Return

Lu Xuan said flatly, his tone allowing Zhang Xiuyuan no room to argue.

He did not want to spend a great deal of time searching for Rogue Cultivator Spirit Plant Masters who had suffered Insect Pests, so he handed this task to Zhang Xiuyuan while giving him a small payment.

Left with no choice, Zhang Xiuyuan could only accept.

At the thought that he could earn thirty Fragmented Spirit Stones for every cultivator household he found that had been attacked by Demon Worms, joy welled up in his heart, and his imagination ran wild.

"However, there are some things we must agree on first. The cultivators you find can only be within the North District, and I will help at most three Rogue Cultivator Spirit Plant Masters resolve Insect Pests in a single day."

Lu Xuan added.

At present, most of his energy was focused on the spirit plants in his own courtyard. If, for the sake of that small bit of Spirit Stones, his spirit plants could not grow in their best condition, that would be losing the watermelon to pick up sesame seeds.

He still had a very clear sense of what mattered more and what mattered less.

There was another factor. The cultivation he currently displayed was only Qi Training Stage 2. If he activated Gold Metal Swordplay too frequently, it would be easy to expose his true cultivation.

Over the next dozen or so days, under Zhang Xiuyuan's diligent searching, Lu Xuan went out almost every day to help resolve Insect Pests.

As the Insect Pests grew increasingly severe and there was also the possibility of repeated attacks, he had to activate Gold Metal Swordplay three times almost every time he went out.

Each time he made a move, he gave Zhang Xiuyuan thirty Fragmented Spirit Stones, while he himself could obtain four Spirit Stones and seventy Fragmented Spirit Stones. In a little over ten days, adding what he had accumulated previously, Lu Xuan's current wealth had reached a full two hundred Spirit Stones or so.

During this period, the courtyard's owner came by once to collect rent, costing him thirty Spirit Stones.

In addition, he harvested another eleven Eclipse Moon Fruits, with nineteen still remaining.

They were all Good Grade. Among them were five Split Silver Blade fragments, three First Grade Essence Nurturing Pills, and three First Grade Talismans.

With the addition of these five fragments, the incomplete Split Silver Blade looked slightly more complete, with only a few relatively small gaps left.

Because the storage conditions for Eclipse Moon Fruits were simpler, Lu Xuan was in no rush to sell them. Instead, he gathered them together, planning to sell them to Manager He of Hundred Herbs Hall after they had all ripened.

Aside from the Eclipse Moon Tree that was soon to fully mature, the other three kinds of spirit plants in the Spirit Field were all growing in extremely good condition.

The growth cycle of the Spirit Firefly Grass was already more than halfway through, and it looked as though it could be harvested again in just over a month. The Red Cloud Pine had not changed much, except that it had clearly grown somewhat taller.

As for the Sword Grass, under the daily stimulation and nurturing of the Golden Sword Qi from Gold Metal Swordplay, it slowly grew into a slender black blade of grass like a sharp sword.

It stood perfectly straight, its tip pointing directly at the heavens, with a faint thread of sword intent lingering around its blade-like leaf.

"Come, come, time to split the Spirit Stones. This is your payment for today."

On the Blue Stone Path, Lu Xuan took out ninety Fragmented Spirit Stones and handed them to Zhang Xiuyuan.

"Many thanks, Little Uncle Lu!"

Zhang Xiuyuan grinned foolishly, taking the Fragmented Spirit Stones with practiced movements and carefully stuffing them into his clothes.

The two of them had just gone to three Rogue Cultivator households today, and Lu Xuan had resolved them all smoothly. Now was exactly the time to divide the earnings.

"They're back! The first batch of cultivators from the Reclamation Secret Realm are back!"

A sudden clamor rose not far ahead. Lu Xuan vaguely heard a few words; it seemed the first batch of Rogue Cultivators whom the Wang Family had organized to head to the Wilderness last time had returned today.

He had never been to that Wilderness where opportunity and risk coexisted, and he was also somewhat curious about that New Secret Realm, so he brought Zhang Xiuyuan along and moved closer.

"I heard that the New Secret Realm was protected by several layers of powerful Array Formations. The Wang Family's Array Formation masters successfully broke through two Array Formations and found many rare spirit plants, Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, even high-grade Magic Tools and cultivation methods!"

"Fuck, I'm so damn envious. I regret not signing up and going with them back then!"

"If I'd gone, maybe I could've obtained a heaven-sent opportunity, soared straight up into the blue clouds from then on, and maybe even become a Foundation Establishment or Core Formation great cultivator!"

"Exactly, exactly! I wish I could take their place!"

Everyone discussed animatedly, all of them red-eyed with envy at the huge gains of the cultivators who had returned from the Secret Realm.

Lu Xuan's heart was like an Ancient Well without ripples. It was only natural that the gains inside the Secret Realm were enormous. Otherwise, the Wang Family, a great family in Vast Forest Market, would not have organized so many cultivators and spent manpower and resources to reclaim it.

Only, the lion's share of the benefits would also be taken by the Wang Family. The rest would be divided up by some powerful cultivators. As for the most numerous Rogue Cultivators, being able to get a little leftover soup and scraps would already count as decent.

It was even unknown how many people would not only fail to obtain any benefits, but would instead lose their lives, their bodies dead and their Dao extinguished.

At the side, Zhang Xiuyuan heard the cultivators' discussions and, thinking of his father whom he had not seen for a long time, grew both nervous and anxious. After greeting Lu Xuan, he flew home as if on wings.

Lu Xuan walked at an unhurried pace along the small path home.

The news that the cultivators who had reclaimed the New Secret Realm had returned spread like wildfire. The entire North District of the market seemed to be ignited in an instant, and the air was filled with a restless mood.

When passing by a Rogue Cultivator's courtyard, Lu Xuan heard several mournful, grief-stricken wails.

Through the open courtyard gate, he saw a weary-looking Rogue Cultivator holding an urn of ashes. In front of him, a woman was crying heartbreakingly, overcome with grief.

Lu Xuan was fairly familiar with this Rogue Cultivator household. The male head of the household was a middle-aged Cultivator Xiong, with a cultivation at Qi Training Stage 3, who had signed up to participate in this great reclamation of the Secret Realm.

His ending was self-evident.

Scenes like this, along the way, he had seen or heard he knew not how many times.

"The road of cultivation is blocked and long. If ordinary cultivators want to go one step further, they can only work hard to seize every possible opportunity. Even if the slightest carelessness means their bodies die and their Dao is extinguished, they must still strive to fight for it with all their might."

"Cultivation is difficult; difficult is cultivation!"

"Fortunately, I have that special Spirit Field. I don't need to fight until my head is broken and blood flows for some unknown sliver of opportunity. I can just farm in peace."

Lu Xuan felt even more grateful that he had that special White Light Orb, and it also strengthened his resolve never to go out and take risks lightly.

Over the next few days, he stayed quietly at home, cultivating his Spirit Plants.

Zhang Xiuyuan did not come looking for him these past few days. Lu Xuan knew the boy was worried about his father, and whenever he caught the occasional glimpse of him, Zhang Xiuyuan looked listless and dispirited. Though Xu Wan appeared calm on the surface, her noticeably gaunt face laid bare everything in her heart.

"Dad!"

One afternoon, Lu Xuan was watering the Spirit Plants in the courtyard with the Spirit Rain Technique when he heard a shout of delighted surprise.

A faint smile rose on his face, and he opened the courtyard gate.

Sure enough, Zhang Hong, his clothes in disarray and travel dust clinging to him, was striding toward home. The bundle in his arms bulged full, and his face was creased with laughter; it was clear his harvest had been no small one.

When he saw Lu Xuan, he nodded from afar and smiled in greeting.

Lu Xuan returned the smile and watched as Zhang Hong embraced his wife and child, then entered the house with a bright, cheerful grin.

He did not go over to join the bustle. Zhang Hong had returned from the Wilderness with the gains he had brought out of the Secret Realm, and this was the most sensitive moment. To say he would be startled by the cry of cranes in the wind and see a bow's reflection in a cup as a snake would not be an exaggeration.

Although the two of them trusted each other deeply, if he rashly went over now, it might stir up unnecessary suspicion and resistance.

After half a day or so, Zhang Hong came to his door of his own accord.