Volume 10, Chapter 657 – I Have Ghost Tomato Fertilizer, Do You Want It?

“Are you planning to use it to grow Ghost Tomatoes?”

Cheng Hongling immediately saw through the doppelgänger’s intentions.

“That’s right. But it’s too small for now. Say, if I have it help me produce blood and then use that blood to water it, do you think it’ll work?”

Qi Huang asked, struck by a sudden idea.

“I don’t think it’ll work. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make any sense.”

Cheng Hongling immediately concluded.

“What do you mean, no sense?”

Qi Huang asked curiously.

“The Blood Bodhi Tree absorbs blood and then produces blood. During this process, it definitely consumes certain nutrients from the blood it needs, just like an animal’s digestive system. If it only produces without absorbing, what would it live on? Even the lost moisture alone would be unbearable for it. So, I’m certain the blood you collected in that basin has already lost the nutrients it requires.”

Cheng Hongling explained logically and clearly.

“Let’s try it anyway.”

Qi Huang nodded thoughtfully, then placed a basin beneath the Blood Bodhi Tree and pricked her finger, letting a single drop of blood fall onto one of its leaves.

Just like Wang Laosan’s servant had demonstrated, the leaf absorbed the blood, and immediately, “One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to…” a stream of blood as thick as a finger flowed down from the leaf’s tip, quickly filling the entire basin.

“To be honest, if I hadn’t seen this with my own eyes, I would never have believed it!”

Cheng Hongling sighed again in astonishment.

Qi Huang also felt a little helpless. Blood was something only animals should have, warm and alive, so how could a plant possibly replicate it?

Of course, Qi Huang knew there was no point in overthinking it. She carefully poured some of the collected blood back into the pot where the Blood Bodhi Tree was planted. Whether it worked or not, she’d know by tomorrow morning.

Then, carrying the rest of the blood, Qi Huang rushed to the greenhouse and poured it onto the Ghost Tomatoes.

“This has to work!”

Qi Huang prayed silently. If it did, she could soar to the heavens.

That night passed in torment. Qi Huang woke up early the next morning to check, and her feelings were mixed, joy and worry intertwined. The good news was that the blood produced by the Blood Bodhi Tree did work on the Ghost Tomatoes. The bad news was that it had no effect on the tree itself, which perfectly matched Cheng Hongling’s analysis!

Qi Huang immediately reported the results to her main body. She was still happy overall. After all, she was someone who knew how to be content.

Reаⅾ οո КαtRеαԁіոɡСαfе

“Then try using original blood this time!” Cheng Hongling suggested.

“Alright!”

Qi Huang drew her sword, ready to slash her wrist.

“I’ll do it. My cultivation is higher, so the effect should be more obvious.”

Cheng Hongling suddenly stopped her, then used her sharp fingernail to cut her own wrist and let a few drops of blood drip into the Blood Bodhi Tree’s pot.

Another night passed. When Qi Huang checked the Blood Bodhi Tree again, she was finally relieved. The original blood worked! Overnight, the small tree had grown thirty centimeters taller, as if someone had forcefully pulled it upward.

Qi Huang immediately began “fertilizer production”. First, she used the Blood Bodhi Tree to produce a basin full of blood, diluted it with clear water, and finally filled several hundred small bottles.

Carrying the bottles of “fertilizer”, Qi Huang set off. After all, if she wanted others to help her grow Ghost Tomatoes, she had to provide fertilizer, right?

“Where are you going?”

Cheng Hongling couldn’t help but ask before she left.

“To sell fertilizer, of course. I never said I’d be doing the planting myself.”

Qi Huang winked and added, “If the owner of those Golden Fate Flower seeds comes looking for us during this time, summon me back immediately.”

With that, Qi Huang left at ease.

She soon arrived at the Immortal Alliance branch and sought out Elder Zuo, her perfect target. By now, under her subtle manipulation, the Ghost Tomato purchasing station at Yongning Prefecture’s Golden Fortune Auction House had reopened for several days, even raising the price to thirty-five taels per tomato to compensate for the reputation loss from its temporary closure. Money wasn’t an issue for her anymore.

When Elder Zuo heard this news, he treated Qi Huang like a savior and warmly welcomed her inside.

“Elder Zuo, I wasn’t lying to you, was I? The Ghost Tomato purchasing station is open again, right?”

Qi Huang shamelessly boasted.

“Many thanks, fellow Daoist. If not for your information, I would have cleared away all the Ghost Tomato vines by now.”

Elder Zuo cupped his fists sincerely in gratitude.

“It’s nothing. We’re business partners after all. I couldn’t just watch a partner suffer without helping, could I?”

Qi Huang skillfully painted herself as noble.

Rеαԁ οո КаtRеαⅾіոɡCαfе

“Brother, your righteousness is truly admirable.”

Elder Zuo was deeply moved.

“It’s just a small matter. But this time, I’ve come to Elder Zuo for an even greater act of righteousness.”

With a thought, a bottle of “fertilizer” appeared in Qi Huang’s hand.

“What is this?”

Elder Zuo asked curiously.

“Allow me to introduce it properly, this is the ‘Stallion’ brand fertilizer. It promotes Ghost Tomato vines to branch out, allowing each plant to bear up to four tomatoes.”

Qi Huang cleared her throat and explained.

“What?! Four Ghost Tomatoes?!”

Elder Zuo jumped up from his seat, snatching the “Stallion” fertilizer and inspecting it closely.

“That’s right. Elder Zuo should know that Ghost Tomatoes are low-yield because they only have a single, unbranched main stem. Even with two harvests a year, each plant only produces two Ghost Tomatoes. But with this ‘Stallion’ fertilizer, the vines will grow three additional branches, meaning each plant can yield eight Ghost Tomatoes annually.”

Qi Huang promoted it enthusiastically.

“Is that real? How much does each bottle cost?”

Elder Zuo asked skeptically.

“I understand Elder Zuo’s concerns. This first bottle is free for you to try. If it works, we can discuss pricing later.”

Qi Huang said generously.

“That would be ideal. Many thanks, brother.”

Elder Zuo thanked her repeatedly.

“We’re partners! No need for formality.”

Qi Huang waved “magnanimously” and turned to leave, but after a few steps, she stopped.

“Brother, is there something else?”

Rеαd оո ΚatRеαⅾіnɡСafе

Elder Zuo asked suspiciously.

Qi Huang turned back with a conflicted look. “About those two hundred thousand-plus Ghost Tomatoes I bought from you last time… I’ve used the pulp, but I still have the seeds. Would Elder Zuo be interested in buying them back?”

Elder Zuo froze, then cautiously asked, “How much are you selling them for?”

“We’re partners, I wouldn’t exploit you. Same price as before, twenty-five taels each.”

Qi Huang quoted calmly.

“Heh…”

Elder Zuo laughed in fury, grinding his teeth. “There’s a saying: no merchant is without deceit. You really open my eyes! You bought each tomato from me for one tael, pulp and seeds included, and now you’re reselling the seeds alone for twenty-five taels each?! That’s millions of taels in profit for you!”

“You can’t put it like that. Times have changed! The Golden Fortune Auction House now buys Ghost Tomatoes at thirty-five taels each. If you plant these seeds, you’ll earn ten taels per tomato. And if you add my ‘Stallion’ fertilizer, that’s astronomical profit.”

Qi Huang calculated the numbers for him.

“That sounds nice, but who knows if the Golden Fortune Auction House will suddenly close the Ghost Tomato purchasing station again? Then what? You’d buy them back from me for one tael each, wouldn’t you?”

Elder Zuo glared suspiciously.

“This time, they definitely won’t close! Trust me!”

Qi Huang patted her chest confidently, though she knew Elder Zuo already suspected her identity.

“Heh… I’ll pass on your generosity.”

Elder Zuo’s smile looked strained.

“You really don’t want them? I’m offering you a golden opportunity out of consideration for our partnership.”

Qi Huang tried persuading him one last time.

“Thanks, but no thanks.”

Elder Zuo refused firmly.

“What a pity for you.”

Qi Huang sighed regretfully and muttered as she walked away. She had expected this outcome. After all, Elder Zuo wasn’t stupid and was bound to be suspicious.

Rеad оn КatRеadingCafe

But Qi Huang wasn’t worried. If Elder Zuo didn’t want them, plenty of others would.

“Does he have a grudge against me?! Trying to fleece me like a sheep to the bone, huh?!”

Elder Zuo cursed furiously.

“Sheep?” his trusted aide asked in confusion.

“Are you stupid? The moment my Ghost Tomatoes ripen, the Golden Fortune Auction House closes its purchasing station. I sell my stock to him, and suddenly, the Auction House reopens. You think that’s a coincidence?”

Elder Zuo’s face twisted in rage.

“You’re saying he works for the Golden Fortune Auction House?”

The aide suddenly understood.

“Nine times out of ten.”

Elder Zuo deduced grimly.

“But… the Auction House is supposed to be buying Ghost Tomatoes for charity. Why would they manipulate prices to take advantage of you? That doesn’t sound charitable at all.”

The aide asked, baffled.

“This only proves their Ghost Tomato acquisition isn’t as simple as they make it seem.”

Elder Zuo muttered thoughtfully.

Qi Huang left the Immortal Alliance branch and quickly toured all the secret Ghost Tomato plantations in the cultivation world, successfully selling out her “Stallion” fertilizer and those twenty thousand-plus Golden Fate Flower seeds.

The next day, Qi Huang returned to the Honghua Sect. After all, with the looming danger of complete feminization, she needed to frequently cultivate the Doppelgänger Method with her main body.

In the blink of an eye, several days passed. Finally, the owner of the Golden Fate Flower seeds came knocking, but it wasn’t at all as Qi Huang had imagined. The person was being escorted in under duress.