Chapter 380: Eternal Life: My Steady Farming-Style Cultivation Chapter 380 — Lingbi, Have We Been Targeted

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Protagonist:

Xu Zhangqing

Qin Hundred Li, Li Lingbi, Chu Qiu, Li Sancai, and Han Xin are all old acquaintances; only Qiu Su is here for the first time, having never met before.

Her face is not the common melon-seed face, but a goose-egg face.

Her eyebrows are slender like willow leaves, upturned slightly at the ends.

Her pupils are brown, and at the corner of her right eye sits a vermilion-red blood mole.

Her black hair is unbound, held back only by a silver hairband tied at the nape of her neck.

From her ears hang two tiny silver earrings.

Her skin is not pale, but a wheat color.

She wears a Flowing Wind Robe, its hem and cuffs embroidered with Flowing Wind Patterns.

The fabric is light as smoke, its edges stitched with a semi-transparent cyan gauze trim.

Underneath is a pale cyan short jacket and matching long trousers.

At her waist is tied a black cord, from which hang three small objects.

They are respectively:

A Wind Spirit Pearl

Half a dried Wind-Speaking Leaf

A miniature pair of silver scissors

On her feet are light brown soft-soled shoes, revealing slender ankles and a tied red string.

Qin Hundred Li introduced, "This is my junior sister, Qiu Su!"

Xu Zhangqing nodded happily, "Senior Sister Qiu!"

Qiu Su sized him up and down while responding, "Junior Brother Xu!"

Chu Qiu laughed heartily, "Everyone, we're not outsiders, so don't just stand there foolishly at the door."

"Right, right, right!"

"I can already smell the food!"

"Xiao Xu, let Nong see if your cooking has improved!"

Soon, the group entered the stone house.

Xu Zhangqing saw this and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

If it were still the old wooden house, this many people simply wouldn't fit.

Although Li Lingbi and the others wouldn't mind, Han Xin might just climb straight onto the bed.

But Qin Hundred Li and Qiu Su are here for the first time; they'd definitely feel awkward.

The moment they stepped inside, smelling the fragrance permeating the air, everyone was instantly drawn to the food on the table.

If it were mortal-world food, cultivators certainly wouldn't eat it — after all, it has no effect whatsoever.

But these are all spirit plants and spirit rice; that's different. Eating even a little brings no small benefit to oneself.

Qin Hundred Li praised, "Although we haven't eaten yet, the flavor and color have already reached the highest grade!"

Qiu Su subconsciously licked her lips and asked eagerly, "How about we eat first?"

Immediately, everyone turned their gazes to Xu Zhangqing — whether to eat depended on the host's wishes.

Xu Zhangqing smiled slightly, "Everyone, don't stand on ceremony; treat this as your own home.

Eat freely, eat your fill, eat however you like."

Hearing this, no one stood on ceremony any longer; they all sat down.

Xu Zhangqing quickly distributed bowls and chopsticks to everyone and began pouring wine in turn: "Qin Shixiong, Senior Brother Lingbi, Senior Sister Qiu, this is spirit rice wine brewed by your junior brother — have a taste."

At first sniff, it was merely an ordinary grain fragrance.

In color and luster it was much the same as ordinary wine.

But if one observed carefully, one would discover a faint spiritual light shimmering within.

Although they hadn't drunk yet, one look told them the quality was extremely high — absolutely no ordinary spirit rice wine.

Therefore, when Xu Zhangqing lifted a cup, everyone followed suit and picked theirs up.

Chu Qiu, Li Sancai, and Han Xin — the three of them didn't hesitate, downing it in one gulp.

Li Lingbi took a shallow sip, first feeling a thread of coolness, then a warm, sweet fragrance; it was not cloying like cane sugar, but the spirit rice's own clear sweetness mixed with a faint rice aroma.

His whole person's eyes brightened; he drank the rest in one go, even smacking his lips as if savoring the aftertaste.

Qin Hundred Li watched everyone's reactions, then tried a sip himself — instantly his body stiffened, and a look of disbelief appeared on his face.

He stared at Xu Zhangqing with shock and doubt, as if reacquainting himself with this person.

This was indeed the spirit rice wine seen commonly throughout the entire Tianyuan Realm, but in mouthfeel, aroma, concentration, and every other aspect, it all reached an unprecedented height — who knew how many times better it tasted than ordinary spirit rice wine.

As for Qiu Su, she froze after a single sip.

She couldn't quite tell if this was reality or a dream.

This… is this really the flavor spirit rice wine should have?

Xu Zhangqing blinked, "Qin Shixiong, Senior Brother Lingbi, Senior Sister Qiu, how is it?"

Li Lingbi was the first to raise a thumb, praising, "Junior Brother Xu, I originally thought you were only extraordinarily gifted in planting; I never imagined your brewing skill is equally transcendent and unworldly."

Xu Zhangqing grinned, "Senior Brother flatters me."

Who knew, Qin Hundred Li waved his hand: "Junior Brother Xu, don't be so modest. With this skill at your side, even if you don't cultivate spirit plants, you can still walk a path of your own."

Qiu Su said with a smile in his eyes: "I think Junior Brother Xu is the one truly enjoying life—eating top-grade vegetables every day, drinking fine wine, truly enviable."

Facing the flattery of his senior brothers and sisters, Xu Zhangqing not only did not become proud, but instead restrained his smile, his expression serious as he said: "Without the protection of the Immortal Sect, without my senior brothers, senior sisters, junior brothers, and junior sisters sacrificing themselves at the front, how could I have such a life?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Hundred Li sized him up again.

The person before him had refreshed his understanding many times, truly unbelievable.

Not arrogant, not proud, not impatient—such a character is too rare and precious.

For a time, even Qiu Su, Chu Qiu, Li Lingbi, Li Sancai, Han Xin, and others looked at him with new eyes, as if meeting him anew.

Xu Zhangqing said with slight regret: "Pity I'm not skilled in combat; I can only stay behind to farm and cultivate spirit plants for you, and occasionally cheer you on!"

Qin Hundred Li was quite moved: "Junior Brother, don't blame yourself. With someone like you tending the Spirit Fields, I feel relieved, even more at ease."

Qiu Su deeply agreed: "Who would say otherwise."

Seeing the wine in their cups finished, Xu Zhangqing refilled them.

At this moment, Chu Qiu changed the topic at just the right time, asking in surprise: "As soon as we came out, we heard that Mo Sha, Lan Tian, and a disciple named Zhao Qianyuan were attacked by a group of mysterious people?"

Xu Zhangqing nodded: "Correct."

Chu Qiu furrowed his brow: "Although Mo Sha being injured makes me feel great, there are actually other people in the Gui Xu Secret Realm—that's a bit strange."

Qin Hundred Li raised an eyebrow: "Strange, our Master and Senior Uncles never said there were other people in the Gui Xu Secret Realm!"

Xu Zhangqing looked around curiously: "Didn't you encounter them?"

Chu Qiu said boastfully: "With two Golden Core cultivators with us, we killed our way all the way to the deepest part of the secret realm; no demons or monsters were a match for us."

Xu Zhangqing suddenly understood: "I heard Mo Sha and the others were attacked at a place called the Huang Quan Ruined Hall."

"Huang Quan Ruined Hall?"

Li Lingbi and the others exchanged glances, obviously having heard of it.

Qin Hundred Li suddenly understood: "No wonder then. The Huang Quan Ruined Hall is on the Left Side, not on the same route as us."

Li Lingbi swept his gaze over everyone and said in a deep voice: "When we were about to leave the Gui Xu Secret Realm, I indeed felt someone watching us from the shadows."

Li Sancai's expression changed slightly: "Ling Bi, do you mean we've been targeted?"

Li Lingbi narrowed his eyes, cold light flashing in his pupils, then gave an affirmative answer: "Correct!"