HCB Chapter 76 The Arena 4
Chapter 76 The Arena 4
The group entered the Spirit Food Shop, which was elegantly decorated. The walls were adorned with paintings depicting spiritual plants and delicacies, radiating a faint spiritual light.
The tables and chairs were all made of spirit wood, with a faint spiritual energy flowing through their grain.
Xu Xiaoxiao looked at the menu excitedly, her eyes shining: "Second Senior Brother, look at this spirit fruit pudding and spirit ginseng chicken soup, they sound so delicious."
Mu Zhusheng smiled and nodded: "Then let's order them all and try them."
The staff brought the dish to the table; the spirit fruit pudding shimmered with colorful light and exuded a sweet aroma.
The ginseng chicken soup is steaming hot, and the soup is filled with spiritual energy.
Xu Xiaoxiao placed the senior brother doll on her lap, eagerly scooped up a spoonful of pudding and put it in her mouth, squinting her eyes in satisfaction: "Wow, this pudding melts in your mouth, and the spiritual energy spreads on the tip of your tongue, it's so delicious."
While chewing on the spirit rice, Tu Minglang mumbled, "This spirit rice is not bad. After eating it, I feel my spiritual energy becoming active in my meridians."
Yuan Mengyao elegantly sipped her chicken soup and said, "This chicken soup is extremely nourishing; the restaurant really put a lot of thought into it."
Just as everyone was enjoying their meal, a sudden commotion broke out outside the restaurant.
Mu Zhusheng frowned, stood up and said, "I'll go out and take a look. You guys eat first."
Xu Xiaoxiao also put down her spoon: "Second Senior Brother, I'll go with you."
Outside the shop, a group of monks were surrounding a boy dressed in tattered clothes.
A burly cultivator with a menacing face said viciously, "You little thief, how dare you steal my spirit pearl! You won't escape today!" The boy cried out in terror, "I didn't! You've mistaken me for someone else!"
Mu Zhusheng stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and asked, "Everyone, what's going on here?"
The burly cultivator glanced at him and said, "Mind your own business. This little thief stole my treasure, and I'm going to teach him a lesson."
Xu Xiaoxiao said from the side, "You say he stole something, but do you have any evidence?"
At this moment, an old man slowly walked over. He looked at the boy and then at the burly cultivator, and said, "Don't be impulsive. I just saw it from the side. This boy didn't steal anything. Your spirit pearl accidentally fell and he picked it up. He was just about to return it, but you're making false accusations without even knowing the facts."
Upon hearing this, the burly cultivator blushed, but still stubbornly insisted, "Hmph, even so, he is still a suspect."
The old man snorted coldly: "Don't try to be unreasonable. Do you think my words are false?"
The boy looked at the old man gratefully: "Thank you for speaking up for me, senior."
The old man waved his hand: "Child, be careful in the future. This Immortal Spirit City is a mixed bag."
Mu Zhusheng said to the boy, "It's alright, you can go now."
The boy bowed to the crowd and hurriedly left.
Xu Xiaoxiao looked at the boy's back and said, "That boy is so pitiful, he was almost wronged."
Mu Zhusheng nodded: "Yes, there's a lot of trouble in this city, so we need to be careful."
Afterwards, the group returned to the Spirit Food Shop to continue enjoying the food and discussing what had just happened, gaining a deeper understanding of the Immortal Spirit City.
After everyone finished their meal, they walked out of the spirit food shop. At this time, it was getting dark, and the spirit lamps on both sides of the street lit up one after another. The soft light intertwined and illuminated the entire street in a dreamlike way.
Xu Xiaoxiao stretched and said, "I'm so full, Second Brother, where should we go next?"
After pondering for a moment, Mu Zhusheng said, "I've heard that there's a spiritual plant garden on the east side of the city, filled with all sorts of rare spiritual plants. It's currently in bloom, so the scenery must be beautiful. Why don't we go for a walk there?"
The group walked eastward along the street. The number of pedestrians gradually decreased, and occasionally a few spirit pets could be seen playing on the side of the street.
The gate to the Spirit Plant Garden appeared before us. It was an archway woven from vines, with blooming spirit flowers twining around it, emitting a rich fragrance.
Stepping into the Spirit Plant Garden, one is greeted by a vibrant display of various spirit plants vying for attention.
Some spiritual plants are as tall as trees, with their branches and leaves shimmering like stars; others are small and delicate, with their flowers swaying like bells and making a crisp sound.
Xu Xiaoxiao flitted among the spiritual plants like a butterfly, exclaiming in amazement, "Wow, these spiritual plants are so beautiful! I have never seen such beautiful flowers and plants before."
Tu Minglang squatted in front of a spiritual plant, observing it carefully: "The spiritual energy fluctuations of this spiritual plant are so strong. If it can be used to refine pills, the effect will definitely be extraordinary."
Yuan Mengyao gently stroked a spiritual flower and said, "These spiritual plants grow here, they must have absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the essence of the sun and moon to be so unique."
Suddenly, Xu Xiaoxiao accidentally bumped into someone. She quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."
Looking up, I saw a woman dressed in green. Her face was aloof, but her eyes held a hint of tenderness.
The woman smiled slightly: "It's alright, are you here to admire the spiritual plants as well?"
Xu Xiaoxiao nodded: "Yes, the spiritual plants here are so beautiful."
The woman said, "This spiritual plant garden is managed by my family, and I have been living here with spiritual plants since I was a child."
Mu Zhusheng stepped forward, bowed, and said, "So you are the owner of the Spirit Plant Garden. I apologize for disturbing you."
The woman waved her hand: "No need to be polite. Since you're here, why don't you sit in the pavilion in the garden and I'll brew you a pot of spiritual tea."
As the group entered the pavilion, the woman served them spiritual tea, the aroma of which blended seamlessly with the fragrance of the surrounding flowers.
Xu Xiaoxiao took a sip of tea and said, "This tea is delicious, with a faint floral fragrance."
The woman said, "This is a spiritual tea made from the spiritual flowers in the garden. It has a calming and tranquilizing effect."
Inside the pavilion, everyone sat around a stone table, the aroma of tea rising gently.
The woman gently brushed a strand of hair from her forehead and spoke first: "Judging from your attire, you must be esteemed disciples of the Returning Heaven Sect, right? I have long heard that the Returning Heaven Sect is full of talented people, and seeing you today, I can see that you are indeed extraordinary."
Mu Zhusheng humbly replied, "Senior, you flatter me. We are just juniors who have just started out. We came to Xianling City to participate in the temple fair to gain more experience and broaden our horizons. Just now, seeing how lush the spiritual plants in this spiritual plant garden are, I was deeply impressed. I must have unique insights into the cultivation of spiritual plants."
The woman smiled slightly, her gaze sweeping over everyone, and said, "You may call me Lingxi. The cultivation of spiritual plants requires following the natural order, coupled with meticulous care and patience. Just like the spiritual plants in this garden, each one has its own characteristics. Some need plenty of sunlight, while others prefer shade. I have been exploring in this garden since I was a child, which is why it is what it is today. It is the same for you on your path of cultivation. You need to understand your own characteristics and find a cultivation path that suits you."
Xu Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up, and she asked curiously, "Senior, are there any spiritual plants that are particularly suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators like me to assist in cultivation?"
Lingxi looked at Xu Xiaoxiao and patiently explained, "For Foundation Establishment cultivators, the Spirit Nether Grass is a good choice. It can gently regulate spiritual energy, helping you consolidate your foundation and improve the purity of your spiritual energy. There's also the Spirit Star Flower; if you can refine its petals into pills, consuming them can enhance your divine sense perception, making your cultivation of divine sense techniques twice as effective. However, while spiritual plants are beneficial, you must be careful when picking and using them, and never act rashly."
Tu Minglang nodded thoughtfully: "Senior is absolutely right. We do indeed have much to learn in terms of utilizing cultivation resources. I am somewhat interested in alchemy. I wonder if there are any excellent materials for alchemy among the spiritual plants in your garden?"
Lingxi sipped her tea and said, "The Spirit Illusion Mushroom in this garden contains a very special spiritual energy that can be used to refine pills that enhance the explosive power of spiritual energy. There is also the Spirit Crystal Vine, whose stems contain pure spiritual crystal energy, a key ingredient for refining high-quality pills. However, the way of alchemy is not only about materials; the timing, technique, and precise control of spiritual energy are all crucial. If you are interested in alchemy, you can study more ancient alchemy books and exchange ideas with other alchemists in the future."
Yuan Mengyao then asked, "Senior Lingxi, you have been in this spirit plant garden for many years, and you must have witnessed many interesting or strange things related to spirit plants. Could you share one or two with us?"
Lingxi tilted her head slightly, lost in memories: "Once, a spiritual plant that had been dormant in the garden for a thousand years suddenly awoke, instantly radiating a dazzling light. That light transformed into spiritual butterflies that danced throughout the garden. Wherever these butterflies passed, the other spiritual plants grew rapidly, as if they had been infused with life. Another time, we encountered an invasion of monstrous spiritual plants. They released strange spiritual power, plunging the garden's plants into chaos. My family and I fought a bitter battle for many days before finding a way to subdue them and drive them away. These experiences made me realize that the world of spiritual plants, like the world of cultivation, is full of unknowns and challenges..."
The audience listened intently, occasionally letting out exclamations of amazement. In the pavilion of the Spirit Plant Garden, the atmosphere of conversation grew increasingly lively, as if they had forgotten the passage of time.