Three months passed in a flash.
Due to the invasion of the Hundred Beasts Sect, the production in the Spirit Field was once halted.
Li An and Wang Zilin had to painstakingly replant and organize the Spirit Field. Only after a long time did Spirit Plant Mountain finally get back on track. Fortunately, the sect did not demand Spirit Plant Mountain's production during this period.
Otherwise, the two of them would likely suffer terrible losses.
"The first batch of Spirit Rice will mature this month. Judging by the current growth, the extra reward should be nearly four hundred catties!"
On this day, after ending the Cloud Movement and Rain Skill, Wang Zilin looked at the rice in the field, wiped the sweat from his face and spoke excitedly.
During this period, Li An had explained many cultivation points of the Cloud Movement and Rain Skill to him, making him more adept at it. Additionally, the array that was stealing Spiritual Qi was abolished by the sect, resulting in the field being pest-free and evenly saturated with Spiritual Qi, growing far better than before.
"Hmm, keep it up, ninety-five to five share."
Li An smiled faintly.
Wang Zilin: "..."
Although the profit share ratio hadn't changed, Wang Zilin no longer resented Li An, because aside from saving his life, Li An was also quite good to him.
His monthly stipend had increased from a small piece to half a piece!
Previously Fan Jie only gave a third!
"I'm going to see Sister Susu. Grass has grown on her grave, it needs tidying."
Zhang Susu's grave is buried halfway up the mountain; it is actually a clothes tomb.
On the day the Hundred Beasts Sect attacked, she went to seek help from Fan Jie, but was stopped by a Restriction halfway up the mountain and was devoured by several Spirit Beasts until nothing was left...
Wang Zilin limped away, his figure somewhat desolate.
In the vast Profound Yang Sect, in the boundless human world, on this distant path to immortality, Wang Zilin might be the only one who truly cared about Zhang Susu.
Li An remained silent, he had actually reminded Zhang Susu that when danger approached, the mud at the side of the mountain in the Azure Lotus Pond was thick and hiding in it would have been very safe, but Zhang Susu ultimately didn't realize this and regarded Fan Jie as a savior...
Li An couldn't explicitly tell Zhang Susu these things, it would bring him danger.
He could only do this much... everyone has their fate.
...
Night.
Li An counted the existing Spirit Stones.
Although he was not yet an official disciple, his monthly stipend had risen to three Spirit Stones and five bags of Spirit Rice after becoming the manager.
With the addition of deducting half a piece from Wang Zilin each month, he already had ten and a half pieces.
Although still very poor, it could barely be considered a small accumulation.
He couldn't help but think of Fan Jie, who was truly rich.
Unfortunately, the time was too short that day, and Li An had no time to identify everything, so he had to discard all of Fan Jie's Spirit Stones and treasures.
After all, if anything in Fan Jie's storage bag was marked, Li An would have been exposed.
So he only took the storage bag and Fire Spirit Fruit.
This way is the safest!
In these three months, Li An only went around the stream where he buried the storage bag once to confirm it hadn't been discovered and then didn't touch it.
The Fire Spirit Fruit absolutely couldn't appear within the sect; he could only wait for an opportunity in the future to take it out and sell it.
Li An was not in a hurry about this.
...
The next day.
Li An left Spirit Plant Mountain and headed to the outer sect.
After registering and waiting outside Zhengyi Residence for a long time, Wang Dazhu and Zhao Xian's Story had already come out.
The three of them still gathered at the pavilion by Moon Lake.
"Brother Li, come, this cup is to congratulate you on surviving the tribulation and being promoted to the manager of Spirit Plant Mountain!"
Zhao Xian's Story raised his cup, and the three drank it all in one go.
They discussed the current situation in Profound Yang Sect.
After the ambush against the Hundred Beasts Sect's invasion, Profound Yang Sect felt relieved instantly, the harassment around disappeared, and Wang Dazhu and others could finally cultivate in peace.
In that battle, the Hundred Beasts Sect lost two beast-taming Foundation Establishment masters, and four Tier Two Spirit Beasts were killed, resulting in a brief peace for Profound Yang Sect.
However, Li An also learned from the sect's information that the Hundred Beasts Sect was supposed to have a Fake Pill level big shot appearing, but for some unknown reason, he did not join the fray.
As for this, Li An guessed that it was mostly due to Fan Jie's Spirit Bell, which made that expert from the Hundred Beasts Sect sense danger.
So, he watched from afar.
But according to the information Zhao Xian's Story got from his family, the battle for the Middle Grade Spirit Stone mine on the frontline had not ceased.
This kind of matter usually lasts for a very long time, and all parties wouldn't easily back down.
"Brother An, I can attempt to break through to the fourth level of Qi Cultivation!"
Wang Dazhu was very happy; his cultivation had already reached the perfection of the third level, even more advanced than Zhao Xian's Story, and said:
"A few days ago, a senior brother from the Artifact Refining Hall said my physique is strong and very suitable for going to the Artifact Refining Hall. After the big annual assessment of the sect a year from now, I'll aim to develop in the Artifact Refining Hall, what do you think?"
The big annual assessment of the sect gives everyone the hope of taking a step forward.
Official disciples can try to enter the inner sect, and those half-disciples can try for official discipleship.
Wang Dazhu and the others had been cultivating together at Yangdao Residence for the first three years, and when the three-year term was up, if they couldn't become official disciples, they'd have to take up positions and develop in various halls.
In the outer sect, the best opportunities lie in: Alchemy Hall, Artifact Refining Hall, and Talisman Hall!
Given their current level of cultivation and contributions, Wang Dazhu and the others were still far from reaching official discipleship, so they were already looking for their paths.
"Of course you can!"
Li An said, it would also be good if Wang Dazhu could successfully enter the Artifact Refining Hall.
"And what about you, Brother Zhao?"
He looked at Zhao Xian's Story.
Zhao Xian's Story looked somewhat bitter, "I am studying books on the Alchemy Dao..."
Alchemy requires extremely high aptitude, and though Zhao Xian's Story struggled, the hope of entering the Pill Hall was very slim.
If they couldn't go to the three big halls, they could only develop in places like mining areas, Spirit Plant Mountain, or weaving places, all with very limited prospects.
In comparison, Wang Dazhu had a chance to enter the Artifact Refining Hall, and Li An might go to the Talisman Hall. Naturally, this left him feeling bitter.
"Mu Qingwan has already reached the fourth level of Qi Cultivation, progressing fast."
"Chen Cheng is getting closer to her, and they're touted as a couple blessed by the heavens within the sect, supposedly planning to marry once they both become inner sect disciples..."
They talked about Mu Qingwan with admiration in their words.
Li An was very calm about this.
After bidding farewell to Zhao Xian's Story and others, Li An took another trip to Yangdao Residence, but heard that Xu Qiuhui had been in seclusion for a month and couldn't be seen.
He left dozens of jin of Spirit Rice, entrusting someone to give it to Xu Qiuhui, saying it's new rice from this year for Xu Qiuhui to taste fresh.
This bit of Spirit Rice didn't mean much, but it expressed an attitude that Li An hadn't forgotten his kindness.
Then he went to the sect's Exchange Pavilion, planning to purchase a talisman brush.
Even the lowest-grade talisman brush cost six Spirit Stones, but Li An gritted his teeth and bought it.
In the trading market, one could find old talisman brushes, but it takes time and effort, and only with luck can you buy a decent one. Moreover, they don't last long.
"Do you have Antitoxic Pills?"
Before leaving, Li An asked, "For detoxifying Pill Poison."
"Yes, the lowest-grade Antitoxic Pills are ten Spirit Stones each."
The middle-aged man at the exchange point chuckled, evidently remembering this little servant who had previously bought miscellaneous Spirit Pills for cultivation.
Hearing this, Li An turned green and left.
He couldn't afford it!
He went to the trading market, turning the remaining two and a half Spirit Stones entirely into talisman paper.
Talisman paper is more cost-effective to purchase in the trading market than at the exchange point, and after some haggling, he bought a total of one hundred and forty-three sheets for two and a half Spirit Stones.
More than twenty sheets more than if he'd purchased at the exchange point!
Yet Li An was once again penniless.
...
Li An left the outer sect not long after.
In the outer sect, within a large hall in the Alchemy Hall.
"Senior Brother Lu, I've checked, this little servant should be fine. The method of buying Spring Herbs was taught to him by Xu Qiuhui, and he initially bought his talisman brush and paper from Xu Qiuhui… He built his connection with Xu Qiuhui using Spirit Rice."
"He has some cleverness, but not overly so. He even bought a few miscellaneous Spirit Pills recently and came today to buy Antitoxic Pills."
"Overall, it seems fine."
A young man reported in front of a middle-aged man dressed in a fire-colored robe.
The middle-aged man in the fire-colored robe had an extremely grim face!
"Then forget it... Hurry up and find a substitute for the Fire Spirit Fruit, if we delay our master's big matter, neither of us will be able to bear it!"
...