Chapter 218
Chapter 218
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 218
Chapter Title: Tieniu's Fortune and the Flood Dragon Bamboo
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Qingyin Pavilion.
Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan discussed the matter and decided they still had to help Zhou Xiaoxuan refine the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill, but they wouldn't let her get all the benefits.
If anyone else had made a request through Chen Jianghe, Jiang Ruxu would have been willing to refine the pill for free as long as he asked.
But Zhou Xiaoxuan was the sole exception.
Although they had only met twice, both Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan were filled with hostility toward her.
"Xinyan is in seclusion again?"
When Chen Jianghe arrived at Qingyin Pavilion, he only saw Jiang Ruxu, not the well-behaved and obedient Zhuang Xinyan.
"Senior Sister went to the market city to buy a first-tier high-grade auxiliary puppet."
"A first-tier high-grade auxiliary puppet?" Chen Jianghe looked puzzled.
"Senior Sister is currently a first-tier mid-grade Puppet Master. She wants to study the structure of a first-tier high-grade auxiliary puppet to find a breakthrough to become a high-grade Puppet Master."
Hearing Jiang Ruxu's explanation, Chen Jianghe understood and gained a more concrete appreciation for Zhuang Xinyan's talent in the art of puppetry.
Alchemist Zhuang wanted his granddaughter to delve deep into the Dao of alchemy, never expecting her to possess such great talent in the art of puppetry.
Although the art of puppetry wasn't as lucrative as alchemy for earning spirit stones.
In terms of offense or defense, the art of puppetry was stronger than the Dao of alchemy.
"Ruxu, did you listen to the voice message I left you?" Chen Jianghe asked.
"Brother Chen, you should stay away from that vixen. Even Fairy Luo said she'll suck you dry."
Jiang Ruxu mustered her courage and spoke to Chen Jianghe.
As she finished, a blush crept onto her pretty face, and she shyly lowered her head, fiddling with the hem of her clothes.
"What are you thinking?"
Three dark lines formed on Chen Jianghe's forehead. He lightly tapped Jiang Ruxu's head and said, "She's a sect disciple. In the future, she might be able to provide us with some cultivation resources."
"Us?"
Joy blossomed in Jiang Ruxu's heart. She stole a glance at Chen Jianghe, then said in a low voice, "I can refine the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill for her. I don't want her spirit stones, but she needs to be helpful to Brother Chen."
"Let's not mix things up. If you don't want spirit stones, then ask for other spirit items. You don't need to consider me."
Chen Jianghe said calmly.
Between Jiang Ruxu and Zhou Xiaoxuan, he was firmly on Jiang Ruxu's side. Naturally, he couldn't let her refine the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill for nothing.
Then, Chen Jianghe told Jiang Ruxu that Zhou Xiaoxuan was at the Myriad Treasures Tower. If she agreed to help refine the pill, she could go and inform her.
As for Chen Jianghe?
He wouldn't get involved.
He had many other things to do. How could he have the time to oversee the pill refinement?
Even if he asked Jiang Ruxu to help Zhou Xiaoxuan, it would have to be when Jiang Ruxu had free time. If she was busy, Zhou Xiaoxuan would just have to wait.
Spirit stones couldn't buy many resources in Thousand Mountains Market City.
But an Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill was different; it could be traded for many resources.
After giving his instructions, Chen Jianghe returned to his own Spirit Spring Abode and sent a voice message to Luo Xiyue.
Then he resumed his cultivation.
It was already the tenth month.
There were only two months left until his meeting with Ruan Tieniu.
During this period, he still had to craft second-tier mid-grade talismans and find a way to obtain the resources needed for his body tempering.
After breaking through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, he had a pile of things to do.
There was no reply from Luo Xiyue, but Chen Jianghe wasn't anxious. He continued to craft Azurewood Immortal Shield Talismans.
He cultivated the `Myriad Waters True Scripture` and the `Soul Sea Firming Scripture`.
However, he had reduced the time spent on the `Myriad Waters True Scripture` to three hours.
He didn't have any absorbable natural treasures like the Spirit Spring Pearl, nor did he have any Origin Spirit Pills. Relying solely on Spirit Gathering Pills...
His cultivation progress was very slow.
Nevertheless, he persisted in using Spirit Gathering Pills to cultivate the `Myriad Waters True Scripture` for three hours every day.
Every little bit counts.
The time spent cultivating the `Soul Sea Firming Scripture` was increased to four hours, and he then spent five hours crafting talismans.
Alchemy was still something he squeezed in whenever he could.
However, every month Chen Jianghe would find time to refine three to six batches of spirit pills to improve his alchemy skills.
There was also the nurturing of the Black-Armored Turtle and the benefits distributed to the mountain monkeys and the Azure-Feathered Swallow.
As for the white tiger.
Reaching the late-stage of the first tier was likely its limit. It really didn't have much potential for cultivation, but it had contributed its share of effort and hardship to his practice of the `Jade Dew Muscle Growth Incantation`.
Therefore, Chen Jianghe planned to sell it after it reached the late-stage of the first tier, which would also increase its value.
It would be a good final home for it.
Time flew by.
Nearly three months passed.
New Year's Eve was approaching.
In these eighty-odd days, he had crafted two more Azurewood Immortal Shield Talismans.
Now, he had five second-tier mid-grade talismans in his possession: two Flame Dragon Demon-Breaking Talismans and three Azurewood Immortal Shield Talismans.
"The Peachwood Clear Heart Talisman Brush can be used five or six more times, and the spirit ink is almost gone. It's time to make a trip to the market city."
He had an appointment with Ruan Tieniu to meet at the Spirit Snatcher Teahouse in the market city on New Year's Eve.
Even without the appointment, he needed to go to the market city to purchase some cultivation resources.
A talisman brush and spirit ink for crafting talismans.
He also needed to buy some auxiliary materials to help cultivate the forbidden art, `Absolute Ice Seal`.
Cultivating `Absolute Ice Seal` required not only Myriad-Year Profound Ice but also other auxiliary materials, all of which could be bought at the Myriad Treasures Tower.
His mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm had been consolidated.
After the new year, Chen Jianghe planned to start working on `Absolute Ice Seal`. Once he succeeded, it would be his most powerful offensive trump card.
Chen Jianghe put away the Peachwood Clear Heart Talisman Brush and walked out of the pavilion, looking at Xiao Hei, Maoqiu, and Latiao cultivating under the Dragon Pattern Red Pine.
Xiao Hei and Maoqiu were both second-tier spirit beasts. When they cultivated, small spiritual energy vortexes would form on the surface of their bodies.
But when Latiao cultivated, there was no such phenomenon.
To accelerate Latiao's cultivation, Chen Jianghe directly fed it Spirit Nurturing Flowers.
Back when he was buying Spirit Nurturing Flowers for Xiao Hei, he bought them one by one. Things were different now.
He was wealthy with spirit stones.
He bought fifty Spirit Nurturing Flowers for Latiao directly.
The reason he didn't have Latiao consume spirit pills was that he didn't want to delay its cultivation time.
Spirit pills contained pill toxins that required time to expel.
Spirit Nurturing Flowers were spirit materials and could be directly absorbed by a fourth-grade low-tier bloodline spirit beast like Latiao.
The consumption was just a bit high.
But with Chen Jianghe's current financial strength, nurturing a first-tier spirit beast was completely stress-free.
He had a second-tier ice-attribute spirit core in his possession, but he wasn't planning on letting Latiao use it for cultivation just yet.
Latiao's bloodline grade was extremely high.
It faced no bottleneck in advancing to the second tier; there was no chance of failure.
Once its cultivation reached the right level, it would naturally become a second-tier spirit beast.
Chen Jianghe planned to let Latiao use the second-tier ice-attribute spirit core when it reached the late-stage of the first tier, which would accelerate its cultivation speed.
This was a more rational allocation of resources.
Of course, Chen Jianghe was well aware that Latiao was not Xiao Hei. It didn't have a cultivation technique and could never become a second-tier spirit beast in just seven short years.
Therefore, he couldn't count on Latiao providing any help in the secret realm.
"Is Luo Xiyue cultivating, or is she refining artifacts?"
Nearly three months had passed, and Luo Xiyue still hadn't replied. She was probably refining a magical artifact.
He wasn't worried that Luo Xiyue would go back on her word and refuse to give him the second-tier high-grade talisman legacy.
Even if she didn't, it wouldn't matter.
He possessed the legacy of the Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman, a lightning-attribute escape talisman that had both offensive and defensive properties when used.
It was definitely a trump card-level technique.
Nowadays, Luo Xiyue was a hot topic in Thousand Mountains Market City. Many direct descendants of top immortal clans and sect disciples wanted to ask her to refine a spirit-nurturing magical artifact.
Chen Jianghe's message box contained quite a few letters from people asking him to help them get Luo Xiyue to refine an artifact.
These cultivators had heard from somewhere that he had an unusual relationship with Luo Xiyue.
Thus, they wanted to use him as a breakthrough point.
To ask Luo Xiyue to refine a spirit-nurturing magical artifact.
Chen Jianghe knew his own limits. Even if the treasures these cultivators promised were extremely precious, he wouldn't take on such a task.
It would only displease the ice beauty, Luo Xiyue.
Chen Jianghe waited for two more days. Still seeing no reply from Luo Xiyue, he flew out of the mountain-protecting formation and headed towards Thousand Mountains Market City.
After arriving at the market city, he flew towards the mountain peak near the Arctic Snow Forest.
Today was New Year's Eve.
It was the day he had arranged to meet Ruan Tieniu.
As soon as he entered the Spirit Snatcher Teahouse, he saw Ruan Tieniu chatting and laughing with a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Upon seeing Chen Jianghe.
Ruan Tieniu waved a hand and called out, "Brother Chen."
Then, he cupped his hands in apology to the other Foundation Establishment cultivators and came over to Chen Jianghe, and they went up to a private room on the second floor together.
Leaving behind a group of rogue Foundation Establishment spirit snatchers, their eyes filled with envy.
"This must be the Grandmaster Chen that Fellow Daoist Ruan mentioned. How enviable. To think Fellow Daoist Ruan really has a Talisman Grandmaster as a friend."
"A Talisman Grandmaster, someone who can craft second-tier high-grade talismans. Truly enviable."
"If I had a second-tier high-grade escape talisman, I'd dare to venture 2,800 miles into the Arctic Snow Forest!"
"2,800 miles? Fellow Daoist, you exaggerate. If you encounter a third-tier demonic beast, even with a second-tier high-grade escape talisman, it would be difficult to escape."
"Haha, I was just making a point. Still, I'd dare to go 2,500 miles deep."
"No wonder those fellow Daoists who entered the Arctic Snow Forest with Fellow Daoist Ruan could never outrun him. It turns out he really has a Talisman Grandmaster for a friend."
"Indeed. The Ma brothers went deep into the Boundless Sea with Fellow Daoist Ruan. They ended up perishing in the sea, but Fellow Daoist Ruan managed to escape. He must have had a second-tier high-grade escape talisman."
"..."
These rogue Foundation Establishment cultivators watched Ruan Tieniu's departing figure with envy, their eyes filled with deep thought.
They seemed to be calculating how they could get to know Chen Jianghe through Ruan Tieniu.
And then purchase a second-tier high-grade talisman from him.
If Chen Jianghe knew about their discussion and thoughts, he would surely be surprised. How did they know he could craft second-tier high-grade talismans?
He had only just broken through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, which was when he gained the ability to craft second-tier high-grade talismans.
And he hadn't even started crafting any yet.
How had the title of 'Grandmaster Chen' already spread outside?
In the private tea room.
Ruan Tieniu poured a cup of spirit tea for Chen Jianghe, grinned, and spoke first, "Brother Chen, the second-tier mid-grade talismans that Fellow Daoists Xu Feng and Xu Hong have must be from your hands, right?"
Chen Jianghe nodded.
There was nothing to hide about his talisman crafting skills.
He intended to use his skills to acquire cultivation resources for himself.
"Then, I wonder if Brother Chen can craft second-tier high-grade talismans?" Ruan Tieniu's eyes burned as he looked at Chen Jianghe.
Asking this question was no different from directly asking about Chen Jianghe's cultivation level.
As everyone knew, to craft a second-tier high-grade talisman, one needed the required cultivation level first, then the talisman crafting skill, and finally the materials.
Only a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator could craft a second-tier high-grade talisman.
Chen Jianghe wasn't angered by Ruan Tieniu's direct question. Instead, he said quite frankly, "Brother Ruan guessed correctly. I can now craft second-tier mid-grade talismans, and I can also craft second-tier high-grade talismans."
"Of course, that's provided I have the materials to craft them."
The meaning was clear: you can't make bricks without straw.
If you wanted a talisman, it was simple: you needed to trade the crafting materials for it.
"Brother Chen's talisman skills are exquisite. I am truly impressed." Ruan Tieniu was overjoyed. He raised his teacup as if it were wine and offered a toast.
Seeing Ruan Tieniu's reaction, he guessed that Ruan Tieniu must have materials for crafting second-tier high-grade talismans.
However, to Chen Jianghe's surprise, Ruan Tieniu didn't immediately ask him to craft a spirit talisman.
Instead, as if presenting treasures.
He spread his hand.
A dozen or so treasures flew out from his storage bag.
Spirit cores, medicinal herbs, spirit materials—he had them all.
It seemed he was demonstrating his value to Chen Jianghe.
"Brother Chen, see anything you like?"
Ruan Tieniu said with a smile.
Chen Jianghe glanced over. There were three spirit cores, but no water-attribute ones. There were two earth-attribute cores and one ice-attribute core.
"Profound Ice Marrow?"
Chen Jianghe spotted the Profound Ice Marrow, one of the three main ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill. He already had the Purple Glow Vermilion Fruit.
If he obtained the Profound Ice Marrow, he would only be missing the Illusion Heart Grass.
Once he had the Illusion Heart Grass, he could ask Jiang Ruxu to refine a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills.
He would have more capital for future trade fairs.
"For the three spirit cores and this piece of Profound Ice Marrow, I can give Brother Ruan two second-tier mid-grade Azurewood Immortal Shield Talismans, plus eight hundred spirit stones."
Chen Jianghe said calmly.
Ruan Tieniu chuckled and said, "Forget the eight hundred spirit stones. Being able to trade for second-tier mid-grade defensive talismans from Brother Chen is already a great deal for me."
Chen Jianghe smiled but still took out eight hundred spirit stones.
This transaction was just the prelude; the real deal was yet to come. If he took advantage now, he could lose out big later.
Ruan Tieniu handed the three spirit cores and the Profound Ice Marrow to Chen Jianghe and took the two second-tier mid-grade Azurewood Immortal Shield Talismans.
But he didn't take the eight hundred spirit stones.
Chen Jianghe simply wrapped them in his spiritual power and pushed them in front of Ruan Tieniu. The spirit stones were given; whether to take them or not was Ruan Tieniu's business.
Friendship is friendship, and business is business.
One must not mix the two.
Ruan Tieniu chuckled awkwardly, "Brother Chen, this is too formal."
Although he said that, he accepted the spirit stones.
"Brother Chen, take another look at these spirit items. Is there anything you need?"
With that, Ruan Tieniu waved his hand again, taking out more than twenty items. There were no spirit cores, only spirit materials and medicinal herbs.
There were no absorbable natural treasures either.
However, seeing so many spirit items at once, Chen Jianghe was still extremely shocked. Just how many fellow Daoists' legacies had he inherited?
His fortune was too abundant.
If all of this were converted into spirit stones, it would definitely be over one hundred thousand.
Looking at it now, Ruan Tieniu's fortuitous encounters were not small.
It seemed the legacy he obtained from Lan Tianxiang must have contained other demonic cultivation secret arts; otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to escape danger so many times.
"Soul-Calming Flower?"
Chen Jianghe saw a fiery red, delicate flower among the items. This was the main ingredient for one of the three second-tier mid-grade spirit pills in Alchemist Zhuang's alchemy legacy, the Soul-Calming and Spirit-Settling Pill.
The Soul-Calming and Spirit-Settling Pill was a second-tier mid-grade healing pill.
But it was an extremely rare type of spirit pill that healed the soul, its value countless times higher than the Muscle-Growing and Bone-Mending Pill.
This kind of spirit pill simply couldn't be bought.
Any spirit pill related to the soul was extremely rare and couldn't be purchased with spirit stones.
The Soul-Calming Flower itself wasn't very valuable.
Although it was known to be a soul-healing medicinal herb, its effects were limited, and not everyone knew that the Soul-Calming Flower was the main ingredient for refining the Soul-Calming and Spirit-Settling Pill.
Chen Jianghe didn't dither. He glanced at the other spirit items. Although there were some decent spirit materials, they weren't of much use to him.
"This Soul-Calming Flower, I'll take it. Brother Ruan, name your price."
The recipe for the Soul-Calming and Spirit-Settling Pill was a secret legacy, so there was no need to worry about others knowing the true value of the Soul-Calming Flower.
"Alright, one Rushing Thunder Talisman."
The legacies for both the Rushing Thunder Talisman and the Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman came from Ruan Tieniu, so he knew Chen Jianghe must have crafted the Rushing Thunder Talisman.
"Brother Ruan, put it away. Let's talk business," Chen Jianghe said with a smile.
It was true that he could craft the Rushing Thunder Talisman.
But he had already traded them away.
He had given one to Jiang Ruxu to trade for an Origin Spirit Pill.
The remaining one was traded with the Xu brothers.
He didn't have any Rushing Thunder Talismans on him at the moment.
"Then one Azurewood Immortal Shield Talisman." Ruan Tieniu put away the other spirit items but left the Soul-Calming Flower.
"Two thousand spirit stones," Chen Jianghe stated directly.
"One second-tier mid-grade attack talisman should be fine, right? Brother Chen, just help me out. The value is the same anyway. Just give me one second-tier mid-grade attack talisman."
Ruan Tieniu cupped his hands and pleaded.
He wasn't short on spirit stones right now; he was short on resources, resources that were difficult to buy with spirit stones. Talismans, for example, were what he needed most urgently.
The opening of the secret realm was getting closer and closer.
He needed to be fully prepared; otherwise, after entering the secret realm, he would just become a tool for others to explore the unknown.
Chen Jianghe thought for a moment, glanced at Ruan Tieniu, and took out a Flame Dragon Demon-Breaking Talisman.
"Alright."
Hearing these two words, Ruan Tieniu was overjoyed. He handed the Soul-Calming Flower to Chen Jianghe and accepted the Flame Dragon Demon-Breaking Talisman.
Chen Jianghe took out a jade box, placed the Soul-Calming Flower inside, and put it into his storage bag.
When he returned, he could have Jiang Ruxu refine a batch of Soul-Calming and Spirit-Settling Pills.
He could keep them as a backup or trade them for Origin Spirit Pills.
Fortunately, he hadn't waived those eight hundred spirit stones. Otherwise, it would have been awkward to take this advantage. This is how transactions should be.
Friendship and business should not be mixed.
After trading these less valuable spirit items.
Chen Jianghe knew the main event was coming.
Ruan Tieniu had asked him here to meet precisely for second-tier mid-grade and high-grade talismans.
Now that he had received a definite answer, Ruan Tieniu would surely ask him to craft a second-tier high-grade talisman.
"Brother Chen, take a look at this second-tier perfected demonic beast hide. How many second-tier high-grade talismans can you craft from it?"
Ruan Tieniu took out a complete second-tier perfected demonic beast hide.
Chen Jianghe took it, examined it carefully, and then said, "Three second-tier high-grade talismans and ten second-tier mid-grade talismans."
Hearing this, Ruan Tieniu nodded.
He had already asked someone before coming. It was indeed as Chen Jianghe said: it could be used to craft three second-tier high-grade talismans and ten second-tier mid-grade talismans.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Chen Jianghe.
The path of cultivation was fraught with danger. He wouldn't completely trust anyone but himself.
"I want one second-tier high-grade Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman, two Flame Dragon Demon-Breaking Talismans, and two Rushing Thunder Talismans. How about the rest serves as Brother Chen's fee?"
Ruan Tieniu looked at Chen Jianghe and asked.
A complete second-tier perfected demonic beast hide was worth around twenty thousand spirit stones.
A second-tier high-grade Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman was a life-saving spirit talisman. Its value was immeasurable, and it had never appeared at an auction.
Chen Jianghe didn't know its specific private sale price either.
However, a complete second-tier perfected beast hide could be used to craft three second-tier high-grade talismans.
Ruan Tieniu provided the materials and asked for one second-tier high-grade talisman and four second-tier mid-grade talismans.
Chen Jianghe felt it was quite reasonable.
This deal was doable.
Even if Ruan Tieniu came out ahead, it didn't matter. He could consider it as helping him out.
He had originally intended to help Ruan Tieniu anyway. The further Ruan Tieniu went, the more and better resources he could obtain from him.
"Alright."
Chen Jianghe nodded.
Ruan Tieniu solemnly cupped his fists and said to Chen Jianghe, "Thank you, Brother Chen. But I must also ask for your help in acquiring a second-tier high-grade defensive talisman for me."
As he spoke.
Ruan Tieniu took out another spirit material, turning Chen Jianghe's initial displeasure into delight.
For a complete second-tier perfected beast hide, he could give Ruan Tieniu one second-tier high-grade talisman and four second-tier mid-grade talismans.
But to ask for another second-tier high-grade defensive talisman was absolutely impossible.
The value of this beast hide wasn't that high.
However, after seeing the spirit material in Ruan Tieniu's hand, he nodded and agreed.
He agreed to help Ruan Tieniu acquire a second-tier high-grade defensive talisman.
He didn't have a legacy for second-tier high-grade defensive talismans, so he couldn't craft one himself. But even if it meant trading a Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman for it.
He had to get a second-tier high-grade defensive talisman for Ruan Tieniu.
"A quasi-third-tier spirit material, a small section of Flood Dragon Green Bamboo."
This was a spirit material capable of nurturing a Talisman Treasure.
As long as Chen Jianghe had the opportunity to obtain a legacy for crafting a Talisman Treasure, he could use this section of Flood Dragon Green Bamboo as a medium to nurture one.
"How does Ruan Tieniu have so many precious spirit items? Where did he get them all!"
"One Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman, one second-tier high-grade defensive talisman, two Flame Dragon Demon-Breaking Talismans, and two Azurewood Immortal Shield Talismans."
"Plus the already traded Flame Dragon Demon-Breaking Talisman and two Azurewood Immortal Shield Talismans."
"For this secret realm trial, Ruan Tieniu has prepared so many second-tier mid- and high-grade talismans?!"