How could this small black feather be exchanged for a precious Formation Plate?
Yang Che, filled with curiosity, held it in his hand and studied it for a long time, but for the moment, he couldn't discern anything special about it.
After putting away the black feather, Yang Che was about to Cultivate for a few days before returning to the Sect to turn in his mission, when he suddenly felt his vision go black, followed by an intense stabbing pain in his glabella.
However, these events happened extremely quickly; within a few breaths, Yang Che returned to normal.
He carefully checked his body several times but found no abnormalities.
Yang Che shook his head and entered a state of Cultivation.
Several days later.
Yang Che, disguised, quietly appeared in Wulong Valley's Cloud Bamboo Workshop.
He visited different shops and sold the High-Grade Magical Artifact 'Profound Steel Ring,' the High-Grade defensive Magical Artifact 'Crimson Phosphorus Shield,' and the Medium-Grade Magical Artifact 'Fire Cloud Hammer.'
The Profound Steel Ring sold for one hundred forty Low-Grade Spirit Stones, the Crimson Phosphorus Shield for one hundred sixty Low-Grade Spirit Stones, and the Fire Cloud Hammer for eighty Low-Grade Spirit Stones, totaling 'three hundred eighty Low-Grade Spirit Stones.'
Then, he went to another Sect market called 'Tide Listening Workshop' and quietly sold the dozen or so Elementary Low-Grade Talismans he had obtained, acquiring forty Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
Adding the twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones Leng Feiyun had given him earlier, and the more than twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones remaining after he purchased some highly poisonous items and Materials for soaking medicinal liquids, he now possessed over four hundred sixty Low-Grade Spirit Stones and two Medium-Grade Spirit Stones.
With this, Yang Che finally felt his Storage Pouch bulge.
What a pity about that Medium-Grade defensive Magical Artifact, the fiery red shield.
It was damaged by the venom of the Spirit Beast flying snake belonging to the Giant Man Cultivator from the Beast Controlling Sect, which then led to it being directly destroyed by Liu Yuan's dagger Magical Artifact.
Otherwise, this Medium-Grade Magical Artifact would have sold for at least dozens of Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
After selling these Magical Artifacts and Talismans, for a moment, Yang Che suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
Recalling the conversation between the effeminate youth Liu Yuan and the short-haired youth Leng Feiyun at the time, he couldn't help but think to himself, "So the fastest way to earn Spirit Stones is by killing people and seizing their treasures."
Yang Che secretly resolved that in the future, no matter which Cultivator he encountered, regardless of how friendly or righteous they appeared, or how eloquent they were, he would always remain vigilant to prevent being killed for his treasures.
Patting the Spirit Stones in his Storage Pouch, Yang Che unconsciously straightened his chest as he walked.
However, when he started trying to inquire about the prices of the alternative main Spirit Medicine on those two ancient Pill Formulas, especially the Overlord Pill Pill Formula, he immediately became incredibly depressed.
None of these alternative main Spirit Medicine were priced below one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
Undeterred, Yang Che went to other markets, only to reluctantly learn that the prices of these main Spirit Medicine were indeed that expensive.
Not to mention Yang Che was reluctant to spend these Spirit Stones, even if he spent all his current Spirit Stones, he could at most barely afford one set of all the Spirit Medicine needed to refine a Pseudo Overlord Pill.
Moreover, there was a high probability of failure during the refining process.
This immediately reminded Yang Che of the mysterious place where he had obtained Spiritual Soil and many Spirit Medicine and Spiritual Plants.
Unfortunately, Yang Che had already learned that this mysterious place was later taken over by Wulong Valley and renamed 'Hanging Waterfall Medicine Garden.'
He knew without a doubt that this was the result of Wen Xingyao reporting it to the Sect.
Yang Che pondered whether to try his luck at the Hanging Waterfall Medicine Garden again, as he returned to Sunset Gorge.
After patiently waiting for another half a month, Yang Che quietly went to the hall where bounty missions were posted and turned in his mission.
"It's you again?"
The decrepit Peak Qi Refinement Stage elder immediately recognized Yang Che.
"Senior Brother Mo, will I still go to Frost Moon Fairy to receive the reward this time?" Yang Che asked with cupped hands.
He already knew that this elder was named Mo Ding; he had taken Foundation Establishment Pills twice but unfortunately failed to Foundation Establishment successfully both times, and disheartened, he had been guarding this bounty mission hall ever since.
"Frost Moon Fairy won't be appearing this time. She seems to have gone out on business and hasn't returned."
As Mo Ding spoke, he took the black feather Yang Che handed him, then retrieved a metal circular plate from a hidden compartment in the stone platform and handed it to Yang Che.
"This is..."
Yang Che found the item very familiar; he took it, and immediately recalled the metal circular plate he had used to open the stone gate of the Hanging Waterfall Medicine Garden.
It turned out that the metal circular plate was a Formation Plate.
"This is the Formation Plate for the 'Small Reverse Chaos Four Symbols Array.'"
Mo Ding's eyes held a hint of envy: "This is a good item. You're quite capable, young man; the bounty missions issued by Frost Moon Fairy are very difficult, and few Qi Refinement Stage Disciples can complete them."
Mo Ding stroked his beard and then informed Yang Che of the method to use this Formation Plate, after which he returned behind the stone platform, squinted his eyes, and drifted off.
Yang Che, excited, took the Formation Plate and made a circuitous route, not quietly returning to his new Immortal Cave, Dragon Breath Mountain's Tongyou Cave, until nightfall.
Upon entering the Immortal Cave, he eagerly injected his magical power into the Formation Plate, then, following Senior Brother Mo Ding's instructions, he turned the small gears on the Formation Plate one by one. Immediately, four beams of light of different colors shot out, connecting to form a massive protective light barrier that enveloped the entire Immortal Cave.
Yang Che then continued to turn the small gears in a specific sequence, and to his surprise, he discovered that the long corridor was indeed hidden, with no trace of its presence.
Yang Che put away the Formation Plate, but the Small Reverse Chaos Four Symbols Array he had set up remained.
However, as Senior Brother Mo Ding had said, Spirit Stones must be placed in the Array Eye of this Formation for it to be maintained continuously.
Yang Che found the Array Eye, placed ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones inside, and the Array Eye quickly merged into the light barrier, disappearing without a trace.
"The Dao of Formations is truly wondrous and profound."
Yang Che exclaimed in admiration.
With this, Yang Che finally felt completely at ease regarding the safety and concealment of Tongyou Cave.
After all, Dragon Breath Mountain was filled with Qi Refinement Stage Disciple Immortal Caves, and even if these Disciples passed by, they wouldn't be able to discover the existence of an Immortal Cave here.
With his mind at ease, Yang Che naturally began to worry about advancing his Cultivation again.
It seemed as if there was no other way besides refining the 'Pseudo Overlord Pill.'
Yang Che went to the Inner Cave Mansion and looked at the Spiritual Soil and the nine-leaf dark yang fruit and other Spirit Medicine on it, then suddenly slapped his thigh.
He had thought of it.
If he could find the seedlings or Seed of the Spirit Medicine needed to refine the Pseudo Overlord Pill, plant them directly in the Spiritual Soil, and then figure out a way to get Spirit Fertilizer to sprinkle on the Spiritual Soil to accelerate their growth, wouldn't he obtain enough Spirit Medicine?
All this time, his attention had been too focused on the nine-leaf dark yang fruit, and he had neglected to maximize the potential of this Spiritual Soil.
Although the Spiritual Soil, being one zhang long and wide, was a bit small, with careful cultivation, it could still yield many Spiritual Plants.
Yang Che's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed.
Taking advantage of his good mood, he found something to eat, then Cultivated overnight.
The next day.
Yang Che arrived at Hundred Crafts Hall and learned that to enter the 'Hanging Waterfall Medicine Garden,' one must first apply.
Only after the application was approved would one be eligible to enter the Medicine Garden.
Moreover, upon entering the Medicine Garden, one must pick ripe Spirit Medicine and Spiritual Plants, and finally, seven tenths must be handed over to the Sect.
After hearing this and making further inquiries, Yang Che couldn't help but feel depressed for a long time.
There were simply too many Disciples applying, so many that it would take forever.
Furthermore, Qi Refinement Stage Disciples could only pick for one day in the Hanging Waterfall Medicine Garden.
If they exceeded the time limit, all the Spirit Medicine and Spiritual Plants they had picked would be confiscated, essentially wasting a day.
And if any Disciple dared to hoard or privately consume Spirit Medicine or Spiritual Plants, upon leaving the Medicine Garden, if discovered during inspection, there would be severe punishment.
One of the punishments was doubling the assigned chores, halving the corresponding Sect contribution points, and permanently revoking the Disciple's eligibility to enter the Hanging Waterfall Medicine Garden again.
Yang Che left Hundred Crafts Hall, his mood considerably dampened.
Helpless, he was about to return to Tongyou Cave when a sudden flash of inspiration struck him, and he thought of someone.
If this person was willing to help, there might still be hope of entering the 'Hanging Waterfall Medicine Garden.'
However, just then, he suddenly felt his vision go black, followed by that intense stabbing pain in his glabella again.
