Starting as a spiritual plant master, may I eventually become the master of all lands.

Chapter 110 How about we go inside the cave and sit for a while?

Song Chuan first rubbed his hands together, then showed a kind but fake smile, and said in a gentle tone: "Fellow Daoist Dai, we meet again. It's really fate!"

I've just mastered an earth-遁 (earth-escaping) technique and was itching to try it out, so I wandered around aimlessly. I never expected to end up beneath your cave, fellow Daoist! My apologies! I hope you won't take it to heart, Fellow Daoist Dai.

"Oh—you mean the one who cultivated the E-type Spirit Vein last time?"

The woman spoke with great difficulty, and Song Chuan couldn't understand why she was like this.

Song Chuan chuckled: "That's right, that's right! It's in the Earth Spirit Vein. Fellow Daoist Dai is truly clever, guessing it right away."

"But—but I feel—I feel that you have been down here for quite a while!" Dai Lingjun said weakly.

Haha! This conversation is killing me, this female cultivator is really abnormal!

"Well, I noticed that the metal-elemental spiritual vein here is quite pure, and I assumed the cave was empty, so I wandered around a bit longer. Fellow Daoist Dai, as you saw, I was just about to leave, and I meant no harm."

Song Chuan said stiffly, his words sounding like something even he himself didn't quite believe.

"I—I—can tell—that you have no ill intentions, fellow Daoist—" Dai Lingjun blinked her beautiful eyes a few times as she spoke.

She clutched the hem of her clothes, about to say something with difficulty, when Song Chuan immediately spoke up before she could, "It's good that you figured it out, it's good that you figured it out. Fellow Daoist Dai, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

After saying that, he looked at the woman, then glanced outside the formation, signaling her to open the formation and let him leave.

However, the woman showed no intention of activating the formation; she simply stood there quietly, seemingly looking at Song Chuan but not really.

Song Chuan was extremely embarrassed when Dai Lingjun suddenly said, "Speaking of which—Fellow Daoist Song, you shouldn't be—a spy from another sect or—or a government agency, right?"

Song Chuan's expression changed; this serious accusation couldn't be casually leveled.

Although his behavior of specifically seeking out various spiritual veins is indeed a bit suspicious, Fellow Daoist Dai, why don't you admit that you are a spy when you go to the Earth Spiritual Vein!

Being suspected of something like this is something Song Chuan, a Foundation Establishment cultivator without any backing, can't afford. Besides, Cheng Tu said that Qi was going to invade Jing, so being labeled a spy would mean he'd be skinned alive even if nothing happened.

"Fellow Daoist Dai, you can't say such things carelessly. My background is clean, and I have been personally certified by the sect elders. I am definitely not a spy." Song Chuan's tone carried a hint of displeasure.

However, this question from the woman changed his impression of her. He had originally thought she was silly, spoke strangely, and was not very bright, but it seemed that she was quite smart.

"Alright—I was just—asking casually. Fellow Daoist Song's Escape technique—is extremely exquisite—I have a special spiritual body—plus treasures—that made me realize something—is not right, and at first—I wasn't sure anyone was there, but I didn't expect—you—to run out on your own."

Dai Lingjun stammered out a few words, as if she had used all her strength.

Song Chuan listened patiently, his face growing increasingly dark. "Damn it!" he cursed inwardly.

I told her I thought the "borrowing soil to form clouds" technique would be pretty good, but I didn't expect this woman to have a special spiritual body and treasures, and she tested me out. I should have just run away; I'm just wasting time explaining myself to her.

The key is that this woman's words are worth ten of others' words, making communication too difficult!

However, a normal person probably wouldn't have such a good temper; they would have confronted her long ago, and might have even dragged her to the Hall of Law Enforcement.

"Fellow Daoist Dai, you flatter me." Song Chuan sighed, unsure of what to say next.

"Fellow Daoist Song—since—since you're here—why don't you—why don't you come into the cave—and sit down?" Dai Lingjun said shyly, her cheeks flushed.

Song Chuan didn't know what she was so shy about, so he quickly waved his hand, "Fellow Daoist Dai, next time, next time. I have other matters to attend to, so I won't bother you any longer. How about we activate the formation?"

Dai Lingjun then slightly raised her head and looked at him directly, but immediately turned away again, waving the array flag in her hand, and the water mist opened up.

Song Chuan clasped his hands in a salute, then transformed into a streak of yellow light and shot out like lightning.

Watching Song Chuan flee in panic, Dai Lingjun's face flushed red and then turned pale. She stood silently for a while, clutching the hem of her clothes. When she raised her head again, she smoothed her dark hair and suddenly revealed a strange smile, which was completely different from her previous shy and weak demeanor.

She pointed at the small flag, and a mist of water enveloped the opening, sealing it off. Her figure dissolved into the mist.

After leaving Dai Lingjun's cave formation, Song Chuan complained and grumbled all the way, his expression grim. Back in his cave, he sat cross-legged for a while before his mind calmed down.

He breathed a sigh of relief, a hint of joy on his face. Thankfully, he had obtained the most difficult-to-obtain Earth Element of the Dog Month. Although there had been a slight mishap, it hadn't caused any major trouble.

As for the Earth element in the Ox month of winter, it's much simpler. Winter belongs to water, and the water-based spiritual veins that blend with the earth veins are easy to find, so I'm not worried about it.

In the following days, Song Chuan studied formations while looking through various materials on second-tier spiritual plants. It wasn't until a month later, when someone triggered the formation outside his cave with divine sense, that he frowned slightly and put down the books.

This sensation was rather gentle, indicating that someone outside wanted to visit. He entered the cave's array, pointed a small flag, and dispersed the mist.

There stood a man and a woman, both Foundation Establishment cultivators. The man was middle-aged, with a smile on his face, holding a folding fan and rhythmically tapping his palm, looking very much like a refined scholar. He was in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

The woman was beautiful and had a heroic air about her; she was none other than Qiu Yingsi, whom Song Chuan knew!

"Junior Brother Song, this is actually your cave dwelling!" Qiu Yingsi exclaimed in surprise.

"Senior Sister Qiu, how have you been?" Song Chuan asked in surprise.

This woman also reached the Foundation Establishment stage after leaving the Kongsang Mountains. Since she had a trump card bestowed upon her by the sect, she must have been a promising Foundation Establishment seed in the sect's eyes.

"So, my little sister and junior brother know each other. That makes things easier," the middle-aged scholar said with a gentle smile.

Song Chuan glanced at the two people again; their features were somewhat similar. Could they be siblings? The age difference was quite significant.

"I had heard that Junior Brother Song had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, but he seemed to have disappeared after that. It turns out he was hiding in his cave, cultivating diligently."

Qiu Yingsi then introduced the two parties to Song Chuan and the middle-aged scholar: "This is my cousin, Qiu Yingxian, a steward of Lingzhong Hall. Cousin, this is Song Chuan, whom I have mentioned to you before."

"So it's Steward Qiu. It's a pleasure to meet you, Junior Brother Song Chuan."

Song Chuan exchanged pleasantries, then suddenly realized that Qiu Yingsi had such a background. Moreover, the two were cousins, and given the age difference and Qiu Yingxian's status as a steward, could she possibly come from a prominent family?

"Junior Brother Song, you've really given my sister quite a rewarding experience while she was hunting for exotic creatures in Kongsang. The cicada shells from those Jiazi cicadas are very useful to the sect, and the rewards are generous. I must thank you on my sister's behalf."

Qiu Yingxian smiled slightly and spoke in a very polite tone.

Produce