Chapter 721 - 567: Clash of Daos
Ji An was quite familiar with the Phoenix Perch Wood. Though this spirit plant was not a treasure plant, there was a rumor that the Divine Wood Sect had cultivated a Tier Three Upper Grade Phoenix Perch Wood.
The goal was to cultivate Tier Three Top Grade spirit wood by planting spirit seeds in the Gourd World.
He felt this small goal wasn’t unreasonable, given the confidence the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root Gathering Essence Tree provided!
Wan Jinrong lowered his head and saw one cup of wine, red as flowing magma, and another like a hidden pool in deep valleys of a green mountain.
As an Artifact Refiner, he preferred the Fire Element Spirit Wine, so he first picked up the Cyan Leaf Wine, taking a small sip.
Saving the best for last offered more happiness.
The fine wine glided down his throat, his taste buds savoring the unique aroma of spirit plants, as refreshing as sea waves washing over his lips and teeth.
He swallowed slowly, the taste left a lingering aftertaste, and the surfaces of the Wood Element Divine Mansion and Fire Element Divine Mansion suddenly glowed.
"It’s flavorful, this is my first time tasting such a quality Wood Element Spirit Wine, feeling my magical power a bit more active."
With that, Wan Jinrong fully consumed the spirit wine before letting out a hearty breath.
He closed his eyes slightly, savoring for a moment, then reverently held the Pine Nut Wine, like a devout pilgrim.
He similarly took a small sip to familiarize himself with the wine’s taste and infused spiritual power, his taste buds exploding with the fragrance as rich Fire Element Spiritual Energy hit his mind.
"It’s potent!"
He praised, tilted back his head, and drained the entire cup, feeling the liquid trail through his throat and esophagus to his stomach, where the Wood and Fire Element spirits met, sparking new sensations.
Ji An watched the other’s enraptured expression and asked:
"Which wine does Fellow Daoist prefer?"
Wan Jinrong’s eyes burned, "Drinking the Cyan Leaf Wine first, then the Pine Nut Wine, that feeling is the best!"
In the end, he sighed, "Turns out I’ve been drinking wrong before, never felt this state now."
"Haha," Ji An laughed heartily, proving that in adult worlds, one desires everything without limits.
"Let’s drink heartily, no need to hold back. I brought plenty of spirit wine."
Wan Jinrong lowered his eyes and joked:
"Tier Three Spirit Wine is quite precious in the Western Continent, right? Did Fellow Daoist empty the sect’s inventory?"
Though he wasn’t familiar with the Western Continent’s situation, he’d heard Tier Three spirit plant resources weren’t abundant, a sect wouldn’t lavishly use precious resources for wine brewing.
These resources, when refined into pills, could serve greater utility.
Ji An smiled, shaking his head, "Almost, I’ve made several contributions to the sect. The Sect Leader Senior Brother gifted me much spirit wine and tea leaves when I left, enabling my current lifestyle."
Realizing this, he noted the lack of prudence, intending to plant a few tea and fruit trees in the spirit field soon.
Once these spirit plants matured, they would provide a cover for his tea and spirit fruits.
Moreover, since he couldn’t take the spirit fruit trees upon departure, he could sell them to Immortal City for a worthy sum, which the city would likely accept gladly.
If the city proved difficult, refusing to purchase, he wouldn’t mind felling the spirit trees for some loss, as selling the spiritual materials would recoup some costs.
Wan Jinrong solemnly, "Gaining the sect’s full support indicates major contributions concerning the sect’s rise or fall."
"Exactly, I’ve cultivated several Tier Three spirit plants."
"Ah, that’s true foundation! It’s understandable to give many good things."
Wan Jinrong praised, for nurturing outstanding disciples, even if breaking through to the Golden Core Stage, meant only extending life to a millennium.
The Tier Two Top Grade spirit woods would live over two thousand years, and Tier Three Lower Grade spirit woods could survive four to five thousand years.
This explained why large forces weathered many storms, as continuous high-tier resource production fortified their position.
Unless encountering critical matters like spiritual vein depletion or True Demon Tribulation, large powers remained unshaken.
Ji An filled both their cups, veering the subject:
"Have you been in the Immortal City recently, how are things?"
Darkness flickered in Wan Jinrong’s eyes, recalling a fellow Daoist fallen in a search task.
His team suffered the Yin Demon attack that day, with three other teams similarly ambushed, two teams completely annihilated.
As team leaders were Golden Core Cultivators and crucial to each power, while their families were vast, they could not endure such losses readily.
The search task had now been canceled, awaiting Daoist Monarch’s resolution.
"I’ve just returned to the Immortal City after being on a mission outside,"
Wan Jinrong replied evasively, recognizing that if news of the True Demon Tribulation were disclosed, Central Continent’s situation might become unstable.
Additionally, in the East Sea, the fierce battles between the Sea Beast Race and the Human Race cultivators continued, persisting for hundreds of years, where both sides fought desperately, coloring the expanse with dense layers of blood.
Many Central Continent cultivators had ventured to the East Sea battlefield, the fiercest at their level.
Switching topics, he asked,
"Did you purchase the Acala Bodhisattva Skill, when do you plan to start cultivating?"
"I’ve already begun cultivating it, having practiced body refining techniques before, it feels in line with the Acala Bodhisattva Skill.
From the conception and logic of the cultivation technique, it’s indeed a Nascent Soul Technique."
"It’s strange, Buddhist Cultivators are far away in the Exotic Continent, yet their cultivation techniques somehow spread here among us. I can’t quite figure it out."
Wan Jinrong smiled slightly and said:
"I know a little about this situation, having heard our ancestor mention it before. Our world comprises two continents, along with countless islands scattered like stars in the boundless sea.
We dwell on the Eastern Continent, the Buddhist Cultivators reside in the Western Continent.
The higher echelons of both continents have always been in contact; once, a Nascent Soul level Buddhist Cultivator even sought to come to our continent to spread their teachings.
Initially, they only targeted ordinary folk, preaching rebirth and life after death, which the Daoist Monarchs didn’t mind.
We only believe in this life. Even though Daoist Monarchs can reincarnate and cultivate anew, many believe that’s not truly themselves anymore, preferring to choose to sit and dissolve.
Later, it was observed that these Buddhist Cultivators indeed had some merit, and many ordinary folk engaged in daily practice managed to truly enter the realm of cultivation.
This was originally good, but those people then demanded more to convert.
What path to choose is a personal matter; however they wish to cultivate, the Daoist Monarchs won’t interfere. Coercing others to join, well, that’s a conflict of principle.
Conflicts of principle concern fundamental ideological clashes, dividing only life and death, regardless of right or wrong.
All Buddhist Cultivators were consequently expelled, and relations between the Eastern and Western Continents have not eased for many years.
These individuals were relentless, spreading many cultivation techniques, including those at the Nascent Soul level."
He spoke at length, raised his cup to drink two full glasses of wine, and refilled his own.
Ji An felt a chill in his heart. The phrase ’conflicts of principle divide only life and death, regardless of right or wrong’ surely masked countless bloody strife.
He slowly exhaled and said, "So, are you telling me the cultivation techniques I spent a great deal of pills to purchase were just picked up by others?!"
The aftereffect of Tier Three Spirit Wine was strong, and although Wan Jinrong had only drunk four glasses, he was already slightly tipsy.
"While I wish to comfort you otherwise, the reality should indeed be as such."
He lowered his voice and said, "The body refining part of Buddhist Cultivator techniques is commendable, but do not cultivate the others."
The ancestor had once warned him, saying the Buddhist Cultivators’ techniques may contain secret transmissions, ’meditation visualization of another’ entering one’s own being was in no way orthodox.
Ji An nodded, "Thank you for informing me, I was thinking the same.
Don’t just focus on drinking, friend; it’s easy to get drunk like that. Try this Osmanthus Cake with Pearl Blood Rice and Tier Three honey as ingredients; once you taste it, you’ll never forget it!"
The two chatted freely as old acquaintances, not noticing as day turned to dusk.
The remnants of sunlight cast slanted shadows of Azure Dragon Wood outside the window.
Wan Jinrong sat cross-legged and activated his cultivation technique, refining the Spirit Wine to regain clarity from his intoxicated state.
"Refreshing!"
He clapped his hands, stood up again, and said:
"Friend, you’re a Talisman Maker as well. What talismans do you usually craft?"
Ji An scratched his head a bit awkwardly, "I don’t have a proper heritage. Currently, I’m taking tasks from the association and can only craft Tier Three Spirit Stabilization Talismans and Tier Two Purification Talismans."
He thought the other might want to purchase some talismans, though only the Spirit Stabilization Talisman could be presented.
To his surprise, Wan Jinrong seemed somewhat delighted.
"Do you know what tier those Spirit Stabilization Talismans and Purification Talismans are?"
"They are both top-grade."
"Excellent, friend. Would you be willing to sell these two kinds of talismans? I wish to buy some for personal use."
Wan Jinrong understood how the situation might evolve in the future and knew these two types of talismans would become among the most consumed categories.
Recognizing the fall of a single leaf heralds autumn across the land, Ji An became alert. Recently the Business Alliance dispatched numerous disciples for missions, utilizing many Purification Talismans.
Also, he refined several batches of Vajra Pills, which have effects in purifying Demonic Qi.
The other also seemed to know some inside information.
Ji An paused briefly and then softly said:
"I don’t have much left, I can spare two Spirit Stabilization Talismans, and only a hundred Purification Talismans."
Due to the Business Alliance’s urgent tasks, the materials for these two types of talismans could no longer be found on the market.
To gain more Contribution Points, he turned in all crafted talismans, retaining those from Western Continent stock.
The Gourd World has Bodhi Tree as the main material, but lacks related auxiliary Spirit Medicine.
Given the current situation, he best plant some materials in the Little World.
"That’s enough; I’ll take them all. What’s the price?"
The Certification Association buys top-grade Spirit Stabilization Talismans at five top-grade Spirit Stones each and Purification Talismans at three hundred Spirit Stones each.
Let’s trade at this price then; totaling ten top-grade Spirit Stones, and thirty thousand lower-grade Spirit Stones."
Ji An quoted a highly fair price; if not for his strong talisman-making ability, that profit would not be substantial.
"So, thirteen top-grade Spirit Stones, I’m getting quite the bargain," Wan Jinrong took out the Spirit Stones and placed them on the desk.
Converting lower-grade Spirit Stones to top-grade requires an exchange fee, which he directly waived.