Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil in the Cultivation World Chapter 7: Money Must Not Be Flaunted

The following morning, the sun rose with a brilliant glow.

Jiang Fan rose from his bed after resting for a mere three hours.

His wakefulness wasn't just due to a restless excitement; more importantly, his initial mastery of the Soaring Snake Technique had transformed him into a Skin Tempering Realm Martial Artist. This breakthrough filled him with such immense vitality that a few hours of sleep were now sufficient to completely refresh his body.

At that moment, Su Weiwei emerged from her room. Clad in a delicate Ruqun, she stood with an elegant grace. The soft morning light accentuated her enchanting beauty, making her skin appear as radiant as polished jade.

Despite being only fifteen or sixteen years old, she possessed the captivating charm of a much more mature woman.

Her figure, reminiscent of a succulent, ripe peach, was incredibly alluring.

This was simply her natural gift; truly beautiful individuals possess an undeniable magnetism that outshines everyone else, even when dressed in the simplest burlap clothes.

"Brother Jiang, why have you risen so early?"

Su Weiwei looked toward Jiang Fan, her expression filled with slight astonishment.

She had assumed that Brother Jiang would need more rest to recover from his recent bout of severe illness. She hadn't expected to see him up at dawn.

"Isn't our supply of rice completely exhausted?"

"That is why I woke early. I plan to travel to Tonghe County to purchase some grain for us."

Jiang Fan explained his intentions for the day.

Initially, he had hesitated to visit Tonghe County, as it was situated a good ten to twenty miles away from Osmanthus Village.

For an average person, the trek would take at least two or three hours one way, meaning the round trip could easily consume an entire day.

Furthermore, the world was currently in a state of chaos, and the roads were often plagued by bandits.

However, now that he had successfully cultivated the Soaring Snake Technique and reached the Skin Tempering Realm, his status as a Martial Artist gave him a new sense of security.

His newfound confidence in his combat abilities convinced him that a grain run to Tonghe County would be manageable. As long as he remained vigilant, he believed he could avoid any serious danger.

In this region, a Skin Tempering Realm Martial Artist was considered a minor expert, far beyond the capabilities of most ordinary people.

"It is true that we have no grain left," Su Weiwei admitted with a sigh of helplessness.

"But after paying the monthly salary yesterday, the family has no money remaining."

She shared his desire to buy supplies, but the lack of funds made it seem impossible.

"Who told you we were out of money?"

"Take a look at this."

With a faint smile, Jiang Fan reached into his robes and produced twenty taels of silver, which he placed in Su Weiwei's hands.

"What? Is this... is this twenty taels of silver?"

"Brother Jiang, where in the world did you obtain such a sum?"

Su Weiwei was utterly stunned. Her eyes widened in shock, and her heart began to race uncontrollably.

In all her sixteen years, she had never laid eyes on such a massive fortune. Twenty taels of silver were enough to sustain a household for several years.

Seeing it produced so casually was almost beyond belief. If word of this wealth got out, the villagers would be consumed by envy, and the house would surely be targeted by every thief in the area.

"Do not worry yourself. This was gained through legitimate means, so there will be no trouble," Jiang Fan said with a chuckle.

"Since it is a rare occasion for me to visit Tonghe County, is there anything you desire? If you want some silk garments, I can bring them back for you."

"No, wealth must never be flaunted," Su Weiwei replied with great seriousness.

"Even though I do not know the source of this silver, our peace would vanish if the villagers found out. If I were to wear silk while everyone else wears burlap, everyone would realize Brother has become wealthy."

"Village gossip is one thing, but the real danger lies with those thugs from the Dragon King Gang. If they learned Brother had money, they would certainly come to extort us."

As a young woman, she naturally longed for beautiful things, but she knew the reality of living in Osmanthus Village. To stand out was to invite trouble.

She remembered a family in the village who had once earned fifteen taels of silver after catching a rare Treasure Fish. The news had spread like wildfire, and that very night, they were robbed. When they tried to resist, the thieves slaughtered all five members of the family, wiping them out completely.

What should have been a blessing had turned into a fatal curse. The memory of that tragedy left a lingering shadow of fear in Su Weiwei's heart.

"You are right. We must maintain a low profile," Jiang Fan nodded, realizing he had nearly made a foolish mistake. While he wanted to provide the best for his wife, being overly generous in public could be disastrous.

He felt a surge of warmth toward her, grateful that his child bride was so wise and cautious. In these lawless times, such a partner was invaluable.

"But Brother Jiang, why not just go to the Fish Cage to buy grain? Why travel all the way to Tonghe County?"

"The journey is so long, and they say the roads are crawling with bandits."

Su Weiwei was deeply concerned for his safety. The Fish Cage was a large, local market where fishermen from nearby villages gathered to sell their catch and buy necessities like grain and vegetables.

"The grain at the Fish Cage is overpriced; it is much cheaper in Tonghe County," Jiang Fan explained solemnly.

"Furthermore, I intend to buy a large quantity, which would attract too much attention at the Fish Cage."

He harbored a deep dislike for the Fish Cage because it was under the iron grip of the Dragon King Gang. They inflated the prices of everything by twenty to thirty percent, taking a cut of every transaction from birth to death.

Most fishermen simply endured this exploitation because the Fish Cage was close and the road to the county was too dangerous. They paid the premium for the sake of safety.

But Jiang Fan refused to be bled dry by the Dragon King Gang any longer. He would not give them a single copper of his money.

"You don't need to fear for my safety. I have already become a Martial Artist," Jiang Fan stated plainly.

While his Cultivation was a secret, he knew he couldn't hide the physical changes from his wife forever. It was better to be honest with her.

He trusted Su Weiwei implicitly; they were bound together by fate, and he knew she was not the type to gossip. He wanted her to be at peace.

"What? Brother has become a Martial Artist?"

Su Weiwei's eyes went wide as she stared at him in disbelief.

Even in a remote place like Osmanthus Village, she understood the significance of that title. The Dragon King Gang’s entire authority rested on the shoulders of their Martial Artists.

She knew how difficult it was to reach such a state. Many from their village had tried to join martial arts schools only to return empty-handed because they lacked the necessary talent. She couldn't help but wonder when her husband had achieved such a feat.