After Lei Fei and Liu Li left, Lu Xuan quickly closed the gate to his courtyard.
He felt no stir in his heart at their invitation to explore the secret realm together. Going to a secret realm was just a way to seek a fleeting opportunity, but he believed that as long as he cultivated his spiritual plants well, such opportunities would come naturally.
The better the quality of the spiritual plants he cultivated, the more valuable the treasures that would appear. A trip to the so-called Southern Departure Secret Realm couldn't compare to the rewards he would get from growing a single spiritual plant.
Moreover, even if there was a planned route and the secret realm had been explored for hundreds of years, it didn't guarantee safety. There were spirit beasts, evil spirits, and the risk of being robbed or betrayed by companions. Most of these dangers could be avoided simply by staying at home.
Lu Xuan settled comfortably in his yard, determined to keep his spiritual field intact, regardless of the changing seasons.
A few days later, he heard his neighbor Wang Shan's voice outside the gate.
"Brother Lu, open the door, I have a wedding invitation for you!"
When Lu Xuan opened the gate, he saw Wang Shan holding a bright red invitation, looking cheerful and proud.
"What's the good news, Daoist Wang?" Lu Xuan asked curiously.
"I recently took a concubine and will invite some friends over for a gathering in a few days to celebrate!" Wang Shan replied with a smile.
"Great! I'll definitely come by." Lu Xuan nodded in agreement.
"What's this? Daoist Wang, have you changed your ways and let go of your old flames?"
"Hey, if I miss them, I can still visit for a chat." Wang Shan said with a mysterious smile.
"One is a main dish, the other is a dessert; they don't conflict."
"I bought this concubine from the black market to help with daily needs, so she won't restrict me." He said confidently.
"Black market?"
"Exactly! I’m sure you’ve heard of it. Recently, when I went, I saw some female cultivators for sale. They were top-notch in looks, figure, and talent. I got a third-layer Qi Refining female cultivator for less than a thousand spirit stones. If you're interested, you can take a look too."
"Apparently, these female cultivators are specially trained and have learned the Yin-Yang techniques from the Hehuan Sect. When they are intimate, their spiritual energy can blend together, helping each other grow faster than through their own cultivation." Wang Shan eagerly recommended.
"Haha, if I get the chance, I'd like to see it." Lu Xuan laughed and casually agreed.
After Wang Shan left, Lu Xuan returned to his courtyard. He didn't care much about the female cultivators Wang Shan mentioned, but he was indeed interested in the black market.
He had heard about the black market in Linyang Market Town, located on the other side of the town, hidden away and only opened at certain times. There were many shady cultivators and their equally shady treasures.
Lu Xuan had thought about it before; if he wanted to find unknown spirit seeds, the black market was the best place to go. However, due to his low cultivation level, he felt unsure and had put that plan on hold.
"Once I have one or two batches of spiritual plants ready, I can go take a look."
Among the newly planted spiritual plants, the Spirit Firefly Grass, though not ranked, was plentiful. With a better spiritual energy environment and careful cultivation from the start, Lu Xuan believed his strength would increase rapidly once they matured.
Additionally, the Red Cloud Pine was already bearing fruit, and the Sword Grass was growing well. These two first and second-tier spiritual plants gave Lu Xuan even greater expectations.
Three days later, Lu Xuan went to the restaurant mentioned in Wang Shan's invitation for a feast, accompanied by a neighbor who loved spiritual wine.
This neighbor, surnamed Wu, enjoyed a drink whenever he had the chance. Lu Xuan had seen him a few times since moving in and was somewhat familiar with him.
Since it was just a concubine he took, there was no need for the usual wedding process.
Lu Xuan asked Wu about the customary gift amount, turning his sadness into appetite, and he indulged in food and drink at the banquet, determined to make up for the spirit stones he had given away.
"Thank you all for coming to support me. I’d like to toast to everyone!"
Halfway through the feast, Lu Xuan saw Wang Shan's new concubine.
Dressed in a phoenix crown and colorful robes, she had smooth skin, a beautiful face, and a good figure. Even in loose clothing, her curves were noticeable. A small black mole at the corner of her left eye added a touch of charm.
"Wang Shan has taken a concubine and seems to have forgotten everything else. But looking at him, he must have been well-nourished during this time, and his cultivation has improved a bit."
After Wang Shan left, Wu put down his cup and sighed, and Lu Xuan sensed a hint of jealousy in his tone.
"Wang's concubine was bought from the black market. Why don’t you go take a look too? Buy one for yourself, and you can have a tree of pear blossoms leaning over the begonia!" Lu Xuan teased.
"He's the head of the patrol, so he has plenty of spirit stones. I can't afford to spend hundreds or thousands on that." Wu replied with a hint of sadness.
After this little episode, Lu Xuan returned to his simple and peaceful life.
Every day, he would check on the Red Whiskered Carp in the spiritual spring, gather some spirit rice or a few strange insects to feed them, and then use his not-so-skilled ice techniques to nourish the Pure Snow Lotus. Occasionally, he would burn the Red Cloud Pine or shock the Sword Grass with lightning.
Perhaps influenced by Wang Shan's situation, Lu Xuan felt a stronger urge to keep the Blood Jade Ginseng from getting too close, ensuring they wouldn’t take the first step.
In his spare time, he practiced his techniques, studied the spells he had learned, and researched the recipe for the cultivation-enhancing pills he had obtained earlier.
He would occasionally visit the scattered cultivator market to see if he could find a few unknown spirit seeds or some appealing spirit beast eggs or young beasts.
One day, as he stepped out of his courtyard, he ran into Wang Shan's concubine.
"Hello, Daoist Lu."
She was carrying bags of spiritual medicine and spirit beast meat, slightly tilting her body to greet him.
"Hello, Sister Wang. Did you just come back from a big shopping trip at the market?" Lu Xuan casually asked.
"Yes, I bought some nourishing spiritual medicine and spirit beast meat. My husband has been working hard on his cultivation, so I wanted to help him recover."
Wang's voice was soft, and she replied gently, a slight blush on her face, her eyes sparkling as if the mole at the corner of her eye was moving.
"Truly a professional, your every move is full of charm. I see this is more for you than for Brother Wang, right?" Lu Xuan secretly thought, keeping a straight face.
"Brother Wang has been overworking himself day and night; he really needs to be well-nourished."
After a casual chat, Lu Xuan found an excuse to leave.
As Wang Shan's concubine walked past him with delicate steps, a fragrant breeze wafted into Lu Xuan's nose.
"Achoo!"
The scent was too strong, and Lu Xuan couldn't help but sneeze.
(End of Chapter)