You Cultivate, I Farm

After exhausting four iron-clawed crab hatchlings, when their claws weakened, Lu Xuan let them rest, not fully satisfied yet.

He tossed them into the Spirit Spring Pool, tossed in a handful of spirit rice as a reward.

"These iron-clawed crabs are much more energetic than the red-whiskered carps. Finding them something to do could help drain their energy," Lu Xuan thought, smiling as he gazed at the exhausted crab hatchlings lying still at the bottom of the Spirit Spring Pool.

He scattered fine iron ore near the Copper Bone Bamboo, letting them absorb it to their heart's content.

Approaching the four mature Blood Jade Ginseng plants, Lu Xuan noticed a sensation, like thinning skin on an object. As the ginseng grew, it seemed on the verge of bursting.

Quickly, Lu Xuan peeled off the refined spirits that congealed from the four Blood Jade Ginseng plants, processed them slightly, and placed them into a specially crafted jade box.

The refined spirits from the four Blood Jade Ginseng plants amounted to twenty-eight, each plump like blood jade. Yet, Lu Xuan felt a twinge of regret as he didn't receive a luminous reward when picking these refined spirits from the mature Blood Jade Ginseng plants.

"Perhaps during the refinement process, it required a significant amount of the plant's matured spirit power, rendering it ineffective for normal harvesting and consequently, no luminous reward," Lu Xuan speculated. However, acquiring twenty-eight refined spirits from the Blood Jade Ginseng plants left him quite content.

What delighted him even more was the discovery that the second-grade Dark Marrow Fungus had entered its complete maturity stage while he was checking on it.

"After nurturing it carefully for over a year, I've finally succeeded in cultivating the first second-grade spirit plant," Lu Xuan exclaimed with mixed emotions. The growth cycle for a nameless spirit plant ranged from several months to a year for a first-grade plant and around two years for a second-grade plant.

Since his time at the courtyard in the northern district of the market, he had planted the Dark Marrow Fungus and Sword Grass. After more than a year in the new courtyard and with his diligent nurturing, his moderate skill in Wood Growth Technique to a certain extent hastened its growth, finally allowing it to mature.

Amidst the densely packed dark red fungal filaments, the Dark Marrow Fungus hid, with dark red viscous liquid flowing through vein-like channels.

Concentrating on the mature Dark Marrow Fungus, Lu Xuan instantly sensed its excellent quality.

"Despite the moderate concentration of spiritual energy in the spiritual field and the fungus's extreme light aversion, which cannot be fully avoided, along with the difficulty in obtaining high-quality decayed spirit wood, cultivating a fine second-grade spirit plant under these conditions is quite challenging," Lu Xuan reflected.

His spiritual power passed through numerous dark red fungal filaments, seemingly prompting them to split apart, revealing the core of the Dark Marrow Fungus.

Carefully harvesting it, Lu Xuan immediately placed it inside a wooden box wrapped in black cloth, storing it in his storage bag.

The second-grade Dark Marrow Fungus could be used to refine certain body-refining elixirs or directly consumed to enhance a cultivator's physique. Yet, Lu Xuan hadn't decided how to use it just yet.

His primary focus lay on the luminous reward brought by the Dark Marrow Fungus.

With anticipation in his eyes, Lu Xuan looked towards the spot where the Dark Marrow Fungus was housed in the wooden shed. A fist-sized white luminous orb was faintly flickering.

He gently reached out and touched the surface of the orb.

Instantly, countless tiny luminous dots, akin to the movement of the Milky Way, streamed into Lu Xuan's body.

A thought flashed in his mind.

"[Harvested one Dark Marrow Fungus, obtained a third-grade artifact, Concealing Spirit Robe.]"

As the thought passed, a garment as delicate as a cicada's wing appeared in his hand.

The robe was a dark gold color, occasionally displaying nearly transparent threads on its surface that appeared and vanished abruptly.

"Concealing Spirit Robe, a third-grade artifact that can conceal a cultivator's aura and spiritual power. When spiritual power is activated, the cultivator can activate the artifact, concealing their form. However, this concealment is short-lived, consumes a significant amount of spiritual power, allows only slow movement, and reveals the form when under attack," the information resonated within Lu Xuan's mind.

"A third-grade artifact!" Lu Xuan felt elated; this was his second third-grade treasure after the Third-Grade Pure Jade.

And its functionality surpassed expectations.

Lu Xuan had quickly advanced his cultivation to the seventh layer of Qi cultivation with his ordinary aptitude. Naturally, he couldn't risk exposing his true cultivation level in a familiar environment.

The previously acquired Concealment Technique might become inadequate as he encountered more advanced cultivators. This Concealing Spirit Robe compensated well for this. Being a third-grade artifact, it had entered the Foundation Establishment category. Even if early to mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators probed, it would be challenging for them to detect.

Without delay, Lu Xuan removed his clothes, draped the dark gold robe over himself, and channeled spiritual power into the robe.

Instantly, a massive suction force emanated from within the artifact, causing a significant portion of Lu Xuan's spiritual power to vanish.

The nearly transparent threads on the dark gold robe began moving, gaining speed. After a few moments, Lu Xuan felt as if a thin, special substance enveloped his surroundings.

This created a vague sense of detachment and unreality in the world as he perceived it.

Approaching the edge of the Spirit Spring Pool, Lu Xuan peered down.

In the pool, the four iron-clawed crab hatchlings lay quietly at the bottom, the water clear, wisps of spiritual energy rising gently.

Yet, there was no reflection of Lu Xuan on the water's surface.

Seeing Lu Xuan suddenly disappear, the Cloud-Stepping Lynx nearby froze in place. Rarely did a hint of emotion appear in its emerald eyes, looking around in confusion.

"Howl..."

It emitted a low, urgent cry.

Lu Xuan swiftly returned from his concealed state, arriving in front of the Cloud-Stepping Lynx, tugging at the two tufts of grayish-white fur on its ear tips.

The lynx regained its elegant demeanor, giving Lu Xuan a cold look before walking away.

Lu Xuan summed up his experience using the third-grade Concealing Spirit Robe.

"The artifact can cover the entire body but within a limited range, restricted to the vicinity of the body."

"The rate of spiritual power consumption is too fast. Even with my seventh layer of Qi cultivation driving a third-grade artifact of the Foundation Establishment stage, it's somewhat challenging."

"However, the effect is quite remarkable; it can conceal my form, enabling me to avoid some risks."

Lu Xuan smiled faintly, feeling oddly familiar with his act of concealing his form.

"The Transparent Cultivation Realm or something..."

He quipped, not immediately stowing the Concealing Spirit Robe but draping it over himself and covering it with a green shirt.

The Concealing Spirit Robe was

 as light as a cicada's wing and weightless when worn, almost unnoticeable.

"The second-grade Dark Marrow Fungus has matured, and the second-grade Sword Grass should be close too," Lu Xuan thought, eyeing the plain and unadorned Sword Grass nearby.

By now, the Sword Grass resembled an ordinary sword blade, about three feet long, entirely black, standing upright with its tip piercing the sky.

"Almost there, almost there."

Lu Xuan focused his attention on the Sword Grass, observing the progress bar that was nearing completion beneath it, filled with anticipation.

After surveying the spiritual field, in the area of the Spirit Firefly Grass, one hundred and twenty plants had rapidly matured. After a thorough search, Lu Xuan found fifteen fully mature Spirit Firefly Grass plants.

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