Chapter 196: Chapter 161: An Insolent Lower Cultivator Dares to Raise His Head and Speak

"Xiao Jiang, Xiao Jiang! This is Fifth Grade spiritual soil! Dig up a bag and keep it. You can use it to grow Spirit Rice and Spirit Grain in the future!"

"Xiao Jiang, Xiao Jiang, there’s Second Grade ’Genyuan Earth’ over here! Quick, toss out that bag of spiritual soil! How is that stuff even fit for us to use!"

"Xiao Jiang..."

Ever since descending to the fourth layer, the Runze Land, True Master Xuanmiao hadn’t shut his mouth. He chattered on endlessly, constantly finding some treasure or another among the lush water plants, mountain streams, and hills.

In less than four hours, the Five Yin Pouch on Jiang Yi’s back was stuffed to bulging.

’The Sect Leader gave me a Sleeve Pouch, but I left it with Grandpa. As for the one Ghost Grandma had, I couldn’t bring myself to ask Miss Gui’er for it.’

Jiang Yi sighed. ’It’s so hard for a Lower Cultivator to save up enough money to buy a storage Magical Artifact.’

Luckily, he had brought some Yi Wood and Ding Fire Spiritual Materials with him. These two types of materials were second only to Earth Element Spiritual Objects and could provide some degree of storage.

"Cat Master, let’s take a break. This bag is almost full."

Jiang Yi called out helplessly.

Although this [Fengdu] was half-destroyed by the fires of the Eight Sceneries Palace, its foundations were no less profound than a Grand Sect’s Dharma Lineage—perhaps even deeper.

Its Nine Layers and thirty-six strata alone made it a Celestial-grade land of treasures.

Seventh and Eighth Grade Spiritual Materials and Resources were everywhere, and with a little searching, one could find plenty of Fifth and Sixth Grade ones as well.

"Xiao Jiang, remember to have that Lady add a life-bound treasure to the dowry list!"

True Master Xuanmiao, now covered in filth from crawling through caves and swamps, stood with his hands on his hips and said:

’This stupid bag can’t contain spiritual nature or lock in Essence Qi, and it even lets the Five Elements Spiritual Objects get tainted by yin filth. It’s too much of a hindrance!’

’If the [Ghost Dao] hadn’t been utterly defeated and bound by the heavenly laws of the [Immortal Dao], I’d say we should just pack up this whole Land of Nine Layers and take it with us!’

’Across the entire Yanfu Vast Land, there are few grand spectacles of the Great Dao that can manifest the [Earth Virtue] like this.’

Jiang Yi shook his head and smiled. ’Cat Master wants to take home any good treasure he sees.’

"It’s strange, though. I’d heard that down in the fourth layer, the Runze Land, numerous ghost creatures, yin beings, and Demons would be born. But we haven’t seen a single one on our way here."

True Master Xuanmiao stroked his beard, filled with confusion.

The Runze Land was divided into four strata, supported by three types of qi veins—earth, wind, and water. It had always been rich in Spiritual Energy and brimming with life force; it should have been a place that fostered creation and provided Nourishment for all things.

But as he and Jiang Yi wandered around, they only picked up some Spiritual Objects and didn’t encounter anything blocking their path at all.

"Maybe our luck is just good, and we managed to avoid them."

Jiang Yi glanced down at the Shanshuilang Jade Token, thinking to himself:

’This credential issued by the Profound City Central Palace seems to be especially effective.’

He shouldered the Five Yin Pouch, looking like an old farmer who had just brought in a bountiful harvest.

"The ’Forgetfulness River’ isn’t far ahead. Cat Master, stop running around."

...

...

In the very center of the fourth layer’s Runze Land stood four Divine Positions.

It should be known that each layer was divided into four strata, and each stratum was governed by an Earth Sovereign Lord.

These Earth Sovereign Lords were condensed from Primordial Qi. They wielded the profound laws, commanded the earth’s veins, wandering souls, and the spirits of mountains and rivers. They were originally a crucial part of the [Ghost Dao]’s plan to command the Netherworld and construct the cycle of reincarnation. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Unfortunately, all of this was burned to ruin by the fires of the Eight Sceneries Palace. All thirty-six Earth Sovereign Lords were annihilated, and now only their empty Divine Positions remained standing alone. From time to time, memorial petitions would burn, turning into wisps of green smoke that lingered and drifted about.

A large, chubby girl plopped down on one of the Divine Positions. Grabbing a handful of the green smoke, she could hear faint, pious prayers, such as "We humbly beseech the Earth Sovereign Lord to bestow his great mercy, to let flow his boundless grace, to grant the blessing of salvation, and to give the gift of rebirth," or "May the earth’s veins be at peace, may the grass and trees flourish, may the people be free from plague, and may there be no offense in breaking ground," and so on.

"So noisy."

The large, chubby girl flicked her hand, scattering the waves of prayer transmitted by the memorials, and began ordering a crowd of sprites:

"You dare to just toss Fifth Grade spiritual soil out in the open? If Young Master Jiang sees this, he’ll think the Nine Layers are just as full of paupers as the Bottomless Abyss!"

"That’s more like it. The Second Grade ’Genyuan Earth’ is acceptable. Place a few pieces along his path!"

"Who told you to bury it under a tree? How is anyone supposed to find it like that? You stupid ghost..."

The sprites, born and nourished by the mountains, great marshes, and fertile lands, were all bizarrely shaped. Some looked like sheep and were entirely earth-yellow; others were quadrupedal beasts with no mouths, able to consume only the earth’s qi...

Hundreds, even thousands of them swarmed about, directed by the large, chubby girl to move all sorts of Spiritual Materials and Resources.

"Once Young Master Jiang reaches the ’Forgetfulness River,’ he’ll run into Miss Xiaoqiao. Hehehe... Gui’er is so clever!"

The large, chubby girl put her hands on her hips and cackled with glee. ’No wonder the young ladies in romance stories always have a clever and caring handmaiden by their side!’

"Bad news, Grand Ancestress!"

A mountain spirit with messy hair and a red, monkey-like face came forward to report:

"A Human Cultivator appeared out of nowhere and scared away the ’Seedling God Taisui’ that this humble one was offering to the Grand Ancestress!"

The large, chubby girl’s eyebrows shot up as she roared furiously:

"What audacious nerve!"

’That Seedling God Taisui was a Qi Cultivation First Grade Treasure Medicine that she had specifically requested!’

’She’d noticed that Young Master Jiang was pale as a sheet and seemed a bit weak, so she wanted to find some good things to help him recuperate.’

’Otherwise, if his Primordial Yang was truly depleted, wouldn’t that be a great injustice to Lady Xuan’nv and Miss Xiaoqiao!’

"Daring to snatch something meant for me, the Grand Ancestress! I’d like to see how many lives he has to lose!"

The large, chubby girl bared a mouthful of sharp teeth and asked:

"Where is that bastard?"

The mountain spirit groveled on the ground, trembling with fear:

"He’s chasing the ’Seedling God Taisui’ straight towards the ’Forgetfulness River’."

The large, chubby girl shot up as if her butt was on fire.

"This is bad! Miss Xiaoqiao is over there, waiting to ’accidentally’ run into Young Master Jiang! That damned scoundrel, always ruining the Grand Ancestress’s important plans!"

...

...

In the land of layered earth, a small river snaked its way through.