strokinit Chapter 5 The Grand Competition of the Small Grotto Heaven
Chapter 5 The Grand Competition of the Small Grotto Heaven
"Wang Feng, the steward of the fish market?" Fang Qi's face darkened.
Xiao Dacheng nodded, his expression serious. "Deacon Wang has issued a statement forbidding the sale of your flesh and blood fish food. Think carefully, have you offended him in any way?"
provoke?
Fang Qi immediately thought of the time when Wang Feng asked him to go to the fish market, but he refused.
At the time, I felt that person had ulterior motives, and now it seems I was absolutely right.
But what could a mere outer sect fish keeper in the early stages of Qi Refining possibly have that would catch the eye of a deacon?
Seeing Fang Qi remain silent, Xiao Dacheng hesitated for a moment before saying, "As the Fish Market Steward, Steward Wang can decide the life and death of many people with a single word. In truth, sometimes, Junior Brother Fang, you should know when to bow your head and when to sacrifice yourself..."
He knew perfectly well why this junior brother Fang was being targeted by Deacon Wang.
"Sacrifice?" Fang Qi realized something was wrong.
Xiao Dacheng smiled meaningfully: "Hehe, it's just being a cultivation vessel. As long as I can stay in the immortal sect, these difficulties on the path of cultivation are nothing. Don't you think so, junior brother?"
A furnace or cauldron?
"Senior Brother Xiao, did someone say something?" Fang Qi asked in a deep voice.
"As neighbors, Junior Brother Ning is also concerned about Junior Brother Fang."
It really was Ning Yanzu's big slap!
Fang Qi felt a surge of anger, but he didn't want to dwell on the topic any longer.
I'm here on important business.
He flipped his hand and took out the Blood Qi Powder.
"Five sets?" Xiao Dacheng's eyes lit up. He took out a spirit stone and five gold leaves. "With this blood medicine, my body refining progress can be greatly improved. Thank you, Junior Brother Fang."
Fang Qi's first customer was Xiao Dacheng, who sold talismans. After that, every time he brought medicine, he would leave a portion for Xiao Dacheng.
"Senior Brother Xiao, take another look at this." Fang Qi took out the Jade Marrow Ointment.
"Huh?" Xiao Dacheng raised an eyebrow and picked up the chalcedony ointment to examine it closely.
The more I look, the more excited I get.
"Junior Brother Fang actually managed to obtain such a precious spiritual herb!"
"The effects of this medicine far surpass those of the Blood Qi Powder, and in my opinion, it can even be used in the mid-stage of Body Refinement!"
Xiao Dacheng had been in the Immortal Sect for a long time, and had not only reached the fifth level of Qi Refining, but also the third level of Body Refinement.
The third to fourth levels are challenging, and one must either grind them out slowly or take elixirs.
Right now, the elixir to break through the barrier is right in front of us.
"Two spirit stones, junior brother, would you be willing to part with them?"
Two! And they have to be secret medicines!
Fang Qi was secretly delighted.
Two spirit stones are equivalent to twenty gold leaves and one dose of jade marrow ointment, which is comparable to six or seven doses of blood qi dispersing medicine.
"Of course, if you ask, senior brother."
"If you can get your hands on this medicine again, junior brother, I'll take it all!"
"We'll definitely sell to my senior brother first."
Pay in one hand and deliver in one hand.
"By the way, you'll probably have a hard time buying meat and blood right now, so I've stocked up on a hundred pounds for you in advance. Take it with you, but don't let anyone see it."
Xiao Dacheng was in a good mood and directly gave Fang Qi a hundred catties of fish meat and blood.
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Although Fang Qi didn't need it, Xiao Dacheng's thoughtfulness surprised him.
After collecting the flesh and blood, the once empty pocket is now bulging with seven spirit stones and five gold leaves.
However, these spirit stones come quickly and go quickly.
Two Lesser Fire Talismans and two Golden罡 Talismans cost two spirit stones, and three bottles of Qi Gathering Pills, used for early-stage Qi Refining cultivation, also took up three spirit stones.
This was after Xiao Dacheng gave him a discount.
With the remaining two spirit stones in his pocket, Fang Qi strolled around the market.
Spirit swords, formations, elixirs...
It dazzled him.
However, the price tags on each item made this novice, who was just starting out in Qi cultivation, hesitate to even begin.
"Once I have enough spirit stones, I'll definitely get a few spirit swords."
Don't be fooled by the fact that this is a celestial sect; dangers still abound. Some of the mandatory missions are tantamount to suicide if you don't have the strength to complete them, so you can't afford to be careless.
With the spirit sword, one's ability to survive will be greatly enhanced.
"There are also cultivation techniques, but the 'Five Elements Breath Cultivation Method' is of a low grade, which is not conducive to Foundation Establishment..."
This technique is not only unsuitable for foundation building, but can only be cultivated to the late stage of Qi Refining, and will eventually need to be replaced.
Unfortunately, high-level cultivation techniques cost hundreds of spirit stones, which is simply unaffordable at this stage.
There are cheap options in the market, but those techniques of unknown origin are very dangerous and should not be practiced indiscriminately.
After circling around a few times, Fang Qi walked out of the market with mixed feelings and returned to his small courtyard, sighing that it was really good to be rich.
"Junior Brother Fang!"
A voice interrupted Fang Qi's reflections.
Ning Yanzu rushed over in a great hurry.
"Junior Brother Fang, you really have to help me this time!"
He didn't have enough blood carp for this month, and he couldn't borrow from any of his neighbors and friends.
Right now, we can say we're at our wits' end.
"What?" Fang Qi asked coldly.
This guy has ruined people's reputations behind their backs; he's planning to settle the score with him.
"One blood carp is enough! I'm begging you, senior brother!"
Ning Yanzu looked down on Fang Qi for selling himself into fish farming, but given his current situation, he had no choice but to ask for help.
His junior brother Fang delivers his fish ahead of schedule every month, so there must be an excess of large crucian carp in the lake.
"Senior brother, it's only the middle of the month, and there are still ten days until the fish are ready to be delivered. What's the rush?" Fang Qi said expressionlessly.
Upon hearing this, Ning Yanzu's face immediately showed bitterness.
How could he not be anxious? Although there were still ten days left, he owed someone a fish last time, and he needed to raise three large crucian carp this month.
The problem is, he doesn't have many gold leaves left to buy fish food. He probably can't even raise two fish, let alone three.
"Junior brother, please don't ask. I've never asked anyone for anything before. But for the sake of our long-standing relationship as neighbors, please, I beg you, spare me a strip of rice."
Are we talking about neighborly relations now?
Fang Qi's gaze shifted, and he smiled, "It's not that I don't want to help you, senior brother, but I'm truly powerless to do so. As you know, raising a pound-sized blood carp is no easy feat."
You deliver the fish ahead of schedule every month, and you're telling me they're hard to raise?
"Please help me this time, junior brother. Just tell me what you need." Ning Yanzu's eyes were red, and he looked very sincere.
Is sincerity useful to someone who can't even afford fish food?
Fang Qi changed the subject: "I don't have any fish, but I have a method that might be able to help you, senior brother."
"Please inform me, junior brother." Ning Yanzu hurriedly bowed deeply.
"Senior brother, please wait here for me for a moment."
Fang Qi entered the house, then turned around and came out carrying a bucket of flesh and blood mixed with blood essence. He looked around to make sure no one was watching before whispering:
"Take this special fish feed from the fish market and give it a try, senior brother."
Upon seeing the fish feed, Ning Yanzu recalled seeing it by the lake before, but at the time he thought Fang Qi was making it up and that there was no such thing as specially made fish feed.
But just now, he heard a crucial piece of information.
Special fish feed from the fish market?
That was given to me by Steward Wang!
No wonder it looks different from ordinary flesh and blood.
Ning Yanzu suddenly realized.
No wonder Fang Qiyue delivered the fish ahead of schedule; it turns out she got the special fish feed from Steward Wang!
Thinking this way, fearing that Fang Qi might change his mind, he quickly took out the only three gold leaves he had left and stuffed them into Fang Qi's hand, leaving behind a "Thank you, junior brother" before leaving.
Fang Qi watched Ning Yanzu leave, a slight smile playing on his lips.
That bucket of flesh and blood was indeed mixed with Blood Qi Powder, and there was more of it than he usually fed the fish.
However, that flesh and blood were fish food and bait, but what they were fishing for was Ning Yanzu himself.
He had already given a hint that the special fish food was provided by Steward Wang.
What will Ning Yanzu do when he discovers that the flesh and blood are indeed effective, but not enough?
Fang Qi stopped smiling, closed the door, and went back inside.
Punishing Ning Yanzu is a minor matter; cultivation is the real priority.
After swallowing the Qi Gathering Pill, he circulated the Five Elements Qi Absorption Method, and strands of spiritual energy gathered in his dantian.
The effects of cultivating by taking drugs are much better than those of normally absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
"No wonder those alchemists all have ridiculously high cultivation levels."
Fang Qi wondered if he should learn alchemy.
But upon closer examination, alchemy requires talent, as well as a great deal of resources and time, so it's more convenient to just buy it directly.
The problem is that these pills don't last very long; after half a month, three bottles of Qi Gathering Pills were finished.
Fortunately, his cultivation level has improved significantly, bringing him one step closer to the third level of Qi Refining.
"Cultivation is like rowing against the current; one must persevere!"
Fang Qi tidied himself up quickly, went out to feed the fish, and then went to the market.
He still had some spirit stones on him, which he planned to exchange for Qi Gathering Pills.
But as soon as he arrived at the entrance, he noticed that the market was unusually lively today.
The number of people coming to buy treasures is several times that of the past, and even the number of stalls has increased significantly.
Fang Qi circled around outside several times before squeezing into the market through the east side gate and heading straight to stall number thirteen in the east section.
"Senior Brother Xiao, why is it so lively today?"
"Junior Brother Fang, don't you know yet?" Xiao Dacheng had just sold a whole set of talismans, and his face was so wrinkled from smiling that it almost turned into a flower. "The Minor Grotto Heaven Grand Competition will begin in two months."