"Well, sick or not, getting money is the most practical thing." Ning Zheng didn't want to meddle too much; as long as he received tangible benefits that could be used for cultivation and strengthening, it was enough.
Following the mountain path back home, the sky was already dark.
The dinner was enjoyable, but the River Demon meat they had a few days ago was completely finished.
"Let's go fishing." In a good mood after getting off work, Ning Zheng called Ning Jiaojiao to prepare once more and go fishing at the well.
"Off you go."
With the fishing hook ready, Ning Zheng gently picked up Ning Jiaojiao like a princess and tossed her into the well.
With a splash, she entered the water and skillfully swam along the interconnected underground dark river maze. Occasionally, there were small luminous fish around, and some glowing stones, quite beautiful.
A few minutes later, Ning Jiaojiao sent a response.
The fishing hook pulled!
Ning Jiaojiao managed to catch four dazed and clumsy-looking River Demons, quite silly and cute, with two holding her hands and two gripping her feet, hanging all over her.
"It's actually four." Ning Zheng was overjoyed at the well, seeing the best catch in his fishing career over the past few years.
Ning Jiaojiao had reached the pinnacle of her fishing life.
Ning Zheng found that when luck was good, there were always small surprises; 500 Qi Fortune Value was no joke.
However, Ning Jiaojiao obviously called out loudly in the well this time, looking quite aggrieved upon being pulled up, evidently not in the best spirits.
But these were small issues, easily resolved with some coaxing.
After removing the large iron hook that had pierced Ning Jiaojiao's chin due to the pull, they went to the kitchen to process the meat, noticing the time was exactly 6:30, just a bit more until he could kick out those blacksmiths.
Daily wages, now that's living.
Another bountiful day!
He had initially agreed to guide them for three days to familiarize them with the process; now, within two days, it was all completed, an exemplary performance.
Ning Zheng thought he'd just show up the next day, then let go completely.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Every time he saw them, he felt more mentally polluted than by the folks at Spirit Manor.
After taking care of everything, Ning Zheng saw Ning Jiaojiao looking pitiful and couldn't help but laugh:
"Stop it, it's almost New Year's, we're getting a year older, the New Year Market opens in a few days, I'll take you there, buy you anything you want."
"Really?" Ning Jiaojiao's eyes lit up.
"Really, I'll give you 100 Magic Coins." Ning Zheng said, "Then you can buy whatever you want."
"Okay." Ning Jiaojiao was very happy, "I want to buy new clothes, new shoes, in red."
The villagers followed the daily behavioral logic of their lifetime, naturally accepting Magic Coins, after all, they circulated among mortals too, as a form of high-end currency.
Moreover, Magic Coins inherently attracted these Soul Bodies due to their reserve of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.
After clearing the manor's ruins, he wasn't short of money anymore.
He had tens of thousands of Magic Coins on hand, funds that those Demon Men hadn't used to purchase cultivation resources, directly obtained by Ning Zheng.
Of course, the resources weren't limited to just that.
But their lifebound magical artifacts, pill medicines, and various items had been consumed in their frenzied battles, leaving no inheritance for Ning Zheng to accept.
In any case, it was a sudden wealth gain.
After all, Magic Coins had substantial purchasing power; a few coins could buy a pound of Spirit Rice.
Some low-tier cultivators would find it impressive to have dozens of Magic Coins in their pockets.
A decent low-level magical artifact could be bought for a few hundred Magic Coins.
Of course, this didn't include artifacts made purely from Magic Copper, even an unprocessed Magic Copper coarse embryo semi-finished product could sell for hundreds of Magic Coins.
It was clear that Ning Zheng sat on a treasure mountain!
Now, holding this pile of Magic Coins, Ning Zheng could cultivate by absorbing large amounts of spiritual qi, just lacking channels to spend the money.
"Pretty much reaching the second Realm of the Five-Body, maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."
Returning to his room, he silently exhaled a breath of muddy qi, aware of his cultivation progress, feeling it was quite fast lately, even entering the state quickly with good luck.
The three elements of cultivation: Magic Coins overflowed, now needed were Meat Field and Spirit Rice.
Spirit Rice, figure out a way to get it, maybe from Su Yuniang… If that's not possible, save Qi Fortune Value, find a way to create a channel to buy Spirit Rice.
But this would consume a lot of Qi Fortune Value!
Ning Zheng still preferred to save, if his own household could produce them, without spending money, how great that would be!
And the Meat Field?
That was the most precious resource!
The Five-Body Realm focused on refining the flesh and blood, extremely requiring qi and blood supplementation.
Now, if Ning Zheng wanted to eat meat, he still needed to hunt River Demons.
But they were the lowest tier, the spiritual qi contained wasn't much help for cultivation!
What was a Meat Field?
After reaching Five-Body Realm Great Perfection, a demon beast could achieve a Five-Body Cycle, its body alive and regenerating after death, flesh and blood reborn.
Erase the consciousness of a Great Demon, leaving a body, dismantling the skeleton, laying it flat in the soil as stems and veins, planting flesh and blood to self-replicate continuously, that's a so-called Meat Field.
In simpler terms:
Their bodies, intricate blood vessels, bones, meridians, are thinly spread on the ground.
Periodically watered, they can be harvested.
But this type of Meat Field also wouldn't last too long, the division of flesh and blood is finite.
Now, those lively fleshes of demon men he cleaned up?
They could indeed be made into a Meat Field.
More than enough, given their Realm, they are high-quality patches of Meat Field!
But that was a human Meat Field, some cackling Demon Cultivators even called it a Ginseng Field, claiming that they would exclaim: "What a large ginseng plant," upon seeing other cultivators.
Ning Zheng didn't want to consume this kind, reportedly it stuck one with great karma, prolonged use driving one insane.
Although he could create several fields, consuming them daily to greatly nourish and rapidly increase his Cultivation.
"If I could hunt down a demon beast at Five-Body Realm Great Perfection, plant it into a Meat Field, it should last me a long time before exhaustion... But what do I have to deserve that?"
Ning Zheng sighed, contemplating:
"In recent years, our nearby mountain area has seen little activity, the only demon group I've seen were those crows… and the River Demons in the well."
"If their demon beast leader reached Five-Body Realm Great Perfection, I just need to hunt one, plant it in the field, and have one meat dish and a bowl of rice soup every day... Not demanding two dishes and a soup."
Every type of demon beast Meat Field had its characteristics, flavor, texture.
Some were suitable for making soup, some for roasting, some nourished qi and blood...
The rare ones nourished the Divine Soul, aiding in Enlightenment...
Hunting various top demon beasts, forging Meat Fields, was the foundational heritage many sects and families relied on for continuity, and an important means of attracting talent.
If his manor had its own Meat Field...
Hmm.
Those Money Children couldn't eat it, being earth eaters after all.