Chapter 30: Spirit of Plants and Trees

The ladies were stunned.

"There's actually a fool who wants to buy it! And he's offering a hundred thousand taels of silver right away!"

"It's clearly just an ordinary piece of lightning-struck wood."

"Still too young! Chen Siling is a merchant; she can just invent any unverifiable story off the top of her head, and he believes her."

When Zhu Jianshen heard it was Jiang Fan, he instantly saw red and was about to raise the bid. Jiang Fan had made the Zhu family pay an extra four hundred thousand, and he wanted Jiang Fan to pay for it.

However, he happened to notice that Jiang Fan was also looking at him, a faint smile playing on his lips. Only then did Zhu Jianshen realize.

"That scoundrel! He's trying to trick my Zhu family out of money again! I almost fell for it!"

He quickly shut his mouth, crossed his arms, and watched Jiang Fan's 'performance' with a sneer.

Chen Siling was startled, not expecting Jiang Fan to bid. So, she asked three times in a row, but no one was willing to outbid for this worthless piece of lightning-struck wood. It was then sold for a hundred thousand taels of silver.

"Young Master Jiang, did you perhaps see something extraordinary about this piece of lightning-struck wood?" Chen Siling couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

From a distance, Zhu Jianshen scoffed, "Extraordinary? He just didn't manage to trick anyone else and ended up being the fool! Hahaha!"

Wang Yingfeng also huffed in dissatisfaction, "What an embarrassment! He spent a hundred thousand taels of silver on a piece of useless wood! How outrageous!"

Xu Yining watched Jiang Fan with an indifferent gaze. "Just a parvenu. Does he really think he's some big shot who can throw money around?"

Xu Youran secretly reproached him even more.

A hundred thousand taels! Just to buy a useless piece of wood? She couldn't understand at all why Jiang Fan would buy it for such a high price.

On the stage.

After Jiang Fan received the lightning-struck wood, he nodded slightly and wrote, "It is indeed not ordinary wood. Although it looks like nothing special, it actually conceals something good."

Having said that, he discreetly used his powerful soul energy to probe deep into the lightning-struck wood, forcing out tiny, emerald-green liquid droplets invisible to the naked eye. He then took a jade bottle and collected the droplets bit by bit.

A moment later, when there were no more emerald-green droplets, the jade bottle was full, emitting a rich, subtle fragrance.

Xu Yining took a light sniff and instantly stood up, exclaiming in shock, "Essence of Flora! It's the Essence of Flora!"

Zhu Jianshen also recognized it. He quickly walked over, his face showing surprise as he said, "It really is the Essence of Flora!"

Some knowledgeable noblewomen also had eyes full of shock at this moment.

"The Essence of Flora is said to be the accumulated essence of plants and trees that have gained sentience over time. If a Qi Cultivation realm martial artist consumes it, they can directly break through a realm. Even if a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator consumes it, it has the miraculous effect of greatly increasing their cultivation! Outside, it's a divine item that's difficult to acquire even for a million taels per bottle! He actually got it for only a hundred thousand taels? One bottle like this is enough for four people to break through!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the ladies' eyes lit up.

"Young Master, my Zheng family is willing to offer four hundred thousand taels of silver, just for one-third of the Essence of Flora."

For those above the sixth level of Qi Cultivation, without top-tier spiritual roots, each breakthrough requires astronomical amounts of resources. To break through one level for only four hundred thousand was simply an unbeatable deal!

Zhu Jianshen wished he could slap himself. The Essence of Flora, rarely seen in a hundred years, was right in front of him, and he had missed it!

He gritted his teeth and said, "Jiang Fan! Give me this bottle, and our grievances will be settled!"

Jiang Fan chuckled in exasperation, raised his brush, and wrote, "I still prefer for us to have grievances."

"You!" Zhu Jianshen was furious and stomped his foot violently, saying, "Fine! Fine! You just wait! Tomorrow, when we present the betrothal gifts, we'll see who's truly superior!" With that said, he angrily flicked his sleeve and departed.

Facing the noblewomen's requests to purchase, Jiang Fan politely declined, leaving them to depart with expressions of regret.

"Jiang Fan, you got something good, you should leave a little for our Xu family, shouldn't you?" Wang Yingfeng, pulling Xu Yining over with a jealous look, said righteously, "Over the years, you've eaten and drunk plenty from the Xu family. People should have a conscience, you know? I won't be greedy. Give one-fourth of this bottle of Essence of Flora to our Xu family."

Hearing this, Chen Siling rolled her eyes. Even as an outsider, she knew that the Xu family had not treated Jiang Fan well over the years. They certainly hadn't treated him as a life-saving benefactor. They even went back on the engagement they had agreed to, changing their minds halfway through. And now she has the nerve to talk about conscience!

Xu Youran was also a bit angry. Wang Yingfeng was being too overbearing, wasn't she? She frowned and said, "This is Xiao Fan's own money, earned by his own ability. Why should he give it to the Xu family? Xiao Fan, ignore her!"

Xu Yining, also completely losing face because of Wang Yingfeng, whispered, "Mother, why do you need his things? I'll figure out my own cultivation." Although she also disliked Jiang Fan, she would never dislike him while simultaneously coveting his benefits. That would be truly shameless.

However, what surprised everyone was that Jiang Fan actually gave away one-fourth of the Essence of Flora. He wrote meaningfully, "Aunt Wang is right. The Xu family has indeed helped me over the past ten years. What's there to be reluctant about with a mere bit of Essence of Flora?"

Chen Siling and Xu Youran stomped their feet in urgency. Jiang Fan was too foolish, wasn't he? He actually gave away the Essence of Flora so easily. It was obvious Wang Yingfeng wanted it for Xu Yining.

Xu Yining also didn't expect Jiang Fan to be willing to give it. Looking at Jiang Fan again, she thoughtfully mused, "Aside from his slightly lower talent, Jiang Fan was actually truly faultless." She didn't know why, or when she had started to dislike him.

Wang Yingfeng secretly scoffed inwardly, "So what if he has five hundred and ten thousand taels of silver? He's still at my mercy, isn't he? When I told him to give up some Essence of Flora, he was like an obedient son, immediately complying, hehe!"

Soon, Wang Yingfeng's expression froze. She watched as Jiang Fan did not hand the one-fourth of the Essence of Flora to her. Instead, he took it to Xu Youran, pinched open her small, cherry-like mouth with one hand, and poured the Essence of Flora into her mouth with the other.

"Cough, cough... cough, cough, cough... Xiao Fan, what are you doing?" Caught off guard, Xu Youran choked.

Jiang Fan shrugged and wrote, "Your aunt said I should repay the Xu family. This one-fourth of the Essence of Flora, given to you, the Eldest Miss of the Xu family, isn't that perfectly reasonable? Alright, stop talking nonsense, quickly sit down and cultivate, to see if the effect is as rumored."

Xu Youran had many things she wanted to say, but the Essence of Flora immediately erupted with incredibly potent spiritual energy once it entered her body, startling her into quickly sitting cross-legged to cultivate. Cooperating with the High-grade Yellow-rank cultivation technique Jiang Fan had given her, in just the blink of an eye, she broke through to the fourth level of Qi Cultivation!

However, it wasn't over yet, because her cultivation was relatively low and the medicinal effect was too strong. After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, she broke through another level! Reaching the fifth level of Qi Cultivation! Furthermore, as the last bit of Essence of Flora took effect, she progressed to the perfected fifth level of Qi Cultivation. She only needed a few days of quiet cultivation to break through to the sixth level of Qi Cultivation!

This scene left Xu Yining both surprised and envious. When she had broken through to the sixth level of Qi Cultivation back then, it had taken her a full half-year. But her sister had achieved it just because Jiang Fan gave her a little Essence of Flora. The huge contrast made her feelings complicated.

She looked at Jiang Fan, bit her red lip slightly, and turned to leave.

Wang Yingfeng was furious and roared, "Jiang Fan!!! How dare you humiliate my daughter like this! Tomorrow! Tomorrow I'll make you pay!"

Jiang Fan shrugged, and before she left, he took out another one-fourth of the bottle and handed it to Chen Siling. "This bottle is for you."

Wang Yingfeng's vision went dark. He'd rather give it to an outsider than to her own daughter! She wouldn't forget this!

Chen Siling, however, was startled, "This is too precious; I can't accept it!"

Jiang Fan smiled without a word and tucked it into her arms. He secretly chuckled to himself.

Who told you that the most valuable part of the Thunder-Patterned Spirit Wood is the Essence of Flora inside? Its true value lies in the material itself!