The rent for the spirit field in the courtyard was five spirit stones per month, payable every six months, with less than one month left until the next payment.
Almost half of the spirit stones in hand would soon be used up. Since it would still be some time before the several spirit plants in the spirit field matured, Lu Xuan decided to save up for any unexpected needs.
The spirit field had already been utilized to its maximum capacity. Even if he had enough spirit stones in hand, there would be no place to plant new spiritual seeds if he bought them. He could only bring more than fifty spirit stones back home.
After returning home, he shut the courtyard door tightly, almost cutting off contact with the outside world, devoting his heart to cultivating the spiritual plants.
Several days passed, and the silver fruit on the two Moon Erosion Trees grew rounder and fuller, hanging on the tree like moons.
They were about to enter the maturation stage.
Lu Xuan took time to count, and there were about forty-two Moon Erosion Fruits on the tree.
According to the purchase price he knew, each Moon Erosion Fruit was worth approximately one spirit stone, with little fluctuation.
However, because he had been carefully cultivating them during this period, the quality of several dozen Moon Erosion Fruits was not bad. Lu Xuan estimated that most of them were of good quality and a few were of superior quality.
"Little Uncle Lu, Little Uncle Lu, are you home?"
One day, a familiar, childish voice came from outside the courtyard gate.
Lu Xuan opened the gate, and a seven-year-old child with a tigerish face squeezed in through the gap in the gate. Judging by his facial features, he looked 70 to 80 percent similar to Zhang Hong who had gone off to explore the wilderness.
It was indeed Zhang Hong's child, named Zhang Xiu Yuan. Because he was not far in age from Lu Xuan, he would occasionally run over to him.
"I thought you weren't home! You've had your door shut every day, and I haven't seen you in a long time!"
Zhang Xiu Yuan muttered a sentence, hopping and jumping to the front of the Grass Puppet and hugging it.
"Little Grass, long time no see, I've missed you!"
The Grass Puppet, feeling a stranger enter the courtyard, still extended a gray grass rope to Lu Xuan, fulfilling its responsibility of defending the spirit field.
"Alright, alright, if you keep hugging your little friend, its head will fall off."
Seeing the gray grass lump on the Grass Puppet's head about to fall off, Lu Xuan said to the overly enthusiastic Zhang Xiu Yuan with a smile.
The two of them went inside the house.
Zhang Xiu Yuan sat dumbfounded in the wooden chair, staring blankly at the spirit plants in the courtyard.
"It's more comfortable here with you, Little Uncle Lu. No need to cultivate techniques, learn about various types of spiritual medicine, or knowledge of spirit ores."
Lu Xuan couldn't help but laugh. It was like seeing distressed children struggling with their studies in his previous life.
"By the way, have you heard from your father since he's been out for so long?"
He asked Zhang Xiu Yuan.
"Where could it be so fast? The journey alone takes half a month!"
"But my dad is so amazing, he'll definitely be able to kill lots and lots of demon beasts and bring back lots and lots of treasures for me."
Zhang Xiu Yuan spoke with a longing look in his eyes. In a child's mind, the figure of his father was always particularly tall, as if he could block all the storms.
Lu Xuan nodded, chatted a few more words with the child, and then went to the spirit field to check on the growth of the spiritual plants.
In the spirit field, whether it was the progress bar or the real-time status, or even the white light cluster that appeared after maturity, only Lu Xuan could see it. So he was not worried that Zhang Xiu Yuan would discover the abnormality of the spirit field.
"Little Uncle Lu, you seem really busy in your spirit field. Do you need my help?"
Zhang Xiu Yuan rested for a while, and seeing Lu Xuan busy all the time, he rolled up his sleeves and walked next to Lu Xuan.
"Hey hey hey, don't move, I can handle it myself."
Lu Xuan quickly spoke to stop him. Are you kidding? One of the factors affecting the reward of the light cluster is the participation in the planting process.
If the reward of the light cluster is affected because of Little Yuan's help, it would be a loss.
"Hmph, my mom always asks me to help her, and I don't even want to!"
Little Yuan was rejected by Lu Xuan, and he felt somewhat embarrassed. Crossing his arms over his chest, he huffed.
"How many cycles have you cultivated today? Have you memorized all the common spiritual herbs and ores?"
Lu Xuan noticed the child lingering in the Spirit Field, showing no inclination to leave, so he voiced his inquiry.
Each time he asked, a hint of heaviness appeared on Zhang Xiu Yuan's face, and when Lu Xuan had finished asking, Zhang Xiu Yuan waved his hand vehemently and ran off.
"I'm never coming to play at your place again!"
"Hahahaha!"
Lu Xuan laughed mercilessly.
He did not placate, knowing very well that children lose their temper as quickly as they regain it. In a few days, he'd come looking for fun again.
For the next three days, Zhang Xiu Yuan indeed did not visit. Lu Xuan was at ease, cultivating the Spirit Firefly Grass, Red Cloud Pine, and watching the Moon Erosion Fruit develop step by step each day.
Finally, with concentrated attention, Lu Xuan discovered that the four Moon Erosion Fruits had fully matured.
All four Moon Erosion Fruits were of good quality, and their successful growth validated his dedicated care over this period.
He carefully picked them and placed them in a specially made container.
Immediately after, he was captivated by four white light clusters floating on the Moon Erosion Tree.
Above the light clusters, little dots of white light twinkled.
Lu Xuan absorbed the first one, and a thought flashed through his mind.
"Harvest Moon Erosion Fruit, gain First Grade Artifact, Silver Rift Blade (remnant)."
A slender object appeared in Lu Xuan's hand.
"First Grade Artifact!"
Lu Xuan was taken aback, scrutinizing the object in his hand.
It was a thin, long piece, about the thickness of a finger, with an irregular shape. It felt cold to touch, and the edges seemed incredibly sharp.
With his Spiritual Sense, Lu Xuan controlled the thin, long piece with a mere thought.
The thin piece transformed into an almost invisible silver light and deeply embedded itself into the stone wall.
"The power is extraordinary, indeed worthy of a First Grade Artifact. But what does this 'remnant' mean?"
"Is this artifact incomplete? However, it seems quite powerful in use..."
Confused, Lu Xuan looked at the remaining three white light groups.
"Harvest Moon Erosion Fruit, gain First Grade Artifact, Silver Rift Blade (remnant)."
"Harvest Moon Erosion Fruit, gain First Grade Talisman, Purification Charm."
"Harvest Moon Erosion Fruit, gain First Grade Artifact, Silver Rift Blade (remnant)."
The Purification Charm could keep a cultivator's mind clear for a long duration, preventing them from being beguiled by Demon Envoy. It was a great assistance charm.
As for the other two white light clusters...
Looking at the three silver-white thin pieces in his hand, Lu Xuan was briefly stunned.
All three pieces were of differing shapes, their shared features being an ultrasharp edge that did not tarnish the reputation of the First Grade Artifact.
Additionally, Lu Xuan surprisingly discovered that he could actually wield all three Silver Edge fragments simultaneously.
Normally, with his current Third Level Qi Cultivation, it would be nearly impossible for him to control three First Grade Artifacts at once.
"Could it be that these three irregular thin pieces come from the same artifact, and only when all pieces are assembled, can it become the complete Silver Rift Blade?"
Comparing the edges of the pieces, Lu Xuan increasingly felt that this was closer to reality.
"The question is, how many pieces are needed to assemble the complete Silver Rift Blade?"
"Hopefully, the remaining thirty-eight Moon Erosion Fruits can produce as many Silver Rift Blade fragments as possible."
"Although the fragments are useful, who would want them if the complete one is available?"
Lu Xuan gazed at the Moon Erosion Fruits hanging from the Moon Erosion Tree, looking like jade plates, lost in thought.