy to nurture the small world. The more spiritual energy, the larger the world would become. The brain itself was also quite advanced, originally developed to address the decreasing food supply due to war. Its internal space was refined into a small world by a great being, capable of growing various plants and raising animals. The spring, set up by a cultivator with a chaotic spirit-gathering array, had become a true spirit spring. Although it wasn't as magical as in legends due to the lack of spiritual energy, it was still incredibly beneficial for Earth's creatures. It also served as a significant storage space, allowing any item to enter and exit under Wang Yong's mental control, as long as it didn't exceed the space's size. The brain could also adjust the flow of time to accelerate the growth of crops. Another function, the space trading system, was retained by the great being, allowing transactions with others who had the same system. However, the brain was damaged during its journey through the time tunnel, rendering many functions unusable and some data inaccessible, requiring a long time to repair.

Having read various web novels, Wang Yong knew he had found a true treasure. With such a treasure, he no longer had to worry about the future. With this treasure, he could have a good life. Houses, cars, and money would soon be within reach, and fame and fortune would be easy to achieve.

But he was truly tired. The hard work and suffering in the city had taken its toll. He had a strange aversion to the city, disliking everything about it. Perhaps a simple rural life, with a small farm and a peaceful existence, suited him better. His introverted personality made it difficult for him to socialize, and the stress of forcing himself to do so had led to his previous breakdown. Maybe he was better suited to be a hermit.

Returning home and living as a free and carefree farmer seemed more fitting.

In the Peach Blossom Hut, there is a Peach Blossom Temple, and in the Peach Blossom Temple, there is a Peach Blossom Immortal. The Peach Blossom Immortal plants peach trees and exchanges peaches for wine. When sober, he sits by the flowers; when drunk, he sleeps under them. Half awake and half asleep, day after day, the flowers bloom and wither year after year. He wishes to die among the flowers and wine, rather than bow to the carriages and horses. The affairs of the powerful are for the city, while the joys of the hermit are with the wine and flowers. If the powerful are compared to the hermit, one is on the ground and the other in the sky. If the flowers and wine are compared to the carriages and horses, the former is leisurely, and the latter is busy. Others may laugh at him for being crazy, but he laughs at them for not seeing through the world. The graves of the powerful are now fields, and the flowers and wine are plowed into the earth.

### Chapter 2: Returning Home

Wang Yong's home was in Lixian County, Liuzhuang Township, Banship Village. The village was named Banship because it was half-surrounded by the Yan Mountains. The village was backed by mountains on the west and east, and in front of the village was a small stream about a meter wide, winding through the village. The stream was not deep, with the deepest part not exceeding half a meter, except during summer floods when it could be three to four meters wide and two meters deep, with a roaring sound. In normal times, the stream was clear, formed by mountain springs, and small shrimp and fish could be seen swimming freely, along with the occasional water snake.

Most of the good farmland in the village was by the river, as the land was flat and had a water source. However, the land was scarce, with only about 0.2 mu per person. Most of the villagers' food came from this land. As for the mountain land, due to the lack of water, the crops' yield depended on the weather. Usually, they planted drought-resistant crops like corn and potatoes, and a year's hard work might not even fill one person's stomach. Fortunately, the mountains behind the village were home to many wild animals, like pheasants and rabbits, and countless wild vegetables and mushrooms. The villagers could barely make ends meet with these resources. Many people began working outside the village, and some, like Wang Yong's cousin Wang Qiang, bought houses in the city and became envied city dwellers. More young people left the poor village through education, seeking their fortunes in the outside world.

In recent years, the government increased support for agriculture, abolishing agricultural taxes and providing subsidies for farming. The long-standing policy of returning farmland to forests was also implemented in the village, and with government funding, the villagers built many water tanks on the mountains, solving some of the water problems. They began planting fruit trees like apricots, peaches, apples, jujubes, and chestnuts. With the rise in fruit prices, the villagers no longer had to worry about hunger. Many families had extra money to build new houses, and two-thirds of the village's houses were rebuilt in the past two years. From a distance, the village looked prosperous. Last year, the government's "village-to-village" project brought a cement road to this remote village. A three-meter-wide cement road wound its way to the village, not only solving the villagers' travel problems but also making it easier to sell mountain goods, bringing in much-needed income.

Wang Yong said goodbye to his cousin Wang Qiang and took a bus to the county, then transferred to a short-distance bus to Liuzhuang Township. He got off at the township and took a minivan for 15 yuan, finally returning home.

He got off at the small bridge by the river at the village entrance and walked home with his luggage. After crossing the bridge and walking about a hundred meters on the cement road, he entered the village.

"Xiaoyong?" a rough voice called out.

Wang Yong looked over and saw Uncle Wang Dahai, one of the village's successful men. Wang Dahai was one of the first to work outside the village, working in construction for over a decade before returning to form his own construction team, earning a lot of money. His son, Wang Chen, worked in the city's police department, and he had a daughter in college. Wang Dahai was considered the most successful person in the village, with both money and influence. Wang Dahai and Wang Yong's father, Wang Dajiang, were brothers. After Wang Yong's parents died, Wang Yong and his brother were mainly taken care of by Uncle Wang Dahai's family. After Wang Yong went to college, his younger brother, Wang Liang, moved to Uncle Wang Dahai's house.

"Uncle, it's me, I'm back," Wang Yong said.

"Good to be back. You've been saying you're busy since graduation and haven't even come home for the New Year. Your aunt has been missing you. Come, let's go home," Uncle Wang Dahai said, taking Wang Yong's hand and leading him into the village.

"Mom, look who's here?" Wang Dahai called out before entering the house.

"Aunt, I'm back!"

"Xiaoyong is back? Where are you? Come in and let Aunt see you," Aunt Tian Xiu's voice came from inside. She quickly ran out, pulling Wang Yong and starting to cry, "You ungrateful child, you came home and didn't even come to see Aunt first. If your brother hadn't called, Aunt wouldn't have known you were back."

Wang Yong's eyes also welled up. Thinking about the years he had spent alone, the hardships he had endured, and the loneliness, he had been away from his family for five or six years and hadn't seen them much. Being away from home, he always felt the loneliness, especially during holidays. As an orphan, Wang Yong always volunteered to work during holidays, letting others go home, because he was afraid of the festive atmosphere, afraid of being alone, and afraid of thinking about the past, his parents, and his brother...

"Aunt, I'm back now. I'm not leaving this time. I'll stay and keep you company, until you get tired of me, okay?"

"Alright, old lady, why are you crying? Wang Yong just got back. Go make lunch; it's already noon," Uncle Wang Dahai said.

"Mind your own business. Xiaoyong, come inside, put your things down, and Aunt will make you something good to eat. Look how thin you are; you must have suffered a lot. Aunt will take good care of you," Aunt Tian Xiu said, pulling Wang Yong into the house.

Inside, Aunt Tian Xiu put Wang Yong's luggage and gifts on the bed and led him to the sofa, getting him a glass of water from the water dispenser. She then brought him snacks and fruits.

"Eat, you didn't eat well as a child and loved snacks. Why don't you like them now?"

"That's enough, Xiaoyong is a grown man now. Why do you treat him like a child?"

"I'll treat him however I want. What are you going to do about it?"

Seeing the two about to argue, Wang Yong quickly intervened, "Aunt, how are Grandpa and Grandma?"

"They're fine, they can climb to the top of the mountain in one breath. But they're not at home these days. They went to visit relatives, to Beijing," Aunt Tian Xiu said, looking down.

Uncle Wang Dahai's expression changed slightly, but Wang Yong didn't notice. Hearing that his beloved grandparents weren't at home, Wang Yong was a bit disappointed but quickly adjusted.

"Aunt, when was this house built? It's really well-decorated," Wang Yong said, not just flattering. Uncle Wang Dahai's house was clearly new, and Wang Yong had noticed it when he first arrived. It must have cost at least 100,000 yuan. The house had five large rooms, a popular local style of a bungalow. The exterior was tiled, and there was a gatehouse and a side room in the yard. The main house had five rooms, with the kitchen and dining area in the middle, the living room on the east side, and storage on the west side. This was a common layout in the area. The east side had a kang (a traditional bed), a stove, and a wall-mounted air conditioner. On the north wall were two large wardrobes and a combination cabinet with a 32-inch LCD TV. Next to the kang was a set of combination sofas, one long and two short. In front of the sofas was a glass coffee table with a set of tea utensils.

Uncle Wang Dahai quickly joined in, "My own construction team built it two years ago. We finished the interior last fall and moved in this May. It's a showcase, a model home. When people ask us to build houses, they see our house and feel reassured. It represents the quality of my construction team."

"Wow, Uncle, you really know your stuff."

"Don't listen to him. It was your brother's idea. He couldn't have done it himself. He's just a roughneck," Aunt Tian Xiu said, scolding him.

"Alright, go make lunch. My stomach is growling. Don't starve Xiaoyong."

"Aunt, have a piece of watermelon. I know you like fish, so I've cooked some for you.