Kapitel 256: Chapter 1144: Did You Bring It? (Part 3)
"Did you see it yesterday?"
"What?"
"Well, that... the manor where the Heavenly Comrade Alliance is staying in."
"Oh, that place. Why are you suddenly talking about it? It's been a famous spot in the region for a while now."
The person who heard the words burst into laughter. As he said, the manor where Mount Hua resided had already become quite famous in the region.
"Don't even mention it. You know, I heard Mr. Jang is bedridden."
"Again?"
"What's again? He was told to get more people right away, but he didn't listen."
"You didn't hear the news. He did get more people. It's just that those who he got couldn't endure for three days and ran away."
"That's true."
"Oh, if that guy is bedridden again, he must be raking in money."
"Oh, is money the issue? People need to be alive first."
"Click Click. I would die happy if I earned that much."
The Mr. Jang mentioned by them was none other than the owner of the largest grocery store in Gugang. When Mount Hua asked him to supply groceries, fortune visited him at the same time.
"No, what on earth are they eating?"
"Aren't they martial artists using their bodies? It's inevitable that they eat more than ordinary people."
"Even so, it's still too much. And there don't seem to be that many people there..."
"I don't know. How can we know how the martial artists of Kangho live?"
There was no need for them to do anything externally. The massive amounts of meat and grain entering the manor were enough for Mount Hua to become famous in Gugang.
"And Mr. Yoo is bedridden too."
"Why Yoo? Doesn't Mr. Yoo have nothing to do with groceries?"
"Ah, this guy keeps talking nonsense. What does Mr. Yoo do? Isn't that cutting grass?"
"Is that so?"
"They say the beasts from Yunnan are overflowing in that manor, and they say the amount of grass eaten by those beasts is no joke."
"Oh, so that's why Mr. Yoo recruited workers on a large scale last time... Wait a minute? At least then, he would have hired more than twenty people at that time. Bedridden?"
"What twenty? It's been well over thirty. Among them, half are said to be bedridden now. Day and night, they mow the grass, and now the mountains around Gugang are all bare."
"Ha... haha. Amazing."
The person who heard the story shook his head. The more he heard, the stranger things seemed.
"They eat so well, so why do they look like that every time we pass them by? I thought the Beggar's Union had joined the Heavenly Comrade Alliance."
"Tsk tsk tsk, that's right, that's right. I heard that they train more intensely than they eat."
The person who spoke nodded his head.
"I thought those great and prestigious folks were like heavenly cranes, too high for us to even look up to. But now, seeing them train, I don't envy them anymore."
"Envy them! Even if they offered to let me join for free, I'd run away. Is that something a person should do?"
"Of course not."
Even if the leading martial artists of Kangho tried to get close to the common people, the distance did not easily narrow. The fear that anyone could be cut down in a single stroke, even though they understood in their heads that they were good people, was a fear that anyone would naturally have.
However, now the Heavenly Comrade Alliance was narrowing the gap with the common people in a way that no one, not even themselves, expected.
"Didn't you say they hired a large number of pirates this time?"
"No kidding. They've recruited around thirty new workers. In addition, they selected people to manage the manor and take care of the beasts."
"Haha, unbelievable."
"It's fortunate, really. How fortunate is it that, with those pirates running wild, many of us couldn't even go out to catch fish, and now those same pirates are going to the manor and working and getting paid. Thanks to that, Gugang is finally catching a break."
"But... is the Heavenly Comrade Alliance really that wealthy? From what I've heard, it seems like it costs a fortune for food, hay, and even wages for the people managing the place."
"Tsk tsk. This person."
"Huh?"
"The Heavenly Comrade Alliance is, of course, wealthy. With all those prestigious sects gathering, could they possibly be short of money?"
"Well, that's true, but..."
"And it's not as expensive as you think."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
The speaker chuckled and laughed.
"Heh, this guy. To speak frankly, hasn't the Heavenly Comrade Alliance done us a lot of favors? They saved Gugang from ruin. Didn't they also prevent those Demonic Sect people from advancing north?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? Who in Gugang wouldn't feel gratitude toward the Heavenly Comrade Alliance? It's not just us, right? They even saved people from the chaos in the Yangtze River Basin, where pirates and the Evil Tyrant Alliance were running rampant."
"Right, right. But if we civilians kept working for our own wages and sold things for our own money, what kind of people would we be?"
"So what?"
"All the workers said they will only take half of their wages, and the Jang and Yoo families said they would sell their goods without any profits other than for the laborers' wages."
"Haha. Really? These people are really thoughtful. So? Did Mount Hua like it then?"
"Like it? There was an uproar."
"...Why was there an uproar again?"
"They say Master Hyun Jong, the sect leader of Mount Hua, threw a fit because they weren't getting paid properly. He insisted they receive their full wages and take their profits properly."
"Huh... As expected of Mount Hua's sect leader."
"So it goes. That's why the people working there grabbed Sect Leader Hyun Jong's robes and begged."
"Wait, what do you mean?"
"I guess that if they received full payment and went out the door, they'd be beaten to death by the people of Gugang. Actually, it's not entirely incorrect, is it? Even I wouldn't have stayed quiet."
"Haha. That's quite a funny situation. Begging not to get paid."
"The sect leader absolutely refused at first, but it seems he couldn't resist the people's will in the end. They wouldn't work for full pay, but were in a hurry to work, so what can one do? Even a god couldn't do anything about it."
"If you think about it positively, our Gugang people won against the Taoists, right?"
"That's one way to put it."
The two people looked at each other and laughed heartily.
With the establishment of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, including Mount Hua, in the Yangtze River Basin, vitality began to bloom in the dying city. With numerous major sects settling down, even minor crimes and accidents seemed to disappear like melting snow. The side effects were evident.
"By the way, why did you bring up this common story?"
"Oh, right. I almost forgot. So, haven't you seen it?"
"What in the world are you talking about? What happened in the manor?"
"Well, for the past few days, strange lights have been emanating from the manor only after nightfall. You really haven't seen it?"
"Since I go to bed as soon as the sun sets..."
"Tsk tsk tsk. You must see it tonight. I've been watching for a few days, and when night falls, bright purple lights suddenly flash from the manor. When that light flashes, there's this thick fragrance that seems otherworldly... I've never seen such a spectacle in all my years."
"Is that true?"
"Why would I waste my money on an expensive meal after patiently farming? Shouldn't we check it out tonight?"
"Exactly. If it's true, then that's truly astonishing. What on earth is happening in that manor? A purple light with fragrance..."
The man who was slightly tilting his head suddenly clapped his hands and said.
"Perhaps... is it the ascension of Mount Hua?"
"Oh, come on! No matter how great the people there are, isn't ascension something not so easy?"
"No, no. I mean, who in the world can ascend? Ascension can only be done by someone who possesses the characteristics of becoming a divine being, right?"
"What does that have to do with this?"
"Think about it. Would that Wudang Sect Leader attempt ascension? Would that damn head of the Shaolin achieve enlightenment?"
"...."
"Other than Mount Hua's Hyun Jong, who is renowned as a saint, is there anyone else? Even if he were to ascend tomorrow, I wouldn't be surprised at all."
"Oh, no. It is true that Master Hyun Jong is a great Taoist, but... that's a different story..."
"What? Are you disrespecting Master Hyun Jong right now?"
As soon as those words flowed out, everyone passing by turned to look at them.
"Who?"
"Who dared to disrespect Master Hyun Jong?"
"Which lunatic dared to talk nonsense!"
As soon as the murderous stares poured in, several men rolled up their sleeves and approached. Seeing this, the man panicked and shouted.
"No! No! It's a misunderstanding! How could it be! Master Hyun Jong of Mount Hua is truly the most outstanding person in the world! Absolutely! Absolutely!"
At the time when his desperate screams to avoid being beaten echoed through the streets, the Sect Leader they worshiped was literally on the verge of collapse.
"Ughhh."
Thump.
Hyun Jong collapsed on the ground.
"I'm dying..."
"Sect Leader! Are you okay?"
"Ugh..."
The sound of continuous groaning came from Hyun Jong's mouth, whose complexion was dark. Beside him, Hyun Sang and Hyun Young were already lying lifeless.
"What have I done... trying to enjoy prosperity..."
"Here's some water, Sect Leader"
"Ugh..."
The moaning sound continued to flow from Hyun Jong's mouth.
'Just raising my internal energy for no reason.'
That bastard had poured elixirs all over him to strengthen his body, so he thought perhaps he had a heart of gold. But it was all for the pills, for the pills!
"Sect Leader... it's been five days already."
".... It's almost done."
Hyun Jong nodded, looking at the door from which white steam continuously leaked out.
[Steamed chicken?]
At that moment.
Flash!
A dazzling purple light burst through the tightly closed door.
"Alrighttttt!"
Before the loud voice from inside could even subside, someone kicked down the door and stepped out.
Thud!
"Ugh!"
Hyun Jong stared blankly at Chung Myung, who came out of the door. Carrying a large bundle on his back that seemed bigger than his own body, Chung Myung was exhaling purple steam from his mouth.
"After trying it a few times, I've improved! I thought the Self-Cultivation Pills were the same, but turns out they're not."
"Okay. Chung Myung, are you done?"
In response, Chung Myung casually tapped the bundle he was carrying.
"Perfect! The effectiveness of this Self-Cultivation Pill will be much better than before. Hehe!"
"...Then I'm relieved."
The old guys worked tirelessly for five days, so the effectiveness better be good... Damn it.
"Hehehehe. Let's see if can complain even after eating this. They're all dead, those bastards!"
Chung Myung laughed heartily and leapt away.
"Ch-Chung Myung...."
Watching his rapidly disappearing figure, Hyun Jong lowered his half-raised hand weakly. Then, he turned his sorrowful gaze towards the elders.
"...You've all worked hard."
"...Fuck."
"...."
A faint curse, accompanied by the subtle fragrance of the Self-Cultivation Pill, permeated the air.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein