Autumn Harvest Token

Just a few casual pointers, and he could receive a gift?

After parting ways with Fellow Daoist Zhou, Li Ye still found the whole matter rather absurd. Back then, he had merely spoken a few words out of a momentary kindness. He had never expected the other man to come and offer a return gift.

Ten jin of flour, and a box of Wheat Pellets.

That truly was not a shabby gift.

"Judging from this alone, Fellow Daoist Zhou is someone worth associating with. Three days from now... I should make sure to keep the appointment on time."

Li Ye pondered as he continued walking.

Unfortunately, he did not spot any suitable aquatic spirit plants along the way.

Since he still had to seek out Spirit Vine shortly, he might as well see whether there were any suitable ones for sale there.

About the time it took to drink half a cup of tea later, he arrived before a rather peculiar iron pavilion.

The entire pavilion stood in one corner of the market. Though its windows were decorated with carved patterns, it gave off an unusually "orderly" feeling.

Square and rigid, as if it had been made by someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

He examined it for a moment, then stepped inside.

The instant he entered, the floor beneath his feet gave a slight sway, and the surroundings seemed to drop with it. After several breaths, he found himself in a simply furnished room.

A delicate-looking female cultivator sat behind the counter before him.

She smiled faintly at Li Ye and gestured invitingly. "Please, have a seat, Daoist Friend. Is this your first time at our Mo Family Automaton Workshop? For the privacy of our customers, each person is sent by automaton to a separate room. I am Mo Dingliu. Greetings, Daoist Friend."

Li Ye was slightly surprised inwardly. As expected of something from the Mo Family—there was even such a clever little touch. Privacy was indeed in line with the preferences of most cultivators.

He smiled as well and took a seat. "I came this time to buy a Fire Seed Box, the kind that can hold five fire seeds."

"Five fire seeds?" Mo Dingliu nodded and immediately took out a box made of rosewood. She set it before Li Ye and opened it.

"This is the best-selling Fire Seed Box from our Mo Family Automaton Workshop. It can hold five fire seeds. Whenever needed, its mechanisms can also provide fuel for the fire seeds at any time. Whether for artifact refining or pill refinement, it is extremely stable."

The box, roughly a foot long, contained five grooves.

Strange flame-shaped runes had been drawn around the hollows.

It just... somehow felt like a gas stove.

It really was rather similar.

Seeing Li Ye fall silent, Mo Dingliu knew that some cultivators were unwilling to let others see their own treasures, so she took out a fire seed that had been prepared for demonstration.

"Please observe, Daoist Friend."

She placed the fire seed into one of the grooves. It was wrapped in a gelatinous pink liquid and slowly sank to the bottom.

Then she pressed the button beneath the groove.

With a whoosh.

A wisp of extremely steady flame ignited within the groove.

Even when the box was shut, the flame would emerge from holes on its surface. Its size could also be adjusted. The more Li Ye looked at it, the more it resembled a gas stove.

"How many Spirit Stones for this?" Li Ye decided to buy it.

"Two hundred Spirit Stones."

"If there is any damage or problem, you may come to our Mo Family Automaton Workshop for repairs at any time. Rest assured, Daoist Friend—everything from our Mo Family Automaton Workshop is absolutely top quality!"

To be honest, the price was somewhat expensive.

Depending on its effects, even a first-tier Spirit Artifact only cost several dozen Spirit Stones. Only Spirit Artifacts of the second tier or above sold for more than two hundred Spirit Stones.

Yet this thing was indeed hard to classify, since it was a peculiar Magic Tool.

Those who needed it truly needed it.

"Here are two hundred Spirit Stones."

Li Ye took out two hundred Spirit Stones from his Storage Pouch and handed them over. Mo Dingliu collected them all, swiftly replaced the box with another one, then handed him a token.

"This is the certificate for repairs."

"Daoist Friend, you must keep it safe. You must bring this certificate with you, or our Mo Family Automaton Workshop will not acknowledge it or carry out repairs."

After carefully explaining everything, she asked again, "Does Daoist Friend have any other needs?"

"Do you have smaller Observation Mirrors?"

The so-called Observation Mirror was the mirror Li Ye had previously bought to observe the Flint Crystal Worms and Silver Moon Grass. He wanted to buy a few more to observe the beaver and that strange Hungry Bone spirit plant.

"Of course."

Mo Dingliu took out Observation Mirrors of various sizes. The smallest was astonishingly no larger than a grain of rice.

Who knew what such a size was meant for? Could it be the Cultivation World's version of a "pinhole camera"?

Naturally, he would not buy one that small.

He only bought three, each the size of a baby's palm, spending several dozen Spirit Stones.

Then, escorted out by Mo Dingliu, he left the Mo Family Automaton Workshop without slowing and headed straight for the Four Seasons Sect's shop.

Upon seeing Spirit Vine, he immediately took out the jar containing Spring Rain. Inside was viscous rainwater tinged with violet, with a halo of light swirling around it.

"This is what this junior promised you back then."

"Spring Rain."

"Please see whether it is still worthy of your notice, Senior."

Spirit Vine clearly had not expected Li Ye to truly bring back Spring Rain. Its mood instantly shifted from calm to surprise and delight, and its voice brimmed with satisfaction.

"You really are something, kid!"

It stretched out a vine and slowly dipped it into the jar. The vine shuddered, as though it were so comfortable it was about to moan aloud.

As the rainwater visibly diminished, crackling arcs of electricity appeared along that vine. Its outer skin burst apart, then regrew. In that brief moment, its aura seemed to have grown considerably stronger.

"Wonderful!"

Spirit Vine said with satisfaction, "When I spoke to you before, I never imagined you would actually find Purple Oil Spring Rain.

"I do not know what method you used, but this Spring Rain is an exceptional medicine for spirit plants like us that possess sentience.

"If there are any spirit plants you wish to cultivate with great care, you may water them with this as well. But do not use too much—one or two taels each time will be enough."

As it spoke, it took a box from beneath the counter and set it on the table.

"You gave me such a fine thing, so I ought to give you something in return. Open it and have a look."

"Then this junior will accept it without ceremony."

Li Ye opened the box.

Resting quietly atop the brocade within was a token. The words "Autumn Harvest" were written on it. Other than that, it was completely plain, without any patterns or additional writing.

Yet Li Ye's heart stirred.

He looked at Spirit Vine in astonishment.

The latter nodded lightly. "This is the Four Seasons Sect's entrance examination token for the Autumn Harvest season.

"When the time comes, if you can complete three solar-term tasks, your admission will be as sure as nails."

"Wait here a moment, kid. As it happens, there is an alchemist here today. He can take a look at your injuries for you.

"Though he cannot compare to a true sect physician, an alchemist has some skills of his own."

The moment it finished speaking, a male cultivator in flowing white robes pushed open the door and entered.

Su Ya no longer looked as he had before, with bloodshot eyes and parched lips. He had cleaned himself up thoroughly; standing anywhere at all, he would be the very picture of an immortal.