Chapter 87: Tiger Seal Succession Method

Chen Ci kept watch in the backyard with his five ghosts for five days before the Black Jade Rice was fully mature; truly, not a single grain was left behind.

He had to keep watch; once the Black Jade Rice began to ripen, quite a few birds, small beasts, and insects acted as if they had lost their minds, willing to risk their lives just to sneak a taste, which left Chen Ci completely numb.

Although they were risking their lives, Chen Ci was losing money!

"I only have less than three parts of Spirit Land; if I had any more, how could one person manage to guard it? It seems farming Spirit Fields is also hard labor; the number of these mortal beasts is just too high."

Chen Ci exhaled a breath of turbid air, but there was a harvest.

One hundred and thirteen catties of Black Jade Rice.

After husking it into Black Jade Spirit Rice, ninety-one catties remained, along with twenty-two catties of rice husks.

Chen Ci didn't plan to throw away the husks either; the Sanyin Temple vegetable garden always kept a few old hens, and feeding them with these husks would surely make their meat much more nourishing.

"Ninety-one catties of Heiyu, yet it is more expensive than an equal weight of gold."

Chen Ci grabbed a handful of Spirit Rice and examined it closely; this was different from the Black Jade Rice seeds. The grains were not white like ordinary refined rice, but truly resembled black jade. They were heavy, yet this did not affect his appetite; on the contrary, it made one eager to try it, stirring one's appetite.

Shall he taste it?

Chen Ci stared at the small cauldron before him, carefully cooking this spirit food using the Fire Control Method and Observation Qi Method. Gradually, a fragrance of grass and trees began to permeate the air.

It even stirred up the sense of hunger within Chen Ci's body.

Cooking this Spirit Rice was indeed somewhat different.

About a quarter of an hour later, Chen Ci suddenly seemed to have an epiphany and switched to a low, gentle heat. At the same time, he lifted the cauldron lid, and a plume of white steam surged out, carrying a rich fragrance. The Heiyu in the cauldron had turned a translucent, pale black color; after cooking, it looked like jade, appearing more like a treasure than a meal.

Fire Control Method: Entry/1/100 (Control cinnabar fire daily, one in ten can advance)

Observation Qi Method: Not yet entered/92/100

An unexpected joy; he hadn't expected that cooking the Spirit Rice would actually push the Fire Control Method a step further, finally reaching the entry level.

It was just a pity that the Observation Qi Method still seemed to be a step behind.

Chen Ci lifted the small cauldron directly. There wasn't much Heiyu inside; one catty of Heiyu turned into two catties after cooking, about the size of two fists. It wasn't sticky like ordinary rice, but distinct grain by grain, only more plump and translucent.

Chen Ci picked up a clump and chewed it slowly.

A glutinous, fragrant taste with a fresh sweetness spread in his mouth. After swallowing, a faint, warm sense of satisfaction soon came from his stomach.

Delicious. This Spirit Rice was truly delicious. As expected, high-end ingredients often only require the simplest cooking methods.

Especially since he controlled the heat well; every grain of this Spirit Rice was nearly perfect. If he had to describe it, it would be in two words: silky smooth.

It was also truly expensive; nearly one tael of gold per mouthful.

Chen Ci finished the small cauldron of Spirit Rice Meal in a few bites. This sense of satisfaction in his belly was slightly different from taking a Longevity Pill.

A Longevity Pill makes one full and comfortable.

Spirit Rice makes one feel delighted and comfortable.

Feeling the spirit energy slowly dissipating in his abdomen, Chen Ci cast his lazy inertia to the back of his mind and began to circulate his Three Yin True Qi. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he slowly opened his eyes. His own True Qi returned to his acupoints very naturally, gentle and steady.

However, there was not much joy in Chen Ci's eyes.

"Although this Heiyu is good, the spirit energy within is mild and balanced, with even broader applicability than the spirit energy in Spirit Pearls, but it leans more toward enjoyment than aiding cultivation. One who is not wealthy or noble cannot afford to enjoy it."

Chen Ci sighed slightly.

The mildness of the energy in this Spirit Rice was such that even a mortal could likely digest it if they ate a small amount.

But the quantity was too small.

By Chen Ci's estimation, the spirit energy contained in ten catties of Heiyu was only slightly more than half a catty of Five Elements Divine Sand.

Yet ten catties of Black Jade Spirit Rice cost one catty of Five Elements Divine Sand.

Used for cultivation, the Spirit Rice only had half the efficacy of the equivalent value in Divine Sand.

"Even for cultivators, I fear those who farm Spirit Fields cannot eat their own Spirit Rice; it all ends up as delicacies on others' plates."

Chen Ci looked at the ninety catties of Black Jade Spirit Rice in the corner of the alchemy room and patted his leg: "This world is truly beautiful."

Everyone has a bright future.

Keep it for now.

When he goes to the market one day, he will take it to sell. The difference of four catties of Divine Sand is equivalent to a month of bitter cultivation; it must not be wasted.

Chen Ci tied the bag of Heiyu tightly so the alluring fragrance wouldn't drift out, then stuffed it into the Medicine Spring cauldron—out of sight, out of mind—and glanced at his own panel.

Three Yin Qi-Eating Method: 37/100

"Mere Spirit Rice wants to corrupt my Dao Heart? Time to cultivate!"

"Hoo, hoo~"

Chen Ci panted heavily, throwing a thousand-catty boulder to the side. His muscles were tensed into a knot, and sweat poured down like rain.

First, he swallowed a portion of Dragon-Tiger Paste, then a Longevity Pill. Chen Ci held a cup of salted boiled water, sipping it in small mouthfuls. As his True Qi surged throughout his body, the sweat all left his skin, and a warm sensation slowly traveled from his abdomen to his limbs, compensating for the body's consumption.

All around, East Wind and West Wind were struggling to hold cattail-leaf fans, fanning their master.

Stone Lock Hunyuan Art: 98/100

Looking at this mundane, arduous technique on his Gold Finger panel, Chen Ci slowly exhaled the hot air from his nasal cavity. After a year of bitter cultivation, he was finally about to reach the Perfected state.

A joyous and congratulatory occasion indeed.

Actually, after the Stone Lock Hunyuan Art reached Great Success—that is, pushing the progress past 80/100—Chen Ci had already felt his physical body approaching its limit. Any further bitter cultivation would merely be to connect the meridians and generate True Qi on its own.

Driven by the spirit of finishing what he started and not giving up halfway—though in reality, it was because Chen Ci felt truly uncomfortable every time he scanned the Gold Finger panel and saw the number before the 100 was not Perfected—he persisted.

"In the future, if my lineage takes on apprentices and passes down the orthodoxy, this art shall be the first introductory subject for every Apprentice."

Chen Ci rubbed his chin. As for tempering the bones and honing the will, those could be set aside for now; he had been caught in the rain, and he truly couldn't stand seeing others holding umbrellas.

If you want to learn my art, go lift stones and train first.

Hehe.

"Three to five days at the shortest, seven to eight days at the longest. Having reached this point, not grinding it to Perfected really makes one feel uncomfortable."

Chen Ci looked at the solid lines of his upper body and nodded with satisfaction. While immortal cultivation and Longevity are a man's romance, this kind of pure physical strength is also a man's romance.

For an adult, naturally, one wants both.

"Master, a gentleman from Fuhu Altar is visiting and is already waiting in the main hall."

Outside the door, the voice of his own Apprentice suddenly came: "It seems he has an urgent matter and wishes to see you, Master."

Hmm?

Chen Ci drank the salt water in his hand in one gulp, hooked his fingers slightly, and his five ghosts drifted out from the black-patterned paper dolls, returning to the lamp bag at his waist.

"I understand. Treat him well; I will be there immediately."

An urgent matter?

What urgent matter could Fuhu Altar have to find him for?

Thinking of various possibilities, Chen Ci left the backyard and went to the main hall of Sanyin Temple.

Unexpectedly, the person in the hall was an acquaintance; it was actually that fair-skinned fat man, Ding Jiang.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Chen."

In the main hall, Ding Jiang inadvertently saw Chen Ci's gait and inexplicably felt his spine tighten; he actually had the feeling of seeing his own teacher's shadow, and subconsciously stood up and bowed in salute.

This isn't right; although this man surnamed Chen had a much higher cultivation level than him, when they met a few months ago, he hadn't given him this kind of pressure.

"Junior Brother Ding, you are too polite. It has been a long time. My Sanyin Temple is a bit crude; please do not mind the simple tea."

Chen Ci smiled and greeted him. He couldn't say he and this fat man were very close, but they were familiar enough—certainly better than some cheap fellow disciples he had only met once or twice.

Ding Jiang gave a sheepish smile, sat down, picked up the teacup, and took a small sip before suppressing that feeling in his heart.

This man surnamed Chen is not ordinary; no wonder Teacher would send him here.

"Junior Brother Ding, what is the matter with your visit this time?"

Chen Ci did not dawdle; he took a sip of tea and asked straight to the point.

"Ahem, Senior Brother, didn't you send a Golden Rope from the Wang Family to Fuhu Altar last month? Teacher was very pleased when he learned of it. That Golden Rope has already been sent back by Teacher's men, so you need not worry about it."

Ding Jiang coughed lightly and took a porcelain bottle out of his sleeve: "Furthermore, he has bestowed a bottle of Xiaohuan Dan, wishing for Senior Brother's cultivation to advance further."

Having said this, the envy in Ding Jiang's eyes was truly hard to hide.

His own master, Hutou Daoren, was not a generous person; if it weren't for holidays or festivals, he wouldn't even get one or two pills bestowed upon him.

"Many thanks to Lin Shixiong for the generous gift."

Chen Ci pondered for a moment, not quite understanding Hutou Daoren's intention, but he still accepted the bottle of pills and raised his hand to express his thanks.

Xiaohuan Dan is a relatively common Qi-nourishing pill in the cultivation world; one pill is worth a day's effort, and a bottle of twelve is worth about three Spirit Pearls at market price, so it is not considered very valuable.

But it is quite fragrant.

That Golden Rope was said to be sent back, but it was likely redeemed by the Wang Family; otherwise, he wouldn't have been bestowed a bottle of Xiaohuan Dan.

However, he did not believe that he would specifically send an Apprentice just to bestow a bottle of pills.

Chen Ci thought this while holding the pills.

"Additionally, my teacher has one more method."

Ding Jiang carefully took out an arm-length wooden box from his bosom. It was sealed with a talisman printed with the name of Fuhu Altar, looking quite formal.

However, Ding Jiang did not hand the wooden box to Chen Ci, but instead said: "However, this method is not a gift. My teacher said that Senior Brother will know upon seeing it; if you do not accept the method, you may return the Tiger Seal along with it."

Chen Ci's eyelids twitched slightly.

The path of Longevity is equivalent to one's life.

Although he knew this day would come, when it truly came to gambling one's life for Longevity, this feeling was truly not good.

(End of chapter)