A delicate female cultivator stood before Lu Xuan, inviting him to her home in the gentlest, most charming voice. It was impossible for him not to feel a stir of emotions.
He forced himself to suppress his eager heart and comforted Lady Wang. "Sister-in-law, don't be afraid. Are you sure you heard strange noises at home?"
"I've heard it more than once. It's a particularly eerie sound that is very frightening. My heart is still pounding," Lady Wang said, her eyes downcast, her delicate hand pressed against her chest.
Lu Xuan followed her movement and caught a glimpse of her fair, soft skin. "Sister-in-law, are you using this to test a Spiritual Plant Cultivator?"
He silently muttered to himself and continued to ask Lady Wang, "Did Brother Wang leave you any protective artifacts or talismans? Did you set up any defensive formations in your courtyard?"
"Yes, he did."
Hearing this, Lu Xuan frowned slightly. "Since Brother Wang left you protective artifacts and talismans, and you have defensive formations, why did you come to find me?"
"Your cultivation is at the second level of Qi Refining, while I am at the third level. I'm just a Spiritual Plant Cultivator and not skilled in combat. Our strengths are about the same."
"I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I suggest you either find Brother Wang or stay at home and wait for him to return with the protection of your formations and artifacts."
Lu Xuan said bluntly.
"But... I'm just a weak woman. I'm scared to stay home alone... Lu Xuan..." Lady Wang said, looking timid and pitiful.
"Bang!" The sound of the courtyard door closing answered her.
Not giving up, Lady Wang pleaded a few more times from outside the courtyard, but Lu Xuan remained unmoved and went straight into the house.
Soon, the courtyard returned to silence.
Lu Xuan listened carefully and, after a long time without any sound, finally felt relieved.
He couldn't be sure if what Lady Wang said was true or not. If it was true, and there were indeed strange noises at her home, going in could put him in danger, especially since it would be just the two of them alone. If Brother Wang came back, it would also be hard to explain.
If it was false, then Lady Wang was either trying to seduce him or had some other ulterior motive. The possibility of it being false was far greater than it being true. After all, it didn't make sense for her to seek help from a stranger at the third level of Qi Refining instead of her husband, who was at the fifth level.
"Ha, female cultivator!"
"She only affects my farming speed!"
Lu Xuan sneered and pushed the matter aside.
For the next two or three days, everything was calm.
Lu Xuan observed that neither Brother Wang nor Lady Wang showed any signs of abnormality, nor did they come to find him. He didn't know if they had successfully dealt with the so-called strange noises or if it was all just a fabrication.
With no one bothering him, Lu Xuan enjoyed his peaceful days, nurturing Spiritual Plants and watching the Three-Tailed Red-Bearded Carp fight over Spirit Rice by the Spiritual Spring Pool.
Occasionally, he would tease the young Cloud Stepping Leopard, which would let out sounds that were still rough and thick, like a gruff little voice.
Days passed, and under Lu Xuan's careful care, four more Spirit Firefly Grasses reached full maturity. Two of them were of good quality, one was of superior quality, and one was of perfect quality.
From the thirteen mature Spirit Firefly Grasses, Lu Xuan realized that obtaining perfect quality Spirit Firefly Grass was not an easy task. He believed he had done his best in nurturing them, but the chance of achieving perfect quality was still quite low.
The four Spirit Firefly Grasses brought four slightly flickering white light orbs.
"Harvested one Spirit Firefly Grass, gained six months of cultivation."
With that thought, Lu Xuan's spiritual power surged, solidifying his cultivation at the fifth level of Qi Refining.
"Harvested one Spirit Firefly Grass, gained a first-grade talisman, Explosive Flame Talisman."
As he absorbed the white light orb, a thought flashed through Lu Xuan's mind. A fiery red talisman appeared in his hand, decorated with strange patterns that resembled a blazing flame. Holding it, he felt a slight burning sensation.
He stored it in his storage bag.
He never thought having talismans was a bad thing. Although a first-grade talisman was only equivalent to a strike from a low or mid-level Qi Refining cultivator and had limited lethality, if used in large numbers, the effect could be extraordinary.
When Qin Ming, who was at the fourth level of Qi Refining, ambushed him before, the many talismans he had accumulated played a crucial role.
"Harvested one Spirit Firefly Grass, gained the Earth Summoning Technique."
With that thought, Lu Xuan's understanding of the Earth Summoning Technique deepened, including its principles, casting speed, and control, as if he had practiced it thousands of times in an instant.
He vaguely felt that his mastery of the Earth Summoning Technique had reached a great level. He could precisely alter the terrain, even causing tremors in the earth if his spiritual power was sufficient.
The talismans and techniques from the two superior quality Spirit Firefly Grasses were not surprising to Lu Xuan.
He looked down at the last white light orb, which came from the perfect quality Spirit Firefly Grass, and had even higher expectations.
"Harvested one Spirit Firefly Grass, gained a first-grade treasure, Thunderfire Pearl."
As the white light orb vanished, a pearl the size of a baby's fist appeared before Lu Xuan. The pearl was bright red, with many dark red patterns on its surface, and he could faintly see lightning flickering inside.
"Thunderfire Pearl, a first-grade treasure, can unleash a surge of thunderfire power instantly when used."
"The number of uses for the thunderfire power inside the pearl is limited, but it can be recharged in certain special spiritual energy environments."
"It’s a consumable treasure that can recharge with thunderfire energy, but it seems hard to find a suitable place for recharging."
Lu Xuan gazed at the Thunderfire Pearl in his palm, deep in thought.
This Thunderfire Pearl was not like regular artifacts that are durable. Although it is a consumable item, it differs from one-time talismans in that it has more uses and can be recharged for repeated use.
This makes its value much higher than that of talismans of the same grade.
"Truly worthy of being a perfect quality Spiritual Plant. The Spirit Firefly Grass, which has no grade, produced such a first-grade treasure."
The previous first-grade Silver Splitting Blade was formed after opening many Moon-Eroding Fruits, while the Thunderfire Pearl was obtained from just one mature Spirit Firefly Grass.
This highlights the importance of perfect quality Spiritual Plants.
Lu Xuan had only obtained four perfect quality Spirit Firefly Grasses in this batch. One brought him a year of cultivation, another brought a second-grade talisman, the Thousand Sword Qi Talisman, and another brought a liquid filled with the essence of many plants.
The new one was not to be outdone, producing a treasure like the Thunderfire Pearl.
Comparing with the other quality Spirit Firefly Grasses, the cultivation gained varied from three months to six months to nine months, with the others mainly being first-grade talismans and no-grade techniques, the best being the first-grade Gengjin Sword Art.
"I must work harder in farming, not for the sake of seeking perfect rewards."
"I simply want to experience the heavy harvest that comes from hard work."
Lu Xuan stored the Thunderfire Pearl in his storage bag, firm in his resolve.
(End of Chapter)