50: Chapter 50 The Newcomer to the Herb Garden and the Turmoil

The morning mist had not yet dispersed, but Zone C of the Qinglin Valley herb garden was already a scene of busy activity.

Lin Xuan crouched between the ridges, his fingertips lightly touching a "shocking thunder flower" seedling.

Faint electric sparks flickered along the edges of the light purple leaves; this was the unique vitality of a lightning-attribute Spiritual Plant.

He noted down the growth progress and carved the data onto his portable bamboo slip—this was a task assigned by Deacon Wu, to record the daily changes of twelve newly trial-planted Spiritual Plants.

"Good morning, Senior Brother Lin!"

Qian Xiaohu walked past carrying a medicinal hoe, a smile on his honest face: "You record things so meticulously. Even my thirty acres of land aren't as carefully managed as yours."

"They are new varieties, so it is better to be cautious." Lin Xuan stood up, patted the dirt off his hands, and asked, "How is the 'iron-wire vine' growing on your side?"

"It's doing great! I applied 'thick soil fertilizer' the day before yesterday, and this morning I saw three new vines sprouting!" Qian Xiaohu said, then suddenly lowered his voice, "By the way, I heard a newcomer is joining our Zone C today."

"A newcomer?"

"Yeah, just transferred from the Outer Sect. They say she has a good Spiritual Root and is interested in Spiritual Plants." Qian Xiaohu scratched his head, "That guy Zhao Ming has been muttering about it since yesterday, saying it's a female Disciple..."

Before he could finish, a commotion arose at the entrance of the herb garden.

Lin Xuan looked up and saw Deacon Wu leading a young girl towards them.

The girl was about sixteen or seventeen, dressed in a pale green Outer Sect Disciple robe, with a jade pendant hanging from her waist.

She was not tall, but her eyes were lively, and her long, black hair was tied into a ponytail that swayed gently with her steps.

The most eye-catching thing was the palm-sized red squirrel perched on her shoulder, its tail as fluffy as fire.

"Everyone, come here." Deacon Wu's voice was not loud, but it made the entire Zone C fall silent.

Lin Xuan, Qian Xiaohu, Zhao Ming, Sun Yun, and several Utility Disciples gathered around.

"This is Liu Qingyan, a new Disciple assigned to Zone C. She will be working here from now on, so please guide her." Deacon Wu introduced her briefly.

Liu Qingyan stepped forward and bowed gracefully, "Greetings, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, my name is Liu Qingyan. I am very interested in the path of Spiritual Plants, but I don't know much, so I ask for your guidance in the future."

The red squirrel on her shoulder also stood up on its hind legs and clasped its little paws in a bow, making several Utility Disciples chuckle.

Zhao Ming's eyes lit up, and he spoke first, "Junior Sister Liu, you are too polite! My name is Zhao Ming, and I have been in the herb garden for two years; I know this area the best! If there is anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me!"

His tone was overly eager, and Qian Xiaohu curled his lips in disdain nearby.

Liu Qingyan nodded politely, "Thank you, Senior Brother Zhao."

Deacon Wu gave a few more instructions and left. Liu Qingyan was assigned to the west side of Zone C, responsible for three acres of "red sun grass" fields—these were basic fire-attribute Spiritual Plants, suitable for Alchemy beginners to practice with, which perfectly suited her fire Spiritual Root.

For the first few days, everything was peaceful.

Liu Qingyan was indeed as she had said, deeply interested in Spiritual Plants.

She arrived earliest and left latest every day, either crouching between the ridges to observe the leaf patterns or holding a copy of "Introduction to Fire-Attribute Spiritual Plants" while reading and taking notes.

The red squirrel on her shoulder was not afraid of people either; it often darted around the herb fields, occasionally using its paws to dig at the soil, seemingly very interested in the bugs in the ground.

The problem arose on the seventh day.

That afternoon, the autumn sun was just right. Lin Xuan was recording the growth data of the "thunder-pattern grass" when he suddenly heard an argument from the west side.

"Junior Sister Liu, what do you mean by that? I have been tending to the red sun grass for two years; could I possibly make a mistake?"

It was Zhao Ming's voice, carrying obvious displeasure.

Lin Xuan put down his bamboo slip and stood up to look. He saw Zhao Ming blocking Liu Qingyan by the red sun grass field, his expression not very pleasant.

Liu Qingyan was holding her copy of "Introduction to Fire-Attribute Spiritual Plants" in her arms, her face slightly flushed, but her eyes were stubborn.

Qian Xiaohu and Sun Yun also hurried over upon hearing the noise.

"What's going on?" Qian Xiaohu asked.

Liu Qingyan pursed her lips and pointed at a few stalks of red sun grass in the ridge: "These few, the roots have already started to rot. red sun grass loves the sun and is drought-tolerant; watering should be done only 'when dry, then wet'. Senior Brother Zhao has been watering too frequently these past few days, making the soil too damp, and the roots cannot breathe, which is why this is happening."

Zhao Ming sneered, "What do you know, a girl who has only been here for seven days? red sun grass needs a lot of water; I have been watering it like this every day, and there has never been a problem!"

"Just because there were no problems before doesn't mean there are no problems now." Liu Qingyan opened the book and pointed to a page, "Look, Chapter 3 of 'Introduction to Fire-Attribute Spiritual Plants' clearly states that after entering autumn, the metabolism of red sun grass slows down, and the water requirement decreases by thirty percent. The weather has turned cooler these past few days, yet you are still watering it according to the summer volume; it would be a wonder if the roots didn't have problems."

"Books are dead, but people are alive!" Zhao Ming was getting annoyed, "I have worked in the herb garden for two years; do I need a newcomer like you to teach me?"

"Experience is important, but one cannot go against basic principles." Liu Qingyan was neither humble nor pushy, "If you don't believe me, dig one up and see for yourself."

"Dig it up? Can you afford the compensation if the roots are damaged?" Zhao Ming raised his voice, "Junior Sister Liu, I know you have a High Grade Spiritual Root and good Aptitude, but things in the herb garden cannot be understood just by reading a few books!"

"Senior Brother Zhao, you..." Liu Qingyan was so angry that her eyes turned slightly red.

Qian Xiaohu quickly tried to smooth things over, "We are all fellow Disciples, don't argue. How about we ask Senior Brother Lin to come and take a look?"

Sun Yun had already turned and run towards Lin Xuan.

"Senior Brother Lin, please go and mediate." Sun Yun said urgently, "Zhao Ming and Junior Sister Liu are arguing about the watering of the red sun grass."

Lin Xuan nodded and walked over quickly.

When he reached the field, Zhao Ming was still rambling, "...I have been working in Zone C for so long, and Deacon Wu has never said anything to me. Is it appropriate for a newcomer like you to be bossy?"

Liu Qingyan bit her lip, her shoulders trembling slightly, not knowing if it was from anger or grievance.

"What happened?" Lin Xuan asked.

The group suddenly fell silent. Seeing it was Lin Xuan, Zhao Ming's expression softened slightly, but his tone remained dissatisfied, "Senior Brother Lin, you judge this. I was just watering normally, but Junior Sister Liu insists that I watered too much and says the red sun grass roots are rotten. Isn't this slandering me?"

Liu Qingyan looked up at Lin Xuan, her eyes filled with anticipation, "Senior Brother Lin, I really didn't make it up. Look at those stalks; the edges of the leaves have turned yellow, and there are dark water stains on the stems—classic symptoms of root hypoxia."

Lin Xuan did not speak and walked straight to the ridge and crouched down.

He first looked at the leaves—it was indeed as Liu Qingyan said, the edges were yellowed, and the surface luster was dull. Then he gently pushed aside the topsoil, revealing the area near the roots of the red sun grass. The soil was so damp that water could be squeezed out, and a faint smell of decay came from it.

"Shovel." Lin Xuan reached out his hand.

Qian Xiaohu quickly handed over the medicinal hoe.

Lin Xuan carefully dug up the soil around a stalk of red sun grass. When the whole plant was taken out, everyone around gasped.

There were indeed signs of rot at the roots. Nearly thirty percent of the originally robust crimson fibrous roots had turned dark brown, soft and rotten, breaking at the slightest touch.

Zhao Ming's face turned pale instantly.

"It, it really rotted?" His voice was dry.

Liu Qingyan said softly, "It is still in time to save it. If it were a few days later, the whole plant would die."

Lin Xuan carefully examined the roots and looked up to ask Liu Qingyan, "How do you think it should be handled?"

Liu Qingyan did not expect him to ask her, and after a moment of surprise, she replied, "Cut off the rotten parts, nourish the remaining root system with the wood-attribute 'Withered Wood Meets Spring Spell', replace it with dry soil, and replant it. It's just..."

She was a bit embarrassed, "I have been practicing the Withered Wood Meets Spring Spell for half a month and haven't mastered it yet; the effect of my Spell is not good."

Lin Xuan nodded, "The approach is correct."

He efficiently cut off all the rotten root systems, leaving only the healthy parts. Then he washed his hands, and a pale green Spiritual light appeared at his fingertips—it was the basic wood-attribute Spell "Withered Wood Meets Spring Spell".

The Spiritual light gently wrapped around the remaining root system of the red sun grass, and those originally wilted roots visibly recovered their vitality, their color turning bright red again.

Liu Qingyan's eyes lit up as she watched, "Senior Brother Lin, your Withered Wood Meets Spring Spell is used so well! When I practice, my Spiritual Qi is either too strong and damages the roots, or too weak and has no effect; I just can't grasp the degree."

"Wood-attribute Spells are not my specialty." Lin Xuan said truthfully, "I just know more about plant habits and know what degree of nourishment they need."

As he spoke, he replanted the red sun grass into the newly replaced dry soil and gently pressed it down.

"Wait three days before watering, and for the first time, only water it halfway through." Lin Xuan stood up and looked at Zhao Ming, "Junior Sister Liu is right; the water requirement for red sun grass should indeed be reduced after entering autumn. Pay more attention in the future."

Zhao Ming's face turned red and then white, and finally he bowed, "It was my negligence. Junior Sister Liu, I spoke too harshly just now, I apologize."

Liu Qingyan waved her hand, "It's okay, as long as it's clarified. I also just read it in a book; my practical experience is far inferior to Senior Brother Zhao's."

The atmosphere eased.

At this moment, Deacon Wu had appeared not far away, having watched the whole process.

"Are you done arguing?" He walked over slowly, his expression serious.

Everyone hurriedly bowed.

Deacon Wu first looked at the treated red sun grass and nodded, "Well handled." Then he turned to Zhao Ming.

"Zhao Ming, you have been in the herb garden for quite a while; you should know that the path of Spiritual Plants most avoids rigid adherence to rules. As seasons change, maintenance methods must also be adjusted. If it weren't for Liu Qingyan discovering it in time today, at least ten percent of these three acres of red sun grass would have been lost."

Zhao Ming lowered his head, "Disciple knows I was wrong."

"Thirty percent of your contribution points for this month will be deducted as a warning to others." Deacon Wu looked at Liu Qingyan again, "You are careful and willing to study, which is very good. But when pointing out problems, pay attention to the manner and method."

Liu Qingyan said respectfully, "Disciple understands, I will pay attention next time."

"Hmm." Deacon Wu's expression cleared slightly, and he said to Lin Xuan, "Lin Xuan, you should guide Liu Qingyan more in the future. She has wood-fire dual Spiritual Roots and has talent in the path of Spiritual Plants. You have rich experience, so you can complement each other."

"Yes." Lin Xuan agreed.

The turmoil subsided, and everyone dispersed to do their work.

Liu Qingyan walked to Lin Xuan's side, feeling a bit embarrassed, "Senior Brother Lin, thank you for helping me out of the predicament just now."

"What you said was the truth; it can't be counted as helping." Lin Xuan continued to record his shocking thunder flower data, "However, Zhao Ming is a bit flighty in nature, but he is not bad at heart. Don't take it to heart."

"I know." Liu Qingyan crouched beside him, curiously watching the leaves flickering with electric sparks, "Is this the new trial-planted lightning-attribute Spiritual Plant? It's truly magical; I have never seen a living lightning-attribute plant before."

"Lightning-attribute Spiritual Plants are indeed rare, and they are difficult to Cultivate." Lin Xuan said, then suddenly remembered something, "By the way, this squirrel on your shoulder..."

"Its name is Xiao Huo, and I brought it from home." Liu Qingyan smiled and touched the squirrel's head, "Xiao Huo is very smart; it loves to play in the Spiritual Plant fields and can sometimes help me find bugs."

Xiao Huo seemed to understand the praise, puffed out its chest, and proudly wagged its tail.

Lin Xuan observed for a moment and found that this squirrel was indeed full of spirituality, its eyes full of spirit as they moved, fearing it was already close to the edge of gaining intelligence.

"It seems to be particularly sensitive to things in the soil?" Lin Xuan asked.

"Yes! Xiao Huo is great at digging for things. When we were at home, it often dug out strange stones, roots, and such from the garden." Liu Qingyan said, then suddenly lowered her voice, "Senior Brother Lin, actually I have a question I would like to consult you about."

"Go ahead."

"I heard that Flame Peak has recently been trying to Cultivate 'thunder fire jujube'." Liu Qingyan's eyes were bright, "That is a Tier 2 Spiritual Plant, and the jujubes produced contain both lightning and fire attributes, which is of great benefit to Disciples who Cultivate corresponding Cultivation Techniques. But they have encountered difficulties in cultivation—thunder fire jujube requires a special soil environment, needing both abundant fire Spiritual Qi and containing trace amounts of lightning-attribute substances."

She paused, "Flame Peak is looking everywhere to purchase 'lightning-attribute soil conditioner', but such things are too scarce. I was wondering, since we are trial-planting lightning-attribute Spiritual Plants, might we have experience in this area?"

Lin Xuan's heart stirred.

Lightning-attribute soil conditioner... He thought of the soil mixed with lightning-struck stone powder in the Spirit-Taming Tower Space. And the soil brought back by the Pangolin, stained with thunder-pattern iron ore dust.

Although the quantity was not large, if he could research a formula...

"I will keep this in mind." Lin Xuan did not reveal anything immediately, "Lightning-attribute soil is indeed rare and requires Opportunity. If there are any clues in the future, I will tell you."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Lin!" Liu Qingyan said happily, "Then I will go and tend to the red sun grass first, and if there are any problems, I will come to consult you again."

She hopped away holding her book, and Xiao Huo on her shoulder turned back to blink at Lin Xuan, full of spirituality.

Lin Xuan watched the girl's back, lost in thought.

thunder fire jujube, dual lightning and fire attributes, Tier 2 Spiritual Plant...

If he could get branches or seeds and plant them in the Spirit-Taming Tower Space, with the thunder-attracting vine and Thunder-Light Bug there, perhaps he could really succeed in cultivating them.

And the soil conditioner might become a secret channel for resource exchange.

The autumn wind blew through the herb garden, and various Spiritual Plants rustled.

Lin Xuan lowered his head and continued to record data, the tip of his pen sliding across the bamboo slip, making a faint "rustling" sound.

In the distance, Zhao Ming worked with his head down, occasionally looking over here, his expression complex. Qian Xiaohu and Sun Yun were whispering to each other while tending to the iron-wire vine, with laughter occasionally drifting over.

The days in the herb garden flowed by in this way, amidst trivialities and surprises.

And some new possibilities had already been quietly planted like seeds.