20demayo Chapter 19: Naturally Number 1
Chapter 19: Naturally Number 1
"This is the only top-grade fruit in this event. Senior Sister Zhao Nan will not make any further comments. Based on a score of over 10 points, the cultivator Jiang Qiu can be ranked first. Do any of the contestants from the Nine Plant Garden have any objections?" The host's voice was crisp as Zhao Nan nodded in agreement.
The contestants, who had been standing for some time, looked at each other in bewilderment. None of them had any objections to the superior qualifications; instead, they all appeared extremely apprehensive and echoed the sentiments:
"As a top-grade fruit, it should naturally be number one."
"It still has two characteristics, unmatched by any other."
"With such fruitful results, Jiang Qiu deserves to be the champion!"
Qian Cheng didn't say much either. He remained silent, hunched over like a dog with its spine broken, his eyes unfocused, muttering to himself:
"Some veteran employees have spent decades cultivating top-quality fruits that they still haven't been able to achieve, and many apprentice spirit plant masters pursue dual characteristics throughout their lives... Jiang Qiu, Jiang Qiu, so you're really that awesome behind the scenes."
To cultivate top-quality fruit requires a talent for cultivation; it's never something that can be achieved simply by having enough resources or good luck. This is a watershed that separates people from each other; those below it are mediocre, while those above it have the potential.
Moreover, there is usually only one high-quality fruit with its own special characteristics. If Jiang Qiu were to cultivate a second special characteristic, regardless of whether that characteristic is excellent or inferior, its very existence would be one in a hundred.
Having achieved this level of skill, in terms of the "external skill" of cultivating spiritual plants alone, even among the apprentice spiritual plant masters being trained in the courtyard, few would dare to say that they could easily surpass Jiang Qiu in the category of "Wooden Flower".
And myself.
To use someone else's spiritual seed to put on airs.
No matter how many medium-quality fruits one can grow, one is still mediocre.
Even bribing Wu Shan couldn't cover it up.
Qian Cheng gave a bitter smile that resembled crying, and tears of despair rolled down his face, leaving a salty taste at the corner of his mouth.
......
After the judging process ended, Jiang Qiu won first place with her dual-attribute superior fruit and went on stage to receive the award amidst the admiring gazes of everyone. However, this was just a formality; the real prize money would be delivered together after the purchase price of the three fruits was agreed upon, and the superior-grade [Heart Field Pill] would also be given at that time.
Soon, he was led by his supervisor to the owner's private office on the second floor of the store, where he sat down. His three boxes of fruit were also placed on the glass table. "Mr. Jiang Qiu, please wait a moment. The owner and assistant are on their way."
"Okay." Jiang Qiu nodded. After the supervisor left, he put his hands on the sofa and sank in slightly. It was very soft. He had never sat on anything so soft in his life. It was as relaxing as a cotton candy.
Meanwhile, a faint fragrance filled the room. My gaze shifted and naturally fell on the basket on the desk, where rows of tender white cucumbers were piled up, their surfaces covered with water droplets to keep them fresh.
Before the selection officially began, Jiang Qiu had come here before. At that time, Zhao Nan conducted a second inspection of him and his three achievements, and informed him that there was no other cultivator of superior fruit in the entire venue.
In other words, first place will naturally fall to me, so there's nothing to worry about during the selection phase. I only need to think about how to cultivate the third-generation spiritual plant and consider the purchase price of the fruit...
With a snap, the door suddenly opened, and Jiang Qiu quickly looked away, only to see a pair of eye-catching long legs stepping on the floor as they entered from outside.
With a whoosh, Zhao Nan casually took off his black coat and handed it to his young female assistant behind him, who was also the host of the event earlier. "Jiang Qiu, right? Do you have a price in mind?"
This was Jiang Qiu's first time selling mid-grade and high-grade items, which were rarely seen on the black market. She was unfamiliar with the market prices and after a moment's thought, asked, "Could you provide a reference price?"
"Okay, according to the event rules, we'll give you the highest price in recent years. Yao Yao, here's the price list." *Click*, Zhao Nan sat down in his black leather office chair, and his assistant, understanding immediately, handed him a price list.
"Mr. Jiang Qiu, based on the highest prices in recent years, a plump, medium-grade Huohuang fruit is priced at 1000."
"A plump, medium-grade wood-shaped flower and fruit with special characteristics, with a base price of 600 plus an increase depending on its characteristics. If it has ordinary characteristics, the estimated price is 1600."
"Double-characteristic superior wood-elemental flower and fruit, 2000 deposit plus a profit sharing ratio that varies depending on the characteristics. If it has ordinary characteristics, the profit sharing for alchemy is 1%~10%. The profit sharing ratio can be added together for double characteristics."
Looking at the price list on the quotation, Jiang Qiu's eyes gradually brightened.
The mid-grade Fire Radiance Flower Fruit produced by Yang Zhilan is the most plump among its kind, and it costs 300 more than the normal price. Just one fruit can be equivalent to a month's internship salary.
My own medium-grade Wood-elemental Flower and Fruit contains common characteristics inherited from genetics, which is 1000 yuan more than the normal base price of 600 yuan, almost 3 times.
The only top-grade wood-shaped flower and fruit has a deposit of 2000. With the total deposit plus the 10000 first prize, 14600 yuan will be credited to your account immediately.
It's more than a whole year's internship salary.
We can then expand the planting of another batch of level 1 spiritual plants.
Going forward, the other party will use high-grade fruits to refine pills, and the profits from selling that batch of pills will be divided according to their characteristics, with an estimated profit of several thousand yuan.
but.
What if it's just someone else practicing?
There is a risk of failure in achieving the desired result, and zero profit sharing.
So... the key question is, who is responsible for refining the elixir?
With that in mind, Jiang Qiu said, "I can accept the first two, but for this top-grade fruit, I hope your shop can allocate it to an experienced apprentice alchemist to ensure a high success rate for level 1 pills."
"Don't worry, the first two mid-grade fruits will be sent to the apprentice alchemists in the garden for distribution, but this high-grade fruit will stay in the shop. Senior Sister Zhao Nan will refine it tonight." Yao Yao said with a smile.
"Hmm?" A look of surprise flashed in Jiang Qiu's eyes.
Alchemists and plant growers have similar and complementary statuses, and many standards are interchangeable. For example, a plant grower must be able to grow at least level 3 plants, while an alchemist must be able to refine level 3 pills from their plants.
It's important to know that there's a significant difference between the different levels of spiritual plants. Many level 1 spiritual plants are not much different from cash crops; they can absorb spiritual energy and therefore can be cared for, which is why they are grown in greenhouses.
However, level 2 spiritual plants can only be planted after cultivation, and even experienced employees can only do odd jobs in the courtyard and cannot get involved in their care.
Level 3 spiritual plant... It is said to possess profound mysteries.
An alchemist who can refine level 3 spiritual fruits would find refining level 1 pills as easy as rolling mud balls. Moreover, Zhao Nan is very young, looking like he has just graduated from university, and he can go even higher in the future!
Jiang Qiu's heart skipped a beat, and she quietly straightened her posture. This was an unexpectedly good thing. Logically speaking, alchemists would not look favorably upon low-grade spiritual fruits cultivated by non-spiritual plant masters.
Firstly, high-grade pills are useless.
Secondly, the quality of the cultivated varieties is too low.
However, I have an optimization panel, and my cultivation results meet the standards. The other party may also be improving level 1 pills recently, and they happen to have a need for high-grade level 1 spiritual fruits...
Huff, Jiang Qiu focused her mind and asked seriously, "Then, will the shop owner have a chance to exclusively purchase the high-grade fruits I cultivate for alchemy in the future?"
"This?" Yao Yao glanced at Zhao Nan and shook her head. "Normally, Senior Sister rarely gets to use Level 1 Spirit Fruits. This time, her alchemy is an encouragement to the top performers in each garden during the event, and also a test of their characteristics."
"Although my senior sister is currently researching a new pill, which requires a high-grade spiritual fruit from a rare level 1 spiritual plant as an auxiliary material, its cultivation is very difficult, and even a trainee spiritual plant master may not be able to produce satisfactory results..."
The implication is that the chances are slim.
However, I have my own optimized panel.
All the crops grown are of the same high quality.
Why not give it a try?
Jiang Qiu's eyes were burning: "I want to give it a try."