Chapter 229: Even More Diligent

"What is that?" The bamboo grove was small, and the Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator could see the movements inside with the naked eye.

"Alas, if he sees it, we'll be out of luck."

"Speaking of which, the one who can hide something here must be a talent." Jiang Tu's fiery enthusiasm was abruptly doused by the ghost cultivator.

"What a pity—if it can be stored in a Qiankun Box, it certainly isn't a trivial item."

Jiang Yu used an Object‑Control Technique to summon the Qiankun Box, brushed off the soil on top and said, "The sealing sigil has a self‑destruct pattern; it requires a special method to remove, and I don't know how."

Often, cultivators affix a sealing sigil, like a seal, to a storage jade box or Qiankun Box to prevent high‑level divine awareness from spying on the contents.

Some specially made sigils lack a corresponding unlocking technique; a single touch causes the entire box to self‑destruct.

Since she couldn't do it herself, Jiang Yu released the Thunder Bamboo Fan, sending the whole Qiankun Box before the Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator.

She then swiftly retrieved the fan, lest she feel shortchanged by seeing the box's contents, and turned to continue digging bamboo.

Jiang Tu stared at the Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator, wanting to see what treasure it held.

The Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator, indeed broad‑minded, merely observed the sealing sigil for a few breaths, then formed a technique with both hands to unseal it.

After three strikes and five removals, the sigil truly ignited under his technique, and the moment the lid lifted, a flash of brilliance burst forth.

"Wow, a whole box of premium Spirit Stones!" Jiang Tu exclaimed.

Jiang Yu couldn't help but look back, and even Jiang Bai couldn't stay calm; their gazes successively fell upon the overflowing Qiankun Box.

"Anyone who sees gets a share; each of you gets one hundred pieces." A smile spread across the Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator's face; with these tens of thousands of premium Spirit Stones, he won't need to mine more when reinforcing his formation.

"Also me, also me, senior, give me a share too." Jiang Tu flashed from the Dragon Pearl to under the Thunder Bamboo Fan, eyes pleading at the Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator, his front paws still raised.

"Hahaha, you get a share as well." The Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator laughed at its appearance, waved his large hand, swish‑swish‑swish, and three hundred premium Spirit Stones streamed toward them in a line.

"Jiang Yu, I'll pack them for you, okay?" Jiang Tu, delighted beyond measure, took out two jade boxes to divide them.

"Mm mm!" Jiang Yu grabbed one, patted it, then placed it back into the jade box, a grin almost spilling out of her eyes; perhaps this box contains more than she could ever dig herself from the Spirit Mine.

She gripped her hoe tightly and began to dig bamboo with vigor, the premium spiritual power reinfusing her with strength.

Even Jiang Bai quickened his bamboo‑digging pace.

The Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator noticed their increased diligence, shook his head inwardly, and said, "Since wealth has always moved hearts, if you can complete the task today, when I enter the mine to strengthen my formation, I'll grant you the chance to collect."

Swish, swish, swish.

Three pairs of eyes fixed on him; he waved his hand and said, "The premise is that you work properly."

Bang, bang, bang.

Jiang Yu dug even more merrily and sent a voice to Jiang Tu, "Do you want to take this chance to soak in the Spirit Spring now?"

"No need; I was once trapped here, and soaking was a nuisance." Jiang Tu disliked it; there were plenty of people scrambling for a soak.

As night fell, a group of cultivators who had rushed back from the Great Lake waited for Xiao She Bilu to open the formation gate.

The Ninth‑rank Great Demon indeed opened a gate for it, but allowed only it to enter, and said, "These cultivators, why are they all following you? Did you promise them something?"

"They want to soak in the Spirit Spring, so these are the rewards."

"Ancestor, as you see, we have Ninth‑rank Spirit Ginseng, which can help you refine your cultivation." Xiao She Bilu, of course, presented most of his tribute, laying out the spirit herbs each cultivator had brought.

He said proudly, "One of them is a Pill‑forming Cultivator; you can have them forge the required pills on the spot."

The Ninth‑rank Great Demon, due to insufficient cultivation, is trapped near Xuandu Mountain, effectively guarding a cave heaven and unable to obtain many spirit herbs.

Now seeing several spirit herbs suitable for its current needs, the demon gave Xiao She Bilu a better look, saying, "Let them in, but they may only take the jade tokens and soak in the hot spring."

"The other courtyards are not allowed to be broken into for treasure hunting, and they must leave before noon tomorrow."

"If you disagree, leave the items and get out."

"Will the Taiji Fish Token still work three hundred years from now?" Xiao She Bilu wondered, suspecting that by then the cave heaven would have already returned to the spirit realm.

The Ninth‑rank Great Demon replied bluntly, "I don't know."

Since the cultivators had offered items, they naturally wouldn't leave without opening; any Pill‑forming Cultivator wants to increase their future Nascent Soul formation chance.

Even without the fish token, they must enter the Spirit Spring to cleanse their marrow.

A group of Pill‑forming Cultivators gave their disciples a brief instruction, then in small groups set off toward the Spirit Spring.

Unfortunately, about a dozen people like Guo Jue, Lin Yuan, and Lu Ruochan didn't go with the seniors to the nearby hills to seek a chance to enter the Foundation Establishment stage, and thus couldn't enjoy such premium Spirit Springs.

So Wan Xiyue bribed the pill with a medicine, offering to Xiao She Bilu, "Bilu, the mid‑mountain courtyards are off‑limits; then take us to look for a herb garden."

Bilu accepted the medicine but said he wouldn't act, "There's no herb garden behind the mountain, but down the cliff there's a Spirit Fruit Garden."

"If you want to go, you must add medicine; otherwise I can't ask the Ancestor for a formation token."

"You have to tell me which spirit fruit, so I can add the medicine," Wan Xiyue frowned, seeming reluctant to bid.

"Um…" Xiao She Bilu hadn't been there before.

"It can't be something only for you to feed your guardian spirit beasts, right?" Lu Ruochan deliberately took a Seventh‑rank Spirit Fruit she had gathered from her storage bag to tempt him.

"Seventh‑rank Pure‑Heart Honey Fruit!" Xiao She Bilu stretched his head to sniff the fragrance, "Give me two—no, give me three and I'll agree to help."

The fruit is not only delicious but can help the snake race purify their bloodline; combined with true dragon essence, it may even transform them into a flood dragon.

It immediately thought of Jiang Tu, suddenly regretting not having pierced that dragon turtle for some dragon blood, and asked, "Straightforwardly, will you give it or not?"

"I only have one," Lu Ruochan spread her hands; the wolf had more bark than bite. Before meeting Jiang Yu and the others, she had already snatched a Pure‑Heart Honey in the narrow valley.

A cultivator from the Guiyuan Sect produced one, saying, "Including mine, if we can enter the Spirit Fruit Garden, each of you can exchange it for Spirit Stones and give them back to me."

"I also have one," another Taiyi Sect disciple said, also offering the fruit he had gathered.

Wan Xiyue surveyed everyone, "For Spirit Stones, right!"

Guo Jue quickly spoke, "Patrons, it's better to wait until Bilu consults the Demon King before handing them over."

"Hmph, Guo Jue, you underestimate this king," Xiao She Bilu snarled, soaring upward to ask his Ancestor for a formation token.

Moreover, the Ninth‑rank Demon King not only approved their entry into the Spirit Fruit Garden but personally escorted them there.

Don't think it's benevolent; it deliberately passed by the Purple‑Gold Thunder Bamboo area to see whether these ten‑plus foundation cultivators could, like Jiang Yu, perceive the bamboo‑forest thunder pool.

As expected, the answer was negative!

On the contrary, it was Jiang Yu and a few others who saw them flying overhead, "Senior Sister Wan, Senior Brother Lin? Where are they going?"

"Jiang Tu, why don't you go and have a look?"

"No, I want to stay here." Jiang Tu sent a message to Fengye and immediately began contacting Biluo.

Upon hearing there was a high-grade spiritual fruit, it couldn't sit still anymore, "Wait, I'll also go pick a share for you!"

"Tch, it's obvious you just want to eat it yourself." The Dragon Soul had already seen through it.

But it disdainfully said, "What do you know? I can transplant it."