The Condition of the Spirit Vein Willow, the Need for Spirit Veins

"This... really is a lot."

"Hmm, Fellow Daoist, these Spiritual Materials are rather interesting."

Su Ya inspected them one by one, the delight on his face growing ever more apparent.

Though these materials were low-grade, nearly every kind brimmed with Spiritual Energy and possessed a natural, heaven-wrought quality. They did not seem to have been cultivated by cultivators, but rather to have grown wild and free in the wilderness.

As an alchemist, he had come into contact with many different spiritual plant materials.

There were numerous planting methods within the sect, yet those disciples always liked to grow spiritual plants that ought to differ from one another into identical specimens.

They even planted them in neat, orderly rows like rice seedlings in the mortal world, supplying precisely regulated amounts of Spirit Water and Spiritual Energy every day.

That approach was indeed good, but it always lacked a certain something, losing some of its spirituality.

In his view, it was absolutely inferior to Li Ye's naturally formed spiritual plant materials, whose Spiritual Energy might vary in abundance but which possessed an innate, uncontrived quality.

For low-level alchemists, spiritual plant materials with little variation in Spiritual Energy and reliable stability were naturally good—the sect had always used this method to mass-produce the spiritual pills it required.

But for alchemists who wished to advance along the path of alchemy, this was not so good. They needed to experience the differing spiritual power of various Spiritual Materials and become proficient at controlling and grasping it.

After all, the higher one's cultivation rose, the rarer—and even one-of-a-kind—the Spiritual Materials one collected would become. Without the ability to adapt to circumstances, one would surely never amount to much.

The Spiritual Materials before him now instantly gave him the urge to refine pills.

He immediately began sorting them.

"After the scales of these Crimson-Gold Dragon Carp are ground into powder, they can be used as ingredients for pills that beautify the skin and preserve one's complexion... Once these lotus materials are all processed, they can be refined into several Lotus Pills...

"Oh! And this gourd from the Spirit Water Phoenix-Eye Lotus has actually absorbed the blood of the Crimson-Gold Dragon Carp. It was already rich in Spiritual Energy, and now it can be used to refine pills that nourish qi and blood!"

Su Ya quickly arranged methods for processing all these materials, his eyes gleaming brightly.

"Does Fellow Daoist wish to sell all these Spiritual Materials directly to me, or wait until I refine them into pills and then split the proceeds?

"If we split the proceeds, there is a risk of failure in the refinement. If you sell them all to me, these Spiritual Materials... I can give Fellow Daoist four hundred Spirit Stones outright."

—That was truly a generous price.

After all, how many Spirit Stones had Li Ye spent to buy those spiritual plants in the first place?

Now he was merely selling the materials they produced, and there would be an unending stream of future harvests. Moreover, as he cultivated them for longer, their Spiritual Energy and quality would increase, making them even more valuable.

So he said directly, "I trust in Fellow Daoist's skill in alchemy, and I am confident that my Spiritual Materials are excellent. I'll await your good news."

"Haha, Fellow Daoist's Spiritual Materials truly are good. I can't be the one to hold us back... I can only ask Fellow Daoist to head back on your own. I'm going into seclusion to refine pills right now!"

This Fellow Daoist Su Ya was plainly the sort who acted the moment he made up his mind. He reached out and slapped the ground.

The originally semi-transparent Alchemy Furnace instantly shifted aside, while another, smaller Alchemy Furnace appeared in its place.

After that came medicine pestles, weighing scales, yellow paper, cinnabar... a whole pile of miscellaneous materials appeared there, leaving Li Ye dazzled.

"I really am not suited to learning alchemy."

Li Ye simply shook his head and called out to the already absorbed Su Ya, "Fellow Daoist Su, I'll be going first!"

The latter merely waved a hand.

Seeing how engrossed and focused he was, Li Ye truly began to feel curious about the spiritual pills he would refine. Filled with anticipation, he returned by the way he had come.

This trip had truly yielded a full harvest. The only problem was that he had not had time to ask about the Ripple Cliff Grotto-Heaven. If that Spirit Vein Willow was a specialty of Returning Shore Market, Su Ya should know about it.

But there's no need to rush.

I can ask around elsewhere later.

The Ripple Cliff Grotto-Heaven should be quite famous.

When he emerged from underground, the shop was already packed with cultivators. It was bustling and crowded, entirely devoid of its usual quiet atmosphere.

"Shopkeeper, do you have any spiritual liquid that can boost vitality?"

"A cold-resistant formation array would work too!"

"Magic Tools! I need some Magic Tools that can withstand wind and snow!"

Many cultivators had come to buy spiritual liquid or Magic Tools that could help their spiritual plants retain vitality and resist this bitterly cold wind and snow.

Clearly, this sudden late spring cold snap had damaged the spiritual plants cultivated by many cultivators.

He could not help but sigh in relief that his Golden Finger was so capable, sparing him from having to run about like a headless fly in search of a solution.

Li Ye slipped into the crowd and quietly left. He then went to the market outside and found a small shop that specialized in selling information.

He asked the Female Cultivator who received him, "I'd like information on spiritual plants in the Ripple Cliff Grotto-Heaven."

The Female Cultivator had an ordinary appearance, but she spoke crisply and directly. "We have detailed, standard, and basic versions. Which would Fellow Daoist like? They cost one thousand, five hundred, and one hundred Spirit Stones respectively."

"The detailed version includes an illustrated guide as well as the detailed information we have gathered. The standard version only has the detailed information, while the basic version naturally contains only some simple news."

"The one for one hundred Spirit Stones."

With his pockets truly empty, Li Ye could only buy the most basic version. He took out one hundred Spirit Stones and handed them over, and the Female Cultivator directly gave him a yellowed book.

It was a thin little volume—calling it a booklet would have been just as fitting.

"Farewell."

Li Ye left with the booklet in hand.

On the way home, the wind and snow seemed to have grown fiercer, yet he felt that the spiritual power within this storm was exceptionally abundant, as though the snowflakes had been made from some kind of spiritual water.

The spiritual water he had previously filtered with the Spirit Gathering Art to make snowflakes for that Frost Wheat had never contained such abundant Spiritual Energy—though the ice carrying that Spiritual Energy also made the cold even more terrifying.

To him, this late spring chill was harsher than the previous snowfall.

Still, for him, it was also an opportunity.

He hurried back home, intending to use the Mo Family's Automaton Mouse to melt the ice and snow, then purify and store the melted snow water.

After activating the Automaton Mouse, he sat by the window. First, he prepared a simple tea steeped with lotus petals and spiritual water, then brought out a plate of pastries made from spirit wheat flour, along with Wheat Pellets.

Eating at an unhurried pace, he began flipping through the little booklet.

A booklet worth one hundred Spirit Stones truly contained absurdly simple content—nothing but written descriptions. Yet after only a few pages, he found an entry on the Spirit Vein Willow.

It was a second-rank spirit plant.

According to the description, if it could be cultivated successfully, it could accumulate spiritual power over a long period and even transform into a spirit vein!

"So that's how it is."

"Even if it's cut apart, it can recover... but it needs a spirit vein to nourish it. In other words, I need to get a spirit vein before that Spirit Vein Willow can revive?"

Li Ye's heart pounded.

A spirit vein that could be moved around at will! If he moved house in the future, he could take it with him directly.

Besides, the Spirit Vein Willow should possess some spirituality as well, making it easier to plant and cultivate.

The situation was crystal clear now.

He needed a spirit vein!

Renting a genuine first-rank spirit vein cost roughly one thousand Spirit Stones a month.

Buying one would probably cost around ten thousand Spirit Stones—spirit veins were far more valuable than those spirit wells and spirit springs, and purchasing one outright would naturally cost even more!

And most importantly, he needed the Four Seasons Sect's permission and recognition. Spirit veins were precious things, after all; renting and selling were entirely different matters.

Only those recognized by the Four Seasons Sect could purchase one. The difference in price was a means of winning people over, and also one way to keep resources from leaking out.

His favorability was probably still a little short, and he did not have enough money either.

"Now it all depends on the Peach Blossom Wine, the wheat, and... Fellow Daoist Su's spirit pills."

He felt that once his wheat ripened, he might be able to earn enough favorability to successfully purchase a spirit vein.

Li Ye closed the booklet in his hand. There was no rushing this matter. He leisurely picked up a pastry to eat, taking a sip of tea now and then.

Outside the window, Great Snow whirled through the air, while the Automaton Mouse bustled about.

It had a charm all its own.

Thanks to the big shot "Strive! Move Forward!" for the reward, and to all the big shots for your recommendation tickets and monthly ticket support~ Hehe, this little brother actually managed to receive so much stuff too!