Cultivating Immortality: Starting from Ferrying Passengers

Chapter 159 Spirit Fields and Spirit Mines
"Master, an invitation has been sent from outside the island, inviting us to a banquet at Black Toad Island."

On Linxia Island, a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator hurriedly entered his family patriarch's meditation room, holding a dark blue invitation card in his hand, and said the following to a middle-aged male cultivator.

"Black Toad Island? Chen Hei Chan? Why would he invite us? Could he have some ulterior motive?"

The middle-aged male cultivator opened the invitation and immediately frowned. Chen Hei Chan's infamous reputation had spread far and wide over the decades, and no one wanted to be associated with him.

In previous years, because of their proximity to Black Toad Island, Chen Heichan had extorted money from them, and the relationship between the two sides had long since reached a freezing point.

“Patriarch, the invitation is not signed by Chen Hei Chan, but by the Qingxuan Sect.”

Only after being reminded did the head of the family notice the signature, which clearly stated three characters: Qingxuan Sect.

"How did it become the Qingxuan Sect? What is Chen Heichan up to? Could it be that he also wants to build up his own power?"

Faced with the patriarch's question, the cultivator who had come to deliver the message was at a loss for words. However, after thinking for a moment, he hurriedly said:

"By the way, the cultivator who came to deliver the invitation hasn't left yet. The patriarch can ask him for details."

"Alright, invite him over for a chat. I want to see what this Chen Hei Chan is up to."

"What?! Chen Heichan is dead?!"

Inside the reception room, the head of the family looked shocked, clearly losing his composure. Faced with this bombshell news, he couldn't help but be moved.

The cultivator opposite him was a cultivator in the early stage of Qi Refining named Liu San. Judging from his clothes and appearance, he was clearly an ordinary rogue cultivator from the outer sea.

He was originally not qualified to have such a conversation with the head of the Linxia Island family, but now, in the blink of an eye, he has become an honored guest.

"Hehe, Patriarch Lin, my sect leader is incredibly powerful. Not long ago, he easily destroyed Chen Hei Chan with a little effort. Now that we have taken over his Black Toad Island, we just wanted to let you all know so that we can help each other out if anything happens in the future."

The Lin family head's cultivation level was also late stage of Qi Refining, but he only had the eighth level of Qi Refining. He was no match for Chen Hei Chan to begin with. Now, hearing what this cultivator said, how strong must the person who destroyed Chen Hei Chan be?
"Is your sect leader a Foundation Establishment senior?"

"That's not quite right, but it's not far off. As long as my sect leader wants, he can establish his foundation at any time."

When Liu San mentioned Fang Jingxuan, he looked at him with admiration. In his opinion, Fang Jingxuan was able to kill Chen Heichan, so he was no different from a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"Ahem, thank you for your trouble, Fellow Daoist Liu, to deliver this invitation. Our Lin family will naturally be there on time. This is just a small token of our appreciation, and we hope you will accept it."

The Lin family head clapped his hands, and a maid brought over a tray with several thumb-sized tourmalines on it. These were spiritual materials needed for refining weapons, and each one was worth more than a dozen low-grade spirit stones.

Liu San had never received such benefits before, so he immediately beamed and became much more attentive.

After accepting the bribe, Liu San spoke frankly. He was originally a rogue cultivator making a living in Guixu Fang. Not long ago, he was chosen by Fang Jingxuan and taken to Black Toad Island along with a dozen other cultivators to do some errands.

Liu San's current identity is that of an outer disciple of the Qingxuan Sect. According to his sect leader, he must first be observed for three years to assess his character, comprehension, and accumulate merit before he can enter the inner sect.

If he has another opportunity to gain Fang Jingxuan's favor, then becoming a core disciple is not out of the question.

After the core disciples come the true disciples, but Liu San didn't dare to hope for that. His dream was to become a core disciple and then become a miscellaneous elder; that would be enough for him in this life. "Patriarch Lin, I need to rush to other places to deliver messages, so I can't stay here any longer. I'll take my leave for now, and we can talk again another time."

Having pocketed the benefits, Liu San left with a flourish, while the Lin family head pondered for a long time, gazing into the distance, feeling that the days to come would likely be difficult.

Black Toad Island is now a bustling scene. At the foot of the main peak, more than a dozen Qi Refining cultivators are controlling Yellow Turban Warriors to build palaces and halls.

One by one, strongmen over two zhang tall lifted a large pillar a meter in diameter with one hand, and with a light touch, they fitted it into the magic array. Then, a cultivator went up to carefully compare it with the array diagram to confirm whether it was successfully connected with the array below.

Above the main peak, Fang Jingxuan stood on a raised platform, gazing at the construction site in the distance. Beside him were two more mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

These two were professional cultivators that Fang Jingxuan had invited from Guixufang. One of them was He Can, who was proficient in cave dwelling construction, garden layout, and had studied the Dao of Formations.

The other person is Huang Xie, who is skilled in cultivating spiritual plants and is familiar with the market prices of spiritual herbs and medicines.

After taking over Black Toad Island, Fang Jingxuan considered how to develop and utilize it.

In his view, the Qingxuan Sect's signboard should be put up first. Only with the sect's name can they persuade more people to work for them.

Fang Jingxuan learned from Chen Heichan's lesson of fighting alone. He had already accumulated so many spirit stones, but he kept them without spending them or building up his power, which ultimately only benefited others.

Spirit stones only show their value when they are spent. For example, Fang Jingxuan took out a portion of the several thousand low-grade spirit stones left by Chen Heichan and recruited so many cultivators to work for him.

He Can, Huang Xie, and Fang Jingxuan each received an annual stipend of 600 low-grade spirit stones. He Can was in charge of the outer sect construction, while Huang Xie was in charge of the management and operation of the sect's spirit fields.

Previously, Chen Heichan had left the excellent spiritual fields unused and wasted them. Now, after Huang Xie's efforts, more than 70 mu of first-grade low-level spiritual fields, about 20 mu of first-grade mid-level spiritual fields, and 3 mu of high-grade spiritual fields have been designated.

According to Huang Xie's suggestion, spirit rice can be planted in this low-grade spirit field. This spirit rice is harvested once a year, and one mu can produce 100 jin. In total, more than 7,000 jin of spirit rice can be harvested in a year.

Based on the current price of spirit rice, which is expensive in the outer seas, eight catties of spirit rice is worth one low-grade spirit stone. These low-grade spirit fields, after deducting planting costs, can bring Fang Jingxuan an income of more than eight hundred low-grade spirit stones a year.

This one item alone completely offset Huang Xie's salary, leaving some money remaining.

A mid-grade spirit field can be used to grow some valuable spirit herbs and medicines. With more than 20 acres of rotation, the annual income is about 1,000 low-grade spirit stones.

The superior-grade spirit field, although only three acres in size, is the most valuable because it is rich in spiritual energy and can even grow some second-tier spirit herbs.

Although these second-tier spiritual herbs take a long time to mature, their prices are calculated in mid-grade spirit stones. The first batch of spiritual herbs will be produced in ten years, and at that time, they can bring Fang Jingxuan an income of two to three thousand low-grade spirit stones every year.

The spirit field alone provides Fang Jingxuan with a steady stream of income every year, while there are other profit-generating points on Black Toad Island.

Thinking of this, Fang Jingxuan spoke up and asked He Can:

"Manager He, has the reserve of the tourmaline mine on the west side of the island been determined? Besides tourmaline, are there any other spiritual materials that are found there?"

(End of this chapter)