[Snow Lotus Seed: once mature, it becomes a high-grade healing spirit herb. Cracks in the seed make it difficult to grow. In a place of extreme cold, there is no need to worry; otherwise, it is best to surround it with sixteen spirit stones and water it once every three days.]
"May I take a look?" Jiang Hao withdrew his gaze and looked at the attendant.
The attendant gave him an impeccable smile.
"Of course."
Taking the spirit herb, Jiang Hao examined it carefully. Sure enough, he spotted a tiny crack and pointed it out to her.
The attendant maintained her smile.
"You have a keen eye, senior brother. That was also something I was about to mention.
"This seed has an innate crack, so we're selling it at half price-fifty spirit stones."
What a black-hearted swindler, Jiang Hao thought.
If he had not noticed it, she would never have mentioned that last part.
Still, even ordinary spirit herb shops fleeced their customers, let alone those in a Demonic Sect.
They simply did it with a greater sense of entitlement here.
"I'll take this one. Get me another one worth around fifty as well," Jiang Hao said.
Afterward, Jiang Hao bought a Blue Lotus seed as well.
Aside from gathering more spiritual energy, it had no other uses.
Its only advantage was that it would easily wither if poorly tended.
As for why it was so expensive...
He had probably been fleeced.
I just wonder whether it can produce blue bubbles.
Jiang Hao thought this as he looked at the seeds in his hand.
White and green bubbles held little significance for him, since the Spirit Medicine Garden could provide them.
Returning to his residence, Jiang Hao planted the Snow Lotus Seed, spending sixteen spirit stones.
He only had nineteen spirit stones left now. Once he bought some talisman-making materials, he would be practically penniless.
He had to keep earning spirit stones.
The next day.
Jiang Hao woke from his cultivation, and the first thing he did was head to the Courtyard.
There was nothing besides the two blue bubbles provided by the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower.
The Snow Lotus had yet to sprout and could not provide any.
At that point, he took out the Blue Lotus seed.
"Appraise."
[Blue Lotus seed: after taking root and sprouting, it can gather spiritual energy.]
"That's it?"
Jiang Hao looked dumbfounded. He really had been fleeced.
After planting the seed, he left the Courtyard and headed to the Spirit Medicine Garden.
The days flew by, the sun and moon alternating in an endless cycle.
A month later.
Jiang Hao set down the Talisman Brush in his hand and put away the successfully crafted Myriad Sword Talisman.
Senior Sister Leng Tian had placed an order.
She wanted ten in total, and this was the tenth.
Including the cost of his failures, he had spent eighty spirit stones. Selling them would bring in two hundred.
A net profit of a hundred and twenty.
But he had not cultivated at all over the past few days.
In truth, he had lost those days' worth of cultivation.
Shaking his head to put those stray thoughts aside, he began checking his panel.
[Name: Jiang Hao] [Age: twenty] [Cultivation: foundation establishment middle stage] [Cultivation methods: Heavenly Sound, Hundred Turns; Primordial Chaos Heart Scripture] [Divine abilities: Nine-Turn Substitute Death (unique), Daily Appraisal, Clear Mind, Pure Heart] [Vitality: 88/100 (can cultivate)] [Cultivation: 90/100 (can cultivate)] [Divine ability: 0/3 (cannot obtain)]
"Ninety already. I'll have to wait about another week to advance."
Then Jiang Hao turned his gaze to his age, feeling somewhat wistful.
"Twenty years old already."
Those twenty years had not gone particularly smoothly. He had been all alone, but fortunately, there had been scares rather than disasters.
"Congratulations on surviving to twenty."
Jiang Hao joked to himself, then walked out of the house.
When he reached the Courtyard, he saw that a bubble had finally appeared where the Snow Lotus was planted.
It was purple.
There was no activity from the Blue Lotus. Since he held no hopes for it, he was in no hurry either.
As he walked over, the surrounding bubbles began flying toward him.
[Cultivation +1] [Vitality +1] [Divine ability fragment +1]
"Another divine ability fragment?"
Jiang Hao kept feeling that purple bubbles ought to contain something else as well.
A divine ability was fine too; it could help him a great deal. But right now, he was rather lacking in offensive power.
He had neither powerful spells nor powerful magical treasures.
He would soon be taking part in a sect mission. He had to think of something.
"If all else fails, I'll buy one. Once I sell the Myriad Sword Talismans, I should have over four hundred spirit stones, close to five hundred.
"That should buy me a decent magical treasure."
Having made his decision, Jiang Hao left his residence and headed to the Spirit Medicine Garden to collect his second round of bubbles.
Buying a magical treasure would have to wait until after his advancement.
There was enough time.
The Spirit Medicine Garden.
Jiang Hao saw Han Ming standing at the entrance. When Han Ming looked over, a smile appeared on his face.
"Senior brother." Han Ming hurried over and said with a smile,
"Do you notice anything different about me?"
"Your aura has grown stronger." Jiang Hao was indeed somewhat surprised. Han Ming had finished consolidating his foundation establishment early stage cultivation. Before long, he would be able to advance to the middle stage.
Isn't that far too fast?
Curious, he appraised Han Ming again.
[Han Ming: a true disciple of Heartbreak Cliff in the Heavenly Sound Sect. Exceptional aptitude, foundation establishment early stage. Favored by the spirit of mountains and rivers, and possesses the legacy of a mighty cultivator.]
The legacy of a mighty cultivator? Jiang Hao was inwardly shocked.
His opportunities had changed within a month. Was that because he was favored by the spirit of mountains and rivers?
"In a few more months, I'll advance to the foundation establishment middle stage. Then I'll surpass you, senior brother," Han Ming said with a smile, his pride tinged with a hint of disdain.
As though he had not noticed, Jiang Hao said slowly, "Congratulations, junior brother."
Seeing this, Han Ming smiled even more smugly before saying,
"Can I challenge you then, senior brother? You're the only one in the sect close to my age."
"All right." Jiang Hao nodded in agreement.
When the time came, he would simply figure out how to lose.
This junior brother seemed to want nothing more than to show off.
If he liked stealing the limelight, Jiang Hao would let him.
"Good, then it's settled. Don't get upset when you lose, senior brother. After all, there's a huge gap between us." As Han Ming was leaving, he suddenly remembered something and added,
"I think I heard Master say the arrangements for this sect mission are out. You're on the list, senior brother."
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