Chapter 353 January's Harvest

Ji An released Da Huang and Jin Mao, and then released the spiritual pressure of a Chao Yuan stage cultivator. Immediately, a stone lizard and a monster such as a scorpion and centipede emerged from the nearby rock crevices.

They were all only at the early stage of Qi Refining, and he didn't care at all, letting the demonic beasts scatter and escape.

But Big Yellow had no intention of letting them go. It pounced on the stone lizard, pinned it down, and bit off its prey's head.

The stone lizard is an earth-elemental monster that has been eating fire-toothed rabbits and red-tailed squirrels on Crimson Flame Peak for years. It's tired of these foods and wants a change of pace.

The golden retriever caught a two-foot-long, yellowish-brown snake and swallowed it whole, like eating a spicy snack.

Both beasts unleashed their wild instincts, but the Golden-feathered Eagle remained unmoved. Normally, its range of activity was much larger than that of the two land-dwelling demons, and it didn't care about these prey at the Qi Refining stage.

It looked down haughtily at Big Yellow and Golden Retriever, who were happily eating, and preened its feathers with its sharp beak.

Ji An surveyed the terrain and shouted:

"Stay alert in the vicinity and notify me if any creature approaches."

"Aww!"

Big Yellow opened its bloody maw and roared, indicating that it had received the message.

It quickly swallowed the tender parts of its prey and ran towards a large, protruding rock.

The golden eagle let out a clear cry, took off and circled in the air. The golden-haired eagle released its earth-moving technique and disappeared, its whereabouts unknown.

Ji An squatted down by the stream and saw that the water was clear and bright.

He extended his finger, and emerald green tendrils spread out and fell into the water. This was a simple application of the Wood Element God's Palace, which could detect the toxicity of substances.

He retracted his tentacles into his body and nodded slightly; the stream water was not poisonous.

He extended his divine sense to probe the earth and was somewhat surprised to find that this was a miniature spiritual vein node, containing quite abundant spiritual energy, reaching the middle grade of the first rank.

This is quite rare in these desolate mountains and wilderness.

Ji An took out a stove and a kettle, filled them with spiritual spring water, lit the spiritual charcoal, and felt a unique sense of comfort as the mountain breeze blew by.

He then took out a bronze cauldron the size of a bucket, dug a simple stove, skinned and gutted the snake meat, and cooked most of it in the pot.

He took out the tea set from his storage bag and arranged it. He sat cross-legged on the futon and finally had time to take stock of his gains.

A snake gallbladder the size of a fist. This stuff is good for the eyes and liver. It comes from a late-stage Foundation Establishment demon beast and can be used in medicine. It should have some effect on him.

Ji An cut a small opening in the snake gall to reveal the green bile, which had a slightly fishy smell and a very faint medicinal fragrance.

He put his finger into the bile and began to circulate the Five Elements Cycle Scripture (Wood Palace Chapter).

As the cultivation technique circulated, his liver shimmered with emerald green, the light of the Yi Wood Dao Seed in his acupoints flickered, and a cool sensation emanated from his eyes, continuous and gentle.

A moment later, the snake gall bladder juice turned colorless, and Ji An changed his spell, burning the snake gall bladder to ashes with pale blue flames.

I blinked, and the world seemed a little different, yet it also seemed different.

He shook his head. Even if the snake gall was somewhat miraculous, a snake gall from the late Foundation Establishment stage wouldn't bring much benefit. A snake gall from the Chaoyuan stage would be more effective.

The tea has been boiled. Ji An brews the Jade Dew Golden Bud Tea and throws a packet of stewing ingredients into the bronze cauldron. This is the soup mix prepared by Zhang Cuihua, which is best suited for clear soup.

He took out a futon, unwrapped it, and studied the weaving method. By the time the aroma of meat wafted from the bronze cauldron, he had basically figured out how to weave it.

He completely disassembled the cushion and actually started weaving it himself, thus learning the craft.

You don't need to know how to weave complex patterns; you can easily weave a simple new futon.

Ji An used his object manipulation technique to move the bronze cauldron in front of him. He took out spiritual fruits and dried meat, drank spiritual tea, and enjoyed the delicious snake soup.

If it's not urgent, he still refuses to take the fasting pill.

The golden retriever poked its head out from the nearby soil and rocks, its face full of ingratiating expression; it had been attracted by the aroma.

Ji An picked out a few pieces of snake meat and tossed them into the air. The golden retriever jumped up and swallowed them, shaking his head repeatedly. It smelled delicious, but there was no satisfying bloody taste.

After finishing his dinner, Ji An's depleted spiritual energy had recovered by nearly half.

As the strength of his soul continued to increase, the effects of the second-tier low-grade spiritual tea continued to decrease. Now that he possessed the second-tier mid-grade Jade Dew Golden Bud, the situation had improved considerably.

He took out the remaining snake meat from his storage bag. The golden retriever and the golden eagle ate it with great relish, but the big yellow dog was not interested and only took one bite before throwing it away.

Ji An then divided the demon snake's inner core into three portions and threw them to the beast tamers.

The three beast tamers showed excitement. Refining the inner core could rapidly increase their demonic power, especially refining the inner core of a demon beast with a higher cultivation level than themselves, which would bring even greater benefits.

While they were refining the demon core, Ji An drew out the collected Wu Earth Qi and Ji Earth Qi from the jade bottle. After the Yin and Yang combined, the tangible but intangible earth elemental spiritual energy transformed into a wisp of yellow thread.

The silk threads shimmer with a warm, luminous light, giving one a sense of tranquility.

Ji An combined all the earth elemental energy into threads and stored them away. He then took out the harvested Soul-Soothing Grass and released a Flame Fire Spell to evaporate the moisture in the grass.

As the sun slowly sank below the horizon, the lone cry of a returning wild goose echoed in the distance. The surrounding fields gradually quieted down, and as the last glimmer of light disappeared, the night immediately deepened.

The starry sky, like tiny gems, is set against a black backdrop, creating a dazzling spectacle.

After a day of raucous activity, the wild beasts return to their dens, and the killing begins in the night. In the evening breeze, faint roars and desperate howls can be heard before silence returns.

The calming grass quickly dried out, and Ji An stoked the charcoal fire, using the firelight to begin weaving. In no time, he had woven a futon.

Because of the limited material, the meditation cushion is rather thin, only half the thickness of a normal meditation cushion.

Ji An sat on the new futon, and soon felt a cool sensation rising in his mind, making his thinking more agile.

Suddenly, the golden-haired man let out a roar, and his body instantly swelled up, his demonic power suddenly increased, reaching the fifth level of the Foundation Establishment stage.

"good!"

Ji An gave a thumbs up; the demon beast that had accompanied him the longest had finally made another step forward in its cultivation.

After the beasts had finished refining their demon cores, he assigned them their night watch duties, then finished his spirit tea and used his magic to open the Water Elemental Divine Palace.

In an instant, magical power surged through his immortal meridians like a tide, continuously impacting his kidneys.

On the surface of the kidneys, cloud-like patterns drift and change unpredictably, resembling a sea of ​​clouds in the mountains rippling in the wind, displaying ever-changing and magnificent scenery.

With the combined benefits of the Soul-Soothing Herb and the Spirit Tea, Ji An didn't feel particularly tired even after practicing his internal energy for a long time; however, it was his internal magical power that couldn't hold on any longer.

He stopped practicing his internal energy cultivation, and his eyes shone brightly in the darkness, like the moonlight reflected on the water.

Ji An was thrilled. With this black calming grass cushion, he could open up his divine palace even faster.

He took out the bamboo tube, lightly tapped his finger to release the Gengjin Finger, and a hole appeared with a flash of golden light. He drank half of the green leaf wine inside and began to circulate his internal energy to refine it.

One night passed.

Ji An opened his eyes in the morning breeze. The sun had not yet risen, and the sky was just beginning to lighten.

The spiritual energy here is too thin to be suitable for practicing internal energy to improve his cultivation, so he began to practice spells.

After releasing the Hunjin Xuanjia Incantation, golden patterns appeared on the body surface and slowly seeped into the skin.

He activated the Gengjin Spirit-Slaying Sword, its golden light surging like waves, its sharp and annihilating aura sweeping across the land.

Although it wasn't directly attacked, the wild grass and moss in the cracks of the rocks withered quickly, their vitality completely gone.

They couldn't even withstand the energy emitted by the spells themselves.

The rising sun leaps above the horizon, its rays shining brightly, inspiring people to forge ahead.

Ji An stopped practicing his magic and faced the rising sun. "Ha!"

He inhaled and exhaled, swallowing a wisp of the fire element of the sun into his abdomen. He stopped after consuming two wisps of this energy, as it would be a waste if there were no fire element to harmonize with his yin and yang.

Ji An took out the jade slip to check the map. After determining the next destination, he put Da Huang and Jin Mao into the spirit beast bag, mounted the Golden Feather Eagle, and flew northeast.

He planned to fly around the sect's perimeter, exploring all the areas that might contain earth element energy, and finally return to Crimson Flame Peak.

Ji An didn't rest. He couldn't cultivate while traveling, but he could still practice his spells.

He made hand seals, his body shimmering with golden light, and then began practicing the Gengjin Spirit-Slaying Sword.

In the area where the golden eagle flew, a flash of golden light was followed by a pervasive killing intent. Ordinary birds would be instantly cut into pieces by the remaining magical power.

Even if a strong demon beast is not cut to death, it will be covered in wounds and its life force will be diminished, reducing its lifespan by at least several months.

A month later, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, Ji An returned to his sect.

This expedition was largely fruitless, but it did produce a more detailed map, marking out where each type of earth element existed.

Next time you go out, you'll save a lot of time.

He was somewhat exhausted. The spiritual energy he absorbed from the earth had taken its toll, and the spiritual energy contained in various places was not abundant. He had wasted most of his time on the road, and the stone tortoise had absorbed very little spiritual energy this month.

What was lost on one front was gained on another; the practice of magic had yielded considerable results, and a few strands of spiritual energy had even been refined.

[Gengjin Spirit-Slaying Sword (Perfect 89%→91%)]

【Mixed Gold Armor Spell (Perfect 54%→55%)】

The fact that the Chaoyuan stage magic could progress so quickly far exceeded Ji An's expectations.

The golden eagle let out a cry, announcing their return. It landed smoothly beside the cold pool, and Ji An patted its back.

"Thank you for your hard work."

During this period of travel, I mostly rode in a golden eagle.

He took out a jade bottle, tossed out a Spirit-Feeding Pill, and the Golden-feathered Eagle tilted its head back and swallowed it, letting out a soft hiss before spreading its wings and flying towards its nest.

Ji An took Dahuang and Jinmao out of the storage bag, gave each of them a Spirit Feeding Pill, and then sent them away.

This area near the sect had been searched countless times by cultivators, but no high-grade spiritual herbs had been found. The black soul-soothing grass was actually his most valuable acquisition.

Wei Songtao strode forward, cupped his hands, and said:

"Grandmaster, welcome back to Crimson Flame Peak."

Half a month ago, Grandmaster Jia Yu came here and left a message, asking you to visit the Treasure Pavilion after you return.

Ji An nodded slightly and asked:

Did he confess what it was about?

If the matter is not urgent, he plans to rest for two days before going.

He's been spending most of this month in remote, desolate areas and hasn't had much sleep; he needs to catch up on his sleep.

Wei Songtao immediately understood his meaning and said:

"Master Jia only asked you to retrieve something, but he didn't explain in detail what it was."

"That shouldn't be an emergency."

As Ji An spoke, he took out a golden communication sword, entered the information, and activated it.

As the golden light faded into the distance, he gave the following instructions:

"Tell Cuihua to prepare some delicate dishes and two jars of spirit wine today."

Living outdoors in the wind and rain, his mouth tasted bland.

"Okay, I'll go right now."

Wei Songtao agreed, took out a storage bag, and said:

"Grandmaster, this is the Fire Element Essence we acquired this month, a total of 68,000 strands. The expenses have all been recorded in the ledger."

Ji An took the storage bag, glanced at it briefly, and nodded:

"Very good, continue with the acquisitions."

In addition, news has been released that they have begun acquiring Earth Element Essence. If the sect cannot acquire enough, you can tell your brother and ask him to help contact shops outside the sect.

Extracting the essence of earth element involves the earth's veins, and the sect has strict restrictions on this.

Not only sects, but also cultivation families restrict their disciples from extracting earth element essence within the family's territory.

"Disciple understands."

Half an hour later, Ji An sipped his wine and began to feast.

As the moon rose above the treetops, he patted his belly contentedly and laughed:

"Comfortable!"

He sat down cross-legged and refined the spiritual food, then began to cast a spell on the spiritual field.

The dragon roared, its brilliance surpassing even the bright moon in the sky. Later, he received a reply from Jia Yu, who told him there was no rush.

Two hours later, he flew around Crimson Flame Peak and stepped into the underground cave at the foot of the mountain.

The Soul-Nourishing Wood swayed under the moonlight, displaying its splendor, but Ji An's gaze was drawn to the Earth Spirit Fruit Tree beside it.

The Earth Spirit Fruit Tree sprouted oval-shaped buds the size of copper coins, emitting a warm, spiritual light that stood out brilliantly in the relatively shady environment.

Not only that, but a nearby Earth Spirit Fruit tree also began to shed its skin, clearly showing signs of transforming into a second-tier high-grade fruit!

He stepped forward, extended his divine sense to carefully perceive the life force within the spirit tree, and a smile appeared on his lips.

That's right, this is the second superior Earth Spirit Fruit tree.

In that case, once the spirit tree bears fruit, he might be able to gather enough fruit for the earth dragon beast in one go, and even if he's short a few, it won't be by much.

You can discuss with the Earth Dragon Beast to obtain the blood-soaked Golden-spotted Spider Silk in advance.

He activated the Azure Dragon Awakening Technique and the Yellow Dragon Enhancing Yuan Technique in turn, and then used the Earth Escape Technique to leave the cave.

Back in his cave, Ji An cast spells on the spiritual herbs, including the Heavenly Origin Ginseng, in the herb garden. Then, he took out a jade bottle containing the essence of fire and summoned the Flame Banner that flew off the ground.

The magical artifact joyfully absorbed the essence, and after devouring more than two thousand strands, it became smaller again, merged into Ji An's body, entered his dantian, and floated in the crimson flames of the Yuanming Fire.

Ji An walked out of the cave feeling refreshed, his eyes slightly narrowed.

It was nearly noon. After his eyes adjusted to the bright light, he flew down a cloud to the cold pool at the foot of the mountain and asked:

"Cuihua, how long have I been asleep?"

He didn't feel like he had only slept one night.

"Replying to Grandmaster, this is the third day since you returned."

Zhang Cuihua paused for a moment, then said:

"Grandmaster, lunch hasn't started yet. Shall I prepare some wild beef and dried fruit for you first?"

"Just give me a piece of beef."

Ji An said that the beef is already braised and can be eaten directly, and you can also do other things when you have free time.

"Hold on."

Zhang Cuihua ran back to the kitchen and brought out several long strips of beef. Ji An took them and went into the living room, eating them while pondering how to draw the Fire Dragon Talisman.

The Chaoyuan-stage beast hide and essence blood he obtained from Liu Yu were both taken from fire-elemental demon beasts.

(End of this chapter)