Chapter 163 The Bet
Ji An reached out and touched his chin, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
The name of the Ji Earth Dao Seed is "Hou Tu Zeng Yuan", which means "the earth contains pure spirit". But what is that dark and obscure aura when the Hou Tu Gui Yuan Mantra reaches the Great Perfection level?
He made hand seals, and as his fingers flicked the mudra, a warm, earthy-yellow spiritual light once again illuminated the dark underground space.
There seemed to be a shadow flashing across the rock face, but then again, there seemed to be none.
Ji An carefully sensed it; the dark and obscure aura still lingered, coexisting harmoniously with the nourishing and inclusive aura, as if they were one.
"Squeak squeak".
The golden retriever let out a low growl, as if an unseen enemy was lurking nearby.
After a long while, Ji An's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and he nodded as if he had understood something.
He crouched down, stroking the golden retriever's completely fluffed-up soft fur, and smiled:
"You call yourself an earth-elemental demon beast, yet your understanding of the divine will of earth is inferior to mine."
"Squeak," the golden retriever sensed its owner's relaxation and lowered its guard, its eyes slightly narrowed as it enjoyed the gentle stroking.
Ji An patted its back, stood up, and left.
The earth symbolizes bearing and encompassing, as well as nourishing.
The Way of Earth emphasizes inclusiveness and nurturing, nurturing wood to generate metal.
When the life of all things comes to an end, the earth becomes their final resting place, embracing the ominous end of life.
The earth embraces and decomposes the corpses of all things, providing more nourishment for new life, accommodating filth and nurturing the opportunity for purity.
There is a kind of earth-elemental spiritual object called Netherworld Soil, which can nourish yin spirits and is a sacred object for ghost cultivators.
...
At noon, Ji An took a short rest and then went to the edge of the cold pool.
He manipulated the water flow with his hand seals, and a spirit fish about a foot long was swept up by the undercurrent, rolling around in the water.
After a long while, the fish finally broke free and, in a panic, dived into the deep water.
Ji An paced along the shore, searching for his next target, enjoying the thrill of wrestling with the spirit fish.
The afternoons are his time to practice his techniques. He will practice the Water Control Technique by the Cold Pool, the Exploding Fireball and Golden Light Technique on Crimson Flame Peak, and the Fire Control Technique in the Earth Fire Chamber inside his cave.
As the sun set, Ji An returned to the cold pool, bathed in its afterglow.
A gentle breeze ripples the surface of the pool, half of it a deep green, the other half a vibrant orange.
He sat by the stone table waiting for dinner, his mind focused on his dantian.
[Master: Ji An]
[Tao Yun: Gold 2.2, Water 0, Wood 0, Fire 0.6, Earth 3.1]
[Spiritual Insights: Kan (坎) Spirit 78.6, Gen (艮) Spirit 371.4, Zhen (震) Spirit 30.3, Xun (巽) Spirit 190.2, Kun (坤) Spirit 58.9, Qian (乾) Spirit 101.5, Dui (兑) Spirit 19.6, Li (离) Spirit 87.2]
[Spell: Azure Wood Transformation Technique (78% Perfection)]
The Secret of Gentle Spring Breeze and Rain (92% Successful)
Five Directions Spirit Gathering Technique (Complete 6%)
Golden Light Technique (Perfect 67%)
Exploding Fireball (Perfect 42%)
Water Control Techniques (Da Cheng 54%)
Fire Control Techniques (Mastery 15%)
As more and more spells approached the Great Perfection level, Ji An felt boundless joy.
The feeling at this moment is like watching the completion status of an achievement in a game. Every time a spell disappears from the list, a sense of accomplishment arises spontaneously.
After dinner, Ji An flew to the mulberry field and used all his strength to cast the Thick Earth Returning to Origin Spell.
The area covered by the spiritual light reached an astonishing forty acres, about half more than before, but the consumption of magical power decreased instead of increasing, to only about 80% of what it used to be.
As the gentle spiritual light gradually seeped into the earth, the deep and obscure aura completely disappeared, and the mulberry leaves shimmered with emerald green light under the moonlight before vanishing.
Ji An smiled, knowing that the power of the Great Perfection level Thick Earth Returning to Origin Mantra would be tested in a few months.
...
"Senior brother, here are the various metal powders you requested, costing a total of four thousand two hundred spirit stones."
"In the past two months, I've taken two thousand Flame Burst Talismans and ten Explosion Talismans from you, selling them for two thousand five hundred spirit stones. I still have three hundred spirit stones left."
Wei Songnian handed over a storage bag and three mid-grade spirit stones, thinking to himself that his senior brother was still the same senior brother, unchanged at all.
They are good at earning spirit stones, and they are also good at spending them.
He essentially became both an agent and a buyer, offering generous discounts in the transaction and not earning much in crystals.
However, thanks to his senior's connections, he was able to expand his network and network of contacts.
Ji An took the storage bag and handed it to Xia Yuhan behind him, who then opened the bag to count the supplies.
In order to cultivate the Golden Jade Bone Body, he spends about two thousand spirit stones on materials every month.
It can be said that all the spirit stones earned through talisman making were invested in body tempering.
The investment was substantial, but the returns were quite good.
His skin's defensive strength is now equivalent to the thick hide of a mid-Foundation Establishment stage demon beast, and he feels that he is not far from breaking through to the late Silver Armor stage.
"Uncle-Master, the number is correct."
As Xia Yuhan spoke, she took out a stack of Flame Explosion Talismans and some Burst Talismans:
"Uncle Wei, these are the talismans for this transaction."
Wei Songnian quickly counted the quantity, then smiled and put away the talismans:
"Senior brother, the number is not a problem."
Ji An nodded slightly and asked:
When will you leave the sect?
After the Mingfeng Mountain Immortal City is completed, the other party will probably spend less than two months a year at the sect.
"I will stay in the sect for a month or two, attend a few trade fairs, and see if I can buy any rare items."
Wei Songnian said that this period is the fixed trading season every year for the several circles he has integrated into.
"When it starts, call me and I'll go with you."
Ji An said that, judging by the time, it would take about half a year to get the apricot yellow flag from Senior Sister Liu Suyun.
He needed to hurry up and gather the other materials so that his senior brother Zhao Lei could refine them.
After the opening of Mingfeng Mountain Immortal City, weapon refiners ushered in a golden age. Senior Brother Zhao became extremely busy, and it is said that he had a large number of orders for top-grade magic weapons piling up in his hands.
"It will start in ten days at the earliest, and I will inform my senior brother in advance."
Wei Songnian paused, then said:
"Most of the time at the trade fair, it's a barter system, and spirit stones are used to make up for the price difference."
Refining materials, high-grade spiritual herbs, finished pills, and second-tier spiritual items are the hard currency.
Are top-tier explosive talismans popular?
"I'm afraid that won't work."
Most of the participants in the trade fairs I attended were senior brothers and sisters with skills such as weapon refiners and alchemists.
Selling high-level talisman-making materials is alright, but finished talismans are very difficult to sell. Senior Brother's talismans only find a market at the trade fair in Mingfeng Mountain Immortal City.
Ji An nodded slightly and said:
"Understood, I will prepare accordingly."
It turns out to be a craftsmen's trade fair; most people there are probably there to buy materials and sell finished products.
This is the perfect time for people like Wei Songnian to shine.
He would first try to acquire the materials at the sect's internal trade fair; otherwise, he would have to make a trip to Mingfeng Mountain.
Du Huaiyuan tilted his head back and gulped down half a jar of spirit wine, then sighed:
"I, Du Huaiyuan, am back!"
Junior brother, you have no idea what kind of life I've been living on Mingfeng Mountain this past year. I've truly become a pill-refining puppet.
The first thing I think about when I wake up every day is how many Foundation Establishment Pills I need to hand over.
"I've refined over five hundred Foundation Establishment Pills in the past year; I've had enough of that monotonous life!"
After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank the rest of the spirit wine in the jar.
Ji An laughed and said:
"There are gains and losses. Congratulations, Senior Brother, on breaking through to the third level of Foundation Establishment."
Now that you're back at the sect, you won't be going out for a while, right?
It's clear that the other party harbors a lot of resentment.
Du Huaiyuan's face looked as if he had eaten a bitter melon, a mixture of laughter and tears:
"I have to rest for half a year, and then I have to report to the Pill Pavilion in Mingfeng Mountain Immortal City. My life is so miserable..."
His voice carried a desolate sadness.
Normally, cultivators are not conscripted again for two or three years after completing their assigned missions.
Ji An grinned and said:
"The capable should do more work, which fully demonstrates how high the senior brother's status is in the eyes of the sect."
"snort!"
Du Huaiyuan stared resentfully at the person opposite him.
Ji An coughed lightly twice to divert attention, saying:
"Senior brother's return is just in time. In about two months, the Jade Leaf Mulberry will bloom, covering approximately three hundred acres of top-grade spiritual mulberry trees."
Before leaving the sect, my senior brother is to brew this batch of mulberry wine, and most importantly…”
He paused, then pointed to the mulberry fields surrounding the cold pool and said:
“Top-grade Jade Leaf Mulberry trees have begun to appear in the Spirit Field. I have found four so far.”
Du Huaiyuan's attention was indeed drawn to this, and after thinking seriously for a while, he shook his head:
"Four top-grade mulberry trees are too few; at most, ten or so catties of mulberries are not enough for much use."
"There are still two months left. Senior brother, how do you know I can't cultivate more top-grade Jade Leaf Mulberry trees!"
"I do know a bit about planting. My junior brother's magic is exquisite and admirable, but we still need to follow the basic rules."
Two months from now, I bet you'll have no more than eighty second-tier Jade Leaf Mulberry trees in your spirit field.
Du Huaiyuan hurriedly waved his hand and said:
"No more than one hundred plants, dare to bet?"
He felt it would be safer to add another twenty trees, as there is a significant difference between high-grade and top-grade spirit wood, and the potential of the spirit wood itself is also required to meet certain standards.
Even if my junior brother is very capable, he probably can't complete this task in two months.
Ji An smiled and said:
"Why wouldn't I dare! What are we betting on?"
The Thick Earth Returning to Origin Mantra has reached the Great Perfection level, which is usually an achievement that only a Spirit Farmer in the late Foundation Establishment stage can reach.
"Hehe, when I was refining pills at Mingfeng Mountain, the food was much worse than when I stayed in the sect."
If I win, I'll get to eat here for a month straight, with every meal the same quality as today.
"No problem, but what if you lose?"
"I could lose? How could that be!"
"If I lose, you only need to pay for the spirit stones used to buy the raw materials for all the mulberry wine brewed this year. I won't take a single jar of the wine; I'll work for you for free. How about that?"
Ji An pondered for a moment and said:
"If I lose, please ask my senior brother for two months."
Du Huaiyuan was taken aback and said:
"So confident? Are you hiding the number of top-grade spirit mulberry trees?"
"Senior brother, you are welcome to check. The difference between superior and top-grade is significant and easy to tell."
The best mulberry fields are near the Cold Pool; I just looked at them before my senior brother arrived.
Du Huaiyuan's gaze shifted, and he said:
"I have to go take a look."
He summoned the flying shuttle and flew towards the mulberry fields.
Xia Yuhan whispered:
"Uncle-Master Ji, why did you raise the stakes by one month?"
Ji An said calmly:
"Because I feel I have a better chance of winning, that's fair."
Fifteen minutes later, Du Huaiyuan flew back, confidently stating:
"I'll take the bet!"
He checked and found that there were indeed only four top-grade spirit mulberry trees in the other party's spirit field. Even if he missed one, it wouldn't be a big deal.
Ji An nodded slightly and smiled:
"Senior brother, let's drink!"
"Yuhan, take these dishes and heat them up."
(End of this chapter)
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