Chapter 25: One Year
A short while later.
Hua Lian piloted the vessel away.
As for the proposal to go fishing, not only did Fang Qing refuse, even Zhu’er did not really want to go.
That Li Yusu, however, looked quite interested. Hua Lian did not mind at all and directly took him along.
……
One month later.
The sect’s Grand Harvest fleet returned. It was said the gains were considerable, but the sect’s disciples had also suffered casualties.
For Fang Qing, this simply meant that Cold Spring Peak had received yet another large-scale task to refine Foundation Establishment Pills.
Li Yusu also returned smoothly. It was said he had gotten along quite well with the people on Hua Lian’s ship, gained a great deal, and had already arranged to go out to sea together again next time.
As for Fang Qing? He was continuously taking on tasks, refining Jade Splendor Spirit Water, and then occasionally making an attempt to refine Ginseng-Green Spirit Water, all of which undoubtedly ended in total failure.
‘It seems… I need to find an opportunity to leave the sect, and then launder the large amount of Azure Qi Ginseng I’ve obtained…’
Fang Qing pondered silently.
Once he left the sect, he could claim that he had been lucky enough to discover a predecessor’s cave dwelling and obtained a large amount of spirit stones.
Then he could make large purchases of Ginseng-Green Spirit Water materials, spend them all on improving his pill-refining skills, and there would be no need to worry about anyone coveting them.
Time flowed like water, years passed like a shuttle.
Before he realized it, a full year had already gone by.
Cold Spring Peak.
“Combine!”
Fang Qing circulated the waters of the Spiritual Spring, forming an enormous vortex. Faintly, countless emerald-green spiritual lights could be seen being separated and recombined within the vortex…
“Condense!”
A moment later, drops of emerald-green spirit water condensed at the spring site, forming a shallow layer.
“Rise!”
Fang Qing’s hand seals changed again. Under the operation of Ji Water true power, his water-control technique reached an astonishing level, faintly controlling six vortices at once while simultaneously refining pills.
“Collect!”
In the end, drop after drop of verdant Ginseng-Green Spirit Water was completely collected by Fang Qing’s pill-gathering technique and stored inside a green-skinned gourd.
“Hoo… it finally succeeded once.”
He let out a long breath, opened the gourd, and dripped a drop into his mouth, slowly savoring it. “Mm… slightly bitter in taste, authentic. The quality is a bit lacking, but since this is the first pool, that’s understandable. From now on, I won’t need to buy those outrageously expensive auxiliary spirit pills from the sect anymore…”
As an expert in refining Ginseng-Green Spirit Water, he naturally knew the actual cost of this pill. The Pill Hall was outright fleecing people.
And yet… some disciples still had to line up for it!
This was the sheer extravagance of a pill refiner!
‘I was able to succeed not only because of massive accumulated experience… but also thanks to cultivating the Horse-Headed Vajra Guardian Divine Art. After entering this Secret Treasury Domain technique, my physique and spirit rose rapidly… although I’m still far from perfecting the first stage, body refinement has at least reached the low-grade first-tier level, enough to spar physically with early-stage Qi Refining cultivators… With stronger spirit, better control over medicinal properties, plus solid water-control techniques, and a massive investment of resources, it finally succeeded once…’
Fang Qing shook the green-skinned gourd and smiled happily. “After finishing this gourd of spirit water, my true power should break through…”
His Qi Ingestion Path cultivation had been stuck at the Third Layer of Qi Ingestion for a year already. This time, relying on pill power, he should be able to break through in one push to the Fourth Layer of Qi Ingestion!
As for his Black-Water True Power, perhaps he could attempt the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining?
‘Sure enough, compared to painfully relying on self-cultivation before, taking pills is much faster…’
A profound feeling arose in Fang Qing’s heart.
He returned to his cave dwelling. Before he had rested for long, he received a Sound-Transmitting Talisman.
“Oh? It’s actually this person? Then it’s about time to lay things bare, I suppose.”
Fang Qing nodded, opened the cave dwelling gates, and saw a Qi Refining cultivator with half-black, half-white hair and a lean, refined appearance walk in. It was none other than Xu Wusu!
“Haha… congratulations, Junior Brother, on successfully refining Ginseng-Green Spirit Water.”
Xu Wusu clasped his hands with a smile. This matter had already spread throughout Cold Spring Peak. The fact that he came so quickly showed he was clearly a man with intentions.
“I was just lucky. During the last task, I discovered a loose cultivator’s cave dwelling and obtained a sum of spirit stones, which allowed me to purchase large quantities of spirit herbs and hone my skills.”
Fang Qing smiled faintly.
This so-called “loose cultivator’s cave dwelling” was naturally his way of laundering the profits from cross-world trade.
And the resources of mere Qi Refining cultivators simply did not attract much attention within the sect.
Only a few of Fang Qing’s friends sighed repeatedly at his good fortune.
“This too is fate… We cultivators, if we want to get rich overnight, must go out and crash into opportunities, but those opportunities often come with risks. It’s far inferior to refining pills within the sect, or planting spirit grains and raising fish for the sect…”
Xu Wusu likewise thought to himself that Fang Qing had stumbled into outrageous luck. The smile on his face grew even brighter. “However, Junior Brother, that predecessor’s legacy of yours should have been almost completely spent on purchasing Ginseng-Green Spirit Water materials by now, right? Low-grade and mid-grade first-tier spirit water is one thing, but top-grade first-tier spirit powders, or even spirit pills… a single set costs a shocking amount. Even failing once makes my heart ache terribly.”
“Yes… it’s hateful that there’s no famous master to give guidance.”
Fang Qing sighed.
There were many pill-refining disciples on Pill Island, but second-tier pill refiners qualified to take disciples were exceedingly few.
He had always felt that Li Yusu’s ability to become a disciple of Floating Cloud Daoist absolutely involved some under-the-table maneuvering!
“To become a disciple of a second-tier pill-refining grandmaster is naturally the best outcome. If that’s not possible, you could also join our Five Dragons Society and exchange experiences with one another…”
Xu Wusu finally revealed his true aim. “I wonder if Junior Brother would be willing?”
“The Five Dragons Society? Could it be the Five Dragons Society founded by Senior Brother Five Dragons Child?”
Fang Qing showed a hint of surprise on his face, while information rapidly surfaced in his mind.
Five Dragons Child, a Pill Island disciple, apprenticed to a second-tier pill-refining grandmaster, and now already at Peak Qi Refining Ninth Layer!
Judging by his ambitions, he was surely aiming for True Disciple status in the next ten years, and even a Foundation Establishment Pill!
“Exactly!”
Xu Wusu took out a pill manual. “This Five Dragons Pill Scripture was written by Senior Brother Five Dragons Child and later passed down to me… I think Junior Brother is even more suitable.”
“It seems Senior Brother Five Dragons Child has decided to compete for True Disciple status? I wonder if it will be through combat or pill refinement?”
Fang Qing let out a long breath and asked.
“Naturally through pill refinement… With our combined strength, we can push Senior Brother Five Dragons Child’s pill-refining skills to leap forward. He can already refine top-grade first-tier spirit pills. With another ten years of refinement, he should be able to advance to quasi–second tier, or even second tier…”
Xu Wusu continued, “Senior Brother Five Dragons Child has promised that once he achieves Foundation Establishment, he will definitely assist us in achieving Foundation Establishment as well…”
“……”
Fang Qing was speechless inwardly, but his expression was solemn. “Senior Brother Five Dragons Child is truly so generous? Since we’re all in the same sect and relying on reputation as assurance, I naturally believe it.”
In truth, he could see Five Dragons Child’s intentions at a glance—nothing more than gathering vast Spiritual Resources to deepen his pill-refining art.
When unity and sacrifice were emphasized… those below were the price!
‘However… I don’t mind! After all, I lack nothing else—just resources… Using resources to exchange for the experience and guidance of a top-grade first-tier pill refiner isn’t really a loss…’
Fang Qing accepted the Five Dragons Pill Scripture and then spoke again. “I’ve heard that to advance to second-tier skill, one must possess Divine Sense… Could it be that Senior Brother Five Dragons Child has succeeded?”
“Not yet…”
At this point, Xu Wusu’s expression turned somewhat ugly. “However, we searched far and wide for ancient formulas and found several ancient pill formulas suitable for Qi Refining cultivators to enhance spiritual perception. We are currently concentrating manpower to decipher and improve them. Although several of the primary ingredients are already extinct, if substitutes can be found, even achieving part of their efficacy would be sufficient.”
“In this matter, this junior brother is willing to do his humble part.”
Upon hearing this, Fang Qing’s eyes immediately lit up.
Divine Sense at the Qi Refining stage! This was also his pursuit!
Although he had the Horse-Headed Vajra Guardian Divine Art, it was not guaranteed. Having another method would only be better.
These ancient pill formulas had lost their main ingredients only in the context of the Small Huan Sea.
It was entirely possible that farther regions of the Eastern Sea Cultivation World, or even the continent, still possessed such spirit plants—only that the cost of transporting them was not something Qi Refining cultivators could bear.
Or perhaps… the vanished primary ingredient could be found in Ancient Shu!
“Haha, with Junior Brother Fang joining the Five Dragons Society, it’s like adding wings to a tiger.”
Xu Wusu laughed heartily.
“There’s one more matter I’d like to request of Senior Brother.”
Fang Qing took a sip of mountain spring water and suddenly spoke.
“Oh? Go on…”
Although Xu Wusu felt Fang Qing was asking for quite a bit, he still adopted a listening posture.
“After advancing to a mid-grade first-tier pill refiner, I increasingly feel the need for a private Spiritual Pool to better grasp medicinal properties and water properties… constantly changing spiritual springs isn’t a solution. I’ve been wanting to set up a Spiritual Spring Eye within my cave dwelling, but I can’t find a suitable Geomancer or Formation Master…”
Fang Qing voiced his helplessness.
In truth, he simply wanted a more private place to refine pills, rather than being under constant public scrutiny.
For example, this time—he had just succeeded in refining Ginseng-Green Spirit Water, and it became known to everyone. Then Xu Wusu immediately came knocking.
This time it was fine—it was just an ordinary pill like Ginseng-Green Spirit Water.
But what if next time it was something even rarer?
“Hmm… building a private spiritual spring? That’s no small expense… First, you need approval from the Pill Hall, since you’d have to divert a water vein, affecting the island’s main water network… In addition, there are the costs of hiring a formation master and a geomancer, as well as the construction cost of the spiritual pool itself… Without at least a hundred spirit stones, it can’t be done.”
Xu Wusu shook his head. “Everyone wants a private spiritual spring, but unless one is a top-grade first-tier pill refiner, very few can actually build one.”
“As for the spirit stones, I’ll handle raising them myself. I only ask Senior Brother to introduce a reliable geomancer…”
Fang Qing said.
He actually already had the capital, but he could not get the Pill Hall approval. Without the connections, he might be stalled for a long time.
However, handing it over to the Five Dragons Society would solve it. Five Dragons Child was a top-grade first-tier pill refiner and had worked in the Pill Hall for many years—he could certainly push the procedures through.
As for geomancers and formation masters, the situation was the same. Fang Qing did not know a single one.
‘Even if I end up being taken advantage of and spend a bit more spirit stones, as long as the matter gets done, it’s still worth it.’