Chapter 732 - 575: Suggestions (Part 2)
Ji An received the Communication Golden Sword from Feiyun Zhenren and rode the cloud to the Immortal City’s Certification Association.
After exchanging pleasantries, Feiyun Zhenren took out a Storage Bag and said:
"In a few months, the Yunhai Auction House will hold a major auction that occurs once every three years. This time, they have prepared materials for five furnaces of Gold Core Pills and have specifically requested your Alchemy skills."
Work has come in, and Ji An was pleased, though he tried to remain calm:
"Of course, no problem, but this time the payment must be increased!"
The Cyan Lotus Heart-Burning Fire has a significant extra effect when refining Gold Core Pills. The auction house has verified this themselves, so his demand for increased fees is reasonable, not extortionate.
Feiyun Zhenren nodded, "Your request is very reasonable. The auction house also knows that the original price doesn’t match your level, so they voluntarily raised the fee.
As before, each furnace of material can Formed Pill two pills. They require a 50% pill formation success rate, and the Cyan Lotus Heart-Burning Fire must be used for refining.
Additionally, they will pay in advance five hundred Top-grade Spirit Stones as a refining fee.
If you produce more pills, they are yours to dispose of. If you’re willing to sell, ordinary quality Gold Core Pills earn 1,200 Top-grade Spirit Stones each, and high-quality pills earn 1,700 Spirit Stones each.
If the pill formation success rate is inadequate, resulting in fewer than five pills, you will need to compensate at 1,200 Spirit Stones each.
This is the largest concession they are willing to make. Are you satisfied? If so, we can sign the agreement now."
Ji An quickly pondered, the crafting fee had risen to one hundred Top-grade Spirit Stones per furnace, twice what it previously was.
The purchase price per pill also increased by two hundred Spirit Stones; overall, this was pretty good.
Since the entrusting party is responsible for gathering the materials and organizing the auction, it’s important to allow others some profit so the cooperation can last.
"I accept."
"Very well, the association also has a task of refining twenty furnaces of Vajra Pills. Will you take it?
This is your second time refining Vajra Pills, which have higher requirements. Each furnace of material can Formed Pill five pills; the twenty furnaces must yield forty pills to complete the task, but the reward Contribution Points are doubled.
As before, each additional pill earns you three hundred Spirit Stones, and a high-quality pill can earn you four hundred Spirit Stones."
"Of course, I accept. Hand them over to me. In the future, please contact me for tasks with high Contribution Point rewards."
Ji An wanted to quickly exchange for the Pill Formula for the Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pill, so he was willing to take on Alchemy tasks.
Alchemy doesn’t take much time; a furnace of pills can be completed in a few double hours. The difficult part is the time-consuming growth of the Spirit Medicine.
It’s said that refining pills at the Nascent Soul Level can take over ten double hours, or even several days. Who knows if it’s true or not.
Feiyun Zhenren took out a Jade Slip and said:
"Please check the materials, and if there are no issues, we can sign the agreement.
The association will take a 10% refining fee for the Gold Core Pills, so you’ll receive four hundred fifty Top-grade Spirit Stones."
Ji An carefully checked the quantity and quality of the Spirit Medicines and signed the agreement, then asked:
"How long do you know the True Demon Tribulation will last, a disaster that concerns the rise and fall of the Cultivation Realm?"
The Western Continent’s sects have no records on this, and he lacked a clear understanding of the severity of the True Demon Tribulation.
Feiyun Zhenren thought for a moment and said:
"The True Demon Tribulation, from its full outbreak to its conclusion, lasts two to three hundred years.
A full outbreak means that all Demon Caves violently spew Demonic Qi. At that time, Demonic Qi will quickly spread throughout the Cultivation Realm, enlarging the hunting grounds of demon lords and Yin Demons as the coverage of the Demonic Qi expands.
Cultivators entering areas covered by Demonic Qi will have their combat power affected. If a demon lord rashly enters an area without Demonic Qi, they will also become weakened."
Two to three hundred years is insignificant in the river of time, but the True Demon Tribulation will inflict great scars on the Cultivation Realm.
Countless High-grade Spirit Veins have withered in past tribulations, including several Tier Four Spiritual Veins.
Records show that the Cultivation Realm previously suffered defeats against the True Demons. Pessimists once predicted that the world would eventually fall completely under the shadow of demon lords.
But during the last True Demon Tribulation, the Cultivator community turned the tides for the first time and gained the upper hand in confrontations.
Ji An asked again, "When do you think the Demon Calamity will fully erupt?"
Feiyun Zhenren shook her head lightly, "You overestimate me. Not even a Nascent Soul Daoist Monarch can predict the exact time of the Demon Calamity, so how could I know?"
"Just a wild guess! You know I’m from the Western Continent; my experience is far less than those from the Central Continent.
For me, your opinion is a very valuable reference."
Ji An subtly complimented; her sources were indeed much broader than his.
"I guess that in one hundred and twenty years, the True Demon Tribulation will fully erupt."
Feiyun Zhenren’s face grew serious, and she added:
"You must make early preparations. It’s said that once the True Demon Tribulation fully erupts, Demonic Qi will quickly envelop most of the Cultivation Realm’s land.
The Deep Sea Region also has Demon Caves, meaning the whole Cultivation Realm will face great threats.
Amid the apocalypse, it’s almost impossible to protect oneself alone. Joining a major power would be a wise choice."
To her, it would be a waste for a cultivator with Cyan Lotus Heart-Burning Fire to perish in such a calamity. Such cultivators can significantly contribute to the Cultivation Realm.
To say the least, as long as they continue to grow, they may one day refine Nascent Soul Pills, potentially producing one or two additional Nascent Soul Daoist Monarchs for the Cultivation Realm.
For cultivators aspiring for the Nascent Soul Realm, a 10% better pill effect can drastically change outcomes and greatly reduce risk.
Ji An smiled bitterly, "I joined a sect in the Western Continent. If I join another power, wouldn’t it be like betraying my teachers and ancestors?"
At any time, betrayal of teachers and ancestors is despicable.
Given his Western Continent background, he couldn’t join other powers. Even joining loose alliances means he wouldn’t be a core member.
To him, not being core means being a mere tool, and he would rather be a free spirit.
"I didn’t mean to urge you to betray your sect. You could become an advisor for other powers. It’s merely a mutually beneficial exchange and not betrayal of teachers and ancestors."
Ji An pressed his lips and managed a smile, "Thank you for your suggestion. I’ll think it over carefully."
...
Parting ways with Feiyun Zhenren, Ji An rode the Fire Element Cloud with a heavy heart, leaving the Immortal City for Black Stone Mountain.
Having experienced Demon Calamities and True Demon Tribulations in the Western Continent, he clearly knew how helpless small powers were in such disasters. Loose Cultivators and many small powers were often at the Three Sects’ mercy.
Now, having come to the Central Continent, he found himself in a weaker position.
When the True Demon Tribulation fully erupts, he will undoubtedly be forcibly conscripted.
The road ahead is fraught with danger and difficulty, yet he cannot see where the opportunities lie.
True Demon Tribulations differ from Demon Calamities. In Demon Calamities, killing a Demon Beast provides many useful materials for Cultivation.
However, the materials from slaying demon lords and Yin Demons aren’t directly usable by cultivators. The Secret Techniques to utilize them are monopolized by major powers.
For the Nascent Soul powers that have stood for tens of thousands of years, the True Demon Tribulation is a mix of danger and opportunity. But for him, danger far outweighs opportunity.
’Should I run away?’
Ji An asked himself inwardly, finding a place to hide. After all, having a Little World gives him more hiding capabilities than most.
Or he could return to the Western Continent, but he isn’t sure what impact the full outbreak of the True Demon Tribulation will have.
If the Western Continent too gets enveloped by Demonic Qi, the sect won’t be a good place to hide.
He suddenly shook his head to dispel the cowardice.
He hadn’t even fought yet, why should he flee at the first sign of trouble!
He decided to visit Wulan Mountain after advancing to the Mid-stage Golden Core, to experience the atmosphere of the True Demon Tribulation in advance.
Then, whether to stay or leave, he could plan ahead.