"Are you afraid of me? I was worried you'd want a fight to the death with me."
"What good would it do for me to fight you to the death? Would it help me break through in my cultivation? I see no reason to waste time on you. But you, godfather, if you never get the chance to break through to the Bone Transformation Stage in this life, I find it hard to believe you wouldn't hold a grudge against me."
Zhu Xiaosuo didn't want to beat around the bush and decided to speak frankly.
Zhuang Yun was also straightforward.
"Fair enough, I'll tell you, I have one more chance to break through to the Bone Transformation Stage, but it's my last. I need your help. If I succeed, our grievances are settled. If I fail, then I'll have to spend the rest of my life sparring with you."
"Godfather, that sounds nice, but what if after I help you, you break through to the Bone Transformation Stage and then go back on your word?"
"Then what do you propose?"
"Simple. We take a Heart Oath."
"A Heart Oath? How do we do that? It's not easy to make one."
"True, but aside from a Heart Oath, I can't think of a better way."
Both began to ponder ways to restrain each other.
"How about this? We first take a Heart Oath not to harm each other. Then, before each collaboration, we take a more detailed Heart Oath to ensure the cooperation is completed smoothly."
"Godfather, that's a good idea! Let's do it now, before anything changes."
"Just what I had in mind!"
After they took the Heart Oath not to harm each other, the tension between them eased considerably.
"Alright, with a general guarantee in place, we should discuss our upcoming cooperation."
"Indeed. What do you need me to do, godfather?"
"Take a Heart Oath that you won't tell anyone what I'm about to say."
"Alright. You must also take a Heart Oath that what you say next must be the truth."
"No problem."
After Zhu Xiaosuo took the Heart Oath, Zhuang Yun spoke.
"Every twenty years, the Immortal Sect has a mission to purge traitors, with very generous rewards. The next one is in five years. I need your help to complete the mission, capture the traitors, and exchange it for a chance to have an elder help me break through to the Bone Transformation Stage."
"An elder's help? Isn't it supposed to be by taking the Rebirth and Marrow-Washing Pill?"
"The Rebirth and Marrow-Washing Pill can only be taken once in a lifetime. I've used my chance, so my only option is to rely on an elder at the Honoring the Ancient Stage or above to help me break through. But it's very rare."
"How many people are in your team?"
"Counting you and me, five in total."
"Are you the leader?"
"The leader of a Rebirth Stage team must be a cultivator at the Tenth Layer of the Rebirth Stage. I'm not sure if I'll have enough resources to break through to the Tenth Layer by then. If not, I might only be the vice-leader."
"Is there a big difference between the leader and the vice-leader?"
"The leader has absolute command authority. Plus, the leader's share of the rewards is nearly half more than the vice-leader's."
"So, if you're the vice-leader, to get the elder's help, you'd need to complete nearly half more missions than if you were the leader?"
"That's one way to look at it."
"Then let me be clear, if you can't reach the Tenth Layer of the Rebirth Stage in five years, I can't do this mission with you. Putting my life in the hands of an unknown leader, and having to kill half more traitors, doubles the risk, and the risk-reward ratio doesn't add up."
"No way. This is my only chance. If you don't agree, then there's no need for cooperation."
"Cooperation depends on the situation. If you can't break through to the Tenth Layer of the Rebirth Stage, our risk of falling increases by fifty percent. Even if I want to cooperate with you, there's no need to risk my life."
"Then what do you suggest?"
"Just break through to the Tenth Layer."
"Easier said than done. Going from the Eighth to the Tenth Layer requires two hundred Spirit Stones. I have no backing, no family, how can I guarantee to earn that much?"
"How did you gather them before?"
"By chance."
Well, it's probably an unspeakable opportunity.
Zhu Xiaosuo didn't press further.
After thinking for a moment, Zhu Xiaosuo said:
"I'll help you gather a hundred Spirit Stones over the next five years, with the Zhu Clan providing half. That's my limit."
"But the earnings from the last three months were nearly twenty Spirit Stones."
"Don't estimate future earnings based on the last three months. The first three months were a bonus period, with lots of transactions. It will drop by more than fifty percent later. If you still can't break through to the Tenth Layer, then it just means you're destined to stop at the Rebirth Stage."
Zhuang Yun was silent for a moment before saying:
"Although I can continue to support your business, I'm just a Late Stage Rebirth cultivator now. Without the deterrence of a Bone Transformation Stage cultivator, can you still earn so many Spirit Stones in Mountain Chicken County?"
Zhu Xiaosuo was also taken aback:
"What, have others found out about your failed breakthrough?"
"The number of people in the Immortal Sect who can get the Rebirth and Marrow-Washing Pill is limited, and many are watching me. If I fail to break through, of course, someone in the Immortal Sect will know. You don't think the Niu, Ma, and Yang Clans don't know cultivators in the Immortal Sect, do you? They probably already know about my failed breakthrough."
Zhu Xiaosuo's expression also turned grim.
This made things a bit tricky.
"How many Spirit Stones can you gather in five years?"
Zhuang Yun thought for a moment:
"Because of this failed breakthrough, my status in the Immortal Sect will plummet. Even one Spirit Stone a month might be difficult."
"You can't even manage one Spirit Stone a month? Godfather, are you useless?"
"If it weren't for you causing my failure, ten Spirit Stones a month would be no problem! And you have the nerve to say that!"
"Is your status in the Immortal Sect so awkward now? Aren't you an Immortal Sect disciple? Aren't Immortal Sect disciples supposed to have a higher status than Bone Transformation Stage cultivators from the Cultivator Aristocracy?"
"Even if I don't return to the Immortal Sect for a year, no one would care."
"So, you're basically in a free-range state now, with the Immortal Sect not bothering with you?"
"Heh, the Immortal Sect only cares about benefits. A failed cultivator is likely to stop at the Rebirth Stage. Before, people were fawning over me, but now even the dogs in the Immortal Sect might not want to eat my leftovers."
Zhu Xiaosuo thought for a moment and said:
"If you can't even get that little Spirit Stone in the Immortal Sect, why not stay in Mountain Chicken County and help me expand the business?"
"Stay here? I don't know anything about business, how can I help?"
"We're about to start reclaiming territory, and there will be times when you need to step in. Besides, this is to help you gather Spirit Stones for cultivation. You can't expect me to shoulder everything alone, can you?"
Zhuang Yun found it hard to decide.
Returning to the Immortal Sect would provide some income.
Staying in Mountain Chicken County, who knows if it would be useful.
"Besides, if you stay in Mountain Chicken County, it would be easier to set up some assets for your son. Even if he can't cultivate in the future, he won't have to worry about food and drink. Isn't that a good thing?"
This suggestion moved Zhuang Yun.
His only son was killed by Zhu Fulu decades ago, and he never had more children.
Madam Feng seized the opportunity to have a child, and having a child in his old age brought him some joy.
Planning for his son's future seemed like a convincing reason.