Chapter 30: News
Ji Yuan had never seen, nor had he ever heard of, any "Three-Colored Spiritual Egg".
But thinking about it, that was understandable.
A Level 3 building was something that at the very least only a Foundation Establishment cultivator could possess.
It was normal that someone like him, a mere mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator, knew nothing about it.
However, he had no idea how much it was worth... or what its use could be.
Just by the name "Three-Colored Spiritual Egg", it definitely sounded far superior to an ordinary Spiritual Egg.
And with only one produced per day, its effects must certainly be extraordinary.
As for the upgrade requirement that mentioned using "Corrosive Firefly Yin Locust Wood" to construct the Chicken Coop, Ji Yuan also had no clue what that was.
Moreover, just from the name alone, it sounded rather sinister.
While Ji Yuan was lost in thought, he suddenly noticed that in a corner of the Level 2 Chicken Coop, a small patch of soil seemed to emit faint spiritual energy.
Looking closer, it even seemed to sparkle with specks of white light.
This was... Spiritual Soil!
Ji Yuan immediately used his Object Manipulation Technique and collected this one qian of Spiritual Soil.
If he brought this to Zengtou Market, he could easily sell it for at least five Spirit Stones.
Spiritual Soil itself wasn’t that valuable, but the spiritual plants grown in it were.
Moreover, unlike consumable items like Water Essence Dew or Blood Essence, this Spiritual Soil could be reused repeatedly.
Ji Yuan actually had plans to craft a Spiritual Field made entirely of pure Spiritual Soil in the future.
Therefore, he didn’t intend to sell the soil produced by the Chicken Coop.
After finishing the matters concerning the Chicken Coop upgrade, Ji Yuan returned to his Talisman Room to continue drawing talismans and cultivating.
But before nightfall, he suddenly heard someone knocking on his courtyard gate.
Someone’s here?
Now that Ji Yuan had reached the fifth layer of Qi Refining, he naturally no longer needed a Lightning Talisman to bolster his courage.
He walked to the front yard. Even before opening the door, he roughly guessed who it was based on the visitor’s aura.
It was Wen Lin, the father of his next-door neighbor, Wen Ling’er.
Ji Yuan had interacted with him a few times before and had a good impression of him.
Wen Lin was an educated man who not only knew proper etiquette but also understood when to advance and when to retreat.
He occasionally went out to fish, but he also seemed to be an alchemist.
Thus, life in Zengtou Market wasn’t too hard for him.
Ji Yuan opened the door, and sure enough, it was him.
Wen Lin, dressed in a cotton robe, cupped his hands with a cheerful smile. “Apologies for disturbing Fellow Daoist Ji’s peaceful cultivation.”
“No need to be so polite, Fellow Daoist Wen,” Ji Yuan replied with a smile, waiting for the man to continue.
Wen Lin hesitated for a moment and then said, “Here’s the thing. Tonight, I’ve prepared a humble meal at my home. I’d like to invite you, Fellow Daoist Ji, to join us.”
Being invited for a meal... Ji Yuan instinctively wanted to decline. He rarely participated in such things.
But before he could say anything, Wen Lin added, “Don’t worry, there’s nothing else to it. It’s just that we’ve lived here for quite some time, yet haven’t had the chance to invite our two neighboring families for a meal. So I’m here to extend the invitation. Fellow Daoist Lin next door has already agreed.”
Since things had already been put this way, and since Ji Yuan considered these neighbors to be decent folks—certainly better than the likes of Old Huang or Deng Yunliang—he nodded and agreed.
A short while later, Ji Yuan carried five Spiritual Eggs and entered the Wen family’s courtyard.
For such an invitation, Ji Yuan naturally couldn’t show up empty-handed, especially when they were the closest neighbors.
As for the five Spiritual Eggs, they weren’t much to Ji Yuan anymore. His Green-Yellow Chicken laid thirty Spiritual Eggs every day.
Ji Yuan had even started experimenting with steaming and frying Spiritual Eggs.
“Brother Ji, hey, wait for me.”
Hearing Ji Yuan leave his house, Lin Hu quickly came over with Wu Qin.
Compared to three months ago, Lin Hu had visibly tanned several shades, and the youthful naivety on his face had disappeared, replaced by a somewhat lifeless expression.
Only when he was with Ji Yuan did his occasional innocent remarks reveal his true age.
Wu Qin, who followed closely behind, was much the same. Her gaze toward Ji Yuan no longer carried any ulterior motives.
Like Lin Hu, she now saw Ji Yuan as a dependable older brother next door.
Since the couple both advanced to the third layer of Qi Refining, they had been going out to sea together, even without a Spirit Boat or venturing into the deep waters.
Still, their lives had significantly improved.
At the very least, they no longer had to worry about the three Spirit Stones Immortal Residence Fee each month.
In fact, even for today’s dinner at the Wen family, Lin Hu had brought along a Semi-Spiritual Fish as a gift... something a bit costly for him, but clearly with the intention of building a better relationship.
Zhao Yuechan’s cooking was excellent, and with dishes featuring Spiritual Pigs and Semi-Spiritual Fish, Ji Yuan couldn’t help but indulge himself for once.
After they were full, the group sat in the house to rest, and Zhao Yuechan brought over some melon seeds and dried fruits.
As they chatted, Wen Lin casually revealed something about his background.
“Brother Wen is from Heishui Market?” Ji Yuan asked in surprise.
Unlike Tai’an, Jing’an, and Jingde—the three neighboring markets of Zengtou Market—Heishui Market was located much farther away.
It was practically on the opposite side, across the entire Yunyu Marshlands.
“Indeed.”
Wen Lin’s expression paused for a moment but eventually nodded.
Ji Yuan guessed that they probably encountered some trouble in Heishui Market and had fled to Zengtou Market.
He didn’t press further. Instead, after a moment’s thought, he asked:
“Brother Wen, have you ever heard of something called Bone-Corroding Flower?”
As for Cold Iron Sand, Ji Yuan already knew where to find it and had even purchased some.
But this Bone-Corroding Flower, required to upgrade the Pigsty, was something he had never heard of.
Now that he had the chance to meet someone from afar, he naturally wanted to ask.
“Bone-Corroding Flower?”
Wen Lin frowned in thought for a moment, then shook his head.
“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
Just as Ji Yuan thought he had hit another dead end, Wen Lin added, “But I can point you to a lead.”
“I’m all ears,” Ji Yuan replied eagerly.
“On the third day of every month, Shop A-18 in Zengtou Market opens for business. The people there travel throughout all the markets in the Yunyu Marshlands. You can try asking there. If even they don’t have it, then I’m afraid the Bone-Corroding Flower doesn’t exist anywhere in the Yunyu Marshlands.”
“Shop A-18.”
Ji Yuan silently noted the location.
He then stood up and bowed to Wen Lin. “Thank you, Brother Wen.”
“No need to mention it. Just be aware that their prices tend to be a bit steep, so you’d better be prepared.”
“……”
Getting this piece of information from a simple dinner was already an unexpected gain for Ji Yuan.
As for Wen Lin’s family secrets, Ji Yuan had no interest in probing.
The more secrets one knew, the deeper one would get involved.
By the time one realized it, they would likely be beyond saving.
Currently, it was the nineteenth day of the eleventh month.
All he could do now was wait for the third day of the twelfth month.
Ji Yuan continued to cultivate at home for a while longer and managed to save up some additional Spirit Stones, which he then used to purchase a low-grade magical artifact.
The artifact was named Dragon Armor Shield.
The name sounded grand and imposing, and it had cost Ji Yuan a full twenty-five Spirit Stones.
In reality, it was a simple low-grade magical artifact made from the shell of a Stage-One Spirit Turtle found in the Yunyu Marshlands. It wasn’t particularly flashy but was known for its practicality.
With this addition, Ji Yuan now owned four magical artifacts, including his Spirit Boat.
The White Boat for escaping, the Black-Gold Blade for offense, the Life-Taking Needles for stealth assassinations, and now the Dragon Armor Shield for defense.
Ji Yuan felt that he could barely consider himself a well-rounded cultivator now.
The weather grew increasingly bitter, so cold that even Lin Hu dared not set out to the Yunyu Marshlands.
It was in this chilling weather that Ji Yuan arrived at the Shop A-18 Wen Lin had mentioned.