You Cultivate, I Farm

While attempting to condense the seed of the Wind and Thunder Sword Grass, Lu Xuan was also meticulously cultivating two types of fourth-grade Sword Grasses.

With the Sword Peacock, Lu Xuan's spiritual power surged, and a deep black Wind and Thunder Sword Qi emerged, enveloped in black winds, with thunder rumbling and arcs of lightning leaping.

Under his control, the sword qi divided into dozens of sword glimmers, faintly forming a sword formation that whistled as it permeated the Sword Peacock.

Nourished by numerous sword glimmers, the Sword Peacock unfurled like a peacock spreading its feathers, layer upon layer, its sword qi bold and unrestrained, beauty and brilliance hiding a sharp killing intent.

After cultivating the Sword Peacock for so long, Lu Xuan had become quite proficient in the Peacock Sword Formation, able to split the sword glimmers and form the sword formation in just a few moments.

The Thousand Owls Sword Grass, having been cultivated for a longer time, had reached maturity. Dozens of sword qi phantoms danced around the sword grass, with two sword glimmers folding up like thin wings, possessing a brisk sword intent and leaving trails of afterimages in the air with their swift speed.

The owl-like sword qi descended upon the Thousand Owls Sword Grass, merging with its sword-like stems, its wings unfurling, with feathers sharp as slender swords, exuding a compelling aura.

"I wonder what kind of light orb rewards a fourth-grade Sword Grass could yield…"

Lu Xuan gazed at the nearby Thousand Owls Sword Grass, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

In the following period, he stayed within his cave dwelling, tending to the multitude of spiritual plants in his spiritual field like a diligent farmer.

That day, an unexpected visitor arrived.

"Baili, it's been a while since we last met. What brings you here?" Lu Xuan warmly greeted a handsome young man, who squinted his long, narrow eyes – it was Baili Jianqing, who had entered the sect together with him.

"Big Brother Lu? Could you sense me with your spiritual awareness?" Baili Jianqing asked with a proud smile.

"You've broken through to the Foundation Establishment realm?" Lu Xuan scanned him with his spiritual sense, surprised.

"That's right, from now on, I too am an inner sect disciple of the Sky Sword Sect!"

"Hahaha, congratulations!" Lu Xuan felt happy for him, excitedly patting his shoulder.

"Hehe, maybe I'll surpass you one day, Big Brother Lu, and you'll have to call me senior brother."

Baili Jianqing imagined.

"You'll have to work hard for that." Lu Xuan revealed a mysteriously deep smile.

"Eh, Big Brother Lu, you're already at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment? Aren't you always cultivating spiritual plants? How did you improve so fast!"

"Big Brother Lu, I want to learn farming!" Baili Jianqing cried out.

He remembered when they both entered the sect, his cultivation was slightly superior to Lu Xuan's. Yet, Lu Xuan, known as a spiritual plant cultivator, had made rapid progress after joining the sect.

First, he quickly broke through to the Foundation Establishment realm, advancing to an inner sect disciple. When Baili Jianqing made his breakthrough, he thought he could catch up a bit, but Lu Xuan had quietly reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

"Baili Daoist friend, farming is not something you can learn just because you want to."

"This is called talent." Lu Xuan teased.

Despite not seeing each other for a long time, their interaction was still very natural and comfortable, unaffected by changes in cultivation level or status.

"By the way, Big Brother Lu, I came here to invite you to my celebration banquet in a few days. I want you, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment expert, to come and support me."

After chatting for a while, Baili Jianqing handed Lu Xuan an invitation.

"Sure, I'll definitely be there on time." Lu Xuan took the invitation and confirmed.

...

The day of Baili Jianqing's celebration arrived.

On a majestic mountain full of strange rocks.

Baili Jianqing was greeting seven or eight friends.

This mountain peak, chosen after his promotion to inner sect disciple and after some arrangements, had become a rather decent cave dwelling.

Among the seven or eight fellow disciples, most were acquaintances from the outer sect, two were in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and the others were in the late or complete stage of Qi cultivation.

Although it seemed they were only a step away from Foundation Establishment, it was a gap many cultivators found difficult to cross.

"Please enjoy the spiritual fruits and tea first, my friends. I have an elder coming over."

During the casual conversation, Baili Jianqing's expression subtly changed. He excused himself to the guests and

stood outside the cave dwelling, waiting respectfully.

In less than half an hour, a middle-aged cultivator with a profound aura arrived on a sword light.

"Yu Hong! Welcome!" Baili Jianqing greeted the middle-aged cultivator with respectful salutations.

The cultivator, named Yu Hong, was a good friend of his grandfather during their time in the Sky Sword Sect, though their fates were vastly different.

One had no hope of breaking through to Foundation Establishment, reaching the end of his cultivation path, relegated to a desolate and cold place with a lifespan of just over a hundred years, focusing solely on expanding his lineage, hoping for a descendant with outstanding talent to fulfill his unachieved aspirations.

The other smoothly broke through to the Foundation Establishment realm, promoted to an inner sect disciple, with a lifespan of three to five hundred years, even reaching the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, with a slight chance of advancing to the Nascent Soul realm.

After joining the Sky Sword Sect, Baili Jianqing visited Yu Hong several times, and Yu Hong took good care of this descendant of his friend.

"Jianqing, you're now an inner sect disciple, there's no need to call me senior anymore. From now on, we can refer to each other as fellow disciples."

The middle-aged cultivator spoke gently.

"How could that be? Even though I've become an inner sect disciple, you're still my elder."

Baili Jianqing was adamant.

Seeing his insistence, the middle-aged cultivator showed a hint of helplessness.

"It goes against the rules of the sect. How about this: in public, you can call me fellow disciple, and privately, you can call me senior if you like."

The two entered Baili Jianqing's cave dwelling one after the other.

The friends inside came out to greet them, sensing the mid-stage Foundation Establishment spiritual power fluctuations from Yu Hong, they all paid their respects.

"Yu Fore... Fellow Disciple Yu, this is Shen Chongwen, and this is..."

Baili Jianqing introduced everyone present to Yu Hong.

"This is Yu Hong, my uncle, a cultivator of profound strength, who has been in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment for decades, possessing terrifying power in the way of the sword."

"Uncle Yu!"

Hearing Baili Jianqing's introduction, everyone's expression became even more respectful.

"Mm."

Yu Hong glanced over everyone, nodding slightly, his gaze lingering a bit longer on the two Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivators, his expression somewhat proud.

Baili Jianqing hurriedly served spiritual fruits and tea. Centered around Yu Hong, every word he spoke elicited agreement and laughter from the others, making Yu Hong feel exceedingly pleasant.

Yu Hong thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere, occasionally sharing his own dangerous encounters while exploring secret realms and adventuring outside, eliciting continuous exclamations from the audience.

"Fellow Disciple Yu, I'll step out for a moment. A good friend of mine is coming, and I'll go welcome him."

Baili Jianqing whispered.

Yu Hong nodded indifferently, sipping his spiritual tea slowly, contentedly.

Soon, Baili Jianqing led a handsome young man into the cave dwelling.

Yu Hong glanced casually, and his teacup shook violently, nearly spilling the precious tea.

"Lu Fellow Disciple!"