Plans for Advancing the Spirit Vein, Rampant Evil Cultivators

Warm Velvet Chickens had gentle temperaments, and having been artificially raised since birth, they would not harm people.

Otherwise, mortals and martial artists from the foot of the mountain would not have been allowed to feed them.

Even if they advanced to First-grade Mid-tier, that likely would not change.

However, there was one restriction that needed consideration.

That was spiritual energy.

Fire Maple Mountain had only one First-grade Top-tier spirit vein.

The spiritual energy it produced had to supply three hundred mu of spirit fields, including one mu planted with First-grade Top-tier spirit herbs, as well as thirty thousand First-grade Low-tier Warm Velvet Chickens.

It also had to maintain the operation of the First-grade Top-tier Primordial Fire Array. This was already the limit.

If a large number of Warm Velvet Chickens advanced to First-grade Mid-tier, it might even cause the spirit vein to run dry.

"Damn it! Why am I thinking so much? To complete their advancement, I still need to plant Fire Fluff Grass and keep feeding the Warm Velvet Chickens. During the three years I'm stationed here, it's uncertain whether I'll even see a single Warm Velvet Chicken advance.

"I'll scout the path first. If the spirit vein truly can't support it when the time comes, then I'll just advance it to Second-grade Low-tier! Is my Zhang Family lacking that little bit of spirit stones?

"Though I'm an alchemist, I'm not particularly skilled at cultivating spirit herbs. Right, I still haven't opened those eight Storage Bags from the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect."

At that thought, Zhang Xuanchen looked toward the eight Storage Bags he had tossed into the corner.

Five were low-grade Storage Bags, two were mid-grade Storage Bags, and one was a high-grade Storage Bag.

The high-grade one naturally belonged to Jiang Erhe.

A high-grade Storage Bag cost at least five thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones, while finely crafted ones could even reach over ten thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones.

Spending so many spirit stones on such a thing was actually rather wasteful.

As long as the space was sufficient, that was enough.

Usually, only cultivators at Foundation Establishment Early Stage used such things to display their status.

As for Storage Rings, they were even more valuable. Generally, only Clan Leaders of Golden Core Families or alchemists and Artifact Refiners of Second-grade Top-tier and above possessed them.

After sorting through everything, he obtained five thousand six hundred and seventy-three Low-grade Spirit Stones.

Four Second-grade Low-tier spirit talismans.

Three First-grade Top-tier magical artifacts, nine top-tier magical artifacts, one First-grade Top-tier Barrier Breaking Pill, several First-tier Spells, and Qi Refining cultivation methods.

There were also all kinds of low-grade pills, spirit talismans, magical artifacts, ores, and other items. Unfortunately, there was no Spirit Planter inheritance.

"Murder and arson bring golden belts indeed. No wonder so many cultivators are willing to become Robber Cultivators. If they ran into a few fat sheep like Jiang Tiangou, they could even afford a Foundation Establishment Pill."

Zhang Xuanchen smacked his lips. It almost made him want to become a Robber Cultivator himself.

"Unfortunately, there's no Spirit Planter inheritance. Forget it. When the clansmen come to collect eggs next week, I'll have them bring me a Second-tier Spirit Planter Inheritance."

He stood up, tossed the low-grade Storage Bags aside, and put everything on the ground into Jiang Tiangou's Storage Bag. When he returned to the family, he would exchange it all for spirit stones.

After finishing all this, he left the wooden house and headed to the area where Fire Spirit Grass was planted.

As an alchemist, he knew a fair amount about Fire Spirit Grass.

It was the main ingredient in the First-grade Mid-tier pill Cold-Repelling Pill and required one year to mature.

After inspecting all five mu of Fire Spirit Grass, he truly found seventeen unusual spirit herbs.

Unlike the fan-shaped leaves of Fire Spirit Grass, the leaves of Fire Fluff Grass were three-dimensional and fuzzy, glimmering with a faint crimson spiritual radiance.

Since it was his first time seeing this spirit herb, Zhang Xuanchen did not dare act rashly.

He merely uprooted all the Fire Spirit Grass within a one-meter radius around the Fire Fluff Grass, leaving it ample room to grow.

The Fire Spirit Grass had only been planted three months ago and still needed nine more months to mature. Presumably, the mutated Fire Fluff Grass would be the same.

That afternoon, after Zhang Xuanchen made a round of Fire Maple Mountain, he arrived at the chicken coop.

He did not wait long before a young man arrived at Fire Maple Mountain.

However, his robes were somewhat torn, his face pale, and his aura unsteady.

Seeing this, Zhang Xuanchen hurried forward and asked with concern,

"Big Brother! How are you? Who injured you?"

The newcomer was the eldest of the Xuan Generation, Zhang Xuanhu, twenty-nine years old and at Qi Refining Level 6.

"Hahaha, Seventh Brother, don't worry. I encountered a First-grade Mid-tier Shadow Leopard on the way here, but it has already been dealt with."

Zhang Xuanhu waved his hand, indicating that he was not seriously hurt.

Then his gaze sharpened as he looked at Zhang Xuanchen. "By the way, Seventh Brother, I don't know what has been going on lately, but Evil Cultivators have become extremely rampant. They specifically plunder cultivators' blood essence and living souls.

"More than twenty Qi Refining Families in the Penglai Islands have already been exterminated. Not a single cultivator or mortal survived.

"The Clan Leader asked me to inform you that unless it is absolutely necessary, you are not to leave Fire Maple Mountain. If anything seems amiss, immediately report it to the family with a Sound Transmission Talisman. Do not act on your own."

Fire Maple Mountain was several hundred kilometers from Xuanxiao Mountain.

A first-grade Sound Transmission Talisman naturally would not suffice, but a second-grade one was enough.

Hearing Big Brother's words, Zhang Xuanchen nodded heavily. "I understand, Big Brother."

No one cherished his life more than he did. Now that he knew this, he had to play it safe.

"Mm."

Seeing that Zhang Xuanchen had truly taken the matter to heart, Zhang Xuanhu was reassured.

"You needn't worry too much either. The family has recalled the Monster Hunting Team from the Endless Sea. They likely will not head out again for the next few years. Recently, quite a few demon beasts have been appearing between the family's spirit vein territories. It's time to clear them out.

"At the same time, if anything unexpected happens, they can rush over to provide support and handle the emergency."

It was not only the Zhang Family. More than half the forces on the South Sea Immortal Continent were doing the same.

This was also the wisest choice.

"Alright, I understand."

The two arrived beside the chicken coop. Looking at the densely packed spirit chicken eggs inside, joy at the harvest appeared on their faces.

"Big Brother, I've already counted them. There are more than forty-two thousand eggs here in total, not much different from before."

Warm Velvet Chickens were not spirit chickens with high egg production. Usually, they laid an egg only once every few days, or even longer, so this number over seven days was already quite good.

If all forty-two thousand-plus eggs were sold, they would bring in over four thousand two hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones.

Though that seemed like a lot, their daily food consumption was also considerable. They had to be fed spirit rice, spirit insects, and the like.

After deducting costs, the spirit stones earned each year would not exceed ten thousand.

Hearing Zhang Xuanchen's words, Zhang Xuanhu nodded. He took out several Storage Bags and collected the eggs, preparing to leave.

However, Zhang Xuanchen called out to him. Seeing the questioning look in Big Brother's eyes, Zhang Xuanchen did not waste words and said,

"Big Brother, after you return to the family, have my father get me a Second-tier Spirit Planter Inheritance and a Wind Attribute Evasion Technique. Next week, have the clansman who comes to collect the spirit chicken eggs bring them over."

"Alright, leave it to me."

With that, he flew toward the family.

If any other clansman had asked him to request a second-tier skill inheritance from the Clan Leader, he certainly would not have agreed so readily.

But Zhang Xuanchen was different. Over the years, everyone had witnessed the contributions he had made to the family.

The egg with the potential to advance to Golden Core that he had brought back to the family a few days ago was still sitting in the Treasure Pavilion.

Those clansmen in the family who had hopes of breaking through to Foundation Establishment were desperately accumulating Contribution Points, wanting to exchange them for that powerful companion.

Zhang Xuanchen returned to the wooden house and sat down cross-legged.

He circulated the Sky Burning Wind Control Art, absorbing the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.

Clearly, the matter of the Evil Cultivators had placed considerable pressure on him. He had to raise his strength as soon as possible.