Ji An nodded firmly, his gaze resolute.
"Staying within the sect is safe, true, but once you reach the peak of Qi Refinement, without a Foundation Pill, you're just wasting your years away. I'm already at the eighth layer, and for the past two years I've trained tirelessly in combat arts without a single day of slack.
If I prepare two more artifacts, my combat power on the surface won't be inferior to that of veteran beast hunters. A few battles of real experience, and I'll shed the greenhorn's skin and stand as a seasoned cultivator."
The earlier one broke into the Foundation Establishment, the more the sect valued them. Wasting time was a fool's bargain.
Even among Foundation cultivators, those who advanced sooner enjoyed far better treatment.
He had clawed his way to the eighth layer of Qi Refinement with every ounce of effort he had. The struggle to survive once he reached Foundation Establishment would only be harsher.
And beast hunting wasn't just about battle; discovering spirit herbs was often the true prize. If fortune favored him and he stumbled upon a main ingredient for Foundation Pills, he would be given priority in receiving one.
"Ah…"
Wei Songnian sighed softly, his earlier excitement dimming.
If his clan hadn't suddenly offered him a great deal of support, it would have taken him years more to amass enough contribution points.
Without another word, he began tallying the talismans.
"Fifty-six lower-grade talismans, twenty spirit crystals apiece. Fourteen mid-grade Water Curtain talismans, forty crystals each. Eleven mid-grade Geng Metal talismans, thirty-five each."
He muttered the numbers as his fingers flicked, quickly calculating:
"Twenty spirit stones and sixty-five crystals total.
With your current skill at talisman crafting, if you had a steady supply of talisman paper and ink, your income wouldn't be slow at all."
Ji An shook his head with a faint smile.
"With demand soaring, the prices of talismans have indeed gone up. But so have the costs of the materials.
There are plenty of Qi Refinement disciples in the sect, and no shortage of talisman makers. It's not a monopoly, not some huge profit. At the end of the day, it's just hard-earned money."
He leaned forward.
"Senior Brother, do you know any artifact forgers you trust? Help me inquire about prices.
I want to purchase a mid-grade defensive artifact, preferably a shield, and a lower-grade offensive artifact.
For the attack, I prefer something heavy: a hammer, a Mountain-and-River Seal, something of that sort."
The only forgemaster he knew was Zhang Yuanshan, who was always holed up on Mo Cliff Mountain. Communicating with him was troublesome and costly.
Ji An's mind brushed against the stone tortoise.
[Techniques: Object Manipulation (Perfection 27%)
Wind Riding (Minor Accomplishment 75%)
Water Curtain (Perfection 11%)
Geng Metal Finger (Great Accomplishment 87%)]
Cultivators favored artifacts because channeling them consumed less mana. If one's mastery of spell techniques was lacking, artifacts were far more reliable.
Most Qi Refinement disciples preferred swords or blades as their offensive artifacts. Swift and sharp, they inflicted greater damage, while heavy artifacts consumed far more mana to wield.
But Ji An's Geng Metal Finger was on the verge of Perfection. With a bit more effort, it could fully replace a mid- to lower-grade sword artifact.
And once he pushed Windriding to Great Accomplishment, the power of his techniques alone would be enough to survive outside. What he lacked now was battle experience.
Wei Songnian gave a slow nod.
"I'll ask Senior Brother Cui Yuan. His artifacts run pricier than the market, but their quality is beyond doubt.
Are you in a rush? If you want something custom-forged quickly, you'll need to pay extra."
"No rush. As long as I have both artifacts within six months, it's fine."
Ji An replied calmly. He had never dealt with Cui Yuan, so any purchase would have to be paid up front. No hope of credit there.
In another month, once his spirit corn and talisman grass were harvested and sold, he would have the stones he needed.
"Alright, I'll keep that in mind.
Come, let's drink. I've already exchanged for my Foundation Pill; no major expenses left ahead.
If you ever find yourself short of crystals, I can help tide you over."
Ji An raised his cup with a smile.
"Many thanks, Senior Brother."
After drinking his fill and eating his share, Ji An bade farewell to Wei Songnian and went straight to Emerald Bamboo Peak.
Zhao Mengyao appeared in a flowing blue gauze dress, her steps light and graceful as she approached.
"By my reckoning, Junior Brother Ji shouldn't be visiting until next month. What brings you here today?"
Her features were as delicate as a painting, and though she tried to keep her composure, the joy in her eyes was impossible to hide.
Thanks to her clan's maneuvering, in just five years, she would receive a Foundation Pill. With her superior-grade aptitude, that meant at least an eighty-percent chance of forming her Foundation.
Ji An's eyes lit up, and he gave a sheepish grin.
"I missed you, Senior Sister."
The girl's figure had grown ever more shapely, her immortal constitution lending her skin the luster of fine porcelain. For someone like Ji An, who seldom interacted with female cultivators, his imagination inevitably began to wander.
"Tch!"
Zhao Mengyao rolled her eyes and gave a mock sneer.
"As if I don't know you! Out with it, what do you really want?"
She knew this junior of hers well outside of tending his fields, crafting talismans, and practicing spells in his little courtyard; he had no other diversions.
Having witnessed his rise from an ordinary disciple with no backing to where he stood today, she couldn't help but feel a measure of admiration.
"I came to Emerald Bamboo Peak mainly to see Senior Sister," Ji An replied with a smile.
"Of course, since I'm here, I'd also like to buy another batch of herbs."
He paused before adding:
"By the way, Senior Sister… I haven't seen Senior Brother Chu He in years. Have you had any contact with him?"
"Senior Brother Zhang helped him join a well-regarded beast-hunting squad. A member of that squad died, and Chu He filled the vacancy.
For the past two years, they've been stationed around Mo Cliff Mountain, and from what I hear, their harvests have been good.
Why do you ask?"
Ji An shared the news he had gathered, along with his own intention to take part in beast hunts.
Zhao Mengyao frowned slightly, and after a long silence, she sighed.
"The competition for Foundation Pills is indeed fiercer than ever. Making early preparations is wise.
But what do you want with Chu He? You still have your fields to tend; you can't spend the whole year hunting.
An established squad won't let you join easily, unless you find companions whose schedules align with yours, or wait for a squad to recruit temporary members.
But listen to me if you don't know them well, don't join. Some people seem kind and amiable inside the sect, but once they're outside in the wilds, who knows what they'll become."
"You're right, Senior Sister," Ji An admitted. "I was only thinking of spending my spare time learning the ropes with Chu He's squad. Or maybe he could introduce me to a trustworthy team that happens to need extra hands."
"Then what about your combat ability, Junior Brother? Have you prepared the proper artifacts?"
"I'm in the process of purchasing them. These past two years, I've worked hard on dueling spells, and I've made some progress.
But without real battle experience, my combat skills are probably mediocre at best."
No matter how much one trained behind closed doors, the first time on the battlefield, most people were like frightened chickens. Only by surviving blood and fire could one become truly seasoned.
Ji An raised his brows and smiled.
"Senior Sister, you forget I have an advantage. My beast! The spirit-seeking rat has already reached the fifth layer of Qi Refinement. Within several miles of my bamboo lodge, anything with even a trace of spiritual energy gets hauled back by it."
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