Chapter 1032: Thousand-Year Foundation, the Path of a Famous School!
Translator: Lordbluefire
Sun Mo and An Xinhui followed Lian Fangcao. After twisting and turning in a cave resembling a spider web, they finally arrived at a deep crater.
Under the illumination of the spirit diamond, a bronze-green colored mine appeared before Sun Mo.
“It’s a copper mine!”
An Xinhui grabbed Sun Mo’s hands tightly.
What was called ‘gigolo money’?
This was it!
The Nine Provinces dealt in precious metals. However, gold and silver were very expensive and few in quantity too. It was not convenient to carry them. Hence, the most commonly used currency was still copper coins.
If one found a copper mine, it would mean that one found money.
However, if a copper mine was found in any location on the Nine Provinces, that would belong to the empire whose territory it was found in. It was forbidden for people to try and mine things. After all, the mine could be considered the emperor’s money bag.
But this rule didn’t exist for mines found in the Darkness Continent.
Although everyone publicly acknowledged that the mines would belong to whoever found them, in reality, the mines still belonged to the person with the largest fist.
However, the Greenhaze Forest was a secret realm that was constantly on the move. Other than Sun Mo who could reach this place through a teleportation gate, no one from the Nine Provinces could come here.
So, Sun Mo could enjoy the benefits of this independently!
Perfect.
“Have you guys checked the remaining quantity?”
Sun Mo asked.
“We don’t have such technology. However, I did a preliminary check. There’s an extremely large amount of this type of green stones, and it can be found throughout this mountain range.”
Because Lian Fangcao had read the memories of human invaders before, she understood that this was something good. But for a primitive tribe that hadn’t developed the barter system, they didn’t need copper coins.
“Sun Mo, this is one of my gifts of gratitude for you!”
Lian Fangcao smiled, filled with sincerity.
“This gift is extremely valuable. As reciprocation, I will give you a saint-tier cultivation art and three peerless-grade heaven-tier cultivation art.”
Sun Mo wasn’t someone stingy.
After fully excavating this copper mine, even if Sun Mo wasn’t the richest man in Great Tang, he would be considered in the top ten.
“Now, we will have enough financial ability to invest in various professions and extend the reach of our school to various places.”
An Xinhui had no objections to Sun Mo’s generosity.
To An Xinhui, money had no meaning because everyone was a cultivator. The currency they used was spirit stones. However, money was something indispensable to the Central Province Academy.
Only with the Central Province Academy at the core would it be able to lead Jinling and the surrounding cities to become wealthier. As time passed, it would become a city circle and produce a ‘siphoning effect’ for the school.
Human talent, resources, policies…
Who wouldn’t dream of living in a big city?
When the population increased, the Central Province Academy would naturally be able to select more students with good aptitudes from the increased student supply.
They would then soon be able to become a national school.
“Fangcao, did you guys discover any other metallic mines or spirit stone mines?”
Sun Mo recalled the weapon used by that monkey of Lu Zhiruo. The material was not bad, and it was a better weapon than normal metal.
“Yes!”
Lian Fangcao felt somewhat awkward because her tribe had already discussed this, and the result was that the tribe should monopolize it. The green-skinned female felt that by doing so, Sun Mo might feel that they were too greedy.
This was also the reason why everyone agreed to give this copper mine to Sun Mo. It was to stop him from complaining temporarily.
“Sun Mo, I’ve something I wish to talk to you about!”
But as the tribe chieftain, she also had to think of the tribe’s future.
“We are friends, there’s no need for you to be so cautious!”
Sun Mo consoled.
“These two types of mines are our private property. We wish to sell them to you based on the price in the Nine Provinces.”
It was impossible for her tribesmen to live by farming the land forever, right?
How much money could that earn?
Selling mines would earn more money quicker!
“For these mines, the prices for purchasing them differ as well. For example, the plains lack metal so metal products would be very expensive there. But in Great Tang, the prices of metal products are very normal.”
Sun Mo explained.
“I can understand this. You can simply pay us 80% of the price in Great Tang.”
Liang Fangcao was giving extremely favorable terms to Sun Mo.
An Xinhui wanted to agree on behalf of Sun Mo.
This condition was too advantageous to them. However, Lian Fangcao had the impression that her tribe had benefited.
As expected of aboriginals that had not seen the wider world, they were all very foolish.
“Mn!”
Sun Mo nodded, feeling very grateful in his heart.
(Don’t you guys know that selling resources is the most foolish survival method? Although you will have quick money now, what about the later generations of your tribe?)
Upon thinking of this, Sun Mo felt heartache about his country in the modern era. Their land was such a valuable resource. But in the end, foreigners managed to purchase it at cheap prices.
2
“Oh right. In the future, if new mines are discovered, who do the ownership rights belong to?”
An Xinhui was worried.
“The mines will belong to whoever found them!”
Lian Fangcao had a bewildered look on her face as she glanced at An Xinhui. (Was there a need to ask this?) “Don’t worry, even if you guys find a large mine, we won’t take it.”
They had also discussed this problem before, and the conclusion they had was that how could Sun Mo and these people from the Nine Provinces understand their mother forest as well as the generations of their tribe who had been living here?
Just these few days, several elderly tribesmen with mining experience had led teams to search the whole forest for mines.
“Do you need me to arrange for some mine slaves to be sent over?”
Just as Sun Mo’s voice rang out, he was rejected.
“No need!”
Lian Fangcao was the most afraid that there would be too many humans entering her homeland’s garden. What if she couldn’t chase them away in the future? What should she do then?
“Alright.”
Sun Mo didn’t mind it. He mentally mused that when their supplies and harvests became abundant, they would sink into a bottomless pit of desire, and different classes of living would be born. At that time, they would surely be vying with each other for mine slaves.
This was something that would happen for sure. Because who would be willing to work in underground mines all day?!
Wasn’t it pleasant to drink tea and eat pastries while counting money?
And as for whether there would be a lack of mine slaves?
Sun Mo wasn’t worried.
Several people in the Nine Provinces were willing to sell themselves into slavery.
(Speaking of which, would it be too shameless if a good guy like me who believes in socialism uses slaves?)
“But we hope that the produce from the mines wouldn’t decrease, and it would be for the best if you guys can hand over the produce once every month.
An Xinhui suggested.
“No problem.”
Seeing that Sun Mo had no objections and even agreed to her requests, Lian Fangcao also became very easy to talk to.
“Everyone must have proficiency in a particular field at the very least. I will take some time out every month to teach you guys how to plant herbs.”
Sun Mo originally intended to treat this place as a herb garden.
Using this as a pretext, he would be able to recruit more alchemists, doctors and even ultimately dominate the entire herb market in the Nine Provinces, becoming a herb tycoon.
This business would definitely generate insane profits.
“Mn!”
Lian Fangcao led the way. “Let me bring you guys to another good place.”
An Xinhui felt very agitated. From today onward, the Central Province Academy would have established a foundation of 1,000 years. As long as they didn’t court disaster, it was impossible for them even if they wanted to decline.
In the future, they could focus on developing their expertise in the study of spirit runes, alchemy, and botany.
However, Sun Mo also seemed to be very good in the art of spiritual control and puppetry?
Ai!
Her childhood sweetheart was too capable in all aspects. This was also a type of vexation.
After the three of them traveled for an hour, they finally arrived underneath a huge withered tree.
Its branches and leaves were originally pulsing with vitality, covering the sky. But now, they had long turned yellow. When the wind gusted, the leaves would fall off like flakes falling off the skin.
“Do you know the name of this tree?”
Lian Fangcao asked.
Sun Mo fell silent. He knew the answer.
In the Record of Darkness Continent’s Phenomena that the system had given him, he had seen this plant before.
The mature period of the fruit it produced was 64 years. The fruit wasn’t tasty or nutritious. However, the juice from the fruit would secrete a type of enzyme.
This enzyme contained an extremely strong positive simulation effect on the cells of humans and animals. It could allow the sensitivity of the consumer toward spirit qi to heighten.
Simply speaking, even if the consumer was someone who couldn’t sense spirit qi, they would be able to sense it after eating a few of these fruits.
An Xinhui had also read about such a plant before in the diary of her grandfather. Hence, she was completely stunned when she saw this. After that, she revealed an extremely disappointed expression.
“It’s a pity that it has withered and died!”
If this tree was still alive, it would definitely become the most important battle resource. It was able to make ordinary people into cultivators and also let cultivators sharpen their sensitivity toward spirit qi. Wasn’t this already strong enough?
“The warriors of our tribe would be able to get one of this fruit every year. It has greatly increased our combat strength, but ten years ago, the tree started to wither and our reserves also dwindled.”
Lian Fangcao sighed.
After that, she took out a wooden box and passed it to Sun Mo.
“These ten spirit fruits are our gift to you.”
Sun Mo didn’t accept it.
“Just accept it!”
Lian Fangcao pushed it to Sun Mo. “Don’t feel that it is too little because we also don’t have many left for ourselves.”
“If I can revive this tree, can you give me half of the produce during every harvesting season?”
Sun Mo asked.
“What? You can revive it?”
Lian Fangcao was badly shocked and grabbed Sun Mo’s arms. After that, wild joy appeared on her face. “How?”
“This tree withered because you guys use the smoke produced by some medicinal herbs to fumigate it!”
Sun Mo activated Divine Sight and glanced at the data. As expected, it was the same as his diagnosis.
“Ah? Isn’t it infested by worms?”
Lian Fangcao didn’t understand.
“If it was merely a case of worms, this tree would still be able to live for 100 years. Evidently, for the sake of getting rid of the worms, the smoke that you guys used actually contained poison.”
Sun Mo explained.
“Yes! Yes! That’s the case!”
Lian Fangcao hurriedly nodded.
“The trunk has rotted away, and this caused its circulatory system to collapse. Spirit qi and moisture couldn’t be supplied in and out. Hence, I have to use spirit runes to rebuild a new circulatory system for it.
“After that, since the leaves on the tree are already very few, I will carve spirit gathering runes on them to assist it in absorbing spirit qi… And I also have to concoct something that can dispel the poison and kill the worms, settling the bacterial spots.”
“Right, those bacterial spots are caused by the excrement of the worms.”
By counting like this, the tree had a total of six symptoms.
Lian Fangcao couldn’t understand, but her instinct told her that this was very troublesome.
If Sun Mo could cure the tree, it would mean he was extremely impressive.
“Sun Mo, we will depend on you then.”
Lian Fangcao hugged Sun Mo. “As long as you can save it, I will convince those elders to give you half of the fruits every harvest.”
An Xinhui was also looking at Sun Mo with shock in her eyes.
(You can even accomplish something like this?)
She was someone who understood how incredible the methods mentioned by Sun Mo were. Other than him, no one in the Nine Provinces would be able to do this.
…
They stayed for a total of three days in the Greenhaze Tribe. Sun Mo and An Xinhui went to the ecology garden and inspected the various storehouses before they returned to the Nine Provinces.
“It is better for us not to bring this equipment back to the Nine Provinces, or we would surely cause a great disturbance.”
An Xinhui felt some fear in her heart.
“You are suffering from groundless fears, we won’t be able to use them either.”
Sun Mo shrugged. These things were high-tech stuff. Even though he had learned the language, he still had a headache when he looked at them.
For the remaining matters, Sun Mo no longer concerned himself with it and handed all of them to An Xinhui. He was preparing to calm himself down and continue studying to improve himself while also teaching and guiding his students.
But at this moment, a mysterious letter was placed on Sun Mo’s desk and disrupted his plan.