bookbashuk Chapter 113 Voluntary Defection
Chapter 113 Voluntary Defection
Chapter 113 Voluntary Defection (4k views, please subscribe)
Qinglu Mountain.
The afternoon sun was shining brightly, its golden rays spreading across the mountain ridge and bathing the entire hillside in a warm glow.
On the south side of the hillside, a little girl in a light pink dress is tiptoeing and skipping lightly through the grass.
She looked about five or six years old, with her hair tied in two buns, each with a pale yellow ribbon that swayed with her movements.
Jiang Fu'an was lying flat on the grass about seven or eight steps away from her.
He rested one hand behind his head, and held the account book up to the sunlight with the other, looking at it intently.
This is the final account book for Lingfu Pavilion since it reopened three months ago.
The last line of the account reads:
Six thousand four hundred and seventy-two spirit stones.
Jiang Fu'an stared at the number, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved into a smile.
More than six thousand spirit stones, that's no small amount.
Even the gains from that exploration of the Foundation Establishment cultivator's cave were not this much.
Now, in just three months, we've reached this number.
He flipped through the ledger, his gaze falling on the expenditure items.
First, the Wang family was paid 1,500 spirit stones.
Nearly half of the talismans sold in the Spirit Talisman Pavilion come from the Wang family, so naturally, you have to pay for them.
Moreover, Wang Zhiyue and the others have already completed their studies and returned home.
As their talisman-drawing skills improve, they will likely purchase even more goods from the Wang family, increasing their expenses.
Secondly, there are expenses such as material costs and wages for workers.
After deducting all the deductions, he would eventually receive about four thousand spirit stones.
four thousand----
Jiang Fu'an mentally calculated the family's expenses and found that the situation was not optimistic.
He and Shi Tou were about to reach the second level of perfection in their cultivation of the "Dragon and Tiger Body Forging Technique".
Once one cultivates to the third level, their physical strength will be comparable to that of a late-stage first-tier demon beast, and they will be able to withstand some of the spells of late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.
However, the further one progresses in cultivation, the greater the consumption of energy.
In the past few months, he has clearly felt that the effects of the semi-spirit beast meat he usually eats are getting weaker and weaker.
Before, after eating three to five kilograms, my blood and qi would surge like fire, but now I only feel a slight heat after eating.
I reckon that once we reach the third level, the flesh of the semi-spirit beast will completely lose its effectiveness.
When the time comes, we'll definitely have to switch to first-tier spirit beast meat.
That value would be more than double or triple.
Besides body training, there's also the cost of purchasing Qi-Nourishing Pills.
Originally, only he took it.
Now, the fifth son, Xiang Shen, has also begun his cultivation.
This child has no special constitution or destiny, and his spiritual root also has the slowest cultivation speed.
In most people's eyes, it has no value in being cultivated and can be left to develop slowly.
No matter what, he's still his son. He eats pills like they're food every day. Is he just going to watch his son suffer in cultivation?
So he set aside some so that Xiang Shen could take one every four or five days.
Fortunately, Xiang Shen lived up to expectations.
Nowadays, most of the first-tier low-grade talismans in the Spirit Talisman Pavilion were made by him and Er Ya.
What he earned far exceeded the value of the Qi-Nourishing Pills he was given.
This is not finished.
I'll have to save up money to buy the Spirit Gathering Pills I need to break through the bottlenecks in the future.
He, Shi Tou, Xiang Shen, and Er Ya are not particularly talented, and they will inevitably need to rely on the Spirit Gathering Pill to break through their bottlenecks in the future.
A single Spirit Gathering Pill costs at least three hundred spirit stones, and even then, it's not guaranteed that you can buy one.
There's also the Foundation Building Pill.
Although He Miao is already in the late stage of Qi Refining, it would be extremely difficult for him to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill on his own.
As a father, he needs to save up some spirit stones in advance so he can help out as much as he can when the time comes.
Four thousand spirit stones seem like a lot, but when you calculate it this way, it actually seems a bit tight.
"Grandpa"
A clear, childlike voice interrupted his thoughts.
Jiang Fu'an opened his eyes and saw his granddaughter hopping and skipping over, holding the fat grasshopper in her hand.
Jiang Fu'an propped himself up, picked up a palm-sized wooden box from beside him, and opened it a crack.
Xuan'er carefully stuffed the grasshopper inside.
Through the gap, you could see seven or eight grasshoppers huddled together inside, kicking their legs and flapping their wings, making a rustling sound.
He closed the box and reached out to rub his granddaughter's head.
"Xuan'er is really capable. Go catch more and feed them to the spirit fish when we get home."
"Feed the fish until they're plump and fat, and we'll be able to eat them soon."
Jiang Hexuan nodded vigorously: "I want them to be well-fed and grow this big."
She spread her arms, making an exaggerated circle, then turned and ran back into the bushes, bending over to continue her search.
As Jiang Fu'an watched his granddaughter's retreating figure, he suddenly remembered that she was already six years old this year and would be able to draw qi into her body next year and embark on the path to immortality.
She has dual spiritual roots, and her aptitude is better than anyone else in her family.
Even without the Qi-Nourishing Pill, her cultivation speed is far superior to his.
But this doesn't mean we can save resources.
Because of their good aptitude, they should be nurtured even more; otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste of their talent?
He had been thinking for a long time about finding a high-level cultivation technique for his granddaughter.
Previously, since the family members were of average talent, they wouldn't show much advantage in practicing advanced techniques, so he didn't force them.
But Xuan'er is different.
Jiang Fu'an rubbed his temples.
These spirit stones are never enough, no matter how you calculate it.
Suddenly, his ears twitched.
Footsteps came from below the mountain path, unhurried and approaching this way.
A young man, about twenty years old, wearing a blue Taoist robe, appeared as the mountain path turned a corner.
Judging from his aura, he should be at the third level of Qi Refining cultivation.
The man looked up and his eyes met Jiang Fu'an's.
He smiled slightly, cupped his hands in greeting, and asked in a clear voice, "Fellow Daoist, may I ask if this is Qinglu Mountain?"
Jiang Fu'an stood up and nodded in agreement, "That's right, it is indeed Qinglu Mountain."
Upon hearing this, the young man's face lit up with even greater joy. He quickly took a few steps closer and asked, "Does that fellow Daoist know where the Jiang family patriarch is now? I have business with him."
Looking for me?
Jiang Fu'an's heart stirred slightly.
He carefully examined the other person and was certain that he had never seen this person before.
However, since the opponent's cultivation level is not high, there is no need to be overly vigilant.
He bluntly stated, "I am the head of the Jiang family. May I ask your name, and what business do you have with me?"
Upon hearing this, the young man's smile faded slightly, and he straightened his back a bit.
He cleared his throat, his tone tinged with arrogance: "So it's Patriarch Jiang in person. I am Ning Zhiyuan, a first-grade low-level alchemist."
After saying this, he stopped, put his hands behind his back, and slowly scanned the surrounding mountains and forests, as if admiring the scenery.
Jiang Fu'an waited a while, and seeing that he didn't say anything more, he had no choice but to ask again: "So it's Fellow Daoist Ning. May I ask what brings you to Qinglu Mountain to see me?"
Ning Zhiyuan turned his face, revealing a surprised expression: "Does Patriarch Jiang not know what the status of an alchemist is in the cultivation world?"
"You're just going to let Ning stand here in this desolate wilderness and talk?"
"Shouldn't you invite me to your residence for a cup of tea first, so we can talk things over at a leisurely pace?"
Jiang Fu'an frowned slightly.
He naturally knew that alchemists held a prestigious position.
Among all the arts of cultivating immortality, alchemy ranks first.
Pills are related to breakthroughs in cultivation, recovery from injuries, and even prolonging life. Which cultivator wouldn't beg an alchemist for help?
But that depends on the situation.
The person in front of me is only a low-grade first-level cultivator, at most capable of refining basic pills such as fasting pills and detoxification pills.
If the alchemist is of mid-grade or even high-grade quality and can refine Spirit Gathering Pills and Foundation Establishment Pills, he might be a little more polite.
But for a complete stranger, someone whose background is unknown, to immediately adopt this attitude—
Jiang Fu'an's expression turned calm: "Fellow Daoist Ning, if you have something important to say, please speak frankly."
"Sigh, they really are a newly emerging little family, they don't know the rules."
Ning Zhiyuan shook his head and sighed, then flicked his sleeve: "Forget it, I won't hold this against you."
"I passed through this place and saw that Qinglu Mountain had beautiful scenery and decent spiritual energy, making it a good place for quiet cultivation."
"How about this, if the Jiang family is willing to pay one hundred spirit stones per month as a salary, I, Ning, will condescend to come here and serve as a serving alchemist."
"One hundred spirit stones?"
Jiang Fu'an was genuinely stunned for a moment.
One hundred spirit stones per month, that's one thousand two hundred spirit stones per year.
That price is enough to buy a top-grade magical artifact.
The other party is only at the third level of Qi Refining, and is a low-grade alchemist. How dare they make such a statement?
They're treating him like a sucker.
Jiang Fu'an's face darkened completely: "I'm sorry, the Jiang family is too small to accommodate such a great figure as Fellow Daoist Ning. Please find another place."
Ning Zhiyuan seemed surprised by his decisive refusal, and his expression stiffened.
But he quickly forced a smile, his tone softening slightly: "Master Jiang, please don't be anxious. If your family is facing difficulties and can't come up with so much, we can discuss it."
Ninety? Eighty is fine too.
"Ning is quite proficient in basic elixirs such as Bigu Dan, Yangqi Dan, and Zhongmiao Dan."
"With me here, the Jiang family can be self-sufficient in pills in the future, saving a lot of expenses."
Jiang Fu'an understood.
This person didn't just happen to be passing by; he came specifically for Qinglu Mountain.
Remembering Xia Qingshan's betrayal of the Wang family not long ago, how could he possibly let an alchemist of unknown origin move in?
Rather than letting a time bomb explode at home, he'd rather spend more money buying elixirs outside.
"No need."
"6
Jiang Fu'an said firmly, "The Jiang family is not short of alchemists for the time being. Fellow Daoist Ning, please return."
Ning Zhiyuan was completely stunned.
He has been traveling for some time now, and which family wouldn't line the streets to welcome him if they heard that an alchemist was willing to settle down?
This Jiang family head is something else; he didn't even try to negotiate the price before kicking people out.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but seeing the other person's unyielding attitude, he knew that it would be a waste of breath to say anything more, so he had no choice but to turn around and walk down the mountain path he had come from.
Just then, a rustling sound came from the dense forest nearby.
Ning Zhiyuan paused and turned to look.
A large, black-haired wild boar strolled leisurely out of the woods.
The pig was nearly four feet tall, with protruding tusks, and the ground trembled slightly with every step it took.
But on the back of this ferocious beast, a young girl was sitting sideways.
The girl was wearing a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), and her long hair was loosely draped over her shoulders.
She had beautiful features, fair skin, and a somewhat slender figure. Sitting on the broad back of the wild boar, she appeared even more delicate.
But the wild boar was surprisingly docile towards her, walking with deliberately light steps as if afraid of bumping her.
The contrast between this delicate, timid mortal girl and the wild, powerful boar she rode was striking.
The scene possessed a strange beauty that captivated Ning Zhiyuan's gaze, causing him to momentarily forget to move.
The girl riding the pig was none other than Yue'er.
She was strolling in the woods when she heard voices coming from the mountain path, so she came over out of curiosity.
As soon as they appeared, the unfamiliar young man stared wide-eyed, looking completely distracted.
Thinking the man was frightened by the wild boar, she felt a little embarrassed and explained softly, "Sir, there's no need to be afraid. It's gentle and won't hurt you. Just go down the mountain."
The sound was soft and gentle, like a mountain stream flowing over pebbles.
Ning Zhiyuan seemed to awaken from a dream.
Instead of backing down, he took two steps forward, a gentle smile spreading across his face: "My name is Ning Zhiyuan. May I ask how you are addressed, young lady?"
Yue'er was taken aback, not expecting the other party to suddenly ask her name, and looked at her father somewhat helplessly.
Jiang Fu'an was a man, and just by looking at Ning Zhiyuan's expression, he understood perfectly.
He stepped forward, blocking his daughter's path, and explained, "This is my daughter. She raised this wild boar from a cub, so she's close to it."
"If Fellow Daoist Ruoning has nothing else to say, you should descend the mountain as soon as possible!"
"Your daughter?"
Ning Zhiyuan then shifted his gaze from Yue'er and looked at Jiang Fu'an again, his face showing undisguised surprise.
Judging by their appearances alone, the two do look somewhat alike, but Jiang Fu'an looks to be no more than twenty years old, so it would be more believable if they were siblings.
However, he quickly realized that there are many ways to preserve one's youth in the cultivation world, so how can one judge one's age just by looking at one's face?
He stopped dwelling on it and instead approached Jiang Fu'an, his attitude much more humble than before: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, after much thought, I still think Qinglu Mountain is the best."
"How about this, if you allow me to cultivate here, I will not take a single penny."
"Not only that, but we can also refine pills for the Jiang family free of charge every month. How about it?"
This condition is practically equivalent to giving away an alchemist for free.
If this is successful, we can be self-sufficient in Qi-Nourishing Pills in the future. Even if we buy all the medicinal materials, we can still save 20-30% of the expenses.
But Jiang Fu'an knew perfectly well what was going on.
Why would the other party be interested in Qinglu Mountain?
He clearly has his eye on Yue'er.
Furthermore, given the abruptness of this person's appearance and the suspicious nature of his motives, it is highly unlikely that he would keep such a potentially dangerous individual with impure intentions and unknown origins in his home or near his daughter.
"No need."
Jiang Fu'an shook his head, his tone leaving no room for negotiation: "The Jiang family does not produce spiritual herbs, so we don't need an alchemist for the time being."
Ning Zhiyuan's smile froze for a moment, but looking at Yue'er, who sat quietly on the back of the wild boar like a fairy descending to earth, the eagerness in his heart overcame the embarrassment of being repeatedly rejected.
His eyes darted around, and he threw out another bait: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, to be honest, besides alchemy, I also know a little about cultivating spiritual herbs."
"Many first-tier spiritual herbs are not difficult to care for; they can grow simply by watering them with spiritual spring water regularly."
"I remember there is a spiritual spring on Qinglu Mountain. Hasn't Patriarch Jiang ever thought about opening a medicinal herb garden?"
These words finally stirred something in Jiang Fu'an's heart.
While spiritual rice and spiritual bamboo are indeed spiritual plants, their value is worlds apart from that of spiritual medicines.
Not only do spiritual herbs contain pure spiritual energy, but they also have unique medicinal effects, making them an indispensable main ingredient for refining various elixirs.
However, medicinal herbs are delicate and extremely difficult to cultivate. From seed selection and seedling cultivation to daily care, disease prevention and pest control, they all require the meticulous care of a plant expert.
Jiang Fu'an had considered establishing a medicinal herb garden before, but the Miao people were only good at growing rice and bamboo and knew nothing about medicinal herbs, so the plan was put on hold.
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