My ancestors were spiritual plant growers, so it's not surprising that I hunt demons every day,

As dawn broke, Cui Ying finished her nightly cultivation and slowly opened her eyes.

Seeing that Cui Yue was still asleep, he quietly lifted the covers.

As soon as she moved, Taxue, who was by the bedside, also stood up with great energy, her dark eyes shining like bright stars.

Last night, before she started cultivating, she was thinking about entering the Phoenix Mountain Range again tomorrow. On a whim, and also to reward Ta Xue for her performance outside Songlin Market, she casually fed Ta Xue a Qi Gathering Pill.

As a result, this guy's cultivation level improved by leaps and bounds. Although he did not break through to the second level of Qi Refining, he was not far off.

Of course, Cui Ying dared not let her mother know how wasteful she was.

Otherwise, you can forget about having any peace and quiet.

Seeing Ta Xue excitedly circling around her, she patted Ta Xue's head with satisfaction and gestured for her to follow her.

Three days have passed since the Heavenly Star Grass and Blood Spirit Grass were planted in the backyard. Every morning and evening, she faithfully casts the Spring Breeze and Rain Mantra twice.

Ordinary spiritual plants should have started to sprout by now. But these spiritual herbs still show no sign of breaking through the soil.

It seems that spiritual herbs and medicines are more difficult to cultivate than she imagined.

After thinking for a moment, she took three drops of the spiritual liquid from the jade gourd, diluted it with water, and sprinkled it evenly, like rain or dew.

Sure enough, in no time, the soft soil underfoot began to tremble slightly, and tender green seedlings, about the size of a fingernail, sprouted from the soil at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"It really works."

When Cui Ying returned to the main room from the backyard, Zhu Chaoyun had already arrived as invited and was now chatting absentmindedly with Wang Shi.

Seeing Cui Ying walk in, Zhu Chaoyun stood up with a "bang" and said, "Didn't we agree to meet at the beginning of Mao Shi last night? I've been waiting for you for quite a while."

As he spoke, he noticed the mud and sand that had accidentally stuck to the hem of Cui Ying's skirt and suddenly realized:

"We're about to go into the mountains to hunt demons, and you still have the mood to work in the fields? I must say, I have to admire Cui Ying's magnanimity and spirit to the core!"

Upon hearing this, Cui Ying rolled her eyes in exasperation, too lazy to bother with her.

When the two of them were halfway through their breakfast, Cui Zhengming also came out wearing a coat.

Before long, all the spirit rice in the family will be ripe. He spends most of his time these days tending to the spirit fields.

They were worried both about the spirit worms harming the spirit rice and about preventing theft. Naturally, they neglected their own home.

He looked at the two people sitting around the dining table, and at the cold-light crossbow and the blue sickle on the table, and asked with some concern:

"Are we heading into the Phoenix Mountains again?"

Today, Wang made scallion oil noodles, and each person's bowl was also luxuriously topped with a precious egg.

Zhu Chaoyun had never eaten such delicacies at home before. He was currently engrossed in eating when Cui Zhengming asked, and hurriedly looked up, mumbling indistinctly:

"Yes, Uncle."

Cui Zhengming nodded and said nothing more.

After the two finished eating the scallion oil noodles, Wang prepared lunch for them to eat in the mountains.

She handed it to Cui Ying:

"Your father and I couldn't bear to eat the steamed cakes you brought back yesterday. The rest are in the bundle. The spirit wine and glass tobacco you asked me to pack last night are also hidden in a lining of the bundle."

"Also, if you want to eat these pine needle and crab meat steamed buns next time, just tell your mother. Your mother can make them too. You know my skills. I guarantee they'll taste ten times better than what you get from other spirit chefs. Listen to me, let's not waste spirit stones next time."

"it is good."

Cui Ying knew her mother was used to being frugal and was even more distressed about those spirit stones. She smiled as she took the bundle, unusually obediently agreeing.

Her original intention was to improve the family's meals. Since she could eat well at home, she naturally wouldn't let outsiders benefit from it.

After saying this, Cui Ying and Zhu Chaoyun left one after the other.

Just as I stepped into the courtyard, I heard a deep, muffled sound behind me:

"Things are not peaceful outside lately, you two siblings must be vigilant."

Cui Ying turned around and smiled: "We know, don't worry, Dad."

-

After leaving the courtyard, Zhu Chaoyun looked at Cui Ying curiously and asked, "Sister Cui Ying, is this the new companion you mentioned yesterday?"

Seemingly understanding that Zhu Chaoyun was talking about her, Taxue, who had been silently following behind like a shadow, immediately stepped forward, circled around Zhu Chaoyun twice, and lowered her nose to gently sniff.

Zhu Chaoyun was taken aback, then grinned at Cui Ying and said, "Tsk, this beast is quite intelligent."

Before he could finish speaking, Ta Xue, who was standing at his feet, suddenly lowered his body and growled at Zhu Chaoyun with a fierce look in his eyes.

Zhu Chaoyun was startled and instinctively hid behind Cui Ying: "Help, Cui Ying! Your big black dog is going to eat someone!"

Before Cui Ying could speak, Zhu Chaoyun saw the dark-skinned Ta Xue roll his eyes at him before turning around and silently walking behind Cui Ying.

"Hey, this guy's really something else, he even knows how to scare people."

Seeing that it was a misunderstanding, Zhu Chaoyun coughed twice and stepped out from behind Cui Ying. He looked at the meek and submissive Ta Xue again and said with some sigh:

“Sister Cui Ying, is your Ta Xue really a stray? Sister Cui Ying, where did you find it? Let me go and find one to be my spirit pet.”

"It's not like a cabbage growing by the roadside; you can't just pick it up whenever you want. It's getting late; let's go."

"Ah, what a pity! If only I had been shameless enough to go into town with you that day."

Seeing that Cui Ying had already gone far away, Zhu Chaoyun sighed and focused on hurrying on his way.

Soon they arrived at Chiyang Valley. Facing the sparse morning glow in the forest, Zhu Chaoyun volunteered to search for a spiritual herb to dispel the poisonous miasma.

After successfully passing through the poisonous miasma, the two, as usual, bowed and knelt in devout worship towards the depths of the Phoenix Mountain Range.

Not only that, Cui Ying even took out a small jar of Yuzhu wine that she had prepared beforehand, and half a box of Liuli tobacco as an offering.

Once they officially entered the Phoenix Mountain Range, Zhu Chaoyun muttered to himself as he walked:

"One after another, I followed you to kneel and worship a mountain range. I don't know if you're crazy or I'm insane."

Thinking of this, he could still almost smell the unique fragrance of the Jade Bamboo Wine when it was poured on the ground, and the dreamlike mist rising from the lit glass cigarette.

He looked up at the girl and dog walking ahead nonchalantly, and sighed with a pained expression, "Too extravagant, really too extravagant."

Zhu Chaoyun followed behind Cui Ying, winding through the mountains for more than an hour.

Today was strange; I didn't see a single rooster along the way.

“Sister Cui Ying, I’ve heard that many cultivators who specialize in hunting demons like to set animal traps in the mountains. Why don’t we set some too? Maybe we’ll get some unexpected results.”

Zhu Chaoyun pushed aside a clump of branches blocking his way, jogged along a slope, and passed Cui Ying, who was standing there looking at him. He held the Cold Light Crossbow and looked around as well, speaking without turning his head.

Upon hearing this, Cui Ying shook her head immediately:

"Setting animal traps is convenient, but we can't just stay in the mountains and guard them. Besides, there are so many independent cultivators coming into the mountains. If we leave, it will be too easy for others to benefit from them. Moreover, my purpose in entering Phoenix Mountain Range is not solely to hunt demons."

Zhu Chaoyun kicked aside the pebbles blocking his path, looked up, and asked with a face full of curiosity, "Why is that?"

"Didn't I tell you last night that I'd take you into the mountains to collect rare and precious herbs? The treasure is right under your feet now, go ahead and pick it up."

Cui Ying called out to Zhu Chaoyun and pointed to where the young man was standing.

"baby!?"

Zhu Chaoyun subconsciously spun around in place, then suddenly waved his fist at Cui Ying in an annoyed manner:

"You little devil, Cui Ying! How come I never knew you were so good at bullying people?"

There was nothing but weeds and withered leaves under his feet, not a single rare and precious treasure.

You wouldn't even take your precious treasure?

Cui Ying gave a soft snort, walked over to Zhu Chaoyun, squatted down, and directly used her hands to push aside a layer of arched withered leaves, revealing three snow jade mushrooms the size of a baby's fist:

"Look, this is the rare and precious material I found in the Phoenix Mountains."

"what is this?"

Zhu Chaoyun looked surprised, then suddenly seemed to remember something and said:

"I feel like I've seen this thing somewhere before... I remember now, some rogue cultivators in the village got Immortal Guest and exchanged it for spirit stones."

Cui Ying gave him a look that suggested he was a promising student, and said, "The treasures are all in the mountains. Whoever finds them will have good fortune. Just let them come and pick them up."

"Ha ha ha ha."

Zhu Chaoyun was overjoyed and gave Cui Ying a thumbs up: "Cui Ying, you're amazing!"

Cui Ying shook her head and casually placed the snow jade mushroom into the bamboo basket hanging from Zhu Chaoyun's waist, saying:

"Keep it. I'll take you with me to sell treasures next time."

"No."

Zhu Chaoyun clicked her tongue and quickly returned the three conjoined snow jade mushrooms to Cui Ying: "Here, take this treasure back. I don't want it."

"Are you sure? These three Snow Jade Mushrooms can sell for at least seven or eight spirit stones."

Zhu Chaoyun shook his head firmly once again:

"I don't recognize these treasures. Just now, the treasure was right under my feet and I didn't even realize it. You should pick it up."

He could contribute to the demon-hunting, and it was only right that he receive some spirit stones. But he didn't recognize any of these rare and precious materials, and he couldn't accept any reward without having done anything for them.

Cui Ying was already very grateful that he was willing to take him into the mountains to hunt demons.

As Cui Ying knew from her previous life, Zhu Chaoyun was stubborn and obstinate, but no matter how weak he was now, or how he later survived countless near-death experiences to successfully establish his foundation, or even how he condensed his liquid to become a powerful figure, he always maintained a pure and innocent heart.

So she nodded and didn't insist.