Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Chapter 79: Chapter 77: Qi Refining Ninth Layer

After filling up on food and wine, Ji An and three others bid farewell to Zhang Yuanshan and then departed on a Talisman Bird.

Ji An submerged his mind into his Dantian, connecting with the Upper Stone Turtle.

He slightly raised the corners of his mouth, satisfied as he patted his belly.

[Spiritual Mechanism: Kan Spirit 121.6, Kun Spirit 665.6, Xun Spirit 390.1, Zhen Spirit 6.6, Qian Spirit 0.2]

In just half a day, the increase in various Spiritual Mechanisms surpassed the harvest of an entire day and night in the valley’s Spirit Field, proving his initial hypothesis correct.

In the future, as long as he achieves a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment and selects a Spirit Vein Node, the Stone Turtle’s absorption of Spiritual Mechanism can sustain the use of Magic Techniques, alleviating the fear of higher consumption of Spiritual Mechanism during Foundation Establishment Stage.

The Stone Turtle absorbed a trace of Qian Spirit, indicating that if the right location is found, all eight Spiritual Mechanisms can be acquired.

When he first obtained the Stone Turtle, Ji An was puzzled that nature’s spiritual energy did not exhibit any Five Elements inclination and appeared chaotic, so the Spiritual Mechanism that Stone Turtle could derive should include eight types.

Now he gradually understands that Spiritual Mechanism is a somewhat special kind of energy, though he still needs to verify what exactly it is in the future.

The flying speed of the Talisman Bird was far slower than a Flying Ship; it took nearly a double hour to fly out of the Magic Array’s range.

Feeling the disparity in nature’s spiritual energy, Ji An felt somewhat lost.

“Fellow disciples, we’ll proceed ahead, farewell for now.”

Zhao Mengyao and the two women seemed to have found a mutual topic and walked off together, laughing and talking.

Chu River cupped his hands and said rather flatly:

“Fellow disciple, after meeting with the elders of my family tomorrow, I will be leaving to return to Mo Ya Mountain. When do you plan to participate in Demon Hunting again?”

His mood was somewhat downcast, even though he anticipated this day would come, actually seeing his past companions stride ahead on the cultivation path while he slowly progressed stirred an indescribable feeling, a kind of congestion in his heart.

Ji An pursed his lips in thought, then said:

“I have an important matter to verify, and over the next half year, it will be challenging to find time.

If everything goes smoothly, occasionally I should be able to find four or five days free in the latter three months.”

He wanted to see how long it would take for the Talisman Grass to mature, and how high the quality rate of the produced Talisman Paper would be after maturity, allowing him to indirectly assess the extent of change in the Small Cloud Rain Technique.

Chu River nodded slightly, thinking it was just as well. If the team cannot find suitable targets, the distribution of Crystal Stones would decrease with five people doing four people’s work.

“Fellow disciple, farewell then.”

“Until we meet again.”

Ji An saw Chu River’s somewhat desolate silhouette and sighed softly.

He could tell that Chu River’s emotions were shaken today, who used to be inseparable from Zhang Yuanshan, but as time went on, the gap between them began to widen.

The difference between Foundation Establishment Stage and Eighth-Layer Qi Refining is already significant, let alone that his Foundation Establishment Pill hasn’t been secured yet.

Not everyone can be as fearless as him; his Divine Sense is stronger than cultivators of the same tier, and the Stone Turtle provides great assistance, allowing him to accumulate Crystal Stones and practice Magic Techniques far faster than typical cultivators.

In his view, letting others run ahead a bit, and then catching up vigorously is still not too late.

As Chu River’s Talisman Bird gradually turned into a small black silhouette, Ji An found a secluded spot, released the Spirit-Seeking Rat for alert and protection, and then sat down cross-legged to run the Qingyuan Scripture.

Offering a Red Blood Copper in exchange for a meal full of Spiritual Food and Spirit Fruit, to him, is as valuable as a Ginseng Essence Pill, and he wouldn’t waste it.

After refining the Spiritual Mechanism in the Spiritual Food, Ji An felt refreshed and mounted the Talisman Bird, slowly flying towards Jade Water Lake.

…

Life settled down, and Ji An cast the Thick Earth Technique on the Spirit Field each day, closely monitoring the needs of the Spirit Plants and occasionally using Shi Yu.

With the remaining time, he spent half of it practicing the Sharp Gold Technique, occasionally rehearsing the Wind Control Technique, and used the other half to activate the Spirit Capturing Array, fully enhancing his cultivation.

Piece by piece, the Spirit Stones turned to dust, and his cultivation naturally broke through to the Ninth-Layer Qi Refining.

The Immortal Vein became thicker and tougher, slightly elongated, and three inch-long tributaries were opened.

Now the Immortal Vein had expanded to most of his body’s regions, increasing his daily cultivation time by a quarter hour.

With daily nurturing by Spiritual Power, the color of the Dao Seed of Cloud Formation and Rainfall seemed slightly deeper.

In the valley, mist gathered and dispersed, two and a half months passed.

Ji An stood on the Spirit Field, watching the golden grass waves rise and fall with the wind, breathing in the unique aroma of Talisman Grass, a bright smile bloomed in the sunlight.

Two months, just two months for the Talisman Grass to mature; their normal growth cycle is three months.

Some of the Talisman Grass in Tier One Spirit Fields matured even earlier; he had already harvested one batch.

Thus, calculating within a year, he could grow two extra rounds of Talisman Grass compared to others, while the sect’s taxes were still collected every three months, scraping off the usage wool of two rounds from the sect’s Spirit Field.

At this moment, Ji An only wanted to loudly express his inner joy:

’I’m doing great!’

The better quality the Talisman Grass, the tougher it was, making harvesting a laborious task, but Ji An didn’t feel it was laborious at all.

These clusters of Talisman Grass were equivalent to pieces of Spirit Stone, his hope for exchanging for a Foundation Establishment Pill.

The harvest felt fulfilling, giving Ji An a feeling of picking up Spirit Stone.

Calling on Huang Feihu to help, the two spent two days finishing the harvest of over ten acres of Talisman Grass.

Under the evening breeze, Huang Feihu wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead, grabbed a stalk of Talisman Grass, carefully examining the patterns on the leaves and stalks, and tugged them forcefully, exhaling:

“Senior Brother, the Talisman Grass you grow is different from others.”

How could it be the same? This was due to the merit of the higher-level Small Cloud Rain Technique.

All the skilled Spirit Farmers were tasked with managing the sect’s herb gardens, he should be the best in growing prowess around Jade Water Lake.

Ji An mused inwardly, to be fair he also wanted to work in the herb gardens.

Herb gardens were built on Spirit Vein Nodes, even the most basic Spirit Fields there were said to be Tier One Middle Grade.

After daily tasks were finished, staying to cultivate there for two double hours was a privilege, equivalent to free use of ordinary Spirit Capturing Array for two double hours.

For him, it also allowed the Stone Turtle to absorb more Spiritual Mechanism while not interrupting his cultivation of a few acres of Spirit Field.

Suppressing his rising feelings of envy, Ji An chuckled:

“Flying Tiger, have you thought about which cultivation skill you want to learn?”

“I discussed with my grandfather, decided to learn Talisman Making, as I can grow Talisman Grass to reduce some of the costs.”

A hint of cleverness flashed in Huang Feihu’s honest gaze, knowing that initial practice of Talisman Making didn’t require high-quality Talisman Paper, Tier One Lower Grade was entirely sufficient.

Additionally, he could often seek Ji An’s advice, perhaps just a few words of guidance from him would save many detours.

Ji An nodded slightly:

“It’s a good choice. Talisman Making costs far less than Alchemy or Artifact Refining, more suitable for us penniless cultivators.

Once I turn this batch of Talisman Grass into Talisman Paper, I’ll leave the lower grade Talisman Paper for you to practice on.”

Huang Feihu grinned, thinking to himself:

“If Senior Brother is considered a penniless cultivator, then the sect won’t have any affluent Qi Refining Disciples!”