Chapter 674: Poverty (Extra update, please subscribe!!!)

After going through the process a few times, Aaron understood that unless all three Golden Core Cultivators rebelled together, attempting to embezzle spirit ore was highly dangerous and would be exposed at the slightest carelessness.

Not to mention that the Taixu Divine Crystal was of great importance; among the three Golden Core Cultivators, there was bound to be one loyalist to the Shushan Sword Pavilion!

After seeing this clearly, he honestly laid low.

It was the same as always: he ignored unnecessary matters, and every day after finishing his own work, he would slack off and go to his Cave Abode to cultivate.

No spy would ever act like this!

After the passage of time, those two Golden Core Cultivators would likely relax their vigilance toward him.

……

Inside the Cave Abode.

"Even if it's discovered and reported to the sect, they can't say I'm embezzling for personal gain! This is the charm of 'fire loss'!"

"As expected, just like the description, without investing a massive amount of time and energy over months and years, the power of this Fire Seed won't see significant improvement..."

He confirmed it once more, and with a normal expression, he loaded the ore into his Storage Bag.

After finishing the daily routine, Aaron returned to his Cave Abode.

Under the candlelight, he took out the Taixu Divine Crystal, which was emitting a brilliant luster, and a smile appeared on his face: "Did you think I would have no way to deal with this?"

It had been many years, and this woman's cultivation seemed even more profound, her Sword Qi becoming increasingly sharp.

"Although it's a bit stingy, saving up Dharma Treasures... isn't shameful!"

"Before I knew it, ten years have passed since the mission to guard the mine..."

Aaron said calmly: "I am preparing to go to the sect to extend my mission period by another forty years! After all, such a stable mission is hard to find..."

"Me?"

"I haven't even gone to crowd-fund Dharma Treasures yet, which is already very conscientious..."

"I heard you took on a garrison mission before... forty or fifty years have passed, yet your cultivation hasn't changed much..."

Shushan Sword Pavilion.

"Greetings, Senior Sister!"

When Aaron arrived, it was Shen Qingmei who received him as usual.

But it didn't matter... he could afford to wait!

He was just that kind of patient person.

Decades had passed, and this woman had already cultivated to the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage, almost reaching the point of perfection, seemingly ready to break through to the late stage.

"So that means..." Aaron held his teacup: "Cultivators have already explored the inner circle of the Xuantian Sect ruins?"

Then, the crystal came into Aaron's hand.

"That is exactly the case... I heard that in those ruins, there are many rare treasures and Spirit Medicine; not only are the Forbidden Techniques dangerous, but there are also rogue Demon Cultivators lurking about... even companions will strike at their own people for the sake of treasures... countless Golden Core Cultivators have fallen, it's tragic!"

After finishing his daily homework, Aaron began to cultivate the 'Sacrificial Fire Art'!

This Secret technique was something he had spent ninety Goodness Merit to exchange for from the Third Layer of the Library Pavilion.

"Speaking of which..." After all, so many years had passed, and Zhaixingzi considered Aaron trustworthy, so he asked: "My mission period is coming to an end, and I will be leaving the mine in the future. I wonder how you, fellow Daoist, will choose?"

"Gathering sand into a tower, collecting fur to make a robe..."

Within the pitch black, it was interspersed with wisps of gray.

"Greetings, Martial Uncle!"

Aaron stepped forward and bowed.

Aaron glanced at his Attribute Panel:

【Name: Fang Yu (Aaron)】

"To tell you the truth, the Immortal Cultivation World is not peaceful these days, even sect Disciples have fallen... I, your Junior Brother, still wish to continue the garrison mission for a few more decades."

The 'Sacrificial Fire Art' is a technique for cultivating spirit fire; the higher the grade of the spirit fire used at the beginning, the stronger its power will naturally be in the future.

In Zhaixingzi's Cave Abode.

【Realm: Golden Core Early-stage】

And Aaron didn't consider anything else at all, directly using the Black Sun Demon Fire to fill the gap.

This is the charm of rounding numbers!

Just at this moment, a snow-white and sharp Sword Light descended, revealing the figure of Baifeng Xianzi.

That is... weights and measures!

"After 'qian' there is 'fen', after 'fen' there is 'li', after 'li' there is 'hao', after 'hao' there is 'si', 'hu'..."

In other words, this piece of crystal weighed three jin, seven liang, five qian, and three fen, and after cutting away three fen of weight, in the eyes of other Golden Core Cultivators, it still weighed three jin, seven liang, and five qian! Exactly the same as the data recorded in the ledger.

Aaron smiled faintly and arrived at the Shangong Hall.

Aaron replied with a face full of smiles.

【Martial Arts:...】

"Over the past ten years, those two have been observing me in secret; they should be more at ease now, right?"

This speed left Aaron quite speechless.

【Age: 692】

Zhaixingzi was serving as the inspector at this time, carefully checking the Taixu Divine Crystal before handing it to Jiu Popo to be registered in the ledger.

……

"I came this time just to extend my mission, let's go!"

Aaron checked the time, walked out of the Cave Abode, and performed his daily work.

At this moment, he was chanting under his breath, continuously spawning more Black Sun Demon Fire, letting the refined source Fire Seed devour it...

For the sake of a mere piece of ore, it was clearly not worth it.

Life in the mine pit is just this dull and tedious.

This method is good, it's just a bit slow...

After long-term observation, he finally discovered a loophole, or rather, something not quite a loophole, within this system!

"It still doesn't differ much from ordinary Black Sun Demon Fire..."

【Skills:... Third-tier Jade Bone (103/10000), Second-tier Talismans (1000/1000), Second-tier Artifact Refining (1000/1000), Third-tier Alchemy (812/10000), Second-tier Array Formation (988/1000)】

Although it might not be base-ten, the principles are all connected!

"One must know that every trade has its 'perks'... Ancient clerks and hangers-on could survive without wages, all by relying on the unique skill of plucking a feather from every passing goose..."

"This is my poor man's version of Pinduoduo-brand Invisible Sword!"

During life on guard duty, occasionally hearing some outside news became the only pleasure.

"One piece of Taixu Divine Crystal, weighing three jin, seven liang, and five qian..."

Zhaixingzi suddenly gasped; he had originally thought himself steady enough, but after meeting Aaron, he realized what it truly meant to be as steady as an old dog!

【Talent: Immortality】

Aaron sighed: "Of course, not being discovered is best."

Baifeng Xianzi swept a glance at Aaron and said coldly.

While drinking tea, Aaron put on a look of lingering fear: "For Golden Core Cultivators like us who only seek stability, it is better to stay far away from this whirlpool."

Fortunately, he did not begrudge the time; at this moment, he kept forming seals and chanting incantations, and wisps of pitch-black flames emerged from the center of his palm—it was none other than Black Sun Demon Fire!

Baifeng Xianzi's eyes turned cold.

"In the future, I will add this technique to my schedule and practice it every day..."

"Money is not the smallest unit of measurement, but cultivators generally don't care about such losses... One must know that many a little makes a mickle; how many people in ancient times lived off of skimming the 'fire loss'!"

As that original Fire Seed continuously devoured its own kind, its color also began to change.

Under the Light, Aaron was like the most meticulous craftsman, manipulating his Divine Sense and Dharma Power with extreme caution, beginning this work of scraping grease off a mosquito's leg...

This day.

With the mine pit's Array Formation activated around the clock, if he were to run, he would inevitably be discovered by the other two Golden Core Cultivators and then hunted down by the Shushan Sword Pavilion.

【Cultivation Method: Mingyu Art 14th Layer (307/10000)】

Of course, this is only temporary safekeeping.

"Indeed, how terrifying..."

【Spells:... Sacrificial Fire Art (20/1000)】

A Golden Core Cultivator must work for twenty years to trade for one technique.

A Golden Core Cultivator can only cultivate for about three hundred years or so; to waste over a hundred years on this is completely making a joke of their Taoism!

Originally she had been somewhat suspicious, but now it seemed she had indeed misjudged him back then!

This is not the temperament of a Sword Cultivator at all; it is just being cowardly and afraid of death!

(End of this chapter)