Chapter 166: Three-Colored Spirit Soil, Bai Ling’s Talent, Unexpected Lottery!

In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.

During this time, the Market remained under lockdown, checking for robbers.

Lu Changsheng learned from the Lu Family that the Market’s surface-level losses weren’t severe and were within acceptable limits.

The main issue was the series of negative impacts brought by this incident.

To mitigate the impact and restore popularity, the Four Major Families compensated the resident merchants for their losses.

They also issued a series of discounts and welfare policies.

Adding up all these factors, it amounted to a huge loss.

Even so, the traffic at Hongye Valley Marketplace would still see a noticeable decline.

The reputation gained from the previous auction would be in vain because of this incident.

“Tsk, tsk, operating a Market is really not easy. A slight issue can result in a loss,” Lu Changsheng sighed after learning this news.

He knew that over the years, the Four Major Families hadn’t earned much from the Hongye Valley Marketplace.

Most of the income was from the initial land sales.

But this incident not only took away many Spirit Stones.

It also caused the Market, which had just started to get on track, to plummet.

It would take years, even over a decade, to regain popularity and get back on track.

“It seems that Hongye Valley Marketplace will remain like this for a short time.”

“I wonder if showing my strength and negotiating with the Four Major Families could let me take over Hongye Valley Marketplace as my family’s spiritual land.”

Lu Changsheng suddenly thought.

Through the previous battle, he clearly realized that his current strength far exceeded the patriarchs of the Four Major Families.

It would be too easy to use his strength to seize a spiritual land.

But forcibly taking over someone else’s spiritual land without reason would harm his reputation, and he wouldn’t do that.

However, the Lu Family had a 40% control over Hongye Valley Marketplace.

If he showed his strength and united with the Lu Family, he could use a combination of hard and soft tactics to take control of Red Leaf Valley.

“Initially, the Lu and Bai families didn’t plan to establish Red Leaf Valley as a Market.”

“Only when the Yu and Zheng families joined did they decide to maximize profits by establishing Red Leaf Valley as a Market.”

“So, as long as the Lu Family is compensated enough, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Lu Changsheng thought to himself.

“But there’s no rush for this matter.”

“I’ll wait until I’ve accumulated more foundation. If my children grow up and there’s still no spiritual land, I can consider this method.”

Lu Changsheng gently shook his head.

Red Leaf Valley had a Second-Tier middle-quality spiritual vein and several First-Tier spiritual veins.

Its geographical location was also good, right beside Qingzhu Mountain.

To Lu Changsheng, it was a very good spiritual land.

But he couldn’t reveal his true strength now.

At most, in a few years, he could claim to have gained an opportunity and broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

If he showed strength comparable to the late Foundation Establishment stage within fifteen years, it would be quite surprising.

There was a high chance he would be targeted.

Once targeted, it would be very troublesome.

After all, he wasn’t a lone cultivator with no attachments.

He had a family and weaknesses.

He had to be as cautious as possible.

Moreover, Lu Changsheng felt that he was still far from having the foundation to establish a family.

To establish a family, one needed not only Top-Tier combat power and a family spiritual land.

But also a Top-Tier family formation, a complete family facility and operation system, and enough core strength and fresh blood.

Though he had 125 children and 30 with spiritual roots.

The oldest child was only fourteen, and the youngest was still a baby.

In this situation, neither financial nor human resources could support a family.

Even with the help of his wives and concubines, the assistance was limited.

“The children still need to grow up. Without a solid foundation, even recruiting outsiders would be troublesome.”

“But by the time the children grow up, my strength and foundation will have improved, and it will be the right time.”

Lu Changsheng exhaled lightly.

He didn’t mind recruiting side branches and outsiders.

After all, relying solely on family bloodline wasn’t feasible.

Not every child could be capable of managing the family.

This was also the limitation of family power.

But core matters must be in the hands of the family bloodline.

In this world, family bloodline cohesion was unmatched by other forces.

“Phew, it’s time to sort out the gains from this trip.”

Seeing the Market’s alertness relax, Lu Changsheng stood up and headed to the cave area.

He planned to go to Xiao Xiyue’s cave to assess his gains.

And to deal with the corpse of the Second-Tier demonic beast.

After all, Storage Bags didn’t have preservation functions.

If not stored with special tools, it would cause problems over time.

“Changsheng.”

Upon receiving Lu Changsheng’s message, Xiao Xiyue immediately opened the restriction on her cave.

Due to the recent Market inspections, she had been in disguise.

But the inspections mainly focused on the residential and commercial areas of the Market.

The cave area was only briefly questioned.

Because those living in the cave area were either from the Four Major Families or other cultivating families.

“Xiyue.”

Lu Changsheng entered the cave.

Once inside, they both returned to their true forms.

If they didn’t, it always felt a bit strange.

“Lu Lang, your heroic demeanor that night truly surprised me. I can’t forget it,” Xiao Xiyue said playfully, her beautiful face lit with a smile.

Usually cold and holy, Xiao Xiyue’s playful demeanor made Lu Changsheng feel quite satisfied.

After all, which man didn’t like being admired and depended on by his wife and children?

“Hehe, if Xiyue wants to see her husband’s prowess, how could I disappoint you? I had to perform well,” Lu Changsheng said with a light laugh, leaning in to kiss her.

Moments later, Xiao Xiyue was almost limp in his arms, her beautiful face flushed, looking stunning.

“Xiyue, if my performance that night satisfied you, today you need to satisfy me,” Lu Changsheng whispered in her ear.

Xiao Xiyue naturally understood what he meant.

She gave him a playful glance and gently lowered herself, her long hair falling like a curtain, hiding her beautiful face.

“Ah.”

Lu Changsheng gently lifted a strand of Xiao Xiyue’s hair, twirling it playfully.

Looking at her stunning face, he couldn’t help but recall their first meeting.

Unknowingly, their relationship had reached this point.

Afterward.

Afterward.

Afterward.

Lu Changsheng took a pill and held two Spirit Stones, sitting cross-legged to cultivate.

The next moment, a drop of liquid Qi formed in his dantian, slowly merging into the seven-colored lake.

Among all his wives and concubines, only Xiao Xiyue had the best Dual Cultivation effect with him.

Currently, only Xiao Xiyue could dual cultivate with him without reservation.

One session of cultivating the Love-binding Technique was almost equivalent to a month’s worth of his own cultivation.

After accumulating for so long, he had gathered another drop of liquid Qi.

“Phew, fifteen drops of liquid Qi. Even at this rate, it will take two or three more years to break through to the Second Level of Foundation Establishment.”

Lu Changsheng couldn’t help but sigh.

Although this speed was already fast.

In his eyes, it was still average.

He didn’t dwell on it. After Xiao Xiyue woke up, he took out the two robbers’ corpses and the Storage Bags and began sorting them.

Besides the robbers’ storage Artifacts and multiple Storage Bags, the Yu Family Patriarch had given him three Storage Bags, and he had also obtained over ten Storage Bags from killing the robbers.

These Storage Bags alone were worth a considerable amount of Spirit Stones.

“No wonder robbers are full of treasures.”

Lu Changsheng took several Artifacts from the two bodies.

Foundation Establishment cultivators generally wore robes and boots and carried several protective Artifacts.

“Hmm?”

Looking at the burly man’s ferocious face, Lu Changsheng touched it with his hand.

Then, with a surge of Qi, he tore it forcefully.

“Rip!”

A mask as thin as a cicada’s wing appeared.

“This mask is pretty good. It should be a spiritual Artifact or a disguise tool. There are no signs of disguise even after the owner’s death.”

Lu Changsheng looked at the mask in his hand and clicked his tongue in admiration.

As a tribulation cultivator, having a disguise is quite normal.

But if it wasn’t for a routine check, he wouldn’t have noticed any disguise traces.

“Changsheng, I think I’ve seen this person on the sect’s wanted list. He seems to be a wanted criminal.”

At this moment, Xiao Xiyue, who was looking at the burly man’s true face, frowned slightly and spoke.

“A wanted criminal?”

Lu Changsheng raised his eyebrows upon hearing this.

Although the cultivation world is a place where the weak are prey to the strong and there are no rules.

Several immortal sects still maintain order.

If someone dares to cause trouble and act recklessly, provoking the immortal sects, they will be branded as demonic cultivators and wanted by the immortal sects.

“If I remember correctly, this couple should be the demonic cultivators ‘Malevolent Duo’ wanted by the Heavenly Sword Sect.”

“They were wanted by the Heavenly Sword Sect for killing their disciples.”

Xiao Xiyue explained.

The wanted lists of several immortal sects are shared.

When Xiao Xiyue went down the mountain, the Azure Cloud Sect also had her remember these wanted criminals.

Not to make disciples hunt down the criminals.

But simply to deal with them if encountered, to uphold the sect’s prestige.

If they couldn’t handle them, they would know the opponent’s strength and avoid danger.

“Oh, wanted by the Heavenly Sword Sect. Is there a bounty?”

Lu Changsheng smiled and asked.

Since they are wanted by the immortal sects, there is usually a considerable bounty.

“Of course, there is a bounty. But the exact amount, I don’t quite remember.”

Xiao Xiyue shook her head lightly.

She only glanced at the wanted list, having a rough impression.

Seeing the burly man’s true face, she recognized them based on the couple’s strength and disguise.

“In that case, I’ll keep them for now. If I get a chance, I’ll claim the bounty later.”

Lu Changsheng thought for a moment and said.

He initially planned to feed the corpses to the Six-Winged Golden Silkworm.

But knowing they had a bounty, he wouldn’t waste them.

Planning to make a trip when he had the time.

“Yes, if such demonic cultivators are wanted by the Heavenly Sword Sect, the bounty can be claimed in major Markets within their territory.”

“But if you want to quickly get the bounty, you should go to the Heavenly Sword Sect or Nine Heavens Immortal City.”

Xiao Xiyue suggested.

“By the way, Xiyue, do you need to verify your identity to claim such bounties?”

Lu Changsheng nodded and continued to ask.

“Usually not.”

“There are many bounty hunters in the cultivation world who make a living by capturing wanted demonic cultivators and prefer to remain anonymous.”

“So the immortal sects generally only require the head as proof, without verifying identity.”

Xiao Xiyue shook her head and explained.

“Alright.”

Hearing this, Lu Changsheng felt relieved.

If identity verification was required, he would give up on claiming the bounty.

Then, Lu Changsheng put the two corpses away again.

Planning to buy a tool to store the corpses later.

Otherwise, when he finally goes to claim the bounty, the bodies might have rotted.

“What’s this?”

Lu Changsheng started sorting through the Storage Bags.

He took out some valuable items from the burly man’s Storage Bag and found a jar of three-colored soil.

The soil was not only filled with Qi but also had a faint fragrance.

“This should be three-colored spirit soil. It’s a good foundation-building spiritual item. If one practices earth-attribute techniques, using three-colored spirit soil during foundation building helps with the power gate of the foundation building’s three gates.”

“It can also be used as medicinal soil for cultivating spiritual herbs and plants, accelerating their growth.”

Xiao Xiyue, seeing the jar of three-colored soil, explained.

“Three-colored spirit soil, a foundation-building spiritual item?”

Lu Changsheng initially found the foundation-building item ordinary.

But upon hearing its use as medicinal soil for accelerating growth, his eyes lit up.

After obtaining the Golden Armored Bean Mother, he looked for ways to accelerate its growth.

The Golden Armored Bean Mother’s growth was too slow.

Three years to sprout, three years to grow leaves, three years to bloom, and three years to bear fruit. A full cycle took twelve years.

But after researching, he found that accelerating growth with medicinal soil was rare and precious.

Unless it was a rare and difficult-to-grow spiritual herb, it was better to plant it in a spiritual land and have a spiritual planter cultivate it.

Unexpectedly, he found such a spiritual item today.

“Not bad, a good thing.”

Lu Changsheng chuckled and put away the three-colored spirit soil.

Planning to use it to cultivate the Golden Armored Bean Mother later.

The rest of the sorting process didn’t yield any high-value items for Lu Changsheng.

Even some treasures worth thousands of Spirit Stones didn’t excite him.

“This Storage Bag is full of Artifacts. Did they rob an Artifact shop? I wonder whose shop they robbed.”

Lu Changsheng opened another Storage Bag.

Seeing it full of Artifacts, he shook his head.

Then he opened each Storage Bag and found them mostly filled with pills, Artifacts, and spiritual herbs, clearly stolen goods.

After half an hour, Lu Changsheng finally finished sorting all the Storage Bags.

“156 Mid-Tier Spirit Stones.”

“12,894 low-Tier Spirit Stones.”

“One jar of three-colored spirit soil, one Mid-Tier spiritual Artifact, four low-Tier spiritual Artifacts, three of which are severely damaged.”

“Four Top-Tier Artifacts, nine High-Tier Artifacts, twenty-nine Mid-Tier Artifacts, thirty-five low-Tier Artifacts. Seventeen bottles of Huanglong Pills, nine bottles of Qi Refining Powder, and various spiritual herbs.”

“It doesn’t seem like a lot. Altogether, it’s only worth about sixty to seventy thousand Spirit Stones.”

Lu Changsheng frowned at these items.

The haul looked big, but most items weren’t valuable and were troublesome to deal with.

Excluding the three Storage Bags given by the Yu Family Patriarch, they were only worth thirty to forty thousand Spirit Stones.

“Well, they were robbers. How rich could they be?”

Lu Changsheng shook his head, understanding that not all cultivators were wealthy.

Especially robbers, who wouldn’t carry many Spirit Stones.

Then he looked at Xiao Xiyue and asked, “Xiyue, is there anything you fancy?”

“Thank you, Lu Lang.”

Xiao Xiyue smiled and didn’t hold back.

She took a blue bead and a flying needle Artifact.

They were the female robber’s low-Tier defensive spiritual Artifact and Top-Tier Artifact.

Seeing Xiao Xiyue only took two items, Lu Changsheng also gave her some talismans for emergencies.

For him, talismans were the least valuable.

“Right, there’s one more big guy.”

Lu Changsheng asked Xiao Xiyue to step aside.

He took out the green wolf’s corpse from the Storage Bag.

“Collect!”

Looking at the huge corpse, Lu Changsheng first took out a Gourd Artifact and placed it aside.

Then, holding the True Yang Five Elements Sword, he skillfully cut the green wolf at several points, using a spell to collect all the blood into the Gourd.

The blood of this second-stage monster could be used for making spiritual ink and refining certain pills.

But Lu Changsheng intended to use the monster blood to feed the Six-Winged Golden Silkworm.

After draining the blood, Lu Changsheng skillfully checked the green wolf’s head and abdomen.

Confirming there was no Demon Core, he put the corpse back into the Storage Bag.

“Lu Lang, you know spiritual butchery?”

Xiao Xiyue looked at Lu Changsheng’s skillful dissection and blood collection, her beautiful eyes showing surprise.

“Just a little, just a little.”

Lu Changsheng chuckled.

This skill came from the second-stage spiritual butchery he drew from the system.

In fact, his one-hit kill of the green wolf was partly due to the second-stage spiritual butchery.

With this skill, he could instantly discern a monster’s weak points and make more effective attacks.

This feeling was very mysterious, and Lu Changsheng couldn’t explain it well.

It felt like he had been hunting monsters for decades, his heart and blade as cold as ice, knowing how to strike quickly.

“Lu Lang, are you perhaps the reincarnation of a mighty figure?”

“Otherwise, how could you be so amazing and know so much?”

Xiao Xiyue’s beautiful eyes sparkled as she joked with Lu Changsheng.

After spending so much time with him, he always surprised her, making her feel he wasn’t an ordinary person.

But through their long acquaintance, she also saw that Lu Changsheng wasn’t some ancient monster reborn.

“Hah, you saw through me. I used to be a mighty False Core cultivator.”

Lu Changsheng chuckled.

He thought he might have revealed too much in front of Xiao Xiyue.

He needed to restrain himself a bit, as his actions were indeed too astonishing to explain.

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

Xiao Xiyue looked adoringly at Lu Changsheng. He couldn’t help but pinch her smooth, jade-like cheek.

He thought if Xiao Xiyue hadn’t practiced the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Technique, she would probably always be like this.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

During this time, besides making talismans, cultivating, and refining the Nine-Treasure Jade Ruyi, Lu Changsheng also taught Lu Miaoge the Celestial WaterrStar Sword Technique.

After half a month of detailed instruction, Lu Miaoge finally gained a baaic understanding of the Celestial Water Star Sword Technique.

Next, she needed to master the technique and switch her cultivation from the Mysterious Water Technique to the Celestial Water Star Sword Technique.

Although this process would consume some cultivation and delay her progress, overall, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.

“Sister Miaoge, since you’ve mastered the Celestial Water Star Sword Technique, I’ll head back for a while.”

“If you encounter any problems during cultivation, pause and wait for my return.”

Lu Changsheng told Lu Miaoge..

“I understand, Changsheng. Be careful on your journey.”

Lu Miaoge’s gentle, water-likk demeanor showed.

“Okay.”

Lu Changsheng nodded and rode the Iron Feather Hawk back to Qingzhu Mountain.

Shortly after leaving the Market, a young man in a black robe, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a plain, square face, walked out of Hongye Valley Marketplace.

“Hongye Valley Marketplace, I’ll be back.”

After leaving Red Leaf Valley, the black-robed young man breathed a sigh of relief, looked back at Red Leaf Valley, clenched his fists tightly, and a hint of malice flashed in his eyes.

After returning to Qingzhu Mountain, Lu Changsheng went to Qingzhu Mountain Estate to discuss teaching matters with Uncle Fu.

Despite giving many lessons, only two or three young students showed talent in making talismans.

Lu Changsheng didn’t have much time to give them private lessons.

He just gave them extra guidance during class.

He planned to send them as apprentices to Hongye Valley Marketplace with their parents’ consent when they grew older.

He would guide them more if he had time.

If he was too busy, Lu Miaoge could also help..

After returning home, his wives and children gathered, asking about the Hongye Valley Marketplace.

They had heard about the robbery at the Market, which caused a stir.

Although they knew Lu Changsheng was fine, they were still concerned.

Lu Changsheng then recounted the events of that night.

His wives felt the danger but no other emotions.

The children were excited to hear about the sword cultivator who saved the Market from the robbers.

At their age, they loved stories about sword cultivators slaying demons.

Seeing his children’s excitement made Lu Changsheng smile.

Afterward, he checked on his children’s progress.

He learned that Lu Xian’er was still at the Second Level of Qi Refining.

His son Lu Quanzhen would start cultivating in a month.

Bai Ling, the little girl, said she would soon break through to the Second Level of Qi Refining.

Seeing Bai Ling’s expectant look, Lu Changsheng patted her head, amazed at her talent.

He remembered that Bai Ling had started cultivating less than half a year ago.

Specifically, it had been just over three months since she began cultivation.

In three months, without any pills, her progress was astonishing.

He couldn’t help but think how great it would be if Bai Ling were his biological daughter.

That way, his talent would be maximized.

After rewarding Bai Ling, Lu Changsheng went to his backyard, dug a hole, and poured in a jar of three-colored soil.

“I wonder how much this three-colored spirit soil will help the Golden Armored Bean Mother.”

Looking at the Golden Armored Bean Mother, which had barely sprouted after a year, Lu Changsheng was full of hope.

He also told Lu Miaoyun about buying some sirit soil and medicinal mud.

Although Lu Miaoyun recognized the soils quality, she didn’t ask much and said she would take care of it daily.

Time flew by, and a month had passed since Lu Changsheng returned to Qingzhu Mountain.

During this time, he focused on cultivating, making talismans, refining the Nine-Treasure Jade Ruyi, and having children.

His efforts paid off, as four of his maidservants became pregnant in that month.

On this day, Lu Changsheng’s one hundred twenty-first and one hundred twenty-second children were born.

When the children were born, a system notification sounded.

“Ding! Congratulations to the host for the first birth of dragon and phoenix twins. You’ve earned a lottery chance!”

“Dragon and phoenix twins? There’s an achievement reward for that too.”

Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow and smiled.

He had known that his concubine, Kui Si, was expecting twins.

But since he had received a reward for twins before, he didn’t expect another one.

Unexpectedly, the system rewarded him again.

Both children had Spirit Roots.

One had a Seventh-Tier Spirit Root, and the other an Eighth-Tier Spirit Root.

“If low-Tier Spirit Roots keep accumulating, my Spirit Roots might gradually reach the fourth grade.”

“But to advance quickly, I need High-Tier Spirit Roots.”

Lu Changsheng sighed, wanting a child with talent like Bai Ling’s.

He planned to have two more children once Lu Miaoge reached Foundation stablishment.

Since both parents would be at Foundation Establishment with Fifth-Tier Spirit Roots, their children should have good Spirit Roots.

After seeing his children, Lu Changsheng returned to his study to draw the lottery.

He wanted to see what he would get from this unexpected lottery.

“System, draw the lottery!”

Lu Changsheng silently commanded.

As the familiar lottery wheel appeared, a golden light spun rapidly.