Chapter 11: Elixir shortage? I

Reaching a strategic partnership with the Four Seas Trading Firm was like injecting a stimulant into the Black Wind Stronghold. The bandits... no, the employees of Black Wind Logistics, were filled with unprecedented motivation.

The lackeys in the Information Department began to go out for "market research" in a professional manner; the Business Department staff held the crude "Business Manuals" designed by Lin Xuan and attempted to approach small merchant caravans; the Training Department, under the personal supervision of Consultant Lin, conducted comprehensive training including "standard smiles," "polite terminology," and "the eighteen throwing angles of a brick."

The entire stronghold presented a bizarre scene of "thriving prosperity."

But Lin Xuan knew very well that all of this was built on sand. The biggest shortcomings were high-end combat power and... cultivation resources.

His own Foundation Establishment Stage 7 cultivation base could be forcibly raised by relying on the System's Slacking Points, but his foundation needed to be solidified, and his combat techniques needed to be honed. As for Black Bear and the other core members, their cultivation bases were stagnant. Without enough spirit stones and elixirs to support them, the combat power ceiling of this team was truly too low.

"The first batch of annual fee spirit stones sent by Deacon Qian, added to what we 'earned' before, is barely enough for the stronghold's daily expenses and basic construction. Wanting to buy a large amount of cultivation elixirs is simply a drop in the bucket." Lin Xuan looked at the account book, his brows slightly furrowed. The low-rank transport business provided by the Four Seas Trading Firm also had limited returns.

He had to open up new sources of wealth, and it had to be quick money!

He cast his gaze toward the System Mall. Previously, because Slacking Points were mainly used to improve his cultivation, he hadn't paid much attention to those miscellaneous skills and items. Now, searching carefully, he really found something that could break the deadlock—"Spirit Plant Rapid Catalysis Technique (Fragment)."

【Spirit Plant Rapid Catalysis Technique (Fragment)】: Consumes a large amount of spiritual power and mental energy to slightly accelerate the growth cycle of low-rank spirit plants, with a certain probability of inducing benign mutations. Note: Ineffective against high-rank spirit plants, and excessive use may lead to barren land.

"Accelerate spirit plant growth? Benign mutation?" Lin Xuan's eyes lit up.

In the mountains and forests around Qingyun City, there was actually no shortage of low-rank spirit herbs, such as Hemostatic Grass or Condensation Dew Flowers, but their growth cycles were long, they were not easy to collect, and their value was low. But if he could accelerate their growth, or even produce some mutated rare varieties...

A plan instantly took shape in his mind.

He found Black Bear and asked, "Big Boss, is there any place near our stronghold that is relatively damp and has slightly richer spiritual energy?"

Black Bear thought for a moment and slapped his thigh: "Yes! There is a 'Black Water Pool' in the back mountain. That place is cold and damp. There are some flowers and plants growing by the pool, but they aren't of much use. Some brothers were bitten by poisonous snakes there before, so everyone rarely goes there."

"Good! Take me to see it!"

Arriving at the Black Water Pool, Lin Xuan observed carefully. The environment here was indeed suitable for the growth of shade-loving spirit plants. Condensation Dew Flowers could be seen everywhere, but they were all young and their medicinal power was weak.

"This is the place!" Lin Xuan selected an area and began his performance.

He first pretentiously had Black Bear lead people to clear an open space, and then, according to a crude spirit-gathering array diagram described in the "Catalysis Technique" (which looked more like ghost scribbles), he began to fiddle with stones and wooden sticks on the ground.

"Consultant Lin, are you... setting up an array?" Black Bear asked curiously.

"Hmm, a kind of ancient lost... um... 'Abundance Ritual'!" Lin Xuan looked unfathomable. "It can gather the essence of heaven and earth to nourish plants!"

The bandits were filled with awe.

After the preparations were done, Lin Xuan sat cross-legged at the "eye of the array," pressed his hands on the ground, and silently recited in his heart: "System, redeem 'Spirit Plant Rapid Catalysis Technique (Fragment)' and use it directly!"

【Ding! Consumed 5000 Slacking Points, redemption and casting successful!】

A pure and strange energy surged into the ground along his palms and quickly spread to the piece of land he had marked out. The ground faintly glowed with a layer of soft, imperceptible white light.

Under the nervous gaze of everyone, a miracle happened!

In that open space, the Condensation Dew Flowers, which were originally just sporadic tender buds, began to sprout branches, unfold leaves, and grow flower buds at a speed visible to the naked eye! In just the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, they had completed a growth stage that would normally take months! Moreover, the leaves of these Condensation Dew Flowers were thicker, the dew on the petals seemed to contain a shimmering radiance, and the medicinal fragrance emitted was much richer!

What was even more shocking was that among these Condensation Dew Flowers, several had undergone obvious mutations! Their colors were no longer the ordinary white, but had turned pale blue and light purple, the petal shapes were slightly different, and the spiritual energy fluctuations were obviously much stronger!

"This... this..." Black Bear and the watching bandits opened their mouths wide, their eyeballs almost popping out!

Turning stones into gold! No, this is turning grass into treasure!

【Ding! Detected the extreme shock and worship of Black Bear and the bandits, Emotion Value +!】

【Ding! Achieved the "Turning Decay into Magic" achievement!】

Lin Xuan's face was a bit pale; his mental and spiritual energy consumption was huge, but he was ecstatic in his heart. It succeeded! And it really induced benign mutations!

"Quick! Collect these flowers carefully, especially those few with different colors!" Lin Xuan ordered.

The bandits, as if holding treasures, carefully collected the mature Condensation Dew Flowers. After counting, there were over a hundred normally accelerated Condensation Dew Flowers, with medicinal effects comparable to several years of growth. And there were five each of the mutated "Blue Condensation Flowers" and "Purple Dew Flowers," which were full of spiritual energy and were absolutely excellent materials for refining high-quality Condensation Dew Pills or even other elixirs!

"We're rich! We're rich!" Black Bear hugged a few mutated spirit herbs, his hands trembling.

Lin Xuan rested for a while, recovered some spirit, looked at these spirit herbs, and shook his head: "Having raw materials is not enough. We don't know how to refine elixirs, so their value is greatly discounted. We must find a way to turn them into elixirs."

He immediately wrote a letter and had a clever bandit ride fast to the Four Seas Trading Firm's branch in Qingyun City, specifically to be handed to Deacon Qian Wanguan.

The content of the letter was very simple: Black Wind Logistics had accidentally cultivated a batch of high-quality mutated spirit herbs, which were of superior quality, and they wanted to seek cooperation for elixir refining or direct sale. A small petal of a "Blue Condensation Flower" was attached as a sample.

The next afternoon, Qian Wanguan personally brought an old man with gray hair and an arrogant expression to the Black Wind Stronghold.

"Consultant Lin, you have given me another surprise!" Qian Wanguan laughed as soon as they met, and then respectfully introduced the old man beside him, "This is Master Sun, the alchemist retained by our firm."

Master Sun nodded slightly, his eyes falling directly on the few mutated spirit herbs Lin Xuan took out. His originally arrogant eyes instantly became fiery. He stepped forward quickly, picked up a "Purple Dew Flower," sensed it carefully, and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face.

"Pure spiritual energy, excellent activity! It is indeed a mutated Condensation Dew Flower, and the quality is far superior to ordinary goods! Rare! Truly rare!" Master Sun clicked his tongue in wonder and looked at Lin Xuan, "Little friend, where did you get these spirit herbs?"

Lin Xuan had long prepared his rhetoric and smiled indifferently: "An ancestral cultivation secret method, just lucky to succeed. Master Sun, what kind of elixir do you think can be refined using these as the main ingredients?"

Master Sun stroked his beard and pondered: "If it were ordinary Condensation Dew Flowers, they could only refine low-rank Condensation Dew Pills, used to restore the spiritual power of Qi Refinement Stage cultivators. But these mutated spirit herbs are full of spiritual energy and are gentle, enough to be used as main ingredients to try refining 'Green Rain Pills'! This elixir is also beneficial to the cultivation of Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators and is worth a lot!"

Qian Wanguan's eyes lit up upon hearing this.

Lin Xuan felt certain in his heart, knowing the fish had taken the bait. He said: "Since Master Sun recognizes their value, that makes things easy. My Black Wind Logistics provides this batch of spirit herbs and would like to ask your firm to refine Green Rain Pills on our behalf. After the pills are refined, we split them fifty-fifty, how about that?"

Fifty-fifty split! This condition was generous, after all, the elixir refining technology and other auxiliary materials were all borne by the firm.

Qian Wanguan and Master Sun looked at each other, both seeing the excitement in the other's eyes. This batch of mutated spirit herbs was of rare quality, and the profit margin of the refined Green Rain Pills would be huge.

"Agreed!" Qian Wanguan made the decision, "However, Consultant Lin, the supply of these spirit herbs..."

"Supply is not a problem." Lin Xuan said confidently, "As long as the cooperation is pleasant, there will be more and better quality spirit herbs provided later. In the future, we can even cooperate to develop new elixir formulas."

These words were like a huge pie, making Qian Wanguan overjoyed. He seemed to see a stable, high-quality source of elixirs!

"Good! It's a deal! I will have someone prepare the contract immediately!" Qian Wanguan was decisive.

The two sides quickly signed a cooperation agreement, and the first batch of spirit herbs was taken away by Master Sun as if they were treasures. According to the agreement, after the pills were refined, the Black Wind Stronghold would get at least twenty Green Rain Pills!

Sending Qian Wanguan away, Lin Xuan looked at the contract in his hand that possessed weak Heavenly Dao binding power (using the newly learned "Basic Contract Technique") and revealed a satisfied smile.

The source of elixirs was solved! And it was a sustainable path to wealth!

"Consultant Lin, you are truly divine!" Black Bear was excited beyond measure, "From now on, our brothers won't have to worry about not having elixirs for cultivation!"

Lin Xuan smiled but reminded him: "This 'Abundance Ritual' consumes a huge amount of energy and cannot be used often. Moreover, once the news leaks, it will inevitably attract covetous eyes. From today on, the Black Water Pool is listed as a forbidden area, and more manpower will be added to guard it! All those who know about it must be silenced!"

"Understood!" Black Bear's expression tightened, and he solemnly agreed.

With a stable source of elixirs, the development of the Black Wind Stronghold finally entered the fast lane. Lin Xuan also kept a few mutated spirit herbs, preparing to try absorbing the spiritual energy in them directly with the System, or researching other uses.

Just as he was calculating how to use this batch of resources to improve his strength as quickly as possible to deal with the potential threats of Ye Chen and Liaochen, a lackey from the Information Department brought him some unexpected news.

"Consultant, we heard that a very strange traveling merchant has recently come to Qingyun City, asking everywhere about a... glowing, strangely behaving purple figure."

Lin Xuan's gaze tightened.

Purple, strangely behaving... are they looking for me?

Friend or foe?

The corners of his mouth slowly curled into an arc of interest.

"Interesting. It seems this pool of water is about to get muddier."

(End of Chapter 11)