You Cultivate, I Farm

A slender youth fetched four young iron-clawed crabs from a pool using a sturdy small wooden barrel and sealed the barrel shut, leaving only a few small holes for ventilation.

Lu Xuan handed over eighty spiritual stones to him and headed home with the wooden barrel.

On the way, the barrel occasionally made clanking sounds as the iron-clawed crabs inside struggled.

After half a moment, upon returning home, the Cloud-Treading Lynx leaped off Lu Xuan's shoulder, gracefully entering the spiritual field.

Lu Xuan brought the wooden barrel to the edge of the spiritual spring pool, opened the sealed plank, and the most arrogant crab-like creature, wielding a pair of large blade-like claws, jumped out, flaunting its might towards Lu Xuan, seemingly rebelling against being confined in the airtight wooden barrel.

The other three followed suit, lining up arrogantly.

Inside the barrel, there were marks of varying depths, evidence of the prowess of these first-grade iron-clawed crabs and their formidable claws.

"It's up to you now. Train them well so they understand the rules of the Lu family," Lu Xuan instructed the Cloud-Treading Lynx beside him.

The Lynx moved slowly and gracefully toward the four iron-clawed crabs.

Unafraid, one of the crabs, wielding its greenish-black claws longer than its body, charged directly at the Lynx's cloud-like paw, fiercely clamping down.

With a gentle pat, the Lynx immediately subdued the most arrogant young crab, while the other three attacked, clamping at its paws and short tail.

The Lynx lightly leaped out of the encirclement, rhythmically patting their shells, subduing each one.

The four iron-clawed crabs finally recognized their situation, obediently lying on the ground, though the rolling eyes atop their heads betrayed their lack of sincerity.

Lu Xuan picked up the motionless crabs and tossed them into the spiritual spring pool.

Nourished by the pure spiritual spring, the crabs became agile again, scurrying aimlessly within the pool.

Lu Xuan focused his mind on them, thoughts flashing through his head.

"Iron-clawed crabs, first-grade demonic creatures, highly aggressive, with formidable and sharp claws. Once raised, their shells can be used to forge defensive artifacts."

"Omnivorous creatures, fed with minced demonic beast meat, spiritual rice, water grass, and the like."

"Domineering, they clamp down on everything!"

Information about the iron-clawed crabs flooded Lu Xuan's mind.

"Clamp down on everything? If they dare clamp down on my Pure Snow Lotus, I'll deal with them," Lu Xuan coldly snorted, using Earth Attraction Technique to enclose the Pure Snow Lotus.

After becoming familiar with the environment of the spiritual spring pool, the most active young crab started becoming restless, its claws climbing the walls slowly.

"Being so unruly, they might escape early."

Lu Xuan called forth a grass puppet and instructed it, "When patrolling the spiritual field, come around the spiritual spring pool more often. If you see any iron-clawed crabs climbing out, throw them back into the pool."

As night fell, one young iron-clawed crab strenuously climbed up the edge of the spiritual spring pool, crossing over onto the shore.

Its bulging eyes scanned the surroundings in the hazy night.

Finding everything normal and the monster that had tormented it during the day gone without a trace, the young crab's eyes rolled even faster, visibly excited.

It dashed across the ground, looking for an exit.

Suddenly, a grey-black grass rope silently appeared behind the young crab, slithering in from underneath.

Sensing something amiss, the crab adjusted its stance, raising its claws high, attempting to cleave the unseen threat.

Though slow, the grey-black grass rope remained hidden behind the crab, occasionally coiling around its legs.

Soon enough, the young crab found itself tied up by the rope.

The grass puppet, with its massive head, slowly retracted the rope until it was holding a short length of it.

Approaching the edge of the spiritual spring pool, it extended its arm, and the grey-black rope continued to spread until reaching the center of the pool, where it held the bound crab. With a snap, the crab fell into the pool, splashing water onto the pristine white lotus and rolling off the leaves.

The next morning, Lu Xuan rose early to begin another day as a spiritual cultivator.

He first inspected the spiritual field, then performed techniques like Spiritual Rain and Wood Growth based on the growth status of the spiritual plants.

After completing these tasks, he grabbed a handful of spiritual rice from the house and sprinkled it into the spiritual spring pool.

The four iron-clawed crabs, exhausted from their nightly antics, noticed the rice grains falling. Having their fill, they deftly clamped the plump grains with their claws and stuffed them into their mouths.

"If you're so good at clamping, I'll find something for you to do."

Once they were satiated, Lu Xuan, eyeing their sturdy claws, had an idea. He took out the most arrogant young crab from the pool and placed a fist-sized piece of fine iron ore beneath its claws.

Upon seeing the offering, the young crab immediately clamped the ore between its claws and forcefully split it in half.

"Next."

Lu Xuan brought another piece.

The young crab snapped it in half again.

"Next."

This continued, turning a fist-sized piece of fine iron ore into hundreds of shards. The edges of the crab's claws began to whiten from the repeated strain.

Every time Lu Xuan presented the ore, it couldn't help but clamp down.

"Haha, again!"

Lu Xuan laughed heartily, summoning a small pile of iron ore in front of the crab. Its claws trembled involuntarily.

Lu Xuan then retrieved the other three crabs from the pool, setting them to work as well.

"We've sorted out the shattered copper iron ore needed for the Copper Bone Bamboo. With these iron-clawed crabs, I won't have to do it myself."

Feeling pleased, Lu Xuan contemplated how the Copper Bone Bamboo required fragmented copper iron ore for rapid growth. Smaller ore sizes made absorption easier, and previously, he had struggled with cutting the ore using Silver Cracking Blades and Red Thread Needles, which was time-consuming and laborious.

Now, things were much easier.

Watching the young crabs still diligently clamping down on the ore, Lu Xuan remarked, "Don't slack off. Keep clamping, a hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times. Only then can you push your limits. When you become stronger, then you can attack me!"

Whenever a crab relaxed, Lu Xuan urged them on.

The sound of their claws snapping the iron ore continuously filled the air, a pleasing rhythm.

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