It was cold, and a light snow had just fallen in the middle of the night. It covered the ground lightly, and you could vaguely see the dark soil underneath.
Ordinary trees have withered in this snow season, but spiritual plants are still sprouting tender green buds.
After Shan Heyuan finished practicing in the morning, he went behind the door to get a broom and planned to sweep the snow.
Shen Duheng came back from outside wrapped in cold air. Seeing that he was free, he stopped him and asked: "How is the little tree in your Dantian?"
When Shan Heyuan took up his post at Taihe Sect, in addition to receiving a generous monthly salary, the most he got back was dead branches and fallen leaves from spiritual plants.
These branches and leaves looked inconspicuous, but under Shan Heyuan's skillful hands, they took root and sprouted again, and he carefully planted them in the spiritual field.
Some spiritual trees are growing very well, with many buds and strong vitality.
Shan Heyuan has been putting spiritual herbs in his Dantian for cultivation, but he has never tried putting spiritual trees in his dantian.
A few days ago, he saw that the spiritual trees in the nursery were growing well and of high grade. With an idea, he picked a small sapling of the Foundation Establishment grade and placed it in his Dantian.
For safety reasons, he specifically spoke to Shen Duheng.
So far, every morning when Shen Duheng saw him, he would ask him about the situation of the saplings in his Dantian.
When Shan Heyuan heard the question, he took the sapling out of his Dantian and raised it to Shen Duheng with bright eyes: "Very good, there is no sign of withering today."
Shen Duheng looked at it for a moment and nodded.
Shan Heyuan saw Shen Duheng's expression and knew that Shen Duheng was satisfied with the sapling.
He himself was very satisfied with the saplings.
Saplings are more durable than spiritual grass and release greater spiritual power.
In just over ten days, he has almost reached the ninth level of Qi training.
Due to his diligent practice, his meridians are much stronger now. During practice, his spiritual power can circulate at least five times.
The number of spiritual energy runs increased, and the speed at which his cultivation level improved also increased.
It’s really a virtuous cycle.
Qi Yuanbai also said that even the genius disciples of the top sects can practice at about the same speed as him.
Shan Heyuan put the saplings back into his Dantian and said regretfully: "With the strength of my current meridians, the Dantian can at least place spiritual plants in the foundation-building stage. However, the saplings and other spiritual plants that will be used next have not reached the foundation-building stage."
Shen Duheng knew his troubles: "I'll ask the shops I'm familiar with to pay attention."
"I also asked fellow Taoists to help me take a look." Shan Heyuan sighed, "The market in Jingzhishan Town is still too small, and the spiritual plants of the foundation level are also expensive."
Shen Duheng: "There must be a road before the car reaches the mountain."
Shan Heyuan just sighed and was not very anxious about this matter. Hearing what Shen Duheng said, he smiled and said, "It all depends on fate."
After the two had breakfast, Shan Heyuan finished cooking the spiritual plants, and then went to Zhong Shuran's house with the talisman and carving knife.
The two families were not far apart, and Yujian arrived in a moment.
Zhong Shuran heard a movement in the yard and asked Shan Heyuan to open the door.
Shan Heyuan went in and saw that he had set up a talisman array in the yard to prevent wind and provide warmth. The whole yard was as warm as spring.
Not only that, he also placed a small clay stove next to the workbench. The charcoal was slowly roasted, and the tea in the stove gave off a lingering aroma.
Shan Heyuan asked himself how he could get by, but he was far from his level.
Shan Heyuan exclaimed: "Surprisingly, your yard is so comfortable!"
Zhong Shuran smiled lazily: "It's so cold that we have to carve talisman. If we don't warm it up, we can't sit still."
Zhong Shuran asked Shan Heyuan to pull out the large chair opposite the workbench and sit down. He poured some spiritual tea and placed some snacks and warm fruits on the table.
Zhong Shuran: "What talisman do you want to engrave today?"
Shan Heyuan took out the talisman pieces and the carving knife from the storage ring and put them on the table: "Ten spirit-gathering talismans, ten insect-repelling talismans. If there is still time, I will carve five more breeze talismans."
Zhong Shuran smiled: "With so many orders, I'm afraid I won't even have time to go to the toilet today."
Shan Heyuan: "It's okay. I can't finish carving today. I'll do it again tomorrow. I'm very free recently."
The two sat opposite each other, picked up the carving knife and carved slowly.
Zhong Shuran is a full-time talisman master. When he encounters something he doesn't understand, Shan Heyuan can just turn the talisman piece around and ask him for advice.
Carving talismans is a relatively mechanical thing, and you don't need to worry too much once you are familiar with it.
The two of them chatted while carving talismans.
Shan Heyuan talked about his desire for spiritual trees: "There are too few types of spiritual trees available in Jingzhishan Town. However, you have a wide network of contacts. Do you know anyone who has relevant resources?"
Zhong Shuran thought for a while: "No. Even in the hunting team, everyone mainly collects spiritual grass. The spiritual grass can be used to make elixirs, which is easy to circulate and store."
Shan Heyuan sighed: "It would be great if I could buy some high-grade spiritual tree seeds."
Zhong Shuran: "Don't talk about you, I want to buy it too. Good wooden talismans are more expensive than jade talismans. If you can plant a good spiritual tree, you will have the base material for the talismans for half a lifetime."
The two looked at each other and sighed, both dreaming sweet dreams.
Zhong Shuran suddenly said with a subtle smile: "When it comes to high-grade spiritual trees, I really know one."
Shan Heyuan immediately cheered up: "Where is it?"
Zhong Shuran: "Do you know about Wushe Temple?"
Shan Heyuan recalled: "Didn't Wusheguan collapse long ago?"
Before the rise of Taihe Sect, Wusheguan was in charge of the local sect.
This sect followed a deviant path. It was said that they practiced "witchcraft" and relied on the power of ghosts and gods to practice.
What most sects actually cultivate is "spiritual power", and practicing "witchcraft" is a niche and mysterious method, but it does not affect the strength of Wu She Guan at all.
It was once so strong that it was close to the first-level sect, but then it suddenly declined due to unknown reasons.
If Shan Heyuan hadn't read extensively, he might not have known that there was such a sect.
Zhong Shuran: "Wusheyuan has fallen down, but the ruins are still there. I heard people say that there is a spiritual tree in the elixir-forming stage at the old site of Wusheguan."
Shan Heyuan's eyes suddenly lit up: "Really?"
The spiritual tree in the elixir formation stage!
Not to mention that on the market, even a large sect like Taihe Sect, which is dominated by one side, does not have many spiritual plants in the elixir-forming stage in its sect!
Zhong Shuran shrugged: "It's just hearsay. I heard that the spiritual tree has a certain degree of self-awareness, but it became obsessed with the decline of Wushe Temple."
Shan Heyuan really couldn't imagine it: "A possessed spirit tree in the core formation stage? What would that look like?"
Zhong Shuran smiled: "You're crazy."
Shan Heyuan: "Huh?"
Zhong Shuran gestured: "Literally, the thing about that spiritual tree trunk is pretty crazy."
Shan Heyuan put down the wooden talisman in his hand: "How do you say this?"
Zhong Shuran: "Didn't Wushe Temple have its glory days? It fell suddenly and suddenly. Every few decades, monks would go to Wushe Temple to see if they could dig up treasures, and there were many monks in the alchemy stage among them."
Having said this, Zhong Shuran paused: "It's okay to be on the outside of the Wusheguan ruins. Once you go to the center, the spiritual tree will appear mysteriously and beat up anyone who tries to trick the Wusheguan."
Shan Heyuan couldn't even imagine it: "It's protecting its old home? It sounds like it has a good temper. It doesn't kill people, right?"
"Has a good temper?" Zhong Shuran smiled, "It is said that everyone who is whipped by a tree will have whip marks on his body that will last until death. No matter what medicine or pills are taken, it will have no effect."
Shan Heyuan gasped: "Did it do it on purpose?"
Zhong Shuran spread his hands: "How else could you say that tree is crazy?"
After Shan Heyuan heard the legend, he shuddered as he imagined that if he offended that tree, he would have whip marks for the rest of his life.
However, for a spiritual tree in the elixir-forming stage, how good should that tree be?
Spiritual plants are different from monks. When they are still seeds, they basically determine which grade they can reach when they are planted, unless there is a major mutation.
For example, the seeds of the soil ginseng of the Qi refining level are at the first level of Qi refining. No matter how long it grows, if it does not mutate, the adult plant will at most reach the perfection of Qi refining.
As for the legendary Jiutian Scrophulariaceae, the seeds are of the Nascent Soul grade, and the adult plants are Nascent Soul and above without any accident. If there is an accident, it will usually end in death, rather than losing the grade.
Spiritual plants of the pill-forming grade are quite rare. Shan Heyuan has been a planter for so long, but he has never seen such a high-grade spiritual plant.
There are a few trees in the Gate of Supreme Harmony, but the treasures at the bottom of the box are all tightly enclosed by the formation. He can't even see them, let alone leaving them in his care.
Shan Heyuan was afraid of the spiritual tree, and at the same time he couldn't help yearning for it.
For planters, nothing is more tempting than high-grade spiritual plants.
A spiritual tree of such good quality, to him, not only means spiritual beads, but also relates to cultivation.
Shan Heyuan asked: "Does it really not kill people?"
Zhong Shuran: "I've never heard of it killing people, but most people will be beaten to death by it even if they can't even see its shadow. Why, do you really want to take advantage of it?"
Shan Heyuan said with longing, "That is a spiritual tree of the elixir level."
Zhong Shuran smiled slightly: "With such a high rank, the marks left by spanking people are particularly long-lasting. It doesn't have the virtue of not slapping people in the face."
Shan Heyuan: "It would be nice if it wasn't so crazy. Maybe we can talk about it."
Zhong Shuran glanced at him: "The strength of the Taihe Sect is average, but it does not have elders above Nascent Soul. Even if the people of the Taihe Sect cannot conquer that spiritual tree, others are interested in the pill-forming spiritual tree. There are also a lot of forces, and the fact that it is still there now is enough to illustrate the problem."
This is what Shan Heyuan said: "I'll just tell you. I haven't even arrived at the foundation building yet. Even if I want to take advantage of it, I may not be able to get close to it."
Zhong Shuran: "As long as you know what's going on."
After receiving such big news, Shan Heyuan specially shared it with Shen Duheng at the dinner table in the evening.
After hearing this, Shen Duheng said: "It is better to steal the elixir-forming spiritual plant from Taihe Sect than to find that spiritual tree."
Shan Heyuan was shocked: "Why? Because it can slap people?"
Shen Duheng: "It is a mutated spiritual tree. It is good at space secrets. It also has a 'witch' aura, which can easily arouse people's inner demons. Do you know why the mark it leaves cannot be erased for a lifetime?"
Shan Heyuan: "Is it more powerful?"
Shen Duheng said calmly: "It will induce inner demons. Those who are smoked will die of the invasion of inner demons within two hundred years."
Shan Heyuan's heart skipped a beat: "Does that also mean from the side that its strength far exceeds the level of pill formation?"
Shen Duheng: "Don't try to take advantage of that spiritual tree."
Shan Heyuan faced his sharp gaze and waved his hands repeatedly: "With my current low level of cultivation, I can't go there even if I want to. Don't worry, I'm not that unreliable. I'm just dreaming."
