65: Chapter 65 Preparing for the Small Competition

The scales and horn of the One-Horned Rock-Armor Beast were worth more than Li Changsheng had imagined.

Several days later, in the market district.

Li Changsheng found the stall where he had bought the Pill Furnace last time. The stall owner was a Disciple at Qi Refining Level 5, specializing in purchasing Yao Beast Materials.

When the other party saw the intact horn and the stack of scales, his eyes lit up.

"A One-Horned Rock-Armor Beast? You killed it?"

The stall owner looked him up and down, disbelief written all over his face.

"Got lucky, found a dead one."

Li Changsheng's expression remained calm.

Although suspicious, the stall owner proceeded with the business anyway.

After some haggling, the horn sold for two hundred and thirty Spirit Stones, and the scales, calculated based on their integrity, fetched one hundred and sixty, totaling three hundred and ninety Spirit Stones.

He couldn't bear to sell the Yao Beast meat, keeping a portion for himself to eat and preparing to give the rest to Li Changqing and the others.

Adding the hundred or so Spirit Stones left from selling the Jade Dew Ginseng last time, Li Changsheng now had nearly five hundred Spirit Stones on him.

He first went to the Hundred Herb Medicine Shop, buying three bottles of qi gathering pills, two bottles of Yunling Pills, and a three-year-old 'Peiyuan Grass'.

This item could be consumed directly, gently boosting one's cultivation; it was a common auxiliary Spirit Medicine during the Qi Refining Stage.

Then, he deliberately swaggered into the Juzhen Pavilion during the market district's busiest hours.

In one go, he bought five bottles of 'Yiqi Pills'.

These were a grade higher than qi gathering pills, costing fifty Spirit Stones per bottle.

When he came out after the purchase, many eyes fell upon him.

"Who is that? So rich?"

"That one from the General Affairs Hall, named Li Changsheng. I heard he made a fortune growing Spiritual Plants in the Hundred Herb Garden."

"Tch, what future can a cultivation built on piling up pills have?"

Li Changsheng heard these words and, instead of being upset, felt satisfied.

This was precisely the effect he wanted.

Counting the time, since arriving at the Qinglan Sword Sect, he had progressed from Qi Refining Level 1 to Level 3 in less than a year.

This speed was nothing to mention when placed on a true Genius.

But on a 'waste' like him with 'mixed Spiritual Roots and no talent,' it was far too conspicuous.

The first three levels of the Qi Refining Stage could indeed be rapidly boosted with Medicinal Pills.

But even for average Aptitude, it generally took around two years.

He had already been at Qi Refining Level 1 when he first entered the Sect.

He hadn't considered this issue before, but thinking about it recently gave him a lingering fear.

Today, in the market district, he heard those words clearly.

"Cultivation built on piling up pills."

This was exactly the effect he wanted.

However, cultivation built on piling up pills typically resulted in an unstable Foundation, with ethereal spiritual power and combat strength far inferior to peers of the same level.

He needed others to believe he was precisely that kind of 'waste built on piling up pills.'

Returning to the Hundred Herb Garden, he first went to Li Xiaocao's rare Spiritual Plant nursery.

The little girl was squatting beside a ginseng half a person's height, carefully using a brush to clean dust off the leaves.

"Xiao Cao."

Li Xiaocao turned her head, saw it was him, and immediately broke into a beaming smile.

"Brother Changsheng!"

Li Changsheng handed her a package of Yao Beast meat wrapped in oiled paper: "Roasted. Try it."

Li Xiaocao took it, opened it, and saw several pieces of golden-brown, fragrantly roasted beast meat.

She took a bite, and her eyes instantly curved into crescents: "Delicious!"

Li Changsheng ruffled her hair and took out a bottle of qi gathering pills.

"These are for you, for Cultivating."

Li Xiaocao hurriedly waved her hands.

"No, no, you already gave me so much last time..."

"Take them."

Li Changsheng stuffed the jade bottle into her arms.

"Cultivate well. Don't embarrass our Qinghe Town."

Li Xiaocao held the jade bottle, her eyes reddening, and nodded vigorously.

Leaving the rare Spiritual Plant nursery, Li Changsheng went to the Sword Guard Hall at Heavenly Sword Peak.

Li Changqing was practicing sword forms on the Martial Arts Field. A set of the 'Golden Edge Sword Art' was executed with power and force; though still somewhat unpolished, it already carried a hint of sharpness.

He did not disturb her, merely placing a package of Yao Beast meat and a bottle of Medicinal Pills on the stone bench by the field before turning to leave.

At the Hundred Crafts Academy on Houtu Peak, Shi Tiezhu was moving stone Materials.

Seeing Li Changsheng, he ran over with a simple smile, took the items, and scratched his head, saying,

"Brother Changsheng, I... I have nothing to repay you with..."

"Cultivating well is repayment enough."

Li Changsheng patted his shoulder.

"Strive to make it into the top hundred in the minor competition three months from now."

In the following days,

Li Changsheng devoted all his energy to two things—Cultivating the Evergreen Plant Truth Scripture and tending to the spirit fields.

He woke up at mao hour (5-7 AM) daily, first using his spiritual power to gently nurture the tea plant and Spiritual Plants.

From chen hour (7-9 AM) to noon, he managed the spirit fields—weeding, loosening soil, watering, and fertilizing.

In the afternoon, he studied the introductory section of the Qinglan Sword Art given by Liu Qingchen. Although his interest in practicing swordplay wasn't great, the methods regarding spiritual power circulation within it greatly inspired him.

After nightfall was the Cultivation time for the Evergreen Plant Truth Scripture. Coupled with that drop of Jade Dew Ginseng spiritual liquid, his cultivation steadily improved.

The third layer of the Evergreen Plant Truth Scripture was called 'Nurturing Spirit.'

The core of this layer was no longer simply Cultivating, but 'resonating with Spiritual Plants.'

According to the Cultivation Technique's records, if one could find a Spiritual Plant that resonated with one's mind and spirit, nurturing it daily, the plant would reciprocate with a special 'Vitality Qi,' greatly benefiting Cultivation.

The Spiritual Plant Li Changsheng chose was that wild tea plant.

Every morning, he would squat beside the tea plant, lightly touch the leaves with his hand, and slowly channel a wisp of spiritual power into it.

At first, the tea plant merely accepted passively, but gradually, it seemed to respond in some way.

The leaves trembled slightly, a faint luster flowing between their veins, even making the surrounding air feel a bit fresher.

On the morning of the seventh day, when he placed his hand on the tea plant's main trunk as usual, he suddenly felt an extremely faint, warm and moist aura slowly flow from the plant into his palm.

That was the tea plant's reciprocation.

Though so weak it was almost imperceptible, it undeniably existed.

Li Changsheng opened his eyes, looked at the still thin and small tea plant before him, and a faint smile touched the corner of his mouth.

"From now on, I'll call you 'Little Fang.'"

He said softly.

The tea plant remained silent, its leaves gently swaying in the morning breeze, as if agreeing.

Two months later.

The tea plant had grown half a foot taller, its branches and leaves much denser, the leaf color shifting from tender green to deep emerald.

The daily morning reciprocation also changed from the initial wisp, barely perceptible, to something clearly felt.

He had already entered the gate of the third layer of the Evergreen Plant Truth Scripture.

His Qi Refining Level 3 cultivation had also stabilized during these two months of gentle nurturing.

The vortex of spiritual power within his Dantian was several times more condensed than when he had just Broken Through, circulating smoothly and freely, faintly showing signs of advancing toward Qi Refining Level 4.

Now, only one last thing remained.

That Jade Dew Ginseng.

He squatted beside the Jade Dew Ginseng, looking at this Spirit Ginseng that had accompanied him for over half a year.

The leaves were plump, the stem full, the rootlets robust, faintly shimmering with a soft spiritual light.

This was the best-growing one of the three. He had kept it all along, reluctant to use it.

But the outer Sect minor competition was in one month.

He needed strength.

"Sorry about this."

He murmured softly, then began to work.

Digging up ginseng was delicate work.

Using a small shovel, he dug up the surrounding soil inch by inch, carefully avoiding the tender, fragile rootlets.

Half an hour later, an entire Jade Dew Ginseng lay completely revealed before him.

The rootlets were luxuriant, a full dozen or so, the thickest already the size of a little finger.

He washed the Jade Dew Ginseng clean, placed it into the small Pill Furnace, and began the extraction.

This time, he was much more proficient than the first.

Spiritual power slowly seeped in, enveloping the entire Jade Dew Ginseng, forcing out its essence bit by bit.

One hour later, a small pool of emerald-green spiritual liquid had accumulated at the bottom of the furnace.

He carefully poured the spiritual liquid into a jade bottle, holding it up to the light for a closer look.

About five qian in amount, nearly double the quantity from the first time.

Five qian of spiritual liquid.

Enough for him to charge toward Qi Refining Level 4.