Strongest Businessman of the Cultivation World

"Old man, take this Discus. I'll keep the Dongle. If we find anything good, you will get the first pick."

Ikasa said as he distributed the loot. Feng Yan looked at the discus with a complicated expression.

"Fine."

He sighed after pausing for a moment and exited the ruins. Ikasa followed close behind. They had not gone far when they came across a group of monkeys.

Feng Yan was irritated because of what had happened in the Inner Area. His hands were itching to Fight.

Ikasa shared the sentiment. Monkeys were nothing compared to Wu Nan. He even had the protection of Feng Yan.

Their eyes met and both saw the fighting spirit in each other's eyes.

"Let's take care of the monkeys and join up with Xin Ruo."

Feng Yan charged at the group. Instead of scattering and fleeing, the monkeys actually held their ground. They ganged up on Feng Yan. Ikasa arrived to pull one of the monkeys away.

These monkeys were not berserk. So their fighting style was very different. They preferred slaps to scratches.

A quarter of an hour passed, and Feng Yan had subdued the monkeys. Ikasa looked a bit worse, but he had also held the monkey in a stalemate.

Just when they thought they had cleared the final obstacle, the monkeys started beating their chests, and their shrieks echoed in the area.

A cloud of dust was once again rising in the distant left. The reinforcements called by the monkeys were coming soon. Feng Yan's expression changed.

"Run to the Inner Area!"

Even though the distance was short, Ikasa's lower speed dragged Feng Yan behind. Since the Foes were non-lethal, Feng Yan did not mind giving him a helping hand whenever he was almost encircled.

They were a few meters away from the entrance when the Monkey King jumped down from the Inner Area's Wall. It immediately engaged Feng Yan.

Other Monkeys pounced on Ikasa. They both abandoned their fights and hurried to the teleporter Brick.

The monkey king was still close in pursuit. Ikasa couldn't hep but ask,

"Why the hell is that Big Monkey still here? What did you do, Old Man? Did you steal his child or screw his wife?"

"Mind your words kid! I am not into bestiality."

"So you stole his child?"

Ikasa touched the square tile as soon as he had the last word. Feng Yan followed close after.

Both of them sprawled on the floor huffing and puffing. They had numerous bruises on their bodies, and their clothes were torn in multiple places.

"Tsk... If only I wasn't burdened with a weakling… Even one of the kids would be better than you."

"Aren't you strong, old man? Then why were you also beaten up by that monkey with a feather crown?"

Both of them looked at each other while lying on the floor. They looked at each other's identically swollen faces from the slaps from the monkeys and turned their heads away.

"Before, I thought you were just weak physically; Didn't expect you to be an ignorant fool too."

Feng Yan's weak voice echoed in the silent chamber.

"What was that old man? If I got slapped by a monkey, didn't you get slapped by that big monkey too?"

Feng Yan couldn't take it any longer. His face was red from anger. He roared, "That was the Monkey King, you imbecile! A proper Spiritual Beast!"

Ikasa didn't want to give in to the old man's insults. He pretended to clean his ears with his pinky finger.

"What's so great about it? Isn't it just a monkey that can cultivate? Like you?"

A few minutes later, Ikasa's face was twice as swollen as before. Feng Yan didn't take kindly to being compared to a Monkey. Although it was the Monkey King, it was still a monkey.

When Feng Yan had calmed down, he explained the difference between Humans and Spiritual Beasts.

"As you saw Humans in the Path Forging realm can only be as strong as those ordinary Monkeys. And when Beasts become Spiritual they become even stronger."

"So you are saying a Sense realm Cultivator like you can't defeat it."

Feng Yan wanted to give Ikasa a beating once again but what he had said was true.

"Yes, I can't. A human sense realm cannot beat a spiritual beast in a fight."

Ikasa had never expected a candid admission of defeat from Feng Yan.

He felt a sense of crisis. Even when Feng Yan was unconscious, his mere presence had given Ikasa hope to go against Wu Nan.

Now his strongest reliance was saying he wouldn't be able to take care of the greatest threat they were facing.

"Old Man now is not the time to joke. You really can't take care of that monkey?"

Feng Yan shook his head helplessly.

"Why?"

"Because Humans in the Sense realm have yet to actively use the natural energy to enhance their bodies."

Ikasa still had a confused look on his face. So Feng Yan elaborated his explanation.

"Humans, in the initial stages of Sense Realm, improve their five physical senses. Eyes, Ears, Nose, Tongue, and skin. These senses help to increase your connection to the physical world and the natural energy in the surroundings."

"When you can circulate this natural energy in your body and locate the chakras, you enter the Chakra Sensing realm."

Ikasa understood the part about being able to absorb and circulate but Feng Yan said nothing about the storage.

He expressed his doubt.

"There are seven major chakras in our body and 114 minor chakras. These Chakras store the natural energy once you locate and open them. But that's Chakra Opening realm and, even I am not aware of the specifics."

Ikasa thought about the information he received.

"Old man but this still doesn't explain why Spiritual beasts are stronger? Shouldn't Sense realm experts be able to battle against beasts since they have heightened senses?"

Feng Yan looked annoyed as his meditation was disturbed once again by Ikasa. But since Ikasa was someone he had decided to support, he had to go all the way.

"Spiritual Beasts condense natural energy and enhance their body actively and passively from the moment they can become spiritual… "

"And what do you mean by becoming spiritual?"

"They gain a basic knowledge of how to manipulate Natural energy. Their technique is even stronger than the Top Grade Manuals of the Human race. Now if you want to know more, don't interrupt."

Feng Yan barked, seeing Ikasa ready to disrupt his flow again.

"So, the spiritual beasts use the energy to enhance their body's strength. A Sense realm martial artist can see, hear and feel better than the beast but his body cannot react in time as it is much weaker than the beasts."

"Are there cultivation stages for Spiritual Beasts too?"

Ikasa questioned as soon as Feng Yan finished his explanation.

"Yes, there must be… but I only know the condensation stage as that is the highest level of beasts I have met."

Seeing Ikasa once again immersed in thought, Feng Yan closed his eyes to meditate.

"Old man, since you can't beat the Monkey king, we should start looking for another exit."

Feng Yan's meditation was disturbed once again. He glared at Ikasa with bloodshot eyes.

"Okay Okay… I will look for another exit myself."

"Grumpy Old man," Ikasa muttered as he began his search for an exit. In spite of searching every nook and cranny, he could not find another teleporter.

He returned to the only teleportation platform in the room and examined it closely. The bright blue light pricked his eyes but he found a dial that he assumed controlled the Teleporter.

He spun the dial a little to the left and the color changed to yellow, and the farther he spun, the darker the shade became till it turned red.

Then he spun it clockwise till it was the brilliant shade of sky blue again.

When the color had changed to yellow, Ikasa had a feeling that he would be lost in Spacestorm if he tried to teleport now. When it was red, he felt fatal danger, as if his body might be shredded to pieces.

With this info on hand, he very carefully spun the dial. He remembered the exact number of turns made till he found a new blue coordinate.

"Old Man, come here! I found another new room!"

On having his meditation disturbed for the umpteenth time, Feng Yan groaned.

"You better not be lying, or you will see why those nobles dread me."

He grumbled as he stepped onto the teleporter.

They regained their vision after the bright flash of light. Ikasa and Feng Yan were amazed at the sight before them.

"How... Why are you guys here?"

Ikasa asked, his confoundment in his voice.

Xin Ruo looked away in embarrassment. The kids looked at each other with amusement.

Luo Qiqi took this chance to expose their strict teacher before her father and Ikasa.

"Sister Xin Ruo was nagging us to keep up with our studies. She assigned us areas of the Inner ruin's wall and told us to practice our alphabet. While Sister Xin Ruo was paying attention to us, Yan Xiao disappeared after writing a single letter on the wall."

Since Luo Qiqi had taken the lead, others also started adding on to the events that happened later.

"Sister Xin Ruo panicked when we couldn't find Yan Xiao even after searching all over the area." Chu Qing continued.

"It was hilarious… Had Hei Ying not pointed out that Yan Xiao teleported, I think Sister Xin Ruo would've gone mad."

Ikasa didn't think Pei Yuan had such a mischievous side to him. But that prank was truly awful. He patted Xin Ruo's back sympathetically and consoled her.

"The fact you turned hysterical means you cared. They will understand that in due time."

After a cursory greeting, Feng Yan went to explore the room. While Ikasa was listening to the kids' chatter, he was busy studying the podium in the center. It held the treasure he was here for; The Energy Efficiency Star!

When Feng Yan tried to open the box his movements were captured by Chu Qing's hawkish eyes.

"Uncle Yan is trying to take the treasure!"

His shout attracted everyone's attention. All eyes turned to Feng Yan. And then the small transparent box in his hands.

There was a small golden star. It was the size of a baby's thumb. The star's five-pointed arms were covered with swirling energy.

Ikasa sucked in a deep breath. Because he identified the star.