Chapter Twenty Four Finding a Different Way
Conversion rates for jingshi are terrible. Sometimes, Zuo Mo has a very practical understanding of himself. The cultivation world also has its own version of a forum/jobs market.
One chapter close to a fight (more like a skirmish, but fighting action!) Considering how the author wrote Zuo Mo dealing with aphids, don’t have very high hopes for this first battle. Also, Zuo Mo might be the MC but in some ways, Wei Sheng is more like the typical MC (which is what some Chinese reviewers had said). Time spent on Wei Sheng is story development and he really is Zuo Mo’s role model at the moment. If you expect Zuo Mo to go at everything alone… … not this story.
Chapter Twenty Four Finding a Different Way
After the ruckus last night, no one in Wu Kong Sword Sect got a good night of sleep. In comparison to the other disciples who had gather together to excitedly discuss, Zuo Mo was frightened awake. Right now, he was on the same boat as Pu Yao. When he saw the snow dragon, his brain had exploded. Before, he still had a delusion, but now his heart was restless.
His heart nervous, if he wasn’t extremely fond of this place, he would instantly pack his things and escape without a trace.
After being scared witless for a few days and seeing that nothing had happened, his heart finally landed back above his stomach.
Wei Sheng Shixiong was thrust into the limelight this time. In the area around Dong Fu, the news that a genius of Wu Kong Sword Sect appeared out of the blue, the sword energy piercing the heavens when he entered zhuji instantly made a buzz. As expected, Wei Sheng Shixiong quickly was taken by the sect head as his disciple, personally bestowing down a fourth grade flying sword [Splitting Rainbow], and the person teaching him however was Xin Yan Shishu. When the previous inner sect disciples had received their swords, it had all been third-grade flying swords. Even the most talented Luo Li Shixiong wasn’t an exception.
Such favour, it was the first time for Wu Kong Sword sect. And the one who received the sword had been an outer sect disciple previously. When all the outer sect disciples discussed this matter, they all had proud expressions on their faces. But even more was envy that was unable to be hidden. An outer sect disciple that once was a sword servant, skyrocketing to become the most valued second generation disciple, Wei Sheng Shixiong’s experience was almost every outer sect disciple’s dream.
Other than more admiration, Zuo Mo wasn’t shocked. He believed that anyone who had seen that jade stick that he had would be just as clam as he was.
He admired, but he would not copy Wei Sheng Shixiong. He didn’t have that obsession inside. Fundamentally, he was a lazy person. He was working hard now just so that he could be lazy in the future.
Pu Yao also seemed to have recovered. Just like usual, he sat on the gravestone and listened to the sound tablet.
The sea of consciousness hadn’t changed, expect that the flames seemed bigger. Zuo Mo didn’t know if it was just his imagination. In any case, it was just a patch of red.
The agitated Wu Kong Mountain finally calmed down. Zuo Mo’s life also calmed down. What he reminisced about the most was the life he had before all the apprehension and worry. His life returning to normal, his heart became much peaceful. However, he met trouble.
A ling plant farmer required three kinds of spells to reach the third level. Zuo Mo’s [Little Art of Cloud and Rain] was at the fourth level. Right now, the one that he had that was most likely to reach the third level was [Art of Aged Gold].
He even knew how to break through to the third level of [Art of Aged Gold].
Using sword scriptures to manipulate the aged gold energy was the crucial factor. It was the method that Pu Yao had pointed out that day for him to kill the silver horned worms. This road also proved his previous hypothesis that [Art of Aged Gold] was a certain kind of offensive spell.
But Zuo Mo wasn’t dumb. He detected the fishiness. If he walked down this road, then he needed to strength his consciousness. The aged gold sword wasn’t really a sword. If he didn’t have the spiritual power, he couldn’t manipulate it. He experienced that deeply when he exterminated the silver horned worms this time. If his spiritual power had been greater, then the power of the little aged gold sword definitely would have multiplied. If it moved according to his wishes, the sword moves also would be able to unleash their full power.
Strengthening his consciousness, then he would have to face a problem, practising [Embryonic Breathing Spiritual Cultivation]!
No wonder Pu Yao had been so generous. He was waiting there.
Originally Zuo Mo, who had been irritated at not finding a way to elevate his [Art of Aged Gold] was now having a headache because he could not level up.
Hesitating for a long while, in the end he still decided not to raise his [Art of Aged Gold].
Didn’t a ling plants farmer need three kinds of spells to reach the third level? At the very worst, he’ll pick two others from the remaining three spells.
[Art of Flora], [Art of Crimson Flame], and [Art of Earth Energy]. He had practised them all to the second level.
But no matter which two, he had only just arrived at the second level. It was far from entering the third. Originally [Art of Aged Gold] had been the only he had the greatest confidence in reaching the third level, but now he had to put it to one side. He really was depressed.
Thankfully he still had jingshi on his hands!
At the worst, he could go search to see if there was any jade sticks related to this area that was being sold. The jade stick that he had brought before was just a normal one. It described all five spells but in most places, it just brushed over, and a direction could barely be found. For the majority, it still needed him to comprehend for himself. Most of the jade sticks that were on the market were this version. The true premium ones were with the large sects. Even when it wandered onto the market, it was extremely expensive.
In some of the top sects, before each xiuzhe died, they would use their consciousness to leave behind what they had learned in their lives in the jade sticks and pass them on. These were the highest jade sticks. The jade sticks that held the consciousness and understandings of the elders were distributed to the disciples in the sect with the greatest potential.
These young disciples would change themselves in one night, greatly shortening the time they needed to spend cultivating.
But for normal xiuzhe, they didn’t even need to think about this kind of things. It was better to walk step by step. Not just that, it was like they were on a dangerous and misty mountain road, carefully climbing up. As to whether they would walk an indirect route, fall and break into pieces, that depended on each individual’s luck.
Adding on the twenty pieces of second-grade jingshi that Li Ying Feng gave, Zuo Mo’s wealth was the greatest it had ever been, even though Pu Yao had spent a large amount. Zuo Mo couldn’t help but sigh, even though everyone was cultivating, but of those that were outstanding, how many didn’t have anything to their name? Li Ying Feng shijie’s family was wealthy. Giving out tens of second-grade jingshi, her eyes didn’t even blink. This kind of manner, Zuo Mo was deeply envious.
His pouch was fat, his cultivation was hindered, it was natural that Zuo Mo thought about using jingshi to solve the problem. His goal this time was to buy a jade stick about one spell. There were very few people who could practise all five kinds of spells at the same time. But there should be more people who were skilled in one or two types.
This kind of spells definitely wouldn’t be cheap. He would probably bleed a lot this time but he had no other choice.
Riding the creaking Xiao Huang, he slowly made his way to Dong Fu again.
As one of the most important towns of Tian Yue Jie, the development of Dong Fu was very good and had attracted a wave of pretty good xiuzhe. Basically, all the normal requirements could be satisfied here, especially to the kind of lianqi cultivators such as Zuo Mo.
In a moderately sized store, Zuo Mo’s body was almost lying on the desk, his eyes unblinking as he stared at the other.
“Bro, I’m saying, just buy another one, it’s really not expensive. If you want to fix it, and add more ling energy, it wouldn’t be cheaper than buying a new one, and it can’t level up.” The person was holding Zuo Mo’s flying paper crane, Xiao Huang, as he said in a seasoned tone.
Looking at the visible cracks on the paper crane, Zuo Mo was slightly unwilling. After all, this was his first steed. Gritting his teeth, he said: “Just fix it for me, naturally I wouldn’t give less for the cost.”
The other shrugged indifferently: “Whatever you say.”
He took out all kinds of tools. First he cut out several lengths of green thin bamboo to reinforce the skeleton. Then he glued the cracks in the yellow paper, cutting off the frayed edges. He took out a brush, using cinnabar to carefully mend the seal arrangement before adding in ling energy. Only when the red cinnabar had disappeared from the surface of the paper crane did he repeatedly put on a layer of liquid and the seal that had disappeared appeared once again.
“Alright. I slightly made it stronger. If you’re careful, you can still use it for a while. Three pieces of second-grade jingshi.”
As expected, the price wasn’t different from buying a new one. Zuo Mo’s heart jerked in pain but he still crisply paid.
Walking out of the small store, he stared to walk to the free market and found Fu Jin.
Fu Jin saw Zuo Mo and instantly became alert, yellow: “Hey, Mo ge’s here. What do you want this time?” The wily eyes found the copper ring on Zuo Mo’s hand. Instantly he became even more attentive. His eyes were very experienced. That was a talisman. Even if the grade wasn’t high, but it still meant that Zuo Mo definitely still had some jingshi in his hands.
Zuo Mo asked: “Do you have anything about [Art of Flora]? Relating to the third level. [Art of Crimson Flame] or [Art of Earth Energy] would also do.”
“The third level?” Fu Jin grimaced as he shook his head: “Mo ge. You know the market. Whatever spell, once it reaches the third level, it isn’t hard to find. Even if it was available, the price, tsk tsk, at least two pieces of third-grade jingshi.
Two pieces of third-grade jingshi. Zuo Mo didn’t know what to say about the price. Even though he was much wealthier now, but this price was still out of reach for him. One piece of third-grade jingshi, it needed one hundred pieces of second-grade jingshi. This was only for low-grade jingshi. As the grade increased, the disparity in the exchange rate would become even greater. Like fourth-grade jingshi, at the very least, it would require five hundred pieces of third-grade jingshi.
Third grade was a dividing line.
If he could make spellwork jade sticks, Zuo Mo would have already been selling jade sticks. Disregarding everything else, just based on his fourth level of [Little Art of Cloud and Rain], if he could make jade sticks, he definitely could sell it for a good price. It was a pity that making a spellwork jade stick wasn’t a simple matter. While Zuo Mo’s [Little Art of Cloud and Rain] might have reached the fourth level, but for the overwhelming majority of the profound parts, he could only grasp, but could not convey.
Like the jade stick that Wei Sheng shixiong gave him. It only basically recorded some of his experiences and realizations. It couldn’t be considered a spellwork jade stick.
Those that could make spellwork jade sticks, they were usually those of high cultivation. They could stand at a higher spot and penetrate through to the core of the spells.
The spellwork jade sticks that a jindan xiuzhe made, and one that a ningmai made, the price was astronomically different. The ling plant jade stick that Zuo Mo brought had been made by a ningmai. Many of the part inside were not adequately described.
The most common spellwork jade sticks on the marked were for the stage of zhuji. They frequently could get sold for a pretty good price. Since once one entered zhuji, they had some wealth. This was also the reason that why the spellwork jade sticks for lianqi cultivators were so rare.
The majority of those in the stage of lianqi were poor bastards.
And Tian Yue Jie, it was a district under the jurisdiction of Kun Lun Jing. The mainstream was sword xiu, so there was much less spells in the other areas.
Zuo Mo couldn’t help but be disappointed.
Even though Zuo Mo’s face was paralyzed, but Fu Jin still sensitively detected his disappointed. He thought before suggesting: “Mo ge could try taking a look at the notice altar.”
Zuo Mo instantly hit his head in frustration. How could he have forgotten that place?
Each sect would always encounter all sorts of problems. Like the strange disease of the ling fields that Wu Kong Sword Sect had encountered this time. If the sect could not solve it, they would post to the boards in hopes of those with extraordinary talent that could aid them through their difficulties. After that, everyone found the convenience inside and more and more people asked for aid at the boards. Consequently, they created a specialized temple to post notices which was called the notice altar. This also became the place many xiuzhe used to find jobs, especially those with a cultivation of lianqi or zhuji.
Of course, posting a message required paying a fee, and the post would clearly state the payment.
Gratefully giving thanks to Fu Jin, Zuo Mo started heading for the notice altar.