Chapter 17 Cooperation_1

"Every Spirit Plant yields something different from the white light cluster upon maturity."

After harvesting two different Spirit Plants, Lu Xuan gradually uncovered some patterns within.

When Spirit Firefly Grass matured, the light cluster produced varying amounts of cultivation levels, low-grade formula methods, and first-grade talismans. In contrast, Moon Erosion Fruit yielded primarily magic weapon fragments, elixirs, charms, and, albeit rarely, elixir recipes.

"Perhaps in the future, I can adjust the types of Spirit Plants based on my needs."

However, the most pressing issue he faced now was to swiftly acquire a larger Spirit Field with richer spiritual energy and a more intricate environment suitable for growing various types of Spirit Plants.

Additionally, he desperately needed a storage bag. After all, his possessions were growing increasingly abundant—and items such as charms and elixirs were piling up. He couldn't simply carry them inside his coat every time he ventured out.

Thinking of this, Lu Xuan glanced at the twenty-eight Moon Erosion Fruits piled in his room and decided to sell them to exchange for Spirit Stones.

He packed them carefully into a cloth bag and made his way straight to the destination without stopping—Bai Cao Tang.

The room was saturated with the fragrance of medicinal herbs. Manager He, who had sharp eyes, spotted Lu Xuan and the bulging cloth bag he carried.

"Kid Lu, what's new? Another Spirit Plant matured?"

"Two Moon Erosion Trees have reached maturity. I picked some fruits and came to pay my respects to you, old master."

Lu Xuan laughed as he spoke.

"Paying respects to an old man like me is a facade, isn't it? The real reason is you're here for the Spirit Stones in Bai Cao Tang, I bet."

The thin elder chuckled knowingly.

"Bring out your treasures and let this old man have a look."

Lu Xuan placed the cloth bag on the wooden counter.

"Twenty-eight Moon Erosion Fruits. One is of superior quality, while the others are of good quality."

"Almost all of them are of good quality? You're finally showing some progress, kid!"

Manager He exclaimed in astonishment. Previously, the Spirit Firefly Grass Lu Xuan brought included some good and superior quality clusters, but many were merely ordinary grade. This time, however, all items were above good quality, leaving the manager thoroughly surprised.

"Indeed, they're all above good quality."

He meticulously examined the sizes and luster of each Moon Erosion Fruit to assess their quality.

"Three days away from a man brings new insight, doesn't it…"

The thin elder gazed at Lu Xuan, sighing with emotion.

He still remembered how this teenage boy first entered Bai Cao Tang years ago, bringing a few ordinary, run-of-the-mill Spirit Firefly Grass stalks, eager to sell them.

Bai Cao Tang had its own steady supply chain and typically didn't purchase from small Loose Cultivators like him. However, seeing the boy's resolute and determined expression at the time, the elder had felt a pang of compassion and agreed to the proposition.

And now, the boy had grown into a Spirit Plant Master who could effortlessly produce high-quality Spiritual Medicine.

A wave of sentiment welled up within the thin elder, only to be interrupted by the boy's sharp remark.

"Manager He, what are you zoning out for? Are you perhaps scheming how to swindle me?"

"You rascal!"

Manager He cursed, laughing.

"Good-quality Moon Erosion Fruit fetches ten Broken Spirits per Spirit Stone apiece. That superior-quality one will earn you an extra twenty Broken Spirits."

"Deal."

Having compared prices around other pharmacies and stalls, Lu Xuan knew this was quite a fair offer and readily agreed.

Although the price of Moon Erosion Fruit was significantly lower than Spirit Firefly Grass, a single Moon Erosion Tree could yield over twenty fruits—making its overall value far superior.

Manager He handed over thirty-two "Low-grade Spirit Stones" to Lu Xuan and curiously asked, "Hey, Kid Lu, let's be honest. Has your planting skill improved significantly? Producing this many good-quality Spirit Fruits isn't simply a lucky coincidence."

"It has indeed improved."

"But it's come at a great sacrifice."

"I've merely channeled the time other cultivators spend on cultivation and exploring Secret Lands into planting Spirit Plants."

*To cultivate higher-quality Spirit Plants, I've entirely abandoned my naïve dream of becoming a powerful cultivator. Now, all I want is to grow Spirit Plants peacefully and live the humble life of a Spirit Plant Master.*"

Lu Xuan's gaze drifted into nothingness as he tried to maintain the image of a simple Spirit Plant Master.

"That's not a bad mindset—at least it's relatively safe. You won't have to fight tooth and nail for a slim chance at destiny. Who knows, you might even live longer than most of them."

"Plus, if you continue improving at this rate, your identity as a Spirit Plant Master could earn you quite a high status."

The thin elder echoed Lu Xuan's sentiments, consoling him.

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Speaking of which, I mentioned before that if you consistently exhibit such planting prowess, I'd reward you with a chance at destiny."

"As you know, Bai Cao Tang has a renowned Alchemist—one of the leading figures in alchemy throughout Linyang Market—who supervises many alchemy apprentices."

"Hence, the demand for elixir materials is immense. Bai Cao Tang also owns several spacious Spirit Fields, hiring Spirit Plant Masters specifically to cultivate the requisite Spiritual Medicine."

"Although my rank isn't particularly high, I do have a certain degree of influence within Bai Cao Tang. I could recommend you for collaboration with them."

"How would this collaboration work?" Lu Xuan asked, intrigued.

"There are generally two models. The first involves hiring Spirit Plant Masters directly to cultivate Spiritual Medicine for Bai Cao Tang. The cultivated medicine then becomes property of Bai Cao Tang, with the Spirit Plant Masters receiving fixed compensation."

"Better-quality Spiritual Medicine naturally earns considerable rewards."

"This model provides a stable planting environment, allowing you to focus on cultivation without any outside distractions."

"The second model is simpler. Bai Cao Tang sells Spiritual Seeds at low prices to collaborating Spirit Plant Masters while agreeing that once the Spirit Plants mature, Bai Cao Tang has priority purchasing rights. Risks and profits are borne solely by the Spirit Plant Masters."

"Of course, Bai Cao Tang wouldn't exploit its priority rights. If the purchase price deviates significantly from competitors, Spirit Plant Masters are free to make their decisions."

Lu Xuan nodded in understanding—the two models each had their pros and cons.

The first offered greater stability, ensuring both personal and Spirit Field security, albeit with less freedom.

The second carried higher risks but also the potential for greater wealth. For someone content with being an ordinary Spirit Plant Master, the first option was the safer choice.

However, Lu Xuan had never enjoyed feeling restrained. Plus, due to the white light clusters in his Spirit Fields, having the freedom to explore various possibilities was especially vital to him.

"Manager He, I've grown used to my carefree ways and dislike being overly controlled. If I'm to collaborate, I'll go with the second option."

Lu Xuan was more than eager for someone to provide him with Spiritual Seeds.

"Very well, I'll report this to my superiors. Once everything's settled, I'll notify you when you come back."

"Great, thanks a lot, Manager He."

Lu Xuan cupped his hands toward the thin elder, expressing his gratitude.

The elder's kindness was palpable to Lu Xuan, deeply etched into his heart.

"With this decided, the top priority becomes securing a larger and better Spirit Field."

Lu Xuan felt this desire becoming ever more urgent and resolute.