w.a.n.g Tianshan had left just a moment ago, citing 'training' as his reason. As such, Simon and Blue were left in the forest with no idea what to d9 with their jade slips since they did not know exactly where to go.

"Come on, you're the author. You should at least know where this place is." Blue shaked Simon's shoulders back and forth while asking for his help.

"I honestly don't know. I was thinking that we could try finding some info on our own later, not today though. I want to sleep, sleeping is comfy." Simon yawned while grabbing something huge from out of nowhere.

POOF

A king sized bed suddenly appeared beside Simon, along with a huge umbrella with curtains surrounding it. Essentially a huge tent with a bed.

"Wow, nice, Grey. You got s.p.a.ce on that-" Before he could finish, Blue was handed a sleeping bag and was kicked out of the tent quite literally.

"Owww! Have you no sympathy?! What if I was a young maiden with peerless beauty, I'd bet you'd let me in! Hmmmph!" Blue begrudgingly set up his sleeping bag under a big tree and began to sleep.

"Meh, just go to sleep." Simon quickly drifted off into sleep as he said those words.

Rain came and went throughout the night, drenching Blue in cold muddy water, making him unable to sleep. Every so often, Blue would have to empty his mouth of muddy water and move to higher ground, only to repeat the cycle again and again as water levels rose. Fortunately, Simon's bed kept him at a height which avoided the possibility of such a fate.

Thus, Simon slept soundly while Blue stayed up all night like a pleb.

Next morning:

Rustle rustle

"Good morning, Blue. How did you sleep last night?" Simon greeted with a smile as he leapt out of the tent and made it disappear.

"Terribly. I hate mud. Why are you so mean to me?" Blue was sobbing in a corner.

"Learn to make a d.a.m.n tent. It's not that hard, it just so happened that I was more prepared than you." 

"Hus.h.!.+ Now tell me where we are going today. I want to leave the stupid forest and find a powerful sect with a lot of beautiful lady disciples right now!" Blue nodded with much enthusiasm as he thought over these words and spoke them.

"Just go to a red light district if you're so h.o.r.n.y." Simon slapped his palm onto his face.

"No. I have pride as a man. I will get a wife before returning to HQ. That way, Black won't laugh at me anymore!"

"Whatever, I know a decently sized city where we can investigate for information. Why don't we just head over there and make some money before looking for the sect?"

Simon only wanted to make some quick money for the time being. Since he had no local currency on him, he figured he could find some high paying work as a bodyguard or teacher. At the very least, since both he and Blue were at Core Formation, they would be able to find distinguished positions in almost any organisation.

"What's the place called?"

"Golden Phoenix City."

"How are the women there?"

"Not as desperate as you."

*Critical hit*

Blue knelt down on the muddy ground as another dagger went through his heart. How could Simon be so direct and merciless? This was just too much for Blue.

"Okay, just follow me. We will take the main road and steal money from some small time bandits. Trust me, this will be child's play." Simon ran off in the direction of the sun, followed by a tired Blue.

Sure enough, after an hour of running across the forest, they found a road with bandits.

From behind a large bush, Simon and Blue crouched down and observed their prey, who were also hiding behind large bushes by the road.

"Grey, what should we do? These guys spell trouble, I want to gut them." Blue drew a sword from his waist slowly, carefully retrieving it in a way that the bandits would not hear them.

"These guys are just at the Qi Condensation peak stage. Their leader is a 1st layer Foundation Building. You could solo them all if you want." 

"Oh wait, I think I see a carriage coming down the road."

Indeed, there was a carriage coming down the road. A majestic carriage with purple banners and driven by pure white horses. Along with an escort of 10 mounted swordsmen, the convoy was armed to the teeth. Each guard being a peak Qi Condensation expert.

"That Foundation Building bandit might be a problem for those people. Should we take him out?" Blue asked urgently.

"No."

"Why not? They are going to attack that convoy." Blue's n.o.ble intent was obviously showing in the presence of Simon. He was by no mean a saint, but he felt like he had to do something.

"You don't know if those convoy members are good or bad. For all you know, they could belong to a clan of evil murderers who eat human flesh and kidnap other cultivators as blood sacrifices."

"That was oddly specific."

"Because it is true. Purple banners and white horses are used exclusively by a demonic sect in the area. I'd rather let these bandits have a go at the convoy and then strike without having to waste energy. Besides, I want to watch." Simon laid his back on a tree and began having a drink from a cup of tea that wasn't there before.

"How did you-" Blue was looking back and forth, trying to figure out how Simon did that.

"Spatial Storage technique. I can show you later."

"That would be much appreciated."

CLANG CLANG CLANG

HONG

"Looks like the fight has begun"

CLANG

"Hand over your gold and your lives!" A stereotypical bandit yelled.

"Die under my sword!"

CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG

After 5 minutes of watching, the fighting ended.

"Grey, that fight was just boring. The last two guys killed each other with such boring techniques. I have never seen something so slow paced and downright boring. Let's collect our cash and go." And collect the cash they did. 

"Okay, let's continue down the road." Simon walked down the road with Blue for roughly another two hours before a similar even happened.

This time, a group of bandits tried to ambush a small group of white robed youngsters. The bandits had already surrounded them and basically had them within their grasp. With the bandit leader being at the 3rd layer of Foundation building and his lackeys at the first stage, the bandit had essentially won the fight before it even started.

"Hand over the girl and the pretty boy, along with all of your clothes." The bandit leader smirked with a perverted expression.

"That boy can become a good toy for my men. We can sell that girl to a clan as a servant later. Hehe… we are in for a good night boys!"

"Over my dead body!" The leader of the youngsters yelled with a spear drawn and ready. A fierce state of bloodl.u.s.t had consumed his him, prompting him to prepare to fight until death.

"Pretty boy, don't worry, I'll be gentle with you… heheh~" The bandit leader and his lackeys liked their lips in antic.i.p.ation.

"Hey Grey, are these guys from a demonic sect too?" Blue asked from behind a bush.

"Nope. You can help them if you want, just make sure to ask for compensation." Simon reminded Blue that they need money.

In this world, Simon's first task was the collection of funds. Without funds, Simon would not be able to live for long. No money equals no cultivation resources and no food.

"Senior Brother is so cool! He can beat any bandit up with one hit!" A beautiful female youngster yelled at the top of her lungs. With a gaze of admiration, she proclaimed her trust in the leader's strength.

"But unfortunately senior brother never looks at me and only pays attention to other young ladies." Her gaze suddenly turned cold and ruthless.

PUCHI

A dagger was thrusted through a youngster's heart, instantly killing them.

"Xue Er! Why did you kill him?!" The leader yelled as he turned around distraught and confused.

Now only the two of them were left.

"Senior brother only looks at other girls, so I have to do this. I hired these bandits to capture you and do things to you so you will only love me."

"YOU HAVE GONE MAD!!!"

"No, I am just mad that you cheated on me with my grandma."

Simon chuckled from behind the bush along with Blue.

"Lady, the deal is off! We are going to take the spoils and sell you too!" The bandit leader rushed at the two while they were arguing.

"WE HAD A DEAL!!!"

'Pffft!'

'Never make a deal with bandits!'

Simon face-palmed in disappointment, watching over the scene tiredly.

"You can go kill them all." Simon pinched Blue's ear and directed him to go and eliminate the bandits.

This was just too absurd to watch, he simply could not bear it.

"Ahhn~" Blue moaned in pleasure.

"..."

BOOM

With a single kick, Blue was sent flying towards the bandits like a catapult stone, absolutely destroying whatever was in front of him.

BANG

Blue's body slammed into four bandits, killing them on impact.

"Disgusting. PITUI!"

'Who asked you to be a disgusting pervert? I certainly did not. Now go and do something useful!'