You Cultivate, I Farm

After leaving the Yu family grounds, Lu Xuan parted ways with the cultivator surnamed Wu and headed to the Hundred Herbs Hall.

Inside the hall, the air was thick with the scent of herbs, offering a refreshing sensation upon entry.contemporary romance

"Lu lad, you've finally shown up. Been looking for you everywhere," Steward He grabbed Lu Xuan's arm hurriedly.

"Just sent a medicine apprentice to your place, couldn't find you. Glad you're here now," he said urgently.

"He Lao, is something wrong?" Lu Xuan's expression shifted. He knew the elder wouldn't send someone unless it was urgent.

"Any odd occurrences in your spiritual field lately?" The slender elder looked around cautiously before asking softly.

"When tending to the spirit plants a few days ago, I found some gnawing insects, different from what's documented. I suspect an anomaly," Lu Xuan revealed truthfully.

"That's it. Not just your field, all the spirit planters here at the Hall and even across the market are facing the same," the elder disclosed.

"Some speculate the excessive infiltration of malevolent forces tainted the market's spiritual veins, causing a turbid aura and triggering abnormal insect mutations."

"To mitigate losses, the alchemists in the Hall have summoned all collaborating planters for a solution discussion."

The gravity of the elder's words weighed heavily on Lu Xuan.

"Don't worry. This concerns all planters and cultivators in the market. You just follow their lead," reassured Steward He, noticing Lu Xuan's concern.

"When's the meeting?"

"It'll be a while. Wait here for now," He advised.

Once his mind settled, Lu Xuan handed the elder thirty-nine mature Firefly Grasses, maintaining the usual price: fifty broken spirits for fine quality, plus twenty for superior, and one perfect quality for four spirit stones.

Fourteen fine, nineteen superior, and six perfect quality plants earned Lu Xuan a total of one hundred and forty-three spirit stones and thirty broken spirits, restoring his wealth to over three hundred.

As more planters entered the room, Lu Xuan joined them.

In the spacious hall, about twenty planters collaborating with the Hall sat. Lu Xuan recognized only a few; most were unfamiliar.

His presence drew attention due to his youthfulness. To excel as a planter, experience was crucial. Amongst the cultivators present—either dedicated planters for the Hall or those with open collaborations—most were over forty. Lu Xuan felt conspicuous amidst them.

Some cultivators had heard of Lu Xuan's reputation—although he primarily grew non-tier Firefly Grass and top-tier Blood Jade Ginseng for the Hall, his plants often boasted exceptional quality or even perfection.

Consequently, several cultivators approached him, seeking rapport.

Soon, all planters gathered, and a bearded cultivator in azure approached. His gaze lingered briefly on Lu Xuan as he addressed the assembly.

"I am He Zongguang, an ordinary alchemist from the Hall. I'm sure some of you have heard of me."

"Be it those exclusively collaborating or those in free partnership with the Hall, you're all top-tier planters. We've summoned you for a matter concerning all planters' interests."

Seeing all eyes on him, He Zongguang continued, "You might have heard or witnessed unexplained changes in your cultivated plants."

"With the increasing number of mutated cultivators infiltrating and corrupt influences seeping into the market, our fields are facing adverse changes."

"Intruding insects have turned more aggressive and destructive. Some plants are inexplicably ailing, like these two."

He Zongguang produced two aberrant plants—a Blood Jade Ginseng Lu Xuan had grown, now exhibiting grey patches amidst its otherwise translucent body, disintegrating upon touch, and another plant with crimson leaves covered in black fuzz, looking diseased.

"These are plants showing anomalous changes. The cause is unknown, but these changes irreversibly harm the plants."

"Furthermore, this anomaly might be contagious. If they infect other plants, entire fields could be devastated."

He Zongguang's demeanor turned serious.

"To prevent your cultivated plants' impact on the Hall's alchemy, I propose two solutions."

"Firstly, exercise caution, enhance vigilance, and fortify protective measures. Deploy defensive arrays to ward off mutated creatures, use spells to monitor plant growth—observe frequently to prevent contamination."

"Secondly, pool ideas to address the anomaly."

"Each of you has unique plant cultivation methods, likely with insights into prevention or remedy. If viable, the Hall will reward generously."

Planters pondered and discussed various solutions, but none seemed fundamental, only addressing symptoms, not the root issue.

In a corner, Lu Xuan's mind raced with a peculiar thought.

"I wonder if bringing these aberrant plants back to my field would reveal their real-time status?"

The more he considered, the more feasible it seemed. If he could cultivate these plants in his field and witness their status, he might gain rewards.

Factors influencing the rewards included his involvement in their growth, the plants' tier, and quality upon maturity.

"If I bring back a few aberrant plants and successfully cultivate them, observing their real-time status could be beneficial."

"I must get my hands on a couple of these plants for an experiment in my field," Lu Xuan mused quietly.

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