7: Chapter 7 Does Li Qing Have a Fate to Immortality?

Li Qing gently closed the courtyard door with a "clatter" and slid the bolt shut; the small courtyard suddenly fell silent.

Li Qing leaned against the door panel, let out a long sigh, and felt his entire body relax.

"A debt-free life is a light life"—that saying was truly no lie.

He strolled over to the stove and prepared a hearty breakfast for himself.

While eating, Li Qing began to map out the plans in his mind.

The Portable Cave Abode's built-in fish pond and beast enclosure could increase the growth rate of the semi-Spirit Beasts raised within them by ten percent.

Don't underestimate that ten percent; it might not sound like much, but when it comes to raising Spirit Beast, that is a tangible advantage.

And more importantly, during the growth process, semi-Spirit Beasts have a chance to Breakthrough and advance; once they advance, their value immediately multiplies several times over!

As for that 1% chance of them acknowledging him as their master, Li Qing automatically filtered it out.

For Li Qing right now, this was simply the most stable and safest way to make money.

The price of semi-Spirit Beast cubs was not high; the cheapest one cost exactly one Low-Grade Spirit Stone, making the cost extremely low.

By the time they reached adulthood, even the most ordinary semi-Spirit Beast could sell for at least five Low-Grade Spirit Stones, a net profit of four!

If he bought a batch—raising a dozen or twenty at once—that would be a steady income, far better than doing hard labor for others by more than ten times.

The more Li Qing thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, and he had already started calculating which semi-Spirit Beasts to buy.

Some that swim in the water, some that run on the ground; he would get a bit of each, utilizing both the fish pond and beast enclosure without wasting any space.

Once this batch of Spirit Beast grew up and were sold, the Spirit Stone in his hands would snowball and grow more and more.

As for the farmland, Li Qing also planned to plant spirit rice. Spirit rice matured once every six months, but inside the Immortal Cave, it would mature in just three months.

One mu of spirit rice could yield one thousand jin of spirit rice, and depending on the quality of the spirit rice, the selling price ranged from 2 to 5 jin per Spirit Stone.

In other words, from this batch of spirit rice, Li Qing could earn at least 200 Low-Grade Spirit Stones, and at most 500 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Thinking of the income he was about to receive, Li Qing was excited!

After quickly finishing his breakfast, Li Qing cleaned up and headed to the fish market; there was still a more pressing matter at hand—going to work first.

Once he finished his work today, he would receive his wages of three Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Don't look down on it just because it was only three; for Li Qing right now, it held great significance.

As long as he got these three Spirit Stones, it meant that from now on, he would never have to work for others and endure their attitude, never have to toil from dawn till dusk, and never be bossed around by his employer; he could spend all his time on Cultivate.

Thinking of this, Li Qing was filled with motivation.

The pedestrians on the road gradually increased; they were all ordinary people trying to make a living, along with some low-level Loose Cultivator.

Everyone was in a hurry, and no one noticed that this ordinary-looking young man already harbored a plan to change his destiny.

...

Meanwhile, in another part of the city—Pingan Gambling Den.

It was filled with smoke and noise; the sounds of dice, shouting, and cursing were all mixed together. It was a foul and murky place, clearly not a respectable establishment.

In a private room at the very back of the gambling den, the atmosphere was exceptionally quiet.

The Bald Man who had previously gone to Li Qing's house to collect the debt was standing respectfully with his head lowered before a man, recounting everything that had happened that morning in detail.

"Boss Scar, that is how it went. That brat suddenly produced Spirit Stone from nowhere—thirteen of them, not one less—and paid off the debt on the spot, and the spirit contract was dissolved."

The Bald Man spoke cautiously, not even daring to breathe loudly.

Sitting before him was none other than the famous ruthless character of this area—Boss Scar.

After hearing the report from The Bald Man, Boss Scar did not immediately explode in anger or start cursing; he merely tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop, creating a "tap, tap, tap" sound.

A playful expression slowly appeared on his effeminate face.

"Interesting... truly very interesting."

Boss Scar's mouth curled slightly; his voice was not loud, but it made one's heart crawl.

"A Loose Cultivator who couldn't even pay his rent and was dirt poor, suddenly able to produce thirteen Low-Grade Spirit Stones to pay off a debt? That is not a small sum."

"Tell me, do you think he... obtained some unknown Immortal Fate?"

The Bald Man was stunned, then quickly chimed in:

"Boss Scar is wise! I also felt something was wrong. That brat was miserable just a while ago, how could he suddenly have money overnight? He must have had a stroke of great luck, found a treasure, or obtained some kind of Legacy!"

Boss Scar nodded slowly, his eyes growing deep.

On this path of cultivation, what is most important?

Is it talent? Is it Cultivation Technique? Is it background?

They are all important, but the most direct thing that can change a person's destiny is always Immortal Fate.

A Medicinal Pill obtained by chance, a fragmentary ancient Cultivation Technique, a spirit pet picked up by accident, or even an undiscovered spirit mine... all could allow a bottom-tier Loose Cultivator to soar to the heavens in one step.

And in the eyes of people like Boss Scar, this thing called Immortal Fate is not just something to find, but something to learn how to snatch!

Someone else's Immortal Fate is simply one's own fat sheep.

Li Qing was just a small Qi Refining Stage 2 Loose Cultivator, with no one to rely on, no background, and no backing; even if he really had some Immortal Fate, it would be a case of "an innocent man treasuring a jade ring becomes a crime," and he would never be able to keep it.

In Boss Scar's view, such fat meat delivered to his doorstep should not be wasted.

Even if the Immortal Fate was not great, just a small benefit, well, a mosquito is still meat no matter how small; it shouldn't be passed up.

If, by chance, Li Qing really was hiding some big secret, then this time, he would make a fortune.

Thinking of this, Boss Scar's eyes turned cold, and his voice dropped very low, carrying an unquestionable command.

"Go arrange a few people to watch him in shifts, around the clock."

"During the day, wherever he goes, whatever he does, who he talks to, what he buys—record everything clearly for me. At night when he returns to the courtyard, if there is any movement, don't slack off for a single moment."

"As long as there is the slightest hint of something wrong, the slightest abnormality, come back and tell me immediately. Do not act on your own, and definitely do not alert the enemy."

Upon hearing this, The Bald Man immediately straightened his back and replied in a loud voice:

"Yes! Boss Scar! I will go arrange it immediately. I guarantee I will keep a death grip on that brat; not even the slightest movement will escape our eyes!"

He also understood in his heart that Boss Scar had his eye on the secret Li Qing was carrying.

As long as they could figure out Li Qing's background and snatch his Immortal Fate, if Boss Scar was happy, he would definitely be able to reap quite a few benefits himself.

The Bald Man did not dare to delay; he turned and walked quickly out of the private room, rushing to arrange manpower for the surveillance.

Only Boss Scar remained in the private room.

He picked up a cup of wine shimmering with Spiritual Qi from the table, took a light sip, and gazed out the window with gloomy eyes, like a venomous snake eyeing its prey.

"A small Qi Refining Stage 2 Loose Cultivator..."

"I hope you don't disappoint me; you had better really be hiding something good."

"Otherwise, it would be a waste to have let the three of you reunite!"

A faint Killing Intent silently permeated the room.