The third category of treasures was more complex.
In Sky Python Lake, they harvested three fourth-rank spiritual herbs, twenty-one third-rank spiritual herbs, and hundreds of second-rank spiritual herbs in one go.
The second-rank spiritual herbs varied in value, with each ranging from several hundred to several thousand spirit stones, and their combined value approached one million spirit stones.
The third-rank herbs were significantly more valuable. Among them, the most practical were seven Cloud Pattern Fruits, four Purple Marrow Fruits, and three Profound Jade Ginsengs. The most precious were a single Law Essence Mushroom and two Spirit Nourishing Flowers.
Of these treasures, Cloud Pattern Fruit is a key ingredient for refining Purple Qi Cloud Pattern Pills and Creation Cloud Pill, generally valued at around 30,000 spirit stones and considered a common third-rank herb.
Profound Jade Ginseng is a rare ingredient for refining Profound Jade Pills, which can boost a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator's spiritual energy by 30%, making it highly sought after.
Purple Marrow Fruit is the main ingredient for refining Foundation Establishment Pills. Jiang Linglong intended to use it to refine four furnaces of Foundation Establishment Pills for sale in Bianzhou Region to replenish spirit stones.
After advancing to the Golden Core stage, she would need to purchase vast amounts of Five Elemental Essences to upgrade her natal treasures.
For fourth-rank natal treasures to ascend from lower to mid-tier, each would require resources worth 500,000 spirit stones in Five Elemental Essences, a substantial expense.
In fact, high-level cultivation is always resource-intensive. A Nascent Soul cultivator aiming to refine a fifth-rank treasure often needs the support of an entire nation to gather the required Five Elemental Essences.
For example, a country like Chu, with forty thousand cultivators refining Five Elemental Essences daily, might still need decades to forge even one fifth-rank treasure.
The Ji Clan, which governs the six nations, often issues decrees to halt private Five Elemental Essence transactions when a Nascent Soul cultivator requires resources for high-tier treasures. At such times, eighty percent of all essences produced must be sold to the Ji Clan, with strict penalties for any concealment.
While this system seems harsh, it ensures the Ji Clan protects the six nations against demonic cultivators and the Green Flood Dragon Sovereign, securing these strategic resources.
Returning to the topic, apart from the three low-tier third-rank herbs, the Spirit Nourishing Flower is a mid-tier third-rank herb, the main ingredient for Spirit Nourishment Pills. Elian decided to trade for one, intending to use it after advancing further in alchemy to reach the mid-tier third-rank alchemist level.
The Law Essence Mushroom is the key ingredient for Law Essence Pills, which can extend a Purple Mansion cultivator's cultivation by thirty years. Naturally, this made it highly coveted.
Jiang Linglong generously declared, "After advancing to the Golden Core stage, I should have over a forty percent success rate refining this Law Essence Mushroom."
"Once the Law Essence Pills are ready, you can come to me for them."
Hearing this, Xu Qianyang and the others were overjoyed. With only two Purple Mansion disciples under Jiang Linglong's tutelage, there was a chance the surplus pills could be exchanged.
After distributing the herbs, Jiang Linglong presented the treasures retrieved from the underwater water vein.
The most valuable items from this water vein were seven Water Crystals. Per prior agreements, Jiang Linglong allocated two to Yang Yuanhe as compensation.
She then addressed the group, "Of the remaining five Water Crystals, one will go to my disciple Liu Rumeng. The remaining four are available for exchange."
Among the group, Pan Boyuan refrained from taking other items and exchanged all his merits for two Water Crystals. It was clear that the Pan Clan, now in decline, had decided to take a gamble.
Pan Boyuan's haul from this venture was considerable. With two Water Crystals, there was a significant chance for his family to produce another Purple Mansion cultivator, potentially reversing their clan's fortunes.
Elian took one of the remaining crystals, intending to use it for crafting the Heavenly River Deep Water Sword. The Xu Clan members exchanged for the last crystal.
Yang Yuanhe chose not to vie for the Water Crystals. He calculated that with two already in hand, he could foster one Purple Mansion cultivator. Attempting to nurture more might dilute his authority and resources. As an early-stage Purple Mansion cultivator, he worried that a stronger junior could usurp him.
Instead, being a dual gold-water root cultivator, he exchanged for multiple water-attribute third-rank treasures to strengthen his cultivation.
The water vein yielded over ten third-rank treasures. Elian exchanged for three portions of Clear Spirit Pure Water.
This rare third-rank treasure aids in cultivating ocular divine abilities. Elian had been unable to cultivate the Jade Spirit Eyes obtained from Deng Yuanwu due to the lack of this resource.
Cultivating the Jade Spirit Eyes divine ability requires these specific waters rather than Five Elemental Essences. The three portions of Clear Spirit Pure Water, comparable in value to three pieces of third-rank treasure-grade spiritual gold, were invaluable.
In total, Elian exchanged for several third-rank treasures: the high-tier third-rank Violet Blood Tower, one Water Crystal, a Spirit Nourishing Flower, and the Clear Spirit Pure Water.
Having secured the most precious fourth-rank treasures, Jiang Linglong distributed all second-rank spiritual herbs and low-tier materials from the battle to the group.
The Chen Clan's contributions were immense, earning them an abundant share. They received over twenty stalks of Green Source Ginseng and Breaking Source Fruit, along with over a hundred second-rank spiritual herbs.
Elian planned to transplant as many viable herbs into the spiritual medicine garden, ensuring no bottlenecks for the clan's Foundation Establishment cultivators in the next century.
Additionally, the water vein hosted a mid-sized Green Spirit Clam colony. These clams, nourished by Water Essence, produce valuable pearls.
The clams ranged from first to third rank, with pearls refined into cultivation-enhancing pills. This was the vein's most significant yield.
The pearls were divided, with Elian securing a substantial portion: two hundred second-rank pearls and seven third-rank pearls.
Refined second-rank pearls can boost Foundation Establishment cultivators' cultivation speed by fifty percent for ten years, making them highly coveted.
Each pearl saves five years of cultivation time and is valued at around eight hundred spirit stones. The two hundred pearls alone were worth about 160,000 spirit stones, promising to significantly enhance the clan's cultivation speed.
The seven third-rank pearls had even greater utility. The Patriarch planned to acquire third-rank silk to integrate into the Crimson-Gold Three-Treasure Flags, further enhancing the formation's power.
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I need POWAAA! Gimme Power Stones :D