Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

A sudden shiver ran through his heart, and Ji An couldn’t help but grit his teeth.

There is a downside to this approach—if the disciples leave the sect, they might find it difficult to survive.

Even in the past, when things weren’t going well, they could still refine Magical Artifacts to make a living; now, being stuck in a single position, even crafting a simple Lower Grade Magical Artifact seems challenging.

They would be relegated to labor like oxen and horses for a lifetime, and if the sect were to discard them after using them, it would be truly unfortunate.

’If the sect adopts this method, I will be a sinner to the Low-Tier Disciples.’

Jia Yu was unaware of the imaginative thoughts of the cultivator in front of him; he pondered and said:

"The rewards aren’t fixed. If the sect profits greatly, rewards of over ten thousand Small Merits aren’t out of the question."

He pondered the other’s method and found it increasingly promising.

"Junior Brother, do you think halls like the Beast Taming Hall and the Array Hall are suitable for implementing such a method?"

Ji An shook his head and said:

"I don’t think it’s very feasible, but the Puppet Hall seems more suited to this method."

The sect’s Puppet Hall can only produce Foundation Establishment puppets, and there aren’t many disciples there.

Having already shared this method, it effectively initiated the ’assembly line production,’ and he didn’t mind sharing another.

Even if he didn’t say it, other cultivators would figure it out, and the disciples could only fend for themselves.

The two chatted for a long time, and Jia Yu occasionally input information into a Blank Jade Slip, looking quite energetic.

Only when the sect becomes stronger can High-Tier Cultivators benefit more.

After analyzing all the halls, Jia Yu, satisfied, put the Jade Slip away and said:

"How many Top-grade Red Cloud Pines are there in Red Flame Peak now? In a few years, the sect will be able to acquire a batch of Spirit Medicines from other families and start refining the Purple Flame Heart Protection Pill."

After researching the pill formula for the Purple Flame Heart Protection Pill, only seven or eight furnaces were refined due to material limitations.

Having the formula but unable to convert it into sect power made the ancestor quite anxious.

The sect sent emissaries to visit surrounding families one by one, offering attractive terms to reserve a batch of Spirit Medicines maturing soon.

"Only eighteen, each producing about five hundred jin of pine nuts, and I have twenty thousand jin of pine nuts stored in my warehouse. Do you think that’s enough?"

Only a thousand jin of Top-grade pine nuts are used annually for brewing wine, and without adequate ingredients, using Top-grade pine nuts for brewing is somewhat wasteful.

Jia Yu pondered for a moment and then nodded slightly:

"It should be enough, even if it’s not completely sufficient, the shortfall won’t be much."

Ji An remembered something and said:

"Red Flame Peak is now producing Tier Two Upper Grade honey. Can it be used to refine Chao Origin Stage Pills?"

In refining Chao Origin Stage Pills, honey is destined not to be the main material, but it should be usable as an auxiliary material.

Currently, the Top-grade honey of Red Flame Peak is being stored as using it to refine Low-tier Elixirs is too wasteful.

"Chao Origin Stage Pills meant to enhance cultivation have specific requirements and must contain Five Elements Qi. Honey doesn’t meet this standard.

However, theoretically, using honey as a base for refining pills that rapidly restore Magical Power should be fine.

I’ll discuss this with Junior Sister Han to see if she’s interested in studying a new pill formula."

Jia Yu chuckled. Since developing two new pill formulas, Han Yan had taken a keen interest in pill formulation research.

"However, Junior Sister Han has recently broken through to the Second Transformation of the Chao Origin Stage and is busy opening up her Divine Mansion, so she might not have time right now.

Once she establishes the Divine Mansion, just mentioning the research on the pill formula will certainly interest her, and then we’ll just need to report to Diligence Hall."

Ji An frowned slightly and asked:

"Which was Senior Sister Han’s first Divine Mansion?"

"Heart Fire Mansion," Jia Yu replied, pausing and muttering:

"She is currently working on opening her Earth Element Divine Mansion, meaning she needs to go out to feast on Qi."

"Yes, if she tries to feast on Qi in the vicinity of the sect, it’s hard to say how many years it would take for her Earth Mansion to reach Perfection. We can’t let time just slip away; going out to feast on Qi is a must."

Ji An said, the reason he hadn’t gone out to explore was that his master’s lifespan was running out.

But he wasn’t wasting time; unlike other cultivators, he had the fortune of being able to establish a Divine Mansion.

Jia Yu scratched his head, "Junior Brother, you also need to go out to feast on Earth Element Qi. It would be good to accompany Junior Sister Han, for mutual support."

He was thinking about who else needed to go out to feast on Qi and ought to pair them up since a Spirit Farmer and an Alchemist didn’t seem like the kind of group that could fight.

It’s best to find someone formidable to act as a bodyguard since these two are considered treasures of the sect.

Ji An had never mentioned to him the incident of killing two Chao Origin Stage Demon Cultivators, otherwise, he might feel more at ease.

"If Senior Sister has no objections, I have no problem."

Ji An wasn’t opposed to teaming up for ’wilderness exploration.’ While going solo also had its benefits, strength in numbers prevents many troubles.

After chatting a bit more, he rose to bid farewell and left on a cloud.

...

Red Flame Peak.

From the Jade Leaf Mulberry fields came a terrified cry, "Youyou!"

The Cyan Deer sprinted, chased relentlessly by the Rock Armor Bear.

Both spirit beasts were at the Sixth-Layer Foundation Establishment, and even though the Cyan Deer had more substantial Demonic Power, it still dared not fight Dahuang.

The Cyan Deer lacked the wild nature of ordinary demon beasts, had never consumed any meat, and normally only ate tender mulberry leaves, Biluo Fruit, and occasionally some Water Element Spirit Fruit.

Perhaps because it didn’t eat meat, it lacked the ferocity typical of demon beasts.

Dahuang, on the other hand, although bear demon beasts are omnivorous, now preferred meat, sometimes consuming Tier Two Lower Grade Earth Spirit Fruit.

Currently, it was the bully of Red Flame Peak, chasing and pursuing others to expend its abundant energy when full and with nothing better to do.

The Cyan Deer kept fleeing; it could have used the Group Entanglement Technique, but the plants in the Mulberry Field were precious, and it was reluctant to disturb them.

Besides this control magic, it hasn’t mastered any other Wood Element Attack Techniques.

"Awooo!"

Dahuang chased excitedly, but it didn’t dare to do anything to this Cyan Deer.

It instinctively felt that the other’s strength was growing too quickly and would affect its status in the future, so it wanted to bully it as much as possible while it still could.

Wei Songnian, riding the Flying Shuttle, saw this scene and helplessly smiled wryly.

He was just a Seventh-Layer Qi Refining junior cultivator and didn’t dare to intervene.

Luckily, the spacing between the plants in the Mulberry Field was wide enough, otherwise, after this chase, it’s hard to say how many Jade Leaf Mulberries might be knocked down.

When Ji An rode the cloud back to Red Flame Peak, he saw this mayhem and chaos.

The distance from Sunrise Peak to both Ningcui Cliff and Red Flame Peak was about the same, so there was no need to return to Ningcui Cliff first and then teleport back, wasting Spirit Stones unnecessarily.

Although the Sect fully reimbursed Spirit Stones, there was no need to do something that harmed others without benefitting oneself.

"So when I’m not around, Red Flame Peak is this lively, huh."

The corners of his mouth slightly curled as he sped towards the two beasts chasing each other.

"Youyou!"

The Cyan Deer spotted the rapidly approaching cloud, vibrant like the evening glow, and let out a joyous sound, as if it had found a savior.

Dahuang also saw its master’s arrival, but it didn’t know Earth Element Skill, so it panicked.

It glanced to the sides and hid behind a robust Spiritual Mulberry.

Unfortunately, due to the tree species, a Jade Leaf Mulberry was at most bowl-thick, so how could it possibly hide a plump Rock Armor Bear?

It crouched down, covered its head with its bear paws, and covered its eyes.

Ji An landed and put away the Fire Cloud.

"Youyou," the Cyan Deer ran to his side, complaining with a grieved sound.

He patted its antlers and chuckled helplessly:

"You’re a male deer after all, also in the Sixth-Layer Foundation Establishment, how can you just keep running away."

In his heart, the Cyan Deer was more important than other beast taming companions; the others couldn’t help him now and just followed around doing odd jobs.

But the Cyan Deer was already a competent labor force; even when he wasn’t at Red Flame Peak, it could help tend the Spirit Fields.

"Go play, I’ll handle it."

The Cyan Deer nodded, glanced back at Dahuang, and trotted away happily.

Ji An deliberately walked forward slowly but heavily, knowing Dahuang would definitely feel his footsteps, thereby creating a sense of pressure.

When he got to Dahuang he stopped and didn’t say a word, just stood there silently.

Dahuang’s short tail behind him wagged uneasily, making rumbling sounds like it was asleep.

This made Ji An laugh out loud, so he gave Dahuang a light kick:

"Get up, stop playing dead!"

Dahuang didn’t move, but after another kick, it finally stood up with its head drooping.

"From now on, you’re not allowed to chase Youyou, nor chase any other tamed beasts, otherwise, no food for three days."

"Awooo!"

...

Half a month later, at the Agricultural Hall.

Ji An sat cross-legged, opening the Inner Vein Pattern of the Pijin Mansion, when a Communication Golden Sword flew in through the window.

He halted the Dharma Gate operation, reached out, caught the golden sword, and inspected the information inside.

Then he stood up, gave some instructions to Lin Mao, and left riding the Fire Element Cloud.

After half an hour, he arrived at Sunrise Peak’s Treasure Pavilion.

Jia Yu chuckled and said:

"Hehe, I figured Junior Brother would come this quickly."

Ji An cupped his hands and responded with a smile:

"Greetings, Senior Brothers. I’ve been dreaming day and night of the Magical Artifact made from Grotto Void Stone for years, naturally I want to have it in hand quickly."

In the hall, Zhuu Xiangrong was also there, likely having just delivered the item.

"Haha, Junior Brother beat me to it. When refining it, it turned out splendidly, and the space inside the Void Realm Space is significantly larger than initially expected. If it weren’t for your reservation, I would’ve kept it for myself."

Zhuu Xiangrong picked up the item on the table and continued:

"The Grotto Void Stone is better suited to be made into a pendant, see if you like it, Junior Brother."

Ji An took the pendant, rubbing it in his hand.

The Grotto Void Stone still had its original color, but fine golden patterns were inlaid on the outside, and a small golden ring emerged at the top of its wider end.

A gold luminous necklace ran through the ring, exuding an aura of luxury, with faint scale-like patterns, gleaming as if shimmering. He marveled:

"The necklace includes Dragon Pattern Gold, adding immense value to this ornament."

Dragon Pattern Gold is a Tier Two Genuine Grade spiritual object, often used in crafting Spiritual Artifacts.

Zhuu Xiangrong nodded with pride and said:

"Of course, such an excellent Grotto Void Stone must be matched with the finest ornament, otherwise, it’d be devaluing it!"

Ji An then extended his Divine Sense into the Void Realm Space, and after a probe, his face lit up with delight.

The space indeed expanded significantly, from thirteen feet to fifteen feet, almost doubling in size.