Chapter 105 - 104: Spirit Vein Transformation, 3 Years

Chapter 105: Chapter 104: Spirit Vein Transformation, 3 Years

The sackcloth-clad old man sighed. "But it was truly worth it. Such a pure life essence can sustain the wards in the Pill Room for at least ten years."

With that, he put away the wood heart, stood up, and walked out of the pavilion.

’I need to maintain a good relationship with him. It would be perfect if I could get him to provide the Chang Family with some Tier Two Spirit Plants...’

"Take care, Grand-uncle."

Changxing stood up to see him off. When he returned to the pavilion, his expression was pensive.

「Elsewhere.」

In a good mood, Li Changsheng walked out of the Spirit Beast Shop and headed for the exit of the Marketplace.

Because the snow goats and Red Foxes were a little over a month shy of adulthood, the shop offered a price of fifty Spirit Stones for each of the former and one hundred ten for each of the latter.

After a moment’s hesitation, Li Changsheng agreed.

The main reason was that the price offered wasn’t too far from what he had in mind.

As a result, his empty wallet became a little fuller.

Just as he was about to reach the east gate of the Marketplace, he paused and ducked into a side street.

’How are they here...’

’Are they waiting for me?’

Glancing again at the east gate of the Marketplace and seeing the two men standing there, Li Changsheng felt a headache coming on.

One of them was Wan Peng, the man he had spoken with at the Pill Pavilion. The other was Feng Hui. The two were scanning the Cultivators coming and going, obviously looking for someone.

After a moment of thought, Li Changsheng turned and walked toward the central tower.

「Not long after.」

A piercing screech echoed through the Marketplace as a giant eagle whipped up a gust of wind and soared into the sky.

The two men guarding the Marketplace gate were still watching with envy as the giant eagle flew away, little knowing that the person they were waiting for was on its back.

「In a courtyard in B Zone of the Marketplace.」

A burly, ordinary-looking man with an exceptionally muscular build watched the giant eagle fly away. He narrowed his eyes and said softly, "A shame."

Beside him stood a lean-faced man with a sharp gaze. Hearing his words, he asked in confusion, "Lord Steward, what is a shame?"

Shen Tu clapped him on the shoulder and said lightly, "Tell your men to pull back. The person has already left." With that, he clasped his hands behind his back and walked into the main hall.

"Left?"

Mongol Yuan looked confused.

But he wasn’t a fool. He quickly figured out the reason, and connecting it with the eagle’s cry from before, his expression turned grim.

’The giant eagle, Lan Cai Shen, that Spirit Plant Master... he escaped.’

He was silent for a few breaths.

"Useless fools!"

Mongol Yuan cursed and strode out of the courtyard.

He knew how highly the Lord Steward regarded this Spirit Plant Master, yet his subordinates had completely botched the job!

He had to think of a way to remedy the situation.

But just as he was about to leave, Shen Tu’s voice came from the hall.

"Enough. Let it go. Don’t go looking for him again."

Mongol Yuan froze for a moment, then said respectfully, "Yes, My Lord." He then slowly backed out of the courtyard.

「Inside the hall.」

Shen Tu stared at the Sound Transmission Jade in his hand as its light faded. He shook his head and said, "A shame."

.

「Spirit Field Zone, a remote courtyard.」

Li Changsheng cupped his hands. "Thank you, Senior Brother."

"It was nothing."

Lan Cai Shen shook his head, then asked, "Is departing in two days acceptable?"

"I’ll follow your arrangements, Senior Brother."

Li Changsheng understood this was about the trip to the Ring Mountain Spiritual Land, so he agreed without hesitation.

"Good."

Lan Cai Shen smiled and nodded, then leaped onto the giant eagle’s back.

With another screech and a gust of wind, the eagle flapped its wings a few times and vanished over the horizon.

Li Changsheng watched him leave, then turned back to the courtyard. After letting out Xiaohua, he headed straight for the backyard.

A short while later, he entered the kitchen carrying a bundle of leafy branches and some fruits and gourds.

Blue smoke slowly rose as the crisp sound of chopping vegetables echoed from inside the house.

「Four hours later.」

After feeding the Spirit Beasts, Li Changsheng returned to the second floor.

He sat cross-legged on the soft couch, produced a jade box with a flip of his hand, and slowly opened it.

A fruit as dark as iron appeared before his eyes.

BUZZ...

The moment Li Changsheng saw it, his entire body grew agitated again. A beast-like hunger frantically gnawed at his mind.

With a trembling arm, he picked up the Spirit Vein Fruit and placed it in his mouth. The instant he bit through the skin, a scorching hot current surged into his stomach.

UGH...

Li Changsheng let out a muffled groan, and in the next moment, he felt the hot current surge violently into his Spirit Veins.

The hot current slowly flowed through his Spirit Veins. Their original pale gold color gradually deepened, transforming into a crimson-gold.

A sensation he was once incredibly familiar with washed over him again.

Everywhere the current passed felt as if it were being pierced by steel knives. Waves of pain, like a surging tide, crashed over him again and again.

Li Changsheng gritted his teeth and endured for A Cup of Tea’s Time, but the pain showed no signs of weakening. Instead, it grew even more intense.

In the end, he could no longer hold on. Just before he lost consciousness, he summoned Xiaohai, who had advanced to a High-Grade Spirit Insect, and its swarm to protect him. Then, he passed out.

If an outsider had been present, they would have seen that even in his unconscious state, Li Changsheng’s body twitched from time to time.

As time passed, threads of blackish-gray impurities were slowly expelled with his sweat.

「The next day.」

Li Changsheng’s brow twitched, and his eyes flew open.

"Huuuh..."

Li Changsheng sat up abruptly and slowly exhaled a breath of foul air. Immediately, he was hit by a nauseating stench.

"What is this..."

Li Changsheng looked at the blackish-gray substance on his bare arms. After a moment of confusion, he quickly headed downstairs.

In the small courtyard, Li Changsheng focused his thoughts, channeling Spiritual Power into his robes.

As two runes on the collar of his robes slowly lit up, a gentle, clean breeze emerged, enveloping his skin like the caress of countless cool, small hands.

「A moment later.」

A spray of foul-smelling impurities flew off Li Changsheng in all directions.

The smell spread, making Xiaohua and her family retreat to a safe distance. Xiaobai, who had followed him downstairs, also darted back into the house.

Feeling the impurities on his body and clothes disappear, Li Changsheng let out a slow breath. "Ahh, that’s better."

He then tidied up a bit before quickly heading back up to the second floor.

Sitting cross-legged on the soft couch, Li Changsheng closed his eyes and concentrated, carefully sensing the changes within his body.

First were his Spirit Veins. They were now a crimson-gold color, not only more than twice as thick as before but also much more resilient. The circulation of his Spiritual Power was now faster and more stable.

Li Changsheng tried circulating his Cultivation Technique to absorb Spiritual Qi.

「After a moment.」

Li Changsheng opened his eyes, a joyful expression on his face.

’My aptitude has improved so much.’

Compared to before, his efficiency in absorbing Spiritual Qi had increased by more than threefold. By his calculations, cultivating at full power for a single day was now equivalent to taking one Refining Jade Pill.

’But where is that soul-attribute characteristic?’

A flicker of confusion appeared in Li Changsheng’s eyes. Then, he remembered that this was a domain only accessible to those in the Vein Condensation Realm, smiled, and put the thought out of his mind.

He produced a Refining Jade Pill with a flip of his hand, swallowed it, and began to cultivate.

’Senior Brother Tan, you’re a good man...’

「Two days passed in the blink of an eye.」

Li Changsheng stood at the edge of his Spirit Field, hands clasped behind his back. Looking at the lush, green field, he suddenly felt a pang of reluctance.

This was a Spirit Field he had spent a year’s worth of Spirit Stones on and had cultivated for three years.

He didn’t want to leave...

"Sigh..."

Li Changsheng sighed, scooped up a handful of soil and packed it away, then turned and walked back toward his house.

In the small courtyard, he packed up everything he could.

The Spirit Beasts and spirit insects he was raising, the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree in the large vat, the Rune Hoe, the small Neutralizing Stinky Fern tree.

Also, pots and pans, and seeds for fruits and gourds...

He packed away anything he thought might be even remotely useful.

He only stopped when his storage pouch could not fit a single thing more.

Li Changsheng sat on the small ironwood stool he had made himself, gazing at the small courtyard where he had lived for three years.

Just as he was feeling sentimental, a somewhat excited voice called out.

"Chief Steward Li!"

Hmm?

Without turning his head, Li Changsheng said lazily, "The door’s unlocked."

Dong Xing, who didn’t share his reluctance, walked up to him with a chuckle and asked, "What’s wrong? Feeling sentimental?"

Li Changsheng didn’t say a word.

Dong Xing continued on his own, "I’m not sentimental at all. Ah... it’s great being a Spirit Plant Master. Once we get to the Ring Mountain Spiritual Land, the Lord Steward said he’ll reward me with three mu of Spirit Fields."

Seeing that Li Changsheng still hadn’t reacted, he emphasized, "Three mu of Spirit Fields that will be completely mine..."

Li Changsheng gave him a speechless look.

’I have three mu of Tier Two Spirit Fields and I became a Steward. Am I showing off?’

’This old guy has no sense of humility.’

「Just then.」

A streak of brilliant white light shot across the sky, heading down toward Li Changsheng’s courtyard.

The two men below felt the Spiritual Pressure and looked up.

They saw a Flying Ship, about ten zhang long and as white as jade, slowly descending.

"So magnificent. I wonder when I’ll have one of my own..." Dong Xing said sourly.

Li Changsheng rolled his eyes. "In your next life, maybe."

The Flying Ship landed gently, and several familiar figures came into view.

Leading them was Lan Cai Shen.

Behind him were a smiling Tan Hu and an impassive Jin Fang. Further back were Xu Li, Fang Fan, and some other Spirit Farmers...

Li Changsheng and Dong Xing exchanged a glance, then leaped up onto the Flying Ship.

The two cupped their hands in greeting. "Greetings, Senior Brothers." "Greetings, Lord Steward."

Lan Cai Shen smiled. "No need to be so formal, Junior Brothers. Are you all packed?"

Li Changsheng nodded and smiled. "All packed."

"Good."

Lan Cai Shen nodded and said, "Then let’s be on our way..."

The words had barely left his mouth.

BUZZ...

The Flying Ship’s surface shimmered with a spiritual glow. Abruptly, it shot up into the sky and vanished over the horizon.

Li Changsheng watched his small courtyard recede into the distance, a flicker in his eyes.

"What’s wrong? Feeling sentimental?"

Tan Hu walked up with a chuckle and asked.

Li Changsheng nodded slightly and sighed. "I lived there for three years, after all."

"It’s only three years..."

Tan Hu shook his head, gazing at the azure sky. "When you advance to the Vein Condensation Realm, you’ll find that time passes even faster..."

"Sometimes, you might spend three years in seclusion just to cultivate a single Magic..."

Li Changsheng’s expression shifted slightly. "Senior Brother Tan," he asked, "can you tell me how to advance to the Vein Condensation Realm?"

Tan Hu was taken aback for a moment, but then he remembered Li Changsheng’s previous status and understood. He nodded and began to explain how to advance to the Vein Condensation Realm, and what path to follow after that.

Time passed slowly.

Until night fell, with a bright moon and few stars in the sky.

The Flying Ship streaked across the night sky like a shooting star, heading into the darkness accompanied by the rising and falling roars of beasts below.

At this time, the Flying Ship was silent.

Li Changsheng sat cross-legged in a room less than five square meters in size, carefully mulling over Tan Hu’s words.