Chapter 74: Chapter 73: The Wind Rises_l
Translator: 549690339
“As long as the hall can provide me with sufficient second and third-grade spirit seeds, I will naturally devote myself to cultivating spiritual plants.”
Lu Xuan replied practically.
Anyone could draw a pie in the sky, as long as they could get a specific rare spirit seed, the attitude of cultivation would need no explanation.
After a while of conversation, Lu Xuan found an excuse to leave.
Before leaving, he bid farewell to Manager He and entered the Loose Cultivation Marketplace.
The number of cultivators in the marketplace was much greater than before, amongst them were some who seemed hurried and fatigued, evidently recently returned from the wilderness.
Various demon beast materials and new varieties of spirit plants and spiritual medicines appeared on the market stalls.
Lu Xuan scrutinized for unknown rare spirit seeds while attentively listening to the discussions of passing cultivators.
From the words of the cultivators, he learned that a large batch of loose cultivators who had just gone to explore a new secret region had just returned to the market.
“I wonder if Brother Zhang has come back this time?”
Murmured Lu Xuan, thinking of the Zhang Hong family who once took good care of him.
He originally wanted to go to the Wanbao Building to buy a Pill Furnace in preparation for future alchemy, but upon hearing this news, he temporarily changed his route and headed to the North District Cultivators Gathering Place. After moving out from the outer area of the North District, Lu Xuan seldom returned there.
The only ones he was familiar with were the Zhang family; when Zhang Hong went out, it was inconvenient for him to visit, and Zhang Xiu Yuan, who came to play with Lu Xuan a few times.
However, ever since the invasion of the Demon Envoys, and Metamorphosis Cultivators started appearing, his activities were restricted by his mother, Xu Wan, and he hadn’t seen them for several months.
He bought several pounds of spirit beast meat at the market and brought it to the Zhang Family Courtyard.
A knock on the door, and the courtyard door cracked open, revealing the curious face of Zhang Xiu Yuan.
“Little Uncle Lu, you’re here?!”
“Dad! Mom! Little Uncle Lu is here!”
Upon seeing Lu Xuan, Zhang Xiu Yuan, who once cooperatively exterminated insects and forged a deep friendship, cried out in surprise.
“Little Yuan, you’ve grown so tall?”
After a few months, Zhang Xiu Yuan’s height had shot up considerably, already slightly taller than Lu Xuan.
He smiled as he entered the courtyard, just as Zhang Hong and his wife came out to greet him.
“Brother Zhang, Sister-in-law, long time no see!”
Familiar faces always bring joy, and Lu Xuan greeted them with a smile.
They felt the same way.
“Little brother Lu, it’s great to see you. When we heard from Little Yuan of your move, we missed you. Never thought you would come!”
Zhang Hong grabbed Lu Xuan’s arm and pulled him warmly towards the house. “Brother Zhang, what happened to your hand?”
Lu Xuan noticed the anomaly in Zhang Hong’s arm. His arm under the sleeve was noticeably smaller.
Zhang Hong gave a bitter smile, rolled up his sleeve, revealing an arm dry as an old tree. The flesh of the arm had withered, and a piece of it exposed the pale skeleton.
“I had bad luck when I went to explore the new secret place, I encountered a sneaky Demon Envoy. My arm got drained off all blood and flesh before I realized it.”
“Fortunately, I survived and got to see you again, little brother Lu.”
“Can you recover? Is there anything I can help with?”
Lu Xuan asked with a somber face.
“After some rest and recovery, the injuries should be mostly healed, but a complete recovery might be a bit difficult.”
Zhang Hong cheerfully replied.
Lu Xuan nodded his head. It was a pity that the Blood Essence Pill he recently acquired was mainly used for rapid recovery of Qi and blood, having little effect on this kind of injury that required muscle and flesh growth.
“Even though I was severely injured this time when I went to develop the Secret Land, it was a blessing in disguise as my cultivation level broke through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer.”
“I originally thought that after seeing you, Little Brother Lu, I could show off a little. I didn’t expect that you were all along in the market, and your cultivation level increased faster than mine, reaching the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer.”
The two sat at the table, having tea and chatting. Xu Wan was preparing meals with Zhang Xiu Yuan in the kitchen, while Cloud Leopard strolled around in the Zhang Family’s Spirit Field.
“The quality of the spirit plants I’ve recently grown are pretty good. With the established cooperation with Bai Cao Tang, I earned quite a few spirit stones.” “Previously, due to the limitation of spiritual power, I couldn’t cultivate many spirit plants. After coming to a painful realization, I spent almost all my spirit stones on elixirs to increase my cultivation level, thus breaking through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer in a short time.”
Lu Xuan casually made up this story. Regardless of whether the reward for his cultivation level came from the white light group, or the rapid increase in cultivation level after taking a large amount of elixirs, both relied on external forces. So he found a more acceptable excuse.
When they had had their fill of food and drink, Lu Xuan and Zhang Hong sat in the courtyard while Zhang Xiu Yuan played with Cloud Leopard on the side.
Cloud Leopard’s expression was cold, its green pupils void of any emotion, it completely ignored Zhang Xiu Yuan’s playfulness but remained close to him all the time.
In the courtyard, two Moon Erosion Trees that Lu Xuan left for them were planted on either side, thick and lush. Silvery white fruits similar to crescents had already formed and were hidden amongst the dense leaves.
“This time I narrowly escaped death after coming back from the newly discovered Secret Land and have had some different thoughts about it.”
Zhang Hong began to share.
“I’d always thought that even though there are risks when exploring the Secret Land, I myself wouldn’t encounter them. I fantasized about obtaining various opportunities.”
“But reality always strikes you in the face. As the exploration of the new Secret Land deepens, the dangers continue to increase. I witnessed an entire team being killed by a Demon Envoy.”
“There were over ten cultivators, including several Middle-Stage Qi Practitioners, who were easily wiped out by a Sneaky Level Evil Invasion.”
A hint of fear flashed in Zhang Hong’s eyes. He took a deep breath to calm himself down.
“Maybe, in the future, I can be a straightforward Spirit Plant Master like Little Brother Lu, living a peaceful life with my wife and child.”
“It’s a good opportunity to rest and recover from my injury for a while, and also to think clearly about my future.”
Lu Xuan said. He didn’t persuade Zhang Hong about what he should do, as there was no right or wrong in each decision.
“Brother Zhang, why don’t you tell me about the situation in the Secret Land? Although I don’t want to take risks, I’d still like to hear about it.”
“Sure, it is always good to have some understanding about the Demon Envoys.” The two were speaking softly. At some unknown time, the wind had begun to blow in the courtyard, rustling the leaves of the Moon Erosion Trees.
In the city center, Wang Family.
Atop a tall building, the head of the Wang Family overlooked the entire Linyang Market in silence.
“Chong’an, what are the two fellow sect members you brought doing now?”
A handsome young man who was quietly standing behind him stepped forward and respectfully said,
“With the help of those two senior brothers and sisters, the Demon Envoys and Metamorphosis Cultivators in the market have been cleared out. Only the Sneaky Level Evil Invasion hasn’t been found, we don’t know if its concealment ability is too strong or if it has returned to the Secret Land.”
“You don’t need to worry about that, just make sure to take good care of them.”
“Once the Secret Region Central Array has been removed, find an opportunity to take them all to the Secret Land together. With their power, we can clean up the Demon Envoys in there.”
“Yes.”
The handsome young man solemnly agreed.
Atop the tall building, the howling of the wind was wild and the black and blue robes swished loudly in the wind..