You Cultivate, I Farm

"Lu Xuan, it's been a while. How have you been?" Zhang Hong greeted Lu Xuan warmly with a smile.

"Thank you for your concern, Zhang Big Brother. Everything's been smooth. Congratulations on returning safely from the wilderness," Lu Xuan replied with a smile.

"Haha, I got lucky, just a few minor injuries, and I happened to find some treasures," Zhang Hong chuckled. "I came to thank you for helping with the pest issue at home. The old lady at home said it was all thanks to your help."

"That little rascal, Zhang Xiu Yuan, has been boasting since he came back, saying he can earn spirit stones now and even wants to use them to support the family!" Zhang Hong laughed, recalling Zhang Xiu Yuan's proud demeanor.

"Don't mention it, Zhang Big Brother. You've helped me a lot before, so what I did was nothing much," Lu Xuan replied. "As for Xiu Yuan, he saved me a lot of time and unnecessary trouble. It's only fair to give him some reward."

"What can a kid like him do!" Zhang Hong chuckled. "But I must say, Lu Xuan, you surprised me this time. I thought you were just good at farming, didn't expect you to have such skill in sword techniques."

"With that, you could surpass many cultivators at the third level of Qi cultivation," Zhang Hong praised.

With his Concealment Technique masking his true level of cultivation, Lu Xuan wasn't worried that Zhang Hong could discern his actual strength.

"The spiritual field in our yard was among the first affected by the pests. It took me nearly seven spirit stones and the help of a mid-level Qi cultivator to resolve it," Lu Xuan explained. "To prevent a recurrence, I went all out and purchased a top-tier sword technique. Surprisingly, despite my slow progress in spiritual cultivation, I had some talent in practicing the sword technique."

"It progressed rapidly, to the point where it could help resolve pest issues. I thought of earning some spirit stones with it to recover the cost of buying it," Lu Xuan fabricated a reason, explaining how he could use the Golden Sword Technique to deal with pests.

Zhang Hong didn't doubt him.

As they conversed, they naturally drifted into discussing Zhang Hong's recent exploration of a hidden realm.

"Wang Family's formation master broke through two formations. According to Qi cultivators who ventured deeper, this new realm isn't smaller than Lin Yangfang Market and is filled with countless spiritual plants and medicines."

"We, Qi cultivators at the second and third levels, only operate on the outskirts and don't have the ability or qualification to enter deeper into the realm."

"I mainly followed a group of cultivators to gather plants and clear low-level demonic beasts."

"Although there were senior cultivators from the Wang Family at the forefront, the casualties were still substantial, around thirty percent."

"Our team had some luck, but we faced two dangerous situations. Once while collecting plants, we encountered a mutated species with high aggression and camouflage abilities, resulting in two casualties."

"And another time, we stumbled upon a special demonic beast, a spider with a human face on its back. It was incredibly fast, impossible to track. One cultivator was cut in half by its limbs, but luckily, a senior cultivator arrived in time to eliminate it," Zhang Hong recounted, his face turning pale as he recalled those encounters, showing the lingering impact.

Lu Xuan listened with interest, relieved that he didn't have to experience these events firsthand, finding it intriguing nonetheless.

"Interested in exploring, Lu Xuan? The first exploration yields the most but also carries the most risk. As it progresses, the risks decrease," Zhang Hong invited with a smile, noticing Lu Xuan's keen interest.

"No, no, my cultivation level is low, not skilled in combat, and I don't possess any magical tools or talismans. I'd rather stick to being a cultivator of plants," Lu Xuan declined with a smile.

His accumulation of spiritual power didn't yield many artifacts or medicinal pills. In simple terms, it was close to 'none'.

Zhang Hong brushed it off after a casual mention.

"By the way, Zhang Big Brother, did you come across any unknown wild spiritual species during your expedition? If so, I could purchase them with spirit stones," Lu Xuan changed the subject.

"Unknown wild species? Wild spiritual species are already rare, unknown ones even rarer," Zhang Hong replied. "I haven't encountered any personally, but I heard a cultivator found one in a desolate area in the realm. I'll inquire for you."

"But planting such a species involves high risks, considering the unknown category and cultivation methods," Zhang Hong cautioned as Lu Xuan inquired.

"I just want to experiment, not to gamble on a slight chance of success," Lu Xuan explained. "Even if it fails, I can gather experience in cultivating spiritual plants and broaden my knowledge."

"Alright, I'll find out for you," Zhang Hong agreed.

Two days later, Zhang Hong brought good news.

At the Zhang family's courtyard, he introduced Lu Xuan to a senior cultivator at the third Qi cultivation level.

"This is Long, a powerful cultivator," Zhang Hong introduced them. "Lu Xuan here has some talent in cultivating spiritual plants and is interested in knowing more about the unknown species in your possession."

Zhang Hong facilitated their acquaintance, and they quickly got to the point.

"I found this species in a desolate area outside the realm. I discovered more than ten wild species, and the Wang Family steward rewarded me with one," Long explained. "However, I haven't figured out its exact species. Judging from where I found it, it should be no less than top-tier."

"If you're interested, it's yours for five spirit stones," Long offered directly.

Lu Xuan carefully examined the species. It resembled a tiny fungus, dark red in color, with vein-like patterns on its surface, oozing a viscous substance.

"Five spirit stones, not too expensive. The Crimson Cloud Pine was priced the same," Lu Xuan thought. "But given the peculiar nature of this species, its rarity and grade must exceed that of the Crimson Cloud Pine. If I knew its specific details, its value would certainly be higher."

"Long, I'll take this species," Lu Xuan decided promptly.

"Quick decision, Lu Xuan," Long smiled as they exchanged the spirit stones for the species, both wearing satisfied expressions.

Long was happy to trade an unknown wild species for five spirit stones, while Lu Xuan anticipated another rare plant in his spiritual field.

Back home, he cleared a small area in the spiritual field using his techniques and planted the dark red fungus. Concentrating, details about the plant flashed through his mind.

"Dark Marrow Fungus, second-tier spiritual plant. When matured, it can be used to refine certain body-refining elixirs or consumed directly to strengthen a cultivator's physique."

"A plant thriving in darkness, it doesn't need light or spiritual rain, just a decaying spiritual wood for company."

The allure of cultivating such a unique species excited Lu Xuan.

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