I Practice Farming While the Rest Cultivates

The slender young man used a sturdy small wooden barrel to take out four iron claw crab hatchlings from the pond, and he sealed the top of the barrel, leaving only a few small holes for ventilation.

Lu Xuan gave him eighty spirit stones and headed home with the barrel in tow.

Along the way, sounds of clattering intermittently emanated from the barrel as the iron claw crabs inside vigorously stirred about.

Half a moment later, back at home, the Cloud Leopard jumped down from Lu Xuan’s shoulder and gracefully entered the spirit field.

Lu Xuan brought the barrel to the edge of the Lingquan Pool and when he opened the sealed wooden lid, the boldest of the bunch leaped out brandishing its claw feet like a pair of large daggers. It seemed resistant to Lu Xuan, as if protesting against being kept in the closed barrel for so long.

The other three followed, lining up one after the other, all of them defiant and domineering.

On the side of the wooden barrel were various depths of scratches, a testament to the power of the Iron Claw Crab’s claw feet.

“Over to you. Tame them well first, let them know the rules of the Lu Family,” said Lu Xuan to the Cloud Leopard on his side.

The Cloud Leopard walked slowly and gracefully towards the four iron claw crabs.

The Iron Claw Crabs, completely unafraid, raised their long green-black claw feet that were bigger than their bodies and lunged directly at the white cloud foot of the Cloud Leopard.

With a slap of the Cloud Leopard’s paw, the boldest Iron Claw Crab hatchling was flattened, while the other three Iron Claw Crabs attacked, aiming at the Cloud Leopard’s foot and short tail.

The Cloud Leopard lightly leapt away from the attacking crabs and began swatting at their shells, quickly subduing them one by one.

The four Iron Claw Crab hatchlings finally recognized their situation and lay quietly on the ground. Only the quick movement of their eyes indicated that they’re not completely docile.

Lu Xuan picked up the motionless Iron Claw Crab hatchlings and tossed them into the Spiritual Spring Pool.

After being nourished by the pure Spiritual Spring, the Iron Claw Crab hatchlings revitalized instantly, crawling chaotically around the pool.

Lu Xuan focused his thoughts on them, an idea flashing across his mind.

“Iron Claw Crab, First Grade Demon Beast, strong offensive strength, hard and sharp claw feet. When grown, its shell can be used to refine defensive magic artifacts.”

“Omnivorous demon beast, can be fed with Demon Beast Meat, Spirit Rice, water grass, etc.”

“Bully and dominate, nothing it can’t pinch!”

Information about the Iron Claw Crabs flooded into Lu Xuan’s mind.

“Clamp anything? If you dare to clamp my Pure Snow Lotus, I’ll kill you.”

Lu Xuan snorted coldly, exercising the Earth Pulling Technique to control the mud at the bottom of Spiritual Spring Pool and surround the Pure Snow Lotus.

Once familiar with the environment of the Spiritual Spring Pool, the most active Iron Claw Crab hatchling began to behave restlessly. Its claw feet climbed onto the stone wall of the pool, slowly making its way upwards.

“So disobedient, bound to escape sooner or later.”

Lu Xuan called over the Grass Puppet and gave it a command.

“While patrolling your field, walk by the Spiritual Spring Pool more often. If you see any Iron Claw Crabs climbing out, throw them back into the pool.”

The Grass Puppet’s head had returned to its original state and nodded to show its compliance.

As dusk fell, by the edge of the Spiritual Spring Pool, an Iron Claw Crab hatchling managed to climb up from the stone wall of the pool and crossed the edge to reach the shore.

Its protruding eyes swiveled as it observed its surroundings under the dim night sky.

Nothing unusual happened. The strange beast that had tormented it throughout the day had disappeared.

Noticing the favorable circumstances, the Iron Claw Crab hatchling’s eyes sped up, clearly becoming excited.

Crawling quickly across the ground, it searched for an exit.

Suddenly, a gray-black grass rope silently appeared behind the hatchling, raising it from the ground.

The Iron Claw Crab juvenile sensed the abnormality, constantly adjusting its paces, lifting its pincer feet high, wanting to slice in two whoever was sneak attacking it.

Despite its slowness, the grey-black grass rope always stayed behind the young beast, wrapping around the crab foot from time to time.

Soon, the Iron Claw Crab juvenile was bound by the grey-black grass rope in a tight manner.

With a large head over it, the Grass Puppet slowly retracted the grey-black grass rope and came to the side of the young beast.

Only a short piece of the grass rope was left, just enough to be held in hand.

It approached the edge of the Spiritual Spring Pool, extending its arms while the grey-black grass rope continued to extend. When it reached the centre of the Spiritual Spring Pool, the grey-black grass rope binding the Iron Claw Crab juvenile suddenly loosened.

With a plop, the young beast fell into the Spiritual Spring Pool, splattering water droplets onto the white lotus surrounded by a soil wall, before rolling off the lotus leaves.

Early the next morning, Lu Xuan rose early and began a new day as Spirit Plant Master.

He first checked the Spirit Field, applying the Spirit Rain Technique and Tree Life Spell, depending on the growth status of the Spirit Plants.

After all that was done, he scooped up a handful of Spirit Rice from the house and sprinkled it into the Spiritual Spring Pool.

The Spirit Rice fell to the bottom of the pool, attracting the attention of the four Iron Claw Crab Juveniles. After having spent the night struggling, they lifted their pincer feet, gripping the grains of plump Spirit Rice with remarkable dexterity, stuffing them into their mouths.

“If you can pinch so well, here’s something for you to do.”

After the Iron Claw Crab Juveniles had eaten and drunk their fill, Lu Xuan gazed at their pincer feet that were as hard as a big knife, his heart moved.

He took out the most domineering Iron Claw Crab Juvenile from the Spiritual Spring Pool and took out a fist-sized Fine Iron Ore from the storage bag, placing it under its pincer feet.

Seeing that something had been brought to it, the Iron Claw Crab Juvenile immediately opened its pincer feet, pinched up the Fine Iron Ore, and squeezed it with all its might, instantly splitting the hard ore in half.

“Continue.”

Lu Xuan fetched one of the pieces and put it back under the crab’s pincer feet.

The Iron Claw Crab Juvenile split the ore in half again, fiercely.

“Another one.”

Lu Xuan fetched another piece.

Thus it went on, a fist-sized Fine Iron Ore turned into hundreds of fragments. The crab’s pincers continued to exert pressure at the edges, starting to go white.

As soon as Lu Xuan put the ore under its pincers, it couldn’t help pinching it in half.

“Ha ha, another one!”

Lu Xuan laughed heartily, his spiritual power moved, a small pile of Fine Iron Ore appeared in front of the young beast, piled high.

The young Iron Claw Crab’s pincers trembled slightly.

Lu Xuan brought out the other three Iron Claw Crab Juveniles from the Spiritual Spring Pool and got them started with their work.

“The crushed Copper And Iron Ore needed for the Copper Bone Bamboo is now readily available. With these Iron Claw Crab Juveniles, I hardly need to do anything myself.”

Lu Xuan thought to himself cheerfully. The Copper Bone Bamboo needed Copper And Iron Ore for rapid growth. The smaller the volume of the ore, the easier it was to absorb. Lu Xuan had been using the Slivered Silver Blade and Red Threaded Needle to cut the ore, which was both time-consuming and laborious.

Now, it had become much easier.

He looked at the Iron Claw Crab Juveniles still insisting on pinching the ore, and said with emotion.

“Don’t relax, pinch hard. Pinch one hundred times, one thousand times, ten thousand times. Only in this way can you break through your limits, and your pincers will be fully exercised. Once you become powerful, you can wave at me to attack!”

Whenever a young beast relaxed, Lu Xuan would urge it on from the side.

The sound of pincers splitting Fine Iron Ore continuously echoed, sounding pleasing to the ear..