The research on the Low-Grade Spirit Root·Mountain Monarch Order soon came to an end.
Qi Suian had a basic understanding of the principles behind its three skills, but they were of little use to him.
He simply didn't meet the conditions to release or use them.
The main reason was that Qi Suian was not a person from the Spirit Root World; he wasn't even a living organism.
The tools of a bygone era couldn't touch the powers of the present.
Surrender was impossible for Qi Suian, so his only option was to establish a new order.
However, it wasn't a total loss. At the very least, he had learned about the ecological structure of Spirit Roots.
Yet one question still troubled Qi Suian.
Where did Spirit Roots come from, and how did they proliferate?
Spirit Roots could be considered a type of Extraordinary species.
"Well... my master mentioned something about it." Faced with Qi Suian's question, Yuan An didn't know much either. "My master once said that a Spirit Root is the spirit of the heavens and the root of the earth."
"Therefore, they are condensed from the essence of heaven and earth. To answer your question, Sir, they are born of nature and nurtured by the world."
Qi Suian, of course, did not agree with Yuan An's answer.
Spirit Roots weren't like sacred relics that were items of fundamental principles; they leaned more toward being Extraordinary Creatures.
'They have their own understanding, and I don't have enough evidence. Any rebuttal would be pointless.' He kept this thought to himself.
So, Qi Suian changed the subject, not intending to pursue this line of inquiry any further.
Yuan An's understanding of the Spirit Root system was truly shallow. To put it bluntly, he was at a kindergarten dropout level.
Of course, you couldn't blame him. With his lineage broken and the need to maintain Vermilion Town, his spirit was willing, but his means were weak.
A poor man isn't necessarily lazy; sometimes, he just can't get out of the mountains.
Yuan An was the latter. He had ambition, but no way to advance.
"My lord, the town mayor..." A servant hurried over and whispered a few words to Yuan An.
Qi Suian heard every word clearly. The town mayor of Vermilion Town had learned that Qi Suian had returned to Yuan An's residence and had come to pay a special visit.
The real power was in Yuan An's hands, but the town mayor hailed from a prominent local family in Vermilion Town and cooperated with Yuan An in its management.
After all, Yuan An truly possessed Extraordinary abilities.
"Sir, the town's..." Yuan An hesitated before speaking.
"Since he's the town mayor, let's see him. I am on his turf, after all." Qi Suian cut Yuan An off and directly told him to let the man in.
As the saying goes, one doesn't visit a temple without a cause. He suspected the town mayor was here to deliver an opportunity.
"Go and invite the town mayor." Yuan An showed no dissatisfaction with Qi Suian's interruption. He simply followed Qi Suian's instruction and spoke to the servant, then proceeded to brief Qi Suian on the town mayor's situation.
"The town mayor's name is Zhuang Tong. He's from a prominent local family in Vermilion Town. The Zhuang Family has been here for over three hundred years..."
Qi Suian listened quietly. The Mages of Vermilion Town had originally been from the Zhuang Family, but a generational gap appeared, and eventually, their Spirit Root lineage was even severed.
Only then did the Court arrange for Yuan An's master to take over. Later, it was Yuan An's turn to inherit his master's post.
"So, you're saying the Zhuang Family actually has its own Mage legacy?" Qi Suian seized on the key point.
"Yes, but a legacy without a Spirit Root is nothing but empty talk," Yuan An said calmly.
In the eyes of a Mage, a legacy was merely icing on the cake; the Spirit Root was the foundation.
The Zhuang Family's Spirit Root line was severed, and that's why they declined.
Otherwise, if they had produced even a single Mage, even an apprentice still refining a Spirit Root, it would never have been Yuan An and his master's turn to take over Vermilion Town.
"Greetings, Sir..." The moment Town Mayor Zhuang Tong arrived, he performed a deep, formal bow to Qi Suian.
Qi Suian, however, watched with a cold gaze, completely ignoring the grand gesture.
'He's the one who wanted to bow, it's not like I asked him to.'
Seeing Qi Suian's lack of reaction, Yuan An hurried to help him up. "Town Mayor Zhuang, that's enough. Sir is not one for formalities."
After Zhuang Tong rose, his face was slightly awkward, but he quickly composed himself.
"To be able to meet a great figure like a Fifth-Grade Mage, my gesture was too small, if anything." Zhuang Tong naturally had his own agenda.
A new, high-grade Mage had rarely ever come to Vermilion Town, so he was thinking of obtaining a Low-Grade Spirit Root from Qi Suian.
As long as they had a new Spirit Root, the Zhuang Family could resume their path as Mages, transforming them from a prominent local family back into a Mage Family.
Their legacy was complete; all they lacked was a Spirit Root.
As for buying one elsewhere? To put it bluntly, the Zhuang Family only held sway in this remote backwater. Outside of Vermilion Town, no one would give them the time of day.
Even if they liquidated their entire family fortune to buy a Spirit Root, whether they could bring it back alive was another matter entirely.
To a Mage, a Spirit Root might not be rare, but for ordinary people, it was no common item.
They might have heard of them, but that didn't mean they could get their hands on one.
It was like luxury goods: everyone has heard of them, but if you look inside most ordinary households, you won't find any.
The Zhuang Family was a case of ancestors who had been rich, but their descendants were now broke.
"Just say it. What do you want?" Qi Suian didn't bother with pleasantries and asked directly.
Zhuang Tong shot a questioning look at Yuan An. 'Is he always this blunt?'
Yuan An gave a subtle nod in response, indicating that he could speak his mind without beating around the bush.
The two of them had a good relationship, a sort of public face and private support system, with no conflict over power.
After all, Zhuang Tong knew that the safety of Vermilion Town rested on Yuan An's shoulders, while Yuan An needed the cooperation of Zhuang Tong and the Zhuang Family to live comfortably in the town.
As for seizing all power and destroying the Zhuang Family? He could, but the consequence would be shouldering all of Vermilion Town's administrative affairs. What time would he have left to cultivate then?
Zhuang Tong had also thought about getting a Spirit Root from Yuan An, but Yuan An himself only had three Low-Grade Spirit Roots.
One had been refined by him, another was in the process of being refined for a breakthrough, and the last one was absolutely off the table—it was the key to his breakthrough to the Seventh Grade.
They represented his past, present, and future. How could he be willing to part with any of them?
Zhuang Tong couldn't afford the price, and using underhanded tactics would be tantamount to tearing off all pretenses of peace.
At that point, even under pressure, Yuan An would annihilate the Zhuang Family.
To block someone's path of cultivation was to become a mortal enemy.
"I would like to ask you, Sir, to bestow a Low-Grade Spirit Root upon my Zhuang Clan."
"Allow my Zhuang Clan to resume the path of the Mage," Zhuang Tong stated his request directly.
Qi Suian wasn't surprised. After all, Yuan An had just laid out all of Zhuang Tong's business for him.
As he spoke, Qi Suian took out the Low-Grade Spirit Root·Mountain Monarch Order. This thing still had some value, so he hadn't thrown it into the Melting Furnace as fuel just yet.
"A Low-Grade Spirit Root·Mountain Monarch Order, from the Spirit Demon outside Vermilion Town."
"I can give it to you, but what can you give me?"
"It's true I don't need a Low-Grade Spirit Root, but I can't just give it to a complete stranger." Qi Suian certainly wasn't going to give it away for free.
This Low-Grade Spirit Root had been put through the wringer by Qi Suian, and it could be said that it was drained to the extreme.
Its regenerative abilities were indeed strong, but even they couldn't withstand the torment Qi Suian had inflicted upon it.
That made it perfect for the Zhuang Family.
For no other reason than it was weak, making it easy to refine.
As for the issue of it being drained, there was no need to worry. It could be replenished after refinement.
After all, this was an acquired deficit, not a congenital one.
Zhuang Tong's expression was one of shock. He never expected Qi Suian to produce such a surprise.
That tiger Spirit Demon who called himself the Mountain Monarch was a notch stronger than Yuan An.
If he obtained this Spirit Root, even if he couldn't fully unleash its power, he could still be on par with Yuan An.
At that point, restoring the Zhuang Family to its ancestral glory would not be difficult.
Would this offend Yuan An? Impossible!
Yuan An would be thrilled if the Zhuang Family produced a Mage.
He could then request a transfer out of Vermilion Town, leaving the Zhuang Family to take over again.
For Yuan An, this was a promotion.
"Well... my Zhuang Clan hasn't had a Mage since our Spirit Root line was severed."
"And our last three generations of Mages were only Seventh Grade."
"We have nothing in our home worthy of your esteemed attention, Sir."
Zhuang Tong started by playing the victim. Of course, he wasn't trying to get it for free.
He was just laying the groundwork before he said, "If you would not disdain it, Sir, my Zhuang Family's legacy can serve as payment."
"I hope you will fulfill my Zhuang Clan's dream of becoming Mages once more, Sir."
As he spoke, Zhuang Tong took out an amber-like object, upon which were strange patterns.
Qi Suian recognized it. It was called Amber Jade, and it could contain a legacy.
Its main raw material was made from the corpses of several Spirit Roots.
Ordinary Mages couldn't possibly produce one. Only Mages of the top three grades were qualified to create them.
Qi Suian was surprised that Zhuang Tong had such a thing, and Yuan An couldn't hide the shock on his face at all.
This thing... its value was both high and low.
It all depended on the person.
"I didn't expect your Zhuang Family to have such an extraordinary background, to be able to produce an Amber Jade."
"I suppose I'll be shameless and accept the trade." Qi Suian, of course, accepted.
He wasn't interested in the Amber Jade itself, but the legacy within.
A legacy that used Amber Jade as a vessel had to be from a Mage of the top three grades at the very least.
"Um... Sir, there is one thing..." Zhuang Tong said hesitantly.
"Speak freely." Qi Suian knew things wouldn't be that simple. Otherwise, Zhuang Tong could have just traded it away himself. Why wait for Qi Suian?
"The legacy has restrictions. In our fallen state, the Zhuang Clan can only access up to the Ninth Grade. For the grades beyond that, you will have to comprehend them yourself, Sir."
"Furthermore, this Amber Jade legacy cannot be used by anyone outside the Zhuang Clan. You are..."
Qi Suian had anticipated this. It was normal; otherwise, it would have been snatched away long ago.
Regardless of the legacy's value, the Amber Jade alone was worth more than the Zhuang Family should be able to possess.
"Mm, I understand. If I can't use it, I've still come out ahead with just the Amber Jade." Qi Suian said this nonchalantly, but in reality, if the man had hesitated any longer, he would have started killing.
He was calm now, but that didn't mean he had stopped killing people.
He had only refrained from acting because the other party was willing to hand it over.
If his subsequent research yielded no results, Qi Suian would definitely have to pay the Zhuang Family a visit and "ask" for some Zhuang bloodline members to help him obtain the legacy.
Whether those bloodline members lived or died would depend on the Amber Jade's requirements.
Hearing this, Zhuang Tong's face lit up with joy, and he hastily presented the Amber Jade to Qi Suian.
And Qi Suian casually handed the Low-Grade Spirit Root·Mountain Monarch Order to him. The transaction was complete.