Wanfa Daojun, starting from the Little Cloud and Rain Technique

Chapter 953 Fifth-Rank Low-Grade Spiritual Treasure
Ji An took out some wooden and jade boxes that he had prepared beforehand from the Void Stone. Inside were spiritual fruits such as Thunderstruck Wood Spirit Fruit, Green Vine Fruit, Fire Immortal Apricot, and Spirit Peach.

Zhongyuan Sanren began to examine them. He was quite surprised to see that each of the spiritual fruits was as smooth as jade and its skin emitted white lightning from time to time.

'Could it be that the small world the other party refined is a special world filled with heavenly thunder? What good luck!'

Spiritual fruits produced from lightning-struck wood are more popular among Nascent Soul cultivators. The convergence of Yin and Yang generates lightning, and some highly perceptive cultivators can even comprehend deeper levels of Yin-Yang transformation by consuming spiritual fruits.

"The spiritual fruits are all of excellent quality, and I am willing to pay 20% more for them."

"If you harvest more spiritual fruits in the future, you are welcome to come to our shop and take as many as you want."

Zhongyuan Sanren counted the quantity and asked:
"Fellow Daoist, would you prefer top-grade spirit stones or fourth-grade top-grade pills?"

Ji An countered, "Could we exchange it for a fifth-grade spiritual herb?"

He has been at the Three Flowers Realm for over two hundred years, yet he has never tasted a fifth-grade elixir.

"Uh, you need to use a fifth-grade spiritual fruit or a spiritual herb that is over ten thousand years old to replace a fifth-grade spiritual herb."

Ji An frowned slightly. The medicinal age required to refine Nascent Soul level pills was only four thousand years, but the medicinal age required to refine fifth-order pills was doubled. This was a huge leap.

He subconsciously touched his chin and pressed for an answer:
"Does your esteemed establishment sell fifth-tier pill formulas?"

Zhongyuan Sanren smiled mysteriously, "Of course it is for sale, but it also requires a large amount of fifth-grade spiritual fruits and herbs in exchange. When purchasing, one must swear an oath on the Great Dao that the pill formula will never be passed on to outsiders. If the pills are to be sold, they can only be sold to us."

Of course, the price won't be unfair to you, fellow Daoist.

Dan Yun Pavilion used this method to win over many alchemists, thus establishing its position in the cultivation world.

Miaoyou Sanren scoffed, "With such harsh conditions, what's the difference between this and signing a contract to sell oneself into servitude?"

In my humble opinion, you have absolutely no intention of selling the elixir formula.

According to the other party's requirements, buying the prescription only grants the right to use it; one is still subject to exploitation.

He stretched out his arm and pointed at Ji An, "Fellow Daoist Xuanqing possesses the spiritual fire of heaven and earth, could you enjoy even better conditions?"

There are some things the buyer can't say, but as a fellow villager, he has to speak up for them.

Zhongyuan Sanren's expression remained calm. "If Fellow Daoist Xuanqing possesses a Starry Sky Flame, we can discuss the terms further. However, if it is merely an ordinary Five Elements Flame, then no exceptions can be made."

The Five Elements Spiritual Fire is born on planets. Although rare, a star field contains many planets, and quite a few have been discovered.

These kinds of spiritual fires can be condensed into fire seeds for sale, so the top-tier alchemists all possess the five elements of spiritual fire.

Starry Sky Fire is a general term for the spiritual fire of heaven and earth that is not one of the five elements. Only pure Yang fire, Yin fire, or star fire can be called Starry Sky Fire.

The conditions for their birth are more demanding, but the assistance they can provide to alchemists is also more powerful. The number of alchemists who possess this type of spiritual fire is extremely small, and only these alchemists are qualified to negotiate with the Dan Yun Pavilion.

"I see. I will discuss this with your esteemed establishment once I have the necessary conditions."

Ji An was now certain that this conversation was just a test; as long as his conditions were good enough, he would be qualified to discuss his own.

The arrogance of the Dan Yun Pavilion cultivators was evident from the conversation; it's quite normal for a large business to bully its customers.

Even if the other party were to sell the pill formula now, he wouldn't buy it directly; cooperating with a powerful force would be a huge disadvantage.

"By the way, can your esteemed establishment currently provide spirit wood or spirit herb seeds with the potential to reach the fifth rank?"

Enriching the variety of spiritual plants in his small world is something he has always been committed to doing, and what he needs most now is a water-based spiritual root.

Zhongyuan Sanren gently shook his head and said sincerely:

“We do not deal in fifth-tier spirit seeds because the growth environment for fifth-tier spirit plants is too demanding, and the spirit seed business cannot be scaled up.”

Danyun Pavilion disdains to engage in businesses that offer little or no profit.

Ji An smiled, "Then there's no other choice. Let's settle the bill with top-grade spirit stones."

He had no disciples to follow him, so fourth-grade top-quality pills were meaningless to him. As for his beast tamers, they had long lifespans, so he could use spiritual fruits to improve their cultivation as he pleased.

"Alright, I have already calculated in my mind that this batch of spiritual fruits can be exchanged for two hundred and thirty-six top-grade spirit stones."

For our first transaction, we're willing to offer 240 spirit stones.

"Thank you, fellow Taoist."

Ji An did not refuse and accepted it readily.

Zhongyuan Sanren counted out the full amount of top-grade spirit stones and handed them over, then took out a yellow jade tablet.

He activated the jade tablet with a hand seal, and lines of tiny characters flashed inside. Then he handed the jade tablet over:

"This jade plaque is our Danyun Pavilion VIP voucher, which entitles you to a 2% discount on resource purchases."

As our transaction volume accumulates, the VIP jade pendant will receive more benefits.

He leaned forward and said solemnly:
"When the jade token reaches a certain level, you will have priority in purchasing fifth-tier pills, which is the most valuable thing."

He intended to develop a deeper relationship with the other party, and he could deduce a lot from the types of spiritual fruits the other party sold.

If the small world that the other party is refining can cultivate a fifth-order spiritual vein, there is a high probability that it can cultivate a fifth-order spiritual plant, which is what he values ​​most.

Dan Yun Pavilion is the most powerful pill shop in the star field, with branches on many planets. This VIP jade token was issued by him, and he will still benefit from it even if the transaction is not conducted on Chang Geng Star in the future.

Ji An accepted the jade token and cupped his hands in greeting, saying:

"Thank you for your kind offer. It would be impolite to refuse. I will accept it and look forward to doing more business with your esteemed establishment in the future."

This jade pendant is like a membership card, granting customers priority access to trade here, which he doesn't object to.

After talking for another quarter of an hour, Ji An and his companion took their leave.

After leaving Danyun Pavilion, the hermit Miaoyou asked:
"Where do you plan to go next, fellow Daoist?"

"Buy some knowledge jade slips suitable for cultivators at the Three Flower Realm, and then browse the entire trading area."

"Okay, let's go."

Ji An purchased several jade slips containing information on fifth-tier spiritual herbs, ores, and demonic beasts, as well as a detailed interstellar map.

The map left by Xingyue Sanren was just a star map marking the area near the route, which could not meet his current needs.

Over the next few days, accompanied by Miaoyou Sanren, he visited all the places he wanted to go, but found nothing worth buying.

After hosting a banquet for the hermit Miaoyou in the cave, and waiting for the guest to leave Ji An and enter the gourd world, the Five Sacred Mountains True Lord stepped forward and said in a consultative tone:
"Your Majesty, you have already rented the cave dwelling. Could you allow me to go out for a few days to broaden my horizons?"

Spending too much time in the cramped gourd world made him feel quite depressed, and he wanted to have more contact with the outside world.

Ji An nodded slightly and gave instructions:

"Of course it's not impossible, but there are quite a few cultivators at the Three Flowers Realm on this planet. You should keep a low profile and avoid causing trouble."

The Five Sacred Mountains True Lord readily agreed, “Your Majesty, rest assured, I will not take my own safety lightly, and I will always treat others with kindness.”

Ji An took out a jade slip and handed it out, "This is a map of Yunshi City and the surrounding area. Don't go too far."

"As ordered."

The Five Sacred Mountains True Lords accepted the jade slip, smiling broadly as they cupped their hands in greeting.
"Your Majesty, I shall take my leave."

He flew away on a cloud and soon left the small world.

Ji An lay half-reclined on the rattan chair, carefully considering whether to go out with Miao You Sanren to find the Heaven-Mending Lotus.

If they advance and retreat together, he will have to stay on Chang Geng Star indefinitely. The difficulty of obtaining resources and the cultivation environment here will definitely be worse than on Zi Wei Star, which will delay him for several decades.

Furthermore, obtaining the Heaven-Mending Lotus is tantamount to snatching food from the jaws of a tiger among a group of demonic beasts, and the danger is probably much higher than the cultivator who discovered the Heaven-Mending Lotus said.

But if they arrive at Ziwei Star early, what can they offer to exchange for resources with other cultivators?
Ji An found the jade slip that introduced the spiritual plants, and used his divine sense to read the information in it, searching for information about the Heaven-Mending Lotus.

The Lotus of Heaven has leaves in five colors: green, red, yellow, white, and black, representing all five elements. These leaves can be used to accelerate the formation of spiritual veins.

Unlike other types of spiritual lotus, the lotus root of the Heaven-Mending Lotus has five segments, no more and no less. Each segment will sprout a lotus leaf and a lotus seedpod.

Lotus seeds, used as the main ingredient, can be refined into the Heaven-Mending Pill to enhance a cultivator's foundation, but it is only suitable for cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage and below; lotus root is the main ingredient of the fifth-grade pill, the Heavenly Heart Pill.
“What Fellow Daoist Miaoyou said is true. I can inform him of my wish to go in a few days.”

Ji An made up his mind at this moment. The unique properties of the Heaven-Mending Lotus reassured him that even if there was only one Heaven-Mending Lotus, he would not return empty-handed. In that case, the risk would be worthwhile.

If a spirit lotus only has one lotus leaf, he might refuse.

Having made the decision, he had to prepare for the battles to come.

There are still several decades left. On the one hand, one can continue to improve one's cultivation level. Even if one's magical power and spiritual strength increase by only a little, it would be good.

On the other hand, he needs to spend more energy on improving the grade of his natal magic weapon. If he can upgrade the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner to the fifth grade, his combat power will be greatly improved.

Three years passed in the blink of an eye. The cave was filled with the aroma of tea. Miaoyou Sanren said with concern:

"Fellow Daoist Zhongding, this search for spiritual items took twice as long as expected. Did you encounter any troublesome issues?"

The other party originally said they would return in a year, but unexpectedly, they left for three years. He was uneasy, thinking that something bad had happened to them.

Now that the other party has returned safely, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Haha, thanks to your understanding, fellow Daoist. There was a small problem, but it has been resolved."

Zhongding Sanren was clearly unwilling to talk more. He drank half a cup of tea and changed the subject:
"Fellow Daoist, have you made a decision regarding the Heaven-Mending Lotus? Please give me a definite answer as soon as possible so that I can contact other array masters in advance."

In fact, he was quite fond of the other party. Firstly, the other party had profound knowledge of formations, and secondly, the other party was an outsider cultivator who had no foundation on Chang Geng Star. If they cooperated, he would definitely be in a dominant position.

Miao You Sanren laughed and said:
"I was just about to discuss this matter with you today. Two years ago, my friend Xuanqing Sanren passed through Chang Geng Xing. If we were to go to the demon beast territory to seize the Heaven-Mending Lotus, we would need manpower. If you allow us to act together, I am willing to stand with you through thick and thin."

If the other party is unwilling for him to bring people into the group, it means that the other party's motives are impure, and he will resolutely refuse.

Even if the benefits are great, you only get to enjoy them if you're alive.

Zhongding Sanren had a round face, but his eyes were only the size of beans. He lowered his head, rolled his eyes around a few times, and said:
"I have already found two other fellow Daoists to go together. I originally only wanted to add one more fellow Daoist, but since you are a friend of yours, you are also a friend of mine, so you can go together."

However, it must be said upfront that if unforeseen dangers arise, everyone must be capable of protecting themselves and not hold the others back.

In truth, he understood why the other party had been hesitant: they were worried that he harbored ill intentions. Now that the other party could rest assured, he was willing to take a step back.

Sharing the spoils among multiple people is nothing; this operation is bound to involve fierce fighting, and the more people join, the stronger the force becomes.

"That's natural. I will inform Fellow Daoist Xuanqing of this news tomorrow so that he can make full preparations."

"Um... can we set a specific date for when we leave?"

Miao You Sanren felt a little relieved, and the fact that the other party did not make excuses gave him more confidence.

"I can only give an approximate time, since I cannot predict when the spiritual herb will mature."

I used to tell friends that it would take forty or fifty years to mature, but actually it can be earlier, thirty to thirty-five years to get started.

I will inform you of the specific departure date later. For the next thirty years, everyone must remain in Marble City and cannot leave.

"Okay, now we can allocate our time more effectively."

A world of gourds, beneath the Gathering Yuan Tree.

Ji An was using a secret technique to cultivate the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner, while his lower dantian contained only his natal spiritual treasure and the stone tortoise.

In recent years, he has significantly reduced the time that his Five Elements Divine Mountain and other spiritual treasures spend in the Yuanming Fire, all in order to accelerate the improvement of his natal spiritual treasures.

In the Moon Palace, the Nascent Soul sat cross-legged, his hands forming hand seals as his magical power steadily flowed outwards.

Magical power flowed through the immortal veins, the Dao seeds in the Five Elements Divine Palaces shone brightly, and the primordial fire was compressed by an invisible force, becoming smaller in size, but containing more concentrated energy per unit area.

The small yellow flags floated in the flames, the embroidered qilin patterns on their surfaces flashing periodically, the alternation of light and shadow like natural breathing.

Strands of black spiritual light emanated from the Yin-Yang Dao Seed within the Earth Palace of the Spleen, flowing towards the Fire of Primordial Life.

As soon as the spiritual light entered, it became more subdued than the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner, and the eyes of the Qilin embroidered pattern became even darker and brighter.

Ji An felt his spiritual energy was severely depleted. Just as he was about to stop circulating his energy, he felt his life force suddenly surge. Then, the Qilin pattern on the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner emitted a warm spiritual light, which even overshadowed the brilliance of the life force.

The natal spirit treasure flew out of the dantian, and the earth qilin appeared. It first circled its master twice, and then gently landed on the ground, its deep and resonant roar echoing in all directions.

A spiritual pressure wave belonging to the fifth level swept out, and the entire earth began to tremble synchronously, with the power being transmitted underground.

Ji An sensed the aura emanating from the spiritual treasure, and his eyes shone brightly:
"Haha, that's just in time!"

His natal spirit treasure finally reached the fifth level before the operation, and his defensive and offensive capabilities were greatly enhanced.

(End of this chapter)