Who Let Him Cultivate?!

After dealing with Fairy Eternity, Lu Yang stepped out and ran into Yun Mengmeng.

"Second-in-command, happy New Year."

Having said that, Yun Mengmeng stretched out her hand and batted her eyelashes at Lu Yang, leaving him completely baffled.

"Second-in-command, it's time for New Year's money," Yun Mengmeng whispered, a bit shyly. It was rather awkward to bring up such a topic.

"Handing out red envelopes? Hold on, Sister Mengmeng, whether we consider cultivation level or age, shouldn't it be you who gives me New Year's money?"

"But you're the Second-in-command, and I'm the Third Boss," Yun Mengmeng declared with righteous force.

"I…"

Yun Mengmeng's words left Lu Yang speechless and with no other choice, he obediently handed over the New Year's money.

It wasn't much money; it was the thought that counted.

"Fourth Junior Brother, happy New Year."

Gan Tian Senior Sister also came over and gave Lu Yang New Year's money.

"Wait a second, Little Sweet, try this," Yun Mengmeng handed Gan Tian a paper packet.

"What's this?"

Gan Tian unwrapped the paper packet, which contained snacks like sunflower seeds, peanuts, and winter melon candy.

"Humph, I made sure to find out ahead of time that these are the foods one should eat for New Year's." Yun Mengmeng, in preparation for these snacks, paid attention to whose sunflower seeds and peanuts were tasty, and learned to make them all by herself.

"Second-in-command, you have some too," Yun Mengmeng also gave Lu Yang a bag of snacks.

"Thank you."

Lu Yang ate a sunflower seed and felt the rich spiritual energy rush straight to his crown.

"Where did you get these sunflower seeds?" Lu Yang was shocked. Could such a tiny seed contain so much spiritual energy?

"Oh, I cleared out a spot in the medicinal herb garden to plant things like sunflowers and peanuts. I usually cultivate them with top-grade spirit stones and irrigate them with Taiyi True Water, and the Little Medicinal Kings help take care of them," said Yun Mengmeng casually.

She wasn't the kind of cultivator who was lazy and ignorant about grains; on the contrary, she cared about food quality and believed that only the food she grew herself could be of the highest quality.

In fact, that was indeed the case; no one else's sunflower seeds could surpass the quality of what Yun Mengmeng grew.

Using top-grade spirit stones to cultivate sunflowers—even Lu Yang, who was wealthy, trembled at the thought.

Is this how Eldest Senior Sister expected you to spend your pocket money?

"Speaking of tasty things, I have some too, grown by me. Consider it New Year's money," said Immortal Fairy, noticing the impact of Yun Mengmeng's sunflowers on Little Yang and not willing to let the Third Boss outshine her.

She magicked up a golden apple from thin air and presented it to Lu Yang: "Second-in-command, happy New Year, this is your New Year's gift."

Immortal blessings from the Fairy, gifts from His Majesty, the Chief Housekeeper taking care of subordinates—this all made Lu Yang feel incredibly honored.

"Thank you, Fairy." Lu Yang accepted the apple and smelled a refreshing fragrance. Although it was grown by a fairy, since it was fruit, it should be fine, right?

"Since when did you start growing apples, Fairy?" Lu Yang was curious. It was one thing for Yun Mengmeng to grow sunflowers in the medicinal herb garden, which he just couldn't see, but how could Immortal Fairy, who lived in a Spiritual Space, grow apples?

"What apple? This is the Initial Form of Immortal Dao Fruit. Once you eat it, you'll have the outline of an Immortal Dao Fruit," said Immortal Fairy with anticipation.

Lu Yang shuddered with fright, nearly dropping the delicate Initial Form of Immortal Dao Fruit.

Was obtaining the outline of an Immortal Dao Fruit truly this easy?

If word of this got out to the outside world, those at the Transcendance Tribulation Stage would go crazy for it.

"Fairy Eternity chuckled proudly, "Do you think just anyone can obtain the Initial Form of Immortal Dao Fruit by eating it? Only you, Second-in-command, can."

"I'm not eating it."

Lu Yang had far-reaching ambitions; being a mere Semi-Immortal wasn't his goal—he wanted to become an Immortal, and specifically, one that wasn't constantly bullied by Fairy Eternity.

If he ate the Initial Form of Immortal Dao Fruit, wouldn't he be at Fairy Eternity's mercy for the rest of his life?

But once Fairy Eternity gave something away, there was no taking it back, and no matter what Lu Yang said, she wouldn't take back the Initial Form of Immortal Dao Fruit.

Lu Yang sighed and reluctantly accepted it for the time being.

"What about Eldest Senior Sister?"

"Xiao Zhi went back home. She said she'll be back on the first day of the new year," Yun Mengmeng said while cracking sunflower seeds.

"Why didn't you go back?"

"Oh, I'm planning to go back home on the first day too."

"Alright then."

"The emotions of the New Year may just inspire me to compose a new piece. I'll take my leave now," Senior Sister Gan Tian didn't forget about her cultivation even during the New Year's celebration.

It was the first time for both Lu Yang and Yun Mengmeng to celebrate the new year at the Seek Dao Sect. They went down the mountain together and ran into Meng Jingzhou, who was out visiting people to wish them a happy new year.

Seeing Lu Yang, Meng Jingzhou's eyes lit up generously, "Old Lu, happy new year, here's your New Year's Money."

"Get out of here!" Lu Yang laughed and feigned a kick in his direction, but Meng Jingzhou smoothly dodged it, having anticipated the move.

After joking around for a bit, Lu Yang asked, "Why didn't you go home?"

Meng Jingzhou put away his New Year's Money and rolled his eyes. "Isn't it because after my family's ancestor got beaten up in Buddha Country, he became superstitious and told me not to return, fearing it'd bring bad luck."

Lu Yang shook his head in disappointment, "Meng Junzi should be sensible at his age; how can he believe that stuff? He got beaten in Buddha Country simply because of bad luck, and somehow it seems like it's our fault."

"Right," Meng Jingzhou agreed wholeheartedly; nothing really happened to them in Buddha Country, save for the arrival of the Vice Sect Hierarch from the Ruthless Sect at the Early Tribulation Stage, but that wasn't a big deal.

Lu Yang also felt it wasn't a serious affair but wanted to double-check, so he asked Yun Mengmeng, still cracking sunflower seeds, "Sister Mengmeng, would you say it's a big deal if you encounter a cultivator at the Early Tribulation Stage in Buddha Country?"

Yun Mengmeng swallowed a salty seed and looked a bit puzzled, "That's no big deal at all."

Seeing that Yun Mengmeng agreed with him, Lu Yang nodded. It seemed his understanding was on point, and he could only reassure Old Meng, "Elders can get a bit superstitious as they age; just understand that."

"Eh," Meng Jingzhou sighed, as a junior he could only comply with the elders' wishes.

Man Gu had returned to his barbarian tribe to celebrate the new year and was not at the Seek Dao Sect.

Su Yiren and Qin Yanyan both came to the Seek Dao Sect to celebrate the new year, and Li Haoran's family was happily making dumplings together.

To be precise, the entire family was researching how to create a magic artifact that could automatically make dumplings.

Seeing that Lu Yang and Yun Mengmeng came to visit, everyone greeted them warmly, but Lu Yang didn't dare to stay for long, fearing that Fairy Eternity might get the idea to make dumplings as well.

Fortunately, Fairy Eternity didn't have the terrifying thought of making dumplings on such a grand festive occasion; instead, she reminisced about an ancient tradition.

"Speaking of which, isn't there a custom of hiding copper coins in dumplings during the new year? Whoever finds one is said to have good luck."

"I secretly placed a copper coin in one of the dumplings I made, saying I'd take care of whoever found it for the entire year."

"But it's strange, the dumplings have all been eaten, and none of the four Yingtian Immortals found that copper coin."

Lu Yang thought to himself that no one would dare admit to finding it; even he would've swallowed the coin with gritted teeth.

"Do you think it's possible that because my dumplings had Star Core filling, they mistook the copper coin for a Star Core and ate it?"