Chapter 20 New Cave Abode

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"Let's call you Wine Treasure then."

Wine Treasure was different from Grass Treasure, round and plump like a little winter melon, red-tinted white.

After eating a Bishui Lotus Seed, it became even rounder, to the point that when it wanted to move to another place, it didn't crawl but rolled.

I had to find more Spirit Ginseng when given the chance.

The improvement of one's cultivation was also a significant matter. On the day he tested the Grass Spirit Butterfly, he felt his Spiritual Energy was somewhat lacking.

After going down the mountain to buy Spirit Ginseng worth ten lower-quality Spirit Stones, Chen Qing got a wine gourd and started brewing wine in the store's wine vat with the purchased Spirit Ginseng.

A unique advantage of brewing with Alcohol Gu was that the time required was much shorter than ordinary brewing methods, yet the quality was notably higher.

This was the unique aspect of Alcohol Gu.

Placing the Spirit Ginseng into the wine vat, Chen Qing raised his hand to summon the newly contracted Alcohol Gu to start the brewing process.

Wine Treasure flew into the wine vat, and instantly a large amount of Spiritual Energy was drawn from Chen Qing's body. As Wine Treasure flew around the wine vat, Chen Qing could feel the spiritual property inside the vat beginning to rise.

The temperature of the wine vat fluctuated between hot and cold, sometimes boiling, sometimes icy.

The Spirit Ginseng, visibly shriveled, began exuding their essence.

A quarter of an hour passed slowly, and the vat revealed a mixture of clear liquor and Spirit Ginseng residue.

Chen Qing felt the shift in his body's Spiritual Energy, almost completely drained.

During this time, he had also absorbed the Spiritual Energy of four Spirit Stones.

He could not buy Spirit Ginseng worth ten lower-quality Spirit Stones next time, as the consumption of Spiritual Energy was unsustainable.

Opening the outlet at the bottom of the wine vat, Chen Qing filled a gourd to the brim with wine, estimating that it weighed about one pound and six ounces.

It seemed that earning money with Alcohol Gu was not easy.

The daily earnings were about five to six Spirit Stones, but the consumption of Spiritual Energy was significant.

Of course, on Wuyou Mountain, the most troublesome part of earning money with Alcohol Gu was not these; it was the source of the Spirit Ginseng.

This item wasn't always available for purchase.

Chen Qing was able to buy it because he was wearing the attire of the Spirit Plant Hall's Hall Master.

Carrying the wine gourd, Chen Qing paid the bill, returned to his cave abode, and after drinking two large gulps of Spiritual Ginseng Wine, he felt his entire body was spiritually satiated and began to cultivate earnestly.

In the evening, Chen Qing opened his eyes, "My cultivation has advanced a little bit more."

"The speed of circulating Spiritual Energy during cultivation is about a little more than twice the usual."

"To cultivate fully for one day requires about two pounds worth, which means spending twenty Spirit Stones."

"However, apart from cultivation, time is also spent on duties and rest, leaving only half a day for cultivation, or about ten Spirit Stones of expenditure."

"By brewing it myself, I've saved on labor costs, bringing it down to about five Spirit Stones a day."

"The expenses really are considerable."

"However, I can barely afford it now."

"At this rate, it would take about a year and a half to advance to the fourth layer of Qi Refinement."

"Once the spiritual ginseng seeds sprout, it should save me a lot of money."

"Advancing the Alcohol Gu to the Butterfly Transformation stage will also boost it further."

Chen Qing checked Wine Treasure's growth progress; a shriveled Bishui Lotus Seed had added 3 points to its progress.

He had gathered around thirty, which should be enough to advance to the Sixth Transformation.

It was best to buy the materials to advance to the Seventh Transformation on his own, or else checking inventory every few days would become too apparent.

He still had a little over twelve hundred lower-quality Spirit Stones left, which should be enough to reach the Ninth Transformation.

Over the past few days, Chen Qing routinely checked the progress of the Spiritual Field development and returned to his cave abode to cultivate.

Yu Qingshuang seemed to be avoiding him these days, deliberately steering clear of Chen Qing, focusing solely on practicing swordsmanship every day.

Another three days passed, and Ye Yuntian sent disciples from the War Affairs Hall to invite Chen Qing to check out his new cave abode.

In fact, it had been quite long already.

It shouldn't take a cultivator this long to establish a cave abode.

During dinner, Chen Qing picked up a piece of bok choy, "Senior Sister, my new cave abode is almost complete. Would you like to take a look?"

Yu Qingshuang retorted in mild annoyance, "That's your home, not mine. Why should I look?"

Chen Qing replied, "As a man, I have no idea what to set up at home, and I don't have any familiar senior sisters."

"These things, women generally understand better."

Hearing this, Yu Qingshuang relented, "Fine, we cultivators don't bother with worldly romantic attachments, I'll go with you to take a look."

Walking with Yu Qingshuang along the cobblestone path, they came across an ancient pine tree up ahead.

At the foot of the ancient pine, an elderly man with disheveled hair excitedly pulled out a grub, "Hahaha, my Gu has grown so robust, it must be about to transform into a butterfly!"

"Don't be afraid, your master will transform you!"

The old man peeled back the grub's outer skin, his hands coated in layers of protein.

"Alas, another failed Butterfly Transformation."

"What a shame."

"But the aroma is delightful."

Chen Qing noticed the elder's clothing becoming more and more familiar, "Is he also a disciple of Wuyou Mountain?"

Yu Qingshuang said, "Saw him a few years ago, back then he was only in his thirties. He became destitute attempting to achieve Gu Butterfly Transformation, selling off his wife and children, ruined, he went mad."

Chen Qing asked, "So no Evil Cultivator has killed him for his Gu?"

Yu Qingshuang replied, "Would you take a Gu that brought the downfall of a family?"

Chen Qing thought to himself that he indeed would, as nurturing any Gu was similarly challenging for him, "I definitely wouldn't want it, such bad luck."

"Besides, nurturing Gu couldn't be more important than a wife."

Yu Qingshuang chuckled lightly, "Sweet talk."

At a cliffside midway up the mountain, after crossing a long iron chain bridge, Chen Qing arrived at his new cave abode.

Here, carved into the cliff, was a platform of about half an acre, with an ancient pine tree in one corner.

Most fascinating was the spring that flowed from a natural hole the size of a teacup on the opposite side of the platform from the pine.

The iron-clad door stood in the middle of the platform. Pushing the door open, inside was a living room with copper lamps in the shape of cranes hanging on the walls.

The interior was spacious, capable of accommodating dozens for gatherings.

To the left in the living room was a corridor leading to a wine cellar, and the first room on the right was the kitchen.

Further back were four guest rooms.

Behind the living room was a bedroom and two cultivation rooms.

Chen Qing reached out to feel the stone bed behind, "Need to get two cushions, what do you think, Senior Sister?"

Yu Qingshuang said solemnly, "Do you know the whole sect is trying to pair you with me?"

Chen Qing nodded, "I know."

Yu Qingshuang continued, "Then do you know they want to keep you tied firmly to the war chariot that is Wuyou Mountain?"

Chen Qing nodded, "I know that too."

Yu Qingshuang sighed, "Outside, you could earn tens of thousands of Spirit Stones a year; Wuyou Mountain only gives you eight thousand six hundred lower-quality Spirit Stones. Aren't you dissatisfied?"

Chen Qing said, "Do you see the location of this cave abode? It's surrounded by brothers from the War Affairs Hall, clearly a very safe location."

"And I, greatly enjoy this safety."

"Staying alive is the fundamental basis of everything."

And this, she who had been confined and sheltered in her home, wouldn't understand.

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