I am a full-level celestial master, you let me enter the strange talk of rules?

Upon hearing what the boy with the single white eye said, the chairman immediately adopted a humble and amiable demeanor, and politely addressed the pale-faced woman:
"Ma'am, you're too kind. It was just something I did on the spur of the moment, nothing serious. We just happened to be there and saw the child in trouble; we couldn't just stand by and watch him die."

His explanation was perfectly sound to outsiders, demonstrating both his strength—that he could traverse the territory of the patrol envoy—and his goodwill—that he had stood up for justice.

He had expected the other party to be extremely grateful, or at least to say something thank you.

However, to his surprise, the woman did not show any gratitude after hearing his words. Instead, her eyes turned cold instantly, filled with vigilance and scrutiny, and even faintly carrying a hint of hostility and murderous intent.
She tightly shielded the boy with one white eye behind her, silently staring at the chairman, and the atmosphere suddenly became heavy and awkward.

The chairman was completely dumbfounded and utterly bewildered: What's going on? I saved your son and brought him home safely, and instead of thanking me, you're looking at me like I'm your enemy? What did I do to offend you?
He subconsciously turned his pleading gaze to Zhang Yangqing, who had remained silent beside him, hoping that this sixth brother, who always managed to do something unexpected, could break the deadlock.

Zhang Yangqing received his gaze, stepped forward, his face expressionless, and spoke in a calm tone as if he were stating something unrelated to himself: "We are laborers from the dock. We came to the village to take care of some business and helped your child along the way. If you feel bad about it, just give us some compensation as a token of our gratitude."

Upon hearing this, the chairman was even more confused and even felt that Zhang Yangqing was taking advantage of the situation and ruining the atmosphere.

Strangely enough, when the woman heard Zhang Yangqing's blunt and even somewhat "snobbish" words, her tense expression softened, and most of the wariness and hostility in her eyes dissipated.

She seemed to understand something, gently patted her son's back, and whispered, "Go back inside first."

After the boy with the single eye reluctantly went into the inner room, the woman took out a small cloth bag from her bosom. Inside were a few dried, inconspicuous white flowers similar to those on the windowsill.

She handed the cloth bag to Zhang Yangqing, her voice still devoid of warmth, and explained, "This is the 'Hidden Breath Flower.' After chewing and swallowing it, your 'living aura' will be concealed for five hours, and your energy fluctuations will temporarily blend into the surrounding environment. As long as you are not seen, you will not be easily detected by certain things."

After saying that, she looked at the two of them coldly, her meaning all too clear: the payment has been made, you can leave now.

Zhang Yangqing took the cloth bag without any ceremony, put it away without even looking at it, and then simply cupped his hands in farewell: "Farewell."

Although the chairman was full of questions, he could only cup his hands in a gesture of respect and turn to leave together.

They had just stepped out of the room when they heard a soft "bang" behind them—the sound of the wooden door being quickly closed.

On the way back, the chairman finally couldn't help but lower his voice and ask, "What's the deal with that woman? We saved her son, and instead of being grateful, she looked at us like she wanted to kill us! We didn't do anything wrong, did we?"

While seemingly casually observing the quiet houses and strange markings around him, Zhang Yangqing explained, "You haven't understood the rules of this place yet. There is a very strict, even rigid, 'equivalent exchange' system here."

Zhang Yangqing deduced this from Rule 9, which states that they "like to trade with outsiders".

The chairman nodded thoughtfully: "Go on."

Zhang Yangqing continued his analysis: "We saved her son, which is an act of 'gratitude' or 'sacrifice.' But your initial appearance of being selfless and purely kind doesn't align with the principle of 'equivalent exchange' in her eyes."

She'll instinctively suspect that you have bigger ambitions, something more elusive, perhaps even their lives, souls, or other unbearable costs. This uncertainty and asymmetry make her feel intensely threatened and uneasy, which is why she's wary of you, even hostile.

The chairman suddenly realized: "So that's how it is! No wonder her expression softened when you asked for compensation directly. It's because this way, the 'gratitude' became a clear 'transaction.' She gave up the 'Hidden Breath Flower' to offset our 'help,' and since we're even, she's at ease."

Zhang Yangqing nodded: "That's right. In this place, what's free is often the most expensive. Think about it, if someone inexplicably helps you and says they don't want anything in return, wouldn't you be scared? So, a clear transaction can actually simplify relationships and reduce suspicion." As a chosen one, one needs the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

The chairman understood this point. Indeed, if a 'good person' suddenly appears to help him without asking for anything in return, wouldn't he be afraid? I would be afraid too.

"Where are we going now?" the chairman asked, feeling that following Zhang Yangqing meant learning new survival rules every moment.

Because he used to live in the same world.

There, his strength had reached its peak. He basically didn't need to follow any rules or pay attention to the atmosphere. He was the most terrifying existence, and everyone else had to follow his rules.

This place is different; there are many terrifying beings here. Many top experts from different 'planes' have perished here, which is enough to illustrate the level of danger.

Zhang Yangqing said matter-of-factly, "Of course we should go to the other three children's homes. Their parents are probably even more eager for us to come and 'demand' payment right now. If we don't go, or if we show an attitude of 'selfless help' again, it will make them think we have ulterior motives and be even more dangerous."

Next, the two visited the homes of the tall boy, the chubby boy, and the skinny boy in turn.

Having learned from his previous experience, the chairman was wiser this time. He kept a straight face throughout, with a cold expression that said, "I only saved your son for personal gain," and never mentioned anything about intervening in injustice.

Sure enough, the reactions of the parents of these three families were exactly the same as those of the mother of the boy with the single white eye.

At first, they were wary and scrutinizing, but when Zhang Yangqing directly stated his purpose and asked for a "thank you gift," their attitude immediately softened. Although still not particularly enthusiastic, they all offered appropriate compensation:

From the tall boy's house, they obtained a small bottle of scarlet, viscous liquid called "Beast Blood," which is said to be able to stimulate potential in a short period of time, allowing the weak to unleash power close to their peak, but afterwards they would fall into a period of lethargy.

From the chubby boy's house, I received a packet of dark green powder with a pungent smell called "Bone-Rotting Poison." It is extremely poisonous and will quickly erode flesh and bones once you come into contact with it.

From the skinny boy's house, they obtained several vibrant green leaves, brimming with life energy, known as "vitality leaves," which are said to have remarkable effects on treating internal and external injuries and restoring vitality.

Each time, after the "transaction" was completed and the payment was received, the other party would immediately send the customer away without any hesitation.

With these four different "rewards," Zhang Yangqing and the chairman returned to their temporary lodging, a secluded treetop.

Looking at the peculiar items in his hands, the chairman couldn't help but sigh, "This place really has 'trade' ingrained in its very bones. However, these things should play a significant role in our subsequent operations, right?"

Zhang Yangqing carefully packed away his belongings and said calmly, "It's better to be prepared. In this place, the more prepared you are, the more likely you are to survive."

The more stuff the better, and what we need next is intelligence.

(End of this chapter)