Starting with warding off evil and disaster, one can ascend to immortality after countless tribulati

He happily accepted the two hundred spirit tickets and the still-warm jade pendant.

Jiang Ming looked at the storage bag Cheng Ya handed him, took a deep breath, and said decisively, "Miss Cheng, please speak. I will do my best to help you!"

Nodding, Cheng Ya didn't hide anything.

"Just now, a great monk who was repairing the city wall revealed that he had divined the whereabouts of the Earth Spirit Milk, but he could not calculate the exact location yet."

Now that the news has spread, if what he said is true, once the Earth Spirit Milk appears in the world, the major families in Tongzhou will surely start a conflict.

As is customary, each family will send a Qi Refining Stage 5 cultivator to participate in the competition, and the distribution of the Spirit Milk will be determined according to the ranking.

I need you to do everything you can to get me even a single drop.

"Miss Cheng is already at the sixth level of cultivation, why is she still interested in this item?" Jiang Ming asked, looking at her with a puzzled expression, unable to hide his curiosity.

Leaning against the door, Cheng Ya rubbed her messy hair and explained wearily, "The wonders of Earth Spirit Milk are not limited to helping a fifth-order perfect cultivator break through to the sixth order 100%."

It is also a precious water-based treasure, and the fruition I cultivated is spring water, which is why it is also very beneficial to me.

Of course, the competition will be fierce, and even if you slip up, I won't blame you.

Nobody believes there's no punishment for failure. If someone fails to perform their duties, at the very least Cheng Ya will be disappointed. If it really comes to that, it's hard to say whether she can continue as a guest advisor.

After a moment of internal debate, Jiang Ming solemnly agreed, while also secretly making his own plans.

After returning to the outer sect, one must diligently cultivate and strive to master the three spells of the "Small Furnace Fire Reaching the Heavens Technique" so that they can be used as easily as one's own arms.

"The earth cultivators on the city wall can only perform divination once a year. By this time next year, the location of the Earth Spirit Milk will probably be revealed."

"During this year, you should strive to improve your cultivation. If you encounter any difficulties, you can come to the Cheng family to find me."

After speaking patiently and softly for a while, Cheng Ya turned and left.

After resting in the guest room for one night.

Jiang Ming left the mansion and went to the nearby Chamber of Commerce to exchange the spirit tickets for spirit stones and put them into his storage bag.

Afterwards, they went to pick out a gift for Zhou Yi and his wife.

In the past, I had too few spirit stones to even cultivate with, so it was understandable that I couldn't give anything in return.

Now that he has made a small fortune, if he remains stingy, even if Zhou Yi doesn't find fault with him, Jiang Ming himself will feel guilty.

Moreover, Jiang Ming did not do what Madam Zhou asked for.

Although the Great Forest Tree was extremely dangerous, Madam Zhou was truly devoted to him, and this small token of her affection was a small compensation.

……

Upon returning to the outer gate, Jiang Ming immediately visited Zhou Yi.

Seeing his grandson return with a brand-new storage bag hanging from his waist, Zhou Yi raised his eyebrows and asked with some concern.

"Where did you get the storage bag? Were you injured during the robbery?"

Shaking his head, Zhou Yi calmly explained the reason. His lips twitched, and his sharp eyes were full of sighs.

"The world is going to the dogs. I've been in the outer sect for decades and I'm completely unaware of the changes in the outside world. I never even thought of this."

Luckily you were quick-witted enough, otherwise you would have been finished out here.

The Suppression of Evil Division is incredibly powerful; when they unleash their fury, even the Myriad Laws Sect must avoid their attacks.

Seeing Zhou Yi's extremely wary expression, Jiang Ming realized that the power of the imperial dynasty in this world seemed to be extremely terrifying!

For a moment, he couldn't help but voice his doubts, "Does the Great Zhou Kingdom also have powerful cultivators stationed there?"

"Of course, of the seven Golden Core cultivators of the Great Zhou Dynasty, three are from the royal family, and they can be passed down through generations according to the laws of the Immortal Dynasty."

Otherwise, how could the world be at peace?

When the topic of cultivating to the Golden Core stage came up, a rare glimmer of longing appeared in Zhou Yi's eyes. He smiled wryly and encouraged himself, "I have no hope in this lifetime."

You're still young, maybe you could give it a try.

"Grandpa, besides the Great Zhou Kingdom, are there any other kingdoms where immortals are cultivated?"

Having missed the opportunity to press the issue, Jiang Ming seized the moment and asked another question, attempting to learn more about this world.

"Of course there are. When I was a child, my family lived by the sea, and I heard from the sailors on the whaling ships that there were quite a few monks overseas."

However, the Great Zhou Dynasty had been closed off from the world for a long time, and without special channels, it was impossible to obtain information from the outside world.

Zhou Yi took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and sighed with regret. Clearly, Jiang Ming's words had stirred up memories in his heart.

Upon hearing about the policy of closing the country off from the world, Jiang Ming's heart skipped a beat.

But when he thought that the Great Zhou had seven Golden Core cultivators in charge, he immediately felt relieved. With such a strong foundation, any foreign invaders who dared to attack would surely suffer a crushing defeat.

"How was the harvest this time?" After a few casual words, Zhou Yi got back to the main topic.

A hint of curiosity appeared on his usually calm and composed face.

Jiang Ming didn't hide anything from this kind old man who was willing to provide resources. He stretched out his palm and said in a cheerful voice, "After deducting the gifts for you and Tao Niang, I still have about five hundred spirit stones left."

This trip was incredibly fruitful; I even got two treasures for free!

With eyes full of satisfaction, Zhou Yi raised the corners of his mouth and praised without reservation, "Good lad, you've really grown up."

Grandpa also has good news for you: there will be a gathering of prospective disciples at the end of the month, presided over by Elder Qin from the outer sect.

I heard that the resources this time are far more abundant than ever before. When you get back, you must cultivate diligently and try to gain as many benefits as possible!

"Grandpa, who is this Elder Qin? Is he also in charge of a certain peak?"

A sudden thought flashed through Jiang Ming's mind, and his pupils contracted slightly.

Recalling how easily her lie was exposed that day, she immediately became much more reserved.

"Silly boy, how can a manager compare to an elder? For example, I'm in charge of supplying ironware. If I deliver too little or the quality is poor in a certain month, I'll be scolded by the inner sect."

Working themselves to the bone, they only earn fifty spirit stones a month. Even if the elders do nothing all month, they still earn two hundred spirit stones!

And they can go down the mountain freely without any restrictions.

But Elder Qin was an exception. He was too old and usually stayed in the Scripture Transmission Pavilion to live a life of leisure. This time, for some reason, he suddenly took the lead and said he wanted to recruit talents for the inner sect...

Upon hearing the words "Chuanjing Pavilion," Jiang Ming froze on the spot. Before he could even feel happy, Zhou Yi frowned and kicked him.

"Silly boy, listen carefully, this is the important part!"

Based on my understanding of Elder Qin, his lifespan is probably not long. Within three to five years, he will most likely have to make a desperate attempt to establish his foundation.

I suspect that this time, he ostensibly was selecting talent for the inner sect, but in reality, he was paving the way for his own advancement.

He has a good-for-nothing granddaughter who is doing poorly in the inner sect. If you stand out this time and are chosen by Elder Qin, you might be able to become his granddaughter's husband.

"Once Elder Qin passes away, even if you and that girl don't have a good relationship, you can get a divorce. According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, you'll still get half of the assets..."

A few drops of cold sweat trickled down Jiang Ming's forehead. He shook his head repeatedly, adopting a mature and serious demeanor as he refused, "Grandpa, such thoughts are too malicious and not the behavior of a gentleman!"

"I could never do that, please stop talking."

Zhou Yi glanced at Jiang Ming with surprise, but didn't take it seriously. "What's there to be afraid of? What's wrong with just talking? It's not like we're actually doing it."

Besides, only Heaven, Earth, you, and I know. Would you dare betray me?

"No, that's not it... Grandpa, I'm a little tired, please allow me to take my leave."

Not knowing how to explain, Jiang Ming made up an excuse and fled the attic as if escaping a disaster.

Although Zhou Yi found this strange, he didn't blame him and waved his hand, letting him go.

Meanwhile, on the rocking chair in the Scripture Transmission Pavilion, the old man opened his eyes, looked towards Furnace Peak in the distance, and frowned in a sullen mood.

……