Chapter 22: Inventory

The so-called Essence Refining has different meanings in different places.

Things like "one essence, ten bloods," "heart blood," or "fingertip blood."

However, in the He Mountain Sect, Essence Refining refers to the essence, soul, flesh, and blood, much like the resources such as the living flesh and blood that the Five Yin Evil Qi Bag needs to consume.

Once Chen Ci calmed down and thought it over, he realized he might have gotten angry too soon.

Looking at many things from the outside makes them clear at a glance, but when one sees the matter right before one's eyes, it is easy to let one's thoughts go astray.

Chen Ci took fifty taels of gold for the Fuhu Altar Apprentice to take back, and also tipped him five taels of gold as a reward for delivering the letter.

"Changping County is still a bit remote, so I do need someone who can pass me some information. Although this man surnamed Ding is quick-witted, his cultivation is too low; I reckon his status in the Fuhu Altar is just so-so, which is why he took the initiative to show me favor."

"However."

Chen Ci paced in the courtyard. Whether this matter is true or false can be set aside for now; since it concerns the annual tribute to the main altar, he will inevitably receive the dharma seal from the Red Dragon Temple, so this letter from the man surnamed Ding is just a heads-up a month or so in advance.

The goodwill expressed is far greater than the actual significance.

But Xishan Prefecture governs over thirty counties; if the Outer Sect Disciples of the He Mountain Sect in all thirty-plus counties have to transfer their annual tribute to the Fuhu Altar, this is truly not a small sum.

"Hutou Daoren is going to forge his Dao Foundation?"

Chen Ci pondered for a moment and felt that this matter was nine times out of ten true.

How enviable~

It's just that I don't know what kind of Dao Foundation this person is forging, but it should be middle-grade or above.

Chen Ci reined in his envious gaze; it seems he has become a provider for someone else's Foundation Establishment, hasn't he?

But this also shows from the side that even for an Outer Sect Disciple, as long as one can attempt the Dao Foundation, the He Mountain Sect will more or less give a helping hand; this can be considered good news.

"The resources of a single prefecture under the He Mountain Sect are at least tens of thousands of taels of silver a month, not to mention that Xishan Prefecture itself is a wealthy place. I'm afraid the Fuyun Market and Xishan Market also have a share of the Fuhu Altar's profits. Comparing people to people really makes one die of anger."

Thinking this way, his own monthly income of over ten thousand taels of silver doesn't seem so sweet anymore.

Summoning his Apprentice, Chen Ci instructed: "Purchase a large quantity of large livestock and wild beasts, and arrange for people to take good care of them. Master will have great use for them after the New Year."

After speaking, Chen Ci shook his head. This Fuhu Altar is also troublesome; it would be so much simpler to just collect silver, yet they have to make him, Master Chen, handle it as a middleman. A tribute of ten thousand taels of silver a year is truly much more troublesome.

"Gurgle, gurgle~"

A whole hen was stewing inside the small tripod, paired with century-old Mountain Ginseng, Solomon's Seal, Poria, and other Qi-supplementing medicinal herbs. A rich fragrance permeated the entire alchemy room.

Chen Ci pinched the Fire Control Method to carefully fan True Qi into the furnace to control the heat. At the same time, he felt the heat, and only when he felt the timing was right did he lift the tripod lid. Chicken soup stewed through the pill method is simply delicious; the old hen is soft but not mushy, and the medicinal properties of all the Qi-supplementing herbs are stewed into the soup without waste. Nutrition and taste are both fully preserved.

There are many mountains around Changping County, so Qi-supplementing medicinal herbs like ginseng are not rare. Although century-old Old Ginseng is not cheap, he can get a deep discount buying from the Huang Family's pharmacy, so it is not unaffordable.

However, if a century-old ginseng cannot happen to be stimulated by the clear and turbid Qi of heaven and earth to turn into a spiritual object, its so-called medicinal effect is actually just so-so. It is merely something that can replenish the body's vital energy after tempering the muscles and bones, which is better than nothing for True Qi cultivation.

"Not even forgetting to practice the pill method while eating; time management is maxed out."

Chen Ci ate and drank his fill, leaning back on the recliner to relax for a while. He sipped a cup of hot tea while using the Condensing Pill Method to grasp the heat rising from the teacup, condensing the Qi into liquid.

Medicine Absorption Spell: Entry/2/100

Fire Control Method: Not Started/45/100

Observation Qi Method: Not Started/39/100

Condensing Pill Method: Not Started/6/100

In the Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method, the Fire Control Method and Observation Qi Method have made some progress by practicing a few moves every day while cooking, but this Condensing Pill Method is truly quite difficult, with very little progress.

After all, refining pills is not about getting one pill per furnace. When opening the furnace, the medicinal properties are dispersed; you must judge quickly to maximize the number of pills formed.

Chen Ci practices with the heat of the tea, and currently, he can only condense two droplets of water at the same time.

The road is long and the journey is arduous.

After resting, he dispersed the little trick on his hands and took a look at his Gold Finger panel. It has been almost three months since he arrived in this world. Although his cultivation progress hasn't been much, he has completely transformed from a Blue Star shut-in into a cultivation world shut-in. How gratifying.

Three Yin Qi-Eating Method: 30/100

A few days ago, the Huang Family sent another thirteen jin and four liang of Abyssal Sinking Sand, but it was squandered in just five days, leaving him with no wealth again. However, counting on his fingers, he should be able to open another aperture next month, which is not bad.

Stone Lock Hunyuan Art: 26/100

Although many people are puzzled why one would practice martial arts while cultivating immortality, the Three Yin True Qi is actually just an inheritance Chen Ci received. The insights from the process of cultivating True Qi oneself are different after all; when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Five Yin Evil Qi Bag: Fifth-level Prohibition/89/100

Not such a good treasure; it's a mess when encountering enemies, and he still has to reluctantly push it to the sixth-level Prohibition himself.

Five Yin Evil Qi Bag:???

Yin Horse Pagoda Lock: Second-level Prohibition/1/5

Gathering dust.

Soul Fixing Talisman: Minor Success/29/100

Damn it, the talisman paper and cinnabar ink are almost used up, and even that gold brush is almost worn down to the nub. Fortunately, the gold brush isn't too expensive, and it can be bought with some silver.

As for the talisman paper and cinnabar ink, he can ask the Huang Family if they have any channels, so he doesn't have to suffer the trouble of bumping around, wasting time and effort.

Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method: Not Started/1/4 (Medicine Absorption Method, Fire Control Method, Observation Qi Method, Condensing Pill Method, currently obtained one)

Once the pill method is mastered, the sky will be clear.

Basic Sword Technique: Proficient/41/100

So far, apart from looking cool, it has no great use.

"It's been almost a hundred days since I came to this world. Should I celebrate an anniversary with the Gold Finger?"

Chen Ci pondered for a moment.

Forget it. With this panel, it's far inferior to "Deep Blue," and he wants to celebrate an anniversary? Thinking too much.

Time to continue practicing.

After slightly adjusting his state, he began today's ritual refining of the Five Yin Evil Qi Bag. At least in this cold world, only his Five Yin Black Evil can give him a sense of security.

Five Yin Evil Qi Bag: No, what about me?

"Phew, in another ten days, I will be able to refine the sixth strand of Five Yin Black Evil, and the power of the Five Yin Evil Qi Bag will increase by one-fifth."

Chen Ci calculated that his Five Yin Evil Qi Bag, due to the foundation of its original refining materials and methods, could only be refined to a maximum of thirty-two layers of Prohibition, which meant thirty-two strands of Five Yin Black Evil.

It should be enough, but he wondered if there was any way to improve its quality.

One must know that a Dharma Artifact of the Qi Refining Stage can be refined up to seventy-two layers of Prohibition at most.

"Master, the Senior Apprentice Brother has returned and is waiting in the front hall to report something."

Chen Ci stood up, only then remembering that his opportunistic eldest Apprentice had been at the main altar for some time and it was about time for him to return.

"Tell Niu Ji to wash up and rest first, get him some food, and we will talk later; there is no rush for this moment."

When evening arrived, Chen Ci finally came to the front hall, waiting for his Apprentice's report.

"This lowly one pays respects to Master."

After three months of absence, the weathered look on this sallow-faced middle-aged man had grown a bit heavier; a round trip of four thousand li was no easy task, even for a skilled martial artist.

"Get up. Were there any complications along the way?"

"Thanks to Master's great fortune, there were no major incidents on the road. There was just one time at night when I encountered a short-sighted thief who relied on his Aperture Opening cultivation, but he was slain by a single strike of the talisman sword Master bestowed upon me."

Niu Ji spoke briefly, then reported: "Master, this time the main altar has bestowed a Dharma decree and a treasure, but as for what exactly they are, this lowly one does not know."

After speaking, Niu Ji presented a wooden box the size of a human head; its style was ordinary, but the seal had a sealing talisman commonly used by cultivators, with the name of the Red Dragon Temple of the He Mountain Sect written on it.

This kind of sealing talisman was not of much use; an ordinary person could hack it open with a knife or axe after a while, so it only served to announce one's affiliation, letting cultivators on the road give some face.

A treasure reward? That was truly rare.

The annual tributes sent from various places to the Red Dragon Temple were graded, divided into superior, middle, and inferior tiers.

Superior received rewards, inferior received punishments, but in reality, as long as it wasn't too outrageous, everyone received a middle grade, and no one would truly send up treasures just to be rated as superior.

That would be the behavior of a fool.

Chen Ci circulated his Three Yin True Qi and wiped it over the sealing talisman, peeling the seal right off.

Opening the box to look, inside was a crimson jade bottle and a small booklet with a black background and red characters, embroidered with dragon patterns and gold edges.

(End of this chapter)