Chapter 292: The Sand-Gathering Conch
Chapter 292: The Sand-Gathering Conch
Kongming Island was bathed in the morning sun, the rising red orb casting its rays across the undulating sea, carrying with it the salty breeze.
Lu Chen rose early, as he often did, to inspect the growth of the spirit herbs in his spiritual fields.
The water caltrop had sprouted delicate, slender shoots. Their pale blue leaves were dotted with glowing specks, creating a beautiful contrast with the deep blue sea in the distance.
Over a hundred Water Nettle plants occupied most of the spiritual field, thriving in the lush and watery environment of Konming Island. Though their growth was slower here than in Tianjian Sect, each plant was plump and vibrant.
Lu Chen's spiritual energy stirred within him, and a thin layer of clouds and mist appeared over the Water Wisteria. The ethereal rain fell in strands, landing on the pale blue leaves.
The leaves glowed brighter, as if greedily absorbing the spiritual rain, their gentle flickering resembling the sun's glimmer on the sea's surface.
After tending to the water lotus, Lu Chen turned his attention to the other spirit herbs in the field.
Ten ordinary second-grade Jian Cao had broken through the soil, resembling slender swords piercing the earth as they stood erect, radiating a sense of sharpness.
Beside them, the third-grade Xing Guang Jian Cao, though planted earlier, showed similar progress due to Lu Chen's mere novice control over the Xing Guang Jian Jue. Its higher grade made its growth rate comparable to that of the ordinary Jian Cao.
As for the fourth-grade Jian Qian Xiao, it remained buried in the shallow layer of spirit soil, absorbing spiritual energy to sustain itself.
Even in its seedling state, the Xing Guang Jian Cao stood out from the ordinary Jian Cao. Its gray-black stalks were dotted with sparse stars that moved in subtle trajectories, exuding an air of profundity.
Lu Chen couldn't help but admire them, a smile tugging at his lips. He flicked his finger at the tip of a three-inch Xing Guang Jian Cao, producing a soft, resonant ring.
The seemingly fragile Xing Guang Jian Cao refused to bend, standing firm and swaying back and forth under Lu Chen's force before finally settling down.
Amused by this, Lu Chen's playful side emerged, and he couldn't resist tapping the tip of the Xing Guang Jian Cao from time to time.
"Cheep!"
A crisp call echoed as the wind falcon, with its wide, pale green wings, shot through the air, carrying a first-grade demon bird in its claws.
"It seems you're having the most fun here on Konming Island," Lu Chen said with a laugh as he reached out to rub the falcon's soft belly, grateful for its dedication.
While at Tianjian Zong, Lu Chen had kept the falcon on the mountain peak due to the restrictive array formations within the inner sect, fearful that the falcon might accidentally trigger them. This had constrained the falcon's nature, leaving it feeling uneasy at times.
Now, on this island, Lu Chen allowed it to soar freely over the nearby seas, unfettered.
Though it had not yet matured to the second grade, its aerial advantage and renowned speed assured Lu Chen of its safety.
"Brother Lu!"
A clear, youthful voice rang out from beyond the courtyard.
Soon, Song Yun appeared before Lu Chen, holding a food box containing spirit fruits, spirit brew, and Ethereal Void fish prepared in various culinary styles.
Having spent time with Lu Chen and realizing that he was easy to get along with, Song Yun had regained some of his youthful spirit, shedding the initial restraint he had shown.
As was their routine, Lu Chen tested and guided him in his swordsmanship.
"Not bad. Your sword technique is becoming more and more exquisite. Maintaining this rate of progress, you'll have a good chance of successfully joining Tianjian Zong," Lu Chen praised casually.
"Thank you, Brother Lu, for your meticulous guidance," Song Yun replied gratefully.
'Oh? Oh?' Lu Chen's curiosity piqued upon hearing this.
Ever since arriving on Kongming Island, he had remained indoors, only venturing out briefly upon his arrival to explore the island's unique spirit herbs and beasts. Now, intrigued by Song Yun's words, he was eager to see what his sister had been cultivating.
'Yes, Senior Brother, please follow me.'
Song Yun led Lu Chen on a meandering path through the island until they reached a courtyard.
A call rang out, and soon a young girl with a round face and delicate features emerged. She appeared to be in her teens, exuding a youthful charm.
'Lu... Senior Brother Lu!'
The girl first frowned upon seeing Song Yun, but her expression changed to one of respect when she noticed Lu Chen following behind.
'Senior Brother Lu, this is my little sister, Song Sining,' Song Yun introduced.
Lu Chen nodded gently.
After Song Yun explained their purpose, Song Sining invited them into the courtyard.
Lu Chen was surprised to find a large pond in the courtyard, measuring over thirty meters in length and width. The edges were lined with various spirit trees, and the pond itself was filled with silvery seaweed that resembled dense clumps of hair. He recognized it as the silver silk algae he had seen at the loose cultivator's stall earlier.
'Senior Brother Lu, this is silver silk algae, used to feed many sea creatures. Once harvested, it can be dried and ground into a powder for pill refining,' Song Sining explained, noticing Lu Chen's gaze on the pond.
'And over there is a first-grade spirit herb, the blood coral. It can be used to refine low-grade magical artifacts once it matures,' she added, pointing towards a spot in the pond.
'And that is...'
The pond hosted several types of spirit herbs, all of which thrived in an aquatic environment, each a fascinating discovery for Lu Chen.
Among the spirit herbs he had cultivated, only the Pure Snow Lotus required a spiritual spring, the Fiery Heart Lotus thrived in molten lava, and the Dragon Corpse Grass remained elusive. The rest grew in spiritual soil.
Seeing Lu Chen's interest, Song Sining retrieved a handful of golden sand from her storage bag. The sand emitted a faint spiritual energy fluctuation.
She sprinkled the sand along the edge of the pond, and soon, a massive sea snail emerged from the depths.
The snail extended gray tentacles and devoured the golden sand that had been left on the shore.
'What is that? It eats sand?' Lu Chen asked, intrigued.
'Reporting to Senior Brother Lu, this sea snail is called the Sand-Gathering Conch. It feeds on various rare and exotic sands and stones. If you were to find one in the sea, chances are it would contain precious and rare sand or stones within,' Song Sining explained.
'After consuming the sand and stones, the Sand-Gathering Conch will keep them in its body and slowly refine them using its unique organs. This process infuses the sand and stones with denser spiritual energy and removes impurities, resulting in extraordinary materials for forging magical artifacts,' she continued.
'In a sense, it's a natural beast of burden for cultivators.'
'Little did they know that the rare sand they thought they found was just the tip of the iceberg, cultivated by a hidden cultivator. In the end, they lose both the beast and their fortune,' Lu Chen thought to himself as he watched the Sand-Gathering Conch diligently consuming the golden sand at his feet.
(End of Chapter)
"
Chapter end
Report
