Creating a paradise in an ant nest

Chapter 80 The Boss's Hint, A Pledge of Allegiance

"Do you want to go?"

Fu Shuai said directly.

Should we send him to another sect?

Liu He looked puzzled, not understanding what he meant.

"This is a good thing, a great opportunity to earn spirit stones."

When the Xiaoyun Sect was first established, it recruited a group of disciples who cultivated spiritual plants, but they lacked experience in various aspects and wanted to invite cultivators who were proficient in the way of spiritual plants to come and give them guidance.

It's not just about pointing out some issues in planting spiritual plants, but also about learning from our experience in managing the Spiritual Plant Peak.

Our Spirit Plant Peak will send a total of thirty to forty people, ranging from Foundation Establishment deacons to outer disciples, for about a month.

Of course, we won't help for nothing. Outer disciples will receive twenty spirit stones a month, while the sect's monthly stipend of ten spirit stones will continue.

Fu Shuai explained it clearly.

Earning an extra twenty spirit stones for a month of overseas assignment is indeed a good thing.

However, Liu He was puzzled. His relationship with Commander Fu was so-so, and Commander Fu had more trusted confidants such as Huang Shideng and Tan Linong under his command. Why would he give up this opportunity to him?

There's no such thing as a free lunch; there must be some reason behind it.

Liu He replied, "I will follow Senior Brother Fu's arrangements."

"On the surface, we'll earn an extra twenty spirit stones. Once we get to Xiaoyun Sect, they'll definitely treat us to other spirit fruits and teas. There are plenty of benefits to going there."

However, I only have one spot available, and it's a coveted opportunity that everyone wants.

Fu Shuai came to test Liu He and see if he wanted to seize this "good opportunity".

"Senior Brother Fu wants to give me this opportunity?"

Liu He was even more confused. Did Marshal Fu want him to go or not?

"Well, that depends on your performance."

You need to know that spiritual practice requires a lot of resources and many benefits that need to be earned; there are no free lunches.

Take this opportunity to earn spirit stones, for example.

There aren't many similar opportunities in the sect, but they aren't few either, and it just so happens that I have the authority to decide on these spots. But with ten people under my command, it's difficult to treat everyone equally. I'm in a real dilemma about who to give the spot to and who not to—”

Fu Shuai paused here, having been observing Liu He's expression.

Liu He remained silent.

He understood; this was more than just a hint—it was as if the words "I want something in return" were written all over his face.

But he didn't want to do that.

The opportunity to earn more spirit stones was certainly desirable, but he didn't want to get too close to Commander Fu.

"Liu He, do you still remember my fiftieth birthday in a few days?"

Fu suddenly changed the subject and brought up his birthday.

"I remember."

"That's good. Some things depend on sincerity. If you're sincere, I'll naturally reciprocate."

Fu Shuai's words were brief and to the point.

At this point, his meaning was quite clear, and he believed Liu He would understand.

As for Liu He's choice, it depends on the scale of his birthday gift.

A few days later, Fu Shuai's fiftieth birthday arrived as scheduled.

His residence.

Liu He brought a jade melon as a birthday gift.

The round, jade gourd was tied with a red knot, giving it a festive look.

"Senior Brother Fu, I've come to congratulate you on your fiftieth birthday and wish you a speedy Foundation Establishment! This is just a small token of my appreciation."

He presented a jade melon.

"Hehe, you've gone to so much trouble."

When Fu Shuai saw the jade melon, his face was full of a fake smile, and his eyes even showed a hint of dissatisfaction.

A jade melon?

This is the birthday gift Liu He gave him.

The "guidance" he gave Liu He a few days ago was so insightful that even a fool would understand what he meant.

However, Liu He still only sent a jade melon, the meaning of which was self-evident.

What Fu Shuai cared about was not a birthday gift, but winning over his trusted subordinates.

The so-called birthday gift is merely a "pledge of allegiance" to him.

What he wanted were trusted confidants like Huang Shideng and Tan Linong, who could be used by him and help him seek greater benefits.

Liu He didn't even want to give a birthday gift, which clearly meant he was refusing.

"Hmph, what a blockhead!"

"You good-for-nothing brat, you'll be a Qi Refining cultivator for life."

Fu Shuai thought to himself.

There are countless people outside the Spirit Wood Garden willing to do things for him, and they try every means to earn more spirit stones.

Unlike Liu He, who doesn't cherish the opportunity to earn spirit stones even when it's right in front of him.

He deserves to be short of spirit stones and remain a low-level cultivator for life.

A few days later, Liu He learned during the morning meeting that Commander Fu had given the spot for earning spirit stones to Tan Linong.

He didn't care, since he didn't want to side with Marshal Fu anyway.

He was making plans for his trip to Lingxiao Market.

Every one or two months, a cultivator at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage or above from Lingzhi Peak will lead his disciples to Lingxiao Market.

The person in charge of leading the team and protecting the disciples this time was not a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but the owner of the Spirit Wood Garden: Zheng Pingyu.

Zheng Pingyu, in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, is one of the four garden owners of Lingzhi Peak.

Its magical flying boat is much more impressive than Meng Yunxiang's flying boat.

Liu He didn't run into anyone he knew this time.

He ran into Wang Yarong and Meng Kaizhou during his last visit to Lingxiao Market.

Wang Yarong said that the things in Lingxiao Market were too expensive for her to afford, and she would not waste time going to Lingxiao Market before breaking through to the seventh level of Qi Refining.

"It's good that I don't know anyone here; it makes it easier for me to hide my identity."

Liu He thought to himself.

If you have acquaintances there, you don't need to worry about running into them in Lingxiao Market.

He blended in with the many disciples of the Qian Yuan Holy Sect, unremarkable and inconspicuous.

Zheng Pingyu's spirit boat was faster than Meng Yunxiang's, taking exactly one hour to travel from Qian Yuan Holy Sect to Ling Xiao Sword Sect.

The spirit boat landed on a desolate mountain a few miles away from Lingxiao Market.

Just like last time, Zheng Pingyu set the return time for tomorrow afternoon, and then everyone dispersed.

This was Liu He's second visit to Lingxiao Market, and he didn't feel as unfamiliar or overwhelmed by the world as he had the first time.

"Let's just browse around and see if there's anything worth buying."

During this time, he had saved up his spirit stipend without spending it, and had accumulated ninety spirit stones.

But his budget was more than ninety spirit stones.

Having learned from his previous experience selling spirit plants, he now has a much larger stock in his spirit plant garden. Not only are there plenty of violet radishes and green radishes, but also many jade spirit melons, all of which can be sold for spirit stones.

The items sold in the shops and pavilions of those major sects were not much different from when he last came, and they were all clearly priced.

You get what you pay for, and we don't sell them separately.

He wandered around for a while, then went to the street vendor area to try his luck.

Compared to the treasure pavilions of those major sects, he was more looking forward to the treasures and resources in the street market area.

The market area was just as lively as last time, with many vendors warmly greeting the passing cultivators and fellow Daoists.

Liu He looked around and found some resources that appealed to him, but they were either too expensive or were dispensable and of little use to him.

"I haven't finished using the roots of the Eternal Spirit Tree yet, so there's no need to buy any more treasures to enhance my affinity with the Five Elements and cultivate my spiritual talent for now."

"According to the plan, I will first sell spirit plants to raise spirit stones, and then go to the Spirit Beast Pavilion of the Lingrui Immortal Sect to see the spirit beasts."

Before coming to Lingxiao Market, he had already considered buying a spirit beast.

Since his resources have expanded a billion times in the ant nest and can help him cultivate, he can plant spiritual plants and of course raise spiritual beasts.