Chapter 150 Blood-eating Vine
Ji An pondered for a moment, then asked:
"How effective is the superior-grade Earth Spirit Fruit in restoring the Golden-spotted Spider's vitality?"
Liu Suyun gently shook her head and said:
"The golden-spotted spider I'm raising is already a seventh-level Foundation Establishment demon beast. High-grade spiritual fruits can only be used as a delicious food, slightly increasing its silk production, but have a negligible effect on restoring its vitality."
As she spoke, she summoned her beast from her spirit beast pouch.
A spider the size of a millstone appeared on the ground, its body covered with stiff, yellowish-brown hairs, and its back marked with golden spots the size of copper coins.
The demonic aura of the late Foundation Establishment stage permeated the cave, startling the Spirit-Seeking Rat so much that its fur stood on end, and it immediately used its earth-walking technique to dart to its master's feet.
The powerful demonic aura made Ji An feel uncomfortable, and he hurriedly used his magic to fight it off.
The golden-spotted spider's six dark red eyes darted around, and upon spotting the Earth Spirit Fruit, it hissed excitedly a few times before darting to the fruit in an instant.
After it had eaten the spirit fruits that the golden retriever had collected, it climbed up to the spirit tree and remained motionless.
Whether they are cultivators or demon beasts, when they see a spirit fruit tree bearing fruit, they will wait until the spirit fruit is fully ripe and falls before picking it up, if circumstances permit.
This is especially true for higher-grade spiritual fruits; even if they are picked a few hours before they are fully ripe, the effect will be slightly different.
It is said that when a spiritual fruit is fully ripe, it will have a special spiritual rhythm, which has a special effect on high-level cultivators or demonic beasts.
"My golden spotted spider is completely tamed. It looks fierce, but it is actually docile and rarely attacks on its own initiative."
Liu Suyun put the tamed beast into her spirit beast pouch and then said:
"I want to stay here until the premium fruit is fully ripe before I leave, is that alright?"
She sensed the joy emanating from the golden spider; the earth spirit fruit here was far more effective than the medicinal herbs she cultivated.
As she was speaking, another fruit fell from the tree.
Seeing that there was no danger, the golden retriever used its innate earth magic to leap to the tree, catch the fruit, and then stood upright, carrying the fruit in its two front paws back to its owner.
It held the spirit fruit high above its head and made a fawning sound:
"Squeak squeak".
Looking at the golden retriever's performance, Liu Suyun said in surprise:
“Junior Brother’s spirit-seeking rat is one of the most intelligent I have ever seen, so its bloodline must be quite pure.”
Monsters value the purity of their bloodline most. While hybrid bloodlines may have other advantages, they are more likely to create tough, thick-skinned breeds that are often less intelligent, ferocious, and stupid.
"Getting a golden retriever is my good fortune."
Ji An casually replied that he understood that the reason why Golden Hair was able to achieve what it was today was largely due to the beast-taming secrets left by his father.
Although he did not study alchemy, he had a good understanding of the medicinal properties of various spiritual plants, which is something that needs to be learned in cultivation.
The Spirit-Feeding Pill given to the golden retriever serves a different purpose: to purify its bloodline rather than enhance its demonic power.
He used his object manipulation technique to grasp the ripe earth spirit fruit in his hand and presented it to Liu Suyun:
"Senior sister, you can stay as long as you like. You are warmly welcome."
Let's go back to the surface. Let the golden retriever stay here; it will let me know when a top-grade spiritual fruit ripens.
The two left the cave and came to a stone house by the cold pool. Xia Yuhan and her sister brought out the local specialties for people to taste.
After tasting the finest pine nuts, Liu Suyun praised them repeatedly:
"That's great. Pine nuts are not only more delicious, but they also contain a richer spiritual energy."
For cultivators practicing fire-based techniques, long-term consumption might yield unexpected benefits.
After a while, she spoke again:
“Junior brother, according to the agreement, each fruit tree needs to hand over 30 fruits to me, so I got 21 extra top-grade spiritual fruits.”
The price of a top-grade Earth Spirit Fruit fluctuates around 80 spirit stones, while the price of a high-grade spirit fruit fluctuates around 50 spirit stones.
Let's do the math based on these two prices, what do you think?
“I have no objection,” Ji An said with a smile. The price fluctuates between one or two spirit stones, so there’s no need to worry about it.
He paused, then said:
"However, I need to keep 10 top-grade spirit fruits. Senior Sister also saw them, and my spirit-seeking rat is also very envious of the spirit fruits."
"Of course, it's my junior brother's prerogative."
According to the agreement, each spirit tree upgraded to superior grade will be rewarded with half a jin of first-grade top-quality spider silk; each spirit tree upgraded to top-quality grade will be rewarded with two jin of top-quality spider silk. These rewards should be given to you in two years.
For Liu Suyun, obtaining the top-grade fruit was the most important thing; the superior-grade ones were just a bonus.
"I don't have any use for the top-grade spirit silk for the time being, so convert it all into second-tier low-grade spirit silk. You don't need to give me the profits from the spirit fruits either; convert them into second-tier low-grade spirit silk as well. What do you think, Senior Sister?"
Liu Suyun pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement:
"Okay, no problem."
Five catties of top-grade spirit silk and 2480 spirit stones can be exchanged for one catty and two ounces of second-grade low-grade spirit silk.
Normally, she would use second-grade low-level spider silk to exchange for other spiritual items, but since the other party was able to cultivate a top-grade spiritual tree so quickly, she still had to give them face.
"If we were to weave an apricot-yellow flag, would one pound of spider silk be enough?"
"About three ounces short."
"Senior sister, after the Golden-spotted Spider resumes producing spirit silk, how long will it take to gather one and a half pounds of second-tier spider silk?"
Ji An asked again, explaining that he needed to calculate the timeframe carefully so that he could gather all the other materials before then and not delay the refining process.
"It will take about a year. If the top-quality Earth Spirit Fruits I grow are ripe enough to restore the Golden-spotted Spider, my junior brother will be able to obtain the flag in two years at the earliest."
With the materials, I can weave the flag in just over a month.
Ji An nodded slightly; two years would be enough.
"Senior sister, I'll give you the rest of the expenses."
I paid the spirit stones in advance to reserve the item, just in case something went wrong.
"Three ounces of second-tier spider silk cost 900 spirit stones, and the weaving fee is 1000 spirit stones, for a total of 1900 spirit stones."
Ji An clicked his tongue in amazement, wondering how many spirit stones it would cost to forge the Apricot Yellow Banner.
He placed a sufficient number of spirit stones on the table and pushed them toward the other person, saying:
"Senior sister, please give me a pointer."
Ye Changqing looked down at the mulberry fields with their rolling blue waves beside the cold pool and said:
"If even a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator like Junior Brother Ji possesses such abilities, what is there for the sect to worry about in surpassing Fallen Maple Valley?"
After a few months, the Ficus lyrata has grown much better, and the plant is now much thicker.
Wei Songnian shook his head and chuckled:
"Senior brother's requirements are too high. I think it's even more difficult than finding another cultivator in the Rising Sun stage."
He could be said to have witnessed Ji An's growth from beginning to end. Over the years, he had dealt with at least four or five thousand spirit farmers, but Ji An was the only one among them.
"Oh dear," Ye Changqing sighed, without refuting it. He knew all too well that this was the truth.
The airship slowly descended, and Ji An was slightly surprised to see two people jump out from it. In his memory, the two people opposite him did not have much interaction.
Ye Changqing smiled and said:
"Junior brother, your luck has arrived. The sect has issued an urgent mission. If you complete it on time, you will not only get contribution points, but also 10 minor merits. Such good things don't usually happen."
"Thank you, senior brother, for always thinking of me when there are benefits to be had."
Ye Changqing waved his hand and said seriously:
"We're all working for the sect, and you're one of the most suitable candidates, so of course we'll be thinking of you."
He prioritizes ability when doing things, and only considers personal relationships afterward. He won't come if the other party isn't capable enough.
Ji An gestured, "Gentlemen, let's go inside and talk."
The three entered the stone house, and Ye Changqing was surprised:
"Junior Sister Liu is here too?"
He winked and smiled:
"When did you become so well-connected, junior brother!"
The other person was jokingly called the Stone Turtle Cultivator. He really couldn't understand how two people who were so far apart could be connected.
"Senior Brother Ye, what are you saying? Can't I be here?"
"Of course not, it's just that, given my junior brother's aversion to going out, I can't imagine how the two of you met."
"I asked Senior Brother Zhao Lei to refine a spiritual weapon, which required a type of spider silk, and that's how I got to know Senior Sister Liu."
Ji An invited everyone to take their seats and briefly explained the matter.
Ye Changqing clapped his hands lightly and sighed:
"For production-type monsters, high-level spirit farmers are of even greater significance."
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Ji An asked...
"Senior brother, what exactly is this urgent mission?"
"The sect needs a batch of Bloodthirsty Vine seeds, the more the better, and the higher the quality the better, as they will be needed in about six months."
"Junior Brother Ji's spiritual environment isn't suitable for planting, so we requisitioned Junior Brother Wei's valley. However, large-scale planting still requires high-level spiritual farmers, which is why we came to you."
The Bloodthirsty Vine has vines as thick as a thumb, covered with many barbs. If a fleshy creature passes by, it will tightly bind its prey until it has drunk its fill of blood.
These vines are exceptionally tough, able to withstand several cuts from ordinary magical artifacts. The plants secrete special oils that make them resistant to fire, but cold can reduce their activity.
If the seeds of the Blood-Eating Vine are not soaked in fresh blood, they will lose their activity within a few months, so they are only planted in large quantities when there is a great need.
Ji An nodded slightly. Blood-Devouring Vine could be used to refine pills that replenish blood and qi, which were frequently used by body-refining cultivators. He pondered for a moment and said:
"Senior brother, if this kind of spiritual plant wants to grow strong, planting spells alone are not enough. It also needs to be watered with fresh blood and fertilized with flesh and blood."
The Bloodthirsty Vine is not a pure wood-elemental spiritual plant. Neither the Thick Earth Returning to Origin Mantra nor the Azure Wood Everlasting Spring Technique have a particularly significant effect on it. Only when combined with the flesh and blood of demonic beasts can it be truly effective.
What he can do is to stimulate the activity of the spiritual plants as much as possible, and to make the soil more fertile by decomposing the residue.
"Junior brother, don't worry about the issue of demonic beast flesh and blood. That's a matter for the sect. You just need to cast a planting spell every two or three days to ensure that the Blood-Devouring Vine can devour more flesh and blood."
Ji An felt relieved. He hated trouble, and this was the best way. The small valley was only five or six hundred acres in size, so it wouldn't take much time.
"Then I have no problem. When should we plant it?"
Wei Songnian continued:
"In about four or five days, the spirit grains and talisman herbs I planted will be harvested. I will inform my senior brother at that time."
(End of this chapter)
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