Chapter 176: Finding a Place for Alchemy
With that, Su Miaoke started to swim. Her form was perfect, a result of professional training.
It was also a very energy-efficient stroke. By the time Su Miaoke reached the opposite bank, exactly ten minutes had passed.
When Chu Hao checked the time, he was astonished. He hadn’t expected his sister-in-law to be so fast.
"Are those two on steroids or something? What’s with all the energy?" Chu Hao couldn’t help but mutter.
As he spoke, Chu Feng and Su Miaoke were already swimming back from the other side.
The three of them had a wonderful time in the river, only leaving reluctantly when it was almost dark.
After all, the weather was quite hot, and soaking and swimming in the cool river water felt incredibly comfortable.
"Honey, are we coming back tomorrow? Swimming here is so much fun," Su Miaoke said happily after they got out of the water.
"You want to come again? Swimming is something you do once in a while," Chu Feng said.
"No, I want to! It’s way more fun than a swimming pool. It’s so spacious, the water is clean, and you can even catch fish. I caught a little one just now," Su Miaoke said.
"Alright, whatever you want. As long as you want to come, I’ll come with you," Chu Feng said with a smile.
"Thanks, honey! You’re the best," Su Miaoke said, jumping for joy like a little kid.
"Okay, it’s getting dark. Let’s hurry back," Chu Feng said.
"Mhm," Su Miaoke nodded.
That evening, Chu Feng and Su Miaoke sat on the rooftop, gazing up at the starry sky.
In the countryside mountains, the night revealed a boundless, twinkling canopy of stars that filled one with longing and wonder.
"Why don’t we just live here permanently? The air is good, the people are nice, it’s quiet, you can see the stars at night, and you wake up to birdsong every morning. This kind of life is like a paradise," Su Miaoke said to Chu Feng.
"We’ll see. If we have the chance, we’ll definitely come back to live here often. Besides, cultivating here is much more effective—you get twice the results with half the effort," Chu Feng said with a smile.
"Yeah, Cultivation feels so much easier here than in Beihai. My whole body feels more relaxed," Su Miaoke said with a nod.
"Now you see why those Martial Arts Clans with legacies stretching back hundreds, even thousands of years, always like to live in seclusion deep in the mountains, don’t you? It’s because deep in the mountains, there are auspicious locations rich with Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, which makes Cultivation more effective," Chu Feng said.
Su Miaoke nodded, and the two of them sat on the roof, cultivating for the rest of the night.
Early the next morning, the designer Chu Feng had hired arrived.
The designer looked to be a bit older and was dressed in custom-tailored clothes that appeared quite high-end.
His hair was also stylish, in that so-called artistic fashion.
"Hello, are you Mr. Chu?" the man asked politely.
"Hello, I am. And you must be Designer Lin?" Chu Feng replied with a smile, extending his hand.
"That’s me. I was wondering, Mr. Chu, what kind of design plans do you need?" the man inquired.
"I want to re-plan the entire village. It’s a bit of a mess right now." Chu Feng led the man on a tour through the village. A short while later, they walked to a hilltop behind the village, looking down at it as they discussed how to plan the layout.
They spent the whole morning settling on a general direction for the project.
"Mr. Chu, it’s certainly possible to do what you’re proposing, but the cost will be quite high. A conservative estimate would be a hundred million," the designer stated directly.
The meaning was clear: the plan was fine, but where was the money? A hundred million was no small sum.
"Money isn’t an issue. When can the designs be ready? And the construction team, materials—you can handle everything. You can subcontract it all, but I expect quality, efficiency, and speed," Chu Feng said.
A hundred million meant nothing to him.
Designer Lin glanced at Chu Feng. He was so young, and while his clothes were brand-name, and there was indeed a top-of-the-line G-Wagon parked at the village entrance, he just couldn’t see Chu Feng as a rich man, no matter how he looked at him.
Thus, a look of doubt crossed his face.
"For a hundred million, a deposit is required. A thirty percent deposit," the designer said, his voice thick with suspicion.
"Don’t worry, it’s not like I’m going to short you on such a small amount. I’ll have my wife transfer it to you in a bit. Just give me an account number," Chu Feng said.
Designer Lin gave Chu Feng the account number and then left.
As he got into his car, he couldn’t help but complain to himself.
’I thought this was supposed to be some huge project. He kept talking it up, but it’s obvious he’s just trying to get something for nothing.’ Designer Lin’s face was full of indignation.
After all, how could a young man who could casually pull out a hundred million appear in a remote, impoverished mountain village like this?
Besides, he wasn’t building a resort, a hotel, or a B&B. It was just a renovation plan for the entire village.
There was no benefit in it for Chu Feng, and it would cost a fortune. Nobody in their right mind would believe it.
So, the man left, muttering curses under his breath.
Chu Feng took the account number and later gave it to Su Miaoke.
"Miaoke, remember to transfer thirty million to this account," Chu Feng instructed when he saw her.
"Oh, okay," Su Miaoke replied.
"I’m going for a walk in the mountains," Chu Feng said suddenly.
"The mountains? Why the mountains? Aren’t you taking me with you?" Su Miaoke asked.
"It’s really hot right now, and the mountains are full of poisonous snakes and bugs. Are you sure you want to go?" Chu Feng said with a smile. He wasn’t trying to scare her.
This season was indeed a dangerous time, with plenty of venomous snakes, insects, and ants around.
"So, aren’t you afraid?" Su Miaoke retorted, a little annoyed.
"I’m not. Why should I be?" Chu Feng shot back.
This made Su Miaoke even more irritated. With her hands on her hips, she demanded, "Then tell me, what are you going to do there?"
"I want to look for a place that’s suitable for Alchemy," Chu Feng said.
Out here in the countryside, if he wanted to perform Alchemy, a fire source was a crucial and critical element.
In Beihai, he could use natural gas. It was convenient in the big city, with a fire source available 24/7.
But that wasn’t an option in the countryside. He couldn’t just use firewood. Putting aside how much wood that would consume, controlling the heat would be difficult, and it would be hard to reach the required temperatures.
"Why would you go deep into the mountains for Alchemy? Wouldn’t it be more convenient in the village? You could just build a place for Alchemy, right?" Su Miaoke asked, completely confused. She didn’t understand why Chu Feng was doing this.