Uncle Nine: Scattering beans to create soldiers? I'm using plants and trees to create soldiers.

Lin Xuan stood at the bow of the boat, his gaze fixed on the lotus flower on the shore.

Large lotus leaves lay quietly on the dark water, with a few glistening water droplets hanging from their edges.

A slender rhizome emerged from the murky water, its greenish-blue surface strangely interspersed with streaks of dark red.

It looked like the blood vessels of a living person, slowly spreading and pulsating upwards along the stem of a plant.

This lotus flower wasn't particularly beautiful.

With its petals half-closed and pale in color, it is hidden in the shadows of the reeds. Most people passing by in a boat would mistake it for an ordinary wild lotus.

But Lin Xuan, relying on the [Affinity with Plants] granted by the system, immediately sensed something was amiss as soon as he got close.

A faint wisp of yin energy emanated from the lotus leaf.

The yin energy flowed along the water's surface, was blown away by the night breeze, and then gathered again beneath the lotus leaves.

The system panel appeared in front of them the next moment.

【Hypervariate Blood Lotus】

[Quality: White]

Maturity: 86%

【Special Qualities: Nourishes Blood and Revitalizes】(Contains vitality, can nourish blood and qi, strengthen the body's foundation)

Dao Guo: Blood Lotus Horizontal Training Technique

[Can be enlightened]

......

Lin Xuan's eyes immediately brightened.

White quality!

Moreover, it comes with two attributes: Taoist magic and special traits!

This is quite rare.

Of all the things he planted in the backyard of his mortuary, only the newly transplanted peach sapling has reached the white quality.

Other ingredients, such as glutinous rice and soybeans, are mostly of gray quality.

This unassuming wild lotus in front of me is actually a natural treasure growing in the river!

Looking at the [Blood Lotus Horizontal Training Technique] on the panel, Lin Xuan quickly made a judgment.

This Taoist practice is mostly described as a physical training method that enhances qi and blood and strengthens muscles and bones.

In the Dharma-ending Age, spiritual energy is scarce, making it easy for Taoists to cultivate their magic, but slow to strengthen their bodies.

If you encounter a zombie in close combat, and your physical constitution is weak, you'll often have all your bones broken by the zombie's brute force before you can even take out the talisman.

This [Blood Lotus Horizontal Training Technique] is perfect for making up for his weaknesses.

As for the trait "Replenishing Blood and Qi", it is equally useful.

Lotus flowers can replenish qi and blood, and if lotus roots can be used in medicine, they may even be refined into spiritual food that nourishes the body.

If further enlightened by his Daoist Qi, perhaps one or two more entries could be created.

Thinking of this, Lin Xuan bent down and reached his hand into the water.

The river water was icy cold, and the chill stimulated my skin.

Lin Xuan ran his fingers down the lotus stem and soon touched the roots embedded in the mud.

The silt was soft and slippery, and contained fine sand and gravel.

Lin Xuan gripped the lotus root with his five fingers, and Dao Qi flowed around his wrist as he secretly exerted his strength.

He first skillfully and gently shook the soil from side to side to loosen it, and then, with a clever push, lifted it upwards!

"Splash—"

Water splashed up.

He pulled a section of lotus root, still attached to its roots, from the bottom of the river.

Muddy water flowed down the lotus root and dripped onto the boat plank, making a pattering sound.

Lin Xuan's gaze fell on the lotus root, and his eyes immediately sharpened.

The lotus root was actually red.

The skin has dark red lines, connected segment by segment, as if it has been soaked in blood.

The moonlight shone on it, giving it a subtle, warm glow.

The old man at the stern, who had been huddled up, also peered over when he saw Lin Xuan pull out the lotus root.

This glance had a significant impact.

The old man's already pale face turned deathly white, and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"Little Taoist priest, this lotus root..."

"This color is weird! Why is it blood red? It looks...it looks really creepy."

The old man's voice trembled, and his fingers pointed shakily at the section of red lotus root.

His throat bobbed, and his eyes unconsciously glanced in the direction where the 'water ghost' had retreated.

"This thing...could it be related to that...?"

At this point, the old man's face twitched, and he quickly swallowed the rest of his sentence.

The river was too still at night.

He was afraid that if he said anything more, he would bring back the dirty things in the water.

Lin Xuan held the blood lotus in his palm, his expression remaining calm and composed.

"Don't panic, sir. This is just an ordinary lotus that has mutated due to the influence of the feng shui and earth energy of this place. It has nothing to do with the dirty things in the water."

Upon hearing this, the old man's tense shoulders relaxed a little.

Immediately, Lin Xuan had a thought.

The blood lotus and red lotus root in his palm vanished instantly.

It was put into the system inventory.

"hiss--!"

The old man's eyes widened suddenly, and he seemed to be frozen at the stern of the boat.

"This...this...this..."

His mouth was open, and his tongue seemed to be tied in knots.

"How did this thing... just disappear into thin air?"

Lin Xuan had anticipated his reaction, so he calmly replied, "It's a Taoist trick, like hiding something in your sleeve, which can store small personal items."

Lin Xuan originally wanted to say it was a "Qiankun Bag", but he left in a hurry tonight and didn't bring that kind of magical artifact with him at all.

I simply changed it to "hidden in my sleeve" on the spot, which saved me the trouble of explaining.

The old man was startled by what he heard.

Petty tricks?!

If this is considered a minor trick, then what would be considered a great supernatural power?!

He had heard from the people of Renjia Town that Uncle Jiu was a highly skilled master.

Looking at him now, it's astonishing that this young Taoist priest, despite his young age, can not only repel evil spirits in the water with a handful of glutinous rice, but also perform the legendary immortal technique of "collecting things invisibly"!

Uncle Nine's eldest disciple is truly unfathomable!

The old man felt increasingly awe as he thought about it, and his gaze quickly returned to the cabin.

On the boat deck, there were still some reddish glutinous rice grains scattered around.

While Lin Xuan was rowing, the old man became curious and secretly picked up a bean to examine it.

At first, he thought it was a small, glowing red insect, but when he held it in his hand and examined it closely, he realized it was actually a grain of rice.

A single grain of glutinous rice can emit a red glow!

More importantly, after the glutinous rice was sprinkled on the deck, the "water ghost" underwater retreated far away and never dared to approach the hull again.

The abilities of Taoists are truly unfathomable!

The old man secretly planned: when the young Taoist priest leaves, he would have to shamelessly ask for some money back to hang in the boat.

From now on, when I go online at night, having this "miracle rice" to keep me safe will make me feel more at ease.

As he was lost in thought, he noticed Lin Xuan's gaze once again falling beneath the water's surface.

After the blood lotus was pulled out, the silt at the bottom of the water was turned up, revealing two slender aquatic plants next to it.

The aquatic plants are entirely bluish-black with narrow leaves, swaying gently along the water's flow.

The panel reappeared before Lin Xuan's eyes.

【Shady Water Grass】

[Quality: Gray]

Maturity: 98%

[Trait: None]

[Dao Guo: "Grassroots Soldiers"]

[Can be enlightened]

......

Lin Xuan was slightly pleased. Although the two aquatic plants were of gray quality, the accompanying Taoist magic entries were "Grass Soldiers".

Moreover, the growth progress of these two *Lysimachia christinae* plants has reached 98%.

After taking it back and nurturing it a bit, we should be able to harvest the entries soon.

Without saying a word, Lin Xuan reached into the water again.

He pinched the base of the waterweed and gently pushed it along the mud.

Two plants of Yinshui grass, still attached to their fine roots, were pulled out and Lin Xuan put them into his system backpack.

After doing all that, he looked around carefully once more.

He scanned the reeds on the riverbank, the duckweed floating on the water, and the few half-withered water pepper plants in the distance with the system.

They're all low-grade items, not worth collecting.

Lin Xuan withdrew his gaze and picked up the oar again.

The covered boat left the shore and circled deeper into the reeds.

The moisture was even heavier in the reed marshes.

When the night wind blows, large swathes of reeds sway at the same time, making a rustling sound.

Lin Xuan scanned the area and, after confirming that there was nothing unusual in the reeds, turned the boat around and rowed back to where it had initially moored.

When the bow of the boat hit the shallows, the old man quickly jumped off the boat and reached out to help hold onto the mooring rope.

Lin Xuan disembarked from the boat, handed the old man a string of copper coins as a thank you for helping him row, and then prepared to leave.

The old man followed beside him, rubbing the hem of his clothes with both hands, looking somewhat embarrassed.

He opened his mouth several times, but then swallowed his words back.

It was his loose tongue that caused Lin Xuan to almost be targeted by the dirty thing in the water.

Moreover, after returning, he even accepted money from Lin Xuan.

It would be too embarrassing to ask for glutinous rice now.

Lin Xuan saw through his thoughts, and with a flick of his palm, a small handful of glutinous rice appeared in his hand.

The rice grains are glistening and plump.

"Uncle, please take this glutinous rice."

The old man looked up abruptly, his face full of surprise. "Young Taoist priest, this...this is for me?"

Lin Xuan nodded, "Collect them together with the ones on the boat, put them in cloth bags, and hang them in the awning boat. They can ward off evil spirits."

"Thank you so much, young Taoist priest! Thank you so much, young Taoist priest!"

The old man excitedly accepted it, bowing repeatedly in gratitude.

Lin Xuan waved his hand and then solemnly instructed, "Also, do not go to that area of ​​water again recently. Also, spread the word among the fishermen on the boats that there are evil spirits lurking in that water. If you can avoid it, do so. Don't risk your life for a few extra catches."

"I've got it, I've got it!" The old man nodded immediately. "I'll go tell them first thing tomorrow morning that I'll stop anyone who tries to go that way."

Lin Xuan hummed in agreement, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards Renjia Town.

The old man stood on the shore, watching his figure disappear into the night before looking down at the glutinous rice in his palm.

The moonlight fell on the grains of rice, reflecting a faint glow.

His heart moved.

strangeness--

The glutinous rice in the cabin just now clearly glowed red, but now this is quiet and still, only looking much clearer than ordinary glutinous rice.

The old man hurried back to the boat to check.

The red glow of the glutinous rice scattered in the cabin was slowly fading.

He immediately understood.

Those red lights just now were probably from the young Taoist priest's magic.

Only after being blessed by Taoist magic can the rice grains repel the dirty things in the water.

The light of the Dharma will dissipate, but it will eventually return to its original state.

Even so, this glutinous rice is more reassuring than ordinary talisman paper.

The talisman paper will fall apart when it gets wet, but the glutinous rice can be put in a cloth bag and hung for a long time.

The old man deftly found a clean cloth, picked up the glutinous rice grains one by one from the cabin, poured in the handful of glutinous rice Lin Xuan had given him, and carefully tied it up.

He hung the cloth bag at the highest point inside the awning boat.

The cloth bag swayed gently with the movement of the boat.

The night breeze blew into the cabin, and the previous chill dissipated considerably.

The old man lay back down in the boat, stared at the cloth bag for a long time, and the panic in his chest slowly dissipated.

The river water lapped gently against the bottom of the boat.

His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and finally, clutching the bamboo pole, he slowly fell asleep.

......

When Lin Xuan returned to the mortuary, the courtyard had already quieted down.

Soft snoring could be heard coming from Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai's room.

The oil lamp was still lit in the morgue.

The dim light shone on the paper money in the corner, and the smell of incense ash mixed with the stale scent of the coffin, making the night seem particularly cold and eerie.

Lin Xuan tiptoed and went directly to the backyard.

Next to the well in the backyard, there was a large, unused water vat. Some dust had settled on the rim of the vat, and a few withered leaves had accumulated inside.

Lin Xuan moved the water vat to the corner of the yard, then found an iron shovel and took some wet mud from the edge of the vegetable patch to fill it in.

The exotic blood lotus was then removed and buried in the mud at the bottom of the jar.

Next were two plants of *Lysimachia christinae*.

After doing all this, he drew water from the well and poured it into the vat, bucket by bucket.

The clear water overflowed the mud and quickly became murky.

After settling the three aquatic plants, Lin Xuan opened the system panel.

[Do you want to perform Enchanting on the current plants? Enchanting targets: Blood Lotus, Water Lily, Water Lily]

【Yes! 】

[Should we add Daoist items for enhancement?]

Lin Xuan looked at the prompt, hesitated for a moment, and then clicked "No".

He had no materials containing Daoist principles at hand, so he could only use his own Daoist Qi.

The system's light appeared before their eyes, transforming into three faint rays of spiritual light that fell into the water tank.

Lin Xuan immediately felt the Dao Qi within his body being drawn out.

A warm sensation rose from the dantian, flowed along the meridians to the palm, and then slowly poured into the water tank from the palm.

The originally murky water surface began to ripple.

The Blood Lotus was the first to react.

The red veins on the lotus leaves gradually brightened, like tiny blood vessels running through the veins, and quickly spread along the veins of the lotus leaf.

The red lotus roots in the wet mud grew larger and faintly exuded a warm aura.

Immediately afterwards, the two plants of Yinshui grass also began to change.

The bluish-black leaves folded up and then unfurled again.

A faint gray light emerged from the tips of the leaves, gradually turning white.

Lin Xuan stood by the vat, his eyes focused.

The spiritual energy in the water tank is gathering.

Under the infusion of Daoist Qi, the three plants gradually increased in aura.

Soon, the system notification reappeared.

[The Blood Lotus of a different species has been successfully transformed!]

[Current Quality: White!]

[New Trait Entry: Qi and Blood Share the Same Origin] (The vitality contained in plants can perfectly merge with the host's Qi and blood, greatly increasing the cultivation speed of physical martial arts techniques!)

Maturity: 80%!

......

[Successful transformation of *Hedyotis diffusa*, achieving a leap in quality!]

[Current Quality: White!]

[Added Trait: Water Spirit Gathering Yin] (Can spontaneously gather Yin energy from within a ten-meter radius, greatly accelerating the growth rate of aquatic plants!)

Maturity: 90%!

......

[Successful transformation of *Hedyotis diffusa*, achieving a leap in quality!]

[Current Quality: White!]

[Added trait entry: Water Spirit Gathering Yin]

Maturity: 91%!

......