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

The plant in front of me, planted in a purple clay pot, has leaves that resemble inverted, sharp, green swords, straight and slender.

Compared to ordinary calamus, its leaves are much wider and thicker!

A faint yet pure fragrance wafts from the veins of the leaf, making it an exceptionally fine specimen!

Lin Xuan's heart stirred slightly, and he subtly focused his gaze on the potted plant.

The next second, a transparent panel that only he could see appeared.

Sweet flag (Acorus calamus)

Grade: White

Maturity: 73%

【Special trait: Vein carrier】(This herb is naturally endowed with the miraculous effect of carrying spiritual forces and spirits, and can also nurture spirits and enhance their combat power.)

Dao Guo: The Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique

……

"This is good stuff!"

Lin Xuan's heart skipped a beat, but on the surface he maintained the composure of a wise and unperturbed person.

His gaze swept across the grade and locked onto the trait attribute "[Dharma Lineage Carrier]".

This sword grass can carry magic-based soldiers, making it a top-quality material tailor-made for his newly upgraded LV3 "Grassroots Soldiers"!

If they are made into grass soldiers and then infused with the power of the Dharma lineage, they can unleash a power far exceeding that of ordinary grass men!

Moreover, it is more suitable for fighting on land than Yinshui Grass!

It's more suitable for Lin Xuan to raise and use troops!

More importantly, once the calamus sword grass matures, it can yield a Dao fruit called "Exorcising Sword Technique"!

This could significantly boost Lin Xuan's strength, given that he currently lacks offensive spells!

Just as Lin Xuan was staring at the calamus sword, Boss Zhang noticed his gaze and his heart skipped a beat.

"Master Lin..." Boss Zhang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and cautiously leaned forward to ask in a low voice, "Is there something wrong with that potted plant? Could it have been contaminated by the dirt from the well?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xuan withdrew his gaze and shook his head: "You are overthinking it, layman. This bonsai is not tainted by any yin energy."

However, I find your calamus to be quite unique, with broad leaves and a restrained vitality, making it much stronger than ordinary calamus. It is truly a rare and excellent specimen...

I wonder where Boss Zhang got it from?

When Boss Zhang heard Lin Xuan say that he hadn't been contaminated by anything dirty, he finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

"You scared me to death... I thought..." Boss Zhang patted his chest, but before he could finish speaking, he realized he had gone off-topic, so he quickly said, "Master Lin, this thing was a gift from a friend of mine who is in business. It was kept in the old house before, but after we bought this new house, I thought it was growing very well, so I had the servants move it here."

At this point, Boss Zhang, being a very shrewd man, saw that Lin Xuan seemed quite interested in the bonsai and immediately smiled ingratiatingly, "If Young Daoist Lin likes this bonsai, when you go back tonight, I'll have my servants carry the pot and all for you onto your carriage."

"Then thank you very much, Mr. Zhang, for your kind offer."

Lin Xuan smiled slightly and readily agreed.

But then Lin Xuan added, "However—there's no need for the servants to carry it; I can take it back myself."

After saying that, Lin Xuan stepped in front of the potted plant.

Then he stretched out his slender, fair hand and gently brushed it across the purple clay basin.

"Whoosh—"

To the astonishment of Boss Zhang and the butler, the pot of calamus sword grass, which was more than half a person tall and weighed at least several dozen kilograms including the pot and soil, vanished into thin air when Lin Xuan touched it!

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

Boss Zhang's eyes almost popped out as he stared at the empty wooden frame, stammering for a long time without being able to speak.

The butler gasped, breaking out in a cold sweat.

The two of them simultaneously thought of the "divine methods" that only appear in storybooks!

A hidden world within a sleeve?!

Mount Sumeru contained in a mustard seed?!

Boss Zhang and the butler exchanged a glance, their awe of Lin Xuan instantly reaching its peak.

It's true that Uncle Nine's disciple is a living god!

With such miraculous skills, that water ghost in the well tonight is definitely doomed!

Lin Xuan took in their shock, then changed the subject, asking Boss Zhang, "By the way, Boss Zhang, does your friend usually like to grow these unusual flowers and plants?"

Mr. Zhang suddenly came to his senses and nodded repeatedly, "That's right, that's right! My friend is in the business of large-scale medicinal herbs. He travels all over the country and likes to collect these rare and unusual flowers and plants. I have a few rather special-looking potted plants in my yard, which he gave me."

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Lin Xuan's eyes.

Not only does he enjoy tending to flowers and plants, but he is also a traveling herbal medicine merchant.

Based on the other person's profession and personality, they must have a lot of good things in their collection!

If we can get to know them, we might be able to develop them into our "spiritual plant supplier" and get a large number of rare plants suitable for initiation!

Thinking of this, Lin Xuan spoke gently, "To be honest, in my spare time from cultivation, I also quite enjoy tending to flowers and plants. I wonder if Boss Zhang could introduce this friend to me in the future? I would also like to learn some knowledge about flowers and plants from him."

"Oh my, to be able to befriend a master like Master Lin is a blessing he's accumulated over eight lifetimes!" Boss Zhang readily agreed, but then hesitated, "However... he's been out of town investigating medicinal herbs for a while now, and he probably won't be back for... seven or eight days? Once he's back, I'll personally go to the mortuary to invite the master over!"

"Alright, then I'll trouble you, layman."

Lin Xuan nodded slightly, indicating that he was not in a hurry.

Afterwards, the three of them went to explore the other side courtyards in detail.

Apart from the abandoned well, Lin Xuan did not find any other unusual signs of Yin energy gathering.

However, Lin Xuan made an unexpected discovery while passing by Boss Zhang's study.

On the desk, he saw a large piece of high-quality natural agarwood.

Using his [Affinity with Plants] perception, Lin Xuan sensed that although the piece of agarwood had completely lost its vitality and could no longer be planted and sprout, the woody energy and fragrance contained within it were still rich and mellow.

If we can obtain it and grind it into powder using Taoist methods, it can be used as a top-grade incense to make superior incense for offering to the ancestral master or nourishing the grass-root soldiers!

Lin Xuan looked at the piece of sandalwood, feeling a slight itch in his heart.

However, considering that he had just "freeloaded" a pot of top-quality calamus, it would seem greedy and detrimental to his image as a hermit master if he were to ask for it again now.

"No rush... We'll perform a ritual tonight to completely rid him of the scourge in this house. He'll definitely accept that as payment."

Having made up his mind, Lin Xuan withdrew his gaze and walked out of the study as if nothing had happened.

Back in the front courtyard, Lin Xuan stopped and turned to Boss Zhang, saying, "Boss Zhang, apart from the well in the backyard, the rest of your house is fine. Judging from the frequency of the corpse's appearances and the intensity of its resentment, it's highly likely to reappear at midnight tonight."

Lin Xuan's tone was calm and reassuring, "Have your servants prepare some things for me now. Tonight, I will perform a ritual here to eliminate any future troubles for you!"

Upon hearing that Lin Xuan was willing to help, Boss Zhang was overjoyed and quickly replied, "No problem! Young Master Lin, please give the order, and I will do my best to prepare!"

"Go to the market and buy a few roosters that are over three years old, live, and with the redder their combs the better."

Then prepare the finest cinnabar, aged yellow paper, pine soot ink…”

Lin Xuan recited a list.

"Very well! Butler, you take people and handle this yourself, and return quickly!"

Boss Zhang hurriedly gave the instructions.

The steward dared not delay and immediately led several nimble servants out the gate.

Money makes the world go round.

In less than half an hour, the butler had purchased everything Lin Xuan needed.

Lin Xuan stepped forward, casually glanced at the cinnabar and yellow paper, then looked at the several spirited and proud roosters in the bamboo cage, and nodded slightly in satisfaction: "The quality of the items is quite good, it shows you put thought into it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Xuan took two steps back and came to the open space in the center of the courtyard.

Under the questioning gazes of Boss Zhang and the others, he slowly raised his right hand, the wide sleeves of his Taoist robe billowing in the wind.

brush!

Lin Xuan suddenly swung his hand forward!

A muffled "bang"!

A long sandalwood table covered with a bright yellow octagonal tablecloth suddenly crashed into the center of the courtyard without warning!

Immediately afterwards, Lin Xuan's hands moved in a smooth, flowing motion.

Swish!

Swish!

Swish!

As he moved, light flashed across the long table!

An ancient and heavy bluestone inkstone, a Sanqing Dharma Bell gleaming with brass luster, a wooden talisman carved with thunder patterns, a brush holder with wolf-hair magic brushes hanging from it, and two bronze candlesticks...

Those things appeared one after another on the altar as if by magic!

In the blink of an eye, a majestic and solemn Maoshan altar was formed!

"hiss--!!!"

Boss Zhang, the steward, and the dozen or so servants standing around them couldn't help but gasp at the sight before them.

At that moment, everyone stood frozen in place, as if under a spell.

Their mouths were agape, their eyes widened, and their faces showed utter shock!

Especially for Boss Zhang and the housekeeper, their hearts were in turmoil at this moment!

If the previous "hidden universe in the sleeve" only shocked them, then the divine skill of conjuring an altar out of thin air with a wave of the hand has completely overturned their understanding!

Several servants stared intently at Lin Xuan's cuffs, their minds filled with utter confusion. How could such small cuffs hold so many things?!

……

Lin Xuan glanced at the stunned crowd and said in a dignified tone, "Next, I need to make some core preparations for tonight's ritual. There are taboos associated with magic, and strangers are not allowed to watch."

"All of you, retreat to the front yard. Do not enter without my permission."

"Yes, yes, yes!! Master Lin, you're busy, we'll leave right away!"

As if waking from a dream, Boss Zhang nodded hurriedly and quickly led his servants away.

boom--!

As the courtyard gate closed, the surroundings quieted down.

Lin Xuan walked to the altar and took out the finest-made [Grass Soldiers] that he had made at the mortuary the night before from his system inventory.

Next, he will use the freshly bought live chicken blood mixed with cinnabar to perform a blessing ceremony on these grass-root soldiers.

While doing so, I drew a talisman to suppress the corpse and stuffed it into the straw figure.

……

Meanwhile, Lin Xuan was in Qingmu Town preparing for the demon-slaying mission that night.

Renjia Town, dozens of miles away, on the banks of the Beiqing River.

Boss Wang led over a burly Taoist priest wearing a red headscarf, a green jacket, and a purple skirt.

"Captain Awei! I've accomplished my mission; I've successfully brought that expert from the Lushan Sect!"

On the riverbank, Awei was surrounded by a group of security team members, with many fishermen standing nearby, peering out and watching.

These people had all come to watch because they heard that Boss Wang had hired a master to exorcise evil spirits.

Everyone looked over upon hearing this.

When they saw this master walking over in "strange clothes", their expressions became strange.

this?!

That's the master?!

Why are you dressed like that?!