"They are celebrating too early," Wan Wan said disdainfully, watching the happy and excited villagers outside Yang Hong's room.
The villagers of Chishi Village had become increasingly lazy and self-important after digging a well for more than half a year. Some even dared to ask Yang Hong for more food and money. They didn't even consider their past lives and their current ones. At the very least, their weight had increased by over ten pounds.
"Just in time. That well is almost done. Tonight, I'll go down and tamper with the underground river so they can connect to it tomorrow."
Yang Hong wasn't a philanthropist. He was merely staying in Chishi Village temporarily, not settling down. Moreover, Chishi Village had essentially become Yang Hong's Chishi Village, so he didn't need to be too careful and could make some significant moves.
"Husband, we've been in Chishi Village for almost a year. According to your agreement with Mu Xiuhui, she should be back these days, right?" Zhu Yuyan, who had finished clearing the dishes, handed Yang Hong a bowl of spirit spring water.
"Hmm, it should be within these two days. I wonder what's happening in the outside world. I hope those scoundrels from the Buddhist sect don't pester me anymore. If they push me too far, I'll bring a bunch of ninth-grade spirit plants to Budong Temple and ascend through tribulation, taking the entire Budong Temple with me."
"Husband~ Don't be so hasty. And even if we take over Budong Temple, don't they have Buddhist sects in the Upper Realm? If an Arhat or Bodhisattva comes, we'll be sealed or even killed again." Zhu Yuyan walked behind Yang Hong and gently massaged his temples.
Although Yang Hong appeared very relaxed over the past year, Zhu Yuyan and the others, as his closest companions, knew that Yang Hong harbored a fire within him, a fire of anger. However, facing the exceptionally powerful Buddhist sect, Yang Hong could only endure it temporarily, which was causing him frustration.
"Sigh~ I know. In fact, it's because I'm afraid that I feel so stifled and angry." Yang Hong held Zhu Yuyan's hand, feeling her tenderness, and the anger within him subsided by more than half.
"To be honest, ever since I learned that the Buddhist sect could move the entire Taiyuan Planet to a new star domain, I've been afraid that I would be killed by them for opposing them."
"When the Pu Ji Bodhisattva appeared, I had already mobilized my cultivation, ready to self-destruct. It was a determination to die rather than be controlled by the Buddhist sect."
"But in the end, I couldn't bear to self-destruct. I still have attachments; you are my attachments." Yang Hong stood up and pulled his seven wives to sit together.
This was the first time in his thirty years that he had truly revealed his heart. During the sealing in the Great Snow Mountain, Yang Hong, as the backbone, had to be strong and support everyone. Therefore, no matter how many worries or negative emotions he had, he had to suppress them and face them with a smile.
Perhaps it was the complex taste of the Hai Ting Feng today that resonated with his inner feelings, causing him to open up and expose his most vulnerable side.
"Husband~ No matter what you do, we will unconditionally believe and support you. Just do whatever you want, as long as it doesn't harm yourself." Tears welled up in Zhu Yuyan's eyes, and her voice was a little choked.
Li Lizhi and the others also shed tears, deeply moved by Yang Hong's efforts and strength. When the Pu Ji Bodhisattva descended, Yang Hong had instructed them to stay in Qingfeng Villa and activate the defensive formation, not to come out. Afterward, Yang Hong endured tribulation lightning alone for over three years for the cultivators of the Immortal and Buddhist sects. In an environment that ordinary people couldn't endure, or even survive safely, Yang Hong only reported the good news and never the bad, always talking about how much his cultivation had improved, but never about the dangers of the tribulation.
Zhu Yuyan hugged Yang Hong and comforted him. "Don't worry, we've escaped that seal. We just need to hide for a while, then quickly improve our cultivation, and ascend to the Immortal Realm as soon as possible. Then we won't have to fear those bald donkeys from the Buddhist sect."
"Hmm~ I think so too, which is why we need to stay in this remote place for a few years."
"Don't worry, husband, we'll always be with you. And after some time, if there's no danger, we'll change our location, alter our identities, and establish a new sect. If we develop our power, perhaps one day we can counterattack the Buddhist Realm." Li Lizhi also comforted him softly.
That night, the family of seven, in a warm atmosphere, truly communicated with each other with their hearts open for the first time. The bond between the eight of them deepened to a near-perfect level, truly achieving unity as husband and wife.
When Yang Hong woke up from his sleep the next day, he immediately noticed something was wrong. "A first-grade spirit plant, Hai Ting Feng, seems to have the ability to manipulate human emotions. My emotions and those of Zhu Yuyan and the others yesterday were definitely not right. As cultivators, our emotions shouldn't be so fragile. However, there's a benefit: I've truly connected with the seven of them."
Except for his inexplicable origin, which he was bound to keep secret from Zhu Yuyan and the others, Yang Hong had revealed all his other secrets, including the fact that he had a system. Zhu Yuyan and the others also shared their hidden secrets. For instance, Zhu Yuyan revealed that Shi Feixuan was actually her own sister, though she didn't know where Shi Feixuan was. All of them confessed their deepest secrets, which eliminated any remaining barriers between the eight of them. Their cultivation had improved by over ten percent in terms of spiritual energy conversion and absorption.
"Husband, this is a powerful tool for interrogation. You must be careful when planting and using it." Zhu Yuyan, now awake, held Yang Hong's arm and earnestly reminded him.
"Hmm~ I will be careful. I won't let the high-quality Hai Ting Feng go out; I'll keep it all to myself. I'll only have the people of Chishi Village plant the ordinary ninth-grade Hai Ting Feng."
"And I will spare no effort to cultivate and promote this Hai Ting Feng."
"Why? Such a special plant, why don't we keep it to ourselves?"
"I can't explain it clearly, it's just an intuition. I have a feeling that Hai Ting Feng will be of great use to the human race."
"Then let's promote it. You have a magical system, husband, so you must be guided by the will of heaven."
"Yes." Hearing Yang Hong's words, Zhu Yuyan also became serious. If it were before today, she might have thought Yang Hong was overthinking. But after learning that Yang Hong had a system, she immediately thought of heavenly guidance.
As they chatted, the others also woke up. When they left the room and went to the giant pit where the well was being dug, villagers greeted them along the way with genuine sincerity, a mixture of their previous awe and a new layer of respect.
"Fellow Daoist Yang~ Thank you for bestowing upon me this opportunity." Upon reaching the edge of the giant pit, they encountered Chen Xiaohu. As soon as he saw Yang Hong, he immediately knelt down and bowed deeply in gratitude.
Yang Hong took one look and knew he had broken through, very luckily achieving the fourth level of Qi Refining.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, that is your fortune, it has nothing to do with me. If your state of mind were not sufficient, you wouldn't have broken through. Just like me, although I've reached the threshold of a breakthrough, I just can't break through."
"Fellow Daoist, you are too modest. Putting other matters aside for now, you have improved the Hai Ting Feng, which will save billions of lives in the desert. You deserve ten thousand bows." Yang Hong generously accepted this bow.
"Accept our bows." The villagers near the giant pit also knelt down with Chen Xiaohu. Yang Hong accepted the礼, as he truly deserved it.