Chapter 19 – Calculating Gains

  Jun De stepped into the first floor of the Nine-Treasure Pagoda and saw that the interior was still filled with Disciples going about their transactions and business at the jade counters that were polished to a soft gleam.

  The scent of incense and spiritual herbs hung in the air as he made his way to one of the service counters where an older grey-robed servant Disciple stood behind a set of scales and tools used for inspecting items.

  The Disciple greeted him politely, which Jun De made sure to respond to with equal courtesy before he placed his storage bag on the counter and began to empty its contents.

  There were bundles of carefully wrapped herbs, bright green plants and colourful flowers that still had the remnants of dew on their petals.

  The man raised a brow, and his practiced hands paused for a moment as he took in the quantity and then the quality of the plants.

  “These were all gathered in the Outer Valley?” he asked in disbelief. Jun De was clearly a 2nd Level of Qi Condensation Cultivator, and the grey-robed Disciple had heard of the instability in the Outer Valley.

  It was rare for a young cultivator to gather so much, even when things were stable!

  “Yes, I made sure to harvest them all with care.” Jun De replied calmly, nodding as he pulled out even more herbs from his storage bag and placed them in an open space on the counter.

  The older man began sorting and identifying the plants while an Outer Sect Elder stepped forward from nearby. She was a sharp-eyed woman in blue robes with white trim, and Jun De hadn’t seen her before.

  The Elder watched the sorting and inspection with an expression of reserved interest, though her eyes would linger on Jun De longer than necessary at times.

  “Hmm, these are quite rare.” The servant Disciple muttered.

  “Two stalks of Purple Sunleaf, three mature Jade-Root Lotuses, and…” The grey-robed Disciple trailed off as he held up a stem with spiralling crimson veins.

  “Phoenix-Fire Grass. Fresh and unburnt.”

  The Elder’s eyes narrowed with surprise, and came closer to inspect it, carefully taking the stalk of grass from the Disciple’s hand.

  “This is a rare Tier-Two herb, suitable for the Late-Stage of Qi Condensation ‘Barrier Breaking Pill.’ And this ‘Moonspirit Fern only grows in places infused with stable Spiritual Energy that lacks intense sunlight.” The Elder muttered as she picked up a glittering silver-leafed plant and gently turned it in her hand to inspect it.

  “I found a small grotto in the Outer Valley with a collection of plants and a small pond.” Jun De replied while offering the Elder a small bow.

  The servant Disciple shook his head slowly in disbelief at Jun De’s good fortune as he glanced between the harvest on the table and the Elder beside him.

  “There is more here than many Inner Sect Disciples have harvested in the past. Their quality is high, and there is minimal damage to the roots or petals. Disciple Jun, you have shown a talent for gathering spiritual plants and herbs.” The Elder commended as she placed the Moonspirit Fern back on the counter.

  After careful inspection and tallying, the Elder asked for Jun De’s Sect Token to record his contribution points and informed him that they could be spent in the Nine-Treasure Pagoda or traded with his fellow Disciples.

  There were also many establishments and stalls in the Tranquil City below the Sect that would accept them as payment.

  “49,736 Contribution Points. The Sect rewards quality, and we could use more Disciples with your attention to detail. Round the total to fifty thousand.” The Elder ordered the Disciple beside her.

  Jun De smiled gently and bowed to the Elder in appreciation.

  The points were transferred to Jun De’s Sect Token; the wooden plate glowed for a moment as the number appeared with a soft chime before fading slightly.

  The Elder removed the plants and herbs with a wave of her hand; the small ring on her right hand glowed with spiritual energy as it stored the items inside the space within. Much like the storage bag most disciples wore, a storage ring could hold many items inside it with its use of spatial enchantments.

  They were also much more expensive than storage bags but were easier to conceal and typically could hold much more.

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  “I would like to purchase some items.” Jun De said to the servant Disciple.

  After buying several more bottles of fasting pills, along with a few bottles of Qi Gathering Pills that could potentially be useful in his cultivation, Jun De walked out of the Nine-Treasure Pagoda with over forty-five thousand Contribution Points left on his Sect token.

  ‘I’m rich!’ Jun De thought happily. He could now relax a bit without worrying about starving or accidentally destroying his courtyard and not having the funds to pay the Sect back.

  ‘That wasn’t bad at all, aside from that encounter with the serpent. I wouldn’t mind going back to the Outer Valley when it settles down again.’ Jun De said internally as he began to make the trip back to his cave on the Upper Ridge.

  He had been gone for over a week, and he decided to take Elder Shen’s advice and relax for a while. The Qi inside his Dantian was calm and settled, but the Elder had warned him that consecutive breakthroughs could harm his foundation.

  Not that Jun De had any intention of cultivating right away. He knew that his lack of talent would mean that reaching the 3rd Level of Qi Condensation would take a lot of effort, and he didn’t want to be secluded in his cave for months on end again.

  He intended to enjoy his life, and now that he had money, he wanted to move on to the next thing on his list.

  Finding beauties for his harem!

  Jun De wandered the Outer Sect grounds with a thoughtful expression, his hands clasped behind his back. He strolled past courtyards, training fields and lotus ponds. Many Disciples bowed to him in greeting, their eyes filled with admiration and curiosity.

  Tales of his exploits in the Outer Valley, how he had fought a beast far beyond his level, trained in the wilderness during the beast tide, and not only came out unscathed but with improved cultivation and a hoard of spiritual plants, were running rampant through the Sect.

  Not only the Outer Sect but also the Inner Sect Disciples had heard about Jun De. A person rumoured to be a reincarnated immortal with heaven-blessed talent and an unmatched appearance, who is both brave and kind to those around him.

  It was because of these rumours that the Disciples didn’t hesitate to call him ‘Senior Brother Jun’ despite his cultivation being lower than theirs in most cases.

  But Jun De had a problem, one that caused a frown to appear on his face. A new rumour would soon spread through the Sect that Jun De was disappointed with the Sect Elders taking him out of the Outer Valley.

  They thought that Jun De was upset at not being allowed to fight and train in the Outer Valley during the recent beast tide, while the real reason Jun De was frowning was that he hadn’t found any women that matched his taste!

  He had met plenty of talented women, but no one had ‘wowed’ him. Jun De didn’t want the first addition to his harem to be just a pretty face or someone with decent cultivation. He wanted presence, charisma and someone who truly cared about him.

  Jun De mused internally as he walked before sighing deeply as he stood beneath a blooming willow tree and stared out at the horizon wistfully.

  “Am I really the only reincarnator without a celestial-grade woman fated to bump into me? What kind of broken script is this!” Jun De muttered. He clearly recalled reading stories where someone was Isekai’d and would be immediately surrounded by beautiful women.

  “Maybe I’m fated to be alone.” Jun De was growing depressed. He hadn’t had any time for women in his old life; his studies had taken precedence. He had always told himself that he would have time for fun and to meet people once he was out of university and had a stable career.

  He had hoped that this life would be different, but it seemed like he was destined for loneliness.

  Jun De walked the path back to his cave dwelling, the hem of his blue robes fluttering lightly in the mountain breeze. His shoulders were slightly hunched, and his soft sighs were frequently heard as he travelled.

  His lamenting was interrupted by a voice calling out to him.

  “Senior Brother Jun!”

  Jun De turned to find Ren Qiu, the young master he had met at the entrance ceremony, walking up the path toward him. The previous arrogance and haughty attitude had been erased, making him appear much more friendly to Jun De than the last time they had seen each other.

  “You look like a scholar who’s just failed the Imperial Exams! What’s troubling you?” Ren Qiu asked. Jun De noticed that he had replaced his decorative fan with one that contained spiritual energy, making it an artifact suitable for the 2nd Level of Qi Condensation.

  Ren Qiu, as the young master of his clan, had access to more resources than most of the other Disciples. With his talent and the backing of his family, it wasn’t strange at all that he had achieved the 2nd Level of Qi Condensation in such a short period of time.

  Jun De shook his head sadly and gave Ren Qiu a small smile.

  “Nothing is the matter. It’s just that I have some things weighing on my mind. There is nothing to concern yourself with, Ren Qiu.” Jun De responded, and the young man frowned.

  What could be so serious that could cause Jun De to be so melancholic?

  Ren Qiu had heard Jun De had been forbidden from returning to the Outer Valley until things settled. Was having his opportunity to fight and train so much of a hindrance that Jun De would mourn its loss?

  ‘Jun De is truly dedicated to the path of cultivation!’ Ren Qiu thought, and he felt another surge of shame at how he had treated him during the entrance exam.

  “Why don’t you come with me to Tranquil City? I know a restaurant that serves the best wine this side of the province, and I’m sure we can find something to drown your problems!” Ren Qiu offered, determined to make up for his previous conflict with Jun De.

  It was better to make friends with such an impressive person like Jun De than continue to carry a grudge.

  Jun De blinked in surprise, and his mournful air was lifted almost immediately. His eyes lit up, and he straightened his posture.

  ‘A city, a restaurant with fine wine and people beyond the Sect? That’s the perfect opportunity!’ Jun De exclaimed internally, and his excitement grew.

  If he couldn’t find what he was looking for inside the Sect, then outside might hold the answers!

  Jun De smiled, and it seemed to Ren Qiu as if the sun had finally been revealed after being obscured by the clouds. Everything seemed brighter, and Ren Qiu couldn’t help but grin in response.

  “Brother Ren, you truly are a light in my darkest hour. Let us drink, feast, and see what fate has in store for us!” Jun De said warmly as he rested a hand on Ren Qiu’s shoulder.

  With that, the two descended the path down to the city while the eyes of many Outer Sect Disciples followed them.