Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World
Chapter 115 - 21: Human Heart

Chapter 115: Chapter 21: Human Heart

Zheng Fa was unaware that the two Nascent Souls of Jiushan Sect had been mentioning his name all night long.

After returning home, he had been focusing on his cultivation.

Ever since he adjusted the Right Stand No Shadow Talisman and the Frost Blade Talisman, he felt that his cultivation had become a bit smoother, and he sensed that he was on the verge of breaking through to the third level of Qi Refining.

Zheng Fa had looked into the cultivation speeds of various Spirit Roots.

The gap between a Single Spirit Root and a Dual Spirit Root is actually quite significant—

Generally speaking, a Single Spirit Root could reach the tenth level of Qi Cultivation within about a year and attempt Foundation Establishment.

But for a Dual Spirit Root like Zheng Fa, even with diligent effort, it would take three to five years to reach the tenth level of Qi Cultivation.

If one is preoccupied with making a living and dealing with various matters, it’s common to spend eight or nine years.

This happens quite often—disciples with Single Spirit Roots often have a Master’s support and just need to focus on cultivation, but those with Dual Spirit Roots rarely receive such treatment.

After reaching the tenth level of Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment is another hurdle—Foundation Establishment requires Foundation Pills, which are also scarce and valuable.

For Qi Refinement Realm disciples to purchase such elixirs is really beyond their means, often requiring many years of arduous saving.

By this calculation, achieving Foundation Establishment within ten years is extremely challenging.

Therefore, the Jiushan Sect’s subsidy for only ten years for entry-level disciples is actually not really enough for Dual Spirit Root disciples, let alone those with Three or Four Spirit Roots.

The time limit set by Jiushan Sect is equivalent to leaving only a window for Dual Spirit Root disciples, while those of even lower aptitude aren’t even afforded a crack.

For example, Han Qi, who has Three Spirit Roots, once dreamt of achieving Foundation Establishment when he joined.

Over time, one could only busily strive for survival in the Immortal Sect.

As for Foundation Establishment, it became like a naive dream from youth.

Most of the lower-order disciples are like Han Qi, either numb or angry.

But Zheng Fa’s cultivation speed was far superior to ordinary Dual Spirit Root disciples, and his progress was just a bit slower than those with Single Spirit Roots.

For example, Zhou Qianyuan reached the second level of Qi Cultivation in just over thirty days.

It took Zheng Fa just a little over forty to fifty days.

At first, Zheng Fa didn’t understand why this was the case.

Later, after observation, he figured it out.

On one hand, of course, it was because of the "Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method"; based on his current estimates, he absorbed Spiritual Energy about twenty to thirty percent faster than ordinary Dual Spirit Root cultivators.

On the other hand, he had to thank modern times.

There is no Spiritual Energy in modern times, but Zheng Fa was diligent by nature, and he still cultivated his Spiritual Power every day according to the "Chi Xiao Technique".

At first, it was just a habit, but later he discovered the benefits; cultivating in the modern world won’t increase one’s Spiritual Power, but it can gradually purify it, making his foundation extremely solid.

Others need time to adapt to the increase in Spiritual Power during cultivation, before they can continue to absorb Spiritual Energy.

Zheng Fa did not need such adaptation, in the Xuanwei Realm he just needed to push ahead wildly.

He felt that even without forming a Primordial Talisman Dao Foundation, he might be able to catch up with Zhou Qianyuan’s pace of cultivation.

As he continued to cultivate, Zheng Fa felt his Dantian swell, and a feeling of fullness emerged from within his Dantian.

Through internal vision, he saw that his Dantian was brimming with Spiritual Power—compared to the trickle when he first cultivated, the Spiritual Power now was like a surging, tumultuous river.

He achieved the third level of Qi Cultivation.

Zheng Fa opened his eyes, flashing a faint smile, as if to celebrate this minor achievement—

After all, he saw the likes of Zhang and Yuan, who were Golden Cores on a daily basis.

Even among the workshop disciples, there were quite a few Foundation Establishment disciples.

It seemed that the breakthrough in Qi Cultivation level was nothing special.

Perhaps others couldn’t even be bothered to look.

"Zheng Fa has made a breakthrough!" Master Pang exclaimed loudly from atop the eighth peak of Jiushan, his eyes shining with a silvery light as he looked from a distance into Zheng Fa’s courtyard: "His talent is truly exceptional!"

"That... Master, I made a breakthrough a while ago too," Zhou Qianyuan reminded softly, standing beside him.

"You also made a breakthrough?" Master Pang was stunned, glancing at him before snorting dismissively: "What’s there to say about reaching the third level of Qi Cultivation?"

Zhou Qianyuan: "...?"

...

The next day, Zheng Fa could no longer cultivate at home all day.

The Guiding Ship he had sent out had returned.

The ship was full of people—this Guiding Ship had been to three nearby Sects and two workshops frequented by Loose Cultivators, bringing back over a hundred people.

With so many customers arriving at once, the workshop was suddenly inundated with various tasks.

Zheng Fa spent the next two days squatting in the workshop, alongside Yuan, dealing with all sorts of issues:

There were merchants who saw these customers were not from their own Sect and were planning to swindle them.

Some people came just for the free ride and caused trouble in the workshop because they couldn’t afford to buy anything.

And there were merchants who lacked confidence in Zheng Fa’s ideas, having sold out their merchandise, they pleaded with Zheng and Yuan to help them find new suppliers.

For a time, the workshop was in turmoil.

Not just Zheng Fa and Yuan.

The duty disciples of the workshop were also running around without a moment of rest.

After all the customers left, while others could take a break, Zheng Fa was still busy—he needed to calculate the profits from the round trip of the Guiding Ship.

"This trip, the taxes we collected are roughly twenty Spirit Stones, plus the profits from selling talismans on the ship—we should have a total of around fifty Spirit Stones."

After calculating, Zheng Fa said to Yuan, who was waiting beside him.

The rent was temporarily fixed.

The Spirit Stones that Zheng Fa and others could get from the Guiding Ship, apart from the profit margin of selling Spirit Talismans,

all came from trade taxes.

The tax rate for various trading taxes is different, but on average, it’s between 10% to 20%.

Yuan, upon hearing this number, was quite pleased: "Two trips a month, that’s a hundred Spirit Stones a month!"

"Sister, we still need to deduct the consumption of the Guiding Ship and the wages for the brothers on the ship—The disciples on duty at the market these past days have also been very busy, I’m afraid we’ll need to give them some bonus to appease them."

"...How much would that be?"

Zheng Fa didn’t have an exact figure in mind, just made a rough estimate in his heart: "The net profit left over, probably around twenty Spirit Stones."

"That seems a bit little..."

Zheng Fa nodded.

That it was little was one matter.

The main concern is that after everyone has been busy, it seems like no substantial result was seen—fear is that there will be murmurs of dissatisfaction.

...

Han Qi and his two companions were heading towards the market, ready to patrol—they were now under Zheng Fa, and also counted as part of the workshop disciples.

Along the way, they also encountered other elder brothers heading to the market.

Some were elder brothers whom they had gotten to know slowly on the Guiding Ship; the three of them greeted them along the way, and soon they were walking together, forming a group.

"Did you hear? After all that fuss, we’ve only earned about twenty Spirit Stones."

"...I think this Guiding Ship business can’t continue." One disciple sneered.

"We worked so hard, putting on smiles all the way, and came back exhausted... And in the end, we’ve only earned twenty Spirit Stones... What couldn’t we do to earn that much?"

The others also discussed animatedly, and while they used some unrefined words in low voices, Han Qi and his companions heard it all.

The trio felt a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

After all, they considered themselves Zheng Fa’s men.

Now this group, in their words, demonstrated some dissatisfaction with Zheng Fa, although no one named names, it was clear who they were referring to.

The tall and skinny one opened his mouth as if wanting to speak but was stopped by a tug on the sleeve by Han Qi.

The three slowed their pace, watching that group of elder brothers slowly walk ahead.

"Brother, why didn’t you let me scold them..."

"Did they actually say anything?" Han Qi gave him a glare: "What were you planning to scold them with?"

"..."

"Besides, these people are very respectful in front of brother Zheng."

"The sort to smile to your face and stab you in the back!" The tall and skinny one spat out bitterly.

"Brother Zheng’s foundation is still too shallow, his cultivation too weak." Han Qi sighed, "These people fear brother Zheng, but only because of Zhang sister and Yuan sister, yet those who don’t accept him willingly are the majority."

"But brother Zheng also earned Spirit Stones this time!"

"Yes, he earned them, but creating such a fuss..." Han Qi heaved a sigh: "They probably feel that with the power given to them, they could earn more."

The tall and skinny one didn’t speak anymore.

Han Qi continued: "Moreover, we can’t always go to the same place with this Guiding Ship. This time was close, but what about when it’s further away—then we would earn even less."

"This... Will sister Zhang blame brother Zheng?"

"Blame he certainly will not be, but whether we can continue doing this will probably have to be reassessed."

Worries were written visibly across Han Qi’s face.

...

Harboring not so great feelings, Han Qi and his two companions arrived at the market.

As soon as they entered, the trio sensed something unusual.

"Brother! You’ve worked hard these past two days! Have some pancakes!"

As they passed by, a meat pancake vendor stuffed three pancakes into their hands, saying cheerfully with a smile.

"You didn’t have breakfast, did you? Take some date cakes to fill your stomach!"

"Eating just dry stuff is tedious. Brothers, have a drink of water!"

Just after walking down one street, the trio found themselves carrying a handful of various items.

Not only them, but the elder brothers who had arrived early too were stuffed with various kinds of snacks by people.

The group were dumbfounded, baffled by these vendors’ enthusiastic actions.

They couldn’t understand why these vendors were so overly welcoming.

"Brother... In the past, when we saw on-duty disciples, we couldn’t avoid them fast enough, and now they are acting like this..."

Han Qi blinked his eyes, and suddenly smiled: "The market didn’t earn any money, but the vendors made money!"

"Ah?"

Han Qi turned around to look at the small building where the market management was located.

Inside the building, sister Zhang was also smiling as she spoke with Zheng Fa about this matter: "The stalls that couldn’t be rented out before today, people are now fighting to rent them."

"It’s more than that... The important thing is people’s hearts." Zhang sister looked meaningfully at Zheng Fa and then said firmly, "We must continue to send out the Guiding Ship, even if it doesn’t make money."

Zheng Fa nodded, fully understanding Zhang sister’s intent.

Within the Jiushan Sect now, the most aggrieved were the lower-ranking disciples—and those running the stalls were roughly these people.

One trip of the Guiding Ship, almost every vendor made a little profit.

The money might not be much for Zheng Fa and them, but for those people, it might be equal to one month’s profit.

To sister Zhang, it was about sharing a bit more of the cake with the lower ranks of the Jiushan Sect, something she couldn’t achieve nor would agree to do.

But bringing in consumers from other sects and the market—that was like carving a piece of someone else’s cake to share with Jiushan Sect disciples.

That’s all for the better!

Yuan sister came up from the first floor carrying a bunch of stuff, her expression somewhat bewildered: "Brother Zheng, these are from the vendors at the front door on the first floor, all with your name on them—there’s a lot more, and I can’t carry it all!"