Blazing Sun Flower

At Elder Ji's words, the breathing of the few disciples, Li Ye included, grew a little heavier.

A second-tier Spirit Plant!

Even if they failed to win the elder's favor this time and stay behind to tend his spirit fields,

simply helping him plant and care for the Blazing Sun Flower for a while would already bring considerable rewards.

For the four of them, it would provide invaluable guidance in breaking through to the second tier in their Spirit Plant Techniques!

And Li Ye would have a chance to obtain the corresponding Plant Spiritual Essence in the process.

That was a considerable temptation for him as well!

Looking at the four disciples, whose eyes had grown fervent, Ji Qing asked,

"Which of you four will go first? I'll allow the rest to watch!"

They could watch too?

Yao Shaohui and Gu Daojin, who had been eager to try, exchanged a glance and immediately held themselves back.

It wasn't as though they had never encountered second-tier spirit medicine, but they only knew about the Blazing Sun Flower and had never personally tended one.

If they went straight to work, they were bound to overlook something.

But by watching, they could surely learn some of the finer points and do better when it was their turn. Wouldn't that be more prudent?

While they hesitated for that moment, Xiong Yinxiu bowed to Elder Ji and said confidently,

"Elder, I have some experience tending flowering Spirit Plants... I'm willing to plant the Blazing Sun Flower first!"

"Then you shall go first!"

Elder Ji didn't mind either way. He turned and headed for the second-tier spirit field at the mountain peak.

An additional formation covered the spirit field here. Though it wasn't high-tier, it could still trap some Spiritual Qi and make the field's soil more fertile.

The closer they got, the denser the Spiritual Qi became.

Once they were within the spirit field, it had fully reached the second tier!

Although Yao Shaohui, Gu Daojin, and Xiong Yinxiu had prepared themselves, their faces flushed red as they stood there, looking as though they could barely hold on.

Li Ye's face was also flushed, but he was much more at ease than they were.

"Hmph! If you want to watch, we'll have to see how long you can hold out in Spiritual Qi this dense..."

"If you can't even get past this hurdle, you won't be able to tend this spirit field even if I'm willing to entrust it to you!"

Looking at their bedraggled state, Elder Ji couldn't be bothered to help them as he had the day before. Instead, he looked at Li Ye.

"Why don't you go first, lad? In their current state, they might damage my precious seedlings..."

"Elder, I've adjusted!"

Li Ye's name might have been better left unmentioned. As soon as Elder Ji spoke of switching people, Xiong Yinxiu's expression changed, and she forcibly brought her Law Power under control.

Was she unwilling to give up this first chance to make a deep impression on the elder, even if forcibly suppressing her Law Power caused her internal injuries?

Li Ye watched silently, sneering inwardly.

After being struck by the Spiritual Qi yesterday, he had anticipated the conditions in the spirit field. He had long since decided not to rush into taking part, even if he couldn't watch.

Everyone would get a chance anyway. If you truly had the skill, no one could stop you from showing it, so what was the point of fighting over who went first?

Rather than seeking quick success and instant gain, it was better to adjust to the environment here first. Otherwise, if your Law Power went astray and you forced yourself to carry on, wouldn't suffering internal injuries be a loss outweighing the gain?

Elder Ji said nothing more and simply took out a jade box containing quite a few scattered rootstocks and seedlings.

He carefully picked one up and cast a spell to stimulate its Vitality as he spoke.

"Compared to those delicate spirit medicines, this Blazing Sun Flower is much hardier, but there are still quite a few things to avoid. Listen carefully. If any of you makes the slightest mistake, you can leave immediately..."

Their hearts tightened, and they listened even more attentively.

After all, his own property was at stake, so Elder Ji held nothing back. He planted the seedling as he explained the process in detail.

"Also, the Blazing Sun Flower belongs to fire and yang. When watering it, take care with the amount of water and your technique. You mustn't disrupt the water and fire Spiritual Qi in the spirit field..."

He went on to explain the details of its subsequent care and cultivation. Only after he had finished tending the seedling did he look at Xiong Yinxiu.

"Niece Xiong, come lend me a hand!"

"Yes!"

Suppressing her excitement, Xiong Yinxiu hurriedly crouched down.

She seemed to be familiar with the process already. Even though she had only watched the demonstration once, she assisted with the planting quite capably.

Her movements were precise, without the slightest mistake.

She spared Elder Ji some difficulty, and the work also went much faster than before.

He couldn't help but be greatly pleased.

"Not bad! With skills like these, you weren't boasting for nothing!"

"It's all thanks to your detailed guidance, Elder."

Xiong Yinxiu immediately replied with a smile, casting a sidelong glance at Li Ye and the others, as though she was quite certain of victory.

Yao Shaohui and Gu Daojin grew angry as they watched, but there was little they could do.

Even though they had watched the entire process just now, some things couldn't be reproduced immediately after seeing them.

Though Spirit Plant Techniques were the most basic of the hundred arts of cultivation, they still held subtleties that required careful study to master.

For the moment, the two of them could only admit they were inferior!

But Li Ye's expression didn't change in the slightest, as though everything were perfectly ordinary.

Seeing that made Xiong Yinxiu even more displeased.

Hmph! Putting on an act! Even if you have some background, not even a Foundation Establishment Lineage would readily pass down methods for tending second-tier Spirit Plants... This Blazing Sun Flower will surely be my stepping stone to advancement!

When the three of you fail to care for it properly and the elder dismisses you, let's see if you can still smile!

After they planted several more seedlings, the satisfaction on Elder Ji's face grew more pronounced.

Xiong Yinxiu's performance was undoubtedly quite suited to his needs.

Given his wealth as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he had considerable need for Blood Li Rice, but he didn't care about the few dozen jin's difference between what different people might ultimately grow.

But the second-tier Blazing Sun Flower was quite precious. Even losing a single flower would pain him.

Xiong Yinxiu seemed to have done a good job tending the Blood Li Rice, and she was also familiar with caring for the Blazing Sun Flower. The chances of her making a mistake were quite small.

He could indeed rest easy leaving the spirit field in her care.

Watching this, Yao Shaohui and Gu Daojin's expressions grew uglier.

Just then, Elder Ji suddenly stood up, told Xiong Yinxiu to stop, and walked toward another area.

"Niece Xiong, rest for now. The next one can come and try."

To ensure fairness, he had even used a formation to divide this mu of spirit field into four areas for later observation.

Judging by all this, Li Ye had to admit that Elder Ji was treating low-tier disciples like them quite well!

If he treated them this fairly during the competition, then whoever stayed would probably do their utmost to tend his spirit field, without slacking in the slightest.

Xiong Yinxiu didn't dare say much about the elder's decision.

She obediently assented, but her gaze swept sidelong over Li Ye and the others again.

She made almost no attempt to hide her contempt, as though she didn't think for a moment that they could surpass her in this art!

Arrogant!

She didn't know how high the heavens were or how deep the earth was...

Yao Shaohui and Gu Daojin immediately glared back, but they felt a nagging lack of confidence. Without answering Elder Ji, they instinctively looked at Li Ye.

"I gained a little insight from the elder's demonstration and instruction just now..."

Li Ye smiled faintly, ignored Xiong Yinxiu entirely, and strode after Elder Ji.

"Please wait a little longer, senior brothers. Let me assist the elder in cultivating this Blazing Sun Flower next!"