Mystic Ice Demon King's Cub
Wang Mengde took a deep breath, took out a Medium-Grade Spirit Stone from his Storage Bag, and examined it carefully in his palm.
Medium-Grade Spirit Stone is about the size of an egg, similar to Low-Grade Spirit Stone. It is crystal clear, with a faint spiritual light flowing inside, like a piece of solidified starlight.
Holding it in your hand, you can feel a warm and pure spiritual energy, unlike the rough and impure Low-Grade Spirit Stone. Instead, it is gentle and pure, like a clear spring in the mountains or a gentle breeze in spring.
One Medium-Grade Spirit Stone is equivalent to one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stone.
However, the spiritual power contained in Medium-Grade Spirit Stone is not a hundred times that of Low-Grade Spirit Stone, but only about thirty times.
However, the spiritual energy contained in Medium-Grade Spirit Stone is gentler and purer, making them easier to refine and absorb than Low-Grade Spirit Stone.
Cultivation using Medium-Grade Spirit Stone yields better results.
Wang Mengde held the Medium-Grade Spirit Stone in his palm Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula.
A gentle and pure spiritual energy surged from the Spirit Stone, flowing into the meridians through the palm.
Unlike the crude and untamable spiritual energy of Low-Grade Spirit Stone, that spiritual energy was like a well-trained soldier. Once it entered the meridians, it would consciously circulate along the entire body's energy pathways, requiring little effort from him to guide it.
One week.
Two cycles.
Three cycles.
[The Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula +1]
[Spirit Power Cultivation +1]
Wang Mengde opened his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them.
Using Medium-Grade Spirit Stone for cultivation, one can increase their spiritual power by one point after only thirty cycles.
In other words, using Medium-Grade Spirit Stone for cultivation requires more than three times less time than using Low-Grade Spirit Stone.
To increase spiritual power by the same amount, it takes nearly eleven hours using Low-Grade Spirit Stone, but only three hours using Medium-Grade Spirit Stone.
However, Medium-Grade Spirit Stone in Spirit Stone veins are scarce, and most of them circulate among Foundation Establishment cultivators.
In places like Rosy Cloud Island, Medium-Grade Spirit Stone are almost nowhere to be found.
The Evergreen Sect should have quite a few spirit stones; they can use the Spirit Stone earned from fishing at sea to exchange for some Medium-Grade Spirit Stone for cultivation.
Wang Mengde put the unabsorbed Medium-Grade Spirit Stone back into his Storage Bag, stood up, and stretched his limbs.
Spirit Power Cultivation increased by more than 100 points, and his physical body was also slightly strengthened under the nourishment of spiritual power, making it a very fruitful experience.
Outside the window, the sky was already beginning to lighten, and the morning light streamed through the windowpanes into the quiet room, casting a hazy shadow on the floor.
As Wang Mengde stepped out of the meditation room, he saw Liu Yiyi approaching. Liu Yiyi exclaimed with delight, "You naughty girl! I just refined the Storage Bag Father gave me. Inside were twenty Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill, ten Vermilion Fruits, and twenty thousand Spirit Stone!"
As Liu Yiyi spoke, she patted her Storage Bag, took out ten Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pills and five Vermilion Fruits, and floated them in front of Wang Mengde: "Take these."
Wang Mengde said, "Keep this for yourself."
Without a word, Liu Yiyi stuffed it into Wang Mengde's arms. "Take it. If you have any in the future, just give me some."
"Then I won't stand on ceremony." Wang Mengde no longer held back and put it into his Storage Bag.
Five days passed in a flash.
On the morning of the fifth day, the sun rose.
Liu Yuanming arrived on his sword.
He stood outside the courtyard gate, not coming in, but simply called out to Wang Mengde using First-Rank Voice Transmission Talisman.
Wang Mengde emerged from the meditation room and saw Liu Yuanming dressed in a dark blue robe, standing with his hands behind his back in the morning light, his face calm and his gaze steady.
Wang Mengde strode out of the courtyard gate, came to Liu Yuanming, clasped his hands in a fist salute, bowed respectfully, and said, "Master."
Liu Yuanming glanced at him, nodded slightly, and said simply, "Let's go."
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Yuanming turned and left, his steps neither fast nor slow, his dark blue robe fluttering gently in the morning breeze.
Wang Mengde followed behind him, passing through the courtyard gate and walking along the bluestone path towards the Spirit Bamboo Grove.
The morning light filtered through the thin mist, casting long shadows of the two people onto the damp flagstones.
The air was filled with the unique coolness and moisture of early morning, mixed with the faint fragrance of bamboo, which invigorated the spirit.
After walking for a while, Liu Yuanming suddenly spoke, his voice not loud but clear. "The steward of the Spirit Fruit Orchard is one of the cubs of the Mystic Ice Demon King, the guardian spirit beast of the Evergreen Sect, and has the cultivation of Great Demon Middle Stage."
When you see him later, you must address him respectfully as Deacon Ao; do not be impolite.
Wang Mengde felt a chill run down his spine.
The cub of the Mystic Ice Demon King.
Great Demon Middle Stage's cultivation is equivalent to a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator in humans, but a spirit beast's physical body is far stronger than a human's, making it almost invincible among those of the same level.
He nodded quickly and said solemnly, "This disciple will remember."
Liu Yuanming said nothing more and led Wang Mengde through the Spirit Bamboo Grove.
The fog in the bamboo forest was thicker than outside, with a light mist swirling among the bamboo stalks. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the bamboo leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
The bamboo leaves rustled in the breeze, the sound crisp and melodious, like someone gently tapping a jade chime in the distance.
After passing through the Spirit Bamboo Grove, a bright and open view suddenly appeared before us.
A lush orchard appeared before them.
The garden covers a vast area, stretching as far as the eye can see, with various Spirit Tree of different heights and lush foliage.
The bright Vermilion Fruit hung heavily on the branches, like tiny red lanterns;
The emerald green Jade Spirit Fruit is hidden among the green leaves, like tiny jade beads;
The golden Golden Spirit Fruit gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight, along with many other spirit fruits that Wang Mengde couldn't name. Each one was plump and round, with a faint sheen on its surface and an enticing fragrance.
Liu Yuanming stood in the garden, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings, and called out loudly, "Elder Su..."
The sound wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire orchard.
Just a few breaths after he finished speaking, a small figure emerged from the depths of the orchard.
Wang Mengde looked closely and was slightly taken aback.
It was a little girl who looked to be only about three years old.
It was only a little over two feet tall, small and round, like a newly unearthed ginseng baby.
She wore a light blue dress with ice-blue cloud patterns embroidered on the hem. The fabric was light and soft, and it swayed gently as she walked.
Her hair was dark blue, fine and soft, tied into two small buns with ice-blue ribbons, like two little ears standing on either side of her head.
Her features were so delicate, like a porcelain doll's; her round little face was fair and tender, as if you could squeeze water out of it.
Her eyebrows were curved and thin, like two crescent moons;
Her eyes were large and round, with ice-blue pupils, like two fine sapphires or two clear lakes, so clean that they were untouched by any dust.
Her nose was perky and her lips were pink and tender, like peach blossoms just beginning to bloom in spring.
But what's most striking is the pair of blue horns on her head.
The two corners, about an inch long, extend diagonally upwards from both sides of the forehead. They are ice-blue in color, crystal clear, and resemble two exquisite ice sculptures.
The corners of the surface are covered with fine lines, with a faint glow and a faint chill emanating from them.
The horns growing on her small head didn't look strange at all; instead, they added a touch of unusual cuteness.
The little girl stood with her hands behind her back, her face serious, looking like a little adult.
She puffed out her small chest and walked towards the two of them at a leisurely pace.
She looked just like a little housekeeper, or a young animal patrolling its territory. She was only about three years old, but she insisted on putting on a mature and composed air, which made people want to laugh.
But Wang Mengde couldn't laugh.
Because this little girl was emanating terrifying spiritual energy fluctuations comparable to those of Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator.
The fluctuation was cold and profound, like a sleeping iceberg; though restrained, it involuntarily inspired awe.
He even sensed that the spiritual pressure was only slightly inferior to that of Liu Yuanming, who Foundation Establishment Late Stage.
The little girl walked up to the two of them, raised her head, and looked up at Liu Yuanming.
Her little head was held high, and her little horns gleamed with an icy blue light in the sunlight.
Liu Yuanming bowed slightly, his tone polite and respectful. "Steward Ao, it's been a long time."
Wang Mengde dared not be negligent. He quickly stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and bowed respectfully, his voice steady and respectful. "Junior Wang Mengde greets Steward Ao."
The little girl's gaze lingered on Liu Yuanming for a moment, then shifted to Wang Mengde, giving him a once-over.
Those big, round, icy blue eyes held a coldness and scrutiny that belied their age, like a junior superior sizing up their subordinate.
She withdrew her gaze, looked at Liu Yuanming, and spoke.
Her voice was crisp and clear, with a childish, innocent quality, yet she insisted on speaking in an adult's tone, "Liu Yuanming, what is it?"
She did not address Liu Yuanming as Elder Liu or Senior Brother Liu, but called him by his given name.
His tone was flat, as if he were talking to an ordinary subordinate.
The combination of her small, three-year-old frame and childish voice created an inexplicable sense of incongruity.
Liu Yuanming didn't mind and went straight to the point. "Steward Ao, my disciple Wang Mengde Five-Element Spirit Root, but his cultivation speed is too slow."
I need some Vermilion Fruit and Jade Spirit Fruit to break through to the Peak Qi Refinement.
I brought him here because I wanted to ask you to lend him some money, and I'll act as his guarantor.
After hearing this, the little girl almost without hesitation uttered a few words in a clear voice. "No, not a single one."
The voice was clear and crisp, the tone resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.
After she finished speaking, she slightly raised her chin, as if to say, "If I say no, then no."
Wang Mengde's heart sank.
Liu Yuanming, however, remained calm, as if he had expected her to say that. He then used Voice Transmission Technique to send a message to the little girl.
Wang Mengde didn't know what Liu Yuanming said, but he saw the little girl's big, icy blue eyes suddenly light up after hearing the telepathic message.
The light was like a flame suddenly igniting beneath the frozen surface of a lake, cold yet scorching, calm yet brimming with excitement.
Her pupils contracted slightly, her small mouth opened slightly, and a glistening trickle of saliva was about to dribble down from the corner of her mouth.
She quickly slurped back the saliva, her face flushing slightly, but she soon regained her serious, adult-like demeanor.
She remained silent for a moment.
After a moment, she spoke, her tone no longer as decisive as before, but with a calmness born of careful consideration, though her voice remained crisp. "Give him at most twenty Vermilion Fruit and ten Jade Spirit Fruits."
The interest rate is one percent, based on the market rate.
Repayment will begin after twenty years, with one-thirtieth of the principal and interest paid annually, and the debt will be fully repaid within fifty years.
She paused, then turned her gaze to Wang Mengde. Her large, icy blue eyes held an undeniable authority, which, combined with her three-year-old face, created an unexpectedly endearing contrast. "Your disciple must swear an oath, a Soul Oath as proof."