"Zoom!"
Lin Zhao darted to Liu Liying's side, his gaze burning, "What do you propose?"
"Actually, it's not that difficult."
Liu Liying, slender and graceful, stood amidst the wind, her red skirt fluttering. She said softly, "Young Master, if I'm not mistaken, the gourd seeds from this gourd vine must originate from some grand Dao artifact, possessing an extremely profound Dao foundation, am I right?"
Lin Zhao frowned. He wasn't entirely sure about that. The gourd seed was left by Old Daoist Wang, and its origin was traced back to that ancient Sword Sage surnamed Pei. He wasn't clear about its true provenance, so he shook his head. "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure, but this gourd is definitely extraordinary."
"That's correct."
Liu Liying pursed her red lips and said, "Liying was born from the Dao and enfeoffed as a spirit. Therefore, while I don't share the same origin as this gourd seed, we are both manifestations of the Dao. Coincidentally, Liying's innate divine ability is to govern the luck of worldly spirits. If Liying uses her own body as a cauldron to refine spiritual energy and nourish this gourd vine, it will undoubtedly shorten the time for the gourd to mature. Perhaps Young Master can obtain a fully mature immortal gourd within a month or two."
"Really?!"
Lin Zhao was greatly invigorated and smiled, "What conditions are needed? Tell me."
"A large amount of Golden Cicada Coins."
Liu Liying said, "For this gourd vine to grow rapidly and bear new immortal gourds, it will inevitably require massive spiritual energy. Liying's method only accelerates the process; the consumed spiritual energy will not be reduced in any way. Therefore, a substantial number of Golden Cicada Coins are needed daily to refine and feed this gourd vine. Additionally, I can draw spiritual energy from the surrounding mountains and wilds to nourish the gourd vine. In short, Liying will do her best."
"Mm!"
Lin Zhao looked at Changzhi. "How has the income of Golden Cicada Coins at our Mountain Peak Villa been recently?"
"It's alright."
Changzhi smiled. "The Mohist Ancestral Hall has sent a batch of Golden Cicada Coins, totaling over five thousand. The profits from shops like Jubao Fang and Qianji Pavilion, and the taxes paid to the Snow Region Heavenly Pool, combined are about six hundred. It's not a lot, but it comes in every month. The Mohist Ancestral Hall has a longer casting cycle, so we can't rush with Golden Cicada Coins."
"Over five thousand in total..."
Lin Zhao frowned, then looked at his own pouch. He had over 12,000 bound Golden Cicada Coins. Without hesitation, he took out ten thousand, leaving himself with only over 2,800 for refining swords and maintaining the basic operations of the Snow Region Heavenly Pool. He handed all ten thousand Golden Cicada Coins to Liu Liying. "Here are ten thousand Golden Cicada Coins. Changzhi, deduct the odd numbers and give five thousand Golden Cicada Coins to Liu Liying first."
"Yes, my lord."
Changzhi nodded with a smile.
Lin Zhao asked, "Will these fifteen thousand Golden Cicada Coins be enough to yield an immortal gourd?"
"It's hard to say."
Liu Liying smiled. "Regardless, Liying will do her best. And Young Master, to put it bluntly, this is a necessary endeavor. Otherwise, given the current growth rate of this gourd vine, it would take at least ten years or more to bear a grand and majestic immortal gourd. I believe Young Master wouldn't want to wait that long, would you?"
"Ten years?"
Lin Zhao did some mental calculation. That would be over a year in real time. Who could wait that long? Moreover, the situation in the Northern Region was volatile. It was uncertain if the Snow Region Heavenly Pool would even exist in ten years. Therefore, converting the Golden Cicada Coins in hand into cultivation resources as soon as possible was the key. Even if he didn't need the immortal gourd himself, perhaps Su Qingjiu, Changzhi, Tong Yu, or Zhang Luobai might need it? Besides, Lin Zhao himself was quite looking forward to an immortal gourd, as he aspired to become a Sword Immortal. A Sword Immortal without a wine gourd at his waist felt somewhat incomplete.
"Alright!"
Lin Zhao said decisively, "Start with fifteen thousand Golden Cicada Coins. If it's not enough, we'll find another way. No matter what, our Snow Region Heavenly Pool must nurture this gourd vine to maturity!"
"Yes!"
Liu Liying smiled softly, "Leave it to Liying."
Saying that, she gently fanned her fan, and immediately strands of peach petals swirled around. Liu Liying's red dress fluttered, as beautiful as a celestial maiden. She unfurled her fan, held it above the gourd vine, and then began to cast the Golden Cicada Coins. In a flash, hundreds of Golden Cicada Coins were dropped. At the bottom of her fan, a golden funnel-shaped vortex formed, and drops of spiritual energy essence descended from the vortex, finally falling into the soil within the green treasure cauldron. Instantly, the gourd vine began to glow, and under Liu Liying's divine ability, it started to grow vigorously, its branches and leaves visibly expanding.
The onlookers were amazed.
Tang Guangjun grinned, "Our Villa Master has truly found a treasure on this trip down the mountain. Miss Liying is indeed a divine maiden!"
Huang Tingyu nodded in agreement. If she weren't a divine maiden, her figure couldn't possibly be so perfect, that slender waist that could be held in one's grasp, how captivating it was.
Not long after, Liu Liying's figure swayed slightly. She had already refined five hundred Golden Cicada Coins into the gourd vine. Her face was pale, and even her radiant body seemed somewhat ethereal, clearly indicating a significant depletion of vital energy. However, Liu Liying didn't intend to rest. She walked up to Lin Zhao and bowed gracefully. "Young Master, refining Golden Cicada Coins is like drinking water from a straw. Five hundred Golden Cicada Coins per day is ideal, but the gourd vine can still absorb quite a bit more spiritual energy. Liying sees that the spiritual energy in the back mountain of our Mountain Peak Villa is extremely abundant, so she wishes to ask Young Master if Lin Zhao can 'build a bridge' in the mountains to draw the spiritual energy from the back mountain to irrigate the gourd vine."
"This is also possible?"
Lin Zhao's heart rejoiced, but then he thought of many cautious matters. Finally, he said, "It's possible, but the back mountain is vast, with numerous living beings, and even scattered common folk within the mountains. Therefore, we cannot engage in practices that drain a pond to catch fish or burn a forest to hunt. Liying, you can build the bridge to draw spiritual energy from the back mountain to irrigate the gourd vine, and even the entire Mountain Peak Villa. But you must have a sense of proportion. The spiritual energy you absorb cannot exceed half of the original amount; you must know when to stop."
"Understood."
Liu Liying smiled sweetly. "Then Liying will go and build the bridge?"
"Go ahead."
The next moment, Liu Liying, holding her fan, floated up. Her red dress was resplendent and beautiful. In a blink of an eye, she appeared on the mountaintop. Then, using her own techniques, she condensed an arch-shaped formation on the mountaintop. The moment the bridge was completed, the spiritual energy from the back mountain, like trickling water encountering a waterwheel in an irrigation channel, was condensed by the arch into a stream of spiritual energy, which was then drawn towards the Mountain Peak Villa.
...
"Ah, this is wonderful."
Lin Zhao sat back in his recliner, comfortably basking in the morning sun. Now he could finally be a hands-off boss. According to Liu Liying, it should take a little over a month to yield a mature immortal gourd. He wondered how many would grow. Would it be seven flowers on one vine? If so, he would need to carefully plan how to distribute them.
Su Qingjiu sat by the recliner, massaging Lin Zhao's shoulders.
For a moment, Huang Tingyu, Tang Guangjun, Mu Yu, and others looked on wistfully. That was the Lord of Changming Mountain, a peak Sword Immortal of the twelfth realm, Su Qingjiu! If anyone in the world could receive a shoulder massage from Su Qingjiu, it would probably only be Lin Zhao.
"Humph~~~"
As Su Qingjiu massaged his shoulders, a strand of sword dao restriction arose, enveloping her and Lin Zhao. She then glanced at Liu Liying, who was busy building the bridge on the mountain. "Brother Lin Zhao, it seems this fan-wielding divine maiden has fallen deeply in love with you. What should we do?"
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Lin Zhao jolted. "Actually, little Jiu'er, you might have misunderstood. After all, I had a sword duel with Liu Liying on the Lingze River, and I used the vast heavens and earth passed down by my teacher. Therefore, Liu Liying developed a sense of inexplicable awe towards me in the depths of her heart. Later, even knowing her intentions were impure, I didn't kill her but instead pulled her out of Wu Yuanzi's quagmire, freeing her from being manipulated by others ever again. Therefore, Liu Liying's feelings towards me are a mixture of awe, gratitude, and reliance. Such emotions cannot be described as deep love. Liu Liying is in the midst of it, and you, little Jiu'er, are also in the midst of it, and neither of you can see clearly. But I cannot truly fail to see clearly."
"Is that so?"
Su Qingjiu pursed her red lips and rested her pretty chin on Brother Lin Zhao's shoulder. "It's good that Brother Lin Zhao has his own plans. However, if this Liu Liying truly wishes to become a Dao companion with Brother Lin Zhao, using this relationship to reach the heavens, and exploiting Brother Lin Zhao's kindness, I will not let her off."
"Stop overthinking."
Lin Zhao brushed her beautiful hair with the back of his hand and smiled. "I have my limits. Hurry and remove the sword dao restriction, otherwise, those scoundrels Old Huang and Tang Guangjun will start complaining that we're badmouthing them."
"Mm."
Su Qingjiu smiled and nodded, then dispersed the sword dao domain.
"Little Jiu'er, when do you plan to return to Changming Mountain?" Lin Zhao asked.
"Ah?"
Su Qingjiu pouted. "I haven't been here long, and Brother Lin Zhao wants to send me back? At most, I'll eat one less bowl of rice per meal."
Lin Zhao couldn't help but chuckle. "Not at all... If you want to stay longer, then stay longer. During this time, I'll have Dongcang prepare more delicious food for every meal. We can't neglect my little Jiu'er."
"Mm!"
...
Outside Baidi City.
A middle-aged warrior in armor rubbed his temples and stood up from a bronze desk piled high with scrolls. The moment he stepped out of the command tent, the sunlight outside was blindingly harsh. He sighed. There were problems again with the conscription in Furong State and Yu State. So many officials embezzled grain and salaries, so many false reports of military merits. When would it ever end!
He frowned. Being the Grand Commander... although his position was high and powerful, had he ever been happy for a single day?
Looking back north.
That home, he could never return to.
In an instant, he scoffed. There was no need to go back. Instead of being trampled underfoot, why not stand tall himself? This was the path he, Shi Hu, had chosen. Lin Zhao might not be entirely right, and he himself might not be entirely wrong. Time would prove everything.