188: Magic Water

“Shopkeeper, I want to ask, did you create the immortal water?”

Xia Zhijie looked at Jiang Hanwen with anticipation and apprehension. This was the result of his analysis, which he hadn't told anyone. Currently, only he and the shopkeeper knew.

“Why do you ask that?” Jiang Hanwen feigned a puzzled expression.

“Because only I know your whereabouts and identity.

The tranquility tea also came from your hands, and the money from the auction, even if the bookstore operated for another ten years, wouldn't earn that much.”

What was his true identity?

Naturally, he was the former manager of the Zhuang Family’s Medicine Field.

A mature intelligence leader not only gathers information but also learns to analyze, evaluate, and guess!

Clearly, Xia Zhijie had learned many things during his time with Wang Ye.

After all, City Name’s first intelligence leader was none other than Wang Ye, who survived in the cracks.

He not only held countless secrets but also possessed a systematic ability to analyze intelligence.

“I thought you would only guess it when I made my next delivery.”

Saying that, Jiang Hanwen threw out a Storage Ring: “There are a thousand bottles inside. You two can use them. It’s not yet time to sell them.”

“Hehe, good!” Xia Zhijie gave a simple, honest smile, his cheeks red and bright like a large peach. He had guessed correctly!

Before leaving, Xia Zhijie suddenly turned back to the table and said seriously:

“Shopkeeper, that kid we met at the auction, someone saw him near the Zhong Family yesterday evening.

If you meet him, be careful. He might be a remnant of the evil Cultivators.”

Jiang Hanwen suddenly had the illusion that his little cub had grown up.

He smiled slightly and nodded in agreement:

“Okay, I’ll be careful.”

With Dan Master Feng Xibing and his group dead, and the bad guys eliminated, this storm was over for now.

But Jiang Hanwen knew that, like a strong autumn wind blowing through.

Entering winter, it’s not just when all things return to silence, but also when seeds are deeply buried.

Once spring arrives, they will take root, sprout, and bask in the sun.

Today's fruit, tomorrow's cause, it is no different.

He always felt that this matter of the evil Cultivators was not that simple; it was eerily like a rehearsal.

He wasn't interested in who was behind it, but it certainly couldn't hinder his Cultivation.

Therefore, he wanted to muddy the waters, making those great Families wary and suspicious of each other.

Only in this way would he become transparent, marginalized, and unnoticed.

Iron ore was still ordinary, but if the Star Iron was real, it would undoubtedly cause a huge stir.

These two cards played out were enough for now.

In the backyard pond, four lotus seeds were dropped into the water.

Jiang Hanwen continuously supplemented them with the Spirit Rain Technique and threw in a massive amount of crushed first and second-tier Spiritual Plants.

Visibly, the lotus seeds took root and sprouted. In less than a hundred breaths, lotus pods emerged from the water.

Their colors were full, and compared to before, they had three more points of charm.

Jiang Hanwen calmed his mind and carefully observed the changes in the pond of lotus flowers.

Among the spiritual essence sensed by the Divine Breath True Scripture, there were clearly four lotus seeds, but the lotus flowers that grew were distinctly different, like a funnel gathering.

The other three lotus flowers transmitted a strange aura, gathering onto the one in the very center.

This lotus flower, which he had iterated, was undergoing a kind of regression and advancement, just like the qi gathering grass.

The difference was that no matter how he planted it, it always seemed to be one main body, like a multi-headed wolf sharing one brain.

It was a pity he didn't bid on the Nether Ghost Vine. He would see if there were any good things at next month's auction to feed this little guy.

Eternal life is endless; one cannot just focus on Cultivation.

Life still has many interesting aspects. Jiang Hanwen had no end point; he wanted to see if this lotus flower was also like that?

If so, that would be a great joyous occasion worth celebrating.

“Plop!”

The central lotus flower slightly lowered its branch, as if bowing in thanks to Jiang Hanwen.

“Little guy, do you want me to give you a name?”

Jiang Hanwen asked playfully.

Moving without wind, the lotus flower bowed even deeper, its grayish-white petals almost touching the water's surface.

“How about I call you Little Overlord?”

As Jiang Hanwen's words fell, the white lotus was visibly stunned, and its bowed body straightened by three points, as if refusing.

“Then how about Rúhuā?”

The bowing body returned to normal, clearly more resistant.

“Mùjǐn?”

No reaction.

“Xuějiàn?”

It lowered an inch.

“Yuèxián?”

Another inch lower... Watching the white lotus lower its head little by little, Jiang Hanwen was certain and affirmed.

This lotus flower in front of him, which clearly absorbed Spiritual Qi extremely slowly and inefficiently, not only had its own consciousness but was also much stronger than before, able to clearly express likes and dislikes.

“I still like your first name. It’s settled then. From today onwards, you shall be called Little Overlord!”

As Jiang Hanwen confirmed, ripples spread across the pond's surface, and a subtle breeze emerged from the gaps in the lotus flowers, as if a child whose toy had been taken by his father was anxious.

“Do you want Little Overlord or a new name?” Jiang Hanwen condensed a foot-long ice block in his left hand, sealing thick Spiritual Qi within it.

The lotus flower in the pond continued to stand perfectly straight, with an air of arrogance, as if saying, “How can I bend my waist and frown before the powerful, making me unhappy?” It remained motionless.

“What about this?” Jiang Hanwen took out a handful of plump, glittering bloodline grass. In the middle of each blade, the bloodline swelled, shining like a ruby.

Still unmoved.

Jiang Hanwen brought out his trump card—five third-grade spirit gathering grass!

“Whoosh~”

The breeze still blew, but this time it was different; it wasn't an anxious refusal, but an eager desire to “eat” the spirit gathering grass.

The previously straight stem now curved into a perfect arc, its petals touching the water's surface, a bow of the highest etiquette, as if saying:

“You are truly a good judge of character!”

“You wish.” Jiang Hanwen said grumpily, having the same temper as Xiao Bu Dian, insatiably greedy.

He took back four spirit gathering grass, leaving only one, which he crumpled into a ball, sealed with ice, and placed underwater.

Speaking of Xiao Bu Dian, Jiang Hanwen gazed at the sky, white clouds drifting across the azure expanse.

It had been many years since he last saw Xiao Lingtong. Suddenly, he missed him a little. He wondered if that little guy had awakened yet, and if he had been beaten?

...The days of not having to worry about news were blissful. Jiang Hanwen’s time at the shop was once again shortened, to only one hour in the morning.

The rest of the time, he was in the backyard, either Cultivating Spells, reading books, or learning Alchemy, completely at ease.

Before, he worried about war, needed to make money, had to gather information, and pay attention to everything.

Now, he already had Alchemy, and tens of thousands of gold, ensuring Cultivation resources and a path forward, so he was in no hurry to make money.

Regarding information, with Xia Zhijie and Wang Ye, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, though just starting, had one with talent to distinguish truth from falsehood, and the other with enough accumulation to know deep secrets.

One plus one was greater than two, so Jiang Hanwen didn't have to worry at all.

He could peacefully immerse himself in a tranquility as calm as water.

Entering daily, never stopping.

The crescent moon in the sky reached Perfection, and half a month passed quickly.

In the courtyard, Jiang Hanwen lay on a rocking chair. The cool autumn wind caressed his cheeks, soft and lingering, with a hint of cold solitude amidst his carefree demeanor.

Jiang Hanwen closed his eyes and chattered to the pond of lotus flowers beside him:

“Little Overlord, you’re out of luck.

I went to the auction today, and there was nothing suitable for you.”

Upon hearing this, Little Overlord in the pond slightly bent its stem, as if expressing gratitude.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Hanwen’s words took a turn.

“You need to work hard, and produce lotus seeds well.

Think, if you can produce ten thousand catties of lotus seeds a day, the Bai Family will eventually be emptied by the two of us. Then we’ll grow bigger and stronger, and create new glory.”

The waist that had just bent straightened rigidly. A slight breeze created tiny ripples on the water's surface. Little Overlord seemed to be stomping its feet and shouting, “Do you even hear the outrageous things you’re saying?!”

Mid-sentence, Jiang Hanwen suddenly stopped, looking towards his courtyard gate.

Someone was coming.

And, in this direction—next door!