Forge a path to success.

Chapter 38 Gold Sunk in the Swamp

The man in the top hat gazed into the center of the settlement, and he heard that earth-shattering roar—the sound of faith shattering.

"He was a timid and cowardly man in life, but he died with great fanfare," said the man in the top hat. "You've fulfilled your dream of becoming a god, haven't you?"

He blew out the flame from his fingertips and pulled his top hat down low. There was no color other than gray around him anymore; houses, grass, trees, insects, birds... everything that had once existed had been burned to ashes by the raging fire, leaving only ash.

“We both have things to do, so why don’t we call it a day?” the man in the top hat smiled. “Let’s fight to our hearts’ content on the next battlefield.”

Ji Huaisu watched him depart, stepping on the flames, without uttering a word. She wanted to keep this mysterious man here permanently, but she knew now wasn't the time. The fight had dragged on for so long without a clear victor; the enemy was no ordinary foe, and the fates of Chu Hengkong and Jie An remained unknown…

Companions are the most important.

She turned silently and ran towards the battlefield within the settlement. The square was completely surrounded, but Granny Sangjia gestured for everyone to make way. When Ji Huaisu reached the ruins of the bronze statue, Chu Hengkong was just helping Jie An to his feet. They both had holes in their bodies and looked as if they were competing to see who would die first.

"They're still breathing," Chu Hengkong said. "They can manage."

"Stop talking nonsense!" Ji Huaisu stamped her foot in frustration. The team members hurriedly helped the two into the off-road vehicle, the same vehicle they had used to pick up Grandma Sangjia earlier. She got into the driver's seat again, intending to turn around and head to the dock where the Shenglong ship was moored.

"Let's go find the gold," Jie An said weakly. "The longer we wait, the more things might go wrong."

Ji Huaisu remained silent for a moment, then slammed on the gas pedal, and the SUV sped towards the dense forest outside the settlement. Chu Hengkong tore his shirt into strips to bandage his and Jie An's wounds. An ordinary person would have already lost consciousness by now, but thankfully they were both Ascended Ones, and even the weakest, Jie An, was still barely able to manage.

"The medicine works very well; you really can do it," the assassin said calmly.

"Shut the fuck up." Jie An's lips turned blue. "You just took your medicine and you haven't been talking. I thought I had poisoned you."

"Damn." Despite the extremely bad atmosphere, Ji Huaisu couldn't help but laugh. Chu Hengkong covered his face with one hand and laughed silently. The laughter aggravated his wound, causing him to wince in pain.

Jie An carried many herbs, originally intended as a "control group" to test their medicinal properties, but unexpectedly they became the raw material for the new panacea. Adali also hadn't anticipated this; he had carefully calculated the entire battle, yet he hadn't considered the well-known medicine.

"Hang in there, we're almost there," Ji Huaisu said.

They walked up the broken path, the colors of the flowers gradually becoming more vibrant. First came a fiery red, then a clear blue like the sky, and then brilliant golden flowers led a variety of rare and exotic plants to emerge, until the top of the hill was a sea of ​​flowers. Nowhere in the swamp could one find a more beautiful place. In the center of the flower sea stood a bronze church, and behind the church lay the richest herb field in the entire Bize District.

But a touch of gold adorns the herb field. That gold, licking the stems and leaves of the herbs, sways and dances in the wind, moving freely across the field.

That was the venom that nurtured the fireflies. It corrupted the light of life.

They suddenly realized they had overlooked a fatal flaw. Adari was also a highly skilled apothecary; whatever Jie An could think of, he could think of as well. And this was the great wizard's trump card, a vicious mockery that would only emerge from hell after his death.

Ji Huaisu fearlessly rushed into the poisonous light, grabbing any medicinal herb she could see. Chu Hengkong followed closely behind, using his tentacles to pluck plants slightly further away from the venom. The herbs they rescued could fill the back seat of the vehicle, but ultimately, most of them were submerged by the poisonous light, turning into glowing decay.

A crowd surged at the foot of the mountain. Those who sensed something amiss attempted to climb, but were rebuked and stopped by the team members. Chu Hengkong handed the intact medicines to Jie An one by one, then he too grew anxious: "Is this one?"

“That’s normal,” Jie An said.

Ji Huaisu pulled out another strange-looking thing: "This looks like a doll!" "It's just rotten."

"I dug something that looks a lot like a potato." "That's a potato."

……

They showed Jie An all the surviving herbs, but to no avail. Jie An's face was ashen, his blood soaking into the leather of the seat cushion. A humid wind blew across the hillside, petals swirling in the air. Ji Huaisu covered her face, taking deep breaths. Chu Heng leaned weakly against the carriage.

Jie An struggled to his feet and got out of the car. He staggered toward the poisonous swamp, his voice hoarse and unintelligible.

"You guys rest first. I'll look for it some more."

Jie An clenched his teeth tightly, his eyes almost completely red. Chu Hengkong didn't want to watch any longer, so he flicked out his tentacles and pulled Jie An back.

"Think of another way. There's nothing left there."

“There’s gold,” Jie An said, stunned. “The gold is in the light poison.”

Chu Hengkong raised his voice: "I told you there's nothing there."

"It has to be there!!" Jie An roared like a madman, his voice weak from his injuries, as if squeezed from his very bones. "How can it not be there?! We've searched for so long, it can't have been eaten by the fireflies!!!"

He couldn't accept it, no one could accept such a reality. It was a treasure he'd searched for for twenty years; it was far more than just a prescription and a life—it represented a man's painful yet persistent life, a dream he inherited from his father. A dream shouldn't end like this, even if it was ultimately extinguished by his own powerlessness.

"Don't get stuck on this," Chu Hengkong said, pinching his brow. "There are plenty of medicinal herbs in the swamp; they're not necessarily found on the mountain..."

"Impossible!" Jie An was almost hysterical. "I bought all the medicinal herbs and tried them all, but they weren't there! This is the largest herb field in the whole city. If they're not here, where else can I look? Where else could I find herbs I haven't seen before?!"

"Is it definitely medicine?" Ji Huaisu also became anxious. "There are many possibilities. Could it be other plants? Have you tried that tree? What about the flowers there?"

Even Chu Hengkong thought this was sophistry, but he knew it wasn't a matter of logic. Giving up here would truly mean the end; there would be no more. Jie An's eyes were red and bleeding: "I told you, I've tried everything! There's nothing here I haven't seen before—"

He suddenly stopped, staring intently at a place where there was nothing. There was only a humid, hot wind, and yellow petals dancing in the breeze.

The venom was clearly corroding the flower field, yet the petals in the wind remained unmoved.

“…I’ve never seen that kind of flower before,” Jie An murmured to himself. “I’ve never seen it before.”

He stumbled and ran, ignoring his wounds, chasing the wind into the sea of ​​flowers. Chu Hengkong and Ji Huaisu ran behind him, heading into the most golden part of the flower field, where the bright yellow flowers were as big as a palm, their stamens as golden as the sun.

Jie An picked the largest plant, and Chu Hengkong took out the Silver Eye Book without saying a word. Three pairs of eyes stared at the blank pages.

They saw silver lettering appear on the paper.

Everlasting Flower

[Rating: Level 2]

【Origin: Mysterious Realm of Senluo - Huilong City】

【Effect: It blooms once every twenty years. Before blooming, it absorbs the thoughts in the environment. Its properties after blooming depend on the growth process.】

The current effect is "Enhancement" and "Harmony".

[Thoughts: O deities whom all beings worship, please bestow your compassionate blessings.]

To restore fertility to barren swamps.

May the Bodhisattva in white return safely.

Jie An clutched the golden flower tightly, so forcefully yet so gently, as if all his strength was used to keep himself from dying. Tears streamed down his face, leaving muddy lines, and he suddenly knelt on the ground, wailing loudly. It was as if he wanted to cry out all the tears he would ever shed in his life. The gold that his father had missed twenty years ago had finally come into his son's hands twenty years later.

Countless petals swirled in the light, like a mesmerizing dream. For a fleeting moment, Chu Hengkong seemed to see a figure in white, back to him, indistinct, seemingly smiling amidst the flowers, watching the man's weeping back.

"Smile," Chu Hengkong said. "It's a good thing."

Ji Huaisu sniffed and rubbed his eyes hard. The arriving team members sprayed water, gradually bringing the venom under control, and the light spots in the air danced like butterflies.

Jie An burst into laughter while crying.

·
Three days later, the Shengen settlement was established.

"A festival..." "There's a festival today, so please rejoice!" "It's time to celebrate!" "Oh, the gods' free lunch!"

Lanterns and decorations were everywhere, and laughter filled the air. Performers paraded through the streets carrying dragon heads made of cloth and wood, while vendors distributed discounted snacks and free tea. The harmful light poison that plagued humanity had been eradicated by the divine messenger, and the treacherous parasite Adali, who disregarded human life, had also been exposed. These two joyous events combined truly deserved a grand celebration.

A yellow cordon marked off the center of the settlement, and the members of the Resurrection Army brought four cartloads of Flowing Pearls, all generously sponsored by the High Priest Adali. They lifted the wooden "well covers" from the ground and poured the four cartloads of Flowing Pearls into the cave.

Amidst the expectant gazes of the people, the earth trembled, and golden patterns emerged. A temple built of white jade rose from the ground, its top adorned with a majestic dragon statue. Twenty years later, the second healing temple reappeared in the swamp. The middle-aged and elderly were moved to tears, while the young, having no memory of it, were busy singing and dancing in the celebration, praising the dragon's great power and compassion.

"You know this thing is actually part of the infrastructure of our Huilong City," Jie An said, a toothpick dangling from his mouth. "The equipment was built a long time ago, but it was shut down and buried underground because the order wasn't good enough. Once the order was up, we just tossed in the power source, turned a button, and boom!"

"Isn't this a gashapon machine?" Chu Hengkong laughed.

"You're absolutely right!" Jie An exclaimed, beaming. "Let me tell you, there are so many good things in the city. You'll have plenty to enjoy in the future!"

Ji Huaisu suddenly poked his head in: "The orders ahead are already at number 20, kitchen staff, speed things up!"

"Right away!" "Okay, okay."

Jie An quickly mixed the drinks, while Chu Heng swiftly filled and capped them with his bare hands. Cups of dark brown beverages were flicked out by tentacles and handed to customers by Ji Huaisu at the counter. A long queue formed in front of the stall; this three-person-operated... milk tea shop was undoubtedly the most popular during the festival.

Operation Jet was a complete success, and the gold-hunting plan came to a perfect end. With a flick of its tail, Youyou granted them a full three-day holiday. Logically, they should have taken this opportunity to eat and rest, but Captain Huaisu suddenly had the idea to open a small stall to make some money, while Chu Hengkong casually suggested selling milk tea.

Thus, the trendy little beverage from Earth became a hot seller in the swamp, becoming a favorite among girls and children at an incredibly affordable price of one pearl per cup...

Since there were no cows in Huilong City, Jie An used some plant powder to barely create a milk-like flavor. However, the swamp people didn't really care about milk tea without milk; after all, they often ate meat without meat anyway, so as long as it tasted good, that was enough! The long queue stretched on until the raw materials ran out, and Jie An complained for days before reluctantly dispersing. Ji Huaisu spent a long time tapping the flowing beads and then loudly announced:
"A net profit of -500 Beads tonight!"

"It really has the feel of students setting up a stall!" Chu Hengkong exclaimed. "So youthful!"

"Youth my ass! I'm thirty-two! My arms are aching!" Jie An protested loudly.

They laughed heartily, then ran to the night market to buy a bunch of things: chicken skewers, some kind of sausage of unknown origin, and stinky tofu that had recently become particularly popular. They squatted by the roadside, eating like street urchins. Jie An had cleverly kept some of the ingredients, so they each had a large cup of milk tea.

It was late, but the festive atmosphere hadn't died down. The parade was only halfway through when a squad of elite troops transferred from the central courtyard stood stiffly in the middle of the convoy, holding up a wooden sculpture of the swamp god and a banner that read "Be hygienic and polite, and establish a good image for the swamp," welcoming the cheers of the crowd. Leading the group was Chu Hengkong's lackey, Lü Xing. He spotted his three street-smart superiors, took off his helmet, and frantically mouthed, "Detectives! You've done a great job, it's your turn!!"

"I can't handle the excitement, you'll have to cover for me," Chu Hengkong mouthed to him. The cook and the team leader burst into laughter. After the parade dispersed, Ji Huaisu let out a long sigh.

“I have no choice but to admire you,” she said. “I spent three months killing people and still couldn’t solve the swamp problem, but you solved it in three days.”

"It's all thanks to everyone. Without the foundation you built over three months and the medicine to cure An, my ideas would be useless." Chu Hengkong took a sip of milk tea. "This is like Tai Chi, using the opponent's strength against them. If you can't make them disbelieve you, you have to make them believe in something good."

Adari's power collapsed very quickly. After all, many people had witnessed the Great Wizard's true face just three days prior, and Granny Sangja had personally endorsed him. As a result, within three days, no one mentioned Adari's name anymore. Apart from a few die-hards, most people in the swamp now believed in the Dragon God.

With the "Dragon God's Blessing" that can truly cure diseases, who would still believe in that greedy, money-grubbing sorcerer?

“Faith…” Ji Huaisu threw the bamboo skewers he had finished eating into the trash bag and watched the departing group. “Do you think we have really changed anything? I think they are still following the crowd blindly. They have simply changed their object of faith from the tentacle monster to Lord Huilong.”

“You’re right. Faith in the swamp is as cheap as fashion. Perhaps in ten years people will worship different idols,” Chu Hengkong said. “But people will not forget the panacea, and therefore they will not forget the Pure Land Bodhisattva. Only those who save others from suffering will remain in their memories for a long time.”

They remembered the everlasting flower, and smiled with relief. Jie An smiled somewhat awkwardly; he had been staring intently at a small notebook. The notebook contained a new prescription, his newly revised panacea.

"It may not be widespread; I'm far from being as good as my dad."

“It will definitely go smoothly, you’re the best pharmacist in town!” the man said behind them.

Ji Qiufeng, with a small snake atop his head and a flamboyant paper fan in hand, swindled a few skewers of food from the younger generation and shamelessly joined the group of street urchins.

Chu Hengkong smiled upon seeing this: "You're a city lord after all, so you should put on some airs."

"You're all better now, why put on airs!" Ji Qiufeng said, beaming. Ji Huaisu, whose food had been stolen, cursed the old man for being disrespectful and ran off to replenish his ammunition. Youyou climbed onto Jie An's head and ordered the cook to take it to see the flowers. So, only two men remained on the street, eating cheap snacks and watching the street scene illuminated by lights.

Ji Qiufeng took out a pill, round and shiny with golden light, like a glowing bead.

【Saha World Eternal Bliss Pill】

[Rating: Level 5]

【Origin: Mysterious Realm of Senluo - Huilong City】

[Effect: Cleanses away external contamination at particle level 5 and below, and temporarily isolates the user from external contamination below the Second Abyss. Enhances all abilities of the user for a short period. When taken by someone from the external path, it provides an additional cleansing effect.]

[Longing: This mortal world is not a Buddhist paradise; our karmic bodies suffer endlessly. A clear mind brings lasting joy; even this Saha world can be a pure land.]

Ji Qiufeng gazed at the pills as if looking at a long-lost friend. After a long while, he put the pills away and let out a sigh.

"You don't understand what you've done."

"I made a pill for Jie An, that's all," Chu Hengkong said.

In the distance, Jie An was picking through several bouquets of flowers, his movements appearing more composed than before. This impulsive fellow seemed to finally be at his age; perhaps before, he had always been a child in his own heart, living in a shadow he could never catch up with.

“Back then, I wanted to find him a stable path, not seeking fame or fortune, but just peace and safety. But Jie’an wouldn’t allow himself to live that way. He said that even if he couldn’t go to the battlefield, he still wanted to do his best for the city… At that time, I thought that he and my father were the same in their bones, both too proud, and we must never let ourselves look down on ourselves.”

“You’re a proud person too, aren’t you?” Chu Hengkong said. “Now the biggest problem is solved. It seems we’ll all have to take a backseat for now and watch the city lord show his might.”

"Not for now," Ji Qiufeng said with a slight smile. "This medicine is too good; Xiao An could only make this one pill. I can't let you down; we have to wait for the best opportunity to use it."

When would be a good time? Wouldn't it be better to take the medicine first? Chu Hengkong was too lazy to think about it; he trusted Ji Qiufeng wouldn't make the wrong choice. In any case, he wouldn't be unemployed anytime soon. They then started discussing mundane topics, such as how to get a raise and how to pay the salary…

Soon after, everyone returned, chatting and laughing as they walked into the joyful crowd.

(End of this chapter)