Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Ji An rode on the clouds, diligently practicing the Geng Metal Spirit-Slaying Sword.

This was to practice multitasking, controlling the flight and attacking simultaneously.

The golden light sometimes gathered like a flying waterfall, descending majestically; at other times, it was like fine cow hair, threading through every gap.

The air seemed to cool significantly, giving rise to a chill.

In his hands, the magic technique could flow as mighty rivers or become as subtle as fine dust, with changes born from his mind.

The Geng Metal Spirit-Slaying Sword had more of a sense of extinction than previous Metal Element Techniques, a new feature on the Path of Gold.

Ji An realized the desolate and murderous nature of autumn from it, and that death is the ultimate destination of all life.

All things fall silent, thus extinction.

The moisture in the air turned into tiny ice particles, which, before falling, were shattered by the golden light, like white dust being picked up by a strong wind.

Unknowingly, the cold moon shone.

Ji An’s eyebrows were sharp as knives; he performed the spell of the Geng Metal Spirit-Slaying Sword again, with golden lotuses blooming in his pupils.

The golden lotuses spun and flew into the distance, exploding like brilliant fireworks, dazzling and deadly, captivating the moonlight.

As the radiance faded and returned to silence, snowflakes gently fell from above, each crystal clear.

He closed his eyes, savoring the insights he just gained.

[Magic Technique: Geng Metal Spirit-Slaying Sword (Perfection 23%→32%)]

Gaining some insights, Ji An smiled slightly, he performed the spell to use the Earth Escape Technique to reach the entrance of the grotto mansion.

A magic array guarded the grotto mansion, preventing the Earth Escape Technique from penetrating, halting him there.

He opened the Dharma Prohibition to enter the Secret Vault, taking out a Tier Two Middle-grade Spiritual Peach, red as fire, and went into the Quiet Chamber, sitting cross-legged on the pudun.

Once he established the Fire Mansion, consuming Fire Element Spirit Fruit could fully absorb the contained Power of the Fire Spirit.

Ji An took a bite of the spiritual peach, the warm juice sliding down his throat, spreading warmth in his abdomen, then to his arms and fingertips.

After eating the spirit fruit, he immediately circulated the Fire Mansion Chapter of the Five Elements Reincarnation Scripture.

The energy contained in the spirit fruit was swiftly refined, his heart beating strongly and robustly, its golden patterns shining clearly.

His blood seemed to heat up as white mist evaporated from his pores.

To Ji An, this cultivation technique resembled more an Inner Refining Method.

The body as the furnace, vital energy and magical power as the fuel, achieving rapid magic refinement.

As the technique circulated, the flesh and juice of the spiritual peach transformed into magical power and crimson radiance, the power flowed into the Dantian, with the Stone Turtle devouring a tenth, and the Primordial Life Fire another tenth.

The Primordial Life Fire’s outer flames burned brightly, gaining another shadow layer, with strands of crimson light absorbed partly by the Bingding Fire Dao Seed in the acupoints, the rest by the Fire Mansion core.

Nighttime was not suitable for cultivating Fire Mansion Technique, but refining the spiritual peach was unhindered.

Maintaining one spiritual peach a day would significantly accelerate his cultivation and strengthen the Divine Mansion core far beyond other cultivators who have opened a Fire Mansion.

In his liver, a few drops of Wood Element Spirit Liquid emerged, most flowing into the Dantian to bolster the Primordial Life Fire.

The remainder flowed into the heart, absorbed by the Divine Mansion core.

Ji An replenished his magical power, steeping a cup of Jade Dew Golden Bud.

Drinking the strong tea, a refreshing sensation diffused in his Sea of Consciousness.

The main trunk of the Ghost Moon Cyan Jade Tree was as thick as a barrel, yielding eighteen pounds and nine ounces of spirit tea this year, now he drank with great pride.

The divine sense expended through practicing magic rapidly recovered, while the spirit soul was nourished.

When the spirit tea no longer had flavor, Ji An sat cross-legged again, circulating magical power to open the Earth Element Divine Mansion.

Magical power flowed from the Dantian, pouring into the spleen, which glowed with yellow spirit light, lustrous as yellow jade.

Silence ensued through the night.

The next morning, after consuming Sunrise Qi, Ji An hurriedly teleported to Ningcui Cliff.

He entered the grotto mansion, chatted briefly with his mentor, then left quickly, riding a fiery auspicious cloud straight to Sunrise Peak.

While riding the cloud and flying, he practiced the Geng Metal Spirit-Slaying Sword, a master of time management, wasting no second.

Along the mountain forests, disciples gazed at the flying fire cloud, eyes filled with longing.

Riding clouds was exclusive to cultivators above the Chao Origin Stage, the ultimate life goal of most disciples.

The red auspicious cloud, bright as dawn, descended in front of the Treasure Pavilion, and Ji An dashed into the hall, fetching two jars of Tier Two Middle-grade Pine Nut Wine:

“Senior Brother, I’ve come to see you.”

He never came empty-handed to the Treasure Pavilion, and this spirit wine was always graciously accepted, often gaining him favors.

Jia Yu took the wine jar, broke the sealing mud, and inhaled deeply, smiling knowingly:

“The quality of the spirit wine from Red Flame Peak has never disappointed.”

Cheerfully, he performed the Water Control Technique, filling the gourd with wine.

Ji An sat in the chair, chuckling:

“Senior Sister Ge informed me to come yesterday, I wonder what business you have for me? Feel free to instruct.”

“Of course it’s good news, the ancestor has decreed that each year you can exchange five more Vermilion Bird Flame Grass Pills.”

Jia Yu handed over the red jade bottle on the table:

“Knowing you’d come today, I prepared in advance.

The ancestor’s special batch of five, plus the five you asked me to buy, totaling ten pills.”

He took out a wooden box, “There are also twenty trays of Soul Incense, all yours.”

“With the ancestor’s grace, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude.”

Ji An accepted the jade bottle and wooden box, counting them, nodding:

“The pills and the count are spot on.”

He put the Jade Bottle into the Storage Bag and took out the Identity Jade Token to hand over.

Jia Yu placed the Jade Token on the Spirit Disc and muttered:

“Junior Brother, as a Core Disciple, you enjoy the treatment, and the exchange price for each Vermilion Bird Flame Grass Pill is one thousand Small Merit, with each tray of Soul Incense costing one Small Merit.

A deduction of twelve thousand Small Merit from you, leaving a balance of three hundred sixty thousand Small Merit.”

Non-core disciples need to pay an additional one hundred Small Merit to exchange for Vermilion Bird Flame Grass Pills.

He sighed and said:

“Three hundred sixty thousand Small Merit. My Small Merit never exceeded eighty thousand.

You, on the other hand, have accumulated so much in just a few years. Almost no cultivators in the sect can compare to you.”

Ji An grinned and said:

“With so much Small Merit, Brother, why not help me exchange it for resources?”

The Small Merit he held in his hand increased faster than he could spend it.

Jia Yu shook his head, “Junior Brother, don’t make things difficult for me. The stock that Luofeng Valley cultivators hold likely cannot meet your needs.

To consume so much Small Merit, you’ll have to wait until the Merchant Flying Ship from the Central Continent arrives in over ten years.”

Facing such a fellow Junior Brother who could earn Small Merit, he felt both joy and worry.

The joy was that the Treasure Pavilion was greatly enriched, the worry was that each meeting he would be reminded once.

Ji An waved his hand, then gently patted the Storage Bag:

“Just kidding, having more Pill and Soul Incense supplies is all thanks to your care, Brother.

By the way, do you know Senior Sister Han Yan’s progress in researching the new Pill Formula?

If she develops a pill that can replace the Vermilion Bird Flame Grass Pill a day earlier, the sect’s cultivators will benefit.”

The Vermilion Bird Flame Grass Pill’s ingredients are seven hundred-year-old Vermilion Bird Grass and dozens of six hundred-year-old Spirit Medicine.

To cultivate this kind of Fire Spirit Grass to seven hundred years requires the sect to spend nearly a hundred years.

Some Medicinal Gardens in Ningcui Cliff are planted with such Spirit Grass.

If he were to do the planting, it certainly wouldn’t take as long, because other cultivators use the Flame Fire Spell.

The Flame Fire Spell, a Qi Refining Stage Magic Technique, is worlds apart compared to the Zhurong Divine Fire Spell.

Jia Yu said softly:

“A few days ago, Junior Sister Han and I received orders to visit Luofeng Valley; she mentioned the research is not going smoothly.

The drug power of Vermilion Bird Flame Grass Pill’s many ingredients is strong, and Spirit Medicines contain abundant Power of the Fire Spirit after years of growth.

The medicinal power of Tier Two Middle-grade Pine Nuts can be enhanced through extracting Divine Essence.

However, the Fire Spirit Power within is too scarce, which is difficult to resolve.”

He lowered his voice and continued:

“Junior Sister Han privately said that this alone deadlocks her research progress.

Perhaps Tier Two Middle-grade Pine Nuts cannot serve as a main ingredient.

She is already shifting her focus, investigating which auxiliary medicine Pine Nuts can replace the Vermilion Bird Flame Grass Pill with.”

Ji An slightly furrowed his brow; researching a Pill Formula is indeed a daunting task.

The Chao Origin Stage Pill demands sufficient Five Elements Power; otherwise, it cannot enlarge the Divine Mansion’s core.

Pine Nuts have a maturity period of only one year, and the Fire Spirit Power they contain is extremely weak.

Thus, even Tier Two Upper-grade Pine Nuts cannot meet Alchemy requirements, though Tier Two Top-grade Pine Nuts might be sufficient.

“Looks like I’ll have to quickly enhance my cultivation by consuming Spirit Fruit.”

The Spiritual Peach in Red Flame Peak is abundant and large enough to meet the minimum requirements for Alchemy.

However, since the auxiliary ingredients are insufficient, it seems the only way to improve oneself is through consumption.

Jia Yu took a sip of Spirit Wine and said:

“Junior Brother’s conditions for empowering the Fire Element Divine Mansion are much stronger than other Senior Brothers.

With Pill scarcity and no other methods, everyone slowly elevates through daily accumulation.”

The Tier Two Medium-grade Fire Spirit Fruit in Red Flame Peak can fully satisfy the needs here.

The two chatted for a while, then Ji An took his leave.

He needed to return to Red Flame Peak, making the best use of daytime for Cultivation Method and elevating cultivation.

…

The next evening, Ji An left the Agricultural Hall, sailing through the Medicinal Garden in Ningcui Cliff on clouds as today was his day to cast spells.

Finally, he arrived at the Grotto Mansion atop the mountain, greeted his master, and walked into the Medicinal Garden, releasing different spell combinations according to the Spirit Medicine planted in different areas.

He stepped onto the platform immediately noticing the difference.

The newly planted peach trees, only eight years old, had even more lustrous leaves, and the range of Spirit Light had increased by two inches.

Ji An swiftly released the Azure Dragon Shocking Skill, Zhurong Divine Fire Spell, and Yellow Dragon Essence Enhancement Skill.

He quickly left the platform and entered the Grotto Mansion’s living room, gently saying:

“Master, the Spirit Peach trees I planted years ago have now reached Tier Two Middle-grade.”

Ge Ying squinted, squeezing out a smile:

“Very good!”

Her tone was joyful yet carried a tint of sadness; based on experience from the previous plant, reaching Tier Two Middle-grade Spirit Peach took forty-plus years.

How long did it take the disciple to cultivate Middle-grade Spirit Peach? Less than ten years!