Trading life

A cart was rolling on the winding roads, surrounded by tall trees on both sides. The wooden wheels were rattling and creaking on the uneven surface. There were songbirds chirping their pleasant melody.

Rays of light shone on the path through the canopy overhead. An old man was pulling the cart with steady steps. He wore a grey robe and a flat, conical bamboo hat covering most of his face.

He stopped the cart and pulled it to the roadside. He called out:

"Jin Ju! Get out. This is the place we stay for tonight."

A youth emerged from the cart wordlessly, his head hung low. His expression was covered by dark, unkempt hair. He approached the old man. A chain was rattling on his neck, bound to the cart itself.

The young boy was Jin Ju, a slave of Xing Zan, the wandering merchant.

Jin Ju presented himself before his master with a deep bow:

"Master, please."

Xing Zan reached out his hand. He did not touch the iron chains, only motioning in its direction. The chain fell to the ground with a clang.

"Go, gather firewood! Remember, stay within two hundred paces, or I can't guarantee your safety."

Jin Ju nodded as he left to fulfill his task. Meanwhile, Xing Zan started to lay down defensive measures, setting up a temporary camp around the cart he was pulling.

After enough time passed for an incense stick to burn, he inspected the surroundings again. After finishing the campsite, he rubbed his old and wrinkled palms:

"This should be sufficient. With this rank 3 Beast Repelling gu and rank 2 Dark Shroud gu we are safe from the wildlife encountering us."

He was an old and experienced traveling merchant. He had his methods to keep himself and his wares safe. His cultivation was only rank 2 upper stage, but strength was not everything in this world.

"I sent out Jin Ju, has he encountered trouble? No matter, it is also his duty to distract any beasts if there was any nearby while I set up the defenses. But I didn't hear any commotion, he should be back shortly."

More annoyed with than concerned about his travel companion, he began preparing rations from the cart and checking the wares in the cart. The gu worms and gu materials were all in order. He sat down on a rock with an empty stomach, waiting for the firewood to arrive.

"He's still not back, what's taking so long?"

* * * * *

Lingering Mountains Grotto Heaven, Golden Peak Pagoda

Bao Lang Chao was admiring the scenic view around him. He saw the many islands floating around him, slowly orbiting and chasing each other. It seemed chaotic at first glance, but the more one observed their graceful dance, the more mesmerizing it became.

Some islands were rocky and bare, some were lush with exotic plants, some were just single mountains with snow-covered peaks.

Another immortal entered the Golden Peak Pagoda. It was Fairy Wen Jie:

"Lord Chao, welcome to Lingering Mountains Grotto. I wonder what brings you here."

Said Wen Jie with a coquettish smile half hiding behind her fan.

"Fairy Wen Jie, it's been a long time. Yet your beauty is as captivating as ever."

Replied Bao Lang Chao with a stern face.

"You already know the intention of my visit."

"Of course, I do. Let's talk... business."

Fairy Wen Jie leaned closer as she whispered.

Bao Lang Chao had a heated expression, he was struggling to maintain a straight face.

"Enough already! Fairy, I am here to negotiate the terms for our continued cooperation."

"Lord Chao, you are going to break my fragile heart with such boring talk."

She said as she caressed gently his chin and neck.

Wen Jie was a wisdom path cultivator. Wisdom path focused on three aspects: thoughts, wills, and emotions. She was most proficient in the control and manipulation of emotions. It became a habit of hers to play around with others.

Bao Lang Chao had to swallow his pride and endure the rolling waves of his emotions because he was here to ask an important favor from Wen clan and Wen Jie was the supreme elder of Wen clan!

Her tone turned colder than a winter blizzard:

"I know the results of your clan's last tribulations, spare me the details. As per the agreement, we will help you repair your formation. The question is: what price are you willing to offer?"

"We can increase the number of resources we contribute to the annual competition, by five portions and-"

"Two thousand years!"

Bao Lang Chao fell into an awkward silence, he knew the conversation would come to this, but he very much wanted to avoid it. Wen clan wanted Lifespan gu. It was scarce, only in the recent few decades did the Ancestral Grotto start producing lifespan gu. The immortals' appetite for lifespan gu was insatiable, it was the only reliable method to attain longevity.

There was simply not enough! Who would want to die of old age, after only living one hundred years? That was the lifespan humans were bestowed by the heavenly dao.

Wen Jie faced her grotto lord counterpart, her voice turned sweet and melodious again:

"Or would you rather see this beautiful face wither in the river of time?"

"Too much, two thousand years is way too much. We can agree on one thousand years of lifespan gu in total, over multiple installments. This is my bottom line."

"Add in the five portions of immortal materials as well. Do that and I will give the order for an immediate departure. After all, you wouldn't want to risk delaying the reconstruction of your clans' lifeline..."

Bao Lang Chao had an ugly expression, maintaining his cool took a huge toll on him in the face of this temptress extorting him in broad daylight.

"Fine!"

He threw an information path gu worm to Fairy Wen Jie and left right away, the same route he came: through a Hole Earth Gu, the two clan's grotto heavens were connected.

* * * * *

Rustling was heard in the thick shrubs, old man Xing Zan raised his head to look in the noises' direction. He saw Jin Ju emerging from the woods. He had his hands full of dry twigs and branches as expected.

"You're finally back to take your deserved beating? What took you so long?"

Scolded Xing Zan. Seemingly to answer his question another young man appeared behind Jin Ju. He had short hair and cold eyes.

"I'm sorry master! He wouldn't leave, he kept following me around."

The newcomer was in a sorry state, his body was covered with mud and filth all over. Half his body was swollen and dotted with red marks, a pitiful sight.

"Jin Ju!! Who is this beggar you picked up? How dare you give some of my clothes to him?!"

He pointed at the rags the unknown youth was wearing. He was already hungry and impatient, and now this?

The dirty young man instantly dropped to his knees, kowtowing in front of Xing Zan. He reached out with one hand offering something, while his other hand grabbed onto the old man's ankle in a desperate manner.

"Lord gu master, please help me! I offer lord gu master this gu worm. Please take it, it has saved my life it is very precious!"

"Get your hand off me, you filthy brat!"

Berated Xing Zan, as he stepped back but not missing to take the gu worm. A stinky smell reached his nose, he recognized the gu worm at a moment's notice. It was Rotten Mud Gu. A common rank 2 Gu worm. The youth kneeling before him was naturally Bao Zhi.

"Please, lord gu master, spare my lowly life, help me reach the next village."

Xing Zan was pondering whether to kill him on the spot as he didn't see any benefit in having a straggler with them. Another mouth to feed another burden to look out for. But he couldn't be sure, what if killing him just brought more trouble?

He asked with suspicion:

"Who are you with? Why are you here on this road?"

Bao Zhi didn't raise his head to look at him, he continued to kowtow as he replied in a sobbing tone:

"My, my father. We came to gather gu materials. We were looking for Green Boots Mushrooms... But, but we ran into a wild tusk bear when we headed back."

He choked on his words, seemingly in great distress and shock.

"And?"

"My father is definitely alive! He, he promised to meet me again in the next town."

"Did you lose your father? What happened? Speak clearly!"

"I ran away, father told me to find the nearby swamp so the bear would lose my scent. But the mosquitoes attacked me there, so I dove down and... and found this gu worm."

Xing Zan squinted his eyes, he couldn't make heads or tails of the underlying truth.

"If this brat's father could fight a tusk bear then he is definitely a gu master, he also should have some tracking skills venturing this far out, and instructing the kid to head for the swamp in the heat of battle shows seasoned thinking... I should not risk offending him, no matter how small the chance of meeting him. On the contrary, it is not difficult to take this boy with me, and should he still be alive I can collect some of his 'gratitude'." Xing Zan opened his mouth as he smiled amiably:

"Good child. Every cloud has a silver lining. Look, you found this gu worm that saved your life. Then you also found us heading towards the village. Your misfortune is already turning around!"

"I accept your gu worm. Come, come! We were just about to have some grilled meat. Tell me more about your journey, we will definitely find your father. We wanderers should stick together in a dangerous place like this and help each other when we can."

Jin Ju had goosebumps, he never heard his master talk this sweet. Of course other than when he was peddling his wares.

Bao Zhi got up and sat next to Xing Zan. His tears have washed the mud off his face in two trails.

The tense atmosphere turned lively, old man Xing Zan was telling his stories, how he escaped dangerous encounters time and again, how he started his career as a wandering merchant...

Bao Zhi was listening attentively, admiration and renewed hope glimmering in his eyes as they ate their meals. Time passed quickly, night has arrived.

Xing Zan was already sleeping in his tent. Jin Ju got back inside the cart to which he got chained again. Bao Zhi was lying on a makeshift bed under a shoddily assembled roof made from leaves and branches. He was lying there motionlessly, staring at the night sky above him.

He got up and looked around carefully. The silence was disturbed only by the creaking and chirping of crickets, occasionally a roar of a wild beast could be heard in the distance. Oh, and the snoring of old man Xing Zan.

"It is time."

Bao Zhi approached the tent, his steps as light as a cat's, soundlessly treading forwards. He reached his goal.

His killing intent surged as he suddenly locked his elbow around Xing Zan's neck from behind.

"Nggh!"

Xing Zan woke up immediately, robbed of his breath, he instantly grabbed towards his neck. He could not peel off the arms constricting him like a fierce anaconda. Xing Zan tried to activate his gu worms in his panic.

No effect!

"How can this be?! My primeval essence is chaotic, I can't control it to activate my gu!"

This was the last thought that ran through his mind before Bao Zhi strengthened his grip further, snapping the old man's neck.

"Those who prepare, prevail."

Bao Zhi sneered to himself: "You were blinded by your own greed... Would you have otherwise missed that I smeared poison on your leg if I didn't offer you a gu worm at the same time?"

"You have traded your life for a gu worm."

As the saying went:

Birds die for food, humans die for wealth.