Chapter 10: Expanding the Business (Part 1)

Li Xuan carefully tucked the seeds into a small cloth pouch. He'd get around to sprouting them once he had a moment to breathe—after all, there was still a mountain of flower seedlings in the yard waiting to be transplanted, and there was only one of him. Multitasking could only go so far.

But before any of that, there was a rather pressing issue to handle.

Namely, the three corpses still lying in his backyard.

With a long sigh, Li Xuan dragged each body one by one to the rear garden. It was backbreaking work, and by the time he finished, his arms felt like wet noodles. After some effort, he dug a deep pit near the patch of Nether Orchids and rolled the bodies in before covering them up with dirt.

Nether Orchids, as it turned out, loved this sort of fertilizer.

Corpses buried nearby tended to generate vengeful spirits, which in turn released ghostly energy—exactly the kind of spooky nourishment that helped the orchids thrive. A wonderfully twisted case of symbiosis, if you looked at it that way.

With the bodies buried and the sinister flora humming happily, Li Xuan returned to the front yard. The ceramic jar he'd used earlier still held a bit of diluted green spiritual liquid. At this point, it had been watered down so much that it no longer accelerated plant growth or extended maturation time, but it could still boost the seeds' germination rate.

He sprinkled the remaining solution evenly over the seed trays and left the seeds to do their thing. There was no use hovering.

Next, he turned to the batch of seedlings that had already sprouted successfully. He carefully transferred them from their trays into individual pots, each chosen to suit the plant's growth needs. It took him the whole afternoon, but eventually, every seedling had a proper home.

By the time he was done, the sky had darkened and Li Xuan was completely spent. The rest of the seed-sprouting could wait until tomorrow.

Dragging himself back to his straw hut, he let out a tired sigh.

He had already eaten his pre-packed meal earlier, and there wasn't a scrap of food left in his stash. That meant he'd be going to bed on an empty stomach.

Fantastic.

Li Xuan shook his head helplessly. A long, cold night and a growling belly—not exactly his ideal evening combo.

Despite the hunger, he forced himself to settle his system tasks for the day, earning a modest ten points. It didn't take long after that before fatigue overwhelmed him, and he drifted off into sleep.

The next morning, as soon as the first sliver of sunlight touched his face, Li Xuan's eyes snapped open.

Today, he was not going to miss breakfast. Last night's gnawing hunger was still fresh in his memory—he wasn't about to relive that torture.

He dressed quickly, gave his face a quick splash of water, and marched straight to the mess hall.

As soon as he stepped inside, though, he noticed something... off.

People were staring at him.

The looks weren't hostile, just curious—mixed with a touch of awe. Still, it was enough to make Li Xuan raise an eyebrow. He shrugged it off and grabbed a steamed bun, then made a beeline for a quiet corner to eat in peace.

Unfortunately, peace didn't last long.

Before he'd taken more than a couple of bites, a group of flower-handlers approached him, eyes gleaming with something that looked a lot like... hope.

Li Xuan paused mid-chew, glancing up at them cautiously.

"Uh... can I help you, gentlemen?" he asked, putting down his bun and giving them a quick once-over.

One of them stepped forward nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "We heard you're good at sprouting seeds. We've got some that we can't get to grow properly. Thought maybe you could help us—either trade some of your seeds or maybe... sprout ours for us?"

So that's what this is about, Li Xuan thought, relaxing instantly.

"Ah, no problem! But let me be upfront: my rate is one in ten—simple and fair. Either you give me ten seeds, and I sprout one for you, or we can trade. I've got a batch of ordinary seeds you can choose from."

He grinned as he spoke, eyes twinkling mischievously.

Another flower-handler piped up eagerly, "You really have seeds to trade? Can we see them?"

"Sure thing." Li Xuan pulled out a small seed pouch from his sleeve and poured the contents onto a nearby flat rock.

"These are fairly ordinary in quality," he explained, "but easy to cultivate. If you're trading, it's ten of yours for nine of mine."

By now, more flower-handlers had gathered around, drawn by the commotion. Their eyes lit up as they inspected the seeds.

"I'll trade! I've got ten seeds on me!" one of them said excitedly.

Li Xuan gave him a look. "Hold your horses. If you want to trade, you're getting in line. No crowding, or this deal's off."

With a sharp flick of his wrist, he scooped all the seeds back into his pouch. Not a single one was left behind.

The sudden display of decisiveness stunned the crowd into silence. Then, with a newfound respect, they quickly formed a neat line.

Li Xuan, a seasoned expert with seeds by now, started the trades efficiently. He exchanged his easier-to-grow seeds for their harder-to-cultivate ones—an absolute win in his book.

But, as always, good things run out fast.

In just a few minutes, Li Xuan had traded away all 140 of his ordinary seeds. Only about one-tenth of the flower-handlers actually managed to get any. The rest stood there, disappointed and envious.

Seeing this, Li Xuan took a step onto a nearby rock, raised his voice, and addressed the crowd.

"For those who missed out, I offer another service: seedling cultivation. You can leave your seeds with me to grow, or if you prefer, I also have potted seedlings ready to go. You can choose to take them home or let me continue raising them in my garden."

He paused, then added with a serious tone, "But let me be clear: the seedlings I cultivate are of high quality. If you take them home and don't care for them properly, you'll likely kill them. Choose wisely."

That got the crowd buzzing again. There was a moment of hesitation—leaving their precious seeds or seedlings in someone else's hands wasn't a light decision.

Li Xuan wasn't surprised. They barely knew him, after all. A little skepticism was to be expected.

Just then, one of the bolder flower-handlers spoke up. "Tell you what, Brother Xuan. Why don't we come with you to your garden and take a look at the seedlings you've raised? If we like what we see, we'll do business."

Li Xuan gave a relaxed smile. "Of course. Let me finish this bun first, and then we'll head over."

Satisfied, the crowd dispersed for a moment, sitting down to finish their own meals.

Li Xuan wolfed down the rest of his bun in a few bites, then led the group out of the dining hall and back to his garden. The group followed in a noisy, eager procession, like ducklings trailing their mother.

As soon as Li Xuan opened the gate, a collective gasp echoed through the crowd.

Rows upon rows of flowerpots stood in neat formation, each containing a healthy, vibrant seedling. The garden looked less like a backyard and more like a miniature botanical exhibition.

"This... this is insane!" someone cried. "There's at least a hundred seedlings here! If we could get just one each, our lives would be saved!"

"Look at the quality! These are perfect! Just take them home and water them carefully—they'll thrive!"

The excitement was palpable.

Li Xuan let them bask in the sight for a moment before stepping forward with a makeshift signboard in one hand and a charcoal stick in the other.

"All right, line up again. You can pick a seedling to take home, or you can leave your seeds here for me to cultivate. Your choice. The rate's still one in ten. And I'll be taking names."

Because Li Xuan wasn't just in this for a fair trade.

No, he had much bigger plans in mind.