106: The soil inside the greenhouse is stuffy and sluggish. Now, let the seedlings and earthworms loosen the soil to allow them to breathe. I will teach you the technique of loosening the soil to allow them to breathe.

The morning sun climbed over the shengxi vine wall of Shengxi Academy, Little Kite flapped its wings in the Kite Nest, and golden light fell onto the seedling protection grass in the courtyard.

Nian Xue carried tender vine leaves, with Little Color following behind: “We're taking breakfast to the Dew Cleansing Worms, then we'll go see if the Seedling-Urging Butterfly is awake."

A Qing walked beside them, its Dragon claws lightly treading the ground: “The soil this morning is a bit hard; it doesn't feel as loose as usual when I step on it."

Upon entering the Nursery Shed, a suffocating Qi rushed out. The seedling leaves were curled into small tubes, the golden patterns were dim, and even the Life-Breathing Lamps on the shed roof were weak.

“The Qi inside the shed isn't circulating! The seedlings can barely breathe." The Spirit Plant Clan Seedling Cultivation Master lifted the Shed Curtain to ventilate.

A Star Spirit Clan student raised a crystal stone, which glowed faint gray: “It's 'Stagnant Seedling Qi,' gathering inside the shed and unable to disperse. The soil has also hardened."

Clear Snow activated the Ice and Snow Dao Origin Formation, blowing icy Qi toward the shed: “It can lower the temperature a bit, but it can't circulate the Qi beneath the soil, so the seedling roots can't draw energy."

Lin Chen squatted down and felt the soil. The clods were rock-hard: “The soil has formed a crust, preventing the Life-Breathing Qi from entering. We need to loosen the soil completely."

The Dao Source Clan Leader tapped the soil with his staff; the tip glowed gold: “Listen, there's movement under the soil, like something is drilling."

Everyone dug away the surface hard soil and saw several shallow red little earthworms, drilling and loosening the soil. Where they drilled, the soil became soft and loose.

“It's the Sprout-Penetrating Earthworm! They specialize in loosening hardened soil and circulating Qi. Wherever the earthworms crawl, the Life-Breathing Qi can immediately permeate." The Seedling Cultivation Master was overjoyed.

The Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms were as thin as wheat stalks, with shallow red bodies and Silver Patterns. As they drilled, they left fine holes. Stagnant Seedling Qi drifted out from these holes, and the shed gradually became refreshed.

Nian Xue lay by the edge of the soil and whispered, “They drill so fast! They break up the soil clods, like little bugs helping to till the field."

Little Color moved closer and touched the earthworm's body with its crystal claw. The earthworm wiggled but didn't hide. Little Color quickly retracted its claw: “It's squishy!"

A Qing looked down, its Dragon Breath causing the soil surface to tremble slightly: “They aren't afraid of me. I'll help them by blowing the hard soil loose."

Before long, the hardened soil in the shed was completely loosened, and the Stagnant Seedling Qi dissipated. The seedling leaves slowly unfurled, the golden patterns brightened again, swaying gently in the breeze.

The Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms drilled back into the deep soil, leaving only fine holes to allow air circulation. It seemed they had built tunnels underground to facilitate loosening the soil back and forth.

“They want to live underground!" the students gathered around. “We shouldn't step on the hard soil; we need to leave loose soil for them."

A Spirit Plant Clan student found Life-Breathing Rotten Leaves and spread them on the surface of the soil: “These leaves can soften the soil, which the Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms like, and they can also serve as food."

During the morning's “Soil Loosening Lesson,” Nian Xue pointed to the fine holes in the soil: “These are the holes drilled by the Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms. Qi enters through these holes, and the seedling roots can absorb it."

She demonstrated lightly raking the soil: “Everyone must loosen the soil gently, don't hurt the earthworms. They are the seedlings' 'Little Underground Helpers.'"

A Little Stone Spirit Clan student asked, “If the soil in other realms hardens, will the earthworms go there?"

Lin Chen nodded: “They follow the loose soil layer. If the soil hardens somewhere, take some of the soil from here, and they will follow."

In the afternoon, the Seedling Cultivation Master taught the students the “Soil Loosening Incantation”: “Form your hands into claws, lightly grasp the soil surface, Qi follows the claws in, and the soil loosens itself."

Nian Xue practiced first. As the Qi moved with her claws, the soil surface became fine and sandy. Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms poked their heads out of the holes, seemingly responding.

Little Color also tried, lightly raking the soil with its crystal claw. Although it didn't loosen much, it created small pits, making the students laugh.

A Qing lay by the edge of the shed, blowing Dragon Breath towards the Hard Soil Area: “My Qi can blow the surface soil loose, making it easier for the Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms to drill."

Midway through practice, some Stagnant Seedling Qi gathered again inside the shed. The Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms drilled faster, but seemed unable to keep up with the speed of the Qi accumulation.

“Let's help the earthworms loosen the soil! Use the Soil Loosening Incantation to loosen all the Hard Soil Areas!" Lin Chen shouted. The students dispersed, using their claws to grasp and Qi to loosen.

The Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms drilled along the loosened soil, moving faster. The Stagnant Seedling Qi inside the shed dispersed in large quantities from the fine holes, and the Life-Breathing Lamps also brightened.

Nian Xue was the most proficient with the Soil Loosening Incantation. The soil she loosened was soft, and the Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms drilled most happily in it, seemingly expressing thanks.

Little Color ran throughout the shed, using its crystal claw to rake open small clods of hard soil. A Qing's Dragon Breath swept over, the clods scattered, and the Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms immediately drilled inside.

“Let's set up a 'Ventilation Formation' outside the shed to circulate the Qi, so the Stagnant Seedling Qi can't accumulate!" Clear Snow suggested.

Everyone went outside the shed and wove a Ventilation Net using shengxi vine, hanging it on the shed eaves. When the wind blew, the net moved and Qi circulated, making the shed even more refreshed.

The Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms seemed to sense the circulating Qi. They drilled out of the soil layer and moved back and forth in the soil beneath the Ventilation Net, seemingly reinforcing their tunnels.

In the evening, when the students were dismissed, they all stepped lightly on the soil surface, looking at the fine holes drilled by the Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms. Some even sprinkled more Life-Breathing Rotten Leaves.

A Little Earth Spirit Clan student said: “I want to take some soil from here back with me to attract Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms to our realm to loosen the hardened soil."

Nian Xue nodded: “Great! In the future, the soil in every realm will be loose, and the seedling roots will be able to absorb enough Qi and grow stronger."

Returning to the shed, the Seedling Cultivation Master scattered a handful of Life-Breathing Seeds into the loose soil: “These seeds will grow into soft grass, serving as a nest for the Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms."

The seeds immediately sprouted upon entering the soil, and tender grass grew quickly. The Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms drilled under the grass, seemingly resting among the blades. The fine holes on the soil surface continued to allow ventilation.

Lin Chen and Clear Snow stood in the center of the courtyard, gazing at the seedlings in the shed and the earthworms beneath the soil. The Palm Imprints on their palms glowed gold, merging with the Life Qi of the Academy.

Nian Xue lay on A Qing's back, with Little Color curled up in her arms. Together they gazed at the fine holes inside the shed, seemingly greeting the Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms.

The guardian team of Shengxi Academy has gained the Sprout-Penetrating Earthworms. This shallow red little creature, with its ability to loosen soil and circulate Qi, guards the leaves of the seedlings, the petals of the flowers, and the roots in the soil, alongside the kites, butterflies, and worms, ensuring that every inch of life can take root in loose soil, stretch out in ventilation, and flourish enduringly.