Chapter 3 Observations on the Way of Transporting Spiritual Grains

Xiang Tianxing stood by with his hands in his sleeves and watched. After a while, the spiritual grains were all loaded onto the backs of the yaks. That Senior Brother Zhou wiped the sweat off his brow and said to the two of them, "Alright. There are a total of eighty piculs of spiritual grains here. Hurry up and deliver them to the inner sect's dining hall. It's getting late. I still have some things to attend to on my end, so I'll leave first." Yan Chi responded feebly, "Senior Brother Zhou, take care."

After watching Senior Brother Zhou leave, he then said to Xiang Tianxing, "Supervisor Cui said to deliver it at the beginning of the ninth hour. Now it's already the third quarter of the ninth hour. You should go quickly. If he scolds you, just bear with it. It would be best if he sends you to the spiritual herb garden. That way, you won't always hold back our Spiritual Grain Mountain. After speaking, he let out a breath and moved his aching arms and legs. Looking at Xiang Tianxing's sluggish movements, he rolled his eyes in exasperation but didn't say anything else in the end and turned around and left.

Xiang Tianxing glanced at the yak. His eyes met its huge eyes as big as copper bells. The yak chewed on dry grass and then let out a deep moo, looking extremely docile and innocent.

Xiang Tianxing was lost in thought. His previous spiritual pets were all rare and extraordinary beasts, capable of flying in the sky, entering the earth, overturning rivers and seas. This was truly his first close encounter with such a... simple and honest spiritual beast. This feeling was truly very peculiar.

He pondered for a moment. Since he had already come into contact with it, why not get even closer?

A quarter of an hour later, some disciples in the sect saw a strange sight. Two yaks were walking on the mountain path, carrying heavy loads. There were sacks as big as small hills on their backs. Among one of the piles of sacks, well, a foot was sticking out, looking extremely leisurely.

Xiang Tianxing leaned against the pile of sacks filled with spiritual grains. There was a large lotus leaf casually plucked on his head. The leaf was green, and the fragrance of the lotus leaf combined with the faint smell of spiritual grains was actually quite pleasant.

He had a thin blade of grass in his mouth and looked around. The mountain path meandered and stretched out. The scenery ahead was all within his view. The large and small peaks of varying heights gathered together in an encircling posture. The peak in the middle was the tallest. A long stone staircase wound around the mountain body and spiraled upward like a giant dragon clinging to it, looking extremely imposing.

Xiang Tianxing couldn't help but sit up and stared intently at that peak. This place seemed very familiar to him, as if he had seen it somewhere before. But which sect was it exactly?

For a moment, he just couldn't remember. It's not his fault. There are simply too many immortal sects in the Azure Dragon Continent. If we're talking about those with some foundation and large scale, he has almost visited them all. Who can remember what each sect looks like?

Xiang Tianxing clicked his tongue. After chewing on the thin blade of grass for a long time, he finally gave up. He would find out sooner or later anyway. Why rush at this moment? Thinking like this, he lay down again, covered his face with the lotus leaf, and began to sense the situation in his dantian.

This was the thing he was currently most concerned about. Having four spiritual roots of metal, wood, water, and fire, even Xiang Tianxing wanted to sigh. Having been reborn, couldn't he find a slightly better body? Even having three spiritual roots would be better than this situation.

Xiang Tianxing is Xiang Tianxing. For others, being able to pick up a life in a certain death situation is already extremely fortunate. In this case, only he is still thinking about being picky.

This isn't his being fussy. In the past, he was a fire-attribute heavenly spiritual root. He could be called a rare talent in cultivation. If we compare a person's body to a large water jar, then the process of cultivation is like pouring water into this large water jar. The more water there is, the higher the cultivation level. When the water jar is filled, it is the time of great perfection. And the spiritual root is the inlet of this water jar.

As everyone knows, after Pangu created the world, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth was divided into five types: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. And human spiritual roots are also divided into these five types. The corresponding spiritual roots absorb the corresponding spiritual energy. It sounds good. The more spiritual roots there are, the more spiritual energy can be absorbed. But there is a problem. The inlet of the water jar is only so big. Dividing one inlet into five parts means that each inlet is only as big as a fingernail. Naturally, the speed of water inflow is not as fast as that of the original single inlet. Therefore, the cultivation speed of heavenly spiritual roots is several times faster than that of those with multiple spiritual roots. The speed of breakthrough is also not comparable to those with multiple spiritual roots.

Moreover, for cultivators, the purer and more condensed the spiritual energy is, the better. So heavenly spiritual roots are truly gifted. This is like being rewarded by heaven. They are born materials for cultivating immortality.

However, heavenly spiritual roots are extremely rare, just like rare treasures. There is only one among tens of thousands of people. Relatively speaking, most ordinary people have three spiritual roots. If they work hard, cultivate quietly, and be careful to protect their lives, they may also achieve something. Although the number of people with two spiritual roots is not as scarce as that of heavenly spiritual roots, it is still considered good. When any sect encounters such a qualification, they will directly accept them as inner sect disciples and focus on cultivating them.

As for those with four spiritual roots or five spiritual roots, as Xiang Tianxing said before, after barely introducing spiritual energy into the body and staying in the outer sect for a few decades, they can pack up and go home. In terms of strengthening the body, they are only a little stronger than ordinary people who haven't cultivated.

Xiang Tianxing sighed. Changing from a naturally talented heavenly spiritual root to a four-spiritual-root person who now has difficulties in cultivation is a huge gap. However, for others, this might be a helpless situation and they can only resign themselves to fate. But for him, it's not completely without a solution.

Xiang Tianxing is an alchemist. What is an alchemist best at? Making pills.

Not to mention that he is also an alchemist at the tribulation stage. The pills he refines are highly sought after on the Azure Dragon Continent. Every time one is released, it will cause a great commotion. So although Xiang Tianxing was arrogant and obnoxious in the past, no one dared to truly oppose him.

Xiang Tianxing knows a veryheaven defying (I can't find a proper translation for this word. Maybe "reversed-heaven" or "against-the-heavens") pill recipe that can artificially create a heavenly spiritual root and is indistinguishable from a natural one. He once tried this recipe and succeeded on Qu Zhenshan.

Speaking of this matter, Xiang Tianxing is somewhat fortunate. Fortunately, he didn't create a heavenly spiritual root for him at the beginning. Otherwise, he would regret it now.

Qu Zhenshan was originally a person with three spiritual roots. After Xiang Tianxing got that pill recipe, he refined a batch of pills. After several trials, he finally refined his three spiritual roots into two spiritual roots. He instinctively held back on Qu Zhenshan and only told him that this pill recipe was very useless. A person can only use it once in a lifetime. And after being promoted to two spiritual roots, there is no further improvement.

Qu Zhenshan believed him. Now Xiang Tianxing really wants to give himself a round of applause. He was so far-sighted. However, this is of no use now. Where can he find those rare treasures to make pills for himself? Not to mention that he is still an outer sect disciple who has just introduced spiritual energy into his body. However, where there's a will, there's a way.

Thinking of this, Xiang Tianxing took a deep breath. The road ahead is long and arduous. I hope Qu Zhenshan doesn't die too early. He must hold on until he goes to take revenge.

The yak under him was walking slowly, swaying step by step. Xiang Tianxing was almost lulled to sleep. The sunlight filtered through the thin lotus leaf and fell on his face, casting a greenish halo. There was the sound of a brook gurgling in his ears, and among it were also human voices.

"Eh? How did these two yaks come here?"

"Go away. Hurry up and leave."

Someone asked, "What's on its back?"

"It seems to be miscellaneous things? Don't worry about it." That person said, "I just saw Qin Qinghe enter the valley. Should we inform Big Brother?"

"Just send a messaging talisman. The master hasn't returned. Presumably, Qin Qinghe has no backer now."

"Exactly. I've been looking at himNot pleasing to the eye (I can't find a proper translation for this phrase. Maybe "unpleasantly" or "with dislike") for a long time. If it weren't for him occupying a spot, how could we..."

"Hey, Junior Brother, be careful with your words."

"Senior Brother, are you still afraid of him?"

The person called Senior Brother didn't answer. He just laughed and said, "The messaging talisman has also been sent. There's nothing more for us to do here. Let's go first."

Listening to the footsteps fading away, Xiang Tianxing then lifted the lotus leaf covering his face and took a look outside. He didn't know how the yak had walked and actually swayed into a valley. On both sides were steep cliffs covered with a large patch of moss. A small brook two feet wide flowed down along the stone wall. Inside, fish and shrimp were playing and chasing each other, and the waterweeds were long and soft. It was actually a nice place.

Unfortunately, Xiang Tianxing wasn't very interested. He quickly scanned around and found nothing. So he lay down again. When he picked up the lotus leaf and was about to cover his face, his gaze casually swept over the cliff above, and his movement paused.

The cliff wall of the valley was uneven. And this part protruded outward. It was covered with moss, and there was a layer of fluffy grass growing on the stones. In addition to that, there was a plant. That plant was not big, only about as tall as a finger. It was also growing in a remote location. If Xiang Tianxing wasn't lying on the back of the yak, he probably wouldn't have seen it.

Xiang Tianxing squinted his eyes and took a look. Perhaps it was his innate ability. He had an instinct that could quickly notice valuable things even if they were inconspicuous.

That plant was called Phyllanthus urinaria. It was a kind of spiritual herb. It wasn't very rare. At least if it were in the past, Xiang Tianxing wouldn't even take a second look at it. But now... When one is poor, one can't be too picky. Making do is also fine. Although Phyllanthus urinaria wasn't very rare, it had a very good appearance. The slender leaves were closely arranged, revealing a little fruit the size of a grain of rice below. There was a little bit of white in the green color. This was the "pearl". After a while, the white would turn red, like dogwood seeds. That would be the time when this spiritual herb was most valuable.

Xiang Tianxing scanned this small valley again. There was a corner ahead that was very narrow. The yak definitely couldn't squeeze through. Just now, listening to the conversation between those two people, it seemed that there were still people inside. Well, it's not suitable to cause trouble today. It's better to choose another day. After all, there's still plenty of time.

Thinking like this, he didn't touch that Phyllanthus urinaria either. He lay down and then covered his face with the lotus leaf. The yak, probably having eaten enough grass, swayed away from the valley step by step and finally headed towards the main road. Xiang Tianxing sighed silently in his heart. This beast finally recognized the way.