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

early morning.

The thin mist had not yet dissipated.

A thin layer of white mist hung over the backyard of the mortuary, water vapor rose from the old well, and dewdrops clung to the tender leaves in the fields.

A few early-rising sparrows landed on the courtyard wall, tilting their heads to look into the yard, but as if afraid of the faint spiritual energy in the backyard, they only dared to stay on the wall and dared not fly down.

Lin Xuan finished chanting the sutra and slowly opened his eyes.

As he continued reciting the Huangting Jing without interruption, his aura became increasingly calm and steady.

Between his chest and abdomen, the Dao Qi flowed slowly like a stream, and the water spirits of his two kidneys were faintly in harmony with the water veins of the old well, giving him a more harmonious and balanced manner in every move he made.

immediately,

Lin Xuan got up and went to the water vat.

Inside the jar, the heteromorphic blood lotus has fully matured.

The originally flamboyant and outward-flaring red light has now been completely contained.

The lotus leaves lay quietly on the water's surface, with a fleeting glint of crimson light between their veins.

The lotus stem is as red as blood jade, crystal clear, as if it were carved from solidified blood and qi.

Beneath the water's surface, the lotus root exuded a warm, humid aura.

Even the entire tank of water seemed to radiate a faint warmth.

Lin Xuan could feel gentle, warm energy flowing towards him along with the steam simply by standing next to the water vat, making his blood flow faster.

This is really good stuff!!

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Lin Xuan's eyes.

With a thought, the panel popped up.

【Hypervariate Blood Lotus】

[Quality: White]

Maturity: 100%

【Characteristics: Nourishes blood and revitalizes the body; Qi and blood share the same origin】

Dao Guo: Blood Lotus Horizontal Training Technique

Harvestable

......

Upon seeing the words "harvestable," Lin Xuan felt a slight warmth in his heart.

After bringing this blood lotus back from the banks of the Beiqing River, nourishing it with blood soul stones, and chanting scriptures to nurture it daily, the time for harvest has finally come.

"Senior brother, what are you looking at so early in the morning?!"

Qiu Sheng yawned and came closer.

He chanted scriptures with Lin Xuan until late last night. Although he was in much better spirits than usual, he couldn't change his lazy habits of many years in a short time. When he woke up, he still looked like he was drooping his eyelids.

Wencai rubbed his eyes and followed behind.

But as soon as he got close to the water tank, his eyes widened.

He stared at the blood lotus in the jar, his throat bobbing noticeably as he swallowed hard.

"Goodness gracious... these flowers are as red as the braised meat fresh from Butcher Zhang's in town! And the aroma... smell it... Senior Brother, can we eat this?"

Qiu Sheng's face darkened, and he raised his hand to slap Wen Cai on the back of the head.

"What else can you think about besides eating?"

"You're so ignorant! This is called the essence of heaven and earth!"

Wen Cai rubbed the back of his head, muttering aggrievedly, "What's wrong with the essence of heaven and earth? Isn't the essence of heaven and earth something for people to eat?"

"Eat, eat, eat, eat!! All you know is eating! You're like Pigsy from Journey to the West!" Qiu Sheng glared at him.

Wen Cai was about to say something when he saw Lin Xuan glancing over, so he quickly nudged Qiu Sheng next to him and stood up straight.

Qiu Sheng obediently put his hands behind his back, looking like he was saying, "I'm very well-behaved, I didn't say anything wrong."

Lin Xuan glanced at the two of them, then looked away, his mind focusing on the words "harvestable".

Click OK.

hum-

The blood lotus trembled slightly.

The next moment, the lotus leaves, stems, and pods all emitted a crimson glow.

The light was thick and heavy, like a mass of compressed blood essence slowly awakening from the depths of the blood lotus.

Ripples spread across the surface of the water tank, and a faint lotus fragrance gradually filled the air.

This fragrance is not as light as ordinary floral scents; instead, it carries a hint of warmth, and upon entering the nose, it generates a warm current in the chest and abdomen.

Qiu Sheng felt a slight change in his expression as he examined his body. "This floral fragrance can actually stimulate my blood and qi!! Hiss..."

Wencai's eyes widened, and his gaze toward the lotus became even more greedy, tears involuntarily streaming down his face.

Right now!

A warm and profound realization arose out of nowhere and forcefully poured into Lin Xuan's mind.

Harvest the white-quality exotic blood lotus and obtain the Dao Fruit "Blood Lotus Horizontal Training Technique".

[Proficiency +100.]

[The level of "Blood Lotus Horizontal Training Technique" has been increased to Lv2.]

……

boom!

Lin Xuan's blood and qi suddenly surged.

In that instant, he felt as if he had been thrown into a scorching furnace.

A surge of heat swept through the entire body along the meridians.

Tendons, bones, skin, membranes, and flesh are repeatedly hammered and forged by an invisible hand.

ka ka ka-

A series of subtle sounds emanated from Lin Xuan's body.

At the same time, various cultivation techniques were also integrated into Lin Xuan's mind, gradually imprinted deep in his memory.

Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai both opened their eyes wide at the same time.

Lin Xuan stood still, his body motionless, but the thin mist on the blue bricks beneath his feet was slowly pushed away by an invisible heat wave.

A faint red glow appeared on the surface of his skin.

The red light first floated on the skin membrane, then quickly seeped into the flesh, bones, and muscles, and disappeared.

But Lin Xuan's aura changed noticeably at that moment.

If Lin Xuan in the past was more like a Taoist disciple with pure and righteous Qi and profound Dharma intent, then at first glance he looked like a Taoist disciple who had achieved success in cultivation.

At this moment, he exuded an even greater sense of profound and weighty power.

Like a piece of refined iron that has been forged through countless hammer blows, it appears calm, but once it moves, it will surely be powerful and heavy!

call--

Lin Xuan slowly exhaled a long breath and looked down at his hands.

His originally fair and slender skin now faintly glowed with a layer of blood-red light.

Lin Xuan's eyes brightened slightly.

This "Blood Lotus Horizontal Training Technique" truly lives up to its reputation as a Dao Fruit nurtured by a rare Blood Lotus!

Although I am only at Lv2 now, far from being completely transformed, my skin, muscles, bones, and blood are much stronger than yesterday.

In particular, the circulation of Qi and blood subtly resonates with the Dao Qi.

Qi and blood form the furnace.

The Dao Qi is fire.

If the two can truly come together, they may well find a path that combines inner and outer cultivation in the future.

Lin Xuan clenched his fist slightly.

He could feel that his strength had increased by at least 70% to 80% compared to before!

The corresponding defensive capabilities have also been greatly improved.

More importantly, his Qi and blood became more abundant.

This means that in the future, when performing rituals, drawing talismans, casting spells, or commanding troops, one's physical strength will be stronger.

Often, when Taoist priests engage in magical duels, what they ultimately compete against is not just their magical power.

And also energy and spirit.

When essence is insufficient, spirit becomes unstable.

If one's Qi and blood are insufficient, one's magical power will be unable to sustain itself.

External training improves not only fists and feet, but also the foundation of a person's entire being.

Thinking of this, Lin Xuan felt even better.

Then, he casually threw a punch.

The fist scraped against the air, making a soft whooshing sound.

The fist strikes out and retract quickly.

Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai only felt a blur before their eyes.

next moment.

Snapped!

A crisp sound exploded in the backyard.

Qiu Sheng's eyelids twitched immediately.

"Wow, that's fast!"

"My senior brother's punch was so fast that I didn't even have time to react."

"If someone were to get hit by that at close range, they'd probably be lying flat on their back in the next second."

Immediately afterwards, Qiu Sheng's attention was drawn to the lingering heat emanating from Lin Xuan's body, and he couldn't help but gasp in amazement.

"Moreover, Senior Brother's aura... seems to have improved considerably!"

"This... is the effect of Senior Brother's Natural Dao Body?! He gets stronger just by planting flowers and doing farm work at home?! This is too outrageous..."

Muttering to himself, Qiu Sheng's eyes became melancholy.

Looking back on all my hard work practicing martial arts, meditating, chanting scriptures, drawing talismans, and practicing swordsmanship, my progress was as slow as an ox pulling a cart...

For a moment, I felt a bit overwhelmed.

"I want a natural Dao body too!!!"

As Wencai listened to Qiusheng's ramblings, he looked at Lin Xuan's seemingly glowing skin with envy.

"I can't help but envy Senior Brother's talent... But I want to ask, if I eat more of this cooked meat... uh, Lotus Seed, could I also develop a body of steel like Senior Brother?"

Qiu Sheng, who was feeling frustrated and had nowhere to vent his anger, let out a merciless sneer.

"You?"

"No matter how much you eat, at most you'll develop a belly of steel."

"If they encounter zombies in the future, and the zombies can't bite your senior brother, they'll just turn around and eat you up like a meal bowl!"

Upon hearing this, Wencai's face flushed red, and he retorted unhappily.

"You're the rice bowl! Your whole family are rice bowls!"

"I've at least broken through to the late-stage Warlock realm!"

"Oh, getting all proud of yourself?" Qiu Sheng glanced at him sideways. "If you hadn't been following your senior brother around and sharing scriptures, would you have been able to break through?"

Wen Cai retorted confidently, "But weren't you just freeloading too?"

Qiu Sheng choked on his words.

Lin Xuan's eyes twitched slightly as he listened to the two bickering.

He increasingly felt that the fact that Uncle Nine could refrain from kicking those two guys out of the mortuary on a daily basis already showed his strong moral character.

"Alright, you two, just shut up."

Lin Xuan spoke calmly.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was very intimidating.

Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai immediately fell silent.

Lin Xuan took out a pair of scissors and deftly cut off the lotus stems on the water's surface. Then, he carefully removed the lotus pods and whole lotus leaves.

Little Jin poked his head out from a medicine jar not far away.

Those big eyes looked over, filled with longing.

Lin Xuan took the lotus pod, peeled off the outer skin, and twenty-three lotus seeds rolled into his palm.

Each one is round and full, with faint blood-red lines on the surface, and feels warm to the touch like jade.

As soon as the lotus seeds appeared, Xiao Jin finally couldn't resist anymore.

With a push of its hind legs, it jumped directly to the edge of the water tank.

It tilted its head back, staring longingly at the lotus seed in Lin Xuan's hand, its vocal sac in its throat rapidly pulsating, emitting a very soft "gurgling" sound.

It looked just like a puppy begging for food.

Wen Cai found it fascinating and couldn't help but whisper, "This toad is quite perceptive; it knows that Senior Brother has something good."

Little Golden's eyes darted around, and it glanced at Wencai with a longing look. Its vocal sac swelled slightly, and it croaked, "Coo-coo—"

Splash! Splash! Splash!

The next second, a huge splash of water suddenly erupted from the enormous water tank not far away.

Immediately afterwards, black and gold vines spread out along the water tank, like a peacock spreading its tail feathers.

Wen Cai caught a glimpse of this scene and immediately shuddered. He quickly corrected himself, "No, it's not a toad, it's Master Jin, Master Jin!!"

Qiu Sheng was trying so hard not to laugh that his shoulders were shaking. For the first time, he realized that Wen Cai's mouth was even more infuriating than his own.

And he admitted his debt so quickly after owing it.

Lin Xuan raised his hand and patted Xiao Jin's smooth head. "Don't worry, I promised you, and I will give it to you."

After saying that, he casually picked up two lotus seeds and tossed them over.

Little Jin opened its mouth, caught it precisely, and swallowed it directly.

goo-dong-

After eating two lotus seeds, a faint blood-red light immediately appeared on Xiao Jin's body.

It squinted its eyes in satisfaction, then leaped back into the medicine pot, curled up into a ball, and began to close its eyes to digest the massive amount of blood and energy.

Lin Xuan separated the remaining twenty-one lotus seeds.

Eleven pieces were placed in a porcelain bottle, to be kept for personal consumption or for future medicinal use.

The other ten were placed in a separate wooden bowl.

Then, he reached into the bottom of the water tank and pulled out the three Blood Soul Stones.

After being continuously absorbed by the Blood Lotus, the three Blood Soul Stones have shrunk considerably, their surface blood-red light has dimmed, and their texture has become drier.

However, a trace of extremely pure blood and soul power still remains inside it.

Lin Xuan placed ten lotus seeds and the Blood Soul Stone side by side on the stone table, covering them with his palm.

[Upgradeable material detected: Blood Soul Stone.]

[Is it used to infuse a different type of Blood Lotus?]

【Yes! 】

As Lin Xuan pressed the confirm button, the Dao Qi within his body surged forth and poured directly into the Blood Soul Stone.

Click!

Fine cracks appeared on the surface of the Blood Soul Stone.

The next moment, a red light suddenly shone.

The three Blood Soul Stones disintegrated simultaneously, turning into specks of spirit dust resembling red crystals.

Lin Xuandao drew in his Qi.

These spiritual fragments, like stardust drawn by a force, instantly burrowed into the ten lotus seeds.

hum.

The lotus seeds trembled simultaneously.

The blood-red patterns on the surface deepened rapidly, intertwining and connecting, faintly transforming into fine veins.

At first glance, the veins looked like blood vessels, but upon closer inspection, they resembled some kind of mysterious scripture.

Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai held their breath, not daring to even breathe loudly, for fear of disturbing this scene.

They have now witnessed Lin Xuan enlightening the spiritual plants several times.

But every time I see it with my own eyes, I can't help but be shocked.

Especially the methods of turning withered stones into spirits and lotus seeds into patterns, they don't seem like the kind of magic that ordinary Taoist priests could perform.

Wen Cai's eyes were practically glued to the screen.

He even suspected that if his senior brother were to point at the cornbread in the kitchen one day, it might turn into a magic pill.

A few breaths later, the red light faded away.

A system notification appeared before Lin Xuan's eyes.

[Initiation complete.]

The white blood lotus seeds absorb the essence of the blood soul stone.

[The "Blood Replenishment and Vitality" trait has been enhanced.]

[The trait "Qi and Blood Share the Same Origin" is enhanced.]

[New Dao Fruit: *Huang Ting Jing* (Yellow Court Classic) - Mind and Spirit Insights.]

......

Lin Xuan's pupils suddenly contracted.

A profound realization!

He originally only intended to use the remaining power of the Blood Soul Stone to strengthen another batch of Blood Lotus Seeds.

Even if it only makes the blood and qi of the next generation of blood lotus stronger, it is already a worthwhile investment.

Unexpectedly, this enlightenment directly added the "Huang Ting Jing: Mind and Spirit Insights"!

Moreover, each of the ten lotus seeds has a new Dao fruit.

If all ten Blood Lotuses are cultivated, not only can the Blood Lotus Horizontal Training Technique be stacked to Lv5, but even the mind and spirit can reach a perfect state!

call--

Lin Xuan took a deep breath, calmed himself down, took out the scissors, and then picked up a lotus seed.

He carefully cut a small opening at the rounded end of the lotus seed to reveal the tender sprout inside.

After preparing ten lotus seeds according to the proper method, he went to the newly purchased water tank and soaked them in clean water in batches to keep them warm.

Lin Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

Then, he turned around, reached into the water vat, and pulled out the lotus root that looked like blood jade.

Lotus roots emerge from the water, emitting a unique and enticing fragrance.

He carefully examined the lotus root, found four plump buds, and neatly cut it into four sections with a knife, burying each section in one of the four mud jars.

Besides developing from lotus seeds, lotus plants can also be propagated by dividing the lotus root nodes.

However, the nodes of the lotus root must have buds; otherwise, it will not grow.

In addition, although the lotus root and lotus seeds can no longer produce Dao fruits, they are both excellent spiritual materials for replenishing Qi and blood, and are good for daily use to supplement Qi and blood.

After finishing with the blood lotus, Lin Xuan's gaze fell on the empty lotus pod beside him.

The lotus pod is dark red in color. Although it no longer contains lotus seeds, it has been nourished by spiritual energy for a long time, and its texture is as tough as wood. When you touch it, you can feel a warm and moist feeling.

Although this substance is not as potent as lotus seeds, it is still a traditional Chinese medicine called "lotus receptacle," which has the effects of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, clearing heat, cooling blood, removing dampness, and eliminating blood stasis.

It's known as the "Ganoderma lucidum of the water"!

However, Lin Xuan had no intention of using this item for medicinal purposes; he had other plans...

Lin Xuan picked up the lotus seedpod and walked to the old well.

The statue of the divine tortoise sits quietly by the well, its shell pattern shimmering with a faint light.

As time went by, the statue's spirituality became more and more apparent, and it was no longer like an ordinary stone carving.

Lin Xuan placed the lotus seedpod flat on the bluestone of the well platform.

Then, he held the statue of the well god and the tortoise in both hands and placed it steadily in the center of the lotus seedpod.

The size fits perfectly, as if it were meant to be that way.

Watching this scene, Qiu Sheng couldn't help but whisper, "Senior Brother, you... think that the Well God's seat is too hard every day, so you've given the old man a softer one?"

Wen Cai scratched his head: "You know what, a tortoise sitting on a lotus platform? This design looks quite unique and majestic, somewhat like the great bodhisattvas in temples."

Lin Xuan ignored the two of them and with a flick of his hand, three incense sticks appeared.

Then, with a flick of his fingertip, the incense stick lit up with sparks.

Wisps of smoke rose into the air.

Lin Xuan solemnly and respectfully inserted the incense into the burner.

"Disciple Lin Xuan presents this Blood Lotus seedpod as a seat to the Well God today."

"May the Well God protect the water veins and nourish the sacred fields."

"May water and fire coexist harmoniously here, and may the spirit of nature endure forever."

As soon as he finished speaking, a slight ripple of steam rose from the well.

The warm, moist vapor that permeates the surface of the statue year-round seeps downwards and into the lotus seedpod.

The lotus-shaped base emitted a faint red glow that spread upwards along the tortoise-shell pattern of the statue.

The two colors, light blue and blood red, blend together.

One is cold, the other is hot.

One yin and one yang.

Water and fire complement each other, red and blue intertwine.

The stone statue appears to glow with a radiant light, as if it were made of flesh and blood.

Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai were dumbfounded.

Wen Cai rubbed his eyes and said in a low, reverent voice, "Qiu Sheng... why do I feel like this well god statue... seems even more alive? Did it just glance at me?"

Qiu Sheng swallowed hard. "Shut up! Don't talk nonsense and disturb the gods!"

After saying that, he couldn't help but add in his mind, "But...you know what, it does kind of feel like it..."

Lin Xuan watched this scene and his heart stirred slightly.

The energy of the deity statue and the lotus pedestal blends together, complementing each other perfectly.

However, this lotus seedpod is ultimately just a remnant, with limited capacity.

But this attempt showed him another possibility.

If a truly exceptional lotus-shaped spiritual object is found in the future, a lotus throne can be crafted for the Well God.

Not just the Well God.

Statues of patriarchs, statues of the Three Pure Ones, and even incense and offerings for the future soldiers protecting the fields can all be incorporated into this feng shui formation.

Arrange the formation with spiritual plants.

Nourish the spirit with incense.

Protect the fields with divine power.

The spiritual fields nourish the spiritual plants, which in turn nourish the statues. The statues suppress the water veins and protect the temple, which in turn nurtures even more spiritual plants.

This is a truly complete closed loop.

It was also the prototype of Lin Xuan's herbal and wood Taoist temple.

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

If this idea can be realized, the backyard of this mortuary will definitely not be just a few spiritual fields in the future.

This place will become his foundation.

It became his spiritual home in this chaotic and degenerate age.

Lin Xuan turned and walked to the front yard to wash his hands.

Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai were still lingering around the well, staring at it intently.

Xiao Jin poked half his head out of the medicine pot and looked at the well god statue from afar, his eyes showing a hint of awe.

And behind Lin Xuan.

Amidst the swirling blue smoke and water vapor, a drop of crystal-clear spiritual liquid, containing a fine, hair-like red glow, slowly condensed from within the statue.

The drop of spiritual liquid was warm and moist, with blood vessels swirling around it.

Compared to the spiritual liquid condensed by the Well God before, it clearly had a greater sense of vitality and yang energy.

Lin Xuan did not witness this scene for the time being.

Only the cigarette by the well swayed gently.

It was as if a deity, sleeping deep within the well water, was silently nodding.