Chapter 32 Borrowing and Returning Easily

Ji An laid out the prepared talismans on the table and counted their quantity.

Thanks to his superb planting skills, which were on par with many veteran spirit farmers, the quality of the talisman herbs he cultivated was relatively good.

Although his talisman-making skills are not yet advanced enough, he can produce high-quality talismans more easily.

72 sheets of Tier 1 low-grade talisman paper, 21 sheets of Tier 1 mid-grade talisman paper, and 4 bottles of Tier 1 low-grade talisman ink. That's all the loot.

Making talisman paper and ink is more profitable than growing spirit grains, but it also takes more time.

Now that he has advanced to the fourth level of Qi Refining, the total amount and quality of his internal mana have increased significantly. He should be able to plant four acres of spirit grain and one acre of talisman grass next season.

He glanced at the simple furnishings in the room and sighed softly.

Although he had a very fruitful year, he couldn't keep up with his large expenses and debts. Moreover, the year was up, and he had to settle the spirit stones he owed to Lao Huang and the others.

Even if you need to borrow again, you should wait a few months, otherwise it gives people the impression that you are unreliable if you repay the loan and then lend it again.

After carefully putting away the talisman paper and ink, Ji An pulled out a small wooden box hidden under the bed.

The box contains enough contribution points to exchange for the next season's grain seeds and enough yellow sprout rice to last for three months. It also contains all the crystals accumulated over the past six months: 10 spirit stones and 56 spirit crystals.

However, the novice protection period for Lingnong has ended. Starting from the next season, he will need to pay land rent and taxes, and his income will be much less each quarter thereafter.

Ji An left the bamboo house and rode the talisman bird towards the Biyue Market.

He landed at the fishing pond and strolled to a regular private room at Baiweilou Restaurant.

A few days ago, he booked a table of spiritual food, including two meat dishes, four vegetable dishes, and a soup, plus five bottles of spiritual wine, which cost him one spirit stone and 80 spirit crystals, making him feel very distressed.

He invited a few creditors here today; he still needs to maintain a certain image.

He packaged himself well, letting people know he was doing well, so they could confidently lend him spirit stones in the future.

At the beginning of the hour of Si (9-11 AM), Wei Songnian was the first to arrive at the private room.

"Haha, congratulations on advancing to the mid-stage of Qi Refining, Junior Brother."

"Congratulations to you both," Ji An said with a smile, opening the cloth bag on the table:

"Please check these talisman papers and ink, senior brother."

Wei Songnian patted the talisman paper to feel its thickness, and nodded slightly:

"Junior brother's success rate in producing high-quality talisman paper is quite high, comparable to those spirit farmers who have been growing talisman paper for several years."

He knew that Ji An had only planted half an acre of talisman grass, so it was quite remarkable that he could produce so many high-quality talisman papers.

After quickly counting the number of talisman papers and the quality of the talisman ink, Wei Songnian rapidly calculated:

"72 sheets of first-grade low-level talisman paper, each worth 1 spirit crystal, for a total of 72 spirit crystals;

21 mid-grade Tier 1 talismans, each worth 8 spirit crystals, for a total of 168 spirit crystals;

Four bottles of Tier 1 Low-grade Rune Ink, each containing 35 Spirit Crystals, for a total of 140 Spirit Crystals.

That's 380 spirit crystals in total. Junior brother, would you like to buy some more materials? If not, I'll give you some crystal stones.

"Of course I need to buy something," Ji An said, taking out a bottle of Huangya Dan (a traditional Chinese medicine) and smiling.

"I have a bottle of the pills that my senior brother gave me last time that I haven't used yet. I'll return it to my senior brother."

"Yes, another six bottles of Jade Python's essence blood, half a pound of cinnabar, and two pounds of agarwood and pine resin."

Normally, purchased pills cannot be returned, but since he and Wei Songnian are very close now, it is possible to return them.

Cinnabar, rosin, and python blood are the materials used to prepare talisman ink. Spending some time each day slowly preparing them is also a source of income.

Wei Songnian took the jade bottle, poured some out to check its quality and quantity, and nodded:

"Hmm, there are 12 Huangya Dan left."

The normal price for a bottle of Jade Python's essence blood is 20 spirit crystals. After the sect occupied Moya Mountain, the price dropped, so I charged my junior brother 18 spirit crystals per bottle.

Half a pound of cinnabar and two pounds of rosin cost 30 spirit crystals. We still need 202 spirit crystals from my junior brother.

He paused, then sighed:

"It takes a long time to make a bottle of talisman ink, and with fierce competition, the profit margin for low-grade talisman ink is not high."

If you want to earn crystals, you still need to develop a unique formula for talisman ink.

I know a junior female disciple who obtained a fragmented talisman master's inheritance while on a mission. It contained several unique talisman ink formulas, and her life immediately became much more comfortable.

He only paid 35 spirit crystals for the low-grade talisman ink he bought, but the purchase price for talisman ink with special formulas was more than 45 spirit crystals. Moreover, when selling materials to such talisman makers, he also had to give them a full discount.

"Easier said than done!"

Ji An shook his head, saying that it would take countless experiments to develop a special formula.

There are strict requirements regarding the types of materials added and the proportions of each material.

He doesn't have the time or energy, nor the knowledge in that area, so he'd rather just earn a meager living.

"Senior brother, how much is the Jade Pill?"

"30 spirit crystals each."

Ji An grinned. "It's so expensive! But the main ingredient of the Jade Pill, Jade Corn, must be planted in a spirit field of first-grade low quality or higher. There's a reason it's so expensive."

He considered it for a moment, then took out two spirit stones and said:

"Buy 10 Jade Pills, Senior Brother, just give me eight. The other two will be used to offset the two Senior Brother lent me before."

There's no need to look for Senior Brother Ling Shi anymore. I originally owed him a spirit stone, so I'll repay it all at once.

"I still owe my senior brother 24 spirit stones for Yellow Sprout Pills, which I will repay in a few months."

If you borrow and repay easily, it will be easy to borrow again.

"Junior brother, why are you in such a hurry to repay!"

Wei Songnian declined, but later, seeing Ji An's resolute attitude, he accepted the spirit stones.

He took out 10 Jade Pills and 2 Spirit Crystals and handed them over.

After a while, Lao Huang, Zhao Mengyao, and Chu He arrived one after another, and the restaurant served the dishes.

Ji An introduced the group to each other, then opened his small wooden box and began to repay his debts.

"Senior Brother Huang lent me a spirit stone a year ago."

"After I joined the sect, Senior Brother Chuhe lent me two spirit stones."

"Senior Sister Zhao lent me three spirit stones."

He chuckled dryly a few times and said:

"Senior Sister Zhao, Senior Brother Chu, I still owe you 3 spirit stones each. Please give your junior brother half a year."

"Luckily, Senior Brother Zhang went to Moya Mountain, otherwise I wouldn't have a single spirit stone left today."

His net worth has shrunk dramatically, leaving him with only 2 spirit stones and 57 spirit crystals. If Zhang Yuanshan were here today, he would have to contribute another two spirit stones.

Zhao Mengyao said:

"No rush, junior brother. Don't let the return of spirit stones delay your cultivation. That would be counterproductive."

Although there are rules to protect newly recruited spirit farmers, it was still beyond her expectations that a new disciple could accumulate so many spirit stones in a year.

It is said that it is not easy for Lingnong disciples to accumulate spirit stones, but this statement clearly does not apply to Ji An.

It's quite an achievement that the other party could befriend two disciples at the late stage of Qi Refining instead of relying on them.

Chu He nodded slightly, inwardly marveling at how quickly Ji An earned crystals—a speed far exceeding that of ordinary disciples.

Old Huang sighed:

"Junior brother has managed to accumulate so many spirit stones in just one year. His cultivation path will be much smoother than that of most sect disciples in the future."

Your current skill level is not far off from those experienced farmers who have been cultivating for over ten years.

This junior brother's starting point was much higher than that of ordinary Lingnong disciples.

What's even more remarkable is that the other party's cultivation level has not declined. In just one year, he broke through from the first level of Qi Refining to the middle stage of Qi Refining, and he may have a chance to reach the Foundation Establishment stage in the future.

Ji An smiled and said:

"Thank you so much for your help, senior brothers. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Come, let us all drink from this cup.

(End of this chapter)