Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Chapter 496: Chapter 417: Defeating Li Haoran (2)

If the spirit seeds are already being massively planted within the Sect, the purchasing price must continuously decrease. What does everyone think?"

Kong Yunyi was the first to respond, "What the Hall Master said is absolutely correct. I have also noticed this issue. Some spirit seeds in the warehouse are on the verge of becoming excessive, infringing on the Sect’s interests."

Only spirit seeds that are planted can be effective; those in the warehouse are just meaningless numbers.

Everyone agreed with the Hall Master’s first proposal; no one dared to oppose it, not even the cultivators who profited from selling these spirit seeds through loopholes.

Because they knew that sooner or later, the Sect would close this loophole, and they had already profited plenty over the years.

"If that’s the case, Hall Master Kong, please draft a set of regulations to implement the new rules going forward.

However, if a disciple hands in valuable and rare spirit seeds, they can receive extra rewards.

The requirement is at least Tier Two Upper Grade spirit seeds to enjoy this reward."

"As you command. I will draft the regulations immediately after the meeting and have the warehouse implement them."

Ji An nodded slightly and moved on to the next topic:

"Hall Master Lin Mao is aging gracefully and can no longer relieve the Sect of its burdens. Hall Master Kong is overwhelmed with tasks and needs another Hall Master to help share the daily secular responsibilities. Does anyone have suitable candidates to recommend?"

Kong Yunyi displayed a polite smile. He personally didn’t find the task overwhelming; on the contrary, he enjoyed it every day.

But he must not give others the impression of being greedy for power, so he cooperatively said:

"We spirit farmers should elect the virtuous and talented, considering their cultivation, magic technique level, and conduct.

Hall Master, I believe Yang Qi, Lin Lan, and Han Mountain are all qualified.

All three have reached the late-stage Foundation Establishment, and each has mastered a magic technique to the Perfection Level. Our junior brother Han Mountain has even practiced the Thick Earth Returning Origin Spell to its peak, truly a pillar of our Sect."

Voices of discussion arose in the great hall, with Lin Lan and Han Mountain receiving the most mentions.

Most cultivators had a clear understanding, knowing that these two were the Hall Master’s direct disciples.

Han Mountain stood up and cupped his hands to those around him:

"Thank you for your love, fellow disciples. I have never managed Sect affairs before, so I fear letting everyone down by taking on the task.

The position of Vice Hall Master, I am not qualified to hold."

He understood in his heart that the duties of the two Vice Hall Masters were both to handle secular affairs, to maintain the operation of the Agricultural Hall.

As a cultivator in his early sixties at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment, he held no interest in this.

With a master who has a great chance of breaking through to the Golden Core Stage, he should also be aiming for the Chao Origin Stage.

Lin Lan also stood up and expressed a similar sentiment. She had an intuition that, if she became absorbed in power, her relationship with her master would slowly drift apart.

Ji An clapped his hands. When everyone quieted down, he said:

"Yang Qi’s experience is much richer, the position of Vice Hall Master is none other than his.

Hall Master Kong, hand over your current tasks to him later."

"As you command!"

Yang Qi stood up, a flush of excitement spreading across his face:

"Thank you, Hall Master, for your great kindness. I will certainly not let you down!"

He was already a hundred and forty-eight years old and had just broken through to the late-stage Foundation Establishment two years ago, having no hope for the Chao Origin Stage.

Being able to become a Vice Hall Master would allow him to gain more resources and accumulate more for his descendants.

With the most important matters discussed, Ji An engaged in friendly conversation with everyone for a moment before ending the meeting.

He ordered two disciples to wait in the rear hall while he went with the two Vice Hall Masters to the middle hall to oversee the handover matters.

When he returned to the rear hall, half an hour had already passed.

The three sat in the grand hall. Ji An said:

"Both of you have Top-Grade Talent, and with my support, if you diligently cultivate, there is still a great hope to break through to the Chao Origin Stage.

As for the choices you make after the breakthrough, I will not interfere."

Red Flame Peak houses the main material for the Nourishing Yuan Pill. Once he cultivates his disciples to the Chao Origin Stage, he can step down from his position as Hall Master of the Agricultural Hall, and the Medicinal Garden at Ningcui Cliff can also be handed over to his disciples.

"Master’s deep love and protection, what fortune for the disciples!"

Lin Lan and the other disciple beamed with joy. Their master’s clear intention to support them in breaking through to the Chao Origin Stage was an immense stroke of luck!

"Don’t get excited yet. After breaking through to the Chao Origin Stage, each of you needs to master two Planting Techniques, as the responsibility of caring for the Sect’s high-tier spirit plants will fall on your shoulders."

Ji An said with a smile. Once they become Golden Core Cultivators, the Sect’s ability to offer help would become scarce. He was brewing a plan to travel through the Central Continent.

Before he leaves, he will try to cultivate a few Tier Three spirit plants to repay the Sect and the ancestor for their nurturing.

Leaving two Chao Origin Stage disciples behind also meant maintaining the legacy of Chao Origin Stage spirit farmers for the Sect.

At that time, one disciple would take over Ningcui Cliff while the other would take over Red Flame Peak. As long as the two of them worked together in harmony, there would be no issues in maintaining stability.

"Master, what grade are the high-tier spirit plants you’re referring to?"

Lin Lan eagerly asked, her heart full of anticipation.

"Tier Two Top-Grade spirit plants. In the future, there will be Tier Three level spirit plants.

So, all you need to do is to cultivate earnestly to the Chao Origin Stage, and naturally, there will be greater rewards."

...

A silver line shot through the clouds, descending on the Cold Pool of Red Flame Peak, revealing Li Haoran’s figure.

At this moment, the rumble akin to thunder roared from the sky.

"Junior Brother, you came back to the Sect without a word, how unfriendly."

Ji An laughed, "I heard that Senior Brother is opening the Fire Element Divine Mansion, so I dared not disturb you. Please come to the hall and have a seat."

"No need. You’re not in the Sect, and there’s no one to spar with on usual days. Why not have a bout? Only then will I feel refreshed!"

As a sword cultivator, Li Haoran was not accustomed to a life without ripples. Without conflict, how can one hone their Sword Intent?

Now that his master and Senior Brother Lin Jiuxiao were traveling, he had no opponents among the Chao Origin Stage cultivators, and this was not what he desired.

For him, having no adversary meant no progress.

"Senior Brother has such high spirits. Let’s have a battle at the back mountain!"

Ji An also wanted to test his abilities. The core of his Gold Element Divine Mansion was steadily growing larger, and the power of the Geng Metal Spirit-Slaying Sword was increasing slowly yet surely.

"Splendid!"

One person traveled by sword light, while the other rode on a golden auspicious cloud. Together, they quickly flew to the northern side of Red Flame Peak.

Ji An cast the Mixed Gold Armor Spell and the Pan Mountain Technique, layering two sets of armor. With his thoughts, two Top-Grade Spiritual Artifacts emerged simultaneously from his Dantian.

The Wuji Xinghuang Banner fluttered with tens of thousands of golden flowers, fully protecting him. The Earth-Departing Flame Banner formed into a giant fire phoenix as large as a millstone, circling in the sky.

The fire phoenix was merely "molded" from spiritual energy, not a transformation. Only treasures with artifact spirits can transform.

Everything ready, Ji An manipulated the Geng Metal Spirit-Slaying Sword, and thousands of silver flying swords, each an inch long, charged toward his opponent like a lively school of fish.

Li Haoran’s pupils constricted sharply. As a Metal Element Dao Body, he could sense the destructive power hidden within the flying swords. The speed of the flying swords was much faster than before.

He felt a mix of apprehension and excitement.

The last time they sparred, the opponent’s magic technique displayed an unsurpassed sharpness and a deathly silence of all things withering now focused the Divine Intent within the spiritual energy flying swords, revealing no aura, veiling a lethal intent beneath its simplicity.

There was no time to think. Instinctively, he transformed his Sword Qi into a river, with the flying swords cascading like scattered starlight into the river of Sword Intent, piling into towering waves.

The sharpness of metal and the pliancy of water – what if they were combined? At that moment, his Sword Intent perfectly merged these two essences together.

It was like two great currents converging in a river course, creating countless splashes.

At the moment of impact, the world seemed to hit the pause button. After a brief moment of silence, the swords sang like roaring thunder, with magic intent akin to lightning, its roar reverberating far and wide.

The place where the two forces collided bore a ’twisted river course’ mark carved by shockwaves.

The silver flying swords condensed from spiritual energy shattered into mist, yet their momentum remained unabated, rolling back the river of Sword Intent.

Seizing this opportunity, Li Haoran took flight in his escape light, but his magic robe was instantly riddled with holes, ringing with sharp sounds upon impact, causing immense pain.

This was the wonder of the Metal Element Dao Body. In a critical moment, his body could mimic the toughness of Dragon Pattern Gold.

Ji An’s heart was mildly pleased. He had exerted eighty percent of his strength, and the result was very satisfactory.

He did not advance; he looked at his opponent with an inquiring glance.

Li Haoran waved his hand, saying brightly:

"No need to compare further, one force against ten techniques, I have lost."