Chapter 68 (continued)

Shan Heyuan transmitted his voice to Shen Duheng, instructing him to walk forward along the street.

Shen Duheng walked forward, sword in hand.

Shen Duheng's cultivation level was far higher than that of the cultivators here. Most people who saw him hid behind him and did not dare to disturb him.

Some cultivators, upon seeing Shen Duheng's cultivation level, would have their eyes light up and enthusiastically try to sell him their goods.

Shen Duheng came to the market specifically to learn about its situation, so he would go and check on anyone who stopped him.

Soon, he discovered a special product being sold here – Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass).

Shan Heyuan transmitted his voice. "This spiritual herb is very strange. I've never seen it before?"

Shen Duheng: "Let me ask."

Shen Duheng asked the vendor next to him who was selling his wares.

The vendor enthusiastically said, "This is a special spiritual herb from our area, specifically used to feed the Golden-Winged Great Peng Bird. Senior, you know the Golden-Winged Great Peng Bird, right?"

Shen Duheng nodded.

Shan Heyuan was somewhat surprised and transmitted his voice to Shen Duheng: "We read in the newspaper that the Great Peng Bird raised by the Azure Bird Palace had awakened the bloodline of the Golden-Winged Great Peng Bird. I didn't expect to hear about it here."

The vendor continued, "Our Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass is a special spiritual herb used to feed the Golden-Winged Great Peng Bird. It can only be grown in our dead city; you won't find it anywhere else."

Shen Duheng listened to Shan Heyuan's telepathic message and asked the vendor, "This place isn't cut off from the celestial veins and devoid of Spiritual Power, so how can you grow spiritual herbs specifically for feeding the Golden-Winged Great Peng Bird?"

The vendor said, "You don't know this. Most other spiritual herbs absorb life energy, but our Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass specifically absorbs Death Qi. Only in dead cities like ours is there a sufficiently dense concentration of Death Qi, and only here can Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass be grown with Spirit Stone."

Before Shen Duheng could ask any more questions, the vendor enthusiastically said, "Don't underestimate this Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass just because it's food for the Golden-Winged Great Peng Bird. Besides the Golden-Winged Great Peng Bird, many other spirit beasts also like it. It's also quite useful for refining spirit pills. Senior, would you like to buy some? You can earn quite a few Spirit Stone by taking it out."

"The Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass I sell has reached the Foundation Establishment stage. It's one of the best on this street, and it's a good special spiritual herb even if you take it outside. It'll definitely sell well."

Shan Heyuan was very curious about the Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass and couldn't wait to examine it, but unfortunately he didn't have the body, so he could only urge Shen Duheng to buy some for him.

Shen Duheng nodded to the vendor, indicating that he wanted some.

The vendor beamed with delight and immediately packed several sprigs of Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass for Shen Duheng.

In addition to buying finished spirit herbs, Shen Duheng, under Shan Heyuan's direction, also bought spirit herb seeds and a talisman array for planting Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass.

They also bought local specialty sacred soil.

After completing this transaction, they continued shopping.

As I wandered around, I discovered all sorts of unique products from the Dead City, including but not limited to various spiritual herbs, spiritual seeds, materials containing Death Qi, and Dead City-specific talismans, etc.

This city died too early, but it gradually developed its own local specialties and history, and there are still quite a few places for outsiders to visit.

That's how humans are; even in desperate circumstances, they never give up on striving upwards.

Unfortunately, a dead city is a dead city, and its potential for development is limited.

The lifespan of cultivators here is only one-half to one-third of that of their counterparts outside, and their cultivation level is even more difficult to break through to the Foundation Establishment.

Because there is no Spiritual Power here, and most people cannot afford Spirit Stone, everyone can only rely on food to cultivate.

Food that cannot be completely refined will leave a large amount of impurities in the cultivator's body.

There isn't much land in the dead city that can be used to grow food, and many cultivators don't even have enough to eat, let alone cultivate with large amounts of food.

This creates a vicious cycle.

Shan Heyuan transmitted his voice to Shen Duheng: "The major sects don't forbid the survivors from leaving. The environment here is so harsh, why don't they go out?"

Shen Duheng: "Staying in the dead city for too long will leave hidden injuries that are difficult to heal even after leaving. Furthermore, it will be difficult for them to find other ways to make a living after they leave."

Shan Heyuan said with a heavy heart, "It's still due to various practical reasons that they have no choice but to stay here."

Shen Duheng: "That's the case at the moment."

They strolled around the market and bought quite a few supplies.

There were many eyes secretly eyeing their wealth, but after seeing Shen Duheng's cultivation level, those gazes were quickly withdrawn, as if they had never been there, and they dared not linger on Shen Duheng for even a moment.

In this harsh environment, the law of the jungle is even more pronounced than it is outside.

They strolled around the market and gained a general understanding of the local situation.

After returning, Shan Heyuan said in his Dantian Small World, "I didn't expect Death Qi to be a resource."

Shen Duheng: "This place has been developing for so long that the locals have found unique uses for many things."

Shan Heyuan: "I think so too. We completely ignored the Death Qi before, but I think I'm having a bit of an idea now."

What kind of inspiration?

"It utilizes Death Qi. I don't have a plan yet on how to create a body using Spirit Plant; I guess I'll have to wait a while."

"We'll think about it slowly."

"I can only think about it slowly. As for inspiration regarding Death Qi, I don't have a physical body right now, so you'll have to help me."

Since they were going to utilize the Death Qi, they couldn't do it within their Dantian Small World; they had to go outside first.

Shan Heyuan was unable to work due to physical limitations, he could only give verbal instructions, while Shen Duheng was responsible for the specific steps.

Fortunately, Shen Duheng had been helping him for a long time, and Shen Duheng could do most things as long as he asked.

It wasn't difficult for them to work together.

The place where they are now staying is a Spirit Plant garden. Although the spiritual soil has been almost completely dug up, the infrastructure is still intact.

Shan Heyuan plans to plant native plants, and the first step is to lay down the spiritual soil in the Spirit Plant garden.

Shen Duheng's storage bracelet contained a large amount of spirit soil. It was definitely not enough to cover the entire Spirit Plant garden, but it would be enough to set up a few acres as a laboratory.

Shan Heyuan stopped him from pursuing this idea. "No, we won't use spirit soil this time."

"What should we use if not spirit soil?"

"Ordinary soil from outside will suffice. Spiritual soil doesn't contain Death Qi. We need soil containing Death Qi to plant local specialty plants."

Shan Heyuan instructed Shen Duheng to go to the nearby mountains and dig up some fertile humus soil, "The soil doesn't contain Spiritual Qi right now, but it still contains the trace elements necessary for plant growth. This humus soil is of good quality and is perfect for planting Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass."

Shen Duheng wasn't too clear on these details. "You tell me, I'll do it."

"Alright. First, dig up the soil and create a sufficiently thick soil layer, then set up the array for planting the Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass. After observing its subsequent growth, I'll consider whether to refine Fertilizer Pill for them."

Shen Duheng completed the renovation of the entire Spirit Plant Garden according to his requirements.

Shan Heyuan needs to use special spiritual herbs, including the Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass, from the Death Qi Seed.

Shan Heyuan said to Shen Duheng, "I've now discovered that Death Qi is also a rather rare spiritual object. No wonder a sect as large as Azure Bird Palace would allow so many survivors to remain in Ridge Pine City and even go to great lengths to bring in supplies from outside."

Some time had passed since the market day, Shan Heyuan had figured it out. As a dead city, the fact that Ridge Pine City still had this scale must have been due to the tacit approval of the Azure Bird Palace, which governed the area.

"No one gets up early without a reason."

"It's such a pity for so many local residents," Shan Heyuan sighed. "So many people have lived here for generations, repeating the same fate. In principle, Azure Bird Palace has a responsibility to improve the lives of the local residents, instead of forcing them to stay here and cultivate Brilliant Creek Dragon Grass."

"Not every sect takes the people under its jurisdiction as its responsibility. The Azure Bird Palace is a sect that believes in the law of the jungle."