Following Gongsun Xiu to pay respects to the Guardian Elder, the Guardian Elder, seeing it was the two of them, immediately waved his hand and said, "You two go on in. Li He, stay here and chat with this old man."
The storage of Bugs is, after all, a major issue. Chen Qing hadn't planned to take Li He with him, "Li, you stay here then and keep the elder company."
The two entered the Bug Altar, and Chen Qing once again came to the Bug Altar. However, this visit was quite different from the previous ones.
Gongsun Xiu led the way, introducing as they walked: "There are prohibitions placed upon this jade altar that seal and preserve the Bugs, keeping their life span intact."
Chen Qing glanced at the information of each Bug and casually remarked, "So that's how it is. I've always wondered why Bugs could be preserved for so long."
After a few steps, Gongsun Xiu pointed at a stone wall bearing the sign of the Spirit Plant Hall, where two jade altars were hung.
"These are the two Bugs stored by junior brother's Spirit Plant Hall, which will be useful for nurturing loyal followers in the future."
Chen Qing took a brief look and saw that they were two Third Transformation Grass Spirit Bugs.
He pretended to examine them closely. Since they belonged to the Spirit Plant Hall, naturally, he had the authority to make decisions.
After toying with them for a bit, he put them down and continued following Gongsun Xiu toward the Cultivation Hall's stone wall.
On the way, Chen Qing suddenly noticed an interesting Bug - one stored by the Shadow Hall.
[Mortal-level Fog Bug]
Quality: Fifth Transformation
Life Span: 26/56
Effect: The physical body turns to fog within three breaths, allowing flight during the fog state. After returning from fog form, a thirty-breath recovery is needed.
Growth Requirements: Illusion Spirit Flower
Growth Progress: 5/100
Promotion Requirements: Ninth Transformation, heavy foggy weather, one Fog Spirit Essence, Rejuvenation Incense
Turning to fog in three breaths means one could easily enter through any door, right?
With even a small hole, it would be easy to slip through.
Moreover, it's extremely useful in battle, too. If one encounters an unavoidable deadly attack, turning to fog can provide an escape!
Whether for fleeing, hiding one's tracks, or launching surprise attacks, it's quite remarkable.
This Fog Bug is truly a good find.
Once I have enough Spirit Stones, I definitely need to get one.
Eventually, the two stopped in front of the Cultivation Hall's stone wall, and Gongsun Xiu introduced, "Junior brother, please look. These are the three Bugs that our Cultivation Hall has stored here."
Chen Qing pretended to lift one of the jade altars, but his mind was entirely focused on that information.
Three Alcohol Bugs, with the best quality being a Fifth Transformation Alcohol Bug. The other two were a Third Transformation and a Fourth Transformation respectively.
Without much thought, he picked up the jade altar containing the Fifth Transformation Alcohol Bug, "Brother, I'll take this one."
Gongsun Xiu, with his hands behind his back, said, "This Bug is of mediocre quality. How about junior brother pays 8,400 Spirit Stones for it?"
An initial Fifth Transformation, and it is called mediocre quality?
Chen Qing naturally knew that a person like Gongsun Xiu, who possessed an Alcohol Butterfly, wouldn't make a mistake in judging an Alcohol Bug and immediately understood Gongsun Xiu's implication.
"Then I must thank senior brother."
Gongsun Xiu smiled and said, "No problem at all. With this, junior brother's annual salary is now spent on 8,400 lower-grade Spirit Stones, leaving 200 lower-grade Spirit Stones remaining."
After taking the Alcohol Bug, Chen Qing went to collect the remaining 200 lower-grade Spirit Stones and had Li He withdraw a large quantity of spiritual ginseng seeds on behalf of the Spirit Plant Hall. Then, Chen Qing made his way back home.
Halfway there, Chen Qing suddenly remembered he was supposed to continue staying at the Spirit Plant Elder's place these days.
After a brief moment of thought, Chen Qing went to the market at the foot of the mountain and bought a jade bracelet worth ten Spirit Stones.
Upon his return to the Spirit Plant Elder's Court, Yu Qingshuang was still practicing swordsmanship. Chen Qing closed the room door and prepared to form a contract with the newly acquired Alcohol Bug.
With this little one, his cultivation would be much more efficient.
Following his previous method, Chen Qing bit his index finger and drew the contract runes on the jade altar.
"In the witness of the Spring and Autumn Cicada and the Floating Butterfly, I, Chen Qing, form a pact with thee!"
....
"With my body, I nourish thine!"
The runes lit up; blood seeped into the jade altar, and the spiritual energy from within his body also started to drain swiftly into the jade altar.
Compared to the Grass Treasure, the Wine Treasure seemed to require a bit less spiritual energy.
An hour later, a white Bug flew out of the jade altar and landed in Chen Qing's palm.
[Mortal-level Alcohol Bug]
Quality: Fifth Transformation
Life Span: 24/54
Effect: Extracts the essence of Spirit Ginseng, condenses it into ginseng wine
Growth Requirements: Bishui Lotus Seed
Growth Progress: 41/100
Promotion Requirements: Ninth Transformation, ten drops of Fire Spirit Essence, three Dew Flowers
There are still some Bishui Lotus Seeds in the Spirit Plant Hall, will let Alcohol Bug swallow one tomorrow to see how much the progress can increase; will go down to the market to purchase more after understanding the situation clearly.
During dinner time, Chen Qing took out a jade bracelet from his embrace, opened the box containing the bracelet, and pushed it towards Yu Qingshuang.
"These few days I still have to rely on senior sister to take care of things, this is a modest gift, please accept it, senior sister."
Yu Qingshuang's gaze fell on the jade bracelet, the light green color was very similar to Chen Qing's Grass Spirit Bug.
"You rascal, why are you giving me this?"
"Don't you know it's inconvenient for someone who practices swordplay to wear this kind of thing?"
"What if it accidentally breaks?"
Chen Qing was all smiles, the more inconvenient the better; how else would you remember me?
If wearing it feels like not wearing it at all, then what's the use?
If it breaks, that's even better, you would have to find time to tell me.
"Senior sister can just wear it for fun, it's not worth much anyway."
Yu Qingshuang, holding her rice bowl, ate in small bites, but her eyes occasionally fell on the jade bracelet.
After Chen Qing finished dinner, he left, saying he had things to do in the Spirit Plant Hall, leaving Yu Qingshuang alone to clean up.
When Chen Qing and the disciples from the Spirit Plant Hall returned from drinking at the Bright Moon Tower, the jade bracelet was no longer on the dinner table.
The next day, Chen Qing ate breakfast early and went to perform his duties; this morning's meal was a bit more exquisite than the previous day.
There were even two fried eggs!
After arranging for everyone to do their tasks, Chen Qing took Li He to check the inventory of spiritual medicines in the Spirit Plant Hall.
Behind the great hall of the Spirit Plant Hall, there is a vast storeroom, rumored to have walls cast from cold iron. From the outside, it looks ordinary enough, merely painted in blue.
Leaving Li He to guard the door, Chen Qing entered alone, and upon entering, he noticed something different.
Inside it was very cold, and with his arrival, a chill spread everywhere.
Chen Qing found the storage for Bishui Lotus Seeds, reached out, and picked one up – it was slightly pinched, and its quality was not good.
Looking at the small bag with a few hundred seeds still inside, he grabbed a handful and put them into his sleeve, then picked out a dozen or so seeds that were close to spoiling from the remaining pile.
Walking out confidently, Chen Qing said to Li He, "After inspecting it today, I realized that the stock of spiritual medicines in our sect is not plentiful."
"It seems that we will have to rely on our cultivation efforts in the future."
Li He clasped his hands and said, "The Hall Master has worked hard."
Chen Qing opened his hand, revealing the dozen or so nearly spoiled Bishui Lotus Seeds, "I inspected them and found these seeds are spoiled, they have been dealt with, make a note of it."
Watching Li He jot down 'processed a batch of spoiled Bishui Lotus Seeds today' in the record book, Chen Qing nodded in satisfaction.
Stepping into the Spirit Plant Garden, Chen Qing, accompanied by Li He, went to check the progress of the cultivation fields' development.
Wang Ye excitedly reported, "We were short of hands yesterday, only four mu was cultivated, but today we can develop ten mu."
Surrounded by green trees, four mu of spiritual fields have been cultivated at the center.
The spiritual fields are different from ordinary fields; they are cultivated areas carved out of a hundred mu of forest.
Chen Qing guessed that this has something to do with the effect of the Grass Spirit Bug.
It is very likely that the Grass Spirit Bug absorbs the vitality of the surrounding plants to supplement the spiritual medicines needed for the spiritual fields.
After all, the areas where Soul Stealing Flowers grow are nearly devoid of any other vegetation.
And he had used Soul Stealing Flowers for the promotion of his Grass Spirit Bug.
Chen Qing instructed, "Twenty mu close to the Spirit Plant Garden, out of each hundred mu, cultivate one mu of land. These twenty mu will be used to plant Spirit Ginseng."
Wang Ye clasped his hands and said, "Yes, Hall Master."
Sending Li He to purchase more spiritual ginseng seeds that were in short supply, Chen Qing leisurely returned to his own cave dwelling.
Opening the cave's door, there were no signs of anyone having visited. After inspecting the bronze ghost mask and Spirit Stones, noting that nothing was missing, Chen Qing laid down on the bed at ease.
Spiritual medicines require regular inspection, and what he needed was only a little bit, within the scope of acceptable losses, so there was probably no need to worry.
He spread his hand and let Alcohol Bug start eating the Bishui Lotus Seeds, ready to see if the small handful he grabbed would be sufficient.