Invitation

In the end, Lu Xuan still did not buy those young Brocade Chickens.

Although he sensed a strange, inexplicable affinity with them, their two-and-a-half-year Maturation Cycle made him shrink back, and he could only give up.

The main purpose of raising Spirit Beasts was to obtain White Light Orbs. In two and a half years, he could have raised a First Grade, or even Second Grade, Spirit Beast to maturity.

Using that time to raise these little chicks would be something of a waste.

He left the stall and continued strolling around.

At last, he finally made quite a sizable gain.

At one stall, he discovered an extremely rare First Grade Spirit Seed: Pure Snow Lotus.

Although Pure Snow Lotus was only First Grade, it was exceedingly uncommon, and its planting requirements were publicly acknowledged among Spirit Plant Masters as harsh.

After maturity, the lotus seeds it bore could keep a cultivator's mind clear for a certain period of time and prevent erosion by Evil Spirits. They were also the main ingredient for the Second Grade elixir, Spirit Accumulation Elixir. The refined Spirit Accumulation Elixir could slightly enhance a Qi Practitioner's Spiritual Sense.

After haggling, Lu Xuan finally bought the jade-white Spirit Seed for seven Spirit Stones.

Both were First Grade, yet this Spirit Seed was much more expensive than the Red Cloud Pine and Blood Jade Ginseng, which showed just how valuable Pure Snow Lotus was.

After returning to the courtyard, he placed the Pure Snow Lotus Spirit Seed into the Spirit Spring Pool, circulated his Spiritual Power, and used the Earth Guidance Art, which had already reached the proficient realm, to draw the snow-white Spirit Seed into the Spirit Soil without altering the structure of the Spirit Spring.

After successfully planting it, Lu Xuan gathered his mind onto the Spirit Seed in the shallow layer of Spirit Soil.

A thought flashed through his mind.

"Cold, cold icy rain slapping wildly against the lotus..."

The reason Pure Snow Lotus was so difficult to plant successfully was that, aside from requiring an environment similar to a Spirit Spring, it also needed to be nourished by Spirit Rain containing an icy aura. Only then could it grow smoothly.

After casting it countless times, Lu Xuan's Spirit Rain Technique had already reached a realm of consummate mastery.

It was just that making it contain an icy aura was still no small difficulty for him.

He had learned basic Ice Element Techniques when he had first begun cultivating, but because his talent was ordinary, he had slowly given them up and mainly used his time to practice the Spirit Rain Technique and Fireball Technique.

Later, from the White Light Orbs, he had obtained the Earth Guidance Art and Gold Metal Swordplay, but he had not obtained any Ice Element Technique experience packs.

He experimented many times and finally, with some difficulty, released a Spirit Rain Technique carrying faint strands of icy intent, sprinkling it over the Pure Snow Lotus Spirit Seed.

Only after practicing for several days did his success rate in releasing the technique improve somewhat. Through his Spiritual Sense, he perceived that the snow-white Spirit Seed in the Spirit Spring Pool was quietly changing.

That day, while Lu Xuan was cultivating his spirit plants, a somewhat familiar voice came from outside the courtyard.

"Daoist Lu, are you home?"

Lu Xuan searched his memory, and only then did he recall the owner of the voice.

After reaching an independent cooperation arrangement with Hundred Herbs Hall, he had gone there twice: once to sell off his remaining Spirit Firefly Grass, and once to regularly report to Hundred Herbs Hall on the growth condition of his spirit plants.

Among them, he had become acquainted with several Spirit Plant Masters. The owner of this voice was one of them, named Lei Fei, at Qi Training Stage 3. Because they lived not far apart, he had exchanged a few more words with him.

Lu Xuan opened the courtyard gate and went out to greet them.

At a glance, he saw Lei Fei and, behind him, a cultivator with a somewhat gloomy bearing.

"Greetings, Daoist Lu. This is Li Qing, a good friend of mine for many years."

"This is Daoist Lu Xuan. He has quite good talent in planting spirit plants, and at such a young age has already established a cooperative relationship with Hundred Herbs Hall."

Lei Fei introduced the two of them to each other.

Lu Xuan greeted them and led the two into the house.

"Daoist Lu Xuan, we came this time because we have something to discuss with you. Li Qing and I intend to invite you to enter the Nanli Secret Realm together to search for spirit herbs."

After the three exchanged a few pleasantries, Lei Fei went straight to the point and spoke to Lu Xuan.

"Enter a secret realm? With the three of us only at Qi Training Stage 3, wouldn't that be very dangerous?"

Lu Xuan asked directly.

Secret realms were either naturally formed or left behind from ancient times. They usually contained all kinds of Treasures, spirit herbs, cultivation methods, Magic Tools, and so on, but they were often accompanied by enormous risks: mysterious and eerie Evil Spirits, powerful and terrifying Demonic Beasts, and more.

The vast majority of spirit plants and Spirit Beasts needed to grow in pure or special spiritual energy environments. Their figures were rarely seen in the ordinary wilderness.

As for those secret realms left behind from ancient times, every time one opened, many rare Treasures would appear. This caused countless cultivators to delight in them without tiring, swarming into all kinds of secret realms like moths flying into the flame, all in hopes of finding a sliver of opportunity.

For example, that newly discovered secret realm this time had attracted many forces large and small from Vast Forest Market, as well as thousands upon thousands of Rogue Cultivators, all only to seek that wisp of so-called opportunity, as illusory as flowers in a mirror and the moon in water.

The major sects of the Cultivation World generally occupied Grotto-Heaven Blessed Lands on their own, some even giving rise to small worlds. They did not need to fight to the death over the tiniest bit of cultivation resources like ordinary cultivators.

Seeing Lu Xuan worried about safety, Lei Fei explained.

"The Nanli Secret Realm has already been developed for several hundred years. The Evil Spirits and Demonic Beasts inside have been cleared out more or less, and encounters with them are extremely rare."

"Besides, we only plan to go to the outer perimeter of the secret realm and won't explore deeply. Though I can't guarantee absolute safety, basically speaking, there won't be any problems."

"Though you and I are both Spirit Plant Masters, we can't just resign ourselves to mediocrity because of that. What should be fought for still needs to be fought for."

He tried to persuade Lu Xuan.

Lu Xuan pondered for a moment, then continued asking.

"Then on this trip to the secret realm, won't the journey and the time inside delay us quite a bit? Wouldn't that delay the cultivation of spirit plants?"

"On the road, we'll have a Flying Boat Magical Artifact. Coming and going will only take a day or two. We might spend a little longer inside the secret realm, after all, it's not as if we'll definitely be able to pick any spirit herbs."

"As for delaying the growth of your spirit plants, with such a short time, how much of an effect could there be? Once you come back, you can just keep planting them."

Lu Xuan remained silent, but inwardly, he gave a quiet sneer.

"It might not affect your spirit plants much, but mine are another matter."

"If I go out for a few days, although the spirit plants will look like they're growing normally, it'll probably be very hard to obtain Good Grade or even Superior Grade spirit plants."

"I was still thinking of growing a Perfect Grade spirit plant to see what kind of Light Orb reward there would be!"

Lei Fei answered honestly.

"Sorry, Thunder Fellow Daoist. I've always put my energy into nurturing spirit plants. I'm not skilled in Combat Arts, nor do I have any magical artifacts or Talismans on me. Even my current Qi Training Stage 3 cultivation was piled up with medicinal pills."

"So, for the sake of safety, I won't explore that Nanli Secret Realm together with you two fellow daoists."

Lu Xuan politely declined.

"All right, I respect your choice, Daoist Lu."

Lei Fei had run smack into a wall, and he spoke with a disgruntled air.

The two did not stay long. They left the courtyard, intending to invite other cultivators.

"This Lu Xuan is far too timid and afraid of trouble. He's already at Qi Training Stage 3, yet he's still worried there'll be danger going to a secret realm that's been developed for several hundred years."

"And he even said something about delaying his planting of spirit plants. He only grows some Spirit Firefly Grass. What could possibly be delayed?"

The moment they stepped out, Lei Fei could not help complaining.

He had originally thought that inviting a Qi Training Stage 3 cultivator would be practically a sure thing. He had not expected to be shut out at Lu Xuan's door, and it inevitably left him burning with anger.

"All right, if he's not going, then he's not going. We'll invite someone else."

"Although this person is cautious, he's cautious to the point of excess. With his way of doing things, it'll be very hard for him to obtain any opportunities."

"In this life, he can only be a Common Spirit Plant Master, a slab of Fish Meat for others to carve up however they please."

Li Qing looked back at the courtyard where Lu Xuan lived, a trace of contempt in his tone.