txolops Chapter 253 Trading and Going with the Flow
Chapter 253 Trading and Going with the Flow
"Immortality Begins with Inheriting the Hundred Arts of Immortal Cultivation" is full of classic quotes, seeking resonance.
What Li Ping didn't know was...
For over a thousand years, Gaoji Daoist has lived with an obsession with revenge.
He used most of the wealth he had accumulated over the millennia to purchase high-level lightning beads, which he used in his previous plan to try and kill the ice dragon directly.
Therefore, he only crafted one high-grade third-tier puppet for himself to live in, and several second-tier puppets to use.
After his plan to kill the Ice Dragon failed, he returned to Silvermoon City in hiding, but before he could gather enough resources to craft more puppets...
Silvermoon City was engulfed in chaos by a beast tide and was targeted by the demonic Nascent Soul cultivators of the Great Zhou Dynasty, resulting in the complete annihilation of the city.
In fact, on that day, with his puppet body and the unique shielding effect of the Jiezi Ball, Daoist Gaoji was confident that he could hide in front of a Nascent Soul cultivator.
However, in order to threaten Nascent Soul cultivators into dealing with the Ice Dragon, they wanted to create more leverage for themselves.
After hiding the medullary ball, he chose to let the third-tier high-grade puppet appear and trade with the Nascent Soul cultivator, but the third-tier high-grade puppet was destroyed.
Gaoji Daoist didn't take the mere puppet to heart.
He also hid several second-tier puppets in the outside world, as well as a lot of materials that could be used to refine third-tier puppets. In any case, he had endless lifespan and plenty of time to recover his strength.
However, he was worried that the Nascent Soul cultivator was still lying in wait nearby, so he dared not make a move. His plan was to lie low for another ten years or so before making any moves.
To his surprise, Xiao Yunzhi suddenly appeared and possessed a strange spirit beast, the Earth Spirit Rat, which led him to find the sphere where he was hiding.
He originally planned to follow Xiao Yunzhi and help her grow, and use Xiao Yunzhi's power to kill the Ice Dragon.
But now that he has met Li Ping, he suddenly feels that Li Ping, who has unparalleled talent in puppetry, seems to be a better choice.
That's why he proposed a deal to Li Ping.
As long as Li Ping agrees to build him a fourth-tier puppet to house him and rebuild the Tianqiao Sect, what harm is there in him passing on all his puppetry skills?
Treasures are easy to obtain, but talented people are hard to find!
At this moment, in the eyes of Daoist Gaoji.
Li Ping is a more worthwhile investment for him than Xiao Yunzhi, who possesses the Heavenly Spiritual Root!
……
Li Ping was shocked by the deal proposed by Gaoji Daoist, but he was still pondering whether to agree or not.
He naturally wanted the crafting methods for third-tier mid-grade, high-grade, and fourth-tier puppets.
As for rebuilding the Tianqiao Sect's lineage and crafting a fourth-tier puppet for Gaoji Daoist to house him, those two things would have to wait until he became a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Once he becomes a Nascent Soul cultivator, doing these two things will be a piece of cake.
If that's the case, he should agree to Gaoji Daoren's request without hesitation.
The problem is that he doesn't even have enough spiritual materials to refine a low-grade third-tier puppet, let alone a higher-grade puppet.
In other words, before he reached the Core Formation stage, the advanced puppet-making method given to him by Daoist Gaoji was meaningless to him.
After reaching the Core Formation stage, he plans to switch his main cultivation method to the "Nine Tribulations True Spirit Holy Scripture," which will likely require several more decades of effort to cultivate magical power.
When switching to a higher-level cultivation technique, it's fine if it's of the same attribute; after switching, you can still retain most of your essence.
Switching to a different attribute cultivation method like him is almost the same as abandoning the cultivation method and starting over. The only advantage is that there is no bottleneck before reaching the original level.
If it weren't for the fact that the "Zeshui Nourishing Life Technique" he cultivated was difficult to advance further after reaching the Core Formation stage, and that Li Ping himself was a master alchemist who could consume drugs like crazy, he could have regained his cultivation in a short time.
Other cultivators would never choose to repeat such a life-consuming endeavor.
Li Ping's plan is to refine one or two low-grade third-tier puppets after he forms his core, and then cultivate his techniques under the protection of the puppets!
In any case, for at least sixty years, he hasn't had time to study puppets of a higher rank than a third-tier low-grade puppet.
After all, he himself knew what his unparalleled talent was all about.
With so many things to do, even if Daoist Gaoji gave him detailed instruction, how could he have time to collect the nutrients needed to supply the Tree of Inheritance?
In the end, the inheritance will just be sitting there in vain.
……
Many thoughts flashed through Li Ping's mind.
But in the end, he shook his head slightly: "Forget it, I'll need it sooner or later anyway, so there's no harm in agreeing now. Besides, I don't have anything to lose, so what's there to hesitate about?"
Thinking of this, he nodded slightly: "Senior, this deal is a great bargain for me. If you can really research the method of making fourth-order puppets and pass it on to me, I will agree to this deal."
The implication is quite clear.
He did not accept Gaoji Daoist's empty promises. Gaoji Daoist wanted him to collect materials to refine fourth-order puppets and rebuild the Tianqiao Sect's lineage, but only on the premise that he could provide the method for refining fourth-order puppets.
Hearing Li Ping's words, Gaoji Daoist nodded in satisfaction: "This is only natural. Please, Fellow Daoist Li, swear an oath."
"swear?"
Li Ping hadn't yet obtained the method for crafting fourth-tier puppets, so he certainly couldn't swear an oath. He shook his head: "There's no rush. 'Longevity Begins with Inherited Immortal Cultivation Skills' is currently causing a reading frenzy on Cola Novels. Haven't you read it yet? Let's wait until you produce the fourth-tier puppet inheritance. Besides, does Senior not trust me?"
Upon hearing this, Gaoji Daoist within the Jiezi World fell silent. He realized that Li Ping was not as easily fooled as Xiao Yunzhi. He was a man who would not act without a clear benefit. If he could not offer him enough benefits, Li Ping would not work for him.
"Fellow Daoist Li is right, this was my oversight." Gaoji Daoist's voice echoed from within Jiezi Heaven and Earth.
As he spoke, he secretly thought to himself, "Confucianism is still the best."
……
Li Ping stood in the courtyard.
A dark shadow appeared rapidly in front of Li Ping. It was the spirit beast, the Earth Spirit Rat. It stood up on its hind legs, squeaking incessantly, while gesturing wildly with its two short, thin forelimbs. Its pair of bright, small eyes were full of grievance.
Understanding what it was saying through the fluctuations in consciousness, Li Ping looked at the Blazing Sun Bird and the Wildfire Sparrow standing on the courtyard wall, his eyes filled with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
It turned out that it had been bullied by two other spirit beasts.
So as soon as they saw their owner appear, they couldn't wait to come and complain.
The Earth Spirit Rat made great contributions to Xiao Yunzhi's journey north, finding many treasures for her. At the same time, it also secretly kept some spiritual items for itself, intending to refine them slowly in the future.
However, its hidden treasures were discovered, and the Blazing Sun Bird and the Wildfire Bird stole the treasures that the Earth Spirit Rat had hidden.
After learning the whole story, Li Ping immediately called over the Wildfire Sparrow and the Blazing Sun Bird, ordering them to bring out the spiritual items they had stolen from the Earth Spirit Rat.
Li Ping had spoken, and the Wildfire Sparrow dared not disobey.
It let out a soft cry and reluctantly placed a dark red spirit herb, about a foot long, on the ground.
At a glance, Li Ping recognized it as a spiritual herb called "Dragon Blood Grass," which is beneficial to the pure bloodline of demonic beasts and has similar effects to Bloodline Fruit.
Nearly a hundred years ago, Li Ping obtained a pale golden bloodline fruit.
However, the bloodline fruit he obtained was not yet mature, and its effects were actually slightly inferior to the thousand-year-old spiritual herb in front of him.
When the Earth Spirit Rat saw the Wildfire Sparrow hand over the spirit herb, its small eyes immediately lit up with joy. It repeatedly bowed to Li Ping with its two short forelegs, thanking its master for upholding justice for it.
Li Ping shook his head. The Earth Spirit Rats were hoarding spiritual items and not handing over their harvest; this practice must not be allowed to continue.
After carefully storing some dragon blood grass seeds, he said calmly, "You three can share this dragon blood grass."
Just then, Xiao Yunzhi came out of the house, and Li Ping smiled and came into the pavilion to chat with her over tea.
Having stayed in Flying Snow City for nearly half a month, Xiao Yunzhi couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed to see Li Ping still maintaining a passive, non-rejecting, and irresponsible attitude.
She spoke softly, "Brother Li, I plan to go out and find a master craftsman to refine the ten-thousand-year-old cold jade into the Frost Flame Wheel."
Previously, Xiao Yunzhi couldn't wait to return to Feixue City and hand over the complete version of "Wanling Tongshen Jue" to Li Ping, but she hadn't had time to refine the magic weapon yet.
Now, she's preparing to refine the treasure.
Li Ping nodded slightly: "Do you have a goal?"
"My sister now has two choices: one is to return to the Western Wilderness and ask the sect's master craftsmen for help, and the other is to stay in the far north and go to Yong'an City, where master craftsmen are stationed." Xiao Yunzhi stared intently at Li Ping: "Brother Li, which choice do you think is better?"
After pondering for a moment, Li Ping suggested, "I think it would be more appropriate to return to the Western Wilderness and ask the same craftsman who forged the Crimson Flame Wheel to help. Having it crafted by the same craftsman will make your magic weapon more unified!"
"Brother Li, don't you want your little sister to stay in the far north?" Xiao Yunzhi was somewhat disappointed by Li Ping's answer.
Li Ping remained calm: "I'm just stating the facts."
"oh."
……
Upon hearing Li Ping say that the three of them would share the Dragon Blood Grass, the Earth Spirit Rat's previously arrogant demeanor immediately deflated.
The Wildfirebird and the Blazing Sunbird became excited.
The three spirit beasts gathered together and discussed how to divide the dragon blood grass.
Without hesitation, the Wildfire Sparrow landed in front of the Dragon Blood Grass, its sharp claws leaving a mark at the base of the grass. It pointed at the Earth Spirit Rat, then left a mark at the top, pointing at the Blazing Sun Bird. As for the remaining one in the middle, it pointed at itself.
When the Firebird saw that the Wildfirebird had only given it a few leaves, it shook its head vigorously, then gracefully stepped forward, wiped away the scratches on the top, and made a scratch about an inch from the base.
Point the roots at the Earth Spirit Rat, the one-inch-long root at the Wildfire Sparrow, and the rest at yourself.
At this moment, seeing that the two beasts only gave him a few roots, the Earth Spirit Rat was extremely angry.
It walked angrily to the Dragon Blood Grass, wiped away the marks left by the two beasts, and then made two horizontal and vertical marks on the top.
After doing all this, it rapidly waved its forelimbs: the two leaves on the left went to the Wildfirebird, the two leaves on the right went to the Blazing Sunbird, and the rest went to it.
……
Xiao Yunzhi's single word, "Oh," made the atmosphere in the pavilion strange.
But just then, a cloud of dust suddenly billowed up in the courtyard caught their attention.
Seeing the situation clearly, Li Ping couldn't help but sigh, "Why are they fighting again!"