55: Chapter 55 Cultivating Spirit Fields

"Disciple Li Changsheng, here to report for duty at the Hundred Herb Garden."

The old man nodded and, without asking much, pointed inside.

"Go straight in, turn right at the first intersection, and you'll see a row of wooden huts. Manager Qin, your Junior Martial Uncle, is there. Go find him yourself."

"Thank you."

Li Changsheng passed through the archway and walked inward along the gravel path.

Along the way, he saw many Disciples in green robes working in the spiritual fields; some were watering, some were weeding, and some were using spiritual power to nourish the Spiritual Plants.

Occasionally, someone would look up at him before quickly lowering their head again, each busy with their own tasks.

No one asked questions, and no one gathered to watch.

The atmosphere here was completely different from the General Affairs Hall.

There was no idle gossip or cold sarcasm, only a quiet and focused busyness.

Li Changsheng nodded inwardly.

He liked a place like this.

Following the old man's directions, he quickly found the row of wooden huts.

The door to the middle one was open, and the sound of pages turning came from inside.

He walked to the door and lightly knocked on the frame.

"Come in."

The room was simply furnished with a wooden table, a few chairs, and bookshelves covering the walls.

Behind the wooden table sat a middle-aged man with a lean face and a three-strand long beard, dressed in a green robe, looking down at a thick ledger.

Li Changsheng stepped forward, cupped his hands, and bowed.

"Disciple Li Changsheng, reporting for duty today."

The middle-aged man looked up, his gaze falling upon him.

The gaze was gentle, yet it possessed a piercing quality that seemed to see through everything.

Li Changsheng felt as if he were being seen through—not his spiritual power cultivation, but rather that subtle connection he had with plants and trees.

"Li Changsheng..."

The middle-aged man slowly repeated his name.

"From the General Affairs Hall?"

"Yes."

"In half a year, you went from Qi Refining Level 1 to Level 2, secretly grew some weeds in the Sundries Warehouse, passed Zhao Yan's difficult test, and became a Formal Disciple."

The middle-aged man's tone was flat, as if he were merely stating facts.

"You have quite the nerve, and your Heart-Nature is good."

Li Changsheng felt a slight chill in his heart.

This Manager Qin clearly knew the backgrounds of the newcomers to the Hundred Herb Garden like the back of his hand.

"This Disciple just... wanted to find a path."

Manager Qin looked at him and suddenly asked.

"I heard you have a knack for growing weeds?"

Li Changsheng was startled, then realized it must have been spread by Ding San and the other Named Disciples from the General Affairs Hall.

He nodded.

"While I was at the General Affairs Hall, I collected some discarded spiritual materials and figured out how to grow a few pots of Spirit Nourishing Grass and clear heart grass on my own."

"Figured it out yourself?"

A flash of interest crossed Manager Qin's eyes.

"No one taught you?"

"No."

Manager Qin was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open.

Outside the window was a spiritual field where some Low Grade Spiritual Plants were growing, lush and green.

"That field belongs to you now."

He pointed.

"From today on, you are the person in charge of this spiritual field."

"Your monthly salary will be paid according to the Formal Disciple standard, plus a Hundred Herb Garden subsidy of thirty Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

"Your task is to cultivate this field well and hand over a fixed quota of Spiritual Plants every month. You can keep the rest for yourself to exchange for contribution points or Medicinal Pills, as you wish."

Li Changsheng was stunned.

He had thought that upon first arriving at the Hundred Herb Garden, he would have to do at least half a year of chores before he could even get near a spiritual field.

He didn't expect to be assigned a field on the very first day.

Manager Qin seemed to see through his confusion and said calmly.

"The Hundred Herb Garden doesn't care about your background or your Spiritual Root; it only cares if you can grow things."

"Since you could figure out how to grow things on your own, it shows you have this talent."

"There is no need for talented people to start with chores."

He paused and then added.

"Of course, this is a C-grade spiritual field. The Spiritual Qi is the thinnest, and what's grown here are the least valuable auxiliary Low Grade Spiritual Plants."

"If you grow them well, you can apply for a transfer to a B-grade field in six months."

"If you don't grow them well... then go back to the General Affairs Hall and continue growing your weeds."

Li Changsheng took a deep breath and solemnly cupped his hands.

"This Disciple will certainly do his utmost and not fail the task entrusted by the Manager."

Manager Qin nodded and waved his hand.

"Go on. Tools, seeds, and fertilizer are all in the warehouse by the field; go collect them yourself."

"If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask someone. The Disciples of the Hundred Herb Garden are quite easy to talk to."

Li Changsheng bowed again and was about to leave when he heard him add another sentence.

"By the way, your fellow villager Li Xiaocao is at Section C Field No. 3."

"Your field is Section C Field No. 7. It's not far; you can catch up when you have time."

Li Changsheng's footsteps paused, and a hint of a smile appeared on his lips.

"Thank you, Manager."

Section C Field No. 7.

This was a spiritual field about one mu in size. The terrain sloped slightly, and it was surrounded by ridges made of blue stones.

The soil in the field was standard black loam, many times better than the poor-quality spiritual soil Li Changsheng had mixed back at the General Affairs Hall.

A small stream flowed by the field, its water clear and faintly carrying a hint of Spiritual Qi; it was irrigation water channeled down from a spiritual spring on the mountain.

Li Changsheng stood on the ridge, gazing at this land that belonged to him, remaining still for a long time.

Half a year ago, in the Sundries Warehouse, he had been growing a single stalk of Spirit Nourishing Grass in a broken clay pot, being cautious as if treading on thin ice.

Half a year later, he had a real spiritual field, an irrigation System, a tool warehouse, and a fixed quota of seeds and fertilizer.

He had chosen the right path.

He crouched on the ridge, grabbed a handful of black loam, and examined it closely in his palm.

The soil was loose and moist, and he could faintly sense the meager Spiritual Qi contained within it.

He closed his eyes and, according to the "Soil Observation" method in the Evergreen Plant Truth Scripture, used spiritual power to sense the "vitality" and "fertility" of the soil.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, having a clear understanding.

This field, though only C-grade, had a good foundation.

If carefully maintained, with crop rotation and the replenishment from Spiritual Plants, the fertility could be further improved.

He stood up and walked to the tool warehouse by the field.

The warehouse wasn't large; inside, basic farm tools like hoes, shovels, buckets, and sprayers were neatly arranged. Bags of Spiritual Fertilizer were piled in the corner, and rows of seed bags sat on the shelves.

He checked them one by one, making mental notes.

There weren't many types of seeds, all common Low Grade Spiritual Plants: Spirit Nourishing Grass, clear heart grass, Tranquilizing Flower, Blood-Stanching Grass...

Exactly the ones he was most familiar with.

The right time, the right place, and the right people.

He took a deep breath, rolled up his sleeves, and started to work.

Tilling, loosening the soil, dividing the plots, fertilizing, sowing, watering...

His movements were unpracticed, yet meticulous.

The sun moved from the west and gradually set behind the mountains.

By the time twilight fell, the one-mu spiritual field had been neatly organized by him.

Five plots, five kinds of Spiritual Plants; the seeds had just been buried, waiting only for the spring breeze and rain to sprout from the earth.

Li Changsheng straightened his back, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked at the land he had just planted, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

Just then, a series of light footsteps came from behind him.

He turned around and saw a small figure standing on the ridge, wearing a green child's robe and her hair tied in two small buns, tilting her head as she looked at him.

Those eyes were as clear as stream water, now staring at him with a bright sparkle.

"Are you... Brother Changsheng?"

Li Changsheng was stunned for a moment, then recognized her.

Li Xiaocao.