Living as a Mortal: Grinding Experience Starting from the Underworld

After finishing his business, Zhang Feng returned to his master's cave, only to find someone waiting outside the door.

"Haha, you must be Brother Zhang's esteemed disciple, Fellow Daoist Zhang Feng?"

"I am Feng Zhengxing, the Vice Island Master of Suihan Island. Greetings, fellow Daoist!"

The man was a middle-aged man dressed in a snow-white Taoist robe with a blue ice crystal painted on his chest and a stern expression.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Feng. May I ask what brings you here?"

Zhang Feng was somewhat puzzled, wondering what business Feng Zhengxing had with him, so he returned the greeting first.

"Haha, yesterday Fellow Daoist Xinggong said that a late Foundation Establishment cultivator had arrived on the island. I suppose it must be Fellow Daoist Zhang."

"I've been very busy and couldn't greet you immediately, fellow Daoist. Please forgive me!"

Feng Zhengxing scanned Zhang Feng with his divine sense and bowed slightly.

"Fellow Daoist Feng is joking. Zhang Mou is merely a rogue cultivator under the jurisdiction of Suihan Island. Why should the island lord personally greet him?"

Zhang Feng became wary and apologized immediately, as if he had something to hide, and his words were somewhat evasive and deliberate.

"Haha, good. Late stage of Foundation Establishment. Brother Guihe has indeed taken on a good disciple."

"The island lord has come here for two reasons. First, to compensate Brother Guihe and his two disciples for the losses they suffered in protecting Suihan Island."

"Secondly, the reward for the Foundation Establishment Pill mission that Fellow Daoist Zhang performed sixteen years ago will be distributed to Fellow Daoist."

"Thirdly, to help the disciple gain the understanding of fellow Daoists."

Feng Zhengxing smiled and revealed his purpose.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Feng became even more puzzled. His master and the other two had defended Suihan Island against a level-five demonic beast many years ago.

Why are you suddenly thinking about making amends?

Grandmaster and father have both passed away, and master was seriously injured and could not make any progress in cultivation. Why was there no compensation at that time?

Decades have passed since then, and I hadn't thought about it at all during that time. Why did I suddenly think about compensation when I returned to the island?

Could it be because of his late Foundation Establishment stage cultivation?

That's not right either. Even if I and the deputy island lord are at the same cultivation level, the island lord is still a cultivator in the early stage of Core Formation!

I, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, shouldn't be considered a potential threat!

"Oh my, what wonderful wind could have blown the Wind Lord here?"

Just as Zhang Feng was deep in thought, Zhang Guihe walked out of the cave, his tone slightly sarcastic.

"Oh dear~ Brother Guihe has finally shown up! I've tried several times to have a detailed talk with you, but I've been turned away each time!"

Feng Zhengxing's tone was slightly excited, with a hint of flattery.

"No, I can't accept this. I dare not accept any compensation from you and your father. I'm afraid my master and senior brothers will die with regrets!"

Zhang Guihe's tone was harsh, as if he had immense anger pressing down on his chest.

Upon hearing this, Feng Zhengxing's expression stiffened. He slowly lowered his head, pondered for a moment, and then spoke:

"Brother Guihe, it is true that my father and I made a mistake in what happened before, but that was in order to kill the level 5 demon beast and protect Suihan Island."

"My father and I do bear a great responsibility for the deaths of Brother Huihe and my senior brother."

"But so many years have passed, and Brother Guihe still refuses to accept compensation and forgive us?"

"Furthermore, the next level-five monster tide is approaching. I urge Brother Guihe to consider the future of Suihan Island!"

After speaking, Feng Zhengxing presented a storage bag with both hands, bowed deeply, and stood quietly in place, waiting for Zhang Guihe's reply.

Beast tide?

Upon hearing this, Zhang Feng looked at his master with some confusion. How come he had never heard of a beast tide breaking out on Suihan Island before?

Zhang Guihe remained silent for a moment, then with a flick of his sleeve, he accepted the storage bag and held it in his hand.

"Get lost. I will take my apprentice with me when the time comes!"

"Many thanks to Fellow Daoist Guihe for his profound understanding!"

Feng Zhengxing looked delighted, turned around, stepped onto his flying sword, and soared into the sky, disappearing without a trace.

"master?"

Zhang Feng watched Feng Zhengxing walk away, somewhat puzzled.

"Sigh, take the storage bag. Go back to your cave, and I'll tell you the whole story slowly."

Zhang Guihe tossed the storage bag to Zhang Feng and turned to walk into the cave.

Zhang Feng took the storage bag and followed.

"You've heard about Feng Zhengxing's three objectives."

"Now that we have accepted his compensation, we will not go into the details of his despicable deeds."

"Since you suddenly disappeared sixteen years ago, I specifically looked for Feng Zhengxing and found out that his Foundation Establishment Pill mission was fake. It was issued by his two nominal disciples using his name."

"But without his authorization, how could his disciple at the tenth level of Qi Refining dare to issue a mission with Foundation Establishment Pills as a reward?"

"Therefore, I confronted him, but how could I, whose cultivation is permanently stagnant at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, possibly catch the eye of the Great Island Lord Feng?"

"He was turned away, and the matter gradually faded away."

"Fortunately, you returned safely, and your cultivation even broke through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment."

"Otherwise, why would Feng Zhengxing be so kind as to offer compensation, give mission rewards, and even kill those two disciples!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Feng probed the storage bag with his divine sense and found a large pile of spirit stones and spiritual items, a well-preserved Foundation Establishment Pill, and the corpses of two Qi Refining Perfection cultivators dressed in fine clothes.

Zhang Feng remembered clearly that he had received the spirit ship from these two people.

This Feng Zhengxing is decisive and ruthless in his actions.

"Please accept this storage bag. Your master is unable to provide you with any more resources, but these will be of some help. Otherwise, your master would not have accepted this and would have swallowed this insult."

Zhang Guihe sighed softly.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Feng was slightly taken aback, and his hand involuntarily reached for the storage bag at his waist, where there was a large amount of fourth-level demon beast materials, which could be exchanged for spirit stones many times more than this compensation.

After a moment's thought, Zhang Feng returned the storage bag to his master.

"Master, I've hunted monsters in the outer space and have accumulated some wealth. Please leave this to you!"

Seeing that his master was about to get angry after being rejected, Zhang Feng quickly told him about Mei Qing'er.

After an explanation and a check of Zhang Feng's storage bag, Zhang Guihe reluctantly accepted the bag in shock.

After learning of Zhang Feng's enormous wealth, Zhang Guihe remained silent for a moment before offering his advice:

"Feng'er, why don't you take Qing'er and teleport away directly?"

"You haven't developed Suihan Island, so your relationship with it isn't deep. Just leave!"

"Moreover, a level-five beast tide is beyond your current capabilities!"

"Once you reach the Core Formation stage, come back. Whether you're vying to become the island lord or resisting the beast tide, it will be a piece of cake."

Having the resources to develop prudently is a normal thought for independent cultivators.

but……

"And what about you, Master?"

"Ha, I'm an old man, and I'll die in the beast tide, alongside my senior brother and master. That's fine."

"But I don't want you to die!"

"I……"

"Suihan Island is also my hometown. I have spent 27 years here. My parents, my master, and the people I care about most are all on Suihan Island."

"Silly child, staying alive is the most important thing. I, your master, have a lingering emotional wound from the last beast tide battle, which is why my cultivation hasn't improved for so many years. If I don't participate in this battle, how will I resolve this inner conflict? But you are different. You are still young, and you have enough resources. If something happens to you while you're here, how will I explain it to your parents?"

"No, Master, if I leave you here alone, I will be burdened with worries. How will I be able to break through to the Core Formation stage then?"

"You... sigh!"

Zhang Guihe suddenly realized he couldn't convince his apprentice that Feng'er had grown up, truly grown up.

Meeting his master's gaze, Zhang Feng thought of his experience panel and had to admit it.

Sometimes, emotions really do override reason.

For the first time, he was about to voluntarily violate the principles of rationality and self-preservation.

"In that case, let me tell you about the beast tide in detail!"

"The so-called beast tide is a riot caused by a group of spirit fish gathering and giving birth to a level 5 demon beast leader. This kind of riot cannot be resisted by anyone other than a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

"And Suihan Island is the final spawning ground for these spirit fish, so we fight against such uprisings every now and then."

"The specific timing is irregular and depends entirely on the gathering of the spirit fish."

"But since Feng Zhengxing has already started searching for people, it means the beast tide is not far off!"