The Programmer Cultivator

Chapter 68: Chapter 66: Dividing the Treasure

As for the mounted Spirit Nurturing Technique, it still had zero Experience Points.

That’s right, zero!

Previously, when Zhang Deming had seen that the Skill only had a maximum of two Experience Points, he had a bad feeling.

He had still hoped that successfully casting the Spirit Nurturing Technique once would grant him one point of skill proficiency.

However, Zhang Deming later confirmed that a Skill mounted on the Cultivation script *did* display Experience Points.

But, dammit, its growth also consumed Qi Fortune, not skill proficiency.

In other words, to level up the Skill, he still needed two white light balls.

He had been too short on the light balls before. Plus, a single cast cost seventy percent of his Spiritual Power, and his Spirit Nurturing Technique was already sufficient, so Zhang Deming hadn’t wasted any Qi Fortune Light Balls.

He was afraid that if he upgraded it, it would consume even more Spiritual Power, rendering the Spirit Nurturing Technique unusable.

’Now that I’m an Advanced Apprentice, I can give it a try. Or I could just wait until I reach the Tai Chi Stage.’

He shook his head, pushing these thoughts aside.

Zhang Deming surveyed his surroundings. The stone chamber was very simple, aside from the somewhat exquisitely designed stone platform.

Now that Zhang Deming and Pei Xiaoxiao had absorbed all the mist, the entire room had become clear.

The empty room was about fifty square meters.

Other than the stone platform in the very center, there were several meditation cushions in the four corners, which looked like spots for Cultivation.

The rest of the space was decorated with a few stone carvings, keeping it from looking too bare.

As Zhang Deming was examining the room, Pei Xiaoxiao opened her eyes.

Zhang Deming glanced at her. ’Well now, an Intermediate Apprentice brimming with Spiritual Qi. She’s just one step away from a breakthrough.’

’If I bring her back, as long as her Spirit Root isn’t too poor, she’ll probably be highly valued. After all, she’s only sixteen and has been cultivating for less than a year.’

’Which also means more side income for me.’

”Senior Brother, I think I’m about to break through!” Pei Xiaoxiao said in pleasant surprise.

Zhang Deming nodded, acknowledging her words.

The two of them walked to the stone platform in the center of the room and looked at the two pieces of jade in the depression at its core.

’What’s this?’

Zhang Deming lowered his head and studied them for a long time before reaching out to pick one up. The jade was slightly warm to the touch.

A warm current flowed from his hands into his heart, making Zhang Deming feel pleasantly warm all over.

”Warm Sun Jade?!!!”

Zhang Deming was extremely excited after recognizing the item.

”What’s Warm Sun Jade, Senior Brother?” Pei Xiaoxiao asked, confused.

”A precious main material for promotion!” Zhang Deming took a deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and looked at Pei Xiaoxiao’s confused face before explaining:

”After an Advanced Apprentice’s Cultivation reaches its peak, they need to begin preparing for promotion to the Tai Chi Stage.

”This promotion is different from the breakthroughs during the Apprentice Stage. Besides the factor of one’s Cultivation level, you also need to use a Technique as a foundation to condense a Rune Core.

”Of course, this Technique can be a Secret Level Low Grade Tier One Technique, or a Secret Level Mid Grade Tier Two Technique.

”It depends on what Techniques you have learned, or are capable of learning.

”This choice more or less determines your starting point.

”After all, once this Technique is condensed into a Rune Core, it will be strengthened to a certain degree. Moreover, using it will be like a Talent—no complex hand seals required.

”Furthermore, because of the high difficulty of learning Techniques, Tier Two and higher Techniques are often very hard to master.

”Therefore, many people will focus on this Core Technique, study it carefully, and develop all sorts of new applications, not limiting themselves to its original form.

”It’s like my Growth Technique. Originally, it was only for accelerating growth, but now I’ve found other ways to use it.

”Even for those with great Talent who choose not to develop it further and instead learn more Tier Two Techniques, most will still use this core as a ’trunk’ and choose related, complementary Techniques to branch out.

”Therefore, the choice of this Core Technique can be said to define your path of Cultivation.

”Once you’ve selected and learned the Technique, you combine it with several materials to add Spirituality and construct the Tai Chi Rune Core.

”Only with this as your foundation can you complete the promotion.

”Because of this, the breakthrough from Cultivator Apprentice to the Tai Chi Stage is also called Foundation Establishment.

”And this Warm Sun Jade is a key material for constructing the Core Rune for Fire Control and other fire-based Techniques.

”A single piece of this jade is worth roughly seventy to one hundred Spirit Stones.

”If someone is in urgent need of it, the price can even approach one hundred and twenty.”

’A huge fortune of seventy or eighty Spirit Stones... that’s seventy or eighty years of struggling on Little Qing Mountain!’

’Two pieces would be over one hundred, nearly two hundred Spirit Stones! More importantly, since it’s a main material for promotion, you can’t necessarily buy it even if you have the Spirit Stones.’

’Often, people will only trade it for other main materials they need.’

This made Zhang Deming’s eyes burn with desire. It wasn’t his fault; he was used to pinching every single Spirit Stone all year round.

Suddenly coming across such a Precious Level Tier One main material would be a test for anyone.

At this moment, upon hearing Zhang Deming’s words, Pei Xiaoxiao’s expression changed. The greedy look didn’t appear; instead, a maturity that didn’t match her age flashed across her innocent face.

Looking at Zhang Deming, who was obviously showing his desire, she quickly said, ”Senior Brother, I don’t understand any of this. You should hurry up and put them away.”

Zhang Deming was slightly taken aback. He turned to see Pei Xiaoxiao, who showed no trace of her usual money-grubbing self. This was completely out of character for her.

With just a moment of thought, Zhang Deming understood why.

’This little loli seems carefree, but she’s quite clear-headed when it matters.’

’It seems she’s been through her fair share of trials of human nature and worldly hardships over the years.’

’To be able to restrain her instincts so quickly at such a young age... she must have quite a story. It must have been hard for her.’

”Heh, what’s wrong? Afraid your Senior Brother will kill you to silence you?” Zhang Deming said with a faint smile.

With Zhang Deming’s words, the topic was brought out into the open, and Pei Xiaoxiao’s tense body suddenly relaxed quite a bit.

Zhang Deming continued, ”You’re underestimating your Senior Brother a little, aren’t you? A few dozen Spirit Stones is a lot, a real windfall.

”But it’s not enough to make me abandon my bottom line as a person.”

’Besides, I didn’t even mention that I can make about five Spirit Stones per Spirit Nurturing Bead now.’

’Forget seventy or eighty Spirit Stones; even a hundred is only twenty Spirit Nurturing Beads. At most, it’s just one or two months of grinding.’

’Oh, wait!’

’One or two months was before. Now that I’m an Advanced Apprentice, the time should be cut by three to five times. It would take half a month at most.’

The reason he had been so full of desire earlier was because he had been living so frugally, and also because it was a main material for promotion.

Once he returned and started accumulating wealth again, while eighty or a hundred Spirit Stones was a lot, it wasn’t enough to turn on a companion for.

Only when Zhang Deming finished speaking did Pei Xiaoxiao completely relax.

She took the Warm Sun Jade from Zhang Deming’s hand and hugged it to her chest, her face a picture of avarice and bliss.

Zhang Deming shook his head, took the other piece, and said, ”One for each of us. A fair split.”

’This isn’t me being generous,’ he thought. ’Strictly speaking, she’s the one who led us to all of this.’

’Besides, Pei Xiaoxiao has pulled her weight the entire way here.’

’Considering our current relationship, we’re a team now, after a fashion. A reasonable distribution of loot is the bare minimum for teamwork, right?’