Chapter 448: Settling the Mortals (Patreon)

Immortal Path Space : Table of Content/Chapter List

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After a day of rest at Yunxia Mountain, everyone had finally managed to alleviate their fatigue.

Early in the morning, Xu Lun sought out Wang Hong. Although he no longer led a combat team, he was in charge of logistics and various administrative matters.

"East Master, what should we do with those enslaved miners?" Xu Lun asked.

Inside a small mining cave across from them, tens of thousands of people had been forcibly crammed in by the Demon Clan, causing havoc among the human inhabitants in the vicinity.

"We will select two thousand able-bodied individuals from them to work in the mines. The rest can return to their original homes. They are all part of the Human Clan, so let's not mistreat them too harshly. Provide each departing person with some food for their journey," Wang Hong instructed.

These people had been kidnapped and brought here, and sending them back empty-handed would likely result in starvation on their way home.

Among the provisions in Wang Hong's team, even the lowest-quality meal was made from the flesh of low-tier Demonic Beasts, which could sustain Mortals for several months without starving them.

At the foot of the mountain, tens of thousands of people were gathered. They were ragged and emaciated, but they seemed excited because they had been rescued once again.

The reason it was "once again" was that they had been saved before, but unfortunately, less than a year after returning home, this place had been occupied by Demonic Beasts again, leading to their capture.

After years of suffering, the survivors had long lost hope and realized that the world had changed. Mortals would no longer enjoy the peaceful days they once had.

This time, however, it felt different. After these Immortal Masters had slain the Demonic Beasts here, it seemed like they intended to stay for the long term.

Although there had been Immortal Masters here before, they had kept to themselves, and the Mortals had felt that they were unrelated. However, now that there were no Immortal Masters, and the Demonic Beasts had brought endless calamities, they had come to understand the significance of Immortal Cultivators to Mortals.

As long as there were Immortal Masters here, there would be no more Demonic Beasts to harm them in the future.

These Immortal Masters seemed quite benevolent. They had distributed food to them yesterday, though the quantity was limited. But after consuming it, it had granted them seemingly boundless strength.

Furthermore, having lived for decades, they had never tasted such delicious food before. The flavor... it was unforgettable.

At this moment, they saw an Immortal Master approaching, with an elegant demeanor, riding a Flying Sword through the air.

"Fellow villagers! Our East Master has given his orders. You are all free to return to your original homes. East Master is benevolent and will also provide each of you with a Spirit Meal to ease your immediate needs."

"Thank you, Immortal Master!"

"Thank you..."

As Xu Lun finished speaking, those below had already knelt down. These people had been captured by the Demon Clan for several years, and even if they returned to their hometowns, their fields would have long gone to waste, leaving them with nothing.

They had not expected the Immortal Masters to also provide them with food, which would at least prevent them from starving in the short term.

"In addition, we need to recruit two thousand young and strong miners. Participation is entirely voluntary. Those who are recruited will receive food and lodging and will be compensated with grain or gold and silver based on their performance each month. Outstanding performers will also be rewarded with Spirit Meals, the same kind of food you have just eaten. Those who wish to register should do so promptly!"

"I do! I want to register!" a thin and emaciated young man exclaimed.

"I want to register too!" an elderly man with graying temples said, trembling.

"Count me in! I'm still very strong!" a thin woman with prominent cheekbones, sunken eye sockets, and protruding teeth also shouted.

"I want to..."

At this moment, nearly everyone among the tens of thousands of people present wanted to sign up. They paid no heed to whether they were young and strong; everyone was emaciated, and nobody truly appeared robust anymore. As long as they could have their fill of food, they were willing to exert themselves.

Though the work was still mining, it was evident even to a blind person that the treatment was different now. Besides food and shelter, they would even receive grain as compensation. This was a glimmer of hope for survival in these turbulent times.

In the past, while mining, they not only suffered from insufficient food and poor sleep but also lived in constant fear of being devoured by a passing Demonic Beast.

Seeing this surge of applicants, Xu Lun felt overwhelmed.

In the end, he managed to reluctantly select two thousand individuals who still had some flesh on their bones.

The chosen ones were jubilant, while those left behind looked dejected.

Observing this, Xu Lun thought for a moment and said, "Since you, my fellow villagers, are so enthusiastic, we indeed have some other tasks we'd like to trouble you with. We have just arrived, and there are many miscellaneous matters to attend to, some of which Mortals are capable of handling, such as clearing land and leveling fields. We can temporarily hire an additional five thousand people."

He considered that they had just arrived, and there were many tasks to be done, some of which Mortals could handle, such as land development and field preparation. Hiring more people would provide these individuals with an additional means of livelihood.

Thus, Xu Lun selected another five thousand people from the crowd, leaving the rest with no choice but to depart in dejection.

Before these individuals left, Xu Lun took out a Spiritual Testing Disk at the place where food was being distributed. He allowed those under the age of twenty to touch it to determine if any had promising Spiritual Roots.

Given the opportunity, everyone eagerly participated, hoping to become an Immortal Master themselves.

After screening everyone, they surprisingly found three individuals with reasonably good Spiritual Roots.

"What are your names?" Xu Lun asked the emaciated trio.

"Reporting to Immortal Master, my name is Jie Xiaocao," a child who appeared to be around eleven or twelve years old with dry, yellowed hair replied. As for whether they were male or female, Xu Lun hadn't been able to determine it at first glance, and he had no reason to use Divine Sense for such a trivial matter.

"I am Ren Chong."

"I am Lin Sheng."

One by one, the three individuals reported their names. Xu Lun then took them to meet Wang Hong.

"East Master! I have handled the Mortals from the mountainside, and in addition, we have recruited three youths with Spiritual Roots qualifications who can cultivate," Xu Lun reported with a bow.

After paying his respects, Xu Lun waved to those outside and said, "You three, come in and meet East Master."

The three individuals entered, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Immortal Master!"

"Please rise, all of you. In the future, just address me as East Master, like everyone else," Wang Hong said.

After the three individuals stood up, Jie Xiaocao, the young one, saw Wang Hong's face and bowed once again. "Thank you, East Master, for saving my life all those years ago!"

"Do you know me?" Wang Hong had no recollection of the young one before him.

"Outside Jingnan City, you saved Little Grass from the claws of a beast," Jie Xiaocao explained.

Wang Hong then recalled that he had indeed saved a little girl named Little Grass on his way to Taihao Sect many years ago. However, over time, people change, and despite his strong memory, he hadn't recognized her immediately.

He hadn't expected that the adorable little girl from years ago would grow up to be dark and emaciated, with dry, yellowed hair.

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 449: The Mutation of Qiu Long Tea