First achieve immortality, then cultivate immortality.

It was just past noon when Xu Mu rode his white tiger through the valley, planning how to cultivate the medicinal herb fields next.

Based on the distribution of spiritual energy concentration and geological conditions within the valley, he divided it into four levels of land parcels.

Poor soil is used for growing weeds and vegetables.

Don't worry about the weeds; they'll grow on their own. Harvest them to make fertilizer, and once they grow back, you'll have top-grade fertilizer every year.

First-grade fertilizer is used to cultivate first-grade spiritual herbs, including the spiritual herbs needed for the Spirit Gathering Pill and the spiritual herbs needed for second-grade fertilizer.

The first-grade medicinal herbs required for fertilizer are relatively easy to grow, have little medicinal value, and can be planted in slightly less desirable plots of land.

A better location is needed to grow the first-grade spiritual herbs required for the Spirit Gathering Pill.

The best plot of land, of course, is for planting Grade 2 Spirit Gathering Fruit using Level 2 fertilizer.

After drawing the approximate area, Xu Mu considered where to begin.

I still need to go to the capital to complete the task Yan Qing assigned me before I can come back and farm in peace.

However, before that, he wanted to see if this place was suitable for growing medicinal herbs.

"Hmm... let's build a cabin first, get food and lodging sorted out, and then we can take care of the rest later."

Farming requires fertilizer, which takes about six months to compost. Therefore, it's important to do some preparatory work and make plans during this process.

So he made up his mind to build a wooden house first.

However, if we were to build it, we would lack the tools, and we would also need to find a village to provide manure.

Then let's take a look at the surrounding environment, see where the nearest county town is, buy tools in the county town, and collect manure from the village.

"Do you know where there are human villages?" Xu Mu asked, patting the tiger demon's head.

The tiger demon tilted its head and thought for a moment, then carried him deeper into the area.

Xu Mu took a look and realized that this was the real entrance and exit of the valley. He had entered from the swallowing part, which could perhaps be considered the back entrance.

However, he preferred to use the swallowing area as the front entrance, because that was where spiritual energy gathered and then leaked out from the large opening on this side, leaving only the spiritual energy in the valley relatively abundant.

After leaving the valley, the tiger demon carried him through the mountains and forests, running over mountains and ridges, until they arrived at a cliff.

It raised its head, gesturing for Xu Mu to look.

Xu Mu looked into the distance and saw a village at the foot of the mountain. It had about a hundred households and was considered a fairly large village.

Such a large village should be close to a county town, which perfectly suits Xu Mu's needs.

"Well done." Xu Mu patted the tiger demon's head with satisfaction.

Then he pointed, and the tiger demon turned around and carried him down the mountain, soon becoming panting heavily.

A tiger's stamina can't compare to a horse's.

"It's not really suitable as a mount. You go back first, I can go by myself." Xu Mu dismounted from the tiger's back and patted its body to indicate that it was not suitable.

The tiger demon watched him leave.

Its tiger eyes held a hint of helplessness as it panted with its tongue lolling out.

Being enslaved is obviously unpleasant. Fortunately, Xu Mu is quite sensible and considers its feelings; otherwise, it might have been worked to death.

After resting for a while, it turned back to the valley to tell its wife and children that this two-legged man was not to be trifled with.

……

Instead of going directly to the village, Xu Mu used some of his magic power to fly into the air, survey the terrain, and plan the route from the valley to the village.

The best route was found to be downstream, not far from the village.

On the way back, you can fly directly on your sword. Once you reach the valley, you can restore your mana, saving both time and effort.

After determining the transportation route, he flew to the riverbank, landed, shaved a piece of wood, threw it into the river, stepped onto it, and floated downstream like a surfboard.

"Hmm, that's really good."

Xu Mu was both curious and excited. With his hands behind his back, he floated on the wooden plank, which used less magic power than flying on a sword.

Adding some magic power allows you to descend even faster, providing a different experience from flying on a sword.

Once downstream, shake off the water from the wooden planks, then store them in a storage bag for future use—convenient and quick.

"The next step is to deal with the villagers and see if they have any tools. If they do, we won't need to go to the county town; we can just buy some manure from them."

As he pondered, his body rapidly aged, transforming him into a frail old man, before he began to walk toward the village.

Just then, a woman carrying a wooden bucket came along. Upon seeing him, she was immediately terrified and her face turned wary.

Xu Mu smiled calmly and said, "Woman, don't be alarmed. I am a cultivator seeking immortality and enlightenment. I was passing through this place and found the scenery beautiful, so I wanted to go into the village to take a look."

When the woman realized he wasn't some kind of demon or monster, her expression softened slightly.

The sudden appearance of a stranger at the foot of the mountain is often a sign of seeing a ghost, which is why she was frightened.

"So you're a Taoist priest." She bowed respectfully.

"Excuse me, what kind of village is this?" Xu Mu asked.

"This is Bishi Village."

Are there any county towns nearby?

"Yes, there is a Taoshan County, about fifty miles away."

Xu Mu nodded, bowed his thanks, and then walked past the woman toward the village.

The woman looked closely at his heels and saw his shadow in the sunlight, which finally put her mind at ease, and she continued washing clothes by the river.

……

Bishi Village is nestled against the mountains and beside the water, with neatly planned fields where farmers and women are planting rice seedlings and children are playing in the water and mud, creating a peaceful scene.

Xu Mu was dressed as a Taoist priest, clean and tidy, with a refined and otherworldly air about him, so he was treated well as soon as he entered the village.

When asked where he came from, he smiled and replied, "A free spirit, I make my home wherever I go."

When asked where he was going, he replied, "To where I'm supposed to go."

Seeing that he was no ordinary person, the villagers quickly invited a local gentryman to their home.

This local gentryman, surnamed Zhang, was an old scholar and likely a large landowner in the area. He lived in a grand courtyard, quite imposing, and was far removed from the other villagers.

When Xu Mu visited the other party's residence, he was completely at ease. His white hair and beard, yet his spirited appearance, inspired respect in everyone who saw him, making it easier for him to move around the village than when he was younger.

"This place is beautiful with clear waters and lush mountains. I would like to build a hut on the mountain, but I am short of some tools. I wonder if there is a place in the village where I can buy them?" Xu Mu asked.

"Build a hut on the mountain? Taoist priest, please think twice. Wild beasts, monsters, and mountain spirits roam the mountain. How can anyone live there?" Zhang Xiucai hurriedly said.

Xu Mu smiled and said, "It's alright, the mountain is suitable for cultivation."

Scholar Zhang looked at him and nodded, saying, "Very well, Daoist Master, you are clearly a master. Masters like to live high in the mountains. It is a blessing for our Bishi Village that you have built a hermitage here."

I don't think the Taoist priest needs to do it himself. I'll have a few people go up the mountain with him to help him build the hut.

Xu Mu shook his head: "No, no need to trouble the villagers. I'll just take some tools and build a house myself using the materials I have on hand."

"Since that's what you say, Master, I'll have someone bring the tools over for you."

"Thank you, Master Zhang." Xu Mu smiled and stroked his beard.

"No need to be so polite, Taoist priest. I'm glad I could help you." Scholar Zhang was also pleased and immediately sent someone to prepare the tools.

At this moment, his wife and children came over to greet the guest, and respectfully bowed, saying, "Greetings, Taoist Master."

Xu Mu smiled and nodded, looking at his three children. The eldest was his son, who was eighteen or nineteen years old. The second son was a year or two younger, and the youngest was a girl who was not yet ten years old.

As a highly respected person, having received such a favor, it is only right that he look at his three children and speak well of them.

These three people just look... a bit odd-looking.

The eldest son looked simple-minded, even a bit mentally challenged. The second son was rather short, with one eye bigger than the other and a slight cross-eyed look, making him quite ugly. Only the little girl was chubby, and although she wasn't exactly pretty, she looked much cuter standing between her two older brothers.

Scholar Zhang sighed and said, "Daoist, look, I, Zhang Jun, have never done anything wrong in my life, so why do I seem to be getting my comeuppance by having three children like this?"

His wife was also sighing.

Xu Mu stroked his beard and smiled: "A congenital deficiency is not a problem."

He stood up and stepped forward, pressing his hands against the second brother's temples and rubbing them vigorously, channeling some magical power into his meridians.

The second child screamed in pain, and Mr. and Mrs. Zhang rushed over to look, their faces showing concern.

The eldest son and the little girl watched curiously, even clapping and laughing, finding it all very amusing.

A moment later, Xu Mu withdrew his hands, and his second son ran crying to his mother's side.

"Quickly, let your mother see him." The lady quickly supported his head and looked into his eyes.

"Oh! It's done! Master, it's done!" she shouted excitedly.

When Zhang Xiucai took a closer look, he saw that his second son's eyes had returned to normal, looking neat and even somewhat handsome.

"Master, you are truly a master! Please accept my deepest bow!" Scholar Zhang was overjoyed and bowed deeply with his hands clasped.

"Thank you so much, Daoist Master! Thank you so much, Daoist Master!"

The lady wept with joy, and together they pressed their son's head and bowed in gratitude.

Xu Mu smiled nonchalantly as always: "It was nothing, no need for such formalities."

Zhang Xiucai knew that he had met a true master today, and he was extremely excited.

"Master, my eldest son..."

Xu Mu shook his head.

He couldn't do anything about his intellectual disability.

As for the little girl, it's not a big deal. As long as she's well-mannered and loses some weight, she might grow into a beautiful young woman.

Scholar Zhang did not press the matter further and thanked him profusely.

In this way, Xu Mu's prestige in the village was established.