Chapter 17
"I wanted to ask you just now, don't you have the art of avoiding dust?" Bei Qiao has also read many novels about cultivation. Although the settings may be different, the characters in them, whether they are the protagonists or the supporting roles, have never worried about cleaning.
"Yes, of course, but I don't have any extra spirit stones to learn!" When it comes to spending money, Fan Ke has so much to say and so much grievance to pour out: "The inner disciples of the sect have spirit stone subsidies from the master, and outstanding disciples are awarded by the sect, but us outer disciples have nothing. Our grades are not outstanding, and we have no backers. We can only rely on growing spiritual rice and selling it to earn spirit stones, and then spend spirit stones to buy lessons and jade slips for cultivation techniques. Basic cultivation techniques cost money, learning spells requires spirit stones, buying magic tools requires spirit stones... Everything requires spirit stones! Everything! Spirit stones!"
Grassroots counterattack, sorry, without resources, you can't do anything! Get rich through adventure. Do you think adventure doesn't require knowledge? If you're so poor you can't even afford the sect's cheapest copy of "Spiritual Herb Illustrated Brief Record," then even if you pass by a pile of spiritual herbs, you'll just ignore them as weeds. Discerning the value of something requires investment; knowledge has a price.
Qi Zhi: “…”
Bei Qiao: "..."Oh my, the resentment of this office worker is almost roaring out.
The three of them chatted as they drove along. Fan Ke kept complaining, which made Qi Zhi's mouth twitch. Finally, she returned to the carriage under the pretext of reviewing medical books.
Bei Qiao still needed to drive, so naturally she couldn't get into the carriage. Seeing Fan Ke turn around and look at her with great interest, she suddenly felt a headache. Fortunately, the donkey cart had already reached a fork in the road. Bei Qiao simply parked the donkey cart by the roadside, saying that she wanted Huihui to rest: "It has been running all day."
"If you don't want to hear me complain, just say it! There's no need to find such a heartless excuse, right?" Fan Ke looked regretful: I'm almost done complaining, can't you just bear with it a little longer?
"Since you said that, yes, I don't want to be a free trash can. If you want unlicensed psychological counseling services, please pay first." Bei Qiao smiled: Of course I can't endure it.
Fan Ke: "...No, I don't have any money."
Bei Qiao was not surprised by this answer. He rubbed Huihui's head and signaled it to continue eating grass quietly: "Before, you asked whether this road goes to Yuanshan. The answer is that all the roads nearby go to Yuanshan." Yuanshan is very big, and all the roads here lead to Yuanshan. The only difference is the distance.
"Okay, thank you fellow! But why didn't you tell me at the beginning?"
"I wanted to say this after I asked you what you were doing, but you veered off topic too far and started complaining so quickly that I couldn't get a word in."
Fan Ke: “…”Yes, is there?
"Oh, there's one more thing."
"What"
"Palace Jade Wine."
“One hundred and eighty cups”
"Bon Voyage."
"Thank you, thank you."
After bidding farewell to his two fellow gamers, Fan Ke didn't mention adding them as friends. He chose one of the three forked roads and continued on his way to Yuanshan. The mountain he wanted to reach was deep within Yuanshan, and he had to find the exact location himself, so it didn't matter which road he took.
"Really? Am I that long-winded? I feel like I don't even have a chance to interrupt... Wait, why did she stop at the fork in the road and test me with a skit... Was she on guard against me?" Fan Ke was distracted and almost flew the flying board into the top of a roadside tree. Really cautious, is she worried that my identity or character might cause trouble for the village? Well, I really can't prove whether I'm a good person. Although... I really am a good person!
To be honest, even if Bei Qiao really helped rescue people at that time, Fan Ke himself had no intention of entering the village, because he was really afraid of encountering those shameless natives.
In his youth and innocence, he never concealed his identity as a cultivator when he went out, and he acted very approachable, always able to mingle with ordinary people. As a result, perhaps because he seemed too approachable, every time he left the sect and went down the mountain to train, he would always encounter moral blackmail.
Apart from the lazy guys who begged him to take them to cultivate immortality but refused to climb the mountain to become disciples of a proper sect, the most common situation Fan Ke encountered was this: an old man with very shabby clothes and no calluses on his hands dragged his very impolite grandson over, and with a bang, they both knelt on the ground and kowtowed twice in a very perfunctory manner.
And then, nothing happened. They thought that since they had kowtowed, they had become apprentices. Once a teacher, always a father. How could a father not give his son a little gift? Silver or something was a must, the more the better. As for the child, he would definitely follow him to cultivate immortality. It would be best if he could finish his apprenticeship within a year, return home before the New Year, and then bring the whole family to cultivate immortality together, so that the whole family could ascend to heaven.
Every time this happened, Fan Ke was speechless: What? Is the slapping of the head by a scoundrel who kneels before a superior and likes to push his nose into someone's face so precious? Is it so great? He says his child will be obedient and work hard. What does his child's success have to do with me? I'm already struggling to make ends meet. And...
When these people feel justified in forcing others to take shortcuts, they've already lost their qualifications to cultivate the immortal realm. Those who seek to take shortcuts won't even be able to cross the Bridge of Integrity at the sect's gate, and won't even have a chance of joining. Would they then be expected to personally send them back? Yes, there are indeed those who cultivate the immortal realm despite lacking the necessary mental fortitude, but their families are wealthy, and they can use their resources to force them onto the path to immortality. Not to mention that their families are not only wealthy, but also have at least one Jindan Zhenren as their backer! Do these people who engage in moral blackmail have money? No! Do they have immortal ancestors? No! Nothing at all, so what are you doing?
Throwing out the top-notch people who had annoyed him in the past from his mind, Fan Ke sat on a board and avoided crowded places all the way, heading straight for Yuanshan: The Flat Earth Mantra is really too expensive. In order to save money to buy the jade slips to learn the Flat Earth Mantra, I can't even afford the robes with self-cleaning function. I can't even maintain the status of a monk... Oh!
But it is necessary to buy this jade slip. When going out, which cultivator can guarantee that he can absolutely control the power of his moves? If he does not want to learn the Flat Earth Curse, he can only buy the Flat Earth Talisman, but it goes without saying that this will only increase the cost.
"When you're poor, everything is difficult. Besides the Earth-Leveling Spell, I have to buy the Spring Rain Spell as well, otherwise the yield of spiritual rice will never increase. But the Spring Rain Spell is even more expensive. God, can't you just let me pick up a spiritual herb on the roadside and make a small fortune?"
Fan Ke complained about his bad luck while hurrying on his way. On the other hand, after letting Huihui have a short rest, Beiqiao continued on his way and returned to the village before sunset.
As they passed the village entrance, Bei Qiao happened to run into the village chief who was inspecting the gate. He mentioned his encounter with Fan Ke: "He's a cultivator, most likely of the same status as us, in his early twenties. He can control a piece of wood, and his cultivation level should be at the foundation-building stage. We don't know which sect he belongs to, but he should be on Yuanshan Mountain now."
"Okay, I got it. Don't worry, it's okay." The village chief gestured to Bei Qiao to move the donkey cart forward, and then closed the village gate: "If their identities are correct, they will not seek death in order to avoid being banned. If they are natives, there is no need to worry too much. The small buildings in each of our courtyards have absolute spirit stones, which are very durable. Not to mention the secret passages. As long as there is no landslide, people can survive in them." Yuanshan Village is a novice village managed by official personnel. If you seek death here, you will be permanently banned.
"Okay. Oh, by the way, Village Chief, where can I register for the martial arts class we mentioned last time, and what are the tuition fees?" Bei Qiao had already seen cultivators from this world, as well as the captains of the yamen who performed Qinggong. After assessing her own abilities, she felt it would be safer to learn a few more skills. After all, this otherworldly world was a bit unscientific.
That's right, it was Qinggong. The Qinggong she had seen wasn't as exaggerated as in martial arts movies, but it was still impressive. The captain had leaped two stories high with a single leap, and his pace as he chased those troublemakers was so fast it felt like he was skating on the ground.
"If you're planning on taking the course, there's a trial class tonight. Give it a try first, and if you think you can stick with it, sign up." The village chief waved his hand and said, "The link to the online course is on the forum. Just search for it and you'll find it."
"I understand. Thank you, Village Chief."
After saying goodbye to the village chief, Beiqiao drove his donkey cart straight to the pharmacy and unloaded all the sacks. Huihui swished his tail impatiently and barked, urging Beiqiao to go home quickly so he could rest in the shed.
"I know, I know." Bei Qiao was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
With Bei Qiao's help, Qi Zhi moved the herbs she bought this time back to the pharmacy, and then sat down on the ground.
"I actually forgot to log off in the car to eat! Why would I forget?" Qi Zhi's stomach was rumbling with hunger, and her legs were so weak that she could hardly stand. However, she had to finish processing some of the herbs before she dared to log off, because a rainstorm was about to come, and the humid environment was not friendly to the herbs.
Bei Qiao: Of course it’s because you were always gossiping.
"Are you the only one in the pharmacy?" This was Bei Qiao's first visit to the pharmacy, and it was only today that he found out that there were no apprentices in the pharmacy.
Qi Zhi put the sacks on the table and began to sort them; "Well, hiring someone might help me with some of the work, but it would also cause more trouble with social relationships. In order to close the shop without distraction, I didn't hire anyone, for fear that the apprentice would be bribed by the patients and cause me trouble in return." Rather than getting into trouble, Qi Zhi would rather make herself a little tired.
Bei Qiao looked at the sky outside and said, "If you trust me, I can help you make a rough division first, and then you can deal with it in detail."
"Thank you so much, you taught yourself Chinese medicine."
"I guess so. When I was in my middle school years, I once thought about becoming a knight who was good at both medicine and poison." Even Bei Qiao, who had been praised by adults since childhood, had such a middle school period.
"And then?" From the tone of voice, it seems there is a reversal.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
