PDLP Chapter 2: Rice is Expensive for Brewing
Chapter 2: Rice is Expensive for Brewing
【Spirit Locking Array (Proficient): 0/200】
In that instant, Fang Shi felt as if something had suddenly opened up.
It's like scattered beads suddenly being strung together by an invisible thread.
When I looked up at the spirit-locking array on the wall again, I realized that everything was very different.
When I first looked at this formation, I only felt that the patterns were complicated and the spiritual energy was chaotic. I could only guess how to make sense of it.
Looking at it now, the direction of those array patterns and the flow of spiritual energy are all clear.
Suddenly his gaze paused, and he let out a soft "Eh."
The area that Li Daoyuan had repaired appeared at first glance to have a uniform and even spiritual light and neat patterns, seemingly flawless.
But now, he clearly saw a discordant note in his eyes—the method of regulating spiritual energy was correct, but in pursuit of speed, some of the array patterns were too neat, which looked aesthetically pleasing.
But what should be big isn't big, and what should be small isn't small.
When spiritual energy passes through, large amounts are wasted, and small amounts become blocked.
Over time, this place will inevitably suffer more damage than other places.
……
Now, Li Dao left Fang Shi's house, strolled along, crossed two long streets, and turned into a quiet alley.
At the end of the road, a house with its own gate and courtyard suddenly came into view.
White walls and black tiles, vermilion gate.
Two green pines and several clumps of bamboo stand in front of the gate and below the steps, creating a scene of great elegance.
Li Daoyuan was about to step forward when he suddenly stopped—a person was standing at the door.
The man was about twenty years old, with delicate features, and wore an apricot-yellow Taoist robe embroidered with a three-colored cloud pattern, which was the mark of a disciple of the Sanpan Temple.
Upon seeing Li Daoyuan return, he asked, "Are you Li Daoyuan, the one who specializes in formations?"
Li Daoyuan glanced at the cloud pattern and quickly cupped his hands, saying, "This humble Daoist is indeed Li Daoyuan. I was unaware of your arrival, Immortal Master, and I apologize for not greeting you properly. May I ask your honorable title?"
The man said, "My surname is Zhou, and my given name is Yan. I have a task for you to do. Listen carefully—you can't fool me like you did with those rogue cultivators."
Li Daoyuan smiled broadly and said, "Immortal Zhou, what are you saying! Even if I had the greatest courage in the world, I would not dare to deceive the esteemed disciples of Sanpan Temple. If you have any orders, Immortal Zhou, I will do my utmost and not dare to be negligent in the slightest."
Just as Zhou Yan was about to speak again, he suddenly saw a streak of light flash across the sky, like a shooting star falling to earth, and land right in front of him in an instant.
The radiance faded, revealing a young girl.
She was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with bright eyes and white teeth. Her black hair was tied up with a jade ring, and she wore a light pink dress.
Zhou Yan was taken aback, but had not yet spoken.
The girl skipped over, her face beaming with joy. She grabbed Zhou Yan's arm and said sweetly, "Senior brother! What are you doing here? I've been looking everywhere for you. Come on, come on, let's go see a play!"
Zhou Yan said with a bitter face, "What show are you going to watch? I don't have any money."
The girl blinked, looking incredulous: "There are people who can't afford to watch a play? Senior brother, don't try to fool me."
Zhou Yan remained silent, only shaking his head.
The girl's eyes darted around, and she said, "Then let's go for a drink! I've heard that the 'Drunken Immortal Pavilion' on West Street makes incredibly fragrant Jade Spirit Wine. Although it's made with ordinary Jade Spirit rice, steamed and fermented, then buried in earthenware jars to ripen over winter, the aroma of rice is irresistible when you open the jar, and the taste is smooth and mellow—it's just as good as wine made with top-grade spirit rice. A pot only has twenty grains of broken spirit rice; surely you can afford that, Senior Brother?"
Zhou Yan, unable to resist her pestering, could only sigh and say, "Alright, alright, whatever you say."
After saying that, he turned to Li Daoyuan and said, "I will come to find you again tomorrow. Don't make me wait any longer."
Although Li Daoyuan was confused by these words and did not know what task this disciple of Sanpan Temple wanted him to do, he dared not ask.
He bowed and said, "Immortal Master, please rest assured, I will be waiting for you here tomorrow."
Zhou Yan didn't say anything more and turned to leave with the girl.
The girl walked and laughed, her clear laughter carried on the wind, never ceasing.
……
Fang Shi thought to himself: Although Li Daoyuan's skills are superb, the array he created still has this kind of loose end, making people run around several times. It just goes to show what that kid Wu Tong said.
Thinking of this, he made a hand seal, transforming his magic power into a line, like a probe, and gently probed along those tightly packed array patterns.
Sure enough, when the magical power reached this point, it felt sluggish, like a stream entering a narrow gorge, feeling uncomfortable.
Fang Shi didn't rush to make changes. He first memorized the entire array's patterns from beginning to end, then closed his eyes and deduced for a long time. After having a rough idea in mind, he finally took action.
A thin blue light condensed at her fingertips, like an embroidery needle, and gently touched the overly tight array of patterns, slowly widening the lines by half.
Then, in that loose spot, he withdrew his magic power, drawing it back slightly as if drawing silk from a cocoon.
These changes, though seemingly minor, were extremely mentally taxing.
Within moments, fine beads of sweat appeared on Fang Shi's forehead.
Fortunately, after it was completed, when we looked at the spirit-locking array again, we saw that the spiritual light flowed smoothly and evenly, like spring water flowing over a shallow beach, without any obstruction.
Fang Shi was overjoyed and couldn't help but make another hand seal, gently sending it towards the array's core.
With a soft "hum," like the lingering sound of an ancient zither, the entire formation shone brightly before slowly receding and returning to calm.
Fang Shi knew that the formation had reached its optimal state.
As the ancients said, "A fine sword hides its edge in its sheath." This spirit-locking array is just like that; its spiritual light is hidden in its patterns, and its aura is contained within its core. It is silent and unassuming, yet it is fully prepared.
He stopped, and a thought suddenly occurred to him: if he rented a house in the future, he could repair the spirit-locking array himself if it broke, without having to ask Li Daoyuan for help. Over the course of a year, he could save a lot of spirit fragments.
He then shook his head and sighed, "It's a pity that I repaired it too thoroughly this time. I'm afraid it won't break for a year or two, so I won't have anything to practice on again."
Suddenly, a "gurgling" sound came from deep within my belly, both loud and long.
Fang Shi was taken aback, then looked down and touched his stomach, only then realizing how hungry he was.
He was studying array formations in the training room and hadn't realized that an hour had passed, and it was lunchtime.
He walked out of the meditation room, went to the kitchen, and lifted the lid of the small rice jar—the bottom of the jar was empty, without a single grain of rice.
Fang Shi reached out and touched the collar of his clothes, then took out the only five fragments of spirit from his cloth bag and weighed them in his palm.
These five fragments of spirit are only enough to buy five catties of Jade Spirit Rice. They can't buy vegetables, and even if we eat them sparingly, they will only last for about five days.
But where will the rent for the twenty-five spirit fragments come from five days from now?
Pushing open the courtyard gate, dusk was falling, the stars had not yet appeared, and the autumn wind rushed in, carrying a chill.
Fang Shi walked out along the alley, crossed two streets, and arrived at the west end of Panshi.
There were stalls selling rice, vegetables, inferior religious artifacts, and old talismans that had been found somewhere. The vendors were calling out to customers, and it was quite lively.
Fang Shi walked straight to the familiar grain stall.
The stall owner was a fat man in his forties surnamed Wang, known as Fatty Wang. He had a face full of fat, but when he smiled, he looked like a Buddha statue.
"Hey, Fellow Daoist Fang is here!" Fatty Wang grinned as soon as he saw him. "The usual? Jade Spirit Rice?"
Fang Shi handed over five fragments of spirit and said, "Manager Wang, give me five catties."
Fatty Wang took the broken spirit, but didn't rush to weigh the rice. He said, "Fellow Daoist Fang, to be honest, we don't have five jin left, only four jin."
Fang Shi frowned and said, "A few days ago it was five pills for five catties, how come it's only four catties now?"
Fatty Wang sighed and said, "Fellow Daoist Fang, you don't understand. It's all because of that Drunken Immortal Pavilion. They use this Jade Spirit Rice to brew their 'Jade Spirit Wine,' and their business is booming. Everyone in town is scrambling for Jade Spirit Rice. The purchase price has gone up, and there's nothing I can do about it. Don't just talk about my place; walk around the market, and you'll see that price everywhere."
People are iron, and rice is steel, so you panic if you don't eat a meal.
Although those who cultivate themselves can endure hunger more than ordinary people, they still cannot give up their need for grains.
Moreover, if one wants to improve one's cultivation, one cannot consume only mortal food. Although the price of this Jade Spirit Rice has increased, it still contains a trace of spiritual essence and is already the cheapest spiritual rice in the Panshi area.
Fang Shi said, "Fine, four catties it is."
Fatty Wang weighed the rice, put it in a coarse cloth bag, and handed it over.
Fang Shi accepted it, weighed it in his hand, and felt that it was much lighter than when he usually held it.
Five grains of broken spirit bought four catties of rice, which barely lasted for four days.
What to eat on the fifth day?
Even if we survive the fifth day on an empty stomach, what about the rent for those twenty-five spirit fragments?
In five days it will be the end of the month, and Manager Tian's face won't become any more amiable just because someone is hungry.
Fang Shi tucked the rice bag under his arm and quickened his pace even more than when he came.
It seems I can't practice the "Little Water Cloud Technique" tonight; I'll have to work overtime drawing talismans.