by Fang Xiang
Seeing Zuo Mo come over, Shi Feng Rong’s face became cold: “Have you made five fasting pills?”
“Completed.” Zuo Mo presented the five fasting pills he had prepared beforehand with a lowered head.
Shi Feng Rong’s expression eased slightly and indicated for Xu Qing to take it. Nodding her head, she said: “Not bad, it seemed that you hadn’t been lazy. You’ve just started dan-making, so if you have any questions, you can ask them now.” At the side, Xu Qing gave an admiring expression. She might be the first seat of Fragrant Ginger Yard’s outer sect disciples, and was very trusted by Shi Feng Rong ,but she could only learn, but didn’t have the right to ask questions. However, she quickly refocused. She hadn’t been thrown out, that meant she was allowed to listen. This was a rare opportunity.
Hearing this, Zuo Mo was overjoyed and asked several questions he had been puzzled by.
Shi Feng Rong answered them one by one.
Zuo Mo suddenly thought about the dan that he had used [Art of Crimson Flame] to make and rushed to take it out: “Master, this is a dan that I accidentally made. It seems to be different from the fasting pill. This disciple doesn’t know what it is. Master, please take a look.”
Shi Feng Rong took the dan and couldn’t help but make a sound as she carefully examined it.
After a while, she asked: “Tell how you made it.”
Zuo Mo narrated the entire process in detail. When he mentioned that he had accidentally cast [Art of Crimson Flame], Shi Feng Rong seemed have understood something.
When Zuo Mo finished, Shi Feng Rong said: “This fasting pill has essence of the sun added in. The effects are extremely yang and can enter the ranks of first grade dan. After consumption, it can make one stimulated, and arouse ling energy. But the side effects afterward would most likely not be minor. I have never seen this kind of dan before. You can name it and find your Yan Le Shishu to sell it and earn some jingshi.”
Zuo Mo asked dumbly: “How much could it sell for?”
Shi Feng Rong’s face turned cold: “Go ask yourself.” Finishing, she started to ignore Zuo Mo.
Zuo Mo didn’t know where he had offended his cold-faced Master and could only leave. However, he quickly became happy again. He had accidentally managed to make a lingdan. Fasting pills could only be considered a kind of medicine dan and couldn’t be really called a lingdan, much less enter a grade. Zuo Mo was very clear that any lingdan that could enter the grade, its price wouldn’t be low.
For Zuo Mo, who was in desperate need of jingshi, what would make him even happier than finding a way to earn jingshi?
Countless jingshi were waving their hands at him……
He mused inside, he need to find a time to go see Yan Le Shishu.
Chapter 44: A Tragedy Caused By One Piece of Jingshi
Zuo Mo named this lingdan “Great Strength Pill”. It sounded extremely crass but he didn’t care.
He had planned on making a few more to give to Yan Le Shishu to sell for jingshi but very quickly, he could only put this matter to the side. In the ling fields, a batch of ling grasses and herbs were ready for harvest. He had farmed attentively each day. Like [Little Art of Cloud and Rain], [Art of Earth Energy] and [Art of Crimson Flame], he would cast it multiple times each day. And [Art of Flora] and [Art of Aged Gold] would be used once every couple of days.
Zuo Mo had never farmed like this in the past. Due to his diligent care, the growth of the plants in West Wind Valley was extremely outstanding. Some of the ling plants with short growth periods were ready for harvest.
For Zuo Mo whose purse was rusted, this was really a perfectly timed rainstorm. Due to its importance, he even asked for a break from Master.
Inside West Wind Valley, a skeleton bent over the ling fields and sweated.
“Finally all done.” Zuo Mo sat on the ground as he panted. Looking at the small pile of ling plants in front of him, he was filled with satisfaction. Then he turned to look in the corner. The third grade fire dragon grass was almost full grown. A bright fiery red, very beautiful.
He sorted out the ling grasses and herbs by type and then by grade. Then he carefully wrapped them. After all that, Zuo Mo rode the grey beaked goose towards Yan Le Shishu’s residence.
When Yan Le saw Zuo Mo, especially the big bag on Zuo Mo’s back, his eyes instantly lit up: “Did Shizhi grow something good?”
Putting down the large bag, Zuo Mo wiped the sweat on his forehead: “This is a bunch of ling herbs that were just grown. Shibo, please help me sell them.” Letting someone else sell them required given two-tenths to the sect but Zuo Mo still decided to let the sect sell them. Other than the fact that Yan Le Shibo knew more about the market than he did, the sect’s contribution points were very useful. And the more one contributed to the sect , their status within the sect would naturally become higher.
Even though Pu Yao was in his sea of consciousness, but this fickle and perverse renyao could not be relied on. Pu Yao was a completely dangerous factor. If he didn’t have to touch him, it was best not to.
In comparison, Zuo Mo was much more willing to take advantage of the sect’s power. At the very least, the elders of the sect appeared to be normal people. But this way, raising his own status in the sect had become very important.
Cultivation, the higher it went, the more resources it needed. Trying to rely on an individual’s power, it was far less realistic than using the power of the sect. Even roaming cultivators had their own little circles. Cultivators who truly secluded themselves were the rarest of the rare.
Yan Le crouched down and flipped through the ling grasses Zuo Mo had brought, the joy on his face becoming heavier.
“Lots of good stuff! En, en, third grade south wolfberry, third grade seven leaf chrysanthemum, woah, and there’s also daystar grass, also third grade! This can be sold for a pretty good price… …” Yan Le seemed to be very familiar and recognized all of the ling grasses and grains.
Zuo Mo was in awe and hurriedly flattered: “Shibo is really great, you recognize all of these.” Shi Feng Rong was the smallest of the four so Zuo Mo’s address of Yan Le turned from shishu to shibo.
“Haha, in business, you have to recognize those.” Yan Le felt very good about Zuo Mo’s flattery. His originally small eyes became a line and he said amiably: “As expected of a ling plant farmer! To grow something, not just faster than others, but better than others. Shizhi has put thought in. All you planted are things easy to sell and at a good price.”
He didn’t know if it was that he felt guilt,y but Zuo Mo felt that Yan Le’s gaze seemed full of meaning. Did Shibo also know about Elder Wei Nan?
He forced himself to remain calm: “Shibo should also know just how poor this disciple is. If I don’t plant something to sell, I won’t even have the jingshi for learning about dan-making.”
He was very grateful for his zombie face. It really was the best disguise.
Yan Le nodded: “Haha. Without jingshi, you can’t learn anything. You are a ling plant farmer now, don’t worry about jingshi. As long as you keep farming, us elders wouldn’t treat you unfairly.”
“Of course, of course.” Zuo Mo smiled in agreement but his expressionless face truly gave others a strange feeling.
Yan Le randomly picked two plants out: “South wolfberry, and this gold-grain red tulip, don’t sell it, you keep it. In the future, you’ll use it in dan-making. I remember your master had especially asked me to help gather it for her. These two are easily sold but it’s hard to buy.”
Zuo Mo hurriedly put away those two ling herbs.
“Everything else I’ll go help you sell. What the sect needs, I will give to you according to the market price.” Finishing, he took out a piece of jingshi to hand to Zuo Mo: “This is a piece of third grade jingshi. It’s a down payment. Take it. I’ll get your Li Ying Feng Shijie to send over the remainder in a few days.”
Zuo Mo stared dazedly at the third grade jingshi on Yan Le’s hand.
Third grade jingshi! This was the
first piece of third grade jingshi that he had ever seen!
Seeing Zuo Mo’s dumb gaze, Yan Le couldn’t help but start to laugh. He threw the jingshi at Zuo Mo: “Arlight, outside, don’t embarrass me like this.”
Zuo Mo’s brain still hadn’t managed to fully recover. Previously, he had thought that this harvest would be of some value but he had never thought that just the down payment was a piece of third grade jingshi! The wealth that dropped down from the sky pounded Zuo Mo into dizziness. He felt that his entire body was floating.
He suddenly remembered another matter. Zuo Mo, who had been walking away, turned back and took out “Great Strength Pill”: “Shibo, can you see how much this lingdan is worth?”
Yan Le took the lingdan and narrowed his eyes for an examination: “You made it? What’s its use?”
Zuo Mo narrated what Master had said.
“Then I’ll try to help you sell it. Everyone takes some time to accept new lingdan, I cannot guarantee how much I can sell this for.” Yan Le said after thinking.
Zuo Mo naturally was very grateful. His purse being the fullest it had ever been, he completely forgot that he had thought of using great strength pill to earn jingshi. Even as he returned to the Little West Wind Yard, he was still muddle headed.
Like a miser, he looked at this third grade jingshi.
The color and intactness of a third grade jingshi far surpassed a second grade jingshi. All the edges were regular and complete, the entire body transparent and glowing without any signs of impurity. It was like a clear crystal. But the ling energy inside was extremely powerful!
He gently caressed the jingshi, a drunken expression in his eyes.
Suddenly, his hand seemed to have been cut by something, and the jingshi in his hands lit up unexpectedly. Zuo Mo stood, paralyzed, as he looked at the glowing jingshi. A strong pounding feeling rose in his heart as through something was going to erupt.
The glow from the jingshi gradually faded, but the pounding in Zuo Mo’s heart became even stronger.
What was going on?
He was slightly panicked.
“Idiot, you are entering zhuji!” Pu Yao suddenly appeared with a mocking smile as he looked at Zuo Mo.
“Zhuji?” Zuo Mo couldn’t attend to the disdain in Pu Yao’s voice and hurriedly asked: “What’s going on? Why am I suddenly going into zhuji?”
Pu Yao shrugged his shoulders: “When there is enough ling energy, naturally it is time for zhuji. You just had been stimulated by the ling energy in the jingshi so the ling energy inside your body, hm, woke up.”
“Woke up? What am I supposed to do?” Zuo Mo didn’t know what to do.
Damn it! He hadn’t thought he would get to zhuji so soon. He hadn’t even make any preparations. He didn’t know what was going to happen next, or what he needed to do. He had always felt that zhuji was far from him.
Right, he could go ask the shibo! Zuo Mo hit his head and prepared to run towards the grey beaked goose.
Under the shadow of the hair in front of Pu Yao’s face, a blade-like curve silently appeared.
“Don’t you want power? I have a method for zhuji, pretty good, guarantee you will successfully zhuji and your cultivation will increase greatly.” Pu Yao’s cool voice was filled with intense enticement.
Zuo Mo’s footsteps stopped.
“What do you want?” Zuo Mo asked between his teeth.
“Hee hee.” Pu Yao pointed to Zuo Mo’s hands with the third grade jingshi.
As expected, this renyao didn’t have good intentions! So he was aiming for his third grade jingshi. Zuo Mo was enraged and snorted: “I should asked Shibo……”
“Hee hee, zhuji, it’s the first gate for a cultivator. But many people don’t know that it’s also one of the most important gates. It would directly influence your future cultivation. Don’t blame me for not warning you. Using those zhuji dan won’t be of any benefit to you~~!”
Pu Yao said leisurely.
The pounding in his heart became even stronger. Zuo Mo felt as though his heart was going to jump out of his chest. Pu Yao’s words landed in his ear but became hazy and intangible.
“Hee hee, those shibo of yours. It’s not that I’m underestimating them but they can’t give you much power. Look at your master, she’s just not the opponent of the person that changed your features and erased your mind. How about it? I’ve never cheated you. [Embryonic Breathing Spiritual Cultivation] is useful right, sword essence, oh, you’ve reached the threshold! Me, I’m very trustworthy.”
Pu Yao smiled gently, peerlessly beautiful.
“One piece of third grade jingshi, this is really cheap. Just a piece of third grade jingshi. If you put some effort it, you’ll earn it again. But the benefits you’ll receive would be endless. Is there a business more profitable than this one in this world?”
The pounding inside his heart became even stronger. Everything in his vision seemed to become twisted. Zuo Mo felt that something inside his body seemed to have been lit up.
Thirsty! He licked his lips and swallowed the saliva.
He had a feeling that going to find Master now, there wouldn’t be enough time.
“Here!” Zuo Mo gritted his teeth and threw the third grade jingshi hard at Pu Yao. He wanted to smash this renyao.
“Hee hee, the smart choice!” Pu Yao easily caught the jingshi, his thin lips opening: “Hm, take that fire dragon grass to Cold Mist Valley.”
“Fire dragon grass!” Zuo Mo’s eyes widened as he forced the words through his teeth.
This guy… …
Zuo Mo wanted to cry. The kind of terrifying thing that was fire dragon grass, only terrifying people like Shixiong could tolerate it! People like him, there was only one outcome, that was, ling energy collapsing and death.
Pu Yao’s right eye curved into a crescent and reminded Zuo Mo: “There’s not much time left.”
The feeling of burning inside his body became even stronger. Zuo Mo wanted to rip off the clothing. The blood vessels were like burning metal pipes. He was abnormally thirsty, abnormally uncomfortable! There wasn’t much time left!
Unable to care about that much, he took out the spirit travelling seal and pasted it onto his legs. All the ling energy in his body moving, he grabbed the fire dragon grass, and ran towards Cold Misty Valley like a ball of red clouds.
He shouted inside.
–– Pu! You cursed renyao!
Chapter 45: Struggle
Cold Mist Valley, beside the icy pond.
Zuo Mo looked horrific, his entire body looked like a cooked shrimp, red to the point of dripping blood. Bloody veins filled his eyes, which were extremely shocking.
In the yard, his body had been like a ball of fire. Right now, he felt his entire body was firewood that had been completely dried and then lit up, and was cracking as it burned!
He looked around, slightly dazed. Everything in his vision seemed to have been twisted by the high temperature. His awareness was muddled. Hot! He seemed to be struggling in a sea of fire, the relentless waves of fire suffocating him. At any moment, it seemed he would turn into dust.
“Eat the fire dragon grass.”
A far away voice floated into Zuo Mo’s ears.
Instinctively, Zuo Mo shoved the fire dragon grass in his hand into his mouth. A wave of heat travelled through his mouth into his throat.
Boom!
It was like throwing a pot of hot oil onto fire! In a daze, Zuo Mo felt the sea of fire seemed to have collapsed, and countless fine and scorching flames spread through his organs. The rush of heat was like liquid metal bouncing around in Zuo Mo’s meridians.
“Ah!”
Zuo Mo couldn’t stop himself from screaming. A hot stream rushed into his head. His fragile head seemed to have been branded with hot metal.
Poof! A flame suddenly ran onto his clothing. The fire quickly spread. In the blink of an eye, all the clothing on his body turned to flames. What was strange was the fire didn’t wound Zuo Mo at all.
Zuo Mo was naked in the air, his entire body red like a metal skeleton that just came out of the forge. It was possible to see with the naked eye the waves of hot air that were surrounding his body.
“Ah ah ah ah!”
The howls were deep and rough, like those of a beast. All the blood vessels in Zuo Mo’s body were enlarged, like metal threads that were being burnt as they encompassed his entire body.
“So pleasing to the ears.” Looking on from the side, Pu Yao’s face was intoxicated as he sighed: “Even the soul is in pain. It’s been so long since I’ve heard such an enchanting sound, I really missed it.”
“Ah ah ah!” Zuo Mo completely lost his mind. He was like a wild beast whose entire body was burning, and howled instinctively. The fire didn’t seem content rushing inside his body and burrowed out of his skin, shrouding his body. He became a ball of fire. If Zuo Mo was clear headed at this moment, he would be shocked to find the fire that was burning his body was deep red and alluring, extremely similar to the fire in his sea of consciousness.
Looking at the deep red flames that were furiously dancing on Zuo Mo’s body, Pu Yao’s gaze instantly darkened. The corner of his mouth, however, swept up. It was unknown what he had been reminded of.
The sound of Zuo Mo’s howls became even deeper, even rougher. The flames surrounding him seemed to burn even more ferociously.
Pu Yao’s expression changed. After a while, his gaze returned to normal and he said to himself.
“The person you chose, I’ll give him one chance.”
Finishing, he pointed a finger at Zuo Mo. Zuo Mo seemed to have been struck by a large hammer and was sent flying, landing with a splash in the cold pond.
Zuo Mo was like a stone, quickly sinking. Strangely, the deep red flames around his body were not affected in the slightest by the water, and were still furiously waving.
Just at this time, the ice river in Zuo Mo’s sea of consciousness suddenly started to grind. The icicles crowding in the ice river were pushed by an invisible force and slowly started to flow. The silent and straight ice river, in the blink of an eye, transformed into a river where countless big and small sword energies were moving.