This batch of Wind Spirit Grass finally weighed 52,000 catties, and Li Mu harvested 520 lower spirit stones.
"Normally, top-grade Wind Spirit Grass is worth one lower Spirit Stone for every thirty to forty catties. You need to check what went wrong, otherwise, you'll earn a lot fewer Spirit Stones!" Zhang Baiping handed the three Storage Pouches and Spirit Stones to Li Mu, kindly reminding him.
"Thank you for the reminder, Brother Zhang. It's probably because I was too eager for success, but I've already earned quite a bit! I'm very satisfied." Li Mu accepted the Storage Pouches, casually making up an excuse, and thanked him contentedly.
Compared to selling Spirit Stones, having the freedom to Cultivate skillfully is far more important!
Li Mu knew his own situation and found it inconvenient to continue the topic, so he quickly bid farewell: "Brother Zhang, I'll leave Crimson Wolf in your care! I'll be back in about half a month."
"Mm! Don't worry! It will be well taken care of. The Qingxuan Sect Outer Sect Disciple assessment isn't that easy, so you can focus on your assessment! I wish you a successful assessment!" Zhang Baiping smiled and nodded, sincerely wishing him well.
"Thank you! Brother Zhang!" Li Mu thanked him gratefully, full of confidence in the Outer Sect Disciple assessment.
Li Mu left Zhang's Spirit Animal Farm and headed to Wanbao Pavilion, preparing to purchase a batch of spiritual items to refine a protective Spiritual Artifact.
Next, he would return to Xiao Liang Mountain to process the Emerald Spirit Fruit he had picked, harvest the acre of spirit rice, and then deal with the remaining four free-range Cailing Chickens. Only then would Li Mu feel at ease heading to the Qingxuan Sect's outer Sect station.
The Qingxuan Sect governs a vast territory of thousands of miles, standing high above. There are millions of Utility Disciples, scattered across tens of thousands of Spiritual Mountains, hundreds of large cities, and countless small towns, collecting various Cultivation resources for the Sect.
Small towns like Qing'an Town and Qingping Town, which have low-grade Spiritual Veins, Spirit Mines, Spirit Medicine, and various Cultivation resources, and are in remote and harsh environments, are the areas where a large number of Qingxuan Sect Utility Disciples are active.
The only upward channel for Utility Disciples, who are at the bottom of the food chain, is to pass the Sect's Outer Sect Disciple assessment, advance to Outer Sect Disciple, then pass the Inner Sect Disciple assessment to become an Inner Sect Disciple, climbing steadily upwards.
The assessment location for Outer Sect Disciples is naturally not at the Qingxuan Sect Headquarters, but rather at the city-level outposts controlled by the Qingxuan Sect.
Utility Disciples and Outer Sect Disciples are not qualified to stay at the Sect Headquarters. Outer Sect Disciples only have the opportunity to go to the Qingxuan Sect Headquarters and witness the scenery of the Sect's seven main peaks, immortal mountains, and spiritual caves when they participate in the Inner Sect Disciple assessment.
The higher-level city above Qing'an Town and Qingping Town is Gangyang City, three hundred miles away, where the Qingxuan Sect Outer Sect Disciple branch outpost is located.
Three hundred miles is neither far nor near. If Li Mu were to fly at full speed with his sword, he could reach it in about half an hour.
However, given the round trip, and fearing any unexpected incidents, Li Mu needed to make some preparations for it.
Wanbao Pavilion
Under the guidance of two maidservants, Li Mu met Lin Huirong.
"Welcome to Wanbao Pavilion, Young Master Li, it's been a while since we last met!" Lin Huirong greeted him with a radiant smile.
"Indeed, it's been a while since I've been here! Do you have second-order spirit peach wood in stock? I need twenty cubic meters, and four catties of exuviating spiritual water." Li Mu smiled and went straight to the point.
"Yes, yes, we have all of them in stock!" Lin Huirong's eyes lit up, and she quickly took out a ledger from her Storage Pouch, flipped through it, and replied.
"Second-order spirit peach wood: 120 lower spirit stones per cubic meter. Second-order exuviating spiritual water is relatively expensive, one liang of spiritual water costs 450 lower spirit stones. For Young Master Li, I'll give you a 5% discount, for a total of 193 medium spirit stones. Does Young Master Li have any other needs?" Lin Huirong looked at Li Mu expectantly and asked.
"Mm! Do you have the brewing recipe for cuiling wine?" Li Mu nodded and then asked.
"Yes, this isn't very valuable, just a few lower spirit stones, I can give it to Young Master Li for free." Lin Huirong smiled slightly and indicated.
"Besides metal-element, do you have any other four-element second-order Artifact Refining spiritual Materials?" Li Mu nodded and asked with concern.
"Second-order Scarlet Flame Stone, second-order Wutu Crystal, and second-order Bintie Wood Heart, these three Artifact Refining spiritual Materials." Lin Huirong smiled slightly, looking at Li Mu and indicating.
"What's the price of Wutu Crystal?" Li Mu's heart stirred slightly, and he asked with concern.
"One medium Spirit Stone per catty." Lin Huirong quoted the price.
Upon hearing this, Li Mu fell silent for a moment. Last time at the Spirit Mine shop in Qingping Town, he bought Wutu Crystal for 8 medium spirit stones for ten catties.
Wanbao Pavilion is too dark. With just a quick resale, ten catties of Wutu Crystal would earn them an extra 2 medium spirit stones. Li Mu decided to give up on purchasing Artifact Refining Materials at Wanbao Pavilion. He would find time to trade Artifact Refining spirit mines with Duan Pinghai again; he hadn't earned little from that batch of raw red gold ore.
The refining results were about 750 catties of second-order Scarlet Gold Stone, and over ten catties each of third-order geng metal and third-order Taiyi Fine Gold, earning several times the profit. Not seeking out such a 'big spender' and instead coming to Wanbao Pavilion to buy Artifact Refining Materials would truly make him a 'big spender'.
"Forget it, just give me 20 cubic meters of spirit peach wood and four catties of exuviating spiritual water! Also, don't forget the cuiling wine brewing secret recipe." Li Mu waved his hand, confirming.
"No problem, Young Master Li, how do you plan to settle the bill? With Spirit Stones, or offsetting with Talismans?" Lin Huirong's expression was slightly disappointed, but her smile remained unchanged as she asked.
"This time, I'll pay with Spirit Stones!" Li Mu decisively pulled out the Storage Pouch containing Spirit Stones and paid Lin Huirong 193 medium spirit stones.
Upon hearing this, Lin Huirong became even more disappointed, thinking she could earn another sum!
"This is a large Storage Pouch; you can just put the spirit peach wood into it." Li Mu handed another Storage Pouch to Lin Huirong and said.
Lin Huirong counted the Spirit Stones, took the Storage Pouch, and left somewhat dejectedly: "Young Master Li, I will go and pack the spirit peach wood now. Please wait a moment."
It wasn't long before Lin Huirong returned, handing the Storage Pouch filled with Materials to Li Mu, and reminded him: "Young Master Li, you missed a lot of good things by not attending the Auction last time. If you have time, you can make a trip to Gangyang City. This time, our Wanbao Pavilion is about to hold a large-scale Auction in Gangyang City, where Foundation Establishment Pills, Cultivation Techniques, Talisman books, and a large number of third-order spiritual items will be auctioned off."
Upon hearing this, Li Mu's heart stirred. He happened to be going to Gangyang City this time, so he could go and see.
"When will your pavilion's Auction in Gangyang City begin? I happen to be going to Gangyang City in a few days." Li Mu asked curiously.
"In seven days. If Young Master Li truly intends to participate, I can give you an invitation token for free, but you must go! Otherwise, Huirong will have her performance deducted!" Lin Huirong showed a worried expression, looking at Li Mu and indicating.
"Seven days, you say! The timing is just right. Give me the invitation token! I will definitely go!" Li Mu smiled and nodded, while also thinking of something and asking: "If I have spiritual items to put up for Auction, will your pavilion be able to handle it on my behalf then?"
"Of course! However, spiritual items submitted for Auction need to be appraised by our pavilion's spiritual appraiser, and only if they reach a certain value can they be put up for Auction. If the Auction is successful, our pavilion will charge a handling fee of about 15% of the spiritual item's Auction price." Lin Huirong replied.
"Understood! Give me the invitation token! Miss Lin, please rest assured, having taken your token, I will absolutely go!" Li Mu nodded and reached out to Lin Huirong to ask for it.
Seeing Li Mu say this, Lin Huirong quickly took out a small purple token from her waist and offered it with both hands.