Core Disciple Li Lingbi, Celebrating the New Year in a Dream

The Red Maple Valley market was still underway.

Since it was Xu Changqing's first time participating, everything he saw felt novel.

As noon approached, more and more people joined the market.

Suddenly, something flickered in the sky not far away.

In the blink of an eye, several ink-black flying shuttles hovered above the market.

Among them was a particularly eye-catching red boat with a banner planted on it.

"Foundation Establishment Realm formal disciples are here!"

"That red boat... even a core disciple has appeared!"

"We either walk or ride paper cranes—just look at them!"

Like everyone around him, Xu Changqing raised his head to look up.

The insides of the flying shuttles were cramped and could not hold many people.

The red boat, however, was several times larger.

Then, surrounded by a group of formal disciples,

the core disciple atop the red boat drifted down to the ground.

His purple robes stood out like a crane among chickens amid the sea of white robes.

Xu Changqing observed him carefully and noticed that the pattern embroidered on this core disciple's chest differed from the others'.

It was a triangular mountain, with the character "Talisman" written above it in strokes that danced like dragons and snakes.

It seemed to have some connection to the Water-Control Pavilion, yet it was not quite the same.

At that moment, someone beside him introduced, "So it is core disciple Li Lingbi, who awakened Threefold Mutual-Generating Spiritual Roots."

Xu Changqing could not help asking, "Fellow Daoist, why is the pattern on his chest different from ours?"

The person beside him explained, "Because all core disciples have masters, and those immortal elders all live upon the immortal mountains of our Dongting Immortal Sect."

Another added, "The triangular mountain with the character 'Talisman' on it represents both the mountain's shape and the lineage from which one inherited one's teachings."

"Talismans—then he must be incredibly skilled at drawing talismans?" Xu Changqing guessed.

The person beside him agreed deeply. "Li Lingbi is not only a genius with mutually generating metal, water, and wood Spiritual Roots. His master is also our Dongting Immortal Sect's grandmaster of the talisman path, Nascent Soul True Lord Mo Qiushui!"

Xu Changqing could tell that many people greatly envied core disciple Li Lingbi.

After all, outer disciples and formal disciples generally held low status.

Only by becoming a core disciple could one gain a sliver of a chance to glimpse immortal destiny.

That was also why the Formal Disciple Grand Competition was so popular.

"Isn't that... Senior Brother Li Sancai?" Xu Changqing said in astonishment.

He discovered a familiar face standing beside Li Lingbi.

It was Li Sancai, who had helped him several times at the outskirts of the Spirit Fields.

Judging by where he stood, Li Sancai was clearly closer to Li Lingbi.

After all, there were quite a few formal disciples around them whose strength surpassed Li Sancai's.

"Hm?" Sensing someone watching him, Li Sancai instinctively looked over.

When he saw that familiar face, he too froze for a moment.

He had not expected to run into Xu Changqing here.

Seeing this, Li Lingbi asked, "What is it, Cousin?"

Li Sancai answered, "I saw someone I know."

Li Lingbi smiled and asked, "Should we wait for you?"

Li Sancai hurriedly shook his head. "No need."

Indeed, he and Xu Changqing did share a bit of history.

But their relationship had not reached that level.

Besides, his younger cousin had urgent business at the Red Maple Valley market.

Thus, he merely nodded at Xu Changqing as a greeting.

Afterward, the group led by Li Lingbi continued onward.

Before long, they arrived at the entrance of the Farmer's Heart Society trading post.

Nearly ten people quickly came out to welcome them.

"Who could it be gracing us with such a grand arrival? So it is Senior Brother Lingbi!" Leading them was a female disciple with a Wood Spirit Root. She had delicate features and a slender figure, with several handsome male Water Spirit Root Dao companions following at her side.

"Junior Sister Lu!"

Li Lingbi teased, "It has been a long time. You have changed your Dao companions again, I see."

Lu Yuanyuan smiled faintly. "These spirit plants get replaced once a year too!"

What she meant was that the Dao companions around her were just like the spirit plants in the Spirit Fields.

When the time came, or when she grew tired of them, she would replace them with a new batch.

After all, disciples came every year, and handsome men would never be in short supply.

Then Li Lingbi followed Lu Yuanyuan into the Farmer's Heart Society trading post.

The onlookers gradually dispersed as well.

"Could Li Lingbi be here to purchase resources?" Xu Changqing pondered.

This showed just how frenzied the scramble for resources had become.

Even core disciples had no choice but to seek help from the Farmer's Heart Society.

Therefore, if he wanted to earn more, especially if he wished to come into contact with people of that level,

he could not merely grow Spirit Rice. He needed spirit plants that others could not do without.

Xu Changqing was not a rigid and old-fashioned man.

When it was time to lie low, he truly had to lie low.

But when an opportunity needed to be seized, he would certainly seize it.

He had already made up his mind that when spring came, he would grow more than just Spirit Rice.

Only by striving to increase his own value could he avoid being controlled by people like Zhang Er.

He might even be able to negotiate with a colossal force like the Farmer's Heart Society.

By evening,

Xu Changqing rode a Flying Paper Crane back to the Spirit Field Core.

This trip had greatly broadened both his gains and his horizons.

His home was no different from when he had left it, still blanketed everywhere in heavy snow.

After settling everything, he finally released the little yellow dog from the spirit beast enclosure.

Having been brought somewhere unfamiliar, it looked nervous and kept examining its surroundings.

"From now on, this is your home."

"Don't pee everywhere, all right?"

"When it warms up, you'll have to go outside and watch the fields!"

Xu Changqing reached out and rubbed the little fellow's fluffy head.

Then he began preparing dinner.

Because he now had a pet, and a spirit beast at that,

he made the portions slightly larger than before.

In any case, he still had several hundred jin of Second-Grade Spirit Rice on him, so there was no need to worry about food.

Outside, the cold wind howled, "Woo, woo."

Snowflakes drifted slowly down from the sky.

The entire world grew colder and colder.

The light also became increasingly dim.

Inside the crude wooden hut, before the narrow dining table,

one man and one dog ate Second-Grade Spirit Rice and drank Grade-One Spirit Rice Wine.

Though it was somewhat lonely and monotonous, it possessed a flavor all its own.

"A toast to myself. I have to work even harder next year." Xu Changqing raised his cup and drained it in one gulp. Feeling the wine's aroma spread through his mouth, he could not help smacking his lips.

"Woof! Woof!" The little fellow barked twice, wagging its tail excitedly.

"Fine, a toast to you too. You'd better guard the house properly from now on!" Xu Changqing grinned, refilled his cup, then lightly clinked it against the dog's water bowl.

And so, cup after cup.

By the end, he had not eaten much, but the wine had filled him up.

He had originally planned to stay up through the New Year's Eve vigil.

Yet before long, he fell asleep in a drunken haze.

"Fellow Daoist Xu!" After who knew how long, someone's call came from outside the house.