Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Chapter 166: Chapter 163: Nine-bend Yellow Earth

The banquet lasted from noon until the Golden Crow set in the west. Du Huaiyuan was thoroughly drunk, having downed five jars of Spirit Wine, seemingly determined to make up for the year-long deficit in one go.

He staggered to his feet, and with a prolonged voice, slowly said:

“The double hour is late, today was immensely enjoyable, I will return the favor to Junior Brother another day.”

Ji An smiled and said:

“Senior Brother, you’re quite drunk. Stay at Red Flame Peak tonight.”

The other party was already slurring his words, now he should be circulating his cultivation technique to refine the Spirit Wine to recover.

Yet with his penchant for drinking, he would surely never do such a thing, as he always believed that drinking was meant for indulging in intoxication, rarely ever using a cultivation technique for refinement.

He signaled to Xia Yuhuan with a glance, and she immediately stepped forward to support him.

“Who says I’m drunk? This is called being tipsy! Reaching this state of drinking is just right.”

Du Huaiyuan shook off the maid’s hand, took out his Flying Ship, and clamored:

“No need to support me; I’m not drunk.

Junior Brother, until we meet again.”

Ji An grinned, thinking to himself how one could say “you’re drunk” to a drunkard.

He stepped forward and pressed the other’s arm, saying:

“Senior Brother, in your state, you’ll need to be cautious when piloting the Flying Shuttle. Losing a bit of the Wine Immortal’s carefree demeanor, I’ll have Flying Tiger help you navigate.”

Previously, when they drank, the other party never drank more than two jars; today’s drinking was excessive, and he was worried.

If by any chance, an accident happens and the Flying Shuttle falls from the sky, who knows how badly he would get hurt.

“What Junior Brother says makes sense.”

Du Huaiyuan chuckled lightly. The words “Wine Immortal” hit his sweet spot.

Ji An handed over his Flying Shuttle and said:

“Flying Tiger, be cautious on the road. Escort your Junior Martial Uncle Du to the Grotto Mansion before leaving, and don’t be stingy with the Spirit Stones.”

“Junior Martial Uncle, rest assured in my actions.”

Huang Feihu accepted the Flying Shuttle with a smile, activated it, and then used the Object Control Technique to grab Du, saying:

“Junior Martial Uncle Du, please take a seat.”

The two boarded the Flying Ship, spun it around in the air, and then departed.

…

Ji An had only drunk two jars of wine, which did not affect his actions at all.

He flew swiftly to the side of the Cold Pool, casting the Thick Earth Returning Origin Spell and the Jade Wood Transformation Skill in succession.

Quickly cultivating more Top-grade Jade Leaf Mulberry not only increases his influence within the Sect, but also wins the bet, achieving two gains with one action.

The ground brightened with a soft yellow hue, and in the air, green light particles began to rain down gracefully, resembling a galaxy, brighter than the sun’s afterglow.

A few Top-grade Jade Leaf Mulberry trees exuded a formidable attraction, causing more Wood Element Spirit Light to congregate towards them, limiting the surrounding vegetation to scant Spirit Light.

Soon enough, these plants would noticeably become smaller.

Ji An squinted slightly, reflecting that cultivation was also like this, with more resources pooling around stronger cultivators. The way of humanity takes from the inadequate to serve the abundance.

Since the coverage of the Thick Earth Returning Origin Spell was larger, the time spent casting spells on the Spirit Field was slightly reduced.

Soon after, the Mulberry Field had been completed, and Ji An arrived at the Red Cloud Pine Forest, where a large group of Fire Crystal Ants was active near the Tier Two Spirit Pines, with many ants at the Second and Third-Layer Qi Refining.

The Fire Crystal Ants’ colony had expanded significantly, now numbering over fifty thousand, with the Ant Queen having grown to the Eighth-Layer Qi Refining.

For the past two years, most of the high-tier Pine Honey collected by the ant colony had been reserved for the Ant Queen.

Ji An planned to fully support the Ant Queen’s breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage, after which the number of Tier Two Red Cloud Pines should further increase.

…

Ten days later.

Wei Songnian was controlling the Flying Ship as it slowly descended, saying:

“The trade meeting is being held at Senior Brother Gao Qinggang’s grotto mansion. He just broke through to the Late-stage Foundation Establishment six months ago. I wonder if he will release any Late-stage Foundation Establishment Elixirs at this trade meeting.”

His heart was filled with anticipation, as trading was not just a transaction, but also a communication opportunity.

If he could obtain Late-stage Foundation Establishment Elixirs, he could use it as a stepping stone to reach higher tangents.

Ji An leapt off the Flying Ship, smiled, and said:

“You’re quite well-connected now, you even know Late-stage Foundation Establishment Alchemists.”

The other party scarcely spent two months a year within the Sect, yet his connections were wider.

He only knew some Alchemists through selling Spiritual Charcoal, most of whom were mere acquaintances.

Wei Songnian grinned, mysteriously transmitted a message:

“I built connections by helping Senior Brother Gao handle some inferior pills.”

Alchemists inevitably produce some pills with insufficient potency and toxic side effects and completely unusable wasted pills every time they refine a batch.

Alchemists won’t sell inferior pills within the Sect, so they package them and sell to merchants to recover costs and increase profits.

The two stepped into the Grotto Mansion, where twenty or so cultivators were already sitting in small groups of three and four, about half were Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, and there were also several Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, showcasing the initiator’s impressive influence.

Ji An didn’t recognize anyone; Wei Songnian could chat with most of the cultivators, clearly indicating some connections.

“Well, everyone who wanted to come should be here, let’s begin.”

A refined-looking cultivator stepped onto the stage, emitting the Spiritual Pressure of Late-stage Foundation Establishment, and was none other than the Grotto Mansion’s owner, Gao Qinggang.

He took out several Jade Bottles and said with a smile:

“Currently, I have three types of pills: twelve Flaming Sun Pills and Red Lotus Pills each for Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, and three Fire Dragon Heart Refining Pills for Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

As per the old rules, it’s used to exchange for spiritual medicine with an age of over three hundred years, preferably fire-element spiritual medicine.”

Ji An slightly nodded. Spiritual medicine with a maturity of three hundred years is always used as the main ingredient for late-stage Foundation Establishment pills.

The Fire Dragon Heart Refining Pill also contains the divine intent of the fire element law, which is extremely valuable to some cultivators.

“It’s not in vain that I rushed back from Mingfeng Mountain to attend Junior Brother Gao’s trade fair. Let me ask, did Junior Brother Gao refine the Fire Dragon Heart Refining Pill?”

A robust cultivator with a hint of red in his beard stood up and said, his voice sonorous and forceful.

Gao Qinggang cupped his hands and said:

“So it’s Senior Brother Li. Thank you for your support. These pills were indeed refined by me.”

The crowd buzzed with discussions. The Fire Dragon Heart Refining Pill can accelerate cultivators’ comprehension of the divine intent of fire element techniques, and its refinement difficulty makes it one of the most challenging among late-stage Foundation Establishment pills.

The person can refine it now, and in the future, might very well refine pills for Chao Origin Stage cultivators to use.

Wei Songnian transmitted in secret:

“Senior Brother Ji, the red-bearded one is Senior Brother Li Yuangong, only eighty-seven years old, with an Eighth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivation, holding a position in the Law Enforcement Hall.

He is one of the late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators who are currently in their prime within the sect, and many senior brothers believe he will certainly break through to the Chao Origin Stage.”

He sighed secretly in his heart. Due to not having any spiritual medicine with a maturity of three hundred years, he was not eligible to exchange for high-tier elixirs.

Li Yuangong laughed aloud, his voice vibrating in the eardrums of the crowd like a buzzing sound:

“I happen to have a few Dragon Blood Fruits with a maturity of about three hundred and fifty years, the main ingredient for the Fire Dragon Heart Refining Pill, to exchange with Junior Brother Gao, but I have one condition…”

He didn’t voice it, but communicated silently with Gao Qinggang.

The two negotiated for a while, and Li Yuangong handed over a wooden box, and both parties also signed a magic contract agreement.

After they completed their exchange, a cultivator at the Sixth-Layer Foundation Establishment walked up on stage, taking out a fist-sized bright yellow treasure bead and said:

“This is a Blast Flame Bead, a Tier One top-grade magical artifact, which has been with me for many years.

By infusing magical power, it can release an attack comparable to a Perfection Level Bursting Fireball, able to explode continuously three times, after which it requires re-infusion of magical power to recharge.

The recharge speed is very quick, only taking half a breath.

I want to exchange it for a Purple Heart Barrier-breaking Pill; I wonder if any senior brother is willing to trade it?”

The crowd fell silent at his words, and in the end, no one responded. The cultivator sighed softly and shook his head as he walked off the stage.

As its name implies, the Purple Heart Barrier-breaking Pill is a pill that increases the probability of breakthroughs, enhancing a cultivator’s chances of breaking through to late-stage Foundation Establishment, saving many years of honing one’s magical power.

Elixirs for breaking realms have always been the most expensive, and it is normal for no one to be willing to trade them.

Ji An had little interest in such elixirs. His magical power honed at Red Flame Peak was quite refined, and he likely wouldn’t need such pills.

After more than a dozen people went by, Li Yuangong stepped onto the stage and said solemnly:

“Handling three pieces of late-stage Foundation Establishment beast hides and demon beast essence blood, in exchange for elixirs for late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and Tier Two lower grade fire spirit objects.”

Ji An was about to speak, but an elderly cultivator at the table beside him, short and thin, stood up and called out:

“I have over a dozen Fiery Flame Crystals; see how many hides they can exchange for.”

Ji An grinned, the opponent at Fifth-Layer Foundation Establishment, old and decrepit, seemed to be a talisman maker.

Pitifully, though he was spry at forty, he wasn’t as quick as the other in speaking.

The elder cultivator took out enough Fiery Flame Crystals, exchanging them all for the beast hides, cheerfully returning to his seat, his beard all a-flutter.

One after another, people went on stage. During this, Wei Songnian exchanged some mid-stage Foundation Establishment elixirs and a top-grade defensive magical artifact.

Nothing was of interest to Ji An, and he left empty-handed.

Seeing no one else approaching the stage, he stepped forward and said:

“I am Ji An, practicing at Red Flame Peak.

I want to exchange for Tier Two lower grade Profound Yellow Soil and Tier Two middle grade Nine Bends Yellow Earth, willing to trade with Tier Two lower grade Fiery Flame Crystal and Red Flame Iron.

I also have Tier Two lower grade Red Cloud Pine Seeds, Tier One top-grade Jade Leaf Mulberry and Copper Patterned Mulberry Leaves, Tier One top-grade Spiritual Charcoal, and Earth Spirit Fruit, among others; is there any senior brother willing to exchange?”

He listed a long string of items, causing other cultivators to whisper among themselves.

Li Yuangong stood up and said:

“I have some Nine Bends Yellow Earth, how much do you need?”

Ji An was overjoyed and cupped his hands, saying:

“Half a pound will do.”

“I’ll trade it for twenty pounds of Red Flame Iron, and the remaining discrepancy can be supplemented with two thousand pounds of Tier Two lower grade pine nuts. Are you willing?”

Ji An looked to Wei Songnian, not very familiar with the usual prices of these items.

Wei Songnian slightly nodded, transmitting in secret:

“It’s quite fair.”

Ji An cupped his hands and said:

“Senior brother, I have enough Red Flame Iron on hand, but can only take out eight hundred pounds of pine nuts, needing a few months for the pine nuts to mature.

I can provide two thousand four hundred pounds of pine nuts over three years; do you think it’s feasible?”

Ji An spoke, probing to see if the other party would agree to his “installment” offer.

Li Yuangong raised an eyebrow, smiling:

“So the Tier Two Red Cloud Pine was cultivated by Junior Brother?”

He carefully scrutinized the cultivator opposite, having no impression of the other at all.

Ji An, hearing the door open, maintained a reserved smile:

“Indeed it is.”