Chapter 018

Chapter 18: One Spirit Stone a Stalk

On the road down the mountain, Bai Jian flew alone on her sword and carried the others with her. She also told Ye Wan Wan that their senior uncle sent them out so Ye Wan Wan could learn about the nearby mountains and the Heavenly One Sect’s territory. They had trained for a long time, so it was also a small break.

Fang He An talked the whole way, and Ye Wan Wan listened to everything he said.

Although Fang He An had reached Golden Core, he still hitched a ride on Bai Jian’s sword. Ye Wan Wan asked with a smile: “Senior Brother Fang, with your ability, you should have been able to fly long ago, right?” Fang He An rubbed his neck and said: “I can, but I don’t have my own Lifebound Spirit Sword yet, so it’s not convenient to fly.” Bai Jian and Li Wan Zhi snapped their eyes toward him, and Fang He An glared back: [I didn’t say anything wrong; borrowing is not the same as having my own sword.]

He explained in a steady voice: “The Heavenly One Sect isn’t mainly Sword Cultivators, but by sect rules, every disciple has to choose a Lifebound Spirit Sword on Sword Mountain. You raise the sword with your own qi and spiritual rhythm.” He added with respect: “This passes on the sect’s legacy and also fulfills our ancestors’ wish.” In the Heavenly One Sect, they pass down more than will. They pass down Sword Spirit too.

Ye Wan Wan asked: “Every disciple?” Fang He An said: “Yes. Even Talisman Cultivators and Pill Cultivators. After Junior Brother Li passes the entry test, he will choose a sword like you.”

Li Wan Zhi began to daydream and said: “Then I need to think about who I should take as my master.” Fang He An said, dry as dust: “Don’t think too much. Be glad if anyone wants you.” Li Wan Zhi shut his mouth.

Fang He An also reminded him, tone turning serious: “But I advise you to start Body Refining early. While the senior uncles are still in the sect, when you reach Heart Questioning they might notice you. If they all go into seclusion, then no one will take you.” Li Wan Zhi blinked and asked: “It’s like that?” Fang He An said: “Yes. The senior uncles are busy. When they shut themselves away, it can be ten years or more. Will they even notice you then?” Li Wan Zhi muttered under his breath that if they didn’t take him, he didn’t even want to stay.

No one else cared. He was a weather vane. His thoughts changed every day.

Bai Jian landed them about one li outside the city. Fang He An said as they started walking: “The Immortal Gate has rules. When passing a mortal city, unless it’s necessary, we must not fly in by sword flight and scare the people. So, Junior Sister, we are walking in.” Ye Wan Wan said: “Okay.”

Before they reached the gate, everyone started to borrow money from Li Wan Zhi. Li Wan Zhi ground his teeth and said: “The Sect Master told you to take Junior Sister down the mountain. Didn’t he give you Spirit Stones?” Fang He An answered honestly: “No.” Li asked: “What about your monthly allowance?” Fang He An said: “Master said this year’s allowance will be given at the end of the year, so we don’t have any.” In his heart he guessed it was because there were no Spirit Stones left. But he also felt it didn’t matter, since they hardly used Spirit Stones except when they came down the mountain. Their daily cultivation needs were all covered. Nothing was missing. He said breezily: “It’s just a loan. We’ll pay you back.” Li Wan Zhi said with a dark face: “Don’t you know loans never come back?” Fang He An said: “I don’t know that.”

Even if he was unwilling, once they were in town, only Li Wan Zhi had Spirit Stones among the four of them, so he had to pay.

Ye Wan Wan patted the Mystic Spirit Grass in her Spatial Pouch. For the past month she had grown some in her yard, and she had picked a bunch on their way down. She could sell them for Spirit Stones.

Li Wan Zhi noticed she hadn’t asked him for money and said softly: “Junior Sister, don’t you need any?” Ye Wan Wan smiled: “Not for now.” But when Bai Jian and Fang He An heard that, they handed Ye Wan Wan the Spirit Stones they had just taken from Li Wan Zhi and said cheerfully: “You keep them.” Ye Wan Wan paused. She really didn’t need them; she already had Spirit Stones. But she couldn’t refuse their kindness.

In a snap, Ye Wan Wan became the richest of the four. Li Wan Zhi, stripped clean, thought silently: [So what am I now.]

Leading them through the streets, Fang He An explained: “The towns near these mountains are under the Heavenly One Sect’s protection. They pay Spirit Stones to the City Lord’s Manor, and the City Lord’s Manor sends Spirit Stones up to our sect. We solve the problems they can’t. Sometimes I come down with Senior Sister to help.”

Ye Wan Wan said as she took the chestnuts he bought and passed her: “This sort of work is usually for outer disciples.” Fang He An handed a bag of roasted chestnuts to Bai Jian and one to Ye Wan Wan and said with a grin: “Our sect is small. We don’t split inner and outer doors. When there’s work, even the senior uncles come down.”

As soon as he finished, Ye Wan Wan and Li Wan Zhi spotted a familiar figure. It was Yan Ju. He had a sword on one shoulder and ten sacks of rice and grain in his other hand as he walked past.

Fang He An greeted quickly: “Senior Uncle.” Yan Ju’s face didn’t change as he said: “You all came down to have some fun?” Fang He An said: “Yes, letting Junior Sister get familiar with things.” Yan Ju nodded and said: “Good. Have fun.” Then, as if remembering something, he took out a bag of Spirit Stones and handed it to Ye Wan Wan: “Little miss, buy a few sets of clothes. Don’t dress like a Daoist nun.” He glanced at Bai Jian and said: “You buy some too.” He left right after.

Ye Wan Wan looked down and saw the bag held one hundred Spirit Stones. Yan Ju kept moving cargo without a break.

She asked in a low voice: “Does he usually do this kind of work?” Fang He An said: “Not only this. If any Demonic Beasts show up nearby, Senior Uncle goes to deal with them. But a few years ago, to raise Second Senior Sister, he worked extra hard and wiped out every disobedient Demonic Beast within a hundred li.” He sighed: “For the past three years no Demonic Beast dares come near Heavenly One Sect’s lands. With no beasts to hunt, Senior Uncle has no choice but to do hard labor.”

Ye Wan Wan asked: “But doesn’t the City Lord’s Manor send up Spirit Stones?” Fang He An said: “They do, but it’s not enough for the sect.”

Ye Wan Wan thought of the Marrow Washing Pool they soaked in every few days and understood where the money went. Those pools weren’t something you could buy with just Spirit Stones. The medicine Bai Jian and Fang He An had used on her was also top tier, rarely seen in markets. In other words, if they sold that medicine, they could make money. It was just that Fang He An and the others didn’t think that way. They were sitting on a treasure mountain without knowing it.

But there was one person who wouldn’t miss it. Ye Wan Wan looked at Li Wan Zhi. His scalp tingled as he asked: “What?” Ye Wan Wan said: “Senior Brother Li, do you still have the healing medicine Senior Brother Fang gave you?” Li Wan Zhi used medicine the most, because he was hurt the most. He clutched his chest and said: “I do. What are you going to do?” Ye Wan Wan asked: “Those could be traded for Spirit Stones, right?” Li Wan Zhi laughed awkwardly and said: “They could, but there’s no need.”

She agreed in her heart. Trading such rare medicine for Spirit Stones would be a waste. But the Mystic Spirit Grass was different.

She glanced at the pharmacy across the street and said calmly: “I’ll go over there.” Bai Jian and Fang He An wanted to go with her, but Ye Wan Wan waved them off so they could look around. Li Wan Zhi, curious, followed her.

Inside the pharmacy, Ye Wan Wan asked for the price of Mystic Spirit Grass. Hearing it was one Spirit Stone for ten stalks, she took out one thousand stalks. The shopkeeper froze. Ye Wan Wan had already counted them and said: “Please check.” The shopkeeper cleared his throat and said: “Miss, I can’t take them at ten stalks for one Spirit Stone.” Ye Wan Wan frowned and asked: “You can’t? Why?” That price was fair. She had sold before and knew the market. Now that he refused, she didn’t think her goods were bad. She thought the shopkeeper just didn’t want to do business.

Li Wan Zhi stepped forward with his sleeves rolled up and blocked Ye Wan Wan behind him as he said: “What, are you bullying our Junior Sister?” Before she could speak, he leaned back and whispered: “Don’t worry. I’m a few realms above you. I’ll keep you safe.” Ye Wan Wan thought, amused: [This isn’t a life or death moment.]

The shopkeeper waved his hands fast and said: “No, no, you’ve misunderstood, lords. This Mystic Spirit Grass is worth more than ten for one Spirit Stone. This is Supreme Grade Mystic Spirit Grass. The price should be ten times higher.” He swallowed and said: “One Spirit Stone per stalk.”