First Income (Requesting Follows Monthly Tickets Recommendation Tickets)

[You are absorbing spiritual energy. Spiritual Energy Affinity +1, Spiritual Energy +3]

Back in the room, Zhou Ling sat in meditation and continued replenishing his Internal Spiritual Power.

After another circulation cycle, his Internal Spiritual Power had recovered to around seventy percent.

Zhou Ling began repairing the sky lanterns again. Before going to sleep that night, he repaired another two.

Though Zhou Ling wanted to continue, his Internal Spiritual Power had already reached its limit.

Before falling asleep, Zhou Ling reflected on what he had learned from repairing sky lanterns that day.

It was his first time drawing Inscription Patterns on actual objects, so it counted as gaining practical experience.

However, most of these sky lanterns had merely been carved from ordinary green jade, so they were not particularly difficult to draw on.

Zhou Ling carefully summarized the mistakes in those Inscription Patterns.

There were all sorts of problems: improperly mixed Spirit Ink, mismatched attributes, errors in the way the Inscription Patterns were drawn, and unsuitable combinations of Inscription Patterns.

Fortunately, with the help of [Basic Analysis], he could swiftly spot the problems and think of solutions.

This was no small improvement for him as well.

Early the next morning, Zhou Ling began meditating and cultivating, then continued repairing the sky lanterns.

After all, today was the Sky Lantern Festival. He had to repair and sell all the sky lanterns before the day was over.

Once the Sky Lantern Festival had passed, no one would want them anymore.

Before breakfast, he repaired two lanterns.

But the spiritual power consumption was considerable. After breakfast, Zhou Ling cultivated the Spirit Flame Art for two circulation cycles.

Then he continued repairing the final sky lantern.

Looking at the somewhat messily arranged sky lanterns of different shapes on the floor, Zhou Ling wore a satisfied expression.

With the support of the [Basic Insight] and [Basic Analysis] talents, all ten sky lanterns had been successfully repaired.

Though this was his first practical attempt, so he was still somewhat lacking in experience.

The repairs were a little rough, with plenty of room for improvement, but Zhou Ling was still very satisfied.

These sky lanterns were more than good enough to be sold as finished products!

Looking outside, the sun had gradually risen. It was already past the Hour of the Snake.

Zhou Ling left his room, took a Medicine Basket from the front courtyard, and poured some sand and soil out of it.

Then he lined it with a clean piece of hemp cloth.

Returning to his room, he carefully placed the sky lanterns into the Medicine Basket.

The Medicine Basket could only hold seven lanterns, so Zhou Ling carried the remaining three in his hands.

Then he slung the Medicine Basket onto his back.

By now, he was around 1.2 meters tall. Coupled with his years of practicing the Great Yang Fist, his Physique had long surpassed that of ordinary people.

"Why is Huzi so late today?"

Once everything was ready, Zhou Ling muttered to himself.

That morning, after his parents finished breakfast, Li Ru knew they were going out for a stroll today and gave Zhou Ling over a dozen pieces of Broken Spirit. She told him to buy anything he liked, then reminded him not to go anywhere too crowded.

Afterward, the husband and wife each went out to attend to their own work.

"Brother Ling, sorry I'm late!"

"I was helping my family kill and sell fish this morning, and it held me up!"

The moment he stepped outside, Zhou Ling saw Yuan Hu jogging over, panting heavily.

"It's fine, I just finished up too!"

Zhou Ling said.

"Where did these sky lanterns come from?"

"I'll help you carry them!"

Though Yuan Hu was young, he was quite perceptive. Seeing the Medicine Basket on Zhou Ling's back, he reached out, took the Medicine Basket, and slung it over his own back before asking curiously.

"We're not going strolling today. We're going to sell sky lanterns. If we sell them all, I'll treat you to Spirit Pastries!"

Zhou Ling said with a smile.

"Alright! Selling things is what I'm good at—I help sell fish at home every day!"

"I guarantee we'll get a good price for these sky lanterns!"

Hearing this, Yuan Hu was brimming with excitement as he thumped his chest in all seriousness.

"Come on. Wang Xin might be getting impatient waiting for us by now!"

Zhou Ling said with a smile.

No wonder the kid sometimes acted like such an old hand despite his young age—he'd been scrapping and struggling in the Fish Market since childhood.

Well, that explained it!

A quarter of an hour later, they met up with Wang Xin at the entrance to the Dao Academy.

When Wang Xin heard they were going to sell sky lanterns today, her face too lit up with interest and delight.

"Wang Xin, this Lotus Lantern is for you!"

Zhou Ling handed the Lotus Lantern in his hand to Wang Xin.

"Thank you, Zhou Ling!"

Wang Xin accepted the sky lantern with a delighted expression.

As she looked at the exquisite, dazzling lotus-shaped lantern, Catherine Big Eyes brimmed with joy.

Afterward, the three of them headed toward Market Street along the bustling Bluestone Road.

"Finely crafted sky lanterns, going cheap!"

Yuan Hu walked ahead of them, shouting at the top of his lungs all the way.

Though his voice was still somewhat childish, it rang out loud and strong.

And sure enough, it worked remarkably well.

Before they had even reached Market Street, they had already sold three sky lanterns.

They earned forty-six Broken Spirit.

Zhou Ling had originally been worried about how to sell all these sky lanterns.

After all, renting a stall in Market Street cost quite a few Broken Spirit each day, even in the most out-of-the-way spots.

With Yuan Hu hawking them all the way, though, there was no need to rent any stall now.

Zhou Ling decisively handed the job of selling sky lanterns over to Yuan Hu.

Along the way, Wang Xin found it amusing and occasionally copied him, calling out, "Lanterns for sale!"

Her voice was even more childish, and she waved the Lotus Lantern in her hand as she shouted.

Wang Xin wore a finely adorned pink dress, and she was as delicately lovely as a figure carved from pink jade—cute and beautiful.

Before long, she drew the attention of quite a few children strolling through the streets.

People came over from time to time to ask about the sky lanterns.

They had not even made it halfway down the main street of Market Street before all nine sky lanterns were sold out.

Zhou Ling earned two hundred and five Broken Spirit in one go—more than two Low-grade Spirit Stones.

After deducting the thirteen Broken Spirit in costs, this profit was absolutely on the fast track to getting rich.

Unfortunately, the Sky Lantern Festival only came once a year.

Seeing that the Medicine Basket was now completely empty, Yuan Hu asked, "Where are we going next?"

Zhou Ling covered the Spirit Stone Pouch in his chest with his right hand and said with a beaming smile, "Come on, let's eat some Spirit Cake first, then go have Beast Meat Dumplings."

"Wow, alright!"

Yuan Hu immediately danced with excitement and took the lead toward a pastry shop not far down the street.

There were many Spirit Food shops in Market Street, and quite a few exquisite pastries and snacks as well.

Before long, the three of them came out of the shop.

This pastry shop's best item was Sticky Rice Osmanthus Cake. It was made by steaming glutinous rice and spirit rice mixed in a certain proportion, then flavored with Osmanthus Spirit Herb.

Sweet, soft, and delicious, three pieces of Sticky Rice Osmanthus Cake cost one Broken Spirit Stone.

Zhou Ling spent five Broken Spirit to buy fifteen pieces of Sticky Rice Osmanthus Cake.

The three of them got three pieces each, while the remaining six were to be taken home for Father and Mother to try.

At the same time, a new idea sprouted in his heart.

Once he had saved enough Spirit Stones, he would open a pastry shop for Mother.

That way, Mother would not have to suffer the smoke and heat in the Kitchen all day long.

Next, the three of them strolled through the streets while eating the steaming-hot, delicious pastries.

After only a few steps, the three pieces of Sticky Rice Osmanthus Cake in Yuan Hu's hands had already gone into his stomach. He licked his lips, his face full of lingering longing.

Wang Xin gave him her remaining two pieces.

Yuan Hu looked at Wang Xin, a little embarrassed, but still accepted the pastries with a thick skin.

"We're going to eat something else later. Why are you eating so much? Be careful you won't have room for more!"

Zhou Ling finished his Spirit Cake. Though it was not as delicious as Mother's, it was still very tasty.

After a busy morning, the weariness in his body was swept away.

"Brother Ling, later I want three bowls of beast-meat dumplings, the large portions. I can eat them all!"

With pastries stuffed in his mouth, Yuan Hu spoke through them, swallowing dates whole.

"Three bowls, and large portions at that!"

"Give me back the Medicine Basket already."

"At this rate, you'll eat me into poverty!"

Zhou Ling shot him a glare.

Afterward, the three continued strolling through the streets, and Zhou Ling had gotten a taste of the sweetness.

At every stall they passed, he checked to see if there were any defective Magic Artifacts.

But after making a full round, they found nothing.

At noon, when they ate beast-meat dumplings, Zhou Ling still ordered Yuan Hu a large bowl. As for three bowls, he could forget about it.

After finishing the dumplings, the three went home separately.