Jiang Hao returned to White Moon Lake once again, guided by Senior Sister Zhou. Readers, please remember our domain name.
For half a day, Jiang Hao spent his time as scheduled, watering the lava.
He expected something extraordinary to happen, but it seeped into the ground like water, easing the frost.
It seemed the soil here was not ordinary either.
For the next few days, Jiang Hao repeated the same routine.
At night, he crafted talismans, assisted at the Spirit Herb Garden in the morning, and then visited the market to sell his talismans. In the afternoon, he tended to the Pure Sun Flower.
This cycle continued.
It's worth mentioning that since he started tending to the Pure Sun Flower, he received a blue bubble every day.
[Cultivation +1]
[Vital Qi +1]
At the Spirit Herb Garden, there were mostly white and green bubbles.
[Strength +1]
[Spirit +1]
[Qi Stabilizing Pill +1]
His gains were much more than before, especially in cultivation and Vital Qi, which increased daily.
If he continued caring for the Pure Sun Flower, he could advance to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment in under three months. He just needed to find a way to hide his cultivation.
To avoid any mistakes, he regularly appraised the Pure Sun Flower.
Usually, the result was the same.
[Pure Sun Flower: A top-tier healing herb, main component of Bright Sun Pill, nearing maturity, in good condition.]
Occasionally, the appraisal varied.
[Pure Sun Flower: A top-tier healing herb, main component of Bright Sun Pill, nearing maturity, not in optimal condition, too cold, needs more lava watering.]
Jiang Hao wasn't sure how much more, so he added just a little, hoping it would be effective.
He regretted it sometimes, knowing any mistake would be his fault.
Luckily, no issues arose.
However, crafting talismans was less smooth.
The basic talismans were not useful, so he started making better ones, like the Spirit Concentrating Talisman, which helped Foundation Establishment cultivators maintain a better state during training.
Its effect was average, hence it was worth five spirit stones.
Regrettably, it took him two days to make just one, barely covering costs.
Besides, there was the Blazing Flame Talisman, weaker than Foundation Techniques but decent, priced at three spirit stones each.
Unfortunately, despite its lower cost, its difficulty matched that of the Spirit Concentrating Talisman.
The third type was the Divine Sword Talisman, promising speed enhancement for sword control.
Priced at five spirit stones, its difficulty was slightly higher.
In six days, talisman crafting barely broke even. Thankfully, there was still sufficient time.
Once his success rate improved, he would surely profit, though it cut into his training time.
Thankfully, he could pick up cultivation daily, so missing some training held little consequence.
For others, the impact was significant.
Only those with excellent talent ventured into pill-making and talisman creation.
Without sufficient talent, it was essentially a waste of cultivation time.
In the Demonic Sect, lacking enough cultivation made even pill-making unsafe.
"Junior Brother Jiang, you always arrive at the same time," Zhou Chan smiled at Jiang Hao.
"Yes, I can't neglect my duties," Jiang Hao replied with a subtle nod.
After a few visits, Senior Sister Zhou seemed amiable and familiar.
"Elder Qianxu is in a bad mood today, be careful. Tomorrow is the last day; don’t let anything go awry," Zhou Chan kindly advised on the way.
Jiang Hao nodded quickly, "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister."
For Senior Sister Zhou, this reminder might not have meant much, but for him, it was crucial.
Knowing the elder’s mood helped him prepare.
After announcing his presence at the yard, Jiang Hao went alone to the Pure Sun Flower area.
However, upon arrival, he was somewhat stunned.
He expected to see a blue bubble, but today there wasn't one.
Instead, a purple bubble quietly hovered by the Pure Sun Flower.
"Unexpectedly purple; something feels off."
Jiang Hao had helped at the Spirit Herb Garden for a while and had never seen a purple bubble appear midway.
Usually, only at the start and end did better bubbles emerge.
End?
Thinking of this, Jiang Hao activated his divine ability to appraise the flower.
"Indeed..."
[Pure Sun Flower: A top-tier healing herb, main component of Bright Sun Pill, matured.]
Unlike other spirit herbs, the Pure Sun Flower didn’t follow an age progression. Once matured, it must be harvested, or it would wither and regrow, requiring a long time.
He didn't know why it matured early, but Jiang Hao didn't dare delay.
After collecting the purple bubble, he quickly sought Elder Qianxu.
As the bubble fused into his body...
[Divine Ability Fragment +1]
Noting this, Jiang Hao swiftly checked his Status Panel.
[Divine Ability: 3/3 (Available)]
"Finally, a new divine ability."
Suppressing his urge to obtain it immediately, he approached the courtyard and softly announced:
"Junior Jiang Hao, with urgent news."
Creak!
The door opened, revealing Elder Qianxu, who appeared displeased:
"What is it?"
Her mood was indeed foul, Jiang Hao sighed inwardly. If not for the significant issue, he wouldn’t want to provoke her wrath. After organizing his thoughts, he respectfully said:
"This junior came to tend to the Pure Sun Flower today and noticed something amiss. It seems to be showing signs of maturity, so..."
Before he could finish, Elder Qianxu vanished on the spot.
Seeing this, Jiang Hao realized that the Elder also couldn't afford to be careless and hurried towards the Pure Sun Flower location.
Soon.
Jiang Hao found Elder Qianxu harvesting the Pure Sun Flower.
He exhaled a sigh of relief, the task was complete without incident.
His gains were far greater than anticipated, the twenty spirit stones paled in comparison to the real harvest—the divine ability fragment.
"You've got quite the skill," Elder Qianxu complimented Jiang Hao after securing the flower.
"It was just a guess, relying mostly on you, Elder Qianxu," Jiang Hao flattered.
"Your skill is undeniable. Come, I will take you to meet the owner of this flower. Be sharp; you might gain some benefits," Elder Qianxu sternly remarked.
Meeting a Guardian Elder? It was Jiang Hao's first encounter with such a figure, and he felt a bit uneasy.