Chapter 262: Unexpected Harvest, Ancient Immortal Treasures

Chapter 262: Unexpected Harvest, Ancient Immortal Treasures

Wanhua Tower.

"Lord Jiang!" exclaimed the green-skirted maiden upon seeing Jiang Ning, her face blooming with a bright smile.

"Miss Green Ripple!" Jiang Ning greeted her with a smile.

After a brief moment...

"Lord Jiang, please have some tea first! May I ask what you require at Wanhua Tower?" asked Green Ripple.

Jiang Ning took out a gold ingot.

The gold ingot in his hand was the golden box from before, now molded into the shape of a brick by his bare hands.

After all, the contents of the golden box were quite terrifying. It held the Bloodgod Elephant, the flesh and blood deity, and the divine statue within the box possessed even more divine points than the one enshrined in the City God Temple.

This was enough proof of the extraordinary nature of the statue in the golden box.

Moreover, the box had been filled with Hundred Spirit Blood.

And this Hundred Spirit Blood was an essential external aid for peak fourth-rank warriors to achieve the Grandmaster realm.

The combination of the two undoubtedly demonstrated the significance of the golden box.

If he openly displayed the golden box, it might invite trouble.

However, this was no longer a concern for him.

By molding it into a brick shape, no one could tell that it had once been a golden box.

Green Ripple took the gold ingot from Jiang Ning, examined it briefly, and then respectfully placed it on the table in front of him.

"Lord Jiang, please wait a moment while I fetch the scales."

"Wait!" Jiang Ning suddenly spoke up.

Green Ripple paused and turned to look at him.

"There's no need to refer to yourself as a servant in front of me!" Jiang Ning said.

Green Ripple was taken aback and replied, "I was bought by Wanhua Tower, and as a servant, it's only natural for me to call myself a servant."

Jiang Ning shook his head. "There's no need for that in front of me!"

Then he asked, "Do you wish to buy your freedom?"

"Yes!" Green Ripple nodded. "I do, and I've prepared the money for it, but I don't have the qualifications to do so!"

Jiang Ning smiled. "How about this? I'll speak to Lady Lin about it later."

Upon hearing this, Green Ripple immediately knelt down and bowed deeply to Jiang Ning.

"Thank you, Lord!"

"There's no need for that!" Jiang Ning slightly raised his hand, and an invisible force lifted Green Ripple up.

She looked at Jiang Ning in surprise, and he said, "Helping you is just a small matter!"

"I, Green Ripple, will repay your kindness in my next life by serving you like a cow or a horse!" With these words, Green Ripple exited the VIP room.

Seeing this, Jiang Ning smiled.

He couldn't help but think of a joke.

'Saving someone's life and encountering a desirable man is a debt that can only be repaid by offering oneself. But if you save someone's life and they aren't desirable, you can only repay the debt by serving them like a cow or a horse in the next life!'

Meanwhile, on the other side...

Lady Lin Qingyi was surprised by Green Ripple's report.

She pondered for a moment and then said, "Go and attend to him properly!"

"Yes, Lady!" Green Ripple bowed and slowly retreated, taking small steps backward. When she reached the door, she turned and left, closing the door behind her.

Inside the room...

Lady Lin Qingyi shook her head slightly. "Unless necessary, I won't go and meet this young man again! The last time I saw him, my behavior was a bit too forward!"

A soft sigh escaped her lips.

VIP Room...

Green Ripple brought a small scale and weighed the gold ingot.

"Lord Jiang, this gold brick weighs twenty-one and three-quarters taels!"

Jiang Ning nodded.

Twenty-one and three-quarters taels were equivalent to eleven thousand, one hundred and seventy taels of silver.

Based on the source energy points he had obtained from purchasing the Blood Lotus previously...

Over twenty thousand taels of silver would be enough to increase his source energy points to over five hundred.

Currently, the Blood Lotus was the most valuable item he had discovered.

Furthermore, it could enhance his qi and blood power, making it quite practical.

However, a moment later...

Jiang Ning: "..."

He looked at the boxes of Blood Lotuses that Green Ripple brought over and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

The most valuable one was a sixty-year-old Blood Lotus, which only cost him one thousand, five hundred taels of silver.

The others were all under forty years old and hardly worth much.

They provided little help to him.

"Is Lord Jiang dissatisfied?" Green Ripple asked cautiously.

"It's too little," Jiang Ning replied. "I want to exchange this gold brick for similar heavenly treasures, whether it's Earth Mushrooms, Wild Ginseng, or other items."

"Alright!" Green Ripple nodded. "Lord Jiang, please wait a moment while I fetch Manager Han."

After a short while...

Under the guidance of Manager Han Hongmei, Jiang Ning had purchased almost all the heavenly treasures in the mountains and waters.

However, he still had money left to spend.

The truly valuable items were those over a hundred years old.

Like the previous hundred-year-old Blood Lotus, it was worth five thousand taels, and even then, it was a half-sale, half-gift.

Seeing Jiang Ning's slightly disappointed expression, Han Hongmei spoke up, "Is Lord Jiang not satisfied?"

Jiang Ning nodded. "Not enough! Could it be that the tower only has these items in stock?"

Han Hongmei immediately nodded. "Last time, Lord Jiang bought a lot, and the tower's stock was almost emptied! Then, in the past few months, with the establishment of the Inspection Bureau, many martial students have come, and the tower's sales have increased tenfold compared to last year."

"So, the tower's stock is indeed low!"

"Moreover, the heavy snow has blocked the roads and frozen the lake, essentially cutting off communication with merchants, making it impossible to replenish any inventory."

"The mountains and lakes are covered in snow, and those who rely on the mountains and Luoshui River for their livelihood have virtually no harvest."

Upon hearing these words, Jiang Ning immediately understood and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

He hadn't expected that Wanhua Tower's stock would be so scarce, to the point where it couldn't even satisfy his needs.

At this moment, he also realized that a small place was indeed a small place.

A county town was still just a county town.

The resources of a county town could hardly satisfy his current needs.

Just like the three types of pills he wanted for his sixth-rank Martial Dao, Wanhua Tower here had no stock, and he had to rely on Lin Qingyi's connections to purchase them from other places.

It was clear that if he were to enter the fifth rank, it would be almost impossible to obtain the necessary external aids in Luoshui County.

At this moment, he roughly estimated that his extravagant shopping spree had only cost him thirteen to fourteen thousand silver ingots.

"It should still not be enough!" he muttered to himself.

Just then, a sudden flash of inspiration appeared in his mind, reminding him of the Red Flame Fruit he had purchased previously.

After tasting it, he didn't feel that it had brought him much benefit.

But upon reflection, at the very least, it had provided him with many Source Energy Points.

Thinking of this, Jiang Ning immediately spoke up, "Manager Han!"

"Lord Jiang, please speak!" Han Hongmei said.

Jiang Ning said, "Does the tower have any ancient fruits similar to the Red Flame Fruit?"

"Is Lord Jiang looking for a spiritual plant required for the Immortal Dao?" Han Hongmei asked.

"Exactly!" Jiang Ning nodded.

"We call such things Immortal Treasures. They are what the ancient people needed to embark on the path of the Immortal Dao. Let's go and find some!" Han Hongmei offered.

"No problem!" Jiang Ning nodded.

After a while, Han Hongmei reappeared before Jiang Ning.

"Lord Jiang, we did find a few Immortal Treasures, but they are a bit expensive."

Jiang Ning said, "Tell me about them."

Han Hongmei spoke up, "I found four types of Immortal Treasures. Three of them are worth ten thousand silver ingots each, and the other is worth one hundred thousand silver ingots."

One hundred thousand! Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning couldn't help but gasp inwardly.

He could afford to pay twenty to thirty thousand silver ingots, but one hundred thousand was beyond his means unless he sold all the Contribution Points he had earned from the Inspection Bureau.

However, he would never do that.

Contribution Points were far more valuable than silver ingots.

With his current efficiency, it wouldn't be long before he entered the fifth rank of the Inner Fortification Realm.

Once he reached the fifth rank, with his current cultivation of both inner and outer strength, he wouldn't be held back for long.

As he continued to advance, he was currently in a state of complete darkness.

Whether it was theoretical foundations, detailed explanations of realms, or cultivation techniques, he knew nothing about them.

To obtain cultivation techniques beyond the sixth rank, he could only rely on the Inspection Bureau.

Without increasing his authority within the Inspection Bureau, how could he obtain those things?

At this moment, Han Hongmei turned to Jiang Ning with a respectful expression and asked, "Lord Jiang, do you need me to continue the introduction?"

"Please do, Manager Han," Jiang Ning said.

Han Hongmei immediately replied, "The first Immortal Treasure is a type of spiritual grass called Starlight Grass. Its age is unknown, as it has absorbed countless starlight within, hence its name."

"This item is priced at ten thousand silver ingots."

"The second Immortal Treasure is the Floodfire Fruit. According to ancient records, it contains the extreme spiritual qualities of water and fire, providing great assistance to certain cultivators of water and fire attributes during ancient times."

"The third Immortal Treasure is the Ten Thousand Trees Heart. According to ancient records, it contains the wood attribute spiritual quality."

"As for the fourth Immortal Treasure, it is a combination of five spiritual fruits. The first represents the metal attribute—the Golden Extinction Fruit."

"The second represents the wood attribute—the Greenwood Fruit."

"The third represents the water attribute—the Mysterious Water Fruit."

"The fourth represents the fire attribute—the Flame Fire Fruit."

"And the fifth represents the earth attribute—the Primordial Earth Fruit."

"According to ancient records, this can alter the physique of ancient cultivators, making them more compatible with the five elements."

"Unfortunately, the environment of heaven and earth has changed drastically, and it is completely different from ancient times. These Immortal Treasures, which were highly valued in ancient times, can only be tasted for their flavor, and they have no other use!"

Upon hearing Han Hongmei's words, Jiang Ning immediately paid attention to her last sentence.

Then he asked, "Does Manager Han know the reason behind the sudden change in the world?"

Han Hongmei smiled and shook her head. "How could I possibly know such confidential information? But I did hear a theory that the heavenly spirit mechanism has scattered, leading to this calamity."

The heavenly spirit mechanism has scattered?

Jiang Ning pondered silently in his heart.

Then he turned to Han Hongmei and said, "Manager Han, I want to buy the Floodfire Fruit."

"Alright!" Han Hongmei nodded immediately. "I'll go and get it for Lord Jiang right away."

...

A moment later.

Jiang Ning stepped out of the grand hall of the Wanhua Tower.

On the rooftop.

Lin Qingyi watched Jiang Ning's departing figure. "You're quite kindhearted!"

A smile curved her lips.

Jiang Ning had come to see her with a simple request—to grant Green Ripple her freedom.

Naturally, Lin Qingyi agreed to his request.

She didn't even collect the redemption fee that Green Ripple had prepared in advance. Instead, she directly asked Manager Han to bring Green Ripple's bond of servitude, which she destroyed on the spot.

As for the original bond kept in the official residence, she only needed to send someone to inform them.

Soon after.

Lin Qingyi watched as Jiang Ning entered the carriage.

She slowly withdrew her gaze, her eyes falling on Green Ripple, who stood by her side.

"Green Ripple, now that you've regained your freedom, what are your plans for the future?"

Upon hearing this, Green Ripple knelt down with a thud in front of Lin Qingyi. "Lady Lin, I wish to continue serving the tower."

"You are no longer a servant, so there's no need to refer to yourself as a slave anymore." Lin Qingyi spoke calmly.

"Yes!" Green Ripple knelt before Lin Qingyi, slightly lowering her head.

"Lift your head!" Lin Qingyi looked at Green Ripple kneeling before her and suddenly spoke.

Green Ripple slowly raised her head, her eyes filled with fear as she looked at Lin Qingyi.

"This face is quite pretty!" A smile gradually appeared on Lin Qingyi's lips.

The next moment.

She said, "Do you want to follow Jiang Ning?"

"Lady Lin, I..."

"Tell the truth!" Lin Qingyi spoke again.

"I do!" Green Ripple nodded slowly.

"How about this!" Lin Qingyi began to speak slowly. "Jiang Ning currently has no one to take care of his daily needs. Now that you've regained your freedom, go and find him. Let him take you in and take care of him. Ensure he doesn't waste time on trivial matters, do you understand?"

Hearing Lin Qingyi's firm tone, Green Ripple immediately lowered her head. "Yes, Lady Lin!"

Then, she hesitated for a moment while kneeling on the ground before looking up at Lin Qingyi. "Lady Lin, do you want me to follow Jiang Ning and keep an eye on him? I... I..."

Seeing Green Ripple's hesitation, Lin Qingyi couldn't help but smile.

"What are you thinking?"

"Just take care of him wholeheartedly, attend to his daily needs, and his meals."

"But remember, you must not have any inappropriate thoughts or actions, do you understand?"

Green Ripple nodded again. "Yes, Lady Lin!"

On the other side.

Jiang Ning sat in the carriage.

The snow on the road had already been cleared and melted, and the carriage smoothly carried him home.

As he sat in the carriage, a jade box appeared in his hand.

Inside the jade box was the immortal treasure he had just purchased—the Floodfire Fruit.

It was worth ten thousand silver ingots.

Even with a twenty percent discount, it still cost him eight thousand silver ingots.

Today's expenses exceeded the value of the gold ingots he had sold earlier.

He even had to dip into his previous savings, significantly reducing his net worth.

All he had left was a few thousand silver ingots.

But he was satisfied with today's harvest.

The Floodfire Fruit, an immortal treasure, had him filled with anticipation.

Based on the feedback from his previous consumption of the Zhu Fruit, immortal treasures could provide him with numerous source energy points.

Compared to ordinary heavenly materials, immortal treasures might offer even more source energy points.

"Perhaps there will be other gains!" Jiang Ning thought silently, recalling Han Hongmei's words.

The next moment.

He opened the jade box, which had been sealed with jade liquid, and successfully opened it.

Instantly, a fruity fragrance wafted towards him.

Before his eyes was a fruit the size of an ordinary potato.

Half of it was red, and the other half was blue.

The two colors seemed to merge into a swirling vortex.

"According to Han Hongmei, this fruit contains the extreme spiritual qualities of water and fire, providing great benefits to ancient cultivators who practiced water and fire attributes."

"I wonder if it will offer additional benefits to me."

Jiang Ning thought of the supreme martial art he had learned, the Waterfire Essence.

According to his understanding, the Waterfire Essence was derived from an ancient immortal cultivation technique, the Waterfire Canon.

"If it does, I must obtain the Five Elements Spirit Fruit!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end