59: Idle Chess, the first level 3 building

Inside the private room, the atmosphere was slightly stagnant.

"Big Brother Lü, do you think... the other side will agree to our price?"

A Cultivator with a pockmarked face asked.

The elder brother, Lü Ming, took a sip of spirit wine and forced himself to remain calm. "Since he could offer a high price of one thousand Spirit Stones, adding a bit more should be fine. Third Brother, don't say much later; leave everything to me. I must find out his bottom line."

"Sigh... if not for the death of Second Brother and Fifth Sister, and Fourth Brother being heavily injured and in urgent need of Spirit Stones to buy Medicinal Pills, why would we come to this..."

The Third Brother let out a long sigh, his face filled with sorrow.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open.

The two looked up and saw Du Huaigu respectfully leading an ordinary-looking young Cultivator into the room, their eyes widening instantly.

Lü Ming obviously recognized one of the owners of the Hundred Flavors Studio, Du Huaigu!

His previous confidence vanished without a trace.

"Big Brother, this..." The Third Brother was somewhat confused and quickly sent a voice transmission.

Lü Ming gave him a look and hurried to stand and welcome them, adopting an extremely humble posture. "I am Lü Ming. May I ask how to address you, Fellow Daoist? Please, take the seat of honor!"

"Loose Cultivator, Han Feiyu."

Lu Xian's voice was flat as he calmly took the main seat.

"Fellow Daoist Han, I won't disturb you then."

Du Huaigu bowed slightly and took a step back, his gaze seemingly inadvertently sweeping over Lü Ming and his brother, the meaning within being self-evident.

Lü Ming felt even more intimidated.

"Give me your quote." Lu Xian had no intention of exchanging pleasantries and got straight to the point, his presence full of pressure.

"This..."

The situation was completely beyond Lü Ming's expectations.

He had originally planned to order a table of expensive spirit meals first to make the other party pay, establishing dominance and seizing the initiative.

Before he could organize his words, the Third Brother beside him couldn't hold back and shouted loudly:

"You brat, do you know the rules of trading? Hurry up and have someone serve the food! I heard the new Yak Spirit Soup from Hundred Flavors Studio is exceptional. Let's have a taste and see if it really has the Body Refining effect the rumors say!"

The Third Brother had clearly misunderstood, thinking the look Lü Ming gave him earlier meant one should play the bad cop while the other played the good cop.

Lu Xian only spared him a glance.

Lü Ming's forehead broke out in sweat, and he hastily scolded, "Shut up! This is no place for you to speak!"

He then turned to Lu Xian with a compensatory smile. "Fellow Daoist Han, please be magnanimous. My brother here injured his brain during our last expedition and often speaks nonsense. Please don't mind him."

After saying that, he sent a stern voice transmission: "Third Brother, didn't I tell you not to open your mouth?"

Lu Xian nodded slightly and repeated, "Quote your price."

Lü Ming was caught off guard by this style of not following common logic. He couldn't grasp the other party's temperament at all and had no room to bargain.

"Then... one thousand two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones?"

After a moment of hesitation, he finally quoted a price.

There was profit to be made, but compared to their previous losses, Lü Ming couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

"Deal."

Lu Xian was decisive. An extra two hundred stones was of no consequence.

He took out a pile of Spirit Stones.

Lü Yang's calculations had completely failed. The bit of ferocity he had developed from years of fighting in the wild seemed utterly useless before the man in front of him.

He counted the Spirit Stones and carefully released a fluffy Thunder Cloud Tiger Cub from a spirit beast pouch, its body flickering with faint electric arcs.

Then he took out a large box of spirit condensing black soil from his Storage Pouch, weighing a full thirty-some jin!

Lu Xian's eyes lit up.

He naturally wouldn't complain about having too much of the same material, as he could establish multiple Immortal Caves, and there might be several Spirit Fields in the future.

Although the upgrade requirements were halved, it was better to stock up as early as possible.

"Fellow Daoist needs eight jin, right?" As he spoke, Lü Ming prepared to divide it.

"No, I want it all!"

Lu Xian clenched his fist. "I'll add another five hundred Spirit Stones!"

"Deal!"

Lü Ming was overjoyed. Being able to get rid of it all at once was an unexpected surprise.

Suddenly, his mind stirred, and he asked tentatively, "Then, is Fellow Daoist interested in a black bone tree? The fruit produced by this tree can help Yao Beasts grow. If a Cultivator eats it, combined with rare Body Refining secret methods, it can also strengthen the physique, and it can even be used as an ingredient for Alchemy..."

Lü Ming promoted his goods.

"Oh? You even brought the tree back? It's not a dead tree, is it?" Lu Xian asked.

"Uh... Fellow Daoist truly has a Wisdom Eye. This tree was caught in the crossfire during the battle and is indeed half-dead. If Fellow Daoist doesn't want it, then so be it."

Lü Ming was slightly disappointed.

If he had known this earlier, he should have lured the Thunder Cloud Tiger further away before acting.

That way, Second Brother and Fifth Sister wouldn't have died.

"No, I'll take it. Two hundred Spirit Stones."

Lu Xian thought of the [Resurrection] trait of the [Spirit Field] after it reached Rank 3.

"Good, good, good." Lü Ming's previous thoughts of overcharging had long since been cast to the back of his mind.

He only felt that this Fellow Daoist Han's straightforward way of doing things was refreshing.

Calculating it this way, the total harvest from this adventure was two thousand Spirit Stones. Fourth Brother's injury finally had hope!

The exchange of the three items was completed.

Upon parting, Lu Xian asked seemingly casually, "Fellow Daoists, do you search for Opportunity outside all year round?"

This kind of Loose Cultivator who spent years struggling in the wilderness was exactly the high-quality channel he needed.

"Yes, does Fellow Daoist Han have any other requirements? We enter the range of a thousand li around Qingyun City every month to send and receive messages. If you need anything, just ask!"

Lü Ming sensed business.

This was a straightforward and wealthy patron.

"While you are outside, you can help This Han look for these items: Red Marrow Iron, five spirit dew, spirit mulberry wood, Dream Lead Flower... If you find any of these, I will buy them at a high price."

"In addition, any kind of rare Yao Beast cubs or peculiar spirit plant seedlings can also be brought to me. The price will surely satisfy you."

Lu Xian listed a long string of material names.

He wasn't afraid of others knowing.

These Materials had no obvious connection to each other, so no one could guess their true purpose.

Lü Ming listened carefully and nodded repeatedly. "I've noted them down, Fellow Daoist Han. I will definitely keep an eye out!"

He had a premonition that the person before him might be a formidable "thigh" to cling to.

If they could establish a connection, they might not have to live such a life of "licking blood from a blade" in the future.

Originally, after losing his brothers, Lü Ming had thought of retiring, but now, his thoughts wavered again.

The transaction was complete.

After exchanging communication methods, Lu Xian cupped his hands and took his leave.

Whether this casual move would yield any results was yet unknown; perhaps there would be a great surprise?

...Leaving Hundred Flavors Studio, Lu Xian did not return directly.

Instead, he first went to the Cultivator Affairs Office and, using the guarantee quota left by Huang Moya, spent three hundred Spirit Stones to exchange for an elementary introduction to the way of alchemy.

Next, he went to Huifeng Bank and exchanged two thousand four hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones for two Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

"So predatory; that's the real way to make money effortlessly," Lu Xian complained in his heart.

Finally, he returned to the small courtyard in the Shantytown.

Lu Xian looked at the [Spirit Field] panel.

[Rank 3 Effect: Five random spirit plants get +2 years of growth age daily; others grow at +150% speed]

[Resurrection: Dried or dead spirit plants have a chance to regain vitality.]

[Upgrade Requirements: Mid-Grade Spirit Stone * 2, Sun-Returning Wood Essence * 1, spirit condensing black soil * 8 jin]

The Materials were all gathered.

"Upgrade!"

In the next moment, the entire Spirit Field seemed to be injected with majestic vitality!

The color of the soil turned deep and pitch-black at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the concentration of Spiritual Qi within it increased significantly.

The first Rank 3 building in the courtyard was thus born!

He could plant 5 spirit plants, each gaining 2 years of growth age every day, significantly shortening the maturity cycle!

From now on, he wouldn't have to worry about Spirit Medicine. Combined with the Alchemy he was about to learn, it was simply perfect.

At the same time, information for Rank 4 emerged...