Chương 4: Tender Baby Skin

"What's so excellent?" Fang Cheng scratched his head, not understanding what Zhu Youchang was going on about. Everyone knew he was a good person. Zhu Youchang must have noticed that too, but there was no need for him to grin like a brainless idiot about it.

"Fang, I get it. We're both good people. Great benefactors who don't seek fame for our deeds. Everything we do, we keep secret. Absolutely secret, haha!" Zhu Youchang couldn't hide his delight. He patted Fang Cheng's shoulder, then pointed at himself. No words were needed. It was that unspoken bond between villains. He figured Fang Cheng would understand. Fang Cheng's brow furrowed deeper. He genuinely had no idea what his colleague was talking about.

"Youchang, you're wrong. Good deeds should be known. Otherwise, how will people know you're a great benefactor?

"Spread the word far and wide. Don't underestimate the power of public opinion. As the saying goes, three men make a tiger. Even if a demon is praised and respected by everyone, he'll start to doubt himself. Wait, am I actually a good person?" At that point, Fang Cheng realized he was saying too much and shut his mouth. Zhu Youchang was already overjoyed, clapping his hands involuntarily.

"Fang, that's brilliant! Truly brilliant! No wonder your reputation is so famous. You're absolutely right. But I don't have your courage. I can only do good deeds quietly, without letting anyone know. Of course, if you want to know what I've done, I can reveal a little, since we're fellow travelers, hahaha..." Zhu Youchang chuckled low, his face smug like a child who'd done something naughty, covering his mouth but dying to show off to his playmate.

"Speak up, Youchang." Fang Cheng urged. If the other man's deeds were truly impressive, he might be willing to join in.

"Patience. Let me explain slowly." Zhu Youchang smiled mysteriously, then pulled a black crystal from his robes and placed it before Fang Cheng. Fang Cheng's eyes widened. This crystal was a low-grade Immortal Crystal, something only high-level cultivators carried. Despite being only low-grade, it contained pure Divine Energy. Just one of these could help Fang Cheng resist the demon sword's corruption for half a month.

"Youchang, where did you get this? Did your new backer give it to you?" Fang Cheng pressed immediately. For weak cultivators like them, their monthly salary was two inferior crystal fragments. It took a thousand inferior fragments to trade for one low-grade Immortal Crystal. He'd have to save for decades to afford a single piece. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Zhu Youchang shook his head.

"Fang, I told you. I have no backer. I did this all myself." Fang Cheng stared in disbelief.

"How is that possible? We're not immortals. Where would we get the ability to convert Divine Energy?" Zhu Youchang laughed and explained, "Fang, you don't know this, but those Immortal Crystals aren't converted by the immortals' own power. They use formations."

"Formations?" Fang Cheng scratched his head. This was the first time he'd heard of it. Zhu Youchang continued, "The mortal realm we live in is itself a massive Spirit Gathering Array. It condenses mortal prayers and offerings to the immortals, converting them into Immortal Crystals for the immortals to absorb and use. But the conversion rate isn't one hundred percent. The process produces residue.

"That residue is what we receive as inferior crystals. The Divine Energy inside is pitiful. It's nearly useless to the immortals, but even so, they don't give us all of it. Hah, just two pieces a month. These heavenly immortals are truly stingy." Fang Cheng replied, "I wouldn't call it stingy. There are so many cultivators in the mortal realm. What each person gets is limited. And our superior was a minor immortal. He didn't have more Divine Energy to give us anyway. So we had to make do."

"Fang, you're right about that too." Zhu Youchang nodded.

"That's why relying on the immortals above is useless. We have to rely on ourselves. They can build formations, and so can we.

"Look at my Gaoliu Village. It's now a small Spirit Gathering Array. This low-grade Immortal Crystal came from refining my villagers' prayers." With that, he placed the crystal in Fang Cheng's hand, signaling him to examine it closely. Fang Cheng stared at the crystal for a while, then noticed a faint wisp of blood aura clinging to its surface. He inhaled deeply in bliss. Sweet. Delicious.

"Youchang, this crystal isn't as simple as you're making it out to be, is it?"

"Fang, we truly are kindred spirits. You noticed it immediately." Zhu Youchang grinned and began to explain.

"As I mentioned, the conversion rate varies because mortals' prayers aren't truly devout. They go to the gods with selfish intentions. And the older they get, the more clutter fills their minds, and the more impurities end up in the crystal." Fang Cheng understood.

"No wonder our old superior kept pushing for mortals to have sincere faith. He wanted high-quality crystals."

"Exactly. Sincerity is everything." Zhu Youchang agreed.

"The immortals have millions of mortals, so a lower conversion rate doesn't hurt them. But my Gaoliu Village only has a few hundred villagers. I can't afford to produce inferior crystals.

"I need their sincere faith. So I gave them what they wanted. The desire to have children. And I needed more children too. Hahaha, look how happy they are now." Zhu Youchang glanced outside at the villagers stroking their swollen bellies, content smiles on their faces, and laughed heartily once more. Fang Cheng noticed something suspicious. There were many pregnant villagers, but very few babies were born. Combined with the madwoman's words earlier, he felt he'd uncovered a dark secret.

"Youchang, tell me truthfully. Where have all the babies in this village gone?" Fang Cheng's face was solemn, but his lips kept curling upward.

"Fang, why pretend you don't know?" Zhu Youchang laughed.

"I love babies. Their skin is so tender, just like mine. Their chubby little cheeks are as round as my own. And their faith is the purest, without a single distracting thought.

"But unfortunately, their lives are fragile. Like tender tea leaves, they break at the slightest touch." He drank his tea, his face full of bliss. Those tender leaves were truly delicious.

"Excellent, Zhu Youchang. So this is what you call doing good?" Fang Cheng stood and pointed at Zhu Youchang's nose, shouting.

"You damned demon! How could you bear to destroy so many lives?" Fang Cheng knew he should appear grief-stricken, to mourn the dead with righteous sorrow. But his lips had already curled to his ears. He couldn't help it. He was about to dispense justice. Hahahaha...