New Year, Zhang Li

Chapter 71 New Year's Greetings

There is no New Year in Douluo Continent. In the past 18 years, Chi Ping has spent 12 New Years in cultivation.

Now that he has achieved some success in his cultivation, Chi Ping suddenly felt that he should perhaps take a break and celebrate a holiday.

His initial obsession in spiritual practice was to return home, not for any other reason than that he couldn't find his own thoughts.

Although as time passed, Chi Ping developed bonds and friendships in Douluo Continent, he still wanted to go back and visit. This time, it wasn't for any other reason than to see it, to finally put an end to his longing. After visiting, he would return and continue serving as the dean.

……

The first thing to do in the new year is to prepare for the New Year. The Crown Prince's residence naturally has its own food supply, but Chi Ping wanted that feeling, and using what others prepared would be inferior.

On the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, Chi Ping went out to the market.

Although a year had passed, Shrek Academy's performance back then was so amazing that Chi Ping dared not gamble on whether anyone could recognize him, so he continued to maintain his disguise.

Fish, meat, vegetables, rice, noodles...

The nationwide bumper harvest is not just about staple grains, but also various vegetables. The effect of *Polygonum hydropiper* mycelium is to improve soil fertility, which is equivalent to making land that is not suitable for cultivation suitable for cultivation.

Anything can be grown on the transformed land, even in the event of natural disasters.

From morning until noon, Chi Ping carried packages of all sizes as he left the market.

On his way back to the Crown Prince's residence, Chi Ping suddenly felt a probing gaze upon him.

"What a hassle!"

—I should have known better than to give that guy so many game design blueprints.

The fighting dolls piqued Xue Qinghe's interest. After obtaining the design drawings, he went to the Soul Guidance Workshop to make a batch of exquisitely decorated products and opened a separate shop.

After a series of marketing tactics, the fighting dolls became popular among the upper echelons of Tiandou. Of course, Tiandou Academy was the biggest buyer.

Hand-to-hand combat is also part of a Soul Master's abilities. Fighting puppets can train Soul Power control and allow students to observe combat from a third-party perspective, making them excellent teaching tools.

Xue Qinghe didn't make a fortune, but he did make a small profit.

He then commissioned Chi Ping to design several other types of game soul guides, such as tower defense strategy and military chess simulation.

The income is quite considerable.

Moreover, Xue Qinghe also took this opportunity to befriend the families of many ministers.

then……

Then Ikehira was targeted.

If the enemy can't do anything to Xue Qinghe, can't they at least do something to Chi Ping?

It's just that Chi Ping has been staying in Qingzhu Garden, so they haven't been able to find an opportunity.

Chi Ping connects to the underground mycelium, senses the surrounding environment, and then finds a blind spot in the surveillance, changing his appearance to escape being tracked.

……

After buying New Year's goods, you need to process them. Fried fish, fried crispy pork, fried meatballs, steamed egg dumplings, steamed meat, steamed meatballs, braised pig's head, braised chicken feet... Meat products need to be made into semi-finished products like these so that they can be preserved for longer.

Chi Ping set up a small oil pan in Qingzhu Garden and closed the courtyard gate.

The enticing aroma of spicy food filled the courtyard, making mouths water.

"It smells so good!"

Xue Qinghe slipped into the courtyard at some point and casually picked up a piece of fish that Chi Pingsheng had placed aside to drain the oil.

"Mmm...delicious!"

Chi Ping was taken aback.

He used to do the same thing when his mother prepared fried food for the New Year.

"Slow down, be careful it's hot."

Chi Ping's voice became very gentle, as if he was deliberately imitating the tone in his memory.

"Ugh! Waaah!"

Watching Xue Qinghe eat so much that he could barely speak, Chi Ping smiled with reminiscence.

Chi Ping's cooking skills weren't particularly good, and Xue Qinghe was used to eating delicacies. After trying something new, he stopped cooking and sat down to chat with Chi Ping.

"Is this a custom from your hometown?" Xue Qinghe asked curiously.

Chi Ping shook his head and then nodded.

"What does this mean?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I thought we were friends, that we could talk about anything," Xue Qinghe said, a sad expression on her face.

Chi Ping glanced at him sideways, giving him a "you're just pretending" look.

"Even friends have secrets they don't want to talk about. Why aren't you dealing with important matters? What are you doing here?"

"I smelled something delicious, so I came to check. I never expected you to make something so tasty behind my back."

"Dog nose!"

"You are facing the Crown Prince! Be careful, or I will punish you!"

"That's the noble dog's nose."

"Then you're the 'mushroom man'!"

"Dog nose!"

"Mushroom Man!"

……

Amidst laughter and playful banter, before they knew it, Chi Ping had finished preparing the fried food and placed the braised pot on the fire.

Xue Qinghe took out two knives, a sword, a small shield, and a belt from his storage soul tool and placed them on the small table where the explosives were kept.

"The five soul tools I took from the royal treasury, according to you, should all be level 6 soul tools. Take them and play with them!"

He waved his hand, exuding an air of heroic pride.

"Intact?" Chi Ping asked, bewildered.

"At least 80% new."

"So generous?"

Although he really wanted to dismantle some high-level soul tools, his plan was to buy those that were almost beyond repair and dismantle them first. And he intended to dismantle more level 3 and 4 soul tools first!

Level 6 soul tools are considered rare treasures. Does Xue Qinghe mean he can dismantle them at will?

Chi Ping cautioned, "Once I make a move, there's no going back. I can't guarantee I can reassemble this high-level soul tool."

Xue Qinghe said confidently, "You reap what you sow; that's my experience."

Chi Ping reached out and pulled these soul tools to his side, putting them into his storage soul tool.

"I'll give you the results as soon as I have them."

Xue Qinghe looked at Chi Ping in surprise, "I thought you, this research maniac, would just take it apart directly!"

"I don't want to move these few days. I'll start working again after the New Year."

"So this festival is called Chinese New Year!"

Chi Ping nodded, looking dejected, "I'm the only one who knows how to celebrate this festival."

……

For some time now, the slave trade at the Tiandou Auction House has been severely suppressed.

The Crown Prince personally took charge of cracking down on the slave trade, determined to eradicate it completely. He even made a promise in court!

Somewhere in Tiandou City, several people dressed in luxurious clothes sat around a round table.

"Who is it?!"

The nobleman, seated at the head of the table and wearing a blood-red ruby ​​on his hand, suppressed his anger.

For almost half a year, every time the Tiandou Auction House received a captured slave, someone would notify Xue Qinghe, and then the slave would be caught red-handed.

No matter what method is used—fake news, traps, bait, ambush—

It's useless!

Xue Qinghe always managed to pinpoint the exact location, time, and personnel for the handover, ensuring that more and stronger subordinates would arrive and catch the culprit red-handed.

Since the nationwide bumper harvest, more and more Soul Masters have come to seek refuge with Xue Qinghe.

There are quite a few independent Soul Masters, most of whom come from humble backgrounds and have risen through sheer willpower. Their attachment to their hometowns makes them unwilling to join Soul Master families or sects. Xue Qinghe brought a great harvest to the entire country, and there was a growing trend of thousands of families building shrines, so these independent Soul Masters would naturally come to seek refuge. Not everyone would abandon their family; family is the weakness of most people.

"Tell me, which of your men leaked the information!"

Everyone at the round table fell silent. They couldn't understand how the information had been leaked, and suspicious glances emanated from each of them.

"I don't want a next time. Find out who your men are." The first man said coldly.

(End of this chapter)