Could this truly be something that a wandering cultivator who just broke through to the mid-stage of Qi Refinement could accomplish?
Judging by the temperament of most wandering cultivators, wouldn't they have started threatening me the moment I refused them?
Or perhaps, when I turned them down, they might have coldly thrown out a parting remark and walked away?
Imagining how a wandering cultivator might have reacted in that scenario.
He Song frowned.
His mind quickly replayed Chen Zhou's demeanor and actions from that moment. He Song raised an eyebrow.
He couldn't quite be sure if Chen Zhou had been acting back then.
Having lived in an era of information overload in his past life, He Song was well aware that some people were natural-born actors.
These people rarely acted on their true intentions.
Instead, they tended to play roles. Publicly, they were submissive and timid, but behind the scenes, they acted with ruthless determination.
If Chen Zhou was indeed such a person, he might already be plotting how to get rid of me.
In other words:
He Song was now in grave danger!
So what if I have friends managing the Spirit Herb Pavilion?
Once I'm dead, I'd still just be a corpse.
Given Chen Zhou's background as a wandering cultivator, he's likely no stranger to killing in the shadows.
The high mortality rate among wandering cultivators isn't just because their work is inherently risky.
More often than not, it's due to infighting and mutual slaughter among them.
Killing.
For wandering cultivators, it's something they carry out without hesitation.
Moreover, He Song had clearly offended Chen Zhou at that time.
If it were He Song in Chen Zhou's position, once someone had completely antagonized him, he would also choose to strike first.
This thought sent a chill down He Song's spine. His scalp tingled, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.
A growing sense of unease surged in his heart, though his expression remained calm.
He stopped cultivating immediately, not daring to delay any longer.
Standing up, he pinched a Thick Earth Talisman between his fingers to ensure his safety.
Only then did he open the door.
He stepped outside.
This house is no longer safe!
Could Chen Zhou have tracked him by observing his route when leaving?
Might he now know the location of He Song's home?
When faced with a wandering cultivator who makes a living by licking the blade's edge, He Song, as a cultivator sheltered by a Immortal Market, was unlikely to hold his ground.
With such thoughts in mind, He Song quickened his pace.
Out in the bustling streets, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of people, he finally began to feel a little more at ease.
However, his fingers still clutched the Thick Earth Talisman, ready to activate it at any moment.
Walking through the streets,
He Song instinctively headed toward Wei Fan's home.
He wasn't a loner.
After years of painstaking effort in Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, He Song had managed to establish a network of allies and connections.
Now, facing a crisis that he couldn't immediately solve on his own,
It was time to turn to his connections.
He Song wasn't the kind of person who would stubbornly hold onto his pride and suffer in silence.
Why risk everything to solve the problem alone when there were allies he could rely on?
Taking that route was far too dangerous—one wrong move, and he could lose everything.
He was different from others. When others died, they were just dead; in eighteen years, they might be reborn as another bold hero.
But He Song was someone seeking immortality. If he died, he'd regret it for all eternity.
Thus, in He Song's personal creed:
If you can avoid offending someone, don't offend them. But if you do, make sure to eliminate them completely.
If you can avoid acting personally, don't act. But if you must act, crush the enemy utterly, leaving no chance for revenge.
If you can root them out entirely, then root them out entirely.
In short, don't leave any threats behind.
After all, his life was far too precious.
Soon enough, He Song arrived at Wei Fan's house.
Today, Wei Fan was off duty and not working at the Spirit Builder Pavilion.
When Wei Fan saw He Song arrive, he was overjoyed. He personally welcomed He Song into his courtyard and took him to the pavilion where they often drank tea together in the past.
The two sat across from each other in the pavilion, and Wei Fan spoke up at just the right moment.
"Daoist friend, it's been such a long time since you last visited. Living alone in this courtyard has been dreadfully dull," Wei Fan said, shaking his head as he handed a cup of tea to He Song.
Ever since He Song had moved out three years ago, Wei Fan had returned to his previous monotonous life.
Without He Song's presence, he often reminisced about those earlier days.
Though the outside world was dangerous back then, having He Song as a housemate brought harmony, and they could enjoy drinks together during their leisure time.
Unfortunately, after He Song moved out three years ago, that camaraderie had vanished entirely.
Today, with He Song visiting, Wei Fan couldn't help but voice his sentiments.
"Brother Wei, I've come to you today to ask for your help. My life might depend on it," He Song said, taking the tea Wei Fan handed him and sipping it. A flash of helplessness appeared in his eyes.
For the past three years, during their monthly gatherings, Wei Fan would always invite He Song to move back in.
But He Song had declined every time.
Now, driven by necessity, he had no choice but to visit again. To his surprise, Wei Fan had started their conversation with the same invitation as always.
This left He Song feeling a bit too embarrassed to outright refuse again.
However, today's visit was prompted by an urgent matter. He needed to explain his situation to Wei Fan and see if his friend had any solutions before making further plans.
"Oh? Life-threatening? You've always been cautious and avoided causing trouble with others. Could it be that a cultivator is trying to oppress you?"
Wei Fan was astonished at He Song's words, his eyes flashing with spiritual light. But after carefully observing He Song for a while, he found no visible injuries or signs of harm.
Puzzled, he turned his questioning gaze toward He Song.
At the same time, a trace of anger flickered in Wei Fan's heart.
He Song was his friend.
Moreover, He Song was always prudent and never actively provoked others.
If someone dared to bully He Song within the Immortal Market, where would that leave Wei Fan, a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator?
For a moment, a surge of hot-blooded indignation welled up within Wei Fan.
Could it be that he, a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator who had never taken action since reaching this stage, would finally have to act today?
As his emotions surged, the spiritual pressure unique to a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator subtly fluctuated around him.
This fluctuation, caused by the turbulent emotions impacting his internal spiritual energy, wasn't oppressive for He Song, who was in the mid-stage of Qi Refinement.
On the contrary, He Song merely felt a gentle breeze caress his face, and it stirred a sense of warmth in his heart.
"It's not quite like that," He Song said, after some deliberation. "To be fair, I share some blame for what happened. But the situation has already spiraled out of control, and now I have no choice but to seek your help."
After considering his words, He Song recounted the entire series of events to Wei Fan:
From his breakthrough into the mid-stage of Qi Refinement,
To his visit to the Spirit Herb Pavilion to see Zhao Lin, who casually allocated him two acres of spirit farmland,
And his encounter with Chen Zhou at the farmland, where Chen Zhou tried to trade ten spirit stones for the land.
Then, his decision to ask Zhao Lin to investigate Chen Zhou's background, with Zhao Lin truthfully reporting his findings and sharing his suspicions via a paper crane.
Finally, driven by concerns over Chen Zhou's wandering cultivator status, He Song had no choice but to come to Wei Fan for help.
After narrating the entire ordeal, He Song picked up his tea and took a sip to moisten his throat.
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