Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Chapter 99: Chapter 97: Exchanging for the Foundation Establishment Pill

The grey-feathered sand goose slowly descended, letting out a proud screech.

Huang Feihu heard the sound, gave instructions to the disciple beside him, and went out to greet:

“Senior brother, you’re here. The courtyard is a bit messy, let’s go inside and talk.”

“I’ll take a look around first.”

Ji An walked into the small courtyard, carefully checking the quantity and quality of the talisman paper, nodding in satisfaction.

The craftsmanship of the old masters was slightly better, and the ratio of middle-grade talisman paper was higher.

Huang Feihu grinned and said:

“The quality of the talisman grass is excellent, and the craftsmanship of some senior brothers is quite strong. Everyone says this was their easiest talisman-making session.

Hehe, even if senior brother plants ten more acres of talisman grass, we can still manage.”

Ji An chuckled and said:

“Let’s wait for another opportunity, we’ll talk inside.”

He needed to focus on improving his cultivation for now, but after reaching Foundation Establishment, he could consider planting hundreds of acres of talisman grass.

Given his proficiency in planting techniques, the profits from talisman grass weren’t high, but in partnership with Huang Feihu, it wouldn’t consume much magical power or time.

The two entered the room, and Huang Feihu reported on the talisman grass harvest, also reporting the finished product rate of the talisman paper, excitedly saying:

“If you calculate it this way, once the talisman paper is sold, the number of spirit stones you’ll receive is quite enviable, senior brother.”

“Very good, Feihu, you’ve worked hard. I’ll treat you all to some drinks later,”

Ji An said with a gentle smile; he had previously estimated that there would be a net profit of about 150 pieces of spirit stones every two months.

“I’ve spoken with Senior Brother Wei, and in the future, he will come and purchase the talisman paper every two months; you two coordinate then.”

…

A month later, the sect issued a compulsory mission notice.

In just a few days, the prices of Five Elements Spiritual Objects began to surge across the marketplaces of the Western Continent and Cyan Cloud Immortal City.

On this day, Ji An received a Communication Talisman Sword from his master, summoning him and his senior sister to the grotto mansion at the mountain top.

Upon entering the grotto mansion, the two respectfully greeted:

“Greetings, Master.”

Ge Ying nodded slightly, pointing to two magical artifacts and a storage bag on the table:

“The sect has negotiated with the Cyan Bamboo Mountain Marketplace, and after meticulous investigation, we also found three other unsolved cases related to that tribulation cultivator.

After killing that Foundation Establishment stage tribulation cultivator, the reward you obtained was four hundred spirit stones.

However, since the artifact refining shop was rented by the other party, the sect took a portion of the artifact refining materials they found during the investigation and decided to reward each of you with 2,000 contribution points. Remember to collect it from the Law Enforcement Hall.”

Receiving both spirit stones and contribution points made the two of them beyond happy.

Ji An cupped his hands and said, “Thank you, Master. If not for your help, we wouldn’t have been able to reap such benefits.”

“It’s a minor matter,” Ge Ying waved her hand and asked:

“Have you been diligent in reading the Hundred Herbs Scripture recently?”

“I make sure to study it for half an hour every day; I’ve already memorized the properties and cultivation methods of over a hundred kinds of spirit plants suitable for Qi Refining cultivators,”

Ji An said, thanks to the spiritual qi’s nourishment, cultivators had excellent memory, making it easy to learn objective knowledge.

“Once you have memorized the cultivation methods of all Tier One Spirit Medicines, remember to come find me.

Also, having comprehended the Magic Intent of the Thick Earth Technique, you’ll receive double contribution points for managing the medicinal garden starting this month.”

“Thank you for your immense kindness, Master,” Ji An’s smile grew wider. Now, managing the medicinal garden earned him four hundred contribution points each month.

“It’s what you deserve; comprehending the Magic Intent of the Thick Earth Technique allows you to upgrade the spirit field faster, significantly speeding up the medicinal age accumulation of Tier One Spirit Medicines.

By the way, the prices of Five Elements Spiritual Objects have risen quite a bit, but don’t sell your stock.

Other forces are pushing the price up behind the scenes; the prices of spiritual objects can still rise, so let’s wait a few more months and see.”

“I understand,”

Ji An said with a smile. All of his stock was composed of the Five Elements Essence, bulk goods within the major sects. Due to their high output and usage, a 30% increase was practically skyrocketing.

If they rose further, he might gather enough contribution points to exchange for the Foundation Establishment Pill this year; such thoughts barely concealed his excitement.

Ge Ying turned her gaze to another side and asked:

“Lingyu, how is your Divine Sense training going lately?”

Li Lingyu nodded vigorously, smiling:

“I can clearly feel that after experiencing combat with Foundation Establishment cultivators, the training effects have improved a bit.”

“Life-and-death battles can stimulate a cultivator’s potential. Experiencing this kind of combat for the first time will easily yield such effects, but the effects will significantly diminish the second time around.”

Ge Ying offered guidance on both of their cultivations, and when they had no further questions, she waved her hand and said:

“You may leave now. I still need to rest and continue refining elixirs later.”

The sect was preparing for the upcoming demon calamity, leaving her with a heavy alchemy workload.

“Disciple takes their leave,”

the two said as they left the grotto mansion. Li Lingyu remarked:

“Junior brother, now that the magical artifacts are back, let’s find Senior Brother Zhang for an appraisal; it’s also time for him to return the spirit stones he promised.”

“Alright,” Ji An agreed, and the two flew together to Red Copper Mountain.

After finding Zhang Yuanshan, his appraisal of the Yellow Banner Magical Artifact was around 300 spirit stones.

“The Dharma Prohibition is rough, causing a waste of materials. If I were to refine it, the magical artifact’s value could increase by about fifty spirit stones,”

Ji An once again appreciated the profoundness of the sect’s Artifact Refining Inheritance, reflecting on how knowledge truly was wealth.

He took out the Flying Sword and handed it to the other party:

“Senior Brother, please consign this top-grade Magical Artifact here with you.”

Zhang Yuanshan inspected the quality of the Magical Artifact and showed a troubled expression, smiling bitterly:

“Generally, cultivators who use top-grade Magical Artifacts are early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators. The quality of this Fire Attribute Flying Sword is average, and sect cultivators might not be interested. It’s a waste of the Red Fire Crystal added to the artifact.”

“Let it be here with Senior Brother for now. If it still hasn’t sold after a couple of years, we’ll come to retrieve it.”

Li Lingyu replied. She and her Junior Brother were ordered by their master to stay within the sect with no chance to go out and sell.

“Alright, but don’t hold out too much hope.”

Zhang Yuanshan agreed, and instructed an attendant to bring up the repaired Magical Artifact, taking out a pile of Spirit Stones:

“The Magical Artifact was severely damaged; the repair cost is fifty Spirit Stones. Here are the Spirit Stones I owe you, Junior Brother, please count them.”

…

A year later, in the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.

The disciple on duty placed Ji An’s Identity Jade Token on the Spirit Disc and checked the amount of Five Elements Essence he submitted, saying:

“Senior Brother, you’re at Ninth-Layer Qi Refining, and the amount is just right. You’ve completed this year’s mandatory task and earned 500 Contribution Points.”

“Thank you,” Ji An nodded slightly and asked:

“How many Contribution Points do I currently have?”

“7600 plus Contribution Points.”

Ji An took out 27 Middle-grade Spirit Stones from his Storage Bag and placed them on the table, speaking casually:

“Please help me convert these into Contribution Points.”

In the past six months, he sold all the Five Elements Spirit Essence he had saved up, earning 4200 pieces back from an initial investment of 3000 Spirit Stones, almost a 50% profit, making quite a fortune.

He returned the Spirit Stones borrowed from his master and now, after converting them to Foundation Establishment Pills, he still had more than 900 Spirit Stones left, making him extremely wealthy.

The disciple on duty swallowed inadvertently at the sight of the Spirit Aura-laden Middle-grade Spirit Stones, taking them quickly and operating the Spirit Disc, then handed over the Jade Token with both hands:

“Congratulations, Senior Brother Ji! Your Contribution Points are now at 61725 points, Elder Tian is upstairs.”

What can a Ninth-Layer Qi Refining disciple do by exchanging a large number of Contribution Points? Of course, it’s to exchange for Foundation Establishment Pills.

Perhaps a few years later when they meet, he will bow and call the other party Martial Uncle.

“Congratulations as well.”

Ji An took the Jade Token, walked upstairs, and saw the chubby Tian Qingbai.

Similar to last time, the other party was sipping tea from a small Zisha teapot.

“Junior Martial Uncle Tian, I am Ji An from the Ningcui Cliff branch. Please assist me in exchanging for Foundation Establishment Pills.”

After introducing himself, Ji An placed his Jade Token in front of the other party.

“Ji An? I remember you!”

Tian Qingbai recalled the name and seriously examined Ji An, matching the name with the person.

The reason he remembered was that before he sent the list of Spirit Stone receiving disciples to the Senior Brothers, he received reports from Ningcui Cliff that Senior Sister Ge had taken this ’Ji An’ as a disciple.

He picked up the Jade Token, deducted sixty thousand Contribution Points from the Spirit Disc, and placed several Jade Slips on his forehead, saying:

“Okay, I’ve entered the information.

When the sect refines Foundation Establishment Pills next time, you can come to collect them, that is to say, wait another eight years, and come before mid-summer.

Oh, oh, eight years later, I will call you Junior Brother Ji.”

In the sect, apart from master-disciple relations, it’s customary to rank based on cultivation.

“Thanks for the auspicious words from Martial Uncle.”

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while, and Ji An took his leave.

Tian Qingbai watched him leave, a gleam in his eyes.

Eight years later he’ll only be thirty-two, and if he successfully establishes, his future would still be promising. Will this guy hold a grudge about the Spirit Stones I took?

He shook his head, thinking:

“Just a few Spirit Stones, can make it up after he establishes.”

…

While Ji An was exchanging for Foundation Establishment Pills, Li Lingyu was waiting outside the grotto mansion at Ningcui Cliff’s summit.

The Dharma Prohibition opened up a portal, and she took a deep breath, stepped inside:

“Greetings, Master.”

A few days ago, she felt that continuing to train her Divine Sense would make little progress, so she sought her master’s advice concerning her plans.

Today her master had refined the Foundation Establishment Pill and notified her to collect it.

Ge Ying nodded slightly, took out a White Jade Bottle:

“Inside is a high-quality Foundation Establishment Pill, take it and use it.

Your natural aptitude is close to top-grade, with the help of a high-quality pill, the success rate of Foundation Establishment increases by another ten percent.”

Pills refined by Alchemists are categorized into three kinds: those with insufficient medicinal properties and high toxicity are called Wasted Pills, typically discarded directly.

Those with adequate medicinal properties and lower toxicity are normal pills, known as Genuine Grade, which circulate mainly in the market.

If Celestial Time and harmony are present, Alchemists can produce pills with self-generated pill patterns, such pills are deemed high-quality, possessing greater medicinal properties and minimal toxicity.

“Master’s great kindness, disciple has nothing to repay.”

The Foundation Establishment Pills exchanged from the sect were only Genuine Grade, and the high-quality ones that further increase success rates weren’t available to her.

Li Lingyu was somewhat choked up, knowing she had the lowest aptitude among her master’s many disciples, with Divine Sense strength being mediocre and not outstanding. She often worried that a single Foundation Establishment Pill wouldn’t suffice, but the high-quality Foundation Establishment Pill greatly boosted her confidence.