Raising Ducks for Daily Rewards-Chapter 23: Calulations

"I earned 20 spirit stones for selling the male ducks, and another 16 spirit stones and 87 spirit sand for the eggs of 9 ducks.

This means my basic income currently is 36 spirit stones and 87 spirit sand; in a year this is... 442 spirit stones and 44 spirit sand?"

Fengyu calculated his income based on the current situation –

Such a sum seemed like a lot, but he knew that this was without taking into account the cost.

"The spiritual environment here is low, and cultivating without any resource will delay my cultivation by a lot. Reaching the late stage of Qi Refining is still fine, but the peak is impossible.

If you don’t reach the peak by 60, then your attempt to establish a foundation will be reduced by 10–20% because the blood and qi start declining rapidly.

Cultivators generally stop aging once they reach 20 years of age; every year they age as much as a quarter of a year. This means by 30, they look like 22 and a half, and by 40 they look like 25-years-old. By 60, they look like 30.

But from 60 on, their body will age twice as fast as that of a mortal – at 70 they will look like 50, and at 80 they look like 70. By 90, their age will have caught up with their body and the rest of the years will continue as normal.

Generally, after 60, your chance of foundation establishment will drop by 10% each year, and after 100, it drops by an additional 50%. For most people, this is already in the minus.

After all, all your chance depends on various things. Mysterious roots only have a 10% basic chance, prosperous spirit roots give you a 30% boost, blessed give 50% and divine a full 70%!

In addition, a foundation building item gives you 10%, a foundation building pill gives you 20–30% based on its quality.

There are also the body and soul – a peak late-stage body and soul give you 10% each.

Finally, there is the surrounding environment. With sufficient spiritual power, you can get another 10% breakthrough chance.

My wood root is formed at 45% and my wind and water roots are at 40%, making all three mysterious roots.

Even if I somehow manage to fulfil every requirement, my chance will only be between 50 and 60%..."

His thoughts flowed from age to the foundation building stage, an inevitable dream of all Qi Refining cultivators.

If his roots were better, then he might take the gamble. But a 50% chance is too much of a gamble – not to mention that all these ’chances’ were based on a raw idea of cultivators. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

They exist for a reason, but this didn’t mean that having a 90% chance would allow one to advance for sure. That 10% is still a gamble!

He shook his head, pushing these thoughts out of his head. They were too far away for him.

While everyone knew of these things, very few could actually find a way to fill that 50%.

Most, if not all rogue cultivators tried to advance with a 20% chance. But... even those that attempted to break through were less than a tenth of all Qi Refining cultivators. Other cultivators didn’t even have the qualifications to gamble!

"Anyways, to cultivate to the peak before reaching 60, most cultivators will have to take pills.

The lowest Spirit Gathering Pill can be absorbed and refined in 3 days. A pill bottle containing ten pills costs 15 spirit stones –

Most cultivators will therefore take a pill every three days, paying 180 spirit stones in total per year.

Then there is spiritual food and nourishment, which has to be taken, since mortal food is full of impurities.

Food costs are 10 spirit stones monthly, making it another 120 spirit stones.

That makes the minimum spent 300 spirit stones yearly.

Because my profit is so high, I can afford it. But my proficiency in the spells ensures a higher quality, rivalling that of mid-stage cultivators.

A normal early-stage Qi Refining cultivator probably only earns around 200 spirit stones, barely covering the minimum for food and having a few pills a year.

Doing so would leave them with no savings!

A middle-stage Qi Refining cultivator should earn 300 to 500 spirit stones yearly. Their pills should be higher, but even if I deducted the minimum needs of early-stage cultivators, then they would still only barely cover their costs or have 100, at most 200 spirit stones surplus every year."

It might seem a lot, but Fengyu knew deeply that this was just his general guess and not a proper judgement. Even then, he could see that they wouldn’t have much left over.

As for him?

"120 spirit stones for my food... and that’s it. 324 spirit stones saved just like that!

In addition, that’s the income without adding the special eggs of the Spiritual Duck and the sale of higher-quality Spirited Ducks!"

A look of shock appeared on his face.

If his calculations were right, then he would definitely get a lot more spirit stones yearly!

"Wait... no. This is too much."

He stopped himself.

"Too much income is dangerous, very dangerous. I will have to think it over."

He calculated deeply but stopped himself halfway, annoying him slightly.

"Quack? Why is it dangerous?" Zimu, looking and listening to him from his meditation seat, asked.

"Why? Of course it’s because people are greedy!

The cultivators on the peak might not care since even my whole income might not fill their stomach. But what about those cultivators here?

What about the steward of the general store or even the village hall?

These people... they’re also cultivators!

If they see I’m making so much income, would they not just kill me?

Although my skills are required, everyone knows that herders are good at raising golden egg-laying beasts. Because of this, people love stealing the egg-laying beasts of herders!

Do you think I will be able to protect myself in that case?"

Cold water seemed to fall on Zimu, making him quack several times.

"Quack... this is dangerous. Let’s, let’s just make little money, right?"