[Fantasy] The Great Sage's Joyful Heaven (Complete) - 4

Chapter 31 Mutual Appreciation
: 10-21 10:16:40 Word Count: 2712

The burly man smiled understandingly and said, “I was young once too. Just remember not to be reckless again. Most things in this world are unfair; you have to be open-minded. I see you're a wise man, you understand without me saying anything! The second match has begun, and you're in your tenth match. You don't have many opportunities to learn, so watch carefully.” The burly man sighed softly, said nothing more, and looked at the match on the stage.
Yan Nange felt a warmth in his heart, knowing the burly man's words were for his own good. He didn't say much more and focused intently on the stage.
The match progressed quickly. Along the way, five more boxers died, and three were seriously injured, their injuries suggesting they were on the verge of death!
The atmosphere in the boxing ring grew increasingly heated, but Yan Nange's heart grew colder, and his hatred and murderous intent intensified! However, he still had reason controlling him, preventing him from doing anything reckless!
Xueying had left after the second match. Seeing her pale face and eyes full of pity and reluctance, Yan Nange's suppressed thoughts surged back—she was truly a kind and good girl; her heart was as beautiful as her person!
Qingcheng and Linglu had also left long ago.
Finally, it was Yan Nange's turn to enter the ring. Although he didn't want to go, he had no other choice. He couldn't escape from here, and even if he could, he wanted Zhou Cangsheng to bear the blame! He wasn't afraid of death, nor could he possibly die; what he feared was the possibility of killing an innocent and pitiful person!
At this moment, only a desperate gamble remained!
"Tenth match, Bi Wuzun versus Wudi!"
Yan Nange pushed open the door and walked out. The door opposite him opened simultaneously, and two people appeared, causing an uproar in the arena! One of them was a small, thin child, barely over three feet tall!
"Is this an adult disciplining a child? Haha!"
"Who is this, making a little kid fool around! Hehe, this is fucking interesting!"
...
The boxing ring was in an uproar. Yan Nange and Bi Wuzun exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised—though their figures differed greatly, their auras were similar.
They were both dressed in white martial arts robes, and behind their masks were eyes as deep as the ocean! Even more coincidentally, they both had blue eyes. The difference was that Yan Nange's eyes held a hazy, shimmering light, while Bi Wuzun's eyes shone with a dreamlike brilliance. In the instant their eyes met, a strange feeling of mutual appreciation arose within them!
Their gazes met briefly, then parted, the strange feeling quietly hidden in their hearts. They were rivals, not friends!
Both strode onto the arena, bowing to each other with clasped hands, but neither bowed to the crowd below, for they were unworthy!
"This is Zhan Wudi, and this is Bi Wuzun. They are both only twelve years old, but their strength is formidable! This will be a spectacular match!" The martial arts instructor finished speaking, jumped off the arena, the gong sounded, and the match began!
The two bowed again, then simultaneously pounced on each other like tigers.
They leaped into the air simultaneously, their fists colliding with a resounding crash. From the very first exchange, they launched over a hundred punches at each other. Their initial clash revealed their evenly matched strength, indicating a fierce and protracted battle!
The audience below saw only a blur of motion on the stage, accompanied by a constant series of impacts. They realized these two were indeed masters, their astonishingly fast attacks far surpassing those of the previous competitors. Cheers and shouts erupted, the entire arena boiling.
Yan Nange and Bi Wuzun exchanged blows for over two quarters of an hour, neither gaining the upper hand. If this continued, they feared only mutual injury. As the fight dragged on, their mutual respect grew stronger; initially, they fought with full force, but later, it became more of a feint.
"Let's stop, or we might both die here today!" Yan Nange whispered to Bi Wuzun.
"Mm!" Bi Wuzun replied softly.
The two exchanged their final punches, then simultaneously withdrew their fists and stood silently on either side of the ring.
The audience below erupted in cheers and curses; they were unhappy that no one had fallen! They all clamored for the two to continue fighting, insisting that one of them be killed!
Fatty Zhang and Boss Li, the owner of Biwuzun, had been on tenterhooks, terrified their fighters would be knocked down—they were their cash cows! Seeing that the fight had stopped and their fighters were unharmed, they were overjoyed. However, they then scratched their heads; there were no draws in a boxing ring, so how was this going to be accounted for?
Just then, Hong Taiyue stepped onto the ring: "Distinguished guests. This match is evenly matched, and it's difficult to determine a winner. Both fighters are quite strong, and it would be a real pity if either of them were to lose. My arena has decided that tomorrow the two fighters will change opponents to determine their advancement! It's lunchtime, and my arena has prepared a sumptuous feast for you all upstairs. Please come and dine!"
The crowd, who had been quite unhappy, calmed down a bit upon hearing Hong Taiyue's words. They all got up and, led by some pretty maids, left the arena and went to the restaurant upstairs.
Hong Taiyue smiled and looked at Yan Nange and Bi Wuzun: "Young friends, please join us for the feast!"
Yan Nange and Bi Wuzun didn't speak, but nodded and turned to leave the ring. Fatty Zhang and Boss Li had already come forward, respectfully bowing and greeting Hong Taiyue before leading Yan Nange and Bi Wuzun out of the arena.
After leaving Fengxiang Restaurant, the four of them went to a nearby large restaurant.
They ordered some delicious food and fine wine. The dishes were served quickly, and the four of them toasted and ate and drank.

Chapter Thirty-Two: Mysterious Blood Ants
: 10-21 10:16:41 Word Count: 2670

Yan Nange and Bi Wuzun were not talkative, focusing only on eating and drinking, occasionally clinking glasses, communicating only with their eyes.
After dinner, it was already midnight. The four left the restaurant and parted ways. From beginning to end, Yan Nange and Bi Wuzun hadn't exchanged a single word. Yet, deep down, they felt a familiarity and warmth towards each other. It was a wonderful feeling.
Back at their lodgings, Fatty Zhang gave Yan Nange a reward of silver and arranged a better private courtyard for him to stay in.
Yan Nange was always energetic and had no sleepiness. Fortunately, behind the courtyard was a desolate mountain wilderness, so he went there to wander around. Because he had behaved well, Fatty Zhang didn't continue to restrict his freedom.
Moreover, this desolate mountain was also Fatty Zhang's property, and there were guards around it, so there was no fear of Yan Nange escaping.
Under the bright moonlight, Yan Nange walked through the desolate wilderness of the mine, carefully observing the ground. His expression was earnest, even excited, as if he had seen something that captivated him.
In the dense grass under the clear moonlight, three fist-sized, blood-red ants carried a small, translucent, emerald-green snake, marching forward with synchronized steps and high spirits. Their speed and agility were astonishing.
Yan Nange had never seen ants so large or so fast before; they were clearly rare creatures with sentience.
He hadn't eaten ants or ant eggs for some time and longed for their slightly sweet, bittersweet taste. Moreover, there was a competition tomorrow, and he needed this high-protein food to replenish his nutrition. In his eyes, ants and ant eggs were a great tonic, the best of everything!
Yan Nange had stumbled upon these three blood-red ants by the stream behind his house, and finding them unusual, he had followed them. Before I knew it, I had walked into a forest surrounded by a mass grave.
From the outside, the forest appeared sparse, but surprisingly, beneath its dense exterior lay a vast expanse of grassland. This grassland was significantly denser and more lush than the surrounding meadows, teeming with life. However, its height, density, and vibrant color also gave it an eerie and mysterious feel.
"Could it be that I'm about to have another extraordinary encounter tonight?" Yan Nange wondered to himself. He gazed at the crimson ants scurrying through the grass a short distance ahead, carrying a small, crystalline green snake, and thought, "Could this encounter be related to them?"
As he pondered this, he followed three crimson ants to the center of the grassland. Here, the grass suddenly grew three or four times taller, even ten times denser than the surrounding grass, resembling a massive clump of grass. A faint fragrance emanated from the grass, and upon closer inspection, he detected a faint fishy odor within it! This scent was so familiar; he felt as if he had smelled it somewhere before!
Three crimson ants carried a small, emerald-green snake into the unusual thicket of herbs. Driven by curiosity, Yan Nange followed. The moment he stepped into the grass, he realized it was far more extraordinary than it appeared!
The grass looked firm and sturdy, but upon touching it, he found it incredibly soft, as if made of water. With a gentle nudge, the grass swayed and undulated, spreading outwards to form waves that covered the entire meadow. And all of this was done silently; even his feet making no sound as they stepped on the water-like grass!
Although skilled and daring, encountering such a strange phenomenon still made Yan Nange's hair stand on end, and his breathing became rapid. In the eerie silence, he could even hear his own heart pounding. He moved with increasing caution and lightness, his eyes and ears keenly focused on his surroundings.
He strongly sensed that something extraordinary existed in this meadow, and it might even pose a danger to him. He could safely leave now, go far away, and pretend he'd never seen anything; he would be safe. But his innate curiosity and adventurous spirit compelled him to follow the three blood-red ants deeper into the grass.
The unease grew stronger; he became increasingly tense, yet also increasingly excited! What exactly was in those grasses?
Suddenly, the three blood-red ants stopped. The lead ant spat out a glob of blood-red liquid, releasing a strong, pungent odor. The liquid seeped into the grass, causing the grass growing there to wither rapidly and turn to dust in no time. The soaked area was now completely exposed, a perfect circle about three feet in diameter.
The lead ant rhythmically tapped its two front legs along the edge of the circle, without making a sound. The two ants behind it also extended their front legs and tapped in unison with the lead ant.
After a few moments of knocking, the perfectly circular ground suddenly and quietly sank, revealing a hole shimmering with blood-red light. Three blood-red ants leaped into the hole in perfect unison.
Seeing the hole slowly closing, Yan Nange didn't have time to think and darted over, jumping inside. After jumping, his body plummeted downwards, not touching the ground for a long time, but the speed of his fall increased rapidly. He could only see the smooth, blood-red glowing cave wall rushing upwards several feet away, unable to grab onto anything to catch himself.
At that moment, Yan Nange felt a pang of regret, regretting that he hadn't figured out what was going on inside before jumping. Now, he might be smashed to pieces! But then he thought, something didn't seem wrong. If he was smashed to pieces, wouldn't the three ants be smashed to pieces too? Would they be stupid enough to commit suicide?—there must be a secret at the bottom of this hole, allowing one to fall from a height without dying!
As he was thinking this, his body plunged into something flexible, and he quickly sank downwards. Looking around, he found himself on a vast, transparent, blood-red ground. The ground was incredibly flexible and elastic; after sinking in halfway, he was suddenly bounced upwards, repeating this several times before finally coming to a stop. He noticed the strong fragrance, which was accompanied by a much stronger fishy smell. Everything here exuded a fishy aroma.

(Chapter 33 Blood Ant World
: 10-21 10:16:41, 2334 words)

Walking on this ground felt like walking on clouds. Yan Nange soon saw an exit on the cave wall, roughly to the south, the only exit from this large circular cave. He rushed towards it and entered the small, round cave. He moved
swiftly and lightly through the cave, and after a short while, he saw in the distance three large, blood-red ants carrying a small, emerald-green snake. The three blood-red ants never looked back, but simply marched forward with their heads held high and chests puffed out, their steps perfectly synchronized. The synchronized movements and imposing postures—it was precisely because the three blood-red ants never turned back that Yan Nange dared to follow them, keeping a distance of six or seven zhang.
Finally reaching the end of the cave, Yan Nange could see the unusually bright blood-red cave wall at the far end—a much larger, vertical circular hole! His heart had been pounding wildly, and now it pounded even more fiercely: what exactly was inside this blood-red circular hole?
The three blood-red ants carried the small green snake and jumped down from the end of the hole. This time, however, Yan Nange wasn't so impulsive as to follow, and there was no sign that the hole was closed. He quietly and slowly walked to the entrance, crouched down, and cautiously peeked inside.
His breath caught in his throat for a moment when he saw what lay below, and his heart stopped beating for a moment as well. After a while, he pulled his slightly dizzy head back, breathing rapidly, his heart pounding like a drum, his body limp and powerless.
Just now, he had seen that beneath the enormous circular hole lay a subterranean world of unknown size: countless blood-red ants lined up in rows of varying lengths, carrying all sorts of creatures, and large, crystalline, blood-red eggs the size of watermelons moved back and forth silently.
Judging by the number of ants, there were probably tens of thousands, and their size was enormous; the three fist-sized blood-red ants he had seen earlier were merely the smallest! The largest ants were probably the size of rabbits.
Just thinking about it made his scalp tingle. Should he still go down? He hesitated! Those large ants looked formidable, and although he was quite skilled, he was truly apprehensive about fighting countless strange creatures of unknown origin!
As he hesitated, a long "beep" suddenly rang out from the blood-red world below. This sound quickly spread, countless "beep-beep" sounds rising and falling, deafening, forming a sea of sound that swallowed the entire blood-red world!
Yan Nange was startled. Peeking out, he saw all the crimson ants had dropped what they were carrying and were shrieking westward. The high-pitched, shrill "beep-beep" sound was filled with warning, threat, and a chilling intent! He guessed that an enemy might be trying to attack the crimson ants!
His guess was immediately confirmed. A roaring "Ooh-Ooh" came from the west, the source of which was unknown. Judging from the sound, the number of these unknown creatures was not large, but their roars drowned out the collective screams of the crimson ants.
The screams of both sides continued to rise and intensify, the chilling intent in their cries growing stronger. Finally, a deafening roar came from afar, followed by the pitiful "beep-beep" sounds. The countless crimson ants screamed and flew westward in formation. The sounds gradually faded into the distance, becoming inaudible.
As far as Yan Nange could see, he could no longer see a single crimson ant, only various motionless creatures and large, blood-red, crystalline eggs scattered everywhere. He deduced that the eggs were crimson ant eggs! Having made eating white ant eggs a habit, he was immediately tempted when he saw these large, blood-red ant eggs. He wanted to steal some to take back and try them!
If not now, when? Yan Nange's body was suddenly filled with power, and he forgot his fear. He looked down at the situation outside the cave, grabbed the protruding blood-red rocks on the cave wall, and nimbly and nimbly flipped down into the underground world dozens of feet below the cave entrance.
Only then did he see the full picture of this underground world: a vast, blood-red land covered with plants of various colors, a blood-red river meandering through the distance, and in the distance, rolling mountains. To his astonishment, a dozen or so feet west of this vertical circular hole, above him lay nothing but emptiness—a blood-red sky! Although there was no sun, moon, or stars, this truly was an underground world!
He stood there stunned for a moment, then quickly bent down to pick up the ant eggs. These eggs were far too large; he could only carry four at most, but carrying four large ant eggs would prevent him from returning to the hole dozens of feet high! Right, he had clothes! He simply took off his clothes and pants, stuffed them with a dozen or so ant eggs, tied them together, and carried them on his back, intending to make a quick getaway.
Just then, he heard the painful groans of a young girl, a mournful and sorrowful sound that made his heart ache. He followed the sound and entered a large opening to the north. After walking several dozen feet, the view suddenly opened up before him—an exceptionally vast, warm, irregularly shaped giant cave. The cave was filled with a faint, intensely fragrant, almost fishy aroma, as if this were its source!
Countless fuzzy, blood-red grasses grew on the cave floor, soft as a carpet underfoot. In one corner, a small mountain of countless glistening, blood-red ant eggs piled up, some still steaming, clearly freshly laid. The mournful, sorrowful groans of a young girl drifted from the direction of this mountain of ant eggs.
Yan Nange also saw nine enormous stone sculptures surrounding the cave, all depicting women with indistinct faces and exceptionally alluring figures!
These sculptures varied in form, their poses incredibly graceful yet incomprehensible! It was a truly awe-inspiring sight.

Chapter 34: The Queen Ant's Lament
(10-21 10:16:42, 2674 words)

Yan Nange was momentarily stunned, startled awake by the girl's painful groans. Without looking further, he hurriedly placed the ant eggs at the exit and tiptoed towards the small mountain of ant eggs. Where there are ant eggs, there must be a queen ant. He suspected the queen ant was nearby or among the eggs, and that the girl had likely been captured by the queen ant for food!
When he reached the top of the mountain, stepping on the supple, sturdy ant eggs, he was stunned by what he saw: a queen ant, about ten feet long and three feet thick, resembling a large, blood-red silkworm, lay on a high platform behind the egg mountain. She rolled around incessantly, emitting mournful, sorrowful groans like a young girl! It turned out that the painful groans were from the queen ant!
An intense fragrance, almost intoxicating, emanated from the queen ant; she was the source of the fragrance!
"Could it be that she's become a spirit?" Yan Nange wondered anxiously.
The queen ant seemed to be suffering terribly, writhing and convulsing, her moans growing more urgent, painful, and pitiful, making Yan Nange feel extremely uncomfortable.
"Heaven has a virtue of cherishing life; let's see if I can help her!" Thinking this, he moved closer and asked, "Do you need my help?"
The queen ant was clearly startled by him. Her moans paused for a moment, then she cried out, "It hurts! It hurts so much!" She kept screaming in pain, writhing and convulsing even more violently.
Yan Nange didn't know where she was in pain; when he asked, she only cried out in pain. He frowned and moved closer, carefully examining her enormous body. Suddenly, he understood where her pain was—her tail was much swollen than the rest of her body, and a giant ant egg, several times larger than the others, was blocking her. The egg-laying area on her tail kept opening and closing, but only a small part of the egg could be exposed; it just wouldn't lay!
Her tail was riddled with numerous wounds, and crimson liquid flowed continuously from it, a strong fragrance tinged with a faint fishy odor! The flow was intensifying, while her moans gradually weakened, and her body stopped writhing, only twitching slightly. Clearly, it was her blood flowing out; the massive blood loss had left her powerless! Her life was likely hanging by a thread.
Yan Nange, having seen it clearly, no longer hesitated. Ignoring the queen ant's grotesque appearance and blood-soaked body, he rushed forward. With one hand, he gently massaged and pushed the large, swollen egg inside her body, while his other hand, disregarding the filth, reached into the opening of her tail where the egg lay, carefully pulling it out. His actions intensified the queen ant's pain; her cries grew even more shrill and high-pitched, her body convulsing and trembling uncontrollably.
To save her, inflicting pain was unavoidable. He plunged his entire right arm into her body, spending a long time trying to remove the egg. Not only was he exhausted, but the queen ant was also trembling in pain, her moans growing weaker. Now her situation was even more dangerous.
What to do? Yan Nange suddenly slapped his forehead, cursing himself for being an idiot! Why not just crush the large ant egg? Why insist on removing it intact?
With that thought, he focused his strength on his right fist, pressing it against the egg, and slammed his fist hard into the blood-red ant egg. The queen ant cried out softly in pain, too weak to utter a loud groan.
After striking it hundreds of times, his fist suddenly sank into the egg, and then his entire arm was embedded in it due to the force. He felt a sudden, burning pain in his middle finger, as if something had bitten it. Just as he tried to pull his hand away, a surge of scalding heat shot into his body from the painful spot on his middle finger. His mind went blank, and he lost consciousness.
After a long while, Yan Nange felt a tickle on his face and opened his eyes. He immediately saw a delicately beautiful baby lying on him, occasionally licking his face with her tiny pink tongue.
The baby had adorable double buns and was incredibly cute. Seeing him awake, she happily reached out her little hands to hug his face, making incoherent "ya ya" sounds, followed by giggles. Her voice was sweet and clear, incredibly endearing. Yan
Nange was very curious about the baby's origins, but he couldn't help but like her adorable appearance.
He sat up, holding the baby girl, and found himself lying on a high platform. The platform still smelled strongly of the queen ant's blood, but the queen ant and the small mountain of ant eggs were nowhere to be seen.
"What happened? Where did the queen ant and the eggs go?"
He remembered that before losing consciousness, his right hand had successfully smashed into the large ant egg inside the queen ant's body. Then, a burning pain shot through his middle finger, and just as he was about to pull his hand away, a wave of scorching heat rushed into his body, his head throbbed, and he passed out.
"What happened after that? And where did this incredibly cute baby come from? Why isn't she afraid of me at all, and why is she so affectionate with me?"
He couldn't find answers to any of these questions. Suddenly, Yan Nange heard a faint "beep beep" sound coming from outside the cave, like the chirping of the blood-red ants!
Yan Nange hurriedly jumped up, clutching the baby. The baby was so affectionate and dependent on him; he couldn't leave her behind! He ran towards the exit, and seeing that the ant eggs were still in his clothes and pants, he hoisted them onto his back and ran back the way he came.
After finally climbing to the top of the high cave entrance, he heard a deafening "beep beep" sound from below. He knew without looking that the blood-red ants had returned! Without taking a break, he sprinted towards the other end of the hole—if the ants discovered the queen was missing, he'd be in big trouble, being mistaken for an enemy!
When he reached the vertical, round hole with its incredibly flexible surface, he was dumbfounded: the walls were completely smooth, without a single handhold, let alone a ladder or rope. How was he supposed to get up?
He looked at the little girl who was watching him with her beautiful, big eyes, giggling foolishly. He kissed her smooth, adorable little face and sighed with a wry smile, "Oh! Little baby, how can we fly up? If we can't, I'll become the ants' meal!"

(Chapter 35: Cute Baby
, 10-21 10:16:43, 3017 words)

"Ya ya!...Giggle!" The baby girl yahed twice, letting out a series of sweet, childlike laughs. Then, a burst of red light suddenly shot from her little mouth, striking the crystal-clear, blood-red ground. The ground shone brightly red, then miraculously rose rapidly upwards.
When Yan Nange, wearing only blood-red shorts and shoes, covered in blood, carrying the incredibly cute baby and a shirt and pants filled with more than a dozen large blood-red ant eggs, walked back to the mine through the wilderness, everything that had just happened still seemed unbelievable!
He now suspected—this incredibly cute baby might very well be the queen ant, or the unknown creature that bit his finger from the large ant eggs inside the queen ant's abdomen! Otherwise, how would she know how to escape from that vertical hole's exit?
Looking at the incredibly cute baby in his arms, she was licking his face with her little tongue, occasionally babbling "ya ya" and giggling.
She was happy, and incredibly innocent and adorable; she had even saved his life. So even though she was a demon, he still loved her and was willing to keep her by his side and raise her as a human. It seemed there was a destined connection between them.
Yan Nange gently stroked the baby's adorable little chin; it was smooth and slippery, a wonderful feeling.
He kissed her soft, cute little face, and the baby, feeling a little ticklish, giggled and returned his kisses with unparalleled cuteness.
This baby was no ordinary baby! So clever and adorable, it was driving him crazy!
Yan Nange took a bath in a wild river, washing away the blood and grime.
During the bath, he noticed a fist-sized, blood-red ant pattern on his chest. The pattern was incredibly vivid and lifelike, like a living, majestic, and powerful blood-red ant. The pattern was deep beneath his skin and couldn't be washed away, so he had no choice but to carry it with him.
He suspected the pattern of the blood-red ant was formed when he rescued the queen ant, after being bitten by a mysterious creature from the large ant egg inside her and receiving a surge of heat. Based on this, he deduced that the creature that bit his right middle finger and injected heat into his body was a large blood-red ant.
Following this line of reasoning, the possibility of the baby being the queen ant became even greater!
However, all of this was just his speculation and couldn't be confirmed.
Life is short, so enjoy it while you can;
otherwise, you'll be wasting your time on trivial matters. In fact, he had no intention of investigating the matter further. He preferred to relax and rest, or enjoy a delicious meal of ant eggs, truly savoring the pleasures of life rather than wasting time on pointless things.
The baby was still a tiny little girl, so Yan Nange didn't hesitate to hold her while bathing. He washed her delicate, exquisite body until it became even more translucent, pink, and tender.
The baby girl thoroughly enjoyed the bath, giggling happily the whole time. This baby was a little bundle of joy, making it impossible for Yan Nange not to be happy.
After the bath, Yan Nange carried the baby girl, carrying the blood-red ant egg on his back, and secretly returned to his residence.
It was already late at night.
Yan Nange took the blood ant eggs out of his clothes and placed them in the hole. Then he took one, washed it with water, and smelled it; the aroma was enticing.
"Baby, do you want to eat an egg?" he asked the little girl, unsure of what she liked to eat.
The baby blinked her big eyes, pointed at the white ant egg he had collected with her delicate little hand, and babbled twice, her eyes full of anticipation and longing, her little mouth drooling. It turned out she liked to eat termite and black ant eggs!
Yan Nange placed the cleaned ant eggs, held in a small wooden bucket, in front of the baby. The baby pulled the bucket between her pink and white legs, and with her two small, tender hands, she grabbed an ant egg in each hand, gobbling it down like a hungry puppy. Her adorable eating manner made Yan Nange unable to suppress a smile!
Holding the large, blood-red egg, the size of a watermelon, Yan Nange took a delicious bite. But his expression of enjoyment instantly froze, then turned into a contorted, pained face! The blood ant eggs were bitter, astringent, sour, and fishy—almost killing him!
But even though they were incredibly unpalatable, he still chewed and swallowed the jelly-like eggs carefully. Bad taste didn't mean no nutrition; he felt these blood ant eggs were no ordinary thing, so even if they were unpleasant, he would try to eat them—as long as they were good for his health!
After a dozen or so bites, they slowly began to taste sweet and mellow, incredibly delicious.
This was the epitome of "bitterness turning into sweetness."
Just as Yan Nange finished off a blood ant egg the size of a watermelon, the little girl had also devoured an entire small bucket of ant eggs!
Rubbing the baby's round, bulging, snow-white belly, Yan Nange was both amused and exasperated. She really was a gluttonous little thing, eating just as much as him!
The baby felt very comfortable being rubbed, humming like a little pig.
Gradually, her humming subsided, her body softened, and the baby fell into a deep sleep.
Yan Nange placed the baby on the soft straw mat, then lay down beside her and drifted off to sleep.
In his half-asleep state, images flashed before his eyes—the alluring female statues he had seen in the blood ant cave. They seemed etched into his mind, impossible to erase!
He "saw" the statues, gradually sensing their unusual nature; their postures seemed to contain something! These postures seemed quite similar to the bizarre postures in the Joyful Kung Fu. With
his eyes closed, he involuntarily rose and began to imitate the postures of the nine alluring female statues, as if sleepwalking.
The postures looked good, but were extremely difficult to perform. Initially, it was incredibly painful, until he successfully performed the first posture, at which point it suddenly became very comfortable, his body warm and light, feeling as if he were floating on air.
This was extremely similar to the feeling he had when practicing the Joyful Kung Fu, only more comfortable and exhilarating.
Yan Nange recalled the feeling after practicing the Joyful Kung Fu—it also had this incredibly mysterious feeling. And now, he felt his body undergoing wondrous changes because of these postures. Very wondrous changes! This change was something that hadn't happened when practicing the Joyful Kung Fu.

Chapter 36: Fighting Poison with Poison
(10-21 10:16:44) Word Count: 3128

The following evening, at the Lion and Tiger Fighting Arena,
Yan Nange and Bi Wuzun won with an absolute advantage, successfully advancing to the next round.
That night, their performance was far more outstanding than the previous night, winning by an almost absolute margin. Those in the know could tell at a glance that they had both improved their skills the night before.
After the competition, Fatty Zhang and Li Qiongshan took Bi Wuzun and Yan Nange out to dinner.
During dinner, Yan Nange removed her mask. Bi Wuzun also removed his mask, but just like yesterday, he still wore a small jade-colored mask underneath. This mask was special; it could change with facial expressions without affecting eating or drinking.
Fatty Zhang and Boss Li, having drunk too much, recounted their encounter with Yan Nange and Bi Wuzun. Unexpectedly, Bi Wuzun, like Yan Nange, was an undocumented homeless child.
Yan Nange found Bi Wuzun very approachable, and since he was much smaller than him, he took great care of him. He frequently served him food during meals. Bi Wuzun didn't eat seafood like shrimp, crab, or fish, so Yan Nange carefully prepared it for him, making Bi Wuzun's eyes show warmth, unlike his cold indifference towards others.
The following days passed quietly between Yan Nange's battles, advancements, and drinking with Bi Wuzun. Bi Wuzun, like Yan Nange, continued to advance in his cultivation.
Time also flowed quietly as Yan Nange continued his training, and many things underwent subtle changes. Yan Nange's relationship with the baby grew increasingly close.
The baby could jump and run, and even called out "Daddy."
When Yan Baobao first called Yan Nange "Dad," he was so moved he almost burst into tears. A deep and boundless paternal love welled up from the bottom of his heart; he felt that the little girl was his daughter, regardless of whether she was his biological child or not!
Yan Nange named Baobao "Yan Baobao," her nickname being Baobao.
Yan Baobao was very happy with this name. Every time he called her Baobao, she would jump up and down with joy, giggling incessantly and constantly calling "Dad"—a game that both father and daughter loved.
Yan Baobao was absolutely an extraordinary, genius, and invincible little girl.
The morning after Yan Nange finished eating the stolen blood ant eggs and was hesitating whether to risk stealing them again, he was shocked to find more than a dozen blood ant eggs in his room. Yan Baobao, who loved to sleep in every day, was sitting by the bucket of ant eggs, pointing at them and giggling at him.
Without a doubt, these eggs didn't fly in; Baobao had brought them!
Yan Nange was filled with joy and emotion. He hugged and kissed his baby for a long time, saying, "My good baby knows how to be filial to Daddy!"
The baby could only say "Daddy!" and kiss him back.
When Yan Nange ate the blood ant eggs that his baby had given him, he found them exceptionally delicious, far more delicious than the previous blood ant eggs!
These blood ant eggs were naturally no different from the previous ones. The only difference was that these were obtained by his baby. In these eggs, Yan Nange could taste a sweet and happy flavor.
Yan Baobao's little body was exquisitely beautiful, like a fairy, but as her father, Yan Nange couldn't let such a delicate, flower-like little body always be naked.
So Yan Nange secretly bought his baby a few sets of little clothes. He felt guilty, though, and sometimes when he went out, he could only hide her in the room.
After dressing up, the already incredibly cute and beautiful Yan Baobao became even more charming, like a little fairy.
Yan Baobao loved and adored her little father, Yan Nange. In her eyes, her little father seemed omnipotent. And what made her even happier was that her little father understood her little thoughts! A childlike yet mature little thought.
Yan Baobao grew more beautiful each day, becoming increasingly adorable and charming! Her body didn't change noticeably, but her appearance was gradually transforming from that of an infant into that of a young woman.
Yan Nange's body, after consuming the blood ant eggs, was growing stronger at an astonishing rate!
His body was undergoing obvious changes daily, in terms of strength, senses, and other aspects.
Yan Nange guessed that these amazing changes were inseparable from his daily practice of the Enchanting Nine Forms and his daily consumption of blood ant eggs; perhaps, it was also related to the blood ant pattern on his chest—these three things were bestowing upon him miraculous abilities!
Unbeknownst to him, the competition in the arena had been going on for a long time, and Yan Nange and Yan Baobao had been living together for quite some time.
One morning, while eating breakfast, Yan Nange suddenly felt that the food tasted strange. In fact, he had noticed this problem over the past few days. With his increasingly acute senses, this unusual smell couldn't escape his notice.
Yan Nange caught a few small ants and fed them some food. As a result, the ants all died shortly afterward. The kitten, however, showed no unusual reaction after eating it.
The food was poisonous—a poison that could infect someone without them even realizing it, yet they wouldn't die! But why was he unharmed? ... Yan Nange fed the food he had chewed to the ants, and they were fine.
This was the effect of the blood ant eggs. Because he had just eaten blood ant eggs while eating his meal. Yan Nange suspected that if he hadn't eaten the blood ant eggs, he would have been poisoned long ago.
Yan Nange didn't need to guess; he knew who had poisoned him. This poison was probably not meant to kill him, but rather Zhang Pangzi wanted to control him!
Now that he thought about it, the big man surnamed Zhou had already hinted at it to him, but he hadn't paid attention! He had been careless; it was a close call.
"Damn it, I should be grateful I didn't scheme against you, and you still tried to pull this trick on me. Don't blame me for being ruthless!" Yan Nange thought angrily. After dinner, he went to the wilderness behind the mountain to collect some poisonous plants that he recognized.
After quietly returning to his lodgings, he made a poison solution from these plants according to a certain ratio. ... While at the Black Stone Mine, he had used this poison on many things and was very familiar with its power.
At the same time, he had also obtained some antidote. Late that night, Yan Nange secretly added the poison to the well water.
Now, to him, Zhang Pangzi's men were merely decorations, no match for him at all. Yan Nange usually concealed his true strength, never revealing it to others. He was on guard against this day!
However, he didn't want to fight so many people head-on. That would be a waste of unnecessary energy! Fighting poison with poison was the right way.

Chapter 37 Cold Moon Craftsman
: 10-21 10:16:44 Word Count: 3218

The next day, everyone was poisoned. Yan Nange directly killed Zhang Pangzi and handed the others over to Zhou Dahan. As a reward, he only took a small portion of Zhang Pangzi's property and assets, giving the rest to Zhou Dahan.
However, Zhou Dahan greatly admired him and regarded him as his master.
Yan Nange didn't grant his request, but instead asked him to redeem his brothers and father from the mine. Zhou Dahan (whose surname was Zhou, and whose given name was Zhou Dahan) immediately took on the task himself.
Yan Nange had no intention of competing anymore, so he took the money to redeem Xueying. However, Xueying wasn't at Mingzhu Tower; she had gone out and it was unknown when she would return… No wonder he hadn't seen this beauty recently.
Yan Nange felt that taking Zhang Pangzi's things was improper, so he continued to look for a livelihood—he was increasingly finding himself interested in the jewelry industry. He hoped to become a master jeweler!… He figured that would allow him to meet many beauties.
One day, Yan Nange arrived at a jewelry shop called Lengyuezhai, and to his surprise, there was no one at the door! Lengyuezhai was thriving, with a constant stream of customers. He didn't want to disturb them, so he waited and observed from a distance. Finally, he caught a break when there were fewer customers. He rolled up his sleeves, cleared his throat, and went inside.
There were only a few customers in the shop; the middle-aged owner was leisurely drinking tea. Yan Nange walked confidently to the owner.
"Excuse me, do you need gem polishing here?" Yan Nange asked loudly.
"You can?" Leng Xuanwen, the owner of Lengyuezhai, looked at the handsome young man in surprise.
Yan Nange's clothes were old, though clean, but he looked somewhat down on his luck. Leng Xuanwen assumed he was a homeless child.
"Yes, I can! If you don't believe me, let me polish a small black gemstone for you. If you think I've ruined your gemstone, I'm willing to be your slave." Yan Nange seized the opportunity. Although he wasn't short of money, he was very interested in the jewelry industry, so he was determined to do it. And he was determined to do it well!
Leng Xuanwen admired Yan Nange's confidence and the boldness he displayed despite his young age. It's well known that any black gemstone is incredibly valuable; if it were ruined, even a lifetime of slavery wouldn't be enough to compensate! He admired the young man's courage, so he smiled and nodded, leading Yan Nange to the workshop at the back.
Leng Yue Zhai's jewelry workshop was large, with nearly a hundred people busy at work, yet everything was orderly. Everyone chatted while working, creating a lively atmosphere. Yan Nange loved this scene; the atmosphere at the black stone mine was so stifling and restrictive! This was the kind of work environment he wanted!
Leng Xuanwen beckoned to an elderly man in blue and instructed, "Old Wu, give this child a small black gemstone and see how well he polishes it."
The old man glanced at Yan Nange, who smiled and nodded at him. The old man was somewhat surprised; although the child's face was somewhat immature, his expression seemed like that of a mature adult.
Old Wu quickly brought a black gemstone rough and some polishing tools, placing them on the table in front of Yan Nange.
Yan Nange picked up the irregularly shaped black gemstone, examined it carefully, then skillfully fixed it on the workbench. He picked up his tools and began working with lightning speed.
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Yan Nange handed a perfectly rounded, shimmering, and crystal-clear oval gemstone to Leng Xuanwen.
Leng Xuanwen and Old Wu carefully examined the gemstone, exchanged a surprised glance, and then their faces lit up with delight—this was a very skilled gem polisher!
The craft of polishing gemstones can be simple or complex, depending on the skill level. But to reach Yan Nange's level is truly a testament to his exceptional skill!
Simply put, cutting and polishing gemstones is about maximizing the use of the gemstone, cutting and polishing it into a regular shape. For example, rhombus, square, round, oval, heart-shaped, etc. Occasionally, there are exceptions, such as custom-made jewelry requiring a specific shape, in which case the most suitable rough stone is selected and polished according to the requirements. The principle of cutting and polishing gemstones is to minimize waste while ensuring the gemstone's beautiful shape and specifications!
Gemstone polishing is considered a difficult craft because it relies on a sharp eye and skillful hands, requiring a certain talent, not just diligent study! Just
by watching Yan Nange's every move, they knew this handsome young man was a polishing master! Lengyuezhai's workshop had always lacked a polishing master, and they were overjoyed to have found one today! The
craftsmen nearby also looked at Yan Nange in astonishment, finding it hard to believe that such a young child possessed such high skill. Generally, gemstone polishers begin their apprenticeship around fourteen or fifteen years old when they have some strength, and it takes at least five years to become a fully qualified professional. Therefore, the youngest gemstone polisher they had ever seen was over twenty years old. A polisher like Yan Nange, who looked no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, was a sight to behold!
Leng Xuanwen and Old Wu applauded his exquisite skills, and the other craftsmen also clapped in praise. Yan Nange felt somewhat embarrassed, as he felt his skills were at best above average and didn't deserve such praise.
Having acquired such talent, Leng Xuanwen naturally dared not neglect him, leading Yan Nange into the inner courtyard and serving him tea. Yan Nange felt a surge of warmth and gratitude; he had never imagined receiving such courtesy and attention.
"I am Leng Xuanwen, the owner of Lengyue Pavilion. May I ask your esteemed name, young sir?" Leng Xuanwen asked with a smile. He already had a good impression of this child, and now he felt an even stronger appreciation for his talent.
"Young man, Yan Nange." Yan Nange's knowledge of etiquette was something he had hastily learned today, and at this moment, his true nature was revealed.
"Hehe, a fine name. Where do you live, young man? Who else lives with you?" Leng Xuanwen stroked his beard and smiled. He could tell that Yan Nange lacked manners, but he admired Yan Nange's sincerity and composure.
Yan Nange smiled wistfully and said calmly, "I'm a wanderer, an orphan."
"I see." Leng Xuanwen felt he shouldn't have asked, but seeing Yan Nange's calm expression, he felt less apologetic. At the same time, he was even more surprised by the child's maturity for his age. "
Where did you learn such skills, young master?" Leng Xuanwen was very curious. Seeing that he was dressed like a homeless child, he couldn't imagine how he could have such skills. "
I wandered here and met a kind old man who taught me the art of polishing, but I've never really used it before. I used stones to polish. My father passed away, and to survive, I had no choice but to muster up the courage to try my luck in Lantian City." Yan Nange was prepared and answered frankly.
“That old man must be a master. Xiao Ge, I’ve decided to hire you. What are your requirements?” Although Leng Xuanwen knew Yan Nange lacked experience, he didn’t want to deceive him. “How much do you want to pay me , boss?” Yan Nange didn’t ask for a price arbitrarily; he wanted to hear what this Boss Leng was willing to offer. Leng Xuanwen smiled again, thinking to himself that although this child lacked experience, he was quite clever. After

a moment’s thought, Leng Xuanwen said, “Nange. My senior polishers earn fifty taels of silver a month, with bonuses for holidays and a year-end bonus. They work from seven in the morning to six in the evening, with breakfast and lunch provided, and two days off per month. Your skills are excellent, so I’ll give you eighty taels of silver a month, the same as the senior polishers, plus a small courtyard to live in. What do you think?” “Okay!” Yan Nange laughed, pretending to be very happy. He came here mainly to learn the craft; the income was secondary. Leng Xuanwen breathed a sigh of relief and smiled happily. He was willing to pay 100 taels of silver per month! The original contract was for three years, but Yan Nange felt that was too long and changed it to one year. He had learned from conversations with the craftsmen at the Fine Craft Workshop that the longer a craftsman's tenure and the higher their skill level, the more valuable they were. If he continued with the current treatment for three years, it would undoubtedly be unfair, even though the pay here was very high now. Leng Xuanwen readily agreed, not blaming Yan Nange for being greedy, but rather admiring his intelligence and foresight. Leng Xuanwen then showed Yan Nange around and helped him collect some necessary items. After work, someone took Yan Nange to his small courtyard. Yan Nange moved into a small courtyard in Buyi Hutong at the end of Qingyue Street. Leng Xuanwen was very kind to him, providing all his daily necessities and even giving him an advance on a month's wages. Yan Nange was very grateful and promised to start work the next day. He cooked dinner himself; it wasn't lavish, but it was delicious. After dinner, the bright moon hung high in the sky. Unable to sleep, Yan Nange strolled around Xiaoyue Street. Xueying hadn't returned yet, so although there was a pretty face in the window, it wasn't the one he desired. Yan Nange overheard people talking about Xueying. His hearing was remarkable; he only heard the young men say that it would cost five hundred taels of silver to see Xueying, and that redeeming her would require at least a million taels! He sighed. Even if Xueying were here, selling all of Zhang Pangzi's possessions wouldn't be enough to cover that amount! With a sigh, Yan Nange left dejectedly. Wandering the bustling streets of Lantian City, Yan Nange's ears were filled with all sorts of sounds: music, singing, laughter, and hawking. He walked through Xiaoyue Street, Qingyue Street, Huanyue Street, and Xinyue Street until late at night, yet these four main streets were still brightly lit and bustling with pedestrians. The prosperity of Lantian City was evident! All Yan Nange thought about was how to earn money as quickly as possible to redeem Xueying… Once Zhou Dahan redeemed his brothers and father, they could live a comfortable life together. He spent most of the night searching for business opportunities. Opening a restaurant or brothel would naturally be the most profitable, but he knew it required a large sum of money and good connections. That wasn't suitable for him right now. This wouldn't work, that wouldn't work either. However, he finally found a business he could do—street vending! The street vendors on these four streets were doing very well, and they seemed to be making a good profit! He decided, this was it! He would start tomorrow night! As for what to sell, he already had a plan in mind… Moreover, this wouldn't interfere with his daytime work. Yan Nange happily returned home and fell asleep as soon as she lay down on the bed. That night, her dreams were filled with Xueying's beautiful face and Xiangxiang's graceful figure. A spring dream, endless and without trace... but with tears.

Early in the morning, Yan Nange woke up and adjusted his melancholy mood, which had been dampened by his dream of Xiangxiang. Afterwards, he practiced martial arts in the courtyard, kicking and leaping about
. Leng Yue Zhai provided breakfast and lunch, but Feng Linwan didn't know the time. Seeing that it was already bright, Yan Nange finished his martial arts practice, washed up, and went to work.
Xinyue Street and Qingyue Street were adjacent streets, and Yan Nange's residence wasn't far from Leng Yue Zhai. When Yan Nange arrived at Leng Yue Zhai, the workshops in the back hadn't opened yet, but the canteen was already open. He had arrived rather early.
Breakfast was already prepared; the canteen chef had met Yan Nange the day before and knew that the owner valued him highly, so he naturally dared not neglect him and personally served him the food.
The food at Xinyue Zhai was already good, and Yan Nange, being a high-ranking craftsman, ate even better. After thanking him, Yan Nange wolfed down his food. After breakfast, the craftsmen arrived one after another. Those familiar with Yan Nange greeted him warmly. Yan Nange, unlike his usual taciturn self, was quite friendly and chatted happily with everyone. The canteen gradually became lively.
After breakfast, the workshop opened. The craftsmen went inside, and their respective foremen received their tasks for the day from Old Wu. Yan Nange's polishing group had over twenty craftsmen, but no foreman; Old Wu, the workshop manager, acted as one. After receiving their tasks, everyone worked enthusiastically.
Yan Nange got along very well with the craftsmen in his group. Seeing his exquisite skills at such a young age, they admired him greatly and humbly asked him for guidance.
Yan Nange didn't hold back; he shared his own insights with those who asked. Even the less skilled polishers were quick learners, and their admiration for him grew as their skills improved. By the end of the day, Yan Nange had not only completed his tasks for the day but also finished tomorrow's tasks. In his spare time, he also helped the craftsmen with gemstones that weren't polished to perfection, pointing out their mistakes.

(Chapter 39: Making Money Through Carving
, 10-21 10:16:46, 2718 words)

By the end of the day, Yan Nange had become the leader and master of the polishing group, earning their gratitude, respect, and astonishment, as well as their astonishment at Yan Nange's incredible polishing skills. Yan Nange's reputation spread throughout the workshop within a day; everyone knew this amazing young man!
In the afternoon, Leng Xuanren came to the workshop, and Old Wu told him about Yan Nange's performance that day. He was also full of admiration and praise.
Hearing this, Leng Xuanren was overjoyed. Looking at Yan Nange, who was instructing the craftsmen, he smiled and asked, "Old Wu, what do you think about making Xiaoge the foreman of the polishing team?"
Old Wu quickly replied, "Of course! I was just about to bring that up with you. You don't know, at noon the polishing team was clamoring with me for Xiaoge to be their foreman. They admire him so much!"
Leng Xuanren said, "Good! I agree. Announce the decision in a bit. I have other things to do, so I'll be going now!" With that, Leng Xuanren left with a smile.
When Old Wu announced the news to everyone before the workday ended, Yan Nange was surprised, but all the craftsmen applauded and congratulated him, feeling that this was the right thing to do! Clearly, Yan Nange had won everyone's respect and recognition with his skill and character! Yan Nange was
initially astonished and uneasy, but seeing that everyone's congratulations were genuine, he immediately felt happy and repeatedly thanked everyone, offering to treat them to a meal. No one accepted; everyone knew he wasn't well-off, and besides, he was still just a child—how could they accept such an offer? "I'll skip dinner!"
After finishing work and returning home, Yan Nange ate dinner and then went to the market, first buying a set of clothes, several small brocade pouches, and two embroidered silk handkerchiefs. He also bought some inexpensive but beautiful red sandalwood
, red silk thread, a picture book, and a set of woodcarving tools. With his innate strength, he used a kitchen knife to cut large pieces of red sandalwood into smaller ones. The carving knife flew, creating a hazy blur of light and shadow. Soon, Yan Nange stopped, and over fifty wood carvings of various auspicious animals, plants, figures, or scenes from beautiful legends appeared.
Yan Nange stretched his stiff hands and frowned, saying, "It's been too long since I carved; my hands are a bit rusty!"
If those woodcarvers heard this, they would be shocked and furious enough to faint—was this even human?
He learned carving from his father, who cooked. He had carved many pieces back then, and his father was amazed by his talent, calling him a prodigy. After his father passed away, he rarely had the opportunity to do it anymore, but he never gave up this skill! Firstly, he loved carving, and secondly, it was to commemorate his father.
Thinking of his father, Yan Nange couldn't help but feel sorrowful. After a sigh, he composed himself and strung silk threads around the wooden carvings. Then, he made a wooden frame out of red sandalwood, hanging ten carvings on it, and keeping the rest in his arms. Yan Nange looked at them and thought they weren't too shabby; they were quite nice. He nodded, changed into his newly bought white clothes, carefully combed his hair, and then, smiling, took the wooden frame, a carving knife, and a few pieces of red sandalwood, placing them in his arms. He left home and entered the bustling main street.
Crescent Moon Street, in front of Tiangongfang, the largest jewelry and ornament shop in Lantian City, was brightly lit and teeming with people. Those entering and leaving were all wealthy and powerful people and their families and women. Lantian City was known as the city that never sleeps; all kinds of shops and venues in the city center operated all night, especially jewelry and ornament shops!
Yan Nange arrived in front of Tiangongfang, standing not far from the entrance where pedestrians were passing by. He didn't call out to sell, but simply smiled and held the wooden frame high in his hands. To be honest, he felt that once someone opened their mouth, their skills lost their value; silence was golden! He'd learned this from a young man selling calligraphy and paintings the previous night!
Dressed in white and holding aloft his wooden stand, he was eye-catching even without speaking. As he expected, a couple was immediately drawn to the rosewood pendants in his hand and approached to examine them.
Yan Nange's carving skills were superb; the pendants were all lifelike, and no two were alike—each one exquisite!
"Excuse me, how much are these pendants?" asked the handsome man in white among the couple. Beside him was a veiled woman in white, with a captivating figure and bright, sparkling eyes—clearly a beauty. The beautiful woman's delicate hands caressed the pendants, clearly enamored with them!
Yan Nange smiled modestly, glanced at the beautiful woman, and said, "Young master, you are very fortunate! I only make one of each style of pendant, and it took me a lot of effort to carve one. Please give me the price you think is appropriate!"
The young master and woman were delighted by Yan Nange's praise, and were quite surprised that the child had carved these pendants himself. Hearing of his hard work, they naturally felt embarrassed to offer too little!
The couple in white laughed, and the young master took out a silver note and handed it to Yan Nange, saying, "I'll take all of these. Is this enough?"
Yan Nange took the silver note and gasped! One thousand taels of silver! This made him very excited... although he already had many times more money. He pretended to be overjoyed and said, "That's enough!"
The young master reached out to take the pendant, but Yan Nange quickly said, "Young master, please wait a moment!"
The young master and woman in white were very surprised, not understanding his meaning.
Yan Nange took out five exquisite brocade pouches from his somewhat bulging bosom, placed the ten small wooden pendants into one of them, and then took out dozens more pendants from his bosom, placing them into the remaining four pouches. He handed them to the astonished young man. The beautiful woman was also looking on with surprise.
Yan Nange smiled at them and said, "Those forty are for you two. But please wait a moment, I have another gift for you!"
After speaking, Yan Nange took out a white silk handkerchief and spread it on the ground. Then he took out a carving knife and two pieces of red sandalwood, looked at the couple, then pursed his lips and began to carve with lightning speed. Although not as exaggerated as when he was at home, his speed was still astonishing, especially since the wood shavings fell precisely into the center of the silk handkerchief. The passersby on the street were attracted by Yan Nange and quickly formed a circle, staring wide-eyed.

Chapter 40: The Road to Sudden Wealth
: 10-21 10:16:46 Word Count: 2958

Less than a quarter of an hour later, Yan Nange stopped carving and handed the pair of sculptures depicting the couple arm in arm to the stunned young master and beauty. Seeing their astonished expressions, he ignored the onlookers, put away his carving knife, squatted down to wrap the silk handkerchief with the pile of sawdust in the center, and put it into his robes before standing up. At this moment, the onlookers burst into applause. Then they clamored for the sculptures to be dropped.
The couple stared in astonishment at the wooden sculptures, so lifelike and expressive, perfectly capturing their tender affection! The young master, awakened by the applause, without a word, pulled out a handful of silver notes from his robes, stuffed them into Yan Nange's hand, and said, "May I ask if you may come to my residence for a chat?"
Yan Nange shook his head; he didn't recognize the man and had no idea what he wanted. "Thank you for your generosity, young master. I have other matters to attend to. I wish you both a long and happy marriage!" With that, he parted the crowd and quickly disappeared without a trace.
The onlookers were quite disappointed and slowly dispersed. They all said they would definitely come back tonight to see if they could encounter that miraculous young man again!
The white-robed young master was lost in thought for a while, muttering, "What a prodigy!" The
white-robed beauty comforted him, "Husband, why be so disappointed? Just send someone to look for him!"
Hearing this, the white-robed young master was overjoyed, slapped his forehead, and said, "Yes, how did I become so stupid? My virtuous wife is so wise!" After saying this, he took the beauty's small hand, and the two gracefully departed.
Yan Nange walked briskly, and seeing that no one was following him, he went straight home. Carrying a large sum of silver notes in his pocket made him very uneasy!
When he got home, Yan Nange sat on the bed and began to count the silver notes: six thousand-tael notes and four two-thousand-tael notes, a total of fourteen thousand taels of silver! Good heavens! Yan Nange felt like he was going crazy with joy!
He had considered selling it for a high price, but he hadn't expected it to fetch such a high price! This was a golden opportunity to make money! ... This was even faster than robbery.
Yan Nange rolled around on the bed, clutching the silver notes, laughing uncontrollably until he was exhausted and gradually calmed down. Thinking about it, tonight's events were actually quite unexpected; no wealthy person would be willing to pay such a high price for a pile of wood! To be honest, he thought a pendant selling for one tael of silver would be quite good—last night he saw someone selling wooden pendants for only one tael of silver, and some people even complained it was too expensive! Even if the carving was good and the wood was of high quality, one tael of silver was still a considerable sum! One tael of silver was enough to buy enough rice for one person to eat for several months!
After calming down, he decided to go again tomorrow night, but he absolutely wouldn't sell a pendant for less than two hundred taels of silver! Also, he could get more wood to make more sculptures for people; this seemed even more attractive, especially to couples! He thought of the couple in white from earlier, and that young master. "Will I run into him again tomorrow night? What should I do if he asks me to go to his house again?"
Yan Nange scratched his head, deciding not to think about it anymore! He'd deal with it tomorrow! After washing up, he went to sleep. The night deepened.
The next day, Yan Nange woke up early again. He hid the silver notes in the brick wall behind the cabinet. Letting out a long sigh, Yan Nange began his day's activities.
That afternoon, he heard from the staff at Lengyuezhai that Xueying had been redeemed by a wealthy merchant for one million taels of silver that morning and would soon be taken to the Xingchen Tower in Chang'an, the capital of Tang, to become its top courtesan!
Yan Nange was heartbroken upon hearing this news and couldn't even eat! He was somewhat depressed all afternoon, but after thinking about it carefully, he realized it was useless! He would wait until he had enough money to go to the capital and redeem her.
For this goal, he would earn more and more money; he would go to Chang'an; he would marry Xueying! ... Yan Nange gritted his teeth.
But then, unexpectedly, Xiangxiang came to mind again, and a pang of sadness struck... Some people, some things, can't be forgotten so easily!
Time flies, and many days have passed in the blink of an eye.
In Leng Yue Zhai's workshop, Yan Nange, humble and skilled, and always willing to help others, earned the respect of all the craftsmen, even Old Wu.
Leng Xuanwen, needless to say, held Yan Nange in high esteem! Since Yan Nange's arrival, the quality of gemstone polishing has steadily improved, with the number of gemstones polished each day doubling! He valued Yan Nange even more, often sending servants from the Leng household to deliver food and fabric to him. Yan Nange's feelings for Leng Yue Zhai and Leng Xuanwen also deepened day by day.
For the past two weeks, after finishing work each evening, Yan Nange went to the Tian Gong Fang to sell wooden pendants and create sculptures. His pendants were always sold for a fee, as were his sculptures. He no longer sold them all to one person like he did the first time; one person could have a maximum of two pendants! One person could have a maximum of one sculpture, but multiple sculptures could be created for a group portrait!
This was indeed a place frequented by wealthy and powerful people. He sold a pendant for at least two hundred taels of silver, and at most one thousand. Statues were even more outrageous; he earned at least one thousand taels of silver per statue, and at most five thousand taels for a single piece!
In half a month, Yan Nange earned over five hundred thousand taels of silver, but he knew this was far from enough to redeem Xueying. With his growing understanding of the world, he knew that even if a powerless young man like him married Xueying, he wouldn't be able to protect her, and it would inevitably end tragically, perhaps even costing him his life!
Moreover, while the wealthy merchant redeemed Xueying for one million taels, even five million or ten million might not be enough! He'd heard that the most famous courtesan in the Tang Dynasty—the top courtesan of the Feixue Tower in Chang'an—had her redemption fee of one hundred million taels of silver! ...And that was only if she liked it!
Xueying went to Chang'an precisely to compete with Diemeng! Her price was unimaginable! It's said that the owner of Mingzhu Tower is now filled with regret and has given the madam a severe beating for not stopping him!
Yan Nange knows that he's still far from his goal! He regrets not going with the white-robed young man that night; that young man clearly isn't an ordinary person, and he might have had a chance to make a fortune! Unfortunately, he never encountered that couple again!
Sometimes, Yan Nange doubts whether he should continue working as a gem polisher. With his current wealth, he could easily start a jewelry business! Or he could find a renowned master to learn jewelry making instead of wasting time here.
But he's also very reluctant to leave Lengyuezhai. It feels like home here; the people here are like family! Especially the people from Lengxuan, they're really good to him! This is the fundamental reason he stays here —he's too lonely and likes working in a lively, warm ,
and welcoming place. Another reason is that Yan Nange is currently learning from three senior craftsmen in the workshop! These three craftsmen are highly skilled... though not exactly master craftsmen. They are the highest-paid craftsmen in the Lengyuezhai workshop, earning 10,000 taels of silver per month. They receive generous bonuses for highly difficult custom-made pieces, bringing their total annual income to 200,000 taels of silver. Their income is astronomical compared to others in the workshop, yet it's only considered upper-middle class among their peers in Lantian City! It's said that Master Liu Yunfei of Tiangongfang, one of the top ten jewelry and ornament merchants on the Jinshi Continent (alongside Jinggongfang), earns at least 50,000 taels of silver for each piece he crafts! That's at least a million taels of silver a month! This master craftsman is truly a leader in the jewelry-making world! This fuels Yan Nange's even more fervent passion for jewelry making! Keep in mind, Liu Yunfei only crafts a dozen or so pieces a month! And at his pace, that's not even enough for half a day's work! How much money does he earn in a month?! It's insane!!! Yan Nange became the sole disciple of three master craftsmen, Li, Gao, and Liu. Yan Nange's aptitude and character were undeniable; his talent far surpassed that of the others. Therefore, the three master craftsmen were extremely satisfied with their disciple, even quite proud. Consequently, they broke with industry tradition by jointly teaching one apprentice, demonstrating the high expectations they had for Yan Nange.

Yan Nange truly did not disappoint his three masters. In just ten days, he was able to craft ornaments on his own, and the ornaments he created moved the three master craftsmen to tears! He had graduated! He had surpassed them by far; how could they possibly teach him anymore?
After lunch that day, Yan Nange was invited to the shopkeeper, Leng Xuanren.
Upon seeing Yan Nange enter, Leng Xuanren gestured for him to sit down, then smiled and offered him a cup of chilled tea.
Taking a small sip, Leng Xuanren said, "Nange, I've seen the ornaments you've crafted; you truly are a genius!"
Only then did Yan Nange realize that Leng Xuanren's purpose in calling him in was related to his ornaments, but he didn't know what his intentions were. He remained silent, only offering a humble smile.
Leng Xuanren laughed loudly, "Hahaha, Nange, from today onwards, you'll be a craftsman specializing in decorative arts at Lengyuezhai. Your monthly salary will be 20,000 taels of silver, and you'll receive 10% commission for each piece you craft! Everything else remains the same. What do you think?"
Yan Nange was quite surprised, but not overly excited; 10,000 taels of silver wasn't enough to excite him! He smiled and said, "Okay!"
Leng Xuanren was puzzled by Yan Nange's nonchalant attitude, wondering if he thought it was too little.
Just as he was wondering, Yan Nange suddenly asked, "Uncle Leng, I have some wooden pendants. Could the shop help me buy some?" Yan Nange had this idea a few days ago, but hadn't found an opportunity to say it. He felt it was something that would benefit both Lengyuezhai and himself! In fact, he could easily open his own shop!
Leng Xuanren was taken aback: "What wooden pendants? Let me see?"
Yan Nange took out ten wooden pendants from his pocket and handed them to Leng Xuanren.
Leng Xuanren's eyes widened in surprise at first glance, and after examining them carefully, he gasped. "Nange, where did you get this pendant?"
Yan Nange was used to Leng Xuanren's expression and calmly replied, "I carved it myself!"
Leng Xuanren was startled, his eyes flashing with surprise. "Really?" he asked.
"Really!"
"How much do you plan to sell it for?" Leng Xuanren took a few deep breaths before asking in a low voice.
"A pendant will cost at least five hundred taels of silver! I can also make life-sized wooden statues; each one will cost at least two thousand taels of silver! I'll give the shop twenty percent!"
"This..." Leng Xuanren hesitated for a moment.
"I've been working at the entrance of Tiangong Workshop for half a month now; this price is definitely not high!" Yan Nange said.
Leng Xuanren laughed upon hearing this, excitedly saying, "No, I don't mean your price is high, but rather a bit low! I think this pendant is worth at least five thousand taels of silver! Just based on your carving skills alone, it's worth that price! Xiao Ge, you truly are a genius! Keeping you at Leng Yue Zhai is really a waste of your talent! I reckon you're fully capable of starting your own business now, and I'm truly moved that you've stayed! I think you should use your carving skills on gemstones and ornaments, and even create larger pieces! That would be worth even more! What do you think? By the way, Xiao Ge, if you really want to open your own shop, although I'm very reluctant, I'm still willing to give you your freedom! I don't want a piece of paper to hinder your future!" At this point, Leng Xuanren felt a pang of regret and reluctance.
Yan Nange was deeply moved upon hearing this and said, "Uncle Leng, I have no intention of leaving. I love it here; everything here feels welcoming. Especially you, you feel like a father to me!"
Yan Nange paused, calmed down a bit, and said, "You're absolutely right, and that's exactly what I'm planning to do. How about this? You set the price for my work, and we'll split the profits fifty-fifty!" Leng Xuanren
was completely touched by Yan Nange, and even felt his eyes well up with tears. Taking a few deep breaths, he smiled and said, "Nange, how about this? I've also bought the shop next door, and we'll be expanding it tonight, finishing tomorrow. I'll leave three counters for you, and I'll sell your work on your behalf. I'll set the prices for your pieces, and as for profit sharing, that's unnecessary—just having you here brings immense benefit to Lengyuezhai, why talk about profit sharing! Seeing your carving skills, I think the salary I mentioned earlier was too low. With your carving level, even Liu Yunfei is far inferior! How about this, your monthly salary is 500,000, and you get 50% of each piece! What do you think?"
Yan Nange was stunned by Leng Xuanren's words, deeply moved, but wondering if Uncle Leng could actually make money this way.
Seeing his silence, Leng Xuanren guessed his thoughts, thinking to himself that this child was too kind-hearted, and wondered if he would suffer for it later! He said, "Nange, with your skills, I can easily raise the price of custom-made jewelry to an astonishing figure. You will bring incredible wealth and fame to Lengyuezhai! I will definitely make money, a lot of money! If you don't accept my conditions, then I'll have to give up on you!" Leng Xuanren suddenly found himself and Yan Nange quite amusing, actually refusing each other huge sums of money—no one would believe it if they told others!
Yan Nange was both amused and exasperated. She thought about it and realized it made sense. The jewelry industry was inherently highly profitable, especially custom-made jewelry; it was practically a guaranteed money-maker. Uncle Leng certainly wouldn't lose money; in fact, he would make a fortune! Because Yan Nange possessed astonishing speed and skill!
"Uncle Leng, since you've said so, I won't refuse anymore! I'll reveal a secret to you: those three pieces of jewelry you saw were made in just two quarters of an hour!" Yan Nange whispered.
Leng Xuanren jumped up: "What?" This was unbelievable!
Yan Nange nodded firmly: "Yes, perhaps I can be even faster!" He knew how precious time was in the bespoke jewelry industry. With the same skill, if someone else took ten days and you took nine, the business was yours! His speed in crafting jewelry was unimaginable! Combined with his skill, the sheer awe he caused was unimaginable!
Leng Xuanren swallowed hard, his face flushed, before sitting down. He took a few deep breaths and drank some tea to calm himself. Yan Nange had given him so much today that his heart felt like it was about to burst!
"Genius! No, a god! I can only say you're a god! This is terrifying, almost unbelievable, but I know you're serious! Okay, with this secret, I know what to do! With you, Leng Yue Zhai will definitely become one of the top ten names in the jewelry industry of the Golden Stone Continent! Hahaha..." Leng Xuanren was full of confidence, and then burst into wild laughter.

URL 1:http://localhost:909/htmlBlog/10668.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=10668&aspx=1

Previous Page : [Fantasy] The Great Sage's Joyful Heaven (Complete) - Part 2

Next Page : [Fantasy] The Great Sage's Joyful Heaven (Complete) - 12

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

[Fantasy] The Great Sage's Joyful Heaven (Complete) - 4

comment Open a new window to view comments