Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: Chapter 411 Gang Leader's Attendant_1

Chapter 419: Chapter 411 Gang Leader’s Attendant_1

Long ago, he had suspected Zhang Banzui, but later, upon secretly sensing his cultivation level, he realized that it was merely that of an ordinary person with nofold cultivation.

And so, he dismissed this suspicion.

It is said that great concealment lies in the imperial court, moderate concealment lies in the marketplace, and minor concealment lies in the forest.

Some powerful beings, weary of the constant heart-wrenching struggles and the bloody disputes over interests, choose to retreat into the mountains and forests, living incognito as ordinary farmers in the countryside, leading a peaceful life away from worldly conflicts.

Ever since he was young, Qin Niu had yearned for such a peaceful, farming life.

The mysterious expert could very likely be hidden among the common folk of the countryside, keeping their existence unknown to outsiders.

“The expert who rode a leopard into the village could very possibly be a powerful figure from the Nine Insect Gang. Why would the mysterious expert, hiding in the countryside, take action to eliminate him?”

Qin Niu pondered deeply over this matter.

Since the mysterious expert was concealed in the countryside, he surely did not wish to expose his identity.

But his action in eradicating the expert from the Nine Insect Gang could easily provoke an investigation by the gang. In that case, the mysterious expert would be even more likely to be discovered.

An adult’s every action is guaranteed by interests.

The mysterious expert must have had a reason for acting as he did.

Could it be that the expert from the Nine Insect Gang had discovered the whereabouts of the mysterious expert and was therefore silenced?

Or could it be that the mysterious expert was secretly protecting this land, preventing the experts from the Nine Insect Gang from wreaking havoc in this region? At that time, the Nine Insect Gang was constantly sending out powerful assassins to target the Insect Masters of the Black Tiger Gang.

The situation was fraught with tension.

Now that Qin Niu’s insects were increasing both in number and strength, he could secretly set up controls, monitoring the entirety of Shuangfeng Village and the Qifeng Mountain Range.

Should the mysterious expert take action again, Qin Niu would surely be able to find him.

…

He didn’t return to Shuangfeng Village from the deep mountains until near dusk.

The Fire Lotus had already been replanted within the cavern by him, nourished by the Earth’s fire and the power of his Everlasting Spring Technique, the Fire Lotus was quickly regaining its vitality. The fire essence within it was also accumulating at an astonishing rate.

The Fire Phoenix sect had dispatched its Demon Birds to take turns guarding the cavern.

Qin Niu had positioned some of the War Bees inside the cave to protect the Fire Lotus.

This way, there was a double layer of insurance.

When he arrived home, his two wives and Xiao Qing had been anxious for a whole two days and had even gone into the mountains looking for him.

By his estimate, if he had not returned, they would have ventured deeper into the mountains to search for him.

Women are truly such emotional beings.

A home without wives and maids may have fewer complications, but life would also lose a lot of color. He did rather enjoy the feeling of having people care and worry about him.

He believed that as they came into contact with more things, they would gradually become more rational and detached.

Not like now, where if Qin Niu didn’t come home for just a day or two, they would become extremely anxious.

Qin Niu replanted the Ice Lotus in the lotus pond in the backyard, but he was contemplating some ideas.

The lotus pond was too shallow for the growth of the Ice Lotus.

Based on the living environment of the Fire Lotus and the deep pond where he had obtained the Ice Lotus, planting the Ice Lotus in deeper water would likely be more beneficial for its growth.

He decided to hire workers to dig a deep well in the backyard.

The next day, he went out to hire people.

Due to the ongoing insect calamities preventing crops from being planted, many able-bodied laborers in the countryside were in a state of unemployment, idling their days away.

Moreover, continuous news of warfare exacerbated the panic among the populace.

This caused widespread anxiety, with families having already packed up their valuables, stockpiled dry food, and prepared to flee at a moment’s notice.

Now the price of grain was rising daily, climbing steadily higher; many households were already finding ways to conserve food. Numerous women, along with their children, went out to the fields and wilds to dig up grass roots and stems of wild vines to bring home. These were then mixed with the food in a certain ratio and cooked until mushy, to serve as a means to stave off hunger.

Qin Niu had once used this method himself.

It was indeed very effective.

It could significantly save on food consumption.

However, their taste was somewhat hard to swallow.

Qin Niu took a casual stroll and hired over thirty strong laborers. He had them help dig a deep well in the backyard.

Three meals a day, and a salary of fifteen Wen Money per day.

In the eyes of these ordinary sturdy laborers, this was already a rare and cushy job, and they all worked hard, fearing that the employer would mistake them for lazybones and kick them out.

It must be said, wherever there is money, there is respect.

Life was even more comfortable than that of an emperor.

…

Nine days later, Qin Niu’s backyard boasted a well over thirty meters deep.

To prevent collapse, the well’s inner walls were lined with a circle of blue stones.

The well’s diameter was nearly ten meters, making it a very large water well.

The day after the well was completed, he transplanted the Ice Lotus into the well.

The reason he waited until the next day to transplant was due to worries about potential collapses after the well walls had been soaked. After observing for a night and confirming everything was safe, he dared to transplant the Ice Lotus into it.

After the Ice Lotus was transplanted into the well, everything was normal for the first two days.

But by the third day, the well was filled with bone-chilling cold. When he drew half a bucket of water with a bucket, it was ice-cold to the touch.

The growth rate of the Ice Lotus had clearly accelerated a lot.

It seemed that digging a deep well specifically for its cultivation was the right method.

Qin Niu squatted by the well, observing the Ice Lotus at the bottom. It was like a quiet orchid in a deep valley, silently blooming at the bottom of the well. It continuously released cold air, making the entire well’s water ice-cold.

Normally, the water in a deep well would be warm in winter and cool in summer.

Because it was spring water.

He thought to himself that if Fire Lotus contains fire essence, could Ice Lotus also have some essence energy within it?

Could he use these two special herbs to enhance his cultivation?

Or to cultivate special skills?

He now had two special herbs in his possession, yet did not know how to use them, which felt like a waste of heaven’s gifts.

For now, the Ice Lotus was only used for the War Bees to collect its pollen to make special honey.

The Fire Lotus was practically unused, simply transplanted back into its original cave.

At that moment, the sound of horse hooves came from outside.

“May I ask if Master Qin is at home? Military envoy Ye Ji seeks an audience.”

A cold female voice sounded.

“Xiao Qing, escort the guest to the front hall, I’ll be right there!”

Qin Niu instructed.

Military envoys are generally dispatched for important military matters that need to be conveyed.

Because the information that needs to be conveyed is highly confidential, it cannot be entrusted to ordinary couriers, thus the need for a military envoy.

They are often guards close to the military decision-making layer.

Such people, Qin Niu naturally could not neglect.

Xiao Qing escorted the guest to the front hall, and it was a slender woman dressed in a tight black outfit.

Her exact age was indiscernible because she wore an animal face mask.

It was somewhat like a fox face mask.

This woman’s movements were exceedingly agile. Upon entering the front hall, without any obvious preparation, her steps lightly lifted, and she was already near Qin Niu.

Bowing to Qin Niu, she said, “Ye Ji, a close attendant of the Black Tiger Gang Leader, pays respects to Master Qin.”

As someone of an esteemed lineage, despite her status as an attendant to the Gang Leader, she needed to perform the grand gesture of respect.