For high-quality Tool Spirits, Xuan Ling Grass has a negligible effect, but for Spirits like sickles and hammers, its effect is excellent.
Even so, the market price of Xuan Ling Grass far exceeded their affordability.
Li Li learned the location of the Xuan Ling Grass by chance, but he didn't tell the other work-study students in the same dorm.
As for why he didn't look for others, only seeking him out, Tie Li quickly guessed the general reason.
On one hand, it was strength; he possessed a hundred-year spirit ring, and the attribute bonus from the spirit ring alone represented a huge difference.
Among the academy's work-study students and commoner students, only he and Li Li had hundred-year spirit rings.
It was impossible for him to ask noble students for help; they all had family support behind them, and once the location of the Xuan Ling Grass was exposed, their families would mobilize their forces.
On the other hand, it might be the quantity of Xuan Ling Grass, very likely only two stalks, which is why he needed to find a Spirit Master similar to himself to go together.
To be honest, Tie Li was tempted, but spiritual herbs are always guarded by Spirit Beasts.
"How about it?" Li Li asked.
Innate level seven spirit power and an ordinary sickle Spirit were a thorn in his heart; if his Spirit's quality were a little better, he could have been recruited by Spirit Hall.
"I can agree, but you need to tell me the specific situation clearly."
"Good."
Seeing Tie Li's emotional response, Li Li immediately revealed the information he had gathered.
The Spirit Beast guarding the Xuan Ling Grass was a hundred-year Iron Arm Ape; both of them were one-ring Spirit Masters with hundred-year spirit rings, so if they cooperated well, there was a high chance of hunting the hundred-year Iron Arm Ape.
"However, there are only three stalks of Xuan Ling Grass." Li Li hesitated for a moment but still chose to tell the truth; the distribution of benefits was also an issue.
"I can take only one stalk, but the Iron Arm Ape's corpse belongs to me."
"Good."
Seeing Tie Li relent, Li Li immediately agreed.
While a dead hundred-year Spirit Beast could fetch a good price, it couldn't compare to a stalk of Xuan Ling Grass.
In the market, one stalk of Xuan Ling Grass could sell for at least five hundred gold coins.
"When do we depart?"
"This afternoon!" Li Li said.
Tie Li furrowed his brow; the other party didn't intend to give him time, but he understood his thoughts.
"Alright, I'll go back and get some things."
Tie Li moved quickly; as soon as he returned home, he put on the iron inner armor he had taken off earlier, which still bore the claw marks of a Nether Wolf; he picked out a piece of clothing he usually wore while smithing and put it on as an outer layer.
He also found a few cloth ropes from his home and put them in his Arms; he touched the Thunder Serpent's single horn nearby and decided to bring it along.
After preparing, Tie Li arrived at the academy gate and saw Li Li already waiting.
He had also taken off his academy uniform and changed into his patched hemp clothes; for a moment, the two looked quite similar.
"Let's go!"
Li Li didn't tell him the exact location of the Xuan Ling Grass, so Tie Li could only follow him.
After they left Manno City, Li Li finally spoke.
"Last time I came out of the village, I wanted to take a shortcut back to the academy, cutting through the White Light Forest, and unexpectedly saw the immature Xuan Ling Grass on the mountain peak, but there was a hundred-year Iron Arm Ape guarding it."
The White Light Forest cannot be considered a Soul Beast Forest; most of what's inside are wild beasts, with occasional ten-year Spirit Beasts appearing.
The sudden appearance of this hundred-year Spirit Beast, the Iron Arm Ape, was very likely attracted by the scent of the Xuan Ling Grass.
Naturally growing spiritual herbs and flowers have a mysterious attraction to specific Spirit Beasts; they can sense them even from far away.
Just as the two arrived at the White Light Forest, they discovered a merchant caravan, and in front of the caravan was a group of bandits blocking their way.
"This is trouble; should we go around from the other side?" Li Li suggested.
Tie Li gave a meaningful glance at the two confronting sides; with their strength, it was better not to get involved in this messy situation.
The caravan was transporting provisions and biological supplies, a total of twelve carriages; although they were worth a lot of money, they would at most hire a one-ring Spirit Master to guard the caravan.
However, Tie Li sensed three spirit power fluctuations within the caravan, and there were four spirit power fluctuations among the bandit group.
If it was just ordinary cargo transport, would it attract so many Spirit Masters?
It's better to avoid trouble than to seek it; for Tie Li currently, it was the best choice.
The two concealed their aura and went around to the other side of the forest.
Li Li was very familiar with the terrain in this area and moved quickly, but Tie Li always felt that he was deliberately taking a detour.
It wasn't until sunset that Tie Li saw the mountain peak Li Li spoke of; the three stalks of Xuan Ling Grass were at the top of the peak.
"The Xuan Ling Grass will be fully mature after absorbing the last moonlight tonight," Li Li said to himself.
Tie Li didn't say much and followed behind Li Li, hiding behind a large rock.
Peeking out, he could see the formidable Iron Arm Ape guarding the Xuan Ling Grass.
It was also waiting for the Xuan Ling Grass to mature!
The pure white full moon grew colder, and a faint cold light sprinkled down from the sky; the moment the Xuan Ling Grass touched the cold light, it emitted a soft white glow.
At this moment, the Iron Arm Ape's attention was entirely on the Xuan Ling Grass.
"Move!"
The moment his Spirit was summoned, the spirit ring released a yellow glow, and Tie Li's spirit ring glow was even deeper.
He glanced at Li Li's Spirit; with the hundred-year spirit ring's enhancement, his sickle's form had undergone significant changes.
A black handle, a long scythe emitting a sharp cold gleam, which intensified when he activated his first Spirit Ability.
Li Li swung his blade forcefully, and a blade aura shot out from his sickle Spirit.
"Tsk."
It easily tore through the Iron Arm Ape's back, creating a gruesome wound from which blood flowed uncontrollably, even revealing white bone.
First Spirit Ability, Thunder Hammer!
The Iron Arm Ape was about to turn and counterattack when a large hammer emitting lightning came at it.
"Bang."
The impact of the force combined with the attached lightning damage.
Forging, Shock!
The hammer body vibrated at a high frequency, a direct hit to the head causing it to fall into a brief daze, but it wasn't enough to kill it instantly.
"Cut its head!" Tie Li shouted at Li Li.
Li Li quickly stepped forward and swung at the Iron Arm Ape's neck; his first spirit ring lit up again.
Releasing a blade aura at such close range?
As Tie Li wondered, he noticed that the blade of the sickle Spirit had become larger and sharper.
Is this a hundred-year Spirit Ability?
"Click."
Without any surprise, Li Li severed the Iron Arm Ape's head with one strike.
Both of them involuntarily looked at each other's Spirits and spirit rings.
After a full ten seconds, Tie Li finally broke the silence.
"As agreed beforehand, I get one stalk of Xuan Ling Grass plus the Iron Arm Ape's corpse." Tie Li was the first to reach the location of the Xuan Ling Grass and picked his stalk.
Li Li followed closely, carefully picking two stalks and placing them into a specially prepared wooden box.