Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Chapter 194: Chapter 191: Ghost Moon Cyan Jade Tree

When the bright moon was present, a few people returned by its light.

Ji An returned to Red Flame Peak at nearly midnight, all was silent, and the spirit fish in the cold pool silently leaped, reflecting the rippling light.

He went to the deepest part of the underground cave, and found that Golden Fur was not there, probably out looking for food.

Feeling the fresh air blowing from the vent, he pondered how big of a passage he should dig to introduce the moonlight effectively.

The best way would be to dig a funnel-shaped large hole, allowing the moonlight from rise to set to shine on the spirit wood.

There’s also one more thing to consider—the effect of moonlight on the Earth Spirit Fruit Tree, how much impact it has needs to be verified slowly.

If the moonlight negatively affects the Earth Spirit Fruit Tree, a new spirit vein node must be sought for transplantation.

After a while, Ji An heard the frightened cries of a Fire-toothed Rabbit, then saw Golden Fur rushing in with prey.

The dark environment posed no obstacle to it at all.

Golden Fur brought its prey near the Soul Nourishing Wood, killed it, and devoured half of it, then dug a hole to bury it, hopping on top to flatten the soil.

“Squeak, squeak.”

Golden Fur called out as if claiming credit, its fluffy tail swaying gently.

Ji An squatted down, stroked its smooth fur, and laughed:

“Well done.”

He formed a hand seal and released the Thick Earth Returning Origin Spell, a warm yellow spirit light shimmering, with deep mysterious energy spreading.

Ji An took out the Beast Taming Token, communicating mentally with Golden Fur, assigning the task of digging the passage.

This project was rather complex, and although the beast possessed some intelligence, verbal instructions alone might not suffice.

After communicating for a while, Golden Fur understood its master’s intention, squeaking and gesturing with its small paws.

’I am willing to do this, but the workload is quite big and will take a long time to complete. If I could eat more fruit, it would greatly speed up the process.’

Ji An understood the message Golden Fur was conveying and laughed:

“You’re getting smarter, knowing how to negotiate for benefits.”

He tossed out an Earth Spirit Fruit and continued:

“When you complete half, you can get one fruit; when you finish, you can get another.”

“Squeak, squeak.”

Golden Fur caught the Earth Spirit Fruit, indicating the deal was sealed.

Previously, it could only eat one every two months, but now getting three extra made it very satisfied.

Ji An nodded slightly, thinking that when Golden Fur could negotiate a second time, it would mean an increase in intelligence.

The Spirit-Seeking Rat ate the fruit, submitted the seed, performed the Earth Technique, then disappeared—it was going to start work!

…

The following day, at noon.

Liu Yu, Li Lingyu, Mu Qingwan, and Du Huaiyuan arrived together at Red Flame Peak, landing at the stone house by the cold pool.

Hearing the report, Ji An came out to greet them warmly, saying:

“I was just thinking of inviting you Senior Brothers and Sisters over as guests, and here you all are today, please come in and sit down.”

“Huang Xuan, tell Yu Han and the others to prepare the banquet for lunch.”

“We came uninvited, so Junior Brother can save a few Communication Talisman Swords.”

Du Huaiyuan joked; among them, he visited Red Flame Peak the most, especially during the brewing season when he would stay for months.

“A few days ago, the four spirit fruits sent to us had a wonderful taste, and we wondered if we could have another taste today?”

Due to their close relationship, he spoke quite freely.

“Of course, though it’s the first harvest for the Celestial Essence Pear, it was bountiful.”

Ji An turned and instructed:

“Li Cheng, go to the warehouse and bring some items to entertain our guests.”

After exchanging pleasantries, they sat around the stone table.

“I returned to the Sect a few days ago intending to visit you, Junior Brother, but was sent on an urgent mission, delaying our meeting until now.

I heard from Junior Brother Du that you’ve already broken through to the Fifth Layer of the Foundation Establishment Stage, congratulations.”

Liu Yu cupped his hands; he also was at the Fifth Layer of Foundation Establishment, having achieved it just a year earlier than Ji An.

He was secretly amazed—he had a Fire Dao Body, which made cultivating Fire Element Techniques twice as effective with half the effort, yet he hadn’t created any gap between them, suggesting Ji An might have a special constitution as well.

“Congratulations, your rapid progress puts quite a bit of pressure on us.”

Li Lingyu offered a jade bottle, continuing:

“Here are two Cyan Lotus Pills for you, Junior Brother.”

She herself had only broken through to the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment two years prior, and Ji An had already reached the Fifth Layer, hinting their gap might only widen in the future.

Ji An waved his hand:

“Thank you, Senior Sister, but now that you’ve broken through to the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, you need the Cyan Lotus Pills too.”

Since she cultivated a Wood Element Technique, she also required Cyan Lotus Pills.

“I’m now able to refine Cyan Lotus Pills regularly, often taking on related refining tasks from the Sect, so please take them, Junior Brother.”

Typically used as water-wood attribute pills, Cyan Lotus Pills are often entrusted to Pill Masters specializing in Wood Element Techniques for refining, giving Li Lingyu plenty of practice, resulting in a rather respectable pill formation success rate now.

Ji An gladly accepted the jade bottle, a smile on his lips:

“In that case, I’ll shamelessly accept it.

If you have Cyan Lotus Pills for sale in the future, please keep me in mind—I can exchange Spirit Stones or Wood-elemental Spiritual Objects for them.”

Li Lingyu nodded:

“I’ve noted it.”

Mu Qingwan chimed in:

“Junior Brother, your progress in merit is impressive, and Red Flame Peak is thriving, congratulations!

I have some Tier Two Lower Grade tea leaves for you.”

With that, she produced a fist-sized porcelain jar.

Even though she was executing tasks at Mingfeng Mountain, Junior Brother frequently sent gifts to the grotto mansion, so she could not remain indifferent.

The porcelain jar painted with a tea tree gave Ji An a very familiar feeling.

He recalled Liuu Suyun once gave him a jar of the same appearance and asked softly:

“Cloud Peak Silver Needle?”

“Yes, it is indeed this Spirit Tea.”

“Thank you, Senior Sister.”

Ji An expressed his gratitude; Tier Two Lower Grade Spirit Tea has the effect of accelerating Divine Sense restoration; long-term consumption also has slight soul nourishing effects, beneficial for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

He entrusted Wei Songnian to acquire seeds or rhizomes of the Tier Two Tea Tree, yet he never encountered the opportunity.

He sighed lightly and continued:

“It’s a pity I’ve never come across good tea seeds, otherwise everyone could drink Tier Two Spirit Tea annually.”

“Hey, Junior Brother, your luck has arrived!”

Liu Yu said cheerfully as he took out a wooden box:

“Our team hunted down a Late-stage Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivator and obtained this seed from him. Open it up and take a look!”

“Senior Brother has good stuff?”

Ji An’s eyes immediately brightened, and he grasped the jade box and opened it. Inside lay a light white seed, slightly larger than a pigeon egg.

Its surface had golden stripe patterns, shimmering with Spirit Light.

He pinched the seed between three fingers and rubbed it; the surface was smooth, giving a jade-like touch.

Ji An’s Divine Sense penetrated into the seed, sensing its stored Life Force, and exclaimed with delight:

“A Tier Two Middle Grade Spirit Seed; it seems to be a Ghost Moon Cyan Jade Tree seed!

Senior Brother, Senior Sister, am I right?”

The Ghost Moon Cyan Jade Tree belongs to the small-leaved tea tree variety, with white leaves and gold veins that can absorb Moonlight Power.

The brewed Jade Dew Golden Bud Tea has good soul nourishing effects, regarded as top-tier among the same grade Spirit Tea.

“I can’t recognize the tea variety, only that it’s a Tier Two Spirit Seed.”

Liu Yu shook his head; while he could identify the Ghost Moon Cyan Jade Tree upon seeing it, recognizing what Spirit Tree it is just by the seed was challenging for him.

Li Lingyu took over the Spirit Seed to inspect it and returned it, saying:

“I also feel it’s the Ghost Moon Cyan Jade Tree; its cultivation will reveal the truth.”

Ji An cherished storing the Spirit Seed and said:

“Once Tier Two tea leaves are produced in the future, Senior Brother can receive more each year.”

The seed is very precious; it’s an excellent product for soul nurturing, although not surpassing the Soul Nourishing Wood, it is sufficiently effective for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

“I’ll look forward to drinking those leaves cultivated by Junior Brother!”

Liu Yu was very pleased; their team obtained three seeds; the captain submitted one to the Sect, and he spent a cost to acquire two.

One was sent back to the family, the other gifted to Junior Brother.

At Mingfeng Mountain, the seeds were not identified, and due to the uncertain value, the Sect has not issued corresponding rewards for their team.

Du Huaiyuan’s expression was a bit awkward, saying:

“You all brought gifts, huh? Leaving me with empty hands, how embarrassing!

Junior Brother, let me take fewer of the Tier Two Pine Nut Wine.”

Ji An laughed:

“Senior Brother’s sincerity is insufficient; how about this, we’ll drink the Tier Two Pine Nut Wine from Senior Brother’s share at noon, and everyone will owe you a favor, how about it?”

“Good, I agree!”

Li Lingyu clapped her hands, Mu Qingwan echoed.

“Alright, no problems, everyone drink openly!”

Du Huaiyuan patted his chest, saying generously.

…

The maidservants served Spiritual Food, Ji An poured the wine, and everyone drank to their heart’s content.

Mu Qingwan said gently:

“Senior Brother Liu, we heard that the area around Mingfeng Mountain is not peaceful, with frequent incidents of cultivators dying tragically; is it true?”

Her task at Mingfeng Mountain was refining pills; she usually wouldn’t leave the Immortal City, and her information on outside situations came through hearsay.

Liu Yu nodded slightly, saying:

“It’s indeed not peaceful. Demon and Cultivator forces almost vanished in the past, but now they’ve all surfaced.

According to Law Enforcement Hall’s information, several Demon Cultivators who drive Demon Insects are extremely malicious, with Late-stage Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivators severely wounded.”

Demon cultivators can command Demon Beasts to fight; although the Demon Calamity has not officially erupted, in some sense, the war has begun.

He paused, waved away the maids, and spoke in a lowered voice:

“Statistics show that about seventeen to eighteen thousand cultivators have come to Mingfeng Mountain or established bases in newly occupied areas east of the Immortal City.

Some Demon Cultivators have infiltrated Human Race areas for slaughtering, I fear when the Demon Calamity erupts, there won’t be a true front line making it difficult to defend.”

Ji An said gravely:

“If the situation at Mingfeng Mountain worsens, and cultivation clans feel their ancestral lands are threatened, it might affect the Sect’s plans.”

If Loose Cultivators see the adverse trend and withdraw en masse, it would be troublesome.

“That won’t happen; the Three Sects have jointly set a heavy bounty for cultivators killing Demon Beasts; not only can they obtain materials but also earn points, allowing them to purchase healing-type pills at a low price.

If enough points are accumulated, they can qualify to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill.

The Loose Cultivator heavily injured by Demon Cultivators received additional rewarded pills and can fully recover after one or two years of slow recuperation.”

Liu Yu said indifferently, the Sect has means to make Loose Cultivators fight desperately.

Numerous cultivation clans are aware of the impending Demon Calamity; they understand that only by solidifying the Mingfeng Mountain frontline can their family’s foundation remain secured.

Many Loose Cultivators sense danger, but also realize that without it, it wouldn’t be their turn to fight desperately for a chance.