CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 41 STOP THIS PETTY RIVALRY

Chapter 41: Stop this petty rivalry

" I’m sorry for feeding your curiosity all this while, let me make it up to you with this legendary tale." Lin Mu gave a broad grin as he continued.

"There’s a tale from my homeland about a man named Old Hu shai," Lin Mu said, his voice steady but low. "Hu shai was a farmer, not a warrior. He lived a simple life, tending his fields and minding his own business. But one year, the rains failed, and his crops withered. The other farmers, desperate, turned to a wandering priest who promised to bring rain, but for a price."

The Serinerians leaned in, intrigued.by this strange story of his.

"This priest wasn’t exactly what he seemed," Lin Mu continued. "He demanded offerings. Gold, livestock, even children. The farmers, desperate to save their lands, gave him everything. But the rains never came. It was Hushai who finally spoke up. He said, ’Rain doesn’t fall because of gold or sacrifices. It falls when the earth is ready.’ The priest laughed and mocked him, calling him a fool. ’Then you bring the rain,’ the priest said."

Lin Mu paused, his eyes scanning the faces around the fire. "And you know what Old Hushai did?"

"What?." They all unconsciously asked in unison, all but the Lang brothers of course, although even they were genuinely curious.

Lin Mu smiled feeling satisfied with their keen interest. "He didn’t pray, nor offered sacrifices, or beg the heavens. He dug. Every day, from sunrise to sunset, he dug trenches, tilled his fields, and planted seeds. The other farmers called him mad, but he didn’t stop. And when the rains finally came, his fields were ready to catch every drop. While the others stood in flooded fields, Hushai harvested more than he’d ever dreamed."

The group fell silent, the weight of the story sinking in.

"The moral?" Lin Mu said, leaning back a little."Desperation makes people easy to deceive. But real solutions takes work, not shortcuts."

For a moment, even the Lang brothers seemed impressed, their glares softening. But the moment didn’t last.

"Nice story," Lang Shi sneered. "But it sounds like something a coward would say to avoid a fight."

"Yeah," Lang Shen chimed in. "No wonder you like it. It’s all about hiding behind hard work instead of facing real challenges."

To their irritation Lin Mu unconsciously stared at them as if he were looking at a pair of utter idiots, The genuineness in his gaze was the thing that irked them the most.

Before they could speak, Lin Mu suddenly forced a smile. "Hahaha, I see. Funny you’d say that, considering how hard you were hiding behind me earlier today."

The camp erupted into laughter, and the suitors’ faces turned red. One of them out of irritation suddenly stood up and stepped forward, his hand on his weapon. "Say that again, outsider!"

Lin Mu eyed him again , only this time like a Lion staring down at a cat who dared to impersonate it. He slowly stood, his expression calm but his eyes sharp. "I said, if you’re going to talk big, at least make sure what your spouting isn’t crap. Or is yapping all you rascals are good for?"

" You b@stard!" Both Lang brothers expressions turned lived, throbbing veins evident on their faces.

The tension crackled like lightning. Thankfully, Before things could escalate further, Brother Wang and a few other Serinerians stepped in-between them. "Hey let’s calm down everyone" he said firmly. "No point in battling it out now when where all already so tired, if you both are so eager to fight then just wait till tomorrow, alright?" He said before his ears suddenly twitched, his eyes squinting as he suddenly turned and gazed off into the distance.

" Besides..., it’s looks like we’ve got an even bigger problem already on the way." He said with a sudden solemn demeanor.

As if to punctuate his words, a distant, guttural roar echoed across the desert. Every other head turned toward the sound, their earlier argument forgotten.

"What was that?" someone whispered.

Brother Wangs face darkened. "What else... it’s the Jebaki."

The name sent a ripple of unease through the group. Lin Mu who was the obviously not aware of what he meant glanced at him. "What’s a Jebaki?"

" A bunch of reptilian raiders," Brother Wang said grimly. "Their a rival clan of ours. Cruel, relentless, and always looking for easy prey."

The roar came again, closer this time. The Serinerians scrambled to ready their weapons, forming a defensive circle around their mounts and supplies. Lin Mu gripped his weapon tightly, his heart pounding. Before Lin Mu could say a word, a holographic Screen emerged before his eyes.

«[Congratulations!, You’ve triggered a Special Event]»

«[Deep into the horizon lies a group of blood thirsty beings who the weakest among them is at the 7th stage of Body refining. They seem to have no intention of talking as their bloodlust continues to permit the air.]»

«[Event objective: Slaughter every single member of the Jebaki Clan in the group]»

«[Additional Quest unlocked: Survive the Jebaki encounter.]»

«[Event rewards: For every 5th stage Body Refining Jebaki slayed, you’ll have a 20% chance of gaining a first tier Blood pill.]»

«[6th stage kills offer a 30% Guaranteed first tier Blood pill.]»

«[7th stage kills offer a 40% Guaranteed first tier Blood pill.]»

«[8th stage kills offer a 50% Guaranteed first tier Blood pill.]»

«[9th stage kills offer a 60% Guaranteed first tier Blood pill.]»

«[Half step Qi Condensation Realm Jebaki’s offer a 50% Guaranteed second tier pill, Qi condensation pill.]»

«[Initial Stage Qi Condensation Realm Jebaki’s offer a 100% Guaranteed 2nd tier pill, Qi condensation pill.]»

The pill Lin Mu had been using till now to constantly increase his cultivation was the first tier Cultivation pill, The Blood Pill.

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AN: Sorry for the misunderstanding, from now on each pill, whether first, second,third and so on will be given proper names.

AN: Yapping[1] simply means saying nonsense.