Living a peaceful life in the world of cultivation

Inside the market town, the wind and snow continued, but the enthusiasm of the independent cultivators on the outskirts was growing ever higher.

After all, joining the patrol guard team means plenty of spirit stones, little work, and it's close to home.

Ten days later, many neighbors joined the patrol team and returned full of praise for the job.

Everyone said that the Li family of Yunzhu were kind and considerate, caring for the mortals and cultivators in the vicinity of the market.

As for being kind, the Yunzhu Li family is definitely not considered kind.

In Yunzhu Market, high-level cultivators are ultimately a minority. Apart from the cultivators from the Yunzhu Li family, there are very few high-level cultivators participating in the land reclamation.

The pioneering teams were mostly composed of independent cultivators; and most of these independent cultivators came from the outer areas of the market town.

In the outer area, only a small number of cultivators have not started families.

Therefore, most of the cultivators remaining in the outer areas were female children and older cultivators.

The cultivators who participated in the pioneering work were half-forced and half-voluntarily involved, all for the sake of their families.

If they returned from clearing the land, their families would be devastated by monsters that came down from the mountains.

It is easy to imagine how much the prestige of the Yunzhu Li family will be impacted.

Lu Ping took a sip of hot tea, silently making plans in his mind.

"Looks like I should probably show my face to this patrol team too."

Lu Ping planned to go through the motions at the patrol guard.

This patrol and guard job is well-paid, low-risk, and most importantly, it involves two shifts, day and night, requiring a large number of people, which results in a very limited number of slots.

Furthermore, the Yunzhu Li family has adjusted the reward system, stipulating that the spirit stones awarded will be paid daily, not monthly.

The surrounding neighbors, ranging from elderly cultivators in their fifties and sixties to young cultivators as young as fourteen or fifteen who had only embarked on their cultivation journey for two or three years, all joined the patrol guard.

Even the most lazy and indolent cultivators in the outer areas have earned one or two spirit stones.

"Whether other cultivators will gossip about me for not participating in the patrols is not important. What's important is that doing so would make me seem too abnormal."

Taoist practitioners abhor strife and fighting, and are also averse to being out of place and independent.

Having clearly considered these key points, Lü Ping stopped worrying about them.

A bluish-white mist, like sweet rain, enveloped the Moon-Closing Flower, Cloud-Patterned Bamboo, and Iron Sword Orchid within the Spirit Land.

After cultivating the spiritual plant, Lü Ping was about to get up and leave when there was a knock on the courtyard gate. It was Xu Cui, who was with Zhao Xiaofan.

Pour a cup of hot tea for the two of them.

Xu Cui held the hot tea, her face showing struggle and discomfort, and she seemed about to speak.

It was Lü Ping who spoke, breaking the silence.

"Sister-in-law, what happened?"

After struggling for a while, Xu Cui thought of Zhao Dashan's hard work and efforts for Zhao Xiaofan, and finally made up her mind.

"Aping, have you ever considered joining the patrol guard?"

Upon hearing this, Lü Ping, a member of the patrol team, suddenly realized what was going on.

Xu Cui's visit this time is likely related to the matter of the patrol guard.

"The duties of the patrol guards are divided into the areas they patrol: mortal towns, the Lingnong area, and the outskirts of the market."

"Among them, patrolling the areas of ordinary towns is a job where the rewards are proportional to the dangers; patrolling the outskirts of markets is the most leisurely job."

"Patrolling the Spirit Farm area offers substantial spirit stone rewards with minimal risk."

"I plan to join the patrol guard and patrol the areas of ordinary towns."

"I can't just watch Xiao Fan's dad work so hard all by himself; I want to do my part too."

"So, I'd like to ask you, Aping, to look after Xiaofan for a while; if you, Aping, also intend to join the patrol team, then let's drop this matter and pretend I never mentioned it."

Xu Cui's cultivation level was only at the third level of Qi Refining. She usually spent her days in the courtyard cultivating spiritual plants and exchanging them for spirit stones.

However, the evil winds and cold snow that blew in from the Snow Toad Mountains this year are so strong that, apart from special spiritual plants such as Cloud Pattern Bamboo and Crimson Blood Ginseng, it is basically impossible for them to survive or even mature.

In other words, Xu Cui had nothing to do until the beginning of spring.

"Sister-in-law, patrolling the market is a leisurely job, so I suppose there aren't many independent cultivators who sign up." Seeing Xu Cui nod, Lü Ping thought to himself that this was exactly what he wanted.

Patrolling in mortal towns and spiritual farming areas carries the risk of encountering demonic beasts. Although there are certain means of self-defense, Lü Ping felt he would not put himself in such a situation.

"Sister-in-law, I also plan to join the patrol team this time. I value the leisurely nature of patrolling the outskirts of the market."

"Don't worry about Xiao Fan, sister-in-law."

Upon hearing Lü Ping's reply, the struggle on Xu Cui's face turned into sincere gratitude, and the weight that had been hanging over her heart was lifted.

Before leaving, Zhao Dashan left her three Wind Travel Talismans. These are mid-grade first-tier talismans. Once activated, they allow cultivators to move as if riding the wind, making them unstoppable by ordinary demonic beasts.

These three Wind Travel Talismans were the source of Xu Cui's confidence in her plan to patrol the mortal towns.

The only thing I can't let go of is Zhao Xiaofan.

Fortunately, there was Lü Ping.

"Sister-in-law, given the friendship between our two families, there's no need for you to say thank you," Lü Ping interrupted Xu Cui's repeated thanks.

If we really talk about it, Lü Ping owes more to Zhao Dashan and his family of three.

Whether it was the initial medical expenses of Jishantang, or the later Crimson Blood Ginseng Spirit Seed and Wind Chaser Puppies.

Xu Cui and Zhao Xiaofan finished their hot tea and then went to the inner city entrance with Lü Ping.

The Li family of Yunzhu set up the registration of patrol guards at the entrance to the inner city.

In the alleyways of the outer area, many cultivators came and went. The gloom of the previous few months had been swept away, replaced by the joy of profiting from the patrol team incident.

At the entrance to the inner city, a queue had formed at the temporary office of the Yunzhu Li family, with the longest queue coming from the Lingnong area.

The cultivators lined up in the outer area of ​​the market were mostly independent cultivators with families, or elderly independent cultivators over fifty or sixty years old.

The most eye-catching figure was a young man dressed in black.

His robes were loose, unable to conceal his thick, fiery blood and qi, as well as his body, which was like cast iron. With broad shoulders and a wide back, he looked like a black bear in the mountains or a black iron tower, clearly having honed his physique to an excellent degree.

Lu Ping estimated that even ordinary late-stage Qi Refining cultivators might not have a physical strength comparable to the young man in black.

This person is most likely a talented young man from the Yunzhu Li family.

As expected of a cultivator from a Foundation Establishment family, his physique, honed since childhood, made even Lü Ping feel pressured.

"I wonder if it can withstand one of my Golden Sword Talismans."

After thinking for a moment, Lü Ping led Zhao Xiaofan to the leftmost line.

Because there were very few cultivators patrolling mortal towns, Xu Cui was taken away by the Li family cultivators as soon as she signed up and headed to the mortal town.

It is said that the Li family of Yunzhu has already established a temporary stronghold in the mortal town, with a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator stationed there.

Upon seeing that Xu Cui, a mere woman, had actually taken the initiative to go to a mortal town, even the young man in black who had been resting with his eyes closed couldn't help but open them and glance at Xu Cui.

Among the rogue cultivators, someone recognized Lü Ping and Xu Cui, pointed to Zhao Xiaofan beside him, and couldn't help but ask.

"Fellow Daoist Lü, this is...?"