https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-143-The-Spirit-Crane-s-Breeding-Problem/12543979/
Chapter 144: Part-Timer He's Blessings
Chapter 144: Part-Timer He's Blessings
After obtaining the task information, Lu Chen did not linger and rented a Spirit Crane before making his way to the Beast Taming Hall.
He inquired with his fellow disciples about the specific habitat of the Spirit Cranes and, after circumventing several peaks, located a vast marshland.
The marshland spanned hundreds of acres, and at that moment, hundreds of Spirit Cranes were roosting there. Their feathers were pristine white, and their postures graceful as they either fiddled with the aquatic plants in the marsh or stretched their wings in the low sky. Lu Chen searched for a long while before spotting a pair of cranes with their necks entwined, their heads affectionately close together.
As if sensing Lu Chen's arrival, a cultivator flew out from the depths of the marsh. His skin was dark, and he possessed the cultivation base of the ninth layer of Qi Refining.
"Greetings, junior brother. I am Xu Yi, the manager of this marshland. May I ask how I should address you, junior brother? Could it be that you've come to address the issue of the Spirit Cranes' reproduction?"
"Greetings, Senior Brother Xu. I am Lu Chen. Just as you've said, I accepted the Spirit Crane reproduction task from the Odd-Jobs Hall and have come to take a look at their habitat."
"So it's Junior Brother Lu. Your journey here must have been arduous. Please, follow me to rest for a moment."
Upon hearing this, a fervent smile appeared on Xu Yi's face, and he led Lu Chen through the marshland.
After half a moment, the two arrived before a wooden house. It wasn't large, consisting of only three or four small rooms, but the surroundings were pleasant, with water on all sides and a good view.
"Are all these Spirit Cranes taken care of by you alone, Senior Brother Xu?"
Lu Chen asked curiously after some small talk.
"Haha, not just me. But I am the one primarily responsible for them."
"The Spirit Cranes in this marshland are just a small portion. Most of the cranes are currently stationed at various locations within the sect, transporting fellow disciples, earning spirit stones for the Beast Taming Hall."
"When night falls, they generally return to the marshland. Only a few cranes remain at the important locations within the sect."
The dark-skinned Xu Yi explained with a laugh.
"Only a few hundred Spirit Cranes here? Then there must be at least a thousand cranes in total!"
Lu Chen asked in surprise, astonished by the sheer number of cranes.
"In the latest census, there were over two thousand three hundred Spirit Cranes. However, this is already the lowest number in recent years. I recall that when I first took over this marshland, there were over three thousand cranes here."
"The sect has a high demand for Spirit Cranes, whether it's for messaging or transportation. They are quite useful."
Xu Yi explained.
Lu Chen couldn't help but agree. The sect's territory was vast and boundless, with just Thousand Dragon Lake spanning hundreds of miles.
Most outer sect disciples didn't possess flying artifacts, so reducing travel time was a significant issue for them.
While Qi Refining cultivators could use light body techniques or speed-enhancing talismans, their speed was relatively slow, and the spiritual energy consumption was significant, making it inefficient.
Spirit Cranes, on the other hand, could solve this problem efficiently. They were extremely fast, not inferior to some flying artifacts, and the cost was reasonable—a single spirit stone for any distance, which was within the tolerance range of high-level Qi Refining cultivators.
"With so many Spirit Cranes, how do you provide enough food for them?"
Lu Chen was quite curious about how they managed to feed such a large number of cranes.
"Food is easy to come by. They can find spirit herb roots, stems, and tender leaves in the marshland, or they can eat spirit clams and snails."
"The Beast Taming Hall also provides specially bred spirit insects for the cranes from time to time."
Xu Yi replied casually.
"..."
"With all the spirit stones the Spirit Cranes earn, this is all you feed them?"
Lu Chen was speechless. With over two thousand Spirit Cranes, each earning several spirit stones per day, the total earnings in a day must be no less than seven to eight thousand spirit stones.
After some time, another young cultivator arrived at the marshland. Introductions were made, and Lu Chen learned that the new arrival was Zhou Zhengqing, who had also come to address the issue of the Spirit Cranes' reproduction.
Some tasks from the Odd-Jobs Hall had restrictions on the number of participants, while others did not. The Spirit Crane reproduction task had no limit on the number of cultivators who could take it on.
"It seems that it will be up to the two of you, Junior Brother Lu and Junior Brother Zhou, to help resolve the issue of the Spirit Cranes' reproduction," Xu Yi said, his expression turning serious. "Spirit Cranes are invaluable to the Sky Sword Sect, but the hall is facing a significant problem with their population. An increasing number of cranes are unwilling to reproduce, causing a steady decline in their numbers over the years."
"This year, in particular, has seen a nearly 20% decrease in pregnant cranes compared to last year. If this continues, the sect will soon face a shortage of cranes for transporting disciples," Xu Yi continued, a hint of worry creeping into his voice. "There's another issue to consider as well. Among the cranes, there are noticeably fewer female cranes refusing to mate."
"The long gestation period and the energy-intensive process of incubating and raising young cranes are major factors. The cranes' own spiritual power is affected during the conception phase as they nurture the crane eggs," Xu Yi explained. "Even during their estrus period, their libido is noticeably low. Many cranes would rather go out and earn spirit stones than stay in the marshlands to reproduce."
After hearing the extent of the situation, Lu Chen and Zhou Zhengqing fell silent for a moment, contemplating potential solutions.
"Senior Brother Xu," Lu Chen spoke up first, "I believe the issue isn't an objective difficulty with reproduction, but rather the cranes' subjective unwillingness to mate. We should focus our efforts on addressing this aspect."
Having experienced a previous life, Lu Chen could empathize with the cranes' choices.
"Junior Brother Lu, your suggestion sounds a bit far-fetched," Zhou Zhengqing interjected, unable to hide his skepticism. "They are mere beasts, their lives in our hands. How can they be allowed to choose whether or not to reproduce?"
"Senior Brother Xu," Zhou Zhengqing turned to Xu Yi, a smile spreading across his face, "I suggest we take a more direct approach and force these cranes to reproduce, increasing their numbers. I recently came across a peculiar technique similar to the Dual Cultivation Art. It can stimulate the libido of spiritual beasts. Additionally, I know of a formula for a potent love potion. Using these two methods together, we can surely increase the number of Spirit Cranes exponentially."
"Indeed, Junior Brother Zhou? You have such a brilliant idea?" Xu Yi's eyes lit up at the proposal.
(End of Chapter)
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