72: Chapter 72 Excavation

Sunday, five in the morning, Chen Zhen opened his eyes on time.

It was still dark outside, and the city lights twinkled in the distance.

He lay still, first using Internal Vision on his Dantian.

The spiritual pearl rotated slowly with a stable speed, and his total spiritual power had increased a bit more than yesterday.

Qi Refining Stage 3, 143/1200.

After accepting Zhou Rui last night, he had Cultivated for another two hours.

The 10% Master-disciple bonus was indeed effective; his Cultivation efficiency had clearly improved.

He sat up and scanned the room with his gaze.

Cleaning Spell.

With a consumption of 1 point of spiritual power, an invisible wave swept through.

The two pots of spiritual plants on the windowsill.

Mint and pothos. Their leaves unfurled, their auras intertwining into a small spiritual energy field.

The seedling of soul-calming grass next to them, after last night's directional cultivation, had a more distinct golden edge on its leaves.

[soul-calming grass seedling growth progress: 8 days / Maturity period 16 days]

At this rate, it would enter a rapid growth phase in another week.

He stood up and took out his mountaineering gear from his Storage Space.

Today, he was going to East Mountain to dig up that wild soul-calming grass.

A three-year-old wild spiritual plant; if transplanted successfully and then improved using the directional cultivation ability, he might be able to Cultivate a top-grade one.

He put on his backpack and gently pushed open the bedroom door.

The living room was still dark, and the door to his parents' room was closed.

He left a note on the table: "Going hiking, back in the evening."

Then he pushed the door open and left.

At 5:20, Chen Zhen rode his bike toward the east of the city.

Halfway there, his phone vibrated.

A message from Zhou Rui: "Master, do you have any plans today?"

Chen Zhen replied with one hand: "Going to East Mountain. Something up?"

Zhou Rui replied instantly: "Can I go?"

Chen Zhen thought about it and replied with one word: "Yes."

At 6:00 sharp, when Chen Zhen parked at the small village at the foot of East Mountain, Zhou Rui was already standing at the village entrance waiting.

He was wearing sportswear, carrying a mountaineering backpack, and holding a notebook in his hand.

Seeing Chen Zhen, he walked over quickly.

"Master."

Chen Zhen nodded and left his bicycle with the family from last time.

The Old Man still remembered him: "Young man, here again? Picking herbs this time too?"

"Yes, brought a friend."

The Old Man glanced at Zhou Rui and nodded: "You'll need to be careful, there are wild boars in the mountains."

"Thank you, Old Man."

The two walked up the mountain.

Zhou Rui walked behind, looking around as he went.

After walking for ten minutes, he suddenly spoke: "Master, the aura on this mountain... is a bit different."

Chen Zhen didn't look back: "How is it different?"

"I can't say for sure." Zhou Rui frowned, "It's just... more 'alive' than other places. Like something is breathing."

Chen Zhen glanced at him.

This person's perception was truly terrifying.

"Keep walking."

At 8:00, they arrived at the location marked by Engineer Zhou.

The northern slope of East Mountain, at an altitude of about 350 meters.

It was steeper here than the southern slope, with denser vegetation and almost no path.

The two pushed through the bushes, their clothes getting scratched in several places.

Chen Zhen stopped, took out Engineer Zhou's photo, and compared it with the surrounding environment.

"It should be around here."

"Let's split up to look, but don't go too far."

Zhou Rui nodded and headed to the left.

Chen Zhen walked to the right and activated [Anomaly Perception].

30 meters, 50 meters, 80 meters.

With the support of Qi Refining Stage 3 and the star core fragment, his perception range had already expanded to about 100 meters.

He scanned the surrounding vegetation as he walked.

Ordinary trees, ordinary shrubs, ordinary weeds.

All were mundane, with no spiritual power fluctuations.

After walking fifty meters, his perception suddenly flickered.

He stopped and walked in that direction.

Pushing aside a patch of bushes, a small clearing appeared before his eyes.

In the corner of the clearing, several plants were swaying in the wind.

The leaves were slender with serrated edges, and small pale yellow flowers bloomed at the tips.

Exactly the same as in the photo.

Chen Zhen approached, squatted down, and observed carefully.

There were five in total; the largest one was about half a meter high, with a sturdy stem, dark green leaves, and a faint golden halo on the edges.

The other four were smaller, likely tillers from the parent plant.

In [Internal Vision], there was clear spiritual power flowing within these plants.

Much stronger than his pot of soul-calming grass seedling.

[Wild soul-calming grass (three years old)]

[Quality: Mundane · Top-grade]

[Effect: Soothing effect +500%, can be used for medicine/incense/tea]

[Status: Healthy, about to enter maturity period]

[Suggestion: Transplant the whole plant to preserve root vitality]

Chen Zhen nodded with satisfaction.

A three-year-old top-grade, worth it.

He took out his portable small shovel and began to dig carefully.

After digging just twice, a rustling sound came from behind him.

Zhou Rui pushed aside the bushes and walked over: "Master, there's nothing on my side... oh?"

He saw the soul-calming grass, and his eyes lit up instantly.

"This is..."

"Wild soul-calming grass." Chen Zhen continued digging, "Three years old, top-grade."

Zhou Rui squatted down and stared at the leaves for a few seconds.

Then he reached out and gently touched the leaves of the largest one.

The leaf trembled slightly.

Zhou Rui's hand stopped in mid-air, his expression frozen.

"It... has feelings?"

"All spiritual plants do."

"It's just a matter of strength. This one has been growing for three years, its perception is much more sensitive than ordinary plants."

Zhou Rui retracted his hand, looking at the soul-calming grass, with something more in his eyes.

Not curiosity, but awe.

"Master," he asked suddenly, "Why do you want to grow these?"

Chen Zhen didn't stop his hands: "They are useful."

"What use?"

"Cultivation requires resources."

Chen Zhen dug out the first one and carefully put it into the prepared bag, "Spiritual plants can accelerate Cultivation, can be used to make Medicinal Pills, and can be used to set up Formations. You'll know once you grow them yourself for a few days."

Zhou Rui was silent for a few seconds.

Then he rolled up his sleeves: "I'll help."

It took the two of them half an hour to dig up all five soul-calming grasses, roots and soil intact, and carefully pack them into the bag.

The largest one had a well-developed root system, which took a full fifteen minutes to dig out.

When finished, Chen Zhen looked around.

"Let's go."

Just a dozen steps away, Zhou Rui suddenly pulled him back.

"Master, wait."

Chen Zhen stopped.

Zhou Rui closed his eyes and frowned, as if perceiving something.

"Over there," he pointed to the west, "there is something."

"What thing?"

"I don't know." Zhou Rui opened his eyes, "But the aura is very strong, much stronger than these soul-calming grasses."

Chen Zhen looked in the direction he pointed.

It was deeper inside, where the vegetation was denser, and the path was almost invisible.

He thought for a moment and said: "Lead the way."

The two pushed through the bushes for ten minutes.

The path became harder and harder, almost climbing.

Zhou Rui walked in front, perceiving as he went, adjusting the direction from time to time.

"Close now." He said, "Twenty meters to go."

Chen Zhen activated [Anomaly Perception].

Twenty meters away, there was indeed an energy source. Very strong, very dense, completely different from the aura of ordinary plants.

They pushed aside the last cluster of bushes, and the view suddenly opened up.

It was a small cliff, the cliff wall covered in moss.

At the base of the cliff wall, there was a natural depression, and a plant was growing in it.

The plant was short, only twenty centimeters high, but the leaves were a rare purple-red, shining with a metallic luster in the sunlight.

In the center of the leaves, three dark red fruits were hanging, each the size of a thumb.

Chen Zhen's pupils contracted slightly.

[Identifying...]

[purple ginseng (five years old)]

[Quality: Quasi-spiritual plant · Top-grade]

[Effect: Replenishes Qi and nourishes blood, increases the upper limit of spiritual power, can be used as auxiliary material for foundation establishment pill]

[Status: Fruit about to ripen (within 3-5 days)]

Auxiliary material for the foundation establishment pill.

Chen Zhen took a deep breath.

This thing was ten times more precious than the soul-calming grass.

"Master," Zhou Rui whispered from the side, "What is that?"

"purple ginseng." Chen Zhen stared at the three fruits, "A five-year-old quasi-spiritual plant."

Zhou Rui didn't quite understand, but he could hear the weight in Chen Zhen's tone.

"Should we pick it?"

Chen Zhen watched for a few seconds, then shook his head.

"The fruit isn't ripe yet. Picking it now would be a waste."

He took out his phone, took a few photos, and noted the location in his notebook.

"Come back next week."

When going down the mountain, both carried a bag containing the five soul-calming grasses.

Walking halfway down the mountain, Zhou Rui suddenly asked: "Master, you said those spiritual plants can be used for Alchemy?"

"Theoretically."

"Do you know Alchemy?"

Chen Zhen glanced at him.

"No."

Zhou Rui was stunned: "Then how do you use them?"

"For now, just brewing tea and making incense." Chen Zhen said, "We'll see once we find a Pill Formula later."

Zhou Rui nodded, thoughtful.

After walking a few steps, he asked again: "Master, how long have you been Cultivating?"

"Two months."

Zhou Rui stopped in his tracks, looking at him.

Two months.

From an ordinary person to Qi Refining Stage 3, capable of controlling objects, setting up Formations, and cultivating spiritual plants.

Zhou Rui was silent.

Chen Zhen saw what he was thinking.

"Don't compare yourself with others." He said, "Everyone's path is different."

Zhou Rui nodded and continued walking.

But there was something more in his eyes.

Not jealousy, but a new goal.

At 2:00 PM, the two returned to the village at the foot of the mountain.

The Old Man was still basking in the sun at the village entrance. Seeing them coming down with bags, he asked with a smile: "Picked the herbs?"

"Picked them." Chen Zhen pushed his bicycle out, "Old Man, thank you."

"No thanks, no thanks." The Old Man waved his hand, "Come again next time."

Zhou Rui didn't ride a bike; he came by bus.

Chen Zhen gave him a ride to the bus stop, waited for him to get on, and then rode back alone.

Halfway there, his phone vibrated.

A message from Zhou Rui: "Master, thanks for today."

Chen Zhen replied with one hand: "Going again next week."

Zhou Rui replied instantly: "Okay."

At 4:00 PM, Chen Zhen arrived home.

His mother wasn't there, and his father wasn't there either.

There was a note on the table: "Went to your grandmother's house, back in the evening. Food is in the pot."

Chen Zhen took the soul-calming grass to his Secret Base and planted them one by one.

Five plants, lined up in a row, placed side by side with the seedling from before.

He activated [Spiritual Resonance], injecting spiritual power into the five newly transplanted soul-calming grasses to help them adapt to the new environment.

The leaves trembled slightly, and the root systems slowly unfurled.

[Transplantation successful]

[Wild soul-calming grass (five plants) has adapted to the new environment]

[Current status: Healthy, needs continuous nourishing for 3-5 days to recover Origin Qi]

Chen Zhen nodded with satisfaction.

He injected spiritual power into the seedling pot once more.

[soul-calming grass seedling growth progress: 8 days / Maturity period 15 days]

It shortened by another day.

Once these five wild soul-calming grasses recovered their Origin Qi, he could start attempting directional cultivation.

Perhaps he could really Cultivate a top-grade spiritual plant capable of refining the foundation establishment pill.

In the evening, Chen Zhen returned home and ate a little something.

Then he sat cross-legged on the bed and began today's Cultivation.

The Spirit Gathering Array wasn't there, the spiritual plants weren't there, but the 10% Master-disciple bonus was still there.

He activated [Spiritual Resonance] and used these precious ten minutes to Cultivate with all his might.

The spiritual pearl in his Dantian accelerated its rotation, and spiritual power surged in like a tide.

[Cultivation progress: Qi Refining Stage 3 158/1200]

It had increased by 15 points since the morning.

He opened his eyes and summoned the system panel.