Chapter 534: Preparations
Chapter 534: Preparations
As an inner disciple, Lu Chen would never hesitate to accept any missions assigned by his sect.
Not only was it an inner disciple's duty, but refusing could also lead to unfavorable consequences. Moreover, he had been under the sect's protection since he joined, and most of the spiritual herbs he cultivated came from them. His current cultivation and wealth were closely tied to the sect's nurturing, and he was eager to repay their kindness.
Most importantly, he was extremely confident in his current strength.
At the late Qi Refining Realm, his physical body and spiritual sense far surpassed those of his peers, and he possessed various rare and precious treasures.
Lu Chen mentally inventoried his possessions.
Among his fifth-grade treasures, the Yun Shen Tie, the Shenyuan Jing, the Blood Sin Flower, the Tongming Jianxin, and the sixth-grade Blood Spirit Canon were not suited for direct combat.
Of the remaining fifth-grade treasures, the Void Nightmare Eye was excellent for reconnaissance and its illusions could be quite effective.
The fifth-grade Pure Yang True Fire Manual and the Taiyi Thunder Talisman were both incredibly powerful. Even a Golden Core cultivator might not escape unscathed from their assault.
The fifth-grade Sting of the Gods was specifically designed to target spiritual souls, making it an unpredictable weapon, and the fifth-grade Mirage Sound Pearl was a sonic attack treasure, perfect for ambushes.
The fifth-grade Qing Feng Feather Robe could defend against spiritual soul attacks, conceal one's aura, veil heavenly secrets, and obscure divination abilities.
Additionally, he had numerous fourth-grade magical artifacts, such as the Wind and Thunder Sword, the Star Cloud Sword Formation, the Thunder Sound Sword, the White Bone Demon Puppet, and the Qingwei Jade Lock, to name a few. He also possessed over sixty fourth-grade Sword Talismans.
If used together, even a Golden Core cultivator would have to think twice before facing such a barrage of sword talismans.
For escape, the Qing Feng Feather Robe and the Void Nightmare Eye were extremely useful, and Lu Chen himself had cultivated the Five Elements Escape Technique and the Floating Light Body Art. He also had a fourth-grade magical artifact, the Green Soaring Shoes, and had recently obtained the Earth Elemental Secret Manual, which he had already mastered.
His collection of third-grade treasures was even more extensive, and his wealth was no less than that of an ordinary early Golden Core cultivator.
"After years of cultivating these fields and opening so many light groups, I finally have the confidence to handle this situation," Lu Chen thought with relief.
Just as he was about to inspect his spiritual fields and see if he could harvest a few more light groups, a voice called out from outside his cave abode.
"Lu Shidi, are you there?"
Lu Chen quickly went out to greet the visitor.
A slender middle-aged cultivator with a stern expression and a late Qi Refining cultivation base stood before him.
"Greetings, Senior Brother. May I ask what brings you here?" Lu Chen asked as he opened the flowing light talisman array to invite the middle-aged cultivator into his cave abode.
"I am Li, from the General Affairs Hall," the middle-aged cultivator said calmly. Seeing that Lu Chen was about to offer spirit fruits and tea, he quickly added, "There's no need for such formalities, Junior Brother Lu. I'm here to deliver a message."
"Recently, the cultivation world has been in constant turmoil, and the sect is short-staffed. The sect will be assigning mandatory tasks to inner disciples, so I ask that you do not refuse," Li said.
"Of course not, it's my duty as a disciple to contribute to the sect," Lu Chen replied hastily.
"It's good to see that you have such a sense of responsibility, Shidi," the slender middle-aged cultivator nodded, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes.
"The sect will assign you a task soon, which could take anywhere from ten days to a month. You should use this time to prepare accordingly, Lu Shidi," he continued.
"Your task will be relatively less risky, Lu Shidi. When the tasks were being assigned, more than one Golden Core Shishu and true disciples made it clear that disciples unskilled in combat should not be sent to the front lines.
Images of Ancient Sword Master Gu Jiankong, Master Cangwu, Ge Pu, Huo Lin'er, and Zhong Jingshan flashed through his mind.
"There will be arrangements made, so prepare accordingly, junior brother," the slim, middle-aged cultivator reminded Lu Chen before turning into a red light and disappearing into the mountains.
Lu Chen watched him leave until his figure completely vanished from sight before returning to his cave abode.
"What a troublesome time," he sighed. "How will a poor, weak, and helpless Spirit Herbologist like me survive in this chaotic world?"
"I have ten days to a month to prepare. I must hasten the maturation of some of the nearly mature spirit herbs to give myself a boost in confidence."
With the previous batch of Spirit Nurturing Grass having matured, along with the surplus from before, he now had a substantial number of Spirit Herb Pearls in his possession. At this moment, there was no need to hold back on using them.
Consuming the pearls to supplement his Primordial Wood Source Qi and harvest more light groups would also increase his chances of success.
Lu Chen's spiritual sense swept across his spirit fields as he pondered.
"The latest batch of Firefly Grass must be hastened to maturity. As a second-grade spirit herb, it consumes a limited amount of Primordial Wood Source Qi, and maturing it will greatly enhance my cultivation efficiency."
"Additionally, I don't know how long I'll be away this time, so I must condense some Firefly Grass spirit seeds to prepare for any eventuality."
No matter the circumstances, Lu Chen always retained a farmer's heart.
"The Jade Dew Fruits have entered their maturation phase as well. I need to hasten their growth so I can obtain the Dust-Cleansing Pills within, which have an excellent effect in dispelling evil and aberrant qi. We may encounter countless demons and evil spirits outside the sect, so they will be extremely useful."
"Furthermore, the fourth-grade Sword Peacock has entered its maturation stage. During this period, I can freely deploy the Peacock Sword Formation and, with the aid of the Primordial Wood Source Qi, hasten its growth."
Lu Chen thought to himself, knowing that the light groups rewarded by the sword grass were all top-grade, and he would have the opportunity to harvest a fourth-grade sword grass light group, so he was determined to make every effort.
"In the Small Yard of the Underworld, the fourth-grade Filth Insects have entered their maturation stage. I must hasten their growth before I leave."
"I can also try with the fifth-grade Immortal Longevity Peach, but I'm not sure if I have enough Primordial Wood Source Qi to hasten the maturation of all of them. Maturing a single one shouldn't be a problem, though."
"Additionally, when I leave the sect, I must keep the Flesh Spirit God by my side and ensure it is well-fed. Otherwise, if it goes hungry for too long, being an aberrant creature, it may lose control."
"If I still have any remaining Spirit Herb Pearls, I can also try to hasten the maturation of the fifth-grade Dragon Carcass Grass in the Secret Land of the Disabled. As for the other fifth and sixth-grade spirit herbs, it's definitely not enough."
Lu Chen thought to himself.
"Some of the spirit herbs that are of lower grades and still in their growth phase can be placed into the Gluttonous Insect Pouch. Once things settle down outside, I can look for opportunities to plant them."
He considered every possibility with great thoroughness.
"While my fellow disciples prepare by spending all their wealth on various healing, revival elixirs, powerful talismans, and magical artifacts, my preparation is to hasten the maturation of my spirit herbs and harvest light groups."
The thought made Lu Chen chuckle softly.
(End of Chapter)
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