Chapter 279: A Heart Unmoved
Chapter 279: A Heart Unmoved
"Brother Liao, please have a seat."
Lu Chen gestured with a smile, inviting Liao Yu Fang to sit down.
Upon returning from Baili Jianqing's place, Lu Chen had received a message talisman from Shen Ye outside the formation array. In the message, Shen Ye informed him that some of the higher-ups in the Sword Hall were displeased about him obtaining the Four-star Sword Spirit Herb, but since the matter was already settled, Lu Chen should be cautious and vigilant for a while.
This news immediately put Lu Chen on edge. Under the pretext of offering spirit fruits and spirit juice, he invited his two little "thighs of support," the Xuantian White Luan and the White Jade Qingtian Monkey, to come over and show their presence.
Unexpectedly, a fellow cultivator had arrived at his door so soon.
Lu Chen smiled at Liao Yu Fang, whose expression had turned tense, and brought out the spirit fruits and spirit juice, placing them before his guest.
"Thank you, Brother Lu," Liao Yu Fang said, his tone gentle.
"Are all these spirit beasts in the yard friends of yours, Brother Lu?"
He probed, curious about the beasts Lu Chen had mentioned.
Having grown up in the sect since childhood and being an inner disciple for almost two decades, Liao Yu Fang had a deep understanding of the sect, including these two spirit beasts.
Both beasts were descendants of the sect's guardian spirit beasts, endowed with innate bloodline talents. In the eyes of some Golden Core cultivators, they were like precious treasures, doted upon and even tended to by Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Although they were only Three-star spirit beasts, their actual strength was not inferior to Liao Yu Fang himself.
Moreover, behind these two beasts stood four Five-star and Six-star guardian spirit beasts of the sect, and his uncle, a Foundation Establishment cultivator nearing his lifespan limit, paled in comparison to the parents of these two beasts.
Thus, Liao Yu Fang was eager to understand the relationship between Lu Chen and these descendants of the guardian spirit beasts.
"The Xuantian White Luan and the White Jade Qingtian Monkey are my friends. They often come over to play and beg for spirit fruits. As for the others, they are spirit beasts I tame and keep in my cave abode," Lu Chen replied.
"I see," Liao Yu Fang said, feeling relieved upon learning that the luan bird and ape merely came to taste Lu Chen's spirit fruits. He picked up a piece of spirit fruit that seemed to be ablaze with flames and popped it into his mouth.
"Cough, cough."
He narrowed his eyes, slightly choking on the intense fruit.
As he watched, Lu Chen approached the Xuantian White Luan and gently stroked its snowy feathers.
"So, the descendants of Five-star and Six-star spirit beasts can be touched?"
With this incredulous thought, Liao Yu Fang struggled to swallow the Flaming Fruit in his mouth.
A scorching aura exploded in his mouth, and soon, warm spiritual energy, carrying a fragrant scent, coursed through his body.
He felt a warmth spread throughout his body, yet his heart remained cold and unmoved.
Mechanically, he tasted the spirit fruits before him. Turning his head, he saw Lu Chen idly fiddling with a few strands of crystalline white fur on the White Jade Qingtian Monkey's head.
A hint of familiarity flashed in the small and exquisite monkey's crimson eyes as it chewed on a spirit fruit, even leaning its head into Lu Chen's palm affectionately.
Liao Yu Fang's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
This little monkey before him looked so docile and shy, yet he was well aware of its true nature.
Docility could switch to ferociousness in an instant!
The reputation of this White Jade Qingtian Monkey's parents resounded throughout the entire Tianjian Sect. They were feared by all formidable cultivators within the sect, and most Golden Core cultivators and direct disciples had some sort of relationship with them.
Some even had the honor of fighting them.
Witnessing the monkey acting so obediently in Lu Chen's hand, Liao Yu Fang felt the chill of the Ice Lotus Fruit in his mouth intensify like never before.
The alternating fire and ice spiritual energies of the Flaming Fruit and Ice Lotus Fruit mirrored his complex and ever-changing emotions.
The various flavors of the spirit fruits danced on his palate, leaving him with a pleasant, intoxicating feeling.
"Brother Lu, I heard you recently obtained a Four-star Sword Spirit Herb?"
"How did Brother Liao come to hear of this?" Lu Chen asked calmly.
"I'm a disciple of the Sword Hall myself, and I entered the sect ten years before you. I was fortunate enough to cultivate several Three-star Sword Herbs, and I've been keeping a close eye on the remaining Four-star Sword Spirit Herb in the Sword Hall."
Unconsciously, Liao Yufang's tone softened as he spoke after entering the courtyard.
"So, Brother Liao is from the Sword Hall," Lu Chen said, feigning realization and nodding in understanding.
"That's right. Previously, Shen Ye gave me ten Two-star Sword Grass Spirit Seeds, and I managed to cultivate nine of them successfully. The last one inexplicably mutated and became a Three-star Sword Grass."
"When Shen Ye found out, he gave me the Sword Spirit Herb to cultivate." Lu Chen spoke slowly, not hiding his talent in the way of spirit plants.
This talent wasn't harmful to his fellow sect members, and it could even provide great assistance to the sect.
Only by fully displaying his talent in spirit plants and spirit beasts would he be qualified to obtain higher-grade spirit seeds and, thus, receive more abundant light sphere rewards.
As for the cultivation improvements, treasures, and other rewards that the light spheres brought, he naturally kept them a closely guarded secret, not letting anyone know his true strength.
In the eyes of his fellow sect members who knew him, he was just an ordinary spirit planter and beast tamer, passionate about his pursuits.
This persona had been consistently maintained since he joined the sect.
"To improve a Three-star Sword Grass..." Liao Yufang muttered to himself, unable to hide his surprise at Lu Chen's achievement.
By nature, he was unruly, but he clearly understood the implications of Lu Chen's words, and the Hundred Fruit Spirit Juice in his mouth turned bitter.
"Brother Lu's spirit juice is excellent. I'm a little drunk, so I'll take my leave for now. I'll come to visit you another day to seek your guidance on cultivating sword grass." After tasting a few more mouthfuls of the spirit juice, Liao Yufang set down his jade cup and bade farewell to Lu Chen.
"Of course, Brother Liao is welcome anytime." Despite Lu Chen's awareness of Liao Yufang's ill intentions, the other party hadn't done anything harmful to him. Moreover, since they were in the sect, Lu Chen adhered to the principle of treating others with kindness and sent him off with a smile.
He saw Liao Yufang out of the small courtyard and only returned when the other's figure had completely disappeared from his sight.
"Thank you, my two old friends, for coming to support me today. Come, have some spirit fruits and juice, and eat to your heart's content!" He warmly invited the Xuantian White Luan and the White Jade Qingtian Monkey.
This time, he had spent a lot to invite the two beasts over. His stock of Flaming Fruits and Ice Lotus Fruits had decreased significantly, and the few remaining Jade Scale Fruits were almost all eaten. The Hundred Fruit Spirit Juice, nurtured in the Drunken Immortal Gourd, was also more than half gone.
However, the effect was well worth it.
With the presence of the two descendant beasts of the sect's guardian spirit beasts, a potential storm had been quietly averted.
It could be said that he had nurtured his "legs" for many days, and now he had used them effectively.
As he watched the Xuantian White Luan and the White Jade Qingtian Monkey happily enjoying the spirit fruits and juice before him, a hint of warmth flashed in his eyes.
(End of Chapter)
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