Chapter 503: Two Aren't Enough, So Five

Ji Yuan took the magic coins from his sleeve and arranged them into two stacks on the table, each containing exactly fifty coins.

"Fellow Daoist, all one hundred magic coins are here."

"Excellent, excellent. Then this Mountain God Jade is yours, Fellow Daoist Ji. Please take good care of it!"

The Lingbao Pavilion cultivator placed the Mountain God Jade back into its wooden box and handed it to Ji Yuan with both hands. Only then did he collect the magic coins from the table. Suddenly remembering something, he also returned the used magic coin he had been holding to Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan extended his hand and pushed it back.

"This coin was for a trial. I don't intend to take it back. Please keep it, Fellow Daoist."

"Then many thanks, Fellow Daoist!"

While Lingbao Pavilion was certainly not a personal venture, this magic coin was considered a reasonable bonus, and the managing cultivator's heart swelled with joy. He preferred to call this magic coin a "Ruyi Coin" (as-you-wish coin). Although he couldn't see the whole picture from a single glimpse, he had personally used this coin and fully understood its function. Not only did the magical power within it change according to his will, but, even more remarkably, the Dao essence within remained intact, allowing it to even offer a degree of protection when one's mental state encountered tribulation. The preciousness of such an item was evident.

Furthermore, leaving other matters aside, when he used this magic coin, his command over earth-element spells immediately reached an exquisite level of detail, which was truly rare. This indicated that the coin's magical power was particularly adept at earth-element techniques. It was no wonder the other party had come to acquire earth-spirit items; they must be a master of the Way of Earth.

This was a business transaction, but the managing cultivator of Lingbao Pavilion was thinking of more than just a single deal. He had just clearly heard that these magic coins were personally refined by Fellow Daoist Ji. So, after Ji Yuan put away the wooden box, the manager cautiously asked another question.

"Fellow Daoist Ji, you mentioned earlier that these magic coins were personally refined by you. May I ask how many more there are, and is their refinement difficult?"

After a slight pause, the manager honestly stated what was on his mind. "To be frank, our cultivators at Lingbao Pavilion, in addition to their own cultivation, also aim to provide convenience for practitioners throughout the world. These Ruyi Magic Coins are truly endlessly wondrous, and there will certainly be no shortage of people who need them."

Ji Yuan, of course, understood this point and knew what the manager implied.

"Refining these magic coins is extremely taxing on my magical power and spirit, akin to alchemy. While I still have some, it's not a large quantity, and it's impossible for me to devote all my energy to it."

"Oh, what you say is very true, Daoist. If the two of you are not in a hurry, please rest here for a while. I will be back shortly. Please, have some tea!"

With a wave of his sleeve, a tea set appeared on the table. The manager personally poured tea for Ji Yuan and the old beggar, then excused himself and ascended to the third floor.

As soon as the manager left, the old beggar couldn't help but speak up.

"Mister Ji, would it be convenient for this old beggar to take a look at your magic coins?"

Ji Yuan directly took one and handed it to the old beggar. The latter, upon receiving it, began to examine and play with it carefully, as if he had received a new and fascinating toy.

"Interesting. Although the magical power contained within it isn't vast, to some extent, it's like having your direct assistance, Mister Ji. Not to mention ordinary people, even I, this old beggar, feel there will be times when it comes in handy! Uh, since I'm a beggar, please consider this magic coin as your charity."

Saying this, the old beggar unashamedly slipped the magic coin into a pocket of his tattered clothes, clearly having no intention of returning it to Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan said nothing about this. While refining such an item was troublesome, it was fine to give some to friends.

After putting away the magic coin, the old beggar looked towards the staircase leading to the third floor.

"I've heard that Lingbao Pavilion is a cultivating force that has gradually become active within the last century. It doesn't belong to any particular immortal sect, and it has treasure pavilions in various locations. Its cultivators are not only skilled in trade but also possess keen insight, having collected many rare and valuable items."

The old beggar had brought Ji Yuan here today with a hopeful attitude, wanting to try their luck. He hadn't expected to actually find such a treasure as the Mountain God Jade. It seemed the rumors were true.

Ji Yuan nodded in understanding. He knew that while new immortal factions like Lingbao Pavilion possessed many treasures, their inherent foundation was certainly far inferior to that of some established cultivation holy lands. In the mortal world, they would likely have been preyed upon long ago. Even with laws in place everywhere, frankly, these laws protect the honorable but not the scoundrels. Only in a truly righteous environment like the cultivation world could such an organization flourish. Righteous cultivators adhere to unwavering principles; at most, some might be indifferent, but very rarely do they do anything truly outrageous. This allowed Lingbao Pavilion to genuinely serve as a convenience for everyone.

The Lingbao Pavilion building contained multiple spatial alterations. When the manager ascended to the third floor, he was guided directly to his desired room by the power of a formation, making it seem as if there was only one room on that floor.

The manager arrived in a room filled with books, where a long-bearded old man was half-reclining on a soft couch, reading. He showed no reaction to someone entering.

"Manager Zhou, I've found a treasure!"

"Hmm, we find treasures every now and then at Lingbao Pavilion. What's so special about this one?"

The manager took a magic coin from his sleeve. "It's this kind of coin. Its refiner calls it a 'magic coin,' but I think 'Earth-element Ruyi Coin' would be more fitting. Of course, it's not just for earth-element techniques; its Dao essence remains intact and changes at will, which is truly rare."

The old man put down his book, sat up, and looked at the manager. He gestured with his hand, and the magic coin floated from the manager's grasp towards him. Initially, the old man only glanced at it casually, but the more he looked, the more serious his expression became, and the straighter he sat.

Just then, there was a bowl of tea on the table. The old man, holding the magic coin, pointed it at the teacup. The next moment, a chill permeated the tea in the cup, and a slender ice pillar rose, slowly "sprouting branches and growing." Finally, a small tree with vibrant green leaves and ice flowers appeared on the teacup, looking remarkably lifelike.

"Earth spirit? Don't be ridiculous! This coin embodies all five elements and balances Yin and Yang. It's simply flawless! This isn't just a magical item, it's not just a coin! This is the very 'Dao' itself!"

The old man muttered to himself, lost in thought for a long time before suddenly looking at the manager.

"What did you trade for one coin? Is the person still here?"

The manager quickly replied. "One hundred coins, in exchange for that Mountain God Jade. The Fellow Daoist who refined the magic coins is still on the second floor."

"One hundred coins? Worth it, absolutely worth it! This item is extraordinary and incredibly difficult to refine. Moreover, its refiner's cultivation is exceptionally high, likely approaching that of a True Immortal. Quickly, take me to meet him!"

"Yes, yes, please follow me!"

After Ji Yuan and the old beggar finished a cup of tea on the second floor, the manager returned, bringing with him a long-bearded old man whose cultivation was significantly higher than his own.

"Fellow Daoist Ji, Fellow Daoist Lu, this is Manager Zhou, who oversees Lingbao Pavilion here at Ruanshan Ferry!"

"Greetings to both Fellow Daoists!"

The old man did not dare to presume, and was the first to salute Ji Yuan and the old beggar. Were it not for the pavilion's rule of addressing everyone as "Fellow Daoist" upon entry, he would have called them "senior" or "immortal elder."

Ji Yuan and the old beggar also rose and returned the salutation, quietly waiting for the other to speak.

"To be honest with you both, this Lingbao Pavilion has three main sections, divided into one hundred and eight rooms, aligned with the numbers of Earthly Fiends and Heavenly Stems. We have thirty-six managing Daoists, who have examined countless treasures over the years, yet none have ever seen such exquisite Ruyi Magic Coins as those in Fellow Daoist Ji's possession."

It is not uncommon for elders to seal magical power for the protection of their descendants, typically through talismans or various magic tools. However, these magic coins are truly unique. They are neither offensive nor defensive items, and contain no spells or spiritual script within themselves. Yet, they encompass the Five Elements and balance Yin and Yang, allowing for endless transformations and profound uses. No matter how one pondered, it would be absolutely impossible to associate these Ruyi Magic Coins with the mundane practice of burning paper money for ancestors.

Of course, Ji Yuan wouldn't expose his secret. Besides, apart from the initial inspiration from paper money, these magic coins had almost no other connection to it.

"Manager Zhou, please feel free to speak your mind."

Hearing Ji Yuan's words, Manager Zhou hesitated briefly before speaking directly. "I understand that both Fellow Daoists must be cultivators of great divine abilities, and certainly belong to renowned orthodox immortal sects. You might look down upon cultivators like us from Lingbao Pavilion. However, these magic coins are truly special, offering something that all cultivators of our generation can rely on... If Fellow Daoist Ji should have any surplus in the future, or consider transferring this divine ability, we earnestly hope you will inform our Lingbao Pavilion."

The old beggar let out a cold chuckle from the side but remained silent. He could understand the manager's sentiment, but that didn't mean he agreed with it. Wanting to acquire magic coins was certainly understandable, but coveting someone's divine ability was displeasing. To put it more seriously, cultivation techniques and divine arts are the very foundation of an immortal lineage's heritage. Even disciples within one's own sect are not easily taught them, let alone outsiders. Of course, speaking so openly and directly now was not problematic. It was those who attempted to obtain divine abilities without the owner's consent who truly committed a grave taboo. That was why the old beggar had been so nervous when the young beggar accidentally saw the preface to the "Sleeve Cosmos" manual back then.

Ji Yuan shook his head.

"These magic coins are not easy to refine. While I still have some on me, I also need to keep a portion for myself. As for the refinement method, I currently have no intention of transferring it. Furthermore, I might as well tell you directly: the refinement of these coins is heavily dependent on the refiner themselves, requiring immense spiritual power, involvement with the essence of the Dao, and significant personal magical cultivation. Even if one knew the method, it would still be very difficult to refine them."

The two Lingbao Pavilion cultivators exchanged glances, sighed, and indicated they would proceed with the search immediately.

By the time Ji Yuan and the old beggar emerged from Lingbao Pavilion, another quarter of an hour had passed. Ji Yuan also held an additional jade tablet, inscribed with spiritual runes and the characters "Carries Jade Lingbao."

"Mister Ji, they gave quite a few different metal-element items. No matter how precious the Ruyi coins are, they probably couldn't buy this much, could they?"

"Indeed, their sincerity is evident. But I can't just spend all my time refining magic coins for them, can I?"

"Hahaha, that's true. Come on, now that we have all five elements, let's quickly find a place to discuss! This old beggar just thought of a way to solve our biggest previous problem."

As he spoke, the old beggar summoned a cloud and ascended into the air with Ji Yuan.

"Oh? I'd be glad to hear the details!"

The "biggest problem" the old beggar referred to was a previous rude awakening for Ji Yuan. Ji Yuan had taken too much for granted, thinking that if a single element could be integrated into the golden silk rope, perhaps all five elements could be. However, the old beggar had proven, both theoretically and practically, that this was largely impossible. But neither the old beggar nor Ji Yuan was willing to give up. Their initial attempts showed that when they worked together, two mutually reinforcing elements, if integrated into the golden silk rope, could indeed coexist for a brief period under the intense heat of Samadhi True Fire. However, they would quickly collapse. Samadhi True Fire was simply too domineering, and other fire-control techniques were almost incapable of causing a qualitative transformation in the golden silk rope.

This was not a dead end, however. A less ideal approach would be to refine the elements separately, then combine them externally, and only then begin refining them together with the golden silk thread. Theoretically, this was achievable. Yet, both men had high aspirations and a touch of idealism, always striving for the most perfect method. Now, hearing the old beggar claim to have a solution, Ji Yuan's spirits lifted, and he quickly pressed for details.

The old beggar smiled.

"Heh heh, Mister Ji, in our initial attempts, even working together, we could only stabilize mutually reinforcing elements under the Samadhi True Fire. What if there were five individuals like us working together? With the Samadhi True Fire under your control, it might actually be enough with just four of us."

"Five?"

"Heh heh, indeed, Mister Ji. This isn't just wishful thinking. Ju Yuanzi from Yu Huai Mountain is barely qualified, and he respects you greatly. If you ask, he certainly won't refuse. As for the other two or one... well, it's the period of the Immortal Gathering, isn't it? Finding a True Immortal shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

'Good heavens! You old beggar, you really dare to dream!'

Ji Yuan was startled by the old beggar's idea, but after his initial shock, a hint of excitement inevitably stirred within him.

'Perhaps I can try going to Xianxia Island?'