After ensuring the colorful deer was settled, Chen Jiuge composed his expression and took out a mirror to check his reflection.
Looking at his dashing self in the mirror, though his eyes couldn't hide his impatience, Chen Jiuge was quite satisfied. Then, he leisurely pulled out a Communication Stone from his Storage Ring.
"Ahem, Mother, are you there? Your beloved son requests to talk," Chen Jiuge said formally.
Three breaths later, an image of Hua Yu, his mother, appeared above the Communication Stone.
She wore an elegant dress, its fabric soft and comfortable, embroidered with lavish patterns. The dress was cinched at the waist, accentuating her figure perfectly.
Around her neck was a beautiful necklace, with a matching pair of sparkling earrings adorning her ears, both enhancing her noble demeanor.
Her makeup was exquisite, especially around her eyes, where elongated eyeliner and slightly upturned outer corners highlighted her distinct lashes.
Her lips were rosy and full, turned upwards in a tender smile. Her skin, fair and radiant, resembled smooth, delicate porcelain.
Her hair was meticulously coiffed into an elegant bun, into which a resplendent hairpin was inserted. The bun itself was further embellished with various beautiful ornaments that swayed gently with her movements, making her appear exceptionally captivating.
Every move she made exuded a nobility and grace that commanded respect. Her lazy gaze was particularly mesmerizing. This was Hua Yu, a Divinity Transformation Cultivator.
"Little Nine, what is it?" Hua Yu asked indifferently.
"Well, Mother, your dear son has encountered a tiny bit of trouble and needs your help," Chen Jiuge said ingratiatingly.
"Little Nine, from the look on your face, it seems like no small matter. You're not scheming for Wood Essences again, are you?" Hua Yu looked at her son with a tinge of exasperation.
"Mother, your Wisdom Eye sees all. The small valley needs to expand, and I need to plant a batch of Second Rank Spirit Grass seeds," Chen Jiuge said, buttering her up just enough.
"Little Nine, providing you with Wood Essences isn't an issue. You know about the Myriad Beasts Sect's upcoming recruitment, right?" Hua Yu suddenly seemed struck by a thought.
"Uh, yes, I know. An Elder even sent me a message. He said many from our clan are attending the assessment and hoped I would look after the new Disciples," Chen Jiuge admitted honestly, though he didn't quite grasp his mother's line of thinking.
"Hmm, your father and I are considering sending your sister to the Myriad Beasts Sect. You're there, after all, and doing quite well. When she arrives, take extra care of her cultivation. If you agree to this, I'll send you a batch of Wood Essences," Hua Yu said with a smile.
"But didn't Xiaoyu inherit the Heart of Wood? Wouldn't the Azure Wood Sect be more suitable for her?" Chen Jiuge asked, puzzled.
"It's also Xiaoyu's fate. Not long ago, she actually formed a Contract with a naturally born Longevity Turtle. So, it turns out the Myriad Beasts Sect is more suitable for her now," Hua Yu explained with a smile.
"I see. That would indeed make the Myriad Beasts Sect a better fit. No problem, let Xiaoyu come to me. I guarantee I'll take such good care of her that she'll be plump and healthy," Chen Jiuge assured, patting his chest.
"Save your sweet talk. I'll have your sister bring the Wood Essences to you," Hua Yu rolled her eyes and casually cut off the communication.
Yes, that's settled.
Now that the issue of planting Second Rank Spirit Grass was resolved, it was time to sell off the mature Red Flame Sheep to raise funds and expand the valley's breeding operations.
"Black Eye, Black Eye, round up all the mature Red Flame Sheep for me!" Chen Jiuge yelled out to Black Eye, who was lounging around with a pack of dogs.
WOOF WOOF WOOF! The chorus of barks echoing back and forth indicated the dogs were already on the job.
With the suppression from the Third Rank Hellhound, that group of Red Flame Sheep couldn't stir up much trouble. Even the Red Flame Sheep King, whose Bloodline Chen Jiuge had augmented, was only at the higher end of Second Rank Cultivation.
After about thirty minutes, Chen Jiuge strolled out of the courtyard leisurely, a freshly brewed cup of Spiritual Tea in hand.
Not far away, the Red Flame Sheep were being herded over by Black Eye and a group of Spiritual Dogs.
Upon scanning with his Divine Sense, Chen Jiuge nodded in satisfaction; there were exactly eight hundred of them.
His own Red Flame Sheep had purer Bloodlines, they grew faster, and their meat quality was better, which also meant a higher price.
A Second Rank Spiritual Beast cost roughly ten Middle Grade Spirit Stones. That meant eight hundred sheep would be a total of eight thousand Middle Grade Spirit Stones, or eighty Top Grade Spirit Stones. Moreover, his Red Flame Sheep had even purer Bloodlines, grew faster, and had better meat quality. This drove up the price, so they could easily fetch eleven Middle Grade Spirit Stones each.
That's eighty-eight Top Grade Spirit Stones. The Longevity Turtle I liked last time is a Third Rank Spiritual Beast. A mature one usually costs tens of Top Grade Spirit Stones. However, fortunately, I only need to buy the Spirit Beast Egg, and one Top Grade Spirit Stone is enough for that.
Eighty-eight Top Grade Spirit Stones, plus the nearly two hundred Top Grade Spirit Stones I already have... If I reserve fifty for emergencies, that leaves me with two hundred and thirty-eight Top Grade Spirit Stones to spend. That should be just about enough, Chen Jiuge calculated quietly. Finding no significant discrepancy, he took out the Communication Stone to make contact.
"Brother Chen, are the Red Flame Sheep ready for sale?" an excited voice came from the Communication Stone.
Unlike the Communication Stone he used with his mother, this was just an ordinary Third Rank Communication Stone. It didn't have the capability to project images.
"Brother Xu, this time there are a total of eight hundred Red Flame Sheep. The quality should be somewhat better than the previous batch."
"Great, I'll be right over!"
"Brother Xu, don't rush. Also, bring me two hundred Longevity Turtle eggs and some Third Rank Spirit Grass seeds," Chen Jiuge hastily added.
"Alright, Brother Chen, please wait a moment. I'll be there immediately."
「An hour later」
A hearty voice echoed outside the small valley: "Brother Chen, I've arrived! Open the Array, please."
Hearing the voice, Chen Jiuge briefly sensed the situation outside the Array. Confirming it was Xu Tian alone, he promptly opened the Array.
"Brother Xu, please take a look at this batch of Red Flame Sheep. If there's no issue, it's the same deal as last time," Chen Jiuge said directly, pointing towards the flock surrounded by the dogs.
Xu Tian followed Chen Jiuge's pointing finger and flashed into the midst of the flock. He touched a few sheep here and there and couldn't help but exclaim, "Good sheep, good sheep! Their quality is even better than last time, and their Bloodline is purer. They're sure to taste even more delicious when roasted!"
"Brother Chen, I've brought the Longevity Turtle eggs and Third Rank Spirit Grass seeds you wanted. Shall I just deduct the cost from the payment?" Xu Tian asked.
"Yes."
The two of them verified the amounts. Chen Jiuge then handed one hundred thirty Top Grade Spirit Stones to Xu Tian, saying, "Brother Xu, you make money so easily."
"Hahaha, Brother Chen, that's not the way to put it. Your Red Flame Sheep mature every five years and yield almost a hundred Top Grade Spirit Stones each time! You're making money almost on par with a Nascent Soul Cultivator," Xu Tian said, changing the subject.
"Brother Xu, would you like to stay for a meal?" Chen Jiuge, seeing this, didn't press further and asked instead.
"I'll pass. The Sect has been recruiting new members recently, and business at the tavern is booming. This batch of Red Flame Sheep will solve my urgent need, so I have to take them back first," Xu Tian politely declined.
"Alright then, let's get together another time," Chen Jiuge said with a hint of regret.
"Sure thing, sure thing." Xu Tian waved his hand, collected the flock of Red Flame Sheep, and bid farewell to Chen Jiuge with a cupped fist salute before departing.