When the little monkey saw the mountain-moving ape on the ice, his eyes were instantly filled with fear, and he struggled to climb down from Xu Taiping's body.
"Don't worry, I'll take you over there."
Xu Taiping gently patted the little monkey's head, then infused his feet with spiritual energy, and his figure darted forward like the wind, reaching the mountain-moving ape in the blink of an eye.
At this moment, the mountain-moving ape was covered in burn marks and was barely alive, struggling to see the little monkey one last time.
The little monkey leaped down from Xu Taiping's body, rushed to the mountain-moving ape, and hugged its face with both hands.
Then Xu Taiping saw the two monkeys, big and small, start to "chirp chirp" in conversation.
"The old monkey is giving the little monkey his final instructions, but I don't know exactly what he's saying."
Fairy Lingyue seemed to understand some of the monkey language.
Xu Taiping wasn't very concerned about what the two monkeys were saying, but the scene before him brought back memories of his grandfather.
After all, on that snowy night, his grandfather had also given him his final instructions in a similar manner.
At this moment, the mountain-moving ape seemed to have finished his instructions to the little monkey. He gently tapped the little monkey's head with his finger and then looked at Xu Taiping, saying:
"Can you... take care of... my child? I can... make it form a soul pact with you, to serve you for sixty years..."
Xu Taiping had already learned about forming soul pacts with spirit beasts, but he never expected such an opportunity to be presented to him.
Fairy Lingyue didn't interrupt, but quietly watched from the side, clearly letting Xu Taiping make his own decision.
"What about you? Are you willing?"
Xu Taiping didn't immediately agree or refuse, but looked at the little monkey.
Hearing this, the mountain-moving ape immediately whispered a few words to the little monkey, as if conveying Xu Taiping's words.
After hearing the mountain-moving ape, the little monkey turned and hugged the ape's head, but under the ape's persuasion,
it soon turned back to look at Xu Taiping and nodded.
"Then from now on, you'll follow me."
The little monkey was very pitiful, and he couldn't bear to leave it in the mountains.
The process of forming a soul pact was very simple. The mountain-moving ape extracted a drop of its essence blood from the little monkey and dropped it on Xu Taiping's palm, then had the little monkey swear an oath.
After forming the soul pact with the little monkey, Xu Taiping clearly felt that he could use his thoughts to give the little monkey commands, but he definitely wouldn't do that.
The main reason he took in the little monkey was out of sympathy, not because he needed a spirit beast.
The reason for forming the soul pact was that according to the rules of the Qingxuan Sect, spirit beasts without a soul pact were not allowed to enter the Qingxuan Sect's territory.
The mountain-moving ape must have known this as well.
At this moment, the mountain-moving ape suddenly reached into its mouth and pulled out a transparent crystal, then lightly threw the crystal, which weighed over a hundred pounds, to Xu Taiping.
"This thing belongs to you..."
The mountain-moving ape pointed at the crystal that had rolled to Xu Taiping's feet.
Xu Taiping was a bit confused.
"Is it an Ice Soul Moon Crystal?"
At the same time, Fairy Lingyue exclaimed in surprise.
"The Ice Soul Moon Crystal is a material for forging spirit weapons, very rare, and considered a valuable mineral in my original cultivation world."
She continued to explain to Xu Taiping.
Xu Taiping was also surprised by this.
According to his current understanding of magical weapons, the weapons in the cultivation world are divided into magical tools, magical treasures, spirit treasures, and the legendary immortal treasures.
Spirit weapons are a type of spirit treasure, specifically referring to weapons with extremely strong offensive power.
To think that he had never even seen a magical treasure, let alone a spirit treasure or spirit weapon.
"Quickly put it away. After the Earth Fruit reaches the third transformation, use this Ice Soul Moon Crystal as nourishment, and plant it on a spirit mountain. It might be able to nurture a high-quality spirit weapon with special abilities."
Fairy Lingyue said, somewhat excitedly.
If it were in her original world, a piece of Ice Soul Moon Crystal wouldn't have made her so excited, but on this continent, the value of Ice Soul Moon Crystal could rival that of the Ice Soul Immortal Crystal in her world.
Just as Xu Taiping picked up the Ice Soul Moon Crystal, a heart-wrenching scream echoed from the ice in front of him. Looking up, he saw that the mountain-moving ape had closed its eyes.
Fairy Lingyue's tone was somewhat desolate.
Next, Xu Taiping found a way to bury the mountain-moving ape's body in the forest, then took out the fire-patterned python's skin and demon gall, and finally returned to the Green Bamboo Residence with the little monkey.
"Little monkey, my name is Taiping. How about we call you Ping'an?"
Xu Taiping placed the little monkey on the table and wrote "Ping'an" on a piece of paper with a brush pen.
The little monkey hugged the paper and nodded.
It seemed to understand what Xu Taiping meant.
Then, Xu Taiping gave the little monkey some food.
Perhaps it was too tired, after eating a plate of mutton, the little monkey fell asleep on Xu Taiping's bed.
"Taiping, it's time to plant the Earth Fruit."
Fairy Lingyue's soul appeared beside Xu Taiping.
Xu Taiping nodded, somewhat excitedly.
"Sister Lingyue, the hole is dug."
In the medicinal garden, Xu Taiping dug four holes, one large and three small, on the reserved empty ground.
"The east is associated with wood and growth. Placing the Fire Spirit Mushroom in the small hole can nurture a treasure that enhances cultivation speed."
"The north is associated with water and balance. Placing gold and silver coins in the small hole can nurture a treasure for healing and restoration."
"The west is associated with metal and destruction. Placing the North Wind Pearl, tiger head, tiger gall, snake head, and snake gall in the small hole can nurture a destructive weapon."
Following Fairy Lingyue's guidance, Xu Taiping placed the prepared items into the three small holes according to their respective directions.
"Finally, place the Earth Fruit in the main hole and wait for three months."
After filling the three small holes, Xu Taiping carefully placed the Earth Fruit in the main hole.
"Little Taiping, see you in three months."
Fairy Lingyue's shadow floated above the main hole, smiling and winking at Xu Taiping.
"Okay, Sister Lingyue, see you in three months."
After the Earth Fruit reaches the second transformation, it takes three months for the fruit to mature, which Fairy Lingyue had already told Xu Taiping.
"Speaking of which, the medicinal garden should be planted with seeds. Although the harvest of the nine-leaf purple perilla was good last year, the merit coins earned from selling it would only amount to about a hundred."
After planting the Earth Fruit, Xu Taiping looked at the now barren medicinal garden, where the nine-leaf purple perilla had been sold, and muttered to himself.
"Adding the merit coins from the ghost and the tiger demon, I now have about five hundred merit coins. Although it's enough for future expenses, it's not enough to buy medicinal materials and cultivation techniques. It seems I need to plant some more valuable medicinal materials this year."
As he thought this, he returned to the bedroom.
He now deeply understood that cultivation