You Cultivate, I Farm

"Collaborate? What could I possibly collaborate with that old coot for?"

Steward He handed twenty-five spirit stones to Lu Xuan, curiosity etched on his face. "The Hundred Herbs Hall houses around twenty or thirty plant cultivators. That means there's a greater number of contaminated plants behind the scenes."

"These plants, invaded by aberrant demonic insects and tainted by murky spiritual essence, exhibit all sorts of bizarre symptoms. If we can't pinpoint the issue, no matter how much time and effort we invest, we'll only watch them wither away."

"So, I have this vague idea. Instead of letting them wither away quietly, I propose buying those contaminated plants from the cultivators at a low price, attempting to save them."

"I don't really know most of the cultivators collaborating with the Hundred Herbs Hall. Hence, I want Elder He to act as an intermediary, to help me acquire those contaminated plants at a lower cost."

The lean old man, in charge of procuring and tallying various spirit medicines and plants for the Hundred Herbs Hall, had close ties with both employed and freelance plant cultivators.

Moreover, owing a debt of gratitude to Lu Xuan, he saw this as an opportunity to repay him.

"Purchasing contaminated plants? I can't fathom what's going on in your mind, kid, concocting such absurdity."

Steward He furrowed his brow. While other plant cultivators avoided contaminated ones like a taboo, Lu Xuan aimed to actively approach them, leaving him utterly perplexed.

"Are you sure you can control and cure those contaminated plants? Aren't you worried about your own plants being affected, leading to a loss in purchases?"

"My cultivated plants will definitely be isolated from those contaminated ones, immune to any influence."

"As for purchasing at a low price, I'd prefer getting them for free, but that's likely improbable. Cultivators invest so much time and effort into nurturing these plants; even if they're contaminated, they hold onto hope, making it unlikely they'll abandon or gift them to others."

"When it comes to treating contaminated plants, I can't guarantee a hundred percent success rate. There's only a possibility, but it should still be profitable."

Lu Xuan explained.

"Aiding you in making connections with those plant cultivators is relatively straightforward. Most of them probably want to get rid of those contaminated plants at a low price to cut their losses."

"But how do you define your 'low price'? And what about my compensation?"

Steward He showed some interest. Glancing around, he pulled Lu Xuan to a corner.

"As for the purchasing criteria, it'll probably be around ten percent of the value of matured plants, varying based on the degree of contamination and growth status."

"As for your compensation, it'll be a direct calculation based on quantity: one spirit stone per plant for first-grade plants and four spirit stones per plant for second-grade ones. How does that sound to you?"

Lu Xuan primarily targeted first or second-grade contaminated plants. Third-grade plants were scarce within the Hundred Herbs Hall, with minimal numbers.

As for plants without a grade, their intrinsic value was quite low and without any additional rewards, solely relying on restored plants wouldn't yield many spirit stones. Hence, they were not within his consideration.

"One spirit stone or four per plant..."

Steward He pondered with lowered eyes.

"Alright, I won't be polite with you then. I'll ensure to liaise and persuade every plant cultivator in the Hundred Herbs Hall."

"It's not merely for those few spirit stones; I'm genuinely concerned for the plants in their spiritual fields. After all, those plants are either owned or prioritized by the Hundred Herbs Hall."

"This concerns the century-long ambition of the Hundred Herbs Hall and leaves no room for negligence."

The lean old man spoke earnestly.

"Exactly, for the Century-Long Ambition of the Hundred Herbs Hall!"

Lu Xuan hastily agreed.

The two exchanged smiles, understanding each other without words.

"You wait here for a while. I'll check if there are any abnormal plants in the Hall's medicinal garden."

With an opportunity to earn spirit stones easily, Steward He suddenly became more motivated.

The Hundred Herbs Hall boasted several medicinal gardens. One of them, not far from the Hall, cultivated over ten types of herbs suitable for alchemy.

Lu Xuan only had a freelance partnership with the Hundred Herbs Hall, and since the garden held significant importance, he couldn't accompany He inside. Thus, he sat quietly in the hall, waiting.

The attendant handling the herbs nearby was observant. He promptly brought a steaming cup of spirit tea and a small dish of spirit fruit.

The spirit fruit was fingertip-sized, pale purple, with an uneven surface. It looked ordinary but tasted exceptionally sweet and delicious.

Lu Xuan popped them into his mouth one by one, finishing almost half in no time.

In a vast medicinal garden,

The garden's size surpassed Lu Xuan's courtyard by dozens of times. It housed a towering mountain peak and a stream of abundant spiritual essence meandering at its base.

At this moment, a white spiritual shield covered the garden, occasionally flickering with spiritual essence.

The lean old man retrieved a wooden plaque inscribed with peculiar runes. The spiritual essence from the shield swiftly gathered towards the plaque, sensing its aura, creating a crack large enough for one person to pass through.

Before the fissure closed, Steward He slipped into the garden.

He scanned the surroundings, quickly pinpointing a spiritual field not far away.

Surrounding the field were three plant cultivators engaged in a heated discussion, all wearing worried expressions.

"How have things been these past few days? No new instances of contaminated plants, right?"

Steward He approached the trio and inquired.

"Under the protection of a top-tier second-grade array, we haven't detected any new instances of contaminated plants for the time being."

"However, this can't go on forever. Sustaining this vast array day and night to safeguard such a large area of the garden requires a considerable number of spirit stones."

A slightly plump plant cultivator stepped forward and spoke.

"What about those contaminated plants we discovered earlier? Any breakthrough in finding a solution?"

Steward He nodded, addressing the three.

"Those contaminated plants have been isolated, but their condition is worsening. We haven't been able to identify the cause of their contamination. It's all trial and error, relying purely on luck."

"It's an unavoidable situation. With the protection of Foundation Establishment cultivators and third-grade arrays in the past, similar occurrences were unheard of. Hence, it's challenging to adjust immediately."

"And with the unpredictable means of invasion by these malevolent entities, it's hard to defend against. Managing to maintain the defense is already commendable."

The three plant cultivators wore expressions laden with concern.

"I have a friend, also a plant cultivator, whom you might know. He wishes to find a way to eliminate the contamination in some plants and wants to buy them at a low price."

"What do you think?"

The eyes of the trio sparkled, their thoughts immediately engaged.

Their reluctance to discard those contaminated plants stemmed solely from not wanting their previous efforts to go to waste. Hearing about someone willing to purchase these plants, even at a low price, introduced a new option for them.

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