Chapter 56: The Wine God's Soul Refinement Technique
"Deacon Zhao, I would like to exchange my sect contribution points for Water Spirit Rice!"
After Gu Mo left, Mai Yunfa took out his outer sect disciple token, preparing to trade his contribution points for Water Spirit Rice. This grade of spiritual rice was always quickly claimed once available, so if he wanted to obtain some, now was the best time.
"Alright."
Zhao Qiancheng nodded. Mai Yunfa was somewhat related to him, and since he could offer some assistance, he saw no reason to refuse.
After leaving the Spiritual Plant Hall, Gu Mo headed toward the marketplace.
His purpose this time was simple—to exchange some Water Spirit Rice for spirit stones. In fact, selling Water Spirit Rice to the sect wouldn't yield a lower price than selling it in the marketplace.
However, Gu Mo had previously promised Gou Youyu, the tavern keeper, that he would sell him high-grade spiritual plants. He couldn't go back on his word. Moreover, Gou Youyu was his only connection outside the sect, providing valuable insights into the world beyond. It was a relationship he wasn't willing to abandon.
"Brother Gu Mo!"
The moment Gu Mo appeared, Gou Youyu's face lit up with excitement. Over the past year, Gu Mo hadn't visited, making Gou Youyu worried that this rare source of spiritual rice had been lost. But now that Gu Mo was here, he could finally relax.
"Manager Gou, do you have enough spirit stones on hand?" Gu Mo asked with a smile. Now that he was in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, he felt more at ease when interacting with Gou Youyu, who was also in the mid-stage. Even though Gou Youyu was at the sixth level of Qi Refining, Gu Mo's physical body and spiritual energy were six times stronger than those of the same level, so he was not at a disadvantage.
Hearing Gu Mo ask whether he had enough spirit stones, Gou Youyu was momentarily stunned. But then, as realization dawned, his expression turned excited.
The last time they spoke, Gu Mo had hinted that a powerful figure behind him was cultivating high-grade spiritual plants. Now, Gu Mo was directly asking if he had enough spirit stones—what could this mean if not the arrival of those high-grade goods?
"To be honest, little brother, I've been running this business for decades, and I have some savings," Gou Youyu said confidently. He believed that buying up to a hundred pounds of mid-grade spiritual plants wouldn't be an issue. After all, he didn't think Gu Mo could offer more than that.
"Good!"
Hearing that Gou Youyu was well-funded, Gu Mo felt at ease. Without hesitation, he took out fifty pounds of Water Spirit Rice. He had set aside some for personal consumption and had also promised to give a few pounds to Chu Feifei.
"About fifty pounds."
Judging by the size of the sack, Gou Youyu quickly estimated its weight. It was close to what he had expected—around a hundred pounds.
Without hesitation, Gou Youyu reached out to open the sack, eager to see what kind of spiritual plant was inside.
As soon as the sack was opened, a dense wave of spiritual energy rushed out, carrying a faint yet distinct elemental force.
"Water spiritual energy!"
Having spent years navigating the marketplace, Gou Youyu had developed a keen eye. He immediately recognized the elemental force and became serious. He realized that whatever was inside the sack was not ordinary.
"Water Spirit Rice!"
When Gou Youyu saw the glistening, translucent grains of rice inside, even though he had been prepared, he was still taken aback.
He had never expected Gu Mo to bring out high-grade Water Spirit Rice. For a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator like himself, this was an excellent resource for improving cultivation. Especially since his elemental affinity leaned toward water—though not enough to classify him as a water spiritual root—it still made the effects of Water Spirit Rice more pronounced for him.
Moreover, as a brewer, Gou Youyu could ferment this Water Spirit Rice into top-tier spiritual wine, maximizing its effects.
High-grade spiritual wine!
With wine of this quality, he would have the confidence to break through to the late stage of Qi Refining.
"Brother Gu Mo, I might have spoken too boldly earlier. I don't have enough spirit stones to buy all of this Water Spirit Rice," Gou Youyu admitted with a bitter smile, struggling to contain his excitement. His available funds simply weren't enough to purchase the full fifty pounds.
Gu Mo had indeed taken out around a hundred pounds of rice, but he hadn't expected it to be first-grade high-quality Water Spirit Rice. This kind of rice was never available in the market. Even though the sect occasionally released aged Spirit Jade Rice, they never let Water Spirit Rice leak out.
Given this, the person backing Gu Mo was certainly an extraordinary figure. The amount of Water Spirit Rice he had brought out was something only inner sect disciples could typically access.
Of course, what mattered most to Gou Youyu now was figuring out how to secure this batch of Water Spirit Rice. If he missed this opportunity due to a lack of funds, he might even develop a heart demon from the regret.
"What?!"
Hearing that Gou Youyu didn't have enough money, Gu Mo was taken aback. The market price for Water Spirit Rice was thirty spirit stones per pound, so fifty pounds should cost about 1,500 spirit stones. As a tavern owner, Gou Youyu shouldn't have trouble producing that amount, right?
In truth, Gu Mo had misunderstood the situation. While the listed price was thirty spirit stones per pound, Water Spirit Rice was never actually available in the market. The real price was far higher.
If Gou Youyu paid just thirty spirit stones per pound, he would be taking advantage of Gu Mo unfairly.
"Brother Gu Mo, would you consider a trade instead?" Gou Youyu hesitated for a moment before making a proposition.
"What do you have in mind?" Gu Mo asked. He was open to bartering, but only if what he received was valuable.
"I have a soul cultivation technique. Would you be willing to trade for the Water Spirit Rice?" Gou Youyu pulled out a booklet.
"A soul cultivation technique?!"
Gu Mo's eyes widened in surprise. Such techniques were incredibly rare. Of course, he had previously obtained the sinister Soul Refining Art, but what Gou Youyu was offering was clearly not a dark technique.
"That's right. I found this Wine God's Soul Refinement Technique in an ancient cultivator's cave. It requires spiritual wine for cultivation," Gou Youyu explained, detailing the technique's origin. He also openly expressed his desire to cooperate with the powerful figure behind Gu Mo.
The technique relied on spiritual wine, and since Gu Mo's source could provide him with high-quality spiritual rice, Gou Youyu could handle the brewing process. With that, they could both use the wine to cultivate the Wine God's Soul Refinement Technique.
It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and Gou Youyu had one more card up his sleeve—the unique recipe for a special spiritual wine specifically designed for the technique. Only he knew the recipe.
While other spiritual wines could still be used to cultivate the technique, they wouldn't be as effective as the specially brewed one.
Since it was a win-win deal, Gu Mo had no reason to refuse. His spiritual energy and physique far surpassed those of his peers, but his soul strength was merely average. This technique would help him shore up that weakness, making him a truly well-rounded cultivator.
With this, he was on the path to becoming a six-dimensional warrior.
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