The great master was sitting and meditating. His hand was holding beads and chanting spells.

The spells of his was shining a golden light through the bead.

Xiao Jing-Mi did not want to disturb him. He was only standing there looking at the great master.

The great master was sixty years old. Two black eyebrows with a pair of  flashing eyes while wearing a white robe. Though he was meditating, his waist was straight like a pen.

Then, the great master lifted his head up.

“Xiao Jing-Mi, I am going to collect rents in the village. You come with me too so go get ready. We have to stay in the village for two days.”

Xiao Jing-Mi startled.

“Master, rent collecting is not our job. Why did they send us to do so?”

“This is not for you to ask. Go.”

“Sure, master.”

“There will be some merchants visiting the village these days. You can bring your wild fruits and vegetables and other food to sell to them.”

Xiao Jing-Mi was really in joy, merchant! In West Gate there was really hard to find any merchant. In fact they would be there only in autumn so the merchants would go into the village and selling goods.

Going to maple forest village was a joy to him.

Xiao Jing-Mi went to his room and packed all his things. He packed two bags full of his mountain goods.

There were so many people went there. The great master leaded in front with other disciples. Xiao Jing-Mi was sitting down in the cart.

Thanks to the West Gate so the maple forest village could exist. All the soils were from West Gate. Every year, they had to collect rents from the villagers.

West Gate training was not only collecting rents, but also protecting the villagers. There were so many wolf packs and fierce tigers and lions in winter so they had to protect the villagers.

Every spring years, they would go to cultivate a new planting soil for them to plant.

Every autumn when the crops ripe, the villagers would harvest all of it.

Below the mountain in West Gate was another mountain. There was a small river flowing in the mountain. Pa.s.s through a big forest of maple and the maple forest village was there.

Eight carts were on the way. It would take an hour or more and they would arrived at the village.

The maple forest village’s gate was planted a thousand years of ancient maple trees.

The old village hear brought a bunch of young men to welcome them.

“Thank you the great master for the hard work. Thank you for everyone.”

The crowd went along with the cart and went inside the village. They arrived at the head’s house.

The village head’s house was the biggest in the village. He had a front yard and a backyard. A total of two bedrooms. In the middle was the central hall, a barn, and a two darkroom. His front yard was so huge.

The front yard was used to collect rents. Eight carts went inside and there was so many fodders for the ox to eat.

The mountain goods were all moved into the barn. They had to wait for the merchants so they could sell the goods.

The head village asked his man to place a big table in the front yard. He prepared for a feast.

Xiao Jing-Mi sat down in front of the dining table with the other masters. For them, the food in the maple forest village was more delicious than in the West Gate. Poor Xiao Jing-Mi, he had lived for thirteen years and never once had a great meal. This was thanks to the great master’s help.

White steamed bun, and noodles with a drop of chili oil, and some chopped licks with eggplants, fried tofu and other vegetable. These was no food like that in the West Gate.

They were all having their feast.

The great master was eating slowly. He only ate two steamed buns. He looked at the others and coughed a bit. They all realized but all of these food was hard to resist.

Xiao Jing-Mi quickly realized it. This was not good for their training. Of course he did not know if he could resist a good meal.

It was evening and the time to collect rents. All the goods were placed on the tables and measured well