61: Chapter 57 Farewell at the Long Pavilion_1 61: Chapter 57 Farewell at the Long Pavilion_1 No matter what expectations everyone held, the three-city debate ultimately came to an end.

The onlooking civilians of Fenglin City dispersed, still excitedly discussing the issue.

The performance of Fenglin City’s Taoist Sect this time was indeed not bad, and they shared in the glory.

Most ordinary people living in this city had no idea what had happened today.

The bloody battles in dark rooms, the struggles in the streets and alleys, those entanglements of life and death, all passed silently, like air dissolving into the air.

The turmoil caused by Bone Tao had been quietly quelled, and not even a trace of blood could be found on the streets.

The few civilians who accidentally witnessed the fights had been silenced.

For most people, today in Fenglin City was just a grand festival with an impressive program.

Being transcendent does not spare one from suffering, and ignorance is not necessarily a lack of happiness.

For Wei Quchibi, the seventeen decapitated heads of Bone Tao cultivators before him, as well as the many more bodies unworthy of collection, had washed away his disgrace.

Wei Quchibi said to Dong Ah, “Today, my great hatred has been avenged.

Why not organize the disciples of the Taoist Sect to recite ‘Supreme Sutra for Salvation’ a few times to deliver the souls of those who died in vain in Xiaolin Town?”

As the lord of a city region, he could finally offer some tribute to the people of Xiaolin Town under his governance.

Of course, this was no difficult task, as the ‘Supreme Sutra for Salvation’ was a commonly used scripture for soul salvation and almost every cultivator of the Taoist Sect knew it by heart.

But Dong Ah’s attitude was very indifferent, “With their souls scattered and vanished, what’s the use of salvation?”

Wei Quchibi felt that this guy was simply unreasonable.

They had just cooperated and now not even a smile was forthcoming.

With such a temperament, it was no wonder he had been driven out of Zhuang Capital.

…

When the cultivators of Three-City left, Jiang Wang made a special trip to see them off.

He had real admiration for Yang Xingyong and greatly respected the will shown by the cultivators of Three-City in the debate.

Compared to the mighty procession of Wangjiang City, the cultivators of Three-City seemed all the more lonely.

If it hadn’t been for Dong Ah personally intervening to treat them, they wouldn’t even have been able to return to their city fully staffed—these men had fought too hard.

Jiang Wang’s presence to see him off made Yang Xingyong very happy, “I’m convinced by my defeat; you are very strong.

I will come back to challenge you next year!”

After chatting for a bit, Jiang Wang hesitated, but still asked, “The three-city debate isn’t the grand examination of the prefectural institute, so why are you all pushing yourselves so hard?”

Yang Xingyong fell silent.

“Sorry, if it’s inappropriate, just consider I didn’t ask,” said Jiang Wang sincerely.

“Because for us… for Three-City, things are very difficult,” said Sun Xiaoman, who had been sullen and silent the whole time.

“Three-City, well, it has a lot of mountains, a lot of wildlife, and many fierce beasts.

The wildlife is manageable, equivalent to food, but the fierce beasts are real trouble…”

As Sun Xiaoman narrated, Jiang Wang began to understand the predicament of Three-City.

The Human Race rose during the Ancient Era, but life before their ascent was not easy.

Although the Human Race is now known as the spirit of all beings, the truth is that most humans are born with blocked Dao veins and only a rare few geniuses manifest their Dao veins naturally, allowing them to cultivate from birth.

However, magical beasts have their Dao veins naturally manifested.

Latter, an extremely powerful Human Race individual invented a pill recipe and made it public, which began the rise of the Human Race.

The name of this powerful individual has been lost in the long river of history, but his recipe has been passed down forever.

This recipe was for the original Channel-opening Pill, whose main ingredient was the Dao veins of magical beasts.

From then on, the Human Race was no longer limited by natural talent; with the Channel-opening Pill, one could practice cultivation!

This also marked the start of an era of frenzied hunting of magical beasts.

Before starting his cultivation journey, Jiang Wang always wondered about one thing.

In this era of rapid cultivation, why, given the strength of the Human Race, had the wilderness not been swept clean?

Why do all the countries maintain only the roads and let the wildlife roam and magical beasts rampage in many other regions?

Because these magical beasts are resources!

In a sense, those magical beasts are farmed food.

The wildlife and even the wilderness environment are simply maintaining the ecology needed for farming.

After all, magical beasts favored by the heavens and earth, with their Natural Dao Veins manifested, cannot be domesticated.

As for Fierce Beasts, they are another kind of existence.

Generally, their combat power is extremely strong, yet they lack spiritual intelligence, and even their flesh cannot be consumed.

Simply put, the destructive power of Fierce Beasts is not far behind that of magical beasts, yet they are of no value in themselves.

Hunting Fierce Beasts is a task that incurs only loss without any gain, and yet Three Mountains City has no choice but to undertake it.

This has resulted in a long-term deficit for the city.

All the strong need resources to pile up, yet Three Mountains City is always spending more than it earns.

What’s more terrifying is that there are too many Fierce Beasts within the territory of Three Mountains City, so it’s practically impossible to eliminate them all.

They destroy the official roads, attack villages and towns, and devour humans.

The environment of Three Mountains City dictates that most of the food must be transported from other places, as it is impossible for the city to be self-sufficient.

However, the poor condition of the official roads in practice heightens the risk of transportation.

Especially since a while ago, the Taoist Sect of Three Mountains City suffered heavy casualties at the hands of the Heart-devouring Demon, making the city even more short-staffed.

The maintenance of official roads is the responsibility of Three Mountains City, and to ask Zhuang Ting to allocate masters for the sweep would require an equivalent exchange of resources.

But Three Mountains City already has next to no surplus resources.

Therefore, even with the death of Three Mountains City Taoist Sect’s senior brother Chu Ping, the sect still sees the Daodean tournament as a lifeline.

Their desperate battles in the arena are not for personal glory, but for the sake of their fellow townsmen in Three Mountains City, who are struggling to make it through each day.

“Do you know?

For every match we win, at least ten people in Three Mountains City can survive,” Yang Xingyong’s eyes clearly reddened as he lowered his head, “As long as we perform well…”

He felt guilty for his loss, even though he had given it his all.

Jiang Wang was silent for a moment.

He patted Yang Xingyong on the shoulder, “One year’s champion of the Daodean tournament, I got a bargain and feel undeserving for it.

The fifty Dao Merits awarded, when I return to the sect, I will transfer them to you in the Hall of Dao Merit.”

Fifty Dao Merits is not a small sum, and although it can’t solve the problems of Three Mountains City, it does offer some relief in an emergency.

Furthermore, for disciples whose names are recorded in the Taoist records, fifty Dao Merits is half a Channel-opening Pill, equivalent to half a Transcendent cultivator.

This is precisely the strength that Three Mountains City most urgently needs to replenish.

“How is this appropriate?” Yang Xingyong looked up in astonishment.

Sun Xiaoman had already punched Jiang Wang in the stomach, “You, we’ve made a pact of friendship!”

She had intended to heroically punch Jiang Wang in the chest, but her height did not permit.

Jumping to force a punch would ruin the atmosphere, so she could only hit Jiang Wang in the stomach.

Jiang Wang felt an old blood clot stuck in his throat; had it not been for the extraordinary strength provided by the Four Spirits Body Refinement, he would have been done for with that punch.

This little girl, her punching power was terrifying.

Of course, Jiang Wang knew it wasn’t because the young girl was being especially considerate, he could even detect the scarcity and unnaturalness hidden under her hearty smile.

She simply could not bear to let her shyness prevent the people of Three Mountains City from receiving the help they could get.

“Then, farewell.”

“Farewell!”

Though one sees one off for a thousand miles, eventually they must part.

Jiang Wang stopped outside the city gate, watching as his newly made friends departed.

…

“Sister, buy me new clothes,” pleaded Sun Xiaoyan, wrapped in his hooded black cloak, walking all covered up.

His original clothes had been destroyed in battle beyond repair.

“No money.”

“I can’t go home like this, right?

It’s such a long journey, so many people will see!

What if I flash someone?”

“So what if they see?

You’re still a child.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep