Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Mist-Imbibing Magnolia, Purchasing Spirit Bees and Spirit Turtles
Just as he thought, he had been inside for a full two hours, and the White Rat outside was already a bit anxious, pacing back and forth.
If Junior Brother Li had encountered any problems inside, it would definitely be in trouble.
But what if he found something good in there?
It was very conflicted, going neither seemed right.
Seeing Li Ye come out, it finally breathed a sigh of relief and quickly went up to greet him.
As it neared, its nose twitched: "Hey, Junior Brother, did you find Earth Fat Fragrant Ore?"
Its tone was extremely certain.
As part of the Mineral-seeking Spirit Rat clan, capable of taking on the task of mining in the outside world, its skills were undoubtedly impressive, a sniff was enough to identify the mineral.
"Yes."
Li Ye didn’t intend to hide it: "I discovered it while wandering around inside, there were a few Limestone Ghosts, then found this item, many thanks to Senior Brother."
He handed over the largest piece to the White Rat.
However, the latter waved its paws repeatedly: "I can’t accept this, it’s your own fortune. If there’s a chance in the future, just bring me a couple of bottles of wine."
It understood the sect’s rules; it could gain some benefits from managing these veins, but it wouldn’t touch the profits generated by the veins themselves.
"Alright then, I’ll bring Senior Brother a bottle of wine later."
Li Ye didn’t insist and asked the question he always had: "Why does the Mo Family want Buddha’s Crown Gold so much?"
"This matter, huh."
"Actually, the Mo Family just wants enough Buddha’s Crown Gold to forge some mechanisms, and also distribute some resources to the low-tier cultivators."
"It’s like the reason the Huiya Marketplace exists; they have to provide opportunities for advancement to low-tier cultivators. Who knows if there’s anyone exceptionally talented yet undiscovered in the vast cultivation realm?"
After a few sighs like a wise old man, the White Rat face turned into a crafty smile.
Rubbing its paws: "Isn’t this a great thing that Junior Brother Li has experienced less time hidden in dust?"
"Senior Brother really knows how to praise."
Li Ye smiled humbly: "When I enter the sect, I will surely invite Senior Brother to gather at my place for peach blossom wine!"
"Wonderful, wonderful!"
"Junior Brother, come here now, I’ll help you register, then you can retrieve the mechanism spatial gate, the extraction term is three months and I’ll come to reclaim it afterwards."
Senior Brother Shu was all smiles, pulling Li Ye to a jade board nearby for registration.
Then, who knew what mechanism he activated, but the portal of the vein Li Ye had just chosen suddenly transformed, compacting into a small iron-cast mechanism portal.
"This is it, Junior Brother, do not take it out of Huiya Marketplace, it’s only effective within the marketplace’s array.
When you get home, select a suitable place, press the protrusion on it, and it’ll unfold."
The portal was casually handed to Li Ye by the White Rat, and then it escorted Li Ye out of the mechanism mine with utmost enthusiasm.
So enthusiastic that Li Ye found it a bit overwhelming.
He had interactions with other cultivators from the Four Seasons Sect before, but none were like this.
...
After leaving the shop, Li Ye didn’t go home but wandered around the outside marketplace instead; it had been a while since he bought anything, seeing if he could find a bargain.
It was spring, and now the season was warm, flowers in full bloom.
Many of the stalls in the marketplace were selling various types of spirit plants.
Just a quick glance showed Mulan, Buddha’s Smile, azaleas, Jade Bud Flower... there truly were all kinds of flowers, with their fragrance permeating the air.
But most of these were just for decoration or embellishment in cave mansions or places of residence, sold at low prices, a few spirit stones could buy you a pot.
For Li Ye, buying these flowers really wasn’t necessary.
He was looking for spirit plants capable of symbiotic binding or those he could acquire at a bargain.
So he strolled leisurely, and before long, noticed a series of exotic flowering trees in front of a cultivator, their branches carving like jade, naturally extending, with blossoms as translucent as jade cups.
Inside each jade cup-like blossom seemed to mist, capturing sunlight from the heavenly dome, adding a magnificent golden hue.
The Jade Tree Golden Flower was truly beautiful.
[Name]: Mist-Imbibing Magnolia Tree
[Mood]: Proud, stretching branches
[Condition]: Excellent
[Bindable]: Beautiful bee species.
What is this? This tree even shows off and requires beautiful bee species to bind with?
Li Ye was instantly intrigued.
As he stepped forward, the stall owner rose to greet him with cupped hands: "Yang Ke Dao You is a cultivator of the Four Seasons Sect? Might you also fancy this Mist-Imbibing Magnolia of mine?"
He bore a slightly proud expression, as if having a spirit plant favored by a cultivator of the Four Seasons Sect was a thing worth boasting about.
"Indeed." With a smiling face from the other party, Li Ye wasn’t going to put on airs:
"Yang Ke Dao You, this Mist-Imbibing Magnolia looks lively. I’m interested in buying a few, what’s your price?"
"Haha!"
The cultivator bore an expression that seemed to say ’I expected this,’ and explained: "These Mist-Imbibing Magnolia Trees are especially cultivated by myself, capable of holding unto the pure morning dews that linger."
Then he sighed:
"Only, there’s some issue with them, and I have to be upfront with Yang Ke Dao You.
Though they grow brilliantly, they refuse nearly all bees for pollen transfer and nectar gathering, leaving them as decorative and dew-collecting spirit plants.
Originally, the nectar produced by them was also a kind of spiritual material, but after refusing spirit bees, it’s nearly impossible to obtain it anymore."
Li Ye nodded: "I see. But that’s alright. I mainly want to bring them back for floral appreciation, Yang Ke Dao You, just tell me the spirit stone price."
"One hundred spirit stones each."
"Yang Ke Dao You, according to the rules, these flowers are not capable of reproduction."
As Second Tier spirit plants with special properties, that price was indeed reasonable.
If not for their lack of nectar production, their price would surely be higher, since spirit plants’ lifespan indeed rivaled that of spirit beasts.
As for lack of reproduction, this was a common issue among spirit plants; almost every clan cultivating spirit plants had methods to restrict reproduction, buy one and you have only one.
Li Ye wasn’t concerned, directly taking out five hundred spirit stones to take five plants.
Each Mist-Imbibing Magnolia Tree was taller than a person, and five of them were enough to adorn his inner courtyard.
With the Mist-Imbibing Magnolia in hand, his goal became clearer—now, he just needed the Spirit Gourd paired with turtle-type spirit beasts, and the "beautiful" bee species, searching by these two criteria would suffice.
Fortunately, with flowers blooming in spring, bee-type spiritual insects were abundant. He didn’t expend much effort in locating a bee species called Crystal Spirit Bee.
This bee species was crystalline, stunningly beautiful, and when fluttering in the air, its wings and body fluff refracted sunlight, casting rainbow-like colors.
After acquiring the bee, he quietly attuned it with the Mist-Imbibing Magnolia to verify it didn’t resist the binding before making the purchase.
Having bought the bees, Li Ye casually purchased a few First Tier spirit turtles that could live on the land, then headed towards the Mo Family’s shop.
He spent ten thousand spirit stones to purchase an Inch-Sized Mountains and Rivers Box capable of housing the Beavers, and left with a thick "user manual" satisfied.
Upon returning home, he intended to try bonding the Bitter Spirit Gourd with turtle-type’s spirit beasts, seeing what happens when Mist-Imbibing Magnolia trees bind with the Spirit Bees, as well as setting up a home for the Beavers and planning mining operations.
Indeed, when considering everything, quite a lot to do.
But these tasks promised returns, while enriching his courtyard, which seemed very much worth it.