The Programmer Cultivator

Chapter 66: Chapter 64: Processing

CRACK! With a crisp sound, the boulder was crushed under the Shocking Water Snake’s head. At the same time, Pei Xiaoxiao’s blade sank hilt-deep into the snake’s lower jaw.

Almost instantly, blood gushed from the giant snake’s jaw. While the blow wasn’t fatal, the snake was undeniably grievously wounded.

The Shocking Water Snake raised its head, its eyes unnervingly human-like, filled with savagery, ruthlessness, and a boundless madness.

It made no attempt to flee. Instead, it turned its head to look at Pei Xiaoxiao, and at Zhang Deming, who was now strolling out from the poisonous mist.

”What’s wrong? All fired up? It’s no use, though,” Zhang Deming said lightly.

”Bye-bye!” Pei Xiaoxiao added with a smile, even giving a friendly wave.

Before the Shocking Water Snake could make a move, the wound beneath its head, which had been gushing blood, slowly stopped bleeding.

Something seemed to be squirming within the wound.

The Shocking Water Snake froze. Before it could react, blood-red Vines erupted from the wound.

The Vines not only burst from its body but also grew rampantly within.

They rapidly threaded through its body. Some snaked down its esophagus and into its belly, while others followed its bloodstream into its heart and brain.

After a moment of stiffness, the Shocking Water Snake began to thrash violently on the ground, but with the attack coming from within, its struggles were futile.

After a long while, its thrashing grew weaker and weaker.

Finally, the Vines reached its heart and brain at almost the same instant.

As the Vines churned within, the struggling Shocking Water Snake’s body stiffened one last time before going completely limp.

Looking at the dead Shocking Water Snake, the two of them let out a long sigh of relief.

Demon Beasts being stronger than humans of the same rank was a common phenomenon, at least in the early stages.

And this Shocking Water Snake, being a giant, was an even clearer example.

That the two of them managed to kill it was not just due to luck; it was mainly because both Zhang Deming and Pei Xiaoxiao were highly proficient in their Techniques and had worked together seamlessly.

Zhang Deming looked at the dead Shocking Water Snake and began his explanation, ”Generally, an Apprentice Stage Demon Beast is worth between three and five Spirit Stones.

Roughly speaking, a Junior Apprentice-level beast is one Spirit Stone, an Intermediate Apprentice is three, and an Advanced Apprentice is five.

Of course, that’s if you sell it as a whole package.

If you part it out, depending on your business savvy, you can increase the profit by fifty to one hundred percent.

This Shocking Water Snake is an Intermediate Apprentice Demon Beast. Because it’s a giant, it would normally be worth about three and a half Spirit Stones.

However, we were hard-pressed just to kill it, so we couldn’t afford to be careful about preserving the integrity of its parts.

Its heart is completely destroyed, making it much harder to refine its Essence Blood.

Plus, I haven’t learned the Fire Control Technique, so I can’t process it on the spot.

So for the Essence Blood, we can probably only salvage the Snake Marrow and take it back to be refined.

Typically, for Essence Blood, seventy percent is in the marrow and thirty percent is in the blood.

So, from this Shocking Water Snake, we’ll get seventy percent of the Essence Blood at most. The meat is usually a big part of the haul, but it looks like we can’t take it with us.

The Snake Bone and Snake Skin, while they look huge, can be processed. They also have a natural ability to shrink, so we might just be able to take them with us. Otherwise, I can process them into raw materials right here.”

As Zhang Deming looked at the dead Shocking Water Snake and expertly rattled off its value, Pei Xiaoxiao, being a complete newbie, listened obediently.

”So, to sum up, due to various factors like the combat damage, packing, and processing, this snake carcass, originally worth three and a half Spirit Stones...

...will only yield about one and a half Spirit Stones’ worth of loot.

Well, to be precise, to me it’s worth 1.7 Spirit Stones, but to you, it’s 1.5 at most.

So we’ll have to value it at 1.5. How should we split it?”

After listening to all that, Pei Xiaoxiao asked in astonishment, ”This massive thing is only worth one and a half Spirit Stones?”

Zhang Deming chuckled. ”If you could haul this entire pile of meat back to the Sect, it might be worth another half a stone or so.

For giant creatures, the sheer volume of meat is one of the most valuable parts.

Normally, for pythons, the gallbladder is also very valuable.

But this is a Poisonous Python, so I’m guessing its gallbladder is worthless.”

Pei Xiaoxiao asked, confused, ”Why? Aren’t all snake gallbladders the same?”

Zhang Deming smiled. ”I’ve heard it’s a Bloodline issue. When a snake is to Transform into a Dragon, its gallbladder becomes the Dragon Bead.

In other words, most pythons have the potential to Transform into a Dragon, and their gallbladder is the prototype for the future Dragon Bead.

Therefore, the gallbladder contains a very mysterious form of Energy.

But most venomous snakes lack this Bloodline.”

Pei Xiaoxiao said, ”But aren’t there Poisonous Dragons in the legends?”

Zhang Deming chuckled. ”You’re asking me? How should I know? Besides, Poisonous Dragons are extremely rare, so a venomous snake that could transform into one would be even rarer.

You’re actually hoping this snake had that Bloodline?”

He shook his head, dropping the subject.

Pei Xiaoxiao looked at the snake’s carcass, a look of indignation on her little money-grubbing face. She said:

”A snake this big... just the meat alone would sell for dozens of taels of silver. Why is it only worth one and a half Spirit Stones? That makes no sense.”

Zhang Deming nearly stumbled. He turned to look at Pei Xiaoxiao. ”Meat worth one and a half Spirit Stones, and you’re comparing that to a few dozen taels of silver?

Who’s the one who doesn’t make sense? Do you have any idea how valuable Spirit Stones are?”

Pei Xiaoxiao asked doubtfully, ”Are they that valuable?”

”They’re more valuable than you can possibly imagine. Let me put it this way: I, your senior brother, have worked my butt off for ten years to earn just ten Spirit Stones.

If I’d spent those same ten years of hard work earning gold instead, I’d have enough to bury you in it.

And mark my words, that’s gold, not silver.

If it were silver, it would be enough to bury that rundown shack of yours.”

Pei Xiaoxiao was stunned. ”They’re *that* valuable?”

Zhang Deming shook his head again. ”It’s not about being ’valuable.’ Spirit Stones *are* the currency!”

The money-grubbing glint returned to Pei Xiaoxiao’s eyes. Zhang Deming had the feeling she was evolving right before him—from a common money-grubber into a Spirit Stone-grubber.

Ignoring her, Zhang Deming walked over to the giant snake’s carcass. ”Alright, let’s get to it. Skinning, deboning, and butchering. If we’re quick, we should be done by noon.”

At that, the Vines at the snake’s head stirred, pulling out a dagger and presenting it to Pei Xiaoxiao.

The promise of a reward made Pei Xiaoxiao work with exceptional vigor.

With Zhang Deming directing his Vines and Pei Xiaoxiao assisting, the two of them efficiently processed the dozen-meter-long snake before noon.

The three most valuable parts—the Snake Bone, Snake Skin, and Snake Marrow—were set to one side.

Several tons of snake meat were piled up on the other side.

Staring at the tender-looking pink meat, Pei Xiaoxiao asked, ”Senior Brother, could you help me move all this meat into the cave?”

Zhang Deming glanced at her. ”You don’t actually plan to hoard all this and eat it, do you?”

”Why not?” Pei Xiaoxiao replied. ”We could smoke it overnight. With your Vines helping, we’d be finished by tomorrow at the latest.”

Zhang Deming shook his head. ”Just throw it out, or give it to the people in Qingshui Town. This snake meat doesn’t taste good.

It’s not as tender as it looks. It’s tough and chewy, almost like you’re gnawing on bones.

Besides, you don’t have to live like this anymore.

You’re coming back to the Sect with me. Talented Disciples from the Peripheral Noble Families are unconditionally accepted into the Sect for training.

I don’t know what allowed you to reach Enlightenment Introduction in a single day...

...but as long as you can cultivate normally, it proves you have a Spirit Root of at least fifteen points.

Coupled with the fact that you’re already an Intermediate Apprentice who knows a Technique, you’ll be able to enter the Outer Sect directly.”