Chapter 402: The Soon-to-Be Mature Holy Infant Fruit
With this thought in mind, Lu Xuan approached the Aberrant Longevity Peach. The peach tree had grown taller than a person and appeared utterly ordinary from the outside, unlike the bewitchingly charming Third-Rank Mystical Fairy Peach. Only upon closer inspection could one detect an enticing, clean fragrance emanating from its branches and leaves, reminiscent of the unique milky scent of a baby, irresistibly drawing one closer.
Yet, as one drew near, their keen spiritual senses involuntarily detected their vitality flowing towards the peach tree.
Lu Xuan mobilized his spiritual power to curb this momentum. "Seizing the vitality of cultivators and demonic beasts for its own use, no wonder the matured spiritual fruit can extend one's lifespan," he remarked, moving on to the Blood Woe Flower.
The hollow blood orb had grown significantly larger, with countless fine blood vessels intricately woven together. Sensing Lu Xuan's approach, they wriggled and extended like leeches, demonstrating an extreme thirst for fresh blood.
Looking through the mass of blood vessels, the interior of the blood orb revealed a different world—a boundless sea of blood, with a singularly vibrant blood-red flower blossoming in its center, standing in solitary defiance of the world.
"Let me have a sip, please."
Countless fine blood vessels stretched towards Lu Xuan like tentacles, their tips exerting a strong suction force that caused a slight turmoil in Lu Xuan's bodily blood.
With a flick of his hand, more than a dozen white jade bottles flew out from his storage bag, and streams of essence blood poured down like a creek, watering the hollow blood orb.
Feeling the vigorous life force contained within the Flood Dragon's essence blood, all the fine blood vessels became lively and scrambled for it.
He placed a white jade bottle full of Flood Dragon's essence blood on the ground. The Blood Spirit Palm Ginseng, which had been circling him, immediately crawled over. Its deep red tendrils, resembling fingers, gathered together and dipped into the bottle, eagerly sucking up the essence blood.
"It's good that I have plenty of blood samples taken from the Flood Dragons for inspection left over, otherwise it would be difficult to satisfy these two bloodthirsty demons."
The Blood Woe Flower and the Blood Spirit Palm Ginseng, one a Fifth-Rank and the other a Fourth-Rank, both had substantial demands for essence blood. If it weren't for the steady supply from the numerous Flood Dragons and Chi Dragons in Thousand Dragon Lake, feeding them would be problematic.
"Speaking of which, it's been a while since I last visited Thousand Dragon Lake. I should go check on those Flood Dragon juveniles when I have time to ensure they grow up healthy and happy."
Lu Xuan smiled lightly.
In a corner of the small courtyard, the Filth-Eating Grass had grown significantly, taking on a bizarre appearance as if made from compressed insect corpses. From afar, one could sense a strong, foul odor.
"This small courtyard is quite suitable for the Filth-Eating Grass, with all sorts of residual flesh, resentful spirits, and foulness."
He used his spiritual power to gather a pile of filth around the Filth-Eating Grass.
Finally, Lu Xuan stood before the Holy Infant Fruit plant.
The Holy Infant Fruit was nearing maturity. Upon entering the small courtyard, Lu Xuan immediately noticed the fleeting shadow of a skinny, gray-black baby.
At the top of the plant, a fruit resembling an embryo had formed, within which a hideously shaped infant spirit could vaguely be seen.
Sensing Lu Xuan's gaze, the infant stared back with hollow eye sockets, as if making eye contact, but upon closer inspection, it vanished without a trace, turning into a misty, gray-black mass.
Lu Xuan's mind focused on the Holy Infant Fruit plant, noting that the progress bar beneath it was almost full.
"The nest has been made, and the hidden Holy Infant Fruit mother plant must think its prey is about to bite, unaware that it's about to catch a big fish instead."
Lu Xuan smirked coldly, expressionless.
This Holy Infant Fruit was just a subsidiary plant, with a complete Fifth-Rank mother plant yet to come. As a spirit plant cultivator, Lu Xuan coveted a Fifth-Rank spiritual plant immensely.
As for the risks involved, he was confident he could easily deal with the cultivator behind the Holy Infant Fruit's dispersion.
The cultivator thought he was hidden in the shadows, unaware that Lu Xuan had already deciphered the scheme.
With the enemy in the light and himself in the dark, and the proximity to Sword Gate Town near the Sky Sword Sect, support from powerful cultivators was always within reach.
Shen Ye of Sword Hall's late Foundation Establishment stage, Ge Pu, Huo Lin'er, and Zhong Jingshan, the three True
Disciples, all had a good relationship with Lu Xuan. Together with the Xuan Tian Bai Luan and the Bai Yu Qing Tian Ape, two of the sect's guardian spiritual beasts, even a cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment could be easily dealt with.
Moreover, there was a jade sword charm left by Gu Jiankong, a Core Formation True Immortal of the sect, granting a one-time summoning of a Core Formation cultivator. With these factors, success was virtually guaranteed.
With this reassurance, Lu Xuan took out Dark Decay Flesh Soil from his storage bag and placed it under the Aberrant Longevity Peach.
Through his spiritual senses, he observed the Dark Decay Flesh Soil, with flesh buds proliferating and connecting to the roots of the Aberrant Longevity Peach, slowly integrating into the tree's root system.
The milky fragrance of the peach tree in the courtyard grew stronger, as if intending to absorb all of his vitality.
Lu Xuan gathered his thoughts and found a spot in the courtyard to take out eighteen Thousand Tendril Hand spirit seeds.
Using the Earth Attraction Technique, the dark spiritual soil quietly transformed, revealing eighteen perfect cracks.
The spirit seeds, resembling baby arms, were placed inside. As spiritual power surged, strands of Spirit Rain gently fell.
His mind focused on the spirit seeds in the shallow layers of the soil, and suddenly, an idea surged into his mind.
【The Thousand Tendril Hand, a Third-Rank communal spirit plant, thrives in spiritual soil enriched with limbs and teeth of demonic beasts, claws and limbs of cultivators, making it an excellent material for certain dark arts.】
【Under the influence of powerful blood and flesh, numerous Thousand Tendril Hands undergo unknown transformations, connecting in mind and able to instantly combine forces with surrounding counterparts, forming arrays to collectively confront enemies. With enough numbers, they possess strength close to that of a Fifth-Rank.】
【In extremely cold spiritual environments, the plant's tendrils become sluggish and significantly affect its speed and flexibility.】
"It seems I need to collect more demonic beast carcasses. Their blood, souls, limbs, and the filth within them all have great uses."
Lu Xuan remarked.
He activated the Thousand Illusion Smoke Formation and headed towards the location of Myriad Treasures Tower.
In the wind-swept courtyard, high above, occasionally a gray-white pupil would emerge from the void, coldly observing the Holy Infant Fruit plant below.
Arriving at a secluded spot to ensure he didn't attract the attention of other cultivators, Lu Xuan took out the Thousand-Faced Phantom and attached it to his cheek.
Instantly, a chill spread from his facial features to his limbs and bones. With a thought, Lu Xuan quietly altered his appearance, transforming into an ordinary-looking young cultivator and swiftly made his way to Myriad Treasures Tower.
Upon entering, a pretty woman greeted him. After a brief scan of Lu Xuan with her spiritual sense, her expression drastically changed.
"Elder, how may I assist you?"
Lu Xuan, with a stern demeanor, nodded slightly and said, "Call out the branch manager of Myriad Treasures Tower here. I have high-grade treasures that need his attention."
"Right away!"
A few breaths later, a round-faced elderly man approached, his face beaming with enthusiasm.
"This fellow Daoist seems unfamiliar. Is this your first visit to Myriad Treasures Tower?"