The Alchemist Arrives

"So 'spring rain is as precious as oil' is actually an adjective?"

Li Ye stood before the beavers' den—it was underwater, its roof made solid with a mixture of dead branches, fallen leaves, and mud, with even breathing holes left along the edges.

That pool of spring rain sat in a hollow atop the den.

It was clearly different from ordinary water, sharply distinct from the rainwater around it, with a viscous texture. Calling it oil truly wasn't wrong.

He reached out, intending to use the Water Control Technique to collect the spring rain, but the moment his hand extended, a mass of black resentful energy surged up from underground and blocked him.

"Hm?"

This was clearly the aura emitted by the spirit plant called Hungry Bone, carrying an overbearing possessiveness. Li Ye instantly understood that this pool of spring rain had plainly been seized by its power.

Why was Hungry Bone able to gather real spring rain?

He did not quite understand, but just then, a little head suddenly poked out from beneath the water near the den, peering around cautiously.

The little fellow was still bleary-eyed from sleep. When it came before the spring rain, the black mist instantly dispersed.

The beaver lowered its head and took two drinks, then generously let out a "squeak, squeak" at Li Ye.

Then the black mist instantly vanished.

"..."

It really was obedient.

Li Ye patted the beaver's head, then used a jade bowl to collect the small pool of spring rain.

Once he had finished collecting it, he could clearly sense unusual fluctuations of Spiritual Energy here, gathering more spring rain.

He kept the matter in mind and decided to sound out Uncle Spirit Vine about the reason tomorrow when he went out.

For now, he still had things to do.

On the day of Start of Spring, the Start of Spring Wheat had to be planted quickly, and all of it had to be planted that very day.

Otherwise, once Start of Spring had passed, it could no longer be called Start of Spring Wheat.

He had roughly counted before and estimated there were around a thousand seeds.

Now he had to plant them one by one, while also accommodating their immature consciousnesses' pickiness toward their environment. It was truly no easy task.

Thus, clad in a rain cape, he busied himself in the courtyard.

Only when the sky began to brighten did he finally finish planting them all.

When watering them, he deliberately mixed a little spring rain into the Spirit Spring Water. Afterward, he returned to the house and had just planned to make breakfast when a knock suddenly sounded from outside.

"Who could it be?" He found it strange. The original owner had always been alone, yet someone had come to his door. Could they be here to collect rent? But it was not time yet.

The knocking outside was neither hurried nor slow, and even seemed to follow a rhythm.

He simply walked over and opened the door.

Outside stood a young male cultivator dressed in white, utterly spotless despite the drizzling rain. Seeing Li Ye open the door, he directly stated his purpose.

"Fellow Daoist Li, I am a cultivator from the Four Seasons Sect stationed at Returning Shore Market. This is my token."

The male cultivator took out a token imprinted with the Four Seasons Sundial.

He then explained his purpose. "Do you have any Moon Nectar Pearls left, Fellow Daoist? If so, I am willing to purchase them for one hundred Spirit Stones each. If you wish, we can also exchange them for pills."

His tone was plainly extremely urgent, and there was even a hint of pleading in the way he looked at Li Ye.

Faint bloodshot veins could be seen filling the corners of his eyes, and his lips were somewhat dry. He looked every bit like someone who had stayed up far too long.

One hundred per pearl? Are you insane, or some young master who ran out of nowhere? Even Uncle Spirit Vine had only offered thirty-one per pearl.

Li Ye blinked. "How did you know I have Moon Nectar Pearls, Fellow Daoist?"

"Uncle Spirit Vine from one of the market's shops told me."

"Fellow Daoist Li, I will not hide it from you. These Moon Nectar Pearls are the main ingredient for refining a certain pill, and I have also been assigned a task. The Moon Nectar Pearls submitted by others vary greatly in quality; only yours can be called top-grade."

"If Fellow Daoist can help me exceed this sect assignment, then while I am stationed at the market in the future, you may come to me whenever you wish to buy any pills."

How could he refuse connections delivered right to his door?

An alchemist, after all.

Li Ye thought for a moment. "I still have twenty here."

Without another word, the other party directly took out a Storage Pouch and handed it over. "Count them."

The convenience of a Storage Pouch was that a sweep of Divine Sense would reveal everything inside. There were indeed two thousand Spirit Stones within, not one less.

Li Ye could not help feeling emotional. He had only just entered the Qi Refining realm. Uncle Spirit Vine had given him two thousand before, and now there were another two thousand—four thousand Spirit Stones!

Was this alchemist not a little too generous? It was fully twice what Uncle Spirit Vine had offered!

In those cultivation novels he had read before, obtaining Spirit Stones had always been incredibly difficult. Saving up for even one Foundation Establishment Pill required endless hardship.

Since the other party was being so generous, Li Ye did not hesitate. He handed over the box containing twenty Moon Nectar Pearls, leaving himself with only ten.

The young male cultivator opened the box and looked inside.

An irrepressible look of joy immediately surged onto his face.

"It's this..."

"I trust my pill can finally be completed."

He took a deep breath, closed the box, and smiled at Li Ye. "I am Su Ya. If Fellow Daoist Li has any needs in the future, simply give my name at a Four Seasons Sect shop."

"I'm in a hurry to return and refine pills, so I'll be taking my leave!"

With that, he actually pulled a tiny flying boat artifact from the ring on his hand. Riding the vessel, he vanished in an instant.

"...A Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator." Li Ye was still somewhat stunned.

The marketplace supposedly forbade flight, with an aerial ban in place. Cultivators who violated it had to pay enormous fines.

What kind of temptation could make him act like this?

It seemed the Moon Nectar Pearls he had grown truly had a price beyond measure.

But speaking of the Spirit Vine, after saving up for another two days, he would take Spring Rain to meet it. Since he had promised, he had to make good on it.

Guiding his flying boat through the restrictions, Su Ya swiftly returned to the Four Seasons Sect's shop.

Today was Start of Spring, and even the Four Seasons Sect's shop had suspended business.

After all, the Four Seasons Sect was holding its Start of Spring ritual. If one could gain something there, it would be an even greater harvest than farming for an entire year.

"Boy Su."

The Spirit Vine slowly straightened up from behind the counter. "You just went looking for that boy Li? How many Spirit Stones did you spend to buy them?"

"Two thousand."

The moment Su Ya said that, the Spirit Vine could not help laughing. "When that batch of Moon Nectar Pearls was delivered to the sect, you refused to ask for any. Now you've gone and paid a high price to buy them—truly reaping what you sowed."

"You paid fully twice as much as the sect sold them to you for. Does that feel good?"

Teased like that, Su Ya sighed and cupped his hands in surrender. "Martial Uncle, please stop talking about this disciple."

He immediately changed the subject.

"Still, Fellow Daoist Li has an aura about him that makes me feel quite comfortable. Does he intend to join our Four Seasons Sect in the future?"

The Spirit Vine replied unhurriedly, "If he wishes to join, why wouldn't we take him?

"I think highly of this boy. If he can handle this year's two solar-term tasks well, then when the autumn harvest comes, I'll recommend him for admission."

"That would be a good thing."

"Hehe, with a junior brother like him who excels at cultivating Moon Nectar Pearls, the other senior brothers and I can finally breathe easier. The sect's need for Moon Nectar Pearls has been growing greater and greater lately. Could it be that senior..."

The instant his probing words left his mouth, countless dense vines silently appeared all around him, binding him up directly. An unknown Spirit Fruit was even stuffed into his mouth.

Before he could so much as beg for mercy, he was sent into the Pill Chamber.

Until he truly refined the pill, he likely would not be coming out.