Why Do Spirit Stones Vanish So Fast?

In the end, Luo Chen successfully developed a milk tea in the cultivation world that cultivators could accept. Using the milk of fuzhu deer as the primary ingredient, paired with tea brewed from the crushed leaves of century-old spiritual tea trees, he also added several medicinal herbs to suppress the beast milk's gaminess. With these various ingredients combined, the result was a fuzhu milk tea rich in milky aroma yet pleasantly light in flavor. After concocting the milk tea, Feng Xia drank it, Luo Chen drank it, and Dongfang Liang, with his weathered face, was forced to drink it as well. After tasting it, all three agreed it was quite good. It contained a faint trace of spiritual power, and drinking it repeatedly caused no digestive discomfort. As a beverage for leisure, it was not inferior to ordinary spiritual tea or spiritual wine. Now that the recipe was a success, the next things to consider were relatively much simpler. The milk supply would be ordered from the Mountain Breaker Gang's Beast Hall. The tea would rely on the few century-old spiritual tea trees the Medicine Hall had discovered in the Guyuan Mountain Range. Century-old spiritual tea trees sounded impressive. In reality, they were the cheapest sort of thing in the Eastern Wilderness's cultivation world. Truly precious spiritual tea trees started at millennia or tens of millennia of age. Those few tea trees were usually visited by impoverished rogue cultivators of the Mountain Breaker Gang, who would pluck a few handfuls of leaves when bored to brew for casual sipping. The spiritual power in the milk tea actually came mainly from one of the medicinal herbs in Luo Chen's formula. With the milk source and tea settled, all that remained were the herbs in the recipe. This time, however, he couldn't skim them from the Pill Hall. The quantity was too large, so they needed to be purchased separately. On this front, Feng Xia was more familiar than anyone; after all, she had come from Hundred Herbs Hall. "Let's set up the stall in the next few days. I'll have Yuan Xiaoyue help you." "This fuzhu milk tea is served hot and will require frequent use of the Fireball Art for heating. Sister Xia, your mastery of the Fireball Art is up to it, right?" Feng Xia nodded with confidence. In her early days, she had been a medicine tester, but later transitioned to a helper processing medicinal ingredients. Certain herbs requiring high-temperature processing were heated entirely by hand with their Fireball Arts. When it came to controlling the power of the Fireball Art, she was quite confident. "Do you know how to brew tea?" "No problem. Back when there were no customers, Xiao Ling and I would share tea with Shopkeeper Liu to pass the time," she said in her raspy voice. Luo Chen gave an acknowledging hum, thought for a moment, and said, "When the time comes, make your motions a bit flashy to catch the passing cultivators' eyes as much as possible." Sizing Feng Xia up, he added, "Also, you need to change your style of dress." "Mm? Change it how?" "You dress far too plainly right now. You need to learn a bit from Sister Caiyi." Feng Xia paused, feeling rather self-conscious at the thought of Gu Caiyi's usual outfits. To be honest, Feng Xia looked quite ordinary, but her figure was exceptionally voluptuous. It was just that she usually dressed too conservatively, hiding certain naturally endowed advantages beneath drab, dusty Daoist robes. Luo Chen hadn't noticed either before. But later, his divine abilities had reached great accomplishment! With the Spiritual Eye Art rooted in his eyes, he had inadvertently caught onto the clues. "It's all for the business—for earning spirit stones to cultivate!" Luo Chen specially urged her, fearing she might resist the idea. Feng Xia shifted her posture awkwardly and gave a soft hum of agreement. Hearing that raspy voice, Luo Chen subconsciously furrowed his brow. In business, advertising and knowing how to hawk one's wares was always vital. But with Sister Xia's voice...? "Someone who sings well?" Gu Caiyi rubbed her fair wrist. Luo Chen hadn't gone to the Pill Hall today, so she had to direct many chores and even lend a hand personally, leaving her quite tired. In response to Luo Chen's question, she replied without hesitation, "Plenty. In the Tianlai Tower next to our Yuyi Tower back then, there were lots of sisters with lovely singing voices. What is it? Got spirit stones now and want to live it up?" Luo Chen waved his hand. "Shoo, shoo! Nothing but filthy thoughts in your head all day." "Bah!" "Help me set up a meeting with a sister who has a sweet voice and knows music. I have a big business proposition to discuss with her!" "How big?" "Four or fi... fifty spirit stones!" Luo Chen gritted his teeth. "Not a stone more! Even the landlord's granary is running dry." Tea leaves barely cost a few spirit stones, but beast milk and herbs were major expenses. To get his milk tea shop off the ground, the initial investment would require a substantial sacrifice. It would take at least a hundred-odd spirit stones! Gu Caiyi smilingly agreed to it. It had been a while since she last saw Luo Chen act like such a stingy penny-pincher. Truth be told, it was quite endearing! That was just how things went: when a wealthy man pinched pennies, thrift was a virtue, and every action exuded charm. When a poor man pinched pennies, he was just plain stingy. When had the mores of the cultivation world deteriorated to this point too? The next day, through his bodyguard Zhou Yuanli, Luo Chen arranged a meeting with Beast Hall Master Ke Yuelin. The two met in a small tavern in the inner city. The tavern was newly opened as well, right in White Stone Square, catering specifically to spectators and contestants of the Dao Discussion Platform. When they first met, the atmosphere was not harmonious. Ke Yuelin had parted ways with Qin Liangchen and his wife long ago, now following Mi Shuhua's lead entirely. Otherwise, Luo Chen wouldn't have needed Zhou Yuanli to arrange the meeting; he could have simply asked Qin Liangchen to invite Ke Yuelin to his home. Once they actually sat down, the atmosphere became very genial. "A business worth five hundred spirit stones a month—I'm really taking a loss here. But solely out of consideration that you're my Elder Brother Liangchen's junior brother, I'll swallow the loss," Ke Yuelin said, beaming. "Hand over the deposit first!" Luo Chen cursed inwardly. Only the fuzhu deer's meat was worth anything; no one wanted its milk at all. But a reliable milk source was paramount, and aside from the Mountain Breaker Gang, only the Nangong family raised fuzhu deer on any scale. There was no sense in going far afield when a source was right here, so he had no choice but to let Ke Yuelin profit. He took out a pouch of spirit stones and handed it to Ke Yuelin. After a brief count, Ke Yuelin's expression changed. "Wasn't it three hundred a month? Why are there only fifty spirit stones?" "It's a deposit! Who ever heard of paying in full upfront?" Luo Chen rolled his eyes. "I obviously have to do a few trial days! What if it's unpopular, and people accuse me of using fake milk?" Ke Yuelin's face darkened and cleared by turns. After thinking for a long time, he finally nodded and accepted it. "Fine. I'll arrange people to milk them for you, but the Beast Hall is short-handed—no one will deliver it to you." With that, he flicked his sleeve and departed. Having agreed on three hundred spirit stones a month only to receive fifty, it was no wonder he looked so disgruntled. Luo Chen also paid the tavern tab while grumbling curses under his breath. What do you mean, "arrange people to milk them for me"?! Grumbly as he was, his mood was undeniably fantastic. The milk source issue was finally resolved. Next, everything was in place, lacking only the east wind! And that east wind was brought to him that very day by Yuan Xiaoyue. "Brother He agreed! He'll rent us that small shop in White Stone Square facing Fallen Phoenix Mountain, but the rent of ten spirit stones a month is non-negotiable, and it requires a one-year lease minimum." "Ten stones? Why doesn't the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion just rob people instead?" Yuan Xiaoyue explained patiently, "It's a proper shop, after all, not like a rogue cultivator's stall. Besides, plenty of people want to rent it." The "Brother He" she spoke of was the cultivator Luo Chen had previously gifted ten-year-old yellow pear wine to, named He Youjun. At the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, his status was second only to the Foundation Establishment cultivator Miao Zhen currently stationed in Dahe Market, and the senior Sun Shou. He was currently in charge of miscellaneous affairs for the Fallen Phoenix Mountain's Dao Discussion Platform, as well as the shops and stalls in the White Stone Square area. It was also because of regularly gifting him wine that he looked after Luo Chen's business quite well. Last time, after Yuan Xiaoyue reported the situation, he had dispatched the law enforcement squad directly to sweep through the various stalls, collect fines, and establish new rules. Ever since, Yuan Xiaoyue had occupied the prime stall location under the banner of the Chenyue Snack Stall. Now that he wanted to rent a shop, even if it was just the smallest storefront, Luo Chen naturally approached him. Luo Chen had no choice but to follow Yuan Xiaoyue to see He Youjun. He had previously assumed the initial startup cost would only be around a hundred stones, but looking at it now, it was far more than that! Renting a shop at ten stones a month with a minimum one-year lease took over a hundred right away. Purchasing tea-brewing utensils and paying someone to custom-make milk tea cups would be another hefty sum. Then there was the meeting that afternoon with the girl from Tianxiang Pavilion; service fees would definitely have to be paid. Oh, and he still had to swing by Wanbao Pavilion shortly to buy a low-grade artifact. "Damn it, why do spirit stones vanish so fast?!" A hundred spirit stones? Pfft! Luo Chen had vastly underestimated the cost of opening a shop. A milk tea shop was fundamentally different from a snack stall; the capital investment required was incomparable. After careful calculation, the initial investment came to at least five hundred spirit stones or so. And that was with him making up an excuse to defer paying Ke Yuelin the rest of the first month's payment. Otherwise, the upfront cost would have spiked to a thousand in an instant. "It... shouldn't lose money, right?" Holding a small orb in his hand, Luo Chen felt deeply apprehensive. Little did he know, someone was even more apprehensive than him. In the main room across the courtyard, Feng Xia stepped anxiously out of the bedroom. "Does dressing like this really work?" "Of course it does! You look so gorgeous, who knows how many cultivators' eyes you'll draw when the time comes," Gu Caiyi said with a laugh. Bai Meiling's eyes widened in amazement. "How did I never notice before that you were so glamorous, Sister Xia?!" Feng Xia glared at her, still somewhat uncomfortable. Gu Caiyi shook her head. "This is already my most conservative outfit, but Sister Xia, your figure is honestly too voluptuous—it stretches the fabric a bit tight. I'll alter it for you in a bit!" "It still needs alterations?" Feng Xia asked nervously. "It does, and not just the clothes—your makeup too. You actually have good features to begin with; you just rarely used rouge and powder before, so you didn't know how to play to your strengths." Gu Caiyi scrutinized Feng Xia, offering various suggestions. "Your bun needs a change too." "Accessories are a must, or you'll look too plain." "Don't worry, it won't be cumbersome." "These shoes are what you wear to work, aren't they? Tomorrow let's go buy a couple more pairs at a shop! They aren't expensive; ordinary things like this don't cost spirit stones, gold and silver will do." "Xiao Ling, pencil Sister Xia's eyebrows. Willow-leaf eyebrows don't suit her. Actually, never mind, let me do it!" After a round of styling, Gu Caiyi pulled back her hands. "This is great. It looks unadorned, but after careful touches, it actually produces an effortless natural beauty." Feng Xia was rather bewildered. What on earth was an "effortless natural beauty produced by careful touches"? Her life experience was vastly different from that of many female cultivators in Dahe Market. She had been a rogue cultivator, but was unskilled in combat and possessed no particular craft. With ordinary looks, she couldn't even rely on someone else for support. In utter desperation, she had no choice but to become a medicine tester for Hundred Herbs Hall, which ended up leaving her with lingering injuries. Fortunately, Hundred Herbs Hall was later taken over by the kind-hearted Shopkeeper Liu, who reassigned her from medicine testing to logistical work processing herbs. Over the years, life had been harsh. Consequently, she knew next to nothing about everyday styling and makeup. She went bare-faced on ordinary days and pinched every copper. Even when renting in the inner city, she couldn't afford a wing room and could only stay in the smallest winglet. By comparison, the glamorous and graceful Gu Caiyi and the lively, adorable Bai Meiling knew far more than she did. Thus, she could only sit like a marionette, letting them have their way with her. Sigh, there's no point worrying about it. As long as we pull off this business, it'll all be worth it. Sighing inwardly, Feng Xia forced herself to accept reality. Yet looking at the unfamiliar, beautiful reflection in the bronze mirror, the corners of her lips curved up involuntarily. Turns out I'm not that ugly after all! Bang! Bang! Bang! "Luo Chen, I know you're home. Open up!" Early in the morning, someone pounded on Luo Chen's door. Bleary-eyed from sleep, Luo Chen opened the door and stared speechlessly at the woman before him. "So free, are you? What do you want? Don't tell me you came early in the morning to foster feelings with me!" The first part was harmless, but when that last sentence came out, the woman's face flushed unnaturally. A shiver ran down Luo Chen's spine. "Mi Junping, why the heck are you blushing?!" Taking a deep breath, Mi Junping suppressed her discomfort and asked sternly, "How long has it been since you last visited the Pill Hall? And you still have the nerve to ask why I'm here?" "Oh, that?" Luo Chen leaned against the doorframe and yawned. "Too much going on at home. Can't step away." "What do you mean, too much going on? Zhou Yuanli told me everything! You shirk your proper duties every day, running all over the place. Yesterday, you even screamed at the top of your lungs all afternoon, and someone complained about you disturbing the peace!" At the mention of disturbing the peace, Luo Chen felt rather awkward. Yesterday, he had met with a lovely sister from Tianlai Tower, and the two had exchanged ideas on music. In the end, some uncultured blockhead had run off to complain to Sun Shou, claiming Luo Chen was disturbing his quiet cultivation and had almost caused a neighbor to suffer cultivation deviation. What complete nonsense! "Let me tell you, the Jade Marrow Pills are selling very well, and last month's stockpile won't last more than a few days. If you don't return to the Pill Hall, my father will be angry." Luo Chen rolled his eyes. "If your father's going to be angry, tell him to come see me himself! In any case, I'm not leaving the inner city anytime soon." With that, he stepped back inside and slammed the door shut, fully projecting an attitude of sealing himself away in his small building and caring nothing for the affairs of the outside world. Mi Junping froze in place, momentarily at a loss for words. Biting her teeth, she glared venomously at the ramshackle house, spun on her heel, and stormed off. In the Mountain Breaker Gang, Mi Shuhua was flipping through recent account ledgers while listening to Mi Junping's complaint. After a long while, he put the ledger down, looking thoughtful. "Luo Chen is still worried about someone ambushing him!" "Huh?" Mi Junping started, completely failing to consider that angle. Glancing at her, Mi Shuhua sighed. His eldest daughter, aside from possessing a bit of knack for financial matters, was truly mediocre in every other respect. Poor at judging character, she had attached herself to a partner early on and given birth to her daughter, Mi Li, cutting short her own cultivation path. Petty-minded, she docked and skimmed from the gang members constantly, stirring up popular resentment recently. On top of that, she had a terrible temper, ordering everyone about with impunity just because her father was a Foundation Establishment cultivator. He truly had no idea what would become of her if he failed to break through to Core Formation a hundred years from now and no second Foundation Establishment cultivator arose in the Mi family. Oh, perhaps there was no need to worry about that. With her aptitude, she couldn't break through to Foundation Establishment either; a century later, she would likely pass away before him. Standing up, Mi Shuhua paced outward, with Mi Junping following closely behind. "Regarding that ambush in Qingma Woods last time, we never did give Luo Chen an explanation, when all is said and done." "Those rogue pillagers from Snow Lotus Market appeared far too abruptly." "Don't be fooled by how carefree Luo Chen usually acts, treating everything casually. In truth, he is far more shrewd and calculating than most." Mi Junping was baffled. "Shrewd? Him?" Mi Shuhua sighed with emotion. "Such shrewdness shows itself in many ways. In dealing with people, toward those of higher cultivation than him, he is consistently humble. Toward those on his level, he maintains harmonious relations. Toward those weaker than him, he never bullies them and is even willing to bestow generous favors." Mi Junping parted her lips, hesitating to speak. Luo Chen, humble? I'm higher in cultivation than him, and I certainly haven't seen him acting humble! Walking under the eaves and watching the heavy snow subside, Mi Shuhua spoke smoothly. "In battle, none of you have probably ever noticed: he isn't as cowardly as he acts. On the contrary, he possesses both courage and cunning." "You all thought I was the one who saved Luo Chen back then, but in reality, before I even arrived, he had already slain two enemies in an instant and still had the strength to hunt down the survivor." "I interrogated Lu Huaiben in private, and he recounted the exact details of that battle three times." "Luo Chen used extreme speed to create distance. Then, feigning weakness, he dropped into the dense woods. In that brief window, he planted a saber formation and hidden weapons in advance, followed by casting spells at high speed through an unknown method." "Not only that, he even planned his offensive contingencies ahead of time. First, he trapped the strongest, Lu Huaiben, and then used thunderous force to obliterate the weakest foe. To guard against flaws in his own offense, he had long prepared the Four Elements Cauldron to defend against the other enemy possessing a top-grade artifact." "Even when subsequently pursuing the wounded enemy, he never lowered his guard, keeping the Four Elements Cauldron's defensive power activated throughout." Sentence after sentence made Mi Junping's heart tremble violently. Suddenly, a question rang in her ears: "If three ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivators surrounded and attacked you, Ping'er, could you have mounted such a response?" Mi Junping forced a smile, but as she smiled, she fell silent. Mi Shuhua shook his head and said with feeling, "His interpersonal dealings are so smooth, his life-and-death combat shows both courage and intellect, and what's more, he knows precisely when to advance and retreat. Knowing my high tolerance for him, he repeatedly demands benefits, yet every single time, he keeps them strictly within what I can accept." "How many Qi Refinement cultivators would dare push their luck before a Foundation Establishment cultivator?" Only now did Mi Junping finally realize that Luo Chen was nowhere near as simple as he appeared. Even she, his own daughter, walked on eggshells before the increasingly formidable Mi Shuhua. That Luo Chen could get along so "harmoniously" with Mi Shuhua was something one wouldn't normally notice, yet truly unimaginable in reality. "Luo Chen is very shrewd. I know it, and I reckon he knows I know it. But with the profits of the Jade Marrow Pills at stake, that is merely a trivial matter." "However, this time, the appearance of rogue pillagers made him feel unsafe." "Why do you think I assigned three more late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators to protect him right away?" Mi Shuhua asked, before answering himself, "Yet he still feels unsafe!" Mi Junping hesitated. "Then how can we make him feel safe? Father, you've already sent people to Snow Lotus Market to hunt down Shan Xiu, and over at the Great River Gang, word is that Gao Tingyuan has been pushed out to the least profitable waterways near Liuguang Market. Haven't we done everything we can?" A long sigh sounded. To Mi Junping's ears, it sounded exceedingly jarring. "Sometimes, absolute safety isn't what moves a person's heart. Sufficient profit can completely make someone overlook a sliver of risk." Mi Shuhua looked impassive, as though the disappointed sigh hadn't come from his own lips. "Luo Chen wants an explanation? Then I shall give him one." "Didn't Mi Zifan suffer a crushing defeat to that discarded son of the Duan family on the Dao Discussion Platform last month?" "Go over there, take his Minor Spirit Gathering Formation, and deliver it personally to Luo Chen. Tell him that concocting pills every day for the gang has held back his cultivation, and this Minor Spirit Gathering Formation is his compensation." Mi Junping was stunned. Even after Mi Shuhua walked away, she had not snapped back to reality. The Mi family possessed only two Spirit Gathering Formations in total. The larger array had always been used by Mi Shuhua. The smaller one was ordinarily reserved for the most talented junior of the clan. She had enjoyed its benefits back in the day, as had her third sister. Unfortunately, none of the second generation of the Mi family had amounted to much, and now that Minor Spirit Gathering Formation was basically used by the third-generation clansmen. Yet now, Mi Shuhua actually wanted to give the Minor Spirit Gathering Formation to Luo Chen?