Wang Shan? robber cultivators?
The robber cultivators are here again?
Hearing Old Zhou's words, Qi Ping couldn't help but frown.
This wasn't the first time the robber cultivators had appeared.
In the past few years, the robber cultivators would rampage from time to time, specifically targeting Loose Cultivators.
Even more abnormal was that the Qingyuan Sect Cultivators seemed blind, only sending people to suppress them occasionally when the robber cultivators were particularly fierce.
This was something that couldn't happen in the past!
A few years ago in the Qingtian Domain, under the governance of the Qingyuan Sect, the entire Qingtian Domain's planting and breeding industries were quite developed, and trade was also quite prosperous.
As an area under the jurisdiction of the Qingtian Domain, Qing Shi County's Black Little Bees, Golden Feather Chickens, and Yun Ling Fruits were typical representatives of its industries.
The Qingyuan Sect also relied on the prosperous agriculture, animal husbandry, and commercial trade to obtain a large amount of spiritual stone tax revenue.
When Qi Ping first arrived in the Cultivation World, he was also shocked by the Qingtian Domain under the Qingyuan Sect's governance.
Prosperous industries, orderly public security!
The difference from the Cultivation World depicted in many novels was too great!
Life for Cultivators at the bottom was certainly not easy, but it was manageable. By raising bees, growing fruits, and so on, they could live a decent small life.
Old Zhou had lived most of his life this way, without so many life-and-death conflicts, and his life was quite flavorful.
Unless they encountered some epidemic, beast disaster, or something similar.
When encountering these disasters, the initial investment of ordinary Cultivators would not only be wasted, but they would also have to pay several years of rent. However, these situations were not very frequent.
Overall, life was still bearable. If there was a good harvest, they could even make a small profit.
But starting two or three years ago, everything seemed to change!
The robber cultivators appeared!
As soon as they appeared, they began to plunder the wealth of the low-level Loose Cultivators.
Not only was the wealth that the plundered Loose Cultivators had painstakingly accumulated over many years plundered overnight, but sometimes they even lost their lives!
However, at the beginning of the robber cultivators' appearance, although everyone was worried, they weren't overly concerned.
Everyone believed that the Qingyuan Sect would definitely capture and kill these robber cultivators and restore public security in the Qingtian Domain.
No one believed that the Qingyuan Sect would allow robber cultivators to rampage in their own backyard.
At first, the Qingyuan Sect did indeed do this, sending Disciples to intensify patrols and ordering that the public security environment of the Qingtian Domain must be guaranteed.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at that point.
But before they could relax for long, the Qingyuan Sect withdrew the Disciples responsible for security patrols!
And this situation has continued for two or three years until now!
Without the protection of the Qingyuan Sect, the robber cultivators gradually became more and more reckless, appearing and plundering every so often.
However, the rent and taxes everyone paid to the Qingyuan Sect every year did not decrease; instead, they even increased!
For a time, resentment boiled over, but it didn't have much effect.
Everyone was unclear why the Qingyuan Sect acted this way. Was it because of internal problems? Or was there external pressure?
This was something everyone had no way of knowing. As low-level Loose Cultivators, they could only accept the situation where others were the knives and they were the fish.
When the Qingyuan Sect was willing to maintain public order and develop industries, Loose Cultivators could follow along and benefit; but when they stopped maintaining it, although everyone was dissatisfied, they didn't dare to say anything.
What could Loose Cultivators with low strength do even if they were dissatisfied?
Life still had to go on.
At least compared to the vast number of Loose Cultivators, those who were plundered were ultimately only a small portion. Gradually, everyone got used to it.
It was just that life became more vigilant.
They also gradually began to organize their own Loose Cultivator Alliances to jointly cope with potential dangers.
Like the Wang Shan mentioned by Old Zhou, including Old Zhou and Qi Ping, they all belonged to a Loose Cultivator Alliance called the Fusheng Society.
The Fusheng Society wasn't large, with only over a dozen people, and it had been established decades ago.
This Alliance was formed by several nearby Loose Cultivators banding together, helping each other and staying warm together, and so on.
Choosing the name Fusheng Society also implied deep fortune and flourishing livestock, which was a kind of expectation for life among ordinary Loose Cultivators.
The members within the Fusheng Society were basically friendly and familiar with each other, and would help each other when needed.
Once, Qi Ping's Black Little Bees escaped. Qi Ping searched for a long time but couldn't find them. It was only after everyone in the Fusheng Society searched together for a long time that they were found.
Wang Shan was a mature and steady middle-aged elder brother within the Fusheng Society. He was skilled at raising First Order Golden Feather Chickens, and he raised several dozen of them.
Qi Ping's impression of him was that he was steady and meticulous in his work, friendly to others, and very amiable. Many matters within the Fusheng Society were initiated and led by him.
"Don't worry, Old Zhou, don't you know me? I won't reveal it to anyone but you."
Facing Old Zhou's instructions, Qi Ping patted his chest and promised not to tell others, so that Old Zhou wouldn't worry.
"Mm, you're steady and careful in your work. Usually, I don't worry, but recently there have been too many robber cultivators, so you must be extra careful!"
"It doesn't matter for an old man like me with only ten years of Lifespan left, but Xiao Qi, you're still young. You must live well and carry forward the beekeeping business."
Speaking of this, Old Zhou's tone gradually relaxed.
"Just relax! I'll make sure you have enough wine in the future, and I haven't married a wife yet." Qi Ping said with a grin.
"You young people, your minds are only on these things! I won't bother with you. I'm going to sleep. Don't keep coming to disturb this old man when there's nothing wrong."
After saying that, Old Zhou stretched, returning to his lazy and relaxed state.
He turned and slowly strolled back to his courtyard with leisurely steps.
The Gold Marrow Bee that caused the Black Little Bees to be restless had already been successfully contracted by Qi Ping, so the problem of restlessness could naturally be solved.
As for how to operate it specifically, Qi Ping could figure it out himself. Old Zhou was too lazy to worry so much.
Moreover, since Qi Ping had now contracted the Gold Marrow Bee with extraordinary combat power, his own safety was basically guaranteed.
If they encountered an enemy that even the Gold Marrow Bee Bee Swarm couldn't defeat, his old bones basically wouldn't be of much use either.
In Old Zhou's impression, Qi Ping was also quite careful in his work and didn't need him to worry too much; moreover, worrying seemed useless anyway.
So after figuring this out, Old Zhou returned to his carefree state of mind.
Let the robber cultivators be robber cultivators. Life and death are fated. If you live a bit longer, you enjoy a bit more; if you live a bit less, it's no big deal.
After taking two bites of the fresh fruit on the table, Old Zhou lay back down on the purple bamboo recliner.
Before long, a gentle snoring sound quietly began.
Nothing bothered his mind!
Qi Ping looked at Old Zhou's gradually departing leisurely back, feeling a bit like crying and laughing at the same time.
Just now he was so shocked his jaw almost dropped, but now he had returned to that leisurely and content state.
To be able to live a lifetime so open-minded was also quite remarkable.
"But it's not time for me to give up yet!"
Having just awakened the Druid profession and contracted the Gold Marrow Bee, his spirits were high. How could Qi Ping be negligent?
"First, I'll tell the Black Little Bee Bee Swarm that the Gold Marrow Bee issue has been resolved so they don't have to be afraid anymore. After that, I'll start refining the golden marrow honey and raise my cultivation as quickly as possible...!"
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