Chapter 204: Who Says Money Is Useless

Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Who Says Money Is Useless

Inside the storage ring were not only the Top-grade Spirit Stones Cao Cao had mentioned, but also plenty of Mid Grade and low-grade ones. Furthermore, there was no shortage of Magic Treasures and elixirs; she didn’t need to check their Rank to know they wouldn’t be bad. What truly caught Gu Nuan Nuan’s attention, however, was the staggering number of Jade Scrolls...

"Cao Cao, don’t tell me your master before last made a living as a robber, did he? This fortune is way more than any Loose Cultivator should have." Gu Nuan Nuan’s excitement was fleeting, quickly replaced by a sense of apathy. ’What’s the use of having so many good things? I can barely use any of it.’

"I don’t know. My spiritual wisdom was still limited back then, and I spent most of my time in a daze. So it’s not like now, where I can clearly remember everything my master experiences." Cao Cao shook its head, looking lost. Its memories of that distant past were already fading.

"If you can’t remember, don’t force it." Gu Nuan Nuan smiled casually, seeing how hard Cao Cao was trying. Suddenly, an idea struck her as she looked at the Jade Scrolls. "Cao Cao, when you have a moment, search through these Jade Scrolls and see if there are any Body Refining Cultivation Techniques or something similar that my uncle and grandpa could use."

"Master, wouldn’t it be better for you to reach Foundation Establishment and then look through them yourself? Even though you can’t advance any further, there are still benefits. Once you reach the Foundation Establishment Stage, you’ll be able to read these Jade Scrolls and use some of the low-level Magic Treasures and elixirs. More importantly, Foundation Establishment slows down aging! It will preserve your appearance at its peak for the maximum amount of time." Cao Cao spared no effort in persuading Gu Nuan Nuan. Foundation Establishment also extended one’s lifespan, and naturally, it wanted its master to live for as long as possible.

’It can slow down aging...’ Gu Nuan Nuan’s heart fluttered. She knew Cao Cao wasn’t lying and was immediately tempted. ’It’s true, what woman doesn’t want to be beautiful?’ She recalled how, in her past life, there were always news reports about some actress in her fifties or sixties who still looked like she was eighteen...

She didn’t hesitate long before nodding, her face filled with anticipation. "I wonder if Mom has a Spirit Root. If she does, it would be wonderful to help her reach Foundation Establishment too." She looked toward Cao Cao. "Do you have anything to test for a Spirit Root?"

"There is..."

Cao Cao answered with extreme reluctance. ’I’ve really shot myself in the foot,’ it thought. ’Of all the reasons I could have given, why did I have to use that one? Another person reaching Foundation Establishment means spending a lot more Spirit Stones...’

"As long as you have something, that’s what matters." Gu Nuan Nuan knew exactly what Cao Cao was thinking. Her consciousness entered her space, where she shot it an exasperated look and tugged at its leaves. "We made a huge haul this time, can’t you be a little less stingy? That’s my mother! Just imagine, if she has a successful career and becomes even more beautiful, my scumbag dad will be eaten up with regret. Isn’t just the thought of that exciting?"

"Master, there are plenty of ways to become beautiful! It doesn’t have to be Foundation Establishment. Mmm, once you reach Foundation Establishment yourself, you could learn the most basic Alchemy. You could refine the essence of normal plants into simple Beauty Pills." As soon as its own interests were on the line, Cao Cao grew truly anxious. Its mind spun, and it quickly presented Gu Nuan Nuan with a rational suggestion.

"Do the Beauty Pills have to be created through Alchemy after I reach Foundation Establishment? Are there any effective beauty formulas that an ordinary person could concoct themselves?" At the mention of this, an idea sparked in Gu Nuan Nuan’s mind. ’Getting into the cosmetics and beauty industry would be a great way to make money off other women.’

"Even if we don’t have one ready, it wouldn’t be hard to create such a formula. Have you forgotten, Master? I, Cao Cao, am an expert on all kinds of plants!" Cao Cao said smugly, rustling its branches with pride. However, it feared Gu Nuan Nuan would abandon the idea of Foundation Establishment, so it hastily added, "But if those plants are then tempered even a little with a Cultivator’s techniques, the effects will be dozens, even hundreds, of times more potent!"

"I see. So Foundation Establishment is still necessary. Heh, you’re amazing, Cao Cao. If you hadn’t brought it up, I never would have thought of this. I would have missed a huge opportunity to make a fortune." Gu Nuan Nuan nodded, put the storage ring away, and walked toward the mouth of the cave. On the way, she asked, "How far is my uncle from here?"

"He’ll be here in another three to five minutes. There’s light at the entrance now, so he’ll definitely be able to find his way over directly." After replying, Cao Cao asked Gu Nuan Nuan in a puzzled tone, "Master, money in the Mortal World isn’t the same as Spirit Stones. It doesn’t contain any energy. What’s the point of earning so much of it? In the time you’d spend doing that, you’d be better off reading more Jade Scrolls and learning things like Alchemy, Artifact Refining, or Array Formation."

"Who says it’s useless? You know what they say, ’money talks.’" Gu Nuan Nuan shot Cao Cao a sidelong glance. Seeing it still scratching the top of its stem with a leaf in utter confusion, she laughed. "You silly thing. While money in the Mortal World doesn’t contain energy itself, you can use it to buy things that do contain energy. For instance, if we find a spirit stone mine somewhere that you can’t absorb all at once, we can use money to buy that land and let you take your time. And even if we can’t buy the land, that’s okay too. We can just stay there and wait for you to absorb all the energy before moving on. See?"

Gu Nuan Nuan smiled. "Besides, we’ll have to travel the world to find new sources of energy. Do you think we could manage that without a large sum of money to back us up?"

"You have a point, Master. Money is a good thing after all," Cao Cao said, suddenly enlightened. "In that case, let’s work hard to make lots and lots of money!"

"Heh, but we don’t need too much of it. Otherwise, we’d just end up as slaves to the money, wouldn’t we?" Gu Nuan Nuan laughed again. Cao Cao paused, not understanding her words. Just as it was about to ask her to explain, it noticed Zhang Wei Qiang was already climbing over to them.

The moment his feet hit the cave floor, the first thing Zhang Wei Qiang did was pull Gu Nuan Nuan over to inspect her from top to bottom, front and back. He finally let his anxious heart rest only after confirming that, aside from being soaked from head to toe, she had no other injuries. He let out a breath, his voice a mixture of relief and reproach. "Thank God you’re all right. Next time, don’t be in such a rush. Watch where you’re going. You scared your grandpa and me half to death just now. We almost jumped down right after you."

"I’m sorry." Gu Nuan Nuan lowered her head in embarrassment.

"Just be more careful next time. You can’t count on being this lucky every time." Seeing her admit her fault, Zhang Wei Qiang didn’t have the heart to scold her any more. He gave a helpless, wry smile. "Since you’re fine, let’s go back up."