The Rich Cultivator

The Woodcutter Association had humble beginnings, first founded by an ordinary woodcutter. His days were spent chopping wood in the dense forests of the Cedar Islands, making an honest but meager living. One fateful day, as he swung his axe, it slipped from his grasp and tumbled into the river. Devastated and without the tools to continue his work, the woodcutter fell to his knees and began praying to the lake god, hoping for a miracle.

But instead of divine intervention, something far darker surfaced from the depths—a Demon, or more precisely, an Abyss Demon. This creature had escaped from the clutches of the Northern Hunters and sought refuge in the quiet waters of the lake. It was gravely wounded, barely clinging to life, having fled its pursuers to this secluded spot. As it surfaced, its breath labored, the woodcutter’s axe—by some twist of fate—cut through the air and struck the final blow, ending the demon’s suffering in one fell swoop.

The woodcutter, astonished by what had just happened, saw opportunity in the demon’s demise. He gathered the remains of the Abyss Demon and sold them in the black markets. The sale of such rare and powerful materials made him rich overnight. Flush with wealth and eager to cement his new status, the woodcutter invested all his money into expanding his business, cutting down forests and selling the finest cedar wood to the Northern Islands and beyond. He soon married a beautiful woman, his life transformed beyond his wildest dreams.

However, as his wealth and power grew, so did his ruthlessness. The once kind and humble man became cold, calculating, and vicious in his pursuit of dominance. Competitors in the lumber trade began to fall—one by one. Their businesses went bankrupt under mysterious circumstances, or their ships filled with goods were raided by pirates. The rumors spread quickly—everyone knew the Woodcutter Association was behind these acts of sabotage and piracy, but no one dared confront them. They had become too powerful, too entrenched in the economy of the Cedar Islands.

Today, something unusual stirred on Cedar Island. A new merchant group from overseas had announced its intention to start a cedar wood business, which instantly became the talk of the town.

"Oh no... Another one is going to go bankrupt," a local merchant muttered, shaking his head.

"Think they’ll last even a month?" another scoffed, clearly not expecting much.

The rumor mill on Cedar Island buzzed with chatter, and the general consensus was that no one survived long when competing with the Woodcutter Association. The newcomer was expected to crumble just like those who had tried before.

What the locals didn’t know was that the mastermind behind this new venture was none other than Tyler, who had deliberately ignored the whispers as he made his way to the Adventure Guild, accompanied by Lily.

As they approached the entrance, murmurs followed them like shadows.

"Hey, isn’t that the girl who was asking about the Redwood family?" one of the guild staff whispered, nudging a coworker.