Chapter 96: Mind Stirring

Instructing his three young companions to focus on their cultivation, Ling Yi carefully placed today's medical fees into the storage room of his wooden cabin.

In this cabin filled with 'Blue Silver Grass', Ling Yi's wandering thoughts were finally reined back in by pulling on his mental reins, bringing his focus to the present.

In a small room of seven to eight square meters, three sturdy wooden shelves were packed with containers of varying sizes.

These containers included wooden and iron boxes gifted by Le Qing and Kang Zhan today, as well as stone boxes, clay jars, and trays. Though different in material and form, they all had their own unique attributes.

One must admit, becoming a healer with powerful abilities was far more lucrative than being a blacksmith, even one as skilled as a master smith!

Just the 'Tung Xi Earth Dragon' Spinal Pearl from Kang Zhan today alone could fetch at least a thousand gold soul coins on the market, and it's one of those rare treasures that you can't simply buy even if you wanted to.

For the centennial grade 'Tung Xi Earth Dragon' Spinal Pearl, its efficacy diminishes significantly for soul masters with physically powerful bodies, those whose strength exceeds a thousand pounds, so the price is reasonable.

After all, compared to the subsidies soul masters of the Soul Respect level gouge from the 'Spirit Hall', which is a hundred gold soul coins a month, they would need at least ten months' worth...

Speaking of which, according to the 'Spirit Hall's' subsidy regulations for soul masters, once they break through to the Soul Clan level, they no longer receive subsidies. If a soul master remains at the Soul Respect level indefinitely, couldn't they just keep milking a hundred gold soul coins a month forever?

Ling Yi's mind wandered off into this fanciful thought as he tried to calculate the total worth of everything in this room.

It was like Yu Xiaogang in the original tale, who without Tang San's help, would have been stuck at level twenty-nine. If he put aside his pride and didn't mind his information being exposed in the 'Spirit Hall's' intelligence system, he could have continued milking subsidies indefinitely.

A soul master with an average aptitude simply needs to diligently cultivate to the level of Soul Ancestor and then maintain minimal cultivation to ensure their strength doesn't regress. They could secure a livelihood or be granted the title of baron and receive an annual subsidy of 1,200 gold soul coins from the Spirit Hall.

Ten years would mean 12,000!

If a Soul Ancestor breaks through at thirty and lives peacefully without participating in any conflicts until ninety, that's sixty years, allowing them to collect 72,000 gold soul coins!

If just one descendant has decent aptitude, with a small push using financial power, it's truly possible to cultivate a master.

In this way, the embryo of a sophisticated soul master family starts to form, doesn't it?

Ling Yi shook his head, dismissing the increasingly wild thoughts. As the quality of his martial soul evolved, his spiritual power grew even stronger, and these thoughts became harder to control.

This was one of the few things troubling Ling Yi nowadays.

He immediately clasped his fingers together, extending his index fingers to form the 'Lin' hand seal, calming his mind into a state of deep tranquility.

This technique was taught to him by a cosplayer specializing in short videos in his previous life. At that time, they both dressed as the Fifth Hokage and the Sixth Hokage, performing a ritualistic pre-battle scene.

Yes, he pressed the increasingly clear memories triggered by his purified spirit to the bottom of his mind, tugging at the somewhat tight hem of his garment. Ling Yi recalled the ancient book recommended by a literature major classmate when he demonstrated the Naruto hand seals in the library the next day.

In the seventeenth volume, "Climbing and Travel," of Ge Hong's Eastern Jin dynasty work "Baopuzi," it's written: "The incantation states: those who organize the warriors of Lin, seeing no path unfilched."

"Hmm..."

Ling Yi pondered while reflecting on his journey. Over the years of traversing through different worlds, his spiritual strength had grown significantly. With the ability bestowed by the "Blue Silver Grass" martial soul, he had managed to reach a preliminary state of harmony among the external world, his immediate environment, and his own body.

In a sense, he had touched the edges of the ancient concept of 'unity of heaven and man'.

Yet, when it came to truly understanding the 'Tao' and 'Reason' of those ancient sages, everything still felt shrouded in clouds. It was a classic case of knowing the 'what' without knowing the 'why'.

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Ling Yi cast a glance at himself and inwardly cursed his inadequacy.

He was nearly sixteen years old—nearly sixteen!

Ling Yi tugged at the hem of his shirt once more, letting his gaze wander to the wooden rack filled with materials from various soul beasts, including the spinal beads, claws, and scales of the "Tough Rhinoceros Earth Dragon".

Though there were no labels, Ling Yi was well aware that these materials sourced from numerous soul beasts were stockpiled there.

Among the materials laid out, there are items that the soul masters of the outside world would consider treasures, but there are also those discarded as mere 'trash'.

For instance, the stones found in the stomachs of certain bovine and canine soul beasts are often discarded by soul masters who perform dissections.

Just like the roots, bark, and various herbs contained in different containers on another wooden shelf, all of these have become a peculiar collection habit of Ling Yi's from the perspective of the soul masters who pay consultations fees.

Of course, not all of Ling Yi's collection consists of these 'worthless' items he received.

There are indeed some valuables, like the large piece of polymer that resembles decayed wood, a dried resin and wood compound, cherished among nobles and the soul master community.

"Agarwood," when ignited, the fragments release a fragrance that calms and focuses the mind, enhancing the cultivation state for soul masters.

On another shelf, there are several soul-guiding devices that, although not brand new, aren't exactly considered old either.

Some resemble small trumpets, amplifying sound when empowered by soul energy; others look like small boxes capable of recording sound, which can be played back when activated; and some have embedded transparent crystals that emit light upon being triggered.

Even though they are mostly soul-guiding devices of little use, a device is still a device, and on the current continent of Douluo, they are worth something, however low or high that price may be.

What intrigued Ling Yi the most was a pair of soul-guiding shackles, supposedly from a fallen family of soul masters, which when worn, could seal a soul master's soul power.

Special note: limited to one-ringed soul masters; that is, it can only seal soul warriors—soul power above level ten can break through its seal.

Alright, this toy is a bit amusing, but Ling Yi still finds himself fond of these shackles. Not for any perverse reason, as he's a straightforward man, divorced from such base pleasures. The appeal lies in the principles of sealing embedded within them, which are worth exploring.

Feeling accomplished, Ling Yi takes another look around the storage room, slices a large piece of "agarwood," and returns to his quarters.

He grinds the "agarwood" into fragments and spreads them evenly in the wooden grooves on the walls of his resting chamber. This serves as fertilizer for the rows of "Blue Silver Grass". After infusing each plant with a bit of soul power, Ling Yi retreats to his bed and begins his cultivation routine.

Previously mentioned, "agarwood" is of value. However, it's not exceedingly costly, just a bit pricier than regular animal meat.

Apart from being abundant in the soul beast forest, some forests without soul beasts also have significant quantities.

Soul masters, as a group, don't have a high demand for this material. It's more of a niche for some nobility with average power, a market for those who feign refinement.

Whether it's the world's outlook or the cultural level, it's unclear, but on the Douluo Continent, soul masters seem lukewarm toward such external resources.

With this confusion in mind, Ling Yi commences his soul power training, sensing the proximity of his return to 'Mu Zhi City'. Having greater strength is always beneficial.

The seeds planted earlier have grown well and are ready for harvest.

(End of Chapter)