Chapter 79: Four People’s Fortunes

The rest all went out; like Wu Wenbin teaming up with two others—naturally, they went back to his Wu Family to discuss matters.So with that, Shop Number Eighteen suddenly became much quieter.

Yao Jingfeng and the other two simply didn’t plan to leave—or perhaps, they never planned to in the first place.

Once the outsiders left, Yao Jingfeng’s smile became much more genuine, no longer the polite, social grin from before.

"Fourth Brother probably isn’t too clear yet, so I’ll introduce us again."

"The four of us are ranked by age. I’m the oldest, thirty-eight. Second is Du Wanyi, thirty-three. Luo Tian’s the third, thirty-one. How old are you, Fourth?"

Ji Yuan had only just turned nineteen after New Year’s—not even twenty yet—so he grinned, "I’m twenty-three this year. Nice to meet you, eldest brother, second sister, third brother."

After speaking, he cupped his hands politely to the three.

Luo Tian forced out a smile, "Earlier, when eldest bro said he found me a fourth younger brother, I wasn’t too comfortable with it. Seeing you now, he really was sharp."

Du Wanyi rolled her eyes when she heard that,

"Obviously I was the one who dragged our fourth brother in, okay?"

Watching them bicker, Ji Yuan couldn’t help feeling... though their bonds were mostly built on mutual interest, their relationship looked genuinely alright.

But Ji Yuan had only just arrived, so he didn’t fit in yet; he just sat aside, joining their laughter.

Du Wanyi seemed to notice his awkwardness. She came over and, with a flip of her hand, took out a finger-sized piece of jade from her storage bag. It exuded a stream of clear spirit qi, instantly soothing to the soul.

"Fourth brother, how did you hear about Clear Spirit Jade? People who know about it in Cloud Rain Marsh aren’t many."

Du Wanyi asked softly.

Yao Jingfeng, who’d been talking with Luo Tian, also turned around, waggling his eyebrows: "Looks like our fourth brother just seems honest, but in reality he’s got all the inside info."

Ji Yuan: "???"

Was there some secret about this Clear Spirit Jade?

"I read about it in an ancient book, said it could be used for researching a new talisman. So I wanted to find some to try it out."

Ji Yuan smiled sheepishly.

"Really?"

Du Wanyi didn’t quite trust him.

"Really."

Ji Yuan stuck to his story.

Yao Jingfeng chimed in. "Clear Spirit Jade is mostly used by people from Joy Palace, since its main effect is keeping the mind clear during dual cultivation—not getting trapped by lust—so you can smoothly run a dual cultivation technique."

"It does that?!?"

Ji Yuan genuinely didn’t know this.

But when he realized it, he stared at Du Wanyi... If Clear Spirit Jade does that, and second sister happens to have some...

"What are you thinking?"

Du Wanyi poked Ji Yuan’s shoulder hard with her slender finger. "I killed a tribulation cultivator and snatched it off him!"

"I knew it, definitely something like that."

Ji Yuan nodded seriously, as if it was obvious. "I want six pieces, second sister, you got any?"

"I have eight pieces, I’ll just give them all to you."

With a flash of white light, Du Wanyi’s hand instantly showed eight small, delicate jade stones.

Ji Yuan looked and asked, "What’s the price per piece in Spirit Stones? Didn’t ask at Hundred Treasures Tower."

"What Spirit Stones? I snatched them anyway. No use keeping them. You want them, they’re yours."

Du Wanyi didn’t care at all and shoved all eight Clear Spirit Jades into Ji Yuan’s hand.

"Uh..."

Before Ji Yuan could say more, Yao Jingfeng chuckled, "Fourth brother just arrived, we as brother and sister have to give a meeting gift, right?"

After speaking, he tossed something through the air—landing in Ji Yuan’s palm.

Luo Tian did the same.

Yao Jingfeng gave over a drawstring cloth bag.

Luo Tian tossed a small, black, round ball, looking just like a pebble.

Ji Yuan had seen this thing before—its name... Water Bomb!

Once it explodes, it’s basically a full-powered strike from a Peak Qi Cultivator! Luo Tian threw it over so casually, it honestly gave Ji Yuan a cold sweat.

"Just a little toy, fourth brother go ahead and play with it."

Third brother Luo Tian showed off a bit.

As for big brother Yao Jingfeng’s cloth bag, just holding it Ji Yuan could sense thick spiritual qi inside.

"Big bro doesn’t have anything too valuable. Thirty Spirit Stones—take them for your cultivation, fourth brother."

"Alright, we said these are meeting gifts. Just take them, no need to fuss."

Du Wanyi urged him on.

Ji Yuan didn’t really lack any of this, but since it was their gift, he accepted, thanking them again.

Received gifts—naturally had to repay the favor.

But Ji Yuan checked his own storage bag.

Lots of magical artifacts, but all needed for himself; same with talismans—can’t offer middle grade ones, and his high-grade talismans are all scattered.

Same issue with elixirs.

Giving Spirit Stones would be too basic... Especially since Yao Jingfeng set the tone. Would feel wrong to send them back.

After thinking it through, Ji Yuan found Blood Essence to be the best gift. Pity he’d sold off the batch he’d saved just yesterday.

Oh well.

He’d just return the favor next meeting.

After the meeting gifts, the four sat down again in their places.

This time, though, the three were much more serious. Du Wanyi even went over and pasted a few talismans by the door.

Ji Yuan likewise put aside stray thoughts, quietly waiting for what came next.

"Fourth brother, you’ve probably figured out how things work. The Mutual Aid Association is really just a loose network. Not only our lower league, even the upper league’s the same."

Big brother Yao Jingfeng started, "The only point of the Mutual Aid Association is to swap basic info, maybe do some trading. What actually helps our cultivation is small circles like ours."

He gestured, drawing a circle among the four.

"Right—hard to say about before, but within current Cloud Rain Marsh circles, ours is probably the strongest."

Du Wanyi added.

"But Cloud Rain Marsh isn’t our real goal. Joining Water Dragon Sect isn’t the goal either."

Yao Jingfeng smiled.

Honestly, for outsiders, joining Water Dragon Sect is supposed to be nearly impossible. But in their eyes, it wasn’t hard at all.

Luo Tian, for example, was able to join Water Dragon Sect this year.

But gave it up for some reason.

"We only have one goal—Foundation Establishment!"

When Yao Jingfeng said that, even Luo Tian and Du Wanyi’s eyes lit up.

Anyone not at late-stage Qi Cultivation thinks about breaking through. Once at late-stage, it’s all about how to reach Foundation Establishment.

"So us four forming a fellowship is really just for Foundation Establishment. Not just one of us—we all want to become Foundation Establishment Cultivators!"

"Exactly!"

Luo Tian echoed.

Ji Yuan also nodded seriously.

"I’m not bragging," Yao Jingfeng chuckled, "Right now, in Cloud Rain Marsh, the ones most likely to reach Foundation Establishment are us four."

"Because each of us has a unique opportunity—something we’re good at."

Yao Jingfeng looked at Ji Yuan, dropping his smile and speaking earnestly: "Fourth brother, since you’re new, we’ll lay it out again."

"Of course, if anything is too private, you can choose to leave now—no hard feelings, just take the meeting gift."

If you want to join the fellowship, and help each other, you had to trade something valuable.

Otherwise, why would anyone want you?

Ji Yuan had expected this, and had his own plans.

Seeing it was his turn, the other two looked to him. He smiled, "If I’m choosing to stay, it’s because I trust you three."

Speaking, Ji Yuan took out half an ounce of Blood Essence from his storage bag.

"Fourth brother isn’t much, but I do have a Blood Essence cultivation method. Every three days I can produce half an ounce."

"Half an ounce of Blood Essence every three days?"

Yao Jingfeng’s eyes lit up, "No wonder you’re so strong, fourth brother. That’s impressive."

"Good, fourth brother’s a straightforward guy!"

Luo Tian gave props, then produced another Water Bomb, grinning. "My opportunity back in the day was the Water Bomb refining method. The ones in Cloud Rain Marsh are almost all made by me. If you need any in the future, just let me know."

To be able to make Water Bombs... No wonder Luo Tian’s strong.

Du Wanyi, sitting cross-legged on her chair, smiled: "I can sense where treasures are within a one-mile radius. Fourth brother, next time you want to go treasure hunting, come find me!"

Huh?

If Luo Tian’s opportunity wasn’t shocking, Du Wanyi’s totally was.

A human treasure-hunting mouse?

Even better than Qiu Qianhai’s finger bone?

Though what exactly counted as a treasure, Du Wanyi didn’t specify.

Maybe seeing Ji Yuan’s surprise, Yao Jingfeng explained, "She can only use it once a day—so don’t expect miracles."

"Usually we confirm a good spot, then have second sister check the exact location."

Once a day is still amazing.

For exploring a secret realm, you’d get guaranteed finds, wouldn’t you?

Looks like Du Wanyi definitely has some kind of magical treasure.

Ji Yuan’s gaze fell on Yao Jingfeng.

Their trio had shared their specialties, so now it was just big brother’s turn.

"Me? My opportunity’s not very presentable, honestly."

Yao Jingfeng looked a bit embarrassed.

Du Wanyi and Luo Tian both smiled.

As Ji Yuan wondered, he suddenly felt a flash of spiritual qi in the room—like someone activated some magic, or something flew past.

Ji Yuan glanced around.

Du Wanyi and Luo Tian were already laughing.

"Fourth brother, don’t you feel something’s missing?" Big bro Yao Jingfeng grinned.

Ji Yuan thought, Uh oh, and grabbed for his waist.

Sure enough, the spot where his storage bag had hung was now totally empty.

Yao Jingfeng weighed the bag in his hand, then tossed it back with an apologetic smile, "My apologies."

"As you see, I know a little spell—lets me steal things off others. But I can only grab stuff hanging outside; if it’s in a storage bag, I can’t reach it."

"It’s also easy to get caught, only works in crowds."

Ji Yuan put his storage bag back, unflustered.

Because this particular storage bag... only had a few Spirit Stones, along with some leftover Spirit Pig meat and Cloudy Yellow Chicken eggs and other random stuff.

The one with real Spirit Stones and magical artifacts, he kept at his chest—monitoring it constantly.

"Shame Big Bro’s too virtuous, so he almost never uses this spell."

Du Wanyi said with a giggle.

"Actually, when dealing with tribulation cultivators or demon thieves, it comes in handy," Luo Tian added.

Ji Yuan considered, and agreed.

"Third brother’s right; as long as Big Bro keeps to his morals, it’s all good."

"Of course," Yao Jingfeng said with a smile. "So if you ever need me to use my skill, just say the word."

"Alright."

Ji Yuan nodded.

"We used to be just three—me for treasure seeking, third brother for fighting, big bro for miscellaneous tasks, but we still got hurt a lot. Now that fourth brother’s joined, especially with Blood Essence cultivation, our team’s much safer."

"We’ll be a lot safer moving forward."

Du Wanyi, sitting cross-legged in her chair, said with a smile.

"Definitely. Used to be me getting hurt all the time. Fourth brother, looks like I’ll be relying on you now." Even when joking, Luo Tian looked dead serious.

Yao Jingfeng laughed along, then said, "Let’s get back to talking Foundation Establishment."