Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil in the Cultivation World Chapter 2 Eighth-Grade Opportunity

"The men from the Dragon King Gang have arrived."

Su Weiwei’s expression shifted the moment she heard that voice; she recognized the situation immediately. After all, the Dragon King Gang made their rounds nearly every month. Their presence was something she was all too familiar with.

"Go back inside," Jiang Fan instructed her. He was well aware of how dangerous the members of the Dragon King Gang were. If they laid eyes on Su Weiwei, there was no telling what might happen. The ancient proverb "Beauty brings calamity" remained an eternal truth for a reason.

"Okay." Su Weiwei nodded obediently and retreated into the room without a second thought.

In the past, the responsibility of paying the monthly tribute belonged to Jiang Fan’s father and mother. Since their passing, however, the burden of dealing with these thugs naturally fell upon his shoulders.

Bang!

With a display of pure arrogance, the slightly open wooden door of the house was kicked wide. A burly, bearded man in his thirties stepped inside, accompanied by three large subordinates. Their eyes carried a murderous glint, the look of men who had spilled blood. Each was physically imposing, possessing a build that far surpassed that of an ordinary fisherman.

"Kid, you’ve got some nerve. You knew I was coming and you still dared to keep the door shut. Are you planning to skip out on your monthly tribute?" The middle-aged man glared at Jiang Fan, a faint malice radiating from him. It was clear that if Jiang Fan offered even a hint of resistance, a violent beating would follow.

This man was a small leader within the Dragon King Gang named Zheng Wenbing, though he was better known as Lord Bing. He was notorious for overseeing the tribute collection in Osmanthus Village, and many local fishermen had already tasted his fists.

"Lord Bing, how could I possibly dare to withhold the tribute? I’ve only just recovered from a heavy illness, which is why I wasn't outside to welcome you. The tribute is prepared. Please, Lord Bing, accept it with a smile." Jiang Fan took a steadying breath and produced a cloth pouch filled with copper coins.

This was the required payment for the month. It represented nearly every cent left in the household. Despite his resentment, Jiang Fan handed it over to avoid a certain disaster.

"Oh? Quite cooperative, aren't you? I heard your parents passed a few months back and the funeral costs were steep. Yet, you can still afford the tribute. Did you happen to haul in a Treasure Fish and strike it rich?" Zheng Wenbing narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Jiang Fan with suspicion.

Treasure Fish were rare specimens found in Yunmeng Lake that possessed great value. A single one could fetch at least ten taels of silver. Catching one meant a fisherman could live comfortably for an entire year. However, they were incredibly elusive, making them nearly impossible to find.

"How could that be? With my meager skills, I wouldn't be able to catch a Treasure Fish even if I stumbled upon one. This bit of money is just what I’ve managed to save through years of living frugally. If I truly caught a Treasure Fish, I would sell it to the Dragon King Gang immediately; I would never dream of hiding it." Jiang Fan adopted a mask of fear and humility.

He knew this world was far from a simple feudal society. It was a place where martial artists possessed Extraordinary Power. It was said these individuals could scale walls, wield colossal strength, and remain unharmed by ordinary blades. The most elite among them could slaughter thousands and walk through armies unscathed.

Closer to home, Zheng Wenbing himself was a martial artist, rumored to be invincible against dozens of men in a brawl. Even his three lackeys were capable of fighting ten men each. Jiang Fan had once dreamed of learning martial arts, but the tuition for even the most basic school cost more than ten taels of silver—a sum a poor fishing family could never hope to afford.

"Good. You understand how things work. This eighty-li stretch of Yunmeng Lake is the property of the Dragon King Gang. Every Mortal Fish and Treasure Fish within it can only be sold to us. Hiding a Treasure Fish is a crime punishable by death. I don't think you have the guts to try it." Zheng Wenbing scanned the dilapidated house, his suspicions fading. If Treasure Fish were easy to catch, they wouldn't be so precious. Besides, this kid was just a novice with skills far below the veteran fishers. The chance of him catching one was practically zero. He realized he was being overly paranoid.

"Of course. Whatever we catch, we sell only to the Dragon King Gang," Jiang Fan said with a nod. This was the tyrannical reality of the gang's dominance over Yunmeng Lake. Every fisherman had to pay taxes and tributes. On top of that, the gang suppressed the prices they paid for the catch. Between the various fees and the exploitation, the fishermen were left with almost nothing.

"Hmph. If everyone followed the rules as well as you do, our lives would be much simpler. If anyone tries to bully you on Yunmeng Lake, just tell them you're under my protection." Zheng Wenbing patted Jiang Fan on the shoulder, seemingly pleased, and gave a hollow verbal promise.

Jiang Fan felt a surge of contempt. The Dragon King Gang was lightning-fast when it came to taking money, but they would vanish the moment actual trouble started. Expecting their help was as realistic as a fish jumping into his boat on its own. He kept his face neutral, however. Dealing with such thugs required caution; any sign of defiance would lead to a brutal thrashing. At Yunmeng Lake, the Dragon King Gang was the law, and there was no one to turn to for justice.

With that, Zheng Wenbing signaled to his men and departed to continue his rounds. Once the sound of their heavy footsteps faded into the distance, Su Weiwei peeked out from the other room and whispered, "Brother Jiang, have those villains finally left?"

"They're gone," Jiang Fan confirmed with a nod. Truthfully, the humiliation of being bullied like this burned within him. Even in his previous life, he had never been subjected to such treatment. While he chose to endure it for the sake of survival, he etched this grievance into his memory. One day, he would settle the score.

"What will we do now? We have no money left after paying that tribute," Su Weiwei said dejectedly. The rice remaining in their jars would barely last three days. Without a new source of income, starvation was a real threat.

Bang!

Just as Jiang Fan was about to respond, a notification echoed from the depths of his mind: "By voluntarily paying the tribute, you have satisfied the Dragon King Gang leader Zheng Wenbing. He views you as a harmless, law-abiding citizen, allowing you to avoid a looming disaster. You have gained an Eighth-Grade Opportunity and one hundred Luck Points."

What?!

Jiang Fan was stunned to his core by the message. He thought back to his Life Chart—Great Blessings Equal to Heaven. Did this mean that surviving a calamity would always result in a stroke of luck? It seemed that as long as he evaded disaster, opportunities would follow.

But what was an Eighth-Grade Opportunity, and how was he supposed to use these Luck Points?