Chapter 3: Yunjie Village
After leaving the hills, a group of beautiful houses was in sight. The village where Yu Chen grew up is called Yunjie.
A follower of the Qin Family, a strong man in the six-peak level star power called Su She, was the founder. Su She founded the village to support his master in becoming the family head. At that time, there was fierce competition between the brothers of the Qin family, vying for the family head. To support his benefactor and zhû rén*, he founded the village.
Su She named the village Yunjie, hoping that one day, an elite or an outstanding talent would be born, and carrying on his wish to raise the village on an equal footing as the Qin Family, to support his Zhu ren. Yunjie village is in the territory of the Qin Family, one of the nine prominent families in the Kun continent and the only direct family of the Qin Dukedom in the South.
The Qin family is one of the three families under the Qin Dukedom regime. The ancestor of the Qin dukedom was once a Lieutenant in the right-hand army of the Goddess Jū dì, the Shī Zì army. Only those ancestors who once had powerful bloodlines and high military positions could have their own Dukedoms, and there were only three.
'Yunjie village is better than I had imagined. This does not look like a village at all. If it was back in my original world, this would be called a town instead of a village.' Yu Chen thought. All houses in the village are made from substantial red bricks and surrounded by beautiful flowers and luscious greenery.
The village houses are similar to terraced houses. The only difference is that each village houses have same height, width, and ornamentals. Even the village gate stands powerful and proud. It is carmental with intricate designs and ornamentals at each side of the gate; No one could tell if this is a village just by looking at the outside.
If someone entered the village, the first thing that would catch their eyes was the village head, Guo Cheng's house. His house is the definition of exaggerated. It is like a villa, decorated in blue and white with beautiful gardens around every inch, and expensive windows and doors.
Only Guo Cheng's house was entirely unlike others, to flaunt his position as the village head. Just the cost of adding a structure would make most of the villagers change their minds because of their monthly tribute. Every month they are required to pay a tribute of 20 star bronze coins to the village head.
The village head will then pay the Qin family their monthly tribute of 1-star silver coins. The Orion world currency is called star coins. There are three (3) different types of currencies: Star Bronze Coins, Star Silver Coins, Star Gold Coins, and Star Platinum Coins.
One Hundred Star Bronze Coins = One Star Silver Coin
One Hundred Star Silver Coins = One Star Gold Coin
One Hundred Star Gold Coins = One Star Platinum Coin
(Author: In the chapters to come, they will be referred to as,
Star Bronze Coin - SBc, Star Silver Coin - SSc, Star Gold Coin - SGc, Star Platinum Coin - SPc)
'Where does the sly old man Cheng get the money to have such a huge house in a village? Either he squandered money or did dirty work for the contorted aristocrats?' Yu Chen thought, a mix of dislike and interest in the old man. The Yunjie villagers Grange ordinary and spiritual crops and raise ordinary animals. They harvest ordinary and spiritual crops and butcher ordinary animals to sell the nearby towns and prominent families.
They only make about 1-5 star coins daily when they go to town. If they are fortunate, they can make 6-10 star coins. Besides, there are two other villages under the Qin regime, the Nanjie and Guoliang villages, so there is always competition. The Nanjie village is 5 miles west of Junjie village, and the Guoliang village is 8 miles northwest of Junjie village.
They all go to the same town to sell their goods to the merchants and regular customers, because going to another province to sell their goods would cost them a fortune. The Nanjie village sells common Medicinal herbs and metals, earning a bit more than the other two villages. The Guoliang village sells spiritual animals and ordinary crops, earning a little over the Yunjie village.
There are two types of crops - Spiritual crops and Ordinary crops. Ordinary crops are those without any spiritual energies. They cannot enhance or supplement star power in the body, and so are sold cheaper. They cost about 1-2 star bronze coins. The Spiritual crops are much different. They supplement and enhance the body with star power.
If a person were born without star power and ate a spiritual crop, they would instantly break through to level one star power, and so they are traded at a reasonable price, depending on the grade. These cost about 2-5 star bronze coins. The animals are also classified as spiritual and Ordinary but sold at a higher price than the crops, particularly the spiritual animal. They cost about 5-8 star bronze coins.
To grow spiritual crops and raise spiritual animals, there has to be a spiritual surrounding, and to possess a spiritual surrounding, a village must have a spiritual gathering formation set up by a formation master, but because it is a village, usually the lowest grade spiritual formations are used. Therefore, when children in the villages are born with star power, even if it is the lowest level, they can awaken an ability to assist the village. Villagers consider this a blessing and hope for their village to rise.
Those born with three-level star power can either go to the cultivational sects or enjoy a privileged life in the village, they are the village's genius. But those with ambitions wanting to enjoy luxury and despise being a commoner would be dogs for the nobles. Avillage's highest cultivation level would be the peak of level five or level five, and this is usually the village head.
...
'This crafty old man must be doing shady business because both villages earn more than the Yunjie village, yet the Yunjie village looks far better than the other two.
Even the spiritual surroundings, where the crops and animals are, are shrouded with star power.' Yu Chen thought suspiciously, has he walked hand in hand with little Feng.
Yu Chen decided to look into the matter later. One thing he hates is a shady person.
As a businessman and a CEO, in his original world, he had to deal with dozens of them, who tried to deceive him and play dirty, but none of them ended well.
Some died while others went to prison.
Just as Yu Chen and Xiao Feng entered the village, they received a lot of attention. It's not only because Yu Chen is beautiful but also because Xiao Feng is adorable, making a precious brother pair.
"Yu Chen, come to my house later for some buns," said one of the villagers.
"Hmm," Yu Chen answered indifferently.
"Yu Chen, I made some pretty clothes! Come try them on later, you too, Xiao Feng," another villager said with much more enthusiasm.
"Hmm," Yu Chen replied, nodding curtly.
"OK! Aunt Luo!" Replied Xiao Feng, smiling excitedly with his pearly white teeth.
"Tchh! Who does he think he is?" a villager sneered loudly.
"Just because he is pretty! Bah! He is just a cut sleeve and a loser who did not awaken any star power," another chimed in, insulting Yu Chen. Xiao Feng stopped wanting to retort at them for talking badly about his Yu gege, but Yu Chen stopped him and told him to continue walking.
"But gege they are talking bad about you!?" Xiao Feng stomped his tiny feet while pouting at Yu Chen.
'He looks exactly like my tiger cub back on earth,' Yu Chen suddenly thought. He pats Xiao Feng's head with a smile. Xiao Feng, who understood what his brother was trying to say, sulked even more.
Yu Chen was already used to it. Every other day, some villagers sneer at him because they think he behaves too pretentious, and insult him as a loser who did not awaken any star power. The others who know he is a nice person but do not talk much would all greet him enthusiastically, they even flush when he looks at them and gently nods his head. But Yu Chen, being Yu Chen, does not care if they sneer, laugh, or blush as long as they do not disturb his life.
'I think I will enjoy living in this village.' Yu Chen thought, feeling satisfied.
Just as he was about to mull over the fact that he has an undisturbed life, he smelled three different stench. He did not even have to look because he knew these three scumbags, courting death. They were the dogs of the Young Master of the prominent Qin family.
'Or Not! Should I reconsider living here?' Yu Chen thought distressed, at how his peaceful life had come to an end. But he does not know that this will be the reason for the brewing storm about to come, and his journey in the Orion World.