Ten days later.
The night was cool like water, and the bright moon shone silently. A burner of incense suffused the bamboo house, dreamlike and elusive.
Ji An sat cross-legged on the pudun, his breathing alternated between rapid and slow. Spiritual power filled his Immortal Vein like a small river meandering and flowing, launching wave after wave of impact on the Qi Sea Acupoint.
The bottleneck of the Third-Layer Qi Refining gradually loosened.
Magical power surged within, and his mind was as calm as a lake. He controlled the magical power patiently and continued to impact the dantian.
Finally, after repeated impacts, the Qi Sea Acupoint suddenly expanded a bit, and like a giant dragon absorbing water, all the magical power in the Immortal Vein poured into the Ancestral Acupoint.
Ji An noticed that a new branch vein appeared on the Immortal Vein.
He kept his mind calm, completely refining the remaining medicinal power of the Yellow Bud Pill, then slowly exited cultivation.
After two and a half months, with an ample supply of pills and spirit rice, he finally reached the Third-Layer Qi Refining.
At this moment, a faint smile appeared on his face as he lightly sighed:
"Not easy at all."
Given his current 'aptitude,' this speed was already swift, but the cost was a sharp depletion of his finances.
Ever since harvesting the spirit grain, the Dharma Prohibition of the bamboo house was activated, lest he encounter some opportunistic gentleman, leaving him no time to cry over a mishap.
The Dharma Prohibition was simple; a single spirit stone could support it for a year. However, to his current self, a spirit stone was a huge expense that he couldn't afford to save on.
A few days ago, he found Senior Brother Wei at the Jade Water Marketplace to purchase 30 Yellow Bud Pills, and he entrusted someone to buy 10 spirit crystals' worth of grain seeds. Now, it felt like he was back to square one, left with only 10 spirit crystals, 24 pills, and a dozen Wood Element Beads.
Fortunately, he had already planted two acres of Yellow Sprout Rice. In just over two months, right when the pills are exhausted, it would be time for the spirit grain harvest.
With cultivation reaching the Third-Layer Qi Refining, the upper limit of his magical power surged by half, casting fourth-level techniques was no longer an issue.
Ji An immersed his mind once more into the Qi Sea Acupoint, Old Turtle, initiate!
The three kinds of Spiritual Mechanisms decreased in turn, and spell comprehension steadily increased. When he opened his eyes again, two techniques had already reached the Great Success level.
[Master: Ji An]
[Dao Rhyme: 0]
[Spiritual Mechanism: Kan Spirit 4.9, Kun Spirit 0.7, Xun Spirit 0]
[Techniques: Small Cloud Rain Technique (Great Success 1%)
Thick Earth Technique (Great Success 1%)
Life and Death Technique (Minor Achievement 62%)
Flame Fire Spell (Mastery 2%)
Sharp Gold Technique (Mastery 12%)]
With two Great Success techniques and one Minor Achievement technique, the prospect of a bountiful spirit grain harvest was promising. Recently, Ji An's insecurity from the shortage of crystal stones had diminished significantly.
After reaching the Third-Layer Qi Refining, the effects of Yellow Bud Pills and spirit rice were bound to diminish somewhat. In the future, he would need to earn more crystal stones to maintain rapid progress.
He rose, walked to the wall, and opened two windows. A gentle breeze blew in, filling the bamboo house with moonlight.
...
The next day, Ji An finished his cultivation and walked to the spirit field, releasing the Small Cloud Rain Technique.
White mist enveloped the spirit field, and rain fell with a crash.
It pattered onto the spirit grain leaves with a crisp sound and splattered damp soil in the spirit field.
Ji An felt the rich spiritual energy that far exceeded minor achievement techniques. He listened intently to the celestial sound of rain nourishing the earth, his heart as clear and transparent as a crystal.
A profound sensation lingered in his heart. An inspiration struck him, and his hand formed the dharma seal rapidly, releasing the Small Cloud Rain Technique again in another acre of spirit field.
[Small Cloud Rain Technique (Great Success 1%→11%)]
"Hahaha"
Ji An laughed heartily, startling a few sparrows on the trees.
Without the Stone Turtle, I, Daoist, can still achieve enlightenment!
After a while, the stirring in his heart calmed, and his mood gradually returned to serene calmness.
He took out a piece of gray cloth from his bosom, opened it, and placed the Talisman Bird in his palm, slowly inputting magical power. When the size of the paper goose stopped increasing, Ji An straddled it.
He rubbed the Talisman Bird, which was growing dimmer in spirit light, and whispered softly:
"Old friend, take me one more time."
The Talisman Bird flapped its wings and wobbled up, drawing a crooked line through the sky.
A faint fog formed above the spirit field but soon dispersed in the sunlight.
...
Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.
Ji An glanced around and went straight to a familiar face, cupping his hands in greeting:
"Senior Brother Li, I am Ji An, here to exchange techniques."
A familiar face indeed, this person was the same senior brother on duty at the Enlightenment Hall that day, leaving a deep impression of the fragrant spirit tea.
Li Changfeng raised his eyes and said indifferently:
"Greetings, Junior Brother. Please show your jade token. Which techniques do you wish to exchange?"
He had no impression of this junior brother and was not surprised that the other person recognized him. As a disciple of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, most Qi Refining Stage disciples in the sect probably knew him.
Ji An took out his body-warmed jade token, handed it over, and said calmly:
"I'm here to exchange for the fourth-level Small Cloud Rain Technique and Thick Earth Technique."
Li Changfeng received the jade token, glanced at him with a half-smile:
"The sect places great importance on production-type talents. There's a preferential policy for exchanging such techniques.
Do you know the rule, Junior Brother? If you wish to exchange for production-type techniques above the fourth level, you need to demonstrate the technique on-site."
He grew curious about this junior brother's identity. The other seemed young, and since he wasn't wearing the standard Daoist robe of any particular peak or hall, he must be a spirit farmer.
However, spirit farmers must pay field rent at the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall at the end of each quarter, yet he had no impression of this person, which made things interesting.
"Of course, I know. Please, Senior Brother, go ahead and verify."
"Good, follow me, Junior Brother."
Li Changfeng took out a palm-sized, bronze circular magical artifact and led the way.
The two of them arrived at a white land area behind the side hall. Li Changfeng threw the magical artifact into the center of the white land. A few breaths later, he channeled a spell and reached forward to grab, the circular magical artifact flying back into his hand.
Ji An clicked his tongue in wonder, thinking that this spell must be the Object Control Technique, perfect for grabbing items and a fundamental spell for controlling magical artifacts, a must-learn technique for cultivators.
"Senior Brother, how many contribution points does it cost to exchange for the Object Control Technique?"
Li Changfeng was even more surprised, realizing this junior brother was quite new, not even knowing the Object Control Technique. Was he a new disciple this year?
This was impressive indeed, achieving Great Success level in techniques in the first year, with boundless potential.
His tone became a bit gentler, smiling as he said:
"The sect has compiled a set of practical magic technique jade slips, including a set of Five Elements Attack Techniques, specifically for Qi Refining Stage disciples. Exchanging for a jade slip requires two hundred contribution points.
Compared to the shops in Immortal City Marketplaces, this price is indeed quite affordable."
Two hundred contribution points were equivalent to ten spirit stones, too many for an ordinary disciple, who would have to save for years to gather such points!
Ji An furrowed his brows slightly:
"Uh, is it possible to exchange for these techniques individually?"
"I'm afraid not.
You're thinking too far ahead, Junior Brother. Without reaching mid-stage Qi Refining, your magical power is too sparse, and even if you learn the technique, it won't be very useful in magical combat."
Ji An secretly pursed his lips, realizing what was going on.
The sect's move was to set a high threshold to focus spirit farmers and other production-oriented cultivators on adding bricks and tiles to strengthen the sect.
Li Changfeng raised the magical artifact in his hand and smiled:
"This is a Spirit Testing Disc, used to test spiritual power intensity.
Compared to a Minor Achievement Thick Earth Technique, the Great Success Thick Earth Technique doesn't expand the casting range; it's only verified by testing the spiritual power intensity before and after casting."
Having said that, Li Changfeng nodded his chin.
Ji An understood, stepping forward with ease, forming the spell with confidence, hand seals transforming, and yellow spiritual light spreading across the white land.