https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-719-The-Exotic-Five-Element-Fruit/12545053/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-721-Leaving-the-Secret-Realm-Opting-Out-of-the-Treasure-Hunt/12545057/
Chapter 720: The Soul-Trapping Scripture
Chapter 720: The Soul-Trapping Scripture
Time flew by as Lu Chen spent his days alone in the cave abode. In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.
One day, as Lu Chen was cultivating spirit herbs, a familiar elderly voice echoed from outside his abode.
"Senior Lu, are you in your cave? I've brought you some spirit seeds."
"Master Mu?"
Lu Chen's mind conjured the image of a tall, red-eyed elder—the treasure-appraising cultivator he had met in the branch hall of the Sea Pavilion. Master Mu was a collector of all sorts of treasures and had a penchant for imitation treasures. He was straightforward in nature, and the two had interacted quite a bit in the past.
Lu Chen had once acquired a bronze spear that nourished the Evil-Suppressing Fruit and a sixth-grade Spirit-Viewing seed from him.
"It's indeed me, Master Mu. Apologies for not coming out to greet you. Please forgive me."
Lu Chen opened the formation, welcoming the tall elder inside.
"Don't mention it, don't mention it. It's I who disturbed your secluded cultivation," Master Mu hastily waved his hands in response.
The two of them entered the courtyard, one after the other.
"Senior Lu, you once mentioned to Pavilion Master Wen that you wanted the Sea Pavilion's help in gathering some Thunderbolt Lotus spirit seeds," Master Mu said after taking a sip of Jade Purifying Spirit Dew, getting straight to the point of his visit.
"Pavilion Master Wen has gathered quite a number of them from the headquarters and various branches, and he specifically asked me to bring them to you."
"Thank you for your trouble, Master Mu, and please convey my gratitude to Pavilion Master Wen as well," Lu Chen said with a smile.
A fourth-grade spirit seed was not something that the Sea Pavilion would find difficult to gather, even in large quantities.
Of course, this also reflected Lu Chen's high status. As a guest advisor to the Sea Pavilion, he had consistently displayed his talent and expertise in spirit herbs, so it was only natural that the Pavilion would go out of its way to satisfy his requests.
"Senior Lu, here are thirty Thunderbolt Lotus spirit seeds. Please have a look," Master Mu said, taking out dozens of silvery-white lotus-shaped spirit seeds. Each seed bore a slender streak of lightning, containing a faint hint of thunderous energy.
"Indeed, they are all top-quality spirit seeds. The Pavilion has been very considerate," Lu Chen said, nodding slowly as he confirmed the authenticity of the spirit seeds.
"May I ask about the pricing of these spirit seeds?" he continued.
Even though he held the position of a guest advisor, Lu Chen still maintained a clear distinction between public and private matters. It was already quite a feat for the Sea Pavilion to gather so many Thunderbolt Lotus spirit seeds, and it would be excessive to accept them without offering anything in return.
"According to the headquarters, there are two options," Master Mu said quietly.
"One is to entrust these Thunderbolt Lotus spirit seeds to you for cultivation. After they mature, your remuneration will be based on the number and quality of the resulting lotus seeds."
"The other option is to sell them to you at a discounted price."
"The final decision is up to you, Senior Lu."
"I'll go with the second option, then," Lu Chen said after some contemplation.
In the past, he would most likely have chosen the first option—a dual benefit of remuneration and light spheres. However, things were different now, and he would decide based on the situation at hand.
With the light spheres and mature spirit herbs from the General Store, he had an abundance of spirit stones. Additionally, the Thunderbolt Lotus seeds had a wide range of uses, such as feeding the Thunder Dragon Tortoise and aiding in the cultivation of thunderous arts, so he didn't need to haggle over a meager sum.
"Very well, the Pavilion has set the price at five thousand low-grade spirit stones per spirit seed. May I ask if Senior Lu finds this acceptable?"
"That's acceptable," Lu Chen nodded.
When he had first entered Sky Star Cave, he recalled buying a Thunderbolt Lotus spirit seed from the Sea Pavilion for six thousand low-grade spirit stones. The price they were offering now was indeed very favorable.
He immediately took out one thousand five hundred medium-grade spirit stones and received the thirty spirit seeds from the elder.
"Right, Senior Lu, there's one more thing I'd like to discuss with you," Master Mu said, hesitating slightly after confirming the number of spirit stones.
"Please speak, fellow daoist."
"Indeed, that happened." Lu Chen acknowledged.
"I need to return to the Mu family for a secluded cultivation and don't know when we will meet again. So, I'm returning this Nail-headed Arrow to you." The elder took out a small, pitch-black arrow enveloped in black mist.
"Alright, then I won't worry about the Ghost Demon Viewing Plant. I'll make sure to deliver it to you when it matures." Lu Chen accepted the arrow without hesitation, seeing the elder's resolute expression.
Lu Chen's eyes lit up as he sensed the elder's abundant spiritual energy and harmonious soul.
"Is Fellow Daoist Mu returning to break through to the Golden Core stage?" he asked with a smile.
"I've recently made some progress in my cultivation and gained a glimmer of opportunity for a breakthrough, so I'm heading back to the Mu family." The elder's face lit up with anticipation. "The Mu family has better spiritual energy environments and artifacts that increase the success rate of Golden Core formation, and I'll have the protection of my elders. I believe my chances of success will be higher."
"Then I wish you success in your Golden Core formation, Fellow Daoist Mu!" Lu Chen offered his blessings, unperturbed by the elder's advantageous conditions for advancement.
No matter how favorable your circumstances are, they still can't compare to my light spheres.
"Thank you, Senior. I'll do my best to keep up with your progress," the elder said humbly.
Since the Ghost Demon Viewing Plant was cultivated in the Sinister Spirit Field, filled with flesh, souls, and bones, Lu Chen didn't suggest that the elder go there.
The elder, with his quick wit, also didn't ask to visit. After sitting in the courtyard for a while and seeking some advice from Lu Chen about his own Golden Core formation, he bid farewell.
After seeing the elder off, Lu Chen made his way to the spirit fields. It wasn't easy to find a sufficiently large area, but he eventually located a suitable spot and planted the thirty Thunderbolt Lotus spirit seeds into the spirit soil.
With the seeds planted, he performed the Spirit Rain Technique with exquisite precision, causing delicate strands of spiritual rain to fall and permeate the spirit soil, nourishing the silvery-white spirit seeds.
Lu Chen then entered the Sinister Spirit Field.
As soon as he stepped in, he was enveloped by dense yin energy, his skin prickling with a chill. Countless drifting souls, regenerating flesh, and scattered bones filled the field, creating a hellish landscape.
However, Lu Chen was accustomed to this eerie environment and calmly inspected the various sinister spirit plants.
"The Soul-Burning Flower has matured," he noted, his eyes falling on a deep black spirit plant.
At the top of the plant, a dark flower bloomed fully, attracting countless yin souls with its unseen spiritual power. As the souls drew close to the flower, they silently shattered, turning into countless black ashes that silently merged into the flower's petals.
Within the petals, there was an invisible black light, like fragments of souls, floating and sinking, as if trying to draw Lu Chen's soul into it.
Lu Chen carefully plucked the dark flower and set it aside, his gaze now fixed on the white light sphere that had appeared.
"After absorbing so many yin souls and resentful spirits, I wonder what treasure it will offer." The light sphere flickered enticingly at the top of the spirit plant, exuding an inexplicable allure.
He reached out and gently touched the surface of the light sphere. In an instant, it silently shattered like an exploding firework, transforming into countless microscopic light points that filled the air.
The light points rapidly rearranged themselves, forming the illusory silhouette of a manual, which instantly vanished into Lu Chen's body.
Harvested a fifth-grade Soul-Burning Flower and obtained a sixth-grade cultivation technique, the Soul-Trapping Scripture.
(End of Chapter)
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