Yuan Li didn't explain, but waved, "You can go down. We still have things to discuss."
Zhou Shu nodded and said, "Thank you all, goodbye."
The three people watched Zhou Shu leave with different expressions.
"The Flowing Water Sutra, Manager Yuan, you're really willing to spend money."
"I want to see the results. If he can really refine it to some extent, he might be able to absorb it into the introductory level."
"This kid is very mature in both his actions and thinking. He really doesn't look like a cultivator of his age."
"Maybe he was born with poor aptitude, so he has to put in more effort. But cultivators like this ultimately have no future. A cultivator is a cultivator. What kind of cultivator is he without some cultivation?"
"Don't worry about him. Just pay more attention to him in the future. Let's continue the discussion. I suspect that evil cultivator might be from Liyuan Mansion..."
...
Zhou Shu returned to the boat. Most of the wandering cultivators were still dazed, and You Jing was staring at the white clouds outside, seemingly in a daze as well.
Only when he got closer did he hear him muttering to himself, "It's really flying, so comfortable... It's said that flying is very unstable and you will fall if you sit on it, but this boat is as comfortable as flat ground. It's really a good magic weapon. I want to refine such a magic weapon in the future..."
Zhou Shu couldn't help but smile slightly. If he was still fifteen years old like him, maybe he would be so carefree.
"I believe you can do it."
You Jing was stunned, turned around and saw Zhou Shu, nodding repeatedly, "I believe it too, Brother Zhou, by the way, what did you say to them?"
Zhou Shu smiled, "Nothing, just to express gratitude. We can go back directly when we get to the market."
"Yeah. It's been a long time, and I don't know if the master will beat or scold me..."
You Jing's face was bitter again, and he looked at Zhou Shu pleadingly, "Brother Zhou, will you go back with me later? Help me explain."
"No problem, but you have to give me one liter of your spiritual spring water. I don't know where mine is." Zhou Shu nodded in agreement.
You Jing nodded repeatedly. "A few liters doesn't matter, but the spiritual spring water will run out of energy in three days at most. Brother, use it quickly."
Zhou Shu patted his shoulder. "Thank you."
A moment later, the flying boat returned to the market. Yuan Li left with a group of unconscious wandering cultivators, while Zhou Shu and You Jing went to the Hundred Workers' Workshop.
The cultivators there were very difficult to deal with, and after much argument, Zhou Shu finally emerged.
Upon returning to his residence, Zhou Shu slumped down on his cushion and breathed a long sigh of relief.
He hadn't expected to encounter so many twists and turns for a bottle of spiritual spring water. Fortunately, no one was unharmed, and the harvest was quite substantial.
Zhou Shu examined the formation, then spread out his haul on the ground, nodding his head.
Though physically exhausted, his spirits were remarkably high.
Xiao Gun, sensing the various spiritual energies, suddenly trembled and rolled towards him. He smiled and pushed him aside, "Foodie, wait until I'm done looking."
First, he had a storage bag. Although it was much smaller than before, it was still sufficient and convenient.
Seventy-three mid-grade spirit stones were already a considerable fortune. He also
had several bottles of elixirs, some for training and some for healing. He was almost out of elixirs, so he needed a timely replenishment.
The spindle-shaped magic weapon, while not high-ranking, consumed little spiritual energy, so he could manage it, making it a good supplement. As for the other two, he had chosen them specifically for dealing with demonic beasts and wouldn't need them for the time being. He
carefully examined the three jade slips. He had no use for two of the uncanny techniques, but the other, the Shadow Escape Technique, was likely used by the masked cultivator. It was a Qi Refining Realm technique and was worth learning.
But the best of all was the Flowing Water Sutra jade slip given by Yuan Li.
After just a few glances, Zhou Shu was certain that the Flowing Water Sutra was no ordinary Qi Refining Realm technique. It wasn't complex or difficult to practice, yet it was exceptionally profound. Practicing it imparted a "spiritual energy like a hot spring, nourishing the Qi meridians," a profound benefit for cultivators. It was likely a foundational technique designed by a major sect for lower-level disciples.
"It might be the Tianliu Sect's mental method that Manager Yuan mentioned. It seems this Tianliu Sect is quite remarkable, perhaps even stronger than the five sects in the Qingyuan Mountains. If my Qi channels are uninterrupted, it would be a great opportunity to enter such a sect."
"First, deduce it and see if it's suitable. If so, practice this Liushui Sutra. But this time, I must take my body's endurance into account and make no mistakes."
Zhou Shu pondered, looking at the pile of things on the floor.
Before long, a wave of fatigue overtook him, and he fell into a deep sleep.
In the morning, a ray of sunlight filtered through the thatched cottage, illuminating Zhou Shu's face. He slowly opened his eyes, a look of satisfaction on his face. A good night's sleep always invigorated him.
"Ah, what's going on?"
He cried out, sitting up.
The items that had been neatly arranged yesterday were now in disarray. Several jade bottles had been opened, and pills were scattered everywhere. The spirit stones were even more scattered, their number much smaller, and most had disappeared without a trace, their whereabouts unknown.
He shook his head, sobered up, and carefully observed the surroundings.
The formation was safe and sound, and there was no trace of anyone having been there.
"Xiao Gun, get out here!"
Zhou Shu shouted.
Of course, there was no response.
Following the scattered spirit stones, he soon found the culprit.
In the corner of the room, in a small nest made of mud and broken futons, Xiao Gun was sleeping comfortably with a pile of spirit stones in his arms, and a few mud-covered pills were placed beside him.
"It's okay if it doesn't do anything, but it even learned to steal things. You deserve a beating!"
Zhou Shu was so angry that he beat it hard, and then picked up the spirit stones one by one.
Xiao Gun suddenly woke up, shaking his horns and moving his body to protect the spirit stones, but he still couldn't resist Zhou Shu's anger. In the end, he could only hold the last spirit stone, staring at Zhou Shu, and lying in the corner with grievance, not moving.
"Before, you were so well behaved, but now you show up after I finally get something! From now on, I'll hide everything in the storage bag and won't let you see it!"
Zhou Shu cursed a few more times before walking away contentedly.
Ignoring Xiao Gun's protest, he put the things into the storage bag one by one, leaving only a bottle of spiritual spring water outside.
Now that he was refreshed, it was time to draw the hydrotherapy talisman.
He spread out the talisman paper and took out the Cuiyan pen. He repeated the drawing method over and over in his mind. His spiritual power control was also perfect. Everything was in place, and it was time to start.
The Cuiyan pen reached into the jade bottle. As soon as it touched the spiritual spring water, he immediately felt something was wrong.
Why was the spiritual energy in the spring water different from yesterday?
Zhou Shu was stunned when he took out the pen and took a look. The spiritual spring water, which was originally colorless and tasteless, had turned light green and sparkled on the tip of the pen.
What was going on?
His eyes fell on Xiao Gun in the corner of the room.
Xiao Gun seemed to have noticed something, and his body quickly shrank, and his head hid in his shell.
"It's not me..."