Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chapter 387 Cloud Hidden Establishes Rules

In the open space in the center of the resort's main street, the villagers of Xiaoshi Village held warm bowls of porridge and ate carefully, occasionally looking up with curiosity and timidity at the strange buildings and busy "immortal masters" around them.

Huiming stood aside and whispered to Qi Lan, Shen Zui, Feng Wenzheng, Jiang Yan and others beside him, "Gentlemen, may I speak to you in private?"

The group understood and followed him to an empty shop a little further away.

"The villagers have been temporarily settled, but how to resettle them in the future still needs to be discussed." Huiming got straight to the point. "They have been farmers for generations. If they suddenly find themselves here with nothing to do, they will definitely feel uneasy. Moreover, they need stable housing and livelihoods if they stay here long-term."

Qi Lan crossed her arms. "There are houses available. There are quite a few vacant rooms in this resort right now."

“Accommodation is only one aspect.” Feng Wenzheng stroked his beard and pondered, “The more crucial issue is livelihood. They only know how to farm, gather firewood, and collect some mountain products, but here…” He looked around. The resort was neatly planned, but there was not a trace of farmland. “There is no land available for cultivation.”

Jiang Yan's small eyes darted around, and a shrewd look appeared on his chubby face: "If there's no land, we can create it. Within thirty miles of Yunyin Mountain, there are many forests and slopes. We can choose some gentle areas, cut down trees and clear weeds, and cultivate them into fertile fields. It just takes time, and we need to bring in water and fertilize the land; it's not something that can be done in a day."

"Reclaiming wasteland is a long-term plan," Shen Zui nodded in agreement. "But for now, we need to make sure they have work to do and food to eat so they can feel at ease. Although Fatty Li can provide food for a while, it's not a long-term solution to just sit around and eat until the reserves run out, and they might not be willing to eat and drink for free."

Huiming nodded: "What Benefactor Shen said is very true. This humble monk observes that although these villagers look pale and sickly, they are hardworking and have a tenacious spirit in their eyes. If we can provide them with work-for-relief, allowing them to earn food and clothing through their labor, it will not only put their minds at ease but also alleviate our shortage of manpower."

"Work-for-relief?" Qi Lan raised an eyebrow. "What would they do? Repair houses? Pave roads? They might not be good at those kinds of jobs."

"It doesn't necessarily require highly advanced skills," Jiang Yan laughed. "Tidying up houses, sweeping streets, moving supplies, and assisting with repairs—these are all menial tasks that can be done. The mechanical components my Jiang family brought need assembling and debugging; we can also pick some skilled hands to help with simple polishing and assembly. Brother Feng, does your medicinal herb garden also need help turning the soil, weeding, and tending to the seedlings?"

Feng Wenzheng nodded: "There are indeed several open spaces behind the Hundred Herbs Pavilion. I have ordered my disciples to sow the medicinal herb seeds brought from the modern world and to try to transplant some wild medicinal herbs discovered in this realm. They need careful people to look after them daily. The spiritual energy in this realm is rich, and the plants grow rapidly. I'm afraid my Feng family disciples alone will not be able to keep up."

"That's good then." Huiming's expression softened slightly. "We can divide the villagers into several groups: one group, led by Fatty Li, will be responsible for food and logistics, helping with food preparation, cooking, and washing dishes; another group will assist Fellow Daoist Jiang in organizing supplies and learning basic mechanical maintenance; a third group will work with the Feng family disciples to manage the medicinal garden and identify herbs; and yet another group will be responsible for the daily cleaning, repairs, and other chores of the entire settlement. If the young people are interested, they can also follow Wang Rui and Zhang Hao to learn some basic literacy and arithmetic, or have Daoist Tianbao and Shen Zui teach them some rudimentary methods for strengthening the body and understanding terrain."

He paused, then said, "As for accommodation... Benefactor Qi Lan is right, there are quite a few empty rooms in the resort, so we can arrange for them to stay there first. Men and women should be separated, and families should be accommodated together as much as possible. As for bedding and other supplies, we can use some of the supplies we brought to tide us over."

"This arrangement is excellent," Feng Wenzheng praised. "With work, food, and shelter, people's hearts can settle down. But... how should the compensation be calculated? Should it truly be a work-for-relief program, providing them with all their food and clothing? Or should we give them a symbolic sum of money and provisions so they can save some money?"

"Initially, we'll probably have to rely on work relief," Jiang Yan said pragmatically. "We've brought some grain and cloth, but we haven't found a stable source of replenishment in this area, so we need to be careful with our resources. We can set rules: daily labor, three full meals a day, and basic accommodation. Once the land is cultivated or there are other produce, we can then distribute some 'work points' or goods as compensation, depending on the situation, so they can save up some savings."

Shen Zui added, "We also need to establish some simple rules. For example, they cannot leave the protected area at will, they cannot contact unknown people from the outside world, they must follow instructions when working, and they must report any incidents, etc. It's not about restricting them, but about ensuring everyone's safety. We also need to make them understand that the Cloud Hidden Sect is different from Qingyang Valley; the rules here are for protection, not exploitation."

"That's exactly right." Huiming nodded. "This matter can be handled by this humble monk and Benefactor Shen, who can discuss it in detail with Old Man Shi and several village elders. They are experienced and reasonable, so it will be more effective for them to explain to the villagers."

"Oh, right," Qi Lan suddenly remembered something, "Didn't Lingdang say she wanted to reopen her 'Spirit Pet Exchange Center'? This mountain is full of spiritual energy, with many birds, beasts, and insects. Maybe we can really tame some docile, somewhat spiritual little creatures to help guard the house or do some chores. We can have the village children or thoughtful women help take care of them, which can be considered a way to make a living."

"That's an interesting idea," Jiang Yan said with a smile. "If Miss Lingdang is willing, I can provide some small mechanisms for taming animals, such as automatic feeders and escape-proof cages."

The group discussed some details and finalized the preliminary plan.

Huiming walked back to where the villagers were gathered, and Shi Laosi and several elderly villagers immediately stood up nervously.

"Old Master Shi, fellow villagers," Huiming said gently, pressing his palms together, "since you're here, make the best of it. We've discussed a plan regarding your future livelihood and accommodations; please allow me a moment to discuss it in detail."

Old Master Shi bowed deeply and said, "I will leave everything to the Immortal Master's arrangements."

A moment later, in a relatively spacious empty room, Huiming and Shen Zui explained the resettlement plan they had just discussed to Shi Laosi and several village elders in detail.

When they heard that they could work in exchange for food, have a house to live in, learn a trade, and even potentially own land in the future, disbelief shone in the cloudy eyes of the elderly.

"Immortal Master...is this true?" an old man with almost all his teeth asked in a trembling voice. "We...we peasants, can we really...can we earn our own living and have houses to live in by working?"

"A monk does not lie," Huiming said solemnly. "The Yunyin Sect has just been established, and all industries are waiting to be developed. We need all of you to work together. However, there are a few rules that need to be made clear beforehand..." He explained the safety matters and work arrangements that Shen Zui had mentioned one by one.

Old Shi listened intently, his aged face trembling slightly with wrinkles. After a long while, he took a deep breath and knelt down again: "Immortal Master, your great kindness is deeply appreciated! On behalf of the entire village, I express our deepest gratitude! We understand the rules and will certainly abide by them! We will work diligently and never cause any trouble for the Immortal Masters!"

………………

Qingyang Valley.

Liu Mao stumbled into the outer gate's deacon hall, his legs gave way, and he practically tumbled off the willow-leaf flying boat.

"Master, Uncle-Master! Something terrible has happened!"

Inside the side hall, a middle-aged man in a dark blue Daoist robe was reviewing jade slips at his desk. Hearing this, he looked up, his brows furrowed. This man was an outer sect steward of Qingyang Valley, surnamed Zhou, with the given name Su. He was at the third level of the Foundation Establishment stage and was one of the truly capable figures in the outer sect.

"What's the panic?" Zhou Su put down the jade slip, his gaze coldly sweeping over Liu Mao's disheveled appearance. "How did the spirit grain harvest go? What's wrong with you in this state?"

"We can't collect it anymore!" Liu Mao fell to his knees with a thud, his voice still filled with lingering fear. "Xiaoshi Village... Xiaoshi Village has been occupied by a group of people! Those people are very powerful! They said... they said..."

"What did you say?" Zhou Su's voice turned cold.

"They said that Xiaoshi Village and the surrounding thirty li are now under their protection! They forbid Qingyang Valley from ever setting foot there again! They forbid us from taking a single grain of spirit grain or conscripting a single person!" Liu Mao finished in one breath, not daring to raise his head. "This disciple wanted to argue with them, but they had a demon cultivator, a monk, and... well, that group of people were dressed differently, making it difficult to discern their true origins. Moreover, they didn't even lift a finger; the three of us were pressed to the ground by an invisible, immense force, losing all our spiritual power and becoming completely immobile! That power... that power is far beyond what a Foundation Establishment cultivator could possess! This disciple suspects that a Golden Core cultivator, or even a Nascent Soul cultivator, was secretly behind it all!"

Zhou Su's face darkened completely.

He didn't immediately rebuke Liu Mao for "exaggerating," because he knew that the story of Lei Xiaozi and his four uncles returning to the valley in such a sorry state yesterday, though suppressed, was by no means unfounded. All five Golden Core cultivators had suffered severe damage to their spiritual power and had their storage artifacts stolen.

The elders in the valley have been discussing this in secret for half the night, but have yet to reach a conclusion.

Now, the "Cloud Hidden Sect" has taken the initiative again, openly drawing a line to protect mortals...

What are they trying to do? Is it really for a few peasants?

Or is there another motive?

"Did they report their origins?" Zhou Su asked.

"It's been reported! They said it's called 'Yunyin Sect'! That monk also said..." Liu Mao's Adam's apple bobbed as he struggled to repeat the words that still terrified him, "'Yesterday's warning, today's words, I hope your sect will remember them.' He also said that if you repeat the offense, it won't be as easy as it is today."

Zhou Su remained silent for a long time, then waved his hand: "Go down. Take a few Qi-replenishing pills to calm your nerves. I will report this matter to the inner sect myself."

Liu Maoru was granted a general amnesty, kowtowed repeatedly, and withdrew.

The side hall returned to silence.

Zhou Su stood up, walked to the window with his hands behind his back, and looked towards the Cangyun Mountains in the east. There, a mountain that had "appeared out of thin air" had appeared, along with a mysterious force calling itself the "Yunyin Sect".

The five Golden Core cultivators returned empty-handed, their spiritual power suppressed.

An ordinary grain-collecting team from the outer gate was forced to kneel and beg for mercy before they even saw the other side make a proper move.

What exactly is the Cloud Hidden Sect?

Zhou Su recalled the sentence Lei Xiaozi repeatedly emphasized when questioned by the elders yesterday: "One of them didn't even make a move, yet we lost all our spiritual power and fell from the sky."

It fell from the sky.

For practitioners, that is more than just a disgrace.

That was absolute, unquestionable suppression.

A chill ran through Zhou Su. He had a feeling that Qingyang Valley had probably kicked a hornet's nest this time.

………………

The next day, deep within the Cangyun Mountains.

The mist, like a milky white veil, flowed slowly through the mountains and forests.

Under the bushes, a palm-sized, grayish animal was digging in the soil, occasionally raising its head to look around alertly with its two round, black eyes, and its short, bushy tail.

"That's... a rabbit?" Stone lowered his voice, his honest face full of confusion. "It doesn't look like a rabbit. Its ears are too short."

"It's not a rabbit." Bell squinted, her amber pupils intently observing the little creature's movements. "Look at its paws—longer than a rabbit's, with three toes, making it exceptionally adept at digging. And its tail, though short, isn't a rabbit's round ball; it's a fluffy ball, like...like a little squirrel."

"So what exactly is it?"

Bell paused for a moment, then slowly peeked half its head out from behind the rock: "I don't know. But it's very intelligent. I moved slightly just now, and it immediately became alert. This alertness is not that of an ordinary wild beast."

She paused, a long-lost glint of light flashing in her eyes: "Whatever it is, arrest it first."

Before she finished speaking, Lingdang's figure moved like a wisp of gray smoke, silently bypassing the bushes and flanking the small beast from the side.

Stone followed closely behind, its massive body surprisingly agile in the forest, landing almost silently.

The little animal seemed to sense something; its round eyes suddenly became alert, it stopped digging, raised its head, and its nose twitched rapidly.

Just as it was about to turn and flee—

The bell suddenly sped up!

Her slender figure darted like an arrow, leaving almost no trace on the leaf-strewn forest floor. The small animal let out a short cry of alarm, its four legs straining against the ground as it fled desperately into the depths of the bushes.

However, the bell is faster.

She bent down, reached out, and her fingertips precisely brushed against the soft fur on the back of the small animal's neck—an instinctive action of felines when hunting, innate and ingrained in their very bones.

"Gotcha."

Lingdang straightened up and carefully cradled the trembling little beast in her palms.

The little creature was only the size of her palm, with grayish-silver fur and light pink paws. At that moment, it was desperately trying to hide its head under its belly, its short tail puffed up into a ball of fur, and its whole body was shaking.

Stone leaned closer, his eyes wide: "What is this? I've never seen anything like it before."

Lingdang carefully examined the trembling ball of fur in her palm, a faint smile slowly appearing on her lips.

"I don't know," she said. "Let's take it back anyway."

She paused, then looked down at the little ball of fur and said, "Don't be afraid. I won't kill you."

The little beast shuddered, still keeping its face buried, but secretly opened one round black eye from between its claws, stealthily sizing up the person who had captured it.

Bell didn't notice. She simply tucked the little beast into her arms and turned to walk down the mountain.

"Let's go, Stone. It's time to go back and open the shop."