Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

The deep ink-colored Eight Trigrams Pattern on the back armor flashed with spirit light in sequence, indicating that it was not resting.

Ji An opened his eyes and stood up. He paced slowly around the Gathering Essence Tree, pressing his temples with his fingers to physically relieve the fatigue of his spirit soul.

This method wasn’t actually effective but provided a psychological suggestion, making one feel much more comfortable.

In the Little World, one didn’t need to use Soul Incense, because the Soul Nourishing Wood was right beside, more effective than burning Soul Incense.

The Gathering Essence Tree is an Earth Element spirit plant, and the Earth Element itself has the divine intent of soul calming, also replenishing spirit soul consumption.

This is also why he can cultivate for long durations and intense periods.

When his spirit soul felt somewhat better, Ji An loaded Spiritual Charcoal into the Wind Furnace and ignited it, then placed a water kettle on it.

The water in the kettle came from the spring in the pond, with no pollution at all.

Brewing a pot of Jade Dew Golden Bud Tea, Ji An slowly drank it dry, then lay under the Soul Nourishing Wood and fell into a deep sleep.

...

Three days later.

At sunset, Zhang Jun maneuvered the Spirit Shuttle to the Azure Dragon Wood grove, shouting loudly:

”Elder, Elder Ji!”

At this moment, Ji An was in the grotto mansion, sipping tea and contemplating the pill formula, combining the sect’s research on the properties and his personal understanding. He already had ideas on how to use Tier Three Pine Seeds for refining pills.

He drank the water in the tea cup in his hand and stepped out of the grotto mansion.

Orange-red light penetrated through the Azure Dragon Wood’s cover, shining on the gray stone at the grotto mansion’s entrance, leaving a scarlet mottled mark.

He stepped forward, the light slightly dazzling him.

His pace seemed slow, but each step covered several zhang as he walked, while pinching a spell to open the Dharma Prohibition.

The light before him revolved and revealed a portal, with Zhang Jun cautiously entering it, fearing an array within an array.

If there was an aggressive magic array within, his Foundation Establishment Stage physique wouldn’t withstand it.

He saw Ji An already at hand, quickly saluting:

”Elder, a cultivator in Immortal City started attempting the Golden Core Stage, and a massive spiritual energy vortex formed two double hours ago.”

The scene of impacting the Golden Core Stage differs significantly from the Chao Origin Stage; he would absolutely not mistake it.

Ji An inwardly shouted, ’Here comes some work.’

He took out a piece of middle-grade spirit stone and handed it over, ”The news was timely, this is the reward.”

Zhang Jun was both delighted and hurriedly waved his hands, ”Elder, this is too much!

I’m just doing errands; the news isn’t secret, taking this much wouldn’t be proper.”

Of course, he wanted it, but situations with little effort and high rewards should be minimized.

Some elders like to test people; failing the test means losing opportunities in the future.

Ji An was unaware of the other’s thoughts, only thinking the other thick-skinned enough.

”Take it, don’t make me keep stretching my arm.

This is not just a reward; there’s also a task I want you to undertake.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jun accepted the spirit stone with both hands, nodding and bowing:

”Elder, just instruct me; within my ability, I’m duty-bound.”

”Very simple, help me inquire about the prices of these spirit medicines.”

Ji An said as he took out a blank jade slip and placed it on his forehead, recording many spirit medicine names.

This was the initial speculation of the spirit medicines needed for the pill formula he envisioned, leading to continuous refining afterwards.

If the idea was correct, he would continue to perfect the pill formula; if it was wrong, he would need to reselect the direction.

This is a long-term process, involving significant investment, and it’s normal to find no result in three to five years. Ordinary alchemists simply cannot afford this trial-and-error process.

But for him, as long as the overall direction is correct, creating a brand-new pill formula isn’t that difficult.

No choice—wealthy and bold, with the support of the Little World to fulfill his needs, the Tier Three resources the sect had sent need not be touched.

He handed out the jade slip, ”I will journey to Immortal City after three days; meet me at the Tripod Fragrance Pavilion.”

The crossing to the Golden Core Stage from the commencement of the spiritual energy vortex usually takes five to six days quickly, and a small half-month at worst, and departing after three days won’t delay it.

Zhang Jun received the jade slip, loudly said:

”Understood, I can complete the task by tomorrow, awaiting the elder’s presence.”

Working for spirit stones feels deserved and reassuring.

”Elder, I bid farewell.”

Lingering longer would show a lack of sensibility, and he couldn’t hope for the Golden Core True Daoist to treat him to a drink.

”Be careful on the road.”

Ji An watched the Spirit Shuttle gradually move away, nodding slightly, ”Quite a clever fellow.”

If it’s convenient, he would continue using him for tasks.

...

On the next day at noon.

Ji An emerged from the Gourd World, immediately feeling a peculiar magical power fluctuation.

He walked out of the grotto mansion and discovered a transmission golden sword shimmering with spirit light on the magic array.

Based on the sect’s array, it could transmit messages to cultivators several thousand li away.

It seemed that even though this grotto was remote, it was still within the coverage of Immortal City’s array.

He pinched the spell to open the Dharma Prohibition, and the transmission golden sword dragged a splendid spirit light across the sky, zooming to his front within moments.

Reaching out to grab the golden sword, he extended his divine sense to read the message from Feiyun Zhenren.

’There’s a breakthrough in the matter of refining the Gold Core Pill; the commissioning party has assembled a batch of medicinal materials, already delivered to the association.

Due to regulations, these materials require a personal collection by the fellow Daoist; please come for a meeting.’

”Everything’s going smoothly!”

Ji An laughed, white flames appeared at his fingertips, destroying the golden sword, the silver ashes scattering in the wind.

...

The Tripod Fragrance Pavilion belongs to the Cloud Sea Business Alliance, also being Immortal City’s largest restaurant, supplying Golden Core Stage beast meat occasionally.

It’s Ji An’s second visit here; a few days ago, he came with Master Qingfeng.

Unluckily, today there’s no Golden Core Stage beast meat again.

He picked a window-side spot on the second floor, ordered four exquisite dishes, and a pot of Jade Flower Brew.

Spirit Wine is a Tier Two Top-Grade Spirit Wine, sourced from locally-grown Silver Jade Petals.

The cave mansion chosen by the realm-breaking cultivator atop Immortal City, where the spiritual energy vortex is about thirty mu in size, seems like an accumulation is quite substantial.

Not long after, Zhang Jun appeared at the dining table, placing a white jade slip on it.

”Elder, the tasks you instructed have been completely investigated, please take a look.”

Ji An picked up the jade slip and placed it on his forehead, discovering that it listed prices from five large pill medicine shops, very detailed and clear.

”Excellent, we’ll go for procurement later.”

An hour later, Zhang Jun exited Cyan Splendor Hall with joy, as Ji An had exchanged many spirit medicines with the Tier Three spirit fruit, earning him five to six hundred spirit stone commissions.

Ji An turned back, saying:

”I need to visit the Certification Association, let’s part ways here.

I will frequently purchase spirit medicines in the future; visit the grotto mansion in half a month.”

The matter of pills needs urgent resolution; upcoming years would require intense resource expenditure for spirit medicine exchange, to create pill formulas.

Zhang Jun’s smile grew more radiant:

”As you wish!”

The careful and sustainable business is the most reliable; with increasing interactions, he could access larger deals.

Previously, he couldn’t touch thousand-year-old medicinal materials, even asking prices felt out of reach, but now it was entirely different.

...

Certification Association.

The pavilion is elegantly decorated, with walls depicting various spirit herbs and medicines vividly.

Feiyun Zhenren collected a storage bag from the maid, extracting the contents, and said warmly:

”Here are materials for four batches of Gold Core Pill, plus one hundred and eighty top-grade spirit stones; fellow Daoist, please inspect.

If there are no issues, let’s sign the refining commission agreement.”

Normally, commissions in the association extract twenty percent for refining fees, but a fellow Daoist with Cyan Lotus Heart-Burning Fire only incurs ten percent.

Ji An meticulously inspected the spirit medicine quality, satisfactorily nodding:

”No issues, the spirit medicine quality is quite commendable.”

Feiyun Zhenren unveiled two jade slips, ”These are the agreement’s contents, please review them.”

Ji An placed the jade slip on his forehead, with the agreement contents as previously discussed, without any additional clauses.

He left a magical mark in the agreement, inquiring:

”Is the auction house planning something big?”