Seeing Lu Xuan's subtle movements, the three of them exchanged glances and moved to a corner of the hall.
"This young man keeps talking about some secret technique, but it’s obvious he wants Spirit Stones. What do you both think?" one of them said.
"I think we should give it a try. If his method really works, it could benefit us greatly. If we can grow perfect quality Spirit Firefly Grass, we’ll make a lot of Spirit Stones and gain a good reputation," another replied.
"Still, what if his claims turn out to be false, and we waste our Spirit Stones?" the third person expressed concern.
"Since he’s also a Spiritual Plant Cultivator from Hundred Herbs Hall, if we get cheated, we can find him through the Hall," the first one reassured.
After a brief discussion, they approached Lu Xuan again.
"Lu Dao You, we three are willing to offer sixty Spirit Stones in exchange for your method to grow perfect quality Spirit Firefly Grass. What do you think?" one of them proposed.
"The method is not to be shared lightly. Growing perfect Spiritual Plants involves many factors, so I hope you three can understand," Lu Xuan replied, his tone softening from 'secret technique' to 'not to be shared lightly.'
It was clear what he meant: he wanted more money!
The three returned to the corner, quietly debating among themselves before coming back to Lu Xuan.
"One hundred Spirit Stones, that’s our final offer. Lu Dao You, as fellow wandering Spiritual Plant Cultivators, you should understand how hard it is to earn Spirit Stones. This is the most we can gather," said the dark-skinned middle-aged cultivator with a pained expression.
Lu Xuan wasn’t interested in their backgrounds, but he knew that one hundred Spirit Stones was indeed a significant amount. Perfect quality Spirit Firefly Grass didn’t cost much more than other qualities, and he would need to grow many high-quality ones to earn back that amount.
"The method is for those with fate. Meeting you three here shows our deep connection. I will share the cultivation method with you," Lu Xuan said.
"The principle is simple. Based on the growth needs of the Spiritual Plants, shift from broad techniques to more refined methods, like using Spirit Rain Technique, Earth Summoning Technique, and Wood Growth Technique, applied just right to the plants. This way, they can achieve the best growth."
"As for the timing for these refined techniques, you’ll have to explore that on your own."
"I see!" the three exclaimed, enlightenment dawning on them.
"Every Spiritual Plant has different needs during its growth. Even slight differences can add up and affect the quality at maturity."
"Refined cultivation can solve these problems to the greatest extent."
"Dao You, I understand now!" one of them said, their faces showing gratitude. Lu Xuan’s method was indeed simple, but not many Spiritual Plant Cultivators were willing to adopt it.
After all, for most cultivators, growing Spiritual Plants was just a skill, not as important as actual cultivation.
Soon, they realized this issue.
"If we really follow Lu Dao You’s advice, wouldn’t that mean most of our energy would go into growing plants, leaving little time for cultivation?" the dark-skinned middle-aged cultivator asked, puzzled.
"That’s true," Lu Xuan nodded.
"I know my talent is average, and I have no hope for advancing in cultivation, so I gave up on that path and focused all my time and energy on growing Spiritual Plants, which is how I achieved some minor results."
"As for you three, whether you want to work hard on your cultivation or grow more high-quality Spiritual Plants to earn more Spirit Stones, that’s up to your own choice."
The three pondered this and left one by one.
Lu Xuan watched them go, satisfied as he stored the one hundred Spirit Stones in his storage bag. He felt justified in taking them, without a hint of guilt.
The method he shared was indeed effective. After refining their cultivation techniques, the quality of the plants they grew would surely improve, allowing them to earn more Spirit Stones.
However, Lu Xuan kept the most important point to himself: he could sense the immediate state of the Spiritual Plants and adjust according to their needs.
The three couldn’t do that and would have to explore on their own. They would likely struggle to achieve perfect cultivation, making it hard to grow perfect quality plants.
Moreover, choosing refined cultivation meant they would basically give up on their own cultivation. Unlike Lu Xuan, they didn’t have the benefit of the White Light Orb to gain various treasures and cultivation.
"Do you think I’m really giving up?" Lu Xuan chuckled to himself.
"Actually, I’m just outsmarting you all."
"You’re not just good at growing plants; you’re also quite skilled at earning Spirit Stones," a thin old man said, appearing beside Lu Xuan with a light laugh.
"Of course!" Lu Xuan replied proudly. "I got three Spiritual Plant Cultivators to spend one hundred Spirit Stones with just a few words. Not bad, right?"
"Making one hundred Spirit Stones is indeed impressive, but if your unique method gets out, it could be a loss," Steward He said, sounding somewhat displeased, as if blaming Lu Xuan for leaking the method for a little profit.
"Don’t worry, Steward He, it’s not that simple. The method is one thing, but whether they can actually achieve it is another. If so many Spiritual Plant Cultivators haven’t discovered that refined cultivation can improve plant quality, how many can actually grow perfect quality plants?" Lu Xuan replied calmly.
The thin old man nodded, looking a bit more reassured.
"Come, take those three Pure Wondrous Tea seedlings away."
Lu Xuan followed the old man to a room filled with a fragrant aroma. In the center, a wooden rack held three pots with strange patterns.
Inside the pots were three young tea plants.
The seedlings were about five inches tall. Though they were young, their branches twisted powerfully, creating an odd contrast.
On the branches, three to five tender green tea leaves trembled slightly, fragile yet filled with a strong life force.
"These are the three second-grade Pure Wondrous Tea seedlings."
"They aren’t like the Spirit Firefly Grass, which has no rank; they are much more expensive. You must take good care of them; failure is not an option," Steward He advised Lu Xuan earnestly.
Lu Xuan nodded seriously.
"How many Spirit Stones do these three Pure Wondrous Tea seedlings cost?"
"On the market, Pure Wondrous Tea seedlings generally go for thirty Spirit Stones each, and due to their rarity, they are usually hard to find."
"You have an agreement with Hundred Herbs Hall, so you can get them at a lower price. Take all three for sixty Spirit Stones."
The price was over thirty percent lower, and Lu Xuan felt grateful for establishing such a relatively free cooperation with Hundred Herbs Hall. He was even more thankful to the thin old man who had introduced him.
(End of Chapter)