Chapter 28: A New Neighbor
Chapter 28: A New Neighbor
Inside the house, Lu Chen sat cross-legged on his wooden bed, circulating his cultivation technique as spiritual energy flowed within his body.
After a full week, he slowly exhaled a turbid breath.
Even though his diligent cultivation over the past days couldn't compare to the cultivation rewards brought by a single Spirit Glow Worm plant, Lu Chen remained diligent and unwavering in his practice.
However, most of his energy was focused on tending to his spirit plants and beasts, leaving the cultivation of techniques and spells as a secondary priority.
It had been over half a month since he moved into his new courtyard, and during this time, he rarely ventured out, wholeheartedly dedicating himself to cultivating his spiritual plants.
The spirit field had undergone significant changes.
The Three-tailed Red-whiskered Carp in the spirit spring had grown by about two inches, and its fine red whiskers had lengthened by more than half a foot. When shooting out to catch insects, the whiskers could instantly extend to over three feet in length.
The hundred Spirit Glow Worm plants had grown taller, and the slender green leaves now emitted a faint glow. As night fell, the countless glowing lights resembled a sky full of twinkling stars, flickering gently.
The Blood Jade Ginseng had emerged from the spirit soil, resembling a freshly mined jade stone with its translucent and lustrous appearance.
After emerging, the spirit ginsengs moved much faster, and Lu Chen had to constantly keep an eye on them to prevent them from either clumping together or wandering into the area where the Spirit Glow Worms were planted.
The Red Cloud Pine had quietly produced five tiny pine cones, partially hidden and peeking out from the fine red pine needles.
The Sword Grass had already grown to the size of a Silver Splitter blade, and its demand for sword qi had increased. Lu Chen had to release a Metal-element sword technique to it every hour.
Occasionally, fine cracks could be seen in the spirit soil next to him, caused by the sword intent escaping from the Sword Grass.
As for the Darkness Marrow Mushroom, countless dark red hyphae had tightly wrapped around the decaying spirit wood, leaving almost no gaps.
"The decaying wood has been almost completely absorbed by the dark red hyphae. I need to find a few more logs, or the growth of the Darkness Marrow Mushroom will be affected." Lu Chen muttered to himself.
"This is a good opportunity to go out and explore the market, and see if I can find any interesting spirit beasts or unknown spirit plants."
As he walked out of the courtyard, the bright sunlight caused him to squint his eyes in adjustment.
"Fellow Daoist Lu Chen, it's a rare sight to see you stepping out of your courtyard today," a voice called out from the neighboring courtyard.
Lu Chen looked up and saw a middle-aged cultivator lounging in a wooden chair. Upon seeing Lu Chen, he stood up and walked over.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Wang," Lu Chen offered a polite greeting.
The middle-aged cultivator, named Wang Shan, lived next door to Lu Chen. He had paid a visit to Lu Chen's courtyard after he moved in.
Wang Shan had cultivated to the fifth layer of Qi Refining and held a small leader position in the market's patrol guards. In his free time, he enjoyed visiting the entertainment establishments in the market.
"Fellow Daoist Lu Chen, it's not good to shut yourself in like this. Come with me, your uncle Wang, one of these days, and I'll show you what the world has to offer," Wang Shan teased.
Lu Chen feigned embarrassment and waved his hand in refusal.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Fellow Daoist Wang, but with my lowly cultivation at the third layer of Qi Refining, if I were to enter those establishments, I'd probably end up being skinned alive and devoured, leaving not even a bone behind," Lu Chen replied.
Soon after moving in, Lu Chen had used a concealment technique to mask his cultivation, making it appear as if he had only reached the third layer of Qi Refining.
After all, there were quite a few mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators living in the nearby area, and if he had maintained his cultivation at the second layer, it would have drawn unnecessary attention.
While the third layer was still considered low, it at least appeared more normal and less conspicuous.
As for the establishments Wang Shan referred to, Lu Chen wasn't wrong. The female cultivators within possessed various allure techniques and knew how to please their customers. However, one might unknowingly end up having their spiritual energy and essence blood drained.
"It's fine for you, Fellow Daoist, with your profound cultivation, to be able to handle those enchantresses. As for me, I prefer the company of spirit plants and beasts; to each their own!" Lu Chen replied.
"Fair enough, I won't force you. But if you ever change your mind, let me know, and I'll treat you to the experience. I'll even cover the spirit stones," Wang Shan offered.
With that, the two parted ways, and Wang Shan stumbled back to his own courtyard.
Lu Chen continued on his way, and as he passed by another courtyard, a rich aroma of alcohol wafted through the air.
He recognized the owner, a fourth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator who was known for his love of liquor and his skill in brewing spiritual wine. This brewer had even approached Lu Chen before, inquiring about spirit plants that could be used in the brewing process, but Lu Chen had denied having any such plants.
When Lu Chen had first moved into his new courtyard, he had attracted the curiosity of the neighboring cultivators. However, upon learning that he was only a low-level Qi Refinement cultivator and an ordinary spirit herbologist, their interest gradually faded.
The loose cultivator's market was not far from Lu Chen's new home, and in less than a moment, he arrived.
The market bustled with activity, and the shouts of vendors trying to attract customers could be heard from time to time.
"Come one, come all! We've got an array of top-quality magical artifacts, and if we don't have what you're looking for, we'll help you find it!"
"Fresh demon beast meat, straight from the wilderness! Still dripping with blood, a pound or two of this is worth half a month of cultivation!"
"Buying second-hand magical artifacts, arrays, and damaged talismans. We also purchase rare treasures and unknown materials."
Lu Chen meandered through the market, shaking his head left and right as he examined the goods on display.
Most stalls offered the standard resources for cultivators: magical artifacts, demon beast materials, spirit herbs, talismans, and pills. What Lu Chen sought—unknown spirit seeds, spirit beast eggs, or young beasts—were extremely rare. Occasionally, he would find them offered as a side product, but it was uncommon to find a stall specializing in them.
Suddenly, he stopped in front of a stall.
The vendor was a second-layer Qi Refinement cultivator, a plain-looking girl with healthy, oat-colored skin. Noticing Lu Chen scanning her goods, she hurried over.
"Hello there, dear customer! I've got all sorts of demon fowl feathers and specially made demon fowl eggs here, packed with rich spiritual energy and delicious flavor. Care to try some?" she asked eagerly.
Lu Chen shook his head and pointed to a black cage in the corner of the stall. "How much for the young demon fowl in that cage?"
Inside the cage were several colorful chicks with vibrant, dense feathers, and only a pair of black and white patterned claws visible.
"Oh, these brocaded chickens? I found their nest in the mountains. You can tame and raise them, and when they mature, they might lay spiritual eggs. If not, you can just eat them; their meat is delicious," the girl explained.
"How long would it take for these brocaded chickens to reach maturity if I were to raise them?" Lu Chen inquired.
"Two and a half years," the girl replied.
...
(End of Chapter)
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