Chapter 117

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Chapter 117: Timeless Mountains

Five Elements Sect，Qingyang Mountain

"Rain Technique"

Lin Jiang shouted loudly and quickly performed hand gestures. With the surge of spiritual energy, a small dark cloud formed and then it started raining heavily.

"Well done, well done."

Lin Jiang felt quite pleased. His Rain Technique was already very powerful. He had seen others using it, but their clouds were only about ten meters in size, while his was over forty meters, multiplied by several times.

This was also a benefit of his cultivation. His spiritual energy had become more refined, but of course, this was only a side effect. Lin Jiang valued his cultivation method more.

The Five Elements Sitting Zen Classic was just a simplified version of the Five Spirit Manual, but it still suited Lin Jiang better. He found it easy to practice, especially with the added effects of the Plastic Bone Pill. His progress and speed of cultivation were incomparable to his time in the Lin family.

This made Lin Jiang even more excited for the real Five Spirit Manual. If he could obtain this cultivation method, he would no longer have any worries about his progress. He just needed to gather resources and gradually improve.

"Senior Brother Xiao, we have arrived."

After a while, Lin Jiang received a Sound Passing Talisman. After putting away the Big Shadiao and the Small Shadiao, he opened the formation and the professional team appeared again.

"Senior Brother Zheng, you came early. The sun has just risen."

"We can’t compare to Senior Brother Xiao’s skill in drawing symbols. We can only farm."

"Senior Brother Zheng is hardworking and will become rich. In another two years, he can try to achieve the Building Foundation."

Lin Jiang smiled and said that the leader of the professional team was the person he had discussed pricing with before, named Zheng Yi. Just like Lin Jiang, Zheng Yi had no backing in the Five Elements Sect and relied solely on his own efforts.

This year marks the thirteenth year since Lin Jiang entered the Five Elements Sect and ten years since he came to Qingyang Mountain. They have been working together for ten years and have become friends.

Prior to this, Lin Jiang went to the sect’s Chuangong Hall to listen to several classes on drawing symbols. Then he began publicly showcasing his skill in drawing symbols. Now, among the outer disciples, he is considered the best and has gained some fame.

These past few years, Lin Jiang has actually often gone to the Chuangong Hall. Chuangong Hall is a great benefit for the sect and family, and it is something that independent cultivators greatly desire. This is because Chuangong Hall always has classes teaching cultivation. It is not at the level of elementary practices like the Shanxue School. The minimum requirement for attending classes at Chuangong Hall is to have reached the Building Foundation Period.

As for a large sect like the Five Elements Sect, there are occasionally Golden Core Period ancestors who appear. Just getting taught a little something or having a question answered by them could be something that independent cultivators outside would spend years trying to figure out. The difference between having a famous teacher guide you and trying to figure things out on your own is significant. And on top of that, it’s all free.

"Being hardworking can only make a living, not make one wealthy. To earn money, you have to be like Senior Brother Xiao."

"No, no."

Lin Jiang called out to Zheng Yi. His fellow disciples had already gone to work. This time, they were applying fertilizer, so he didn’t need to help.

Lin Jiang called Senior Brother repeatedly. In the sect, Senior Brother is actually a term to show respect to Taoist friends from the outside world. It’s not really a true Senior Brother.

"Senior Brother Xiao, it seems like our spiritual paddy will be a little less productive this year. Why don’t you join Talisman Hall? With your skills, you can earn Merit Points easily."

"I know my own abilities. How can I compare to the Senior Brothers at Talisman Hall? Besides, Talisman Hall is so busy that they don’t have time for cultivation. I prefer to enjoy my freedom here, right?"

Lin Jiang explained that he only drew symbols to cover up the loophole of spending money to earn Merit Points. It was just an excuse, and he didn’t really rely on it to make money.

Furthermore, he disliked working for others. The income from spiritual talismans at Talisman Hall was very low, and it relied on quantity. There were never-ending amounts of spiritual talismans to draw every day, and he didn’t want to do that.

"I do envy Senior Brother Xiao."

Zheng Yi said that he admired a carefree attitude. For the spirit stone, as long as it is enough, that’s what Lin Jiang emphasized many times. Also, being young and having time to mess around, unlike him, who is already in his fifties. If he doesn’t build a foundation soon, he’s afraid he won’t have a chance.

The two of them chatted for a long time. Zheng Yi’s subordinates had already finished the task. Although over a thousand acres is large, they have a professional team. They specifically hired a craftsman to build wooden kites. Each kite can carry thousands of pounds and fly in the air. They are reliable drones for cultivating the land. With ten wooden kites working at the same time, fertilizing tens of thousands of acres in a day is not a problem. Compared to manual labor, it is much more efficient.

"It’s all about technology and hard work."

Lin Jiang sighed. He used to think about whether or not to introduce technology into the cultivation world, but he realized that the cultivation world’s technology is not actually lacking.

You can say that the technology of drones is already advanced enough, but the craftsmen in this world can casually refine things. Wooden kites are just small objects. There are also flying boats. You need an airport for airplanes, but flying boats don’t need that. They can stop and go as they please.

Not to mention, just the technology of a storage bag would be enough for all the scientists on Blue Star to study for a hundred years. It would be useless even if they pulled out all their hair.

So Lin Jiang doesn’t dare to underestimate the proficiency in Immortal Language. Your technological civilization may not necessarily be as impressive as theirs.

······

"Senior Brother Yue, did I come too late?"

One day, Lin Jiang appeared at Yue Qing’s home. Yue Qing was a social butterfly among the disciples outside the gate, and he loved making friends very much.

Over the years, he found a group of people among his friends and held regular exchange meetings to discuss cultivating immortality, exchange resources, and exchange information. Lin Jiang often attended as well.

Lin Jiang’s character developed by the Five Elements Sect was a slightly talented, hardworking, and a little clever-looking one. If he stayed hidden in the mountain valley all the time, never interacting with people, without information or resource exchange, his cultivation would still grow rapidly. Is he really a fool?

"No, you came too early, Junior Brother Xiao. How’s your talisman-drawing technique recently? Have you reached first-grade premium level?"

"By a stroke of luck, I drew the first one last month, but all the subsequent ones failed."

"Junior Brother Xiao, with your talent, you don’t need to worry now. Pay more attention to the Chuangong Hall. When there are senior talisman-drawing experts giving lectures, go and listen."

Yue Qing said, in front of Lin Jiang, he always assumed the posture of an older brother. When it came to various relationships within the sect, who understood better than him? It was his advantage.

"Thank you, senior brother. I will pay attention."

"Junior Brother Xiao, are you interested in joining me directly here? Let me tell you, if you don’t work harder, you will have no hope of building a foundation. Don’t just keep farming, that’s not productive."

"Senior Brother, I don’t think you’ll be impressed by my abilities, will you?"

"You are already quite talented, your first grade premium symbol painting technique is already impressive among us outer disciples."

"Really?"

"Let me be honest with you, someone like Zheng Yi will never have a chance to build a foundation in this lifetime unless he ventures outside the sect and seizes an opportunity."

"Ah"

"Have you always heard people talk about the sixty-year-old limit? Well, that statement is actually true, but it doesn’t apply to the Five Elements Sect. The outer sect of the Five Elements Sect has a thirty-five-year-old limit. Once you surpass thirty-five years old, you can forget about getting a Building Foundation Pill…"

Yue Qing slowly said to Lin Jiang. The Five Elements Sect is very closed-off. They can actually provide enough Building Foundation Pills for their disciples because they have the most powerful Spiritual Farmer in the Yun State.

However, the sect doesn’t provide for all disciples. They only allocate a small portion each year, and the quantity is fixed. To obtain a Building Foundation Pill, having enough Merit Points is not enough. They must consider the disciple’s Spiritual Root, talent, and especially age. The younger, the better. Once you surpass thirty-five years old, there won’t be much opportunity to obtain one.

Then you have to find a way yourself. But outside the sect, a single Building Foundation Pill is worth thirty to forty thousand spirit stones. Even someone like Yue Qing, who has support from a senior in the Building Foundation Period, would find it difficult to come up with this sum. After all, earning money and saving money are two different things, and the expenses for the Building Foundation Period are even greater.

"So, senior brother, what are your plans?"

Of course, we will stick together to keep warm. There are so many people in the sect who have connections, what am I worth? If we don’t work hard, we can only wait to die.

This is what I think. I will find a few like-minded senior brothers, we will become true brothers. We will unite and work towards the same goal. Can you lend me some Merit Points? Let me build my foundation first, and then I will repay you.

This kind of thing is common outside. What do we do when resources are not enough for all the brothers at home to cultivate? We focus on one person first, and when that person becomes powerful, we will help the others.

Junior Brother Xiao, don’t worry. I am not the kind of person who betrays others. I can promise you that I will definitely repay you. Whatever Merit Points you give me, I will give you back twice as much…

Yue Qing’s words stunned Lin Jiang. Look at this guy, Yue Qing sure dares to think. I considered him my senior brother, but he’s treating me like a fool.

"Is this considered cultivation world gossip, illegal fundraising, or a scam?"

Lin Jiang muttered to himself. This Yue Qing is quite something. I hope there aren’t really any fools falling for it.

However, reality slapped Lin Jiang in the face. There were indeed some fools who fell for it, quite a few actually. They all rushed to become Yue Qing’s brothers.

"There are too many silly people, not enough cheaters."

Lin Jiang sighed once again, knowing that Yue Qing was going to succeed. He was a person who did great things.

The success of this matter actually relies on his usual layout. Starting from Shanxue School, his image to others was that of a sunny and enthusiastic person with many friends, willing to help others and keep his promises.

It was normal for someone like Lin Jiang, who had lived for over two hundred years, to not be fooled. But the problem was that the other disciples were in their twenties and lacked experience in the outside world. They had no idea about the dangers of society after staying within the sect for a long time.

All the resources were focused on Yue Qing. He was benefiting from it, but what if his Building foundation failed? Even if he succeeded, how long would it take for him to support others? Opportunities have a time limit. If it takes until you’re in your fifties or sixties to repay you with resources, what’s the use? Not to mention, he also had the right to break the agreement. At that time, the other person would be an internal disciple’s Building foundation Martial Uncle, while you were just an external disciple with no background. How could you possibly win against them?

"Junior Brother Xiao····"

"Senior Brother Yue, my stomach hurts and I need to go to the toilet. I have to bring back this manure for fertilization. I’ll leave now, I’ll come back next time."

When Yue Qing asked Lin Jiang again, he quickly found an excuse and ran away.