Entering the courtyard and returning to his room, Qian Duoduo took out the warm first volume of the Encyclopedia of Weapon Refining.
Skimming through it, he discovered that it introduced ten thousand types of spiritual plants.
They were divided into four main categories: spiritual algae, spiritual moss, spiritual ferns, and spiritual seeds. Each spiritual plant was meticulously detailed with illustrations and text, covering its roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds.
In the eyes of an Artifact Refiner, every spiritual plant was excellent material.
Some were main ingredients, some were auxiliary ingredients, some played a Fusion role, and some served as transitional agents.
Things that Qian Duoduo used to collectively call 'flowers and grasses' all had names and uses.
Qian Duoduo tapped his slightly swollen head, "Liu Lao, to be an Artifact Refiner, do I have to memorize all of these?"
Liu Boli transmitted his voice from within the Golden Toad, "Not necessarily. Of course, the more you remember, the better. The more you remember, the more options you'll have when Artifact Refining."
"Liu Lao, I remember you are a fifth-grade high-level Artifact Refiner?" Qian Duoduo also remembered Liu Boli saying that he understood more than half of the things in this world.
"Yes," Liu Boli replied after a long silence.
These past few days, he had watched Qian Duoduo busy himself with money, and he had been waiting for Qian Duoduo to discover the most valuable Dao of Artifact Refining.
As long as Qian Duoduo voluntarily embarked on the Dao of Artifact Refining, it would be equivalent to him stepping onto the most bright and broad path.
He deliberately remained silent for a long time to heighten Qian Duoduo's interest.
As expected, when Qian Duoduo heard his admission, he immediately exclaimed with a joyful expression, feeling as if he had found something he had searched for tirelessly, with no effort at all.
"Fifth-grade!" Qian Duoduo excitedly rubbed his hands, thinking, "No wonder this skinny old man has always been so arrogant; he's a Great Master Artifact Refiner. If I hadn't stayed in the material area for a whole day, Elder Tian Shu probably wouldn't have even bothered with me."
"Is Artifact Refining while practicing the Everlasting Wealth and Nobility Art a perfect match?" he said loudly, "One earns money, and the other spends money—it's very reasonable."
Just as he was pleased with his judgment, Liu Boli spoke to Qian Duoduo from within the Golden Toad:
"Don't think that an Artifact Refiner is a born God of Wealth. Every Artifact Refiner is forged by burning money. Artifact Refining requires materials, Magic Treasures, and cauldrons, and success is not guaranteed every time. One failure means an entire furnace of materials is wasted."
A basin of ice water poured down from the sky, and Qian Duoduo instantly sobered up. If one could become an Artifact Refiner just by reading an encyclopedia, then perhaps everyone in the entire sect would be an Artifact Refiner.
"Don't bite off more than you can chew. It's better to lay a solid foundation first," Liu Boli suggested.
He felt that starting Artifact Refining for the sake of money was not the Righteous Path of Artifact Refining. Although he, as the Master, was more eager than his Disciple to begin learning Artifact Refining, he still believed it would be better to take it slow.
Lying down and quietly thinking for over half an hour, Qian Duoduo also felt that Liu Boli's words were quite right.
Materials, Magic Treasures, cauldrons—he had nothing he needed right now.
The money earned from the lending business was just enough to fill the huge pit of practicing the Everlasting Wealth and Nobility Art. Now, he had neither the financial resources, the energy, nor the ability to do Artifact Refining.
Putting aside the idea of immediately becoming an Artifact Refiner, Qian Duoduo pushed open the door and went to the Gold Vault.
He had been gone for more than a day, and his Senior Brothers must be worried.
Three days later, Qian Duoduo was cleaning the Gold Vault when his Senior Brother suddenly called him.
"Junior Brother, come down and come with me for a bit."
His Senior Brother had recently gained a bit too much weight, with three layers of chins.
He often wailed that his cultivation couldn't be suppressed, yet he remained steadily at Qi Condensation Level 3. This method of suppressing cultivation and happily lying flat must be his secret.
"Where are we going?" Qian Duoduo asked his Senior Brother after coming downstairs.
His Senior Brother didn't answer. As soon as they exited the Gold Vault and he was about to speak, his expression suddenly changed.
Following his gaze, Qian Duoduo saw groups of Cultivators heading towards the Gold Vault, some in grey robes and some in blue, at least several hundred of them.
Qian Duoduo and his Senior Brother exchanged glances. The same question was in their eyes, "Why are so many people here?"
His Senior Brother thought for a moment and then said, "Never mind them for now. Elder Bi is looking for me. You come with me and place the jade pendant Tang Zhangzuo gave you outside."
"Elder Bi, what does he want?" Hearing that "Elder Bi" was looking for his Senior Brother, Qian Duoduo was also startled and quickly quickened his pace to follow.
Several Disciples passed by them. One of the Outer Sect Disciples said, "I heard that the Gold Vault could lend money, and I thought it was a joke. I didn't expect it to be true."
"Don't say you're slow. I wasn't quick either. That Pan Zihui, who used to be at Qi Condensation Level Six like me, recently leveled up and entered the Inner Sect. I just found out he borrowed money to buy a Spirit Pill..."
Qian Duoduo looked into the distance, and an endless stream of Cultivators was heading towards the Gold Vault. He was going to get rich! This thought flashed through his mind.
His Senior Brother moved swiftly and whispered to Qian Duoduo, "I don't know why Elder Bi is looking for me. From his tone, he doesn't seem happy."
A bead of sweat rolled down his chin.
"Don't be afraid. We haven't done anything bad," Qian Duoduo comforted him, quickly placing the red jade pendant outside.
"I'm not afraid of bad things, only bad people," his Senior Brother muttered. "There are an unusually large number of people today, truly unusual."
Qian Duoduo and his Senior Brother half-ran to the Protectorate. Just as they reached the entrance, Elder Bi's voice came out like a thrown brick.
"You two, come in."
Wang Dahei's fat tightened into rock. He and Qian Duoduo, one in front and one behind, shuffled like puppets, step by step, to stand before Elder Bi.
"You two are quite bold!" Elder Bi reprimanded.
Hearing 'bold,' Qian Duoduo jolted, remembering Huang Guiren's idea of installing a loudspeaker Formation and brushing large characters on the round building. But we didn't do it in the end.
Seeing Qian Duoduo's jolt, Wang Dahei's face immediately darkened. He thought Qian Duoduo had done something he didn't know about.
"The high platform of the martial arts arena, the archways of the Outer Sect and Inner Sect—are those things you can just touch? And you even posted notes on them? Five Immortal Mountains, one fallen! And you covered them all with notes!"
Elder Bi's scolding stunned Qian Duoduo and his Senior Brother.
What notes, what high platform, what archways? They exchanged glances and spoke in unison, "Elder—"
"Don't tell me it wasn't you who posted them. The notes say 'borrow money early, advance early, profit early,' they say 'borrowing money changes destiny,' they say 'paving the way for your future, navigating your dreams,' and what's more, 'all things have Life Qi, why not money generate money'—"
Elder Bi grew angrier as he spoke, standing up from his chair.
Qian Duoduo thought, "This is it, the lending business is doomed. Who posted these notes? They're really trying to trick people! However, these phrases really couldn't have been written by outsiders. Which Senior Brother from the Gold Vault did this bad deed out of good intentions?"
Wang Dahei also slumped, his shoulders drooping, looking resigned to fate.
"If I hadn't checked and seen that you two increased the sect's storage income by a lot this month, I would have made you stop the lending business."
Hearing Elder Bi's words, Qian Duoduo and his Senior Brother trembled, their hearts turning from sorrow to joy: things weren't that bad!
"I'm giving you one day to clean up all these notes. At the same time, each of you will compensate the Elders at the gates of the Five Immortal Mountains with ten thousand gold coins!" Elder Bi's voice, booming with anger, was exceptionally pleasant to their ears.
"Alright!" Qian Duoduo and his Senior Brother jumped up and agreed.
"No similar incidents are to occur in the future, otherwise—" Elder Bi waved his hand.
Qian Duoduo and his Senior Brother, like two dragonflies escaping a hand, dashed out of the Protectorate.
When they reached a deserted spot, Qian Duoduo panted and said, "Senior Brother, which Senior Brother was so ruthless? For the future of our Gold Vault, he really went all out. Posting notes on the martial arts arena and archways—how much guts does that take?"
Wang Dahei's thick brows furrowed, "It definitely wasn't Old Eight. Was it Old Two? Doesn't seem like it; his mind is quick, but he rarely takes risks. Old Three? Doesn't seem like it either; he's quick with his mouth, but not with his legs..."
Before they even walked back to the Gold Vault, all eight other Senior Brothers had been ruled out.
"Then who else could it be? Could it be that Senior Brother and I did it in our sleep?"
Just then, a person appeared before them. "Junior Brother, are you satisfied with what I did today?"