Chapter 39: As Rogue Cultivators, We Must Huddle Together for Warmth

Upon entering the east wing, Luo Chen finally realized why the front room he stayed in cost only the cheapest ten spirit stones a month.

Although the area wasn't particularly spacious, the layout was very rational. The windows were positioned at optimal points for natural light, and it wasn't as cold there at night. Compared to the warm and comfortable east wing, his front room felt like a cross between a warehouse and an ice cellar.

After a moment of self-pity, Luo Chen sat down at the dining table with a sense of satisfaction.

Feng Xia glanced at him and slid a bowl of spiritual rice toward him.

"Thanks, Sister Xia!"

Feng Xia spoke, "Don't thank me; it's Xiu Xiu's treat."

It was fine when she was silent, but once she spoke, her voice sounded like sandpaper rubbing together.

Luo Chen frowned and asked cautiously, "Sister Xia, your throat?"

"It's always been like this. Years ago, when I was testing medicines for Baicao Hall, I accidentally ingested a poisonous herb. Although I was treated, my throat could only recover to this extent."

Bai Meiling sat down beside him, her tone somewhat low.

Only then did Luo Chen understand the reason. He could only say that working for a large company wasn't easy either! Baicao Hall was merely one of the industries of the Medicine King Sect, but the work within it was not without high risks.

A job like Feng Xia's as a medicine tester paid highly, but the danger was immense. Common herbs often underwent unique mutations due to their growing environments and proximity to demon beasts. In such cases, if conventional methods couldn't detect the differences, one could only use the physical bodies of cultivators to test them personally. That was Feng Xia's job.

Things had improved over the last two years; since the Baicao Hall in Dahe坊 had recruited new testers, she had begun transitioning into the deep processing of medicinal materials.

"What are you all chatting about? Why is the atmosphere so heavy?"

Fu Xiuxiu walked over carrying a plate of steaming hot meat slices. "Try some. This is Luolin Beast knuckle meat. I brought it back from the Divine Talisman Pavilion to give you all a taste of something fresh."

Bai Meiling told her about their conversation, and Fu Xiuxiu couldn't help but sigh.

"That's how we rogue cultivators are. Either we live precariously in the Outer City, or we are driven by others in the Inner City. Any job with slightly higher pay requires paying a massive price."

As she spoke, the faces of Bai Meiling and Feng Xia darkened.

Luo Chen, however, was somewhat thoughtless.

Driven by others? You had to have the capital to be driven by others first. To name a few, places like the Spiritual Medicine Pavilion or the Myriad Treasure Tower employed nothing but young and beautiful female cultivators to receive guests. For male cultivators like them, they didn't even have the chance to be bossed around.

"That's why we must help each other and huddle together for warmth."

Fu Xiuxiu picked up the wine pot and poured for everyone. Bai Meiling tried to do it herself, but Fu Xiuxiu pressed her hand down.

"Being able to live here shows we have a connection. In the future, if there are any difficulties in life or cultivation, we can help each other out where we can."

"Xiao Luo, even though you've just moved in, Senior Sun has vetted you, so your character and temperament are naturally fine. From now on, we can consider ourselves family."

With that, she raised her wine cup. Bai Meiling and Feng Xia raised theirs simultaneously.

Luo Chen, on the other hand, was quite surprised.

Since transmigrating to this world, what he saw every day was the chaos and slaughter of the Outer City, and the petty squabbling of cultivators in the markets over cultivation resources. To be honest, it was quite cruel. But he had to admit, it fit his perception of the cultivation world. Yet, in this tiny courtyard, there was actually such a warm side to life.

What was this? A "Warm Courtyard" version of the cultivation world?

Not wanting to spoil the mood, he also raised his cup.

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

The clear, transparent wine entered his mouth—smooth and non-irritating, with a faint fruity aroma.

Fu Xiuxiu smiled slightly. "Eat, don't be so formal."

Bai Meiling was the first to pick up her chopsticks. After a piece of stir-fried demon meat entered her mouth, her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. "Sister Xiu Xiu's cooking is the best!"

"Oh, you. If it's good, eat more. Xiao Luo, don't be restrained either; eat your fill. There's plenty of spiritual rice in the pot."

"Mhm!"

A soft spot in Luo Chen's heart seemed to be touched. His eyelids lowered slightly, and his pace of eating quickened. Seeing this, Fu Xiuxiu placed a piece of meat in his bowl.

"It's a pity the Qin family all went to the Falling Cloud Sect. When they return, I'm afraid we won't see Little Hu for a long time."

"Indeed. That child Little Hu has both Gold and Water spiritual roots, and he's only twelve. He has a clean background; large sects love disciples like him," Bai Meiling said.

Having lived here for these few days, Luo Chen had come to know the family in the West Wing. Qin Liangchen and Duanmu Qinglian were both at the ninth level of Qi Refinement. Their son, Little Hu—whose real name was Qin Yuanjiang—was born intelligent and had been carefully nurtured by the couple since childhood. Various medicinal baths and spiritual herbs were arranged for him every month.

At the age of eight, Little Hu was detected to have dual Gold and Water spiritual roots. They had originally intended to apply to the Jade Tripod Sword Sect, but the sect's next open recruitment wouldn't be for another ten years. To avoid wasting his optimal cultivation period, the Qin couple took him to the Falling Cloud Sect in the Jade Tripod Territory to register. That was also a major sect; the Supreme Elder, Han Zhan, possessed the potential for the Nascent Soul stage. One could say it was a sect with a limitless future.

To feel a sense of involvement, Luo Chen chimed in. "Sister Caiyi isn't here either. She quite enjoys gourmet food."

However, after he said this, Fu Xiuxiu visibly frowned. But she quickly composed herself and shook her head.

"Gu Caiyi has a different schedule than us; we rarely run into each other."

Luo Chen blinked and nodded, saying nothing more. Matters between women were always the most complicated.

After dinner, Fu Xiuxiu brought out some fruits and pastries, setting up a tea party in the courtyard under the moonlight. Everyone spoke freely, discussing many things.

They talked about how the shops of the six major sects in the Inner City were doing lately, and how the shops of other small sects from the Jade Tripod Territory were being miserably suppressed in the markets. They mentioned that at last year's joint auction, a cultivator who obtained a treasure was reportedly hunted for a year and had only recently returned to Dahe坊, currently arguing with the organizer, the Jade Tripod Sword Pavilion. He claimed the people from the Pavilion had leaked his information, putting him in danger. The people from the Jade Tripod Sword Pavilion, of course, denied it, brandishing the reputation of the Jade Tripod Sword Sect to make the complaining cultivator retreat in shame.

The fact that Fu Xiuxiu had become a manager at the Divine Talisman Pavilion and had hopes of joining the outer sect of the Divine Talisman Sect was also brought up. Once successful, Fu Xiuxiu would no longer be a rogue cultivator without roots. Even if she didn't make a living in Dahe坊 in the future, she would have a better footing elsewhere.

This news made everyone else in the courtyard envious. Everyone wanted to join a major sect; once inside, the benefits and treatment were excellent. To name one thing, the ability for dispatched disciples to return to the sect every ten years and enjoy a free year of cultivation in a second-grade spiritual vein was the most anticipated benefit.

The tea party did not last long. When the moon reached its zenith, everyone returned to their rooms to rest. After all, Bai Meiling and the others had to work tomorrow.

"Put it here, put it here."

"Everyone, have some water!"

"Manager Liu, sorry to trouble you. Here are five spirit stones, please count them..."

Haha, both men laughed. What was there to count with five spirit stones? It was obvious at a glance. After putting the spirit stones away and chatting with Luo Chen for a few words, Manager Liu left the courtyard with several early-stage Qi Refinement cultivators.

Luo Chen looked at the mountain-high pile of bricks and stones and nodded with satisfaction. With Yunsha bricks for the walls, high-quality Xibai stone for insulation, and a pile of highly adhesive Huang soil, he could finally begin constructing his alchemy room.

Without hesitation, Luo Chen rolled up his sleeves and began moving bricks into his room. By noon, he had already begun laying the Xibai stone on a cleared patch of ground in his front room.

Fu Xiuxiu had woken up in the morning and brought out a large number of potted plants from her room, placing them where they could catch the sunlight. She trimmed the branches from time to time and occasionally added a few bags of spiritual fertilizer. She also saw the busy Luo Chen, but after greeting him, she did not disturb him.

By noon, looking at the emerging shape of his alchemy room, Luo Chen felt a great sense of achievement. "I am now an alchemist with my own independent workspace!"

Seeing the satisfied and proud Luo Chen, Fu Xiuxiu smiled. "Xiao Luo, you will surely become an alchemy master famous across the Six Territories in the future!"

Luo Chen chuckled. "Of course. I am an alchemy genius!"

"Do you want to eat lunch together? There are a few dishes left from yesterday."

"That might not be appropriate... then I shall not be impolite!"

Lunch was eaten between the two of them. Fu Xiuxiu was a very gentle woman and was also well-versed; she could often easily provide answers to Luo Chen's doubts regarding cultivation. This was a feeling Luo Chen had never experienced with Old Taoist Chen, Wang Yuan, or even Gu Caiyi.

In Fu Xiuxiu's words, she had once attempted to reach the Foundation Establishment stage. But without the assistance of a Foundation Establishment Pill, a rogue cultivator like her could only face failure. Since then, she had no more lofty ambitions regarding Foundation Establishment. Her daily cultivation was merely a habit formed over many years.

"After eating Sister Xiu Xiu's food twice, I'm starting to feel a bit embarrassed. Let me wash the dishes!"

Fu Xiuxiu brushed Luo Chen's hand away. "How can a man do such things? I'll do it!"

Luo Chen stood at the kitchen doorway, picking his teeth, watching Fu Xiuxiu wash the dishes in front of the sink while wearing an apron. For a moment, his eyes welled with tears. In his previous life, as a native son of the Sichuan-Chongqing region, how could he have ever enjoyed such treatment? His only girlfriend's catchphrase had been "I'm the boss of the Shu roads."

"Sister Xiu Xiu, do you usually live over at the Divine Talisman Pavilion?"

"Yes, there are rooms provided for managers, equipped with small spirit-gathering arrays, which are suitable for our cultivation."

"I noticed many of your flowers and plants prefer sunlight. Just keeping them in the house with spiritual fertilizer might not be great." Luo Chen offered a suggestion. "Why not place them outside? I can help look after them when I'm free."

He was certainly not coveting a pot of Moonlight Grass for its wonderful ability to soothe the mind and stabilize the soul.

After placing the dishes on the rack, Fu Xiuxiu thought for a moment and then nodded. "Then I'll have to trouble you."