Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

Blood energy and wood energy, two completely different forces, intertwine to form a network within the body.

One is wild and domineering, the other is tranquil and serene; together they nourish the muscles, bones, and skin.

Liu Xingmo meditated for a while, but no new soul imprints were generated. It seemed that his rapid advancement had resulted in a shallow foundation.

To cultivate both paths simultaneously requires not only the repulsion and conflict of spiritual energy, but also more than twice the amount of spiritual consciousness to control both powers, and places higher demands on physical constitution. It's not as simple as one plus one.

Liu Xingmo has been trying to explore the essence of dual souls, which is to do two things at once, but unfortunately he has not gained much.

He finished his cultivation, and the sky outside the window was a deep indigo blue; dawn was approaching.

I went to bed and slept until noon.

After waking up, he ate a simple lunch, fed the livestock, and then took his wife, rode the old turtle, and headed towards the central city.

Today is a big day: our new house is finished and ready to be occupied.

The sun was shining brightly overhead.

A lightweight rain shelter is propped up on the turtle's back.

Liu Xingmo took a deep breath of the mountain air and felt refreshed.

After the thunderstorm, the mountain streams converged into a river, swirling and rushing downstream. Petals of peach, pear, and apricot blossoms floated on the water, turning the shimmering waves a white tinged with pink.

Spring water is like this, carrying the delicate tenderness of the mountains, flowing away without a trace of regret and never looking back.

A mountain breeze caressed his face. Amidst the fragrance of flowers, Liu Xingmo reached out and scooped up a delicate pink petal, placing it on his wife's forehead.

Sumali asked in confusion, "What are you doing? Xingmo?"

Liu Xingmo said affectionately, "You are as beautiful as a flower, Mary."

"Thank you, but this is blocking my eyes." Sumali, whose entire forehead was covered by flower petals, was even more puzzled. "Is covering one's face with flower petals a custom in the Central Plains?"

"Uh... I think if these flowers were smaller, they would definitely be the most beautiful ornaments," Liu Xingmo explained somewhat awkwardly.

"So that's why you like to give me flowers? I see..." Su Mali removed the petals from her face, held them in her palm and examined them closely, saying, "Xingmo, I still remember when you were fifteen, you gave me a rose. I was so happy! It was the first time I had insomnia in bed, tossing and turning and unable to fall asleep."

"Haha, actually I acted without thinking." Liu Xingmo also recalled the past, "That flower was as big as a washbasin, and there was a nest of bugs inside. It stank not long after. You still endured the nausea and left it in the living room for many days."

"This is your thoughtfulness. This is the first time in my life that a boy has cared about me so much," Su Mali said softly, leaning against the man.

Liu Xingmo put his arm around the woman's shoulder: "Mary, you're actually a woman who's easily fooled, so be careful."

The two nestled together, with the strangely shaped giant tortoise beneath them strolling along the bamboo-plank road.

At this moment, a lush green valley unfolds before your eyes, and the main road leads to a suspension bridge woven from vines.

They walked onto the bridge with practiced ease.

"Whoosh—" The mountain wind teased people's hair, and colorful petals drifted away with the water.

It seems that most of the petals on the tree have fallen. Next, it will sprout branches and leaves, transforming into a dense shade that blocks out the sun.

Spring is here, and summer is not far behind.

After crossing another mountain, the entire central city came into view in the distance.

Looking eastward into the town, at the junction of the plains and mountains, at the foot of a slightly higher mountain, one can vaguely make out a rounded stone fortress.

Liu Xingmo pointed in that direction: "Mary, doesn't our new home look like a castle?"

"It's quite similar, except there are only one spired tower, with only one." Sumari also gazed at the fortress in the sunlight.

He urged Baohei to quicken his pace, taking the ring road to head towards his new home.

Upon closer inspection, gray cement surrounds irregular granite blocks, forming the outline of a flattened cylindrical fortress. Red tiles cover the conical roof, extending into a large ring of eaves.

Hmm, it looks a bit like a spotted poisonous mushroom. What's even more amazing is that there's a straight, tall tower right next to the fortress, topped with a red dome, which looks like a slender poisonous mushroom.

"Xingmo! Don't we look like two mushrooms?" Su Mali chuckled.

"Well...it's somewhat similar." Liu Xingmo had to agree. He then asked, "What kind of sign should we hang in front of our house? Mary's Alchemy Workshop?"

"What kind of casual address is this?" Sumali shook her head. "My dear husband, you are a great writer, please think of a better name."

"What's so casual about it? It's so straightforward and clear, so exotic!" Liu Xingmo gazed at the fortress with its gleaming red tiles. "So... Qishan Fortress? Chixia Fortress? Or maybe just Iron Fortress?"

Sumali pondered over several names before finally uttering the word: "Mushroom Castle."

"Hahaha!" Liu Xingmo laughed. "Alright, let's call it Mushroom Castle."

The circular fortress stands on a slope, with a diameter of over thirty meters, covering a large area, and a small portion of it blends into the base of the mountain.

Bao Hei followed the newly paved cement and gravel road to the main entrance on the south side.

The solid wood gate covered with sheet metal in front of us is seven meters high and seven meters wide.

"Open the door!" Liu Xingmo shouted.

With a creaking sound from the hinges, the door slowly lifted.

Liu Chunya greeted them from behind the door: "You've finally arrived!"

Bao Hei strode in with his four thick legs.

The first thing you see is a spacious hall, nearly ten meters high and ten meters wide, where medium to large contracted beasts can move around comfortably.

Liu Chunya pointed to another tall side door inside: "This is the animal pen. It can hold a roe deer, and turtles are no problem at all."

Liu Xingmo nodded in satisfaction.

Upon entering, one finds the main hall and animal pen, a unique feature of Black Dragon Village. This design is intended to allow contracted beasts to perform defensive tasks, such as guarding the gate and biting bandits.

If Baohei continues to grow, it can also live in the house. With proper heating measures, getting through the winter won't be a problem.

Liu Chunya led the employer and his wife further inside. After passing through the hall, the house was divided into three floors, each three meters high.

The sturdy, thick exterior walls are riddled with dense, narrow ventilation openings; the interior walls and floors are dotted with doorways of varying sizes, intended for the installation of metallurgical facilities and pharmaceutical production lines.

The main hall, the animal pen, and the three-story factory each occupy half of the fortress's space, and above them is a fourth-floor attic.

The attic has a ring of large windows on its exterior wall, providing good ventilation and natural light; this place is used for living.

Liu Xingmo accepted his new house with satisfaction and paid off the remaining balance.

Immediately, the roles of employer and worker were reversed.

Liu Chunya immediately placed an order to purchase a large number of special tools, namely saws, axes, hammers, and chisels made using alchemy.

—For a physically strong Blood Path cultivator, iron tools are too light and too soft.

Sumali readily accepted the task.

The dreary winter is over, and the vibrant spring and summer are here. It's time to get busy.

However, the most urgent task is to furnish the new home.