Chapter 174
"Dinner's ready!"
Lu Xuan lifted the lid off the pot, releasing a billow of steam. A massive crimson crab sat in the center, its aroma filling the air.
The young Wind Falcon nearby couldn't resist swallowing hard, fidgeting eagerly.
It was the last of the Iron Claws Crabs he raised. With a bountiful harvest these past few days, Lu Xuan decided to steam it as a celebration.
Unbinding the crab from the grass puppet tied around it, Lu Xuan adeptly cracked open the thick shell.
"Even at the end, it remains so unruly..."
Despite being cooked, the iron-clad crab still held its pincers high like a raised sword. Lu Xuan sighed inwardly, separated the limbs, and tossed them to his Cloud-Stepping Lynx and the young Wind Falcon.
The crab meat was rich, the roe fragrant and tender. The trio indulged in their feast.
"Squawk!"
A clear chirp sounded. The exceptional Profound White Phoenix, which had come twice before, stared longingly at the crab meat and roe in Lu Xuan's hand.
"Ah, here comes the future delicacy!"
Lu Xuan thought happily, pulling off a crimson crab leg and tossing it to the Luan bird, the guardian spirit descendant.
The bird, with its pure white feathers, joyously extended its wings, offering a spirit fruit to Lu Xuan.
The fruit's flesh resembled emerald jade, exuding a spiritual glow and a captivating fragrance—a clear sign it was no ordinary fruit.
"For me?"
Lu Xuan pointed at the emerald-like spirit fruit, curious.
The Profound White Phoenix nodded gently, then focused on the crab leg in Lu Xuan's hand.
This Iron Claws Crab was meticulously nurtured by Lu Xuan, provided ample food during its growth, and plenty of opportunities to exercise its limbs. This resulted in firmer flesh than ordinary crabs when steamed.
Glancing at the emerald-like fruit in his hand, Lu Xuan couldn't resist plucking one and tasting it.
A refreshing sweetness spread swiftly, revitalizing his entire body. Consuming the fruit, he sensed a slight surge in his spiritual power.
"This efficacy... it should be a third-grade spirit fruit. The bird exchanged this for the crab meat in my hand."
Lu Xuan gazed at the fruit for a moment before stowing it away.
He also retrieved a crab spirit ointment, cut it into pieces, and gave one to each of his lynx, the young Wind Falcon, and the Luan bird.
The Wind Falcon gulped it down eagerly, while the lynx licked the white crab spirit ointment leisurely.
"Is the crab spirit ointment to your liking?" Once the Luan bird finished, Lu Xuan approached it, asking softly.
Having had two previous encounters, the Profound White Phoenix wasn't wary of Lu Xuan and allowed him to get closer.
"Little White, though I'm unsure of your origins, we've established a bit of a bond over food. If there are other spirit beasts where you reside, you can bring your companions over to my place for some fun."
"Leaving that aside, I have plenty of high-quality spiritual fruits and delicacies like crab spirit ointment in my cave. You and your companions can eat without worry."
Lu Xuan said with a smile, already having secured a future high-grade spiritual beast. He didn't mind having more; raising them from a young age would create a close bond.
And the Profound White Phoenix, with its seventh-grade potential, surely had extraordinary companions.
The snow-white bird tilted its head, pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
It waved its feathers toward Lu Xuan, instantly dispersing into countless points of light that vanished without a trace.
"This ability to freely travel through formations is truly enviable..."
Lu Xuan sighed and tidied up the remains.
After making some preparations, he headed to Jianmen Town.
The beast's pupils he had specifically gathered hadn't been fed to the Hundred-Eyed Enigmatic Wood yet, remaining in his living bag. He feared they might lose their vitality if left inside for too long.
Additionally, he needed to acquire several materials to prepare the "Primordial Dragon Transformation Chapter."
Under the giant stone sword.
On the bluestone square, Lu Xuan noticed an unusual increase in stalls compared to usual. He wandered among them, curious if he'd find what he sought.
What set these stalls apart were the items displayed—materials, spiritual herbs, and a considerable number of artifacts.
Some of the artifacts still bore peculiar auras, even with traces of blood not yet dried, indicating their dubious origins.
As he observed the goods on display, Lu Xuan listened attentively to the murmured discussions among the surrounding cultivators.
Among them were disciples from the Sky Sword Sect, wanderers, and many inner and outer disciples' family members who stayed in town.
"I heard that newly discovered miniature realm has been mostly explored, granting many cultivators tremendous opportunities."
"Indeed, many second and third-grade spiritual herbs and treasures on the market now mostly come from that new mini-realm."
"Unfortunately, the Sky Sword Sect only allocated limited spots, so many missed out."
Lu Xuan strolled leisurely among the stalls. The hottest topic among cultivators was the recent opening of a new realm far from their sects, benefiting numerous disciples and external cultivators alike.
Some even skyrocketed to prominence.
With an unchanged expression, Lu Xuan continued gathering information.
From the discussions, he learned that among the past disciples sent by various sects, six or seven outer disciples had perished within the realm, while many others were injured.
"It seems my suspicions were correct. Even with the protection of Foundation Establishment seniors, accidents could lead to fatal risks."
Lu Xuan sighed inwardly.
"With a death rate of less than half, one could say the seniors did their best. And compared to the treasures and opportunities in the new realm, the tiny risks are negligible."
"But there's still danger. If it befalls other cultivators, it might become a casual topic, but if it happens to oneself, it could spell disaster."
Thinking thus, Lu Xuan, having crossed the square, turned into a narrow alley and arrived at a secluded courtyard.
There were no traces left by cultivators outside the courtyard, and the array remained intact, showing no signs of intrusion.
"It seems those two frightened cultivators did their job well."
Lu Xuan opened the array and entered the courtyard.
Though the courtyard held few spiritual plants, each one was a rare and precious variety.
Third-grade Ghost-Faced Stone Mushrooms, Thorny Bones, fourth-grade Hundred-Eyed Enigmatic Wood, and the planned cultivation of third-grade Poisonous Shuttlewood—all were exceptional spiritual plants.
"I used to worry daily about the array's security in the sect, fearing someone might pluck these spiritual plants."
But with the Thousand Illusion Cloud Smoke Formation—a fourth-grade array combining illusion, killing, and confusion—now in place, Lu Xuan could plant without worries.
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