Red-Beard Carp

When he left Hundred Herbs Hall, Manager He had already warned him that when cultivating Blood Jade Ginseng, he should separate them over as wide an area as possible and not let them twine together, lest they affect each other's growth.

Only after planting the Blood Jade Ginseng Spirit Seeds did he learn the specific reason.

The spirit seeds, or spirit ginseng, could slowly move within the Spirit Field. If they were too close, they would be drawn to each other, cling together for a long time, and plunder each other's vitality until a victor was decided and the loser withered.

Of course, Spirit Plant Masters generally would not allow such an extreme situation to occur. Once they noticed the spirit ginseng roots and stems entangling together, they would use methods to separate them.

"They're drawn to each other, then get all lovey-dovey, twine together, and start sucking away each other's vitality until I split them apart."

"Why does this feel like a pair of lovers, while I'm the heartless parent tearing them apart?"

Lu Xuan could not help sighing.

Fortunately, if there was one thing he did not lack, it was time. He could ensure that no two Blood Jade Ginseng roots would touch.

"This Blood Jade Ginseng shouldn't have male and female distinctions, right?"

He shook his head, flinging the image of Blood Jade Ginseng twining together out of his mind.

After planting the twenty Blood Jade Ginseng Spirit Seeds, Lu Xuan cast the Spirit Rain Technique to moisten them. Thread after thread of spirit rain seeped into the soil, greedily absorbed by the jade-like blood-red spirit seeds.

Next, he planted the one hundred Spirit Firefly Grass seeds, which looked like withered tea leaves, one by one, likewise using the Spirit Rain Technique to provide them with nutrients.

The new Spirit Field was roughly ten times larger than the previous one. After planting one hundred Spirit Firefly Grass seeds and twenty Blood Jade Ginseng seeds, nearly half an area still remained empty.

Lu Xuan planned to use it to plant Red Cloud Pine, Dark Marrow Mushroom, and Sword Grass. If he discovered any other decent spirit seeds, he would buy them and try planting them as well.

"How can I make the greatest use of this Spirit Spring?"

He looked at the Spirit Spring in the Spirit Field, with its shallow spring water, and sank into thought.

Spirit Spring water was usually used to assist in Alchemy, brewing wine, and making tea. Some cultivators also drank it directly, as it could slightly increase the Spiritual Power in their bodies.

However, to Lu Xuan, this was somewhat tasteless as chicken ribs. With the cultivation rewards brought by Spirit Firefly Grass, he somewhat looked down on that tiny bit of Spiritual Power.

"As for aquatic spirit plants, although they're relatively rare, it's not as if they don't exist. I can try searching the market or shops for them."

"This Spirit Spring isn't small. I probably won't be able to find that many aquatic spirit plants. If it's wasted like this, it would be a bit of a pity."

"Maybe I can raise one or two Spirit Fish?"

An idea suddenly sprang into Lu Xuan's mind, and it grew stronger and stronger.

"Planting spiritual medicines in the Spirit Field brings Light Orb rewards. If I cultivate Spirit Beasts, will there be rewards too?"

At that thought, he could not help growing a little excited.

"If there aren't, I won't lose out either. Spirit Fish raised in Spirit Spring water can also sell for a good price. If there are, then I'll have made a killing."

"I have to try it."

The idea in his heart became increasingly firm.

He opened the Array Formation and left the courtyard.

First, he returned to the old courtyard. In the Spirit Field there, there were still ten Spirit Firefly Grass plants about to mature.

He harvested one batch and waited two days. Along the way, he helped Xu Wan transplant the two Eclipse Moon Trees to her home. After he was done, all the Spirit Firefly Grass had fully matured.

Among the ten Spirit Firefly Grass plants, six were Good Grade and four were Superior Grade. Probably because the Spirit Field's Spiritual Power was insufficient, he had yet to grow a single spirit plant of even higher quality.

Among the ten White Light Orbs that appeared, four brought him varying amounts of cultivation spanning several months, totaling more than two years, making the spiritual energy in his body more stable.

Another three Light Orbs brought him three First Grade Talismans, while the remaining three were spell technique experience packs: two Earth Guidance Arts and one Gold Metal Swordplay. Lu Xuan's understanding of both spell techniques deepened further.

He felt that if he unleashed the Earth Guidance Art with full force, he could stir the terrain into trembling, producing no small attacking effect.

As for Gold Metal Swordplay, that went without saying. If he fought Qin Ming again, even if Qin Ming had a protective Magic Tool similar to the Jade Token, Lu Xuan was highly confident he could kill him in one strike.

After absorbing all ten White Light Orbs, Lu Xuan glanced at the somewhat empty-looking courtyard, then turned and left.

Arriving at the Rogue Cultivator Market, he searched around and found very few stalls selling Spirit Beast cubs or Spirit Beast eggs, so he went to a Spirit Pet Shop.

Inside the shop, there were all kinds of Spirit Beast cubs: those that flew in the sky, ran on the ground, and swam in the water. Everything one could think of was there.

Most were spirit pets, gentle and obedient in appearance, not very aggressive. It was said that the shop owner was a family member of an Inner Sect Disciple of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect and was highly proficient in the path of Beast Taming.

"Greetings, fellow Daoist. May I ask how I can help you?"

Seeing Lu Xuan enter and look around, a Delicate Maiden came over and greeted him with a smile.

"I'd like to buy one or two fish-type Spirit Beasts. Do you have any recommendations?"

Lu Xuan went straight to the point.

"For fish-type Spirit Beasts, you can take a look over here."

"This is the Red-Beard Carp, a No Grade demon beast. It has high ornamental value, and after being raised to maturity, it can be cooked. Its flesh is delicious, and the two red whiskers beside its head can also be used as Artifact Refining materials."

"The Red-Beard Carp does not have high requirements for its growing environment. An ordinary Spirit Spring can keep it alive. Of course, if it can be fed some Spirit Rice, it will mature even more easily."

"This is the Black Arrow Fish, also a No Grade demon beast. Its body is like an arrow, and its speed is extremely fast. When feeding it normally, it needs to devour a certain amount of flesh-and-blood essence."

"This one is the Black Water Python, a Rank 1 Demon Beast. It is amphibious, highly aggressive, and its body size varies extremely widely. At its longest, it can reach around six zhang."

"As for other aquatic demon beasts, because their wild nature is difficult to tame and they may injure their master, they are not very suitable for you to raise, fellow Daoist."

The Pretty Female Cultivator introduced Lu Xuan to several common Aquatic Spirit Beasts in the Spirit Pet Shop, tactfully indicating that with the Qi Training Stage 2 cultivation Lu Xuan had revealed, at most he could only raise demon beasts like the Black Water Python.

Lu Xuan thought it over briefly, then ruled out the Black Arrow Fish and Black Water Python.

Raising Black Arrow Fish required blood and flesh essence. He himself rarely got to eat a good meal, so how could he possibly have spare Demon Beast Blood Meat to feed them?

As for the Black Water Python, the moment Lu Xuan heard it could grow up to six zhang long, he gave up on it immediately.

His own Spirit Spring couldn't even fit half its body. What was he supposed to use to raise it? Besides, this was still the experimental stage, and he wasn't yet sure whether a White Light Orb would appear or not.

Therefore, Lu Xuan was more inclined to choose Spirit Fish with a short Maturation Cycle and a low price.

"How much is this Red-Whiskered Carp?"

He pointed at a carp fry in the pool and asked.

The Red-Whiskered Carp was just as its name suggested. Near its gills grew two long, thin red whiskers, longer than its body, drifting back and forth like two ribbons as it swam.

"If it's Red-Whiskered Carp Fry, one Spirit Stone each."

The Delicate Maiden replied.

"They're both No Grade, but it's a bit more expensive than Spirit Firefly Grass Spirit Seeds and Eclipse Moon Tree saplings."

Lu Xuan habitually compared the prices.

"I'll buy three. Make it a little cheaper—how about eighty Fragmented Spirit Stones each?"

He naturally chopped a section off the price.

"If you wish to buy three, fellow Daoist, I can make the decision and sell them to you for two Spirit Stones and eighty Fragmented Spirit Stones. That's the lowest price."

"Two Spirit Stones and sixty Fragmented Spirit Stones, and I'll take them right away."

"Seventy. I can't go any lower."

"Good, deal!"

Lu Xuan replied with satisfaction.