Creating a paradise in an ant nest

Chapter 70 I'll keep this secret for the rest of my life

After busying himself for a while, Liu He gathered enough spirit stones and headed to the market stalls.

When he arrived, Zhao Qian was still there, so he bought the roots of the Eternal Spirit Tree for fifty-eight spirit stones as agreed.

"Sigh, the spirit stones I just got are gone again."

He thought to himself that he only had ten spirit stones left.

He carefully tucked the roots of the ancient Chinese toon tree into his bosom, then planned to buy some spiritual plant seeds.

Within the sect, there are sect rules that restrict him from openly collecting spiritual plant seeds or seedlings.

However, outside, the seeds and seedlings of spiritual plants are very cheap.

The value of spiritual plants lies in the need for a suitable spiritual environment, years of growth, and meticulous cultivation and care.

"I already have the low-grade spiritual plant, Viola yedoensis, which only sells for eight spirit stones per pound. It's too cheap and difficult to sell or convert into cash."

He carried a full cloth bag of violets and radishes and only sold it for sixty-four spirit stones, which was very inconvenient.

"Planting some high-quality spiritual plants will not only make them easier to sell and generate income, but will also benefit my own cultivation and the ant colony."

As he made his plans, he searched among the numerous buildings scattered throughout Lingxiao Market for shops selling spiritual plant seeds.

I stumbled upon an area filled with colorful lanterns.

A strange fragrance wafted towards me.

"What does this taste like?"

The aroma was enticing, and he felt a surge of heat rising within him.

A female cultivator dressed in a thin, sheer gauze dress greeted him with a beaming smile: "Brother, wanna cultivate together? We have a girl in our household who practices water-based charm arts; a night of pleasure costs only two spirit stones..."

Liu He could see her alluring undergarments and graceful figure through her thin, gauze-like dress. Realizing he had wandered into a strange place, he quickly declined and took his leave.

He hadn't gone far when he saw a familiar figure walk into that area.

"Senior Brother Fu?"

Liu He only saw a back view, but his walking posture and body shape were very similar to Fu Shuai's, especially the robe he was wearing, which was Fu Shuai's.

"Just pretend you didn't see it."

This is someone else's private matter, and he shouldn't meddle, much less spread rumors behind their back.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

About half an hour later.

Fu Shuai walked out looking refreshed, having changed into a brand new robe.

The robe was a bluish-gray color, unremarkable, just an ordinary mid-grade robe. He had never worn this robe within the sect.

He wandered around a few secluded shops for a while and bought a bag of baby rats.

The Wood-Eating Hide-and-Seek Rat is a type of rat that excels at burrowing and feeding on the roots of sacred trees.

The young mice are very small, about the size of a peanut. Given suitable growing conditions, wood-eating mice grow extremely fast, able to devour large quantities of spirit tree roots within a few days.

Fu Shuai bought a bag containing four baby mice, both male and female.

This was a tactic he purchased to target Zhao Jianlei.

His disciples were supposed to send him birthday gifts every year. But Zhao Jianlei didn't send any gifts for two consecutive years, and the gifts he sent in previous years were very cheap, just a few spirit stones worthless.

If this continues, others will follow suit, and how will he manage people? How will he make money?

He had been deliberately targeting Zhao Jianlei, assigning him all sorts of tasks, but Zhao Jianlei acted as if he were "a dead pig that doesn't fear boiling water," completely unconcerned about these targeting tactics.

"You're a troublemaker, aren't you? Well, I'll get rid of you, you troublemaker."

Commander Fu thought to himself.

He doesn't need such disobedient subordinates.

Just then, a voice sounded behind him.

"We can't find any Wood-Eating Hidestats on the entire Spirit Plant Peak, so their sudden appearance would be very strange. This isn't a good method for targeting humans, don't you think, my dear junior brother?"

His words were full of sarcasm and his voice trailed off for an extremely long time.

Upon hearing this voice, Fu Shuai's mood instantly plummeted, and his face darkened.

He quickly composed himself, forced a smile, and turned back to look at Guo, saying, "Senior Brother Guo, what a coincidence! It's been so long. How have you been?"

The man wore a black robe trimmed with red, and his aura was profound and unfathomable.

Guo Chengyi, a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator, was once a disciple of the Qian Yuan Holy Sect.

"Ha, you still acknowledge me as your senior brother?"

Guo Chengyi's lips curled up slightly, a hint of amusement in his expression.

"Of course I acknowledge him, I will always acknowledge Senior Brother Guo."

"Then why haven't you seen me when I repeatedly sent people to Qian Yuan to deliver messages to you?"

"What?"

Fu Shuai feigned surprise, his face full of doubt: "I didn't receive a message from Senior Brother Guo. Did someone make a mistake, or did they deliver it to the wrong person?"

"snort."

Guo Chengyi snorted coldly, knowing that Marshal Fu would not admit it.

Both sides know what's going on, but they won't break off relations.

"This is not the place to talk. Follow me. I have rented a cave here."

After Guo Chengyi finished speaking, he turned around, touched the ground with his toes, and flew towards the residential area on the other side of Lingxiao Market.

He rented this place for a year in order to wait for Coach Fu.

Fu Shuai hesitated slightly, but he had no choice but to follow.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

A secluded cave dwelling is built against the mountain, with a stream flowing nearby, creating a picturesque scene.

The two flew over one after the other.

"Come in."

Guo Chengyi entered first, followed closely by Fu Shuai.

"Please sit down."

Guo Chengyi sat down at the jade-carved tea table, waved his hand and the teapot on the table flew up, pouring two cups of spiritual tea.

Fu Shuai remained silent, sat down, and sipped his tea.

The two sat facing each other in silence for a moment.

Suddenly, Guo Chengyi spoke up: "I want a Foundation Establishment Pill."

really!

Fu Shuai knew that Guo Chengyi's visit to him was definitely not for anything good.

"Senior Brother Guo, a Foundation Establishment Pill costs six thousand spirit stones. My monthly salary is thirty, and with the occasional benefits from the sect, it's four hundred a year."

It would take 15 years to accumulate 6,000 spirit stones without spending a single one.

It's not that I don't want to help, it's just that I'm powerless to do so.

"Do you think I'm stupid? You live off your monthly salary? With that treasure mountain of Spirit Plant Peak, it's not hard for you to get more spirit stones."

Based on Guo Chengyi's understanding of Lingzhi Peak, there are too many ways to make money there.

"I... I can't come up with six thousand spirit stones. If Senior Brother Guo is willing to wait, I might be able to gather that many spirit stones in twenty or thirty years."

Fu Shuai does have some ways to earn spirit stones, but he really can't come up with such a large sum of spirit stones.

Besides, he himself wanted to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage and needed to prepare various resources, so how could he possibly give Guo Chengyi six thousand spirit stones?

"You can buy a Foundation Establishment Pill for 6,000 spirit stones inside the Qian Yuan Sect, but I would have to pay at least 8,000 outside."

"It's really difficult for you to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill. How about this, I'll give you three thousand spirit stones, and you give me three thousand."

Guo Chengyi knew that Marshal Fu couldn't produce that many spirit stones; this was just his excuse for negotiating.

They gradually exert pressure to achieve their goals.

"Three thousand spirit stones is too much."

Fu Shuai shook his head.

"Um?"

Guo Chengyi frowned, his tone laced with threat: "I'll offer four thousand, you must offer at least two thousand. No less, or you know the consequences!"

Guo Chengyi's bottom line is to ask Marshal Fu to pay two thousand spirit stones.

"..."

Fu Shuai fell silent.

He was conflicted and in great pain.

Two thousand spirit stones! How long would it take him to save up that much, and what risks would he have to take to earn it?

This wasn't just once, but time and time again, like a bottomless pit that can never be filled.

He didn't want to be blackmailed anymore!

"Senior Brother Guo, I spent over a thousand spirit stones buying you Mist-Dissolving Pills and Thousand Flower Pills before. Now you want another two thousand. How many more do you want!"

Oh?

Seeing his vulnerable expression, Guo Mengyi sneered, "As long as you're in the Qian Yuan Holy Sect, I'll keep your secrets for the rest of my life. Don't forget that I was the one who took the blame for being expelled from the sect."

Otherwise, how could you possibly remain a peaceful inner disciple in the sect?