28: Chapter 28 Foundation Building Level Two

"What is the price?"

The beggar said: "This year, it was dry first and then flooded, so the white orchid fruit harvest is severely reduced, making it a bit more expensive than previous years. One hundred purple gold coins per catty."

"How much?" Zhao Mo thought he had misheard.

"One hundred purple gold coins, which is one Low-Grade Spirit Stone."

Zhao Mo clicked his tongue. His hybrid spirit rice seeds only sold for this price, but hybrid spirit rice seeds were much more troublesome; these white orchid fruits were much less hassle.

"In that case, one thousand catties of white orchid fruit is one thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, right?"

"Fine, I will sell."

Zhao Mo being so direct actually stunned the beggar.

"Um, I need to inspect the goods first."

"Oh, that was me being reckless. It is only right."

"Come, the white orchid fruit is all here."

Thanks to the Xuan Sect giving Zhao Mo a Leisurely Residence, otherwise Zhao Mo really would not have had a place to put all these white orchid fruits.

"Hmm, this quality is acceptable."

After weighing, it totaled one thousand and eighty-two catties, equaling one thousand and eighty-two Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

"Zhao Mo, this is ten Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and eighty-two Low-Grade Spirit Stones. You count them."

As for the white orchid fruit in the room, it disappeared right in front of Zhao Mo.

Zhao Mo only then reacted; he actually could not see through this beggar's cultivation.

"The amount of Spirit Stones is correct. May I ask how to address you, Senior?"

"Me? I am just a beggar who brews wine. I forgot my name long ago."

"I have finished collecting these white orchid fruits, so I am off, I am off."

Watching the beggar disappear into thin air in front of him, Zhao Mo almost shattered his teeth. Which Immortal Master was teasing him?

"Forget it. These experts always like to do these things, dressing in disguise. What kind of hobbies are these?" Zhao Mo complained.

As for whether this Immortal Master had some deep meaning, he did not think too deeply about it. Since the white orchid fruit was already sold, closing off to Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment Layer Two was the most important thing now.

"As for the white orchid fruit seedlings in the spirit field, you can help yourself. Don't run around, otherwise, if you get caught and turned into meat, don't blame me."

Before closing off, Zhao Mo went to give instructions to his plow ox, not that he knew if it could understand.

However, looking at its eyes, Zhao Mo knew it probably understood.

"This beast, could it have become a demon?"

Zhao Mo muttered casually, but it scared Ox Martial into a cold sweat.

"Forget it, forget it. If it becomes a demon, so be it. It would be even better if it were a female ox demon."

Ox Martial: "Hmm?"

You are the demon, your whole family are demons! I have such a big thing down there, are you blind?

Zhao Mo did not know any of this; he had already returned to the Leisurely Residence, hung up the sign for closing off, activated the Formation, and prepared to close off.

"System, increase cultivation."

Zhao Mo in the cultivation room did not hesitate and spoke directly.

While the numbers on the System panel decreased, a large amount of Spiritual Qi appeared in Zhao Mo's body. This Spiritual Qi first converted into True Qi, then was compressed into True Essence.

The Spiritual Qi was continuous, and the True Qi was constantly converting into True Essence until the amount of True Essence in Zhao Mo's body had doubled compared to before the Breakthrough, at which point it stopped.

"Foundation Establishment Layer Two, the True Essence in my body is at least double that of Foundation Establishment Layer One."

Zhao Mo clenched his fist, feeling a burst of strength.

"I just don't know how long this closed-door cultivation took."

Zhao Mo opened the Leisurely Residence, and as soon as he opened the door, he saw Ox Martial's long ox face.

"Damn, you scared me to death."

"Hey, he's out, the master is out."

"Compensation! Compensation!"

Four or five people were at the door, and when they saw Zhao Mo come out, they crowded around, demanding compensation.

"Everyone, compensation for what?"

"I just came out of closed-door cultivation; you have to let me know what happened, right?"

"What happened?"

"Ask your ox!"

"It ate my spirit rice straw!"

"It also ate mine."

It took a lot of effort for Zhao Mo to learn what happened from the babble. It turned out that after Zhao Mo closed off, Ox Martial ran off every day to steal their spirit rice straw.

"Heh, Junior Brothers, it's just a bit of spirit rice straw; I will compensate you."

After compensating them with some Spirit Stones, those people left. Zhao Mo looked at his plow ox resentfully.

"You're a picky eater too?"

Ox Martial was aggrieved as well. The white orchid fruit seedlings not only smelled bad, but they also had thorns that pricked its mouth. As the Holy Son of the Ox Clan, not to mention eating fresh spirit plants every day, surely the spirit rice straw supply should be sufficient?

In any case, it was not eating the white orchid fruit seedlings.

"Fine, the spirit rice in Xiao Ji Village has been harvested recently; I will go buy some for you."

"Damn it, you're not a beast, you're a whole ancestor."

It must be said that Zhao Mo had a very high reputation in Xiao Ji Village. Hearing that Zhao Mo wanted to buy spirit rice straw, everyone rushed to deliver it.

Looking at the mountain of hybrid spirit rice straw by the ox shed, Ox Martial was satisfied. Now, it just lacked the Ox Clan Immortal Sutra. Enough said, time to Cultivate.

After Zhao Mo hauled the spirit rice straw back, Ox Martial ignored him, and he cursed under his breath, "Scumbag ox."

"It's a pity I didn't see Ding Xin."

In the past, when did Zhao Mo ever have to worry about feeding the ox?

"Forget it, forget it. Don't think about it."

They were brothers; a man thinking about a man, Zhao Mo felt disgusted with himself.

"System, claim rewards."

There was still the mutated white orchid fruit cultivation technique in the System that hadn't been claimed.

A strange memory appeared in Zhao Mo's mind.

"Grafting?"

"Composting?"

Zhao Mo thought it was some kind of mutated white orchid fruit, but it turned out to be grafting the white orchid fruit onto a spirit plant called an insect cage tree.

This insect cage tree had a well-developed root System. After grafting the white orchid fruit, it became resistant to drought and flooding, and the root System was also exceptionally developed.

There was also the composting technique, a special method of composting.

How special? Using demon meat for compost.

"What kind of perverted method is this?"

Hmm? It can significantly increase the yield of white orchid fruit? Never mind then.

"The old way: first year for breeding, second year for trial planting, third year for large-scale production." Zhao Mo simulated it in his mind.

"Now I have things to be busy with."

Zhao Mo would have to go find the insect cage tree and the demon meat.

...

[You have completed cleaning the spirit field, experience + 10.]

He had originally hoped that Ox Martial would eat all the white orchid fruit seedlings in the spirit field, but unexpectedly, Zhao Mo had to do it himself in the end. Fortunately, these withered seedlings were easy to clean up, and it even earned Zhao Mo ten experience points for free.

Then it was time to plow the field.

Zhao Mo watched the ox jogging in front, and it was truly strange.

"Damn, this ox likes plowing fields?"

"Is it looking for abuse?"

[You have completed plowing the spirit field, experience + 10.]

Ox Martial returned to that dazed, foolish state again.

Zhao Mo and Ox Martial both got what they wanted—a win-win!

Time flew by until winter. In the winter, all things were silent; where would he find an insect cage tree? Zhao Mo lay down with a clear conscience.

Another year passed. There were still nine years left until the agreement with Immortal Master Xin Zhi. Zhao Mo's cultivation: Foundation Establishment Layer Two.

Early spring.

The willow trees just started to sprout buds, and Zhao Mo began asking around everywhere for where to find an insect cage tree.

"Insect cage tree?"

"It's right by the roadside."

"There are plenty."

Zhao Mo looked at the small trees half a person tall by the roadside.

"This is an insect cage tree? Isn't this just the Xianxia world version of a morning glory?"