Chapter 491: Settling Down (Part 2)
This formation is a Fourth-grade Array, and the required materials are all fourth-grade. At least before becoming a Nascent Soul Cultivator, it was very difficult for him to gather so many fourth-grade array materials.
Li Shiming sighed in his heart. Even as a major sect on the same continent, the former Shushan Sect was vastly different from the current Ten Thousand Beast Sect.
The former Shushan Sect's grand formation couldn't withstand even a Nascent Soul Ancestor's attack, not even for a short period.
But in the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, not to mention the Sect Formation, even the formation of this floating mountain could block a Nascent Soul Ancestor for a time.
Li Shiming also found that the mountain hovering in the air was not just a symbol of status, but it became the first line of defense for the sect, while also enjoying enhanced spiritual energy supply from the strengthened grand formation.
In addition to its own Nascent Soul Level Spirit Vein, the mountain continuously absorbed Spiritual Energy from the surrounding void. The spiritual energy in the air was much denser than on the ground, making the spiritual energy environment within the mountain better.
Li Shiming now felt assured to place Venerable Huijing and his avatar Li Yuanba in his own cave mansion, as it was absolutely safe, and he no longer worried about anyone intruding.
Being inside the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, he didn't need to have Venerable Huijing follow him closely.
Venerable Huijing's strength improvement was somewhat slow, and Li Shiming hoped he could quickly strengthen his abilities. For a long period in the future, there was no need to worry about the cultivation environment, allowing Venerable Huijing to go into seclusion and train for an extended period.
The Illusion Spirit Jiao was also relocated to the Spiritual Pet Room; during this time, the Illusion Spirit Jiao had been absorbed in absorbing the Dragon Vein Source Crystal, being transferred from one cave mansion to another, unable to settle down.
This time, it's finally good, finally having a safe abode.
Li Shiming had an idea; he had always been in a free-range state regarding the Illusion Spirit Jiao, hardly interfering with its cultivation.
Now being in the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, he didn't want to return empty-handed from the treasure mountain. He planned to find a Secret Technique to nourish the spiritual pet, allowing the Illusion Spirit Jiao to grow more quickly when he had the time.
He spent three days getting familiar with his cave mansion and the mountain, and opened up an underground space deep within the cave mansion, where he planned to place large machinery equipment and have his brain-controlled Silver Corpse conduct the previously unfinished research and production.
Unexpectedly, on the third day, a spell transmitted from outside the mountain, indicating a cultivator had arrived to visit him.
His Divine Thought connected to the spell, discovering it wasn't from a familiar cultivator.
In the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, only Ancestor Zhang Kai, Master Jiang Hong, and the newly acquainted Junior Master Song were familiar to him.
The spell was sent by a Nascent Soul Early Stage Practitioner named Hua Yan, who was waiting outside the mountain.
Li Shiming hesitated slightly, thinking that this was the sect area of the Ten Thousand Beast Sect and there wouldn't be any danger. He also wanted to expand his network, so he opened the formation.
"Sorry to disturb you!" Elder Hua Yan was very surprised when he saw Li Shiming.
The news of Li Shiming joining the sect hadn't spread yet, and his status as an Alchemy Master was known to only a few cultivators.
It was evident that Elder Hua Yan was unaware of this, which was why he showed surprise upon seeing Li Shiming.
"I wonder what Master Hua might need?" Li Shiming was unsure of his intentions, so he first invited Elder Hua Yan to the newly constructed pavilion outside the cave mansion to sit down, before speaking.
"I have sixteen disciples who are all Spirit Plant Masters. Seeing your mountain needs development, I am wondering if you could let my disciples cultivate the spirit field on your mountain?" Elder Hua Yan asked with a smile.
Li Shiming was a bit dumbfounded, was this a business solicitation? Is this really a Nascent Soul Ancestor in his understanding? Visiting personally for a mountain's spirit field?
One couldn't blame him; on the Beishu Continent, every Nascent Soul Ancestor was an unreachable existence, with all sect resources serving the Nascent Soul Ancestors.
Seeing a Nascent Soul Ancestor coming for business was indeed Li Shiming's first experience.
The outsourcing of the mountain's spirit field posed no threat to mountain safety. The mountain's formation could open up the spirit field area separately, accessed only by designated Spirit Plant Masters.
"I wonder what I need to give?" Li Shiming thought for a moment and realized it didn't matter much. Although he had the capacity of a Spirit Plant Master, he really didn't have the time to manage the entire mountain.
"One-tenth of the spirit field on the mountain!" Elder Hua Yan replied with a smile.
This was truly not much; Li Shiming didn't need to spend any effort, simply by providing the spirit field on the mountain, he could receive nine-tenths of the harvest.
"Rest assured, in the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, sixty percent of the floating mountains are my clients, and my integrity is well known. As long as you propose retracting the spirit field a year in advance, you can have it back the next year!" Elder Hua Yan added, seemingly worried Li Shiming might have concerns.
"I would like to know what will be cultivated on the mountain's spirit field?" Li Shiming asked one final time.
"Third-grade Beast Saliva Fruit!" Elder Hua Yan answered without concealment.
Li Shiming searched the IBMz15 database but found no information about the Third-grade Beast Saliva Fruit.
"This Third-grade Beast Saliva Fruit is the main ingredient for the Third Grade Spiritual Beast Essence Enhancement Pill. The demand for Spiritual Beast Essence Boosting Pills in the sect is tremendous, but the growth conditions for this Third-grade Beast Saliva Fruit are extremely stringent, with only floating mountains in the sect meeting the conditions!" Elder Hua Yan further explained.
"How valuable is this Third-grade Beast Saliva Fruit?" Li Shiming, upon hearing it was a third-grade Spiritual Medicine, lost much of his interest, wondering how much value a whole mountain's spirit field planted with Third-grade Beast Saliva Fruits could bring?
Elder Hua Yan scrutinized Li Shiming again; if a Nascent Soul Ancestor had asked this, there would be no questions. But a Golden Core cultivator like Li Shiming looking down on a Third-grade Spiritual Medicine seemed a bit unusual.
"The main users of Third Grade Spiritual Beast Essence Enhancement Pills are not Third Grade Spiritual Beasts, but Fourth-grade Spirit Beasts. It's a staple for Fourth-grade Spirit Beasts. Although its value doesn't match Fourth-grade Spirit Plants, its quantity more than compensates for the value difference!" Elder Hua Yan patiently explained.
"Then the spirit field on the mountain will be entrusted to Elder Hua, just deliver the part of the Third-grade Beast Saliva Fruits that belongs to me directly to me!" Li Shiming showed interest and considered it.
Being an Alchemy Master himself and having spiritual pets, he thought of preparing some food for the Illusion Spirit Jiao in advance, especially since it was the food prepared by the Ten Thousand Beast Sect for Fourth-grade Spirit Beasts, and he expected the Illusion Spirit Jiao would like it.
Elder Hua Yan hesitated for a moment since his benefits were more than just one-tenth. If the remaining nine-tenths of Third-grade Beast Saliva Fruit were handed to him, having it refined into Third Grade Spiritual Beast Essence Enhancement Pills by a Pill Master could still net a profit.
However, thinking of Li Shiming's special status - owning a floating mountain as a Golden Core cultivator's cave mansion, he abandoned that tiny bit of potential profit.
"Then it's settled. I'll draft a contract with you!" Elder Hua Yan said, taking out his Identity Jade Disc and sending a drafted contract to Li Shiming.
After Li Shiming confirmed there were no issues with the contract, both parties left their Spirit Imprints on it. The contract would be recorded in the sect through the Identity Jade Disc, with the sect supervising its fulfillment.
Just as Li Shiming signed the contract, Elder Hua Yan summoned two Spirit Plant Masters.
Hearing the two Golden Core Stage Spirit Plant Masters call Elder Hua Yan their master, it seemed that Hua Yan had indeed cultivated a batch of Spirit Plant Masters.
Li Shiming set permissions for the two Spirit Plant Masters, leaving the rest to them, as he didn't need to manage anything afterward.
Professionals are indeed efficient; the two Spirit Plant Masters brought all necessary materials, meticulously restoring the long-abandoned spirit field on the mountain, infusing various materials to revitalize them.
They took about ten days, transforming the entire mountain into something vastly different. From the base to nearly the top, everything was opened up into Third-grade Spiritual Fields.
Seeds were sown into the spiritual fields, followed by large clouds and rain dispersing.
After busying themselves for over ten days, the two Spirit Plant Masters didn't remain on the mountain continually. From Li Shiming's observations, the two were also responsible for the spiritual plant operations of two other mountains.