Poison God's Heritage Chapter 4 Time Flies

As morning broke, the Village Head arrived to wake me. He expressed admiration for my creations, but his visit was to announce something significant.

The matter of me giving Wu Fan a single coin yesterday was sufficient to draw a throng of villagers eager for work. Perhaps I had misjudged, but it seems a considerable portion of this village lives in poverty. The amount of money in my pouch was astonishing to them. However, if I were to compensate everyone, my funds would deplete rapidly. This is especially true before I could even commence my true grand designs.

"I shall engage only ten individuals, their compensation will be one bronze Jin daily. Are you all amenable to this arrangement?" I inquired.

"How will you select among us?" one of the men posed the question.

"I will not. You shall. Debate amongst yourselves, and by noon, I expect only ten people standing here. I lack the time and energy to scrutinize each of you, nor do I know your capabilities. My sole requirement is the strongest of men," I proclaimed.

The assembled men concurred. After a period of discussion regarding who merited the positions, they ultimately chose those most desperate for funds and possessing the physical strength for hard labor. These are precisely the individuals I favor, as they will dedicate their full effort to survival. Such people are invariably diligent in their tasks.

I began to delegate responsibilities: three to fell trees, three to excavate clay, two more to saw the timber into planks and logs for construction, and a pair to erect the structures I would soon sketch for them.

The foremost construction would be a watermill, situated directly on the river. This mill would generate abundant power, enabling me to establish a sawmill for processing wood. Operating it would be less taxing for the workers, leading to increased timber output.

I procured a sheepskin and sketched the building's blueprint and work plan upon it. Constructing a mill was not overly complex, and the benefits it offered were substantial. Upon receiving the diagram, they executed the instructions flawlessly. It was astonishing to consider that these individuals were new to such tasks, though they had likely constructed their own dwellings and possessed a decent understanding of building principles.

Before long, the shop owner appeared and drew me aside, proposing an offer.

"I confess, I do not understand how you achieve this, but you are producing a significant quantity of marketable goods. Would you object if I were to purchase them from you for resale? This arrangement would ensure mutual profit," he stated.

‘A Trap! This is precisely what I have been anticipating.’

"Yes, but we must first confer with the Village Head. There is something I wish to request from him," I replied.

Word soon reached the Village Head, and he summoned me to his residence.

Upon entering, I found the elder seated, a table before him set with freshly poured tea.

He motioned for both the shop owner and myself to be seated. Once we were settled, he took a sip of his tea and remarked,

"For so young a lad, you certainly possess a remarkable abundance of ingenious ideas. I have never encountered anyone who conceived of so much in such a brief span."

"It must be the tutelage of the Xuan Fu sect; they are renowned for their innovative cultivation methods," the shop owner interjected, attempting pleasantries.

I remained silent, awaiting the Village Head's further words.

"So, I understand you have a request for me."

"Indeed. I wish to establish exclusive rights to my endeavors. If any villager seeks to replicate my work, you must prevent them from doing so."

"And why should I? Individuals are free to pursue their own paths. Some have even begun constructing your clay furnaces, though most collapse once ignited," he countered.

‘Naturally, such a collapse is inevitable. The base of the furnace and its ability to contain heat must be precise, or the entire structure will be compromised. However, I shall not reveal this knowledge to him just yet.’

"Because I propose to pay a tax for the protection of my enterprise. For every silver coin I earn, I shall remit five bronze coins to you," I stated.

"A reasonable proposition, but five coins are insufficient to appease the populace," he responded, his tone suggesting it was insufficient for his own coffers.

"Then ten. And I will not yield a single coin beyond that," I asserted.

"Fifteen, and we have an accord. Furthermore, I shall grant you a prime parcel of land for your operations. It is conveniently located near the river and the forest," he offered.

"Deal," I agreed.

"And what of my role in this?" the merchant inquired.

"For you, once the envoy arrives, present him with the materials I have prepared. I will then instruct him on their utilization and how to craft superior, more durable structures, as well as more potent implements and weaponry."

"You have already made all these arrangements?" the merchant questioned.

"From the very outset. Now, I shall sell you these items at a set price, and you will, in turn, sell them to those visiting this locale. You shall serve as our intermediary and identify additional markets for our products."

"I am capable of fulfilling that role; I possess numerous contacts who can facilitate resales," the man confirmed.

"Then we have an agreement," I extended my hand for a handshake, but he seemed unfamiliar with the gesture.

"You grasp it thusly," I instructed, taking his hand and shaking it. Although it felt somewhat awkward, he eventually comprehended the action.

Once my work was concluded, I returned to my workshop and satisfied my hunger once more.

Life in this realm is certainly improving; I should soon attain financial security, and with some time, afford the necessary elixirs to mend my damaged body.

I went back to oversee the laborers.

Several months passed, and the village underwent a complete transformation. A large portion of the inhabitants now worked under my direction. The saw-watermill and the grinding watermill were completed, and I was able to employ even more workers.

A steady stream of materials became available for crafting various items. I produced steel, upgraded carriage wheels to reinforced steel ones, forged weapons, and sold them to the messengers. My crafting extended to goods, and I enhanced the textile craft.

Utilizing the furnace, I fabricated pipes. With steel, I created tools for excavating the earth. I constructed pipelines and sanitation facilities. An innovative irrigation system was developed, capable of consistently supplying water to crops without manual intervention, all made possible by the power of the mills.

The procurement of electricity presented a significant hurdle. Insufficient copper was available to manufacture wires spanning the entire village. Nevertheless, I ensured the acquisition of wires whenever opportunities arose. The insulation of the copper wires posed another challenge, with coating them being a considerable problem. Tar would suffice for the time being, but a more enduring solution would be necessary later, given the absence of plastic.

As the months rolled by and the seasons changed, I accumulated such wealth that I became the most prosperous individual in the village. Word spread through the messengers about the constant work available in Lucid Spring, attracting newcomers in droves. The village grew into a town, its wooden structures and dwellings giving way to buildings of stone and brick.

A few years later, Wu Fan decided to marry. He honored me by selecting me as his best man.

As my most trusted subordinate, he had amassed a considerable fortune and secured the most beautiful woman in town. While her attractiveness was not something I particularly focused on, his integrity was undeniable. My perspective on the often harsh world of cultivation began to shift; the people here mirrored those from my past life on Earth. The 'strong prey on the weak' mentality was not deeply ingrained. They exhibited mutual support and assistance.

Numerous offers of marriage, involving the daughters of many townsfolk, were extended to me, but I opted to postpone matrimony. I still had many important matters to attend to.

Today marks my fifth year in this new world. My age appears to be in my late teens or early twenties, though the exact age of this body remains uncertain. However, including my previous life, I am now forty-five years old.

It strikes me as peculiar that young women, barely half my age, are being offered in marriage. Yet, my ultimate objective has never been to settle down and start a family; my true pursuit lies in the path of cultivation. Despite being informed that a later start in cultivation leads to diminished achievements, this has not deterred my ambition. Today is the day a man is expected to deliver an elixir, for which I have paid an exorbitant price.

He claimed it was concocted by a formidable immortal cultivator—an elixir capable of repairing and rejuvenating meridians. I waited with anticipation at the village's outskirts for the designated individual's arrival.

Presently, a figure clad in a dark, hooded robe materialized directly before me. His appearance was sudden and silent; he seemed to simply manifest into existence, as if previously invisible.

"You are Shen Bao?" the figure inquired.

"Yes," I confirmed with a nod.

The man scrutinized me from head to toe and remarked, "Your meridians have been damaged for a considerable duration. This elixir may offer some assistance, but I doubt its efficacy will be substantial. Are you certain you wish to proceed? I cannot guarantee significant results."

'At least he is forthright, and their honesty is of little consequence to me, as long as a glimmer of hope remains. I shall give it a try.'

"Yes, hand it over," I stated.

"Payment," the man declared.

With a snap of my fingers, two individuals carrying a large chest approached swiftly. They placed the chest before the robed man and stepped back.

I opened the chest for the cultivator, revealing a dazzling display of gold that caught his eye.

"Sufficient," he declared and, with a gesture of his hand, caused the entire chest and its contents to vanish.

He then presented me with a small vial containing a crimson, shimmering liquid.

"Bathe yourself in these herbs, burn incense, and quiet your mind before consuming this," he instructed, tossing a small box filled with strongly scented herbs towards me.

The moment I took hold of the herbs, he was nowhere to be found.

I returned to my residence—a substantial dwelling that required eight months to construct—and entered. Several maids were employed, women who offered their services to manage the household in exchange for a modest monthly wage and sustenance.

They prepared my bath with the herbs, and I followed the man's instructions.

Once I felt thoroughly relaxed and revitalized, I drank the potion. The liquid within dissolved into my body, swirling in my stomach like a blazing sun before spreading throughout my entire being. The heat it generated was intense enough to boil the water I was submerged in, yet, remarkably, it did not boil me along with it.

A cracking sound echoed from my joints, and a peculiar tingling sensation, deep within my bones and flesh, began to spread. These were the exact spots that caused me such agony when I first arrived in this world—my meridians.

They thrummed with increasing intensity. My breathing grew rapid, and my body temperature soared. Yet, a glimmer of hope ignited within me as the elixir I consumed felt like the very essence of life. This potent energy began to surge through my body, aiding in its reconstruction.

However, this surge of power was fleeting. The immense energy behind the elixir's effect dissipated, fading into nothingness.

I sensed no change, and the tingling sensation vanished.

The village doctor, who happened to be a cultivator drawn to this tranquil and inexpensive locality, was approached by me. I implored him to examine if the elixir had yielded any results. His response was a grim shake of the head.

"You should relinquish all hope, Shen Bao. It is far too late for you. You possess a considerable fortune, enough to live a life of luxury, to reign like a king. You have a kind heart and a sound mind. There is no need for you to tread the solitary path of cultivation," the doctor advised. I offered no reply.

Another aspiration, crushed.

Years turned into decades, and I experimented with countless elixirs, some so exorbitantly priced that their cost could fund the acquisition of entire cities. Yet, it was never enough. It was perpetually insufficient.

Year after year, I was consumed by a profound despair. I even took a wife and fathered two sons, their presence offering a brief respite, allowing me to momentarily forget my consuming obsession. Nevertheless, the relentless march of time and the inevitability of old age served as constant reminders that this life was finite, and the dream of cultivation would soon be relegated to the annals of forgotten ambitions.

I ascended to the position of City Head. Lucid Spring had by then blossomed into a sprawling metropolis. This newfound authority allowed me to mobilize greater resources, channeling an influx of wealth into the city, which, in turn, significantly expanded my personal coffers.

Numerous inhabitants of the city were fortunate enough to bear children blessed with the ability to cultivate. They had enjoyed a life of prosperity, sustenance, and the means to raise healthy offspring attuned to the natural world, capable of harnessing its energies.

My own children, however, were unable to follow this path. Despite my considerable expenditure to equip them with the capacity to harness Spiritual Energy, my efforts proved futile. Whispers even began to circulate, suggesting that my own fractured meridians were the cause of my children's perceived inadequacy, labeling them as cripples.

My wife, Yu Ming, tragically passed away during the difficult childbirth of our third child, a daughter. Alas, she too succumbed during the delivery.

My two elder sons, Lu Bao and Xiao Bao, matured swiftly. Their aspirations diverged from mine; they harbored no drive for scholarly pursuits, nor did they seek knowledge from me or express a desire to learn what I knew. It seemed the complex theories of physics were destined to perish with me.

Time continued its relentless passage, and I found myself in my seventies. My sons had children of their own. Yet, I could sense a subtle distance in their hearts; they seemed to derive little pleasure from my company, perhaps a consequence of my all-consuming obsession, which left me with scarce time for them. They visited infrequently, having established lives in distant cities.

But as fate would have it, today brought news of an even more remarkable elixir, crafted by a Nascent Soul cultivator. Though the precise rank of this cultivation level remains unknown to me, the village doctor confirmed that its creator possessed an immensely formidable and unfathomably profound cultivation base.

After I had meticulously gathered my possessions, confident that I, as the City Head, should personally deliver the accumulated wealth, my two sons, Lu Bao and Xiao Bao, unexpectedly declared their intention to accompany me. A surge of gladness filled me, believing they had finally recognized the significance of my lifelong pursuit and were offering their support.

Oh, the depth of my blindness! If only I had perceived the truth sooner.

Lu Bao took the reins of the carriage, while Xiao Bao rode inside with me. Our conversation was stilted and brief. Aside from recounting the well-being of his own family, he offered little else.

Ten days into our journey, the carriage was forced onto a precarious mountain path. The road was arduous, yet still wide enough for our vehicle. Midway up the ascent, Lu Bao brought the carriage to a halt, citing the need for rest.

I disembarked to admire the breathtaking scenery. The sun was beginning its descent, casting a tranquil aura over the world. Verdant expanses stretched into the unknown, a realm where wild beasts roamed freely and no sane individual would venture. This untamed forest had always been the undoing of hunters; only those driven by dire necessity dared to trespass.

Unbeknownst to me, Lu Bao approached from behind. Without a word, he exerted all his strength, shoving me down the steep mountainside.

Incredulous, shocked, and utterly bewildered, the last image etched in my mind was the malevolent glint in Lu Bao and Xiao Bao's eyes as I plunged down the precipitous slope, a victim of my own children's treachery.