novelraw Chapter 249 : Harvest
Chapter 249 : Harvest
Chapter 249: Harvest
Experts, more experts!
Ji Yuan first glanced at Real Person Heaven Silkworm, who seemed to have been pushed to the very limit… His body was shriveled, his face pitch black, and even the Heavenly Net he held had dimmed and lost its luster.
In this state, let alone sustaining another battle between Core Formation Cultivators—
Even facing a Peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, he might not be a match.
As that thought flashed through his mind, he turned to look at the figure landing beside him.
The newcomer was an old man dressed in gray cloth garments. His back was slightly hunched, but unlike the Crippled Taoist Mourner, he did not rely on a cane. Instead, his hands were clasped behind his back, exuding a sense of dignity.
Of course, it was mainly the moment he had ridden the escape light here that made Ji Yuan feel he was someone of presence.
Now, feeling the vast, ocean-like aura from the old man before him, Ji Yuan tentatively asked, “May I ask if this is Senior Ice-Fire in person?”
Then, not waiting for the old man to reply, he proactively said, “This junior’s surname is Li.”
Upon hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu’s heart gave a thump, but she didn’t dare glance at Ji Yuan. Instead, her expression remained unchanged.
Having roamed the world for many years and even managed to break through to Peak Foundation Establishment, obtaining an inheritance of secret techniques—
They were all smart people.
No matter if this man’s surname was Qiu or Li, he was her savior.
And that was enough.
“Oh? From the Li Family?”
The Ice-Fire Elder looked Ji Yuan up and down.
“Indeed.”
Hearing that, Ji Yuan felt relieved. He first put away Real Person Heaven Silkworm, then conveniently took out a token from his storage pouch and respectfully said, “This junior’s name is Li Changshou.”
“Li Changshou? Not a bad name.”
The Ice-Fire Elder scanned the token with his Divine Sense and confirmed his identity.
“Since you're from the Li Family, then come with me.”
Without waiting for Ji Yuan to respond again, he had already taken Ji Yuan and Ye Zhiqiu, turned into a beam of escape light, and headed deep into Ice-Fire Island.
While mid-air, Ji Yuan glanced around.
The highest point of Ice-Fire Island was, naturally, the Blazing Flame Volcano situated in its very center.
This volcano occupied nearly half of Ice-Fire Island, and its crater towered into the clouds.
From the mouth of the volcano, wisps of white smoke could be seen drifting out. A subtle sense revealed the heat waves surging from the crater—it was an active volcano.
In fact, the entire Ice-Fire Island was a giant volcanic island.
As Ji Yuan looked upon this seemingly boundless volcanic island, no different from a continent, he couldn’t help but wonder—if this Blazing Flame Volcano erupted… what kind of heaven-darkening spectacle would it be?
Such an eruption might turn the surrounding sea into molten lava for who knows how many li.
It might even affect the Cangluo Continent…
Wait.
Could it be that the surrounding Storm Zone existed to contain the eruption of the Blazing Flame Volcano?
This thought surfaced unprompted in Ji Yuan’s mind. After all, the Storm Zone was vast and ferocious—maybe it really could trap the erupting volcano within this region.
If so, then this Storm Zone was… likely man-made.
It might even be a formation.
And if it was a formation, could even a Fourth-Tier Formation contain it?
Ji Yuan felt that not even the Water Dragon Sect’s Sect-Guarding Formation could wield such power.
It was truly terrifying.
As he pondered this, the Ice-Fire Elder suddenly said, “We’ve arrived,” and the three of them descended straight down.
Ji Yuan felt as though he passed through a thin membrane, and what had seemed like a dense forested valley transformed into a different scene.
At the halfway point of the valley stood tier upon tier of palace complexes, with yellow walls and red tiles. From where Ji Yuan stood, looking up, the sight was one of magnificent grandeur.
Within the area were many beautiful maidens, carrying various exquisite items and flitting to and fro.
‘Damn, no wonder this Ice-Fire Elder is unwilling to leave Ice-Fire Island. Living like a little emperor—who’d want to leave?!’
Looking at this palace complex resembling a royal court, Ji Yuan couldn’t help but think this.
What’s more, in all his glances, he hadn’t seen a single man. They were all female cultivators.
And their looks and figures were quite something.
Retracting his gaze, Ji Yuan then realized that the spot they had landed in was a small, square courtyard… A thatched hut, gray mud walls, and even a hand-cranked well stood within.
The kind with a hand roller… and judging from the Ice-Fire Elder’s beaming smile, it seemed this was actually his home?
“Pardon the humble abode. Young Master Li wouldn’t mind, would he?” the Ice-Fire Elder asked with a smile that was not quite a smile.
“Not at all.” Ji Yuan quickly cupped his hands in salute before saying, “As a child, this junior was fostered at a relative’s home. The place I lived wasn’t much different from this, perhaps even smaller.”
Ji Yuan spread his hands and smiled.
He was lying—but not entirely.
The house he stayed in at Zengtou Market was nowhere near this large.
“Oh? So you’re a bastard then.”
The Ice-Fire Elder chuckled, “Li Gang—what is he to you?”
Hearing that, Ji Yuan’s expression stiffened. Did he have to acknowledge a father just to be out in the world?
He stewed over it for a long moment before finally replying stiffly, “Li Changhe is my elder brother.”
That made the Ice-Fire Elder laugh even harder.
Because hearing that, he immediately conjured up a rich-family inner feud in his mind. Look at this illegitimate child—he didn’t even acknowledge his father, only his elder brother?
“Well then, one can’t choose one’s birth, but one can choose what kind of future to have.”
“Cultivate well. Someday, when you become a Nascent Soul Patriarch, won’t the Li Family be at your beck and call?”
The Ice-Fire Elder rubbed his hands together, then pointed to a side room. “You and your little maid can stay there. Just call for me if you need anything.”
With that, he went off to the main house.
Ji Yuan truly had to bite the bullet and step into the room the Ice-Fire Elder mentioned.
The room was simple, with just one bed and one table, nothing more.
Behind him, Ye Zhiqiu had no choice but to follow him in and even thoughtfully closed the door.
She might not have known Ji Yuan’s identity before, but after the Ice-Fire Elder’s remarks, how could she not understand?
This man, with the false name “Qiu Qianhai” and real name “Li Changshou,” was actually the illegitimate son of a Nascent Soul noble family—and the Li Family’s patriarch at that!
With such a background, he was among the most elite of the Cangluo Continent.
“Fellow Daoist Ye… apologies for the inconvenience.”
Inside the room, Ji Yuan didn’t dare speak aloud and sent a voice transmission instead.
“No, no trouble at all. Qiu… I mean, should I call you Young Master Li now?” Ye Zhiqiu asked tentatively.
“A name is just a label. Fellow Daoist Ye may call me however you like.”
As he spoke, Ji Yuan took out several isolation talismans from his storage pouch and pasted them over the windows and doors. These couldn't block the Ice-Fire Elder, of course—this was just for show.
Otherwise, it would look strange to have no talismans posted at all.
“Yes, greetings, Young Master Li.”
After she finished speaking, Ye Zhiqiu even stepped forward to pour him tea.
…There really was no need for that.
Ji Yuan reached out to receive it and asked, “On this Ice-Fire Island, besides the Ice-Fire Elder, are there any other powerful Core Formation Cultivators?”
“Well…”
Ye Zhiqiu thought seriously for a moment before shaking her head. “I don’t know. I only know that there’s the Ice-Fire Elder on Ice-Fire Island, and his strength is peerless in the world.”
Whether or not the Ice-Fire Elder was eavesdropping, Ye Zhiqiu was certainly flattering him.
Ji Yuan hadn’t heard of any others either. But considering those palace buildings earlier, and the Ice-Fire Elder’s own humble appearance in plain clothes—
Those palaces likely weren’t his residence.
If so, then perhaps Ice-Fire Island harbored a hidden old fox!
To make even the Ice-Fire Elder willingly live in a thatched hut—could it be… a Nascent Soul old monster resided here?
Was a Nascent Soul old monster hiding on Ice-Fire Island?
The thought stirred Ji Yuan’s mind. He stood up and said, “Wait here. I’ll go ask.”
With that, he stepped out into the courtyard and called softly, “Senior Ice-Fire?”
“What is it?”
The Ice-Fire Elder came out from the main house with his hands behind his back, smiling cheerfully, entirely the image of... a smiling tiger.
“This junior came this time hoping to condense a sword embryo at the Strange Pond, I wonder if...”
Ji Yuan cupped his hands slightly toward the Ice-Fire Elder as he spoke.
“I know about that, no rush, no rush—you’ve only just arrived and haven’t even warmed your seat. What’s the hurry?” the Ice-Fire Elder replied with a grin.
“After you’ve rested a few days, I’ll naturally take you there.”
Hearing this, Ji Yuan felt a little more at ease.
He then glanced toward the grand hall on the distant mountain and couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Senior, may I ask who lives over there?”
“Heh, just an arrogant fool!”
The Ice-Fire Elder replied with a trace of anger.
That immediately made Ji Yuan shut his mouth. He could tell the Elder’s anger wasn’t directed at him, but rather at whoever lived in that palace… an arch-rival?
If they were enemies, why live together?
Did they share a Third-Tier Formation?
Or perhaps… a love-hate relationship?
Ji Yuan didn’t know, but seeing the Ice-Fire Elder’s reaction, he dared not ask more and promptly cupped his hands and returned to his room.
Ye Zhiqiu naturally also heard the conversation at the door. So when Ji Yuan came inside and looked at her, she shook her head, indicating she didn’t know who lived in that palace complex either.
…That was truly strange.
Li Changhe should’ve come to Ice-Fire Island before and met the Ice-Fire Elder.
Those palace complexes looked aged, definitely not newly built. If so, he must have seen them back then—so why hadn’t he mentioned it?
Ji Yuan couldn’t figure it out and chose not to dwell on it. Anyway, it seemed there wasn’t much danger staying here.
Since that was the case… it was time to take inventory of this trip’s gains.
A storage pouch from a Pseudo-Core Cultivator, plus the one from Luo Sifu of the Luo Family.
Ji Yuan had seen the Crippled Taoist Mourner pick up Luo Sifu’s pouch when he left. Now, both had landed in Ji Yuan’s hands!
Seeing Ji Yuan pull out the Crippled Taoist Mourner’s storage pouch, Ye Zhiqiu seemed to recall something as she also took out dozens of small storage pouches from her own.
These… were all treasures they had looted from the island!
Ji Yuan glanced at her, and she said with a calm expression, “My life was saved by Young Master Li. These spoils rightfully belong to you.”
How sensible… Ji Yuan thought for a moment, then said, “Sort out the spirit stones from inside. The rest you can keep.”
Spirit stones were hard currency. As for pills, talismans, spiritual artifacts, and the like—even if Ji Yuan took them, he’d have to find a way to sell or trade them into spirit stones. Too troublesome.
This way was best—all the spirit stones for himself.
Anyway, the blame rested on the Crippled Taoist Mourner and Luo Sifu.
Black robbing black?
No, at most this was white robbing black.
Even if those Foundation Establishment cultivators from the ship made it back to Southern Sea City, there was nothing to fear.
“Yes.”
Ye Zhiqiu quietly let out a breath of relief. Though she had sincerely offered the spoils, if everything had to be given away, she would’ve felt a bit sore. Thankfully, this Young Master Li was a reasonable person.
Ji Yuan first took out the Crippled Taoist Mourner’s pouch and swept his Divine Sense through it.
Good heavens—there were… 3, 4, 5, 6… 6,894 middle-grade spirit stones. Ten upper-grade spirit stones as well. As for lower-grade ones? None. Seemed this Pseudo-Core Cultivator didn’t bother with them.
Wonder how many Luo Sifu had.
Forget it. Better to count the spirit stones first and see whether the hardships had been worthwhile.
With that thought, Ji Yuan took out Luo Sifu’s storage pouch and swept it with Divine Sense.
There weren’t quite as many spirit stones here.
Only two upper-grade spirit stones, but quite a few middle-grade ones—4,530 in total.
Of those, 4,000 were neatly boxed and stacked. They looked very new in quality.
Ji Yuan guessed Luo Sifu had prepared them for fleeing—already planning to defect from the Luo Family. Before leaving, he must’ve planned to take one last big cut.
But unfortunately, they ended up in Ji Yuan’s hands.
As for lower-grade spirit stones, there were only 556—not much.
“Young Master Li, I’ve sorted them. The spirit stones are all in here.”
Ye Zhiqiu operated through the many pouches and finally handed over a new storage pouch with both hands.
“Oh?”
Ji Yuan took it, swept with his Divine Sense, “Hmm? Quite a few!”
Inside were indeed thousands of spirit stones.
Three upper-grade ones—perhaps saved by some Foundation Establishment cultivator unwilling to use them, now fallen to him.
Middle-grade spirit stones were the bulk—3,232 in total.
Lower-grade ones were also plenty. After all, when Ye Zhiqiu and her group robbed people, they hadn’t spared even Qi Refining cultivators. Total… 2,350 pieces.
So altogether, just counting spirit stones, this trip’s gain was:
15 upper-grade spirit stones.
14,656 middle-grade spirit stones.
2,906 lower-grade spirit stones.
Not bad, not bad—a decent haul. Just the middle-grade ones alone amounted to 147 days’ output from a Spirit Vein.
Indeed, no matter how diligently one farmed, one couldn’t escape the old adage: killing and arson bring the golden belt.
Still, Ji Yuan consoled himself—it wasn’t as if he enjoyed killing. If he hadn’t been pushed to the limit, he wouldn’t have done it.
As for Luo Sifu’s storage pouch, he could only say he got lucky.
Afterward, Ji Yuan transferred all the spirit stones into his personal storage pouch reserved for such items. Only now did he truly feel how wealthy he had become.
Previously, through talisman crafting, pill refining, selling “basic protection,” and the occasional plunder—
When bored, he’d even sell Foundation Establishment Pills.
Despite high expenses, Ji Yuan had managed to save over 12,000 middle-grade spirit stones.
Now, with these added, he had over 26,000 middle-grade spirit stones.
This wealth… probably rivaled some Core Formation Cultivators, right?
Of course, someone like that miser Li wouldn’t compare.
Contentedly finishing the spirit stone tally, Ji Yuan began checking other treasures.
First and foremost: the Crippled Taoist Mourner’s snake-head cane.
He had clearly witnessed its power in action—and loved it.
He had thought at the time: if he could get it, then this “Qiu Qianhai,” the old devil, would finally have a real trump card among his offensive spiritual artifacts.
Now, he actually had it.
Upon refining it: a Supreme-Grade Spiritual Artifact, the “Five Venoms Serpent Staff.”
It contained 1,800 types of poison. When activated, it could turn a five-li radius into a deadly Toxic Mire, and each strike carried lethal venom.
Even that poison needle the Crippled Taoist Mourner had used earlier—if it struck a Peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, it’d leave them miserable for the rest of their life.
But… with such a powerful spiritual artifact, why hadn’t he used it back at the Ghost-Seeking Pit?
“Did the Crippled Taoist Mourner only obtain this spiritual artifact after leaving the Ghost-Seeking Pit?”
Ji Yuan asked.
“Indeed. After taking me in, he brought me to a Pseudo-Core Cultivator skilled in weapon refining and acquired this Supreme-Grade Spiritual Artifact from him,” Ye Zhiqiu explained.
“Bought such a high-grade artifact and still had so many spirit stones? That old thing sure saved up a lot.”
“No… From what I heard, the Crippled Taoist Mourner didn’t use spirit stones to obtain this staff—but made another kind of trade.”
“What kind of trade?”
“That… I don’t know,” Ye Zhiqiu shook her head.
“Fair enough.”
Ji Yuan stored the Five Venoms Serpent Staff in his pouch—this was a treasure that could accompany him into Core Formation, and he had to keep it well.
Next, he pulled out Luo Sifu’s main battle spiritual artifact.
It was an Upper-Grade Spiritual Artifact called the Water-Dividing Dagger.
Ji Yuan remembered the last time he got a Water-Dividing Dagger—it was back in Zengtou Market, a gift from the deceased Liu brothers.
But that had only been an Upper-Grade Magical Artifact—a far cry from this.
A fine item indeed, though Ji Yuan didn’t dare use it near Southern Sea City.
Whether to use or sell it, he’d handle that back at the Water Dragon Sect.
Next were the protective spiritual artifacts.
The Crippled Taoist Mourner had owned a Supreme-Grade Spiritual Robe, but unfortunately, it had been destroyed by the Heavenly Net.
A pity.
In contrast, Luo Sifu had an Upper-Grade Spiritual Shield called the “Dragon Beard Shield.” From the looks of it, it had been crafted from the scales of a Third-Tier Flood Dragon.
Even the two dragon beards had been affixed to the back of the shield as an offensive mechanism—truly a fine spiritual artifact.
Ji Yuan accepted it begrudgingly.
Then came the pills and talismans—both men had many. Ji Yuan took a portion for himself and gave a smaller share to Ye Zhiqiu.
Next were the cultivation techniques and spells. The Crippled Taoist Mourner had quite a few.
As the Sect Master of the Great Love Sect, his collection of demonic arts was considerable. Among them, one main cultivation technique stood out—capable of being cultivated all the way to Core Formation. It was called—
“Jade Severing Gold Art.”
A metal-element technique—useless for Ji Yuan.
He’d look for a chance to auction it off.
‘With so many techniques acquired here, maybe I can build the Scripture Repository?’
The thought flickered through Ji Yuan’s mind. But that would have to wait until he got back.
Just as he thought the inventory was over, Ye Zhiqiu spoke up:
“Young Master Li, that old thief Crying Taoist’s pouch should still contain another fine treasure.”