Chapter 18 Threat (Please follow and read)_1

"Brother Lu, what do you think of this Spirit Field?"

In the spacious courtyard, Lu Xuan strolled slowly, carefully observing his surroundings.

A young cultivator at the First Level of Qi Cultivation, with a scar on his face, followed closely behind him.

The young man bent slightly at the waist and squeezed out an extraordinarily enthusiastic smile.

"The owner of this courtyard used to be an Intermediate-Level Qi Practitioner cultivator, but during one outing, they never returned. It was later mortgaged by their descendants, and our Tooth Row acquired it for rental."

"The Spirit Field right here spans nearly an acre, with dense spiritual energy. The courtyard is situated adjacent to the Loose Cultivation Market, with guards patrolling the area, ensuring significant safety."

"Additionally, that chicken coop up ahead was inscribed with Cleanliness, Stability, and Soundproofing charms by the previous owner, making it quite suitable for raising Spirit Beasts or Spirit Birds."

"It is indeed good, but I still need to consider it."

Lu Xuan responded calmly.

Over the past few days, he had taken some time off to inspect several Spirit Fields through the agents at Tooth Row.

These Spirit Fields were several times, if not dozens of times, larger than his current field. The spiritual energy was also far denser, offering various conveniences.

One of the courtyards even had a Spirit Field spanning over an acre and contained a Spiritual Spring within it!

This stirred a great longing in Lu Xuan's heart, but upon inquiring about the rental cost, he was swiftly brought back to reality.

Among the Spirit Fields he viewed, even the cheapest required forty Spirit Stones per month in rent, while the one with the Spiritual Spring demanded sixty Spirit Stones per month. Rent payments were required for a minimum of six months at a time.

Recently, Lu Xuan went from prolonged poverty to sudden wealth, amassing a fortune of nearly three hundred Spirit Stones, which led to some unchecked inflation in his ego.

*Now he realized that this amount of Spirit Stones fell woefully short when it came to real needs; accumulating wealth still required time.*

Reflecting on this, Lu Xuan turned to the scarred agent and said:

"I'll go back and consider this. If I'm interested, I'll get in touch with you."

With that, he turned away and left.

After Lu Xuan's figure disappeared into the distance, the scar-faced agent couldn't help but spit in frustration.

"What an idiot. A little scattered cultivator at the Second Layer of Qi Cultivation dreaming of renting such a Spirit Field, sheer delusion!"

"Wasted my damn time!"

Lu Xuan furrowed his brows slightly. Having reached the Third Layer of Qi Cultivation, his five senses were far keener than before, allowing him to vaguely catch the scar-faced cultivator's disparaging mutterings.

He let out a smirking laugh, unfazed by a broker's obsequious front and dismissive back. Quietly, he made a mental note to blacklist the agent and never approach him for Spirit Field consultations again.

*"In the past, I always thought I was too poor, so miserly that I couldn't bear to feed a Broken Spirit to the Grass Puppet."*

*"Now, with a net worth of three hundred Spirit Stones, I can feed one to the Grass Puppet and even—forget one—two if I wished."*

*"Yet, why do I still feel unbearably poor?"*

The realization washed over him with bitter clarity.

"I need to work harder to earn Spirit Stones."

After taking a few days off, Zhang Hong headed again to the Wilderness Mystery, while Zhang Xiu Yuan refocused on his work during these days.

The two resumed their collaborative efforts: Zhang Xiu Yuan would locate scattered cultivators burdened by pest infestations, while Lu Xuan handled the pest removal side of the bargain.

Frequent use deepened Lu Xuan's mastery of the Golden Sword Technique. His efficient extermination of pests, coupled with affordability, earned him recognition among the loose cultivators in the North District.

Where once Zhang Xiu Yuan had to actively seek out customers, now they approached on their own. On busy days, there was even a need to form a queue.

On one such day, Lu Xuan pocketed five Spirit Stones. Accompanied by a grateful scattered cultivator who insisted on seeing him off, he walked out of a dilapidated courtyard.

"Friend Lu, what a coincidence running into you here."

A warm voice reached his ears.

Lu Xuan turned his gaze in the direction of the voice and saw a plump, smiling cultivator at the corner, observing Lu Xuan and Zhang Xiu Yuan with twinkling eyes.

*"Coincidence my ass. The North District is vast; the odds of crossing paths are slim. Clearly, he's been waiting for me."*

Lu Xuan griped inwardly but responded with an amiable smile.

"Ah, it's Fellow Qin. Long time no see. Your cultivation seems to have grown even deeper. Truly a role model for us scattered cultivators."

"You flatter me, truly. But on the contrary, Friend Lu has thoroughly surprised me. To think, a few months ago, you were still inviting me to handle infestations as a scattered cultivator at the Second Layer of Qi Cultivation. Now, you've advanced to handling them easily on your own."

Qin Ming sighed, genuinely astonished that the once insignificant low-ranking cultivator had become proficient in sword techniques, now proving to be a rival in pest control solutions.

"It's mere luck. Compared to senior you, I'm still a far cry off."

Lu Xuan's gaze revealed faint reminiscing.

"Everything began with that pest infestation. Since that day, to prevent pests from harming the Spirit Plants in my fields again, I resolved to spend my entire fortune on acquiring a sword technique."

"After months of hard practice, combined perhaps with a sliver of talent in Sword Dao, I've achieved what I have today."

"However, given my low cultivation level, I can only wield the sword technique two or three times a day; this restricts me to earning a meager amount of Spirit Stones."

Knowing that business interests could pit him against other cultivators solving pest infestations, especially Qin Ming—a prominent figure in the North District—Lu Xuan had long mentally prepared for such encounters.

He calmly delivered the conciliatory speech he'd rehearsed: an explanation that his actions stemmed from basic subsistence needs due to his limited cultivation, thus posing minimal threat to Qin Ming's lucrative operations.

"I see."

Qin Ming nodded slightly.

"Still, Friend Lu, you're young and should prioritize cultivation above all. It might be better to intervene less in pest-related matters."

Qin Ming maintained his smiling expression as he stared into Lu Xuan's eyes. Both advice and veiled threat intertwined.

"Thank you, Fellow Qin, for the advice. I know what to do in my heart."

Lu Xuan replied nonchalantly while pulling Zhang Xiu Yuan away.

As they walked, Lu Xuan acutely felt a subtle gaze lingering on his back the entire time.

*"The North District has plenty of scattered cultivators, and I've already declared I'm just earning a few Spirit Stones. So what's with the threatening attitude?"*

He seethed inwardly, frustrated that despite showing weakness, Qin Ming refused to relent, inflaming his irritation further.

Suddenly, Lu Xuan paused, a thought crystallizing in his mind.

As the idea took root, his unease intensified. Finally, Lu Xuan stopped walking altogether and grabbed Zhang Xiu Yuan's shoulder.

"Little Yuan, Uncle Lu needs you to help me with something."

"Go to the house of that companion of yours who's dealing with pest infestations and ask if they've hired a plump middle-rank white cultivator specializing in Ice System Techniques."

"If so, ask for specific details about how they handled the Black Bud Worm larvae post-infestation."

"You're young, so they won't guard their words with you. Find out everything you can. I'll stay outside to keep watch. You don't have to worry about safety."

Seeing Lu Xuan's grave expression, the ever-perceptive Zhang Xiu Yuan grasped the gravity of the situation. His lips pressed tightly as he nodded solemnly.

The two arrived at the house of a scattered cultivator described by Zhang Xiu Yuan. Outside the courtyard, Zhang Xiu Yuan called out, and a same-aged youth invited him inside.

Lu Xuan gripped a few charms in his hand, standing silently as he waited for Zhang Xiu Yuan to return.