Free Web NovelChapter 160: Chapter 160: Harvesting
Having consulted the almanac, the departure for the Fire Cave Dynasty was set for May thirteenth.
After Wei Xianxing relayed the date, he didn’t dare disturb Bai Mo again.
Bai Mo rushed and managed to thoroughly read and memorize the three books in his possession just before the two-month deadline.
The *Hundred Weapons Sacrificial Dao Skill* was truly abstruse; Bai Mo had only managed to grasp the very basics.
They hadn’t seen each other for a few months, and their reunion surprised Wei Xianxing.
He took back the three books.
"Junior Brother, you can at least make some sense of it. The rest of us couldn’t even get through half a page."
He was naturally exaggerating a bit, but the admiration in his voice was genuine.
"You’ve grasped the basics of the other two books. Although your skill level is still low, you can hone it out in the world."
"On this trip, you’ll have us fellow disciples to protect you, so nothing should go wrong."
With that, he asked curiously,
"There’s still some time before we leave. What are your plans, Junior Brother?"
"If you need a sparring partner, I can make some time to come over..."
Bai Mo quickly waved him off.
"Originally, I had planned to be back in Immortal Arrival City by now, so restocking the Pills in my shop wouldn’t have been an issue."
"But now, that’s clearly impossible. I plan to refine a batch of Pills and have them delivered back to the city."
Wei Xianxing nodded, a hint of envy suddenly flashing in his eyes.
"You’re very thorough, Junior Brother Bai."
"I heard from the disciples at Beast Taming Peak that your Pill Shop makes a profit of around twenty Spirit Stones a day."
"It’s definitely worth looking after."
Among Cultivators who started as Loose Cultivators, Bai Mo had truly made a name for himself. He was outstanding, practically raking in a fortune every day.
Many Sect Disciples couldn’t even compare to Bai Mo in terms of wealth.
"As for my Pill Book, just hold onto it for now, Junior Brother. You can return it when you get back."
Wei Xianxing was very generous. He waved his hand and left.
No sooner had he left than Daoist Child Shi Tong and Medicine Peak disciple Li Zigeng arrived at his door.
The latter waved a hand, and a bundle of medicinal herbs appeared. It was wrapped tightly in black cloth.
Li Zigeng said, "Junior Brother, all the medicinal herbs you requested are here."
Bai Mo gave them a quick inspection and was very satisfied.
He immediately paid the fifty Spirit Stones and took ownership of the medicinal herbs.
"Junior Brother, why the sudden increase in the amount of herbs? I almost couldn’t gather them all in time."
Li Zigeng asked, smiling broadly as he put away the Spirit Stones.
Bai Mo sighed and said,
"I’ve accepted a task from the sect, so I’ll be going on a long trip. I have no choice but to prepare the Pills ahead of time."
"A sect matter?"
Li Zigeng was a bit curious.
"Does it exempt you from your sect duties?"
"For at least two years, I heard," Bai Mo said.
"Hiss!"
Li Zigeng sucked in a sharp breath.
When traveling away from home, a method of storage was essential.
Bai Mo couldn’t just travel for several months with a cloth bundle slung over his shoulder. So, after seeing off Li Zigeng, he descended the mountain alone.
「Half a day later」
Bai Mo arrived at Beast Taming Peak.
Liu Ji was speechless.
"Junior Brother, what took you so long?"
He had been waiting for Bai Mo for days and hadn’t expected such a delay.
"I only held back because I heard you were busy. Otherwise, I would have come looking for you long ago."
Bai Mo said apologetically, "My apologies for the wait, Senior Brother. I truly couldn’t get away recently."
"But rest assured, Senior Brother. I’ve already refined the items you gave me into Feeding Pills. They didn’t spoil."
...
Liu Ji never imagined that the tentacles of a West River Fish could be used for Alchemy.
He was a little worried.
"I wonder if the Green Water Salamander will like it..."
But Bai Mo was completely confident.
"What the Green Water Salamander likes isn’t the taste of the West River Fish, but the He Luo Fish bloodline it contains."
"In the Alchemy Dao, there’s a pill called the Blood Bone Pill, which is refined from the flesh, blood, and marrow of Demon Beasts. Its purpose is also to extract the essence of a bloodline."
Bai Mo explained,
"The Blood Bone Pill is intended for beasts to consume, and I’ve applied its underlying principles to this Feeding Pill. The result should be effective."
As they spoke, Bai Mo followed Liu Ji around a bend on a narrow path, and a blast of cold air struck them.
A vast lake suddenly opened up before them, its shimmering surface as expansive as a mirror fallen from the heavens.
Judging by the terrain, this place might have been a volcanic crater in ancient times.
Over the years, it transformed into its current state.
Bai Mo had originally assumed the Green Water Salamander’s habitat was just a small pond.
The water was frigid.
Bai Mo took out a purple Feeding Pill and placed it in the water.
"Now we wait."
Liu Ji glanced around and spotted a few disciples on the far shore, pacing about anxiously as if at a loss.
"The Green Water Salamander lives at the bottom of the lake. It’ll take some time for it to catch the scent and make its way over."
He spoke casually, but he was actually quite tense.
A moment later, a soft POP from the water’s surface made both of them jump.
A few feelers broke the surface, followed by two dark shapes gliding up from the depths.
Bai Mo finally saw the true form of the Green Water Salamander.
Its dark-red skin was covered in toad-like bumps. It had a white belly, a wide mouth, and four claws, its body moving with great power.
SMACK!
Before they got close, the Green Water Salamander in the lead suddenly swung its body, lashing out with its tail.
The Green Water Salamander following close behind took the full force of the blow, its body sent spinning in the water.
Once it finally stabilized, it glanced at the larger of its kind before it, then immediately turned and dove back into the depths.
As the victor in the struggle for food climbed ashore, Bai Mo noticed that the Green Water Salamander’s skin was coated in a layer of mucus, making it look extremely slippery.
Liu Ji, who was beside him, lowered his voice and said,
"The fatty meat of a Green Water Salamander is an excellent ingredient. And its mucus, if you can scrape it off in sheets, also has medicinal properties."
Bai Mo was unimpressed.
"Think about its origins. It’s far more valuable than you or me. Don’t get any unrealistic ideas, Senior Brother."
The Green Water Salamander ignored them both. With a slight movement of its throat, it swallowed the Feeding Pill it held in its mouth.
Bai Mo immediately reached into his robes, pulled out a pill bottle, and uncorked it. Inside were perfectly round, jade-green Pills.
These Pills were a size larger than usual. Their bodies were as translucent as jade—smooth, green, and exquisitely beautiful.
If seen out in the open, someone might mistake them for Treasure Pearls.
"So this is the Feeding Pill Junior Brother Bai so carefully prepared?"
Liu Ji’s interest was piqued, and he subtly edged closer.
Before he could draw near, the Green Water Salamander’s eyes swiveled. It shot him an indifferent glance, and its tongue flicked out.
The jewel-like Feeding Pill in Bai Mo’s hand was snatched up and swallowed on the spot.
"This..."
’The Green Water Salamander often ignored people. When had it ever been this eager?’
Liu Ji’s eyes widened as he strode forward.
"Junior Brother, what pill is this?"
The Green Water Salamander had now come to a halt, its head raised high and pointed due north, standing perfectly still.
This was a sign of its contentment as it digested the food in its stomach.
Bai Mo wasn’t surprised by its reaction. After all, he had poured a great deal of effort into the Feeding Pills in the bottle.
Their refinement process was even a notch above that of an ordinary Tier One Pill.
"I added a special ingredient to this Feeding Pill. It’s from an ancient secret recipe, which is why it’s so effective."
Bai Mo explained with a smile, turning his head.
A glint appeared in Liu Ji’s eyes.
"Could it be some kind of rare and wondrous ingredient? How else could it have such an effect?"
A shriveled, fleshy sac emerged from the corner of the Green Water Salamander’s mouth and began to inflate.
With a swift, clean motion, Bai Mo took out a dagger and sliced the flesh connecting the sac to its mouth.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the Green Water Salamander’s expression remain unchanged.
After letting all the air out of the fleshy sac, Bai Mo stood up and left with Liu Ji.
"The main ingredient isn’t particularly valuable, just quite rare."
"If you’re interested, Senior Brother, you could try farming this fish..."
