50: A cunning rabbit has three burrows, the second one being...

[teleportation room: Level 2]

[Level 3 Effect: Teleportation range increased to 10,000 li.]

[Upgrade Requirements: Mid-Grade Spirit Stone * 3, Physique Foundation Establishment]

"Ten thousand li... but why this requirement for Physique Foundation Establishment?"

Lu Xian pondered for a moment; perhaps long-distance teleportation required higher physical strength?

While 100% success was guaranteed, whether what arrived was a living person or a pile of mangled flesh was another matter... However, the current range of six thousand li was more than enough; the ten thousand li of Level 3 could even reach the neighboring county.

In Lu Xian's layout, within the Foundation Establishment Stage, focusing on Qingyun County was sufficient.

"Unless there's a special situation, there's no need to start anew for now. Next..."

A sharp glint flashed in Lu Xian's eyes.

"The plan for the Second Immortal Cave, initiate!"

The effect of the [teleportation room] met his expectations.

Lu Xian's heart, which had been slightly hanging in suspense, finally settled.

In his far-sighted planning, the small courtyard in the Shantytown outside the city, serving as the first Immortal Cave, still needed enhanced concealment.

A cunning rabbit has three burrows; as a practitioner of the Dao of Survival, it wouldn't be excessive for Lu Xian to arrange ten Immortal Caves!

Conveniently, there was one set of raw Materials for the A Bridge of So close yet so far left.

In the coming days, he needed to settle his heart again and produce the second set of formation bases.

Entering the formation chamber, he was adept thanks to his previous experience.

Not a single mistake was made.

Half a month later.

The formation stones and Formation Flags were all completed.

Lu Xian took a sip of soul settling tea to alleviate the throbbing pain in his Niwan Palace.

Refining formations continuously at such high intensity consumed a massive amount of Divine Sense, something ordinary Cultivators simply couldn't endure.

Fortunately, the Level 2 [bedroom] had the effect of repairing the Divine Soul.

Although Lu Xian's Divine Soul was unharmed, after a night's sound sleep, he woke up the next day feeling refreshed. All hidden fatigue had vanished, and his condition reached its Peak.

"Phew—"

Taking a few breaths of the rising sun's Qi, he felt that life was wonderful.

Back to work!

In the months since returning from the auction, Lu Xian had almost no free time. He was either studying formations or making formation bases, deeply immersed and unable to extricate himself.

Daily tasks were sidelined, and even the Three Treasures of Wealth Generation had been neglected for a long time.

Stepping into the backyard, he saw over a hundred Spirit Fowl in a dozen large cages, on the verge of death and so hungry they had begun to cannibalize each other.

"Little Fatty Du handles ten Spirit Fowl a month, while the Level 2 chicken coop can produce nearly sixty... that's too slow. Moreover, they now provide negligible help for Body Refining; it's a bit of a waste."

Lu Xian frowned slightly.

"It happens to be the end of the month. Once the second Immortal Cave is set up next month, there'll be no need to find secret locations for handovers, and I can be a bit more bold in my actions."

Lu Xian calculated in his mind.

If he calculated based on selling 40 Spirit Fowl and 500 eggs per month, the income would exceed 1,300 Spirit Stones.

Combined with the future output from the spirit fields and livestock pens, the rare materials needed for upgrading to Level 3 buildings would not be out of reach.

"But the prerequisite for all this is successfully deploying the second Immortal Cave and hiding this place completely behind the scenes. This way, the risk of exposure will be greatly reduced, and I'll only need to watch out for the occasional brainless thief who stumbles upon the door."

Thinking of this, Lu Xian took out the quasi-immortal jade token.

「Han Feiyu: Brother Du, I have a plan that requires you to step forward and handle...」

He explained briefly.

Du Qinghong would step forward to purchase an independent courtyard in the city.

Over the past year, because of his continuous sales of Spirit Fowl products, Du Qinghong had already earned the nickname "Brother Chicken" in the Loose Cultivator circles of Qingyun County.

This time, the goal was for him to fully solidify this persona.

While he himself would control everything from behind the scenes.

The message was sent and an immediate reply was received.

「Du Qinghong: Brother Han, you've decided to expand the scale?!」

At this time, in the city, on a busy street lined with stalls.

Du Qinghong stood by a basket containing ten Jade Marrow Eggs, his face glowing with suppressed excitement.

Brother Han is finally going to make a big move! My great Opportunity has arrived!

An indescribable joy surged in his heart as he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Selling spirit eggs! Fifty spirit fragments each! Mortals eat them for health, Cultivators eat them to strengthen the body!"

"Yo, Brother Chicken, still at the old spot today? Give me two."

A regular customer approached.

"Brother Chicken, I'll take one. Haven't had one in a month, just for a taste."

"Indeed! Ever since I started eating Brother Chicken's eggs, it's like I'm addicted. Eating the same kind from other places is as bland as can be!"

"Exactly, sometimes when the craving hits, I can't wait to crack one open immediately."

Within half an hour, the spirit eggs were sold out.

Du Qinghong didn't stop, heading straight to the Land Affairs Bureau to purchase a courtyard.

Remembering Lu Xian's instructions, he deliberately chose a courtyard near the core area where Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivators gathered.

The annual rent was one hundred Spirit Stones, something no ordinary Cultivator could afford.

But Du Qinghong was full of confidence, grandly tossing out 210 Spirit Stones!

"Does Brother Chicken lack this much? Rent it for two years first!"

The clerk on duty sized him up and silently prepared the spiritual contract documents.

The Land Bureau was a lucrative office, and ten Spirit Stones was quite a bit; the clerk felt he should look after this Brother Chicken more in the future.

Taking the credentials, Du Qinghong thought to himself: Being this flamboyant should be in line with Brother Han's wishes.

I just wonder what earth-shattering plan Brother Han has next?

Following Brother Han, I really do reap benefit after benefit!

...「Du Qinghong: Brother, it's done. The courtyard is in Section A, Number 99. The neighbors are all somewhat famous Loose Cultivators in the city, and the innermost layer consists of the compounds of several Foundation Establishment Families...」

After reading, Lu Xian nodded in satisfaction.

His plan was simple: turn Du Qinghong into the public representative of a "small clan."

All future actions would need to align with this.

As the saying goes, a minor hermit hides in the wild, but a great hermit hides in the city.

What Lu Xian wanted to do was to be a puppet master right under the noses of various forces!

Three days later, in the dead of night.

Lu Xian took the Formation Flags and formation stones for the A Bridge of So close yet so far, moving like the wind into the city, through the silent streets, and arrived at the designated courtyard.

"Knock, knock-knock."

The heavy gate slowly opened, and Du Qinghong, who had been waiting for a long time, whispered, "Brother, you're here. Please come in quickly; I've already cleaned everything up."

Lu Xian nodded and entered, giving the place a general sweep with his eyes.

The courtyard wasn't large, covering one mu, with only a front yard and buildings, surrounded by other people's alleys.

In a city where land was as expensive as gold, this was truly rare.

The concentration of Spiritual Qi was slightly higher than in the Shantytown.

At an annual rent of one hundred Spirit Stones, the value for money was decent.

Lu Xian paced out the measurements, calculating the positions.

As he moved, he casually set up a Sound-Isolating Formation and a Spirit-Severing Formation.

With experts all around, he had to isolate the movements inside the courtyard first to avoid detection.

The moment the formations were activated, several faint strands of Divine Sense that had been drifting within the courtyard vanished instantly.

"It seems my neighbors aren't very friendly."

Lu Xian sneered inwardly; this was exactly what he wanted.

【Ding! Second Immortal Cave detected. Open the upgrade panel?】

"Here it comes!"

Lu Xian's spirits lifted.

He had been a bit uncertain before whether the System would recognize a new location, but now it seemed he had worried for nothing.

"Expand!"

The next moment, the information slowly updated.

【Immortal Cave: Level 0】

【bedroom: Level 0】

【cultivation chamber: Level 0】

【Kitchen: Level 0】

【Storage Room: Level 0】

【Latrine: Level 0】

【Reminder: For the same type of building already upgraded at another location, re-upgrading costs half the materials!】

"Holy crap."

Lu Xian wasn't surprised at first looking at the first three buildings.

But seeing the newly added [Kitchen], [Storage Room], and [Latrine], he felt quite pleased.

But when his gaze fell upon the final reminder, he completely lost his composure!

Materials halved!

A supreme sense of getting something for nothing echoed in Lu Xian's mind.

"Tsk,That's so thoughtful!... Fine, I admit, the help from Big Bro Cheat... well, it's more than just a little. Twenty percent! No more than that!"

The corners of Lu Xian's mouth curled up uncontrollably.

He turned to look at Du Qinghong and said, "Do you know what to do in the future?"

"Brother, just watch!"

Du Qinghong patted his chest in assurance. "Isn't it just playing the part of a young master? Don't forget, that's how I started out in this business!"

Lu Xian then recalled that if it hadn't been for the matter with the Chen Family, the two of them wouldn't have met.

This Little Fatty Du had originally relied on fooling that family, calling himself the "Third Young Master of the Wang Family" to swindle people... Lu Xian deeply affirmed his professional competence.