Chapter 61: rit Stolen, Heading to the Market
"Yun Linghua, is there any way to deal with these velvet worms?" Xu Ning asked urgently, his mind reaching out to the plant.
The Cloud Spirit Flower's voice was pained. "It hurts, it hurts! They're afraid of wood ash! Spread wood ash on us!"
Xu Ning was taken aback, realizing he had forgotten this simple thod. In the mortal realm, farrs used wood ash to repel insects when planting vegetables. It made perfect sense.
After getting the answer, Xu Ning hurriedly ran to call Wang Ergou and Li Yun, who were frantically picking insects off their own plants.
"Brother Xu Ning, where are we going? Getting rid of the insects is the most important thing!" Although Wang Ergou had followed him, he couldn't help but ask anxiously.
Compared to Wang Ergou, Li Yun trusted Xu Ning more and didn't ask any questions. He simply followed.
Xu Ning explained quickly. "There's no ti to explain! Go back and bring out your wooden beds or tables to burn! The ashes will deal with the pests!"
They hadn't gathered enough wood ash from cooking, so Xu Ning thought of the wooden tables and beds in their thatched huts. Desperate tis called for desperate asures.
Hearing that the ashes would work, the two n, forgetting about the potential compensation they might owe, rushed to the various thatched huts and brought out their tables and beds.
"Big Brother! Brother Xu Ning, you're not only not upgrading , but you're burning ! I protest!" the wooden bed cried out as Xu Ning carried it out, its voice indignant.
Xu Ning replied firmly. "Better to sacrifice furniture than to lose our harvest! The situation is urgent. Make a selfless sacrifice for the greater good!"
The wooden bed wailed. "I'll sacrifice you, you lazy bum! This is betrayal!"
Xu Ning didn't care and threw it into an open area.
Wang Ergou and Li Yun also carried out their tables and threw them next to Xu Ning's wooden bed, then lit a fire.
Soon, a raging fire was burning, its flas leaping high.
The towering flas imdiately caught the attention of the steward, Qian Zhide, who rushed over in a fury. "What are you three doing?"
He quickly spotted the burning table and wooden bed and was imdiately enraged. "You three bastards! Don't you know this is sect property? You just burned it like that? You'll be paying for this!"
Wang Ergou and Li Yun were sowhat guilty and dared not speak, looking down.
Xu Ning, however, remained calm. "Steward Qian, wood ash can deal with those worms. This is an ergency asure."
Qian Zhide, who was about to continue scolding, was startled. He asked uncertainly, "Is that true? You're not making this up?"
Xu Ning replied confidently. "The situation is urgent. You'll see for yourself in a mont."
Xu Ning then returned to his hut, gathered the wood ash left over from cooking over the past few days, and sprinkled it directly on his Cloud Spirit Flower plants.
Soon, the velvet worms on the leaves began to struggle painfully, writhing before becoming motionless. They fell off the leaves, dead.
"It really works!" Qian Zhide, who had been watching closely, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
He imdiately got up to inform the other disciples to burn wood ash. His earlier anger was forgotten.
Soon, the entire fifth planting area was illuminated by fires as every disciple burned whatever wood they could find.
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The fires weren't finished until midnight.
While the ash was still scalding hot, everyone eagerly sprinkled it onto their dicinal herbs. They didn't want to waste a mont.
They didn't finish until dawn the next day, sitting on the ground exhausted, covered in soot from head to toe.
However, all the nial disciples wore victorious smiles.
They had defeated the velvet worms and weathered a huge crisis. The harvest was saved.
Previously, when velvet worms appeared in the planting area, they had to be cleared manually, which always resulted in heavy losses. This was the first ti they had such an easy solution.
Qian Zhide, who had been working alongside everyone until now, couldn't help but stand up. "Thank you all for your hard work. I will apply to the sect for a batch of timber to deal with any unforeseen needs in the future. We'll be prepared."
After saying this, Qian Zhide left quickly, a thoughtful look on his face.
The other nial disciples hurriedly ca over to thank Xu Ning. After all, it was he who had co up with the solution. Without him, their crops would be ruined.
Xu Ning waved his hand modestly. "We're all fellow disciples. No need to thank . We helped each other."
At this mont, a strong and sturdy young man walked over, his chest puffed out. "Junior Brother Xu, my na is Feng Jinpeng. I will never forget your kindness. From now on, in the Fifth District, if anyone dares to bully you, I'll be the first to not let them off easily. You have my word."
Xu Ning clasped his hands in thanks. "Then thank you, Senior Brother Feng! I appreciate it."
This Feng Jinpeng was at the third level of Qi Refining cultivation, and among the nial servants in the entire Fifth District, he was soone of considerable influence. His support was valuable.
After everyone thanked Xu Ning again, they went back to rest, exhausted but satisfied.
However, in the afternoon, soone suddenly ca to announce that Qian Zhide had co up with a way to deal with the velvet worms. He had made a great contribution to the sect's cultivation of spiritual herbs. He was awarded fifty spirit stones and a magic technique for his "innovation."
Upon hearing this news, all the nial disciples in the Fifth District were in an uproar. Everyone knew that this was Xu Ning's idea. Qian Zhide had stolen the credit.
"This is too much!" Wang Ergou was even more indignant, his face red with anger.
Li Yun looked at Xu Ning. "Brother Xu Ning, why don't we report this to the outer sect manager? All the servants in our Fifth District will testify for you! They'll believe us."
"Junior Brother Xu, do you want to go with you to report this?" Feng Jinpeng also ca over at this ti and couldn't help but offer his support.
Xu Ning looked at the group of servants who had gathered around, their faces full of righteous anger. His eyes flickered as he considered.
After thinking for a long ti, he finally spoke. "I know that everyone wants to stand up for . We could definitely win the case, after all, everyone can testify for ."
"But have you all thought about what will happen after we win? Will things still be peaceful for us afterward?"
Xu Ning knew very well that even if they exposed Qian Zhide, the other party would at most receive so punishnt but would not be transferred out. If the other party held a grudge and made things difficult for them in the future, it would be very hard for them to get by. He couldn't ask everyone to risk their futures for him.
So no matter how aggrieved they felt, they could only endure it for now. It was the smarter play.
After hearing Xu Ning's words, everyone understood his aning. Although they were unhappy, they dared not say anything more. They knew he was right.
Qian Zhide didn't go too far. Upon returning, he transferred 100 contribution points to Xu Ning's token. It was a small compensation.
This was an unexpected bonus. Xu Ning couldn't do anything about it even if Qian Zhide hadn't given them to him. At least he got sothing.
Before leaving, Qian Zhide couldn't help but pat Xu Ning on the shoulder. "Brother Xu, you're doing well. Keep it up."
Xu Ning nodded outwardly, a smile on his face, but inwardly he was determined not to let this guy off if given the chance. He would rember this.
Life returned to normal. A few days later, Xu Ning finally upgraded all six of his potted Cloud Spirit Flowers to the mid-grade Spirit level.
He kept one for seed production and harvested and packed up all the flowering plants from the other five. They were ready for sale.
Tomorrow was the day the traveling rchant caravan would arrive at the market. Xu Ning wanted to go and check it out, to see what he could trade.
Early the next morning, Xu Ning got up before dawn. Before the other servants had even stirred, he quietly headed towards the market, his bundled herbs hidden under his clothes.
On the way, Xu Ning even used the Thousand Shadows Transformation technique to change his appearance. He looked like a different person before entering the market with peace of mind.
Today, because of the arrival of the traveling rchants, the market was very lively. It felt overcrowded with cultivators from all over.
Stalls lined both sides of the market, selling all sorts of strange and wonderful things. Weapons, pills, talismans, herbs—everything was on display.
Here, disciples of the Tianbao Sect could trade using sect contribution points, while those from other sects had to use spirit stones.
The official ratio of spirit stones to sect contribution points was one to ten, aning one spirit stone equaled ten contribution points.
However, nobody wanted to exchange spirit stones for contribution points at that rate, so the actual exchange rate was much higher. Usually, it took twelve sect contribution points to get one spirit stone.
Xu Ning wasn't in a hurry to exchange anything. Instead, he strolled around the market at his own pace, taking in the sights and noting the prices.
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