Chapter 102
Chapter 102
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: A Glimmer of Hope
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The bond between brothers ran deep, and though there was much to say, it all came down to a few simple, heartfelt words.
After finishing the reply, he walked out of the room.
Beside the pool, Xiao Hei was leisurely lying on its back, feet in the air, basking in the sun, looking utterly content.
Maoqiu, on the other hand, was in the pool, cultivating by breathing in and out spiritual energy.
Although it didn't have a cultivation technique, it could still absorb spiritual energy and cultivate using the most basic breathing method of spirit beasts.
It was the crudest method, but it would allow it to reach the late stage of the first rank upon reaching adulthood.
The Spirit Nurturing Flowers Chen Jianghe gave it would allow it to reach the late first rank and enter adulthood ahead of schedule.
As for having Xiao Hei pass the Three Revolutions Demon Ascension Art to Maoqiu, that was naturally impossible.
Not only was the Three Revolutions Demon Ascension Art something only Xiao Hei could practice, but even if it could be taught to others, Chen Jianghe would never allow him to pass it on.
It was tied to the secret of the Spiritual Platform Seal.
Only he and Xiao Hei could know; the secret of the Spiritual Platform absolutely could not be revealed to a third person.
Moreover, Chen Jianghe had a feeling.
The benefits the Spiritual Platform Seal brought him and Xiao Hei were far greater than this.
It was just that his and Xiao Hei's current cultivation levels were too low to unlock more of the Spiritual Platform Seal's functions.
Over the past three years, because he was switching cultivation techniques, the time he had for drawing talismans was reduced. In the first two years, he had drawn a total of seventy-two low-grade Five Elements Escape Talismans.
After selling them, he had earned one hundred and eighty-three spirit stones and sixty grains of spirit sand.
Then, he paid three years' rent and bought three pots of Fasting Pills, spending a total of forty-eight spirit stones.
After that, he bought three bottles of Crimson Glow True Dew for Xiao Hei and six Spirit Nurturing Flowers for Maoqiu.
This cost him sixty spirit stones.
Now, he had eighty-eight spirit stones left.
However, he had yet to sell the talismans he'd drawn this year in his spare time—thirty-four low-grade Five Elements Escape Talismans.
Selling them would net him another eighty-six spirit stones and seventy grains of spirit sand.
"Master, could you give me some more Crimson Glow True Dew?"
Sensing Chen Jianghe had come out of the room, Xiao Hei quickly flipped over and waddled over.
There was a hint of embarrassment in its telepathic tone.
Chen Jianghe was amused.
So this thick-skinned fellow actually knew how to be embarrassed.
You have to understand, in the past, Xiao Hei had no idea what embarrassment even meant.
Was this because it had reached adulthood?
"So, how much do you want?" Chen Jianghe asked with a chuckle.
Xiao Hei thought for a moment, then sent a telepathic message: "Would three bottles every two years be okay?"
"Hmm?"
Chen Jianghe stepped forward in confusion, cupping the turtle's head in his hands and carefully examining Xiao Hei's beady eyes.
"What's wrong with you? Are you possessed?"
Chen Jianghe was a bit speechless. He felt like Xiao Hei had undergone a personality change, becoming so cautious even when making requests.
In truth, even if Xiao Hei hadn't said anything, he would have increased its cultivation resources.
Now that he had finished switching cultivation techniques, he could free up a lot of time to draw talismans.
He certainly wasn't going to let Xiao Hei suffer.
Even for Maoqiu, Chen Jianghe was planning to increase its share from two Spirit Nurturing Flowers a year to four.
"I've seen that you haven't had time to draw talismans, so you must be earning fewer spirit stones. Why don't we go back? I can keep raising fish."
Xiao Hei said, sounding a little dejected.
Before, it could help Chen Jianghe raise fish to earn spirit stones. Now, it just basked in the sun all day, not doing any work.
On top of that, seeing Chen Jianghe draw talismans less and less over the past few years made it feel a bit guilty about asking for more resources.
"Hah~"
Chen Jianghe laughed. Looking at the now sensible Xiao Hei, he sent a telepathic message: "The reason I've been drawing fewer talismans is that I was switching cultivation techniques, so I didn't have enough time."
"Things will be better from now on. The technique switch is complete, so I'll have plenty of time to draw talismans and earn more spirit stones. Don't worry, I won't let you starve."
"Ah? So life is about to get better!"
Xiao Hei's demeanor changed instantly, and it jumped up in excitement. "In that case, I want three bottles of Crimson Glow True Dew a year."
"Three bottles? Can you even refine all that?"
Seeing Xiao Hei return to its usual cheerful self, Chen Jianghe inexplicably felt that this was better.
"I can. After I consume it, I can circulate the Three Revolutions Demon Ascension Art to quickly absorb and refine the Crimson Glow True Dew."
"Besides, the Crimson Glow True Dew is a great help in purifying my spiritual power."
"Uh... let's start with two bottles a year. After a few years, we'll increase it to three." Hearing that Xiao Hei could absorb and refine three bottles of Crimson Glow True Dew a year, Chen Jianghe was thrilled.
This meant Xiao Hei could reach the peak of the late first rank even faster and then attempt to break through to the second rank.
With three bottles of Crimson Glow True Dew a year, it would definitely be able to attempt the breakthrough to second-rank spirit beast in twenty-five years at most.
However, Chen Jianghe really couldn't afford three bottles a year right now; two was the most he could manage.
Although he could make a profit of over one hundred spirit stones a year from drawing low-grade Five Elements Escape Talismans,
after paying rent and buying Fasting Pills, he was only left with a little over ninety spirit stones.
Then there were the True Spirit Pills he needed for his own cultivation. Two a year would cost forty spirit stones.
That left him with just over fifty spirit stones.
Not only did he have to buy resources for Xiao Hei and Maoqiu, but he also needed to save up to purchase a body tempering technique and the corresponding resources when he reached the eighth level of Qi Refining.
As for a spiritual cultivation method,
at his current rate of earning spirit stones, he planned to wait until the ninth level of Qi Refining before buying one.
There was also the most crucial point.
He couldn't just focus on raising Xiao Hei's cultivation level.
For now, his own cultivation progress was the top priority.
Because if his cultivation didn't advance, Xiao Hei's lifespan would be stuck at one hundred and twenty years. Even if it broke through to become a second-rank spirit beast, its lifespan would remain one hundred and twenty years.
Therefore, Chen Jianghe had to meticulously plan every step he took from now on.
"Two bottles? I was just kidding, I wasn't really asking for... uh, wait, are our lives really about to get better?"
Hearing Chen Jianghe personally promise two bottles of Crimson Glow True Dew a year, a look of surprise appeared in Xiao Hei's beady eyes.
It had just asked for three bottles as a joke.
Three bottles every two years was what it truly wanted.
"Things will only get better from now on. Get in the spirit beast space; we're going out."
Chen Jianghe put both Xiao Hei and Maoqiu into the spirit beast space.
Although the small courtyard in Qinghe Market City was very safe, after careful consideration, he still felt it was better to take Xiao Hei and Maoqiu with him when he went out.
It wasn't like he went out often.
The number of times he left the courtyard in a year could be counted on one hand.
Stepping out of the gate, he paused for a moment and placed the two letters he was holding into the post box beside the gate.
This was the post box for Chen Jianghe's courtyard.
It was protected by a formation and a spiritual sense imprint; no cultivator other than him and the flying courier could open it.
He had to admit, living in Qinghe Market City was indeed very convenient.
It was just that the requirement to purchase Fasting Pills was too unreasonable.
He considered it an extremely wasteful and unreasonable demand.
Leaving his home, he first went to the Pavilion of a Hundred Treasures.
He sold the talismans he had and then bought three sheets of spirit-blood pigskin and three boxes of spirit ink for thirty-six spirit stones.
He still had some materials for drawing low-grade talismans.
Once he used them all up, he would start drawing mid-grade talismans.
At first, he might not earn as much as he did from drawing low-grade talismans, but once his success rate for mid-grade talismans improved,
the profits from drawing mid-grade talismans would definitely be higher.
Next, he went to the spiritual materials counter and bought two bottles of Crimson Glow True Dew and four Spirit Nurturing Flowers, spending forty spirit stones.
Finally, he went to the spirit pill counter and bought two True Spirit Pills for himself, which helped late-stage Qi Refining cultivators purify their spiritual power.
He spent forty spirit stones.
Walking out of the Pavilion of a Hundred Treasures, he was once again left with only fifty-nine spirit stones and ten grains of spirit sand.
Just as he returned to Green Duckweed Alley, someone called out to him.
"Fellow Daoist, please wait."
The person who stopped Chen Jianghe was a burly man, about the same build as Yu Daniu.
He had a square, somewhat imposing face, and a fierce glint shone in his eyes.
Judging from the fluctuations of spiritual power he emitted, he was a great cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining.
"For what reason has Fellow Daoist stopped me?"
In the past, upon meeting a great cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining, he would have had to address him as 'Senior'.
Now, however, that was no longer necessary.
He too was a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, a 'Senior' in the eyes of others.
"Does Fellow Daoist live in Green Duckweed Alley?"
"That's right."
Hearing Chen Jianghe's reply, the burly man's face lit up. "My name is Ruan Tieniu. I also live in Green Duckweed Alley, at number five-fourteen. May I ask for Fellow Daoist's name?"
"Chen Jianghe, number five-twelve."
Chen Jianghe replied.
His address and name weren't secrets; there was nothing to hide.
Besides, he wasn't planning on leaving Qinghe Market City.
"Is Fellow Daoist Chen a craftsman?"
Ruan Tieniu chuckled. "Don't get me wrong, Fellow Daoist Chen. If you aren't a craftsman, I'd like to invite you to join my demon hunting team."
"My demon hunting team has seven members, all late-stage Qi Refining cultivators. It's very safe to hunt demon beasts together in the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range, and the profits are quite good. A four-month trip can net you twenty to thirty spirit stones."
The Wandering Immortal Mountain Range was a massive mountain range southwest of Qinghe Market City, stretching ten thousand li from east to west and seven thousand li from north to south.
It bordered Qinghe Market City to the east, Immortal Gate Market City to the west, and the Beast Taming Immortal Zhou Clan to the south, which showed just how vast the mountain range was.
The source of the Wandering Immortal River was deep within these mountains, hence the name Wandering Immortal Mountain Range. The mountains teemed with countless demon beasts.
There was no shortage of second-rank demon beasts.
Rumor had it that deep within the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range, there were even peak late-stage third-rank demon beasts, as well as legendary fourth-rank demon beasts.
Even Core Formation masters dared not venture deep into the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range.
Chen Jianghe wasn't even willing to leave Qinghe Market City, so how could he possibly take such a risk in the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range?
Besides, it didn't seem like he would earn that many spirit stones.
It was far easier and safer to just draw talismans.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Fellow Daoist Ruan, but I have no plans to venture out." Chen Jianghe politely declined with a smile.
"So, Fellow Daoist Chen is a craftsman? I wonder what kind of craft. Perhaps we could still do business."
A seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator who didn't go out to hunt demons and lived in Green Duckweed Alley in the southwest district,
could only be a craftsman.
Disciples from clans wouldn't be in Green Duckweed Alley, as it was all single-room courtyards.
"Heh, I'm afraid I won't be able to do business with Fellow Daoist Ruan. I am only a low-grade Talisman Master."
Chen Jianghe could draw mid-grade talismans, but he could only create one type—the mid-grade Water Arrow Talisman—so he couldn't be considered a mid-grade Talisman Master yet.
One had to be able to draw at least five types of mid-grade talismans to be called a mid-grade Talisman Master.
In truth, once you could draw one type of mid-grade talisman, you could master five types with about half a year of practice.
"A low-grade Talisman Master... then I'm afraid we can't do business."
Ruan Tieniu shook his head, but still cupped his fists and said, "I wish Fellow Daoist Chen daily progress in your talisman arts and hope you become a high-grade Talisman Master soon."
"I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."
"Take care, Fellow Daoist Ruan."
Chen Jianghe watched Ruan Tieniu leave, then walked toward courtyard number five-twelve.
To do business with a demon hunting team like Ruan Tieniu's, which was composed entirely of late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, one would certainly need to be a high-grade Talisman Master.
But as for when he could raise his talisman skills to the high grade, who knew how long that would take.
He opened the courtyard gate and stepped inside.
Just as he was about to hang the 'In Seclusion' sign, he saw a young attendant hurrying toward him.
"Senior, please wait before you close the gate."
The young man, dressed in a standard coarse tunic, arrived at the gate and said respectfully, "Senior, the Housing Agency requests your presence."
"The Housing Agency?"
Chen Jianghe was taken aback, and a bad feeling immediately surfaced.
For the Housing Agency to summon him at this time, it must mean the previous tenant of this courtyard had returned.
He would have to move out for them.
"Alright, I'll go in a moment."
Chen Jianghe replied.
The young man bowed respectfully and then quickly departed.
Chen Jianghe looked at the courtyard he had lived in for over three years. Although it was simple, it was quite convenient.
And there was the pool in the courtyard that he had dug with his own hands.
If there were no vacant single-room courtyards in the southwest district of Qinghe Market City,
and if there were no vacant single-room or double-room courtyards in the northwest district either,
then he would have no choice but to leave Qinghe Market City.
Of course, he could grit his teeth and rent a three-room courtyard in the northwest district for twelve spirit stones a year, but that wouldn't be cost-effective.
The annual rent plus the Fasting Pills would amount to twenty spirit stones.
The cost was too high.
He sighed and closed the courtyard gate.
He took down the formation plate and turned to walk toward the Housing Agency on Qing Street.
"Xiao Hei, we might have to move again."
At this moment, Chen Jianghe could only voice his helplessness to Xiao Hei.
"Are we going home?"
Xiao Hei was still thinking about returning to Mirror Moon Lake. In its eyes, that was home, the only place where it could truly help Chen Jianghe.
"...We'll see."
Chen Jianghe soon arrived at the Housing Agency. He went inside, saw forty or fifty cultivators waiting in line, and took a seat at the back to wait his turn.
After about half an hour, it was Chen Jianghe's turn.
"Are you here for a new rental or a renewal?" The female cultivator was not the same one from three years ago, but her tone was just as friendly, and she wore a smile.
"I live at number five-twelve, Green Duckweed Alley, in the southwest district. The Housing Agency notified me to come here."
Chen Jianghe explained.
"Please wait a moment."
The female cultivator picked up a jade slip. After ten breaths, she picked up another one, then looked at Chen Jianghe with a smile.
"Ah, so you are Fellow Daoist Chen."
"The Housing Agency asked you to come here to inform you that the fellow Daoist who left a deposit for the courtyard will not be returning."
"So, we wanted to ask if you would be willing to take a long-term lease on the single-room courtyard at number five-twelve in Green Duckweed Alley, in the southwest district."
"If you are willing to rent it long-term, we can sign a new contract now."
The female cultivator smiled at Chen Jianghe. She spoke quickly, but her words were clear and very affable.
Chen Jianghe froze for a moment, then his face broke into a joyful expression.
"Please switch it to a long-term lease for me. Thank you."