The Path to Immortality: Starting with the Growth of Bubble Fruits from the Ground

After meeting, Zhou Mu and Lao Wang boarded the innkeeper's flying boat.

Under the shopkeeper's control, the flying boat took off and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Shopkeeper, thank you so much this time."

On the flying boat, Zhou Mu spoke first.

The shopkeeper smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Zhou Mu, just call me Uncle Wang from now on. Don't be so polite with me; we're all family."

Zhou Mu knew the shopkeeper was trying to curry favor, so he naturally wouldn't refuse and said directly, "Okay, Uncle Wang."

"Haha..." The shopkeeper laughed loudly, his eyes darting around, and he leaned closer to Zhou Mu, asking, "Zhou Mu, my elder brother didn't lie to me, did he? That spirit rice..."

"Uncle Wang, don't worry. Six months from now, I will reserve a portion of each of the two types of top-grade spiritual rice for you, at least 10,000 catties."

In less than three months, the spirit fields in the middle zone will be ready for harvest, and then we will be able to get bubble fruits with 'quality improvement' again. Zhou Mu plans to upgrade the Blood Fang Rice to the superior grade, which is already the limit for a first-tier spirit plant.

The yield of top-grade spirit rice is 3,500 catties per mu. Fifteen mu of spirit fields can yield a total of more than 50,000 catties. After deducting 60% to be handed over to the sect, Zhou Mu can still have more than 20,000 catties left.

He planned to sell half of it to the shopkeeper, and aside from keeping some for food, Zhou Mu would exchange the rest for points to redeem Breakthrough Pills and a secluded cultivation room.

The shopkeeper patted Zhou Mu on the shoulder, grinning from ear to ear: "Good, good, I'm relieved to hear you say that."

"What, you don't believe this old man?"

Old Wang, with a dark expression, also came over at some point and slapped the shopkeeper on the back, making him wince in pain.

The shopkeeper clutched his back, took a step to the side, and muttered, "At seventy or eighty years old, still resorting to violence." Old Wang raised his hand in a gesture, and the shopkeeper quickly waved his hand, begging for mercy.

"Big brother, give me some face, the younger generation is watching..."

Zhou Mu stepped aside and watched the two old men playfully bickering with Wang Ping.

At this moment, Wang Ping said in a low voice, "Senior Brother Zhou, thank you for transplanting the spiritual rice to my grandfather."

"Of course, Lao Wang takes good care of me."

Zhou Mu smiled and looked at the boy next to him, who was a year younger than him. The boy had a cold expression and raised eyebrows, giving him a sense of aloofness.

However, Zhou Mu could vaguely sense his tenacity and deliberate restraint from him.

"How are things going for you in the outer sect?" Zhou Mu asked curiously, as he really didn't know much about the lives of ordinary outer sect disciples.

Wang Ping smiled and said, "I just finished a mission to exterminate demonic beasts with some of my senior brothers a few days ago, so I happen to have some free time right now."

Zhou Mu looked at him with a puzzled expression: "Exterminate the demonic beasts?"

"Senior Brother Zhou, you are unaware of this," Wang Ping slowly explained, "Although the Luoying Mountains are within the sphere of influence of the Wandao Sect, the mountains are too vast, and the sect actually only occupies a small portion. Over the years, the sect has been expanding outwards."

"Once the area is cleared out, an array will be set up to bring it under the complete control of the sect, where it may be used as a training ground, a breeding ground for spirit beasts, or a field for cultivating spirit animals, etc."

Zhou Mu glanced at Old Wang and said, "I see. That must be very dangerous. Old Wang, he..."

"It's alright. We don't need to deal with the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core stage demonic beasts yet. We're just clearing out some minor demons in the back."

Wang Ping said calmly, "Moreover, the rewards for this kind of mission are great. It can help me improve my cultivation level quickly. As long as I break through to the late stage of Qi Refining before I turn twenty, I will be qualified to be promoted to an inner disciple."

Wang Ping paused for a moment, lowered his voice, and smiled: "At that time, I will have my own mountain peak as a training ground, and Grandpa will no longer need to farm."

Zhou Mu listened quietly, sighing inwardly.

"An inner disciple?" Zhou Mu wondered to himself.

He only needs to advance to the first-level superior spirit plant master to become an inner disciple; he doesn't need to break through to the late stage of Qi Refining, just the peak of the middle stage.

Although the cultivation requirements are not as strict as Wang Ping's, and there are age requirements, the treatment is much worse. Zhou Mu wouldn't even dare to dream of an independent mountain with a branch of spiritual veins.

However, Zhou Mu has a shortcut: if his medicinal garden is upgraded to Grade A through Wanhua Mountain, he will be eligible to exchange for the right to use the mountain peak.

Wang Ping chatted with Zhou Mu about interesting things in the sect, while Old Wang and the shopkeeper whispered something to each other.

Three hours later, the speed of the flying boat gradually decreased.

The shopkeeper said, "We've arrived at Fengmu City."

Zhou Mu walked to the edge of the airship, and a huge town came into view.

Fengmu City is also under the jurisdiction of Wandao Sect, but it is guarded by the Zhou family.

Three hundred years ago, after the Zhou family's foundation-building ancestor passed away, the Zhou family moved here.

From then on, the Zhou family's only goal was to produce another Foundation Establishment cultivator and move back to the old land with the spiritual veins.

The flying boat flew over the city wall and headed straight for the city center. Pedestrians on the streets stopped in their tracks and looked at Zhou Mu and his companions in the sky with longing.

Zhou Mu had no intention of returning to the Zhou family alone, and the shopkeeper and Old Wang shared the same idea. Although it was a high-profile affair, it would also reduce a lot of trouble.

The Zhou family's estate is located in the very center of Fengmu City, separated from the surrounding streets by a high, bluish-gray wall, making it appear more like a city within a city from above.

The airship descended slowly and landed in the square in front of the Zhou family's main residence.

At the same time, Zhou's servants poured in from all directions, lining up on both sides of the square, dressed in uniform, moving in unison, and bowing respectfully to greet them.

Zhou Mu disembarked from the flying boat expressionlessly and looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar faces in front of the main house.

Old Wang stood beside him, looking around.

The shopkeeper and Wang Ping followed behind the two without making a sound.

At this moment, a group of people came forward. The one walking at the front was a man who looked to be about sixty years old. He was wearing a dark brocade robe and had a dark gold belt around his waist. He had a thin face.

It was Zhou Huaiyi, the head of the Zhou family.

He was followed by seven or eight members of the Zhou family, including Zhou Mu's eighth uncle and Zhou Ze.

Zhou Huaiyi's gaze fell on Zhou Mu, then shifted to Wang Ping. Both of them were wearing the blue robes of outer disciples.

A smile appeared on his face, and he cupped his hands, saying, "My two young friends have come from afar. I am sorry for not greeting you properly. May I ask which peak of the Myriad Dao Sect you are from?"

"Pfft..." Old Wang laughed out loud.

Zhou Mu was amused by the fact that the Zhou family patriarch hadn't even recognized him.

That's normal, though. Zhou Mu has changed quite a bit in the past year or so. Not only has he grown taller, but his face has also become more handsome.

When asked by the clan leader, Zhou Mu did not answer, but looked at him with a mocking expression.

Zhou Huaiyi's smile froze. He looked Zhou Mu up and down. He vaguely felt that the face looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he was looking.

He turned his head and looked at the tribesmen behind him with his eyes.

Zhou Ze took half a step forward and whispered two words in his ear.

Zhou Huaiyi's expression immediately changed.

"snort……"

He snorted coldly, his eyes turning icy as he looked at Zhou Mu. His body emanated a faint surge of magical power, and a pressure emanated from him as he pressed down on Zhou Mu.

Zhou Mu sensed killing intent emanating from him, but he remained completely calm.

At this moment, the shopkeeper stepped half a step out from behind Zhou Mu, and a wisp of aura emanated from him, blocking Zhou Mu's way.

Zhou Huaiyi groaned, his face turning pale, as he forcefully suppressed the raging magical power within his dantian.

The Zhou family members around him also noticed their patriarch's unusual behavior and quickly stepped forward to support him, their eyes filled with fear as they looked at Zhou Mu and the others.