You Cultivate, I Farm

"This junior brother will certainly make it happen," Lu Xuan promised, his lips curling into a meaningful smile.

"However, I must ask Brother Huo to keep the matter of condensing fire essence from these mutated spirit plants a secret."

He entrusted Huo Lin'er with this request.

"Rest assured, Junior Brother Lu, I will keep this matter confidential," Huo Lin'er assured, fully at ease after learning that Lu Xuan's exchange of mutated spirit plants was for the sect's benefit, nodding gently.

"By the way, Junior Brother Lu, aside from delivering the mutated spirit plants gathered by your sect and taking a rest, there's another matter I need your help with," Huo Lin'er said, pulling out a square jade seal from his storage bag. Inside the nearly transparent jade seal, there was a faintly dark red thread grass.

"This mutated spirit plant was recently discovered in an underground palace within the blessed land. Its movements are extremely elusive, making it difficult for most Foundation Establishment cultivators from all three sects to detect, posing a great trouble to us."

"It has a very peculiar and bizarre ability to silently parasitize demonic beasts and cultivators, affecting their minds. In severe cases, it can even directly control the cultivator's body."

"We've tried many methods, but none have been very effective. The usual exorcism and spirit-cleansing talismans and techniques have little effect on it."

"Please, Brother Huo, let me take a look," Lu Xuan said, taking the sealed jade seal and inspecting it closely.

The spirit plant inside was very thin, a faint dark red, without roots or leaves, just a winding thread that moved slowly like a venomous snake under Lu Xuan's gaze. Despite being sealed, it still adopted a posture ready for a powerful attack.

"It does look peculiar in shape, but nothing more can be discerned from that alone. It needs thorough research and experimentation."

"However, Brother, I have a question that I hope you can help me with."

"Please ask, Junior Brother Lu."

"As far as I know, our sect has two Core Formation elders for the opening of the blessed land, and the other two sects probably have a few as well. Several Core Formation elders should be able to easily deal with these mutated spirit plants, right?"

Lu Xuan looked puzzled.

"Junior Brother Lu might not be aware, but although dealing with these mutated spirit plants is relatively easy if their tracks are discovered, the difficulty lies elsewhere."

"The focus of Core Formation elders is on breaking the restrictions of the blessed land, not spending too much energy on these mutated spirit plants. Given their wide range of activity, we can only send Foundation Establishment cultivators from the three sects to deal with them."

Huo Lin'er's smile carried a hint of bitterness.

"Several Foundation Establishment cultivators have already been parasitized by this peculiar plant by accident. Fortunately, they were discovered in time, or there might have been life-threatening dangers."

"It's good that no harm was done," Lu Xuan nodded, feeling fortunate.

The cultivators opening the blessed land at the front line were mostly at the mid to late stages of Foundation Establishment. Yet, encountering this mutated spirit plant, they were unknowingly parasitized and almost endangered their lives, showing its dangerous nature.

"It's safer to stay at the rear and focus on researching spirit plants and engaging in trading."

He thought silently, looking down at Huo Lin'er.

"Brother Huo, I will study this peculiar spirit plant as soon as possible, but I can't guarantee any positive outcomes."

"If there are any discoveries that can help the sect, I will inform Brother Huo and the others immediately," Lu Xuan solemnly promised.

"It's hard on you, Junior Brother Lu. I'll be meeting with fellow disciples in a couple of days. If you have any significant findings, you can contact me through a communication talisman."

Huo Lin'er, worried Lu Xuan might not learn much about the peculiar plant in a short time, left a communication talisman before saying goodbye.

Lu Xuan watched as the fiery red robe disappeared, opening his mouth slightly but eventually choosing to remain silent.

"Brother, what I can tell you right now is..."

He muttered silently in his heart.

Returning to his private courtyard, he looked down at the square jade seal in his hand and carefully unlocked the seal on its surface.

The faint dark red thread grass instantly transformed into an extremely covert red line, swiftly moving in front of Lu Xuan.

With a "ding" sound, the thread grass struck Lu Xuan's palm, which was as clear as jade, and rebounded back at the same speed.

Under Lu Xuan's piercing gaze, the faint red thread landed on the ground, bounced up rapidly, and charged towards the nearby Demon Ghost Vine.

The thread, unable to penetrate the defense, immediately changed its target, attempting to parasitize the Demon Ghost Vine.

The

gray vine, far from being alarmed, revealed a deep crack as if welcoming the faint red thread, as if it were a delicacy delivered to its doorstep.

"Alright, I still have use for you, so I can't let it eat you just yet," Lu Xuan said, moving like a shadow to the front of the Demon Ghost Vine, grabbing the dark red thread grass without regard for its attempts to enter his body.

He casually set up a restriction, placing the peculiar plant into the spiritually enriched soil covered by the restriction, forcibly infusing it with streams of spiritual rain.

Concentrating, detailed information about this mutated plant flashed through his mind.

"An unknown spirit plant, a third-grade Parasitic Yin Thread transformed under the influence of some powerful blood and flesh energy, likes to parasitize within spirit plants, demonic beasts, and even cultivators, feeding on their spiritual power, vitality, and essence. The deeper the parasitism, the more it can directly control the actions of demonic beasts and cultivators."

"Normally residing in dark underground places, it is extremely sensitive to special sound waves when not parasitized. Under the attack of sound wave spiritual power, it involuntarily reveals its form and curls up into a small ball."

"A third-grade Parasitic Yin Thread transformed..."

Lu Xuan murmured to himself.

The cultivation world was full of various strange and rare spirit plants, and although he often browsed through spirit plant scriptures in the scripture pavilion, this was his first encounter with such a peculiar high-grade spirit plant.

"Considering its parasitic ability, its ascension to the third-grade is indeed rare."

"It's a pity that the Illusion Sound Bamboo is left in my cave dwelling; otherwise, it alone could easily deal with these mutated Parasitic Yin Threads."

He recalled the fourth-grade Illusion Sound Bamboo in his dwelling, capable of simulating various strange noises, and suddenly thought.

"Well, Brother Huo's task for me is already completed. The biggest problem isn't understanding this peculiar plant but deciding when to inform him."

Lu Xuan was in a dilemma; speaking too soon would be hard to explain how he learned so much about the plant so quickly and could attract unnecessary attention and trouble.

Speaking too late, however, could potentially harm the sect. Lu Xuan decided to wait a few days before contacting Huo Lin'er.

He resealed the Parasitic Yin Thread back into the jade seal, glancing at the Demon Ghost Vine at his feet, drooling in anticipation.

The ground was covered in gray mucus, showing how much it wanted to taste the Parasitic Yin Thread.

"What, you want to eat it? Don't worry, there will definitely be a chance for you to feast," Lu Xuan kicked the increasingly large gray vine, speaking with a laugh.

The Demon Ghost Vine, not lacking in spiritual intelligence, immediately lunged towards Lu Xuan upon hearing his words.

"Scram, scram, scram!" Lu Xuan looked disdainfully at the mucus-covered Demon Ghost Vine, his expression full of disgust.