“Decayed spirit rice… can be man-made.”
Yuan He squinted, faint golden Buddhist light seeping from the gaps between his eyes.
“There’s a vortex inside the Putrid Swamp, similar to how we cultivators condense Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Over time, it causes the spiritual energy to crystallize.”
“Can we create a similar swamp around Blackstone City?” Lu Li leaned back, resting sideways against the table, staring at the decayed spirit rice on the surface.
Ever since he brought Crocodile Tail and his group under his command, they had started actively recruiting other Crocodile Tribe demon soldiers, inviting them to join Blackstone City.
Compared to risking their lives for Red Mud City in exchange for mere crumbs of decayed spirit rice, it was far better to come directly to Blackstone City, gain complete freedom, and even use decayed spirit rice to obtain resources they’d never had before.
However, this wasn’t going smoothly.
Because the crocodile race loved mud, Blackstone City had to carve out a new area for them to live in.
And when crocodiles walked through places densely populated by the Yao race, they had to wash off the sludge from their bodies before entering.
At first, some crocodiles objected. But after exchanging the decayed spirit rice they’d gathered for gleaming white spirit stones, no crocodile voiced any opposition anymore.
“My Heavenly Eye can see the flow of spiritual energy, but Lu Li, your eyes should be able to see it too, right?” Yuan He rubbed his eyes and looked at Lu Li’s pink pupils.
“Or is it that different eye techniques have different effects?”
“Probably different effects.” Liu Qingxi spoke up from not far away.
“Most eye techniques can see the flow of spiritual energy. But I mostly see people’s futures, Lu Li sees emotions or changes in the mind, and your Heavenly Eye, Yuan He, mainly sees through the essence of everything.”
“Having an eye technique is really nice,” Liu Qingyun sighed.
“I can only sense sword qi and killing intent.”
“There are good sides and bad sides. My master has already cultivated the Dharma Eye. In his view, many things are already different.” Yuan He sighed.
“I’d rather have the Heavenly Eye for life.”
“Speaking of which, Lu Li, didn’t you let him enter a dream earlier? How’s the cultivation going?” Liu Qingyun asked.
“It’s hard. Why am I still a monk in the dream?” As soon as the topic came up, Yuan He put down the decayed spirit rice and sighed deeply. “I just walked to the foot of a mountain shaped like a palm, and then some monkey called out to me.”
“Then what?” Liu Qingxi grew interested too.
“It ended there for now. After that, we went to carry out Lu Li’s plan, didn’t we?” Yuan He shook his head.
“But this dream is quite interesting.”
“This is also a reflection of your inner self.” Amid Lu Li’s soft laugh, Yuan He and Liu Qingyun also released a relieved chuckle.
Liu Qingxi turned around, casting a glance at Lu Li.
“What is it, Liu Qingxi?” Lu Li brushed aside the stray hair that had fallen loose from leaning. “Is there a problem?”
“I’m a little worried about your state.”
“It’s nothing. I’ve just been busy lately, so I’m a bit tired.” Lu Li shook his head.
“By the way, Yuan He, I’m planning to buy a weapon. Come with me to take a look.”
“Hey, why? I wanted Lu Li to continue with this dream… Ah, don’t drag me!”
Liu Qingyun clamped Yuan He under his arm and carried him out of the residence. The previously noisy mansion quieted down considerably.
“Lu Li, have you not been taking the prescription I gave you earlier?” Liu Qingxi casually checked the restrictions.
“Or is it just some acclimatization issues after coming to the Yao Kingdom?”
“I haven’t… The reason is related to my cultivation technique.” Lu Li changed his posture, but his languid demeanor remained unchanged.
The matter of his own menarche was already embarrassing enough.
Not to mention having to change the spiritual cloth for menstruation every day.
Naturally, he would inadvertently glimpse his changing body.
What troubled Lu Li the most was the faint abdominal pain during his period, and the unfamiliar feeling of something weighing down.
His eye technique could understand the cause.
Having a woman’s body menstruate was normal, but he had been a man before. As time passed, the yang qi inside his body gradually stirred, causing yin-yang imbalance and conflict.
To relieve the pain, he would have to rely on the prescription Liu Qingxi had given him. But that was something leaning toward yin, meant to nourish blood and warm the body.
Taking it would only prolong the duration of his female form. Pure yang substances, on the other hand, would intensify the pain.
The only consolation was that, as a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, he could suppress it with True Yuan most of the time.
And as his cultivation grew, his control over his body would gradually strengthen, eventually making it inconsequential.
But the yang qi now awakening in his dantian was something Lu Li absolutely did not want to extract.
“The Yin Yang Sect really has no solution for this.” After a moment of thought, Liu Qingxi could only sigh.
“But Lu Li, you might not realize that during this vulnerable time, the effect of your Charm Technique seems even stronger.”
“I understand. It’s because I have to divert some divine sense to resist the pain, so the Charm Technique naturally radiates outward.” Helpless about the situation, Lu Li could only say, “Let’s not talk about this.”
“Alright, then let’s talk about the recent situation in Red Mud City.” Liu Qingxi flicked her wrist, sending out several streaks of Mysterious Light that hung suspended in the hall.
“In these seven days, we had Crocodile Tail persuade over sixty Qi Refining demon soldiers. At the same time, Yuan He and Liu Qingyun captured quite a few demon generals.”
“Currently, the Silt Formation of Red Mud City has gradually stopped, and it’s even shrinking inward.” As Liu Qingxi narrated, the light around Red Mud City gradually dimmed.
“At the same time, following your suggestion, we purchased grain from White Miasma City at high prices, throwing Red Mud City into temporary hardship.”
“With reduced personnel, insufficient grain, and a lack of decayed spirit rice, Red Mud City began sending out some Foundation Establishment demon generals, but almost all of them were captured by us.”
“Some of those demon generals were convinced by the rules of Blackstone City and were willing to join. Others remained stubborn and are temporarily locked in the underground dark prison.” Liu Qingxi paused and glanced at Lu Li again.
“But I’m very worried there might be spies among them…”
“There are bound to be spies, but that’s fine. If they still obey the Crocodile Lord, that’s actually good.”
“It can push forward further actions. If they choose to join Blackstone City, then there’s no harm to us at all.” Lu Li gently soothed his lower abdomen.
“In a few days, we’ll set out.”
“To Red Mud City?”
“Exactly. Even if Red Mud City has stockpiled quite a few Fasting Pills, based on their previous meat consumption, the crocodiles in the city can’t hold out much longer.” Lu Li squinted, looking at the black smoke gradually rising above Blackstone City.
“Then we wait for the Crocodile Lord to leave Red Mud City himself.”
“What if he doesn’t leave?”
“Then we’ll clear away that mud bit by bit right in front of them.” Lu Li smiled. “Then we just need to prepare for battle. That’s actually the simplest part.”
“Mm… I trust you.” Liu Qingxi formed another hand seal, but the hexagram symbol swirled around Lu Li once before dissipating again.
“Everything will go smoothly, right?”
“Absolutely certain.”