Star Martial Soaring Cloud

Wang Xiao ate several more bites, then finally couldn't help but ask, "Brother Ling, don't you... know what's been happening on Demon Island lately?"

He asked the question tactfully, but the meaning was all too clear—the teleportation array was destroyed, everyone was trapped, the Demon Island was in chaos, and countless people were killed or injured. How come you are not nervous at all?

Ling Cheng paused in his chopsticks, then casually put the piece of duck intestine into his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and said slowly, "I know."

Wang Xiao was taken aback: "Then you guys..."

"So what?" Ling Cheng put down his chopsticks, looked at him, his gaze as calm as a deep pool of water. "Food is the most important thing for people. There's an old saying in Sichuan: 'Thunder doesn't strike people who are eating.' No matter how big the problem is, we have to eat first."

Li Yu nodded in agreement: "Exactly. What's the use of panicking? The more you panic, the more likely you are to make mistakes. It's better to fill your stomach first, get some rest, and then slowly think of a solution."

Zhang Lian also spoke up: "We have a saying in Sichuan—'When the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up.' It's not our turn to worry about it yet. When it's our turn to step up, we'll fight them to the death. For now, we'll eat, drink, and sleep as usual. We'll deal with whatever comes our way."

Wang Xiao stared blankly at the three of them, momentarily at a loss for words.

Along the way, he saw too many people break down in fear and go mad in despair, turning the Demon Island into a living hell.

But the three people in front of them acted as if nothing had happened. Their relaxed and carefree attitude, which came from their very bones, was definitely not something they were deliberately putting on.

Is it the swordsmanship of Qingcheng Sword Mountain that cultivates such a state of mind?

Is it the soil and water of Sichuan that endowed them with this carefree spirit?

Wang Xiao suddenly felt that all her previous anxieties, worries, and sleepless nights seemed somewhat ridiculous in the face of these three people.

He originally thought he was someone who could remain calm and consider the big picture, but after seeing Ling Cheng and the other two, he realized that there are always people more capable than him.

He even suspected that even if the ground beneath their feet were to crack open right now, the three of them could find a flat spot, set up a pot, and continue eating hot pot.

This state of mind seemed contagious, gradually easing Wang Xiao's tension of the past few days and allowing her to open her appetite for the first time.

He ate several bowls in a row, sweat pouring down his forehead, but he felt thoroughly satisfied.

"Awesome! Great!" Ling Cheng grinned from ear to ear as he watched him eat. "Brother Lu Yang and Fairy Su are both straightforward people! I hate those fussy people who have to maintain a certain decorum even while eating. Eating should be hearty and satisfying, you have to eat until you're sweating profusely!"

Wang Xiao picked up another piece of tripe and asked indistinctly, "Brother Ling, what are your plans next?"

Ling Cheng thought for a moment and said, "I don't have any plans. I'll eat well, drink well, and sleep well first, and then see..."

He paused, then grinned. "Then we'll see. Anyway, the Demon Island is only so big. Where can we go? We'll just take it one step at a time. If nothing goes wrong, we'll continue eating and drinking. If something does go wrong, I'm not afraid. I believe there's always a way out."

Wang Xiao was silent for a moment before speaking, "Why don't you join the Dongbin Alliance? It would be good for us to be together and support each other in our fight against the Tianyi Cult."

Upon hearing this, Ling Cheng's chopsticks hovered in mid-air. His eyes darted around, and he revealed a meaningful smile: "Joining the alliance... well, that depends on how sincere the Dongbin Alliance is."

"Sincerity?" Wang Xiao was taken aback.

"Of course we have to talk about money!" Ling Cheng spread his hands confidently. "How are we supposed to get from here to the eastern part of Demon Island without money? We need food, drink, and lodging along the way, and all of that costs money! You can't expect a horse to run without feeding it, that's not fair!"

Li Yu chimed in, "That's right! We Qingcheng Sword Mountain don't have any powerful backers, so we have to rely on ourselves for everything. Sometimes when our employers who need exorcism services are short of money, we have to pay them out of our own pockets—last time we went to exorcise a water ghost, the family was so poor they couldn't even afford to eat, and in the end we had to pay for the talismans and incense ourselves."

Zhang Lian sighed, his face full of bitterness: "The worst time was when we helped a village exorcise a demon, and the village chief said he had no money, so he gave us a basket of eggs. The three of us ate eggs for half a month, and by the end, we felt like throwing up whenever we saw eggs."

Wang Xiao's lips twitched as she listened.

How could a disciple of the prestigious Qingcheng Sword Mountain, the second-ranked sword genius among the twelve strongest, be so poor?

On the other hand, if cultivators can be this poor, they must have their own world in their hearts.

"You're joining for money? You get what you pay for?" Wang Xiao had never imagined it would be like this, but it felt like the best way to do it.

Su Qinhe couldn't help but laugh out loud. She took out a brocade pouch from her sleeve and gently placed it in front of Ling Cheng: "Senior Brother Ling Cheng, consider this a token of the East Coast Alliance's sincerity. Once the matter of Demon Island is settled, Fengyuxuan will offer a more generous reward."

Ling Cheng opened the brocade pouch and glanced inside. His eyes lit up instantly, and his smile became even more genuine: "Fairy Su is indeed a straightforward person! Okay! Then we'll join the Dongbin Alliance. If you need anything in the future, just let us know! We'll go through fire and water for you, no questions asked!"

As he spoke, he deftly stuffed the brocade bag into his bosom, his movements swift and decisive, without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

Li Yu and Zhang Lian immediately crowded around, staring longingly at Ling Cheng's pocket.

"Senior brother, shouldn't you buy a new sword tassel this time? My sword tassel is all worn out, it looks terrible hanging on the sword," Li Yu said, rubbing his hands together.

"And my sword sheath is cracked, it needs to be repaired, right?" Zhang Lian chimed in.

Ling Cheng waved his hand grandly, exclaiming with boundless generosity, "Buy! Buy them all! One new sword tassel for each of you, plus three catties of the finest Sichuan tea. Save the rest of the money for your future weddings!"

"Senior brother is brilliant!" Li Yu and Zhang Lian exclaimed in unison, beaming with joy.

Wang Xiao watched this scene and couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle.

These three people, though poor, managed to live a fulfilling life amidst the ruins of the Demon Island; though carefree, they made solemn promises after agreeing to join the alliance.

Even in dire straits, they can take life and death lightly; they are greedy for money but do not hoard it; they cherish life but are not afraid of death.

Eat when you're hungry, drink when you're thirsty, stay calm in the face of trouble, and don't be afraid of difficulties.

They remain unmoved even if Mount Tai collapses before them—that's a perfect description of them.

What does it mean to be carefree and unrestrained?

What is freedom and ease?

That's pretty much it!

"So... are we still going to eat this hot pot?" Li Yu swallowed hard, looking at the tripe in the pot that was gradually getting overcooked, breaking the joyful atmosphere.

"Eat! Of course we're eating!" Ling Cheng grabbed his chopsticks and was the first to scoop the food into the pot. "Nothing's more important than eating! Come on, the tripe's getting overcooked, hurry up and scoop it out!"

The group sat around the stone pot again, the red oil bubbling and steaming, their laughter echoing across the ruins.

In the distance are the ruins of the teleportation array, and nearby is a steaming hot pot.

The sword's shadow is hidden at his side, and the smoke and fire swirl around his fingertips.

This is probably the most incongruous yet heartwarming scene on the Demon Island.