Creating a paradise in an ant nest

Chapter 106 The Third Generation Ant Queen

"The sect charges eight spirit stones for each Rock Shield Talisman they recycle."

"Eight Spirit Stones?"

Liu He calculated in his mind that he had successfully drawn eight Rock Shield Talismans, which could only be sold for sixty-four spirit stones.

The cost of talisman ink and talisman paper alone is sixty-two spirit stones.

It's important to know that drawing talismans requires consuming spiritual energy and time. Drawing eight Rock Shield Talismans only barely broke even, earning a meager reward of two spirit stones.

"Doesn't that mean the success rate of drawing the Rock Shield Talisman needs to be over 90% to earn spirit stones?"

He exclaimed in surprise.

Seeing his question, Wen Yu explained, "That's how it is for intermediate-level talisman masters. They can only earn spirit stones if their talisman drawing success rate reaches over 90%."

It's even harder for low-level talisman masters; a 90% success rate only allows them to break even. Only by becoming a high-level talisman master can they earn spirit stones through talisman drawing.

Don't think it's the sect cutting corners. The sect only charges the material cost price for the talisman ink and paper that the talisman masters buy.

In the end, the money our sect's talisman masters earn from drawing a single talisman is actually about the same as that of independent cultivators outside.

"It turns out that making money by drawing talismans is so difficult."

Liu He sighed.

Wen Yu let out a few light, bell-like laughs: "Hehe, what do you think?"

"Then I'll practice more when I get back, and try to lose as few spirit stones as possible."

Liu He revealed a determined expression.

"Good luck, I wish you success in earning spirit stones by drawing talismans. Next time you come to sell Rock Shield Talismans, you should come to me again so I can register you."

"it is good."

Liu He took the talisman ink and talisman paper and left after saying goodbye.

Fu Lu Feng is a paper mill that makes talisman paper.

Their process of making talismans is similar to that of ordinary people, the difference being that they use spiritual wood and bamboo.

Ma Guanming was idly pounding paper pulp in a large stone mortar with a wooden mallet.

This was physically demanding work, requiring no particularly refined skills. Ma Guanming was quite adept at it, his eyes vacant and his thoughts wandering.

He has resigned himself to his fate.

He failed the selection at Spirit Plant Peak. He had no talent for drawing talismans, nor for refining pills or crafting weapons, so he could only continue to be a menial disciple making talisman paper.

If he cannot advance to the mid-stage of Qi Refining in four years, he will have no choice but to leave the sect.

He planned to coast through these four years, save up some spirit stones, leave the sect, return home to help his family, marry, have children, and live a mundane life.

Becoming a rogue cultivator? He has no future even with such good conditions within the sect, so becoming a rogue cultivator would be even less promising. He might as well leave the cultivation world altogether.

"Ma Guanming, someone is looking for you outside!"

Just then, a shout interrupted his thoughts.

He stopped what he was doing, went to the gate of the paper mill, and saw Liu He.

"Senior Brother Liu, what's going on?"

"I came to Talisman Peak today to see Senior Brother Pei and received an identity jade token. From now on, I will be a part-time talisman master under him."

"You...you've met Senior Brother Pei's requirements?"

Ma Guanming's surprised eyes were filled with envy. He had spent so many years at Talisman Peak, and his success rate in drawing talismans was pitifully low. Pei...

Shu Yi did not accept him as a talisman master.

However, Liu He became a talisman master in just one month?

"Yes, thank you so much for introducing me to Senior Brother Pei."

Ma Guanming can be considered as half of his guide on the path of talismans.

"Not at all, it's because you have such talent, Senior Brother Liu. Without my introduction, you would have gotten the same result if you had asked someone else."

Ma Guanming sighed inwardly, "This is the difference between people."

He was extremely mediocre, while others had both the talent for spiritual plant cultivation and the talent for drawing talismans.

I've come to you because I need your help.

Liu He wasn't there to "show off" to Ma Guanming; he had serious business to attend to.

"What is it? Just say it."

"Can you make thinner talisman paper? I need mid-grade earth-type universal talisman paper, as thin as possible, the thinner the better."

Liu He practiced drawing talismans in the ant nest space. The talisman ink he used was not much different. One drop of talisman ink turned into a vat of talisman ink.

However, even if he cuts the talisman paper to the correct size, its thickness is difficult to change. In reality, a normal talisman paper placed in an anthill is as thick as several layers of cowhide.

"That's easy, just press it thinner when you're scooping it out. How much do you need?"

Pressing the paper is a later step in the process of making talisman paper. Ma Guanming only needs to use the existing pulp to press it into a thin sheet.

One is enough.

"No problem, I'll make it and send it to you in a couple of days."

Ma Guanming didn't even ask Liu He what he was going to do with such a thin talisman.

Thanks.

As Liu He spoke, he took out five spirit stones and stuffed them into Ma Guanming's hand.

"No, no, really no need," Ma Guanming waved his hands repeatedly.

"Just keep it; I might need your help in the future."

Liu He forcibly stuffed the spirit stone into his hand and said, "I know you failed the selection for the Spirit Plant Peak. But don't give up easily. You still have four years. You will definitely be able to break through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining."

Then I can stay in the sect for another twenty years. So what if my talent is ordinary? As long as I'm down-to-earth and take it one step at a time, I can still achieve success in my cultivation.

'

These words, though spoken lightly, weighed as heavily on Ma Guanming's heart.

The encouragement he's receiving right now is incredibly important to him.

"Um!"

He nodded emphatically, determined to continue his cultivation efforts and, relying on his ordinary talent, reach the mid-stage or even late-stage of Qi Refining.

A few days later, Liu He received the ultra-thin talisman paper specially made for him by Ma Guanming.

Miniature herbal garden.

Liu He began practicing drawing rock shield runes.

He cut the ultra-thin talisman paper into the size of normal talisman paper, and the thickness was just right.

A single drop of talisman ink filled an entire vat.

"start!"

Before drawing the Rock Shield rune, he had already mastered the Rock Shield spell.

Rock Shield, an earth-elemental spell at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, conjures a thick rock shield in front of the caster, protecting their body from damage.

They guarded the territory very tightly.

If a talisman master can use this spell, it will be easier for them to understand the rune strokes of the talisman, and the success rate of drawing the talisman will be increased.

As soon as he put pen to paper, he realized the difference between a mid-grade spirit talisman and a low-grade spirit talisman: the difficulty of drawing it was directly increased, more than ten times that of drawing a lightness talisman.

"Failure, failure, failure!"

He failed to complete even one-fifth of the three Rock Shield runes in a row.

"Let me replenish my spiritual energy, then I'll try again."

Drawing a mid-grade Rock Shield Talisman consumes several times the spiritual energy of a Light Body Talisman.

During his practice of drawing talismans, Liu He discovered the benefits of strong spiritual energy.

His spiritual power far surpasses that of cultivators of the same level, allowing him to better concentrate his spiritual power and perceive his mistakes and flaws when drawing talismans, making it easier for him to adjust and change.

He is making rapid progress.

After more than twenty practice sessions, he was finally able to draw the final sealing talisman.

After practicing ten or so more times, he successfully drew a rock shield talisman!

"It's done!"

He was excited. Successfully drawing a rock shield talisman meant that he already knew how to draw talismans successfully. The next step was to practice a lot to continuously improve his success rate.

Fortunately, he was in an ant nest, otherwise the consumption of talisman ink and talisman paper during practice would have been too great.

Half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

With Liu He practicing dozens of times every day, his success rate in drawing rock shield talismans reached 70%.

Miniature herbal garden.

Liu He inspected several fruit trees laden with crimson peaches that shone like glass.

"The Rouge Glass Peach has finally ripened."

He approached the spirit fruit tree, and the fragrance of the crimson spirit peaches wafted towards him.

This Rouge Glass Peach originally took ten years to flower and bear fruit, but thanks to Liu He's Green Soil Root Cultivation Technique, which nourishes it daily, and with the addition of a drop of Golden Branch Jade Dew transformed into spring rain, it bore fruit so quickly.

"The Rouge Spirit Peach is much more expensive than the Purple Apple Spirit Fruit; one can sell for at least ten spirit stones."

A single fruit tree can bear anywhere from fifty to eighty fruits, worth between five hundred and eight hundred spirit stones.

"Let's pick one and try it first."

He gently raised his hand, and a delicate, pink peach, swirling with spiritual energy, floated to his face and landed in his palm.

Take a small bite, and the rich fruity aroma fills your mouth, the juice brimming with vitality.

"This bite is like half a Rouge Spirit Peach. It's expensive, but it's really delicious."

He thought to himself, if it weren't for the miniature spiritual plant garden, he would never have been willing to eat such expensive spiritual fruits.

Just then, "Woof woof~~", Bahuang appeared beside him at some point, wagging its tail excitedly.

"You glutton! Wherever there's good food, you're there too."

As Liu He spoke, he tossed out the remaining half of the Rouge Spirit Peach in his hand.

Bahuang opened his mouth and swallowed it whole, leaving not even the peach pit.

"Woof~" It squinted its eyes, this tastes so good.

Liu He played with it for a while, then picked two more Rouge Spirit Peaches and returned to reality.

Only by deploying the spiritual fruit in the real world can resources be maximized.

"This one is fed to the red queen ant nest, and this one is fed to the black queen ant nest."

Liu He placed two Rouge Spirit Peaches into the ant nest.

Both ant colonies now have 100,000 ant soldiers each, and they have a huge appetite.

One Rouge Spirit Peach isn't enough for them to eat for a day.

"Huh, what's wrong with Black Queen?"

When he fed the Black Queen ant nest, he noticed strange messages being sent by the Black Queen.

"Let's go take a look."

He returned to the cabin, and a thought traveled to the Black Queen Ant Nest.

The second-generation Black Ant Queen served as his second travel coordinate, yet he rarely visited this place.

He spends most of his time either in the underground magical artifact cave or in the miniature spiritual plant garden.

The ant nest where the Black Queen resided retained the appearance of an ordinary ant colony, showing no trace of Liu He, the human cultivator.

At this time, in the queen ant's nest chamber.

Liu He saw an ant egg emitting a faint light next to Hei Hou.

He stared in astonishment at the ant eggs that were more than half a person tall in front of him, sensing the strong life force emanating from them.

This aura is like that of a spirit beast!

"The Black Queen, how did it come about?"

The queen ant's intelligence is not much stronger than that of an ordinary ant. After a difficult conversation with her, Liu He learned that these were "queen eggs" born from the queen ant.

The second-generation black ant queen gave birth to an ant egg, adding another queen to Liu He's ant colony.

This queen ant egg is unusual.

The Black Queen normally lays several hundred eggs every day to maintain the massive ant colony of 100,000.

This queen ant egg was the only one laid by the black queen after she hadn't laid any eggs for two days. A large amount of nutrients and energy were concentrated in this single egg.

"Spirit ants, they're definitely spirit ants!"

Based solely on the scent of the ant egg, Liu He deduced that the queen ant that would hatch from the egg would reach the level of a spirit ant.

He has been feeding the ant colony with spiritual plants for so long that he has finally cultivated spiritual ants, and even more precious ones, such as the queen ant!