Chapter 236

Chapter 236: Ten Thousand Years of Emptiness

This remained merely a passing thought. Though the White Jade Divine Fish held remarkable effects, they weren’t as common as cabbage. More crucially, their benefits required prolonged consumption. As Mao San and Gou Si explained, cultivating spiritual roots demanded at least several years of continuous feeding.

Thus, mass-producing high-grade spiritual roots through this method seemed improbable.

Yet even enabling Fang Lie’s forty-odd younger siblings to all develop high-grade spiritual roots would shake both the Mo Sect and the entire cultivation world.

Among the Mo Sect’s million outer disciples, only about a hundred possessed high-grade spiritual roots. Adding forty more at once would practically defy the heavens.

The impact might seem negligible initially, but over centuries as these talents matured, their sheer numbers would make the Mo Sect’s foundation the envy of all.

Distracted by these thoughts, Fang Lie neglected the White Jade Divine Fish. Mistaking his silence for disregard, the fish whimpered pitifully.

Startled by its cries, Fang Lie chuckled at its dejected appearance. "Worry not," he reassured, "Your efforts won’t go unrewarded!"

He tossed ten top-grade spirit pills to the massive fish. "This is your bounty. Bring me a hundred more fish, and you’ll earn another pill."

The fish leaped to swallow the pills. Surging spiritual energy flooded its body, boosting its magic power equivalent to years of cultivation – and this after already acquiring the small spirit pearl. With monthly doses like this, reaching third rank seemed imminent, possibly fourth rank within a year.

Any prior resentment vanished, replaced by pure gratitude. The fish wagged excitedly before darting into the cave to recruit more of its kind.

Fang Lie smiled faintly. Channeling his magic, he immobilized the pool’s remaining fish and transported them to the spiritual mansion’s lake.

Considering their advancement needs, he poured water-element spirit stones from his Sumeru Bags into the lake. Not stopping there, he released a small spirit pearl’s seal, allowing pure water-element energy to permeate the waters.

The enhanced environment thrilled the fish. Fang Lie resolved to only send newly caught specimens home, reserving these cultivated ones until they advanced enough to potentially produce high-grade spiritual veins.

Returning to Purple Tower, Fang Lie resumed essence refinement. Warehouses overflowing with materials became valuable essences, then top-grade pills through the Pill Furnace – multiplying their worth a hundredfold.

This lucrative process earned Fang Lie monthly profits astonishing even to Wind Tribulation Immortals.

His enhanced automaton "Two Two Two" now produced ten pill batches daily, each yielding dozens to hundreds of pills. Around-the-clock operations yielded seven to eight hundred pills daily.

Priced between tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of spirit stones (averaging over 100,000), this translated to nearly a billion spirit stones daily. After costs, net profits rivaled fifth-rank treasures’ value – though such treasures typically required bartering.

Yet expenses mounted equally. Maintaining the spiritual mansion and funding cultivators like the Ice and Fire Poison Dragon cost millions daily. Fang Lie’s personal expenditures exceeded ten million daily, especially after upgrading his Low-Level Beast meals to twenty-million-spirit-stone feasts every few days.

Supporting Fang Family Villa added further costs, though negligible against his gold-rush income. Fang Lie’s wealth snowballed alarmingly fast, a growth trajectory poised to explode with impending new ventures.

Three days later, Li Li appeared before Fang Lie once more, presenting two Sumeru Bags with deep reverence. "Manor Lord," he said, "I delivered your message to Mr. Suan Mei. He remained silent but entrusted us with this item. The other bag contains the promised materials for the Bao Yuan Pill."

Fang Lie accepted both bags. He first examined Mr. Suan Mei’s offering – a delicate Jade Bottle. When he broke the seal, an invigorating aroma instantly permeated the chamber. Breathing deeply, Fang Lie felt his pores tingle with pleasure as magical energy circulated through his body, showing slight improvement.

"Superb!" Fang Lie’s eyes sparkled. "Could this be Ten Thousand Years of Emptiness?"

"Indeed," Li Li confirmed, unable to hide his envy. "Ten drops worth a kingdom’s ransom!"

This treasure formed within jade essence, each droplet saturated with dense Spiritual Energy. While it could slowly enhance cultivation like Thousand-Year Water Lotus seeds, its true value lay in instantly restoring exhausted magic. For Wind Tribulation Immortals whose purified magic contained primordial purple energy from their Purple Palace – refined through nine cycles of Nascent Soul cultivation and Wind Tribulation trials – only fifth-grade spirit pills or rare treasures like this could replenish their reserves.

Though priceless to Wind Tribulation Immortals, Mr. Suan Mei had reluctantly surrendered it under Fang Lie’s pressure. Li Li recalled the scholar’s green-tinged face during the handover, marveling at how easily Fang Lie had compelled submission where even the Four Seas Alliance leaders might fail.

Satisfied, Fang Lie stored the treasure before inspecting the second bag. Among hundreds of herbs lay 200 wood-element Demon Pills – Second-tier to third rank, none exceeding Fourth-Rank. Fang Lie frowned. "These contain less than half the potency of a single Fifth Rank wood-element Demon Pill."

Li Li spread his hands helplessly. "Wood-element demon beasts are scarce. We’ve gathered all available on short notice."

"Unacceptable." Fang Lie shoved the bag back. "Insufficient materials breed failed alchemy. I won’t risk my reputation."

After tense silence, Li Li proposed through gritted teeth: "What if the Four Seas Alliance adds ten Fourth-Rank wood-element Demon Pills?"

Fang Lie’s eyebrow rose. "Why fund another’s materials?"

"We seek proof of your high-grade refinement skills," Li Li admitted eagerly. "Success would forge lucrative paths for us all. Consider this an investment."

"Clever gambit," Fang Lie chuckled. "But surely you’ve secured repayment?"

"Indeed," Li Li grinned. "The master pledged a century’s service to our alliance."

"Ten years per Fourth-Rank pill? Tempting terms!" Fang Lie remarked wryly. "I’d make such deals myself."

"Why would you need Immortals?" Li Li countered while returning the enhanced bag. "Your mere reputation deters even Fire Tribulation Immortals!"

Fang Lie accepted the bag with a laugh. "Enough flattery. Expect news in three days."

Bowing deeply, Li Li withdrew, leaving Fang Lie to his work.