"The pelt of the Netherworld Cat can be used to make talisman paper; its beast pill can be refined into Foundation Establishment Pill; its blood can be used to make talisman ink; its claws ground into powder can be used as medicinal material. At the Wu Family's marketplace, the purchasing price is fifteen hundred spirit stones, equivalent to one-tenth of a Foundation Establishment Pill."
Ye Feixue said excitedly.
"It's not that easy, we were just lucky to kill this Netherworld Cat. Other Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts are not easy to kill." Lu Xuanji said with a smile.
Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts vary in strength. For example, beasts like caterpillars, butterflies, rabbits, and mice, even if they reach the Foundation Establishment Realm, their combat power is still weak and could be killed by strong cultivators in the Qi Cultivation Stage; similarly, tiger-type beasts and dragon-type beasts can withstand attacks in the Foundation Establishment Realm and even kill human Purple Mansion cultivators.
Lu Xuanji headed towards a valley, the old nest of the Netherworld Cat.
The Netherworld Cat belongs to the dark attribute, preferring to dwell in valleys, in some shadowy places.
Upon reaching the valley, Lu Xuanji sensed a secondary spirit vein underground, occupied solely by the Netherworld Cat.
While searching there, he found a large patch of Netherworld Grass.
Netherworld Grass serves as a staple for the Netherworld Cat.
Approximately two hundred acres of land were covered with Netherworld Grass, seemingly planted by the Netherworld Cat.
These Netherworld Grasses varied in age, with the oldest being a thousand years old, and there were only three stalks of such grass; other ages of Netherworld Grass varied.
A thousand-year-old Netherworld Grass does not literally grow for a thousand years.
For example, in places with sparse Spiritual Qi, the grass requires a millennium to become a thousand-year-old Netherworld Grass. However, in areas rich in Spiritual Qi with fertile soil, it can mature in just a century, or even decades.
Due to the unique location of the valley, naturally suitable for Netherworld Grass growth, a hundred-year-old grass only takes ten years to grow, and a thousand-year-old grass only a hundred years.
"The price of a hundred-year-old Netherworld Grass is three spirit stones, whereas a thousand-year-old one is a hundred spirit stones. Netherworld Grass is a crucial ingredient for making Netherworld Pills. Taking a Netherworld Pill alone can enhance a cultivator's soul power, refine their physique, and increase their explosive power. The value of the Netherworld Grass here is twelve hundred spirit stones."
"Including the corpse of the Netherworld Cat, it's at least worth two thousand five hundred spirit stones."
Calculating the haul, Ye Feixue's eyes twinkled with stars.
Hunting demon beasts is extremely profitable, provided one stays alive of course.
"It's troublesome, selling these items worth two thousand five hundred spirit stones in the Wu Family's marketplace would be dangerous..."
Lu Xuanji had a fleeting worry.
Human nature can't withstand trials; don't test a cultivator's morality with spirit stones. Having just over two hundred spirit stones in your pocket is nothing. However, two thousand five hundred can incite the greed of Foundation Establishment cultivators, leading them to intercept and kill.
Even Wu Family cultivators might take action, finding an excuse to openly kill and rob.
"We can't sell it all at once, sales must be divided into batches."
Ye Feixue was also concerned.
Having wealth you can't spend is the plight of loose cultivators.
Many loose cultivators flaunted their wealth and got annihilated.
If the Lu Family still existed, they could hand over the Netherworld Grass to their clan in exchange for some spirit stones and pills, without worrying about anyone getting envious enough to kill and loot.
The clan would protect a cultivator's private property.
"Without an Alchemist to refine pills, directly swallow Netherworld Grass to enhance soul power."
Lu Xuanji suggested.
Demon beasts don't have Alchemists; they mainly swallow Spirit Medicine directly when they encounter it.
"Directly swallowing Spirit Medicine wastes it." Ye Feixue lamented. Swallowing three stalks of Netherworld Grass is only equivalent to one Netherworld Pill, while refining one Netherworld Pill requires only one stalk of Netherworld Grass. Directly swallowing Spirit Medicine wastes too much of the material.
"At least it's safer. If sold in the marketplace in large quantities, you might earn but not live to spend it." Lu Xuanji said with a smile.
"There's no other choice."
Ye Feixue took out a jade box and began harvesting the Netherworld Grass with a jade knife.
She sorted them by age and placed them in different boxes.
Jade boxes are considered low-level magical artifacts, capable of preserving the medicinal properties of Spirit Medicine quite well.
In harvesting the Spirit Medicine, she left the roots intact.
First harvesting high-level Spirit Medicine, followed by low-level ones.
If stored properly, Spirit Medicine can retain over ninety percent of its efficacy for up to five years.
...
After securing the Spirit Medicine, Lu Xuanji and Ye Feixue cautiously navigated through the Hundred Thousand Mountains, vigilantly observing their surroundings.
After the previous experience, Lu Xuanji became more careful.
Instinctively avoiding areas with dense Spiritual Qi, the richer the Spiritual Qi, the greater the chance of encountering miraculous treasures, but also the higher the risk.
Because of the Netherworld Grass harvest, there wasn't much need for Spirit Medicine, mainly observing the environment and familiarizing themselves with the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
As they ventured deeper, their phone's danger alerts increased.
[Ten kilometers away, a Foundation Establishment Python is asleep]
[Ten kilometers away, a beast with White Tiger bloodline is hunting an elk]
[Ten miles away, a beast with Flood Dragon bloodline is sleeping]
[Twenty miles away, a Great Peng is sleeping, it has noticed the host but couldn't be bothered]
[Three miles away, a demon beast Poisonous Bee is collecting nectar, noticed the host but ignored]
Walking along, the phone kept sounding alerts.
On average, every less than a hundred miles, an alert would ring.
These demon beasts are very dangerous.
However, Lu Xuanji skillfully walked along the dividing line between the territories of two beasts, causing some beasts that were about to hunt to hesitate, eventually giving up.
On the road, they encountered many human remains.
Many human cultivators had perished here.
The road became more cautious, yet despite this, they still encountered some dangers, including ambushes by low-level demon beasts, insect harassment, and even pursuits by demon beasts.
Many demon beasts pursued for some distance, then seeing Lu Xuanji and Ye Feixue enter a new beast's territory, they gave up the chase.
In the midst of peril, Lu Xuanji and Ye Feixue looked at each other and began swallowing Netherworld Grass.
As the Netherworld Grass was consumed and continuously refined, their spiritual power steadily increased, divine soul perception strengthened, their insight into the environment around them and their sense of crises became sharper.
The only regret was that a large amount of Netherworld Grass was eaten, and much of the medicinal power was wasted.