Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

Liu Xingmo's Blood Path is a witchcraft inherited from the Black Dragon Village. It involves circulating blood energy in the meridians and focuses on body refinement and beast taming.

He is currently at the fourth level of the first-tier insect realm, and can separate a "soul imprint" at each level to control a small creature.

All three rhinoceros beetles are contracted beasts, originating from strong individuals among ordinary insects, and can be considered as labor force.

Liu Xingmo led out his own cart, preparing to go to the market to buy things.

The wooden plank was about two people long, with four rusty iron wheels in the front and back, and the hubs were fitted with a ring of worn black rubber.

At the front door of his house, Liu Mo put bridles on the three rhinoceros beetles one by one.

With a thought, Big Black raised its single horn; with another thought, Second Black took a step forward with its claws; with a third thought, Third Black tightened the reins.

The cart bumped along the narrow path between the tree branches, then followed the steps that circled the tree trunks to the ground street.

Liu Xingmo adjusted the direction of the vehicle while holding it up. After getting onto the main road, he turned over and sat in the vehicle, ordering the three rhinoceros beetles to move forward at full speed.

This orchard is located on a hillside, and each tree is home to a family.

There are many kinds of fruit trees: cherries in spring, plums in summer, pears in autumn, and dates in winter. Fruits are produced for most of the year and serve as staple food for the residents.

This is Heilongzhai West Town, a leisurely ancient mountain village.

Liu Xingmo drove along the stone-paved road to the market, heading to the early morning market.

On the granite plaza, shouts rose and fell, and squirrels carrying loads and rabbits pulling carts crowded the narrow passage between stalls.

First, I went to a pottery shop and bought many bowls and plates and a new water tank; then I went to the fish market and filled two lotus leaf bags with all kinds of fresh aquatic products; finally, I went to a pharmacy and bought a large box of commonly used medicines.

A handful of cold, rough coins were handed out, leaving wallets empty.

One coin was called an iron coin. One side was engraved with weeds, and the other side was engraved with small insects. The meaning was that an insect-type contracted beast could earn one iron coin for a day's work.

Most people in the village are only at the first level of strength, and after a hard day's work, they only earn a few dollars.

As Liu Xingmo calculated his future expenses, a bitter feeling welled up in his heart. He had even spent the money he would have used to buy his wife a dress today; what would he do in the future?

Also, between myself and Bao Hei, who should I support for promotion?

Sigh! I can only pick up the essentials.

By the time we got back to the peach tree, it was already noon.

Liu Xingmo freed the three rhinoceros beetles and went up the tree with them. Then, using the pulley system at his doorstep, he hoisted the goods up from under the tree.

Fortunately, the beetle was very strong, and with the control of the soul imprint and the enhancement of blood energy, it could do the work of a strong laborer.

Liu Xingmo carried the water vat back to the kitchen.

Sumali was making lunch, and the aroma of stewed meat wafted from the large pot.

She turned around and asked, "Xingmo, have you purchased all the ingredients for my potion?"

"Same as before, right? I bought a little extra. Make some more blood and qi potions when you have time; I need them."

"Still because of that turtle? Maybe you could go fishing and relax."

"Let me raise this guy until he's grown up."

Liu Xingmo turned around and met the eyes of the mung bean turtle in the water vat.

"You are Bao Hei, and I am the master, understand?"

Bao Hei blinked noncommittally.

"Feeding should be done according to a plan; you can't just feed them whenever they want."

Bao Hei closed his eyes and shrank his neck.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained; that's a universal truth!"

Bao Hei instantly perked up, his eyes gleaming with a deep, dark black.

"Stop! Stop! Stop! Don't use that lousy, useless ability of yours!"

Bao Hei stretched out its head and opened its mouth to beg for food.

"You're really good at playing clever tricks!"

Liu Xingmo opened the lotus leaf wrapping, took out a snail the size of an adult's head, smashed the shell with a hammer, chopped the snail meat into small pieces with a kitchen knife, and finally fed it to Bao Hei in the water tank.

"These are river snails, you know?"

The guy swallowed several snails whole, shell fragments and all, and then eagerly stretched out his head and opened his mouth.

Liu Xingmo fed the old turtle until its stomach was bloated, then infused it with blood and qi to aid its digestion and absorption.

An hour later, Baohei defecated happily and started urging for food again. Liu Xingmo began feeding him once more.

Before I knew it, the afternoon had passed. The sky was getting dark.

The dried yellow lotus leaves spread on the ground were a meter wide, and the fish, shrimp and snails inside were almost gone.

Liu Xingmo didn't even have time to eat. His blood and energy had been depleted several times, so he poured a mouthful of precious medicine into his nearly exhausted body.

The blackfish in the water tank has grown significantly larger, and the tank is almost overflowing. It may have to be moved to a wooden basin tomorrow.

The patterns on its tortoise shell seemed to become clearer and deeper, gleaming in the firelight like translucent obsidian.

Liu Xingmo was very satisfied with this.

With its blood and energy growing rapidly and with ample food, this baby turtle is expected to grow to adulthood within a few months.

At that time, its head and tail were estimated to be three meters long, and with its talent for manipulating luck, it could easily advance to the second tier. Its current level is only around the second level of the first tier.

The problem lies with money.

If you calculate it carefully, the cost of raising Baohei for one day is enough for Dahei and the other two to go without food or water for seven days. After all, all meat is expensive.

In the pitch-black kitchen, they stared at each other blankly.

Just then, Su Mali came in with an oil lamp and said, "Xingmo, you and your little pet have been playing like this all day?"

"In another month, this thing will be able to carry us around town! It can even swim in the river, and I can ride it fishing!"

"Oh! This is terrible."

"Mary, there's nothing to worry about. Next year, as a second-tier magical beast, Baohei can earn a lot of money just by doing manual labor. Combined with our work income, you can also aim for second tier by then!"

Sumali smiled faintly. "Oh? You've only been a boy for a short time, and you're already in a hurry to prove yourself?"

Liu Xingmo laughed, revealing two rows of gleaming teeth: "Hehe, don't you know whether I'm a man or not?"

"My dear husband, you are such a lecherous scoundrel."

"Wow! You sound so awkward saying that word..."

The oil lamp and the stove fire illuminated the kitchen.

Tonight's dinner is simple: spicy stir-fried snails are the main dish, and fresh oranges are the staple food.

Liu Xingmo had long been accustomed to this strange diet.

In Heilongzhai, various fruits and nuts are the staple food of the residents. Because the fruit trees are easy to care for, they can bear fruit every year without much attention.

Rice, noodles, and other grains are very troublesome to grow and harvest. The village only has a small plot of land, and the annual output is used as a high-end food, which is not usually eaten.

Counting the days, there are still two and a half months until winter. It's time to stock up on winter food. This year, we also need to include Baohei's share.

Persimmon cakes, pecans, pickled radishes, fermented soybeans, and lots of dried small fish...

Liu Xingmo verbally recounted the recent family matters, while in his heart he was thinking about his future rise to power.