Starting as a Talisman Master

So it turns out that the way to upgrade the Spirit Farmer profession is to accelerate the growth of spirit plants. Accelerating the growth of a first-tier spirit plant will increase one point of experience... Lu Chi's fingers paused, and his eyebrows couldn't help but twitch.

Looking at the Moon Dew Vine again, the veins of the vine have matured, the leaf color is calm and restrained, and the fragrance is abundant, so it should be ready for use.

As for the exact number of years, he was not an experienced spiritual farmer and could not determine it for the time being.

Lu Chi took out a small knife and decided to try the taste of this vine.

He carefully selected the thickest section of the vine and plucked two silvery leaves, moving very gently to avoid damaging the root.

Then rinse it briefly with clean water to remove the earthy smell, and then gently heat it with a spiritual fire to make its medicinal properties easier to release.

It has a faint sweet taste upon entry, followed by a cool sensation that slides from the throat into the stomach, like night dew entering a spring, slowly spreading along the meridians.

Lu Chi sat down cross-legged and began to practice his internal energy cultivation.

The coolness wasn't intense, but it was extremely lingering, gradually spreading along the meridians, gently smoothing out any occasional sluggishness that occurred during the flow of energy.

Within the dantian, the spiritual energy seemed to be enveloped by a thin layer of water, making it rotate more smoothly.

In the middle of the night, Lu Chi suddenly opened his eyes.

The room was completely silent. The Qi-concealing array blocked out the noise from outside, with only spiritual energy slowly swirling within it, rising and falling silently like the tide.

The effects of moon dew vine are indeed there; it warms and nourishes the meridians, moisturizing without causing dryness.

He closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then made up his mind. According to the settings of some online novels, his current realm should be the early stage of the fourth level of Qi Refining.

However, he has a low-grade spiritual root, so his absorption of spiritual energy is slow. In addition, the Moon Dew Vine is gentle and nourishing, not a strong medicine, so his improvement this time is not obvious.

The value of this thing lies in its longevity... Lu Chi turned his gaze and saw that the remaining two spiritual plants were about to mature, so he condensed two more drops of spiritual liquid and gently dripped them onto them.

A flash of inspiration.

The green grass leaves unfurl, their verdant green intensifying, with a subtle, ethereal quality emanating from the stems; the purple calyx flowers, on the other hand, have slightly open petals, their color deepening from light to dark, and their fragrance refreshing and pleasant.

In a short while, the weather changed.

Lu Chi bent down to examine it closely: "I still can't tell how many years it is. It seems I still need to find a booklet related to Lingnong to fill in the gaps in my knowledge."

The green grass is a material for refining Qi-nourishing pills, but he doesn't need it right now, so he takes a few of its main leaves to sell, leaving the rhizomes in the soil to regenerate in the future.

Purple calyx flowers can be used in sachets to ward off evil spirits and calm the mind. He also picked a few petals, leaving the rest untouched, to be kept for later discussion.

Lu Chi suddenly had an idea: "Since cultivating a spiritual plant can yield some professional experience, what if, after it matures, we take what we need, keep the roots and stems, and cultivate it again? Wouldn't that allow for repeated accumulation?"

Ten days have passed.

"I tried and failed."

Lu Chi looked at the three spiritual plants that had grown again in front of him. Their appearance was exactly the same as before, but the panel remained silent and did not respond at all.

It seems that the same spiritual plant is only counted once for its achievement. Further cultivation is merely ordinary farming and is not recorded in the panel.

This rule, though unspoken, clearly exists.

Therefore, if we want to make further progress in the path of spiritual farming, it is not something that can be solved by sticking to a few familiar plants.

You need to try many different methods.

They collected all kinds of spiritual plants and planted them to form a garden.

Only when the medicinal herb garden is abundant can it be truly appreciated.

"These three spiritual plants have been ripened multiple times with spiritual liquid. Although they are becoming more and more plump, they have not shown any signs of transformation."

Lu Chi vaguely sensed that the first-tier spiritual plant had reached the limit of its potential. Adding more spiritual liquid would only increase its vitality, but it would be difficult to bring about a qualitative change.

If one truly wishes to advance, even if one could be propelled forward by the spiritual liquid, it would take an unknown amount of time.

"Let's go find some new seeds. If we can find a second-tier spirit plant seed..."

He muttered to himself.

A second-tier item is already considered a Foundation Establishment level material. However, he only seeks the seed, not the finished product. If he inquires patiently, there might still be a chance.

Once successful, using [Condensed Dew] to accelerate its growth may allow one to reach higher-level spiritual objects ahead of others at the Qi Refining stage.

When combined with spiritual practice, its effects will be extraordinary.

……

……

The market is gradually heating up.

Stalls lined both sides of the stone path, flags hanging low, the air thick with the scent of incense and herbs. Some people whispered about prices, others examined spiritual materials, and occasionally a flash of spiritual light would appear, only to vanish in an instant.

Lu walked slowly among the crowd.

Today he changed into an ordinary gray robe with simple patterns, and the storage bag at his waist was also replaced with an old-style one.

His face was slightly thinner than usual, his eyebrows were slightly changed, his complexion was slightly darker, and he deliberately restrained his aura, indicating that he was only at the third level of Qi Refining.

He had been studying "The Hidden Shadow Transformation Record" repeatedly these days. Although he could not be said to have mastered it, he had already been able to change his appearance and expression to some extent, thus concealing his cultivation level from low-level cultivators.

Walking through the market, it would be difficult for someone who doesn't know the place well to recognize it at a glance.

This wasn't done without a purpose. After the incident at Yueyin Pavilion, he had already made an appearance in the market. With so many people around, it's possible that no one had secretly remembered his appearance.

Since they've come to offer spiritual plants and inquire about seeds, it's best to be discreet and cautious; it can't hurt to do something wrong.

Lu Chi glanced briefly at the crowd, but he didn't see the old cultivator who had sold him the Qingfu Sect talisman paper last time.

Perhaps it was a different time of day, or perhaps they had already closed up shop.

After bypassing several bustling stalls, he found a relatively empty stone area.

Lu Chi sat down, flicked his sleeves, and took out a piece of old cloth to spread on the ground.

The green grass has several main leaves, with a bright green color; the purple calyx flower has several petals, with a delicate fragrance. He placed the two items separately and labeled them simply with wooden tags.

"Can be exchanged for equivalent spirit stones."

"Also, exchange for first-tier and second-tier spirit plant seeds."

He paused for a moment, then added another line.

"I would like to request a method or incomplete text of Qigong practice; this is open to discussion."

Instead of going to Yangyuanju, he chose to set up his stall here. Larger shops offer lower prices, and more importantly, they keep records of all transactions, leaving a trail of where he came from and where he went.

The spiritual plants he possesses mature too quickly, so it's not advisable to deliver them to the same shop too frequently.

In the market, people come and go, each taking what they need, and the transaction is completed without leaving any loose ends, thus keeping everything clean.

In no time, several people gathered around.

First, a middle-aged cultivator bent down to examine the green grass closely, his fingertips lightly pressing on its leaf veins, his gaze gradually becoming serious.

"The color of the leaves is deep and not superficial, and the spiritual energy is contained and does not dissipate... Fellow Daoist, this Green Grass is probably a hundred years old."

Another person held the purple calyx flower in their palm, sniffed it for a moment, and whispered, "The fragrance is long-lasting, and the medicinal properties are stable; it's probably around a hundred years old."

As soon as he said that, the people around him started to have their own ideas.

Lu Chi then realized that the things he had cultivated were already of century-old quality.

His heart stirred slightly, but he merely glanced at it indifferently and said nothing more.

"Fellow Daoist, name your price," one person tentatively suggested. "These two spiritual plants, though a hundred years old, are still first-tier items. I'll offer eight low-grade spirit stones."

Lu Chi calmly replied, "Two plants will cost twenty low-grade spirit stones. No bargaining."

The man, unwilling to give up, added, "Nine."

The price has been set.

His tone was cold.

The man clicked his tongue, shook his head, and left.

Two or three more people tentatively tried to lower the price, their words carrying a hint of wanting to snag a bargain. Lu Chi remained calm and unyielding.

In the marketplace, it's all about scheming and maneuvering. If a seller loosens their grip even once, they'll be pressured down from all sides.

Gradually, most of the onlookers dispersed.

But one old man remained unmoved.

This man had gray hair and beard, and his robes faintly smelled of medicine. His cuffs were slightly charred, indicating that he often dealt with alchemical fire. His aura was only at the third level of Qi Refining, yet his expression was calm and composed.

"Fellow Daoist," the old man spoke slowly, "I don't have many spirit stones on hand, and can only offer half of my current spirit stones, plus a few spirit plant seeds. Would you be so kind as to make an exception?"

Lu Chi looked up: "What kind of seed?"

The old man named out several items.

Qi-boosting vine, cold dew grass, and warm yang root... are all common yet practical items.

Lu Chi was slightly tempted, but he still said calmly, "Not good enough."

The old man tugged at his beard, frowned, and asked, "Still short?"

Lu Chi's gaze lingered for a moment on the scorch marks on his sleeve.

"Are you an alchemist?"

The old man was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "I am a first-grade low-level alchemist, with some knowledge of fire control."

Lu Chi said, "If we add another alchemy furnace, the old one will do, and the matter will be settled."

The old man remained silent for a moment.

Although the alchemy furnace is not a precious treasure, it is what alchemists eat.

After pondering for a long time, he finally took out a small bronze stove from his storage bag.

"This stove is a bit old, and I rarely use it anymore," he said.

Lu Chi took it, lightly touching the furnace wall with his fingertips, and probed it with spiritual energy. Although it was not of superior quality, the fire vein was still intact, making it worth a try.

He nodded: "Okay."

The two sides exchanged items.

The old man put the green grass and purple calyx flower into his bag, the spirit stone and seeds fell into Lu Chi's palm, and the small bronze furnace also became his.

After the transaction was completed, Lu Chi did not rush to pack up. Instead, he took the opportunity to ask, "Fellow Daoist, have you ever heard of the whereabouts of second-tier spiritual plant seeds or advanced Qi cultivation techniques?"

"A second-tier seed?" The old man shook his head. "That's something at the Foundation Establishment level. Even if it exists, it's in the hands of aristocratic families or great cultivators, and it doesn't come out easily."

"As for the fragments of cultivation techniques... most of those circulating in the market are old scrolls from those below the Foundation Establishment stage in the Human Realm. The truly valuable ones have long been collected."

After a moment's thought, Lu Chi asked again, "Does Fellow Daoist possess any books or manuals for identifying the age and medicinal properties of spiritual plants?"

Upon hearing this, the old man's gaze shifted.

"You don't know what years are?"

Lu Chi said calmly, "I only know a little bit, and I dare not claim to be an expert."

The old man chuckled, but didn't mock him.

"Most medicine sellers in the market rely on experience. If you want a systematic approach, there are a few old books available."

As he spoke, he rummaged through his storage bag for a moment and took out a thin, green booklet.

"The Essentials of Herbs and Trees" was written by a farmer in his early years. It does not discuss planting methods, but rather how to observe the shape to determine the age and discern the nature by observing the qi. Although it is not very profound, it is sufficient for use.

Lu Chi took it and flipped through two pages.

It records the leaf veins, root patterns, and weather changes of the medicinal plants, with annotations on the year of their cultivation and differences in medicinal efficacy, all in a clear and organized manner.

"What is the price of this book?" Lu Chi asked.

The old man waved his hand: "Twenty taels of spirit sand will suffice."

"So low?" Lu Chi pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement. A slight unease crossed his mind; after all, he had gotten a slight advantage in the bargaining earlier. However, this thought was fleeting and quickly dissipated.

The old man packed his things, bowed, and left.

Lu Chi rolled up the cloth, putting the spirit stones, seeds, and alchemy furnace into his bag. Today's harvest was decent, especially the alchemy furnace. It was as if the path to becoming an alchemist was slowly unfolding before his eyes.