Zhou Zhi was indeed an impatient woman; she grabbed Chen Gensheng and led him straight out.

  "Let's go, let's go! I’ll take you to meet my Senior Brother and check out the site while we're at it."

  Hundred Beast Mountain had only sent this single pair—one man and one woman—to lead the way, which truly didn't look like the grand style of a great sect. Logically, for an occasion like the Ascension Assembly, each of the five great sects should be putting on their best face; why did Hundred Beast Mountain only send these two?

  "Only two of you came?"

  "Of course not! Master and the others are still on the way. Senior Brother and I are just here early to scout the location and handle some chores." She pointed ahead. "Look, right there."

  Chen Gensheng looked up. Before him was a fine spot with a mountain at the back and water in the front. The spiritual qi density here was more than a level higher than his wretched plot. Green grass covered the slopes like a carpet, dotted with several spirit trees of significant age. Beneath the trees, a clear spring bubbled and gurgled. More importantly, the location was excellent—far enough to avoid the market noise, yet close enough to overlook the movements of the entire Bianxian Market. If anything happened, it would be easy to advance or retreat.

  As they spoke, they reached the hillside. From a distance, they could see two figures sitting beneath a spirit tree, engaged in deep conversation. One was a young man in his twenties, standing tall with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, looking exceptionally handsome in his green Hundred Beast Mountain robes. The other was none other than Ruan Minghe, the Golden Rainbow Valley disciple who had been posting notices for treasures in the market.

  "Senior Brother!" Zhou Zhi shouted from afar.

  The young man looked up. Seeing Chen Gensheng following behind Zhou Zhi, a flash of doubt crossed his eyes. "Little Junior Sister, who is this?"

  Zhou Zhi ran over and introduced Chen Gensheng. "Senior Brother, this Fellow Daoist is surnamed Chen, a rogue cultivator. When I met him just now, he was digging a grotto on that wasteland infested with Fire-Poison Ants."

  "Fire-Poison Ants?" The young man frowned. "Hasn't that place been sealed off by the Jade Tripod Sect long ago?"

  "No, he leased it; he even has the deed," Zhou Zhi waved her hand. "What’s even more amazing is that this Fellow Daoist Chen somehow managed to safely dig a grotto in such a place without being harmed."

  Ruan Minghe noticed Chen Gensheng then, his gaze sweeping over him before lingering on the black coffin on his back. "I am Ruan Minghe of the Golden Rainbow Valley. May I ask how to address you, Fellow Daoist?"

  Chen Gensheng cupped his hands. "I am Chen Shenggeng."

  "For Fellow Daoist Chen to safely construct a grotto where Fire-Poison Ants run rampant, you must possess extraordinary qualities." Ruan Minghe’s eyes held a hint of inquiry. "Might I ask which sect you hail from?"

  "I am of rogue cultivator origin."

  Ruan Minghe nodded and didn't press further. Instead, the young man from Hundred Beast Mountain stood up proactively. "I am Lin Xiaotian of Hundred Beast Mountain. Greetings, Fellow Daoist Chen."

  Lin Xiaotian examined Chen Gensheng’s ugly face. His eyes showed no disgust, but rather a touch of sympathy. "Fellow Daoist Chen, your appearance... was it due to an accident during cultivation?"

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  Chen Gensheng shook his head.

  Lin Xiaotian froze for a moment, then laughed heartily. "Then I was overstepping. The saying 'appearance is born from the heart' is nonsense anyway. Since Fellow Daoist Chen can remain unharmed in the territory of Fire-Poison Ants, you must be a man of true skill."

  Zhou Zhi chimed in from the side. "Senior Brother, I’ve already settled things with Fellow Daoist Chen. He agreed to help us build two grottoes."

  Ruan Minghe interjected, "Constructing a grotto is no simple task. Since Fellow Daoist Chen dares to take this job, you must have profound insights into the Way of Earth and Wood. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Chen has ever come into contact with wood-attribute spirit materials?"

  "I have dabbled in them occasionally," Chen Gensheng replied without changing his expression.

  Ruan Minghe nodded. "That is for the best. I am currently searching for some special wood-attribute spirit materials. If Fellow Daoist Chen has anything suitable in hand, I am willing to purchase it at a high price."

  "Regrettably, I have no precious materials in my possession."

  Ruan Minghe looked slightly disappointed but quickly regained his smile. "No matter. If the opportunity arises in the future, I hope Fellow Daoist Chen will keep me in mind."

  Lin Xiaotian pointed toward the slope. "My Junior Sister and I need two grottoes. One on the mountainside and one at the peak. The one on the mountainside is for her, and the one at the peak is mine."

  Chen Gensheng opened his mouth, and one by one, the emerald-green Wood-Skeleton Wasps filed out.

  As a core disciple of the Golden Rainbow Valley, Ruan Minghe’s knowledge far exceeded that of ordinary people. The grade of these insects before him was at least Tier 3 Middle-grade, and their numbers were massive—certainly not something an ordinary rogue cultivator could control.

  The Wood-Skeleton Swarm began to act. They had a clear division of labor: some cleared the ground, some began excavating the mountain, and others stood guard. Most miraculous was the emerald slurry they spat out, which could directly mold into sturdy architectural structures. In less than half an hour, two exquisite grottoes appeared on the mountainside. Their appearance was ancient and elegant, and the interior facilities were complete, comparing favorably to the standard grottoes of the great sects.

  Among the three, Ruan Minghe was the first to snap back to reality.

  "Fellow Daoist Chen, forgive my lack of insight. I have read the List of Strange Insects of the Tianwu Continent. While I wouldn't claim to know every famous insect in the Qingzhou region, I recognize seven or eight out of ten. But your swarm, Fellow Daoist—emerald-green throughout, with reserved spiritual charm and such a high grade—is unheard of. I wonder what the name of this exotic species is? To have such a creative power to turn the mundane into the miraculous?"

  Zhou Zhi and Lin Xiaotian also reacted and looked toward Chen Gensheng in unison. Chen Gensheng opened his mouth, and the swirling Wood-Skeleton Wasps transformed into a flood of emerald light, which he sucked entirely back into his mouth.

  "These insects have no name. If I must say, they are heirlooms. For several generations, my ancestors have worked this trade—renovating grottoes and leveling herb fields for wealthy cultivator lords to earn some hard-earned money. These bugs have no offensive capabilities; they are very timid and faint at the sight of blood. Their only use is spitting slurry to reinforce stone and repair walls."

  His tone was flat and emotionless, and combined with his sincere-looking ugly face, it was oddly believable. "My ancestors called them 'Craftsman Wasps.' They are merely tools for work, not fit for refined halls. I hope I haven't made a fool of myself before you."

  Lin Xiaotian and Zhou Zhi looked at each other, seeing a flash of realization. Among the hundreds of cultivation arts, Talismans, Arrays, Alchemy, and Smithing were the mainstream, but there were countless unorthodox paths. The trade of building grottoes for others was niche, but not unheard of. Some wealthy great cultivators who pursued luxury would indeed keep spirit beasts skilled in earth and wood arts or hire such cultivators to build lavish dwellings. Thinking of it this way, this ugly male cultivator’s behavior made sense.

  Only Ruan Minghe’s brow remained furrowed.

  "Craftsman Wasps..." He repeated the name quietly, his gaze shifting back and forth between Chen Gensheng’s six hanging arms and the black coffin on his back.

  Would a rogue cultivator specializing in grotto renovation carry a coffin everywhere? Would such a person have such a bizarre physique and a cultivation that can't be seen through? Not to mention that right eye—it clearly wasn't ordinary.

  Everything about this man was jarringly inconsistent.