Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Chapter 159: Chapter 156: Purple Fire Gourd

The eyes of several Law Enforcement Hall cultivators turned to the people behind Zhong Yue, as the crux of the matter lay with the other two individuals.

Given their understanding of Zhong Yue, while he could hold off the late-stage Foundation Establishment demon beast for a short time, killing it would be difficult, if not impossible.

Could it be that the two teammates had immensely powerful attack artifacts?

Theoretically, if early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators wielded top-grade artifacts and timed it well, they could inflict effective damage on late-stage Foundation Establishment demon beasts.

Han Qingshan felt embarrassed being stared at and instinctively shrank his head.

Ji An remained calm, nodding in greeting under the scrutinizing gazes.

Humans have a psychology of admiring strength, so displaying one’s abilities appropriately can earn everyone’s respect.

The Law Enforcement Hall cultivators instantly understood who played the decisive role among them and responded with smiles.

Jia Yu observed everyone’s reactions and took note that in his impression, Ji An was merely a quite capable spirit farmer, but he didn’t expect him to have a talent for magical combat as well.

He coughed to draw everyone’s attention to himself and continued:

“Tomorrow, we will split into two groups. One group will work with the team of Foundation Establishment cultivators to find the Black Wind Wolves hidden in the mountains, incorporating all teams without any Foundation Establishment casualties.

The other group will survey the earth veins’ pathways and find locations to place the array discs.”

After assigning the tasks, everyone dispersed.

Other Law Enforcement Hall cultivators came over to greet them, and Ji An responded to each, making acquaintance with everyone.

Returning to the group station, Zhong Yue said spiritedly:

“Let’s recover our magical powers well tonight and prepare well, as we might have another fierce battle tomorrow.”

Han Qingshan shook his head and said:

“It’s impossible for us to surround the entire Mingfeng Mountain; the clever wolf demons will have mostly escaped by tonight, so tomorrow’s tasks should be easier.”

The daytime battle left him disheveled, but fortunately, it was only about appearances, and he wasn’t injured at all.

Ji An said:

“Senior Brother Zhong, which Artifact Refiner made your gourd artifact?

I see it’s quite magical and would like to have one.”

Today’s battle went quite smoothly. Many of the talismans in his storage bag weren’t used at all, and only a jar of spirit wine for recovering magical power was consumed.

Like Han Qingshan’s perspective, he believes tomorrow’s battles should be easier, with scattered small-scale skirmishes and nothing major to prepare for.

“You have a good eye, Senior Brother!”

Zhong Yue took out the gourd artifact and boasted:

“This is the top-grade Fire Cloud Gourd magical artifact I commissioned from Senior Brother Zhao Lei of the Artifact Refining Hall, engraved with dharma prohibitions to nurture flames.

I happen to cultivate a Fire Element cultivation technique, allowing me to harness my own magical fire for nurturing, releasing it all at once during battles.

The longer the nurturing time, the greater the flame’s power.”

“Junior Brother seems not to practice Fire Element techniques. To use the Fire Cloud Gourd, you’d need to search for earth lung fire veins to harness Earth Fire, which could be quite troublesome.”

This is quite convenient!

Ji An grinned and said:

“My grotto mansion happens to have a fire vein, so accumulating Earth Fire isn’t difficult.

I’m also familiar with Senior Brother Zhao, so I’ll find him for a chat when we return to the sect.”

It’s simply destiny; this type of magical artifact seems fated for me!

Zhong Yue slightly raised his eyebrows and smiled:

“That would be best, but the primary material is a Purple Fire Gourd. If Senior Brother wants to refine it, you’ll probably have to find the materials yourself.”

He had heard Senior Brother Zhao say that crafting the artifact wasn’t particularly difficult, but the raw materials were rare.

Once, during a mission, he had the luck to obtain a mature top-grade Purple Fire Gourd, which allowed him to refine this top-grade magical artifact.

Ji An furrowed his brows slightly, recalling the information about the Purple Fire Gourd.

It is a vine-type Fire Element plant, most often reaching only the level of Tier One Upper Grade.

Unlike Spirit Wood, cultivating these plants to a higher tier is extremely difficult; planting capabilities are important, as are the seeds’ own potential.

Only when both are present can top-grade gourds be grown.

The Purple Fire Gourd grows in fire vein areas, with very stringent requirements for its growing environment—neither overly abundant nor too weak in Fire Element Spiritual Energy.

The most critical point is that this mediocre-level spirit plant is not cultivated by the sect, so it’s hard to find seeds in the Diligence Hall.

Ji An scratched his head and asked:

“Senior Brother Zhong, since you surely have obtained a Purple Fire Gourd, do you happen to have seeds of the gourd?”

Even the most skillful cook can’t make rice without rice; if there are no seeds to cultivate the materials, refining the Fire Cloud Gourd becomes an impossible task.

“I do, wait a moment while I find them.

I almost forgot; since Senior Brother is a spirit farmer, you might be able to cultivate a usable Purple Fire Gourd.”

Zhong Yue focused his Divine Sense into his storage bag, took out a small jade bottle about an inch tall, and said with some embarrassment:

“At the time, I obtained nearly a hundred top-grade Purple Fire Gourd seeds. Friends around me wanted to refine Fire Cloud Gourds, so we entrusted the spirit farmers to help with planting.

In the end, we didn’t harvest even one top-grade gourd.

Now, there are only seven or eight seeds left, and I’ll give them all to Senior Brother.”

In retrospect, he felt he was extraordinarily lucky to have harvested a top-grade gourd.

He wasn’t too optimistic about whether the other party could cultivate a top-grade gourd.

A well-connected friend once asked Senior Brother Lin Mao, one of the sect’s only two late-stage Foundation Establishment spirit farmers, to help with planting.

Ji An took the jade bottle, poured out the seeds to inspect them, and found that their life force was already quite weak.

Each spirit seed requires a specific preservation method. Since the other party wasn’t a spirit farmer, the seeds weren’t well preserved, resulting in their condition today.

Nonetheless, acquiring seeds was a pleasant surprise. Once he returned, he could attempt to cultivate several generations to see if he might luckily nurture a top-grade gourd.

Ji An activated a spell and released the Jade Wood Transformation Skill. Emerald green light dots danced around his palm, slowly infiltrating the seeds.

The seed receives nourishment, restoring some of its life force.

Vibrant vitality spreads slightly, and Zhong Yue feels as if he is in a dense forest after rain, with wild grass taking root and sprouting beneath his feet.

Han Qingshan’s eyes suddenly widen; his Jade Wood Incarnation Skill has also reached perfection level, but the magic intent contained in his magic technique shows a significant disparity compared to the opponent.

’How could such an excellent Spirit Farmer appear in the sect, yet I haven’t heard a single mention!’

Ji An’s spell transforms in his hands, releasing the Flame Fire Spell, warming the seed with a red glow.

The gourd seed’s dark red skin flickers with spirit light, resembling a small piece of red-hot iron.

“Senior Brother, what a skill!”

Zhong Yue praised, although he doesn’t understand planting, he can sense the magic intent within the technique, which doesn’t stop him from applauding.

Ji An carefully puts away the seed and takes out a jar of Spirit Wine, smiling:

“Thank you, Senior Brother. One should not take without giving in return. This jar of Spirit Wine can accelerate magical power recovery, it is quite useful for us, please accept it.”

It’s impolite not to reciprocate; since the other party gifted him something, he must return the favor.

In this way, if he obtains something good in the future, the other party will still think of him.

“No, no, no,” Zhong Yue quickly waved his hand in refusal:

“These seeds are wasted in my hands as well. The Purple Fire Gourd is hard to nurture into high-tier gourds; they are not worth many Spirit Stones.”

He originally intended to make a good impression on the other party. These seeds are useless in his hands, accepting the Spirit Wine would turn it into a business transaction.

Ji An then took out another jar of Spirit Wine, handing it to Han Qingshan with a smile:

“Today we joined forces in battle, the Spirit Wine is my gift to both Senior Brothers; please accept my heartfelt token.”

…

The next day.

Ji An led a group of disciples on a mountain patrol, occasionally discovering some usable spirit medicine, which were carefully picked by everyone.

Those spirit medicines not yet matured were marked with a wooden stick nearby.

Once in a while, they encountered some fleeing Wolf Demons, but they were just small demons in the Qi Refining Stage, quickly slain by the group.

Zhong Yue let out a long sigh and exclaimed:

“Why can’t we encounter a strong demon beast? At least let us stretch our muscles!”

The Wolf Demons killed today, their materials handed in would be counted as contribution points for the team members.

Han Qingshan murmured softly:

“I think it’s just fine. Why play so dangerously?”

Yesterday, he was besieged by two Foundation Establishment Stage Black Wind Wolves; although he wasn’t hurt, he was still startled when the demon beast’s claws scratched the protective spirit light of his magical artifact.

Ji An pointed ahead and said:

“We will rest for a while after passing those giant rocks.”

…

Ge Luoying was chasing a late-stage Foundation Establishment Black Wind Wolf, heavily injured with sword wounds all over its body.

Facing the threat of death, the Black Wind Wolf pushed its speed to the limit, fleeing headlong in panic.

The name “Wind” in the demon beast indicates speed; some have innate talent to awaken wind magic techniques.

This Black Wind Wolf is gifted, otherwise, it couldn’t have tangled with a sword cultivator for so long.

Ge Luoying’s magical power was greatly consumed, unable to catch up for a while.

However, she wasn’t impatient; the demon beast obviously tapped into its potential, and its speed wouldn’t last, sooner or later, she would cut it down with her sword.

Following slowly, she could take the time to adjust her breath, allowing some magical power to recover.

She had already slain more than ten high-tier demon beasts, and her magical power was greatly depleted, now taking the opportunity for a brief respite.

Suddenly, she saw a large group of sect cultivators in the direction the demon beast was fleeing, which made her anxious.

Today’s group action consisted of Qi Refining Disciples led by two or three early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The Black Wind Wolf had tapped into its potential, and it might not be manageable by several early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

“Watch out!”

Ge Luoying called out a warning, urging her sword light to accelerate in flight.

If someone gets hurt, she doesn’t care much, but the demon beast she chased had a chance to injure others, and she might be mocked by her junior brother.

Having an extraordinarily talented junior brother, she felt pressured.

Previously, she strived not to be surpassed in cultivation; now, she’s trying not to fall too far behind.

…

Zhong Yue gritted his teeth; earlier, he said it was boring not to encounter demon beasts, now a great opportunity presented itself.

Judging from the demon qi from the Black Wind Wolf, it was another late-stage Foundation Establishment demon beast, its aura stronger than the one they killed yesterday.

Just then, he heard the clear voice of the female cultivator, “Watch out!”

How do you watch out at this moment? He could dodge, but the speed of the Black Wind Wolf was simply too fast, and the Qi Refining Disciples behind him wouldn’t have time to evade.

He activated the Fire Cloud Gourd forward and shouted:

“Senior Brother Ji, I will feign attack, you attack for real!”

“Understood.”

Ji An agreed, releasing Wind Control Technique to leap near Zhong Yue, forming a flank position.

The Black Wind Wolf roared with a bloody mouth wide open, now only seeking a quick escape.

If no one blocked its path, it wouldn’t actively attack.

The Fire Cloud Gourd’s red glow intensified, golden flame patterns seemed to come to life, enveloping the uncompromising Black Wind Wolf with a cloud of fire.

The Black Wind Wolf leapt toward Zhong Yue, spewing an invisible gust of wind from its mouth, initiating the Talent Technique Wind Roar.

The fire cloud was split into two, bypassing the wolf’s body, its sharp fangs glittering with chilling light.