The Versatile Li Ru (Requesting Follows Monthly Tickets Recommendation Tickets)

Looking at the new talent [Precise Control] on the panel and its description, Zhou Ling could not help but smile with delight.

Whether cultivators refined pills, inscribed patterns, drew runes, or laid array patterns, all such techniques required the expenditure of spiritual energy.

They controlled spiritual energy and used different mediums for pill refining, artifact crafting, and the like.

Among them, artifact crafting consumed the most spiritual energy.

"This [Precise Control] is truly perfect for my current Third Layer of Qi Condensation cultivation!"

Looking at the talent description, Zhou Ling's face was full of joy.

After all, when it came to comprehending artifact crafting, he had [Stronger from Adversity] and [Born to Excel] supporting him. As long as he worked hard, comprehension and proficiency would not be much of a problem.

But his low Spiritual Energy Cultivation was a major limiting factor.

Now that he had [Precise Control], he could reduce unnecessary spiritual energy consumption.

"I just wonder how much spiritual energy this [Precise Control] can save now?"

Zhou Ling stroked his chin as he pondered.

"But there's no rush. I'll first familiarize myself with the Fire Repelling Engraving, then begin practicing its inscription once I'm ready."

Afterward, Zhou Ling began studying the inscription patterns on the Fire Repelling Engraving and the methods for linking them together.

[You are studying the Fire Repelling Engraving. Born to Excel +1, Fire Repelling Engraving Proficiency +1]

At dinner that evening, Zhou Ling brought out the Spirit Wine, broke open the sealing clay, and poured a bowl each for Zhou Shan and Li Ru.

The Spirit Wine in the bowls was a light amber color, crystal-clear and translucent. Threads of spiritual rice fragrance mingled with the distinctive rich aroma of spiritual herbs, wafting up to refresh the heart and lungs.

"Ling'er, where did you get the spirit stones to buy Spirit Wine?" Li Ru asked after taking a small sip.

"Fine wine!" Zhou Shan took a small sip, savoring it with a look of enjoyment as he could not help praising it.

It had been a long time since he had tasted Spirit Wine this mellow and rich.

Zhou Ling took out the Spirit Stone Pouch and said, "Father, Mother, I earned all of these myself!"

Hearing the crisp clinking of spirit stones from within the bulging pouch, Zhou Shan and Li Ru exchanged glances, both wearing astonished expressions.

Zhou Ling opened the Spirit Stone Pouch.

Crash!

Twelve Low-grade Spirit Stones fell onto the dining table. Under the dim glow of the Firestone Lamp, they shone with dazzling brilliance, their bright reflections swaying over the walls.

Zhou Shan and Li Ru were even more astonished.

Li Ru parted her lips slightly, and only after a long moment did she ask, "Where did you earn so much?"

Zhou Shan too looked at his son with a face full of confusion.

"I repair Magic Artifacts for people," Zhou Ling said.

"That Old Man Zhao from the Market Street on West Main Street!"

"Ling'er, you can earn this much repairing Magic Artifacts?" Zhou Shan was stunned.

Zhou Ling scratched his head. "I saved this up over a long time."

Although he had always been making money by repairing items, his parents left early and returned late, so they did not know much about Zhou Ling's circumstances.

"What a sensible child." Li Ru lovingly stroked Zhou Ling's head.

After a pause, she added, "There are still some spirit stones at home, enough to support your studies. You must still put your studies first. Don't delay your cultivation just to earn spirit stones!"

Zhou Shan raised his Clay Bowl and laughed heartily. "I never expected Ling'er to be able to earn so many spirit stones at such a young age. This calls for a drink!"

"Fine wine! Fine wine!"

After downing half a bowl of Spirit Wine, Zhou Shan praised it again and again.

Li Ru rolled her eyes at him. "This was brewed from Black Luster Rice produced over in Black Earth Immortal City. Naturally, its quality is not bad."

"Unfortunately, the brewer added ordinary Spirit Cloud Grass to save costs."

"If it had been Spirit Cloud Grass of slightly better quality, this luster rice wine would have had an entirely different flavor."

Zhou Ling could not help asking, "Mother, you understand wine too?"

"Of course Mother understands wine!" Li Ru smiled, then placed a large piece of beast meat into Zhou Ling's bowl. "Don't spend money recklessly in the future. There are many places our family needs to spend it."

"I know." Zhou Ling picked up his chopsticks, took the beast meat, and began eating as he answered obediently.

"Ah, when your mother was young, what she studied at the Dao Academy was Brewing Art."

"I'm not just praising your mother—back then, the wine she brewed was in no way inferior to that of those first-rank brewers."

Zhou Shan picked up a Fried Peanut and tossed it into his mouth. Looking at Li Ru with considerable guilt in his eyes, he said, "Unfortunately, after she married me, I couldn't even afford a Brewing Furnace."

"So I could only take your mother into the mountains with me to seek herbs."

"I originally thought that after working hard for a few years, I'd be able to save enough money to buy a Brewing Furnace."

"But all these years, she's done nothing but suffer alongside me!"

As Zhou Shan spoke, he drained the wine in his bowl in one gulp.

Li Ru picked up the wine jar and refilled Zhou Shan's bowl. With a soft sigh, she said, "So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. Why are you telling the child all this?"

"Mother is a brewer too?" Zhou Ling froze for a moment, then could not help asking, "Father, is a Brewing Furnace very expensive?"

He had originally thought that his mother was simply a good cook. Once he had saved enough Spirit Stones in the future, he would open a small shop for her. Making Spirit Cakes or Spirit Food would be fine.

But only now did he learn that his mother was also a brewer.

Other thoughts could not help rising in his heart. After all, cooks were often scorched and smoked by flames, which carried no small amount of risk.

Brewing, on the other hand, came with no such concern.

Zhou Shan took a small sip of wine. "Brewing can also be considered a branch of alchemy. Fine Spirit Wine is greatly beneficial to cultivators' cultivation as well."

"So a Brewing Furnace is no cheaper than a Cauldron!"

Zhou Ling could not help clicking his tongue at that.

Still, the Fire Cloud Furnace he had repaired for Old Man Zhao last time was worth roughly thirty-odd Low-grade Spirit Stones on the market.

Now, as long as he could take on an order from the Lu Family Workshop and earn thirty-odd Spirit Stones, it would not take more than a few months.

Thinking of this, Zhou Ling said to Li Ru, "Mother, don't worry. One day, I'll definitely help you open a Wine Workshop!"

Li Ru's face filled with gratification at his words. She placed another large piece of meat into Zhou Ling's bowl and said with a smile, "Ling'er has grown up!"

"But Mother doesn't want to think about anything else right now. I only hope to save enough money for you to enter the Inner Academy."

"As for brewing, Mother has already forgotten most of those Brewing Recipes."

"As long as you can enter the Inner Academy, Mother will be at ease!"

"I'll definitely enter the Inner Academy!" Zhou Ling nodded confidently.

"Haha, good! That's my Zhou Shan's son!" Zhou Shan patted Zhou Ling's shoulder in praise.

"Son, have a drink with your father tonight!"

After saying that, Zhou Shan picked up the wine jar and poured Zhou Ling a small bowl of Spirit Wine.

"The child is still young. Why should he drink?"

Li Ru could not help shooting him a glare.

"He's already at the Third Layer of Qi Condensation. Nothing will happen, and it can even improve his cultivation a little!" Zhou Shan said.

Zhou Ling also raised his wine bowl. "Father, Mother, cheers!"

Only then did Li Ru nod.

The three wine bowls lightly clinked together.

The wine within rippled!

A faint fragrance of wine spread through the air!

A dinner that came late, an evening snack that came early, ended amid the family's laughter and chatter, their hearts full of hopes for the future.

After the meal, Zhou Ling returned to his room and sat in meditation for a while, digesting the meat and Spirit Wine he had just consumed. Since they contained little spiritual energy, he refined them quickly.

Afterward, Zhou Ling took out the Five Elements Basic Engraving Jade Slip and continued comprehending the Fire Repelling Engraving.

[You are studying the Fire Repelling Engraving. Born to Excel +1, Fire Repelling Engraving proficiency +1]

Before going to sleep that night, he finally comprehended every essential point of drawing the Fire Repelling Engraving.

Brothers! The second round of recommendations goes live tonight. The follow-up reads after Tuesday's update will be crucial, so please remember to keep reading! Hopefully, we can make it to the third round!