71: Eat from both ends

Bitter Leaf Island, Northwest Side, Black Algae Forest.

A muddy land that was originally sparsely populated and only bred poisonous insects and plants has now become more bustling than a market town.

But within this bustle, there was a thick scent of blood.

Sentries with flags embroidered with blood-colored sharks were driven into all the entrances and exits of the Black Algae Forest like nails. A group of Cultivators dressed in red robes with fierce faces, holding Magical Artifacts, surrounded the place so tightly that not even a drop of water could leak through.

"Listen up, all of you!"

A small leader of the Blood Shark Group stood on high ground, holding a freshly severed head of a Loose Cultivator, his voice echoing over the forest like a clap of thunder.

"From today on, this Black Algae Forest is under the management of our Blood Shark Group! Want to go in and mine for wealth? Fine! Everyone pays a ten Spirit Stone poll tax first!"

"When you come out, fifty percent of the Ore obtained must be handed over as a resource tax! For those who dare to hide any, this is the consequence!"

He slammed the head into the mud, splashing up a spray of stinking mud.

The Loose Cultivators present were furious but dared not speak out.

Most of them were poor folks who had come from afar to prospect for gold. Facing this group of local thugs, they could only swallow their anger. After all, as long as they could mine high-quality heavy water sand, even if they were skinned alive, the remainder would be enough to make a profit.

However, reality was far more cruel than they imagined.

The Black Algae Forest contained not only the brutal Blood Shark Group but also even more lethal inhabitants—the Poison Dart Frogs.

These palm-sized toads, covered in blue spots, were only Rank One Yao Beasts, but they were numerous, and the venom they spat was extremely corrosive and paralyzing. Once touched, at best, the flesh would rot; at worst, one's cultivation would be completely lost.

Thus, under this double oppression, the lives of the Loose Cultivators were miserable... In a corner of the market town, Han Clan Artifact Maintenance shop.

Unlike the gloom and misery of the Black Algae Forest, the business here was unreasonably booming.

"Shopkeeper Han! Help! My leg!"

A Loose Cultivator was carried in by his companions; his left leg was swollen like a black radish, and the wound was still oozing foul-smelling pus.

"Bitten by a Poison Dart Frog?"

Zhou Wannian still had that slow-moving manner, holding a teapot, without even lifting an eyelid.

"Yes! That beast was too sneaky, hiding in a mud pit to ambush me!" The Loose Cultivator groaned in pain. "Old Man Han, can you treat this? The detoxification pills at the Hall of Returning Spring are too expensive, and they take effect slowly!"

"Treating illness is the business of the Hall of Returning Spring; I repair Magical Artifacts."

Zhou Wannian took a sip of tea and changed the subject, "However, it's not impossible to treat your leg as a 'rusty' Magical Artifact."

Saying that, he fished out a Talisman with eerie green patterns from under the counter.

Specialized Detoxification Talisman.

This was something he had modified based on the Cleaning Talisman, fusing techniques specifically used to absorb pill toxins and adding some poison-attracting incense refined from the corpses of Poison Dart Frogs.

The principle was simple: fight poison with poison, physical extraction.

"Slap."

The Talisman was stuck onto the swollen leg.

"Bear with it, it'll be a bit numb."

Zhou Wannian injected spirit power.

Zzzzz—

The green patterns on the Talisman seemed to come alive, turning into tiny whirlpools. The black poisonous blood at the wound seemed to be under some strong attraction, gushing out and being completely absorbed by the Talisman.

In just three breaths of time.

The Talisman became as black as ink and fell off on its own, turning to ash. The Loose Cultivator's leg, though it still looked a bit rough, had visibly reduced in swelling, and most of the black Qi had dissipated.

"Incredible! It doesn't hurt anymore!"

The Loose Cultivator jumped off the stretcher in surprise; although he still limped slightly, he could already walk.

"That'll be five Spirit Stones." Zhou Wannian stretched out his hand.

"Worth it! Totally worth it!" The Loose Cultivator paid readily.

"Wait, don't be in such a hurry to leave."

Zhou Wannian, like an old man selling health supplements, pointed with a smile at a jar of green ointment on the shelf nearby. "Treating the symptoms without treating the cause won't do. The toxins in that forest are heavy; if you go back down, you'll be hit again."

"This is the 'Anti-Poison Coating' I've newly developed. Apply it to your robes and boots, and ordinary venom will slide right off, and poisonous insects will steer clear. Only ten Spirit Stones a jar, guaranteed to keep you safe for three days."

The Loose Cultivator froze for a moment, then gritted his teeth, "I'll buy it! Give me two jars!"

With this, his survival rate in the Black Algae Forest would increase by at least thirty percent!

After seeing off the Loose Cultivator, Zhou Wannian tossed the money for the ointment into the cash box, feeling delighted as he heard the crisp sound.

What is a rigid demand? This is a rigid demand.

However, the good mood didn't last long.

Bang!

The shop door was kicked open.

A chilling Killing Intent flooded in.

"Old Man Han, business is quite good."

Red Beard walked in arrogantly with several elites from the Blood Shark Group, all reeking of blood. The muscles on his face were tight, and his large, bell-like eyes held an unfriendly, cold light.

Zhou Wannian waved his hand, signaling the customer who was about to enter to leave first, then calmly closed the door and hung a "Closed" sign.

"Vice Commander Red, such a big temper. It seems you've encountered a tough nut to crack?"

Zhou Wannian poured a cup of tea for Red Beard, his expression composed.

Clack!

Red Beard slapped the teacup away, splashing tea everywhere.

"Don't give me that crap!"

He pointed at the pile of "Anti-Poison Coating" and "Detoxification Talismans" on the counter and said fiercely, "Old Man Han, are you really ignorant or just pretending? Our Blood Shark Group is blockading the Black Algae Forest to make those Loose Cultivators spit out everything they've eaten!"

"And here you are, selling them Detoxification Talismans and protective coatings? You're extending their lives! You're working against our Blood Shark Group!"

"From today on, you are forbidden from selling these things to Loose Cultivators! Otherwise, don't blame me for smashing your sign!"

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

Facing such a blatant threat, Zhou Wannian laughed.

He leaned down, picked up the teacup that had been slapped away, blew off the dust, refilled it with tea, and then took a slow sip.

"Vice Commander Red, you are a fierce general, but you are not a businessman."

Zhou Wannian put down the teacup, and in his cloudy old eyes, a calmness and shrewdness suddenly appeared that made even Red Beard feel a sense of trepidation.

"Do you think that if I don't sell these things to the Loose Cultivators, your Blood Shark Group will be able to earn more?"

"Nonsense!" Red Beard glared. "If they don't have Magic Treasures to resist the poison, they'll have to beg us!"

"Wrong, completely wrong."

Zhou Wannian shook his head and held up a finger. "If I don't sell these life-saving items, those Loose Cultivators who are only at the third or fourth level of Qi Refining will be poisoned to death within half an hour of entering the Black Algae Forest, or they'll be scared away."

"Dead people don't mine."

"And those who run away certainly won't pay taxes."

Zhou Wannian leaned forward, staring into Red Beard's eyes, speaking persuasively:

"The Black Algae Forest is so large and there are so many Poison Dart Frogs. With just the manpower of your Blood Shark Group, can you finish the mining? Do you really want to jump into the mud pits yourselves to fight those toads?"

Red Beard was stunned.

This... was indeed a problem. The brothers of the Blood Shark Group were all former Robber Cultivators; who would be willing to do such hard labor?

"Exactly."

Zhou Wannian spread his hands. "So, these Loose Cultivators are your best 'miners.' Although their lives are cheap, as long as you give them a little hope of survival, they will mine day and night for you for those pitiful Spirit Stones."

"My Talismans and coatings aren't helping them fight you; they're helping you... maintain your tools."

"Only when the tools are useful and last longer will more Ore be mined, and the more taxes you'll collect. This is called... the pig-farming style."

Red Beard opened his mouth to retort but found himself speechless.

What this old man said... made so much damn sense!

If all the Loose Cultivators died, who would pay that fifty percent resource tax?

"Furthermore..."

Seeing that the timing was right, Zhou Wannian threw out another carrot.

"I see that the Magical Artifacts in the hands of you brothers have also been quite corroded by the moisture in this forest lately, haven't they?"

He pointed at the Ghost-head Saber at Red Beard's waist, which was faintly showing green rust.

"As an old friend, I can provide 'bulk maintenance services' for the Blood Shark Group. All Magical Artifact maintenance will be twenty percent off. This new Anti-Poison Coating, I can also prioritize supplying to you at... thirty percent off."

Red Beard looked down at his saber, then at the old man before him who looked like a merchant but had impeccable logic.

His original anger had dissipated by more than half without him realizing it.

"You old fellow..."

Red Beard scratched his head, his fierce expression turning into a helpless, bitter smile. "Your tongue is really sharp. You can talk black into white."

"This is a win-win," Zhou Wannian corrected.

"Fine! We'll do as you say!"

Red Beard was also a decisive person; since he'd figured it out, he no longer dwelled on it. "You can continue selling to the Loose Cultivators, but the goods you give us must be the best! If I find out the things you give those mud-legs are better than what you give me, I'll hold you accountable!"

"Rest assured, as a businessman, I believe in getting what you pay for."

Zhou Wannian cupped his hands with a smile.

Red Beard left with his men, and before leaving, he even swiped two jars of coating from the counter, calling them "trial samples."

Watching their retreating backs, Zhou Wannian sat back in his rattan chair, his eyes turning deep.

"Win-win?"

"No, I'm eating both ends."

The Loose Cultivators' money must be earned, and the Blood Shark Group's money must also be earned.

Moreover, precisely because of the Blood Shark Group's tacit consent, his position in the market town would be even more stable. Even Zhao the Abacus from the Qingyun Sect would value him more as a capable person who could "settle matters with both the righteous and the wicked."

"However, with more people come more troubles."

Zhou Wannian looked toward the Black Algae Forest, where the unsettling sound of frogs croaking could be faintly heard.

"With so many people mining frantically, I'm afraid that big fellow is about to be disturbed."

He felt the newly drawn Heavy Water Yin Thunders in his bosom.

"It seems I must be ready at any time... to hear a bang."