Elder Liu sent a flying letter to Wen Zhihao, saying that she could test him in a month.
In a month! That was far away enough that Wen Zhihao did not yet need to cram. He felt that it was quite carefree.
In the late morning on the day where he had scheduled to have dinner with Sun Fuyu, Wen Zhihao leisurely went to one of the mortal towns.
He had with him a collection of pretty glowing pebbles and glowing flowers, intending to sell them cheaply to earn some pocket money.
It was the same town as where Wen Zhihao had carried that randomly injured person dressed in black a week ago. There was no sign of the man so he must have left already.
“Good morning, master cultivator,” the illiterate man, surnamed Li, greeted.
“Good morning,” Wen Zhihao said politely. “If Master Li can help me.”
Old Li snorted, “What, master?” Old Li couldn’t help be flattered though. “I will do my best to help.”
Wen Zhihao took out a glowing stone and a glowing flower from his spatial ring. “These are items that I’ve made. Both of them can shine brighter and more evenly than a candle, and will last at least a week.”
A week was how long Wen Zhihao had tested some earlier ones for.
Even in the daylight, one could see how these items shone. “I want to sell them for…one wen each. The calm and steady light is very suitable for anyone who has to work at night, such as scholars, since there is no fire hazard.”
Old Li rubbed his chin. “Hmmmmm.”
Wen Zhihao lifted his sleeve so that the two items were in shadow. “See? Are there any scholars in town?”
“There are.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Old Li ended up taking him to the only bookstore in town, where scholars gathered. It was a very small bookstore, with the four essentials—paper, ink, inkstone, brush—as well as some other items such as popular books, candles and oil lamps.
Ktf ugbeq bo rmtbijgr ujatfglcu lc atf ybbx rabgf abvjs kfgf wbrais sbecu wfc jcv rbwf rilutais bivfg wfc. Ktfs jii ybkfv qbilafis ktfc atfs rjk Qfc Itltjb vgfrrfv lc vlralcma gbyfr.
“Qtja qgbyifw lr atf Zjrafg Jeialnjabg lcnfralujalcu?” bcf bo atf sbecu rmtbijgr rjlv cjlnfis. Lf kjr reyais pjyyfv ys jcbatfg rmtbijg j wbwfca ijafg.
Wen Zhihao smiled his salesman smile and pulled out a bunch of glowing flowers. “These flowers will last at least a week, glowing brightly like a small sun. Put them on your table and study and write at ease at night, no eye strain, no flame hazard, no smoke. I can demonstrate.” Wen Zhihao went towards a relatively dark corner of the bookstore, i.e. the furthest away from the front.
“Scholar, please open and read a book.”
The young naive scholar did so curiously, while Wen Zhihao held a glowing flower over the book.
“Oh! It’s almost like the day! The contrast between the letters and paper is so clear! Master Cultivator, this flower is very beautiful, its petals delicate and glowing like the moon.”
This made the other scholars interested too. “Wow, you’re right for once!”
The young scholar pouted. “Dare you say that again!”
“These are one wen each, if you buy five, I can give one for free!” Wen Zhihao said. He pulled out more flowers and stone glowing stones too. “Of course, I can infuse light in other items too if you desire, one wen per item.”
The scholars didn’t look much at the stones, but they liked the flowers. And it was very cheap, so even these relatively poor town scholars could afford it easily.
Just like that, Wen Zhihao earned 10 wen. He didn’t sell any of the stones, but he decided he could just use them himself.
“Can you make a lamp glow as though it’s lit?” an older, more refined looking scholar asked.
Wen Zhihao nodded. “Of course! Since the glow of these is continuous, it is also suitable for indoor locations that do not get enough sunlight. I can do it right away.”
The scholars all watched curiously as Wen Zhihao powered a few ornate looking lamps with sunlight. However, since the scholars had no qi foundation, they had no idea how it was happening. Doing this wasn’t a problem for Wen Zhihao, sunlight-qi was free! And it meant that these items were all powered by solar power, very green energy.
“I’ll come back here in a week, you tell me if there is anything wrong,” Wen Zhihao told them. It definitely made him sound more credible too.
Things in a small town spread quickly, and in fact, Wen Zhihao was soon powering up miscellaneous items for one wen each just for the novelty, as many townsfolk didn’t want to miss out on the new fad. Sadly, no one wanted his poor stones…
By the end of it, Wen Zhihao collected a total of 30 wen! Five times more than last time, Sun Fuyu should be even happier with this!
With that, Wen Zhihao happily returned to the Golden Sun Sect. Somehow…making money to give others felt good? Not having to worry, money-wise, about the roof over his head also felt good?
In the evening, Wen Zhihao met Sun Fuyu at their designated meeting spot. Wen Zhihao dropped all the copper coins in Sun Fuyu’s hands. “For Sun-shidi! I know you worked hard cultivating this week.”
Sun Fuyu’s eyes glowed. “Thank you, Wen-shixiong!”
Wen Zhihao patted Sun Fuyu’s head. “Spend it on whatever you want.”
Sun Fuyu’s fingers curled over the coins, his eyes smiling as he nodded.
Just as before, the two spent some time perusing the town, ate some yummy food, and camped out in the forest. In addition to the fire that Sun Fuyu created, Wen Zhihao also set out some glowing stones, creating a warm glow in the forest. They talked about the food they ate, about the topics Sun Fuyu was learning. Wen Zhihao admitted his failed attempt at finding a plant-picking mission to earn spiritual stones, but Sun Fuyu was too polite to laugh.
“I can help Wen-shixiong!” Sun Fuyu said instead with determination.
Wen Zhihao smiled. “There’s no need. After all, you’re busy cultivating, and I’m learning talisman cultivation now. I can sell talismans if I really need spiritual stones.”
Sun Fuyu slumped. “Okay…”
Wen Zhihao laughed, rubbing Sun Fuyu’s head. “But I’ll keep your offer in mind, okay?”
“Okay…”
Like a little dejected rabbit, Wen Zhihao thought. “It’s getting late. Let’s go to sleep, Sun-shidi. You can cultivate some more tomorrow.”
As the fire died down to embers, Wen Zhihao yawned as he snuggled into his makeshift bed. With his eyes closed, he breathed in the pure earthy qi-filled air. Sun Fuyu’s own qi slowly stabilised as he drifted off to sleep.
Wen Zhihao’s own mind started to drift. This is the life, he thought contentedly. I hope this peace lasts a long time.
A few nights later, a dark-robed man strolled down one of the streets in a mortal town near the Golden Sun Sect. Despite the night, the man could see clearly. However, seeing steady light coming from some of the town windows piqued his interest—candlelight and firelight both flickered, yet this light did not.
Cloaking himself in the night, he poked his head through one of the windows and blinked in astonishment. On the scholar’s desk was a glass vase with a handful of glowing flowers. He could sense the warm sun qi emanating from them, along with a particular signature. The same signature as that Golden Sect cultivator who found him in the forest over a week ago…
Yet this item was sitting benignly in a poor mortal home. Not just one mortal home, but many in the town. How baffling….was that cultivator truly a ““righteous”” cultivator? They would never be so charitable, the man thought a little bitterly.
Or maybe that cultivator was just naive, given that he had actually helped the dark-robed man without even realising who he was.
oooh who might this be
thanks for the chapter~~
Yeah, suspicious guy, our MC trying to build monopoly
thanks for the chapter~
mc accidentally saved a demonic cultivator? big bad guy in perspective? I hope he gets charmed by our kind and lazy mc !!
Oh yeah this is the dude from a while ago. Thanks for the chapters!
He was mentioned in one of the chapters? Which chapter???
He was mentioned at the beginning of chapter 19: “…helping carry an injured stranger dressed in black back to the nearest mortal town…”
Oh yeah he was also mentioned in this chapter as well: ” It was the same town as where Wen Zhihao had carried that randomly injured person dressed in black a week ago. There was no sign of the man so he must have left already.”
Big bad second ML?
😏 all hail mysterious hooded man🛐
K, now I’m extremely curious in who the ml is , is it Sun Fuyu or the hooded man who is prolly a demonic cultivator?
( I so badly want the ml to be the hooded man, I seem to really like such ML’s 🤣)
+1!!!
Don’t event know how he looks but probably super handsome and deep red/black eyes
Sun Fuyu can be his #1 fan
+1 I also love those kind of MLs… |ω´･; )
+1 though I’m also more than happy if our little rabbit is the ML that grows sharp claws while mystery man unwittingly pines after our lazy, charming mc 😏
+1 kkkk yes!
+5 maybe both…. but yes I really want the hooded man to by the ml and maybe Sun Fuyu could be like their son….
+1 XD I got nothing to say….
Thanks for the chapter! Interesting new character, though I do still really like the pettable little rabbit.
Mysterious man: appears
Everyone: ML???
Sun Fuyu: Am I a joke to you?!
I’m still rooting for Sun Fuyu ٩( ᐛ )و
Unfortunately for poor Sun Fuyu, he’s too cute for me to get into as a romantic lead as he is now. Him having a puppy crush on the MC while being doted on like a precious little brother I am all for
😂😂😂😂 poor Sun Fuyu lol
We need more cute ml qwq, ima be stubborn and keep on rooting ٩( ᐛ )و
Thanks for the updates 💕💕
yesssssss
sell your glowy stuff for a bit of money
unintentionally make a lot of money
unintentionally become a winner at life
do it, my child…
clears throat now that i’ve got the weird stuff out, thanks for the chapters! ♡♡♡
ah, why is it that righteous cultivators are so often not righteous at all? and why does literally everyone know that? if you’re gonna be wicked, at least bury it deep inside and only bring it out to laugh at? it’s not that hard… see, i did it just now! easy!
at this point, non-righteous righteous cultivators feels like a trope XD
Flags? Check!Mysterious person in black clothes? Check!
Sniff sniff I can smell the oncoming drama!
The only problem I would have had with this novel is it’s short chapters…….But considering that it’s an original and it’s interesting, I’ll let it pass~
Thanks for the update dear author~
Hahaha, thank you! Short chapters makes it easier to read, and more importantly, easy to write XD
WZ setting a flag for himself without knowing 🤭 your peaceful days are at risk!
Thanks for the chapter! I get so excited when I see updates (੭ˊᵕˋ)੭ this story is what I’m looking forward to the most currently
We’ll see how evil the author (me) is XD
Awww, thank you!
Salutations to Immortal Author-Laoshi! bows deeply This Disciple-Meimei thanks Author-Laoshi for the enlightening this Disciple-Meimei with new chapters of this Cultivation Manual. Many thanks to Author-Laoshi, this Disciple-Meimei awaits the next Enlightenment. Kowtows
😘😘😘😘
Thank you very much for the chapter.
New character unlocked!
Looking forward to MC’s lazy adventures!
Thank you for the chapter!
Is that black cloak man is ML🤔🤔
I love this soooooo much!!! Is this mans a love rival for the little shidi?
Also, if I give you kofi, will we get more chapters? Maybe? Please??
Technically, more ko-fis does not automatically lead to more chapters 😅 it all depends on whether or not I have chapters to give…
Fair enough, still love this work though!! I will give no more pressure 😊
Oh my, was the Man In Black a ~gong~ a devil cultivator? I thought he just liked black, less stain…
Thank you for the chapter!! It’s getting so heartwarming and funny, I wish a life as peaceful as that!
mmm….ML? No maybe not? Mr. Author said that ML was someone else…from that pond scene?
Ohh! Could this be the ml!? And I’m really suspicious of those stones, it feels like they could be quite precious.
LOL it could well be possible that those stones are precious, but Wen Zhihao is too ignorant to know. Now that you mention it, it’s really funny 😂😂😂😂
Go Wen Zhihao, invent green energy before that world gets polluted, the ultimate climate protection 😂😂
Also not even fighting the urge to pet your (rabbit) shidi anymore, I see 😋
Watch out for the flags though…
This is either second male lead, a friend in unlikely places, or mysterious mentor.
I knew it! MC I told you so!!!
I will die if I ship Wen with Sun. But the ML turns out to be someone else! Thanks for the update!
I will die if I ship Wen with Sun. But the ML turn out to be someone else! Thanks for the update!
My curiosity was awakened
😏😏😏😏
Male lead is that you?
No comment~
Sorry about this but my misleaded instinct told me for a sec ” oh this is the ML ” maybe I have read too many demonic cultivator x righteous cultivator novels ╰(´︶`)╯
😆😆 I mean, this novel probably has demonic cultivator x righteous cultivator pairings, just in the background of our salted fish 😆😆 😆😆
oh dear trouble ahead…or new friend?
thanks for the chapter!
😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏
Me: Looks As Dark Robed Man – Looks as Sun Fuyu >.> “Sooo….. who is going to eat Tofu later?”
There’s not much tofu eating in this story 🙈 But Sun Fuyu is paired with Wen Zhihao, while the dark robed man is paired with someone else~
😱 Not even kissing tofu?! lol I had a feeling Sun Fuyu was going to become a big wolf one day and eat up Wen Zhihao. I am reading and just thinking – “Zhihao! Your cute disciple will one day turn into a tofu monster and you shall be his favourite snack!”
Oh, there is kissing! On the cheek…on the forehead…on the lips… And hugging, and hand-holding…
🤭 🤭 you can imagine Sun Fuyu doing that if you want!
As long as there is kissy kissing and lots of sweetness! lol
Selling sunflowers. 🌻 😄 Amazing how he is working hard, without actually working hard. 😆
Because he gets a lot of rest in-between! 😄
I want the ML to be the hooded man (or another adult) cuz Sun Fuyu feels more like a son or a younger brother and while technically speaking they don’t have a big age gap, MC is already a 30 something year old man at heart so I’d find it a bit weird if they got together.
😅😅 I have other plans for the dark-clothed man~~~
I noticed, but it’s okay cuz I’m getting used to it now and it isn’t as weird as I thought it would be. Great story by the way!! ☺
phew, that’s good! Thank youuuu ʕっ•ᴥ•ʔっ
Thank you for the chapter 💛💛💛
Oh who is this? I thought Yuyu is future gong or the shou 😂. Is this someone that can toppled Yuyu’s position lol.
Don’t worry, Yuyu is safe~~
Doing good deeds feels good!
indeed ^_^
Since our Salted Fish is a transmigration novel enthusiast, he should know about the “saving the mysterious stranger who later turns out to be important” trope. I’m guessing money was more important at the time lol.
AH but that only happens to main characters! he’s not a main character, right???!!! 😆
Just trying to laze around and earn some easy money and then inadvertently creating a lot of annoying destiny… /shakes head
Wen Zhihao: I just want peace! Is that too much to ask for?????
😆😆
i want a glowing rock!! the scholars are all fools, only buying the flowers!!!! ITS (1) A ROCK AND (2) IT GLOWS!! HOW COOL IS THAT
Unfortunately I don’t have rock fans or rock collectors among the scholars 😂
Oooo I’m so intrigued!!
Thank you for the chapter!
Thank you~ 🥰
Oh some trouble seems to be brewing…
dun dun dun~~~